We are Stardust.. or covered in it at least...

[ziggyplayedguitar]

Ziggy didn't keep up with the dizzying array of human holidays. There seemed to be one everyday of the year, or two, or more sometimes. He was too much of a world-centric person to focus on one country, even if he was supposed to be from Britain. That had been this morning he didn't care, however, he saw his father with flowers and glittery ribbons and paper this morning and that changed everything. There was some holiday of flowers and glitter to celebrate love? How had he missed this.

That sent him to the Nexus craft store.. stores.. and the florist. By the time he made it to one of the tables in the Nexus plaza seating he had bribed one of the cashiers to help him carry things because his weaker Anthean body just couldn't do it.

HE WAS ON A MISSION! To make everyone he liked a thing of paper, flowers, glitter and ribbons. It didn't take long before opening one of the glitter containers turned into a mishap and a shower of glitter everywhere. Not that Ziggy Stardust was bothered being covered in glitter. He stopped to arrange things; glitter glues, glitter paints, glitter, glittery fake flowers, glittery ribbons, he even found glittery paper, crayons and colored pencils.

He was so frantic that he missed the person looking at him hunched over one of many Valentines he would have to make. Glancing up, face smudged in glitter and paint he smiled at them.

"It's Valentine's Day, tomorrow." He was too hyper, maybe, but this was normal when he got involved in anything. "Do you want to make one with me?"

It didn't matter who was there, they were invited.

Comments

[sweetcandygirl]

Everyone knows that glitter is like a big ol Bat Signal to call Harley Quinn to their location. She watched in amusement as more and more glitter covered every square inch of Ziggy (and a few inches that she knew could not be seen).

"I sure will! You wanna make one with my glitter cannon?"

[ziggyplayedguitar]

If Ziggy would light up like a stage light show, he just did.

"We could make the whole street one... or the building?" Ziggy is already getting to his feet, glitter showering off of everywhere.

[chiaro_oscuro]

"Valentine's Day? I...know about the tradition, yes. I would be happy to work on one with you." Ben Solo looks a bit gloomy for Valentine's Day, but he's here nevertheless, and surprisingly cheery at that. And he's usually not one for glitter, though he's fond of Ziggy. Seeing Ziggy work gave him an idea, if he has this Earth tradition right.

Ben has his own plans for the valentine he's going to make.

[ziggyplayedguitar]

"I don't usually pay attention to human holidays." Except the very few his father observed but most of those were somber ones.

Ziggy grins when Ben joins him at the table. With a lot of flourish he pulls a big shaker of pitch black glitter out of his stash beside him. He had found Vanta black glitter and it had called out for Ben to have it. It was his little gift for Valentine's, if Ben was one? Ziggy still isn't clear on who gets gifts for this so everyone might at this point.

[itmeanstruth]

"Yeah. I know..." Minoru blushed, smiling softly down at the glitter-covered Anthean. He was an adorable mess, and the hyperactivity was infectious. He would gladly sit down and make some Valentines!

But first...

"I have something for you."

It was technically Japanese tradition for the girl to give the boy Valentines Day gifts. But Minoru didn't really want to wait for White Day. And besides, Ziggy was both, so he could get gifts on both days, right?

Minoru held out a very shiny gold package for Ziggy.

It was a gift box of chocolates - definitely worthy of honmei-choco. Because finding chocolate that Ziggy might actually be able to eat was something only a genius could do.

Isamu was up for the challenge, though. Especially considering his current research project with Tom.

"Don't freak out. There's no sugar! Isamu said the sweetener in them is the same natural one found in watermelons. And I know you can guys can eat watermelon. But even he wasn't sure of every single ingredient, so if you need to take it home and have your mom analyze it first or something, that's fine. Giving chocolates is a big part of our culture, so I just really wanted to try and find something you could eat too."

[ziggyplayedguitar]

Ziggy set his things aside to pay attention to Minoru and takes the gold package. He unwraps it and tries to keep a smile. It was the thought that counts anyway and that he went through all the trouble. Ziggy sets them aside and reaches out a hand to Minoru, intent on pulling him down beside him; of course the hand is covered in copious amounts of glitter.

"I'll have mom or Thomas test them." Of course, Ziggy knew he couldn't eat them because they were chocolate. However, he had learned to graciously accept gifts that he couldn't eat on Earth since he couldn't tell anyone he was an alien. Then again, he might eat some of it anyway. The worst that happened was a bad upset stomach, like the pie. "I've got something for you too."

