NationStates Jolt Archive

((OC- This takes place at the same time as the Trade Conference (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=509045) thread, celebrating the next ten days (or so) till and unto the big holiday.

Just jump in or what/however anyone wants. =^^= ))

-----------------

*December 15, 3391*

The day was a marked difference from the one prior for the Sphere, as a serene change, prepared a good month in advance by Climatizers around the Republic Core Worlds, began to literally blanket each world in the original republic expanse.

Terraforming and optimal advancements of the Core Worlds gave ample ability, the two hundred and twenty-first version for the reason why, the scene began literally on the terminus of each world as their clocks passed the end of December 14th into the 15th. It was the first time it all was done on such a scale, with the war and all, a reason why for this scale on so many worlds was seen as proper by the Council.

The Capital World of White Diamond/Sapphire is good enough excuse, as it had been done here the longest anyway. Sphere citizens all around the Empire-Republic came and even stood for hours in places around the world, some chasing ahead, others behind the terminus as it progressed, it was even covered like many of the fireworks displays in space on many holovid broadcasts.

An hour before midnight at the Planetary Demarcator of Local System Time, the Lattitude line between days standard in the entire Sphere, the clouds finally obscured the normally clear stars all around the demarcator for thousands of kilometers in all directions. The movement of the demarcator was tracked by sattelite control, and followed by the Climatizer Control Stations, keeping pace with the planet's revolution. The 24.6 hour period of orbit was kept in pace the entire time. This was incredibly important to pull this off. Precision was tatamount.

The resultant at that hour, it began to snow. All along the entire lattitudinal terminus, at all longitudes, and once it started, it became a nearly ten foot blanket within a few hours. The trailing climatized snowstorms were at most power within a five minute window of the arrival and passing of the terminus line. Very few observers that witnessed all this, stayed outside for very long. When it started dumping, visibility was reduced to blindness. If not for GPS-IV systems in orbit, aerocraft and shuttles would even crash from blind piloting and even clogged intakes. Temperatures dropped to minus five degrees Celsius, from a sharp drop from well over thirty where it had been for a standard Sphere week. This made the air supercooled, and dried out the falling snow, so icy sticking was kept to the first few minutes of the passing terminus snow storm.

Those in flight behind, soon retreated to the power of controlled mother nature, those ahead kept 'well' ahead for a while, then went to orbit to see the awsome effects. Those on the ground found shelter 'very' quickly within twenty minutes of the passing of the terminus storm, or had portible shelters or very long lasting personal shields to withstand the obviously harsh elements.

Kids got to play in the fresh white stuff as it literally dumped and dumped, until the cold made them retreat too, or at least chided inside for Hot Cocca and Cider. (Plenty of supplying planets for this event too.)

From orbit, it was a strange, yet serene sight, as the night terminus began passing from the Demarcator of each world, as slowly over an average of 27.3 hours over all worlds, the surface of each inhabited planet went from a jumbled slate of colors of normal surface compositions, to a dual tone slate white and winter blue, as the blankets were literally drawn across each world, like a sheet over an extremely large bed.

As this took place, the images were broadcast far and wide, the height of the Startica celebration this year was Christmas, Sphere Alliance style. Now that they were open again with the rest of the Alpha Universe, they wanted to share the joy of the season very literally with the other nations outside the Sphere Realm.

---

That night at the Holy Palace Tree, everyone bundled warmly, as many watched the terminus pass over Minas Jurai`alheim, the crystal city of life and prosperity recieved it's own white veil.

Almost as soon as it started falling decently, Ayeka and Ryoko got into a snowball fight, dragging most of the others into it.

Otherwise it made for a happy, sappy, family moment. The Excellency family at the head of a huge overlook, endured the once a year moment, of the old and new sides of the Kerensky BloodHouse. Terrai and Jeain held together, Caladeni, Alusair and Luriena the Sisters Princessas three and Ashar, Excellenca Onisama held to the left of Aleaic and his family, Tsunami, Arashi and Jennifer, Lady Excellencies three, and to the right of this, Isarra, Sirrana, and Diana, Lady Princessas three their own. Within an hour, they were well snow tressed, but not with a care otherwise.

"Nice show we put on this year." Tsunami giggled out. Aleaic in a three way embrace long well practiced, smiles. "Only the beginning. Think the other nations are ready for it?"

"Heck no." Arashi put. "But that's the fun ot it."

"Yupo." Jennifer echoed.

What the heck did the Gaians have in store for the 'rest' of the Universe?!

Washu: "Nay nay, no snooping guys.... *evil robot Xmas laugh*"

---

:: ~ GANN Holoservice Vidcomm

Today begins the 221st Christmas celebration, the ten day celebration of the festive season all throughout the Sphere Alliance. With the recent war still in most minds, now comes the time to give peace it's forefront once more.

The Blanket Event that started it, is also the first time all Core Worlds of terretrial atmosphere habitation has undergone this event, all simultaneously, with the last scheduled world of Salford Prime in the Salford Star System occuring in another seven standard hours.

Citizens all about the Sphere Alliance and Confederacy have come to witness this unique event, and invitations to foreign nations have been sent as well. It promises to be one splendid holiday season.

This is Kalana Hostya reporting. ~ ::

Everything indeed was getting started............

*16 December 3391*

Daylight broke over many worlds with the sight of thick white blankets, yuletide joy and a good number of runny noses. Almost immediately after the traditional first snow walk outside in the mostly clear skies (A few places for the overcast sunrise treatment..) many homes were decorated with care, more than a few like they replaced regular building materials of crystal, titanium and transparent aluminums with Xmas decorations.

The first day was about decorating, giving small trinkets to even passers by, and the vaunted snowman building contest. Even CAG and FACAF Units engaged in ice cold competition as they conducted building extravagant snowmen (or armies in the case of Xeta Galaxy) in as heated a manner as battlefield exercises.

It was a sappy time everyone had fun partaking in.

TAG for now. Should be an interesting break from everyday RP's. Now to think of a good response... Consider this a place holder...

TAG for now. Should be an interesting break from everyday RP's. Now to think of a good response... Consider this a place holder...

