RP [OPEN RP] Candy Festival of YE 43

[Wes]

RP Date

YE 43.8

RP Location

Kyoto, Yamatai

Kyoto, Yamatai
YE 43.8

Orange banners and lanterns lined the people-filled streets of Kyoto, shining in the cool, crisp autumn night in YE 43's eighth and penultimate month. Jack-o-lanterns flickered candlelight faces and shop windows were decorated with spider webs, skulls, and flying bats. It was time for an annual tradition, the Candy Festival. Every year, for over a decade, the Star Army of Yamatai would deploy its troops in massive numbers to bring candy to every citizen in Yamatai. It began (and still was) a training exercise for some unspecified emergency where the Star Army had to find and provide something to all Yamataians, for example emergency food supplies, a vaccine, radiation meds, water bottles, or something of that nature. Some citizens made themselves easy to find by going out distribution points to get their candy, and some made themselves hard to identify by wearing costumes. Eventually these traditions blended into something like the ancient holiday of Halloween.

This year the Star Army had chosen a theme for the candy festival: Love. Because of this, it was giving out a lot of chocolates, heart-shaped treats. This made this particular Candy Festival something of a mix between the typical Candy Festival with its gothic and spooky themes and Love Day's sexy/romantic vibe, and jokes were that it was "Goth Love Day."

Star Army soldiers, dressed in their black peacoats over duty uniforms, moved around the mega-city, some on duty and carrying bags of candy from trucks and LTSVs (essentially an ATV), and some were there simply to enjoy the cheer and festive atmosphere, or to find someone to fall in love with (or bring to The Pulsing Pearl?). Some of them were tall Nekovalkyrja from the Rikugun's legions, and others were fleet personnel who came in all manner of species: primarily Minkan, but also humans, anthros, Nekovalkyrja, even some Phods, Elves, Trolls, and robots.


Candycorn, a young Nekovalkyrja from Army Logistics was the event's mascot this year. She had twin pigtains of yellow hair, yellow-orange orange eyes, and hearts on her cheeks. She was handing out chocolates molded in the shape of her lips outside of the Uesureyan Fortress.

Meanwhile, after their battle with space pirates, the YSS Resurgence was in port for repairs and that left the crew able to wander around during the festival.

OOC: This is an open thread, feel free to RP a character dressing up and going out to get food, or handing out candy. To give everyone a chance to participate, the thread is open for the rest of February I encourage everyone to have their characters interact with the other characters in the thread. Make it a social event and meet people! It's in Kyoto but ALL FACTIONS ARE WELCOME. At meeting it was suggested to do the fest at the international station but once I started writing I found it didn't really make sense to move it from its home in Kyoto and I will try to create another RP at the station - if nothing else the IRC can be there in 2 months.

 

[BloodyScarlet]

Calandri smiled as she was tasked with sweet giving to the people around, she didn't want to miss out on the dress up though as she had never experienced this festival before, she had her normal green uniform on underneath a coat that wasn't made for her four arms. She made use for it though as it hid the chocolate in the coat and she could give a fright as the arms slid out to off people the chocolate. With the normal outfit, she had a homemade mask, it was attached to her right horn and lay against the side of her face for the moment, she didn't want to wear it right away and wanted more to enjoy this new festival, it did remind her a little of an old ritual they did on her planet, to ward away spirit by dressing as the gods and putting an offering to help calm them.

The clopping of her hooves and weird appearance to most, probably helped a little more, as she handed out chocolate, when people asked about the mask, she would show it to them. It looked liked a horse skull "This is Kiriva, she is my goddess of death and life." She was happy to share her history, the children and others who asked, got an extra piece of chocolate, just as a thank you for asking about the meaning behind her mask.

 

[Yuuki]

Assisting the soldiers, the Kikyō Scouts were out in force among the populace in their berets and patriotically-colored tartan skirts, handing out candy and being gofers for the officers. They had their role to play in any emergency as well, and this was as much a training exercise for them as it was the actual military their organization supported. It was all fun and games for the youth, even if underneath there were important lessons about logistics and emergency preparedness and community service being taught that perhaps only the older Scouts recognized as such. Still, there was plenty of free candy and Minkan don't really need to worry about eating too much sugar, compensation even the most field-hardened Pathfinder Scout would find it difficult not to indulge. A detachment of several Scouts in their mid-teens, Kiku Scouts who hadn't yet earned their full Kikyō rank, tagged alongside Calandri, not only ensuring the children (and adults) approached her in an orderly manner, but also that they were properly prepped and positioned for her multiple arms to have the greatest effect, every time to their own, inevitable delight.

