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

[seakingbait]

[While most people would agree that sipping on straight liquor would get you less drunk than chugging fruity mixes, the almost undetectably little booze in Keimi's normal drinks means that she is taking in a lot more than she would had Sanji mixed her something.]

My cheeks are really warm, now. [She giggles between sips.]

[judgementscythe]

[Lorelai giggles a little and then takes the glass from Kiemi's hand and puts it back on the counter]

That's a sign that it's time to stop drinking. I'm glad we got to really spend time together today.

[seakingbait]

[Keimi lets out a small whine as Lorelai takes her drink just as she was starting to enjoy it.]

I just can't believe we cuddled without any clothes on.

[Sharing a dorm, it was far from the first time they had seen each other naked, but to hold each other without a shred of clothing between them took a boldness that Keimi didn't know she had.]

[judgementscythe]

Do people here bathe with clothes on?

[She thinks back and tries to imaging how Tetsu would have reacted to someone wearing clothes in one of his baths. It wasn't a pretty thought.]

I think that's a capitol offense with any of the public baths I've been to

[seakingbait]

No, but I've never touched someone while naked before. I'm not sure what came over me.

[judgementscythe]

[she smiles at that. It was true for her as well. She didn't get like this. The last time she felt like this was with someone she hadn't seen in years.]

I know how you feel. It's been a long time since I've felt this way.

[seakingbait]

[Keimi smiles, her hands folded in her lap.]

I would, um, be okay with doing it again.

[judgementscythe]

[Lorelai kind of blushes at that.]

I would too. It was, well, really nice.

[seakingbait]

[And then Lorelai had a mermaid sprawled across her lap. She looks up at her friend happily.]

[judgementscythe]

[Lorelai just sort of sits there with a smile on her face and runs her hand through Kiemi's hair.]

[seakingbait]

That feels really nice... [She coos, her tail flicking playfully.]

[judgementscythe]

[Lorelai just smiles down]

We need to do this more often. Spending time, just the two of us.

[seakingbait]

We do. I could stay here all night.

[Keimi reaches out for the hand Lorelai isn't using to play with her hair.]

[judgementscythe]

Why don't we then?

[seakingbait]

[Lorelai you make a compelling argument.]

If I'm not intruding on anything... [She smiles up at her.]

[judgementscythe]

Yes, [she smirks] sitting off to the side alone would surely be ruined by adorable company.

[seakingbait]

[She giggles and grabs a blanket to cover herself up to her nose.]

[judgementscythe]

[Lorelai leans down and lays a kiss on Kiemi's forehead. Maybe it was time to progress this.]

[seakingbait]

Oh.

[She blushes, looking up at her from behind her blanket.]

Lori-chin...

[judgementscythe]

Sorry, I couldn't help myself.

[she giggles]

Is that ok?

[seakingbait]

Uh-huh...

[Her cheeks were practically steaming.]

[judgementscythe]

[she moves Kiemi's head off her lap and stands up and moves around the bed and snuggles in behind Kiemi, wrapping her arms around her under the blankets.]

I'm glad I bought a new bed at the summit.

[seakingbait]

It's cozy... [She coos, tangling her fingers with Lorelai's.]

I think I'll start sleeping here, too.

[judgementscythe]

[she snuggles in tighter]

I'd like that.

[seakingbait]

[She turns around to face Lorelai, pushing herself tight against her.]

This is my side of the bed, okay? [She giggles up at her.]