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So, we met on Tanabata! [Solo]
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Post by Deleted on Apr 15, 2022 16:07:05 GMT
Tonight was when it all happened. July 7th.
A pretty normal day, in most of the world. In Japan, it was a festival day; a day for celebration. Even then, what happened today, wasn’t like anything that had happened to anyone else... that she currently knew of. A whole new world was about to open up. The Star Festival had begun, and all around Miyashita Park. Many stalls of all sizes, colors and styles had been opened. All the classic games; goldfish scooping and water gun shooting. Not to mention, the hundreds of delicious-smelling food stands. Stands with silly designed masks dotted in-between. Himiko had been forced into a Kimono by her Grandparents and sent to have fun. Although, she wasn’t exactly… so good… in… social situations… Halfway down the street, a small tent was open. Within it was a man who was crouched behind a small wooden platform. Above it, he moved a series of elegantly carved, oaken puppets on strings. Many children and even some adults were sat, cross-legged, beneath the platform. Himiko paused to listen to the tale as it was spoken and acted out by the puppeteer. “Once upon a time, a woman named Orihime and a Hikoboshi lived across a river of the heavens. Orihime weaved the most beautiful kimonos while Hikoboshi worked hard herding cattle. Orihime’s father, the God of the Sky, was looking for a marriage partner for his daughter. Eventually, he introduced her to Hikoboshi, a hard worker. Hikoboshi and Orihime fell in love at once and became husband and wife.
But they fell so deeply in love that they began to neglect their duties. All of the Kimonos lost their colors and weren’t beautiful anymore. All the cows got sick and caused a famine across the land. God was angry and forced them to live separate from one another across the Heavenly River as punishment. However, God, who pitied the grieving Orihime, permitted that the two meet each other at the shores of the heavenly river only one night of the year, July 7.”Himiko had heard this story many times in the past from her Grandfather. It was one of his favorite stories, as a fan of romance.
“They worked hard afterward in preparation for the day, and they wait expectantly for the Star Festival every year. However, unfortunately, the date of Tanabata is in the rainy season, so if it rains on that night, the only chance when Hikoboshi and Orihime can meet all year, the Heavenly River will be flooded with rainwater. Both lovers will be unable to meet each other. But it is said that when the river overflows, a Magpie flies to help them.
When you look up in the sky at night, you will be able to find their stars and the Milky Way. The Heavenly River represents the Milky Way, the galaxy containing the solar system and our Earth. Orihime’s star represents Vega which is located to the west of the Milky Way, one of the brightest stars. Hikoboshi’s star represents Altair, which is located to the east of the Milky Way. When you find their stars, think about the story of Orihime and Hikoboshi.”The puppeteer finished the story and stood. Bowing to the audience before pointing to a series of very young-looking bamboo plants that had been placed to one side of the tent.
“There are Tanabata festivals held a day before July 7th, and a day afterward in every region of Japan. People write their wishes on colorful paper strips and hang them on bamboo branches. So everyone, grab yourself a card and write down your wishes.” The children rushed forward to do as the man suggested. Running back to their parents and whispering surreptitiously into their ears before running back to hang the small pieces of card on a branch. Himiko was considering joining it, but stepped away from the tent. Her face slightly red, not even sure what she would want to wish for. For great happiness for her family, perhaps? Or, for her home to be left without the threat of a bulldozer tearing through it. Both of these were good ideas. But she couldn’t quite push herself to join in. “Excuse me, young lady. Don’t you want to join in too?”Himiko jumped and turned around. The puppeteer was looking at her with a concerned look upon his face. “You okay, young lady? You’re looking a little pale?”
She nodded her head and stepped backwards. Almost bumping into someone standing right behind her who caught her and put her back on her feet. “Um… I guess I can,” Himiko muttered in a voice so low. It was astonishing that the man could hear it.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2022 18:18:17 GMT
After a moment of hesitation, Himiko wandered into the stall. The crowd of children had mostly dispersed by now. Several of the bamboo trees had been decorated with small cards. Each one inked with the wishes of children, adults, and those of school-age. “Well, here you go,” the man said, offering Himiko a pen and a blank card in bright yellow . “I believe you get the idea, so I’ll leave you to it.” He bowed his head, smiled briskly, and moved away to clear up before the next round of children entered the tent. Himiko paused, the pen inches away from the paper. Unsure what to write. She couldn’t help but read a few of the cards closest to her, although some were undecipherable. While, others were written in the handwriting of an adult. Most of the said things like ‘I wanna be able to go to space” or “to grow taller.” Others had been written by people, more of her own age. Such as “passing the entrance exam to my first pick of schools” and “getting good grades.”
