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

You—oh. [What is he doing...? This lasts all of about three seconds before Reim is all but folding himself in half to lean away from Eichi's petting hands. Please stop.]

I do not have fur-!!

Fufu, that was a cute face just now.

[He'll pull his hand back, though, in the middle of his amusement. Giving the horse one last pet, he smiles at it fondly and then steps back and away.]

Let's see what else there is. This is a maze, you know? We'll have to find some way through to a "goal" or "end." [Says the guy who ran off randomly.]

Don't talk about my face like that... [Urgh... He pushes up his glasses in a distinctly uncomfortable way (because there is a way), then looks away from Eichi and the horse to the rest of the festival.]

I suppose the castle is something worth reaching. If I had to guess, I would say that's our most likely "goal" candidate.

The castle is a fine guess. At the top of any kingdom, what is there to find but the castle? The center of all decisions, holding the responsibility and control of everyone outside of those tall walls...

[He chuckles, flipping one of his hands to gesture at it. Yeah, good spot, they can go there.] I'm thinking it must be there, as well. We're rather close, so let's head that way now.

[Has Eichi ever gone outside in his life.]

We only have so much time in here, after all... What will we say if you've wasted the whole twenty minutes petting a horse?

[See how this is all his fault and not Reim's?? Exactly. Anyway, now they'll leave the horse alone to head for the castle, which seems like the perfect time for them to cross some invisible threshold of Drama and prompt the Very Realistic Virtual Dragon to swoop in and destroy half this castle upon landing.

Reim wants to say something like "changed my mind, let's leave," but it comes out as a stupid yelp instead. yiiii]

Wow! A dragon!

[Meanwhile, there is Eichi, watching in amazement as the castle crumbles beneath the fire of the dragon. Paying no attention to how Reim freaks out beside him, he only stops to admire the sight of the dragon curving around in the air to align itself for another attack.]

It's too bad that this visor won't let me take pictures with a simple click. A scene like this would be lovely hanging above my bed. I wonder if there are artists on board this ship? [He'll get a commission.] Look, it's lining up for another attack! Fufu, how thrilling, my heart is beating so fast, even knowing this is all fake... I wonder how we can bring it down?

[He's drawing his sword, here he goes...]

Don't you dare!! [No, ultimate no, mega no!! Reim comes back to his senses just enough to put himself bodily in front of Eichi, arms held out wide like this will really stop him from trying to go slay a (fake) dragon.]

We aren't here to fight dragons! Our only task is to find a way through the maze! [huff!! and lamely, he finishes,] ...So there is likely another way.

[Oh, hello. It does stop Eichi from drawing his sword, at least, since he doesn't want to really see if a virtual sword would really cut Reim. He keeps his hand at the hilt, smiling a little too calmly as he considers those words.]

There probably is. There are always multiple paths to one point. I think that's the point of this "maze".

[It's not really a maze. It's like a choose your own adventure, isn't it? Well, he's choosing his right now!] The path that I want to take needs to be the most exciting. I won't settle for a dull, safe path around the castle to claim our rewards. I'll only rest at ease once I cross through the remains of this castle, covered in the blood of a slain dragon and holding my head high.

[...Well, they'll probably run out of time before any of this happens, at this rate.]

[No, it's definitely like a maze. Reim listens to all of this, takes a deep breath, and grabs Eichi abruptly by the shoulders. He's not going anywhere, sorry.]

Your heart won't make it if you try to fight anything bigger than— than— a boot! [A BOOT, EICHI] I won't allow it!

A boot? [He looks so disappointed. That's all his face gives away, even if he tenses considerably at the grab.]

That's so mean, Reim... I've fought greater enemies than a dragon or a boot, you know? [He's going to ramble more, but a roar interrupts the both of them, and he actually blinks up at the sky in surprise as the dragon shifts directions. Oh. It's flying their way, now...]

