songerein | fourteenth shot ⊗ wedding day

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fourteenth shot ⊗ wedding day

Who: Eustace, Tifa, and anyone who wishes to join the wedding reception! RECEPTION IS OPEN INVITE so anyone can join in the log even if the characters don't know them!
Which: Open log
Where: Along a long stretch of the riverbank
What: It's Eustace's and Tifa's wedding and while their ceremony was private, they've invited anyone who wants some free food, drinks, and dancing to join in and have fun! For a visual reference of how things, we have an image board you can use.
Warnings: The gumdrops are lurking—

On a sunny, early afternoon of the 3rd, the ceremony takes place in a private setting at the Corgi Tree where Trahearne awaits to officiate. But by the time late afternoon hits and everyone from the ceremony and other guests arrive at the reception located at the Riverside, the area will have been completely transformed.

While there are no leaves left on the trees, they are decorated with hundreds of little glowing blue and red starflowers, and from the branches hang lanterns that flicker with firelight that give off enough warmth that it can melt away the cold beneath them. Those familiar with Tifa may recognize it as her own dreamotion magic fueling them, as well as the smaller lanterns at the center of each table. Seating is abundant at the long tables decorated in silk, and blankets are provided for people to take to keep warm if the fiery logs scattered about are not enough. Large flowery tree decorations stand tall on every table as the centerpiece, as well as plenty of flowers, courtesy of Oriphi and Isabela's Madrigal Blooms.

However, in spite of the comfortable heat that lingers, snowflakes fall from the sky and the treetops, and while they may be cool to the touch, they will melt away before they can touch the ground. Should one look up, not only will they see the snowflakes sparkling in the light, but there is a ceiling of stars that twinkle alongside them, speckled through the air and spreading outwards in all directions from wherever Tifa is.

To kick off the dancing will be the couple first, with a performance by Phantom. Everyone in attendance will be given a sparkler, and as the song reaches its climax, not only will the sparklers burst with light, but the snowflakes will shimmer a little brighter, and the hundreds of stars will erupt into thousands that spread through the Riverside and across the dance floor. Arcs of lightning and wisps of flame ripple through the crowds, some of them forming shapes in the air to paint pictures of a small rabbit and a wolf leaping between the glittering specks of light.

The rest of the night is dedicated to a good time, with the band playing a variety of different kinds of music to dance to. Alongside them will be more performances, including a song on the violin from Dohalim.

While the ceremony will be small and reserved for friends, the reception will be free to whomever would like to join or is just passing through. Seating is abundant, as is the food, so join in the festivities! Drink, dance, and celebrate! Be sure to grab the small bags of rose candy treats from the Flower Dogs.

Leave well wishes or words of advice for the couple on the GUESTBOOK (and if you have a gift, be sure to leave it there, too) before you leave! (Compiled version can be viewed here)

I. FOOD

The menu for the evening includes:

🌟 A variety of soups and stews, both meats and vegetables alike.
🌟 Freshly baked breads for dipping or to enjoy with jams, jellies, or butter.
🌟 An assortment of various meat dishes provided by Eustace and helped prepared by 76: chicken, duck, pheasant, beef, pork, deer.
🌟 Featuring a large wild boar hunted and prepared by Eustace in three different ways: braised, spicy chili barbecued, and roasted.
🌟 Stuffed potatoes, cooked greens, roasted fish.
🌟 Winter-themed desserts such as mini cakes, cookies, mousse, pies.
🌟 Special drinks courtesy of Diluc and Oriphi: S'mores coffee liqueur cocktail, Starry Night cocktail, mulled wine

Besides the delicious food that has been provided courtesy of Soldier:76, the game hunted by Eustace, a three-tiered cake baked by Sanji, as well as cocktails from At Day's End, there will of course be other treats and drinks for people to enjoy throughout the night.

S'mores stations will be set up, and people are free to use the fire pits that have been set up all around for warmth for toasting marshmallows that will change color depending on one's emotions. There is also a coffee, hot chocolate, and eggnog station set up next to it for all. Be careful, some of it might leave people feeling a little giddy after a cup or two. But don't worry, they're alcohol free, unless you'd like them not to be.

Because of the huge amount of food, there are takeout boxes available for anyone to use to take home! Please, take it. Take it.

II. ACTIVITIES

Besides dancing and general mingling, there are plenty of other things for those in attendance to enjoy at the riverside.

Thanks to the surge in dreamotion, bubbles will occasionally float from the river. If one is lucky enough to catch a glimpse into them, they will see a reflection of a happy memory, or even a hope or a wish for the future.

