TANABATA | mingle!

[sundays]

[ BACKDATED TO EARLIER IN THE MONTH ]

Through what can probably only be called a true holiday miracle, Chiaki sure did get permission to celebrate Tanabata! The decorations and the wishing tree will actually be up over the course of a few days and it would appear that URSULA is joining in - so even if Tanabata isn't your cup of tea, you'll be hearing some Really Annoying Music until you at least share your dreams and wishes!! Amazing. The true meaning of Fundatory.

[ A - MAKE A WISH ]

What could Tanabata be without a tree to hang wishes from?! Of course, a bamboo tree couldn't be grabbed but a pretty lantern tree has been retrieved instead. It's pretty tall - the tallest leaves of it managing to just brush against the ceiling of the room it got planted in, so you can't miss it - so make sure that you get your wishes up there!

For those not familiar, the custom is to write your wish for the year on a slip of paper and then tie your paper onto a branch of the tree. What are you writing? There's a table just for scribbling down wishes set up! Then once you're done, can you even reach the branch? Oh man!

[ B - THE LEGEND ]

Okay but what is Tanabata?

For those not familiar, Chiaki will be performing some sort of embarrassing skit - or if you miss the show, the legend of the literally star-crossed lovers will be written down! It was probably someone else's good idea since you can't expect a teenaged boy to be good at explaining anything. Somewhere off to the side, the scroll will be hanging to detail the story of Orihime and Hikoboshi's legendary romance.

It's sad but sweet, isn't it? Sad enough to make you want to lament your love life with a friend? Or sweet enough to share a bit of gossip and hope? Discuss!

[ C - FESTIVAL'S CLOSING ]

It's the last day of the ship's little makeshift Tanabata festival!

As midnight approaches, you can follow whatever little crowd that Chiaki leads right over to Floater Island. The stars shine down upon the shore as the lantern tree, along with all the wishes that you hopefully decorated it with, is set adrift into the ocean.

A little melancholy, isn't it?

Comments

[sundays]

[ A ]

Oh!! You there - hello, hello! Are you putting up a wish too?!

[So here's Chiaki, standing here with his wish - not bothering to hide it. So if you care to look, there it is in his excited and exaggerated scribbling: PLEASE GIVE ME THE STRENGTH TO HELP EVERYONE'S WISHES COME TRUE! ☆ ヾ(≧∇≦*)ゝ

(yes, complete with a little doodle. also feel free to point out that his wish for other people's wishes is kinda dumb.)

If you're SHORTER than him, he'll offer a grin.]

I think the higher that your wish is, the better! Would you like a lift?

[But if you're TALLER than him god help your soul]

Can I borrow your height for a moment?! It's vitally important!

[ B ]

[AS PROMISED, CHIAKI IS PUTTING ON A PERFORMANCE TO HELP EXPLAIN TANABATA. That means he'll be standing on basically any elevated place nearby the wishing tree (including any random table) and using some of those good old Idol Skills to improv the hell out of a performance.]

Hehe, thank you all for gathering, everyone!! Now I'm sure you might be confused - but hopefully more curious! - about the set-up here, but I believed it important to enjoy this holiday. It's known as Tanabata, you see. It's a time for all of us to be able to revel in our wishes and dreams for the future together. I hope it'll be able to help us all connect our hearts as one and to get to know one another better!

But ah - let's see, the origins of Tanabata.... I will need some help for the explanation, hmmm. I did not think this through, it seems. Haha! Oh well.

[he was inspirational for like 0.2 seconds

Still, he scans the crowd. For anyone, honestly. Eventually, he sights fall on YOU.]

Oh! Would you mind lending me a hand?

[YEAH, WHAT COULD GO WRONG?]

[ WILDCARD - CLOSED TO MAKOTO / BACKDATED ]

[What did Makoto do to deserve being dragged along to Chiaki's nonsense?

WELL AT LEAST THEY MADE IT ONTO FLOATER ISLAND with some of URSULA's drones coming along. But here's Chiaki, humming a happy little song - it's absolutely more idol songs - before glancing behind him to make sure he hasn't lost his friend.]

Are you doing okay? Let's go, let's go! We have been freed of Mother Ocean but now it's time to move along. ☆

[THEY HAVE A LANTERN TREE TO FIND.]

a

[splinten]

[I don't know who is taller but Dirk glances at Chiaki and holds out his hand.]

I'll put yours at the top.

[THE VERY TOP.]

[sundays]

[STARRY-EYED.]

You will? How?! What can I do to help?!

A

[vigilantims]

Is that really your wish?

[ a wish about everyone's wish is indeed dumb and yet..... it's not a wish he's surprised about.

but it's still dumb. and okay he's 5'11' but-- ]

What's so important that you need my height for?

[sundays]

It's always been my wish! Such is the job of heroes, you know.

[HE EVEN WINKS, because Chiaki's actually a cheeky little nerd. Regardless, Yuri is still taller than Chiaki and that's why Chiaki is gonna hop over to him.]

A boost!

b

[hopefragment]

[Chiaki... Hajime just looks rather deadpan at being singled out, but at least he does actually know the story!]

Doesn't it have to do with Orihime and Hikoboshi being separated by the Milky Way...?

[He tries to prompt, in the hopes that Chiaki will take it from there. Come on, dude. Don't drag him into this??]

[sundays]

[HE'S DRAGGING HINATA INTO THIS.

HAPPILY.]

Ahaha, we already have an expert among us! Come, join me so that we may tell the tale properly! ☆

[up on the table with you, hinata]

a!

[59]

[ It's only a five centimeter difference, yet this guy's acting like he's so much taller... ]

What the hell? You got a death wish, or something?!

