Cometh the Big Crying Wheel

[initiates]

Date & Time: Sept 15th
Location: A refurbished castle on the outskirts of Exsilium.
Characters: Anyone at the party!
Summary: Vanadi hosts a party that goes very poorly.
Warnings: Violence, probably! Let a mod know if we should update this.


It’s a lovely night for a party!

The venue at the outskirts of town is, unfortunately, a bit drafty — and actually rather sparsely furnished, as well. In fact, party goers are encouraged to mingle, drink, and enjoy themselves in the courtyard, as the castle itself wasn’t able to be renovated in time, and has proven to be a little bit architecturally unsound. Any explorative guests might find a small hail of dust and pebbles on their heads if they venture too far in — and who knows what else, if they continue on.

But the drinks and snacks both are plentiful and delicious, and the large canvas set up from castle wall to castle wall keeps off the sprinkling rain. The weather could even be described as warmish and pleasant, if one were feeling generous. A group of Exiles plays classic instruments in one corner of the courtyard, having been paid enough to even smile at any Transports that wander near.

All in all, it’s shaping up to be a good night. Until about 10 PM, that is. Come 10 PM, the Misery rolls into town, tearing down the canvas, nullifying powers, and crying corrosive blood everywhere. That’s the cue for all hell to break loose, as the final wave of mind-controlled characters snag their victims and make for the hills — or at least for the UE. The mind-controlled characters will also have the backup of a squadron of 20 of the Masked, the UE's special ops force. The Masked's main goal is to grab those on their list and get away, but they're certainly not above shooting to kill at anyone that gets in their way. They're also highly trained in hand-to-hand combat and physically enhanced by their suits, so they're a good bunch to try to avoid.

But do have a wonderful time until then, won’t you?

Comments

[notpeterparker]

A. Before 10

[Carol's had a lot of things to worry about these past few weeks, and a party seems to be the perfect way to take her mind off of things for a while and relax. At least until the giant blood wheel crashes the party, of course. Before she goes to check out the food, she's currently in awe of the castle. The only time she's ever seen one is in books, and it's even more amazing up close.]

Wow, this place is gorgeous! I should take some pictures...

[She fumbles with her camera, wasting no time snapping photographs. Anyone in her way will get included in her picture-taking as well.]

B. After 10

[As soon as the wheel shows up and all hell breaks loose, Carol starts screaming and will duck under the nearest table for safety. She covers her head with her arms in hopes it'll help protect her.]

W-what is that?! What is that thing?!

a

[andagain]

[Keith couldn't resist amusing the child. He flashes a cheesy peace sign when he spots her holding it up to take a picture of a crowd.]

Cheese!

steph brown | ota

[controlledvariable]

a: before 10pm

[For anyone who saw her recently at Ella's party, the differences between then and now are dramatic. Steph tries to look casual, but for the first hour or so she has the demeanour of a cat that's been petted the wrong way, hackles raised and tension radiating from her posture, stalking around the courtyard like she should be part of the security team, rather than a partygoer. She's wearing her Batgirl suit (sans cape, cowl, boots, belt and gloves; though they're in the bag she brought with her), but it's hidden underneath a regular suit, with a simple black t-shirt underneath. Maybe the purple is a little cliché, but she feels better for the familiarity of it, using the colour like a uniform in and of itself. She'd been tempted to wear her boots, but thought that might be taking the paranoia too far, so she managed to wrangle a pair of black, Mary Jane heels. Her hair is braided and pinned up out of the way, and she hasn't bothered with make up beyond covering the dark circles under her eyes.

She's not even sure she should be here, not when she could be searching for Ellie and Joel and the others, but there's going to be a lot of people here, tonight, and she wants to know there's someone keeping an eye on them. It doesn't really occur to her that she could leave the task to Helena or Dinah or Babs, because she's just so used to working on her own in Exsilium that it's too hard to rely on people again. Especially when things just don't feel right with the Birds, not when they're from such a complicated time in Steph's past.

It doesn't matter; she's here now, on guard and watchful, though eventually the tension softens into something more steady. Being so tightly wound is unprofessional, and it's dangerous, so she forces herself to be calmer. Still alert, still ready, but she weaves through the crowd more easily and even manages to eat something (when was the last time she did that?), though she avoids the alcohol. This isn't the night to be drunk.]

b: after 10pm

[Well.

At least she was right to be paranoid.

When everything starts going to shit, Steph moves quickly and calmly to her bag, taking a few seconds to strip off her civvies to leave her in her Batgirl suit, adding all the missing pieces to her uniform. Her clothes and bag are left unceremoniously under a table, and then she's leaping into the fray.

The wheel is.... something entirely out of her realm of experience, and at first she just focuses on the Transports who are attacking their friends. She tries to incapacitate anyone as painlessly and quickly as possible, but honestly it's just hard to do anything when that giant fucking bleeding wheel is rolling around.

Her attention shifts to trying to stop it, relying mostly on assorted batarangs, aiming for all those eyes, since she figured straight away that it's a bad idea to touch the blood. That doesn't stop her from getting hit with it a few times, but at least her suit is a little harder to corrode than regular fabric. She'll likely have burns by the end of the night, but that doesn't matter, her primary concern is making sure no one else gets hurt, and that they lose as few people to the United Earth as possible.