((OC- Nudges at the very top of the first post... =^^= ))

---

After the initial TC opening events, the Center was as treated to the Christmas theme as the rest of the capital city. By nightfall, large swaths would be covered in halogenic lights, wreaths and trimmings as large as building stories run all across the city. The Palace Tree began to fully twinkle as the Hikari Trees made the Palace Tree glow and sparkle.

Soft harmonic music would flow through the open air between forested crystal spires as hover traffic passed by.

Beyond the Hikari Gulf was actually partially iceburged despite the salt sea of primus make, temperatures made heavy coats and heat lined accounterments, especially the famous Gaian scarfs, normal length scarfs that could be expanded to triple length for those intimate times, and could warm in an aura that kept at bay the elements for awhile.

Oh, and for those that wondered about slipping, the scarfs also were hewn in with micro-nanites that maintained the heat aura, but also could project a momentum stabilization beam in concert, preventing a person from actually slipping. Stability was mostly maintained as long as a person wasn't fully shoved beyond the ability of the field to maintain balance. As such, it was common for friends to give kin the 'white veil', if such was obvious to passersby. This usually was accompanied by big fat snowball fights after.

Anyone passing by, watch their heads. =^^=

*Evening - December 16th 3391

Minas Jurai'alheim City Proper*

There were not so much roadways between the gargantuan, interlinked structures of hewn crystal, whitesteel and other hyperadvanced, exotic materials that made up the Capital City skyline, the first Snow long past, but the temps kept cold as all heck (-5 ambient Celsius) so the gleaming walkways that were double normal width for a terran traffic highway, of crystal, many meteres thick below foot alone, were well covered with snowfall.

Still, this didn't keep populace of all Sphere citizen types from walking along, looking at the continual placement of decorations, around the clock, by different shifts of city caretakers and droid assistants. Some in large hovertrucks hefted huge gleaming bulbs of crystal, then hanging and connecting them to certain hangs of gigantic wreaths, where conduit power applied makes for floating lights all atwinkle.

For all the alien look of the buildings meshed amid the huge forested canopies of laden white, of which occasionally was allowed to float drift free some snow from weight and friction movement from traffic, another 'risk' of window shopping, where from above could easily look like a crystal version of Coruscant's city blocks, though more tiered in places, had at the base of things, a familiar terran sight. Planet of shoppes and arcades lined the sidewalls and amid the middle of many wider walkway stretches, with places to get that nice gift for a loved one. Aside from economics of it all, where all had near unlimited resources to call upon anyway, penchant to find a new doodad from a Confederacy world of recent addition of the past year, found it's way to all the Core Worlds.

Braving the slick streetwalks, traffic flying overhead making for floating drifts of snow occassionally upon passers by, they took in the time free of other concerns to enjoy, for it's own pure sake.

Sometime however, and it happened often more than one thinks, by humor of unknown design, souls looking at other things, find each other instead.....

----------

He purused like many others, away from the others from Jeweled Nebulae-SSC Echo-III/Prime's JN City Command Colony. If it sounds like a mouthful, being a soul from a nebulae cluster with seven integrated star systems also held many friends of familiar note.

Friends, but nothing closer beyond family's own touch. Being on a free day to go whereever Aison liked gave him chance to visit the Capital World, an honestly told favority destination, besides the technology center of Tanite Worlds-VI and Sien, everyone's favorite Hot Springs vacation planet and System. (Terraforming did wonders with enough time...)

The Capital of Capitals was the hub for all that was the Guardianship. Sure, Aison saw his fair share of aliens, celestials and droids on many an occasion, though he was only seventeen years currently. Nowhere close to ages for genetic refreshment medical enhancements, he still saw fair share of what was out there. At least he liked to think he knew something of being in a universe that was more magical than real it easily seemed.

He wasn't ready yet to make a formal choice of where to make his first career, no one pushed it anyway, so he was here for nothing more than anyone else was.

He was looking around.

"Oh, the latest hPods. Eh, more Nergal influenced stuff." ..he quipped, looking at a transparasteel display of new models of what terrans call iPods, save for the holographic interface, more options than even old terran cellphones could dream of, and all sorts of options, at basic stock level. Upgrade models, once he reached appropriate age and certification training, could upload biological and security data for a hover-car or even a shuttle unit.

His eye was more on the latest holographic laptop comp-units beyond the glass laden displays. The high tech upscale that was the import of all individual enthusiasts of all kinds. That, and the Persocoms-XII/Cs that were lined along a far wall, or walking around as shoppe help, the 'real' computers here.

Course such curves for a young male his age was still a bit taboo. He needed to prove he was responsible enough before he could have that kind of a 'laptop', since once one was acquired, it was a formal citizen under the owners name. The rest was ethical logic.

Aison just blushed the thought away, anyway. He got the idea what he was going to get, after mentioning a vidadvertisement for a Wasa-356 holotop model. The thing was more waterproof than his baby sister was with an absoprtion-cyclic suit.

He wished he could window browse more, but he wouldn't get the chance.

He first tore his mind away from the techy stuff, and went towards a centerway vending booth, where ocean-gallons of hot cocca and cookies were easy to be had. The cold air and light shivvering as people walked after eating tended to keep the wieght down.

At least, he 'was' intending for such a snack, after a few hours of all this window shopping, Aison got only a few steps before a 'yelp' caught his attention off his left. Actually a few others around him too, but him in particular, as a 'YiYiYiYi..' sound was coming at him a icebreaking speed!

"What the?"

He saw a glowing female with long white and green hair sliding too fast at him, yelping... "HELP! THIS SCARF ISN'T WORKING RIIIIGWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!" ... right at him!!

Aison tried to move fast enough, but 'that' was enough to break the tension field strength the scarf gave, and he couldn't move fast enough given the conditions! (Gotta love winter...) Only one person was in the way of the screaming girl, and Aison got CLOBBERED with her a split second later, smack into a thick snowdrift. Others looking on wince at the impact.

All Aison saw was something white, then his eyes slammed into blank white, and then the two of them drenched in more white as a snow tuft from a tree branch above dumped on them from the impact.

Under the drift, two pained moans muffle out....

(...el continuous......)

