Starlight, Starbright, Won't you dance with me tonight?

[levelthreehooligan]

Throughout the continent, chilly winds herald the change in seasons.

Farmers gather their tools for one final, bountiful harvest before the soil turns too hard to cultivate. Chefs and Bakers gather their retainers, sending them out to find the best ingredients before the competition can. Mercenaries and soldiers take extra care to wax and grease their armors, for stiffness in the limbs due to the cold is a matter of life and death.

Of course, not every part of the realm changes. Thanalan's deserts are too warm at any time of the year, and Coerthas is constantly battered with snow all year round, and yet all know that it is time to gather, to celebrate, to remember. Perhaps even to travel far and wide, and farther still. The Source is not the only place celebrating the ending of this year and the coming of the new.

Starlight is once again returning to Hydaelyn and her Reflections, and the question on everyone's where will this year take us?

Gridania - A Kiss under the Mistletoe

The snows don't touch a lot of the lush greenery of the Shroud, but neither is it unheard of.

The Conjurers and botanists have decorated the City as if it were a bouquet; red berries and holly and sage line the wooden splendour of the city for all to enjoy.

And of course, Fufucha wouldn't leave the mistletoe out! The boughs of the Carline Canopy, strung across the banners of Mih'Khetto's Amphitheatre, dotted along bridges and nooks and crannies are gorgeously presented wreathes of mistletoe, waiting for lovers to notice them.

Ul'Dah - Passions of the Starry Night

Though it's not cold here in the desert, that isn't to say that the festivities aren't in full swing! For, of course, there is drink and merriment to be had! And what would an Ul'dahnian's Starlight look like if not at least a little bit drunk?

Dancing girls in their skimpy clothes offer tasters from brewers, Merchants tantalize shoppers with glittering treasures, fine silks and jewellery in the Sapphire Avenue, and there are a fair amount of Thaumaturges putting on shows for children and adults with reflective ice and shimmering flames.

But be careful, the booze flowing freely means that inhibitions are lower than usual. Bar fights aren't uncommon in the Quicksands, nor are 'secret' trysts in the inn rooms, just what kind of night will you have?

Limsa - Just one Dance

The central plaza is as bustling and busy as it always is, though you can't help but think it feels even busier today!

And of course it would, for everyone's here to celebrate.

The Aetherite has been decorated haphazardly by children throwing tinsel around it's ever-spinning foci, glitter sprinkled onto the surface of the already shining crystal itself; the Yellowjackets don't have the heart to interrupt them or to undo their work. What the hell, they think, it's the holidays.

Bards both solo and troupe line the streets a respectful distance apart, so you are never far away from music!

As the sun sets and the stars start to glitter over La Noscea, they seem to have made a truce, come together for a night of music and dance.

Grab a partner for a song or two, just what is playing and who are you dancing with?

Ishgard - A Warm Meal, a Warm Smile

The King that looks over the Snow.

The spires that call to the dravanian winds.

A warm hearth in the centre of Foretemps manor.

This year, the relationship between Ishgardian and Dravanian has been slowly, but steadily improving. As an act of good faith and in the interests of bringing the groups together, Aymeric has opened the City to them as they Celebrate Starlights.

The scent of mulled wine and honey-roasted boar fill the whole city as the Skybuilder's hand up their tools for the holiday but can't stop themselves from crafting even off the clock. The Firmament is decorated with lights as families that previously resided in the Brume make the most of their new homes.

Though the fare is simple, it's stomach-filling and heartwarming; the Skybuilders and the Denizens of the firmament have made a feast for all to enjoy! Take a seat and have a chat over some steaming food.

Kugane - The Gift of Giving

The streets of Kugane are awash with warm colours, gold and silver and yellows and reds; Lanterns glow in the mild winds and chimes can be heard from stalls as you wander through.

And though the markets are nice, the person or people you've come to meet are waiting for you in the Shiokaze Holstery, and you have something for them with you!

The Crystarium - Just one more sleep

And after it all, there's the night. The blessed night so hard won.

The blanket of stars that you can see over your room in The Pendants. Perhaps you have someone with you as you sit on pillows and blankets, warm in your sleep clothes with a mug of cocoa. Two friends talking the night away, or perhaps something more?

