Tanabata in Kabuki Street July 10

[Saori Sato]

Saori had time to shop, taking Juri along with her to enjoy the early decorations up. She called Mai several times, deliberating over patterns before deciding on one that she found at Yuko's antique shop.

[Morgan LaLuna]

At any point near a food stall one might find Morgan either happily munching or hovering somewhere close to Mallory and Eri, until the fireworks started, when he offered to take Midori to see the fishes while the couple watched the much louder and more startling fireworks. Not that it stopped her from being wholly distracted and enamored by them! He managed to find a safe place to sit with her, and used the jacket he wore over his yukata to keep her safe and covered , distracting her when need be by disappearing under it with her and poking her nose while he so quietly croaked out little songs to make her laugh. When he did not have the sweet youngest Maeda he was quite happy enjoying all of the festivities, including smashing a watermelon so hard he splattered a booth nearby.

[Yuki Sasaki]

Most years Yuki kept close to the Zama Shrine and Hana, keeping guard even in the festivities. This year was no different, but Yuki had decided to give making her own yukata for the festival a try. She was proud of the result, modeling it for Hana at home several days ahead of the celebration.

[Yuina Hirano]

Unlike the previous year when the studio had sent Yuina with a camera operator to get some footage for the variety show, this year the idol had time to enjoy the parade while she waited for Haku to finish work and meet her. After checking her phone, she made sure to line up in time to have a cold tea and a snack of sweet taiyaki to had over to the younger Kubo when she arrived.

As a bonus the wardrobe department let her have a nice yukata left over from that year's spring special.

[Kira Adia]

Kira had always meant to walk down Kabuki Street and see what there was to see. Upon hearing about the festivities (and with a suggestion from Linna, who had finally answered her phone), she used the opportunity to visit the street. She wore a yukata she had found appealing. (Again, by Linna’s insistence at the last minute. “I can’t be there this year, so let me enjoy it vicariously through you.) She broke her usual tradition of avoiding eating in public to sample a few delicacies, but she otherwise mostly kept to herself and watched the other festival goers in their own hustle and bustle.

[Jia]

Jia slipped through the streets softly, sandalled feet taking the young woman booth by booth excitedly, goldfish in hand. Her hair was neatly done in an up-do, and a wary eye was kept for those who may know who (and what) she was.

[Haru Jeong]

Seeing Haru out and about at Tanabata was unexpected to say the least. He was dressed in a plain black yukata, his brother had insisted on it, though he had a coat over his shoulders, patterned with a dragon, he wouldn’t stay long, simply sampling the food, and socializing with those he knew.

[Mai Sato]

"Sou ka.." then came a pause while the tengu listened. "Mm.. Yes, it would look better."

This was the fifth of Saori's ``yukata search`` calls that happened throughout the day. The one prior to this had been with her waiting in a drive through and now she was idly standing beside her car at a gas station.

"Mine should be delivered tomorrow morning so tell the girls to keep an eye out."

The phone buzzed and she drew it away from her ear to give the now loading image a look before returning to the call. "Go with that one."

It seemed that she finally helped her wife make her choice and her car finished filling up. It was time to head back out on the road.

The next morning a long box is delivered to the Sato household and inside waited Mai's Tanabata attire.

[Yuko Kubo]

With the new term going well, Yuko had time to take the whole day off from the principal's office to enjoy the festival. She took time to search the inventory of her own antique store, picking out a vintage yukata from the small collection. Of course for the afternoon parade the cheery bright fabric was accompanied with large sunglasses.

[Meru Yamane]

Meru missed the memo about summer colors, and was very stubbornly insistent about the cranes theme. As a result she ended up spending the afternoon searching for shady places to watch the parade until the sun set. After the parade she collected several keepsakes, including a goldfish and a picture of herself mugging at someone in an oni mask.

[Death Knell]

Ettyn wasn't sure who had ultimately paid for the yukata on Karma's small "sorcerer's slate" (herself? Karma? Caleb, somehow?), but that uncertainty did not stop her from wearing it to Tanabata.



Out of anything, she was the most excited for suikawari. There were only so many things that combined smashing things and eating!

(( A kimono is pictured, but imagine it as a yukata instead! :D ))

[Haku Kubo]

It fell upon the youngest Kubo's shoulders to take up the role of host for Tanabata this year for the variety show in a food tasting segment. Going from stall to stall to taste test the different dishes and even going as far as eating roasted crickets. She was apprehensive at first when it came to the crickets but after peer pressure from her co-host she ate it.. and then after a few seconds said it wasn't so bad (She got playfully smacked against the head for fussing beforehand).

When asked what her favorite festival food was she replied: "Everything!"

Once recording was finished she met up with Yuina to enjoy the festival and watch the fireworks.

[Taiko]

Something that Reira had made very clearly to her was that she, Reira, would be wearing red to the festival this year. And that meant that she should pick something to contrast nicely with it. She settled on a blue yukata with white and purple flowers, and a red obi to remind her of her girlfriend.



It wasn't all goodness and getting along, though. Tanabata's first rounds of suikawari took place before the parade, with lots of children and their parents and grandparents competing. These games she left alone, and waited for everyone to be distracted at the parade to "modify" the watermelons:

By covering them with a thin grease that was difficult to notice but could easily send them flying when struck or handled carelessly!

(( Suikawari is played by your character being blindfolded, spun around three times, handed a bokken or stick, and sent to try to smash a watermelon. Use of the dice is not required for your character to play this game! But if you would like to, here is a way to introduce some chaos:

Send ?roll 1d12 to the #green-room channel. If you roll 5, 6, 7, or 8, you hit the watermelon and break it. Congratulations, and watch out for flying chunks! On a 1, 2, or 3, you miss to the left; and on a 10, 11, or 12, you miss to the right. But on a 4 or a 9, you score a glancing blow! This sends the watermelon flying off, and may clobber or splatter unsuspecting festival-goers!

Senbonbiki is a game where prizes are attached to strings which you can pick and pull. If you would like to introduce dice to this game, send ?roll 1d10 to the #green-room to see what prize you get:
1: Mini taiyaki (fish-shaped bean cake)
2: Bottle rocket
3: Wind-up wallaby
4: Bubblegum cigarettes
5: 1 Kabuki Street Dollarydoo
6: Salaryman Man mini-comic
7: Free drink coupon
8: Rabbit mask
9: Fox mask
10: NIckel ring with zircon stone

Kingyo is the simplest of the games, where you scoop goldfish from a pool to take with you! Send ?roll 1d20 to the #green-room to vary your results:
1: The fish don't like you! Donate 1 silver to restore your luck.
2-12: You catch an orange goldfish!
13: You catch a black goldfish!
14-19: You catch a white goldfish!
20: You catch a golden fish -- how lucky! ))

[Anya de la Rose]

Anya had been graciously provided an outfit by Ettyn, who knew better than to expect her to spend the time away from work. She arrived with as many familiar faces as possible and spent most of her time watching suikawari. Her favorite part was post-Taiko modification when the unexpected element of danger was added.

[Penny Escobar]

At some point in the evening the Wizard could be spotted in the crowd with a yukata littered with peonies and cherry blossoms. It was also likely that she would be seen purchasing a small set of peony earrings and even slipping them on before going back to enjoying the festival with her family.