A Dance with Dragons

[strongworld]

Who: You!
Where: Li Yu Tiao
When: May 24th - 31st
What: The Festival of Dragons!
Status: Open!

That special time of year has arrived when the Typhoon Grips allow safe passage to the Sky Islands. Here on Li Yu Tiao, the Festival of Dragons is about to begin. During this time, the villagers celebrate the koi that pass through their island to spawn and the great dragon that guards their land with its powerful magic.

From the opening, the streets will be filled with music, dancing, and indulgence. Grab some incredible local food and sample the fine alcohol brewed on the island. The hot springs are open to adults in the evenings and offer both separate and communal baths.

From May 25th until the 27th, the Dragon's Judgement Tournament will take place. The tournament is single-elimination, in which combatants can win either by amassing points by connecting with their hits, or by submission. Only nonfatal weapons are allowed and killing is strictly forbidden. The winner of the tournament will gain the title of the "Dragon's Hand" for the next year, and will be gifted with a crimson robe and a golden dragon statue.

On the 30th, a large stage is erected in front of the Dragon Gate. At sundown, the woman decided to be the most beautiful on the island will perform a dance on the stage. She will be dressed in a robe of glittering gold and a headpiece resembling a koi's whiskers. The dance is said to entice the koi into the next stage of their lives. During the dance, a single koi will leap through the gate and be transformed into a great dragon with impressive rainbow-colored scales. It is said this dragon's magic keeps the island tethered to the Dragon Gate and is the source of its wonderful weather. As the dance completes, the dancer's dress transforms into a pair of brilliant wings, and she takes into the air to live as the dragon's bride and protector. The two will then depart together for the mountain's summit. While the dancer is almost exclusively a local villager, it is not unheard of for an outsider to be selected for the role.

Comments

[myfayevalentine]

*Faye couldn't help it - there was just something very attractive about being lifted so easily and so carefully by him. As he held his arm around her waist to stabilise her, Faye made it even easier by pressing herself up against him, her cheeks slightly pink*

Already? Okay. I guess.

*When they were both firmly on the ground on the other side, Faye slipped her arm around his waist again, looking up into his face, clearly impressed*

So, what happens now?

[crankyshark]

[he smiled down at her and gave her waist a little squeeze] now we enjoy....[he gestured to the area behind them that had been what the wall was concealing. It was an Asian garden, very carefully landscaped and well-cared for. Although it was night time, the stars, moon and little stone lanterns here and there provided enough illumination to see the beauty of the place. There were willow trees, flowering bushes, koi ponds, decorative bridges, and occasional statues of dragons]

Pretty nice place, huh?

[myfayevalentine]

*When Faye turned to look at the garden, her gasp and the expression on her face showed that she was clearly taken by surprise, and clearly impressed with the garden*

Holy shit...This place is beautiful.

*She spoke very softly, as though feeling that this wasn't a place for loud noises, like she wants to keep the peace undisturbed*

This is a good job for a handsome stranger...

*Faye turned to him with a wink, her smile still bright*

[crankyshark]

Heh, y'think so? [he returned the smile and took her hand, walking towards a pond with pretty red and green trees hanging over the after, which had some shiny beautiful koi swimming in it]

[myfayevalentine]

It's perfect...

*Faye walked with him, seeming happy and peaceful as she gazed around them. At the pond of koi, Faye knelt down by the edge, dipping her fingers into the water*

[crankyshark]

[a couple of koi came over to her fingers curiously, and one of them even nibbled at it. Thash stood beside her just watching the water, admiring the beauty of the starlight reflected on it over the koi]

[dystopiadreams]

You know...if I was rich enough, and I could have any garden in the universe, I'd choose this one...

*She giggled a little as the fish moved around her finger*

[crankyshark]

Wow, you like it that much? I guess it is really nice...must take a lot of maintaining. [from down the hill it was hard to tell how large the area enclosed by the wall was but now they could see the garden was easily ten acres or larger]

Wanna walk around a bit? I don't think anyone will be up here for a while...

