starlogs | // HOLIDAY PARTY

Entry tags:

// HOLIDAY PARTY

WHO: EVERYONE!
WHERE: The Atrium
WHEN: December 24th
WHAT: Holiday party!
WARNINGS: None (but please mark if there is questionable content!)

// Jingle Mingle_

➣ Sparkles and Spirits
Late the night before, visitors will be asked to leave as the atrium is going to be closed for a few hours. It's completely blocked off from sight. In the morning, it will be open once again and the entire space is covered in a soft padding of snow. With more still falling! It's not entirely clear just where it's coming from or how they rigged it up to not even melt, but it's here. Throughout the day, the snow will keep falling though won't get any higher than one foot. Except for a designated area on the western side of the atrium. There characters will find copious amounts of snow to build forts or snowmen or wage an all out guerilla warfare snowball fight.

Stationed throughout the atrium in various places out of the way are buffets and bars to provide everyone with delicious delectables and delightful drinks. These stations are constantly manned and refreshed so that nothing is ever empty or anyone is left wanting. Don't see a food you're dying to have? Ask and one of the workers will be happy to seek it out for you!

Late morning to mid afternoon, there will be a gingerbread house contest. Everyone is encouraged to participate and show off their creative skill! All items needed will be provided to create your masterpiece. Various awards will be given out, including Best Use of Gumdrops.

Once the magic hour begins, all the lights in the atrium will begin to flicker on. Twinkling lights in the trees and candied garden lights will mark the path appropriately called Candy Cane Lane, which is little more than a means to encourage a more romantic atmosphere with a walk around the atrium itself.

➣ Flannel and Frost
Once night falls, the party is still going strong. More food is brought out and the drinks just don't stop flowing. Because what's a party without booze?

On the east side of the atrium a large canopy is stationed with a dance floor beneath it just waiting for everyone to cut loose. A DJ will be playing all night with pulsing, hypnotic beats that not one booty can say no to. Invite someone to cut that rug or dance by yourself like no one's watching. It's time to cut loose!

While walking through the atrium, be careful! There's enchanted mistletoe that will spring up anywhere at anytime and will trap anyone without restraint. (Did you think we wouldn't have this?) It hovers in the air with a soft green glow, encasing two passersby within an arm's length radius. Get those lips to puckering to get yourselves free! (A kiss anywhere counts, so don't fret!)

Tucked away on the north side of the atrium is a large maze. It boasts to be the best activity for the holiday party, but those in charge could be a little biased. It's a mystery as to what goes on beyond the entrance and the only way anyone can find out is to just march right in. The rules of the maze are: 1.) No one goes in alone (max. 2 at a time) and 2.) If you feel too trapped or lost, take off the visor and the experience will be over. Upon entering, everyone will be given a visor and set loose inside. Each group will experience something different should they choose to go into the maze, so please go HERE for a customized maze trip!

Everyone is free to stay as long as they wish, but around 3:00 in the morning, workers will begin dismantling things and ushering people out so they can clean. Once everyone is nestled all snug in their beds, they'll be visited by someone to get their holiday gifts! Happy Holidays!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Ax is entirely heedless of Victor and only barely restrains himself from trying to grab the cup back out of his hand. Also, he is going to hit Marco for never telling him of the wonders of mulled cider.]

Where can I get more? I must have more of this cider. [He is determined to drink, like, five gallons of it. He probably looks possessed.]

( If Victor had even had a plan, this was not the plan. Makkachin thinks this is great, jumping up and trying to get in on the action that's happening, where-as Victor is facing something he's only faced once before in his life:

Anyone being dead set intent on something related to him, even if tonight, it's a quarter full cup of mulled cider. He laughs a little, using his height to an advantage to play keep away with the cup, holding it up over both their heads.

Slinging a companionable arm over Ax's shoulders, he more or less tries to keep him from pulling down his other arm or anything of the sort by clasping him to his other side. Hip to hip. Look. Look. This is fine. This is fine. )

Ahahaha, okay, okay, let's calm down first? Alcohol isn't something you should be drinking like water. Can we agree to that?

( Please stop alien friend, please check yourself before you wreck yourself??! )

[What's wrong with this guy. He is trying to prevent Ax from imbibing something incredible. He's impeding scientific progress is what he's doing.

Ax gives Victor an affronted look, his arm sadly too short to reach his goal by the most expedient method.]

Why not?

( Bless all five feet ten inches (plus an extra one or two with his shoes) of himself. Victor sighs, looking almost rueful as Ax looks affronted. The fact Ax is asking that is reason enough not to let him have at like he apparently wants. )

Alcohol poisoning, for one. ( He doesn't think it'd get there, but that's not the point. ) I'm all for people enjoying themselves, but if you don't know your own limits, you're going to have a hard time of things tomorrow.

( There. There's his warning. He stops holding Ax quite so tightly, allowing the Andalite his freedom of movement again. Surely he's not going to go for Victor's still upheld arm. Makkachin bumps right into Ax's legs, tail wagging. Hi hi hi hi are they playing now is this a game? )

[Between he dog bumping into his leg and Victor making no sense Ax is momentarily at a loss for words. Then he figures that by calmly appealing to Victor's sense of reason might get him farther than otherwise.]

