October | Event: A Night of Moonless Splendor

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A Night of Moonless Splendor↲ OOC Plotting

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On the morning of the 14th, as citizens throughout Nippon prepare for final day of the Tsukimi festival, the refugees will receive a message on their magi-comm from MRU in Kyoto.

"To all refugees who will be staying in the Western Kingdom for the annual Sakumi Festival, please be aware that there is a curfew for all Humans and Hanyo before sundown. It is for your own safety that you heed this curfew, and remain indoors until sunrise.

The Festival will continue until the night of the 31st. It is recommended that refugees do not look at the night sky for the duration of the festival. If you must go out, make sure to hide your face behind a mask.

Should you or anyone else you know experience strange symptoms after dark, such as erratic behavior or transformations unrelated to the side effects of Kizuna bonds, please contact the MRU right away. Affected individuals are encouraged to remain indoors and in brightly lit rooms, away from any open windows.

Additionally, we have a prepared a special area of refuge for those who have not been able to secure safe transit to the Eastern Kingdom, located in Tengoku's Skytower. More information will be available in the coming days.

Please enjoy the festival, and may the gods bless you all."

Understandably, this message is not met well.

Upon hearing of curfews and strange happenings, many refugees choose to flee, flooding the last train to Tokyo and contacting the NRL to secure accommodations in Nihonbashi on short notice. But they aren't the only ones, as most of the seats have been reserved by native Hanyo and Humans, as those who can afford it are also choosing to leave until the end of the month.

But what's the big deal? Weren't people excited for this festival? Well, as it turns out: it's only "celebrated" by Yokai. For everyone else, the Sakumi Festival is the worst time of year to be in the Western Kingdom.

A Festival of Darkness

According to legend, the moon was a gift from the gods. Once a beautiful string of pearls, now only one remains, the others shattered by greed and war, their remains gathered together to form Gaia's ring. This is the story of the Tsukimi Festival, celebrated throughout Nippon.

But there's a continuation to this story, told only in the Western Kingdom. Because this gift was no ordinary gift. It's said that the light of the moon is what allowed the Yokai to evolve from mere Ayakashi into enlightened and intelligent beings. However, that same intelligence is what would prove to be their downfall, as various clans rose in power and sought the magical radiance of the pearls for personal gain. As more and more pearls were destroyed, fewer and fewer ayakashi were able to benefit from their light, with the last remaining pearl not strong enough to offer even the slightest of blessing.

As punishment for their greed, the gods took back the final pearl, with no intent of returning it. Without its light, the Yokai became twisted, devolving back into their basal instincts, and feasting upon one another with reckless abandon. Saddened by their plight, the gods quickly reversed this decision, and the final pearl returned to the sky after 15 nights of darkness.

This is the Sakumi Festival, held in honor of those fifteen days their ancestors spent in perpetual darkness. As the festival begins, on the evening of the 15th, the full moon will begin to fade away, like a lightbulb that's gradually losing power. Within an hour after sunset, it will have disappeared entirely, causing the rings around the planet to dim in turn.

All through the Western Kingdom, Yokai will be celebrating late into the night, and most of them will be wearing strange masks that are designed to reflect their inner-self. Perhaps the Refugees should follow suit?

Monster Mash Western Kingdom, Nippon
Those who stay indoors between sunset and sunrise, or who simply avoid the Western Kingdom all together, won't notice anything special about this festival. But for those who venture out into the darkness of the moonless sky, they'll find themselves transforming and turning into monsters.

The exact form of these monsters varies widely. Some simply become more monstrous forms of themselves. Others may not transform at all, instead gaining supernatural abilities or minor cosmetic changes. And even others may become entirely unrecognizable. These transformations will last until sunrise, and will return every day they go outside or look up at the night sky. And as refugees from different worlds, the monstrous forms they're capable of taking seem nigh endless.

But what now? Well, that depends.

For some, they remain completely lucid throughout the transformation, merely transformed in body but not at all in mind. This is most common for those who choose to head indoors upon transforming, away from the transformative effects of the darkened night sky. For these refugees, the transformations are just a fun quirk of the holiday or an inconvenience. Thankfully, this is generally pretty easy to avoid happening more than once, as they won't feel compelled to transform again.