You're tired, but gods if it isn't the good kind. Will you make it through till dawn, or will you fall asleep right then and there?

Comments

Takashi 'Shiro' Shirogane | Voltron: Legendary Defender | Open to All - shipping options open

[vrepit_no]

Gridania - Mistletoe
In spite of his homesick yearning for the desert, Gridania is one of Shiro's favorite places to be, and tonight is no different. It's been forever, it feels like, since he's been in a place with real trees that won't be leaving within the next week. The cold isn't as biting as it is on the sea, but Shiro is, nevertheless, wrapped in the warm embrace of a chunky knit sweater of a truly obnoxious mustard yellow color and a thick scarf as he ambles through the city, keeping to one side out of the way of people rushing hither and thither.

He loves the performances at the amphitheater, settling in a back corner and taking advantage of his height to see over the-- well, the shorter folk, anyway. Some of these folks are quite enormous, by his standards. When the latest show ends, he slips out so that some other eager viewer can take his seat and walks down to the Lavender Bed docks to lean against one of the posts and watch the snow drift down into the water. The tall Hyur has not noticed the mistletoe in the slightest.

Ul'Dah - Drinks, Stargazing, and arm-wrestling
Alright, that's enough cold for a while. Ul'Dah is one big party, and it's even easier than usual for a newcomer to get lost in the maze of people and streets, but that doesn't bother Shiro. For once he's managed to get himself just drunk enough to be pleasantly buzzed and not be uneasy about the looks people are throwing his intricate prosthetic.

In the Quicksands he can be found lounging against the bar or, at one point, taking up a Hrothgar's challenge to an arm wrestling competition with a grin. It's a heated match, but anyone paying close attention to the aether in the room will be able to see that Shiro's not putting as much effort into it as he could be before he finally gets the cat's beefy arm onto the table. A cheer goes up and the loser roars with laughter, pressing a veritable bucket of mead into Shiro's hands and clapping him on the back.

Later, in a bid to escape the noise, a rather more drunken Shiro makes his way out of the Southern gate to plop himself on a boulder and look up at all the unfamiliar stars.

Limsa Lominsa
He couldn't possibly miss a celebration in the area Felih's so fond of. Shiro has found a smart, black peacoat and gloves to keep him warm... and someone has kindly gifted him a knit cap with ear flaps and a remarkably floofy pompom on top. He's picking up some of the repeated music, humming the snatches he knows and watching the dancers. "Ha ha, no, I'm sorry, I don't know the dance!" he says to a young woman, shaking his head sheepishly. "No, really, I'm not from around here. No idea at all."

[dragoonrouge]

"Well, well, well. Fancy meeting you here!" Q'uila flops down beside Shiro with a clatter or armour and weaponry, the dirt on her face and armour doing little to dim her smile, "What brought you to my neck of the woods, Shiro?"

[vrepit_no]

"Q'uila!" He brightens right up and leans his shoulder against hers for a friendly moment. "I'm not really sure why, but there was one of those kind of universe ripple effects and time froze. Everything went black, and then I sort of woke up in a flowerbed in, ah... What's it called. Gridania? Right? Lots of really tall people and Miqo'te. I'm blaming the Arcana again. Seems as likely as anything else. I thought some of the names and things sounded right for Eorzea, but I didn't expect to actually see you! You look like you've been having fun, yeah?"

Ul'Dah

[levelthreehooligan]

It isn't going to stay quiet for long, especially when he's wearing the Sweater of Contractual Obligation Friendship with one Pinara Conada.

She herself if several pints of mead (and perhaps one or two shots of Rolanberry liquor) into her night, and she was one of the more vocal hecklers during his arm-wrestling match.
And now, she's barrelling headfirst into her friend to ruin his quiet night keep him company under the stars.

Re: Ul'Dah

[vrepit_no]

"Oof!" He stumbles, unused to being taken out at the knees, but laughs when he sees who it is. "Pinya!" If he's louder than he should be, well, that's all right. 'Specially with her. He leans down and scoops her up for a big cuddly hug. "Heyyyyyy... How've you been, troublemaker? C'mon, I'm gonna go look at the stars."

