Event | Masquerade Ball

[redlightgreenlight]

Characters: All
Date: The Evening of October 30th
Location: The Courtyard of Public Opinion
Situation: Valdis and 'Rue' have put together an All Hallows Eve Masquerade Ball.
Warnings/Rating: None

The day has finally arrived and the morning and afternoon are spent putting together what will be the scene of the Masquerade Ball at the Courtyard of Public Opinion. Kedan can be seen coming and going, carrying in decorations and lights and later on, various foods and desserts. Valdis, and Rue can occasionally be glimpsed directing people and moving things around, but anyone not a part of the setup will be ushered on and discouraged from lingering.

As night falls, the Courtyard will be brightly lit and ready for guests...

Comments

Entrance

[redlightgreenlight]

The entrance to the courtyard is lit with lanterns and a long stretch of purple fabric lines the ground. Two masked Kedan ask the names of the guests as they arrive and announce them to those already inside as they enter, giving everyone the chance to see and admire the various masks and costume. The courtyard itself is almost unrecognizable, lit with dazzling lights and beautifully arranged tables around a central dance floor.

[OOC: This is the perfect place to show off the masks you have chosen for your characters if you so desire]

Ryner Lute (Sion Astal)

[stainedglassreflections]

It takes Sion a moment to get past the masked kedan at the gate, because... what's the point of going to a masquerade ball if everyone immediately knows who you are.

"Ryner Lute." Never mind that Ryner isn't even on the turtle, Sion looks nothing like his friend, nor would Ryner ever wear anything like this. It's a bit clear he ended up more-or-less matching his soul gem for the evening.

Valdis and Vergil

[redlightgreenlight]

Just because she had spent most of the day setting up the Ball, didn't mean that she didn't have plenty of time to get herself ready. Her hair hung loose around her shoulders and her gown was perfect, a relief since she hadn't had time to try it on since she had picked it up. The entrance looked even lovelier now that it was evening and she watched as people arrived, dressed beautifully and looking excited. The air was filled with joy and laughter and she felt truly happy for the first time since Wan had vanished. The only thing missing was her escort, but she sensed his approach, and knowing that such a crowd might have normally been a deterrent, she was glad that he was here.

Zatanna

[backwordscompatible]

True to her word, Zatanna had done her best to help out earlier in the afternoon. Stopping only when time dictated she needed to get back and change.

...granted, for a homo magi, changing entailed a few quick words and spending roughly three times as long standing in front of the mirror, admiring the cut and color scheme. The gown itself was layered, consisting of a strapless black number, with a button up and mock tuxedo jacket. She kept the tophat, of course, because some things were cliched for a reason...but in lieu of the veil, she opted for a lace mask.

It was with her chin held high and a smirk on her lips that she entered the ballroom, already glancing around for familiar faces before she made it through the main entrance.

Aya

[looksfine]

The young A.I. had...never been to a ball before. She was also not accustomed to the proper dress code. Mostly because she didn't wear dresses.

Which is why, when she entered, it was precisely as she always presented herself, with one noticeable addition: a green and white mask over her eyes, the delicate flower perched directly over her temple, just below the rim of her helmet.

Midii

[unetrustworthy]

...she didn't pick out the dress.

Midii was never shy about her aversion to the fashion scene. Mostly because she never fully understood it. Her life had been spent choosing items that were both comfortable and functional. Jeans. Tshirts. Sweaters. Slightly oversized jackets. At a glance, one would have assumed her to be a tomboy based on clothing alone--not a completely wrong assessment, given she had spent her life around boys.

It was the nice kedan lady at the shop who picked it out for her. Saying that the sparkling blue gown was well suited to her skin tone. Though she was more pleased about the matching mask, if only because it allowed something for her to hide her embarrassment behind. After all, what was the expression?

Never let them see you bleed blush.

Shay Cormac

[irishthor]

Walking into the courtyard, one might be forgiven for not noticing Shay Cormac right away; That was, after all, one of the points of this evening, after all.

Clad in a fancy, red jacket and undershirt, minus the belts for his weapons, and a simple-looking mask, Shay definitely looks the part of a masquerade-goer. He has his hair down, as if to further hide his identity.

Either way, he'll slowly make his way towards a table, should no-one stop him.

Arno Dorian

[stubbornlittleshit]

It's been a strange, really strange month, and Arno, personally, is glad for some means of a break in the action. He's made an effort for the occasion too, if the fact he's opted to leave a shirt behind, having opted for painting swirling blue and green designs resembling waves and bits of sea plants around his arms and chest are any indication. In between the swirls, there are also a few other designs more reminiscent of fish, shells, and, naturally, turtles.

The short cape covering his back, (along with loose trousers that stop above the knees, sailor style) is of a shiny blue-green silk that seems to shift, depending on where he manages to catch the light, reflected in the accents on the mask he's chosen for the evening.

A large conch shell hangs around his neck, and the entire affair is topped off by a layer of glitter, covering nearly everything, that ought to be fun to get rid of latter. In fact, he's shedding even now, and he's starting to regret the fact it's getting on his boots. Thank everything that's holy, or, perhaps, thank Prospero, considering, they're an older pair.

