Shichi Go San Time-!

[soft_focus]

Who: Anyone coming to the Shichi-Go-San Ginko was talking about!
When: Afternoon of Day 93
Where: Somewhere in Shabondamashii
What: Shichi-Go-San! It's like a birthday without the birthday. And without birthday things.
Warnings: NAH

Shabondamashi is first and foremost a bath-house, and a Tourist City. Buildings are stocked with souvenirs, novelty cafes, and restaurants. There are stands to take photos, there are places to play games and for the more adult patrons play with other things. And with any such a place, sometimes people like to jump the gun and get hitched.

Tanyuu and Ginko needed some kind of shrine to host their equivalent of an Un-Birthday, and a shrine is what they found. Built with familiar traditional structure, a Tori Gate stands between two other rows of shops and gives way to a small man-made clearing that's been decorated with planted trees and bamboo, completing the scene with a small building for guests and patrons and various smaller structures like lanterns, statues, bells...

It's very much as if someone took a Japanese Shinto Shrine and crunched it down into something more compact for the sake of filming or partying. There's certainly space- even shotgun weddings get crowded, and this is far from that- but it's still a bit smaller than some will be used to.

To be fair, everything back outside the tori is festivals and baths again though, so there's hardly any need for it all.

Notably, there is a rather friendly and alien looking priest- not Shinto exactly, but similar enough considering they're in the multiverse- greeting anyone who comes in. Mostly he's there to tell people not to break anything, and about certain nifty rites and rituals they could partake in for good luck. Most are similar to something from standard Earths, but some of them are a bit more off the ball. Hey, might as well try them though right? He seems to be happy about it all however; hosting a small 'festival' is a nice change from getting drunk people married! (Also, he got a nice tip for agreeing to do the protection charm for the sake of completion. Will it work? Nah, but it's the thought that counts.)

The scene is set. There's little 'shichi-go-san' cakes on an outdoor table, and some hot tea to enjoy with it. There's also a little decorated bag that Rin in particular is vehemently keeping anyone from taking if needed. All that's left now is...

The surprise.

Once the surprise is over with, everyone can do the important part of a small festival- eat sweet cakes, watch a little ceremony, and most of all take pictures of everyone dressed up fancy.

.... (You. Did dress fancy for this, right?)

[[OOC - While it's primarily a personal log, this can also be treated as a mingle for those who want to do things as part of 'setting up the festival', or 'waiting for Reira to arrive'. I'll be making a comment for Reira that people can directly reply to with that in mind, but people can still tag the log directly for the same deal.]]

Comments

REIRA

[soft_focus]

Reira doesn't have a clue what's going on, honestly. All she knows is that at some point on the second day they were there, she was told that lunch would have to be small because 'something special' is going to happen and there was going to be food with the 'something special'. It's pretty obvious that people are trying to be secretive about things in the way one gets about a surprise, but since she has no real frame of reference for what the surprise could be, she simply frowns and goes along with it.

It is especially confusing when Tanyuu takes one of her oversized birdy hands in her own and leads her off to a fancy clothing stall filled with sparkling fabrics and kanzashi hair-pieces, pointing at a hairdressing booth not far from it.

She has lost her left geta from the resulting ensemble at least three times before she gets to the Tori gate, but by then the anticipation has her so tightly gripped that she can't even be bothered by it. At Tanyuu's request, the Eagle is staying in her hotel room for the moment- her sparrow, having nowhere to really hide, is simply riding on her daemon...presently in his snowy white-with-ruddy-spots fox state.

There are only a few stairs to go up, but she takes them with Tanyuu and Ginko at her side, fox only a few steps ahead, and her hands gripped by one or the other for balance as they go. It's only once they're especially close that the two go on ahead-

Leaving Reira to somewhat anxiously wander into the 'clearing' with wide eyes.

Get your pictures now, if you want to catch the wonder. The rest of the party will go far more easily once she's trying sweets and the 'ceremony' is done.

[[BONUS - Some details on the ceremonial part of Shichi-Go-San are here...if anyone wants to tag to specifically laugh at Reira trying kid-friendly sake, or anything else. (Only Rin gets to give her the candy bag. He 'claimed' it.)]]

[hippocarnival]

Yuya did not dress fancy for this, having caught onto what was being set up kind of late. So he's still in summer yukata, but he doesn't act like he's terribly out of place during the ceremony. He takes plenty of pictures with his smartphone under the assumption Reiji would like to see them--this is the last year she can participate in it after all, and he's probably the only member of her family who cares.

