灯籠流し TŌRŌ NAGASHI

[tokyodisa]

Who: Everybody!
What: Tokyo Day Seven: lantern floating ceremony
When: Monday, 22/July -- evening
Where: Along the Sumida River
Rating: pretty x2

If you're outside tonight, you may see lights floating along the river that runs through Tokyo.

Upon closer inspection, you'll see that they're thousands of paper lanterns set adrift in small boats. Some of the lanterns are painted in bright, colorful designs, and some have names and messages written on them. Some are plain, but they're just as beautiful. In the wider parts of the river, there are even people rowing boats with oversized lanterns inside of them, mimicking the smaller, floating lanterns.

There are some vendors on the street who can sell you the materials to make your own. Or you can simply watch and enjoy.

[Learn more about the ceremony here and watch videos here. No sections this time, just mingle. :) This is the last Tokyo log -- it'll transform back to the castle grounds at midnight.]

Comments

[indirectcause]

[Ben's just sitting here, watching the lanterns float along. He's even finally managing to relax a little, and enjoy the peace and quiet. He's not sure what all this is about, but it's pretty and doesn't involve running, screaming or bleeding, so he's more than okay to stay here a while]

[wolfchild]

You didn't make one?

[ s'up, bro. arya stands a little behind him. she holds the end of a leash in her hands. nymeria may be smaller, much smaller, now the size of a big dog, but she's still wild. she almost caused an accident when she ran out into a busy street. ]

[indirectcause]

[Oh hey there Arya, nice to see your direwolf isn't a terrifying size right now. He gives a soft shrug]

I didn't want to intrude. It looks like it's something important, and heck if I know what it's all about.

[wolfchild]

So? It's just lanterns. Anyone can make one.

[indirectcause]

Trust me, when I'm involved, I'll probably set fire to half the city trying to make one.

[wolfchild]

Are you really that useless? [ tact. ]

[indirectcause]

[Most tactful child ever. But she's right, hell, even Ben is well aware he's nothing but a massive liability for the group]

I've been trying to get better, but nothing ever seems to go my way. I mess up more than I help.

[wolfchild]

Did someone die last time you folded paper?

[indirectcause]

[It says a lot that he has to pause to actually think if he was folding any paper when anyone died. Or rather...the deaths he caused]

No, but there's always time.

[wolfchild]

[ ben pls. she motions him to stand. ]

Come on.

[indirectcause]

[A touch reluctant at first, he stands up to follow her. Good job 'used to living on the whims of a little girl already]

[wolfchild]

[ she gathers materials and motions for him to get some himself. ]

You're going to make one. If I die, Nymeria will tear your throat out. [ she smiles. ] Let's sit.

[indirectcause]

...That's super comforting, thanks.

[He'll sigh and go gather things up before returning to her. Look how well Clementine has him trained, Arya]

Fine, we'll make a couple lanterns.

[wolfchild]

You will. I'm going to watch. [ c: ]

[indirectcause]

Why do you want me to sit and make lanterns if you don't want to make any yourself?

[wolfchild]

To prove the world isn't going to end because you want to do something.

[indirectcause]

I never said it was gonna end, just that really bad things happen when I'm around.

[wolfchild]

[ the girl who's watched every single person she gets attached to die or go is thoroughly unimpressed. ]

Start folding.

[indirectcause]

[She should join their group, she'll fit right in]

Fine, jeez, if it'll get you off my back.

[Folding. Badly]

[wolfchild]

[ good boy, ben. ]

How old are you?

[indirectcause]

[He watches her out of the corner of his eye while he tries to fix the mess the lantern is quickly becoming]

Seventeen. Why?

[wolfchild]

[ she sits down and winds nymeria's leash around her wrist. ]

Because I want to know.

[indirectcause]

[He gives a soft shrug]

Don't see why it's important, is all.

[It's a shitty age to be, not old enough to be treated like an adult, not young enough to be treated like a kid. It's frustrating, even more so in his circumstances back home]

[wolfchild]

It means you're a man-grown. That's important.

1/2

[indirectcause]

[SWEET HOLY MOLEY SOMEONE FINALLY ACKNOWLEDGING HIM AS A MAN. After months of being on the proverbial kids table. After months of being left out of the adult discussions. SOMEONE THINKS HE'S AN ADULT!!!

...Okay so it's a tiny little girl, but he'll take what he can get]