 

[Andrew]

Tokyo Brewing Company​

Kyoto Location

Motoyoshi-Ieyasu Taro, the Governor of Jiyuu stood out in front of the Downtown Kyoto location of the Tokyo Brewing Company dressed in a two-tailed tuxedo with oversized buttons all over it, and a rather elongated top hat. A silver platter of the finest truffles and heart-shaped chocolates was presented in his right hand as he invited those who passed to sample the fine chocolate he had the chef whip up for this special occasion. Originally he had intended to be on Jiyuu for the celebration, but Katsuko had insisted he come to Yamatai to spend time with the family.

The interior of the location had been decorated, like all of their locations across the sector. Free Candy and Desserts were given as specials along with the normal discounts for active-duty members of the Star Army. It was nice for a change of pace to come to Yamatai for something other than business, since Katsuko had become Premier, his duties across both the local governments in the Colonial Sector as well as the Clan's Corporation had expanded. Taro smiled as he observed the various costumes, he was hoping the rest of the Clan was also enjoying themselves and looked forward to some of them making an appearance since both the YSS Mazu and the YSS Tokyo were in port.

 

[demibear]

Not to be entirely outdone by the Star Army of Yamatai, Ryu Keiretsu's Fuji Corporation could be seen operating a booth for candy distribution. Certain members of the Ryu Clan were hoping it will help boost their outreach by joining in with the festivals regularly help on Yamatai and other Imperial worlds through out the year. To go with the theme of love, there were heart shaped chocolates wrapped in neon greens and pinks to help someone be seen in cases of emergencies. There were also chocolate bars filled with fruit jam and more traditional candy corn.

But there was one thing that stood out a bit with the both besides the almost military like clothing the staff were wearing. It was the small recruiting posters for a number of corporations within the Keiretsu. If one was to look through all the information and posters, there were job openings for information technology specialists, medical staff, instructors with experience with large Mecha/Frames, and even vaguely worded openings for "counter industrial intelligence" that could only be directed at one particular group within the Star Army of Yamatai.

With the establishment of the Star Army Reserves, there is a wide pool of part-time soldiers that make ideal candidates.

To the side of the booth, watching the crowds, is a tall dark bluish brunette clearly looking like she would be some place else. The eloquent "cybernetics" of her arms and fingers, combined with her more traditional Lianjia outfit really make Yokota Tamafune stand out from the staff assigned to her.

 

[SirSkully]

Trundling high above the festivities was a luxury barge serving as a restaurant, an overly expensive one with a months-long reservation list of esteemed guests, which largely consisted of Yamatai's elite. The show vessel's exterior was styled in such a way to pay homage to traditional Yamataian sea-ships, the masterfully lacquered wooden hull curving into hydrodynamic shapes that were held in place by engraved iron bands while the top was a grassy terrace featuring small, rice paper-walled structures placed around a beautiful cherry blossom tree.

Occupying one of these humble structures was a certain blonde-haired, blurple eyed son of Galactic Horizon's CEO, master Donvan Black having ordered a small ceramic jar of sake that he let sit, opting to leave it for now and instead nip away at a rather stout glass of scotch while waiting for his guest to arrive. The blonde man closed his eyes and let the crisp wind roll over his handsome features, listening to the faint rumble from below as hidden oscillators worked to bring it all down to a volume that could easily be spoken over.

The man was dressed simply yet smartly, a tailored suit in various shades of blue that complimented his athletic frame as Donvan watched Yamatai's skyline slowly pass him by, the thought of Chiyo's presence curling his lips into a giddy little smirk.

It had been far too long.

 

[Cowboy]

Thomas Canterbury made his way through the crowds. It was nice to get off the ship for a little bit. Everyone was certainly enjoying themselves. It made him smile seeing the kids dressing up and receiving candy. Young couples holding hands and kissing. Its what made the job of being a soldier so rewarding. He was even having some fun himself. Over his white uniform he had a dark cloak draped over his shoulders as well as a black wide brimmed hat and a mask that made him look like a swashbuckling rouge. A group of boys had approached him and asked to sword fight with them. They all had on similar outfits and were wielding toy swords. He had laughed and told them that alas, he couldn't has his hands were full. He was carrying two cases, one very large and one much smaller, and on pain of death he couldn't set them down until he had delivered them. The boys decided that they would give him an armed escort and moved around him as he went through the crowds.

Soon they arrived to an area where the Kikyō Scouts were busy giving away candy. Several of his fellow crew members were also in the area. He nodded to Calandri, a new green panel who was telling stories about her own culture. He stopped short when he saw one he had been looking for. A tall dark skinned Neko with long dark green hair. Setsunu Meiosei was handing out candy and taking pictures with some children. Thomas had once mentioned that she looked a lot like an anime character from a show he had watched as a kid. She certainly looked like it now. Setsunu, using her volumetrics, had on a short skirt and knee high boots. Several of the little girls around her were also wearing costumes from characters from the same show and were wanting to take pictures with her. Thomas smiled. It was almost funny to see Setsunu being so gentle and playing with the children when he knew just how fierce she was in battle. He also couldn't help but smile at her in that outfit. That had always been his favorite character in that show too.

