[Voice / Action: CH1 Floor 4, 5/1] Birthday Party (Joint post with Ino)

[16autumnroad]

[VOICE, INO]
[A loud, familiar voice would be heard throughout the network today. Good thing it's not so early in the morning when it hollers or there'd be a lot of ruined mornings today despite the important announcement.]

Hey, Luceti! We've all had a lot of drama these past few days so, what do you all say about a little party? It's Chouji's birthday today and, of course, that needs celebrating!

Come by the first community building and you'll find the happenings on the fourth floor. See you there!

[With a little giggle, the announcement ends there.]

--

[ACTION]
It was only a little bit of a surprise to Chouji when he received an invitation to his own birthday party, delivered to the apartment door. These were things you just had to expect and accept with Ino as a teammate. Everyone on the floor along with Kiba and Asuma received paper invitations. Then he heard her network post, inviting pretty much everyone in the village. Ino.

He'd laughed and grinned when he woke up to a knock on the apartment door and the smell of chips that morning, a purple whirlwind demanding entrance to the apartment so she could decorate it. A glance down the hallway showed a trail of butterfly decorations, marking the path of Hurricane Ino.

Chouji gladly spent half of his birthday in the kitchen, likewise decorated with butterflies, cooking for his own party. He'd always been the team's cook, and there was no reason for that to change just because it was his party.

By dinnertime, the common areas as well as Chouji, Shikamaru, and Masaomi's apartment held enough potato chips to feed an army even without all the food Chouji cooked. Barbecue, of course, along with vegetables, rice, fish, chicken curry, miso soup, and one or two desserts. He made sure to include pudding, his thanks to Ino for her thought and effort.

Now they just needed some guests to help eat it all.


((OOC: I am very close to done with the semester and will be back to full tagging speed ASAP! I'll match whatever format you tag me in, prose or brackets.

Open to anyone! Threadhopping and mingling highly encouraged! It's a party.))

Comments

[breezing]

[ Ikki obviously accepts this invitation - and she shows up nicely turned out, in a child's red party dress and a red ribbon in her hair, which is for once down.

Soren, the bird pokemon, is similarly well turned out, if you count a pokemon wearing a red ribbon matching his trainer's dress to be "well turned out".

She obviously also has a present, and will be trying to find Chouji soon on, although she'll also make an effort to speak to some of the others, if she recognizes them. Or even if she doesn't. ]

[floralogy]

[Ino's busy serving food when she notices a little red blur that went past her. Blinking, she ignores it for a moment so she can serve the plate she's holding before she decides to follow after it. Oh, what do you know, it's a cute little girl in a party dress!

Well, isn't that adorable.

Here, she'll crouch down on eye-level with her so Ino can greet her properly. Who knew Chouji knows little kids like her? Then again, that's not surprising.]

Hello, there! My name's Ino, what's yours? Are you a friend of Chouji's?

[Hmm, what's probably odd is that this girl seems familiar. Ino's sure she has seen her somewhere, but with who?]

[breezing]

[ Ino wins a bright smile, although Ikki doesn't immediately recognize her - not by face, at least, although the name immediately rings bells. She's gotten it from at least three people, now, although she'd never managed to speak to Ino directly before. ]

Yamanaka? You're Chouji and Shikamaru's teammate? I'm Ikki! I'm Chouji's friend, but Shikamaru was my friend before that - I met him when I first got here last July! He's friends with Katara.

[ Her grandmother, in other words. ]

[floralogy]

[The mention of Shikamaru actually surprises her that she blinks for a short while. She never could have pegged Shikamaru to be friends with little children. Then again, if she's somehow related to Katara (there's a slight resemblance) it should bring no surprise. Ino's smile returns, though, and she nods.]

Yeah, that's right! I'm their teammate. [And friend by default.] It's nice to meet you, Ikki! I know Katara too, by the way.

[From being Shikamaru's teammate, of course.]

[breezing]

I thought so! Shikamaru mentioned you once or twice. He's the best ninja, right?

[ He did a shadow puppet show for her when they first met. This apparently won him her undying affection and idolization, surprisingly enough. The mention of Katara gets another big grin. ]

Really? Katara's my GranGran, except lots younger.

not actually surprose, since you told me I could.

[16autumnroad]

Chouji laughs out loud when he catches sight of Ikki and her bird in matching attire for his birthday, her hairstyle and outfit obviously chosen for a special occasion. "You look great, Ikki, and so does your friend." Partner? Also a Pokemon? Chouji isn't entirely certain what Soren is, but Ikki is talkative enough that he's sure to find out sooner or later.

With the layer of grief that's been resting over most of the floor lately, Ikki's energy is a welcome change that lives up to her name. She told Chouji it was like a breeze, and he's especially happy to see her here.

It's impossible not to grin at Ikki when he tells her quietly, "You didn't have to bring me anything, but thank you."

i love puns

[breezing]

"Thank you! Katara helped us with our ribbons - oh, have you met Soren? This is Soren, he's my best friend and my partner! He's a swellow, which is a type of pokemon, and he was born in Luceti, you know? Soren, this is Chouji, he's Shikamaru's friend - you remember Shikamaru, he's Masaomi Sifu's friend." There's not a break for breath in any of that, as Ikki cheerfully gets introductions well out of the way, gesturing between the birthday boy and her faithful guard bird. Which is entirely better than a guard dog, of course.

"And I did! It's your birthday, after all." She will just hand over the package - which, when opened, will reveal a rather clumsily made and lopsided mug, painted in bright colors. The design features a lot of flowers and hearts. Basically, a handmade art project from one of her various art club meetings. It was't intended as a gift for Chouji originally, since the announcement had come just that day, but...