I have never had this alcohol. How do I find my own limits?

( A good guess, though Makkachin is still making a nuisance of himself. Victor breathes out a small sigh of relief. While he personally believes people are responsible for their own mistakes, it's still worth handing out that warning. (Not like Russia has much of a drinking age that people worry about; even legally, buying beer off street stores at sixteen isn't unheard of.) He offers a small smile, then a halfway serious look. )

I'd say you find those by pacing yourself and not drinking as much as possible all at once. With at least one friend around to haul you back to where you live if you go too far. ( a speculative pause; ) Doesn't hurt to eat, too. Drinking on an empty stomach isn't a great plan.

( Finally, he brings his cup back down into reach, half an eye on Ax and his grabby hands. He finishes with a smile. )

It's your decision to make in the end!

( However poorly. He calls for his dog, finally bringing the poodle around to cavorting by Victor more than Ax. )

[Victor just said the magic words.]

Alcohol is something you have with food?

[Then they will just have to get food. At least Ax isn't grabbing for his cider anymore.]

I must experience this. Please teach me.

( There is something nowhere near as endearing in being asked to instruct someone in the art of eating food and drinking than it was for a drunk, surprisingly cute Japanese figure skater jumping on him begging him to be his coach. But he's not looking for parallels, thus cannot be disappointed when he finds none. He looks almost hopeless for a moment, undecided, before Makkachin's wiggling form butting against Ax's legs looking for affection decides him.

There's no point in being melancholy when there's an offer and reason for company. If he keeps half an eye on Ax, at least he shouldn't wake up naked in a strange part of the shopping centre or atrium. Services to fellow refugees. (Is that what they are? Or more just collateral?) There's more than enough time left to his own thoughts back in the assigned studio flat he shares with Makkachin.

He laughs, holding up his cider, two fingers splayed outward. )

Okay, okay, I'll see what I can manage. Let's take a walk and see what the booths are offering for sale to start.

( Carb loading. He's really on the hunt for anything carbohydrate. He starts walking, checking to see if Ax is going to follow all right on his own or not. Avoiding sugar seems wise. Really, really wise. )

[Avoiding sugar is extremely wise. Victor is going to do well at this whole being Ax's friend thing.

And he is indeed following on his own! The promise of a) food and b) cider is too much to resist, and he never got taught to be wary of strange men offering him things. Whatever, if there's one thing Ax can do it's handle himself in a fight, if it comes to that.

At this point he pretty well figures he can trust Victor, though, which is an odd feeling.]

Will they have cigarette butts?

[This is a food.]

( Victor almost laughs that question off, up until he remembers what just happened with his cider, and remembers Ax being far too serious about the state of the butter back in the Cinnamon Bun Adventure. Thus he levels a Serious Look at Ax. )

Do you try to eat cigarette butts?

( He needs to clarify this. Just in case he's taking this Wrong. Meanwhile, he leads them on toward the start of the line-up of street stalls and all their various, enjoyable scents and savories. )

[Said very plainly:] I have eaten many of them. They have a very unique flavor that I enjoy. I have been told this is an incorrect thing to do but have never been given a reasonable explanation why.

["It's unhealthy" doesn't mean much when you can just morph away anything detrimental, after all.]

... Talk about empty calories. ( That's... very gross. Victor does not manage to fully keep his opinion on this off his face, but he Does Try. ) Have you tried anything smoke-flavoured?

( He cannot imagine how eating filters is tasty. At all. Still, gesturing gently with his drink toward the stalls they're approaching, he nods at one of the grills. )

Why not start with that? Are you vegetarian?

[Weird looks just wash right off of Ax, Vic, it's cool.]

I am usually what you might call a vegetarian. [Meaning he eats grass.] But I am not opposed to eating meat.

[As he talks he just... grabs for one of the pieces on the grill. He doesn't have to pay for it or use utensils right]

( Victor's hand shoots out and he lunges forward to catch Ax's wrist, helpfully tugging him back toward him with a spinning motion. Please show restraint, sir alien! )

I can see that —! Ahahaha, we'll take two, please.

( Still keeping a hold of Ax until the man behind the grill, who'd barely blinked at the brazen attempt at thievery, holds out two sticks of grilled meat. That's when Victor lets go with a somewhat strained grin. )

There, you can take those both from the seller. Ax, are you familiar with the concept of a monetary exchange system?

( LMASD HE'S. CONCERNED. )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

// HOLIDAY PARTY

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i'm laughing so hard AX NO

Ax Yes

as much as Victor would love to document Ax gone wild he's facing a moral quandary here

hey he is of age in most countries

oh, it's not his age - it's him keeling over from alcohol poisoning

it's ok vic you can just hold his hair back

fair enough, he is here to perform that duty

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i just realized how weird it is that ax has 0 problem being an occasional carnivore

this used to trip me up as a kid i was like wait a minute