His free hand digging around in his usual leather side bag he produces an envelope that had gold foil on the front and now a gold glitter hand print. Inside is a reservation to one of New York's prime restaurants that had a waiting list miles long. It was the place to be seen, especially if you were new to the scene and would be a chance to get dressed up as fancy and outrageously as they wanted.

[guitar_voodoo]

"Hey, mate. What's with all the glitter?"

Maybe it was a question he shouldn't have asked because Mick knew Ziggy and his band mate's perchance for glitter. The man was Stardust. It was in the name. As for Valentine's Day coming up? The blond had plans for that but this. It was something else, just gazing at all the glitter and paints and stuff. Pretty much everything. If this was going to be some sort of annual event where Nexus residents played with glitter and made things with it then Mick found the idea pretty novel. So what if it was messy? It showed Ziggy having fun.

"It takes a while to wash out of things though. There's loads of stuff here."

Picking up a glitter paint, Mick looked inside and wondered how skin friendly it was just in case it ended up on his fingers and face. Make-up he had dealt with but glitter? That was another matter altogether.

[ziggyplayedguitar]

"Dad said it was used for Valentine's cards." and then of course Ziggy took it to the extreme.

He shrugged at the idea of washing it off. Was he ever really glitter free? Had there been a moment since he discovered shimmer powder that he had been without it? Probably not.

"I think it is everywhere I go now." He had been accused of that. He remembers one particularly nasty letter from a new network about a ruined couch after an interview.

[stark_ravingmad]

Tony was just amazed at all the glitter stuff on show. It was pretty impressive and he wanted in. It wasn't just for kids and who knows? He might want to make Lucifer a card and Ziggy one while he was at it. One for his angel and one for his vinyl buddy. The last time he had played with glitter he had been pretty drunk and had it smeared halfway across his face by one of his party guests.

"Hey, Ziggy! I'm loving the Valentine vibe going on here, pal. Can I make a card? Or a few cards because--you know? I've got a few special people."

He wondered if Lucifer would appreciate a card dressed in glitter. Did the devil like sparkly? Either way Tony was the sort of guy to get stuck in with his hands and get creative. As for Valentine's Day? It was meant to show a token of love to your loved ones, right?

[ziggyplayedguitar]

He's glad to see Stark again, especially now that he is in a much better head and heart space since the last time they hung out.

"Yes." Ziggy moves the stack of glittery and high end papers over near Tony. As he sets them down a cloud of glitter puffs up off the table. "I have flowers and ribbons too."

He motions to a box of odds and ends things that could be used.

[chiron_survivor]

Adia is passing through the Plaza, a cinnamon tabby cat trotting at her heels, when she spots Ziggy. Seeing him so happy again automatically makes her smile. "Sure, I'll make a Valentine with you," she says warmly. Valentine's Day isn't a holiday on Atlantis, but she's spent enough time around Earth people that she's familiar with the holiday. Her husband, in particular, has taken a real shine to it. Any excuse to buy his wife flowers and chocolate.

Ziggy might or might not notice that the cat with her is not quite the same as a domestic Earth cat, although it approaches all the ribbons and crafts with the same level of excitement. "Anastasia," Adia says to it worriedly. "Don't get close to the glitter, okay? It's not good for you."

Anastasia lets out a soft whine, her golden eyes big and wide. It looks like so much fun, though!

[ziggyplayedguitar]

"Adia!" Ziggy is equally excited to see her, both again and in a better mood than he had been.

He doesn't miss the cat either. Antheans are obsessed with them and he has two back home, not to mention the plethora of cats that his mother and Thomas have. He has a catwing and Newton has some strange cat that Rondo gave him. It is more that he is used to non-Earth cats than not noticing that the cat seems a little unearthly.

"It should be safe. This glitter, most of it, is plant based biodegradable." He figures Adia is worried about the cat ingesting the glitter and getting sick. He doesn't think it would make it sick. His cats seemed fine but then he couldn't remember if they had ate the glitter before either. Nevermind that Ziggy has it everywhere and has certainly accidentally eaten some while sitting here and working.

"There's all that stuff too." He points over at the box with ribbons, flowers and odds and ends.

Rosanna, Glit and Lotor (reply to any, say which and they'll respond)

[rosie_the_riveting]

"Ziggy!" Rosanna says delightedly as she approaches the table. "Can I help with whatever this project is? You don't look like you're feeling so great." Her blue optics are bright with concern. Then she looks down at the craft supplies. "Are we making...Valentines? Valentine's Day is my favourite human holiday!" she squees. "Come over here, Glitty-kitty!"