He's sweeping into the room now, scanning it for anyone he knows, a small smirk on his face as he considers where to sweep himself off to first.

((OOC: Shakespeare's Ariel because he's so damn Tempest Happy))

Lapis Lazuli

[oceantier]

Lapis hesitates just beyond the halo of the lights, pausing just at the edge of the darkness. Ahead of her, people are entering -- one by one, in couples, in small clusters. The music floats through the air beyond, mingling with the tangles of rich food aroma and perfume against skin.

She pauses at the edge of everything and breathes, trying to steel herself for passage from the darkness-that-is-safe to light-where-she-is seen.

She doesn't want to miss this. She came purposely. She wants to see it -- the people, the dancing, the light and color. It promises to be beautiful, all of it, and the promise of it is a demand in her gut -- a hunger she didn't even know that she had.

Still. To enter the light is to be seen, to face the uncertainty of others' eyes. She hesitates at the edge. Closes her eyes. Breathes in the dark.

Enjolras

[solo_patria]

"Merde!"

Right, so it's not exactly an expression to match his costume, but Enjolras is fairly certain even archangels had opportunity to curse when their wings get stuck in doorways. In any case, he's having a bit of trouble with his own cobalt blue pair, both with blocking traffic, and then, once he's inside, trying not to trip over anyone. His matching mask isn't much helping his coordination as his eyes adjust to the scene either.

Besides the wings, he's wearing a linked coat of light chainmail he's managed to rescue from a secondhand shop. It might not be good for fighting anymore, but it was fine to paint over for the purposes of tonight. The sword he currently wears strapped to his waist bears the same painted effect, with some added angelic symbols done in bronze by a steadier hand than his, an old practice blade he sacrificed for the cause.

He's let his hair out of its usual tight braid for the moment, actually having taken the time to curl it so that it has the effect of a floating halo when he turns just right, or, at other times, something like a fluffy cloud. Of course, his movements are a little slow and awkward at first, though gradually, Enjolras is gaining confidence, even if he's not exactly gliding lightly on his wings or anything just yet.

As Satan shall be no more, Michael shall be no more, the thought runs through his mind as he mills around the entrance, a bit of an amused smile on his face. Well, maybe not everything he said and saw on the barricade was quite true after all...

((Michael (Michel) here! )

Dove

[phoenixstrut]

She whispered her name to the guards, smiling with an unmistakable playfulness when they agreed to announce her arrival with a false name. Eve, for the evening, the angel was dressed nothing like what one might expect of her-- aside from the obvious opulence of her attire.

She made her way under the lights, golden honey eyes turned up at the decoration, adorned in a stunning dark gown that fell gracefully to the earth about her feet, sweeping the ground behind her as she took her time entering the ball. A mask of dark glittering gems framed her eyes, as wisps of hair framed her face. Her wings stayed out of sight, but the backless gown and the way her hair had been swept up to the nape of her neck would give her plenty of room should she find a use for a little more drama in the evening. The front plunged deeply, covered in jewels and hugging her curves in all the right places, all the while casting glittering sparkles under the lights overhead. Though it left more than enough to the imagination, her elegance was certainly much more sensual than one might expect of an angel outright...perfect for masquerading.

She was nothing short of divine in every respect, and very confident on her feet. It had been far too long since she had been draped in formality, but she was still very well acquainted, and absolutely thrilled to add to the spectacle.

Yuri Lowell

[wolfstrike]

Yuri didn't like these fancy shindigs. He felt completely out of place. But unless you were an empath or knew him really well, you probably couldn't tell that he was uncomfortable despite the winning smile and easy going attitude he displayed.

He was wearing an intricate uniform that looked surprisingly good on him despite being the most costly outfit he'd ever worn in his life. He knew it was from home, but had never actually owned such a thing, he'd found at the yard sale. It was more than a little suspicious though that it was exactly his size. He had been convinced... no... coerced into wearing it by his girlfriend. The outfit was then added to by a mask that was picked out by said girlfriend. His long black hair also pulled back into a ponytail.

Oddly enough he'd be seen escorting Lapis into the party instead of Dove, with an armored dog following along behind. Soon enough though he would part ways with the Gem and start walking around the party with Lambert beside him.

Seto Kaiba

[coattailsofdoom]

This sort of thing is not unfamiliar to Seto Kaiba. As being one of the wealthiest people in his world, he knew all about fancy parties. Not that he enjoyed them, but he definitely knew how to fake it. He'd been groomed for this sort of thing, having accompanied his stepfather to many ridiculous parties when he was still a kid. And every time there was always something to be gained, a deal to be struck, or appearances to be made? Fun? Hah. But this wasn't home, and while he intended to accomplish a few things, perhaps he would do something for his own amusement as well.

Which is why he was wearing more red than he ever had in his life. Not to mention used copious amounts of pomade, or the Kedan equivalent, in his hair to likely even rival Yunxu. Even going as far as to introduce himself at the entrance as Don Juan. There's even a bit of black makeup around his eyes, underneath the mask, to give it a better effect. Those blue eyes liking being the thing that would most given him away.

