Waterlogged

[notveryspecial]

Where: Amegakure
When: January 20th - March 3rd
Notes: catch all post for Sakura's trip to Ame, so theoretically open to anyone in Ame during her time there.

[Top level comments hold openers]

Comments

Re: 14

[notveryspecial]

"It..." Well, technically the holiday was about a sort of affection that would be inappropriate to offer as a gift of goodwill, but in practical application, it wasn't about that. People tended not to restrict themselves in that way when giving gifts. Perhaps it was better to share less information about Konoha in this case than more. "It's a festival meant to show someone's appreciation for a friend or associate." She gestured at the parcel. "The nature of the gift reflects that of a story from early legends of the Akimichi clan." The truthfulness of it was...suspect, in her opinion, given that simple candy couldn't have restored his energy in the state he was, but either way legend was an appropriate term. "In a harsh winter, the husband of an Akimichi woman was buried in an avalanche and nearly frozen, and she had only one thing to feed him to give him the energy to bring him home alive. In honor of that, the people of Konoha give something similar, so that the person will be given the energy they need to make it through whatever difficult time they encounter in the future."

That...was enough of the truth that it seemed like a fair compromise between being inappropriate and showing good will of Konoha. She coughed slightly. "...Ah. Symbolically. The usual gift...isn't present in Ame..." That was, neither the usual sorts of candies that the citizens of Konoha offered, nor the actual food pills she usually gave to her friends and teammates. (After all, those were much more useful and therefore thoughtful gifts than candy that wouldn't actually give them extra chakra or stamina.)

Re: 14

[teachingpeace]

He stared at her, then the gift, before looking back again and his head ducked a fraction, just enough that his hair swung forward to hide his blush.

Mostly. "Thank you for thinking of me. You could easily have passed it by without my even knowing."

Re: 14

[notveryspecial]

Well, she didn't think it was anything flattering enough to require him to blush. Were her actions inappropriate after all...?

She shook her head quickly. "If I failed to share Konoha's customs with you as you've shared Ame's, I would be...a very poor envoy..."

Re: 14

[teachingpeace]

"Ame has no holidays of this nature. Few holidays at all, actually, given our history rarely makes room for such things." He shook his head slightly, watching her. "It is appreciated none the less."

Re: 14

[notveryspecial]

Well, hadn't Ame existed for a shorter time than Konoha? It stood to reason they would have less such traditions.

For a moment, she hesitated. It seemed like the appropriate response to a lack of holidays would be simply to set out new ones. As leader, it wasn't as if there were any other resident who could make such decisions...

But that would certainly be beyond the bounds of an envoy. Instead she gave a small nod. "Perhaps next year, someone will be able to bring you the appropriate gift, rather than a substitute..."

Re: 14

[teachingpeace]

"I have doubts in a year I would be in a position to accept such a thing." His murmur was wry and soft, and he shook his head. "But the thought is kind none the less."

Re: 14

[notveryspecial]

His statement was...odd. If Ame was opening up relations with Konoha, as he seemed insistent upon, she saw no reason why there wouldn't be someone willing to bring him a proper gift next year. Konoha was, after all, rather...aggressively friendly at times.

Nothing that she could think to ask seemed appropriate, or would necessarily enlighten her any more than she already was. Instead, she simply offered him a confused frown.

"If...for some reason it isn't possible for someone to give you one, I'll try to bring you one myself."

Re: 14

[teachingpeace]

He stared at her then, before slowly dipping his head in inclination and acceptance. "If such a thing is still your wish at that time."