Setsunu saw Thomas arrive and moved to join him. "What do you think?" She asked spinning around, her hair flowing out behind her. "I think you look wonderful." Thomas answered truthfully. "She was always my favorite character." "I know, that's why I chose her." Although it was hard to tell on her dark skinned face, Thomas would have swore she blushed. He felt a warmth in his own cheeks and quickly cleared his throat. He held out the large case he had been carrying towards her. Setsunu took the case and walked over to a chair before opening it. She lifted out her cello like a mother lifting her child and lovingly examined it. Thomas followed her and opened his own small case which held his violin.

After a few moments of tuning they were ready to play. They began to play for the people around them, first some slower songs until they had warmed up. Then they played some traditional dancing songs. Children and adults joined hands and began to dance around in circles, everyone laughing and having a good time.

 

[Soresu]

Kazumi walked beside her friend, a bemused expression on her face. ~' You look ridiculous you know. Appearing so embarassed.'~ she sent them which received a sniff in response. Both were of the same height, but not of the same build. Where one's hair shone bright, icy-blue the others were black as night. Yet both of the Nekovalkyrja were in their uniforms. One the black panels of SAINT, the others on the command track white.

~' And yet I was not the one who suggested dress-up because of the occasion and because they "Just wanted to look pretty!" And I quote.'~ came the shot across the bow, that mental voice causing Kazumi to wince at its volume while receiving a side-glance of golden eyes. With a grimace, she conceded the point, she had wanted to, in part to appeal to her more vain side and torment the woman beside her.

Both were from their respective fleets, of course, 1st XF, and the 1st specifically. And each had enjoyed the festive air of peaceful intent and purpose of the holiday. No wars, perhaps a little fighting for the hearts of whoever pined for someone nearby or down a distant avenue.

While Koyama chewed thoughtfully at a nugget of rich, dark chocolate, appearing thoughtful while critiquing it. Kazumi was happily handing out candy here or there, her bag almost empty.

"We should get a drink you know?" the Shoi-kohosei announced a fist on a hip, which her senior silently ground her teeth at. Her own frame was slender and modest in comparison.

"I do not drink," Koyama countered with a small huff which elicited a chuckle.

"You tried it already haven't you?" the Motoyoshi sneered as the Ketsurui looked loftily off to the side. With a nod of defeat, "Yes," the officer admitted.

"Rum, one of the Rangers attached to my ship is fond of the stuff. I had to water it down. She thought it a blasphemy."

With a teasing remark on her tongue, Kazumi began to zero in on a snappily dressed man in a tuxedo with green hair and a charming smile. Holding a tray aloft offering chocolate delights. With a squawk of protest, Kazumi hand grabbed the older Neko's hand and yanked her along.

Sputtering protests fell flat as Kazumi neared her Ojisan, a bright, chipper smile plastered on her face while a mildly embarrassed look marred the countenance of her friend.

"Ojisan, Ojisaaaaaan~" her voice becoming sing-song in that practiced manner of a stage performer. She thought she had spied him standing outside of the local Tokyo Brewing Company outlet. Both women were in contrast to the other. The physical differences were obvious, their personalities as well. One clearly pleased, the other wore a more neutral expression.

"Mom mentioned you were on Yamatai," enthused the youngest of the trio. And looking him up and down, with a raised eyebrow. "But she didn't mention you were dressed up!"

"Ah... Motoyoshi-san," Koyama greeted formally with a bow, Kazumi wearing a small frown.

"You know him?" when she received a small nod in turn, her friend provided the particulars through a short buzz of static, wireless communication. "Sake hunting?" the Kohosei finally said with narrowed eyes and a broad take on what had transpired.

The exposure to the Motoyoshi Elder had been brief, but refreshing, as had her return to the mountains for that too short a time. "A pleasure to see you again." her friend appearing polite all the while, Kazumi had taken a 'snapshot' of the man and had forwarded the picture to Sui. When there was mischief or chaos to be had, Kazumi was there with bells on. Well, that and she figured the prickly woman would get a kick out of his choice of clothing.

 

[Charaa]

Kyoto
Yue stepped off the transport with a smile on her face. She’d heard o the Candy Festival and thought that it might be fun to participate in since she hadn’t been able to before even as a young girl. Her eyes scanned the area around as she adjusted the straw hat she wore to add more shade to her eyes. Her left hand scratched beneath the adorable flower-patterned blue kimono she wore. She glanced around one last time before she started walking, her sandals clumping and shoosing as she walked, while the young girl didn’t know where to go first, in the end, she decided that maybe she could go to the Takeda Brewing Company; She missed Tachiko who had to serve n the military, and felt that going to Takeda might make her feel better like she was visiting her, though they might not be able to talk.

