YEAR OF THE TIGERDRAGON

[vengaboy]

No matter what language you speak, no matter what country or universe you reside in, a mysterious letter has found its way to you. Those who can read it will recognize it as an ornately scripted Japanese new year's invitation; those who don't might not even know these elaborate squiggles mean anything at all. Either way, when you look up from the neatly folded paper, you're probably nowhere near home anymore.

Where is this?! When is this?! Welcome to Japan as it was kinda, sorta, just shy of the year 1600, esteemed guests! If it somehow feels like it isn't even the right month anymore, that's because local time and date is still on the lunar system. It's fine. New Year's parties are New Year's parties.

And those parties mean alcohol! Music! Dancing! Feasting! Don't be shy! There are a number of attendants in colourful livery nearby, eagerly expecting an influx of new guests. They're all friendly enough, but they don't seem to bear the crest of any particular clan and sharp-eyed visitors may catch the briefest glimpse of a striped fluffy tail or a foxy grin... or is it a trick of the light? If you want nothing to do with any of this, they might pout a little but will send you home without any problem. But if you choose to follow them beyond the gates, get ready for one hell of a night. The only kind of explanation you get for what's going on is that the Takeda and Date clans have set aside their rivalries for a night of PEACE AND PARTY and everyone's invited. What does that mean? Go find out for yourself.

Of course folks from all over have been invited to this thing, but outnumbering the other guests by far are a bunch of rowdy samurai types, some in their armour, many in more formal robes, several proudly bearing banners of red or blue. Nobody appears to have any weapons on them, but if any guest takes that as an opportunity to start some shit they're going to be swarmed in like two seconds, so... maybe don't do that. However! There is plenty of space outside to spar in, if that's your thing! Or you can stay inside and drink, eat, enjoy the music, exchange raunchy stories, be an awkward wallflower, drink some more, witness some weird and kind of horrific family bonding, watch the unique display of gun- and canonfire alongside the fireworks, explore the scenic countryside outside of the compound, listen to some smug asshole in an eyepatch and some kid in red scream really loud at eachother, get playfully bullied into taking part in a ceremony you know nothing about, drain a bottle or two, flirt with famous historical figures, or... whatever you want!

All fandoms, all mediums, AUs, doubles, OCs, etc are all fair play here! Invite your friends! Invite your dog! Go nuts! Just slap a warning up if any threads take a particularly violent or sexy turn. Or both. I ain't judging.

LET'S PARTY!

Comments

[shinbunshinobi]

Years?! Isn't that a little overkill?

[ Also he has no idea what she means by a Celtic cross spread for a fortune reading, so it's just as well that he doesn't have a choice. He crawls a little closer to where she shuffles the cards and will be laying them out. Then he sits and tries not to look nervous despite the fact that he hears his heart in his ears. ]

[synastries]

Let's start then!

[ Lala she isn't listening, she's already placing the cards down. As she started placing the cards to its rightful spots, her smile grows wider. It's an interesting result that she couldn't help but let out a giggle at what's showing in front of her, especially in regards to his past and his strengths. ]

Ah... you're awfully sweet aren't you, senpai?

[ It's cute! It's a pretty moe result! ]

[shinbunshinobi]

I don't know what you're talking about.

[ He doesn't want to be called sweet because his reputation is already in shambles. Sasuke leans in and tilts his head side to side as he attempts to make sense of the cards before him. Why is she laughing? What does she see?

Sasuke, however, sees a card labelled "death." He falls back to his rear, eyes wide. ]

Someone's going to die?!

[ SHIT! Is that Yukimura? He going to cause Yukimura to die?! ]

[synastries]

[ Okay she has to let out another laugh of joy. He's so worried of his beloved that he forgets these cards aren't as clear cut as they tend to look at first, he's being way too cute that this is practically #couplegoals. ]

Oh no! It's not that at all, even if TV likes to make it seem that way. The Death arcana isn't really about actual death, but it talks about new cycles in life. Hmm... more like a change of a season or a new era! But we'll get to that later, if you want.

[ She motions to the cards. ]

Since we're already asking the cards about your love life, the cards seem to reply back that you should be a little more proactive with your love conquest. You should ask Yukimura-san out.

[shinbunshinobi]

[ Oh, so it's his own death because Sasuke thinks he'd die on the spot if he tried to ask Yukimura out. He nearly died from the blood rushing to his head when he realized that Yukimura had actually texted him (accidentally) about his ass. ]

I can't ask Boss out. I mean, it's Boss, and he's... if anything is to ever happen, I won't be the one making the first move. Sorry, cards, but no. My love conquest is waving a white flag.

[ Technically, Sasuke already wasn't the first to make a move, but does a text sent by mistake count? Also, technically, surrendering in his love conquest could mean that he's surrendering to his feelings, but he doesn't realize that. ]

[synastries]

[ She resists the urge to pout, no it's time to be professional. Even if it's a special treat, she still has to keep some level of credibility here. ]

They already knew.