If there's a chance, she's going to try following those controlled and kidnapped, to see where they go.]

after 10pm!

[implying]

[ After a night of being a generally listless and lackluster party host, Vanadi springs to action only when his programming demands it. Ease the way, protect the controlled is the order burning across his mind, and of course there isn't anything to do but follow it.

He just wishes he hadn't spotted Steph going after one of the controlled. ]

Stephanie.

[ It's a low call, from about ten feet off and behind her. He can't bring himself to attack from behind, unannounced, and so this is the best he can do. He stands ready, both blades at his wrists extended and poised, with the sleeve around them sliced cleanly through. The grimness about him is a strange look for Vanadi. ]

Kevin Cecil | Open!

[senseandcecilbility]

[After every single attempt at relaxation fails again and again, Kevin finally decides to change tactics and embrace honest toil instead. The party seems to be an excellent opportunity to concentrate on anything but his nagging thoughts (never mind the ominously familiar castle looming on the horizon). No, no and no, he will keep his feet on the ground and make himself useful.

Truth be told, the Twining manor has not seen a proper reception in years. Young master has never been what one would call sociable, and these days they simply lack the resources…and furniture and good heavens, are the bills going to wait for Kevin's return? His long experience as a house steward suggests bills do not care for the traditional rules of physics, let alone the time and space continuum. What if young master…

Oh my, he is doing it again, isn’t he? Back to his main point: the Twining manor might be isolated and forlorn, but Kevin does know his trade. And it is with meticulous care that he supervises his corner of the party, making sure no glass or tray goes empty, and - always important - no inebriated guest falls into a ditch. It is a menial and mindless task, but he enjoys it from the bottom of his heart. For once, things in Exsilium seem almost tolerable.

Which makes this whole sensation of imminent doom particularly godawful. ]

[crocodilesmiles]

( Collette is neither above nor beyond enlisting others to see toward the less easy to access needs she has, as they come along.

Such as some water.

Some water that she's staring down from where she sits in her manual wheelchair, ringers tapping on the armrests as her eyebrows slowly hike higher on her forehead. The chaniya choli she wears is tailored to her, and in complentary colors for her complexion; she wears no jewlery past the ornate gold bracelet on one wrist. Her stop-watch rests are her side, not terribly visible at the moment.

Oh, but she's staring at that water too far back, and slightly awkward, for her to reach.

And she folds her arms over her chest. )

You know, this is entirely unfair. Like putting my favorite mug in the top cupboard!

Blaine Thorps | OTA

[strategic_guile]

A. Before 10pm: Blaine needed something to do, desperately. He hadn't seen Johnny in over a week, two weeks even, and other people he knew and saw around were gone as well. Gone or just being far more scarce than he was used to. He didn't like it, and he felt like it was more than just people sticking to their apartments. So he was really at the party to scope out who was there, and more importantly who wasn't there that probably would be.

His usual smile wasn't as bright as usual, but it's still there as he moved around with a drink he hadn't touched since he got it. If he moved towards anyone or if someone showed interest he'd strike up a conversation. "Having a good time? Vanadi does know how to throw a party."

B. After 10pm: There were no powers in Blaine to be nullified. Not having powers was his usual flavor, but the rain of blood that sizzled and ate through canvas and floor was not normal at all. He stayed well away from it and the creature that was producing it. Instead he stuck to the Transports who were suddenly turning on one another and those who were doing the smartest thing and running the hell away.

If he wasn't trying to pull a Transport away from the person who was taking them, he was shuttling the non-combatants out. There were too many people he didn't want to shoot around from him to do much else unless it was a last resort. He waved a hand.

"Come on! This way! Out, out, out!"

Once they were gone he could get down to business and let out some frustration with the freaky thing crying in the sky.

Before 10pm

[trustycrowbar]

Look who was dragged to the party along with him? Gordon has stuck to the periphery of the dance floor, looking on with a strangely forlorn expression, drink in one hand. He glances to his companion as he draws near.

"He does. Didn't he throw the Halloween party last year, too?"

open, before 10 because she'll be... a corpse after that oops

[fortissimos]

[ So maybe things aren't as fancy as last year's party — but that doesn't matter so much. She'd kept her outfit in case something like this happened again, and while it needed some adjusting (she's taller now, more built), it still fits well enough. She's even had practice dancing since then.

Determined not to break any toes this time, she fixes her cuffs; stepping over to the nearest person as the band starts up again. Things have been a little off lately, but in the party atmosphere with classical music playing... she's in her element. ]

You know, this song would be pretty perfect for a waltz. [ Hint, hint. ]

[maddeninghatter]

[ The music is a distraction. It's harder to keep track of everything with these amateurs sawing away. With any luck, they'll stop. Someone ought to pay them to stop. Someone who isn't him, obviously, but-- ]

Eh--?

[ Is this..... a small girl.......... hinting that she wants to dance??? ]

Ah. Ah, yes. I suppose--haha!--I suppose it would be, if one were, ah, fond of that sort of thing.

