[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.

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]

[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.

[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.

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?

[demonicbeauty]

[Well, she's hardly going to try to talk a member of his family out of something. Especially when she's pretty sure it's harmless...

But she smiles and nods at the second part.]

Oh yes. It was always a lot of fun. Lots of dancing, and I love dancing.

[opress]

[They had plenty of murderous creatures and plants on site. It should be fine. Maybe he'd go on patrol more this month.]

You seem like someone that could endure lively dancing. You could do a dance festival this month?

[demonicbeauty]

Oh. No, no. I...I don't think I have the ability to host anything.

Balls are in palaces, held by princes and princesses.

[opress]

I think all you need is space, music and invitations.

What's wrong with the streets anyway? We used to dance on dirt.

[demonicbeauty]

That's probably more fun than a ball, anyway.

[She shrugs.]

I don't like wearing fancy shoes. They pinch my toes!

[opress]

Likely. High society has too many rules.

[Not that he would know exactly how it works. Not even the Nightsisters were considered 'high society' by human standards.]

Bare foot or boots then?

[demonicbeauty]

Bare, when I can. But it's getting awfully cold.

[She wrinkles her nose a little bit, trying not to laugh.]

[opress]

Boots then. Apparently if you like something, you're supposed to do it often.

[He frowned at the idea of dancing everywhere though.]

[demonicbeauty]

Apparently.

[She considers that a moment, before leaning forward a little bit.]

What do you like to do?

[opress]

[He should have expected this question to come around, shouldn't he? He snorted softly.]

Fighting and hunting. It's what I was born to do.

[demonicbeauty]

Is there any kind of hunting ritual, around this time?

The winter, I mean.

[opress]

[There's a pause as he hesitated. Discussing tradition wasn't something he was allowed to despite having done it before. He wasn't going back to Dathomir, so was there a point to safe-guarding Nightbrother tradition?]

We... The cycle of storms have us making offerings to our warrior god and preparing for the selection trials.

[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.

[demonicbeauty]

[Sounds a bit Daruc. Perhaps, anyway.]

If you don't mind my asking...what are the "selection trials?"

[demonicbeauty]

I don't mean to ask anything too personal, but I am curious about how you experience winter.

As opposed to, well, someone like me.

[Someone...not-plant.]

You don't have to hibernate, I hope?

[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.

[opress]

A Trial set down by the Nightsisters where males of our species compete in combat to prove our strength for an opportunity to be chosen as mate.

[He was growly and bitter sounding when talking about it.]

While a Trial can be called any time of year, the cycle of storms is when most occur.

[demonicbeauty]

Well, of course. Nothing worth doing is ever easy.

[She ducks her head.]

That's what Princess Amanda always says.