For those who were unfortunate enough to stare at the sky for any extended period of time, their transformation may be more extreme, as their personality becomes corrupted. Certain aspects of their personality may completely overtake everything else, while others may act entirely out of character. But perhaps the worst part is that those who experience this corruption will feel a strong desire to trigger it again, despite the lack of a guarantee that it won't be any worse the next time.

And for the truly unlucky, they may find themselves in a state the Yokai refer to as a lunar curse. Those who are under the effects of a lunar curse will be overwhelmed with an insatiable appetite, hungering for any number of things, be it a specific type of food, a heightened sexual appetite, or even a desire to feed on the flesh and blood of others. As it turns out, this is the most common side effect, and is the true reason for the curfew: as Humans and Hanyo caught outside by a Yokai afflicted by a lunar curse may find themselves attacked or even devoured. Once someone has been afflicted by a lunar curse, they'll do whatever they can to continue the cycle the following evening, growing irrational and violent near sunset, even while wearing a mask.

You've Got Mail Everywhere, Nippon
But even those hoping to avoid the Sakumi Festival by fleeing to the East will find that the holiday spirit has followed them. With the advent of technology, mischievous Yokai have found ways to send curses via text message, which just so happens to overlap with the festival. Upon opening a message that will appear to be from someone on their friend list, they'll be directed a website that automatically activates the spell.

The exact spell seems to vary depending on which variety of curse they happen to receive. Some of these are quite ordinary, and will simply send salacious or otherwise overtly sexual messages to their friends or even complete strangers, with some capable of combing through their magi-comm for compromising photos to share. Of course, the latter feature is quite buggy, so the photos sent alongside such messages may in fact just be random.

But others may find themselves opening something more dangerous. Among these, one such curse will trap whoever opens it in an enclosed space alongside whoever happens to be nearby, forcing them to perform specific actions to escape. While some are relatively harmless, such as a dance more or shouting something humiliating, others will demand the pair perform particular sex acts in order to escape.

These closed spaces can occur anywhere, but to an outsider, they won't look like anything. Those trapped will look as though they've disappeared until the curse is lifted, but they'll still be able to see the world around them through the magical walls. So those who choose to browse their magi-comms on their morning commute best be careful not to open any suspicious links, lest they be forced to fuck on a crowded train.

Fly Me to the Moon

After a few days, all Refugees will receive notice that an area of refuge has been created for any Refugees who weren't able to leave the Western Kingdom prior to the festival starting. Provided by the Tengu of Tengoku, those looking to flee the chaos will be asked to meet on MRU campus on the morning of the 20th to be teleported to Skytower.

Unknown to many Refugees, Skytower is the only city of Tengoku that floats in the sky high above the Eastern Kingdom. Built long ago during a period of war between Humans and Yokai, it now serves as a watchtower to report on any danger approaching either kingdom, due to its strategic location above the Chubu region.

As the effects of the moonless sky do not exist in the Eastern Kingdom, it is believed that this location will prevent the Refugees from experiencing the transformative aspects of the Sakumi festival.

Or at least, that was certainly the intent.

Castle in the Shadows Skytower, Chubu
Perhaps due to their unusually high magical resistance, Tengu are rarely affected by the Sakumi Festival, and can often be found stationed as guards throughout more populous cities. This remains true at Skytower, where the Tengu monks who lives there assure their guests that they will not be harmed by anyone who calls Skytower home.

"For generations, we Tengu have watched over the lands of Yokai and the lands of Humans. We show no loyalty to anyone except the peace we have worked to maintain all these years.

"Rest assured, although you may be closer to the moonless sky on this sacred tower, you are not in any danger. May Tsukuyomi, goddess of the moon, grant you her protection during this time."

Refugees will be housed together in random room assignments, and although the rooms are small, every amenity they could ask for is provided free of charge. In addition to gourmet meals and access to an exclusive library that few humans have ever set foot in, extravagant outdoor hot springs that seemingly floating atop the clouds are available for the Refugees to relax in at any time of day.

