[VIDEO] UN: [username not set]

[demonicbeauty]

[She's not Padmé Amidala. Nor is she Jane Foster. It's just Ariadne, sitting on the wooden floor of her home, in front of an enormous, four-poster bed with a canopy of sheer, white fabric. Splashes of color occasionally hit her face and the background, as her homemade mobiles, flitting with broken pieces of colorful glass, catch whatever sunlight there is. Her long, long, long brown hair is hanging loose over her left shoulder, crinkled to show that it's just come undone from its braid.]

I...I've noticed that a lot of important holidays seem to be in the middle of the winter. And I guess it makes sense. The days are short, the nights are long, and everyone is cold and missing fresh fruits and vegetables. It raises the spirit to have something to celebrate and people to celebrate it with.

[There's a small smile. A memory or two from her days in Valeria.]

Back home, the New Year was the most important holiday. There would be parties and feasts and masked balls. Presents. Lots of music...

[And she misses that music. But Ariadne won't let herself stay sentimental for long.]

Last year, I learned about an Earth holiday. The one where the fat man breaks into people homes and leaves them gifts, instead of stealing stuff. Christmas!

[Makes no sense, but it's a lovely sentiment.]

I was hoping to maybe learn about some other holidays from this time of year. What do your cultures celebrate? Maybe we can find a way to all celebrate together. I'm still convinced that togetherness is the only way we're going to survive this place. And I...I know I'm not alone, feeling that way.

[A small shrug.]

So let's talk to each other more. When there isn't an emergency. Talk about some of the happy things, maybe. Tell me about the good stuff.

[Ariadne doesn't really know where to go from here, so she shrugs again.]

Anyway, that's all. Sorry to interrupt anything.

Comments

video; un: doublehedgedsword

[laminae]

Christmas is great. Don't forget about the part where that guy is red. I think he might have bathed in the blood of his enemies?

[Christmas is also a new holiday for Fern. He's trying his best here.]

We didn't really have any big holidays during winter back home. Uh, there wasn't much of a winter? But my brother and I made up one where we hang out on the floor next to the fire with friends wearing big sweaters and watching videos. It was pretty decent.

[demonicbeauty]

[She pulls a bit of a face at the idea of the fat man bathing in the blood of his enemies. That doesn't seem like the sort of person who breaks into a house just to leave gifts.

But who is she to judge?

The second part sounds much better, anyway.]

That sounds very cozy. You know, I don't think I've ever worn a sweater.

Are they itchy? They seem a little itchy.

[laminae]

[Fern is forever a barbarian and going to jump straight to the most barbarian-y explanation.]

Really? Naw, as long as you get nice ones they're real comfy! They're probably gonna be a necessity this winter. At least, they will be for me.

video; un: spcschnee

[winter_bestowed]

I remember hearing about that one last year as well. And a few that took it as inspiration and attempted to break in ahead of him to take the cookies. Though I think they learned their lesson last year.

But you're right, working together and cooperation is the best chance that we have here.

[demonicbeauty]

[Ariadne smiles warmly.]

I'm glad you agree! The more people we get to agree, the better chance we have, you know?

At least, that's what the probabilities seem to indicate.

[winter_bestowed]

That is easier said than done I've found. Though we agree on the key points, many disagree on how to achieve the goals we want to reach.

Voice; un: ...

[opress]

There's a holiday that involves an overweight human breaking into people's homes? That sounds like a good way to be killed.

I think I will fortify this place in case he appears.

[demonicbeauty]

[Ariadne laughs her little, bell-like laugh, offering him a smile.]

I think the fat man is just a superstition.

Anyway, I'm sure he wouldn't be here in Trench.

[opress]

How can we be so certain when we have not endured the season of storms here before? It could be a skinny human too. Be on the look out.

[Savage wasn't taking any chances. Anyone broke into his house, and they were dead.]

Did you go to the New Years celebrations on your world?

Video; un: darkness

[survivalthroughhate]

Has anyone ever told you that you apologize too much for things which are not your fault?

[Maul says with a shake of his head, gruff as ever. But he'll digress.]

Did you see the post made by Obi-Wan recently about Life Day? That is the main one celebrated in the galaxy at large.