Yue did want to tell her how she looked after the Hanabi and the sprites. “Oh!” she said, spotting three individuals that she knew. "Hey! Kasumi-onisama, Koyama-sama, Taro-ojisama!” She greeted her clan members. She placed her hands together and bowed to the senior members” I am pleased to see you have chosen to come here too!. “ She said, though whether they didn’t want her to tag along or did, would be up to them, but she didn’t mind if they didn’t.

 

[Ethereal]

Luxury Barge

Iemochi Chiyo, CEO of IIS, swept through the exalted guests that were chattering amongst themselves towards the bar, drinking from crystal glasses. The barge was beautifully made and was certainly up to standards for the high-class crowd that had been invited here. Dressed in a perhaps too see-through white dress, the tanned blonde cast her deep brown eyes across the assembled great and good of Yamatai. Unlike her usual business attire and bun, the heiress had opted to wear some of her beautifully tailored and ludicrously expensive dinner clothes.

Chiyo's golden locks swept down below her shoulders, dancing in the breeze from the ship as it slipped through the Yamataian skyline. A set of cloudy crystal high heels clicked gently upon the deck as she strode, almost gliding as she went. Donvan would be here somewhere, having sent her a rather touching letter to get her attention. It had been a long while since they'd last had the pleasure of each other's company, so she was secretly quite excited to see Mr Black again.

Picking out the impressive and familiar figure - who seemed a little excited, to Chiyo's delight - the elegantly-clad woman composed herself, standing a little straighter. After a moment to take a breath, she took the last few steps behind Donvan, aiming to surprise him. "Donvan?" Chiyo spoke in her silky smooth and well practiced tone, sweeping around so that he would see her come into view. Her rosy lips offered a pleasant smile as she offered a hand to him, perhaps to kiss, as was the traditional thing to do. Chiyo's perfume today smelled like wildflowers and lavender, one of her favorites.

"It's lovely to see you again~"

 

[Andrew]

Taro was pleased to see his nieces and Koyama again, he offered a smile and held the platter of confectionary out towards them. "It is good to see you all! I had to be on Yamatai for some meetings, so here I am!" he declared with a slight wiggle which made the tails of his ancient-looking tuxedo coat sway back and forth. "The family table is up on the deck if you all want to head up there, the usual spot. I'm sure the chefs have something special prepared...The heat is on" he cheerfully added, then said, "I will be up once I've given out this platter and find a host to take my place." It was obvious he was quite happy to see Kazumi, Yue, and even Kazumi's friend again.

The Motoyoshi Elder continued to greet those who passed by, offering the tray of sweets for them to select from.

 

[Cowboy]

Sanda Hoshi took another sip of her drink, a chocolate and rum combination that was surprisingly good. She had decided to really let her hair down, metaphorically speaking. She had embraced the 'Goth love day' theme and had dressed up in a gothic style black dress. The dress was longer in the back but shorter in the front to allow ease of walking which was good as she wasn't real comfortable wearing heals. But her half-boots she was wearing had shorter heals on them and she was beginning to enjoy the clip clop sound they made as she walked through the streets. The arms of the dress were see through to allow her lightning tattoos to shine. She had even gone so far as the die her dark brown hair black and had even applied black eye liner around her eyes, though she was quite careful not to cover up any of her face tattoo.

Sanda was drawn to the sound of music being played. A crowd had begun to gather around two musicians, one playing a violin and the other a cello. Sanda could just make out the white uniform under the violin players cloak. So an officer. The cello player looked like a character from an old anime show. Sanda laughed at that. She had enjoyed that show growing up. She knew the song they were playing as well. It was a folksy love song, more of a love story really. How did that song go? Oh yes, a fiddle player's lover had been put under a spell by a fairy. The fiddle player challenges the fairy to a playing contest and beats the fairy to regain love.

The officer had climbed onto a crate as the song wound it's way towards the climax. He was really sawing away on his instrument. As the climax approached, the woman playing the cello stopped and joined the man on the crate. Standing directly in front of him, she took her bow and began to play his violin while he was still holding it. His fingers moved up and down the neck of the instrument playing the notes in prefect time with her movements. It took quite a bit of skill do pull something like that off. Those two musicians must know each other very well to be able to play like that. Sanda thought.

The last note was played and the watching crowd went wild. Sanda applauded and cheered right along with them as the two took a bow and stepped off the crate. The man took off the wide brimmed hat he was wearing and wiped sweat from his brow. Sanda did a double take. She knew that man from somewhere. As she moved closer the man turned his head and she noticed a tattoo on his cheek. A blue dragon holding an anchor and a star. Now she remembered. He was related to her brother-in-law. A cozen or such if she remembered correctly. They had met at her sister's wedding. Thomas Canterbury. As she approached Thomas looked up at her and did a double take himself. Sanda's lighting tattoo was not hard to miss or mistake.

