"Hanabi's Stand"

Night befell the Hidden Garden as the sun had finally set down, but even still, once the scorching summer sun had gone away and replacing it came the cool summer breeze of the night. Taking advantage of this, lots and lots of Scarfoxes started to come out and gathered around the plaza within the Hidden Garden, why you ask?... Well of course for the summer festival!

The plaza buzzing with noise and chatter, the sounds of different grills from the stands and people having fun with games. There were even some groups on a stage that were singing passionately for the new summer that had come, but out of the multitude of people we were looking for only one person. In one of the food stands that had the sign ‘Hanabi’s Takoyaki’ there could be seen a Scarfox stuffing what could be described as balls of flour in a peculiar grill.

Hanabi was busy as he continuously kept making and grilling more and more ‘Takoyaki’, his hands never stopping as every new tray that he put out was getting bought out almost instantly as the line of Scarfoxes waiting for the threat didn’t seem to thin out at all. Even though seeing this spectacle the Scarfox didn’t seem tired or annoyed at this, instead a hearty laughter would escape from him as he decided to loudly call out.

“Come on out come oooon!.” He screamed loudly, getting a couple of heads turned towards his stand. “Freshly made and mouth watering takoyaki for only 50 crystals a plate!” He said looking around before he paid attention to the next Scarfox in line, holding out his scarf arm to receive the crystals before handing over two plates of the takoyaki. “Enjoy!” he added with a small chuckle to the client.

The busy Scarfox continued his small business, he wasn’t really making any money from it though as he was basically pricing his product at the price of the materials he used, for who knows how long as the seemingly endless line of people finally started to thin out until it was only a handful of scarfoxes  and eventually no one in line. Hanabi would finally sit down on a chair inside of his stand and would turn to look towards the crowds frolicking around, everyone excited for the summer and what it would bring.

Sighing from tiredness Hanabi would reach out for the last remaining of the takoyaki that was already made and would place a small sign on his stand to show that he was on a break at this moment. Popping the box open, steam would immediately escape from the slightly condensed plastic box and then pick up one of the takoyaki balls and plop it into his mouth.

“Seems like you were quite busy my friend.” A calm but familiar voice would ring out causing Hanabi to almost choke on the hot threat inside of his mouth as he was caught by surprise.

“A-a… Astral!” Hanabi said between his coughs as well as he had burnt his tongue, “You little… people see you as this serious guy keeping busy with your job but you…” Hanabi calmed down slowly, knowing the mischievous intentions of his friend coming out like this and he knew if he continued any more it would just prompt the Scarfox to do so more in the future. He could even tell his friend was already smiling at the small prank.

“It’s nice to see you again Hanabi, I guessed that you would run a stand again this year but I wasn’t so sure what you were going to sell this year… I was quite looking forward for another plate of that soba you made last year, ‘Yakisoba’ was it's name I think?.”

“Yakisoba yes, and I could have but why do the same thing as last year in a new year… always better to try out something new.” Hanabi said as he finally recovered from both the surprise and the burn. “I’m currently taking a break but I can make another plate if you wish to try it.” The Scarfox said standing up and moving in front of the grill, starting to gather some of the material.

“No no, it’s fine… just share with me some of what you already have there. It might have been fun to see you burn your tongue but I don’t want to make you overwork yourself!” Astral said as he walked around the stall and to the inside, claiming a second chair that had been located inside and sitting beside Hanabi.

“Sure then.” Hanabi wouldn’t fight his friend’s decision, he knew that Astral truly meant what he said so he would return back to where he had been sitting just before, using a plastic fork he would pick up one of the takoyaki in the plastic plate and hand it over to his friend. “Here, enjoy then.”

Hanabi waited for a moment, not picking up another one from the tray for himself as he soon heard loud coughing from his side and looked over to his friend with a smirk on his face.

“W-whaat I-isss THIS!” Astral exclaimed quite loudly, something that would certainly surprise people less acquainted with him, but at least not to Hanabi as this Scarfox couldn’t help himself but to laugh loudly at his friend’s state.

“What?~ didn’t you read the small letters in the sign!” Hanabi said pointing out towards the sign on the countertop of his stand, which read; “Hanabi’s Takoyaki stand” and in small letters below name, ‘Roulette Takoyaki… including one spicy mustard filled takoyaki to prank your friends!’

“It seems my friend, you got bad luck and got the spicy mustard one!” He added on with a grin on his face as he turned to look at Astral.

Astral who by this point would also finally recover and would turn to glare to his friend, his mouth opening as if about to say something when both of them were distracted by the loud sound of a couple of explosions in the distance, as well as being bathed in different lights. Both turning towards the source as they saw the fireworks starting to go off and the multitude of other scarfoxes also enjoying the show.

Astral would calm down and then stand up again, “Have a great summer my friend.” He said as he turned and then disappeared into the crowd.

“You also have a good summer my good friend, I hope you get to hear many new interesting stories.” Hanabi said standing up himself, his mood lifted up as he removed his ‘On break’ sign from his stand and prepared to receive the hungry people until the end of the night.