smartass_captain | A Very Nexus Reception

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A Very Nexus Reception

To all the friends of the happy grooms, PINpoint messages have already been sent weeks ago inviting them to expect quite the street party arranged in the commons of the Nexus. Guests have been invited to bring an appetite--both for food and for a social adventure. Nirnish weddings are public affairs, after all. While the ceremony has had to be somewhat sequestered for the sake of keeping the existence of Other Worlds a secret, neither Felix nor Jim would want to leave out their interdimensional friends entirely. Having a reception party arranged in the Nexus became the natural plan of action.

Overnight large sections of the Commons are transformed via diligent craftsmanship and quite a lot of magic from those who’ve volunteered. Lanterns representing the Divines are hung along every lamp post, bringing at least the idea of warmth even if the flames are too small to heat their surroundings alone. Bardic tunes carry in the air as readily as the scent of food and drink. Past banners of red and black, blue and white the people gather.

For both grooms this is nearly a continuation of the day before. They’ve had the chance to sleep off the nerves of their ceremony. Today is entirely for celebration--uninhibited celebration at that. No more minding what is said and isn’t. No more pretending to be anything other than who they are. Jim’s traded out his Nirnish finery for a suit and tie, garments he’s much more familiar with. Felix is staying with his native clothing; though he may have dressed down a little from his wedding clothes, the conjurer’s dressed in fitted breeches and his best fur-trimmed coat and boots, the soft hide dyed blue to match his tunic. By their side sits the conjurer’s spectral wolf familiar, ears pricked at the gathering.

As the guests find their ways over it will be easy to spot their friends amidst all the decor along with many other avenues with which to enjoy themselves….

Greetings
Food and Drink
Music and Dancing
Bonfire Entertainment
Party Games

((Links to all relevent wedding Prose can be found Here!))

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She doesn't have to stay this close to the speakers but her little boom box is here and she's been told she's in charge of any requests that are going to play through it. What if someone broke her music box? Completely unacceptable. She will stay and she Will bring the beats and shouting.

"I did not think plants would move so well!" It's such a curious thing. Color her intrigued. "Not much to dance about." She replies after only a few moments. "I have not tried."

"Most don't. Groot's special." It may be hard to hear the pride in his voice when Rocket says so, due to the volume, but there's no missing it in his body language.

"You wanna try? I bet he could show ya how. Watch out for the branches though."

Groot. The tree's name is Groot. She can work with that. This small fuzzy one seems to be his caretaker. At the very least a friend. It stands like a parent stands; for a moment Jaylah hurts in her chest but it is a good pain. The pain only memories of loved ones can bring.

"I will do more than try. I will succeed." She stands tall when she exclaims as much. "Will you show him that I mean to do?"

Rocket eyes her with a little smirk on his muzzle. She's the spirited type, isn't she? She reminds him of Drax, a bit. Well, maybe Drax crossed with Mantis, and wow he didn't want to go there at all. "Oh yeah, sure," he answers quickly, patting his hand against her leg and going to nab Groot's attention. "Hey buddy, got a dance partner for you."

"I am Groot?" The treenager blinks at her with those big lantern eyes of his, shuffling his feet a little like kids do when they're a little shy. But he's never been the type to let his insecurities keep him down, and Rocket loves him for that. "I am Groot," he says, sounding a little bolder, and holds out a hand to beckon her onto the dance floor.

It's not a far off assessment of Jaylah's personality. She follows Rocket out to the dance floor while being careful to stay out of the tree's reach. If she has to she can duck under him, pretend it's a combat drill. But it's easier just to avoid the flailing altogether. Her grasp of Galactic Standard is better than it was, and for some reason words come easier in this strange place anyway. She nods.

"They call me Jaylah. I will learn your dance and you will not be alone."

“And I’m Rocket.” What the hell, they’re all swapping names tonight. You never know who might be worth knowing after all, either as someone who owes you a favor, or as a mark.

Rocket doesn’t join them in the actual dance, but he does hang out nearby, tapping a foot to the rhythm and humming under his breath. Groot, meanwhile, waits to make sure Jaylah is watching before he begins his dance again. It’s not so much one that he’s learned as one he’s invented on his own, mostly sticking to the beat of the music and getting his entire body involved. He’s a little more mindful of his limbs this time, though, not wanting to accidentally whap his new friend in her face.

The tree-child Groot has a lot more range of motion than even Jaylah does, but she's never turned down a chance to learn a new skill before now. Rocket's foot-tapping is more in line with things she has seen at bars and clubs around the Academy. Even the most eager student dancers don't dance quite the way Groot does, after all.