On the other side of the dance floor is a small photo station with a photographer who will happily take people's photos with his dreamotion camera. Preserve some memories with friends and loved ones!

Eustace has frozen over part of the river, so slip on some skates (provided) and enjoy a night of ice skating under the stars! There is plenty of snow to go around as well, so might as well make the most of it. Sculpt snowmen, snow animals, whatever your heart desires. And who knows, with enough dreamotion, that small snow rabbit or dog might come to life and prance around. Of course, it will cause no havoc, but they sure are cute. The corgis will also be around to pull around dog sleds for anyone who would like to go for a ride along the river. A perfect opportunity to practice for those sledding races.

For those looking for a quieter getaway from the festivities, there are some flowery and candlelit paths that lead down along the river should anyone need a break, as well as into the trees for someplace secretive and quiet. Anyone for a moonlight tryst, perhaps? But watch out for the singing fish. At least the white and pink gumdrops will have had a feast so they will be mostly behaving (but should they catch anyone they think might be particularly delicious, they won't hesitate–yes, this is a threat and they will not hesitate to join in on the festivities), but there are still sprigs of mistletoe for those who may want a little less "excitement"...

III. TRADITIONS

A. Flower Wreaths & Crowns. On every table beneath the flower decoration stand there is a basket of various winter flowers with a small note of instructions included inside (click the text).

"From the remote, distant snow covered islands of North Vast.

Due to the harsh climate, flowers are a rarity and the ones that manage to bloom and survive are treasured. Thus for my people, flowers are not seen as delicate but strong and persevering, providing color in an otherwise white world. They've become a symbol for the women who have had to help build and support their families.

For the wedding, the bride will gather flowers to give to all the women of the village so that they can create their own crowns and veils and join in celebration. Men can also create a token to give to their loved one, romantic or familial.

Throughout the festivities, women will take a flower and weave it into a special veil that the bride will wear once the festivities are over as a symbol of their support for her new journey ahead.

Feel free to participate or take them home for your own purposes.
Eustace."

Over by the table where Eustace and Tifa will be sitting will be a small table with the initial veil standing on display. Anyone with a flower is free to weave one in. Otherwise, as the note mentions, anyone is free to make their own flower crowns or other flower creations. There are plenty of flowers to go around (and can be readily restocked).

B. Catch a Shooting Star. Set aside is a small table with a series of glass jars of varying sizes. In front is a small card with Tifa's neat handwriting explaining what they are for (click the text):

"From Nibelheim.

At sunset, the children would be sent out to the grassy fields just outside of town to collect fireflies to bring back to the happy couple. It was never a contest, but we would always turn it into one to see who could catch the most in their jar. Emilio was quick so he usually won, but I came close once! My village was small, so there weren't a lot of chances for it anyway. Once the sun was gone, we would turn off all the town's lights and the couple would make a wish beneath the stars and set the fireflies free.

The wishes could be for good fortune or prosperity, or it could be a prayer to wish their loved ones well. We believed that, because they looked like the stars over Nibelheim, they were good luck, and could carry their wishes back to the Planet on their backs.

Unfortunately, it's a little too cold for fireflies to come out for that now, but I've taken my own twist on it. If you look up to the stars above your heads, they look a lot like fireflies, don't they? If you can spot a shooting star, catch it in one of these jars.

And, instead of giving them to me and Eustace, we'd love for you to hold onto the ones you do catch. Make a wish on them and if you want to release it with the hope that the wish will come true, then you can. Or you can keep them and hold onto that wish until the right time. The star will stay alive for as long as that wish you imbue into it does...

So whatever you do with it, hold that wish close to your heart.

- Tifa"

The stars she speaks of continue to twinkle well into the night, and while the shooting stars are fleeting, they are bountiful. They are quick, however, and sometimes, they may wind up stuck in treetops and will need help getting out, or they may land in someone's drink. As Tifa explained, should anyone catch one or several (however many they would like), they may free the stars so that the Planet may grant their wish, or hold onto that wish and bring the jar of stars home. If nothing else, they would make beautiful lights or decorations!

C. Paopu Fruit. On another table is a large bowl filled with star shaped fruits and a large pile of napkins (once you have a taste, you will see why there are so many.) There is a card for one to read in writing that is neither Tifa's nor Eustace's with a short explanation of what this is:

"Paopu fruits:

If two people share one fruit at the same time, their destinies become intertwined. They'll remain a part of each other's lives no matter what."

