[closed] quest to find a dang hobby

[strongroots]

Who: Robby, Shigeo (centile), Ritsu (centi), Ritsuka (in_loveless_memory), Sunny (good_mourning), Frisk (stilljustyou), and some others
What: Trying ~new things~, for fun. As a treat
When: Early February, over a few days
Where: Daniel LaRusso's house/Miyagi-do dojo, elsewhere
Content Warnings: N/A.

There's a lot that comes with arriving - and living - in Trench. Adapting to its culture, bartering system, way of getting a job or education. And yeah, everyone knows about the beasts and blood, but there's figuring out being your own person as often to struggle with.

Sometimes, you need help finding things to do and that make you fulfilled.

Robby gets it. And as someone who gets it deeply, he's also kind of throwing this whole thing together haphazardly of inviting a bunch of younger teens in the effort of let's try new things. Maybe they can be useful day-to-day, maybe they're just something that can be a fun hobby; as long as they possibly interest you, that's about the goal. And hanging out--'cause it's easier to try new things when you're not doing them alone. Probably. Right?

Regardless, he's invited some younger pals for a few different days to come over to have a go, hang out, keep adjusting to their new life. With some planned activities, and they're free to recommend what they can do.

And so, on these different days...

THE ACTIVITIES

→ skateboarding: skateboarding, Robby's speciality. The road outside Mister LaRusso's is surprisingly clear of snow, and there's a maximum of three skateboards, designs simple and for use. There won't be any grinding or kicking up half-pipes, but Robby can help familiarise the gang with the basics of riding a skateboard, as well as include some very simple tricks once they get the hang of that.

→ sewing a stuffed animal: Not much of a doll person? Nor Robby, but it's about following the instructions and learning some sewing. Hopefully those instructions don't suck, but there's a couple of patterns to choose from: a cat, a mouse, and a fox.

Wow. At least learning to stitch might be useful, right?

→ weaving: Who thinks about cane weaving ever? ...probably resourceful people, but Robby's managed to snag two types for trying: a small holder and a fruit bowl. Which is just a larger holder.

Or there's macrames. Another kind of weaving, this time with cords, one project is a coaster, while another is for making a keychain...or probably a bookmark, or bracelet. Whichever strikes your fancy.

→ cooking: For cooking, Mister LaRusso is only happy to help teach some useful meal foods that everyone can do back home. Come early enough on one day, and he can show how to make pancakes and crêpes. Want to learn how to even fry an egg, or make an omelette? That's a good lunchtime meal. And as for dinner? You know he's got to teach you how to make a lasagna.

Of course, requests and suggestions can be made. Sunny's got a recipe for cookies, which require the special ingredient of love. ...and flour. Making pastry can also be touched on, if anyone wants to know the secret of making pies.

→ gardening: It's a visit to Ezra Bridger's for this task. One that isn't immediately rewarding, but will take time--months, even, to see the rewards of your time and patience. They're taken into his garden where the land has been left to fallow, but he has a greenhouse where young seedlings are left to sprout, kept warm and covered despite the chill outside its walls.

The process is simple, and the instructions easy. A mix of compost and rice husks is used for the mix--rice husks for allowing air into the mix, and compost to help give nutrients to the seeds--and the trays are basic, coming with lids, and small mats infused with coldstones turned towards a soft heat will assure the seeds stay warm and have help to germinate.

But what are the seeds? There's a choice to choose from. For flowers, there's cosmos, dahlia, busy lizzies, dahlias; as for vegetables, you have choices from sweet peppers, small lamb lettuces, onions, and, for an always safe beginner food? Rainbow radishes.

This will be an activity to come back to over time. But hey, at least the radishes might only take five weeks to grow.

( OOC: tl;dr, not everything is done at the same time, you can pick and choose what your character does or swipe the ideas for later! if your character would have any ideas, put them up. B) i know photography was brought up, so going around and taking photos?? can be a thing!! )

Comments

[centi]

Ritsu has no idea about proper form, so to him this just seems athletic and cool, for this older guy to just drop into a badass pose straight out of a martial arts movie! "Not at all!" he says, then tries to temper his enthusiasm, because wow, talk about uncool. If he's not careful this guy will think he's just some little kid... Ritsu clears his throat, scuffs his shoe in the dirt. "I mean, it looks good to me."