For the first couple of songs Jaylah tries her best to mimic the movements Groot is making on the dance floor. Fluid, expressive dancing that Jaylah doesn't quite understand. It's enjoyable, enough to make her crack a smile even!

Give her a song full of beats and shouting though, and Jaylah stops a moment to exchange a look with Groot. Do you sense it too, Tree child? The urge to headbang?

Groot's not entirely sure what that look is about, but he's having fun dancing alongside someone as enthusiastic and free as himself. Her motions are more aggressive than Quill's, full of energy and passion in ways that don't involve quite as much hips, and that speaks to him in ways that Quill's 'pelvic sorcery' never has.

"I am Groot!" He's shown you his style, now time to learn from hers! Lead the way, Jaylah. There are so many new ways to dance that he has to learn, and where else is he going to find them? Drax? As if.

The guitars whine, the drums beat, and when the vocalist shouts Jaylah shouts with it, utterly at home and thrilling in the aggressive tempo and harsh chords blaring over the speakers. There are people stopping now, turning to ask what in creation is playing but Jaylah pays them no mind.

She jumps in place to the music, long hair whipping back and forth with the most aggressive nodding anyone has ever done to approve of anything. In time with the beats. Which means fast.

"Now, you!" She shouts over the words to be heard. Encouraging, thrilled. Jaylah is living right now.

Groot has never seen such wild, free expression, not even from Quill who knows every word to every song on his Zune - or he did before Rocket got ahold of it, anyway. His fascination is plain to see as he watches her raptly, especially her hair as it flips back and forth.

Now him? So soon? What if he does it wrong? Groot hesitates a moment, uncertain, but it takes little more than an encouraging, indulgent look from Rocket for him to throw himself into the music as she had. He doesn’t know the words, of course, but it doesn’t matter. “I am Groot, I am Groot,” he belts out, a few new leaves on his head swishing as he attempts to copy her head banging. It’s a good thing he can’t get whiplash, with how he is flailing around.

There's a time and a place for Quill's kind of dancing. Really, a guy James-Tee would probably get along really well with until they had a difference of opinions and hated each other. Jaylah isn't about dancing that has anything to do with enticing anyone. All of Jaylah's dancing is expressive or for the sheer fun of doing so. She screams along with the music and thrashes with the beats until finally the chords begin to fade and something slower queues up.

By then she's side by side with Groot, though more out of breath than the sapling is. Her hair's started to fall out of it's ponytail, wild strands poking out here and there like stark white vines framing her face.

"Yes. Yes good." She bends down slowly to rest her hands on her thighs and take a few deep breaths. "That is dancing. You are very good with this doing."

"I am Groot!" he replies, pleased that she thinks so. He's been dancing for long enough that he has to be good at it by now, right? Quill thinks so, but who can trust what he says to be true? If even a stranger can see it, he knows he can believe it. "I am Groot."

Now that the music is slower - and a little quieter - Rocket can hear the two of them over it, no problem. "He says you ain't bad at it yourself," he calls out with a toothy grin. "Might wanna sit down before you fall over, huh?"

"He is wise beyond his years. I have practiced for very long time. My old house had music like this when it was stuck and would not fly."

Sitting down is a good idea though. She's loathe to just walk away from the fuzzy one and the tree child but thankfully Jaylah won't have to venture too far to find a chair to flop into with a lot less grace than you'd think a lady would show.

"Is tiring, though."

Rocket's ears visibly perk up a little when she mentions her house flying. Not a lotta brick-and-mortar houses do that kinda thing, but spaceships? He's quick to scramble up a chair near her, standing on the seat to be closer to eye level. "You the spacer type?"

"I am Groot," Groot adds, flopping down on the floor next to the both of them, stretching his wooden legs out in front of him. "I am Groot."

"I was. Will be again soon. I am learning the things needed to join the Star Fleet." She gestures vaguely as she talks. For as fascinating as much of the course work is, it's still Formal Education at the end of the day and that's really only so interesting to talk about.

"When I have proven myself in their trials I will be flying again."

She glances between Groot and Rocket a couple of times.

"And you? Your house flies as well?"

Star Fleet, that sounds Official. Rocket's never been much for those sorts of things, himself. They want people to follow rules and blah blah something private property, yadda yadda. Besides, even just an implication of somebody owning him makes his fur stand on end. Nope, better the privateer life, thanks very much.

"You bet your ass it does," he answers proudly. "All over the galaxy. The Benatar's a great little ship. 'course, I'm the captain." He's not, not really, but six months of de facto ownership means it might as well be.