*December 17th, 3391*

"With this we can make this a real season of miracles, for.. well.. just about everyone we can think of."

Aleaic was standing actually flabergasted at the sight. Everything about the contraption he saw, looked like one big santa workshop, except with lack of color, it could look just like a simple teleporter connected to a conveyor belt, to a industrial replicator with a number of holographic communication transcievers all about it.

He then looked at a beaming Washu, wondering if she finally had lost it. "Um..."

Washu just eyes back blankly. "Well this 'was' that nutty idea you had, This is the nutty result. Interesting what you can do with simple off the shelf technologies and components. I presume the last navigational cartography data for MWCG is as updated as the last Sphere data."

Aleaic just scritched his melon. "Well that's what what Yurika said."

Washu just smirked, and turned back at the contraption she conccocted up. A simple teleporter long range Fold unit, industrial replicator with more than ample material stock, and those coordinates, equals to the need for a guy in a jolly red suit.

"How do you look in red boya?"

"Wha?" Aleaic looked over at Washu inquisitively, not seeing two female forms sneaking up behind him..................

-------------

The entire day was a blur to Aison, almost from the moment he recovered from the collision.

It wasn't as much a blur to Harp as it was more magic to 'her' instead.

---

*That snow pile moment the night before*

A few of those passersby a moment after the impact, leap in to all but shover the snow off the glowing aura smothered within. By the time an Avian, two Steel Angels and an off-vacation CAG warrior got the snow off, both regained their senses, and feeling of soothing off pain from the impact.

"~ Are you both okay? ~" ..the Avian asks, before noticing...

...that the two noticed each 'other'. Aison was about to ask if she was okay, (Gaians are almost 'too' well mannered..) when she said.. "Sorry abou...... oh my.."

The two snow covered beings end up in one of those sappy eyelocks of 'that' kind, even as the others helping reach them. It doesn't take the passersby to realize it too. "You two okay? Hello? Uh...."

"~ They're fine... ~" ...the Avian puts with a deep whistle-chrip chuckle. "More than." ...one of the Steel Angel's giggles in addition.

Aison meanwhile is indeed christmas smitten, as it's obvious a 'real' angelic is laying on top of him, circumstances neverthemind, one that has the word beautiful bouncing around his noggin over and over. By that time, the small crowd had their yuletide giggle and gave them both their space, after which....

"Harp..."

Aison blinked his eyes. "Wha...?"

She suddenly took advantage of the moment, and just glommed fast onto Aison, taking his even more aback! "Ohhhhhh... this is one of those moments my class told me about. *nuzzling over and over.* I didn't think it could ever happen, but... *happy squeal over and over*"

Aison manages out between being squeezed like his older sister does to the family cabbit. "Wa... *wheeze* ...wait a... *WHEEZE* ...are you... *GASP* ...please wa... *CRICK*..."

She suddenly gets up and pulls Aison up with her, into another tight glom.... "*GACK!!* ...you know how to hug."

She giggles and starts pulling Aison in some random direction past a few still looking on, or just scampering out of the way. (At least THEIR scarfs work. =oO=?? )

"Wait! Wait already! Where you going?!"

She just giggles out. "Who cares!" ...and keeps pulling him along. He doesn't realize the ride of his life just started.

The evening ended in a fun, if somewhat cornea obliterating way, with the traditional Christmas lighting competition, between Tsunami's father Azusa Masaki, and Aleaic's father, Terrai Kerensky.

Those that have seen all those old Terran movies, or recent Gaian network vids of two neighboors with somewhat 'healthy' competitive spirits in Christmas time, or such similar nonsensical... err... nonesense, could have abasic idea of what this was all about.

Ever since the first Christmas on old Motherworld Terra after Aleaic and Tsunami's magical meeting in Coral Springs, Florida Territory, their parents had engaged in a two hundred and twenty five year competition of the Christmas version of Romeo and Juliet, where the family feud part was concerned. (It actually got 'that' bad the very first year even between Al and Tsui, not much better since then either.)

Essentially, a healthy bet of Egg Nog vs. fifty year old Brandy as the prizes for the loser and winner respectively, became a yuletide war of the lights. A minor use of imagination could give the strain it was on the local power grid that year. It was finally stopped by a mutual truce alliance of wives that had enough. (That and the other neighbors complained of the brown outs.)

All the years since, as technology ability increased, it grew more extravagant, to the point it was a Sphere wide event.

All day long and up to the lighting ceremony, the two were on top of two large old style houses putting up a huge dual display that they had 'team' help with, even cheerleaders and bands playing along.

The end of the day though would be one of memory this time however, to many a chagrin this year....

(...et tat continua..)

The Gaian 'Comm-Orbs' as they called them were dealt a short and rather unusual message. Once the Gaians managed to even read the distinctly alien software used to create the 'font' contained within the transmission, they would simply find a direct excerpt taken from their very own message, that which they'd sent out several days ago. The message was obviously sent by someone with little to no experience or understanding of languages beyond their own tongue - that much was evident as they had singled out the one word which had completely defied all of their attempts to translate it. Unable to find either meaning or context, they resorted to asking the only people whom they thought might know - the people who had sent that darned perplexing message in the first place.

"Christmas"?

:: ~ "Christmas?" ~::

Interesting question to put to a civilization that cherished such so, to ones that never considered such things as the Gaians do. As the Gaian founders were all originally volunteer Terrans that willingly followed Aleaic's dream for the 'Empire of Light', after his literally enforced position as the Power Representia. (One had to be there...)

Lady Seto got the message on December 17, it would take to the day of Christmas itself to route the signal back to the proper source. How to reply was the trick of it all. How to explain it without being too blunt, or even insensitive to the authors of the query.

----

That night of the lighting competition between two fathers, there was more yuletide rousing, and almost soccer crowd enthusiasim (sorta of the Brazillian semi-riot quality..) as Terrai and Azusa got the last lights up (their helpers did actually..) while shouting crude age related jibes at each other all day.

Jeain, Misaki and Funaho just visited twice, once to bring food for the helpers, and another to mutually shake their heads at the unlit spectacle of gwadiness.

