isleofavalon | happy holidays { open }

happy holidays { open }

A HOLIDAY PARTY

I. Arrival

There were postings around town, and fliers going out around the end of November. The holiday party starts early evening, December 1, thanks to the help of several hands. They had worked for a couple of days prior to the start to get the large ballroom decorated to everyone's liking. He had rented out a large ballroom, and started decorating the day before, adding finishing touches early on the day of. Everyone was invited - and while there's no real dress code posted, everyone is invited to dress their best for the sake of the party.

When one approaches the building, there's a clear set of rules posted outside written in neat script:

There's only a few easy rules to ensure everyone enjoys their night:

One, no fighting - if you have to - please take it outside.
Two, no weapons on the premises.
Three, all children under the age of sixteen must leave before nine in the evening.

Welcome in. Grab a mask if you want - or don't - and join the party.

II. Welcome In

When walking through the entrance, the first thing that is easy to notice is how it is decorated. It has the colors of the holidays - red, green, blue, white. It’s mostly deeper shades with pops of brighter shades of the color. On the right of the entryway there is a table with a dark blue cloth over it. On top of it is a wide array of masks - different styles, shapes, sizes. Whatever their heart may desire, you can find here. Masks are, of course, optional! But who doesn’t love a great masquerade?

Above it is a sign that says Yours to Keep - so they may keep whatever masks they pick up.

Next to it is a large book with lined paper where people can drop a short message about the winter holiday they celebrate at home - their favorite part, how they celebrate, anything they'd like to share with other people! This will be picked up at the end of the party.

Not much further ahead is a dancefloor to the left - spacious as ever. To the right is catering - set up as an elaborate display of food and tables arranged so people can sit and eat. There’s food from a variety of places, including Golden Silence. They’ll find not only savory foods, but sweet desserts. In the back corner, not far from the food is a bartender, who is happily serving free drinks for anyone of drinking age.

Past the bar is a hallway with a couple of private rooms. These rooms are quiet - with none of the noise of the party being able to reach them. They're perfect for stepping away from the party for just a few moments of peace and quiet. In this rooms, there's decks of cards and a few simple board games. Each room can hold up to four people and can be locked from the inside.

Don't worry - there's signs posted everywhere so they'll will be able to find what they're looking for.

III. With So Much To Do

A. Dance the Night Away

The music at the party is provided by a variety of individuals. Various talents have been invited through the night, even! If no one is set to perform, there's a playlist set to play. The music goes on non-stop and the styles that will be played will vary. Most of the songs will be fairly upbeat through the night. Some of them are slower paced - so pick a partner and dance.

B. Mistletoe

Throughout the venue there's going to be mistletoe set up in a few spots throughout the building. The spots they're hanging are easy to identify. Most doorways have mistletoe hanging from them. There's also a few prime spots where there's some hanging - such as the corner not far from the bar. It's a perfect place to steal a kiss.

B. Charity Raffle

Near the food, there's a sign directing people to participate and purchase tickets for the charity raffle for a few prizes for people. There's donations (or things purchased) from a few businesses around Camelot. All funds raised from the Charity will go towards helping everyone who lost things during the events with Celliwig/Lestari. There's a variety of things: brunch for two, a date package, opportunities to learn a new skill, and other experiences. Several prizes will be raffled off, and people may purchase as many tickets as they want.

IV. Late at Night

After 9 in the evening, the entire feeling of the party changes. The lights get lower and glowsticks become available just off of the dance floor where they weren't earlier in the night. The music remains upbeat, though there's no performers for this part of the evening - only a playlist cycling through a variety of songs. This is a perfect time to grab a partner for a dance, or grab a drink. There's no real end of the night in sight, people are welcome to stay as long they'd like - even into the next morning if they should want.

Just be sure they're out by lunch the next day when clean-up starts.

Some quick ooc notes:

Anyone is free to assume their character participated in helping decorate.

Anyone who is a musician may get a short time slot to perform (15-30 minutes).

Feel free to have your character win anything from the raffle if you want - I'm not particular here!

Please mark anything NSFW as such in subject lines.

Have any questions? Drop one in my question thread!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Aren't we all from different worlds? [Sure, maybe one or two come from the same place, but they seem to be the overwhelming minority.] Falana was a country, but it's the same principle. I didn't know any humans there. The other race we shared it with were the Moobloods.

[ Minako pauses.

She looks like she doesn't really want to say it, but after a moment or two her strength falters, making the words fly out of her mouth before she's even further considered them. ]

.. like a cow?

[ Come on, who else would call themselves 'Moobloods'! ]

Like -- [Oh, damn it. He'd been mumbling, hadn't he?] Moonbloods. Sorry. I'm not used to... more crowded spaces.

[Normally, his voice carries just fine despite trending quieter, but the circumstances here aren't normal for him in the slightest.]

[ Moonbloods..

Wait, Moonbloods? There are a whole lot of things he could've said that would have gotten a similar reaction out of her as the one she gave just now - but not this one. This one seems to put Minako on high alert. Her eyes widen, her jaw opens.

Of all things.. ]

What.. are those Moonbloods like..?

[ She suddenly sounds very surprised, but also very interesting. Sure, it's a different world, and she's not expecting much.. But it sure sounds like her own world. The ancient divide between the people of the Earth and the people of the Moon.. ]

They have scales instead of fur, for one. They're -- different enough that people wanted to exterminate them. Their society once was greater than ours, because of their mastery of the Flameless Light... now, they're just lucky to be alive.

