Once a year, we throw a party here in town [Open]

[gypsymothdance]

Characters: Jean, Hughes, Zeetha... open to everyone for mingling, especially new members of the Winding Way crew
Content: It's a nighttime bonfire party! Come for the grilled food and dancing, stay for the people and the toasted marshmallows~
Setting: In a clear area in the makeshift racing town
Time: From sunset onwards
Warnings: There is a big,

Comments

[fatherofcute]

"Food's coming along great! Are the others coming?" he said with great cheer, manning the grill with a bottle of beer in a hand and his great big tongs flipping steak and burger patties over. He had a better shirt tucked in a bag somewhere -- for now, he was wearing his usual clothes with an apron over it, just to keep his better shirt clean from grease and smell. Hughes wanted to cut a slightly better figure than normal tonight.

Already, a nice, meaty smell was coming from his massive (and makeshift) grill, the coal glowing hotly in the night.

[d_luffymonkey]

It didn't take too long before a certain powder monkey appeared into the scene right beside Hughes, attracted by the delicious smell that was coming from the grill. His eyes sparkled and the corners of his mouth dripped with drool as the teenager looked over the sizzling grill. A pause as he stared at them before he abruptly leaped up in joy, limbs stretching along with him as he exclaimed out happily.

"Oooooooooooooo, foooooood!!"

Awesome food, even!

[gypsymothdance]

Jean laughed. "They should be! Let's hope they're on their way right now, or I think Luffy here is going to be eating all the food!" And she wouldn't put it past him, either. She had seen how much that rubber stomach could pack away

[fatherofcute]

"Thanks," he said in response to the comment about the smell of the food, before warding Luffy's hungriness off with one of the burger pieces. "Just one for now! No more! I mean it!" Hughes flipped another steak before wandering off to where Jean was, making sure that Luffy wasn't sneaking bites off the rest of the steak.

He peered at what she had under the cloth. "Uh! Hum. If you give it to Uncle Mike to keep safe, I'm sure no one will mess with it!" he said jokingly, before turning to look back at the grill with consideration. The raw meat was in a box propped on top of a chair. He pointed the space between the chair legs. "You can probably keep it there. I'll watch over it for as long as I'm manning the grill."

[eighthmelody]

It had been a long time since Ness saw a bonfire. He remembered seeing one when he was younger, and this one was just like the one he remembered: a grand, beautiful flame that was enough to spark excitement and wonder in anyone. Careful to not get too close, he drew closer to the bonfire, basking in its warmth.

This was just what he needed: time to kick back and celebrate with friends and take his mind off things.

[flight_15]

Ichigo had had no plans of going to the bonfire.

Rikku, however, had. She had insisted on dragging him down here, and as his mechanic, she currently had quite a bit of leverage on him. So, here he was, looking around at the other people and wondering what the heck he was supposed to do here.

....huh, looked like Ness was enjoying himself. He'd seen something on the network -- something was up with the kid. It seemed like something was always giving Ness trouble, come to think of it.

Well, Ichigo wasn't gonna ask about it this time. "Hey, Ness," he greeted. "What's up?"

[eighthmelody]

"Ichigo!"

Ness smiled. He had grown somewhat close to Ichigo as they spent time together in the infirmary. Honestly, he didn't expect to see Ichigo around here. A bonfire didn't seem like his kind of thing. Maybe someone made Ichigo come here.

"Not much," he replied to the question. "You?"

[flight_15]

Yeeeeah, that'd be Rikku. "Nothin'. Rikku wouldn't shut up until I came down here." He folded his arms and half-glared off to the side. Ness was here, though, so at least there was somebody to talk to. "They roasting marshmallows yet?" Ichigo figured if you'd seen one bonfire, you'd seen 'em all, and he'd seen several in his travels around the Badlands, usually around Lunasa. "They roasting marshmallows yet?" he asked. If they had chocolate to put on the marshmallows, it just might be worth sticking around.

For a little while, anyway.

[starcharmsketch]

The Way was having a bonfire party, and she'd had misgivings about going. She wasn't used to going to big events like this; her shy and quiet nature had prevented her from doing that before, so there was no reason for it to change-- even when she was looking for Sora. But she found herself going anyways, keeping to the edges of the crowd, eyes searching for a spikey head of brunet.

Naminé smiled faintly at how open and friendly people seemed to be, as they interacted with each other. Most of them were from the Way, probably, but it still sent tingles of warmth down her spine. Sora had been in a good place all this time. He deserved it.

