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Who: Everyone!
What: January's welcome log. Oh also part one of the Ghost log.
When: Jan 1st-7th
Where: All over the place.
Warnings:
Notes: This is your January welcome log with Sphere New Year Traditions. Come in, go nuts.
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A New Year A New You

A new day has come.

So unlike many other places, the Sphere doesn’t celebrate New Years on New Year’s Eve. Instead they celebrate it in s three day festival commencing on January first to the third. The festival starts on the first at dawn with people waking up early to watch the first unofficial sunrise in the Sphere. Unlike most other days, this sunrise is universal, moving into each of the domes and filling them with such a bright light that it looks like an idealized version of a bright summer’s day. Groups of people join together to watch it in the dormitory dorms as well as in several public areas. The agriculture dome and the recreational domes are popular places for such activities and there are several places where there appear to be flowers blooming and almost the sound of birdsong.

Also in the more public places, there are large tables filled up with what seems to be a standard light breakfast of fruit, cheese and various loaves of bread, including a particular loaf of bread that everyone is given either in their attendance or in the dome itself. It’s a circular loaf with nuts on it that’s perfect for sharing. Indeed people keep trying to share a piece with the characters around them.

One thing that’s missing though? None of the places seem to have any sort of caffeine in any form. If questioned about it, someone knowledgeable will respond: “you can’t have caffeine until the sun sets!” The words come with a good natured laugh and characters are then handed a glass of fruit juice.

Out with the old and in with the new

As the sun is about to set on the first day, crowds gather in the rec dome. There in the middle of the area there’s a large bonfire set up. The smoke billows up towards the top of the dome before it disappears. People gathered around the fires are throwing old possessions into it, some of which are their own and some of them are the possessions of the people who had left. The idea is to unburden yourself of things to face the new year with a clean slate.

There are smaller fires around, and they burn different colors with the smoke being sweet smelling and light. Some people show the newcomers how to gather the smoke in their hands and release it over their heads, in order to clear out dark thoughts and whatever is troubling people. The smoke gives people a slight feeling of euphoria, and makes them feel as if whatever is happening isn’t quite as bad as they think it is.

And we’re dancing through life

On the second day, the public domes are fairly dead. The merchant dome is closed and only a few restaurants are open, and only those are for delivery. The entire city almost seems to be holding their breath and waiting for something. When the clock turns to eight pm, it’s almost as if the entire city is lit in a combination of stars and candlelight. In the gardens in the Rec dome, a large ball has been set up. Everyone in the city has been given their ideal fancy dress outfit, including mask in order to wear to it. The idea behind it is that the characters are in the middle of their transitional state. Day one was the day they put their old life behind them, and day three will be the day that they form their new selves for the year ahead. Which is why at the ball, people wear masks and have the option to give into some of the things that they wouldn’t normally do.

Wanna eat that there whole pint of ice cream? Go nuts. Wanna drink a bottle of vodka? Hey it’s your liver and it’s not like you can die! Wanna hook up in a dark corner with a stranger. It’s your life and there’s some nice velvet couches over there; out of sight and out of mind.

Dinner is in the form of an elaborate meal, sort of along the idea of Fat Tuesday in New Orleans, no expense is spared and everything is extremely well done and extravagant. Rich food, insane desserts, open bar, everything this night is too excess. At various points in the evening, the sky which has been showing stars shifts into things like fireworks, and glowy nebuleuses, causing people to burst into spontaneous bouts of applause.

All the while, there are various and shifting dance floors with an assortment of music to dance to, including classical, swing, fiddles, big band, pop, R&B, and basically anything that you can think of. The dances that people do there are as varied as the population, the drunkenness level and of course the all important dances of people's native Caucasia.

The party goes until dawn, at which point, the drunken revelries spill onto the streets, and people return to their personal domes singing loudly and off key.

A new day a new you

So despite however much you may have done the night before, or whatever else you may have engaged in, and however long you may have stayed awake for, when your head hits the pillow, you wake up feeling well great for lack of a better word. You have no hangover, you're not tired, you're not in pain, and any heavy or dark thoughts will suddenly seem not at all so bad. It may be better than you've felt in your entire time in the Sphere, or better than a long time depending on how things are at home.