[myfayevalentine]

*She stood up and turned to him, touching her damp fingers against his neck. After linking arms with him, Faye started to walk through the gardens, towards one of the little bridges*

You could win over any girl if you brought her here...

[crankyshark]

[it was such a simple thing, feeling her wet fingers on his neck. But for some reason it sent a shiver down his spine and even made him blush a little. He started to walk with her]

Any girl huh? Heheh...well I'm glad I brought you.

[myfayevalentine]

*Faye grinned broadly at his reaction, and she was still smiling when she paused at the bridge. She leaned against the edge and looked out at the water before, sparkling a little in the light of the moon and the lanterns*

So peaceful... Makes a change, huh?

[crankyshark]

Yeah...probably one of the most peaceful places I've ever been [sort of ironic considering he'd be fighting in an un-peaceful tournament later on]

[when she stopped to look out at the water he came up behind her and put his arms around her tentatively, as if he wasn't sure she'd allow it]

[myfayevalentine]

A big house, with a big garden like this. That would be perfect...

*When she felt his arms around her, she smiled down at the water and lifted his arms so that she could hold them around herself even harder*

[crankyshark]

[at that sign of acceptance he have her a little squeeze, the front of his body now pressed up against her back]

Yeah, that sounds fantastic...so I'll get it for you. Someday.

[of all the things he'd playfully said that night, he actually sounded pretty serious about that]

[myfayevalentine]

*It felt so good to have him so close after so long of her keeping her distance, of being worried that she'd hurt him. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment, and at what he said, her head began beating a little faster. She stroked a hand along one of his arms then held it close*

...I missed you.

[crankyshark]

Likewise...[he leaned his head down to kiss her ear softly]

Sorry I keep getting my tail kicked.

[myfayevalentine]

You just need to stop throwing yourself into situations if you know you're going to get hurt. But..you're getting much better at that.

*Faye sighed a little when he kissed her ear, but she didn't sound unhappy*

Hey, at least I've got a better chance at looking after you now, since I took that course.

[crankyshark]

Yeah, I try...I guess I know now to avoid schools of large sea creatures in this world since it's basically a guarantee that a monster is hunting them...um, I did enter into that tournament...is that okay? No killing is allowed and I'll forfeit if I'm badly outmatched.

...also, I really appreciate you taking that course. You'll be able to contribute more to the whole crew...not that you weren't contributing plenty already

[myfayevalentine]

You know..I could pretend to be angry or surprised that you've entered the tournament but, I'm not. As soon as I saw the posters in two I figured you'd have entered.

*She tensed a little in his arms when he said about contributing to the whole crew - that was a sore point already. But she relaxed a little more when he added that extra bit at the end*

Yeah, well... I do my best.

[crankyshark]

Heh, you know me too well...[he nodded at the last thing she said] and that's all anyone can ask.

[he cuddled a little closer to her, nuzzling her neck a bit]

[myfayevalentine]

I do.

*Faye sighed a little, but nuzzled back into him to let him know that she wasn't mad with him*

And you'd better win, because I'll be there to cheer you on.

[crankyshark]

Heh with that motivation, how could I lose? [he heard a voice nearby and was suddenly alert, sniffing the air. He saw something moving in the shadows of a willow tree nearby, but when he smelt and dimly saw what it was, he relaxed]

Let's go over there, [he said quietly, leading the way towards the tree and beckoning Faye to follow him]

[myfayevalentine]

*Faye could sense his body tensing in alert and she wriggled to turn in his arms to face him. She wasn't sure what it was that he'd seen or heard, but he didn't seem worried, so she happily walked quietly after him, reaching out to hold his hand*

[crankyshark]

[he took her hand and led her under the willow tree nearby. Under it, a white-spotted deer with fuzzy antlers had been watching them. It must have been domesticated because it didn't seem fearful of them, though it watched Thash cautiously because of his unusual shape and skin color]

[myfayevalentine]

*Faye just smiled and looked up at Thash, leaning against him as she looked back down at the deer*

I think he likes you - he keeps looking at you.