For some reason Rocket's comment makes the cadet scowl just a little bit from her seat, though she doesn't get up or anything. Like Draxx, certain colloquialisms don't quite make a whole lot of sense to her just yet. Her ass does not make claims or place anything. But lacking any real idea as to what he could have meant by the claim Jaylah just shrugs and lets it go.

Besides, she's much more interested in this ship of theirs.

"Montomgery Scotty's ship does this as well. Flying into uncharted space. I will not be captain, but I will keep it flying, whatever it takes." There is no question doubting Rocket's captaincy aboard his ship. "It is a small ship? Fast then. Mine is not being small. Hundreds work to make it go."

Hundreds? Rocket can't help but picture something like Thanos' monster of a ship, or maybe something more like one of the Nova Corps' cruisers. He can't whistle, but the noise he makes is impressed. "Nothin' that big. Eight people tops." Of course, they only have six now, and Gamora's absence is still a noticeable void on the ship. But dammit... it's still better than having nobody but Rocket. Well, and Nebula, obviously.

Four out of five ain't that bad, all things considered. He'd never thought he'd get any of them back.

"'Course, we can fly it with a crew of two, but that ain't as fun." More lonely, he means, but he's not saying that part out loud.

Jaylah turns toward Groot then, unwilling to leave the sentient sapling out of the conversation entirely even if the fuzzy one has to translate for her to understand properly.

"Do you like the flying ship? What do you do?" If Rocket here is the captain and there are only a few of them, surely they must all be multi-faceted in their responsibilities. Age doesn't have much to do with it in her experience. She's in the Academy after all and barely more than a child. Plus there's Chekov. Younger people can do good too!

Do? Groot blinks at her in puzzlement. "I am... Groot? I am Groot..." The treenager glances uncertainly to Rocket, before returning his gaze to Jaylah, and nods a little.

"He's our entertainment specialist," Rocket 'translates,' with a cheeky little wink. "Keeps us all from gettin' bored in between here and there."

"I am Groot!" That's not what I said! Groot frowns at him as best he can, which Rocket pretends not to notice.

Jaylah won't say much during this exchange. watching it makes her chest ache uncomfortably for the family she has lost. Because that's what she's witnessing, the cadet is sure of it. But it is a good thing, to feel this. She has to keep reminding herself to be strong for them.

It is good that there are still families like this.

"No one wants to be stuck anywhere forever and bored." Jaylah instead comments quietly. "Enough to go crazy."

Groot may not notice that quiet little tone, but Rocket does, and he glances over at her, his ears flicking back slightly. "Nah," he agrees, his arms crossed over his chest, and trying not to think of how damn quiet the Benatar was for half a year. How quiet the rest of the world was. "Wouldn't want that."

"I am Groot," Groot mutters, still a little disgruntled over the deliberate mistranslation, but sort of pleased that his dad thinks he has such an important job, even if he's bullshitting it a bit.

Rocket shakes his head slightly, bringing a smile back to his face. "Y'know, your taste in music ain't half bad."

You said it yourself, Rocket. Everyone's got dead people. Jaylah here doesn't feel the need to bring down everyone's party moods with hers is all. It's fair to say she wouldn't really know how to talk about them in a casual setting anyway. They're memories she keeps very close to her heart. Protected where no one can hurt them again, if only in memory.

The cadet sits up a bit straighter to hear mention of the music.

"It is Earth classical! Captain James-Tee showed me many more kinds. My house had some but not much. I have expanded my horizons since."

Classical, huh? Sounds legit to Rocket. Half their genre names don’t make any sense anyway - where’s the rocks in rock, or the metal in metal? And why are there like eight thousand types of metal when they all sound the same? It’s nonsense. Rocket just knows what he likes, and what he likes are ballads and banging jams.

“You and I gotta compare playlists sometime. I got a whole buncha new stuff over the past year. Can’t work without it, right?”

"My room-mate does not appreciate it the way I do. I have had to invest in personal sound devices when she is in." Which is a damn shame so far as Jaylah is concerned but she's learning well enough how to get along with others at the Academy. It hasn't been the easiest of transitions for her.

"I have my music box with me, if you want to see. I brought the beats to this night." Hup, let her just hop right on up to her feet once more. Ready to go and take Rocket to her music set up she's got. While the bards take a turn playing music she disconnects her PADD from the sound system set up and hands it over to Rocket to peruse. Given his music diving with Jim the one day, lots of the bands contained therein won't be surprising. Jaylah has taken a lot of recommendations form him in her music list.

Very few ballads live here, but banging jams? She has that in spades.

A Very Nexus Reception

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