seasonsrpg | ☀️ all the trees change in the fall

WHO: Everyone who wishes to visit the tea house.
WHAT: Tea house opening!
WHEN: Forward-dated a couple of days, but early July!
WHERE: shinrin-yoku, Sunwaning
WARNINGS: Mystery hot pot………… (shudders)

[ It had been a couple of months ago, when Ayaka informed the network of her desire to open up a tea house. Many people showed interest, and as such, may receive either a written invitation (so formal) from her, informing them of the tea house's opening. Others may find the invitation via network from the white heron ~~which we will conveniently handwave~~, announcing the opening of her tea house, shinrin-yoku in Sunwaning.

The invitation somehow asks guests to bring an ingredient for food– whatever it is they like!-- with no explanation whatsoever. Huh… wonder what that's about?

And to those who visit, they may find themselves in a little haven of zen for a while. ]

Welcome
🌸 shinrin-yoku seems like a simple tea house upon entering, with a large wooden sliding door that's already opened for guests to enter.

Ayaka will be the one to personally greet her guests, offering three possible areas for seating– the traditional Inazuman set up, the space for where you can let your legs down and not kneel while seated, or outside in the gardens. Of course, since it is a grand opening of the tea house, people aren't limited to their own tables! Familiar faces may be abound, and guests may like to walk around and see the interior, perhaps even say hello to the manager who is walking around and sniffing people here and there.

For future endeavours, Ayaka informs guests that they may use the shinrin-yoku for business gatherings and meetings. Members of the Welcoming Committee and Ayato's own committee are more than welcome to use the shinrin-yoku, and may even become a place for exchanging information and the like. The tea house promises to be a safe place to all.

A Simple Game of Snack
🌸 While guests may order food separately with any of the tea house's servers, there is a long table at the garden area offering all the items on the menu (except for the udon). It's free, and part of the ways Ayaka wishes to celebrate the opening of her tea house. There is a small card in front of the display of food, however, and it reads:

a cup of tea, warm
savoury, sweet wagashi
new names under trees

Strange? Random? What does that have to do with food? Well, it seems our little proprietress just loves it when people gather. She doesn't wish for the grand opening to just be a simple transaction, and she wishes for her tea house to be a venue where people can make friends, exchange stories, and feel safe.

It is why these snacks offered at the buffet table are laced with enchantments. The side effects are not harmful at all, and she only wishes for her guests to mingle, as well. As such, some may make people extra friendly, wanting to break the ice with a joke or a funny story. Some may end up bursting into song because of the snack they ate, while some may not be able to hold it in. They have to compliment another person before they can proceed with the rest of their conversation!

Ah, now the poem makes sense… as for the tea? Guests will have to order their own, as it is best served hot.

Mystery Hot Pot
🌸 Thanks to Ayaka's time spent in Nippon, she's become. . . excited and wants to continue this tradition she has when she hosts gatherings. If her guests have brought ingredients, there is a large pot of broth being boiled in the garden, with a card informing guests to put in the ingredients they brought! It also informs guests to try the hot pot, despite not knowing what others have put in it. [it is a mystery.png] Ayaka has started it off by adding matcha powder into the hot pot, giving the broth a bit of bitterness to it.

One of the things she enjoys whenever she has the pot boiling are people trying to figure out what the taste is, together. And anyone who manages to finish their bowl of mystery hot pot, regardless of how delicious or questionable it is? Will just have to show their bowl to Taroumaru in order to win a prize!

The prize is a box of Snow on the Hearth, a special kind of sakura mochi that only Ayaka is able to make. Be glad, for people of Inazuma would consider receiving a mochi like this a blessing! If one had the honor of enjoying such a treat while having tea with a princess as graceful and noble as a white heron, one would surely yearn to have that moment stretch into eternity.

Sunset in Sunwaning
🌸 Much like how beautiful the sunrise is, the sunset is beautiful and provides the tea house a nice and cosy ambiance. Guests needn't stay at the tea house the whole day– if they are done with their meal and tea, of course they are free to say their goodbyes! But the tea house is definitely open to all until the sun is down, should they wish to stay and spend the rest of their day here.

As the celebration begins to wind down, lanterns are lit in the gardens to keep it well-lit, yet still cosy.