Those that knew better at the time, when the time came for the light contest, already had retreated somewhere safe. (To a moon or other far distance...) Even at the final countdown the two were still shouting unmentionables as the not as experienced crowd still there counted down like it was New Years Eve. At zero the two hit mutual respective remote buttons on archaic boxes that looked anything but technologically advanced...

Cheering screams soon became plain ones a few seconds later as the local city lights 'actually' dimmed from the sheer amount of light being displayed.

One looking kinseth as it was occuring, asked his mother.. "Mommy? Is that how stars are made?"

--

Lady Seto was writting a reply to the simple query, as the overlook window behind her grew increasingly bright. After hitting a smart window tinting button, she typed out, and sent it out over the same comm frequency it was recieved.

..give the Sphere credit for deciphering more languages and sending the same than was probably legally allowed by Universal law. (If there was such things beyond physics and space lawyers..)

:: ~ How to explain one word, with so many. For us though, we don't even usally think too much on it, unless we ask ourselves of this very thing too. A rare chance indeed this is that this message is sent not only to the Nation of Studium, and not just to our own citizens, but again to the universe at large.

*scene of Gaian Councilors at a traditional Xmas party merrilying away..*

Family. For us family means so much. This holiday means everything that families for us do together. Ever before even now comes the sight of so many of our own we embrace and share so much with, by celebrating this as it's own entity.

*Aison and Harp at a holiday theme park having fun..*

On our old Motherworld of Terra-Sol, Earth by lay name, it was about celebrating a religious birth, laden of tidings of sharing, singing of songs, gift giving, and in our last years, commercial endeavor, to the eye we learned by.

*Scene from space of two 'rediculously' bright dots on the surface flaring, scattering comically many shuttles...*

These days however, almost from the moment we arrived, we learned to give thought to what gave us strength, and how the hands of many built all we are. Families now share the light of the wisdom of our mistakes, and shadows of our achievements, the same as they do stories of friends a many, tales of thriving of a past year of our mutual Suns.

*Scene of a Starfleet sponsored light parade, of entire warship decorated, in a procession across the inner Core Worlds from Seraphim System to New Texas System. A few A-SSDs included.... =oO=;;; *

I cannot guess by experience if these words mean much to your civilization, you achievements and ways do not lesser of our own, nor can we judge by them. But one thing we hope is understood, is that our citizens cherish each other, fight and die for each other, and never give in to the darkness in souls, knowing to do so fails each other. For all the myriad of words that can say of weaknesses in our ways, know that this word: 'Christmas', means life for us, and celebration of the hands that give it so. Family is our strength, and eternal is many things as long as we hold this as truth.

*Scene of the black snow and crispy aftermath of the light display, as Azusa and Terrai get another holiday tradition, the dressing down by wives. To many an amusement nearby. (Also as black encrusted as the snow.) *

Christmas is the holy celebration for us. We truly cherish it. I personally welcome you to witness this first hand, if can make it in time.

But as I understand it, most of the known universe is getting a taste of our own ideal this year anyway, so there are apparently more than just words with this yuletide message this time.

To be honest though, even 'I' am remiss of full knowledge. even I anticipate as does a child. A rare time even for myself this time.

Either way, Merry Christmas...

Benevolent Regards,

Lady Seto Kamiki
Gaian Prime Foreign Advisor - Santa's Elf too. ~ ::

---------------------------------

*December 18, 3391*

After the rousing black ash of light, the lighting ceremony what you, Council session that morning consisted of the feast of winter breakfast fit for a snowy palace in the Swiss Alps. Everyone dressed warmly, as windows were deliberately opened. Table aura heaters kept the food fresh, the coats the same for the Council Advisors.

...save one.

"Where's Aleaic?"

Belldandy quipped in the same tone upon Makoto's query. "Indeed. I haven't seen him for a couple of days now."

Of them all at the table, including the charred forms of Azusa and Terrai sitting at the huge table, only Lady Washu knew. Actually so did Aleaic's three wives, but they hadn't been seen much either. Washu only chuckled. Lord Rara noted and asked of her after Washu giggled. "Someone knows it seems."

As many looked over, Washu just bit into a waffle piece and kept her closed mouth manners, and the secret within to herself.

"What's the big event for today?"

Yurika's query after a moment of eating after, brought up simply from Funaho...

"The Tree Ceremony."

By the judge of the 'oohhs' and 'aahhs', the event didn't sound very small.

It wasn't..............

The evening of the 18th wasn't conducted this time on the Capital World, but further out just past the Emerald Gate-Shield Grid, at the sixth orbit of Eternal Sapphire. The gorgeous silver-blue planet, the Ascendant billion year old M-Type class creation, actually a slight bit larger than Sol-Jupiter in size, had two distinct assets orbiting around it.

One, the Outer System GU Starbase that kept an eye on outer System traffic, and a simple travel hub, little else extraordinary about it, for a six kilometer sized orbital. Most citizens passed by it without much worry or thought usually.

The other was of more remarkable note. An Ascendant original artifact from the time prior to Foundation. It defied conventions of logic to many a mind.

The Jurai Orbital Palace. Named after the first original language formatted after Foundation, simply a mismash of English, Japanese and German that eventually took it's own linguistic, the Orbital Palace wasn't just for a simple structure like a starbase or such. It was instead a tenth of an 'actual' sphereic crust formation of a former celestial body, a moon once, actually gouge carved out of said dead body to then have it micro-terraformed into a small M-Class surface with an atmosphere, supported by gravity from heavy stellar iron matter uber-infused to form the gravitational envelop, where massive artificer grav-wells aided the rest. The underside of the palace was like immense hundreds kilometers long mountain-stalagmites, somewhere within, the iron core was kept semi-molten with radioactive infusers that took stellar wind matter as 'fuel' to keep the core 'warm'.