We must be the main characters. [Reaching up, he tries to grab at Reim's wrists to guide them down from him again.] It's already noticed us. I don't have the stamina to run, so if you're afraid, you can take your own path now.

[Holy shit, Reim has never been a main character in his life and he doesn't want to start now. He tugs his wrists away from Eichi's sickly hands and, with a scoff, casually stoops down to just lift him up. Princess style... Eichi might be a little tall, but he's an Ill Boy, this is effortless.]

Be quiet. We're leaving!

[Right now, going a different way... here they go.]

Wh—

[This catches him so completely by surprise, because few people ever have the nerve to treat him like this. The motion is so quick, too, that he's clutching at Reim both for balance and to try and calm himself, eyes widening.]

What are you doing? Put me down! I'm not meant to be handled so roughly!

I'm not handling you roughly! Don't complain.

[He can't even be passive-aggressively satisfied that Eichi is caught off guard by this, so frankly, how dare Eichi... Reim maintains that if he isn't throwing anyone over his shoulder, it's not "handled so roughly," so this is within the realm of acceptable behavior and he will carry Eichi down a nice, boring side street.

Say goodbye to that dragon.]

How troublesome... You really are just as irritating as that childhood friend of mine. I can move just fine on my own, you know? I don't need help like this.

[His sensitive spot found... So he's extra bratty. All of the comparison has been rude and bratty, but this is extra bitchy. The dragon is roaring and breathing fire all over, and it seems to not care to follow them the moment Reim changes their direction. Ugh... It's destroying the castle and all Eichi can do is listen.]

[shut up Eichi you're like 12]

Hmph! If you're going to move directly into the path of a dragon, then of course I'm not going to allow it! How is it that you're perfectly fine accepting favors until they're stopping you from doing something dangerous?

[Ultimately this is revenge for trying to co-opt him as a servant-butler like four times. Accept it, brat. Reim doesn't even feel bad about the castle, since surely someone more capable like the knight who owns that lovely white horse will take care of it.

Take care of the imaginary, fake castle. Details.]

What sort of question is that? Of course I wouldn't enjoy your "favors" that only hold me back. I've been told since I was born that I could die any day, and I've been struggling against that my entire life. No matter how much I missed by being in the hospital, I haven't let go of my dreams, and you're—

[Holding him back!! He was going to rant, but instead he's getting a little too worked up from all of this virtual reality. His chest tightens, and it's bad enough to interrupt him and make his breath catch. His free hand has to clutch at his own chest now.]

Holding you back?! How can you— [Ah, lecture interrupted by Eichi being close to death. Reim sputters dumbly at him for a second, but he's certainly not going to put him down now.]

Well, now we're definitely not going near the dragon!!

[UGH... It takes him a moment longer to recover, silent and without any coughing, thankfully. His grip lessens both on Reim and on his own shirt, and slowly he lets out a soft exhale.]

Would you mind putting me down already? [Back to his normal tone.] It's not as if I could run even if I wanted to.

[Reim takes advantage of Eichi's quiet recovery time to keep moving them down this boring side street, very committed to not going near the dragon. They'll go around...

But eventually, he will set Eichi back on his feet and stand back to consider him. Ugh.]

You know, [he starts, very casually, taking off his glasses to fiddle with them so he doesn't have to look at Eichi while he speaks.] Just because you're struggling doesn't mean you have to throw your life away. There's a difference between fighting and being careless!

Do you know this personally, Reim?

[He's back to smiling when he's set down, but his eyes are clearly still bothered. He's irritated, anxious, and very lost in thought. His smiles never really hide anything.] I don't want to die, so the last thing I would do is throw my life away, you know? In actuality, I'm just being realistic. My body only has so much time left, and I don't want to die on a hospital bed, having made no impact on the world.

That's just what I think, you know? Ultimately, this dragon and kingdom is all fake, so I won't hold it against you that you've held me back just now.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

// HOLIDAY PARTY

kinkshames eichi

quiet horse butler

what the hell

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