Upon a Starry Night

[mythmaker]

Who: Azusa Miura and the Heroes of Light
When: December 31st to January 1st
Where: Tark Varentain
What: Dear Heroes of Light, I have arranged a party for you. Yours truly, Azusa.
Warnings/Notes: None

'Twere the days before New Year’s, when all through the land,
None were busier than Azusa, planning her party so grand;
Snowy decorations everywhere, her tree stood by the chimney with care,
In hopes that the Heroes of Light might, for a while, forget their worries there.

In the days between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, Azusa is still mum on exactly where in Tark Varentain the party she promised them would be held. It’s not until the morning of that an address finally reaches everyone’s iMog slates. When they follow it, they don’t find an inn or a party center—they find a noble’s manse overlooking the snowy wilderness on one side and the fine city on the other. As Azusa welcome characters inside, she’s quick to explain.

“It used to be the summer home of a businessman I met once in Sen Riqeaux. He’d love to return someday, but he’s letting me use it. Isn’t that lovely?”

With a swish of her evening cape, she leads everyone inside. The entire house is lovely, modern despite its location. It’s clear that a lot of money went into developing the place. From the large dining room to the spacious fire place, there’s more than enough room to spread out and mingle. There’s a game room as well, with ornate chess boards and billiards and more.

Between the dining room and the chimney, there’s a large white tree. Azusa instructs everyone to leave their gifts for the secret santa there, and provides them with tags for them to label their gifts with. From there, she shows everyone the kitchen and the food she’s made. There’s a lot of holiday in the catering her Moogle provided. Cookies, hot cocoas and coffees, roasted and baked meats, fudge, fresh salads, fruit, festive alcohol, ciders. If it’s been at a Christmas dinner in Japan, America, or at a Starlight dinner in Vaikuntha, there’s probably at least a little of it to be found.

Later in the evening, Azusa reveals one of the activities is a scavenger hunt. She provides a list of five items that can be found in town and promises the first team of three to bring all five back will win a reward. The five items are:
-a selfie with a smiling citizen of Tark Varentein
-a picture of a snowman you made yourself (must be as tall as a person and have a face, she clarifies)
-a bullet from the gunslinger’s guild or a throwing weapon from the ninja guild
-picture of Starlight decorations that haven’t been put away
-an icicle (better be careful bringing it back!)

As the evening goes on, there will be some games she initiates. Everyone can gather in the living room for some 'never have I ever'. Once it becomes 11PM, she’ll start passing out paper so everyone can write down their new year’s resolution. If they decide to go off and think about it on their own, they should be careful. There’s still mistletoe and mistlefoe hanging about. It might be your character’s last chance to enjoy them.

You might notice some familiar faces at the party as well. Claire is seated by the bar, enjoying some snacks and looking exhausted. Kupoto accidentally eats some spicy jalapeno poppers and eventually starts to mess around as he drinks more. Biggs and Wedge can be spotted moving from room to room, sitting in a windowsill here or beneath the stairs there, encouraging other guests to mingle and make good use of the space. They’re talking about some space-y topics, too, sometimes stars but also sometimes wars. Jessie can be found sitting somewhere not crowded and playing games on her iMog. She's not interested in the holiday music coming from the various speakers.

As it nears midnight, her voice rings out. “Everyone, please come to the deck for a special surprise while we welcome the New Year together~.” She will hunt you down and drag you there if she has to. There’s a good reason for it. Why did Azusa pick Tark Varentein? Why did she pick somewhere high and cold, where you have to use your coat and hold a thermos of hot beverage. The answer will be revealed shortly...

And when morning comes, there’s breakfast as well. Whether people slept on couches, stayed up all night, or used some of the rooms available, it’s time to greet the morning together. Snow still falls lightly outside when light peeks in through the many, many windows of the estate. After a few more hours, Wendy and some Moogle acquaintances start to clean up, letting everyone go home, hopefully in good spirits, ready for the year to follow.

Comments

[topgun_textiles]

Women's underwear. As the girls drank, others shrug and have a good time, Kanji took his soda and quietly turned away to have his drink.

He'd never broken a plate, but. BUT.

"C'mon, Papyrus! That's cheating!" Hair? Really?

[mech_and_mutt]

"No kiddin'." Sigh. That makes two drinks, then. One for his clumsiness as a kid and one for his... hair.

