For once, Hiraku was actually happy he had patrolling duties. Though Himura Bakery always pulled off something particularly fun during festivals like these, whether it be sugar sculptures made on the spot or cotton candy animals, this particular incidence involved a chocolate fountain, where festival-goers were encouraged to select their own fruit and their own dippings to make their own sugary monstrosities. Which would ALSO be fine with the blue-haired youth, because hey, who didn’t like seeing cute kitsune girls lick the chocolate off bananas?

…except, as the eldest son, he wouldn’t be doing that this time. Instead, his parents had planned for him to put on a ridiculous mascot costume and breakdance in order to advertise for the store. Which may be fine as well, but…the costume had no airholes. And he never learned breakdancing. And he was more likely going to get attacked by those rowdy oni brats who were always terrorizing the playground swings.

So, all in all, patrolling was a good deal for him.

In his hands was a plastic carton filled with freshly made yakisoba, bonito flakes sprinkled liberally on the fried noodles. On his shoulders sat a teddy bear, recently won from a corkgun game. Hanging from his wrist was a goldfish, swimming around in circles within a clear bag. And, of course, a flimsy fox mask he never planned on wearing again was placed stylishly against the side of his head.

Milling through the crowd and trying out whatever struck his fancy in the name of a ‘surprise inspection’, Hiraku really was just enjoying himself. Sure, there WERE people who looked confused, and others who looked like they may have been lost…but if they weren’t cute and they weren’t crying, they should just enjoy the experience of being lost in the crowd! The Imaginary District of Miura, after all, was a fantastic place full of wonderful experiences, and many of those auspicious encounters came specifically because one was wandering.

Makiko probably would disagree, but she was all about some super idealized justice, while he was just a juvenile delinquent.

Nevertheless, it WAS a little lonely, wandering the streets by himself, and Hiraku was relieved more than anything when he caught a glimpse of a familiar individual amongst the crowds, a midget in a forest of giants. Small enough to be considered a child herself, Aoi’s green hair was really the only reason Hiraku even saw her.

But still, familiar face, and if his memory served him correctly, she was supposed to be doing office work today, so…

[b]“Heyo Aoi,” [/b]he called out with a friendly grin, [b]“How’s it going? Finally finished the paperwork?”[/b]
[@VitaVitaAR]