Anyway, this cake is great/So delicious and moist [Semi-Open]

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

The old cherry trees in the courtyard had decided to bloom with impeccable timing, transforming the entrance of the Susono Inn into an explosion of color. Pink petals collected between the stones of the courtyard's walkway, on the overhang of the foyer... oh, and if you got anywhere in a fifty foot radius of the place, you probably got a few on you, too.



The weather was cool and the air slightly crisp beneath the shade of the old trees. There were some wines and sake available for the older guests, and juice for the younger ones (both rescued from the Inn's storehouse). And of course, there was cake.

Mmm, cake.

[Subthreads are A-OK, feel free to threadjack. If you want a super-pathetically detailed map of the Inn for some reason, check here. The invitation post is here. Again, if you've threaded with Allenby/Zouichi a couple of times/are on good terms with them, consider yourself invited! Just ask if unsure]

Comments

PRE-PARTY

[cityship]

[For anyone who might want to drop by before things actually get started.]

[futureisclear.livejournal.com]

Eldar were always fashionably early. Or so some might say. Ildraniath simply arrived; she had no idea that Zouichi intended on throwing a party. Truthfully, she'd just wanted to speak to him. While she could be alone with her own thoughts for a long, long time, contact with others was still very much appreciated. She paused, peering up through the shower of petals. It almost reminded her of some of the sights she had seen at home, a long time ago. On a whim, she reached out and plucked a falling petal from the air and held it between her fingers for a moment. She rubbed her thumb over it and then let it drop as she moved forward through the petals, brushing a few from her shoulders as she finally stepped into the foyer.

"Zouichi?"

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Zouichi had been on his way back outside anyway, to find Allenby and ask her if she'd seen the picnic plates anywhere; he could have sworn he'd seen them just yesterday. He ended up rounding the corner just as he heard the sound of a familiar voice calling his name.

"Farseer," he said, nodding politely to her as he approached. "I wasn't expecting you'd be here for a little while yet. Here for some cake, I guess?"

Re: PRE-PARTY

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Zouichi lifted the cake box just a little higher, out of Allenby's reach. "Allenby, I assure you, I'm perfectly recovered and more than capable of carrying a cake by myself."

Re: PRE-PARTY

[nobel-berserker.livejournal.com]

"Oh yeah?" Allenby frowned as she stood on tiptoe, trying vainly to grab hold of the box. Sometimes, her lack of height could be a big disadvantage. "How about I poke that spot in your shoulder to see how okay you are?"

Re: PRE-PARTY

[alastirra.livejournal.com]

Alastirra didn't have a fancy cake box, but she did have a cake. It also was chocolate--specifically a Delicious Chocolate Cake, from an Azerothian recipe. She'd adorned it with edible flowers from her garden, as well as mint leaves and fruit.

She thought she'd done a pretty good job, really.

"Zouichi? Where should I be putting this?"

Re: PRE-PARTY

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Zouichi turned at the sound of Alastirra's voice, raising an eyebrow at what she was carrying. "I thought I remembered you were a baker, but I've never actually seen one of your creations. I'm impressed. Er, let's see, I think we can just set it on one of the tables out front."

[carrieswar.livejournal.com]

"Wow," Jr. gazed up at the trees first thing when he arrived. "This place looks really nice!"

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Zouichi raised a hand in greeting when he spotted Jr. "Perfect timing, isn't it? I wasn't sure if they'd even bloom in the City, since there doesn't seem to be a 'spring'.

"Anyway, glad you could make it. Did they have sakura trees back at the Foundation?"

[encourage]

Honestly, Sakura wasn't sure what consisted of proper conduct for a house-warming celebration. For one, when she'd moved apartments back home, the most fanfare she'd seen had been from Ino stopping by to confirm a sparring session with Chouji in tow.

Showing up early with a gift in hand, scrapped together from what she'd carefully purchased back on XaXing, she hoped this wouldn't be too out of place. "Zouichi-san? Allenby?"

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"Sakura!" Zouichi waved in greeting, making his way over to her. "I'm glad you could make it. How have you been?"

PICNIC!

[cityship]

[Enjoy the sakura! There is Black Forest cake, plenty of paper plates, and drinks! The picnic is taking place in the courtyard in the front of the Susono Inn; there's a stone walkway that leads up to the actual entrance of the building itself, and flowering cherry trees and grass on either side.]

Re: PICNIC!