"Say, don't I know you?" Thomas began. "Sanda Hoshi, my sister married Trowa Yamamoto." "Yes! That's right. That was a few years ago but I remember. You had just finished boot camp in time for the wedding if I remember correctly. You were also preparing to go to Ranger school if I'm not mistaken." Thomas had a good memory and Sanda was pleased. "That's right." She smiled. "I'm now a Nito Hei assigned to the Resurgence." "Resurgence, Shosa Aoba. Good man." "A tough man." Sanda agreed. "You were an officer as well at the wedding. A Taii?" "As a mater of fact I was." They both smiled, please at remembering and having been remembered. "I'm a Chusa now. Moving up the chain of command." Thomas glanced at Setsunu and smiled. "Oh where are my manners. Ms Hoshi..." "Oh please Sir, Sanda, we're almost related anyway." Thomas laughed. "Sanda might I present Joto Heisho Setsunu Meiosei." Setsunu smiled as she bowed to Sanda then shook hands. "It's nice to see you again Sanda. I was at your sister's wedding." Setsunu said as she gave Thomas a teasing look for having forgotten that. "Thomas invited me as he didn't have a date to it. I remember how lovely the flowers were. And the food. Absolutely delicious." The three of them continued to talk like old friends, just enjoying the festival atmosphere.

 

[SirSkully]

Luxury Barge

Donvan's broad shoulders tensed a little as Chiyo's silky smooth voice ripped the man from his thoughts, wasting no time turning around to land his sparkling eyes and charming grin on the sight that was Chiyo - and what a sight to behold.

There was a brief moment of silence as her captivating beauty stunned the young stud, able to do little more than gawk for a few palpable seconds before picking his jaw off the lacquered floor, reaching his hand out to delicately grasp Chiyo's dainty mitten. There was a moment of thought where Donvan realized he wanted nothing more than to bring her hand up, spin the tanned kitten around and wrap an arm around her waist, though he was smart enough to know she'd be fuming if he were to pull something like that in public.

It was something he filed away for later~

"Goodness Chiyo, you startled me," Master Black spoke, lifting her hand up to gently peck a kiss on it and rub one thumb tenderly over her soft skin, before continuing, "your radiance blossoms more and more each time we meet, I swear... How have you been, my lovely?"

 

[Soresu]

Kazumi offered a cheeky smile to her uncle, hand outstretched to take one of the chocolates. Near the tray, her slender hand had stopped and now held still as stone. Glancing to her side, Yue had made her greeting to everyone present. Retracting her hand, without chocolate, the Motoyoshi turned that smile on to her younger sister.

"Imōto," she began before fingers darted between her lips and a chocolatey confection stopped her short. She'd stopped short, eyes widened and looking incredulously to the woman at her side who stared back with a look of: 'You got me into this... you suffer the consequences.' Somehow it had even managed to appear innocent as she returned a brief scowl marring her countenance.

"A pleasure..." Koyama stopped a moment, a slight twinge of static passing between Yue's older sister, and her friend, "Yue-san," with a pleasant smile firmly in place even as Kazumi scrabbled for chocolate of her choosing, Koyama continued.

"You look lovely," offering the compliment before squawking again and yanked forward once more.

"You are such a Youngling, Kazumi!" Koyama admonished the icy-haired Neko before disappearing into the interior with Kazumi in the lead and the two bickering back and forth fading.

 

[Ethereal]

Luxury Barge
Chiyo offered a devillish smile as a reward for Donvan's tribute, her intelligent brown eyes taking in the man's features, as if reading something in them. "You're too kind. Forgive me for startling you, dear." She cooed, gliding to stand beside the vacant seat across from her fellow executive. Chiyo lifted a manicured finger and tapped her immaculate nail to her lips. "Oh-- That's right, today is gothic, of course." Out of the corner of her eye, she gave Mr Black a little wink, perhaps so sly that one would wonder if it was just a trick of the light.

With a slow, precise movement, Chiyo swept from one side of her chair to the other, the movement swishing the white fabric of her dress quite beautifully. As she did, the dress shifted in tone, becoming darker. Parts of the dress became entirely transparent, seemingly disappearing entirely, whereas other sections appeared from seemingly nowhere. The magic of tailoring and highly advanced volumetrics no doubt. It made one wonder exactly how much of the dress was real, how much clothing Chiyo was actually wearing beneath the surface.

"That's better." The blonde woman decided, grinning at her display of theater, which seemed to have caught the attention of other tables too. "Now, Donvan, would you be a gentleman for me?" Chiyo's gaze glanced to the seat, waving a hand in its direction as if willing it to move all by itself. "It's been too long. I've been well- How are have you been in my.. absence?"

