shinnen akemashite omedetou gozaimasu

[invoker]

Who: Mitsuru and you!
When: Backdated January 1st ICly
Where: The largest looking Shinto shrine in the pleasure district.
What: It's the new year and Mitsuru's homesick. She's off to welcome the new year in a very traditional manner. (I just wanted to put her in a kimono ok)
Rating/Warning: PG-13 for some inappropriate new year charms.

[ Mitsuru was a woman who was raised right and slightly homesick. After the storm calmed down and the Santas stopped being murderous, she peeked out of her window to find that all was normal once again. Everything seemed to be calming down and she was looking forward to ringing in the new year properly.

Save for the fact that the dates had suddenly jumped. No matter how many times she checked her calendar, it said January 1. How long was that snowstorm? She couldn't tell, did the whiteness of the snow somehow interfere with her sense of time?

Everything else seemed to indicate that it was January 1, no matter where she looked. So that meant no year end soba noodles. That was a shame. She had a fondness for traditions like that. Just because the changing over the year passed her, doesn't mean that she can't celebrate it still.

So decked out in her kimono and geta (but her rapier and evoker were still at her side, because she isn't going out there without some sort of protection), Mitsuru made her way over to the pleasure district where she knew, even if it might be quiet - for her to pay her respects. ]

i) bell ringing

[ The dedication that CERES had to making the experience authentic was something to behold, because not only was the shrine decorated for the new year, but there was a singular giant bell near the entrance. As she approached it, the bell let out a sonorous gong - seemingly on its own.

Taking a step back, no doubt that the bell was probably robotically controlled as well.

She sighed, but noticed that there was a little plaque and a mallet next to where she was standing. ]

"If you wish to ring the bell, please use this mallet."

[ Mitsuru read the plaque curiously and looked around her as she grabbed the mallet. Would anyone object to her ringing the bell once more? There was no reason to it, but it simply felt like the right thing to do. ]

ii) prayers at the shrine

[ She took careful steps on the stairs of the shrine, careful not to trip. Walking in geta and kimono was always harder than one expected, no matter how many times you wear them.

As see walked up, Mitsuru's mind was circling with thoughts on what to pray for once she reached the altar. Good health? Longevity? Prosperity? World peace? All of the above?

Mitsuru reached the altar and clapped her hands, closing her eyes. For completion's sake, she would pray for all of these things - but also the secret wishes in her heart. For her friends to be safe, both from her world and the ones she had met here in the colony.

And as irrational as it may have been, she also prayed for her father.

It seemed as if she was standing there for eternity, quietly taking in her own thoughts. ]

iii) charms and trinkets

[ While it was normal for shrines to sell charms and other such things, the charms here were... definitely not traditional. Mitsuru's face is that of unamusement as she read through all of them, her face growing more and incredulous with the audacity of some of them. ]

"Hoping for hot romances", "Meeting a woman with big boobs", "Having my fantasies fulfilled by a robot harem"...

[ Well, this was the pleasure district, but still. ]

"Luck in being noticed by Julius Vincere".

[ Now that one just took the cake, nevermind the fact that it was the most garish looking pink charm she'd ever seen. ]

iv) osechi

[ She felt the pangs of tiredness catch up to her. Mitsuru barely slept or ate during the whole deadly Santa fiasco. Any sleep she managed to get was purely because Fuuka or Minako made her, rather than any inclination of her own to do so. Mitsuru was living off caffeine and willpower for the most part.

But what kind of leader was she if she didn't fight through the fatigue? No, she mustn't succumb to it. Never.

Mitsuru found herself seated on a bench inside the shrine, a box of traditional new year foods resting in her lap. She was going to take it back home to share with the girls if she didn't meet anyone while she was out.

Unfortunately, it seems like the events of the past few days finally caught up to Mitsuru, and she had closed her eyes and was lightly asleep on the bench. Even in sleep, Mitsuru was still relatively poised and the only sign that this wasn't the case - was the fact that that carefully prepared box of food was on the verge of slipping out of her lap. ]

Comments

[shikisha]

[ Nonon's never been much for traditional rituals. Her family wasn't full blooded Japanese, and her parents weren't exactly the types to be able to spend much time with her. Even if she had Satsuki they never did things like this together. They promised they would, when they had time, but there were too many irons in the fire to be worrying about things like a day at the shrine to pay respects to god's that Nonon didn't believe in.