Still, there are some spooky happenings at Skytower. As an ancient tower built many generations ago, many of the passageways throughout the tower are quite narrow and dimly lit. Refugees roaming the halls at night may find their shadows behaving strangely, moving on their own and even creating the sensation of being touched when one shadow reaches out to caress another. These effects are only mildly stimulating, and may even be mistaken for some kind of prank. Only those who dare bathe in the hot springs at night will encounter something more, their shadows engaging in blatant sexual acts under the water, leaving the shadow's owner to writhe as they experience every little sensation.

Curiously, this never seems to occur when the Tengu are around, and those affected may leave such encounters believing they hallucinated it.

Still, true to their word, for the first few days, Refugees at Skytower will be otherwise completely unaffected by the Sakumi Festival, regardless of whether they wear a mask or stare up at the eerily dark night sky.


Please note: Players have the option of having their characters leave for the Eastern Kingdom by airship on the 24th if they do not wish to engage with the second prompt.

Generic Horror Movie Title Skytower, Chubu
But on the 25th, as the Sakumi Festival enters its final week, those bold enough to look up at night sky will notice that the stars are disappearing. The sky will appear to grow blacker and blacker, absorbing any nearby light and appearing more like a dark void overhead than a night sky. Even with the lights on, Skytower will be notably dimmer, making it difficult to navigate the corridors of the tower at night.

Ordinarily, this would simply be yet another aspect of the Sakumi Festival, and one that should be avoidable due to their location on Skytower. But as paranoia among the Refugees grows, Kizuna powered by their fear manifests by causing the area of effect of the Sakumi festival to grow, reaching beyond the borders of the Western Kingdom, until Skytower is enveloped by it.

As the sun sets, an otherwise peaceful night will turn to chaos, as every Refugee on Skytower begins to change due to the power of the moonless sky. A number of Lunar Cursed Refugees begin prowling the tower, driven mad both by fear and by the effects of their own monstrous transformations, attacking everyone and anyone they come across.

And for certain refugees, the gradual loss of the stars and the moon will have more devastating effects. Those with an affinity for stars, space, the moon, or who have begin learning Sora magic will begin experiencing bouts of sudden weakness, causing them to collapse or lose consciousness. This effect escalates as the night goes on, as those afflicted will begin to fade away, their bodies growing translucent the weaker they become. Only prolonged contact with someone they've bonded with seems to have a positive effect, slowing or even reversing the symptoms. But others may disappear entirely until the festival ends, only capable of reaching out to loved ones through their dreams.

Refugees with mild symptoms will be tasked with assisting the Tengu in securing the Lunar Cursed refugees, as well as reaching the control center at the top of the tower to put out a distress signal. By the end of the night, all Refugees will be evacuated by airship to Kyoto.

Paper Faces on Parade

All of this culminates on the final day of the festival on the 31st, during which the sun never rises. A perpetual night blankets the nation, as the final celebrations of the Sakumi Festival take place.

Following news of the disaster at Skytower, Emperor Katsuragi decides to take matters into his own hands. Utilizing his own immense magical power, he cloaks his palace in a protective shield that will limit the transformations produced by the Sakumi Festival. Although negating the effects of the moonless sky using magic is borderline sacrilegious for a devout Yokai, after everything the Refugees did for the people of Shikoku last month, the least he can do is try and support them during this difficult holiday season.

And so, on that morning, all Refugees, no matter where in Nippon they may be, will receive an invitation to a Masquerade Ball to be held in the Imperial Palace in Kyoto. Those who want to attend need only wish it, and the invitation will automatically bring them to the castle grounds.

Additionally, all Refugees who disappeared as a result of the moonless sky will reappear thanks to the Emperor's power, just in time for the Ball to begin!

Kink Convention Gion, Kyoto
The Imperial Palace is much different from the Emperor's villas: a vast, sprawling mansion that seems to defy the laws of physics, with certain floors and walkways arranged in a way that makes them appear impossible to reach. Thanks to the many enchantments, those who walk the hallways of the palace won't notice if a corner suddenly twists, turns, or even has them walking along the ceiling of another room.

But the palace is far from empty! Exploring the mansion will reveal special rooms tucked away with certain enchantments, with many designed to entertain guests who happen to be staying there. Aside from generic things such as black and white movie theaters, libraries, and spas, some of these rooms seem to be tailored for this specific event.