[Thanks to him, but let's not get into that.]

Ah..

[ Sure, the scales? That's entirely unrelatable. Even though Minako used to live on the moon, she sure isn't scaley. Wasn't even so in a past life.

But that other part.. ]

I wonder.. why that is. [ Minako slowly says. Without even realising it, really, since the girl looks surprised a moment later, as if she's only now hearing the words come out of her own mouth.

It makes her look flustered for a moment, but then she quickly shakes her head. ]

I mean.. why different groups of people always have to fight each other, you know?

[ N-Not like she's used to people fighting people of the moon or anything..! ]

I don't know. I don't know why General Gaius wanted to wipe out the Moonbloods. That... never seemed as important as the fact that he did, and that it was wrong.

[This discussion sure took a turn, didn't it? But then, maybe this is more comfortable territory for Dust than things like romance and physical affection. He at least understands fighting.]

I really hate it.

[ Minako's voice is softer as she says it, and she looks away from the other. Her tone isn't exactly angry though - not as much as it just sounds upset in a sad sort of way. It hits a little bit too close to home. People being hated for no reason other than bias. People getting hurt because of it.

She thought that maybe it'd at least be just her world.. but it doesn't seem like it. ]

That sort of stuff shouldn't be happening anywhere, especially when there's no good reason for it in the first place. It's still people's lives on the line..

That's why I exist. To stop it.

[Dust's smile is grim, satisfied, and yet without humor. He is telling the literal truth, after all.]

I'm surprised I'm here when there's not more of that happening, but I guess the end of existence is a bigger threat than anything.

[ At least that does settle Dust as a good guy, right? Someone trying to stop the conflict. Even though Minako knows it's often not that easy, that sometimes - no, always - the conflict can usually only be stopped through more bloodshed.

Just like in the past.

She shakes her head though, trying to shake off such a sad thought for the moment in favour of saying: ]

I don't think that the force that dragged us here cares a particular amount for what we were busy doing back home. [ After all, it's not like Minako doesn't have a duty to go to home to as well. She'd be a lot more busy trying to get out of here if Usagi wasn't also in this place, and so her duty to protect the other continued here. ]

I was dead at the time, so I didn't have to worry about prior commitments too much.

[He might be making a joke, but he's not joking. That's just one of the things he's come to accept about being, well, himself.]

And it's my destiny to go where I'm needed. I might have ended up here even if they didn't call me.

[ .. oh.

Yikes.

That promptly gets Minako to shut up for a moment. She's heard about a lot of things, but not about people who are in this place even though they are dead back home. That thought is.. a lot, that's for sure! Especially since she feels like it means that these people have nothing to go back to. That Avalon is their life now.

Weird.

She frowns, thinking. ]

And you're.. okay with that? [ Just being sent wherever he's needed, without being able to just do what he wants for once? ]

That's what I was made to do. But it's also something I choose to do. If there are people that need help, if there's something I can do... how can I not help? Not act?

[Really, he was made to feel that way, given Jin's soul so he would have that drive. But knowing that, he accepts it; he has the choice, even if his choice is clear.]

...also, I like fighting.

[ It's not like she doesn't get it, if not partially. Minako, too, can't ever give up on her duty as long as she knows that she's needed. But whereas she accepts that as an Okay Thing for herself, there's no way she can feel about other people that easily. Because all other people deserve freedom and happiness.

But she also knows better to be pushy about that when this conversation is so serious. So instead Minako's head slowly dips into a nod as she sucks in a breath. ]

Well.. Then I guess you have plenty to do in this place.

[ Considering all the quests put up every month that involve fighting. ]

Just don't overwork yourself, you know? [ Minako does say that with a bit of a lighter tone again, like she's trying to drag the mood of the conversation back up. She doesn't want it to end on such a sad note. ]

[She might have succeed, because she actually gets a laugh out of Dust. Soft, because he never laughs too loudly, but warm nonetheless.]

I'm much more likely to die of boredom. This is nothing compared to Falana. I didn't have to worry about filling my hours there, or dances, or mistletoe, or anything. It was purpose and fighting, from start to finish.

There's more than life than fighting though.

[ .. even though it might be hard for him to internalize as much. Minako can understand that, especially since she is particularly duty-obsessed herself.. But she's still always determined to teach other people this lesson. ]

You can just go around and try out new stuff here, you know? Before you know it, you might actually find something you'll really end up liking.

Well, for mine, there literally wasn't supposed to be. [But he can say this with some humor. What else can you really face an issue like this with, after all?] Dealing with everything that's not that hasn't been easy at all. It's been a year and I'm still a bit lost on it.

You learned something new today though. [ Minako points up.

You know, at the spot where the mistletoe was until like.. a few minutes ago, before Dust decided to bravely intervene. ]

It's not like you have to learn everything at once! You can take things slow. It's like you're saying.. you've been here for a year already.

[ A year, Minako thinks. Sheesh, that's so long.. ]

There's plenty of time to get used to things one by one!

If that sort of plant ever does get cursed so you get trapped beneath it, you'll never convince me now, you know.

[At least he can find some humor in things. He hasn't lost his ability to laugh -- even at himself.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

happy holidays { open }

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