Larel smiled and watched Hotaru try her had at the fish game, he watched the game with a focused gaze and observed Hotaru's hand movements as she tried to grab the fish. He got a handle on the how the game was played but from Hotaru's mentioning of how it was rigged he rubbed the back of his head seeing the man roll his eyes. Were these things really rigged? Larel jumped a bit seeing the fish move, he blinked and leaned forward in disbelief he didn't know they were actual live fish.
"They're alive," he mumbled as he continued to watch Hotaru. 
He held in a chuckle at her when she pulled the net out on the first try however when she spoke to him he couldn't help but let it out before looking back into the water as she tried again. He closed his fists silently hoping for her to get one as she went in for the third attempt, when she got one he nodded before Hotaru showed it to him causing him to lean a little to look at the fish. 
"Well here's hoping I get that same kind of luck," he said while paying. "It’ll be my first time after all so I'll aim to get at least one."
Larel looked at the net and taking a deep breath put it into the water imitating Hotaru's movements, he watched the fish's movements and his eyes widened before he pulled the net out of the water, as he did he stared at the net his body tensing as he expected the net to break. 
However the fish stayed in the net and he got a jar from the vendor before putting the fish in, he stared at it with wide vibrant eyes as a wide smile slowly found its way onto his face before he held the jar up and laughed.
"Haha I got one! Look Hotaru I got a fish I got a fish on my-" Larel cut himself off as he realized how childish he was being, he calmly set the jar down and grabbed the other two nets once more before clearing his throat trying to hide the embarrassment. "What I meant to say is this game is easier than I thought, that victory is as good as mine."
Though Larel spoke these words with confidence he failed miserably on his last two attempts to an extent he was completely red remembering his earlier outbursts once more. Larel put his hand over his face and picked up his jar before looking over at Hotaru.
"A-anyway why don't we move onto something else now I refuse to let this end on a tie. That target game might be good it's at least something we both have experience in."
Failings aside he was enjoying himself with all this, admittedly he may have enjoyed such a simple thing a bit too much but he couldn't help himself. He never imagined he'd come to a festival with a friend much less at all, the whole thing seemed like a dream as silly as that sounded. He kept this to himself as he a little ashamed the thought had even come to mind. 
He looked over at Hotaru waiting for her to move, he didn't do well in crowds, part of the reason he could be so composed was his attention was focused on Hotaru. Without Zenmaru there wasn't a mental buffer on him and the people around him.

Alari leaned back a bit when she got close raising and eyebrow only to flinch a little when she grabbed his kimono. Listening to her speak his expression moved from a surprised one to concern his eyebrows drawing down a little as Mera spoke to him, when she pushed away he reached up and adjusted his kimono and watched as she sat down remaining silent as he lowered his hand.
Alari walked over and sat down on the barrel next to her before leaning back and looking at the sky.
“I kind of figured as much but can’t blame a guy for trying,” Alari said at her not going out. “I really wanted too as well how disappointing.”
Alari leaned forward a small smile forming on his face as he shrugged.
“We are a pretty stubborn bunch aren’t we,” Alari said reaching up and removing his glasses. “However…acting like nothings wrong, childishness…I wish it was something as simple as that. We all know what’s coming and how cruel the world can be at times. I won’t speak for you and I may not fully understand Hotaru but even I pay attention to things like that. I doubt Hotaru’s fully given up on vengeance yet or adjusted to her new self, Larel has so many past scars it’s a miracle he even came today, had to use his fear of women just to make him come. Kaori’s no different either that boy smiles but even he feels pain when he see’s a mother and father smiling with their child. Our situations are different and I may not understand you as well as I want to Mera…but I understand, pain, sorrow, loss and loneliness I doubt those three are any different. It’s because we understand those feelings that we can’t just leave you alone Mera, it’s not like we’d welcome pain befalling you either.”
Alari closed his eyes and shook his head slightly.
“Your father is coming; forgetting something like that isn’t a possibility. Even if we get past him in some way, goodness knows how mind you, only more sorrow may await us in the future, isn’t that a horrible way to look at things? Survive a sadness only to meet another; that would break normal people.”
Alari opened his eyes a tinge of sadness hidden beneath his distant gaze as he folded his hands together making sure not to crush his glasses.
“What’s wrong with a having fun, making good memories, smiling, feeling happy. After everything everyone’s been through and will have to go through what’s wrong with having if only a moment of reprieve for the individual burdens we each bear. Do we not deserve only a little happiness? Is a moment to smile and creating a good memory so hard? This may make me sound old but those three have gone through so much and they’re still so young. For today I thought it’d be nice if they could smile, just for a little bit. So many burdens are placed upon them, burdens they didn’t ask for, burdens forced upon them, they have to confront them and whatever else get’s in the way. I want them to smile, to be happy to enjoy a moment of bliss where the world isn’t so cruel, where it isn’t falling apart, where chaos isn’t thriving. A world where a young lady doesn’t have to feed on another person to survive, where a young man can forget the scars he carries and act like he wants too, and a young yet strange boy can actually put a real smile on his face.”
Alari put his glasses back on and let out a long sigh before running his hand through his hair.
“If that’s childishness then I’m fine with that. I’ll accept being called an immature adult or even a child if it means those three can be happy for just a moment and I want the same for you Mera. I want your happiness just as much as theirs. For now Mera have some faith in us, your father seems like a frightening man and I know we’ll have difficulties if we meet him but his existence isn’t worth sacrificing happiness and that includes yours.”
Alari adjusted his glasses and scratched the side of his cheek before chuckling nervously.
“It seems…I spoke a bit too much of my thoughts, I sounded really bad didn’t I? This isn’t a very good first da- ah outing first outing. Still I mean all of it, we’ll get past this conflict together that way you can yell at us if we put ourselves in danger and we can do the same for you. I’ll openly admit I’m a little envious of you Mera, you got so many people who care about you, a part of me hopes you realize just how lucky you are.”
Alari grinned at Mera before turning his attention forward again.
“Also in terms of my ego it’s already inflated since I have you all to myself. Ah still it’s a shame my plain failed, we were supposed to embrace when the fireworks went off.”
Alari pulled out a small book and flipped through it.
“Stayed up all night working it out too, that’s a shame.”
Smiling through hardships, there were names for people like that and he was fine with being called them. Mera’s happiness, Larel’s happiness, Hotaru’s happiness, Kaori’s happiness, Mary’s happiness…everyone’s happiness that’s what was important.