One room is offering demos and workshops revolving around particular kinks, specifically designed to get the most fun out of whatever transformations they've been dealt by the Sakumi Festival. Refugees will be able to rent out sex toys and devices to use throughout the palace, and will even be offered a map of hidden and secluded spots to play in without getting caught.

In another room, a Yokai-turned-tentacle-monster teaches on the importance of safety during bondage sessions, complete with a live demonstration that will require volunteers. Whether this demonstration is simply about proper binding techniques, or an outright public tentacle-fuck, seems to depend on the enthusiasm of the volunteers.

And in another part of the palace, those who want to indulge in their desires anonymously will find special stalls seemingly designed for completely anonymous play, with variously shaped holes cut into the walls to reach out and touch one another. The way the room is set up, there's no way of knowing who is in each stall, as each one has a separate entrance. There's even a special stall that instead blankets the pair in complete darkness, allowing full-body touches and embraces with relative anonymity.

Just don't wander too far. Those curious enough to venture deep into the palace may instead come across a number of cursed rooms designed to trap intruders. Those captured will remain in these rooms until an attendant happens to find them to let them out. In addition to rooms filled with aphro-laced incense, some contain complex mechanisms designed to fully bind intruders, with some even doubling as fucking machines. Thankfully, there are multiple warning signs posted, so only those feeling especially naughty will end up in these corridors.

Party in a Labyrinth Gion, Kyoto
Those who are familiar with the Emperor's penchant for parties won't be too surprised by the offerings on display tonight. Although officially a Masquerade Ball, in which all guests must wear either a mask or appropriate costume, the actual theme is a bit more raunchy, and all Refugees will be welcome to choose from a selection of outfits that come in varying degrees of sensual and erotic.

Refugees will find no shortage of fun and interesting things to do at the party! A live music performance will play throughout the night, allowing guests to dance their hearts out on the dance floor. Food and drink are plentiful, with all alcoholic and uki-laced goods carefully labeled for the Refugee's convenience. And of course, those who want to indulge in their Sakumi transformations can do so knowing they're at no risk of becoming Lunar Curse and will retain their wits about them until the festival ends.

But as the night grows long, a more traditional event takes place in the palace garden, where the various Yokai attendants and aristocrats present gather around a large bonfire for the Sakumi Festival's end. They dance and sing, and then give prayers to the moon goddess Tsukuyomi, begging forgiveness for whatever sins they committed during the festival.

Refugees who are curious enough to take part in this Sakumi Festival tradition will find themselves compelled to confess their guilt for anything they may have done during the festival as a result of the moonless sky's effects. Whether these confessions are truly anything worth feeling guilty about is up to the individual, of course.

As the clock strikes midnight, all masks are thrown into the fire, and the sky lights up with a brilliant display of stars as the moon takes its rightful place in the sky once more.

But as for Katsuragi? He can be found curled up in a corner, thoroughly exhausted from using so much magic, with his head resting in the lap of a certain individual. Probably best to leave them be.

OOC Notes
Welcome to Jikan's October event! Please direct any questions to the Question Thread in the OOC Plotting post.

• If you do not wish to participate in this event: characters who are able to flee to the Eastern Kingdom will not experience any of the effects of the moon's disappearance.

• If your character would flee but you want them to participate, it's entirely possible that they may find themselves utterly unable to secure a ticket to leave the Western Kingdom, given there is only one train. Additionally, all teleportation terminals to Tokyo will remain offline until November 1st, and due to the lack of the moon, teleportation magic may be weakened.

• While the sky will continue to look spooky in the East as well, this annual phenomenon is explained as a scientific one. As Gaia's moon and rings are magical in nature, the increase in energy expelled during the Tsukimi festival causes them to release a gas-like by-product that blots out the sky at night for a period of two weeks. This has been proven to be true, but the reason this happens at the same time each year is still unknown.

• You have 100% freedom to pick whatever sort of monster your monsterfucker heart desires, be it from Japanese lore, your character's canon, or another canon all together. Whether transformations are painful or not is up to you, and monsters with supernatural powers or abilities will also be allowed to keep those powers! Go wild!