Xerxes Break | OTA

[maddeninghatter]

Before 10pm:

I
[ Despite his conviction that something is going to happen at this party (or something's going to happen elsewhere, and the party is a distraction), Xerxes Break does not see this as a reason not to dress for the occasion, thus he is a vision of sartorial splendor, bejeweled, beruffled, and befrock-coated: that is to say, clad in the latest fashions of… eighteenth-century Venice. Shut up, he went there on a mission recently, it was grand. Nevertheless, he is on high alert, standing off to one side, beneath the canvas, sipping a cup of tea. He is carefully listening, forming an intricate mental map of the courtyard. Where are the exits? Where are his companions? How many people are in attendance? How many doorways lead into the castle? He is a chessmaster contemplating a board full of pieces. Or that's how he regards himself; the reality is, alas, far from this. ]

II
[ Having alerted his companions that he was going to do some exploring, Break is padding quietly down one of the long hallways and investigating the once-sumptuous rooms. Cobwebs abound, as does plaster dust. Things skitter along the baseboards. He carries neither flashlight nor candle; even his "presence" is masked. So don't be too surprised if he jumps out at you, suddenly appearing out of the gloom. That tap on your shoulder is totally friendly -- right? ]

After 10pm:

III
[ Gilbert and Oz have made it their personal mission for the last week to keep Xerxes Break away from sweets of all sorts (for reasons!!! that weren't even his fault!!!), and so one of them has been keeping an eye on the dessert table all night. But now they seem to be distracted, and the party has been relatively uneventful so far, so he is going to slip off without telling anyone and gobble up everything on the table. Pies, tarts, petit-fours, cheesecake, birthday cake, and best of all, handfuls of hard candy. Thus he is completely distracted when the great wheel rolls in, noise and screaming and chaos echo off the stone walls and bounce around under the ripping canvas and he can't hear where anything is coming from and his precise mental map is destroyed and what's going on and where is everyone?

Thus he stands frozen, wide-eyed, and disoriented, holding a plateful of chocolate cake and a fork in his mouth. Help? ]

iii ~

[senseandcecilbility]

[When hell breaks loose and his powers are nullified, his first reaction is to duck under the nearest table to hide his now obvious angelic aura...and the beautiful and long wing sticking out of his back, shedding pristine white feathers all over the place. His second reaction is to thrust his hands from beneath the tablecloth and grab the legs of the complete idiot who is standing in the middle of all chaos with a fork in his mouth.]

MISTER BREAK! TAKE SHELTER, I BEG YOU!

[He pulls him down, hard, and yet careful enough so the insufferable man will not knock his head against the table or end up with silverware in the back of his skull.

He cannot vouch for the cake's safety, though.]

Keith Goodman | open

[andagain]

before 10pm

Keith shows up wearing his hero suit, minus the helmet. He didn't have anything fancier at his disposal besides a police uniform, and he felt that was improper of him to wear outside of being on duty. He's enjoying himself quite well, making small talk by the balcony with other characters and enjoying the somewhat pleasing weather for tonight while sipping some punch.

Or maybe he's by the courtyard or ballroom, gently offering a hand to someone out there with a smile. "May I have this dance?" He asks.

after 10pm

Powers suppressed or not, he's not going down yet! He's searching for victims who have been caught in all the chaos and cannot make it out safely . While his suit does carry some protection on it, he's still a little fragile from no wind powers to reflect or misdirect any enemy attacks. Still, he's not going to have any piece of mind until he looks into all possible corners for anybody who's been left behind.

after 10, like After Eights but less chocolatey

[devotedtothecore]

Among those still left behind might be those willingly staying behind, sharing Keith's intent. Chrys emerges from a set of double doors leading to the left wing of the compound, dust-streaked and grim-faced.

"Is there anyone else left in the main building?" he calls out, curt and clipped.

open

[keep_smiling]

Before 10

[Elmer's gonna Elmer. How can he resist a party? And it's been quite awhile since he's been inside a proper castle. Arming himself with some drinks and snacks, he's going sightseeing! If you're wandering around too, you're bound to find Elmer wandering around as well.]

Amazing! This is quiet nice! Why don't we have parties here more often?

After 10

[Oh, it's that thing! Elmer had talked and interacted with the Misery awhile back, so clearly now they were friends. Clearly all it need was to be talked down from this nonsense! Clearly.

The problem is that this thing is nullifying his immortality and it's dripping acid blood everywhere. Someone might want to try keeping him from approaching, but for now, he's one of the only people running towards it instead of away from it.]

Oi! It's me! You probably shouldn't come in here!

Before 10

[notpeterparker]

[They've talked over text, but this is the first time Carol's seen Elmer in person. So naturally, she doesn't recognize him, but that doesn't stop her from socializing.]

I was wondering that myself. This place is absolutely beautiful, it makes me wonder how old this place is.

open

[notadamnvampire]

Before 10

[For the kind of place Exsilium was, there sure was a strange amount of parties going on. Well, this one was much more Alucard's speed. He's even come in his usual clothes. But honestly, he's more interested in the location than the actual party. He's been inside castles before his father now owns several, but they've never stopped being fascinating to him. Plus he hasn't had much of a chance to explore while in Exsilium, so now was his chance. If you're out and about, you might come across the young man poking around at things. Or climbing on things. Or opening things. All castles have secret passageways, right?]

