The Cherry Trees Appear

[yinyangwizard]

[OOC: Millitimed to tonight. For those who are new, or those who need a refresher, the requisite Back Room info post is here.]

Some time during the night, thick clouds envelop the moon, leaving the land around Milliways plunged in darkness.

When the clouds move on and the moon shines again, things have changed.

The once-bare-mountainsides and foothills are covered in grey-barked trees, thirty feet tall at most. There are winding flagstone paths up the mountainsides with occasional clearings in places that will provide a good view. At intervals along the paths and around the clearings are stone Japanese lanterns with lights that begin to glow at sunset and dim out at sunrise.

There is also a grove of new trees on one edge of the lake, with a lovely wooden pavillion in the center. The Air Nomad temple on its little island has also been gifted with some of these trees.

There are also some new trees near and at part of the lakeshore, with a little wooden pavillion. The little Air Nomad temple now shares its island with some of these new trees as well.

By the time the sun clears the horizon the next day, the buds have opened, and by noon the cherry trees are blooming in various shades of pink and white.

Tinytag: Cherry Blossoms

Comments

[have_no_mercy]

Tess hasn't been to Milliways in quite a while. Finally, though, a break from an 8-week old is required. She steps outside and easily spots the cherry trees blooming beautifully.

She wanders toward the wooden pavilion and takes a seat, leaning her head back and enjoying the breeze.

[yinyangwizard]

There is a boat making its way over from Air Temple Island.

It looks like an ordinary rowboat, and has no visible means of propulsion. Yet it is moving at quite a good clip.

There’s a man in the boat, dressed in a dark spring kimono tucked into hakama trousers. When the boat pushes itself up onto the shore near the pavilion and its stand of cherry trees, he steps out. “Good afternoon!” he calls to Tess.

(Behind him, ground and water ripple beneath the boat, pushing it to make a 180 turn so it will be ready to head back to the island when it’s needed.)

[have_no_mercy]

She watches as the boat - and the man - approach the shore and she waves over after he has landed.

"That's an interesting trick."

[yinyangwizard]

“My water spirit does all the real work,” he says modestly. He waves back towards the lake: a silvery-blue koi fish roughly the size of a Harley leaps out of the water and waves its tail back at him, its scales gleaming in the sunlight. It falls back into the water with a loud splash.

“She enjoys the lake,” he says, as if that is sufficient explanation for the existence of a giant koi. But this is Milliways, and there are intelligent pink squid in the lake too, so maybe it does.

[have_no_mercy]

It is sufficient. She's been coming here long enough to not question anything that shows up that would normally be out of place. But fish in a lake is an easy sale.

"It's a nice day for the lake. And the trees."

[yinyangwizard]

“Indeed it is! I do wish the breeze were blowing a little differently, though, and would bring the scent down from the trees on the mountains.”

Cherry blossoms aren’t usually associated with a smell, but when you have that many of them, there’s a scent.

“I should not complain so about such a little thing, though.”

[have_no_mercy]

"I think it smells lovely,"

The lingering scent is enough for her to enjoy.

[yinyangwizard]

“Ah, that puts me somewhat more at ease - for scent is always the hardest thing to do correctly.”

Seimei is (he will be the first to admit) very picky about a number of things, but none of them so much as the quality of his own work.

[have_no_mercy]

Tess can certainly understand that.

"Is this all your doing?"

[yinyangwizard]

Seimei nods. “Many people here have contributed to make this the wonderful place that it is. I felt obligated to do the same.”

Well, maybe “obligated” is the wrong word. He’s just one of those people who expresses love by giving presents.

He bows to Tess. “My name is Abe no Seimei. You can call me Abe-san if you prefer to be formal, or Seimei if you do not.”

[have_no_mercy]

"I think Seimei will do."

She offers another wave.

"I'm Tess."

[yinyangwizard]

“It is good to meet you, Tess, and I am glad you enjoy the cherry trees.”

That’s what they’re here for!

