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

cries at how mis-saw that icon

[crocodilesmiles]

No.

( She says, casual. )

No one's talking like people on a mission should, even if everyone was paranoid about everyone else. I'm treating this -- ( she nods her head ) -- like life.

...ISH, NO

[anklets]

[That would be good advice, were Lenalee's life not mostly-mission with slivers of other-things in between. She privately amends it to "a personal mission", so she doesn't feel as ridiculous.]

I guess that's allowed. [ sounds like she might be poking some fun at herself, as she lowers Collette's hand and steps around to rest gentle hands on wheelchair handles ] Did you want to go anywhere?

LOOK I SAID I'M SORRY

[crocodilesmiles]

( There's a tension in her shoulders she can't entirely hide, though from how she makes herself look out over the room, she hopes Lenalee presumes it's in something she sees, not something she feels. )

A little fresh air, maybe?

( She doesn't like having others in control of her motion, but this is akin to Lenalee asking. She makes herself relax. )

Maybe nab one of those tiny custard things on the way out?

/shakes head judgingly

[anklets]

[Choosing not to mention that... She doesn't move the chair just yet, but leans to the side so as to flash a smile.]

Maybe more than one.

/weeps softly on shoulder

[crocodilesmiles]

I call the whole platter. For everyone else's sake. They must be quality tested!

( Her shoulders reaction another fraction of an inch. Collette's hands slide up to rest, somewhat uneasily, on her armrests. Surrendering more control than -- well. Than she likes.

But she does trust Lenalee, she supposes, and if she asks others to trust her, it would do to show some of that faith in areas that are intensely personal. Just not in her sometimes romantic life.

That'd probably make poor Lenalee burn right up. )

[anklets]

[Ah.

Thought so.

Softly:] Collette...

[crocodilesmiles]

( A tilt of her head to the side, glancing back, not seeing Lenalee, but poised as if she does. )

Lenalee?

( A question. )

[anklets]

I think my hands will be full with the tray. Why don't you lead the way?

[crocodilesmiles]

( Ah. Collette smiles more freely at that, shoulders loosening even more. Her hands move, first up, then gesturing toward the table she thinks she'd seen the delectables on.

She understands. Collette is grateful, in a way she doesn't verbalize. )

Right, I think I spotted a tray we can make off with over there!

( Her hands fall to her handrails. Grips them, smiles again at Lenalee, the pushes forward, grateful for the exercise in a sense, more grateful for the sense of freedom as she zeroes in on the refreshment tables. )

[anklets]

[She trots after, much more comfortable in this role (she can watch to see where her comrades are going, like this), preferring it vastly to pulling control out of unwilling hands. She's had that fate thrust upon herself and hated every second of it.]

We'll definitely have to take the entire thing, or there shan't be any left when we come back. I'm sure Allen will descend upon the tables soon enough.

[ smoothly, and no one would ever know she's all thoughts on how stressed Allen is, and how his appetite always seems to swell further in correlation ]

[crocodilesmiles]

Are we sure even leaving the tables there will be safe? Lenalee, I think the plates are edible...

( But it's a jest, even as she considers the prodigious appetite Allen really has. )

Does he ever get full?

[anklets]

[...

Smiles and lifts a tray, trades a few chocolate custards for butterscotch.]

Not if things are as they should be.

[crocodilesmiles]

( What a curious thing to hear. )

Allen being full is a bad thing?

[anklets]

His appetite has proven resilient enough to withstand most things. If he were to say he wasn't hungry, I think that's when we'd have cause for worry.

[ such is the life of a Parasitic-type ]

[crocodilesmiles]

( She listens, then nods. )

Got it. Worry when that boy doesn't eat. Be happy when he clears the table a few times over. That I can do!

[anklets]

Then you're golden. [ brightly; she doesn't want to bring that tension back because happiness is a rare catch, and contentedness doubly so ] Lead the way.

[crocodilesmiles]

( And so she does, to a little rise on what was once more of a wall than it remains, partly privatized just by how things fell out, though getting in or out of the small outdoor niche unnoticed would be a neat trick. There's room enough for two and then some, a good rectangle of rock providing a table of sorts, another two decent seats. Collette ends up backing herself in, playful with the way she winks at Lenalee, then gestures for her to be seated. )

I hope you like people watching. Best entertainment of the night!

( It's not the canvas over their heads here, but instead, more of the castle; the rain has dropped back to the fine mist that feels like heavy fog or whispered missives against unprotected skin.

The partial wall blocks the night breeze seeking to chill flesh more thoroughly than it is so far. Collette shivers, rubbing one exposed upper arm. )

Cheapest, too.

[anklets]

[Nostalgic, somehow. Like a childhood game, if she'd had a childhood to be nostalgic for. Setting down the custard tray, Lenalee perches on the indicated seat-stone and deems it suitable, if a bit chilly, and flashes a small smile.

Girl doesn't go around wearing miniskirts and metal boots for a lifetime without acclimating to the cold.]

As it happens, I do enjoy people-watching.

[Obsessively so, in some specific cases.]

[crocodilesmiles]

What's your favorite part about it?

( Collette settles back, curious as she peers over to Lenalee once she sits. People do what they do for different reasons. James watched people with a different ends in mind than how she watched people. It makes her wonder if Lenalee's reasons relate back to her friends, the way she has been in the war, ties back into that protection. )

[anklets]

It's the least troublesome way to learn whether someone is human or not.

[crocodilesmiles]

If you're patient enough.

( She says, laughing because doing otherwise would lead to stranger places. )

How do you judge humanity?

[anklets]

Humans [ ...most humans, this Noah thing is a relatively newer development and still something of a sore spot ] don't often make to kill us on sight. Akuma do.

[crocodilesmiles]

This place must be an unwelcome surprise.

( Enemies more subtle must be an unpleasant surprise. Other people, just people, being enemies too... She shakes her head. )

What kind of things do you notice when you're watching people here? Mostly we're human. Not everyone, but even those guys who aren't are pretty human in how they react, sorta.

[anklets]

Not a surprise, exactly.

[Humans destroy other humans. She knows this. She's seen it and remembers the words she'd heard- "this will probably be the final test", "another Fallen One", another because there had surely been others, children like her, sometimes. At least one time.

She shrugs, and it's elaborate and done without looking at her.]

Who they talk to. How they look at people.

[crocodilesmiles]

What does that tell you?

( Letting the statement of non-surprise settle down to rest with of what she knows about Lenalee, or about her friends, she focuses on curiosity. What is Lenalee watching for? )