When the ceremony starts winding down, Yuya comes over to put a hand on her shoulder to gently grab her attention. "Hey. How are you feeling, Reira?"

[soft_focus]

Honestly, even though everything got explained to her and done step by step, Reira still looks a bit like someone who walked through a door and forgot what they were about to do.

She rather slowly turns her head to look up to, and blink at Yuuya. "...I still don't know why they made a party..." she whispers, over all seeming quite stunned by the matter. "...Is it because I didn't pick a birthday yet? They said it's because I'm seven..."

That's not quite it kiddo.

[hippocarnival]

"It's... just a holiday in Japan. I guess since you live there now, Ginko and Tanyuu thought you should get to experience it before your too old for it."

Or, at least, an approximation of too old. They're really only guessing that she's seven after all. Anyway, it seems better to give her the simplest explanation of 'tradition' instead of going through the whole purpose behind it. "I did the same thing when I was five."

[soft_focus]

"There's a holiday for being seven?" She's still not quite following. Either way.

"...Why did you do it when you were five?"

[hippocarnival]

"Shichigosan happens when you're three, five, and if you're a girl you celebrate when you're seven too." He holds up his fingers in emphasis. "Uh... don't ask me why girls do it more than boys."

Because he doesn't know, and is feeling like he was cheated a candy bag now. "It's basically the same every time. A priest prays for you to stay safe and healthy, and you get candy, and your family take a lot of pictures of you."

[soft_focus]

Wat

Reira blinks, and then frowns. "...We get to go three times but you only get to go once..?" It's her assumption anyway, since Yuuya didn't say that boys and girls alike get to go at the age of three. Ah well. "Um. I guess staying safe is important right now. It's definitely a pretty dress..."

Looking pretty in a picture is Also Nice,

[fourthscribe]

Tanyuu is fairly well over the moon with how well this has gone over. Reira is about as confused as she expected would happen, but she doesn't seem intimidated by it all, which is good--Tanyuu remembers being near terrified of messing something up herself. Not that she could have, she knows now, but...well, perspective is everything.

As things wind down into the simpler celebration activities, Tanyuu gives Reira a bit of time to absorb it all before she comes over and lowers herself down with a small smile. "So, was this a nice surprise?"

[soft_focus]

Reira in question is still fiddling with the little medal they gave her as part of everything. It might have been one of those 'extra flair' points from the others, though.

Either way, she pauses in her fiddling to look at Tanyuu and nod. "Umn..! Yeah! ...I think so. It's sort of nice I guess, and people gave me candy, and Eruka-neesan gave me a bag..."

Look Tanyuu, look-

It looks like a giant sakura flower,

[fourthscribe]

"Oh, that's so cute! It suits you very well." Tanyuu smiles, and then reaches into her own bag. "And wouldn't you know, I have something for you as well."

Tanyuu pulls out a small box, inside which is a hair clip. Holding it out to Reira, she cants her head just slightly to the side. "I hope you like it."

[soft_focus]

"Mnh..! Thank you..." It's not really something that can be 'thanked', but heck if she cares. Reira's not expecting MORE gifts though, so she stares quite widely as a small box is held out. Moving to put the bag back over her shoulder, she gently takes the box to open it up.

"Oh..!" Well! "...It's a rabbit..." Some of the best people look sort of like rabbits, these days...

[fourthscribe]

"You're very welcome!" Her smile widens when Reira opens the box, and Tanyuu nods with a soft laugh.

"I'd thought you might like a little reminder of her. Would you like me to help you put it on?"

[soft_focus]

"Ummm.." Reira doesn't move her hand to feel the back of her head, but she does become keenly aware of the up-do it was put in not long ago.

"....Is there room?"

There's plenty of room she's just not got eyes on the back of her head, see.

[dontpokethat]

Ginko isn't generally one to dress up nicely, but he's at least put on something a little nicer than usual - which may have involved Tanyuu's influence, but it's not like he would have been all that resistant. Might as well do this right.

Once things have settled down some, and Reira's gotten some time to take a break from the party, he heads over again to talk. "Hey. You having fun?"

He sure hopes so, since. You know. That was a good chunk of the point of this.

[soft_focus]

For her 'break' from everything, Reira is sitting beside her Daemon- presently a large bearded vulture, whose plumage is looking notably more adult than juvenile. It's a good sign.

As it is, Reira turns, blinking at the question. "Um-!" She nods. "It's sort of strange, but... ...I got candy, and other people gave me other things so...Yes?"

Most of the hesitation is surrounding the attempt to consciously define that word, rather than actual Fun being had. She's having plenty of fun.