After 10

[Once the Misery rolls in, Alucard is primed to defend himself - until he realizes his powers aren't working in his presence. He doesn't know how else to defend himself. He didn't just want to run, but he seemed to have no choice. The problem was, everyone else was running too. The petite young man was having a hard time navigating through the chaos, trying to not to get trampled or hit by acid blood.]

C'mon, get out of my way!

after 10

[commentboxtroll]

[ While Alucard is trying to escape, Caesar is just trying to get back up!

In one of the routes people are now crowding through, he's still seated on the floor but pressed back against the wall, thankfully out of traffic for now. He's only coming to after his own (immensely failed) attempt to stop a pair of kidnappings, groggy and trying to figure out if moving is even a good idea. Since, you know, getting tramped really wouldn't help things on top of everything else... ]

[have_hat_will_travel]

[Before 10 PM]

*A certain oddly-dressed girl is traveling around, looking... More than anything, cautious. Between Zelos' disappearance after beating the hell out of her - thankfully she'd managed to get healed up enough to walk - and other disappearances, she's very certain something is going on.

Whoever's behind this is obviously aiming not just to capture people with abilities - they want the rest of Exsilium scared. And that means, as she goes around, she's looking to see if anything might happen during the party, only occasionally softening up enough to mingle.*

[10 PM, locked to Tori]

*So, Tori? You struck up a conversation with Pid and have possibly bonded with her a bit... When the Misery comes in, and suddenly Pidonus is screaming in pain. What Do?*

[scentofpink]

*It's the dress that attracts Rosy's attention first off. And when she looks closer, a feeling of oddness. So Pidonis's approached by a young woman wearing a casual dress consisting of red denim and covered with sewn-on shiny stars, moons, and hearts.*

Hello there, I rather like that dress.

*She really does. It reminds her more of home and her people's tendency toward outlandish fashions than what she'd seen here from most people.*

ahiru | ota!

[quackery]

[Ahiru has always been the kind of person who loves parties. She loves seeing so many people smiling, watching the people dance and dancing herself, and listening to the music.

When she first arrives, she scans the crowd for someone familiar. Throughout the night, she can be found on the dance floor, taking a break for refreshments, and exploring the castle despite structural unsoundness.]

[retraced]

[Just before 10:00 Gilbert happens upon her while she's wandering the castle. He's been scouting it out himself now that the party is starting to wind down and people are getting ready to maybe say their goodbyes. Kate's theory has him on edge, so he's been watching everyone and everything to make sure that there's no real weirdness going on. And so far, it's been mostly uneventful.

Of course that can only go on for so long.

He turns a corner lit by candlelight, startling to see another figure in the hallway before he realizes who it is.]

Ahiru?

Chrysos Kineas | OTA

[devotedtothecore]

Before 10 pm

[ He'd had no intentions of being here today-- social events such as these were never attended save by obligation, and let alone the fact that it seemed almost atrocious to hold such a one in the light of the Situation they were in--- but with Chrono's disappearance (no trace of him to be found, and a search of the outlands barely covering a fraction of ground) and continued word of other missing over the last few days... if there was any place that would be a prime target for abductors to strike, it would be an event such as this one. Revelers, particularly the careless and carefree, either in the thick of the party or leaving it for the night... not to mention being beyond the perimeter of the Hold, or even the heart of the city itself. It would be worth being there if only to keep an eye out.

So it's hanging by the edges of the courtyard that one might find Chrys, with a good heavy coat over his uniform enough of a nod to formality, where he's alternating between watching the crowd and surveying the area. Taking note of the layout, of shadowed corners and people coming and going, moving away from time to time to weave slowly between pockets of conversation and catch snippets here and there. It's a comfort to him that he's far from the only one in a somber or sober mood, from what he can gather of the looks on faces and the tone of others.

It helps, as always, to feel like he's doing something beyond sitting on his hands. ]

After 10 pm

[ He can feel tremors in the ground itself, as the indescribable thing (abomination) rolls closer, feel the rumbling under his rooted soles resonate in his knees, or at least that's what it has to be, because it's been years since he felt this jelly-legged from anything but exhaustion (recalls, unbidden, a girl on a rain-drenched rooftop, mouthing I can no longer pretend that this is a nightmare-- yet something like this can't possibly exist outside of one, can it?)

But then the screams and shouts begin, and reality upends itself overhead like a bucket of ice water. Chrys turns from the Misery's looming form at the front gates to sprint across the courtyard, for and archway-lined gap between buildings, one leading to a side gate-- and turns to gesture at others to follow, yelling loud and authoritative as he can above the crowd. ]

This way! There's another exit this way, move!

after!

[molecules]

[ piper's going to stop throwing her hands up in a bid to will her power back some time during the night. she's got herself a few cuts and scratches, but it's nothing out of the ordinary for her. ]

[ it's when she hears someone shouting that there's an exit — another one, as she's heard this shout countless times before — she tries to follow the voice. she wants out of here, but she also wants to help — but she can't quite do that while she's rendered completely powerless. ]

Hey! Hey! [ she tries to move around people, objects, things. and when she finally spots that voice, she tries to go towards it. ] You sure about that exit?

open before 10, closed after

[kilimanjaro]

before 10

[Kili arrives fashionably late to the party. Really his main intention in coming is to snag some food at get out, though he's a bit distracted by his brother and Celebrian, who talk him into staying a bit longer.