• As a reminder: there are roughly 10,000 Refugees in Nippon, so if you would like to utilize a random Refugee NPC for monsterfucking purposes, this is of course allowed!

• As stated above, characters who go to Skytower will have the option of leaving for Tokyo before things turn sour. These characters will still be able to attend the Emperor's Ball on the 31st!

• Please be kind to your fellow players and utilize content warnings for any graphic monster-related violence, kinks, etc! If you're not sure if something needs a warning, warn for it anyway!

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[mistsplitter]

That was the third—

[ Ah crap, she wants to relax a little bit longer, but she realises after saying that that—

Oh no.

Quickly, she gets up and off, immediately pulling her panties back up and under her skirt, hands beneath her skirt too as she fixes herself before quickly sitting back down. Looking around, no one seems to see them just yet, but that's because no one is passing by. She then turns back to look at Cloud and— ]

O- Oh dear.

[sultanofsquat]

[ In a perfect world, they would have had the time to rest up before needing to return to reality in the teahouse.

...

Wait. In a perfect world, they wouldn't be fucking in the teahouse at all. They need to hurry! ]

Hold on. Got an idea.

[ It's not a... "gross" idea? At least when he's the one going through with it. There's really no choice in the matter. While they think no one is looking? He quickly pulls his shirt up and over his head in one smooth motion. Yup. That's her beau completely topless right now. But he looks positively focused despite the fact he's got a limp dick hanging out of his pants. ...he'll fix that momentarily. Right now he's just trying to turn his shirt inside out as fast as possible. ]

[mistsplitter]

[ She... SHE'LL STAND GUARD THEN. And... make sure to be on the lookout for any passersby. A waitress seems to be on their way here... oh no. . . ]

Someone is coming. I can't tell if she can see us!

[ But she will do her best for Cloud, anyway! They've gone through embarrassment enough. ]

Please k- keep your distance!

[ Oh! The waitress stops in her tracks and looks for the source of the voice. She's... being told to stay away? Huh? Eventually? She spots Ayaka! But she wasn't there earlier... was she?

"Miss Kamisato!" SHE WAS LOOKING EVERYWHERE FOR HER!!! And she starts walking over to the regulars' table, before Ayaka jumps out of their table to get the waitress to back away first. Hurry up, Cloud 😣😣😣 ]

If- If you would be so kind... we would like some milk tea, please! With lots of ice. And... I would also like to borrow a chef's kimono.

... please!

[ Said with such urgency! The waitress is rather clueless, but she nods very quickly and heads back to the kitchen to get everything ready. Even the chef's kimono. 🤡

Phew! ]

[sultanofsquat]

! Shit—

[ Cloud, without thinking, immediately lays down flat at the table. ...which means that now he's going to need to flip over his shirt and stuff himself back in his pants sideways. His heart races for a completely different reason now, the high from having sex dying really quick as he's sobered up at a record rate. He can hear Ayaka blurting out to what he assumes to be a patron or server that got a little too close. He stops shuffling, doing his best to hunker down as much as he possibly can. ...his one shoulder is still visible as he eyes the situation from his peripheral. ]

(Quick thinking, Ayaka...)

[ But this was hardly the time to keep commending her. He has to hurry. Tugging the shirt down (ew ew ew ew he can feel it in globs flush on his front he doesn't wear baggy clothes thank god the fabric is thick- ) ]

...

Coast is clear? [ Said with an audible zip, hand patting the countertop blindly to try and find a loose napkin somewhere. To wipe his hands. This is so embarrassing. Spending time with Ayaka? Never a bad thing. Having fun with Ayaka like this? Over and over again. Being forced to do it in the middle of a teahouse now that the adrenaline and fantasy was over? Yeah, if Cloud ever finds the yokai responsible for this little mobile curse...

When he finds one napkin (whether himself or with Ayaka's held), he swipes it from the tabletop and wipes his hands clean of any mess before finally pushing himself more upright.

Save for the inside-out shirt? He looks just fine! ...save for the flush face.

An audible phew. ]

Good going.

[ ...but, ]

Why the kimono?

