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

[maddeninghatter]

My goodness.

[ He sets his teacup aside. Breaking at the waist, he bows low, enough so that his forehead bumps against hers. His poufy white hair might even tickle. ]

Are you going to make me beg? Tut tut! You naughty girl.

[crocodilesmiles]

( She giggles, hands coming up to brush at his hair on either side of his head. )

A simple please would do!

( She says, one hand dropping back down to a plate on her lap. )

Say aaah!

[maddeninghatter]

[ He giggles too. This kid. This sweet kid. This sweet kid who is probably about to feed him a vegetable, but... ]

Aaaaahhhh~!

[ ...he goes along all the same. ]

[crocodilesmiles]

( She prefers to keep people guessing. Break's just hit a lucky break for having her come over when the savories aren't what she's savoring. (Five minutes earlier it'd have been tasty meat thing or cheese puff thing or possibly finger full of sauce thing.)

So he's lucky enough (for now) to get a bite sized custard brought up to rest on his lower lip and teeth, Collette not quite figuring to shove her fingers into someone else's mouth. )

Don't tell Gil!

[maddeninghatter]

[ He sucks the sweet custard into his mouth, perhaps also catching the tips of her fingers between his lips in a sort of sugary kiss (yes, he's creepy). And then the sugar, glorious beautiful sugar is coursing through his veins and he's smiling and everything is lovely... ]

I wouldn't dream of it.

[ ...the sort of loveliness that can't last, but that's what makes it precious. ]

[crocodilesmiles]

( She's had dinner with Vanadi and rolled away with firmly believing that when he'd kissed her on the lips it'd been nothing more than a Kitrite greeting ritual among close friends and family.

She snorts and flicks at Break's nose for catching her fingers at all. )

Yeah you would, if you thought his reaction would be funny.

( She sounds teasing; if he could see her smile, it'd have that teasing curl, right down to the way she slightly wrinkles her nose and her eyes seem to smile along with the rest of her face. )

But I don't figure that's tonight. How's this place sounding?

( She asks, curious as to the world he's painting with the senses he has to compensate with. Sounding was the oversimplification of that reality. )

[maddeninghatter]

[ He catches her fingers again, though with his hand this time, and straightens up. He can't see her face or her smile, and that makes him feel lonely and full of regret, sometimes. But this - shared jokes and easy closeness - makes up for it, at least somewhat. ]

This event sounds.... uneventful. So far. But I think we both know...

[ He stops, just then, and grins suddenly, as if some new thought has occurred to him, a non-sequiteur. ]

I say - can you turn into a bird?

[crocodilesmiles]

( She's glad for the continued contact. With people she trusts, and those she enjoys, it helps set her at ease. She gives Break's hand a light squeeze. )

A bird? You bet! What kind?

( She teases. She has four right now, but it's more fun to ask, see what he may come up with. )

[maddeninghatter]

[ He returns that squeeze. ]

A bird that can fly away quickly; silently. A bird that can... see in the dark.

[ He has been all lightness and smiles, and he is still trying to keep his voice that way; but there's an urgency, a tension that she might hear. ]

[crocodilesmiles]

( She cocks her head to the side, hearing an undertone of... something. She's hesitant to pin down what it might be. Is Break on edge for the same reasons Stephanie is? Or is it a different sort of reason to be asking what he does?

She smiles. )

I might know who -- ( and she makes it sound much more like an owl's cry than the word proper ) -- you're looking for. As it happens, I'm an excellent night flier. One of the very best!

( Owls, after all, are meant to be the silent killers of the night. Even if they were dumb as all get out in actuality. )

[maddeninghatter]

Haha! I might have known. If I were a mouse, I'd be quaking all the way down to my tiny paws...

[ All the light in his voice fails: ]

Collette--

If anything... if anything happens tonight, I want you to fly away. Just fly away. Fly!

[crocodilesmiles]

( For a second, her heart hurts. Collette doesn't have delusions about rushing head first into situations where she has no advantage whatsoever. All the same... )

I promise I'll keep it in mind. I'm not a front lines kind of gal when the element of surprise is on the other side.

( She won't be as reckless as he might fear. )

But you, too. If I'm supposed to fly free, then you need to fly careful, even if you're flying --

( She cuts herself off, 'flying blind' meant to be a literal estimate of the situation, rather than a literalism when applied to Break. )

-- into the unknown.

[maddeninghatter]

I'm a front lines kind of guy. Don't worry.

[ He still has her hand. He brings it up to his lips. ]

If you need anything - just screech.

[ Is he about to kiss her fingertips? No, he's going to lick them, searching for any sugary custard still stuck to them. Because that's not creepy at all. ]

[crocodilesmiles]

( Oh eugh! Collette pulls a face, laughing partly in reaction, tugging her fingers away to -- rub them off on Break himself. )

Ugh! Ever heard of napkins, or is this my cue to invest in a sugar lick for you? Just wait for Christmas!

( And as if it were an afterthought (it's not, most certainly not); )

Same to you. You'd be amazed what feathered things can hear, even when you think they couldn't! One thing I know -- people usually forget to look up.

( She'd worry about him, but without reason, won't say so explicitly. Worry is a whole annoying realm she's gotten into since she's settled down here. )

[maddeninghatter]

[ He makes a show of jerking away when she wipes her fingers on his jacket. ]

Do they really?

[ And then looming over her, he bends down and steals a kiss from her forehead (a raspberry, actually). ]

Bzzzzzz!

[crocodilesmiles]

Cheater! Cheater!

( She says as she laughs, pushing him away. )

Oh, and see about getting you and Gilbert on some compromise with the whole sweets thing, okay? I'm probably going to need the kitchen again right before October, and not having to bake around the both of you fighting would be nice!

( Aah, as her laughter winds down, she shakes her head. )

[maddeninghatter]

Urrrrgh! Don't talk about that idiot!

[ EYEROLL! ]

Remember what I said--

[ He lifts his arms, bugs out his eye, and flaps. Emily cries: ]

HOOO! HOOOOOOOOOOO!

[ ...and then, twirling, he flies away off into the crowd. ]