Inside the bowl are pieces of the Paopu fruit. While there weren't enough to offer whole ones for every guest, there are more than enough smaller pieces for anyone who would like to try this with their loved ones or even their friends. Destinies are not limited to significant others, after all, and should one wish to remember one another when this dream ends, that is all the reason they should need, yes?

According to Sora, the fruit should be bitten into at the same time, and they are very sweet and sour, "like a pineapple and a pear if they were fused together and made a baby." Hopefully there are enough napkins provided, as it might get a little messy!

IV. FLOATING LANTERNS

Towards the end of the night, a call is made out for everyone to gather by the banks of the river. There, tables lined with blank star and moon shaped paper lanterns can be found and everyone is instructed to feel free to decorate them with the provided flowers. There are also blank sheets of paper where everyone is encouraged to write down a wish, a hope, or dream and then insert into the small envelope already attached to the lantern. Once enough time for everyone to finish has passed, there is a final call for everyone to use their dreamotion to light them up and toss them up into the air so that they can fly high into the night sky, Eustace and Tifa releasing theirs first followed by the wedding party to lead the way. Don't worry, if anyone is unable to use their dreamotion, someone can assist.

But there's just one last "show" to cap everything off. After releasing their lanterns, Eustace will step back and raise his gun, Flamek, high into the air, small snowflakes and warm ripples of blueish white electric energy gathering around him. His voice, though quiet and low, is crystal clear as he recites the incantation.

"Flamek Thunder. Your hour is nigh. Take my heart and paint the skies. Heaven's Starfall!"
With each passing word, the wind around him billows, the distant boom of thunder rippling overhead along with flashes of light. It feels as if a storm is gathering, and yet rather than ominous it feels warmer, almost freeing. The blueish white electricity spins around Eustace as Flamek's barrel splits and opens, taking on a slightly different form as it gathers the energy around it. Pale red flames now join the electricity, and on the final word, Flamek releases it all, a blue and red beam of light blasting straight upward into the skies.

At first nothing seems to happen, but then the skies seem to ripple and shift before the once black sky is filled with wavy curtains of color, blues, whites, and reds shimmering like the northern lights found in colder climates. As the lanterns fly up higher, carried by a sudden gust of wind, they pass through the curtain, their lights flickering like stars against the colorful canvas.And slowly, gently, white starflower petals rain down like snow.

[ooc: THEY'RE MARRIED YAAAAY!! Feel free to make any toplevels and treat this like any other party mingle log. For anyone who'd like to make toasts or speeches, please include them in your toplevels!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[It's a long one for most people, really— especially as he comes from a world where most people aren't granted the dignity of a surname, but he gives the full name out of habit, regardless. Some habits formed while growing up noble are difficult to shake, even now, as he makes a concentrated effort to shed others.]

Something of a game in its own right, yes? A scavenger hunt of sorts.

[He claps his hands together a few times as she reaches the branch in question, reserved and polite.]

Well done!

Yeah, that's a nice way o' puttin' it. [She says with a smirk - and her smile grows prouder at her commendation.]

Aw, this was nuffin'! I'm sure even you coulda managed this if it weren't for your clothes.

[She seats herself cross-legged on the pouch, while withdrawing a bottle from her satchel, which she uses to quickly scoop up the little star.]

There! One wish for me! [She's not sure if she'll actually use that wish for herself, but that she'll keep to herself.]

Perhaps! I do not believe this to be one of my strengths even so, alas.

[The whole thing is very neatly done, and he steps back as he gestures broadly towards the ground before him, leaving her a wide area to jump down to if she so chooses.]

The way is clear, Miss Gina!

Wot if I wanted to see if I could land clean on yer shoulders?

[She teases while securing the bottle within her satchel. She grabs onto the branch and lowers herself so that she's dangling from it for the moment, before she drops herself the rest of the way to the ground. Landing neatly on her feet, she dusts herself off.]

There! Now we can start our great search!

[He laughs open as she lands, glad to see her descent was a simple matter.]

I've no doubt you could have managed such a landing, given your athleticism, but my posture may well have suffered for it. Indeed, we are free to begin our search— I can tell by the snow that the area a bit further down the path has not yet been heavily traversed.

[Fewer footprints means less competition, yes? Either way, he starts in that direction.]

So, may I ask which party you are best acquainted with? The bride or the groom?

[It's easy to tell from the way this guy talks that he's one of those well-educated types... His logic does seem sound, so she falls into step beside him going in that direction.]