Either way, when you wake up, day is late (even if your character doesn't normally sleep) and there is a crowd of people in the agriculture dome. People are there working together in order to plant new things in the greenhouse. They're planting baby plants that will grow to feed people in the new year, according to Annie, and it's all about breathing new life into the world.

Afterwards, there are different things like yoga and meditation classes, and people just spread out smiling among the flowers. No one is as pushy as normal, it's just kind of there. They're just kind of there, stretching, enjoying the sunshine and just kind of chilling.

Later, people set up a large sort of barbecue and outdoor kitchen. Food is cooked communally, and people will ask your character to come and cook. Even if you can't cook, passing out food or cleaning up. This is a community building activity people tell ya, so you can go with it or not. But the rest of the city is, so please enjoy some delicious food your characters may or may not have a hand in cooking or giving out. Wine and fruit juice is in a wide abundance here, as is water and caffeinated drinks. A few people can even be found having some harder stuff (vodka and whiskey) if your character looks to be in need of it.

And the end of the night, the sky above the dome lights up with aurora borealis, in brilliant lights and hues, and there are what appear to be a smattering of actual, living fireflies buzzing lazily around. People who are here longer than the characters seem puzzled, and more than a few children and adults are out catching them between their palms.

Ghosts of years ago.

So, for the past three months or so now, there have been ghosts intermittently showing up in the Sphere. Some ghosts are ones you know, some ghosts aren't, but for the most part there has been very little lasting interaction. Until now. As there's introspection happening, the ghosts are more and more drawn to it, but only now there's something less intelligent in their eyes: there's a hunger. Ghosts are trying to leech off the life forces of everyone in the Sphere, and the best way to stop them is not to be alone. But either way, death is stalking the feast, and it's haunting you.

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It turns out she's not as alone as she thinks. Jon, who had grown up in a House that had celebrations similar to this one but had rarely been allowed to participate in them fully, hadn't taken much convincing to agree to come. (Sansa probably would have made him, anyway, if he didn't come willingly.)

He appears next to her, wearing a tunic over a shirt, trousers, and boots. It's a look that in some places would be called medieval, but to him it's just the sort of thing lords wear to parties. Or princes. The tunic has an iridescent sheen to it, because what's the point otherwise?

He would probably have a bigger problem with what he's wearing if it weren't topped off with a wolf mask that obscures his identity.

"You look like you're enjoying yourself."

Her eyes were closed as she let the gentle hum of the music move her. So captivated by the sound, Inesa hadn't noticed Jon until the familiar notes of his voice filled her ear. "Oh." Heat flooded to her cheeks, the hue accented and accentuated by the light pink mask she wore.

"Jon." Her heart fluttered when she saw him. "Oh. I am." She smiled and turned towards him, her fingers laced nervously behind her.

"But I am glad that you are here. I was looking for you." Inesa hadn't been sure if he would come but she'd asked him and had hoped they would be able to meet tonight. "But, you found me first."

Her eyes quickly took in his attire and her smile grew. "I love your outfit. You look very handsome tonight." Though, he looked handsome every night.

"It's what I would have worn to feasts if I had been invited to one." At least they didn't happen regularly, and when they didn't happen, he was allowed at meals with the family. Lady Stark just hadn't felt it was appropriate for him to appear around guests.

"None of those feasts were quite like this one though."

She took a step forward, her smile warm and inviting. "You were invited to this one and you'll be invited to any others as well." Inesa wasn't in charge of such events but she'd invite Jon if no one else did. He deserved to enjoy himself.

"What were feasts like? Were there no dances?"

"There's no one here to say I'm not invited." He knows why he wasn't, it just hadn't been easy, having those reminders of his place in the family and in Westeros. Or of his lack of place, rather.

"There was dancing. The music was a bit different though. No one wore masks." He hadn't been sure of its purpose at first, but now he's kind of glad to be able to hide behind its anonymity.

She smiled as she reached for his hand and gently pulled him towards her. "And if there was, I would re-invite you." He didn't have to miss anything anymore.

"Would you dance with me? You can show me the dances you're used too or I can show you the dances I know." Inesa didn't care what they did but she wanted to spend more time with Jon. He was different from the others she's met in the sphere's and she liked him even more because of it.

"I never paid much attention during dancing lessons." He hadn't expected that he would ever need to know how to do it, so he had mostly just pretended. "Show me one of yours."