On the habitable surface, a simple mountain valley landscape with a thick forest carpet, held a set of deliberately ancient looking ruins, apparently an archeologist training camp or such for the Ascendants once, now just used as a 'park' by the current owners. The Gaians placed another of their Seeds there, soon after the Skeith Neo Zetan Incident in 3215, after Aleaic took command of the Power of Hikari, the Hikari Trees themselves. That Seed became one of the huge Palace Trees that helped fuel the Great Network, one of vast size, all but covering eight percent of the thirteen point seventy-two million kilometer surface of the Orbital Palace. (It was a large moon, just short of planet class... =^^= )

This eventually made for one large conglomeration of Hikari Trees of 3rd to 20th Generations in it's Alcove, but also a HUGE decorative tree for the festive season. With slow genetic and natural modifications, the Tree grew light florescent bulbs of many colors, but not with much more pattern than random. The rest was handled by huge quantities of traditional halogenic light strings and light emitting garland strings of the same sizes that adorned the great Core World cities across the Core Republic.

The moment was the lighting ceremony for it all, with even the Tree itself trying to hold back it's own excitement, a few light beams straying here and there amid the gathered, both on the surface, and in station keeping around the Palace.

The honor of the ceremony this year, fell to the Hoshino duo, with Ruri and Hori still recovering from that awful MWCG battle. slowly by this point, Hori was regaining old memories through gentle reteaching devices and Ruri's own dedications to her long time love. The first actual closest to the Council family to actually die in battle. (A miracle up to this point after so many wars..) They gained the honor of lighting the Tree, done in a rather fitting way.

Both Hikari Users, the two didn't need some archaic button or fancy swift to conduct the affair. Instead they had around them, a ceremonial flock of six Tree maidens dressed in festive kimono robes. With the landscape just as white in snow, the gathered crowd conducted prayer, not of religious type, but in another more important way.

The Gaians gave thanks to their Hikari Tree Partners. Those not connected yet to a Hikari Tree for whatever various reasons, as yet to be sure, gave their prayers in equal measure. It was the one moment that the Sphere gave full soul and measure to those that gave great strength in so many things the Sphere lived with daily.

The prayer was led by the duo, most of the rest of the family was also gathered, though still the Excellencies were nay to be found. All was said was that something very unique was going to happen. Of the prayer, was said in a few choice phrases.

"~ We thank thee. One night of one day everlasting. The light we hold in truth with each passing moment, blanket to whims where no ill lies in easy truth, never can fade with our memory, everlasting.

That light we give back with thanks. We know our direction because of it, and through it, we give back in the same. Our souls give back our own light. Please take it and shine it forth to all eyes.

You are our light, please shine for all thanks. ~"

At that moment, gentle lights carpet all across the vast Tree canopy, twinkling as stars of all colors, in patterns laden only by gravity and imagination of the eye. It spreads with all eyes on surface and space, as the ceremony achieves it's moment. The ceremony covered on many internal Networks, would last until the end of Startica at the New Year, as would the rest of the lighting already placed all over the Sphere.

Beyond this, it was a matter of just watching with awe. That and the gallons of hot cider that came with the party that came after.

*December 19th 3391*

Time catches up, many things meld into the fabric of life, even when it's celebrated. All the small ceremonies, parties and enjoyment of life and prosperity became one event upon the continuing scroll of History upon the Universal Memory. Great things had small steps with them, all never really heeded other than knowing the time and place they were all at.

This is a heeding of happiness at this time. Little infers to force otherwise ill on the souls of the Sphere as the days step closer to the day most holy, even if it's significance really has no originating place in the Ascendancy. It's moment adopted of His birth as a part of the Sphere celebration as it was hoped as intended.

On this day, there was no major events. Snow remained with the cold, citizens skittered to enjoying, or to work maintaining the massive empire. Only on the day most holy would there be real relaxings. However the breath of silence current was held, for the day to come had the most.... um... well.... dangerous connitation to it.

There's only two things that ever made Christmas a terror to behold. (Creepy aunts never really go away...) One was fruitcake. Nuff said...

...the other had an entire day's competition, or more like a man hunt, (literally said...,) all centered around one small piece of green shrub with a few red berries. Last year it caused half a million bruises and a six percent rise in freebirth rate.

The dawn of the 20th would be one 'most' feared. =\/=

---

By now even Lady Seto was starting to wonder. The reports were pilling up again, she hated this time of year for only this reason really. She stomped through the Palace halls, all cold and even snow laden in places. She bah-humbuged enough, at least until she found that king-boy and ste him stright again.

"IF I CAN FIND THAT..."

"Ow..." ...Makoto yelped at a corner bend as Seto shouted to his suprise. Seto just 'looked' at him. "Hey. You seen that child-king of ours?"

Makoto wringed his ears out. "No, not today. Not as of late either, actually."

Makoto nealry ran away with Seto's next facial reaction to 'that'. The Foreign Advisor had a gaze that could crack a mirror. "I swear that boy has been up my hide as of late."

Makoto just blinked and looked with a left-cocked head. "You do seem stressed out."

Seto froze in place. She didn't realize that short phrase would get to her like that. After a moment of eternal thought, she realized... "I.... think you're right."

Makoto just scritched his head. "Well.... we never really 'have' taken a break from all we've done."

"We haven't."

Seto felt, as she heard, the hand laden and voice soft, as Utsutsumi came up behind Lady Seto. She actually felt solemn for a moment. That message she sent to the Studium was missing something. The time 'taken' to be with said family.

For over a hundred years, they had been so busy, the Sphere even in the Second Long Calm utterly busy all that time. Working to do the work of things now occuring. Paladin, Harvest.... those two words took up 'so' much. Even with Startica and Christmas, Summer Epoch, other holidays and breaks taken, that it all was not done without a break for the Sphere at large.

"No we haven't at all, have we."

Seto placed her hand on Utsutsumi's, as Makoto looked on. Seto though commented. "Not sure though if I am too hard on Lord Aleaic, or not hard enough. He never seems to be around it seems."

Utsutsumi nuzzles a bit, then offers.. "Something else seems to be missing. I don't know why. Sometimes I wonder if after all this time as an empire, is this what we were supposed to do with his appointment as that Power. Sometmes I wonder if we were meant to go in this direction.

I thought all this time, he would be more godlike, than kinglike as that Power thing."

Seto retorted lightly. "Well we 'did' do one thing that probably merits equal note. No other empire is like ours. Character and size all the same. Never had this much fun, even if it is all rediculously hard work. Sometimes it seems like there's more fantasy than reality to all we do daily."