You might find him sneaking food into his cloak, or perhaps leaning against the wall and sipping at a drink thoughtfully. Maybe he's even out dancing, if there's enough of an allure for him.]

after 10 - closed to Fili and Celebrian

[When all hell breaks loose, Kili is right in the middle of it. Grateful at least that he's brought his bow. Nocking a few arrows one after another, he lets them loose, frowning slightly when nothing abnormal happens with them. They don't catch fire or spark with lightning or any of the things they've been doing in training.]

Of course not.

[He mutters it frustratedly to himself before someone knocks hard into his shoulder and he staggers several paces, nearly falling.

Where's my family? Panic jolts through Kili's chest and he looks around frantically.]

Fili! Bri!

after 10 /curls up to cry

[ladyofrivendell]

[Celebrian's barely avoided the panicking rush of others, getting away with only a couple of bruises, skirts singed in places but otherwise intact. She's running in search of her friends, her mother, her roommates. Anyone she knows and recognizes, she's watching for as she trips over her own feet in fear.

Her name- nickname rather- catches her attention. There's only one person that calls her that...]

Kili!

Raiden - OTA

[highfrequency]

[A: Before 10]

[Raiden is doing what he always does at big social gatherings: guard duty. He can be seen wandering around, watching everyone, his clawed hand never far from the hilt of his sword, which has pivoted to his hip. If approached he will try his best to smile warmly and engage in conversation but he doesn't like to spend time in one spot for too long.]

[B: After 10] (Warning for violence)

[Raiden is already leaping into an attack position when the Misery tears its way into the party. Just as he's about to draw his sword, however, a pulse of energy washes over him and he drops to one knee. As his Initiative modifications shut down he feels a wave of nausea sweep through his gut and he vomits dark sludge all over the floor.

His nerve connections twinge and for a moment he feels pain-actual pain-and his head snaps up, eye glowing. At first he is only distantly aware of the monstrosity rolling its way through the party. With it are a throng of....Desperado cyborgs? No...the Masked. The United Earth.

The United Earth...

Those fuckers who have already destroyed a planet, have already bombed their base and spread a plague. They didn't care who they killed-men, women, children... And now they are back. Of course they are back. It is a war, after all. Expecting things to stay peaceful was foolish.

Raiden hates these people with such feverish intensity that sometimes he thinks they can't be real. But they are real. So they can be hated.

As he watches the Masked spread into the crowed he feels an erotic shiver shake itself deep inside his body; it rises up and kisses his hatred like an old lover. This time it does not recede but instead lingers in the back of his mind.

He cries out a primal, ragged sound and swings his blade at the Masked soldier nearest to him. The other man, clearly well trained in melee combat, manages a smart dodge then the cyborg swings again, cutting him cleanly in half. Raiden kicks the fallen torso towards the wheel-like abomination then, his senses still frazzled from losing some of his inner functions, he leaps into the fray.]

Get out! Everyone get out!

[Whether he's speaking to the Transports or to the UE, he isn't sure.]

before 10!

[irritating]

[ Apollo has so far spent most of the evening exploring, drinking and talking to random people about random things, so it was really only a matter of time before she finally noticed this guy wandering around looking like he was judging everyone. Never without a drink in her hand, the redhead decided to approach from behind and stop only when she was standing next to him. ] Little edgy, aren't you? [ She comments, nodding to the hand he has on the hilt of his sword. Technically she's armed too - with twin pistols very clearly holstered at her hips - but she's not at all in ready-to-fight mode. ]

[legal_eagle]

Before the attack

[Sonya likes parties. Sure, things have been going to shit a little bit lately, so really she probably shouldn't be in a festive mood, but the fact is that getting to dress up and drink fancy things and judge other people on their clothes is really sort of a lot of fun. She likes her dress tonight, black and yet not dour, and she likes her hair, and she likes the food, and she likes the location.

So for the first time in a few days, she actually seems in a genuinely good mood, smiling at people and going over to bother the ones she knows.]

At the attack:

[She's off in a corner when they attack. Her immediate instinct is to run, because she's not any sort of hero and she's not stupid, but as soon as she tries to propel herself upwards she finds she can't. Her gift's gone, been nullified - so that means she's not got any way to flee, so she decides to fight.

She kicks off her shoes first, because no one gets anywhere in high heels. Her shawl gets wound tightly around her forearm - a flimsy shield, but a shield nevertheless - and then the pepper spray comes out. Then she's off, running forward towards the advancing horde, keeping low so that she can get the nozzle wedged under the masks of the soldiers so that she can get a good shot of capsaicin up there. When the pepper spray runs out, she'll use the heels of her shoes, and when that's gone keys clutched in her hand - but she's not just going to give up, because fuck these guys.