Still, she's been at least once before, and it's familiar enough that Nonon found her way there without thinking. She's dressed casually, no yukata for her since she didn't own one, and didn't feel like spending the money buying one short notice instead of getting it tailored, opting for a white winter coat and a blue skirt with black tights. Of course she's got a nice blue beret on top of her head too, to keep her warm.

And yet somehow she found herself standing next to Mitsuru when she looks up from her own prayer (something about seeing Satsuki and her family and friends again) recognizing the girl right away. ]

I didn't expect to see you here, Red.

[invoker]

[ Mitsuru opens her eyes and lowers her hands after finishing her own prayers, turning to who had addressed her. It was Nonon Jakuzure, that girl with the excellent taste that she conversed with on the network. She didn't strike her as the particularly religious or traditional type, but looks were deceiving. She gives a small bow and smiles. ]

I could say the same of you, Nonon-san.

[ But nevertheless, it was pleasant to see her here. ]

[shikisha]

[ Nonon knows the rituals, she knows to wash her hands, to clap her hands, to bow, but it's the actual praying part, where she entrusts her problems to a deity, that she isn't very good at. She tries this time though, wishing to some imaginary god out there to make sure Satsuki is safe.

But then she's done, and backs up from the shrine, looking over Mitsuru in her yukata. ]

I'm not very spiritual myself, but it's New Year's, isn't it? What else better did I have to do?

ii!

[bloomnobly]

[ And after a few moments of silence there is a Yuyuko, decked out in a kimono that's not her usual bastard child of traditional garments and lolita fashion. ]

...oh. Salutations. It was so disappointing to see this place near-deserted, today.

[ even after 1000 years and 1000 New Years, it never got old for her. Maybe it had something to do with that some of her few positive memories of the time spent with her own father were on New Years, but it was a calming return to tradition after being forced into hiding for six months, anyway. ]

[invoker]

[ Mitsuru gives a polite bow. She's never seen this person before, but it was very apparent that they were of the traditional sort too. That was reassuring, in its own way. ]

Salutations for the New Year. I admit I wasn't expecting anybody today at all.

[ But she was pleasantly surprised by the amount of people, no matter how small. ]

[bloomnobly]

Disappointing, no? But I suppose this setting is very...modern, for a reason. [ Ye Oldes ]

I expected less of this place, but all the better. [ she has yet to see the fortunes ]

i

[kaba]

[ This time of year he’d already have hopped on a plane to visit the shrine he and his late mother used to celebrate the New Year’s at. This year certainly shouldn’t be any different, even if there’s no more Japan—strictly speaking—to go back to. But the shrine in question is someplace he’s seen a few times before, during his occasional forays into the pleasure district.

This will, however, be his first visit, for what it’s worth. Things have been way too crazy for him to do much of anything these past few months.

He visits the shrine in his usual kimono and jeans getup, if only because it’s a lot more comfortable to move around in it than in the more traditional alternatives. Even his sword is still strapped to his back, just in case those Santas decide to cause him any more trouble this year. Here’s hoping for otherwise, though.

And he’d been climbing the steps when he’d heard the sound of the bell, realizing with a pang that they’re maybe a little too late for that one. How many times have you got to count, before you can forgive yourself the admittedly major sin of letting the world just vanish into so many bits of code? ]

Didn’t think anyone would bother. [ He says this quietly, wistfully, with a sad smile on his face. At least there’s still a few around to keep to the old ways. ]

[invoker]

[ Mitsuru caught that. She turns around, mallet still in hand to see who had come up to see the bell.

Now that kind of outfit and getup, she wasn't entirely expecting. He looked more like a member of a rock band than shrine goer, but Mitsuru swallowed her surprise and put on a polite smile. ]

The new year had past, so I missed my opportunity for soba.

