Time Again

It was almost time.

Landon, with a small pack strapped to his small bun form, hopped on all fours through the crowds.  He shouldered other buns to the side, slipped between dolls’ legs and even cast glances up when the opportunity struck.  While the throngs of succubuns clustered together, some in their groups while others were by their lonesome, in the streets and in the gardens and other public spaces, Landon forged his way ahead.  He had a particular spot he was dying to reach.

If everyone began their celebrations before… No, he refused to think of it.  He was always right, always on time and, most importantly, always prepared.

He wove through the crowds and even scurried up clothing and fabric that adorned buildings in order to reach where he wanted to be: a small alcove.  It was pitifully tiny and practically adjacent to one of the bun-hotels.  Thankfully there was just enough space for him.  The bag was unbuckled and set down gingerly on the ledge of the building itself.  The large sign in front was a decent safety measure if it ever fell, but he loathed to think himself athletic enough to be climbing down then up again.

As he unzipped the bag, the first whistle went up.

Buns from all over cooed, some screamed.  All were filled with excitement as the ‘night’ only intensified.  It was all lit up with a brilliant searing scarlet flame for a moment.  Down below, there was the scuffling of buns as they eagerly anticipated the next whistle.  For now, no more came.

It was the perfect opportunity to open the wooden container that Landon carried his mochi in.  It was the velvety blue, dusted with glitter kind that he had to pre-order from Dan’s.  A tragedy, since he had to make a decision so, so early and potentially miss out on the marshmallow-y, sweet, fluffy red variety…  Still, he held one of the round, tender balls in his hooves and took a large bite.

A whistle.  The bursting of violet and blues to form a rudimentary bun’s smiling face.

If only life was so delicious all the time.  He was so caught up in his own little world that he had ignored the cheering from the crowd as the fireworks truly began.  Buns below had sparklers.  Fireworks above screamed before they exploded into a rainbow of colours to depict buns, numbers, the moon and the stars in a world they were all unfamiliar with.  Or, rather, most of them.

He had high hopes and dreams of seeing the moon tonight.  Sure, he was young, but youth was never one to bar him from greatness.

Landon took another bite of mochi.  The smile on his small lips was hard to hide, but there was nobody around for him to tense near.  No facades that had to be kept up, no mischief to get into.  Just the fireworks and sparklers and hum of excitement of everything and everyone else.

He liked it just fine, actually.  Especially as another firework blew up into an Impup.  Ah, Dice, you rascal.  Landon was very much enthused with the idea of leaving the Impup behind.  Not only would the blasted thing try and consume his mochi-- a tragedy, in and of itself-- but he was disinterested in doing what everyone else did.

That is, take their pets about as though it did not clog up the streets.

…Still, Dice made for a decent companion.

Once he finished his mochi, he used a napkin to wipe the edible glitter from his mouth.  It was folded, neatly, and placed down while he retrieved his own box of sparklers and the lighter.  Two were held out while he lit them.  As they sputtered into sizzling, screaming lights, Landon sat back and waved them about.  Around and around and around.

He had a great many plans this year.  Learning, being, doing.

Maybe his youth won’t hold him back.  It can’t.