"Maybe we should celebrate that much at least then. I imagine ol Al will show up again sooner or later. Whatever it is that's going on with him."

Seto eyes Makoto with a plain gaze. "Or we can hunt him down like I 'was' going to do."

On hearing the word 'hunt', Makoto remembers what 'he' was doing. "Uh, excuse me, I was going to.... *scampers off* ....hide."

Utsutsumi chuckles. "Ah, the trials of the young."

Seto reminds him. "I'm still 'young' enough for tomorrow too milove."

Utsutsumi considers warming up a getaway shuttle at that moment.

*December 20th, 3391....

....for whom the holly bell tolls... =xX= *

It was an eery sound, the gong and tone of the midnight hour on the Homeworld. On some worlds it was still day, but since they all obeyed Local System time at the moment, they humored the Gaian tradition. Sometimes one wonders if Gaians were the most insane of all the civilized nations.

Only they could make mistletoe a lethal object.

----

"*microphone whine* ..hello? Testing? You hear me? *large female crowd yelling a sort of yes out* Good. Okay. Great.

Hi, I'm Yurika Tenkawa, formerly Misamaru on my father's side, but you all know what happens when you get married."

A few whistles float from the crowd. (Something tain't right here. =o-= )

"Well, it's that time of year again girls. Yup, the Mistletoe Hunt!"

A large cheer comes from the 'all' female crowd. It's not a small one either. =oo=;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

"You all know the rules. Not that there are any, but who cares, we're all after one thing!"

Another large roudy cheer... (uh boy... =<>=;;; )

"Alright, for the next twenty four hours, it's girls hunting guys all across the Core Worlds. It's the only time of year we can really put the guys in their place. And a few droids too for the creepy ones I guess."

Someone in the crowd actually 'woohoo's', and shuts up outright after.

Yurika is joined by Kaname, Confederacy Minister of Education and Culture. She's no flower wilt either. =--=

"Hey gals! Taking up for the Admiral, the rules are simple. Hunt down the guy you like, and let them HAVE it! twenty-four hours is all you get. So don't be shy with the goods."

Another roudy cheer before Yurika jumps in. "Okay, you all have your mistletoe net guns right?" Many such stick guns that are simply rods with a blasting trigger. Hardly high-tech looking, but... "Now remember, the nets have real kick. So let them have it! Teach them the meaning of love this Christmas. Shoot till it hurts!!"

More roudy cheering. (Note there's not a guy ANYWHERE nearby...)

Kaname leaps back in on the Mike. "Okay! Now get out there and find your true love and blow em away! Make em suffer! Just remember to ask if they're married if you don't know em. We're psychotic here, not immoral.

And remember, even if you kill em by accident, we can revive them, so you can do it again!!!!!!!"

Yurika cocks her net-gun like a heavy gauge shotgun. (REALLY sounds like one..) "Now, seeing my hubby has skipped the planet, I'm gonna get me some! LET'S GO LADIES!!! *CHCK-CHACK!* FOR LOVE!!!"

About a few thousand similar sounds ripple through the crowd, more unheard around the remainder of the Core Republic, like some gawd awful B-type Terran movie moment. (Even C-type if you think too hard...) Then the mass of female might start scattering on the active hunt.

As the crowds skitter all everywhere, Kaname and Kyoko gather with Yurika and (huh?!! =@@= ) Belldandy!?

"Where you two going?"

Yurika holds up her own cheat device. "Nice these genetic scanners. Looks like Akito went to the Outer Border of the Core Worlds."

Kyoko chippers.. "Yeah, kinda unfair on them they can't get past the security wall the Trees put up huh?" Bell just adds.. "We don't want this getting too out of control, just on our stable worlds." (Author: THIS IS STABLE?!? =oO=?! )

Bell adds.. "My Keii went to Sien again. I already feel him there."

"Easier when they're predictable." Kaname snickers out.

Author: Hope you're in disbelief as I am by now. =--=;;;

"How bout you two?"

Kaname replies to Yurika for Kyoko's behalf.. "Oh that idiot probably went for the closest Brian Cache around here. It won't take long." Kyoko adds of her impart. "Whoever is nearby that is free.. *CHCK-CHACK!* ...I'll nab."

The four do some kind of girl power cheesy fist-punch-shake-something and take off for something fast and evil looking to hunt down their pathetic prey. (Author: oh good lord.)

And thus the massacre of 3391 begins, with the first victims caught not too long after when they don't know better. Poor schmucks... ..the sounds of males running for their lives begins not too long after 'that'.

A long twenty-four hours awaits.....

OOC that's a first
are they hunting for what i'am thinking they are hunting for

the mighty doombringer entered the aera under cloack the crew ever alert even though the bridge was decorated in traditional seph style

It took Xithis linguistic experts and several rather powerful dedicated supercomputers a fair number of days to translate the message which had been sent back to them. Given that the only frame of reference they had was from a collection of intercepted transmissions they had been gathering for several months now from all around the known universe, none of which had been sent with Xithisi in mind, it was quite quick. The translation was still far from perfect, and they were still none the wiser as to what that illusive word meant, aside from the fact that it seemed to involve enormous quantities of glitter - indeed, they had found themselves more confused than when they started. However, one part of the message had been understood and they were quick to act upon it, presumably in the hope of figuring out for themselves what this whole thing was about.

So, the team went to the Office of the Prime Queen to request permission to take a ship out to the source of their confusion, as they had been invited to do so, and they were presented with a Dartic-class Lancer, just returning to Planet Studium for a scheduled refit.

As space seemed to twist and fold around it, the craft - which was basically the dorsal hull of a Talyn-class Lacerator re-modelled as a separate ship - traversed the space between the Studii system and the origin of the message in an instant, and immediately found itself taken away from the hub of all Xithis activity, and planted near the hub of... somebody else's activity. Linguists back on Studium had compiled a primitive translation program for the Gaian language based on what little they knew so far, and the ship promptly transmitted a message:

Speak of you and the invite, us to come here, take. We peaceful apprise you.

