Winter Wonderland Holiday Party

[whiteas]

The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful.
And since we've no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

The song is playing in the elevator on the way up to what is normally the meeting hall floor, which has been cleared out so that they could "deck the hall" for the party. It's a Winter Wonderland theme, with white, blue, and silver being the main colors. Which, granted, tends to be a Schnee theme- but it's at least in season this time around. Crystal chandeliers and lights hang from the ceiling, looking like icicles, and there's a frosted tree in the center of the room. Upon closer inspection, it's a croquembouche that's been coated with white chocolate and sprayed with edible glitter, pulled sugar ribbons streaming down the sides of the edible 'tree.'

At each of the tables, there are small gift bags for each of the guests- nothing big, just little samplings of sweets from Cat's Meow Cafes. These are in addition, of course, to the family-style servings at each table of meals. Both chestnut waffles with blackberry-orange syrup and crown roasts were available as main dishes at each of the tables, along with a colorful medley of roasted vegetables and an assortment of different types of freshly baked breads in a basket at each dinner table. Every table also seems to have carefully poached and sliced apples and pears with vanilla or caramel sauce as a dessert. The center of the hall is, of course, cleared out for dancing surrounding a round stage where a live performance from Sonico Super is being performed. Individual orders for drinks (coffee, tea, egg nog for those over 18 only, water, or cider available).

Along the edge of the hall are many gifts lined up with bid tickets and boxes for a silent auction. All proceeds from the auction and ticket sales will, of course, go toward the Genessia Scientific Research Foundation's budget for the next year. Almost strategically, there seems to be a bar located toward the start of the auction traffic manned by After Life staff.

At 9:30pm as the evening winds down, guests will be asked to gather near the windows of the hall to watch the Nova City tree lighting. The view from up above in the tower is amazing, the gigantic tree wholly visible as it lights up on the ground below. The only obstruction of view is the lightly falling snow. If at any point it looked like it would stop snowing, you can bet that Weiss's Castform was up on the roof making sure that didn't happen.

Just as 10pm hits and the party is meant to end, all sides of the hall's glass walls light up with fireworks at once. A beautiful fireworks show finishes off the night.

Comments

[aurabble]

I don't know, I don't think this place plays by the same rules. [Pause.] This place is omnipotent.

[He knows that smirk. He holds his breath in trepidation, a little terrified about whatever Weiss did to his delicious chicken nuggets.

Her response is so underwhelming, he doesn't catch on at first.]

I don't... I don't understand. Vegetarians don't eat meat.

[whiteas]

I don't think that's true either. It isn't as if it hasn't had its... moments. [ Though it's pretty close, she thinks. ]

That's because it's not meat. You've been eating vegetables for a week and you thought it tasted better than your chicken nuggets!

[aurabble]

What kind of moments?

[... Horror, shock, disbelief. He can't settle on just one emotion.] You tried to imitate meat? You don't-- You can't just do that!

[He starts moving around, agitated. He's offended, Weiss.]

[whiteas]

The sky cracked- the barrier. Then allegedly Lord Tepes attacked the spirit who was trying to fix it while it was weak, though there's... questionable evidence of whether or not that actually happened since we haven't found a way to speak to the spirits except when they want to speak to us.

[ She looks so proud of herself. ] I didn't try to, I just found a high end one at the market. They offer a lot of organic and vegetarian solutions to common foods.

[aurabble]

So maybe the spirits are just part of it and there's someone more powerful--a main villain, a final boss of some sort, that we don't know about. We're trapped here, and the cities are pretty big, but I'm sure the planet itself is a lot bigger.

[He makes a face. He might be sulking.] I can't believe I've been eating veggies without even knowing it. Is that why I've felt different?

[whiteas]

Jaune, I'd rather focus on fact than worry about a fictional infinite loop of nefarious world-stripping minion possibilities. If we find out that you're right or we have some evidence that could point to that, sure, but I'm not going to assume it before we do.

[ Basically, that's exhausting and would just induce paranoia that she doesn't have time for. ]

Different as in better?