[ She points to the Five of Wands. ]

See, for your strengths, the Five of Wands shows itself as a reverse arcana indicating your habit of trying to avoid conflict and confrontation. Which is good but sometimes you kinda have to charge head on you know, especially when you get two cards trying to tell you that things will change.

[shinbunshinobi]

I'm a goalie. Goalies don't charge ahead. We protect. Boss...

[ He sighs and looks at the ceiling. All he seems to be doing is going back and forth, back and forth, with how he's dealing with his feelings. Why does this all have to be so damn confusing?! Sasuke half thought that things would be easier if he admitted to himself that he had feelings towards Yukimura. That hasn't been the case. He likes Yukimura, but why does he feel like taking the next step with his feelings is impossible? Like he's asking for trouble?

Change is scary. Right now, it's relatively comfortable if he could just quiet his foolish heart, but change could mean the end of that. ]

... Boss deserves someone who could stand beside him, someone who... won't hold him back or hurt him....

[ Is that it? He wondered earlier, but saying it makes it seem more real. Sasuke knows that he'd pretty much do anything for Yukimura. He wants him safe and happy. He wouldn't purposely hurt Yukimura. However, Sasuke has messed up before; he has hurt a good friend before. Yukimura could be hurt by Sasuke. There must be someone who would be a better match for Yukimura. ]

[synastries]

[ She takes a glance at the spread, her eyes fall on the card that symbolizes her upperclassman's hopes and fears; The Three of Swords. The fear of heartbreak or hurting someone... or would that also be what Sasuke's hoping, instead? Hoping he's right that this would just end up hurting Yukimura on the long run rather than himself.

Tsuruhime doesn't fully understand soccer, but she's pretty sure in a team everyone plays an equal role of helping and protecting one another. ]

But who's going to protect you? Not everything is a big goalie post.

[ She holds her tongue that keeping it to himself might hurt him more than telling Yukimura. Both Death and Six of Swords are more than sternly telling him that things will change no matter what, whether it would be good or bad depends on the action he takes. ]

[shinbunshinobi]

[ When he drops his gaze, there's a smile on Sasuke's face, but a smile isn't supposed to look so... sad. ]

No one's going to protect me.

[ No hesitation, no pause for thought. Sasuke says it as a simple fact. If the ball reaches the goalie, then that's it. The last line of defense has to stop it, giving his all and throwing his body into the save. Or fail in the attempt. ]

[synastries]

[ That only spurs her further into confusion. In a similar vein, her honesty has no hesitation. ]

That can't be right, Yukimura-san wouldn't have any of that idea I think.

[ Not that she has proof except her gut feeling and what her reading is implying, but the other soccer player doesn't seem like the type to just wave off Sasuke that much. The Six of Cup shows up for his past card, and if he's that important to Sasuke then the reverse should be true. ]

He's not a terrible person, he wouldn't just let you protect him without returning the gesture.

[shinbunshinobi]

I don't exactly mean that kind of protection.

[ If Sasuke somehow got into a fight, Sasuke thinks Yukimura would jump in and fight along side him, but Sasuke isn't the one getting into fights. He tries to avoid them. He tries to solve the problem through means other than fighting. Yukimura is the one who jumps to trading blows. ]

It doesn't change that I'm not making a move. Not with Boss.

[ Although, that doesn't rule out accidentally revealing his feelings. ]

[synastries]

I don't mean that kind of protection either, I mean your heart. If you work so hard to protect his and his happiness, I don't think it wouldn't go unnoticed. I think... if someone really has feelings for another person, the other person's spirit would draw to it no matter what.

[ That doesn't come from any specific spiritual philosophy, but she feels like it applies to life anyways. When you show strong feelings to someone and pour everything you got, the other person at least would have a small part in them that might have picked up or sensed it. Yukimura is dense, but he couldn't be that that he doesn't notice the unmeasured devotion he's been given. And even if he is, she'll be the first person to tell him because Sasuke wouldn't do it despite the fact that the other boy probably wouldn't let it stand-by any longer the moment he finds out. ]

It's true I can't stop you, the power of choice is still yours but at least take this with some thought, please?

[ It's starting to make her feel a twinge of sadness seeing her upperclassman like this. ]

[shinbunshinobi]

[ Tsuruhime is getting a glimpse of the Sasuke few see, the one with deep seeded fears and self-hatred. Earlier, Yukimura saw a lot more of it, and that only added to Sasuke's terror. He has trouble being true to himself. He's comfortable to keep everyone in the dark despite also wishing he had their attention. Even if they saw him a fool, they didn't know the depths of messed up he was. The frustrated yelling does a lot to mask his feelings. ]

... I hope you're right, but until I... until Boss...

[ He has to know who I am first and then decide if he still... ]

Still, thanks, Miss Oracle.