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

[crocodilesmiles]

( It's earlier in the night when Collette catches Ahiru back around the fringes, where it's easiest for her to navigate. She lifts a hand to wave, then calls out -- )

Hey! Ahiru!

( With a grin, dressed up for this event in a chaniya choli Vanadi had helped her locate tailors for last month or the month before. Its colors complemented her complexion, though she lacked any of the supremely intense beadwork more common to times and places where people had time and access to better materials. Still... )

You've been killing it out on the dance floor!

[quackery]

[She turns when she hears the familiar voice, smiling when she confirms who it is.]

Hey, Collette!

[She walks over, looking at her outfit.]

I love your clothes! You look great. Are you having fun?

[And then she looks down, humble.]

I'm not really that great. It's fun, though!

[crocodilesmiles]

Thank you! You look great, too.

( She smiles. )

Beautiful and modest. I mean it, you're fun to watch out there! I'm glad it's fun. Dancing's never been my thing -- I like things with a different kind of rush -- but when someone likes it, I think you can tell.

( Ahiru, she believes, really does enjoy dancing. It's a nice thing to see. )

Have you had a lot of partners tonight?

[quackery]

[She isn't beautiful either, she thinks, but she smiles nonetheless.]

Thank you. I really do love it! It's nice out for it tonight. It's so much different here with the canvas keeping out the rain, you know?

Just Oz so far. What about you, what if you been up to tonight if you're not much of a dancer?

[crocodilesmiles]

It's more festive, for sure! Like February, just a little. I wonder if there'll be fireworks later?

( She hopes so. )

Oh, I've been talking! I'll nibble a little later, probably poke around the ground floor of the castle. Oh! Oh! Hey. ( she grins. ) You should ask Peeta to dance, too! He says he likes dancing, and his -- friend just recently went home. I think he's trying to be more social to cope with feeling lonely.

( Something she thinks Ahiru will also understand to some degree. )

[quackery]

Oh, gosh, that'd be wonderful! Fireworks are beautiful.

[There's a moment of panic at the idea of asking a boy she's never even met to dance with her, but of course it makes sense once Collette has explained it properly. She nods.]

That's too bad. I'll look for him, definitely, what does he look like?

[crocodilesmiles]

Big, tall, wearing gray pants, he's blond and he has a nice smile.

( Collette goes on to recount better detail about colors of his clothing, and relative heights, though to her "tall" was pretty much everyone in the area. )

And man, I really would love fireworks... if not today, who knows? Sometime in the future!

[quackery]

Okay, I'll keep an eye out for him. He won't think it's weird or anything?

Yeah! They've already done them here before, so you know it's as least possible. They're so beautiful, too, especially the really bright ones.

[crocodilesmiles]

I guess we just need to be sure the -- timing's good!

( Collette says, switching out what she was going to say at the last second. "be sure the United Earth isn't watching" is a darker element than she wants invited in right now. As for Peeta, she grins, shaking her head. )

No, he's here to be social! He'll be glad. So...

( She quirks up an eyebrow )

Think the castle's haunted?

[quackery]

[Normally she would respond to the first two points, but the third surprises her.]

H-Haunted? Why would it be haunted?

[crocodilesmiles]

'Cause it's spooky! And it's almost October. Next month, it'll be super haunted!

( She waggles her fingers, grinning something fierce. )

[quackery]

[She grins in turn.]

Careful with that, you might jinx it!

[crocodilesmiles]

Oh no! What if it's just our apartments that get super haunted? We'll never sleep! Our shoes will never stay organized! All our milk will curdle!

( Ghosts can probably do all that right??? She tries not to laugh as she lists off absurdities. )

[quackery]

[She laughs.]

The milk is too much! I'm short enough as it is.

[crocodilesmiles]

It's okay, there'll still be cheese! Can't curdle cheese. It's already met mold and loved it! Though hey, how tall are you?

<,small>( Scientific curiosity ok ok. )

[quackery]

It's been a while since I measured... I think I was five foot two the last time, but I might be off.

[crocodilesmiles]

One more inch, and you'll be as tall as Caesar! Two and you're taller! Three and Oz might start having to get nervous, if his growth spurt doesn't hit soon!

( All this she says with a wink. Short people: it's a life. )

[quackery]

I don't really think Oz is the type of person to get nervous about something like that!

[crocodilesmiles]

He'd joke about it.

( Collette says with a laugh. )

And I guess you haven't seen him pout around Gilbert! Boys like to grow. Id on't think he'll ever stop feeling a little competitive with Gil, probably ever, but it's... anyway, they're funny together!

[quackery]

[The smile fades for a second before she nods and it resumes, exactly the same as it had been before.]

Maybe not! But Gil's a lot older than him, so that doesn't really seem very fair. It's probably, like, joke pouting! But then I guess I don't know Gilbert very well, so I couldn't say what they act like around each other.

[crocodilesmiles]

( Collette gives a noncommital shrug: that age gap that only came about later is part of what fuels it, she knows. Still, that's Oz and Gil's to share or not, something she only restrains herself on for not knowing who she's even allowed to think these things around.

Gosh, she bets Oz never counts on psychics just knowing all of that no matter what he does or doesn't say! )

Joke pouting is totally something all of them do, but man, wanna know who's the worst about it?

( She leans toward Ahiru and stage whispers: )

Xerxes Break.

[quackery]

[She shakes her head, but the smile stays.]

No, he's just weird! Even the way he talks is weird!

[crocodilesmiles]

Break is pretty weird... and a sugar freak, on top of it! And he's terrible to Gil, but Gil's bad right back. It's kind of fun to watch.

( Tense at other times. Gilbert and Break are not the most restive people to live with, perhaps, but Collette loves that. It's much better than the quiet that used to find her home here so often. )

Like people watching here is fun.

[quackery]

Do you do it a lot? What kinds of things have you noticed about people?

[crocodilesmiles]

All the time!

( She says, flashing Ahiru a grin. )

It's all sorts of things, really. How they talk, how they act, when they're happy or sad, who lies, how they do, when things matter to them, when they don't. People say a lot without ever saying anything.