St. John's Eve Celebration (backdated to the 23rd)

[anita_hero]

[It's only just stopped raining when Anita lights the bonfire.

She knows this is bad timing. She knows she should probably call the whole thing off. She knows anyone who does show up is probably going to be bruised to hell and back, at best. But it's St. John's Eve and she said there was going to be a party, and if there's one thing Anita is terrible at, it's giving up.

Besides, she did cook an absurd amount of food (with help, of course) and the bonfire is sort of ungodly huge, and she figures that everyone will want sustenance and warmth soon.

She's dressed all in white, as befits her position as host, and before anyone shows up she says the prayers by herself, because she doubts anyone else will want to. That's okay. She's pretty sure the gods will understand, given whole trapped-on-another-world and there's-just-been-a-war-on-the-moon situation.

If you decide to show up to the party outside Community Housing Building 4, there will be a ton of traditional Creole food, some music, a bonfire, and plenty of places to sit in case you're not feeling up to standing. Feel free to mingle!]

Comments

[anita_hero]

[Oh hey, a little kid. ...Oh, that little kid - Vivi. Anita spoke to her, a little. She doesn't seem distressed, so Anita doesn't worry about it much.]

Hey, sweetie. How are you?

[alabastatomboy]

[Vivi zeroes in on the lady speaking to her. She's familiar; Vivi talked to her through that book a few days ago.]

Oh! Hi! [She waves, trying to remember the lady's name. Ur. It started with an 'A', maybe...]

Whose party is this? Is it okay if I come, too? ...I don't have a present or anything. [She feels compelled to confess that, though she's not sure if this is the kind of party that requires presents.]

[anita_hero]

It's everyone's party, but I started it. It's not the kind of party that needs presents; the only present we want is for everyone to have fun.

[alabastatomboy]

Oh, okay! Thank you!

[Vivi looks around, taking in the crowded food table, and the sheer size of the bonfire.]

Is that to roast hot dogs? [Personally, she thinks it might be a little too big for that; even where she's standing now, she can faintly feel the heat coming off those flames. Maybe that's for later, when it dies down a bit. Or maybe Anita just has a lot of extra-long sticks.]

[anita_hero]

[She laughs.] Not exactly, but I guess you could if you wanted. It's to pay tribute to my gods - and to be pretty.

[alabastatomboy]

Hm. [She tilts her head slightly, regarding the bonfire, then turns back to Anita.] What kind of gods? They like fire?

[anita_hero]

Gods of Vodoun. They like lots of different things, depending on which one and what time of year it is.

[alabastatomboy]

Vodoun? Where's that?

[She begins to meander a little closer to the food, drawn by the tempting aromas.]

[anita_hero]

It's not a place; it's a religion. But a lot of the people who follow it are from Haiti and Africa. [She stoops to dig a stool out from under the food table, which she'd brought out in case anyone was too short to reach easily.] You can use this if you need to reach something further back.

[alabastatomboy]

Oh. [She's never heard of that religion before, but that doesn't seem very unusual, considering she's never heard of those islands before either.] In Alabasta, we're protected by the Falcon, Jackyl, and Cat. [It's not quite a religion, but she feels compelled to share.]

[Anita pulls out the stool, and Vivi smiles, climbing up for a better view of what's on offer.] Thank you! What should I try?

[anita_hero]

My favorite is the dirty rice. [She points it out.] Alabasta is where you're from? What's it like?

[alabastatomboy]

[Vivi eyes the dish suspiciously, taking that name a little too literally. Maaaybe she'll just answer Anita's question instead.]

Uh-huh! Alabasta Kingdom on Sandy Island. Lots of it is desert. It's nice there! I have a duck, too! His name is Carue.

[anita_hero]

Really? It sounds nice; deserts are pretty, especially at sunset. I bet your duck is cute. [Hmm...not everyone is a rice fan. What else?] Pulled pork is good too. I think the sauce came out really good this year.

[alabastatomboy]

[Good work, Anita. The way to a princess's heart is through her duck, clearly.] He is! And he's really smart and I'm gonna teach him to do lots of stuff, and when he gets older I can ride him! And he already runs pretty fast, and I bet one day he'll be the fastest!

[Pulled pork? Yep, that sounds a lot more sanitary. Vivi grabs a plate and begins to dish herself some.] It smells good! Did you cook all this?