Gingerly, he turns his own body to imitate the stance. Unlike his brother he has pretty good physical coordination, and he's flexible, so his own shorter legs and arms bend just the same way as Peter's do, mistakes and all. Ritsu feels a little silly doing it, but he endeavours to get into it. "Like this? Hyaah!" That's the noise guys in fighting games made, anyway.

[possessum]

Peter does feel pretty stupid posing like this, but not in a way that feels... bad. He's finding himself more amused than anything, grin dumb and lopsided, able to reveal a silliness that typically gets held back.

And he's pleasantly surprised when "Mob" copies the stance, watching him with something that almost feels proud.... He taught a move to someone....! (Even if he taught it with the wrong form....) The Karate Sound that the kid makes is too adorable and Peter's grin is just blossoming. It's rare he smiles so big, with his eyes as much as anything else, and he's giving a laugh — delighted, not teasing.

"Hell yeah, man! You got it. And then you can just keep going with it—" He lifts his other fist to slowly punch it through the air, while withdrawing his other arm in and slowly exchanging the positions of his legs, too. It makes him move forwards a little, kind of... crablike.

[centi]

Ritsu also crabs forward, still imitating. He isn't sure he understands the point but that would probably be clearer in the actual classes, right? And it's kind of cool to feel like an action hero for a moment. Plus there's some low key cultural pride at play, a feeling that he should be naturally good at this.

"Hell yeah," he echoes, testing out the curse word with his own grin. It's not quite as boisterous, but it's still more emotion than his brother usually shows. "Do you help teach the classes, too?"

[possessum]

There the pair of them are.... karate-walking around the front of the dojo... It truly must be a sight to see. Fortunately, there's no one else around for the immediate moment..

Hearing the other boy repeat the words has Peter grinning again, glancing over his shoulder over at him. He finally comes to a halt, straightening up again, but he's still stupidly delighted that "Mob" seems to be enjoying himself, here. It's true that Peter's not used to seeing the kid really display outward emotions so much.

"Oh, nah, I'm just a student. Still pretty new, actually." He's panting a little from the effort (it wasn't even that much effort.... but Peter's still very out of shape...) But he's smiling again, head tipped forward to finally introduce himself. "I'm Peter, by the way. Peter Graham."

[centi]

Ritsu relaxes too, linking his fingers behind his head with a grin. "Hey. I'm Ritsu Kageyama. If you're in the class, you must know my big brother...?"

[possessum]

Peter pauses, the words visibly giving him some startle. Wait............

"Your big brother?"

......

"Shigeo?"

[centi]

"Yeah, Shigeo is my older brother. He's really cool, do you know him?" Ritsu beams up at him.

[possessum]

Holy shit, he got this wrong. So wrong! Peter's exhaling a soft sound, running a hand back through his hair and sending a lopsided smile down to the kid.

"Yeah, we train together a lot, and also he's been showing me—" Peter pauses for a moment, reworks that thought. He has no idea if Mob's little brother is in the know about the spooky stuff, and he doesn't want to risk upsetting the apple cart. "—some other helpful stuff."

....Great job, Peter. "I had no idea he had a little brother, though. Good to meet you, dude! Did you get here pretty recently?"

[centi]

"Earlier this month," Ritsu says, since at this point it has barely been a couple of weeks since he first washed up on the shore. "Still kind of adjusting to everything." Especially the way his brother seems to have made friends and settled in, which he is proud of but also makes his own feelings of being new and confused way more pronounced. "At least Nii-san is here and we have each other."

[possessum]

"Man yeah, it's.... a lot to get used to, I know. This place is wild." Peter gives a little wince through his smile, but then he's nodding again. Ritsu joining up with karate would be a great way for him to get to meet people, and also it's safe. Finding places like that can be kind of tough, but fortunately Peter's been here long enough to know some things.

"Are you thinking of going to the school, too? I know your brother seemed interested in it before."

[centi]

"Yeah!" Maybe it makes him a nerd to seem to enthusiastic about school, so he tones it down with an awkward smile, hand rubbing the back of his neck. "I was on the student council back home, and did well in exams, so keeping up with school is important to me in case we go back home soon."

[possessum]

"I've been going there, too. It's... not exactly like the average school, and it's kinda creepy, but I've heard people talk about forming study groups and stuff, to make the learning easier. But yeah, I'm there if you ever need help getting around."

Peter...... actually ends up skipping a lot; he's not exactly a dedicated student... but he's still around to lend a helping hand on occasion. And maybe he'll make more of an effort to do that now!