[mistsplitter]

[ Oh! Was... she not supposed to get him a change of clothing? Ayaka cants her head to the side, a bit lost as to why Cloud would ask that. But she supposes it was a weird request all the same. She was just looking out for him, is all. ]

Your shirt is dirty.

[ ... is? Was? It's hard to tell if he's wearing the same shirt, just inside out. It looks clean now, though looking at it closely? Oh, you can see the seams— he really did put his shirt on inside out! Goodness. ]

You should get changed, Cloud.

[sultanofsquat]

[ No, no, Ayaka did the right thing. Cloud's just never been in a situation like this before. ...neither has Ayaka. So, that just makes Ayaka smarter. Big surprise there. fajklsd ]

Oh—

[ Now he feels embarrassed. He really was prepared to just throw money down on the table and just walk out. But the fact that they were willing to lend him a kimono? They were regulars here, so...if he had to borrow one and bring it back later? The Kamisatos were well reputed here. The last thing he wanted to do was screw any of that up! Flustering now, his shoulders slump a little. ]

When they come back, then. I'll go change.

[ But...before they do come back, however. He's gonna sigh and slip his hand in hers. Giving it a squeeze.

Hey. They can talk about what they did after they've put this teahouse behind them. Right now, ]

Thank you.

[ She's gotta know how much he appreciates her. He can still feel a faint warmth in the pit of his stomach, and spreading from his chest. But Cloud can kiss her again when they make it back home. ...and when they're both clean and have taken a bath. ]

[mistsplitter]

[ That's a good beau! Get changed to be more comfortable. When Ayaka's hand is squeezed after he takes it, she puts a smile on her face and a nod. A simple "you're welcome" response.

The milk tea with lots of ice is supposed to help then cool off. And she's gotten quite thirsty from such an exercise! But they should probably just take their drinks to go, and head on home. The sun is still out, sure, but they should head on home, regardless.

Before that, though— ]

Please excuse me. I need to go to the washroom.

[ Slipping her hand away from her beau's, she gets up to wash her hands. This is very, very important, okay!!

By the time she comes back, the waitress has given Cloud a fresh and clean kimono, and has served milk tea for the two. Big straws for the boba! ]

Shall we go?

[sultanofsquat]

[ When his heart rate finally settles down? He's going to feel that thirst hit him as well. A nice bath when they returned home sounds nice right about now. But it seems they've fulfilled their parts! Embarrassing as it was, they narrowly avoided somebody noticing by the skin of their teeth. ...that or they were noticed or suspected and no one has said anything. That thought was going to linger in the back of his mind for quite some time, now. ]

Mm? Sure thing.

[ He would wait here for the kimono and milk tea. And once Ayaka returns? It'd be a good idea to swap out of this shirt so that he wasn't just walking home feeling the mess beneath the fabric. At least, thankfully, this was all temporary. At the end of it all, once Cloud's received his own change, adorned in a chef's kimono that they would return at a later date and milk tea in hand for both of them, ]

Yeah. Sure thing.

[ Regardless of who pays on the way out, he retrieves Tsubaki from the front of the teahouse (as per usual, weapons weren't permitted beyond the entrance,) his inside-out sweater in one arm, boba in hand. Once they hit the street proper, he'll take Ayaka's hand again. No need to run. There's at least another hour or so before night falls. And the estate wasn't so far. Still, ]

...

That just happened.

[ He doesn't laugh but. And perhaps it's a blend of their Kizuna bond and the lingering effects of the Lunar Curse that beckon to return when the sun descends, but he can't help at least half smile at that. No. They would not be doing that again. But he sure as hell wasn't going to forget it, either.

... sips boba. ]

[mistsplitter]

[ Ayaka doesn't let go of Cloud's hand, but she does look away. Her hold of his hand loosens a little because of it. ]

It, um, did.

[ ... It most certainly did. And it is not something she intends to do again unless they absolutely have to. She likes the romance and intimacy aspect of the act more than the fun she gets out of it.

She takes a sip of her own drink, swallows the pearl, then look up at Cloud as they walk. ]

They didn't seem to know anything...

[ So there's less shame in what they did! Probably?? ]

1/2

[sultanofsquat]

[ He sighs, chewing on the pearl in his mouth before swallowing it. ...they're addictive. No wonder her brother loves them so much. ]

If we're lucky, they'll just think the corner's haunted.

