Tokyo, Japan, Monday

[soniaroadsqueen]

Portalocity was weird. Ringo hadn't really traveled with them much, so this was something of a revelation for her. Somehow booking a reasonable late-morning departure from Fandom resulted in a just-after-dawn arrival in a small park a couple of miles from the apartment she shared with her sisters. Of course, despite that, all three of them were waiting.

Rika, with her knowing, motherly smile, managing to look like a carefully-styled model even this early. Mikan, tomboyish hair cropped short and sticking out every which way, smirking mischievously and tapping her foot with nervous energy. Ume, seated on a bench playing with her dolls, but glancing up and meeting Ringo's eyes when she arrived.

With a grin, Ringo dropped her bags and rushed forward into a big group hug, melting into the group for a moment. All worry and stress disappearing in the blink of an eye.

"Now then," Rika said as they eventually disentangled themselves, "why don't you introduce everyone, and then we can go get some breakfast?"

[ooc: For those along for the ride. NFB for distance.]

Comments

Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo was practically skipping with excitement as they finished climbing the stairs to the little maze of streets the festival was spread out over. Stalls, lit with bright lanterns, crowded up against each other as far as they could see.

Her wooden geta sandals clopping on the stone pavement as she dashed ahead, then slowed down so everyone could catch up. "This is going to be so much fun!" She looked over at Kathy and Dante. "It's like the Homecoming carnival thing, but with way better snacks!"

RE: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[rebelseekspizza]

"Yeah?" Dante asked, slanting a look in her direction. "What's the food like?"

All food was good food, of course. But still.

RE: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Come on," Ringo declared excitedly, reaching out to grab at his sleeve without really thinking about it and dragging him toward one of the nearest stalls. "Let's to some takoyaki!"

RE: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[rebelseekspizza]

"Woah."

Ringo was in a mood. And not a bad one. Which was weird. (Kinda like being dragged around by the sleeve by a girl. Or anybody.) "Is it that good?"

RE: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Well, duh!" Ringo slammed to a halt in front of the stall and had a quick exchange in Japanese with the man behind it who grinned and handed over two cardboard containers with little fried balls of batter in them. Ringo grinned as she handed one over to Dante. "It's little pieces of octopus fried in batter, and they're best fresh."

RE: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[rebelseekspizza]

"They're octopus balls," Dante said immediately.

He squinted at them. "Weird."

RE: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[soniaroadsqueen]

"And delicious!" Ringo declared, stabbing one of hers with a toothpick and stuffing the whole thing into her mouth.

RE: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[rebelseekspizza]

You know, Dante didn't have a problem with free food, most of the time, but... "You sure about these?"

RE: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[soniaroadsqueen]

"Totally!" Ringo exclaimed.

Well, tried to exclaim. It came out kinda muffled as she had her mouth stuffed with octopus balls.

RE: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[rebelseekspizza]

"Fine. Guess I'll take advice from the girl with balls in her mouth."

Sometimes he was easily amused, okay?

... He was biting into one of those balls now.

Weird.

RE: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo had finally finished chewing and swallowing, and grinned over at Dante. "Good, right?"

Re: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[spin_kick_snap]

"Have some beondegi instead!" Kathy said, holding out the container that she'd snagged from a street vendor. "Well, they call it tsukudani here, but the general concept is the same. I got some without the sauce so I could eat 'em by hand."

RE: Re: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[rebelseekspizza]

"...What's beo-whatsit?"

Details, Kathy! Details!

Re: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[spin_kick_snap]

"It's a Korean snack," Kathy said, deliberately misinterpreting his question. "Look, they're really good!" She tossed a handful into her mouth then held the container out to him. Look, her mouth was full, she couldn't answer!

RE: Re: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante eyed her suspiciously. He took the container and glanced inside, and... "Bugs? You're eating bugs?"

Even he had limits, Kathy.

Re: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[spin_kick_snap]

Pointing out that they were larvae prooobably wouldn't help her case.

"Silkworms," she admitted, looking not at all apologetic. "They're really good! Taste kinda nutty." She gave him an encouraging smile. "C'mon, Dante! When have I ever led you wrong?"

Re: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy followed in Ringo's wake, glad for her insane balance in the unfamiliar footwear. "So what's on the agenda for the night?" Kathy asked. "Besides stuffing ourselves silly with--oooh! Good luck noodles!"

Yeah, Kathy was easily distracted when there was food on the offing.

RE: Re: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo laughed. "Did we need more plans than that?"

Re: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[spin_kick_snap]

"Is there a ball like in Times Square?" Kathy asked around a cup of warm sake. "How do you celebrate the stroke of midnight? Will there be toasts? Kissing? What?"

RE: Re: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo had to raise a hand to muffle a giggle. "Traditionally there is bell ringing. The Buddhist temples will ring their bells 108 times to cleanse the sins of the previous year. And there will be soba." Ringo flushed slightly. "Is, um, is kissing a New Years tradition?"

Re: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[spin_kick_snap]

"Mmm, soba." Sorry, Ringo. Some things took precedence. Sure, all Kathy had done was eat since they'd gotten to the festival, but she still had plenty of room for more. "Hmm--what? Oh, yes, kissing! Supposedly whoever you share a kiss with on New Years is who you'll be with for the rest of the year. You'll stay close, you know? And not sharing a kiss means a year of loneliness, but I'm sure that's not true."

She slung her arm around Ringo and pulled her in for a hug. "I've never shared a New Year's Eve kiss yet, but I haven't been lonely in a long time."

RE: Re: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[soniaroadsqueen]

Ringo leaned into that hug, wrapping her own arm around Kathy's waist, too. "There's nothing like that tradition here," she admitted. "And I certainly haven't been lonely this last year." So take that, silly tradition.

Re: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[spin_kick_snap]

"Well, the three of us can exchange kisses when the bells ring," Kathy declared. "So we can stay close this upcoming year. And maybe I'll make it back to the island for next New Years so we an do the same, huh?"

RE: Re: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[soniaroadsqueen]

The way Ringo ducked her head? That was in response to a little gust of wind that no one else felt, not embarrassment. Okay? Okay!

"That, um. We could do that," she said softly.

Re: Thursday Night - New Years Festival

[spin_kick_snap]

"And I promise I won't take a picture of you kissing Dante, either," Kathy said. "Cross my heart."