[ She says, with a polite bow to the newcomer. ]

Do you mind?

[ Mitsuru indicated the mallet in her hand and cocked her head towards the bell. ]

[kaba]

[ And this lady was a class act—an ojousama type he wasn't used to hanging around with, save that one time in Platinum Jail that was all sorts of awkward.

Right. Now he feels a little self-conscious for not dressing up for a big holiday like this. Not that CERES cares, of course. ]

Yeah, I kinda missed it too, and… [ He's not getting any osechi this year, looks like. And the talk of soba only makes him miss a certain someone's home cooking even more.

Yes, this is a fine time to try and see if the old rituals really do cleanse your soul like they're supposed to. When Mitsuru gestures to the bell he finds himself pointing at his chin. ]

Me? You want my help? [ Unless she means for him to quit bothering her and just get inside already. ]

iv

[heiwana]

[ And Kousetsu is always out and about at the shrine, despite it's locale and walking to get there always comes with getting awkward catcalls and the like from the pleasure districts customers. It was a strange place to have a shrine and yet he felt at home the most here. Belonging to a devout Buddhist would obviously do that to you.

So he'll find Mitsuru asleep inside the shrine at some point. He'll stare at her for a minute or two, head tilting to the side, before he lightly touches her shoulder. ]

...this is not a good place to sleep. [ When she opens her eyes she'll be greeted by a man six feet tall with long flowing bluish white hair wearing traditional priest robes. He is quite the colorful character to be honest. ]

[invoker]

[ She blearily opens her eyes, blinking for a few seconds before realising that someone had actually woken her up. Oh gosh, how and when did she fall asleep?

Mitsuru barely registers the large man standing infront of her as she feels the box slipping off her lap, but she quickly grabs for it, clutching on to it for dear life.

And now that sufficiently shocked her system, Mitsuru now takes a moment to register who woke her up. He was... a priest? Bleariness turned into inquisitive eyes as she blinked the remnants of the sleep away. ]

I apologise, obou-san.

[ She bows her head, because she wasn't expecting a priest to come out of nowhere. ]

iii!

[mokoko]

[ Similarly, Fushimi picks up and puts down the charms one after another. He's not the type to believe in omamori, but he does know of someone who might appreciate them— hence his sifting. So far, he's not having much luck either … yet he's still trying even after the nth charm.

Overhearing the person's words next to him, he takes a split moment to glance at whoever it is, before sighing and returning what reads "Luck in finding a waifu or husbando!" ] …what a waste of time.

[invoker]

[ She looks over to the person next to her. Mitsuru's glad she's not the only one who finds these charms a little weird or distasteful. ]

I know this place is the pleasure district, but...

[ She looks at the lurid pink one in her hand for a moment longer before putting it back. ]

I suppose it may be a stretch to ask for "The safe return of our home world", isn't it?

iv!

[souredsweet]

["Homesick" probably isn't the right word to use in this situation, or the right word to use when applied to Kaoru at all, but the pull of tradition is pretty strong. It's much nicer celebrating the coming of the new year in a way that's vaguely familiar, even if the tradition itself has shifted over the years.

It's why this punk is also at the shrine, decked in a festive kimono and on the way to get a (very unfortunate) fortune. It's probably a good thing Mitsuru is spotted first and makes for a decent distraction... AWAY, to save the osechi!!]

Oh— Kirijo-san! [Not really wanting to wake her up too suddenly, but not wanting her to lose her meal either, Kaoru darts forward quickly to nab the box before it can spill.]

[invoker]

[ Mitsuru blearily opens one eye when she hears her name being called, before both her eyes open in shock to find that her beautiful osechi is on a slow hurtle towards the ground. ]

Oh!

[ She reaches out, but it slips just out of her grasp. Thank god Kaoru was there to grab it before she lost all that food...! ]

Nagumo-san, I'm sorry, I was careless...