(And, in spite of her assertions always that she's not any sort of hero, she's not trying to avoid notice throughout all of this. She's not engaging with anyone bigger and stronger than she is if there's no reason to do so, but if she sees people getting dragged off, she intervenes.)]

i suppose i should say that CLEARLY this is post-attack

[highhealplz]

[ For his part, Ashraf is in robes as usual — but darker, trimmed in a flashier gold, with hints of a deep red. Appropriate eveningwear, he's decided. Whether it actually is, is still up for debate, but at least he's happy with it. He grins as soon as Sonya's in sight, and tosses over a subtle little wave through the crowd.

He adds, mouthed silently: ] You look great.

[commentboxtroll]

[ before 10pm ]

[ At the behest of an incredibly pushy girl, Caesar exists at the party. Exists in the sense that he's just there, but not particularly participating or enjoying it. Even though the food has always proven to be the upside to these things, the forced social interaction in such a lackluster castle leaves a lot to be desired.

Worse, he's been bullied into borrowing some nicer clothing (the shirt and jacket, anyway) from Oz of all people. While their general build isn't that different, the few inches Oz has on him height-wise just adds to the insult! Don't even mention the hair gel...

ALL THAT IN MIND, he's making himself scarce save for his rare appearances at the food table. The rest of the time is spent sulking along the edges of the courtyard or, more likely, inside the castle itself. One might even know he's around by tonight's trademark complaint of: ]

And here I thought I'd seen the worst of castles already. This one is just depressing.

[ And since he doesn't care that he gets dust and dirt all over Oz's nice clothes, when in the castle, he can be found having scaled one of the more dangerous stairwells to perch in a window overlooking the party... uh, the canvas, anyway, but that doesn't bother him. He's still visible from the inside of that same stairwell, though, regardless of floor. ]

[ after 10pm, outside the castle ]

[ Caesar's last memories are having found his way to Collette just before the attack began. Why doesn't matter so much now, because what else he does recall is the man who attacked. Oz showing up, the sad attempt to fight the man off, then blacking out...

The battle at the party is already nearly over by the time he woke again. How he got out is hazy, though something about someone else dragging him out with some other people escaping, then him managing to get out the rest of the way on his own. Now he's a safe distance away from the walls, seated on the ground and staring back at the castle with some small amount of shock.

That had all happened so fast... ]

after 10 pm

[maddeninghatter]

[ The fighting has died down. The UE, the kidnappers, the kidnapped, and those pursuing them are all gone. Filling the air is the acrid smell of smoke, the muffled sounds of weeping, and a high voice calling, over and over: ]

Collette! Oz! Oz! Collette!

open, before ten since she'll be a meguca corpse afterwards

[revelation]

[ well, it wasn't quite as... extravagant as last year, but Madoka arrives with the idea of having a good time. things had been tense lately and more people seemed to be leaving everyday, it has left her worried about Sayaka and the others- or even herself. so, a little distracted (any kind of distraction) is welcomed in her mind.

she is terribly glad she kept her dress and ribbons from last year, it makes finding something to wear for the party rather easy in the long run.

at first, Madoka moves about and searches for someone familiar but after a while this small pink girl might be coming up to you with a smile on her face. ]

Hi there! Are you enjoying yourself? They did a pretty good job setting all of this up, didn't they?

[notadamnvampire]

[The young man she approaches is looking over the food and drinks. Thinking it over for a moment, his expression doesn't seemed to impressed, but he nods.]

I suppose. It's nicer than the last party I was at here. Nicer music and venue.

[retraced]

[Why is a person like Gilbert Nightray at a party like this? The answer to this question is the personal safety of a fifteen year old boy who has a bad history with parties like this one, honestly. He's as much a wallflower here as he is at home in these types of social situations, so he's grateful that he's also been given a task tonight: to watch the crowd for any suspicious activity. Are you acting suspicious? Sneaking away from the party early? Trying to spike the punch? Gilbert might just go and question you and/or follow you and he won't even be discrete about it.

Otherwise, he's hanging out near the edges of the room where he can get the best look at exits and the crowd without actually mingling with anyone.]

[crocodilesmiles]

Hey Gilbert, want to go looking for castle ghosts with me?

( Because clearly this is something he'd do.

Clearly. Collette, in her chaniya choli with colors that complement her complexion, asks her (maybe serious maybe not) question with a small smile and big, curious eyes. She's glad Gil is here, much like she's glad Break is, and other reassuring presences, but it means she's as drawn to him and the rest as a moth to flame.

Then again, she was hardly without her own sense of the absurd to toss at any one of them. )

piper halliwell » open

[molecules]

before 10pm

[ piper almost didn't come to the party. but, considering there's nothing to do, and things in exsilium felt a little weird, she decides to come in an effort to put her witch hat on and see if anything fishy is around this particular side of the place. ]

[ she picks at things to eat, grabs a drink or two, and mingles within the crowd. she might accidentally bump into someone. she avoids the dance floor like no other, and sometimes lingers outside in a bid to catch some air. ]

after 10pm

[ piper throws her hands up in an effort to freeze the entire room — but it doesn't work. her hands are held out, her fingers splayed defiantly, and she's frowning at the lack of display of her powers that had been working just fine prior to attending this party. ] What the hell —

[ with her biggest offensive and defensive attacks down, piper's not the best at hand to hand combat. she tries, though, picking up whatever she can use as a weapon to fight these intruders at the party. ] Hey, watch it!