[ Because they did make the table shake, after all. ]

2/2

[sultanofsquat]

[ That wasn't meant to be funny. It really wasn't meant to be funny but- ]

...pff— [ He tries not to laugh. ... It's not working. ]

[mistsplitter]

...

[ At first, she's not sure what is so amusing, but if he's making light of what happened? Then it should be okay for her to do so too, right? ]

I liked what they ordered. They were good choices.

[sultanofsquat]

[ It's easier to make light of it when they got away with it. That and he feels better not being in his messed shirt anymore, either. ]

Salmon and Unagi Nigiri.

[ Yes, they were meant to try and stay focused on one another while they were abiding the rules of the 'game', but they heard Salmon and Unagi.

...

Unagi's gonna be their safe word down the line, isn't it. ]

[mistsplitter]

It is what we usually order.

[ What a coincidence! Hehe. It's funny to think about though. And as they walk, she leans on his arm and nuzzles her cheek against it.

Part of her wants to make things right. Make what they did into a private thing-- something just for them. But she figures it'd be best to let things happen naturally. Especially after what they did. ]

[sultanofsquat]

[ Feeling Ayaka's cheek nuzzling his arm, if it weren't for the fact they were still walking, he'd have stopped to kiss her atop her head right about now. Instead, he's still determined to get them back home. The streets were already beginning to thin out. Most have either fled on trains to the East (a reason behind why they haven't been able to leave so easily themselves) or shut themselves indoors with their masks.

Having been deeply exposed to the Lunar Curse already, it's already too late for Cloud. But... ]

Maybe... I should stay the night once we get back.

[mistsplitter]

Would you like to?

[ Of course, the doors to the Kamisato Estate are always open to Cloud. And Ayaka would like that more. They don't have to do anything specific; she just wants to be in his company more than anything else. It is with him that she feels the safest. ]

I'll prepare a special dinner, then.

[sultanofsquat]

Yeah. Think I would.

[ Cloud wants someone to keep him occupied when the sun goes down... More importantly, ]

Ever since I first went out at night during this Sakumi Festival... I get the urge to wanna go back every time the sun goes down.

[ As of late? It's been more of a bloodlust and urge to fight. ]

I just...want to stay inside.

[ With her. With Ayato. She says she'll prepare a special dinner? She can take the lead, but he's curious, hopeful even if it means he can be distracted with her. ]

Mind if I help? Even if it's just passing you stuff.

[mistsplitter]

[ What Cloud tells her is worrisome, but all the more she should show him her support! As she has promised him, even before they started dating, that she will be by his side always. This is the perfect opportunity to show him that!

It is why she remains cheerful and optimistic. Giving his arm a squeeze, she tells him of an idea that she has just now. If he needs to keep busy... ]

Shall we make mochi tonight, then? Hehe. The one with black sesame we discussed before.

[ That should keep them busy and tire them out! And if they somehow finish earlier than expected? Well... it's not like they've ever run out of things to do together. ]

[sultanofsquat]

[ She does well in anchoring him. He trusts her. And he promises that she won't have to do all the work tonight, either. He needs to protect her too when things get rough, until this festival was over. ]

Sounds like a plan.

[ If he didn't have his boba tea, he'd turn and kiss her right about now. Instead, they continue walking, the Kamisato Estate's front gate just coming into view now as the sky grows orange. It won't be long before the sun's down. ]

I ever tell you how lucky I am?

[ He has. But right now, it bears repeating. This whole festival has been a whirlwind. And what they just did earlier only added fuel to that proverbial fire. Having a chance to spend the night, stay indoors, have a nice bath and then make mochi... ]

[mistsplitter]

You have, before.

[ He really is the sweetest. And this is why she thinks she is the lucky one. ]

You are also very kind, very sweet, and very thoughtful. I love everything about you.

[ KAJDLADK HOW DOES SHE SAY ALL THIS SO EASILY!! Ah, because she is so lucky, too. She hopes to have more opportunities to show her love for Cloud. She never, ever wants to miss a chance to tell him and show him. All that he's given her... he deserves nothing but everything she can give back. ]

We still have time to do groceries. Would it be alright if we dropped by the market to buy what we need? What's at home may not be enough.