She wasn't sure how long she would-- or should-- stay. Sora had always been a sociable person, so there was a high chance he would come...but her doubts about what she would say, or how she should act in front of him surfaced again. She stopped, hands clasped together in a prayer-like motion.

[destined_skies]

True enough, a certain brunette navigator was amongst the crowd.

Sora hovered near the bonfire's edge, holding a straightened coat-hanger into the flames. Every few seconds he would pull it out, and check the progress of the marshmallow he had stabbed onto it's other end.

Most of his concentration and attention was going towards this task, and there didn't seem to be anyone there that he was with, exactly. Aside from a couple greetings and friendly smiles, he remained by himself.

[starcharmsketch]

There he was. He still looked the same as he had before, right down to his spikey hair. She laughed softly, but it soon died in her throat.

Well, now she'd found him. It was time to actually confront him. She took a breath to steel herself, then moved forward.

Her stomach churned uncomfortably as she slipped through the crowd to make her way over. Twenty...fourteen...eleven... For a moment she lost track of how many more steps she had to take to get to him, but by that time she'd already reached his side.

"So-" Naminé let out a breath, trying again. "Sora."

[destined_skies]

Unaware that he was being approached from behind, Sora continued to gaze at the white blob hovering on the end of his wire. Or maybe he was mesmerized by the glow of the large bonfire, it was hard to tell. His island had lit similar blazes on holidays like the Long Night, but it was common to see smaller camp fires at night, near the edge of the island where the ground was sandy and moist. So it was likely that he was simply caught in a moment of nostalgia for his home.

Which was why he gave a slight jump when Naminé spoke his name, and turned his head towards her with blinking blue eyes. "Huh--yeah?"

Do I. . . know her? There was no immediate recognition in his gaze, but Sora couldn't help but think the blond girl looked vaguely familiar. Maybe she'd been in Bydan at the same time the Way had been docked there? But how did she know his name?

No, the opening of the Steel Samurai--of course! She had probably been in the audience, and had been impressed by his acting skills. Maybe. He was a pretty good actor, after all

[dontcallmetiger]

Taiga plopped herself down on the ground, near enough to the bonfire to feel the heat on her skin, and just far enough away to avoid the sparks blowing off it.

She cast a longing look over towards Hughes' grill, which was letting off a delicious smell - but there was no point bothering him for food before it was cooked, and if she did and annoyed him, she might get less later. Which would be terrible.

Taiga looked away, her stomach growling quietly, just in time to be hit in the face by a cloud of smoke as the wind shifted direction. She coughed, flailing her hands in front of her face to beat it away.

[daughterofchump]

Zeetha noticed Taiga coughing and moved to draw some of the smoke. Unfortunately, with a fire, sometimes the motion of fanning it only disturbed the air so that the smoke was drawn towards you. So Zeetha swept in front of her and fanned off to the side, trying to draw a little of the smoke away.

[dontcallmetiger]

Taiga grinned up at Zeetha as the smoke shifted and cleared a little. To be honest, a lot of the fun of a good bonfire was the little discomforts of it - smoke in your eyes and rough ground to sit on let you know it was a proper fire. But she certainly appreciated Zeetha's efforts at clearing the smoke, nonetheless.
"Hey, thanks!" she said, rubbing her eyes and keeping up her grin.

[daughterofchump]

"No problem!" Zeetha said. She agreed with Taiga's mood, and moved to sit next to the woman.

"It's all part of the fun, right? Like waiting for those damn coals to get hot!" Zeetha was also hungry.

In for Rikku and Hughes, but anyone's welcome to poke, srsly~

[thewarisover]

Roy still wasn't PARTICULARLY sure what he was doing in the area, but well. He was starting to learn, not for the first time, that when it came to Hughes, he really shouldn't ask questions.

The Winding Way crew really did look like a happy bunch... it was no wonder that Hughes had grown so attached to them. The alchemist came around, watching the party as he approached. He was NOT in uniform, for once, and was smoking, as always.

/drive-by log! Mingle with my buddy, my sons and daughters!

[fatherofcute]

Hughes saw him the moment Roy took a step into the festivities. "Rooooooooy!" he boomed loudly, waving frantically with his tongs from his place in front of the grill. He hadn't thought Roy would come, but was pleased by it anyway. Roy could always use more parties!

Lol. ;;

[thewarisover]

Roy caught sight of Hughes easily the moment he heard the latter's voice, and waved, sending a rueful look in the man's direction. He decided against approaching the man for the moment, since he was busy - they could always talk later.

That left him to figure out what to do next, though. Roy wandered around, scanning his surroundings.