[Thread] - Tanabata Festival (OPEN! &hearts)

[honoo_no_hime]

Characters: OPEN! come one come all
Where: a pathway in the park
When: shortly after the pendant plot, during Tanabata
Summary: Mars has organized a small festival (adapted for Econtra) with:
&hearts preparations/decorating
&hearts fortune-telling
&hearts mingling
&hearts a cook-out
Notes: Please feel free to join the created subthreads singly or

Comments

Re: Mingling [subthread]

[invisikid]

He shuffled, glancing through the various faces around him but never lingering on those he didn't recognize. It appeared his return home and the life in Econtra had taken the same amount of time. Lyle pressed a hand against his obi in subconscious worry, hoping he had tied the black clothe right under more important musings.

He had been home. Plunked far from the Legion, yes, and still in the middle of his mission. But he had never felt so happy to hear Cosmic Boy yell at him over their Ring intercom. Needless to say, it was another shock when he'd literally been tossed back into Econtra. Luckily the yukata had been there to break his fall. It was odd how similar to his new uniform the thing was; a shade of red, with black cumulating in the front, visible corner of the outfit and dissipating off into little black circles near his knees. The collar and obi were also black.

"Maybe I should have posted about being home..." Lyle mused aloud, assuming that no one would take the time to listen to his ramblings. He'd checked his PDA only to find out the festival the yukata was for already starting, and had scrambled over to the grounds. The teen rubbed the back of his neck, a frustrated yet worried huff settling over his features.

Re: Mingling [subthread]

[honoo_no_hime]

The Indigeo was skilled at reading people. How else could it, connected to the cuffs, read their intentions and apply those to its settings in order to activate in certain situations? And while it tended to be literal-minded and straightforward, it was often able to read enough information to provide fitting variants of a mass-requested item.

Mars had been taking some time from her booth, enjoying the fair for herself. When she saw the black yukata standing somewhat alone, she approached him.

"Good evening."

Re: Mingling [subthread]

[0nightwing0]

" Lyle you're home" Dick said walking over to the teen his Yukata sporting a bright blue phoenix on his chest an right shoulder, who's tail stretched all the way around back to the bottom hem of the yukata. " I missed you kiddo"

" Mars" Dick replied with a small bow acknowledging the priestess.

Re: Mingling [subthread]

[honoo_no_hime]

They were both friends, then. Mars quirked her head at the comment, however.

"Home?" The question might have been towards what had apparently taken the other boy away, or the idea of considering this version of earth 'home'. Mars couldn't quite go that far.

(ooc: no biggie. most of the senshi have been open about both identities which is why I said he might have even heard it somewhere. She's just newer and still O_O to Econtra. XD)

Re: Mingling [subthread]

[hands_of_reason]

He might notice a somewhat familiar face passing through the crowd nearby. Even if not, Naoki had certainly noticed him. The Demi-Fiend had to stop and do a double-take to even be sure he was seeing what he thought he was.

He moved towards Lyle as quickly as his yukata would allow, stopping just short of the other two that were already around him. If Lyle was still angry with him over what had happened before, he didn't want to risk getting to close just yet. In fact, he had half a mind to turn around and just walk away, but something else wouldn't let him.

He was back. And on Tanabata of all nights.

Re: Mingling [subthread]

[invisikid]

"Hello. I don't believe we've met." Lyle admitted to the young woman. She was really pretty, but he didn't know her face. Had she arrived her while he had been gone?

But when Dick spoke, Lyle grinned broadly, spinning excitedly to face the man. "Dick!" He laughed, waving an arm as the other hero approached. "I missed you too!" The teen pressed, having almost hugged Dick in happiness. "Wow...Sprock, what have I missed?" Lyle ran a hand through his hair, tone touching on awe. It was Econtra. Anything or nothing could happen in the rough two weeks he was gone.

"Mars?" Was that her name? The Legionnaire had heard odder names for sure, but wondered, as he blinked at the woman, if she had any connection to Persephone's gods and goddesses. There was a Mars in mythology, wasn't there? "Oh, yeah. I was sent back to my home for a little bit. But I'm back." Anywhere his friends were had a way of becoming a 'home'.

Finally, there was another familiar presence. But each turn of his head met a wave of people. Lyle cast one confused look out into the crowds before returning focus on the two he was talking to. "So, this festival is for...Tanabata?"

Re: Mingling [subthread]

[honoo_no_hime]

The new arrival was energetic. Mars nodded, a calmer personality by nature.

"I am Sailormars," she confirmed. "Born under that planet's protection as the soldier of Flame and Passion." It wasn't quite her often-given introductory speech, but covered the basics.

"You remember your time here before, then?" she asked. Mars recalled that Mercury's information had suggested that some people did, but that it was rare. It was possible she could make more sense of Econtra by learning what she could from someone who'd done so.

Re: Mingling [subthread]

[hands_of_reason]

Guess it was his turn to be invisible, then.

After a few minutes, Naoki finally made his way up to the trio, still keeping mostly to himself. He had to admit that the younger looked quite nice in his yukata. It wasn't something he'd ever thought the other would wear and, while it seemed distantly odd, it had it's charms.