[ and if she isn't knocking them out, she's ducking in an effort to get the hell out of here unscathed. ]

[ thank god she's wearing her demon fighting shoes, huh? ]

[inafadingcrown]

A. Before 10: [Galadriel seems to have fallen into a habit at these parties: attending, but keeping an eye out for trouble. It's not obvious that that's what she's doing; she laughs, drinks, and eats. She may even dance, if you ask her. But the sword strapped to her side and the way she keeps glancing at the crowd say pretty clearly that she's expecting trouble.

Still, she can never quite resist music and later in the evening, you can find her wandering over towards the exile musicians, swaying lightly to the rhythm with a glass of wine in her hand.]

B. After 10: [See? Being paranoid doesn't mean that she's wrong. She has her sword in one hand, and she's grabbing people with the other, trying to make sure all the non-combatants get to safety. First and foremost, she's looking for a particular person, searching for a head of silver hair. But after that, anyone's fair game.]

Come! This way!

[priad]

No.

[ The bolter crashes as he strides towards misery, defiant and proud, his technologically granted abilities not effected by misery and his imperative, as always, is to fight. ]

peter rumancek | open, before 9:30

[werewolfing]

[peter's not exactly the party type, but he is the free food type, so he ends up there. he's hideously underdressed for anything resembling a formal occasion, and couldn't care less. mostly he's skulking around the edges of things, just watching other people having or attempting to have a good time.

until about 9:30, that is, when the twinging in his groin starts and escalates, that weird sixth sense telling him to go, go now, get the hell out of here.. peter's not one to ignore his balls, and if he sees anyone he knows, he'll probably advise them to head home early, too.]

[crocodilesmiles]

You do casual well.

( Collette says, her way of saying hello to someone she never met being delivered with a sense of humor and a grin that doesn't seem to mind the fact Peter's not dressed to some unenforced code. Collette herself, for all she's sitting in her manual wheelchair tonight, only has her chaniya choli due to Vanadi's efforts on dragging her into coming in the first place.

Not that she minds. It's a nice touch of home to have, for all the fabrics are markedly different than those she remembers growing up. )

Liking the food? I think the tiny little cheese things are great, but with a little tart sauce, or maybe something sweet, they'd be even better!

Peeta Mellark | open

[peeta_bread]

before 10pm

Peeta's enjoying himself, though a part of him wishes Katniss were there. But Peeta's never been one to shy away from socializing, so he grabs something to eat and drink and heads out in the crowd, apologizing for bumping into people and starting up conversations with people he knew or people that looked interesting.

He looks nice in gray slacks and a deep red button-down shirt tucked in, his hair slicked back. He's friendly and charming, and willing to talk to just about anyone.

"It's a very nice party," he comments throughout the evening, "I kind of miss dancing. I haven't danced in a while."



after 10pm

Peeta is staying out of the way of the Masked. He's only adding to the chaos. Whether he saw Effie or not earlier, she's the first one he's looking for. At one point, he trips, still clumsy on his fake leg even after all this time.

[crocodilesmiles]

Collette glances up at him with a grin, an eyebrow quirked up. "You like dancing?" Kind of missing it wasn't the same thing, but she found it curious. From where she sits in her wheelchair, people who are the kind to indulge in dancing have been doing a decent job so far. Ah... but a name goiong off network niggles at the back of her awareness. Katniss Everdeen. In the many iterations of Peeta Mellark she's met so far, Katniss has been the one constant they've looked to, or spoken about, in their own way.

Weird to think of someone as a collective, but run into him often enough, and he starts to be the amnesiac who comes back for more. Besides, she's liked him each time she's met him, so her ready grin is openly friendly enough. "You should ask Ahiru for at least one dance, if that's true! She's great out there, a real natural!"

Gesturing to the loose amalgomation of people on the dance floor, Collette smoothed down the skirt of her chaniya choli with the other hand. "You look nice," she adds, taking him in and considering if this was naturally part of him, or something related to the horrible things from their world. Easier to set that aside and assume for now it didn't matter. He's as much here to have fun as anyone else, and if dancing is his thing,, maybe she can help set something up as a pleasant distracction! Both he and Ahiru miss people who aren't here, she believes, so why not start there?

lenalee lee, open

[anklets]

a: before 10pm

[All these parties have subdued her. Lenalee wanders the courtyard with hair carefully pinned up and clothes too rich for this, already she's sure it must be one more spit in the face to those paid to smile and orchestrate prettily for them. Her eyes linger too long on that corner of the courtyard whenever they drift that way, and she pinches the buttons down her front closer together, happier to shadow familiar faces as though stitched to their heels.

She knows this feeling, but she hadn't expected for it to follow her without a uniform.

Touching your arm— yes, yours, you poor, poor partygoer. Shouldn't have wandered so close.] Hey. You'll be careful of going too far into the dark tonight, won't you?

[Softspoken, though not in shyness.]


b: after 10pm

[She'd made a blood vow. Better a deal than selling her soul to the devil (maybe), it at least strings her to the sky and lets her hang there by the toes. Dark Boots have denied her once before already, but with new promises exchanged, Lenalee's slow faith is still raw. She refutes that they might again, has been boot-clad to the thigh and making hummingbird rounds up in the towers.