Glit winces. He is not a fan of this nickname. But Lotor is already looking at the craft supplies with big wide eyes and curiosity.

"Hello," he says to Ziggy.

"This is my backup singer, Glitterbomb of Stanix!" Rosanna chirps. "And Glit, this is Ziggy Stardust! He was jamming with Soundwave--"

"Lord Soundwave," Glit says with a tired smile.

"Yes, but I'm an Autobot. He was jamming with Soundwave at the party, remember? While you were dancing with that human guy?"

"It's just Glit," Glit tells Ziggy, smiling. "And I'm actually a medic who is overfond of karaoke, but I did tour once with Rosie, and I did sing backup on some of her tracks." Glit sighs. All of the Valentines' stuff makes him think about Naoko, who would always try to find energon sweets that looked like chocolate to give him on this day, and that makes him kind of sad, but...the kid and Rosie are happy. "This is Lotor, my son. You want to make something, Lotor?"

The kid looks up at him. "What if I make a mess? Will I get in trouble?"

"Nope," says Glit, and ruffles his hair. "You're a kid. Making messes with crafts stuff is part of your job. Just try not to waste it. We didn't pay for any of this." He glances at Ziggy. "I can chip in if you want, though?"

The more the merrier

[ziggyplayedguitar]

"Hi Rosanna." He says looking up from the very intricate piece he is currently working on. He's confused though by her comment. "Why do you think I'm sick?"

His eyes turn back down to what he is working on. "I never cared much for it until today."

All he can do is shrug. His moods and interests tended to swing wildly all the time. He smiles at Glit and then raises a brow really high. "Your name is Glitterbomb?"

Ziggy would make people use that full name if that was his name. However, if he wanted it shortened that was fine. Even so there's something off with the person before him but it's hard to place. He isn't used to Decepticon or Autobot minds yet. The understanding is vague but the sympathy is in his expression before turning to the kid.

"Art should be messy." He tells Lotor with a smile. He's covered in paint and glitter by this point. This too feels uncomfortable to Ziggy because the mind is familiar. It isn't a familiarity he likes either but this is a kid. Briefly he wonders if this is a kid of the man he attacked. It was possible.

"Come over here." Ziggy motions for Lotor despite any misgivings. "I've got all the good stuff on this side of the table."

Ziggy's natural compassion and curiosity has always made him good with kids, hanging out with Jack has only amplified that skill. Under it all though is that lingering trepidation about his own state and if he will ever be a parent. He swallows it down and smiles.

"Who would you want to make something for?"

[coffee_elf]

Ziggy making a commotion in the Nexus is bound to draw Rondo, no matter the occasion. So, it's predictable that he should show up with coffee for two (Irish coffee, in Ziggy's case, no sugar, because he does pay attention, but whether it's up to his standards remains to be seen), and immediately get glitter in his hair.

"...hi," he says, looking pleased to see him but a little mystified by the manic crafting tornado. "What's Valentine's Day?"

[ziggyplayedguitar]

Ziggy can smell the coffee and it's whiskey as soon as Rondo is close enough. It has him looking up with a huge grin. He has a stack of made valentines though, it looks like he may have worn half the glitter and paint along the way. A big part of that was accidentally showering himself in glitter trying to deal with the seal on one of the bottles.

"It's a human holiday where you give things to people you love... friends too." Ziggy stops what he's doing to think and then shrugs because he's not sure himself. "I think you celebrate all of it; platonic too but especially romantic."

And then he is manically digging into a stack things, there is glitter everywhere and falling off of his sleeves as he looks around. pulling out a card he hands it to Rondo. Obviously, that is what Ziggy is frantically making in this tornado of art supplies, cards.

Soundwave & Ravage

[soundwave_ascendant]

Soundwave sees Ziggy, Mick, and Rosanna all in the same place and is naturally curious, so he wanders over that way. Once he sees all the glitter he is very amused, and immediately comms Laserbeak, who will doubtlessly make her way here once she hears about this. He listens to the conversations for a few minutes, then queries his cultural database regarding the topic of "Valentine's Day".

Oh.

Oh.

This is his kind of holiday.

Soundwave immediately takes a poster-sized piece of red cardstock, cuts it into a heart, and covers the edges with black paper lace.

Ravage is inspecting the glitter. Good.

Well...not actually good, given that Ravage is painting his own face with Vanta-black glitter on a brush and it's inevitably going to end up all over Soundwave's face, but the process by which it will get there isn't so bad, so...