The bride. Me an' Tif 'ave gone on a few adventures together. I ain't actually met the groom 'imself. Seems like a decent enough bloke, especially wiv all them dogs he takes care of!

[With a dog of her own, she can appreciate someone else looking out for so many puppers.]

Which do you know?

I am an acquaintance of the bride, as well— we are not as close as others, but we've had an adventure or two, and she has done me the honor of asking for assistance in training with staves.

[He smiles again, looking quite proud of that fact. He spent so much time after leaving Elde Menancia depending on others to teach him that he is glad to have the opportunity to pay it forward, whether it be dreamotion, staff arts or music.]

Both are quite good friends with people close to me, however. I wish them nothing but the greatest happiness.

I see. Friends o' friends, eh? Sounds like a good enough reason to me.

[She smiles, handed folded behind her head as they talk forward.]

I dunno much about this 'ole marriage business, but if they're 'appy together, let 'em keep at it. That sounds simple enough to me. An' if it means a fun party wiv lots o' good food, even if it's all a little fancy, that's extra good for me!

Fancy food not quite to your liking?

[He gives her an amused smile as he casts a glance her way, continuing towards the lesser-trodden part of the path.]

I suppose much of it is not exactly commonplace. Admittedly, my perspective in this area is a bit skewed.

Some of it is, some of it ain't. It just feels weird to be eatin' so rich sometimes.

[She shrugs.]

I guess it's the fancy atmosphere altogether. Never figured I'd end up goin' to parties so classy in the past is all.

[He nods his understanding. This sort of setting is one that was all too common in his past, at least in theory. The truth is that Eustace and Tifa's wedding is far warmer and more welcoming than any noble gathering he had attended in his youth, though he has always been fond of weddings in general.]

I see. I imagine it can be quite overwhelming when one is not used to it, but that is one of the things I have come to appreciate about this place. It doesn't matter how elegant someone is or isn't, and no event is too 'fancy' for anyone— or vice-versa. Everyone is always welcome.

That's a good way o' lookin' at it. [She smiles lightly.] Sounds like the way things should be. All this talk of splits between people, it's all rubbish is all it is. This place does make it easier... I guess takin' money out of the picture for the most part does wonders.

I quite agree with you.

[He nods; money is something he has always taken for granted, never had to worry about where it came from or how much, but he has learned a great deal about it and its impact on daily life since meeting his Dahnan friends. Not enough to keep him from being a reckless spender, but still something.]

Not having to worry with our daily needs being met means that people are not at odds over it. This place is far from perfect, but removing such worries from people's lives does seem to be an incredible equalizer. It does have idyllic qualities.

Idyllic sounds like it means sometin' good, right? [She guesses as she makes sense of her words.]

It makes sense. Money's at the root of a lot o' problems, so it's one thing this place does right. I think it's a good place to be overall. I just miss some people who ain't 'ere wiv us, an' some o' the sights back 'ome... plus, I feel like I still got some good I can do back there, too. It's a tough one, ain't it?

[He laughs softly, a warm sound rather than condescending.]

Yes- it means ideal, peaceful.

[He goes on to nod once more, offering his agreement.]

It is hard to imagine this place ever being home in full, when there are many of us who have things to do elsewhere, but if what we are told is true, then our waking selves are still carrying on about their business, doing what needs to be done. Still, it does not ease the anxiety in my heart, not knowing precisely what goes on while we are here- not being able to see what goes on with my own eyes. As you say, it is a ‘tough one.’

[She learned something today! Gina listens as he goes on and nods along here and there, while taking glimpses towards the bushes for any sign of a wishing star.]

Right, I get wot ya mean. All this dream business is real confusin' to begin wiv. But we're gonna go back to our real, wakin' lives either way, right? We just gotta take their word that this is exactly 'ow it works. Guess I should just 'ope I get to live the best o' both worlds, eh? An' 'elp 'em both, too.

[Learning never ends!]

We'll have to at some point, if all is to be believed, though I have my suspicions that there may be other options. Not everything about this world is known, after all— but we are in agreement. Hope to live the best of both worlds, and make the most, perhaps, of what we are able.

[He smiles again, approving.]

It is very telling that helping is so high on your list. It speaks well of you.

[She's not sure how staying here would work, but then, just being here can be confusing enough to think about.

In ant case, she seems mildly flustered by his compliment and looks away.]

Oi, it ain't a big deal or nuffin'. It's just wot feels right an' all.

[Luckily, she spots a distraction and points towards the bushes.]

Over there! I see sometin' sparklin'!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

fourteenth shot ⊗ wedding day

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