We'll pass by it on our walk home.

[sultanofsquat]

[ The way Ayaka pours her heart out for him... It makes him wish that he was better with his words. He can write them down in a letter all he wants to, but her way with words touches places upon his heart that he never knew existed before. ]

You brought out the better in me.

[ He'll need some time to put into words what he really thinks about Ayaka, without turning into a flustered mess or huffing contently and settling for actions to speak louder. Perhaps later tonight... ]

Alright. Let's go.

[ The tools for making mochi were one thing. But ingredients? Definitely his request for black/sesame mochi must have come as a surprise. Beyond the stew that he still wishes to make for her, Cloud is still figuring out what he could learn to make especially for her. ]

[mistsplitter]

[ The shop is not far! It is as Ayaka said, it is along the way. And it seems she's known there already, the shopkeepers already bowing their heads and greeting her. Ayaka bows her head back in greeting, and when she spots the pastry shop? Cloud gets a good tug tug. ]

Black sesame powder, sesame seeds... [ Ayaka knows what she needs! So it's easy to look for them. She'll have to let go of Cloud's hand though, and he's free to roam around the small pastry shop for ingredients too, or he can buy a bunch of sweets at the front. ]

Food colouring...

[ Can't forget that it has to be blue! ]

[sultanofsquat]

[ This is the first time he's come along grocery shopping with her to this place. But...given the time he's spent here before and after moving to Kyoto, Cloud's popped in before as well! Hardly enough times to be as recognized as Ayaka, but he nods in greeting to the shopkeepers nonetheless, keeping his eyes peeled on what they may need. When she lets go of his hand, he nods. Best to split up. In case there's anything else they might need.

Crossing his arms, he keeps a cautious eye out for what they may need. Mochi was created by pounding out glutinous sticky rice for that chewy exterior... Every household has rice. So they're set to go on that front. But in a separate aisle of the little shop? Something catches his eye. A rich, blue powdered food colouring... Huh. Usually if he saw food coloring back home, it was in little liquid bottles. It was a small little container of it, however. Explicitly for food dye purposes. ]

Hm.

[ ...!! ]

Nn...

[ Luckily, Cloud wasn't in view of anyone, especially Ayaka when he feels a twinge of pain throb through his head. There's still time, but...the sun was setting soon. And he can already feel old memories calling to him in the distant back of his mind. Taking a deep breath in through his nose before sighing out his mouth, he focuses up as if nothing was amiss. ]

— — —

Heya, [ he finds Ayaka down the aisle opposite his, rounding the end of it to catch up with her, little container in hand as his expression softens some as he offers her the dye to inspect. ] This what we're looking for?

[mistsplitter]

Ah— [ She was going to look for it eventually! It was fine if she did it by herself and just had Cloud look around. But this is such a nice surprise that she's practically beaming, sakura flowers appearing around her when she smiles at him. ] Yes, this is it! Thank you for finding it for me, my love.

[ Ayaka takes the bag to put it in the small basket. She's got everything they need now, since there's rice flour at home! Seeing the various desserts at the counter though, she figures it should be okay to buy some to take home, too. ]

Have you tried melonpan before?

[sultanofsquat]

No problem.

[ It's the least he could do after having the two of them be "stuck". ...then again, knowing Cloud? He'd have done this from the get go. Seeing her sakura flowers bloom around her when she smiles, his eyes widen some as a gently puff of mako energy hovers out from him in response. Even when he was doing his best to suppress the Lunar Curse, she found a way to break through to him... Even in the dead of night when they first found one another on her walk home, Ayaka found a way to anchor him. Helped him not become a completely mindless beast. He doesn't want to go back to that feeling.

He wants to stay with her. The sooner they finish shopping here and get inside before night falls? The better. ]

Nope. [ Softly shakes his head. ] Can't say I have.

I've done taiyaki, takoyaki, teppan...yaki— that's a lot of "yaki"s.

[ He doesn't laugh, but that does bring a little smirk to his lips again as he eyes the desserts alongside his girlfriend. ]

Let's try it.

[ Because he's "reading her mind" again. ]