Mochi Intermission

The plan was very simple. They’d go shopping so that everyone was prepared for their Mochi Moon celebrations, and make it a quick venture to beat out the crowds. Of course, Flor should have known they were never going to be able to make it a quick trip. They never could, even on their own. They were always too easily distracted, too easily enamored by everything around them, and with the shops all vying for attention... Flor never stood a chance.

With a small group of other buns, Flor’s curiosity was possibly more dangerous than ever.

The little gaggle had succeeded in buying sparklers and fireworks around an hour and a half later, but those were only a small part of Mochi Moon. There were many more trials to come.

“Save a few thousand carats for mochi,” Pandora advised as she adjusted the bows on her ears. She looked up and down at her fellow shoppers. “Oh- we’re going to need new clothes, too. You know, for celebrating.”

Velvet tilted his head at her, eyes squinted with an uncharacteristic harshness. “Few thousand for mochi? How much mochi do you think we’ll be buying?”

Flor and Caddy muttered their own halfhearted inputs, eventually offering each other a little shrug when they realized they didn’t necessarily agree on their points.

“Well, it is a holiday, but I’m sure it can’t cost that much,” Pandora defended.

Velvet’s mouth opened as he readied a response.

Flor’s eyes grew wide with excitement as they bounded off towards a shop. “Oooh, speaking of mochi! Look!”

All mochi shops were putting on their best displays, and this one was no different. As they peered through the glass they admired the piles of soft, colorful mochi, decorated in glittery powders and painted with well wishes for Mochi Moon.

“Ohhh, those look good,” Velvet chimed in as he bounded to Flor’s side.

“We should try some!,” Flor affirmed.

“Excellent point!,” Pandora purred. “After all, we need to make sure it’s party-worth mochi.”

“Maybe Allocer will like it,” Caddy added, clasping her hooves together in excitement.

The four hurried inside as soon as they were all in agreement. Bounding through the bun-sized door, Flor’s nose wiggled excitedly with the rush of sweet mochi scent that constructed the shop. Behind them they could hear the soft exclamations of the other buns once they were inside.

In a magical and dreamlike whirlwind, the group finally decided on a few types of mochi to try. As they grouped up in a corner to stay out of the way of the other shoppers, they raced to free their selected mochi from its confines, with Velvet being the first.

“Yes!,” he cheered as soon as the mochi was free, and impulsively threw the whole thing in his mouth.

The other buns watched with perked ears.

They didn’t have to wait long with the way Velvet wore his feelings on his sleeve. With a curl of his tail and a muffled exclamation of his admiration for the flavor, the other three could take the go ahead to enjoy the mochi they’d chosen. As Flor bit into the soft treat, their eyes opened wide.

“This mochi is so good!,” they exclaimed, downing the rest of their mochi. “We should buy more!”

“I didn’t think mochi this cheap would be so good, and yet, it’s certainly worth Mochi Moon!,” Pandora agreed.

Velvet and Flor exchanged skeptical glances. While not the most expensive mochi either had seen, neither of them would call it cheap - Pandora and Caddy were pleased with the perceived bargain, though, and so they didn’t argue the point.

They wriggled through the crowding store and collected the mochi they needed for their celebrations. Plus, a little extra to snack on. As soon as they exited the store, they distributed their new little treasures, of which they quickly dove into as they shopped.

Taking periodic breaks to properly enjoy the mochi may have been a delay that none of them had anticipated dealing with, but something they all seemed to consider worth it.

In one such huddle, Caddy held up one of her mochi. “To Mochi Moon!,” she cheered.

“To Mochi Moon!,” the other three cheered in return, toasting their mochi with hers.

A successful day, Flor reflected as they popped the mochi into their mouth afterwards. A day full of excitement and tasty treats.