[aurabble]

I'm just saying it's a possibility. And we need to be prepared for anything.

[Should he be honest? He's worried it will just encourage her.] I guess. I don't feel as sluggish sometimes and it's easier to keep paying attention. But that could be completely unrelated!

[whiteas]

Anything but not everything.

[ Weiss has learned very well that if you try to be prepared for everything you just screw yourself over anyway. ]

No, that's literally what vegetables do. I'm buying those from now on.

[aurabble]

But it doesn't it make some sense?

[He groans and slumps in defeat, covering his face.] I'm going to combine them.

[whiteas]

About the same amount of sense as saying that the spirits who are in charge of keeping us in here are following the instructions of an all-powerful pasta parrot who just wants us arounnd so it can learn our languages for its foreign language studies in pasta parrot school.

[ So basically, it could be true but there's no evidence so she's not going to prepare for it. ]

You couldn't even tell the difference visually, but I'll accept that.

[aurabble]

It's pastable, Weiss. We've literally been pulled here from our world to one with telepaths and Pokemon and time travelers and a pasta parrot is too impossible for you?

[He folds his arms.] It's not about how it tastes or looks, it's an ideal.

[whiteas]

That's exactly my point, Jaune. It's just as possible as what you said, it doesn't meant I'm going to start making meatball cannons in preparation for a spaghetti war.

[ She's pretty sure she made her point Jaune!! ]

That's stupid.

[aurabble]

[He looks disappointed she didn't catch his pun. Oh well.] I wish you would so I can eat them.

How can you say that?

[whiteas]

[ Oh she caught it. She just lives with Yang so she's got a mental block against accepting them in normal conversation except when she tries to make them. ] I will not.

[ WHY.. ] You're the one not making any sense!

[aurabble]

[But he tried so hard.] Then I'll get someone else to.

I'm not making any sense? You just insulted meat. Do you know how important meat is? It's delicious! And it's something for everyone to share, even when things look bad. I just... I can't believe you right now.

[whiteas]

Good luck convincing anyone to make meatball cannons.

Meat has its benefits, but you already admitted that the vegetarian substitute tastes better and makes you feel better. Also, you can substitute anything that's in meat with non-meat alternatives and still be incredibly healthy. Also fish tastes better. You're just making things up about "ideals."

[aurabble]

Hey, I can be persuasive too.

Comparing fish to meat would be like comparing a blueberry smoothie to a mocha one it just doesn't go together. I like salmon though, I'll give you that. I would never make that up.

[whiteas]

I know you can. But I also can't see anyone wasting their time on that.

Blueberry smoothies and mocha smoothies are all mostly sugar; you have them as a treat, not as a main staple of your diet.

[aurabble]

That's because you see it as a waste of time. It isn't. It's...inventive.

But they taste different! I'm not saying you should have them as a main staple-- Even if now, I'm thinking that should be a thing, I'm saying you can't really compare the two. They're both wonderful in different ways.

[whiteas]

The meat would spoil before you could eat it. Also, it'd get covered in dirt and bacteria and either Dust or gunpowder if you fired it.

...Your logic is out of this world.

[aurabble]

You know most bacteria doesn't hurt you, right? It's why we can eat stuff off the floor.

So is my Dust fighting skills.

[whiteas]

You are absolutely not supposed to eat anything off of the floor. How have you survived this long?

Yes, I would agree that they're somewhere on another planet.

[aurabble]

Your body builds up defenses against the bad stuff-- What? You've never heard that before? Plus it's like my mom says, I have an iron stomach.

...Oh.

[whiteas]

That sounds fake.

But you're doing remarkably well for such a short time. [ You just can't catch up to Weiss just like that, she spent her whole life being the daughter of the SDC. She'd be embarrassed if he caught up that quickly. ]

[aurabble]

It's not fake! If it was fake, why do so many people follow the five second rule?

[He glances up, meeting her eyes. He doesn't say anything--he can't, but there's a small, almost sad smile, as if he doesn't believe her but it still means a lot to him.] I have a good teacher.