Neither the woman or the man looked familiar, which didn't surprise him. Despite having been here over a month, he hadn't bothered to meet many people and recently, he hadn't even been interested in other people. There just wasn't much use for that sort of thing right now.

Naoki gave Lyle a small wave from where he stood. At least he'd know now if he was being ignored.

Re: Mingling [subthread]

[invisikid]

"I'm Lyle Norg. It's a pleasure, Mars. But yes, I do remember my time here." He grinned over at Dick before continuing. "I'm guessing it's a random occurrence. I could have just as well forgotten my time here then-"

The Demi Fiend was almost shocking sight. After their fight, Lyle hadn't expected to talk the other boy so easily...On such calm terms. The words I'm a fool for being swayed by you seemed to drop heavy on his shoulders again. But then...Naoki waved. That was a sign of...what exactly? Certainly not aggression, for sure. Lyle smiled, small but there, and waved back, surprise still a evident on his face.

Thats when the pointed lull in conversation around him made him realized what everyone was waiting for. "...Oh...Uh, Dick, this is Naoki Kashima." He gestured between the two of them. "Naoki... Dick Grayson. And Miss Mars." A polite nod towards the young woman.

Re: Mingling [subthread]

[hands_of_reason]

Naoki felt himself smile at the surprise on Lyle's face. It was certainly better than the displeasure he had been expecting.

He nodded at the other two as he was introduced, managing to keep his smile on for the sake of appearances. At the moment, the demon-boy wasn't concerned with Dick and Mars. If it had been a different day and under different circumstances, then maybe he would have stuck around longer.

"Nice to meet you both." Naoki said before turning his attention back to Lyle. "When you have the time, can you meet me by the fountain? I-I need to talk to you." He wasn't going to even wait for an answer or reply. With another quick smile, he turned and vanished into the crowd again.

[[ooc: Sorry for doing a quick tagback and not waiting, but I wanted to go ahead and get him out. ^^;; ]]

Re: Mingling [subthread]

[honoo_no_hime]

Mars glanced after the retreating boy - Naoki, hadn't his name just been said? - and then back to Lyle.

"It's alright," she offered. "It's a festival; you should talk to your friends." Neither was it her particular business to question what they might have to discuss; she didn't sense anything alarming from them at the moment, and they were her guests in a way.

Re: Mingling [subthread]

[poppingseeds]

Persephone had broken away from the cookout, meandering about through the crowd and adjusting one of the poppies in her orange hair. The flowers were alive and happy, the goddess feeding them off her own energy which didn't much at all, really. Later, though, she'd have to replant them, but they were more than happy to lend their assistance in dressing up her blue kimono. Which was still tied together wrong. Oh well.

Grey eyes scanned the crowd, looking for interesting places to go or things going, and that was when -- no. It couldn't be. There was no way -- Lyle?!

Though he wasn't in his usual clothing, it was definitely the Legionnaire. Persephone couldn't believe her eyes at first, but once it actually hit her, the biggest grin broke across her face and it was with something akin to a flying tackle-hug that the young goddess greeted her friend, chirping brightly, "LYLE!"

Re: Mingling [subthread]

[invisikid]

"Ooof!" Lyle grunted, stumbling in surprise, and finding himself with an armful of goddess. He couldn't see much besides a wave of red hair and the smell of flowers filling his nose, but that was all he needed to know who it was. He wrapped her up in a tight hug, laughing. "Perseph!"

He drew back a little to get a proper look at her. "How have you been?" The teen asked, a relieved look on his face. She was okay, still here, and seemingly happy. That was a start. "I hope I haven't missed anything exciting..."

Re: Mingling [subthread]

[poppingseeds]

When they pulled apart, she looked up at him, brightly beaming. It was so good to have him back and in one piece. At least he seemed to be in one piece. You could never tell with mortals.

"Alright! I can tell you all about it later," she said with a small note of finality in her voice. Persephone wasn't about to expound upon her adventures, good and bad, in the middle of the festival, especially when there was poking about to do.

"How have you been?" the goddess shot back with a hint of worry, worrying at her lower lip. "You didn't go any place bad, did you? Or... do you not remember where you went at all?"

Re: Mingling [subthread]

[invisikid]

Lyle was rattled, that's for sure. What had happened to him during his absence wasn't exactly a walk in the park for the logic department. And being flung back so suddenly had done nothing for it. But he was here, with his friends. He resisted drawing the goddess in for another hug.

"Alright..." Lyle knew to back off, but the tone in his voice and raised eyebrow told the girl he had come to see as a little sister that they would talk about it, whatever it was.

His eyes widened at her roundabout. "It wasn't bad! Not bad at all. And I do remember it. I..." His expression turned wistful, so much it was almost pained. "I was home. I went back home, Perseph."

Re: Mingling [subthread]

[poppingseeds]

Persephone shrugged at the tone of his voice -- not really shrugging it off, but more a futile gesture, knowing she wasn't going to get out of talking about it all. But still, it hardly seemed the time or place.

A small frown tugged at the corners of the girl's mouth at the expression on her friend's face. She spoke tentatively, genuinely happy for him but unsure if she should be, "I'm glad you went back someplace safe, then."