[ Irritably, Gokudera's eyes dart down to the paper in Chiaki's hand. ]

Tch, a death wish would almost be better than that.

[sundays]

[WHOA, YOU'RE CRABBY.

Still though that just manages to get Chiaki to laugh.]

Do you truly think so? You worry me, my friend! Come, is this not a time for us to bond? What of your wish?!

A!

[potentite]

[Oh it's his hero friend! He smiles and gives a little, awkward wave because being talked to still makes him jump slightly. He's fine really.]

I just, um, I'm still sitting on ideas here. Picking one wish is pretty hard!

[sundays]

[His hero friend is always here for Jake. ☆ Regardless Chiaki's just going to smile at that, humming.]

It's true! I suppose that it's common for people to have many aspirations... what do you wish for, my friend? Even if not all of them can reach the gods, I will try to make the rest of them come true!

one more b, i'm so sorry

[mistimed]

[Horō'd sat down to watch the presentation, her knees drawn up and to the side. It looks like she might have been settling in for a real show...so now the pressure's on even more for an education and engaging performance, huh?]

Myself? [She lays her palm flat to her chest, slow to move in response. Then it seems to sink in. She stands slowly, carefully coming up from her knees.]

Yes. I would be happy to aid you in this demonstration.

[sundays]

[On the list of things that Chiaki did not expect: a cute girl actually willing to join in the show.

Amazing.

His heart feel so warm!

So he'll be extending his hand out to her in tried and true idol form, offering a smile.]

Really? You're such a good girl, thank you, thank you! ☆

A

[imsorey]

[Regardless of whether Sorey is taller or shorter he'll hold out his hand for Chiaki's wish, excited to be able to tie them onto the tree.]

Want me to put them up as high as they can go? I'm sure they'll be noticed that way!

[splasher]

Yes, yes...

[ever feeling like the big brother looking after a younger sibling, makoto indulges chiaki with an easy-mannered tone, removing his flippers and putting them into storage before following his friend. swimming has become easier lately, especially knowing there's still some land to get to.]

[the company of the drones is a little nice, too.]

[so, as they leave the beach's shore and head on over to more rockier, grassier, and steeper land, makoto finally asks:]

You do know what the tree we're looking for looks like, right?

[there are many trees here]

[subnauticmods]

[ A drone puts a typed out wish on the tree that reads, "I hope all my fellows gain success in their ventures and happiness through the coming year ☆" ]

[oneandmikleonly]

[a little tag of paper appears under it sometime later: "I hope you gain fulfillment and happiness, too."]

A but mostly not here

[mythbuster]

[ What's this? A Tanabata tree? That's nice. It's good to see that some traditions survive no matter which planet you get dumped on. He's always liked how Tanabata trees look with a sea of colorful slips hanging from their branches, so he'll helpfully contribute. After a few seconds of thought, he scribbles out his wish and manages somehow or another to hang it on the lowest branch. Job well done! He feels good.

After hopping out of the tree, he continues on his way. He's a busy guy. (Not.) If anyone is nosy enough to read the slip he left, they'll find written in a neat and relaxed hand:

My earnest wish is for no more annoying people to join the crew. ]

[splinten]

[a]

[Well, okay. Dirk stares at the tree for a few minutes. Eventually, he writes down a wish. He folds it up and floats up on top of the tree to hang it there.

When he turns around (not descending) he looks at anyone who has watched him.]

Need a hand?

[He will help float up papers for you if you need. He is good at this job.]

[tyrian]

[Feferi isn't entirely clear on Tanabata rules here.] Are the wishes stronger if they're higher up?

[hopefragment]

A.
[Normally Hajime wouldn't literally climb a tree for Tanabata, considering the bamboo is usually low enough for him to easily just slip an innocuous wish onto it without drawing too much attention to himself. But this is a little different. And some people are literally floating up to put their wishes up? So this shouldn't be a big deal for him to grab onto the trunk of the tree and climb up, carefully hanging a wish from one of the higher branches. If anyone happens to catch a glimpse of it, they might notice that it's pretty simple.]

I wish for my friends' safety and happiness.

[From there, he looks around to see if anyone else might want to hand their wish up to him. Otherwise he's... just going to hang out here for a few minutes. In the tree.]

C.
[Hajime finds a seat on the edge of the island, somewhere he can easily watch the tree drift away. In spite of himself, he has a small, somewhat resigned smile on his face as he watches it go. Folding his arm across his knees, he seems to be speaking more to himself as he murmurs,]

Something like this... seems so close to my every day life, and yet... it seems so far away.

a

[oneandmikleonly]

[depending how well you can perceive him there's -- either a solitary slip of wish paper hovering under the tree somewhere, inexplicable and spooky and easily spotted, or Mikleo clutching the paper, staring up into the branches with an irritated look on his face.

he's too short to reach the branch he wants, and debating if he wants to ask for help, or just wait until three in the morning and find a box to stand on.]

[imsorey]

[What kind of friend would Sorey be if he saw his short friend standing under a tall tree and didn't offer to help?]

Mikleo? Do you need some help with that?

[princessia]

[ After scribbling down her own wish on the paper, Elize bounds over to the tree to find a place to put it up. Of course, she doesn't see Mikleo, but picks up on his familiar presence when she steps close to the hovering slip of paper. ]

... [ A pause and stare at the empty space. ] Mik... leo?

[vigilantims]

[ yuri sees the slip of paper just floating there. okay so there has to be something holding it... right? he can think of one person but what if he tries to play dumb to see what the wish is, first. ]

What's this?

[ casually leaning to try and see what's written on it. ]