Well, he drank stuff, right? Since he ate a lot of stuff?? Therefore, he could probably use it!

[16autumnroad]

Chouji is good at listening to everything Ikki says. He never tunes out her speeches, and at its conclusion, he nods to the pokemon. "It's good to meet you, Soren."

"I just had one a couple months ago at home, though." Between home and Luceti, he is probably about 3 and a half months past his birthday, hardly ready to turn another year older. He grins, accepting the present. Especially since it's coming from Ikki, he'll open it right away. A kid shouldn't have to wait for appreciation.

He opens the package and grins at the obviously handmade gift. "Thank you, Ikki! You made it yourself?" And Chouji will prove right away that he can use it. "I think I'll have some tea. Do you want anything?"

[breezing]

That's one of the reasons she likes Chouji - well, that and she was already inclined to like Shikamaru's teammate. But it's easy to see that he doesn't treat her entirely like a child, or at least doesn't dismiss her. Soren nods at the birthday ninja, apparently at ease.

"Yeah, that can be weird, but it's more fun this way don't you think? Because then you get like, EXTRA cake. And an extra year!!" Which is a typically childish way of looking at it, but she's a child. Ikki beams, nearly vibrating with excitement as Chouji goes to open her gift, and grins even more widely once he opens it up. "Yeah! I made it in art club. And I'll have tea, too!! What kind is it?"

[16autumnroad]

"I'd never say no to extra cake," Chouji confirms with a firm nod, grinning down at Ikki. He leads the way toward the kitchen, putting a kettle on the stove immediately to start heating water.

"I really appreciate you bringing me a gift that you put so much effort into, Ikki. As for the tea, I'm having plain green tea. We might have something else if there's anything you'd prefer, though." Chouji opens one of the cupboards to check.

[breezing]

"Me either! That would be crazy. But did you know some people don't actually like cake?" Because those people are crazy.

"No, I like green tea! I mean, my favorite type is leechi nut, but they don't get those here often. That's a type of nut we have back home; it's REALLY good. And you're welcome, Chouji! Happy birthday!!!" Following him into the kitchen, Ikki found a stool to clamber up on, kicking her legs.

[16autumnroad]

"I didn't! Who doesn't like cake?" Chouji will just look completely bewildered here, sounding just as incredulous as Ikki does, because how could anyone not like something so good?

He rummages through the cupboard, looking past his usual plain teas, and then said, "Mmhmm. I don't think I've ever had them in tea, but they have those in my world too. Really sweet, right?" And then, he pulls a box out and displays it to Ikki triumphantly. "Ah, there's some lychee black tea here! Is black tea alright, or should we stick with the green?"

[breezing]

"CRAZY people!!! I don't get it." She's equally bewildered - and happy that Chouji is sane, of course.

"Yeah, sweet! It's the best kind!" They might be thinking of different leechis, but...that much overlaps. And the idea of having it again - Ikki lights up like the sun. "That's really, really all right! I haven't had any in forever...!"

[16autumnroad]

"I don't either! Cake is wonderful!" Obviously Chouji and Ikki are the bastions of sanity in this crazy world.

Chouji can't help beaming at Ikki when she smiles like that, especially when it's over food (or drink). "Lychee is really good. Maybe I'll try this tea too." He's sure whoever it put it there won't begrudge them two cups of tea, especially on his birthday. Chouji sets it up in a teapot, ready to steep as soon as the water heats enough to be added.

"Are lychees where you come from red on the outside and white on the inside?"

[breezing]

"Yeah, there should be cake EVERY day. Although my grandparents might say no to that..." So would her parents. If they were, you know, here.

"Yeah, they're kinda red and round, you know?" Ikki makes hand gestures that aren't very illuminating, though her vocal answer was...more illuminating, honestly. "And really, really delicious! It's my favorite kind of tea."

[niceguypose]

[Talking with his friends has helped to put Lee in a better mood. And then he spots Ikki, whom he hasn't seen around for a while. With his spirits raised, there's only one thing to do.

He dashes through the air directly above Ikki - and as he does so he places a party hat atop her head. He then comes to a half several yards away and turns to face her with a thumbs up.]

[breezing]

[ Lee, are you fighting for second most favorite ninja? BECAUSE YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO TRY. Ikki bursts into giggles the minute she realizes what's happening, putting her hands up to feel at the hat, nose wrinkling in her laughter. ]

Lee...! You're so fast. Someday I want to be as fast as you!

[niceguypose]

[He chortles lightly at her as he steps closer.]

I am absolutely confident in your potential to keep up with me. It would just require much rigorous training.

[breezing]

Would you train me to be super fast, then???

[niceguypose]

I would certainly be willing to dispense lessons! It will be the most intense training regimen of your entire life.

[breezing]

[ does she have to wear the green suit tho ]

I want to learn!! It'll be fun!

[niceguypose]

[No but she'll receive one either way.]

Very well, then. Whenever you would like, I can give you lessons early in the morning.

[breezing]

[ oh god she'd probably agree to wear it too ]

Sure! I normally have lessons in the mornings with grandpas, but I think some days I can have 'em with you instead. Grandpa won't mind if we do it in the afternoon.

[niceguypose]

Ah... I would not wish to interfere with your quality time with your grandfather. I can train you after such lessons! That way your youthful lessons may be optimized.

[breezing]

That works, too!!! Isn't everything I do youthful, though?