Ask Event [Hearts In Stars] Clove and Bir

[Clove Vanhoop]

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Everything felt like a fever dream, from blinking and teleporting to the make-up room to being sent to a large field of grass to meet a large hunched-over guy. It was something that couldn't be real. But why fight it? They were about to ride in a hot air balloon and have a great time, so what could possibly go wrong?

By the time Clove arrived, the sky had begun to shift, revealing a wonderful twilight. There were no clouds in the paintery orange and red sky, making it perfect for a 'date' like this. Although the half-Sephi couldn't help but wonder why their first date had taken place so high in the sky. Wouldn't that be a little risky? Or warm, given that they'll be right next to a flame? Oh well! The hot air balloon was being prepared by the crew, and the cameras were already in place.

All she had to do was wait for Bir to arrive.

The girl's lips were painted with an excited, if slightly nervous, smile, and her twitching ears reflected these emotions. While she couldn't get over her nervousness about appearing in front of the camera, she was genuinely excited to meet her 'date' and get to know him better. Worst case scenario, she'd make a new friend, and best-case scenario, well. In the best-case scenario, perhaps there'd be a click? Time alone could tell.

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tag @Tulos ​

 

[Bir Vuul]

While keeping a steady pace that was just below that of a standard jog with a hop in his step and a left and right movement of his shoulders to a melody no one but he could hear, Bir prepared himself for the first date of the show. He even had the decency of putting on a clean white button up shirt, though one might argue that it was the incessant badgering of the host that he ‘couldn’t be shirtless all the time’ that had ultimately made the decision for him. Regardless, he was thrilled all the same. That was why he was here after all, wasn’t it? To have fun and meet new people? However he got here, anyway…

He could see the wicker basket in the center of the clearing, the large balloon lifting into the sky, the crew of the show circling the scene with cameras and microphones, and amidst it all was the young woman he had been sent to meet! With a beaming grin and a shift in his speed, Bir began to approach but soon found his attention diverted away from Clove and back to the hot air balloon.

The roar of the burner as it filled the balloon with gas was hard for him to ignore, loud as it was. The crimson and amber of the fire blended with the skyline behind and Bir was drawn in like a moth to… well, a flame.

Unbeknownst to the crew as they prepared to catch the introductions of Bir to Clove, the Kel Dor soon found himself crawling over the edge of the basket for a closer inspection of the burner. Excitement overflowed and as a hand reached up for the cable that fed fuel to the flames, the attention finally shifted in his direction as the balloon began to lift off the ground, the rope securing it to the ground keeping it a few feet off the grass but keeping it from flying away.

”Hi! Hello! I’m over here!” Bir hollered in Clove’s direction, one hand remaining on the rope whilst the other waved wildly as his grin beamed.

”Someone stop him!”

”It’s time to fly! Fly, fly ever so high!” Bir continued with a hearty laugh before extending his hand over the edge of the basket to take Clove’s if she so chose. If not, well… At least he’d get to enjoy the view!

@LilyNion​

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

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There he was! The man she had only seen once before they were separated to prepare for their date. He was dressed in a lovely white button-up shirt that looked to be crisply clean as well. Exciting! The man must have had an interest in fashion as well! And a Kel Dor no less, a species she had always found incredibly interesting. There was something so mysterious about their masks.

Clove grew more ecstatic and cheerful as he got closer. They even exchanged looks for a brief moment! Clove bounced lightly on her heels, a large smile on her lips, mentally preparing herself for what she would say when they met face to face. Maybe compliment him on his shirt? Or make a joke about how tall he is, or perhaps—

Wait. Why was he going towards the basket? No, that's not the right direction—

And he's crawling into it—

The half-Sephi blinked twice. The balloon began to rise off the ground before her eyes, and Kel Dor exclaimed joyfully, "I'm over here!" Clove stared at him for a moment and her shocked expression began to melt into pure joy, followed by a laugh. While the hot air balloon was unable to soar freely into the sky, it did reach a respectable height. Or, at the very least, high for Clove. Her wardrobe's top shelf was already a challenge, forcing her to climb up the planks.

"You better start recording, because I'm going to join him!" She called out to the crew while kneeling in the grass to open the buckles that held her heels in place. They came undone with a click, and she slid her feet off the shoes and into the grass with grace. Clove gathered her black shoes in her left hand and took a few deep breaths to prepare herself. Then she dashed over to the hot air balloon.

"Wait, no, what are you doing?!"

She wasn't sure if it was because of her many years of Jedi training or her recent months of ballet, but by the time she arrived at the basket with enough speed, she leaped up and almost flew through the sky. Her pale hand, which had small freckles and hints of pinks and purples all exposed in the sunlight, grasped the Kel Dor's extending hand.