[ Mitsuru continues to blink the sleep out of her eyes, because she didn't even remember falling asleep. ]

fourrr

[manolia]

[Chibi hasn't dressed up - Goddess, no, the past nights have been far too tiring for that - but he's shown his face at the shrine regardless. It amazes him, how many things are constant among cultures; prayer for the New Year is something most Eliatropes do, as well. He figures he'll offer a prayer to the Goddess (or whoever's listening) for health, one for prosperity, and one for peace of mind... Maybe a few more, while he's at it.]

[And then, he figures he'll wander around the shrine a bit, to see what else is consistent across cultures. Luckily for this lovely red-haired lady he sees, as King of Napping in Weird Places, he's not going to judge her for falling asleep on a bench. Instead, he takes notice of the food about to fall, and considers waking her up... And there it goes--]

Woah! [Instinctively, he makes a portal at Mitsuru's feet, then one above his hands to catch it. The box teeters back and forth on his fingertips, then comes to a still; the food's shifted in it, and the presentation is wrecked, but most of it is intact. He huffs out a sigh, then checks to see if she's woken up.]

[invoker]

[ Mitsuru opens her eyes at the sudden sound, looking up with a bleary alertness as she tried to figure out what in the world was going on. Did she fall asleep? She didn't mean to, but where's her osechi gone? Ah, this is really... inconvenient. ]

Ah.

[ There was someone holding the osechi box in their hands. Were they stealing it? ]

These are... relatively easy to buy here

[ She said, suppressing a yawn. ]

ii

[twomeals]

[Yue knows depressingly little of proper traditional new year activities, despite...previously living in a shrine....nevertheless, ever since he found the place (entirely by accident), he's taken to coming here whenever he has the time, just to sit around and appease his homesickness a bit. Or worsen it? Either way, he's here, and...kind of surprised about the new year stuff, actually.

It's not long before he wanders over to the altar, the click-clack of his geta (he's always wearing geta, despite the total lack of any other traditional clothing) probably alerting her before he gets there.]

Are you wishing for something?

[invoker]

I am not sure whether to do so or not.

[ Mitsuru's lips curl into a slight frown as she wondered what exactly she was to be wishing for. ]

Did you come here with a prayer in mind?

iii

[hagureoni]

[While Senkimaru wasn't big on fortunes, most of his life had been a big misfortune, after all, and only recently things started to get better - and that was more by the people who tried to work for a better future than anything related to something like destiny, he still thought trying out a tradition couldn't hurt.

Unfortunately, sometimes he had no shame, so he peeked over the shoulder of a woman who had been standing there.]

Meeting a woman with big boobs? It seems that fortune wasn't something you should pick but for someone who was supposed to meet you.

[invoker]

If CERES's claims are to be believed, all of these places are pulled partially out of the code of our worlds. So it stands to reason that they didn't perhaps... proofread some of the finer details.

[ She's still annoyed as she puts the charm back, shaking her head. ]

I preferred it when they said "Good LucK" and "For Passing Tests."

iv;

[candlecutterpikachu]

[ Don't mind this guy gently taking out his sword in the middle of public. Nope, it's nothing weird at all.

At least he doesn't unsheathe it, merely keeping a grip on the handle and balancing it in one hand with elaborate precision. A slight flip of his fingers moves the blade enough to nudge the food back onto Mitsuru's lap, buying him some time to actually approach the lady without waking her up abruptly. ]

Hey. [ Just going to gently shake her a little here. ] You alright?

[invoker]

[ Mitsuru wakes up and looks down to see... that whole display of sword action. She blinks sleepily, not sure whether she was just imagining or this actually happened. Regardless, she gratefully places a hand on the box and rubs her eyes sleepily. ]

Yes, thank you... was that you?

iii

[awaken]

[ It's a shame Minako doesn't have her own yukata, it would have been more appropriate than her winter casual. As it is, she's in the shrine, too. And of course she overhears Mitsuru reading out some very interesting... charms? ]

Who's Julius Vincere?

[invoker]

[ Mitsuru smiled when she saw Minako approach, but her face turned into concern with her question. ]

He's the CEO of CERES. He welcomed us when we first arrived in the colony with some suspicious burgers made out of alien meat that eventually led anyone who ate them to become ill.

[ It wasn't great. ]