Lunar Antics Chapter 34 – Our Favourite Things
"Wha?" grunted Renshin through a hearty mouthful of cereal crumbs, down his shirt and a belly poking out at the bottom.
"I said what is your favourite thing in the whole world?" repeated Gosei with pen and paper in hand and ready to write down.
"DUHR, CEREAR!" said Renshin shoving another fistful of un-milk soaked "Fabric-O's" cereal into his mouth.
"I dunno what mine is," said Kazeru bitterly from beside Renshin who was eating "Naz's" cereal one piece at a time "What's YOUR favourite thing?" he added in accusingly. Gosei shrugged,
"Cat nip." He said like it was a no brainer "cats like a lot of things but they unavoidably crave cat nip. It's good shit, man."
"It sound like you have a…drug problem, Gosei." Gosei looked over to his right, at a picnic table Laurie sat with a pint glass of apple cider and taking a long swig. Around him sat Shader, CoolKid, Pip and Atticus. Gosei folded his arms in disappointment
"Speak for yourself, I take it cider is your favourite thing then Laurie? A cheeky cider at 11AM in the Guild Room? You do realise alcohol is a drug too." Laurie looked aghast
"Huh?! Wh-NO this is apple juice! He exclaimed defensively.
"Oh reaaaallly?" droned Kazeru "Then why is your drink bubbling like it's carbonated?"
"Why are you asking for everybody's favourite things anyway?" asked Laurie intentionally ignoring Kazeru.
"So this year when Christmas comes around I can be prepared..!" replied Gosei excitedly. Shader looked sceptical but everyone else at the table, including Laurie nodded in acceptance.
"Fair enough," agreed Atticus "WELL, my favourite thing is-!"
"-Pizza. Laurie what's yours?" said Gosei cutting off Atticus much to his horror.
"Well most people think it's aquamarines…" said Laurie thoughtfully. "but in actual fact it's mochaccino! A perfect mix of chocolate and coffee – BUT REMEMBER, it shouldn't be a coffee with chocolate, but rather a hot chocolate with coffee! Mind you, there are lots of places that-"
"Pip, what about you?" said Gosei moving onto the next person while Laurie continued to babble to the others.
"I really like beanies!" he squeaked energetically "I like my pink one and light blue one most of all, and Christmas is a cold time of year – so if you want to get me one of those in a new colour or pattern that'd make a great gift!" Gosei smiled and scribbled notes on his paper, then looked up politely at Shader and Coolkid for their answers. The two looked at Gosei blankly, as if they weren't even thinking until suddenly with a shrug Coolkid said
"Crescents..?"
"Crecsents…" echoed everyone dreamily.
"Alright, Shader, what's yours?" Shader still looked uncertain, but she had been acting this way all along
"I don't know… I'm like Kazeru then, he didn't say his either." Everyone glanced awkwardly at one another as if they were all thinking the same thing.
"But you sound as if you know what your favourite thing is but you don't want to tell us…" said Gosei carefully.
"Is it expensive?" said Pip
"Is it DIRTY!?" burst Coolkid
"NO!" erupted Shader "My favourite thing is the surprise of getting something personal and thoughtful." The group once again shared glances around one another. "Even if it's not my real favourite thing it's just nice to get something someone put their own effort into getting… But if you must know my favourite thing is stylish hats!" she added with a glare at CoolKid
"It's still dirty if you think about it." He retorted, yet unconvinced by his own words.
"You know what…" Gosei looked over toward the sorrowful voice – Renshin with tears in his eyes "Shader's right…You've got to surprise people with gifts they don't know they'll want until they've got it – not ask them for their favourite thing and give them that."
"Well I don't think so…" said Pip grumpily
"No, I think Renshin is right." Said Gosei who immediately started shredding up his paper "I'll get everyone something I think they'll like, and take a chance and hope they like it. Except you Pip! A beanie it is, but I won't say what it'll look like!" Pip looked up pieces of ripped up paper in his hand
"Sorry what was that I wasn't listening? UH-UMM. These are…these pieces of paper are uuhhh, from something else! Yeah!"
Christmas was still many months away, but Shader's view had changed everybody's considerations on what gifts to get. And who would've through that Renshin of all people would be so moved he would be in tears.
"Renshin that was nice and all," said Kazeru patting Renshin's shoulder "but it's not worth getting emotional over."
"No." said Renshin with a sob "My cereal is all gone…!" Kazeru nodded and solemnly shed a single tear
"I feel your pain…" he whispered.