[demonicbeauty]

[Honestly, she's kind of been avoiding all things Kenobi lately. It was tempting to read what he had to say, but she was kind of sure it would just make her angry.

And she doesn't like being angry.]

I must have missed that.

[And she won't apologize for it! Ha!]

What's Life Day about?

[survivalthroughhate]

It's a holiday that was originally celebrated on Kashyyyk, home planet of a species called Wookiees, but it has spread to the galaxy at large as a popular holiday that involves being thankful for things in your life that bring you joy, mainly family and friends. You can understand why I've never really celebrated it myself.

[Maul didn't have much to be thankful for growing up when he was being raised by Sidious, and during the Clone Wars, he had better things to do than to be involved in such frivolity.]

video; un: Wesson; private

[family_remains]

[Oh look, Ariadne is asking about holiday lore. That's cool, he has a ton of it to share, maybe he'll tell her something cool-- oh. Huh that's right Maul has a brother, doesn't he, what's he got to say- aaand suddenly pregnant men. Is the. Conversation.

Aliens, man. What the fuck.

Exxxxxxxhale.]


Airy..

[demonicbeauty]

[It’s Sam. Sam who may not have a soul. Who may be broken.

Who propositioned her.

Well. This is going to feel awkward. Not that she can’t hide it. She has that going for her. She can lie to someone’s face.

So she gives him a friendly smile.]

Hi, Sam.

[family_remains]

[He gives a brief, tight smile.]

I couldn't help but notice your conversation with Darth Pineapple.

Video: UN - Runeseeker

[onerthes]

Don't forget that the people murder perfectly innocent trees to decorate their corpses as fetishes for the gifts he brings in return for bribery of confections is part of the traditions.

...and sprigs of plants over doorways are used as an excuse to kiss. I don't mind that one that as much.

[She really still didn't understand Christmas, clearly.]

But... I could use a pleasant conversation. Are you well?

[demonicbeauty]

[Ariadne looks perfectly horrified at the whole tree part.

Of course, she knows that trees are required for any number of reasons. But she can't help thinking of her orchard. Gods. She's going to have to guard them to pretend them from being...murdered.]

Well, I was. Until you told me about the trees.

un: trienemybest; voice

[droptheious]

[Varian's responding with this with the video very much turned off. His corruption isn't going great and he's not really willing to have his face all over the network right now, so here he is: ]

Christmas is a pretty good one. There's usually a lot of really good food to be eaten. Spending time with the people you love and all that.

Do you have any winter holidays?

[demonicbeauty]

[Huh. What's going on with Varian?

Ariadne maintains video for the moment, tilting her head to one side.]

Just the New Year. But we spend almost a month preparing for it.

video; un impala67 - sometime before anakin shenanigans

[venatoris]

We should really set a username for you.

I like Christmas. It's all...festive and crap. Family time.

[ That reminds him - they should get a tree. ]

[demonicbeauty]

The fat-man holiday seems very popular among Earthlings.

[She smiles fondly.]

Perhaps you'll celebrate it this year?

[Video][UN:A_Wesker013]

[subject_013]

[Cypher seems to be transmitting the video, since 'the boss' is currently slouched in an Eames chair, clad in a black and gold brocade dressing gown, typing on his Omni. A moment and then a electronic sounding voice speaks.]

"The fat man, was, in fact, based upon on an historical person, Nicholas of Myra, a high priest who was well-known among his followers for his charity, especially toward the poor and children. Somehow, his custom of dropping bags of coins down a chimney late at night or through an open window became the red-suited intruder whom all of Earth seems to know and revere. One wonders what the historical Nicholas would make of it."

[demonicbeauty]

[Well, this is puzzling. Ariadne furrows her brow a little, leaning forward to try to take in the whole scene.

Something strange is happening here.]

I'm sorry...who's speaking?

I mean, it's very interesting. But I'm afraid I have no idea who I'm addressing.

un: agentmothman

[zib]

Oh, they had Christmas back home on my Earth too!

... Except, my dad really hated Santa. Like, to the point of declaring war on him and threatening to shoot him if he ever came near our house. So that made things kinda awkward.

[demonicbeauty]

...well that sounds a little extreme.

[And unnecessarily violent.]

What did he do?