[open] welcome to the masquerade

[implying]

Date & Time: Friday the 7th, 4pm to midnight.
Location: Palace of Versailles, France, 1772.
Characters: anyone! Even characters not yet accepted as of when this log goes up. 8)
Summary: It's just some fancy masquerade dance with spiked punch.
Warnings: here be pictures, slow connections beware.


Welcome to Versailles.

The decorations are arranged, the food is prepared and laid out, the music has been rehearsed, and... most people have their costumes and masks ready. At precisely 1600, the Transporter machine activates, and a full room of people and all of their decorations, food, musical instruments, and costumes are sent back to 1772. The Palace of Versailles is in the height of its splendor, the weather is perfect and cloudless, and the gardens are in full bloom for the spring.

➣ Explore the Palace

Holy shit look at this, you have the chance to get your grubby little fingers all over history before it even becomes properly history. Do you know how many famous butts sat in all these plush velvet chairs? Or are going to sit in these plush velvet chairs? And they were all probably just talking the hell out of French, too. Wow. Go invade some bedrooms, poke your head into the kitchens (but no more than that, or territorial cooking elves might take offense), just. Touch everything. Everything. Just know that where ever you are, there's no escaping that beautiful music your fellow Transports are inflicting on you, that shit's just echoing all over the place tonight.

➣ Admire the Gardens

Jeez look at this, these people just had way too much money. But you get to benefit from it! You can basically just get yourself lost for hours here, so try not to starve or anything. Meet all the statues, go streaking through the fountains (please don't, no one wants to see that), get lost and desperately burst through cute little trees in your increasingly frantic attempts to find the exit. There's all sorts of fun you can have!

Just don't wander too close to the edge of the grounds, or you'll encounter (run into?) the invisible forcefield set up to keep wandering guests from utterly ruining history. That's probably a good way to get yourself a bloody nose.

➣ Enjoy the Banquet

There's tables and tables of this finger-licking good finery here, and it's all for you. And can you believe how fancy it is? Oh my god, those sausages have adorable little spears through them. And those spoons gently cradling their cheesy goodness? Yeah. They're made of crackers. And don't even get me started on these desserts. This is amazing. You've never eaten this good. And naturally, each drink (some of which are spiked, you're welcome) has adorable little frozen flowers in the ice cubes. Who even comes up with this stuff? Elves, that's who.

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Comments

Lelouch Lamperouge | Everywhere | Open

[kingside]

[While Lelouch is hardly a stranger to luxurious surroundings, his gaze is nonetheless appreciative as he explores the palace and the grounds, assuming a sedate pace both so that he has time to absorb what he sees and so that he doesn't muss his clothing. It had taken damn near forever to get his suit precisely the way he wanted it (and yes, he'd sewn it himself, and yes, he is a complete clotheshorse, how did you guess), and the last thing he wants is to ruin it now, when he's in the exact place he'd gone to such lengths to prepare the outfit for. His mask shows an equal amount of care, and it's for that very reason that he doesn't bother removing it even as he takes the scenic route to the masquerade proper. There's so much to see here, so much that he'd only seen in history books or on the internet, and neither did it justice. Where to even begin?

Socialization isn't at the forefront of his mind, but given that this is an opportunity to mingle with his fellow Transports the like of which he hasn't yet had and some vain part of him is looking forward to a bit of showing off, he won't be avoiding anyone he happens across. That would be rude.]

[ex_symbioses706]

Ah!

[ The sound isn't really meant to get his attention, though it may well sine she doesn't make any effort to hide it. Her dress will of course be more than a little recognizable to him, and it's one of the reasons she'll approach him when she sees him. ]

[kingside]

[The sudden sound does make him look over instinctively, and although he still doesn't know Ranka that well, he smiles when he sees her. The dress suits her (naturally), but more than that... no, now is not the time to think about it.]

Good evening, Ranka. Have you been enjoying the masquerade so far?

[ex_symbioses706]

Mhm! It's really really beautiful, don't you think? [ She doesn't actually wait for an answer before going on. ] I saw a few pictures in books at school, but it's not the same at all! I never thought I'd even see France, so especially not this place.

[ Finally, she actually takes a breath. ]

And you look really nice tonight! Did you make that too?

[kingside]

[The smile widens at her obvious excitement, and he nods, holding his arms away from his body to better display his suit. Again, showing off, but he's only really doing it right now because she seems so enthusiastic. It's endearing.]

It took some time, but it was worth it. You look lovely, too, Ranka.

[ex_symbioses706]

( she takes the opportunity to get a good look at his outfit, making a pleased sound. )

Thank you! It's really, really amazing that you make such nice clothes like this, and so fast!

[speakveryclearly]

[Kanaya admires the gorgeous golden architecture of this palace just as much as the positively flawless fashion taste of the human boy she's happened to find in the same area and... and...

...and, wait, she is not entirely sure who this is. She thinks it might be that one guy... the one who shared her senses on tactics. Lelouch? But she hasn't seen him enough times to be confident when he's got a mask on, and she certainly doesn't want to make any assumptions that will embarrass both of them, either.

Well, she knows that between her species and undead condition she's so recognizable it hurts - literally a flashing beacon declaring her identity. So she will just stand here and sip at her drink until he notices her. It's a close-enough-to-flawless plan for Transport work.]

[kingside]

[He's just as caught up in admiring the architecture to not notice the other's presence at first (at least as much as he can when she's glowing for no apparent reason), but the moment it registers, he's observing her covertly. It might have ended at that if there hadn't been some sense of recognition, and once the pieces fall into place after that, he's turning subtly toward her in acknowledgement, lips curving into a faint (and/or faintly amused) smile.]

Kanaya, I presume?

