(Untitled)

[whamonrider]

Who: Sadie, Paikea, Matariki helpers? OPEN!
What: Maori New Year festival
When: Saturday June 13th (backdated); afternoon
Where: Tetha park

Comments

[oni_on_my_back]

"Oiii!"

And turn up someone did.

Mion called from across the park, waving one hand as she walked forward. She'd only spoken to Sadie via D-Comm, but she could tell who she was - by that look on her face that anyone doing last minute festival preparations had. She knew the one.

"So it happened! Told you!"

[whamonrider]

Pai, still reveling in the use of her scarf arms, waved one end of the scarf at the newcomer. It had been a while since she'd heard a good "oi" from anyone who wasn't her partner.

Sadie, meanwhile, put the last touches on her tree, thinking of hopes for the new year (they mostly consisted of "get used to the weather", "make more friends", "find a way home", "stop moping about being homesick", and "get a boyfriend"), before turning to the new girl. Huh. Green hair. Okay then. Idly, she wondered if this girl was another reploid before casting the thought aside.

"Still surprised it did!" she grinned.

Wait. Hang on.

"Uh... You did?" Tell me, she neglected to add.

[locket_lost]

Seeing the newcomer, Karone smiled and waved as she continued planting her own tree.

"Looks like you made it just in time," she called out.

[oni_on_my_back]

Mion waved back at Karin, flashing her a grin - before blinking at Sadie. "Well. I didn't exactly say it in words, but - implied. Yeah." She cleared her throat. "So! Where do you need me? This old man's happy to go wherever! Food work, planting stuff, setting up activities - anything!"

Impmon idly noted his Tamer seemed a lot more enthusiastic than she should be.

[whamonrider]

Sadie snorted at 'old man'. "Please, I'm probably older than you."

"Oh, I know!" Pai announced. "Signs for the kites and the trees and what they mean? People will probably think we're doing this for lulz."

"Oh, yeah," Sadie agreed. "I was gonna make Ash do it, but he hasn't showed up. Oh well, I know where he lives," she added casually.

Pai rolled her eyes. "I'd do it myself, but I haven't tried writing yet." She gave the scarf arms a wriggle to demonstrate her point. "I can show you where the stuff is, though!"

[locket_lost]

Karone stifled a laugh. "And I'm probably older than both of you."

Then, looking back at the tree she'd just planted, she nodded at Pai's suggestion to make signs. "That's probably a good idea. When you explained what planting the trees meant, it took me a minute to realize that it made sense." A symbol of new beginnings--it felt like she'd been planting trees for the past ten years now.

[oni_on_my_back]

Mion crossed her arms and put on an over-dramatic pout, but then it melted into a casual smile. "Yeah, yeah - ancient people." She picked up a poster on a nearby table and looked it over. "Signs I can do."

She added, "Though I'd probably need to learn what they meant in the first place."

[whamonrider]

"The trees are a symbol of new beginnings," Sadie explained. "This used to be the time to prepare for planting crops and making offerings to the gods to protect your crops for the new year."

"And the kites connect heaven and earth," Pai added.

Sadie nodded. "As well as looking to the future, Matariki's a time to spend with your whanau--"

"Family," Pai supplied.

"--and reflect on the past and your background, and remember your ancestors who've gone to heaven."

It felt good, explaining this to new people. Even if she wasn't with her own family, Sadie could still pass her traditions on to others.

[locket_lost]

Karone smiled wistfully as she listened to Sadie and Pai's explanation. She'd shared a lot of holidays with the other Rangers--Mirinoian festivals and some Earth-based holidays--but nothing quite like this. Usually, new years were about trying to look toward the future moreso than reflect on the past.

And as for family...

"It kind of makes me wish my brother was here," she admitted.