OOC that's a first
are they hunting for what i'am thinking they are hunting for

((OC- Well it aint the droids. =^^= ))

---

the mighty doombringer entered the aera under cloack the crew ever alert even though the bridge was decorated in traditional seph style

Entering the realm of the Sphere would have easily defeated the cloak suite the vessel was using, since while the Hikari Great Shield that extended through the grace of the Hikari Trees, and His Excellency's great power, over the entirety of the Sphere Alliance and it's extended territories, it couldn't stop all startraffic, no matter how much they truly wanted to.

However they 'could' see through all deceptions, technological or otherwise, for thbe protection of the Sphere citizens. Cloaks were essentially useless here. However the Hikari Power didn't strip the cloak from the Seph vessel. Instead it simple alerted local Defense forces controllers of the intrusion.

One Seph vessel, despite it's size, was no match or the full might of an annoyed republic StarFleet, if they wished to feel as such. As it was the season of sharing, the Gaians saw this as actually amusing.

A female controller on duty at the CAG-FACAF Alpha Command Base on the Capital World noted and informed an onduty Arch-Angel commander. "Should we give them a 'tap on the shoulder' milady?"

The feminine Arch-Angel ruffled his glowing wings, but with the festivities going on outside, giving fact the on-duty crew was both all female, as well as Droid assisted, she shrugged. "If they cause trouble, we'll remind them as such. For the time being, let them go. And keep a log on how effective their cloak is reacting to our Trees, NAIS will be interested for future adjustments."

The sounds of net-guns being fired off in gawd awful numbers not too far off, even within the base was enough indication the Gaians weren't too worried about being attacked. The Dark Eternals were being pasted half a Universe away, no one else had reason to do so, so merrily things went as they may.

*BLAMO-BLAMO-BLAMBLAMBLAM-BLAMO!!!!*

So to speak. =oO=

The female controller however is almost immediately hears over Hikari-comm.. "Another new contact entering Core Worlds space."

The Arch-Angel went... "Hmm.. a good number are heeding the messages now. Allow them in."

---

:: ~ Speak of you and the invite, us to come here, take. We peaceful apprise you. ~ ::

The translation matrix, an instictive program entity that had assimilated millions of intergalactic civilized languages, as well as more than a few technological and celestial ones as well, recognized the incoming transmission as not original. Not natural in inflection anyway.

The Program core was the Palace Trees, that same Hikari Network had different layers. The vast Network had different functions, much like a regular computer network. This version handled the vast language matrix, handled through genetic infused nanites that all citizens got after a world was accepted into the Confederacy, as part of normal medical procedures. (A LOT of vaccinations and genetic nanitie classes in one nice, neat, BRUSING, vaccination shot. No real pain, but heck with the bruising for one week. Known as the 'welcome mark' in Sphere terms. Usually means lots of gifts and admirers.) The nanites reduced the need for immediate cross language teaching, so a new citizen could function in Sphere society better.

It all also gave the Sphere a massive language archive to cross reference and even develop hundreds of millions of 'theoretical' languages, using evolution, and even deevolutionary theorems to discover all kinds of new languages that either once existed, with help from Ascendant and Ancient helpers, or just a mass of fake languages that could have 'all' kinds of uses. All of them were reverted to the Primary Gaian English standard, the language the Council Family used from the moment of Foundation after leaving the Motherworld.

Essentially this meant the language matrix had both an anchor and an archive to work with. When the message reached controllers, they decided to funnel the message through the matrix, and then send back a greeting the same way, until the Xithis linguistic experts caught up.

As such, a simple message was sent back.

:: ~ Welcome to the Core Worlds. Enjoy our celebration as your own. Study us as much as you need. ~ ::

Meanwhile the Dartic-class Lancer didn't realize how much glitter there 'was'. upon arrival, the very stars themselves in this region of space glittered like gorgeous gems, the light everywhere was brighter. Life could be breathed in like pure air. The vast decorations and the traffic tubes were continuing signs of both great power, as well as sign of a peaceful civilization.

If you ignored the more chaotic formations of craft around the traffic tubes, as the Mistletoe Hunt was actually continuing across the entire Core Worlds, as millions of female citizens of all walks of Sphere races hunted voraciously after their 'prey'.

Christmas just kept continuing..... =^^=

OOC oh i may stop by as i'am looking for some good looking females to serve as priestess

OOC oh i may stop by as i'am looking for some good looking females to serve as priestess

((OC- =--= Ahem, those are my citizens you're talking about. Insane one day of the year they may be, they're still 'my' citizens. The other 369 days of the Local Year they get the same equal treatment as the other male, celestial and artifical citizens in the Sphere Alliance. Please respect such accordingly. =--= ))

((OC- =--= Ahem, those are my citizens you're talking about. Insane one day of the year they may be, they're still 'my' citizens. The other 369 days of the Local Year they get the same equal treatment as the other male, celestial and artifical citizens in the Sphere Alliance. Please respect such accordingly. =--= ))

OOC it's a paying job ,one year then they can go home

OOC it's a paying job ,one year then they can go home

((OC- Um, mind sending a detailed TG of what all that is supposed to mean, before I even consider a yes? Besides, this is getting off topic. And the Hunt is the females after the males if it somehow got lost in all of that. It's all 'not' supposed to be taken seriously.

If all of that was obvious already anyway, okaydokay then.... Going back to regular posts next post here. Got other Xmas events besides the Hunt coming here.... ))

((OC- Um, mind sending a detailed TG of what all that is supposed to mean, before I even consider a yes? Besides, this is getting off topic. And the Hunt is the females after the males if it somehow got lost in all of that. It's all 'not' supposed to be taken seriously.

If all of that was obvious already anyway, okaydokay then.... Going back to regular posts next post here. Got other Xmas events besides the Hunt coming here.... ))

OOC ok when i work it out as all my infor was on my old PC,
i should post Wolf here, he sex mad
he got a wife and a high priestess/mistress to have fun with

((OC- Uhuh..... ))

---------

Come the end of the 20th, the scale of damage to the ego of males was horrific to say least, as the reflective walkways of the city was filled with small parades of males being carried on tied to poles all across the cities, by throngs of victorious female hunters. It was all as disturbing a sight as it was supposed to be.

The Medical Centers were strangely quiet for the most part, victims attended to in a more 'personal' way. No targeted males survived, as far as being netted and covered in lipstick counted as such.