[A horribly overdone cliche, as far as greetings are concerned, but he doesn't especially care. That's what irony is for.]

[speakveryclearly]

[She hears his voice and sees that familiar smile and ah, yes, she has achieved recognition now. She turns to make eye contact with him properly (god are her yellow eyes bright, it's kind of freaky).]

I'm wearing a mask. I could be anyone. ...Lelouch. [Hesitant BUT SHE NAILED IT. OH YES.]

I must say your clothing sense tonight is absolutely spectacular.

[kingside]

[He can't quite comment on anyone's eyes being freaky, in fact, but he's definitely noticing how hers look. It's one thing to see them on the tablet and something else entirely to see them in person, but anyway.]

There are those who would argue that in choosing our masks, we only reveal more truly who we are on the inside.

[It very nearly sounds like a throwaway remark, but there's something about his bland delivery that makes the whole thing sound extremely ambiguous. Naturally, he's not going to be explaining himself at all. Deal with it.]

And thank you. You're looking quite respectable yourself.

[speakveryclearly]

Alternian culture is already rather oriented to the idea of making one's exterior appearance match one's internal composition. I'm sure you've already noticed the similarity of troll clothing to the custom of hemotyping.

I've been attuning my fashion to the regrettably multiversally rare concept of clarity for so long that I didn't even have to think while selecting this. [She taps the border-] Jadeblood; [her hands drawing away] otherwise monochromatic.

You... [Her lips - also, surprise surprise, jade - purse.] Pose more of a mystery to me.

[ino]

[A blonde approaches from nearby, almost silently, a smile on her face]

Interesting mask.

[kingside]

[She'd very nearly snuck up on him, in fact, but Lelouch is gracious enough to not let this show as he returns the smile with a faint one of his own, nodding just a little to her. She's no one he recognizes, but that's what mingling is for.]

May I ask what you mean?

[ino]

I mean it looks interesting. The whole dark versus light thing, you know? People's choices in what they wear say a lot about them, after all.

[She'll fold her hands daintily in front of her, tilting her head to the side a little playfully. She's not really looking for any sort of confirmation or denial, or anything of the sort. But it's a more interesting conversation than "How's the party?"]

[kingside]

[His grin is lopsided now but definitely more genuine, and he shrugs, carelessly sweeping his bangs away from his mask. Showing off again, him? Impossible.]

But are the two at war or in harmony? Although, to be frank, I'd just been hoping to match.

Re: Lelouch Lamperouge | Everywhere | Open

[have_hat_will_travel]

*After a while in the gardens, Lelouch would run into a less than familiar young woman... Wearing a nicely-cut tuxedo. Clearly, one carefully fitted to her particular proportions. Her mask, on the other hand, was one of the plainest he had seen. She's looking around, distracted.*

Wow. This place reminds me of the palaces back home. Should take notes, this'd be great inspiration for my Queen...

[kingside]

[It's an odd sight, but no odder than the sort he's grown accustomed to these days. What the young woman has to say does make him a little curious, but it's more the fact that she's talking to herself so audibly that draws his attention. She seems absorbed in... whatever it is she's doing, at any rate, and so he continues his own exploration of the gardens, observing her out of the corner of his eye. Is she actually going to start taking notes or was she merely thinking aloud?]

[have_hat_will_travel]

*And then, she suddenly turns towards the sharply-dressed Lelouch.*

Oh, hey there!

[kingside]

[A bit unexpected, but he rallies magnificently. What is with this girl?]

Hello, miss. I hope I wasn't intruding.

[diplomatique]

[ Larsa has never been to such a lush garden such as this. Archadia was full of bustling life and metallic procedure. there were small gardens and lush pots of life, but nothing so elaborate as this. Larsa finds himself getting completely lost among greenery and flowers and posh sculptures. it's dazzling to see for a little child, especially at night. it feels like it's a special playground, bathed in moonlight.

especially so when he sticks out like a sore thumb, dressed head to toe in stark white, making him look like little less than a tiny ghost if not for a face that was rosy with exertion.

it's near then that he sees Lelouch, and he has to take a moment of pause. there is something in the way the man (teenager? he can't tell from this far away) walks. it reminds him something of Vayne, and he can't put his finger on exactly why, and if it's a bad feeling, or a good one. so he decides to move a little brisker along his line of the gardens, trying to keep to his section while keeping an eye on the stranger. ]

[kingside]

[For the moment, Lelouch is unaware of his observer, absorbed in his surroundings as he is. While not identical to the gardens of his childhood home, there are enough similarities between this place and Aries Imperial Villa that he's beginning to grow nostalgic, however tainted some of the memories have become. The persistent thought that Nunnally would adore this place doesn't help, and although he remains masked, there's more than enough of his face visible for the slight downturn of his mouth to be in plain sight. He assumes, of course, that there's no one around to see it, but that's his problem.]

[diplomatique]

[ he, ultimately, finds himself too concerned when he sees that frown to keep silent, so he approaches and speaks quietly. ]

Are you well, sir?

[ twelve and only barely five feet tall, Larsa has to crane his neck to fix Lelouch with a troubled expression. ]

[kingside]

[It isn't the way Lelouch would have chosen to be roused from his thoughts, but it definitely serves its purpose as he blinks and looks immediately to the one who had spoken, face now utterly blank. Careless of him, probably, and ye gods is this newcomer tiny, but now that he's aware of him--]

Perfectly all right. Nothing you need to concern yourself with.

[ardor]

[On one of the balconies overlooking the gardens, a familiar redhead in an equally familiar dress and mask can be seen holding a drink as she leans against the railing. Her gaze falls across the scenery below as a smile makes its way across her face.]

[kingside]

[To here IF YOU WANT.]