[dontpokethat]

That gets a slightly broader smile; sounds to him like it basically functions as a "yes".

"I'm glad to hear it. I hope it hasn't all been too strange; seems like it really would be a lot to take in."

[soft_focus]

Yes, Ginko. Yes it was. Though.

"Mnh...it's ok. ...Why did you and Tanyuu make it, though..? Yuuya said it's for people who are seven, I guess, but..." She's still a bit confused by it all getting set up.

[dontpokethat]

"Well, because... since you didn't recognize things here, we realized you probably hadn't seen one of these before. Then we realized you were about the right age for it."

In the end, of course, that's not the final reason for why they actually did it. So... "We figured it was about time you got something nice."

[soft_focus]

Hah-

"...I get lots of nice things though."

This is a very odd excuse to her Ginko! Someone gave her a motorcycle, and an infinite game console on the moon!! She has so many nice things.

"UM! That doesn't mean I don't like it though!!" She hurriedly adds. Let's not give the wrong idea here.

ERUKA | closed + OTA

[amphibiopathic]

[ For Reira: ]

To be honest, Eruka still isn't entirely sure what the big deal is, but she doesn't mind the excuse to go out an do something a little different. She takes her cue from other people as the ceremony takes place, imitating their motions and doing as the priest directs. It's not too hard to follow along -- she's certainly performed more complicated rituals -- and it's even a little fun.

At the end of it, she approaches Reira when she looks like she's got a free moment, hair piled up on top of her head in a near arrangement and holding a paper bag.

"Well~" she sing-songs. "What did you think of the ceremony, Reira?"

[ OTA: Hanging Out ]

Dressed in a black and white furisode, Eruka's sleeves swing freely as she looks around the little shrine curiously. After the ceremony proper is over, she can be found perusing various talismans and charms for sale -- most of them certainly nothing like anything she's ever seen of the sort -- and even trying out some of the fortunetelling activities at the shrine for fun. Maybe you'd like to join her?

NEESAAAAAAAAAN

[soft_focus]

Reira doesn't know what to think of the ceremony. Largely because it was all a very surprising event, that was more or less tossed at her without instruction. She was just sort of dropped in, and while it was all fun and she has a number of wonderful photos courtesy of whoever borrowed her camera at that time, it's...

Well.

A lot.

Reira looks up from her candy bag, appearing somewhat stupefied. "...They gave me a lot of candy..."

Indeed they did.

[amphibiopathic]

"It sure looks like they did." A little much, in Eruka's opinion, but then again, she never was one for sweets. She presents Reira with the paper bag with a flourish, grinning.

"Anyway, here you go! This should make those a little easier to carry." Inside the bag, under some paper tissue, is a sakura blossom-shaped bag that can be worn across the body or as a backpack. Not really Eruka's style, but Reira's young enough that it looks cute rather than tacky on her.

[soft_focus]

Who would have thought that candy would make you live long??? Or something. That's supposed to be how it works according to everything. Reira is rather shocked when yet another bag is being handed to her however, and she's careful to set her candy bag down before taking the package. With care that could seem surprising with such awkwardly shaped fingers, she moves aside the tissue paper before pulling out the gift.

It might not be Eruka's style, but given the way Reira's eyes light up, it is absolutely hers. "Ahh...!" It takes an extra moment to spy the straps attached, but it doesn't take long to figure out what it is from there. "..You got me a bag!" She is both surprised, and...well, kind of confused. Thrilled of course! But confused too. She has a backpack! Who needs two backpacks!!

(Someone hasn't yet experienced the full joys of fashion and capitalism,)

[amphibiopathic]

Truth be told, Eruka wasn't sure if giving a gift was a thing that you do at these sorts of things, but it hadn't felt proper to come empty-handed, and the bag was a cheap enough present that it wasn't too onerous to buy. As a result, she feels extra smug at Reira's reaction -- it seems a little much, for such a small thing, but who cares? Obviously, Eruka's awesome!

"It reminded me of your changes," she says by way of explanation, flapping a hand at Reira casually -- no big deal, no big deal, though she's obviously pleased it was received so well. "And it looks like it matches your clothes, too!" So that works out surprisingly well.

[soft_focus]

Well, at this point who's doing anything traditionally right? It hardly matters if they're having fun, and most of the people involved don't even know how the occasion works.

And anyway of course Eruka is awesome. Even the small things are the Best. Though she does blink a bit at what she says. The clothes, she gets, but... "Eh.? They match the changes?"

Well...a little, yeah. Definitely enough to make sense. It just takes some pointing out maybe.