Okay, I know this is a really silly thread considering... everything right now. But yesterday I got invited to a lesbian wedding and a pride party—both in Final Fantasy XIV—and it made me so happy, I can't not talk about it.

I don't know most of these people! Someone wanted guests at their wedding and I turned up. And someone was inviting folks across the server to go to a Pride party on Costa del Sol, "costumes encouraged." The theme was rainbows but I decided to dye my armor the trans flag colors.

The couple actually exchanged vows by typing them in chat! I was invited by the Viera woman and she kept thanking folks for coming and I just... like, so many of my friends' offline weddings got canceled that just thinking of how much I wanted to be with them got me so emotional.

Also we took a group photo because the girls love their selfies.

That was in the morning. Then I logged off, had rehearsal with an all-trans cast that got me emotional AGAIN because I loved seeing everyone's faces and wished I could be near them. When I got back on, somebody in my free company put me on a linkshell (basically, a group text).

I got to the party 30 minutes late because I didn't know what to wear... in a video game. Some folks recognized I was wearing trans pride colors and I met other trans players! I spent over an hour talking to a girl from Atlanta who felt like she could only be herself in the game.

BUT THEN IT GOT BETTER. More and more players from my Free Company showed up—usually we talk about in-game stuff, like crafting and duties and MSQ—talking about how they love the community in our FC. We had the L, the G, the B, the T, the Q, the I, and the plus out in full force.

The Pride party was hosted by a bunch of other players across servers, and it was only supposed to be an hour or two; but people stayed well past midnight my time. Bards learned to play pop songs in-game, like... how am I at a Pride party in Eorzea and THEY GOT VANESSA CARLTON???

Meanwhile, the FC chat is going off. Folks talking about how they've never felt so accepted as intersex folks, as bi folks, etc. Even some of the non-family in the company were asking questions, but being super respectful. People outside the community learning... in a video game!

After a few hours of this, one of the guys in our FC (his name is Brock Hampton and we stan him forever) says we're gonna take group photos back at the FC house in one of the rooms, be there in 10, etc. So then we get to the room and SOMEBODY MADE THE WALLS THE PRIDE FLAG??? WHAT

One of the FC members ran and got us all dyes so that we could match our armor to one of the colors of the flag. (I'm standing in front of the yellow!)

So we pose for a while, because selfies. The watermarked ones were taken by me, non-marked from other FC folks! Theirs look cooler. I want to step up my in-game... selfie... game.

Oh and the tiger cub is mine. It reminds me of my boyfriend and I really really wish he could play.

Then someone says, the wall should have a black stripe! (Our FC has taken a pro-BLM stance, which might not matter to some folks, but it says something to me.) We all back up off the wall while another FC member changes the room in real-time to include one. Then... more pictures!

So after that, I finally said I have to go to bed. I have rehearsal in the AM and I want to go to the march today! One of the folks I met at the in-game party told me to be safe, and good luck. Then I went to bed... but not before showing my boyfriend all of the pictures we took.

And here we are in the morning, rehearsal is over, and I'm getting ready to march! But first... more selfies. (Yes, I know they're not *real* selfies. Hush.)

I keep thinking about why last night made me so happy and I think there are a lot of reasons. First, I'm not used to having a hobby and taking time to just *play*. It's been a while since I've done that. Being able to immerse myself in a game *and* have community feels special.

But I also think it speaks to the power of that community *to find each other*. People at the party were blowing up the chat, talking about how happy they were to have a Pride event, that their local events got cancelled, that there *are* no events near them, etc.

You know? Like... okay, we're in a fictional realm, I'm a tall red dragon man, the Bards are out here learning to play Avicii and Bastille and shit, and also I'm having these very real conversations with people who feel like a video game is the one place they're not being judged.

And yeah, again, I know it's just a game, but it's so important. I've never met most of these people (although I've successfully dragged some of my friends into the game), and yeah, I know they're not green men and cat people. But somehow these avatars enable us to be vulnerable.

AND ALSO AS MESSY AND AS GAY AS POSSIBLE

I MEAN REALLY

YOU HAD PEOPLE RIDING IN ON UNICORNS

PEOPLE WERE WAVING GLOWSTICKS

AND WHO INVITED THE HALF NAKED CAT MEN???

Okay, but really. (How many times have I said really?) I had been drained by Pride this month, for reasons that can fill up a whooole other thread. But somehow, this restored me. Truly. And it's all thanks to Final Fantasy XIV, and the best FC in Eorzea: The Black Waltz!

And it takes me back to... *coughcough* years ago, when I was a tiny baby queer hanging out in AOL chat rooms, just looking for someone like me.

When people I knew thought I was shutting myself away from the world, I was actually searching for a world I could feel at home in.

I'm not sure what the point of this is, but if you're still sheltering in place and if Final Fantasy XIV appeals to you, there's a red dragon man running around the realm in blue, pink, and white who will always be here for you. And join The Black Waltz! You're going to love it.

And with that, I'm going to go get ready to march. Thanks for reading, and happy Pride y'all!

... MAN I REALLY HOPE THERE AREN'T ANY TYPOS IN THIS LONG-ASS THREAD.