Those who stay until nightfall may be treated to Sunwaning's local theatre group performing. Celebrating the tea house's opening, the theatre group volunteered to perform at the shinrin-yoku with a performance. It is very familiar to Ayaka and the Kamisatos, and no doubt those from Inazuma and Japan, but it may be a new cultural experience for those who have yet to witness such a dance.

---

((OOC: Ayaka's tea house is finally open! The prompts are set throughout the day, and are definitely open to anyone and everyone! Feel free to make your own top level and mingle~

The tea house serves the NSFW tea that was mentioned in the recent quests, but she also doesn't want anyone to engage in nsfw activities in her tea house. Anyone who orders those flavours of tea will be advised that there is an inn just down the street FDASGDSGH ))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ You can do it, Jean. Ayaka believes in you. ]

Very well.

[ Taking the pot with the black tea, she begins pouring a hot serving of it into an empty tea cup. Since it is black tea, it's served in a cup with a handle on the side, rather than the usual Inazuman-style of yunomi cups. ]

What I am serving is loose tea. Please drink this, so that I may see what is in store for you.

[Good thing most of the tea they had back in Titan Hell was loose tea. At least the kind Jean drank. What are tea bags or infusers, never met them. So he has no problem drinking the tea.]

Oh, this is pretty good. A bit more aromatic than some other black teas I've drank.

[He doesn't drink tea all that much, but he's had his run-ins with low quality tea.

But he finishes it fairly fast. With no tea leaves in mouth. Success.]

Black tea tend to make people feel more awake, after drinking it. It will give you some energy, so that you may continue your tasks ahead.

[ Now that Jean is done with his tea, she gestures to the cup that he's holding. ]

May I see the cup?

A good substitute for coffee, then.

[Jean hands Ayaka the cup, after looking at the leaves himself and making no sense of them.]

I suppose, in times where one needs to wake up, yes! Though I am sure the art of coffee is just as diverse and beautiful.

[ Admittedly, she does not know much about it.

Taking the cup, she looks at the remains of the tea leaves and where they ended up. She does not move it from her hand just yet, and observes it in the same position that it was handed over to her. ]

Has anything been troubling you lately?

[Jean blinks at the question. Was that really something the tea leaves could say?]

Quite a few things. But I'm slowly starting to get better with them.

[ Ayaka does not know Jean all that well, so she imagines that asking what it is that troubles him may make him uncomfortable. Instead, she gives a general reading to the tea leaves that she can see. ]

Then you will be happy to know that these troubles may be resolved soon.

[ Where they disappear completely, or that Jean is able to rise above them is ultimately up to him! ]

That's... actually a relief to hear. Or at least, makes me hopeful.

[If he could at least feel less like a burden to his friends and more strong, that would already help.]

It does say, however, that while good fortune may come to you soon, that you must not let your guard down.

[ Whatever that means, Ayaka isn't sure. But she can at least make a guess, anyway. ]

Perhaps it may be best to always be with someone, and not wander off alone.

[Jean is ... pretty sure he knows what that means. After everything that happened, what else could it be that a warning about traveling alone?]

Well, I wasn't planning on going to the Segments without someone accompanying me, so at least that much is taken cared of.

Then... I think you should be okay.

[ She sounds optimistic even though she doesn't know anything about him and his situation! ]

Not to mention, there are good things bound to happen. I am excited for you.

Is that also something you read from the tea leaves or just something you're certain of?

Just from the tea leaves.

[ But she believes the tea leaves! So... yeah. ]

Amazing. I had no idea you could read so much from just them.

[Jean's not really knowledgeable on things like fortune readings so this is all amazing to him.]

One is limited to what one is able to read, but having a conversation at the same time with the one who wants their fortune told also gives much information. It helps in figuring what some shapes mean.

[ So thanks for talking, even a little bit, Jean! ]

I guess it worked in my favor to be on a talkative mood, then.

[ Ayaka offers a smile at that as a sign of her agreement. ]

I must thank you, as well, for visiting the tea house. Your presence has made our little opening celebration better.

[Jean feels his cheeks redden a little bit at her words.]

Uh, well, it's a very well arranged celebration. I definitely had a nice time.

Thank you.

Is there anything else I can get you?

Oh, no. I was actually thinking about trying the Hot Pot soon, before heading out again.

[Will it be a mistake? Remains to be seen-]

☀️ all the trees change in the fall

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