But he still didn't see what was so funny.

[pishirogane]

She's been drinking on the occasion, but she hadn't shaved before...

... okay, Naoto glowers somewhat towards Reno at the 'women's underwear', but takes a sip nonetheless.

And then it's back to not drinking at the plates and sipping at the mention of hair. Huh, that probably shouldn't be allowed, but she supposed people were trying their best to get people drinking or drunk.

[shinra_dog]

Reno sputtered and coughed at the mention of dropping plates. That was... He knew she meant dishes, surely, but it was a knee-jerk reaction to the word choice.

As he decided whether he should drink or not (he'd never dropped any dishes), he noticed Kanji's surreptitious sip. And Naoto's glower. Women's panties? No way... Reno's eyebrows rose but then he smiled. Good for the kid. He wouldn't out him.

He raised his glass to Naoto in a toast, assuming she knew.

[einspine]

"BUT IS IT CHEATING IF IT'S TRUE?! I CAN'T HELP IT IF I COULD NEVER GROW LUSCIOUS LOCKS!!!"

But. But!!! Did Kanji drink for that other question? He'd ask, but that seems very personal. And what did it matter? Mettaton had worn dresses before! He'd even gone through a magical girl transformation. Nothing to be ashamed of!

[bladeofconquest]

Papyrus talking about his luscious locks causes Corrin to laugh suddenly. The image enters her mind of Papyrus standing tall, golden locks waving in the breeze...like...

like Arthur and suddenly she can't help but laugh at the image.

It takes a few moments for her laughter to end.

"Oh, I may have to switch to juice soon." She says after a moment.

And then she giggles again.

[topgun_textiles]

"It's an unspoken rule, dude. Ya can't pick stuff that's obvious for everybody."

Something had Naoto grumpy. That didn't sit well, but he wasn't sure what was getting the goat. He could swear the drink layout was okay, nobody getting in deep shit or anything, or... maybe she wasn't having any fun.

He may or may not have had a little bit before sticking to soda for his own good. Maybe that's why he was relaxed enough to give the detective a little nudge against the hat with his forehead.

"Why don't you start one? Make people sweat a bit."

[pishirogane]

At the nudge, she glances up at Kanji, but then looked around the room. Something appropriate that wouldn't just make everyone drink in the same manner as Papyrus' 'I never'...

"... Never have I ever kissed someone with romantic intent."

There, that one seems fair enough.

[mech_and_mutt]

Ugh. He wished he could puff out his chest and take a drink at that one. He'd just try and spend these precious few moments trying to figure out why Naoto was wearing woman's underwear.

Must've been a sizing thing.

[einspine]

Papyrus doesn't even hesitate this time. Even if these beverages are... very much a doozy. "WELL. SHE KISSED ME, BUT!!! I KISSED BACK AS BEST AS I COULD BECAUSE MY FEELINGS WERE VERY TRUE!!! AND STILL ARE. MADDIE IS VERY MUCH WORTH ALL THE SMOOCHES!"

He narrows his eye sockets. "ALTHOUGH I... THINK I MAY NEED TO SWITCH DRINKS. I'M BEGINNING TO FEEL VERY SILLY." Nyeh heh... How odd. "BUT I'VE NEVER... BEEN ARRESTED?" He came close, but. Smoke bombs fix everything!

[bladeofconquest]

Corrin smiles fondly to herself.

She drinks this one gladly.

"Okay, juice now." She says.

She idly toys with a silver ring on her finger after she puts her drink down.

[waningsigns]

[Frisk has mostly just been sitting back and watching with amusement, taking sips of their grape juice when appropriate. They consider drinking for the kiss thing, but it doesn't really count if they were joking. They're like ten or something, they don't do actual romance. As for being arrested...]

"...Does it count if the person wasn't technically in the guard yet...?"

[topgun_textiles]

Kanji could agree with the 'never'. He was too chickenshit, really. For now. He'll just have to hang on to that 'for now', but he couldn't help but give a glance to his companion, then focus on the contents of his glass.

...Until Papyrus spoke up.

"FUCK! ...Okay, like, just one drink right? Most of the cops in my hometown are dicks!"

[einspine]

Oh. Kanji had been arrested? Wowie. He didn't see that coming! Well... well!