[nobel-berserker.livejournal.com]

Allenby laughed as she reached up to snatch falling petals out of the air, dropping them into her sake. Yeah, technically she wasn't drinking age, but what did it matter? Maybe when Earth was back, she'd put a cherry tree in a pot on that houseboat she wanted.

She eyed the cake sitting on the table, but she didn't go grab a slice just yet. It almost looked too pretty to eat, even if it wasn't what she thought of as a "black forest cake." (The thing looked like a little castle with cherries on the turrets, honestly.) Instead, she went looking for someone to talk to.

[encourage]

Maybe it's just seeing flowering cherry trees in this place that isn't home, and is universes removed from what home used to be, but Sakura's looking up at one of those cherry trees from her position on the stone walkway and losing herself in personal reflections. She shook herself out of them with a jolt as she registered someone else near-by, turning with expectant eyes toward Allenby. She smiled when she recognized her, lifting a hand to wave. Funny how automatic some responses were becoming anymore.

"Hey," she said, "Feels a little like we should be celebrating spring."

Re: PICNIC!

[iselldrugstothecommunity]

Howard, on the other hand, doesn't hesitate to grab a few slices upon seeing the cake, loading his paper plate to straining. He finds a seat on the grass to people watch.

He's never been the most social at parties, preferring instead to hang around in the back and talk with people he already knows, and now's no different, although the combination of food and the nice setting has made him a lot less standoffish than usual. He's actually never seen trees like these before - Perdido had palms but not cherry trees, and the year-round temperate climate meant that seasonal plants were much more common than year-round ones.

He swallows a large forkful of cake. He'd have come anyway, but the food's a nice bonus.

Re: PICNIC!

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

"I'll tell Sasami you liked it," Zouichi says, sitting down next to Howard. "I'm sure she'll be happy to hear it."

Re: PICNIC!

[allnaturalseed.livejournal.com]

Picnic! This time, Cagalli skipped the baths, and... pretty much the rest of the party actually, still feeling a bit out of place after being a kid for so long. She had a glass of sake - the stuff was pretty dry! - which she sipped slowly while watching the cherry petals falling.

All I need is a kimono now... she thought to herself with a grin, as she took another small sip.

Re: PICNIC!

[nobel-berserker.livejournal.com]

Allenby had long ago finished her sake and was now on a second one, and was now trying to catch the falling petals in her mouth like snowflakes. But when she caught sight of Cagalli, she grinned broadly and swung around a tree, leaning off of it with just one hand around the trunk for support.

"Heeeey, Cagalli! Man, it's been forever since I saw ya!"

HOT SPRINGS

[cityship]

[There are two separate baths for male and female guests; the two are next to each other and separated by a partition. It's quite easy to speak to someone on the other side, though. Stone steps lead down to the water, and the temperature is quite pleasant.]

[badassfreakingoverlord]

Had been a partition.

A horde of screaming minions in fashionable swimwear had smashed through a section of it to take over the springs. In the midst of all this splashing, frolicking, occasional open but playful combat, and general happy chaos... a large book floated helplessly, face-down, across the springs.

[alastirra.livejournal.com]

Oh dear. Who had brought a book here? Alastirra hadn't wasted much time in going to try out the springs, and she was only slightly deterred by the minion-crowd.

She was more than a little surpised to find a face on the book, though.

"What is this?!"

SLEEPOVER

[cityship]

[Zouichi and Allenby have set up futons, pillows, and blankets for guests in the Common Room on the second floor. Alternatively, there are about eight empty rooms for anyone who wants their privacy, but then how would you destroy everyone else in a pillow fight?]

Re: SLEEPOVER

[iselldrugstothecommunity]

Howard claims one of the futons in the Common Room and flops down on it. He's even got his schedule cleared at Med Bay to spend the night and taken a day off self-employed salvage, although he didn't tip Albert off to where he'd be, but whatever. Let Albert stand around waiting for the morning's scrap haul tomorrow.

He's never actually had a sleepover with a group of people before. Should be interesting.

Re: SLEEPOVER

[expendable-mind.livejournal.com]

Splicer put out his cigarette as he looked over the house. It took him forever to finish what he was doing and by the time he noticed everything was already late.

He sighed, shaking his head with a small chuckle. What was the point of showing up at the end of the party right? He set the housewarming gift on the steps to the house and turned around. Maybe he could congratulate them at another time.

GHOOOOOOOOSTS

[cityship]

It was night at Susono, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse

...although for anyone used to being up at odd hours, there was a faint sound echoing through the halls. The sound of small feet moving lightly on polished wood.