Besides, it's kind of cute. He just hopes Ravage will not get it into his optics, because he is currently painting his optic covers.

Soundwave goes back to work, judiciously writing Cybertronian glyphs in the centre of the heart using a bottle of glue. Once he's satisfied with the text he's composed, he carefully covers the glue with black and gold glitter, and lines the black paper lace with gold ribbon, making a bow at the bottom point of the heart. He affixes a large red paper rose to the centre of the bow, and smaller ones to the golden ribbon and the long ends of the bow.

The glyphs read: "Operation: Eternal Devotion".

Very quickly, he puts this production away into subspace, and begins making smaller, less elaborate notes of appreciation for the birds, the twins, and the rest of his staff.

When he looks back up, Ravage is folding a thinner piece of paper into a sort of multipetalled flower, like a rose. His face has been painted and lined with purple and void-black glitter, and Soundwave has to admit it is gorgeous.

He very purposefully does not look at what Ravage is making. He can wait. He is very patient, unlike some other people in his circle.

Quietly, he asks Ziggy: "Where can I get some of that black glitter? I'm afraid my conjunx thinks it's makeup. And thank you for doing this."

Then he settles in to wait for Ziggy's response, and to talk to Mick and Rosie as well, if they're up for that.

[ziggyplayedguitar]

Ziggy acknowledges Soundwave among the others and Ravage too. Sensitive as he is, Soundwave may feel the intense, obsessive focus with which Ziggy is working and also his near endless love and hope. He over flows with it and his emotions are wide open, at least to another empathy, while he is in the middle of the creative process.

He does stop to look curiously at the glyph work but with Ravage right there he passes on asking for the moment. His own cards have glyphs on a few that looks like pointed pictograms. He also smiles at the way Ravage has turned the paint to make up. That he does comment on when he looks up at Ravage, especially when Soundwave asks.

"I can blend make up for Ravage. I usually make my own, too." He skipped the pronouns not knowing how they were presenting at the moment. He doesn't know either of them well enough to even hazard a guess. Male or female at the moment, he gets up, even if he has to stand on the chair or table in his huge platforms, and places a glittery paper peony crown on Ravage, just enough double sided tape to help it stay in place.

[spacetaser]

Due to the fun times that were had the last couple of times Katiri's fireteam had visited the Nexus, Kojin and Widget were a more common sight wandering around the city streets when their duties allowed it. This time it was the small Exo Titan exploring by herself. Kojin and Katiri were elsewhere but easily reachable on their private comm network if she needed to contact them.

For now, Widget was content to wander along and look in the windows of various shops and watch passerby. She was fully armored as usual though had refrained from equipping her helmet so that her head was visible. The armor was holographic and bright and shone colorfully under the sun. Her shotgun was clipped to her back and she also had a side-arm holstered on the armor of her thigh. The pale shimmery fabric of her Mark hung about her legs and fluttered behind her when she walked.

Something caught her eye though when she entered the plaza, spotting the shine of glittery material and a thin figure hunched over a table with distinct bright red hair. Recognizing him, the shy Titan approached, curious to see what he was doing but not wanting to interrupt. When Ziggy looked up, Widget straightened a little and ducked her head with a small wave. She hoped she didn't disturb him.

"H-hello Ziggy." She greeted. "What's Valentines Day? I've never heard of that before."

[ziggyplayedguitar]

Ziggy was mostly covered in glitter and paint by this point. The stack of finished cards at his elbow seem the reason. Most of them are in English but there are a few with solid black, pointed glyphs that don't look human.

"Widget!" And he's on his feet, leaning across or climbing on to the table, to give her a hug. "It's...."

Ziggy stares at all the art supplies he's collected. "It's a human holiday where you make things for people you love. I think it's for platonic or romantic love; just anyone you love can get gifts." Ziggy flushes a little though it might be hard to see under all the glitter. "People take each other out on dates and buy candy for each other.. .and flowers."

This is the Anthean description of the holiday which may or may not be accurate. Ziggy barely knows what he's talking about.

For Widget - Rosanna

[rosie_the_riveting]

Rosanna is deeply irritated right now with Glit's minimisation of what his faction has done and even with what Megatron of all people has done, and done to him personally. When Naoko died, she was one of the people who sat up with him while he drank himself stupid and sang the old enka songs his wife had loved till they threw them out of the karaoke bars so they could close up for the night. She's heard plenty about Megatron, plenty about Grindcore, and plenty about Ravage, whom Soundwave is apparently about to make Queen Decepticon.