So, what did she want? The ideas she had prior were good ones. Selfless wishes. Something that she had spent her entire life trying to be. After all, she was next in line to be the maiden of the shrine. A safe-keeper of an ancient and most sacred of place of worship. The pen touched the card for a second, and then she pulled back. Himiko had almost written her wish to watch over the shrine, but it didn’t feel quite right. Again, Himiko hesitated, but eventually she began to write. “I would like a true friend.”
A selfish wish, to be sure, and it annoyed her to admit it. But, it was true. Loneliness was a feeling she often felt. Sighing to herself, she tied a string to the end of the card and hung it on the back of the bamboo. Out of sight. For a while, Himiko sat on one of the benches, watching the families pass her. As night loomed, several lanterns had been lit and hung from the bunting above their heads, which ran tree-to-tree, all the way around the park. The sky above them was completely clear and shimmered with tiny silver stars casting a wondrous shimmer over the proceedings. Then, Himiko caught a snippet of the conversation between a bunch of school-age girls. They were grouped together, giggling loudly. Each of them holding luminous pink or blue cotton candy, clearly visible in the growing darkness. “Hey, did you see the clock? Crazy, right?”
“Yeah, you’d think they'd be able to control things, like that.”
“You know, technology. Unpredictable.”
“Oh well...”They giggled again and walked away in the direction of the games. Himiko tilted her head slightly to one side. Unsure of what they had been talking about? Himiko looked up and blinked twice in a mingled surprise and confusion. The hands of the old analogue clock tower were spinning out of control. Faster and faster. So much so, it looked more like a horizontal helicopter. After a few minutes, the out-of control clock had gathered the attention of a group of people across the park. Including, but not limited to; the organizer of the event, the owner of the park, and several maintenance workers. None of them were able to explain the behavior of the clock and eventually just decided to unplug it, until the event was over and the area was roped off. Causing Himiko to move back into the main populous area of the park. That was just the first weird thing to happen. Not the last either, merely the first of many.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2022 12:53:12 GMT
The night moved on, just as it was supposed to. Or, that’s how it seemed. People continued to enter the park, having fun on the stalls. Eating the delicious food and having fun with their friends. Any thought of foul play or worry for the electronic mishaps had long since passed. Even the maintenance men had been seen to be having fun at the gun-shooting game. Then all of a sudden, the lights went out. All of them at once. Every single stall was cast into blackness for just a few seconds. So, the only lights were the candle-lit lanterns dotted here and there. Panic and chatter filled the air. Until, with a great zapping noise, everything powered back up. The organizers said it was caused by a faulty battery unit and soon enough everything returned to normal. Himiko had reentered the park and was slowly moving around the edge of the stalls. Trying to avoid being pushed or knocked over by the crowds, pouring in from the other direction.
“So, what should we do first?” A voice, cold like glass, floated over to Himiko.
“Let’s go tear this place up!” Then, a second voice, equally as cold.
“Not literally, I hope. Well, maybe if we get bored.” It was them. Himiko’s least favorite people at the high school. A group of nasty, uncaring, rich girls, who thought themselves more important than anyone else. They paraded their authority and wealth and punished anyone who was weaker than them or even those who stood up to them. They were lead by a girl with the surname, Nobutada. The most vicious, cruel and richest. She acted as their leader. These girls made it their mission to terrorize Himiko as much as possible from the start of the day until the end. Fortunately, they weren't in every single one of her classes. Still, Himiko found herself unable to move. Frozen to the spot by fear. Her face pale and white contrasting horribly against her brightly colored kimono.
“Oh look. It’s the mouse. I never thought you’d find the guts to come out here.”
The girls had spotted her. Himiko stepped backwards, slipped, and dropped to the ground. A gap in the crowd opened, wide enough for Himiko and the four girls. “Hey, looking pretty snazzy.”
“But, it’s not really your style.”A barrage of insults followed this; each one directed her way. Himiko felt tears welling up in the back of her eyes as she stood back up.“Just leave me alone. I don’t want any trouble.”
“There will only be trouble if you don’t bow to us. Bow. To. Us.”
“Yeah, do it. Do it. Do it." "What a loser!"
She backed up again, the horrible chanting in her ears. That look of pleasure on each of their faces burned into her eyes. This time managing to push between the crowd and find her way to the other side of the park. A more wooded, forested area, full of vividly colored wild flowers. This area was usually cordoned off. But, all the security had wandered away into the festivities. Tall oak trunks cast a wide shadow, enough for her to hide in at the very least. Without her notice, a mist had begun to sneak in. A great gray blanket soon filled the air. Himiko stepped forward, trying to bat the fog away. Feeling with her hands, and walking slowly, so as to not trip an exposed tree root. She couldn’t hear any voices. The girls voices had faded, as had all the sound of the event as she moved deeper into the park.
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