It was a bit of a climb to get over the basket's edge, and to be honest, falling over the edge and landing face-first wasn't exactly the ladylike entrance Clove had in mind. But when she turned around on the basket floor to look up at the man they called Bir, she couldn't stop laughing, her arms curled around her stomach. Okay, no, she had to calm down and try to talk.

Deep breathe in, deep breathe out.

"Hello there, you've made quite an impression!" She tried to say with a straight face before relapsing into her fit of warm giggles. "You are absolutely hilarious!"

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tag @Tulos @Scoobert ​

 

[Bir Vuul]

”First impressions! A specialty of I, Bir Vuul! You’ll find I am hard to forget!” Bir would chuckle gleefully with arms thrown wide open as though to further prove his point with body language alone. Perhaps most would be shocked that someone’s first act on the broadcast would be to hijack the hot air balloon without a second thought, and no one would blame anyone for believing him to be insane for doing such, though for him such a thing was to be expected. Yet one might find an excuse enough to wonder about Clove’s own mental well being for being so willing to immediately join one as mad as Bir in this little escapade.

”Up, up and away!” Bir declared with pride as he fumbled with the ropes that were tied to the basket. Below, members of the crew clambered to keep them secured but soon enough the basket began to soar into the sky and only one staff held on briefly before releasing their grip and dropping back to the ground.

One camera remained on the basket, however, and both those who worked at Hearts in the Stars as well as their viewers would be able to watch as the pair soared through the evening sky.

”Delighted to meet you! Thrilled to make your acquaintance! Excited to connect with you, Miss- uhhh…” Bir began with exuberance but he paused, his brow furrowing deeply as he recalled her name. ”Clove! Yes! Yes! Miss Clove! I am Bir Vuul!” he continued with the chuckle of a mad man. ”Perhaps this too is your first time in flight with the birds?! Not in a starship but one with nature! Oh!!”

By now the hot air balloon had crested above the treeline of the surrounding forest and almost as though on cue, two large reptilian creatures took to flight at the basket’s side with large bat-like wings. Beady black eyes focused on the pair as they let off a shrill shriek of curiosity. With childlike excitement and wonder, Bir quickly scanned what was left in the basket for Clove and he’s adventure and on a large platter was an assortment of bite sized snacks and a tray of fruit, one of which soon was picked up by the Kel Dor.

”Are you hungry, my friend?!” Bir hollered over the edge before pitching the fruit at the creature, which was caught in it’s gaping mouth before it shrieked once again in delight before venturing off towards the horizon. The entire interaction made Bir shiver with thrill while leaning over the edge as he turned to look back at Clove with a massive smile. To him, the euphoria of the hot air balloon ride had already exceeded that of being on the show yet even so, he was glad to have someone here to share the experience with.

@LilyNion​

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

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Clove was too busy with getting up on her feet, all while clutching her shoes to her chest and suppressing giggles, to notice Bir releasing the ropes and freeing the balloon. Well, that was until he declared they were going up, up and away, and the sky clouds suddenly began to shift closer.

Well. At the very least, he seemed to know what he was doing, right?

Clove redirected her focus back to the Kel Dor, her lips almost permanently pressed together in a smile. "You are right, my name is Clove, Clove Vanhoop. It's very lovely to meet you as well, Bir Vuul! " His chuckle didn't seem to bother her all too much. Who was she to judge somebody's laugh? Plus, he looked like he was genuinely enjoying his time! "Yeah, it's my first time! I'm not a great flier in general though, so I try to stay away from the sky as much as possible. But this... "

While she felt the wind swoop thru her mane of curls, the girl's large chocolate brown eyes scanned the horizon crimson. "This is something else, really."

Wait. He said, 'too.' He had never flown in a hot air balloon before.

Oh, sugar. He didn't know what he was doing.

It was too late now to be concerned about it. Plus, the two large reptilian creatures flying alongside the basket distracted her from the impending doom that was approaching. Bir's childlike wonder at feeding them, a wonder she was often told she carried herself, made the whole ordeal worthwhile. And the food they were meant to eat? Well, they could do without it.

"I think they were very hungry." Clove spoke in a hushed tone. The peace and quiet that lingered in the air made her want to be quiet as well. As if speaking up loudly would cause the sky to be disturbed. Clove returned the smile and joined him against the basket's edge, having noticed his huge grin. She just caught a glimpse of the creatures swirling toward the mountains, which she assumed to be their home.

"Thank you for feeding those creatures. They really seemed very grateful." Clove looked toward Bir for a moment, before gazing back at the clouds in the distance. "I assume you like animals a lot? Do you work with animals for a living, by any chance? Or am I completely far off now? I'm personally in the medical field, but I've always felt a weak spot for animals. Even considered becoming a vet instead!"

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tag @Tulos @Scoobert ​