"Okay." She took another step forward, placing Jon's hand around her waist. "We need to stand close, like this, and you hold me like this."

He gaze met his and she struggled not to blush. They were standing close together now.

"The male leads but I can do that for now. I know all the steps." She stepped back and gently guided him to follow the step with his own foot.

That much at least he picked up from the lessons, even if the rest of them didn't take. Luckily at least he's used to moving his feet, from all of his training in using a sword. It's not the same, exactly, but it keeps him from stepping on her toes more often than he might have otherwise.

"How am I doing?"

She smiled as she lead Jon in a sweeping circle around the vacated room. The music hummed through her slender frame while the skin beneath Jon's palms warmed. "Very well. Do you like dancing? I think enjoying it with your partner is more important than doing it well."

He wasn't bad and wasn't stepping on her feet. He could improve but Inesa was enjoying herself, perhaps more so because Jon was her partner.

"I've always loved dancing. It's almost like flying, in a way." It made her feel free.

"I wouldn't know. I've never been flying." Although according to Sansa, at one point in the future he will be. "It doesn't seem that different from swordfighting though."

That's basically what Jon has a reference for in his life right now.

She smiled up at him. "So you really are a good sword fighter then." Their steps continued to move at a pace with the music. "If you'd like, you can try leading. The steps are the same, only that you will guide us."

She had the dexterity to compensate for any misstep should it occur.

"And maybe when I'm strong I can teach you to fly." Her wings only let her fly but it was a dazzling notion.

"I like to think I am. I'm not the only one who is, of course, but it is a skill that has served me well in the past." It might have been close sometimes, but he's come through it all so far.

"Teach me to fly? How is that possible?" He hasn't got wings.

"Maybe not teach you to fly but I can learn how to fly while holding someone else and then I can take you up into the sky." It would be different because they weren't his wings and he wouldn't be controlling where he was going but Inesa thought it would be fun.

It was a shame that she wasn't stronger.

"Or we can find another way. I don't know but if it's something you want to do then I think it's worth giving it a try." She'd noticed that, much like herself, Jon hadn't really been given a lot of chances to do what he wanted to do and she wanted to change that. It'd taken her sometime to get used to the idea but following impulses was one of the most wonderful things in the world.

As they spoke, she continued to follow his lead and even dared to step away and spin before returning to his arms.

"We could try someday." He's never really thought much about flying, but then, it's never been possible before. "Sansa told me I'll ride a dragon someday. Which is something I never would have believed before, but there are a lot of things I never would have believed before."

"Well, do you want too?" Her voice was sweet, light and direct. "If you want too then we will but you don't have too. I won't ever make you do something that you don't want to do." The song changes from one song to another though Inesa doesn't stop their dance. She was enjoying the conversation as well as the touch of his palm on her slender waist.

"I would like to try someday." If it's at all possible. He doesn't want either of them to get hurt in the attempt, of course.

She laughed and stepped a little bit closer as the music slowed into a softer tempo. "Then we will try."

Safely, of course.

"Tell me. We've been dancing for awhile now, do you think you like it or would you rather we stop?"

"Only if you think it will work." If she can't actually carry him, he doesn't want her to try.

"I think I like it." They get to be close to each other, and they can keep talking while they're like this.

"It will." She had no right to be as confident as she sounded but it made it very difficult to argue with her.

Her smile widened and a cute giggle escaped from her lips. "I like it too. As much as showing you new places." Though, she was always happy and enjoying herself when Jon was around.

"Then we'll try it." If she says so, that's good enough for him.

"We'll probably have more chances for finding new places than we will for dancing."

"We could dance in the new places we find." She laughed, her smile cemented in place while a warm blush continued to color her cheeks. "We don't need music to dance but I could sing for us."

She liked singing and was fairly good at it.

"Do you sing?" It's not something he knows much about. In Westeros he only would have done much singing if there was drinking involved. Otherwise it would have been left to the bards, and he'd never had the training for that.

"I do. I love to sing and I've been told that I sing well or, at least, I hope I do." She smiled up at him as they continued to dance. Everything with Jon felt so natural and comfortable. She wondered what it was about him.

"I can sing for you. If you'd like."

"I would like that." No one has ever done that for him before. What a change it would make to have someone who does.

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unknownmoirai - 2020-02-03 03:00 (UTC) - Expand

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