She doesn't think it's quite right to raise this organic child as a Decepticon without telling him the history, although she's gathered that Lotor's parents would probably have fit right in if they hadn't been organic themselves.

But it's also not her decision and she's not going to have much input if she just keeps on pissing Glit off. But...there's Widget. She flashes Widget a smile and waves to her.

Maybe she will make Widget a card. Nothing too forward. Just "nice to meet you, and I'd like to get to know you." She selects a nice shade of pink floral paper to work with--a lavender pink, not a peachy one, to harmonise her pink and Widget's purple, and lightish blue ribbons, halfway between her own azure and Widget's teal.

[burlapbibliothecary]

3 was unaware of what the date was. And given most people were well above their field of vision, they were also unaware that it was Ziggy sitting at that table. What they were aware of was the veritable blizzard of glitter scattering the ground around the area, little lens eyes click-clicking away as they scampered closer to crouch, put a metal hand to the shiny glitter on the paving stone. Finding it stuck to him was initially startling, but that was immediately replaced with utter delight at just how bright and shiny the colors were flashing over the dull metal and wood of their palm.

If Ziggy looked towards the motion expecting a squirrel or cat, he would instead find 3, happily plopping their hand against splatters of glitter and decorating their fabric self with tiny little thumps of their hand against canvas, leaving glittery handprints of all sorts of colors.

[ziggyplayedguitar]

Ziggy had other ways than movement to sense people near by. It is the excited emotions that catch his attention. His own emotions are very high, happy, and content so he is open to the world around him far more than usual. He looks around for a moment while trying to get a fix on the delight. His hearing cuing him in that someone is under the table once he starts focusing.

Leaning down he peers under it, half expecting to see a kid since there were plenty of those in the Nexus. "Hello?"

But then he gets a huge smile when he sees the source of the sound and emotion, covered in glitter as should be.

belated, but the monster truck has arrived at last

[children_of_chaos]

For once, Una is out in the Plaza all by her lonesome. Well--not really alone, Mrs. Hedgeworthy is trotting along after her, out of breath but not especially out of sorts. The children all zip around like maniacs and she figures it's good for her to get a little exercise herself. Una has, in point of fact, just come from her tumbling lesson so she's full of good spirits and adrenaline, and she's carrying a bottle of some sort of neon pink fruit punch, and all is right with the world.

Surprise crafting tables make things even more right, though! Her eyes get big as she looks over all the glitter--so much glitter!--and paints and flowers. Without a second thought, she nods an enthusiastic YES and immediately clambers up onto a free space on the actual top of the table. "You have so much stuff! I have that kind of glitter glue, but I never even saw the colors you found! What are you making? Can I help?? Hi, my name is Una what's your name do you have a lot of friends here or like brothers and sisters because I have a sister and two brothers and oh that's Mrs. Hedgeworthy--"

The litany of excited words just spills out, and it takes the housekeeper herself to interrupt, mussing the child's curls as she finally catches up. "Now, were you invited to sit on the table, love?"

Point of fact, Loki has the other three kids, and lingering to craft a little won't hurt anyone, but she wants to be sure Ziggy is all right with a bubbly child all up in his grill.

There is no belated, it is always time for glitter

[ziggyplayedguitar]

By now, Ziggy is up on the table, cross legged and intensely drawing with some glittery pencils. His own energy high and wild right now after spending all day being creative and making others happy. The amount of glitter stuck to his clothes and skin has made him look glittery out in the sun, very much a reflection of his name.

"I bought everything." Ziggy tells her though that might not be actually all of it but definitely one of everything. To protect his eyes from the glitter, he isn't wearing his contacts so the eyes that meet hers are bright, nearly glowing blue and slit pupiled like a snake or cat.

"I'm Ziggy Stardust." His whole presence is warm, open and not at all put off by the fact that she climbed up on the table. With his own energy her pace seems natural leaving him to respond easily in time and exuberance. "I have brothers, a sister, lovers, family, friends. We all live close to each other. Does your species live that way too?"

Ziggy has noticed that the group seems a bit mismatched and she doesn't feel like most humans, though there have been some strange humans in the Nexus for sure. He was about to explain the holiday when the out of breath, perusing person finally catches up. He waves her off, flicking glitter into the air as he moves.

"She's fine." He says with a hugely mischievous smile. "She can make Valentine's with me."

Case in point, Ziggy is working on one right now with strange, geometrical writing on it.