Re: Ul'Dah

[levelthreehooligan]

She lets out a peal of laughter as her friend picks her up, immediately wrapping her arms round his neck and giving him a big kiss on the cheek.

"I saw you in the tavern! Should'a busted his arm right off," she giggles, "You're so mean, letting him even think he could win!"

Re: Ul'Dah

[vrepit_no]

He laughs, adjusting her so she can sit more comfortably in his arms. "Well if I win too quickly, then I get accused of cheating, and there's probably an altercation, and it's more fun to draw it out a little anyway. Besides! He has a lot of promise! Just needs to work on his technique, y'know? I don't wanna push him out of arm wrestling entirely. He'd give other people a really good run for their money. He just doesn't have a arm made by aliens and super advanced friends. I'm lucky that way."

He gasps in delight and leans in slightly, which. Is a bit weird, given that he's literally holding her. "Pinya! I can get drunk again! I actually got tipsy pretty quickly!" He is ridiculously pleased about this completely mundane fact. "I didn't think it'd stay."

oh wowwo

[levelthreehooligan]

"Oh come on, Shiro, It's Ul'Dah. Someone's going to accuse you of cheating regardless," she grins, easily moving into his embrace. "And alien tech aside, Magitek prosthetics do exist. Perhaps the single good thing that's come from the Garleans," she scoffs. "That, and Cid."

"Oh!" She grins, knowing exactly how big that piece of information is. "Oh my gods! Oh, we're going to have to work on your tolerance some, young man," she teases.

Re: oh wowwo

[vrepit_no]

Shiro considers this with far more seriousness than it deserves. "Yyyyes. Yes, you're right. Gotta get at least a little bit of tolerance back. Don't wanna be that cheap a date, eh?" He gives her a bright grin. "That means you have to show me all the best drinks!"

[levelthreehooligan]

"Ha! With me around, there's no such thing as cheap, you know that," she laughs as she turns in his arms, picking up her own glass and taking a deep drink, humming as she thinks of where to start first.

"What do you want to start with first, is the question. Any old favourites that you remember?"

[lonelymagic]

A creature that looks like a Hrothgar but with much less muscle and much more fluff is already sitting out in the sand. They look up at the sound of someone new arriving and pull away slightly. Their voice is soft when they speak.

"I... uh. If you'd rather be alone that's... that's fine." They would, but it's too awkward to just get up and suddenly leave. "... A lot easier to see the stars out here than where I'm from."

[vrepit_no]

"Oh, no, that's all right," the tall man smiles, waving a hand. "I don't mind company if you don't." He doesn't sit so much as the world tilts and he catches himself by sitting on a rock, but that works out. Hm. Maybe he's more drunk than he thought. "Sorry to interrupt your stargazing. They're beautiful, aren't they? Completely different than where I'm from."

He glances back toward the city and then leans in slightly, stage whispering, "I've been making up new constellations."

[lonelymagic]

They shrug, not really bothered too much. As long as this guy doesn't turn into an asshole, they can handle one person. "... It's fine. They're... really different from where I'm from, too... and I've lived two places."

They point at a cluster of stars that look almost like a stick drawing of some kind of four-legged animal. "That could be Felis Major." Dogs have had their turn, why not cats?

Re: Gridania

[runawayoctopus]

J’anet couldn’t help but notice a tall Hyuran man on her way out of the amphitheater in Gridania; his hat was exceptionally yellow and a shock of white hair just stuck out of the front. She realized a small pouch had fallen from his pocket, and assuming it was Gil she nabbed it off the ground and set about looking for that yellow hat.

There it was! He was headed toward the docks it appeared, so she scurried along through the city with hopes of catching him. Finally she found the pier he had chosen and walked down to see him leaning against a post, looking lost in thought.

“Excuse me? I think you dropped this at the amphitheater earlier.”

Re: Gridania

[vrepit_no]

He looks down at her in surprise and an easy smile breaks over his face as he gratefully accepts the pouch. "Oh! Thank you, miss...?"

Re: Gridania

[runawayoctopus]

“Dhava. J’anet Dhava, thank you.” J’anet took a small bow before the stranger as he smiled in thanks, “Did you enjoy the show? The Starlight Special is always a local favorite if I’m not mistaken.”