--

Aison felt the smooth surface of the city walkways gliding beneath his hiney, as he was tied in a coil of syntharope, and mistletoe netting.

"Isn't this a bit early for all this milady?"

Harp just chippered out pulling the other end of the rope over her right shoulder, the empty netgun over the other. "Oh quit complaining, it's tradition."

Aison just hoped he wasn't seen by anyone he knew, he'd never live it down for decades.

---

In one CAG-Brian Cache on Sapphire Continent, the sight of wasted explosives and mines litering the open field before the large titanium doors of the surplus storage center, give testimate where Kaname found her prey. Souske still couldn't figure how she did it..................

---

Poor Akito...............

---

*Palace Command Center*

The clock finally flicked to 00:00:03 Local System Time. The end of the fracus, a welcome one as the Hunt was called off. It'd take till New Year to recover fully from it all. As it was, Lady Seto felt pleased.

"Mind if I get up now Miwife?"

Seto just twirled Utsutsumi on the floor with her foot again. "Nah..."

Still, she wondered where His Excellency was. The lack of REAL fracus of the Family part of the Hunt was really missing this year. It really began to itch at her.

"Think enough is enough on this mystery."

She spun her old man another time on habit.

---------

As chaotic the 20th was, the 21st however was extra special, as it was on the spot of the clock, the beginning of the formal Christmas music festival. Even before the Hunt was winding back down, the first groupings of elegant charolers began to emerge from seemingly nowhere. Music began to fill the air in vocal freshness, rather than over the simple air from artifical means of the past few days since the First Snow.

For the new day, night of morning come first, all kinds of music would flood the Core Worlds. It was amazing how the minds of the Gaians could switch in such soft measure. By 0200 LST, it was everywhere. Orchestras played, groups singed, many of which were adhoc made from groups forming and dissipating on pure whim.

*December 21st 3391*

The games were over, save for more healthy versions at holiday arcades. Now came song.... lots and lots of bountiful song. All kinds... everywhere....

And all of it was preliminary to the Palace Christmas Concert that would broadcast to the entire Sphere, as the song of the Trees and the most elegant orchestra in the Guardianship would play for three wonderful hours at 2000 LST.

Few would leave without a tissue. This wasn't your normal christmas music.

"Only three days to go."

The zany red haired maiden of hyperscience looked at the final product of the first trial version of the device that would chance Christmas for the actual universe forever.

After two trial runs where a thirty run came back with twenty intact, and then a one hundred run with perfect results, she was amazed how much of the science was impuned to something beyond science to find logic in. She didn't mind, looking at the glowing apparatus that contained a First Generadtion Seed within.

When the time came, it would all make sense for the trillions of recipients, representing the ordered civilizations the Sphere knew of. (The Dark Eternals would just get a bunch of coal they wouldn't know what to do with...)

--------

Utsutsumi entered another office, looking for his wife, and saw Lady Skuld working at a common holoterminal. "Pardon, have you seen my beloved wife today Skuld?"

The twenty-something young looking sister of Belldandy looked up and shook her head. "No, sorry elder. Can't say I have." This caused Utsutsumi to slap his arms on his hips and look around wildly for a moment. "Where did she 'get' to? She's never usually this hard to find."

Skuld blinked, she did mention.. "I thought she was looking for Aleaic. At least that's what I last heard."

Utsutsumi looked back and shrugged. "I heard that too, and he's been gone longer than anyone, save my grandaughter." ..he then rubs his gray-blue hair. "The Light is going on here?"

-------------

Day and night had little real meaning, if you didn't have the centralized chonometer standard to go by, when you're orbiting above the Homeworld at thousands of kilometers an hour. A simple observation post that somehow survived all the wars, the invasions of Zetan and DE fleets, the years of startraffic and celestial matter that zinged by with little notice than a glance.

It was an old holdover with a few minor upgrades over the years when someone noticed it. Even a Sphere as detail oriented as they were still gave priorities precedence where need came first.

A simple starpost about the size of a large cargo corvette that had once been the part of the first steps into space, about a year into the Foundation, was little more than a glorified toy. It was a single hull shaft with six observationviewport bulbs, no formal docking port needed other than one of the bulbs could be opened and retracted in a true emergency. A few communication and holographic interfaces, a living area for a crew of three, though these days only cadets being taught a lesson, or those looking for a vacant quiet spot came here, actually lived there, mean usually one or two came. Any more was of short term duration. A teleporter station at one of the StarLadder Center Starports could still teleport people to them. It was still tricky to do so, for such a small, fast moving series of objects amid the rest of the assets that moved about in great numbers in orbital space.

It orbited freely, just below the main startraffic tube lines, the gloriously wide, upgraded three times in two hundred years for better, unimpeaded views, transparasteel viewports had a magnificent view of the majority of White Diamond/Sapphire. There were fifteen of these remaining of the original seventy built, the rest scrapped after being destoryed in the myriad of battles the Homeworld saw in it's history. They didn't even have a formal name. They were just plain observation posts, nothing more.

On the days of the 21st and 22nd of December 3391, one could see what the holidays wrought on the surface, the decorations in space, the music that fed through the entertainment frequencies.

Gravity even could be reduced, allowing a person to even float above the deck floor, giving even more ethereal effect to the serene calm that only space can give. The sight of the large white covered jewel, rings of white and gray extending into forever depending on angle. The twin blue-white suns of Angellus I and II plying light in awsome effect, all to where words can't describe.

The only thing better, was to free float upon a lifeline tube away from the post. Course that had obvious hazards, so interior afloat was usually enough. Just float over to the appropriate viewport bulb was really all that was needed.

It's all mentioned simply because......

"Merry Christmas."

Belldandy clutched onto Keiichi, stroking the bruise on his cheek from the Hunt, as they floated in the upper bulb, the Capital World displayed majestically as the suns were rising again. Bell was still amazed at the imagination K-1 had after all these years.

She only responded with a deep kiss, the white encrusted world below them speeding by endlessly.....

decloak ordered the warrior king the christmas period is the one time we do not fight the cempeor said keep shields and cloak ready tough coms to gainas from the empire wewish you a merry x mass