 

[SirSkully]

Luxury Barge

Chiyo's antics once more caught Donvan off guard, the blonde man making no attempt to hide how his eyes glided up and down her figure before he offered the Minkan a quiet little clap.

"Bravo, quite the party trick... I bet you do that for all the boys," he offered with a hearty chuckle and a slight nod, admitting victory to her before moving in to slide Chiyo's chair in for the buxom beauty, leaning in close enough to one cat-like ear for her to feel the heat radiating off his skin.

"You tempt me to do things to you that'd get us ushered off this barge, you little minx," he murmured quietly, chuckling once more before pushing her seat forwards smoothly, moving around to claim the seat across from her, leaning forwards with a joyous smirk.

"Ah well we've been well, I've been well, considering all the conflict that's been going on as of late - still looking into how we can help with the Shukaren civil disputes but there's not much I can say about that, I'm sure you understand," he explained with an apologetic roll of his hand, finishing off the small bit of scotch in his glass before gesturing to the ornate bottle of sake that sat between them.

"Ah I'm talking about subjects far too serious for a social such as this, lets loosen me up a bit... would you like some? Supposedly the Kendo clan make quite nice spiced sake... maybe we could even toast to good health or somesuch?" he rambled, producing two small cups with a smooth flick of his wrist before reaching for the ornate blue and purple jar.

 

[Deleted member 6060]

Kyoto, YE 43.8

In his modified bedroom, a young man of tiny stature prepared himself to face the outdoors. He put on his only formal outfit: a black button down shirt -pristinely ironed-, a grey suit jacket -a mismatched hand-me-down-, and a pair of slacks whose color sat between the grey blazer and the black shirt. His only nice pair of shoes, some brown leather slip-ons, didn't exactly compliment the palette of his attire. He attempted to rectify the splash of color with a faded, brown tie. Unfortunately, it only made his attempts at style an embarrassing failure. Fortunately, wearing the outfit previously helped him shoulder any stares or talk obviously directed at him. He was used to the surprised looks, wide eyes, and whispers by now.

Gemma, his caretaker, took to making dinner. She was unaware of Lane's intentions, surprised by his emerging in his formal outfit. A normally weary face brightened ever slightly.

"Are you joining the festivities?" Hope put optimism in a dismayed voice. A low-lidded, unenthusiastic gaze met her eyes, and her excitement fizzled. "Oh, right. You have an interview today. Are you excited?"

"Sure." A feigned, upbeat reply didn't fool Gemma. She set down the wooden spoon she stirred with and approached Lane while he fixed his grey jacket. She brought up a hand to caress his jaw and make his averting gaze meet hers.

"That job is out there, sweetheart. It has your name on it. You just have to go find it, okay?"

He nodded, unconvinced but willing to look. To him it was worth all his efforts. He gave Gemma a sheepish kiss on the cheek and adjusted his jacket again, grabbing his comms device in case she had to get in touch. She wished him luck as he stepped out the door, silently closing it behind him. A hopeful swell gave way to a sad sigh. He'd been working so hard for this. For once, she wanted his efforts to be rewarded.

Emerging from the back alleys of the city had him waiting patiently. Red eyes cautiously scanned the panorama, watching masses weaving in and out of each other. Kids grabbed candy out of stranger's proffered bowls. Casual conversation drowned the silence of the evening. Military people strolled down every street, and that part unnerved him the most. He didn't mind being in public, but when any military presence appeared red flags shot up. He didn't know whether they'd be looking for someone like him or not. He never wanted to take the chance of arousing suspicion. Gemma worried for him enough. When he believed the coast was clear, he turned sharply into the street and lengthened his stride to his destination. If military personnel were out and about, he was not going to give them any reason to follow.

That was his plan, and a backward glance in observation had his vision whip forward. He nearly ran into a group of kids running through the street, and a quick apology had him press against the wall. One of the kids, clearly overstimulated, did not realize what he said when he spoke to the young man:

"I like your costume, mister! Are you a ghost?"

"Costume?" Lane's confusion had him quickly assess his outfit. Then it hit him; the boy was talking about his appearance. "Oh, uh, yeah. Thanks!"

Lane's lack of enthusiasm didn't register with the boy. The boy sped to catch up with his friends, leaving Lane in a social tizzy. He stared after the children barreling through the street, amazed by the absence of judgment. Tingling nerves died down when Lane's logic impeded the brief acceptance. Wide, nervous eyelids drooped once more. Defeat turned the porcelain man towards the building where his interview waited. They were fooled, he thought to himself. They wouldn't have said those things if they saw him any other day.

Careful maneuvering eventually led him to the small building. A quick adjustment of his outfit and hair gave him the confidence he needed. He hit the buzzer at the building entrance, and a quaint little chime greeted him. A masculine voice cut in at the intercom.

"One moment, please."

