Sparkle On; Hutch's Mochi Moon

“Look what I have, my darlings!” Hutch, after carefully checking for any imps that may be caught in the door, kicked it closed behind them as they entered the Imporium. Immediately they were swarmed by imps clammering for their attention – they'd been gone for almost an entire hour, the imps must have been so lonely! Reginald, their loyal Chirop, landed in between their gently curling horns and proceeded to dig it’s little feet into their hair. Sesame, their favourite Phloof (don’t tell any of the others!) bounced around their feet, seeming to pout because they weren’t picking it up fast enough.  

“Babies, please! Let me put this stuff down first!” Hutch all but danced around (and over, and under) the imps surrounding them as they headed toward the closest piece of furniture that could act as a table and deposited the full bags in their arms onto it.  

They meant to unpack everything as soon as they got home, they really did. But then their body seemed to move on its own and they found themselves sitting cross-legged on the floor... And another hour had passed before they dragged themselves from the imps demanding their well-deserved pats and scritches. “I know, I know,” they murmured comfortingly to the multiple imps they had to place on the floor as they stood. “But give me a moment to get things set up and you’ll be having more fun, I promise.” 

Hutch looked down at the bags they’d abandoned – bags that already had several nibble marks in them – and began to unpack them, sorting as they went. Imps that were able climbed up on various surfaces to get a better vantage point to see what their caretaker had brought home, while others nudged against Hutch’s legs impatiently. A particularly mischievous Corvat snatched one of the items off the table before Hutch could stop it, but squawked in annoyance when it didn’t seem to be as fun as Hutch was making it out to be.  

“Okay, thanks for waiting everybody! I’m all ready now.” Hutch smiled down at their piles of sparklers, neatly sorted by colour. They’d gotten some of every kind, and was excited to discover if any imps had a favourite. I could probably write this off as a business expense, right? I’m sure some future buyers would be happy to know which imps like what colours best... Or if they even see colours the same way we do... I should have grabbed a notebook before I set everything up, I – Hutch shook their head to snap themselves out of their thoughts. No, this isn’t about work. This is about helping the imps celebrate the Mochi Moon festival just like we do!.  

Hutch picked up the lighter they’d grabbed while they were out and pulled a sparkler out of the beak of the same Corvat from earlier. “Here, let me help you.” They lit the end of the sparkler and held it up as it erupted into crackling blue light. The Corvat chirped in surprise and hopped backwards, and all imps waited with baited breath as the sparkler burnt out, leaving the Imporium in (relative) darkness once again. Not to be discouraged, Hutch picked up another from a pile further away from the now confused-looking Corvat. “Do you like yellow better?” They lit it, waited a moment, and held it out to the Corvat, leaving room at the unlit end for it to grab if it wanted to. The Corvat glanced up at Hutch and back down to the sparkler, then delicately took it in its beak. The yellow light illuminated the little imp’s eyes as it bounced happily on the desk a few times before taking flight, landing on one of the many perches around the Imporium and waving the sparkler around as if it was a flag of victory.  

Hutch laughed as the Imporium filled with the sounds of excited imps bouncing, flapping, and wriggling around as they “waited” for them to hand out more and more of the sparklers. Soon the shop was filled with a veritable lightshow as sparklers of all colours were carried around the store by imps of every kind. Even the Guyst were getting in on it, several of them staring at a green sparkler that Miss Hiss had kindly dragged over to their usual hiding spot.  

Pulling over a sturdy chair, Hutch sat and lit a sparkler of their own, a serene smile taking over their face as they surveyed the glittering chaos that had overtaken the Imporium.  

“Happy Mochi Moon, everybody.”