...It isn't quite a beheaded torso, or stars and dust, but surprise monsters in the dark are not something she's learned shoulder. The sight of it is enough to freeze her mid-step, mid-flight, which is really quite unfortunate (let's not sugarcoat this).

A dull roar from below works to unclog her ears and fails her; Boots which untwist themselves from about her legs were not her intention, and she is too numbed by that very thing to actually feel surprise, only air which becomes very and completely ephemeral beneath her heels.

The canvas at least tents beneath her on impact- knocks the wind from her lungs, too- but a storey's fall isn't the type to be kind to begin with, even if the fabric itself weren't shearing beneath gouts of— blood? acid?—, and grasping for handholds which aren't, she receives nothing but burnt palms in commendation. Goes through instead. A deluge of body and rainwater. Half-second intervals.

The ground comes next and she takes that ankles-first.

They don't hold up to task.]

Gh—!

[Rising bile, swallow that down. Go down on her knees while she's at it, for good measure. She only needs a second, hang on.]

do i even have to specify ;)

[aequivoci]

[ Funny (or not so) enough, Cross has taken his chances and entered the castle. There is just something about it that calls to him, and he finds himself on the roof eventually, looking out in the dark distance.

Just like Lenalee, he sees that monster in the dark.

He flies down the stairs, if only because being on the ground is more stable than staying in this decaying place. He's brushing the dust of the castle off of the jacket he found during one of his walks in the city, before sliding his hand around to his back to make sure his firearms are in place.

They are. Good.

Too bad he forgets about them when he hears the telltale sign of someone crashing down on the ground, and at the same time, a glob of blood has fallen onto the scarf around his neck.

—or not, since it is eating through said scarf.
Which now lies on the ground.
And he really liked that scarf, too.

And as he looks up, he sees the someone that crashed.

Ay yi yi.

His legs move him without thinking, kneeling in front of her if only for a moment. Even during such a serious moment, he can't not tease her as he looks over her ankles. ]

I don't think Komui would enjoy you re-injuring your legs, Lenalee.

lavi | open

[recorden]

a) before 10pm

[ When Lavi appears at the party he's actually wearing his Exorcist uniform. Something he rarely wears in Exsilium, but it's the most fanciest outfit he owns and so it seemed appropriate for the party. It might also be because he's totally expecting something to happen, he's not oblivious to the recent going ons and the tenseness in the air. It feels like a calm before the storm, a feeling he's well acquainted with. Thus he comes prepared.

But he doesn't let any of that show as he weaves effortlessly through the crowd with an easygoing smile, looking for familiar or lonely-looking faces to bother. Might as well enjoy himself and make the best out of this little party while he can, regardless of what may come. So he wanders around the courtyard and eventually into the castle when he can no longer resist the lure of an old building to explore.

He addresses anyone in his path with a cheerful: ]

Nice party, ain't it?

b) after 10pm

[ Whatever he was expecting, it certainly wasn't that.

Nor was he expecting his hammer to stop responding to any and all commands, verbal or otherwise. It's never done such a thing before and that, along with the giant wheel monster, throws him off. But as always, he adapts. He's known how to fight long before the Innocence came into his life and so he doesn't linger on it, his Innocence can be a concern for later, instead grabbing the nearest thing he can use as a substitute weapon (some sort of steel pipe) and getting down to business.

By jumping right into the chaotic fray without any hesitation, springing to people's aid as he tries to make his way forward after the kidnappers. ]

A

[timehalt]

[Yo, if this isn't your jam, feel free to ignore!]

[Miranda's just trying to keep to the edges of the hall; as far away from the dance floor (and other people) as possible. She's doing a rather good job of it, if she says so herself, so the sudden interruption to her mental congratulations causes her to sputter and spin around.]

Oh! Oh--yes! Of course!

[dragonlordbight]

A)Before 10pm

[ Crucible decides to make an appearance at the party in his human form, garbed in the full display of his governor's robes. His expression and posture radiating assurance and calm as he weaved amongst the crowds. Despite his apparent calm he is ever alert, something that he was well accustomed to with ever the many who wished to get to him while Governor of Sanction.

He gives a friendly nod to those he passes in his travels, keeping an eye out for a friendly or familiar face. His gaze occasionally resting on the castle, something at least reminiscent of those found on Krynn. After a time he decides to explore for a time.]

B) After 10pm

[To one side of the courtyard the effect of the Misery's presence is quite evident, a sudden bright flare of light as the human figure of Crucible is suddenly replaced with the non to pleased Bronze dragon he truly was, fortunately able to twist to avoid crushing any poor soul under claw.

Drawing himself to full height as his head snapped around in confusion, a distinct feeling of a disconnect a draining that reminded him of the very height of the war of souls where magic had been drained by the souls of the dead.

It isn't but a moment before his gaze snaps onto the source of the loss of power, the construct he had previously encountered. His deep voice rumbling forth as he addresses those immediately around.]

Go, now! I will deal with the construct and any who get in my path.

[With that a deep, loud growl echoes from his throat, one likely audible anywhere in the castle as the massive dragon lowers himself as if to pounce.]

Leave, construct. This is you're only warning.