There was no way to respond, so Lane agreed silently. He felt the tingling sensation return, and his chest swelled at the idea. Yes, come in. Mr. Ruskin, you have exactly the talents we're looking for. I wished you'd stopped by sooner! Here's the acceptance letter; you start on-!

His fleeting fantasy was interrupted by a sharp scratching of the opening door. A tall, sharply dressed man answered, surprise overcoming his features at the sight of the visitor. Lane pushed his fears away.

"Can I help you?" Asked the man.

"Yessir. My name is Lane Ruskin. I'm here to meet with Mr. Se- sorry. I'm here to see Seiji-Sama. I am here for an interview." He suddenly remembered to bow, and did so in earnest. The man at the door was amused, but not impressed. He could tell straight away something was off about the kid, beyond appearances. The man, who happened to be Mr. Seiji, kept his composure, but suddenly felt it necessary to save face.

"Oh, yes, I see." Then the lie followed, "I was not informed about any further interviews today. My apologies, Ruskin-kun, you must be mistaken."

Fearful, red eyes shot up to Mr. Seiji, not knowing who he was. An underlying turmoil began to ripple through him. He stood paralyzed, unable to respond at first. A daring question wiggled its way out:

"Is there a possibility-" Lane licked his cracking lips as his throat dried up, "A, uh, a possibility I could... I could speak with-?"

The man cut him off. "My apologies, Ruskin-kun. Seiji-Sama is a very busy man, and does not have the ability to put time aside for matters like these. I hope you can understand. Have a pleasant evening."

With that the door unceremoniously shut in Lane's face.

The porcelain man stood, blindsided and bewildered, at the door. Any remaining color, as minimal as it was, drained from his face. His entire body felt chilly and sweaty. He attempted to turn away and stumbled, catching himself and stopping cold. Every inch of him was numb. Not even a chance? Not even a chance!

Trembling overtook him, and he wobbled slowly towards a sheltered bus stop. The long bench underneath was unoccupied, and a shaky frame sat down on the seat. Bent forward, he leaned his elbows onto his thighs. His head throbbed. His chest ached.

And then bewilderment gave way to fury. Lane rose sharply, gripping the metal pole holding up the overhang. His right leg, his stronger leg, kicked backward to shoot forward, driving the polished brown toe box into the cold iron. Over and over Lane drilled his foot angrily into that metal pole, the object unmoved as he unleashed his anger. Eventually he tired out, and a defeated frame sunk back down into the seat. A face red with despair and anguish sunk into a reddened hand, and hair once pristinely parted hung loosely and messily.

 

[Cowboy]

Sanda was having a wonderful time. Running into Thomas and Setsunu had been a great stroke of luck. Even though she had only met them once years ago it was amazing how well they all got on and chatted as if they had been friends for years. They had a number of things in common. They were so engrossed in their talk about acquaintances they had in common that Thomas and Setsunu almost forgot that they were suppose to play some more music. Setsunu eyed Sanda a moment then said, "I recall at your sister's wedding that you danced a Flamingo. Would you be willing do do one for us?" Sanda laughed as she ran her hands through her dyed black hair. "I haven't danced a Flamingo in forever. I..I don't have the right shoes." Sanda said, making a lame excuse. Thomas smiled and said, "I'm sure we can find you some attachments."

After about 10 minuets of searching, much to Sanda's surprise, they found not only some tap attachments but two guitar players and some castanets as well. Someone laid out some wood boards and created a sort of stage for her to dance on. Sanda took a quick sip from her flask for courage then marched out onto the middle of the board with her head held high. She knocked her heal several times on the board making a loud bang! Bang! Bang! The crowd around her grew quiet as she began to click the castanets slowly. Her clicking grew quicker until they were clicking at a very fast rate. She suddenly stopped and clicked her heal three times to set the tempo. As if waiting for a signal Thomas and Setsunu began to play their violin and cello to a very fast tempo while the two guitars began to strum. As soon as the music started Sanda began to dance. The black, gothic style dress flowed out from her as she spun around quickly. Her heals clicked and clattered on the boards and her lightning tattooed arms held above her head where the castanets were clicking even quicker than her heals.

Sanda danced around the stage with a grace and skill that was very similar to how she moved on the battlefield. She often likened a fight to a dance floor and vice versa. The crowd was loving it. Many had started to clap in time and there were many a cheer and whistle. Although Sanda was very much enjoying the dance, she had to stop after just a couple of songs. She hadn't danced that much in years and she was a little rusty, not that anyone noticed. She bowed the audience who were applauding wildly before walking over to join Thomas and Setsunu again.