[have_no_mercy]

"They're a nice change of pace for me."

So is Milliways in general right now, but the trees were a lovely surprise.

[yinyangwizard]

“Is it still winter where you are?” Seimei asks.

Or perhaps Tess’ usual surroundings are an an interstellar colony ship without the space or resources for frivolous things like ornamental plants! It’s Milliways, so that’s a possibility.

[have_no_mercy]

"A bit, yes."

These days she's stuck inside most of the time.

"But I just had a baby, so it's rather time consuming."

[yinyangwizard]

Oh. “Infants do tend to take up one’s time and attention,” Seimei says sympathetically. “I had three of my own.”

True, he did not have a lot of hands-on involvement with his three daughters at that age - it would have been highly unusual for him to do so, things being what they were - but as a man who tried very hard to be considerate of his wives, he was far from oblivious. And he has done actual bottle-feeding, diaper-changing, etc. with a number of foster children since.

[have_no_mercy]

"Very much so."

Not that she wasn't prepared for this, but it's always different when you're right in the middle of the situation.

"Are they grown up now?"

[yinyangwizard]

The full answer to that question is complicated and sad. Seimei is ancient: his children and their children are long gone. He does not want to mar a beautiful day like this with sadness, though, so he says “Indeed, my children have not been infants for a long time now,” as he steps up into the pavilion.

[have_no_mercy]

"I have a long way to go yet."

Which, really, goes without saying.

"Do you miss it?"

[yinyangwizard]

“Absolutely.” Seimei sits down on the pavilion bench facing Tess. It is a strange thing: one is gratified you see their learn new things, grow, and become more independent, but at the same time one misses what came before, even if it was difficult at the time. A parent’s heart, although not in darkness, may yet wander, lost, for love of a child, as the poet says.”

(The poet in this case being Fujiwara no Kanesuke.)

“If this is your first, though, it is hard to imagine missing this time of sleepless nights and endless dirty diapers.”

[have_no_mercy]

"She is my first."

She smiles.

"I can't wait to see what she becomes, though I don't know that I want it to happen all that quickly."

[yinyangwizard]

“No matter how long it takes, it will feel like it happened quickly,” Seimei says. “What is your daughter’s name?”

[have_no_mercy]

"I believe that."

She smiles again.

"Nicholette. Lettie for short."

[yinyangwizard]

“That is as it should be, since ‘Nicholette’ is a big name for such a small baby. It will take her time to grow into it.”

[have_no_mercy]

"I think it'll suit her."

She just has a feeling.

"She's likely going to have a strong personality, so I bet she can handle it."

[yinyangwizard]

“If you desire for her to have a strong personality, chances are that she will.”

Too many parents focus on making their children compliant: even if it works as intended, it does the children no favors.

[green_vagabond]

Snufkin creeps out of his tent, hearing the commotion outside. He is greeted by a soft breeze that blows a handful of petals past him.

He glances up at the blossoming trees, with a smile.

"Well, well," he murmurs. "How wonderful."

[yinyangwizard]

“Goodness, I did not realize anyone was camping out here.”

The speaker is a fox. This is Milliways, though, so that sort of oddity just goes with the territory.

“I would be a bit perturbed if trees grew up around my campsite in the middle of the night. Even if they were pretty ones.”

[green_vagabond]

This isn't the first time Snufkin has had creatures come up to speak to him.

He shakes his head. "Not at all. I'm delighted that I got to see such a sight."

[yinyangwizard]

The fox’s tale twitches, and he seems - although it’s hard to be certain - that he’s smiling. “Well, I am glad to hear that. They will be here for the next several days.”

[green_vagabond]

"I'm glad to hear it."

Snufkin tilts his hat back, taking in the blossoms and breathing in their scent.

"Do these trees bloom here every year?"

[yinyangwizard]

The fox nods. “Around the end of a March, and the beginning of April. It has only been a few years, so far, but hopefully it will continue for many more.”