He raises a finger. "I'M GOING TO SAY JUST ONE DRINK!! YOU ARE A GREAT AND GLORIOUS PERSON, KANJI!!! NO NEED TO FEEL ASHAMED BY THE WRONGDOINGS OF A CORRUPT SYSTEM!" As for Frisk, he pauses. "ALSO I'D SAY IT WOULDN'T TECHNICALLY COUNT IF THE PERSON DIDN'T HAVE AUTHORITY."

[bladeofconquest]

Another question, another drink. But of juice this time.

"I mean, being taken prisoner by the enemy is...kind of the same thing, right? Well, not enemy, I just didn't realize I was a princess when it happened. I mean, I knew I was a princess, I just didn't realize I was their princess too, so at the time it seemed...you know what, it counts." She nods confidently. "It's a judgment call, I made it."

[waningsigns]

[Frisk nods, seeing the logic in Papyrus's words. Even if those words might come very slightly at the expense of his alternate self.]

"Your cops can't be that bad, 'least they just arrested you 'stead of throwing energy spears."

[shinra_dog]

Ah... A younger Reno would not have taken that drink. Now it's with fondness. How lucky he'd been to have found love twice.

And he'd never been arrested. Because he'd never actually been caught. Well, at least not taken in alive. That was an awkward story.

"Never have I ever gone skiing."

[einspine]

"...WELL. BETTER JUST SPEARS THAN. SPEARS AND FLAMETHROWERS. AND RIDING ON TOP OF A ROBOT WHO HAPPENS TO BE YOUR FRIEND AND IDOL JUST SO THAT SHE CAN TRY TO HURT THE OTHER FRISK!!!"

Oh. Skiing. Well, he lives in a snowy area, so... sigh. Another drink! At least it's juice this time.

"BUT!!! ANYWAY, I'VE NEVER WANTED TO KILL ANYONE!"

[waningsigns]

[They stare at Papyrus. They stare blankly, not in the way that someone with a confused expression is blank, but in the way that a freshly painted brick wall is blank. They very strongly consider ignoring this one. They're good at compartmentalizing and excusing away their actions with the benefit of distance. But... just because they wanted to doesn't tell anyone whether they went through with it or not, right...?]

[They take a small, surreptitious sip of their juice.]

[topgun_textiles]

"I ain't ashamed! Just... tired. It got tiring, that's all." One drink. Thank god. He'll have it and work on refilling his glass. It was safer this way, instead of the shots he saw some people taking on. Insane.

There was beer as an option, but once a year or so ago out of curiosity was plenty.

"I'll take the energy spears, honestly. Means I can fight back. Instead it was always me just minding my own business lookin' the way I do, and then I hear 'What're you doin'? Where are you goin'?' And cookin' up any excuse they could." He ruffled his hair, tried not to become agitated.

He paused. Oh. He'd been skiing. He took a drink, but couldn't help smiling a bit. That was a really fun trip.

No drink for murder. ...Wait. He didn't say murder. He said 'never wanted to kill anyone'.

Briefly, Kanji saw that hospital room, and Namatame crouched on the floor, hands on his head.

"..."

Kanji drank.

[bladeofconquest]

This time Corrin drinks, but reluctantly. It's not something she's proud to admit.

Frisk taking a drink however is a surprise, and her eyebrows raise accordingly, but she doesn't say anything. Still, it's shocking to see...sad, too. But they probably had their reasons. It's not her place to butt in on that.

[pishirogane]

Naoto again doesn't say anything, but she does appear to have paled.

Still... there was no hesitation after the mental processes and she drank.

It was a low point for her at least?

[chatwithdeath]

Meanwhile, someone had been lingering nearby, not adding anything, but just... drinking. Just drinking because geez, what had not been done.

And Papyrus's next 'I Never' just had her unashamedly finishing her current glass, but eight eyes will fix themselves on the skeleton.

[shinra_dog]

Reno had. He'd acted on it, too. More than once. But at least he wasn't the only one drinking on this. It meant there was no platform for anyone to judge him.

[einspine]

He gulps, backing away slightly. "O-OH. ...WAS THAT IN POOR TASTE? I DIDN'T MEAN TO UPSET ANYONE!!!"

He wasn't thinking. Partly because he's just a little drunk. Partly because it didn't occur to him that so many people would feel that way. Even Frisk? "BUT! BUT!!! I'M NOT JUDGING! ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS WANTS TO KILL MY OTHER BEST FRIEND!"