"That was quite impressive." Said Thomas. "Indeed. You can tell a lot about a warrior's fighting ability by their dance steps." Setsunu said, eyeing Sanda as if for the first time. "I can see that you are a very skilled warrior and Ranger." The tall Neko bowed to Sanda which Sanda returned. Coming from such a decorated Joto Heisho Sanda was quite pleased with the complement. Thomas looked at his watch and sighed. "My goodness, look at the time. Setsunu and I have dinner reservations with some old shipmates. Perhaps we can meet again tomorrow for lunch before we have to ship out again." Sanda nodded. "I would enjoy that." Thomas gave her his private comm number and before gathering up his and Setsunu's instruments.

After Thomas and Setsunu left, Sanda glanced at her own timepiece. She had wanted to meet some friends from basic training who were suppose to be on leave as well but she wasn't sure exactly where they were. Oh well. Maybe she'd get lucky and run into them.

Sanda strolled down a lane where there were few people. She was thankful for that. She enjoyed people, but preferred to be alone or with a few good friends. It was nice to be able to clear her head for a bit. Although even on leave in the middle of a festival her eyes never stopped analyzing her surroundings, identifying potential threats or areas of cover or concealment. She noticed a pale skinned young man alone at a bus stop but didn't give him more than a passing glance. That is, until he suddenly jumped up and started kicking the bench. She watched him with mild curiosity as he slumped back onto the bench, his head in his hands. "El pobre bastardo debe haberse levantado." Sanda muttered to herself. It really wasn't any of her business. She really wasn't the kind of person to go out of her way for a stranger but she felt kind of sorry for the poor guy. She could at least say hello. Sanda walked over and stood in front of the guy. "What's wrong kid? Did the girl stand you up?" The lighting bolt tattoo on her face seemed to shine as she smiled.

 

[Deleted member 6060]

For a while Lane sat in silence. He didn't know what to do and dreaded going home. He didn't want to go back and tell Gemma about another failure. She'd get all sad for him again, and while he appreciated the sympathy he hated the vicious cycle. He desperately wanted something to change.

Lane sensed someone walking nearby, but was too exhausted to acknowledge them. He continued to hold his head in his hands as he cooled down, his body losing that angry redness. A slowing heart rate sped up when he heard a woman's voice speak. It was clear she was speaking to him; there wasn't another soul for a block or so. Red eyes jumped up from white hands to observe who stood before him.

She seemed nice enough. A tall, strong woman with neon face paint and an interesting costume. Her black hair magnified the glow of the lightning bolt on her face. She was under the assumption he was waiting for a date who never showed. He snorted out a laugh, eyebrows twisting in mockery as an embarrassed grin split his lips open. She really thought someone like him would win a girl's affection?

"As if," came the sarcastic rebuttal. He adjusted his seat and ran his fingers through stringy, product-laden hair. It evened out the disheveled look but did not put it back in place. Then an honest sigh had his elbows meet his thighs again, "Stood up, yeah. But not by a girl."

He wasn't sure if she was being friendly or if she genuinely cared about his predicament. Reluctantly, he fished a folded up piece of paper out of his pants pocket. He held the folded paper up to her with two fingers. If she unfolded the paper to read it, she'd find a shoddily-written bulletin of words. Not uneven or in unreadable writing, but the handwritten nature of the resume assigned an unprofessional stigma on the interviewee. It only added to the level of oddities associated with his person. If she didn't take the paper, he'd stuff it back into his pocket as quickly as he retrieved it.

Lane shimmied closer to the wall of the bus stop overhang, holding a hand open towards the empty bench. "If you'd like to sit, that's fine. I guess."

The red returned boldly, flushing his features and turning a porcelain man into a soft, peachy color. Even his hair looked a little warm as he scratched the back of his head. He twiddled his thumbs nervously as he awaited some sort of judgement or hasty departure.

@Cowboy

 

[Cowboy]

Sanda raised her tattoo eyebrow at the young man as he assured her that he had not been stood up by a girl. "No?" She asked, prompting more. In response he held out a folded piece of paper. She eyed it wearily for a moment, her Ranger training assessing a possible attack before dismissing that as ridicules. This boy looked like he couldn't hurt a fly. She took the paper from him and read it.

It took her a couple of reads before she realized that it was a resume. Ok, what of it? she thought to herself. Then it clicked. It was handwritten and honestly did seem all that impressive of a resume. Sanda eyed the young man over the lip of the paper. His name was written at the top of the page. Lane Ruskin. Not the worst of resumes, but not very good either. "I see." She said as she handed the paper back.

At the offer to sit Sanda smiled. "Why not, I'm not used to these shoes and I think my dancing gave me a blister. I'm Sanda by the way. Sanda Hoshi." She flicked her dress over the back of the bench so it wouldn't get in her way and sat down. She removed her half-boots and gave a big sigh of relief. "Gracias a Dios, eso es mejor." She muttered in he native dialect. She began to rub her sore feet. "So what kind of job were you looking for, Mr. Lane Ruskin?"