With a flourish of a red cape, Kaiba strides into the Court of Public Opinion and joins the party.

Solomon and Raine

[peacefullywreathed]

Solomon attends with Raine on his arm--or possibly Raine attends with Solomon on hers. It's difficult to tell. His suit is in shades of black and dark green. His mask is also black, but plain, covering the top half of his face--quite literally. There are no eyeholes, which gives the kedanase announcers something of a start when he looks their way.

Raine is the one who leads him for the most part, and they can be seen once or twice on the dance-floor--mostly in conjunction with Solomon giving quite instructions, admittedly. It's not the first time he's danced since his accident, at least, so there's little in the way of jostling.

For the most part, however, Solomon can be found either near Raine's hand; near the food-and-drink tables; or, in general, mingling with a bland smile and a very deliberate propensity to look straight at his conversation partner with his eyeless mask.

Dance Court

[redlightgreenlight]

The dance floor is crowded and softly lit, but there is plenty of room to dance. It seems the Kedan are perfectly willing to teach any willing foreigner some of their folk and formal dances, many of them are also eager to learn some of the dances from the many worlds that the foreigners hail from. Laughter can be heard over the various musics as people first start, but soon they begin to get the hang of it. The music alternates between local favorites and classical music played by Vergil on his violin, perfect for waltzing or other slow dances. Some of the more upbeat music played by the Kedan has the rhythm for the faster dances as well.

[phoenixstrut]

Without a word of notice, Dove makes her way to the center of the dance floor, overjoyed to accept any offers to dance and content to dance on her own until a partner makes an appearance. She's all calm laughs and brilliant smiles, simply glowing once more. Though her dark outfit may fail to give the angel's identity away, it's clear that she's still a warm and friendly soul, if a little one the edgy playful side tonight.

And... the actual glow might give things away.

Refreshment Table

[redlightgreenlight]

The table is spread with all sorts of colorful foods, sweet and savory. It seems that the bakers and cooks have all tried to outdo each other, and the different foods are labeled with the name of the person who prepared it. There is a large bowl of some sort of pale sparkling punch, which tastes lightly of peaches and champagne, and a tall, multilayered cake with different flavors in each layer. Red flower petals are interspersed throughout the table, giving a soft contrast to the deep purple cloth lining it.

Open!

[stainedglassreflections]

He hasn't been dancing much, but he's finally feeling a bit better - or at least his pain is at tolerable levels again - so he's.. been slowly picking at the food at the table. Very slowly, very small amounts, and he will eventually just stand off to one side, a glass of drink in hand as he watches.. .everything.

Old habits die hard, and he was a wallflower even at events thrown for him - although that was mostly out of distaste for those throwing the party, really.

... He already likes this one better.

Pepper and Bakura; just before the ball

[lasergrenades]

When Pepper first heard about the ball, she hatched a plan to try to get Bakura to attend, because she was fairly certain that he would be avoiding it even more than he usually avoided people. There's still no guarantee that he'll come, but she's going to give it a shot.

Shortly before the ball is set to open to guests, she's at the door to the dojo, a slim box wrapped with ribbon in her arms. Pepper herself is wearing a purple dress and a butterfly mask when she enters.

"Bakura?" she calls, heading towards the office when she doesn't see him immediately.

[denyamenti]

The dojo closed at sundown, and so was already emptied of patrons for the evening, but the office light is on, and Bakura's sitting behind the desk, perusing some of the notes he'd dug up from Valishaera. At Pepper's call, he offers an absent, "In here," and looks up when she appears in the doorway.

And blinks, surprised, at her appearance. "... You look good."

Tonks

[deadclumsy]

She has the look of someone who isn't necessarily up to speed on what "formal" means around here. Her dress comes up above the knees save for a grand bustle in the back, and her boots are not exactly appropriate for a black tie affair. Tonks managed to get the mask part right, however, and sports one of the Venetian style, molded into the shape of a fox's head. Why not pay homage to her Patronus*?

As for her bearing, well, just now she looks as though she feels awkward, but is trying her hardest not to seem so to the casual stranger. She's realizing how few people she knows here, and just how hard it is to make friends when your common talking point isn't magic and the community isn't a small one wherein everyone grew up with everyone else. But this will not defeat her! She is determined to have a good time.

Beware, passersby: she can't dance, but she might try it anyway, and with one of you.

[*Tonks' Patronus before it changed to a werewolf is never shown in canon.]

[edgeoftheknife]

Erskine, not Rue, will approach Tonks at some point in the evening when she's nearest to the refreshment area. That's where he's been, for the brief window of time that he lets the Rue disguise fall by the wayside so that he can attend the party as himself. His suit is nothing fancy, a black suit in a kedanese style (more Mandarin collar, less necktie), and his mask is similarly uninventive. He used to be quite the show-off. Before... well. Before.

Drink in his hand, he approaches quietly, smiling a small smile. "I like the mask."

on the sidelines | Raine | ota

[ruinsprofessor]

Raine isn't really in the thick of things; she's content to watch the others, mostly, because she doesn't dance much herself. She's dressed up, though, atypically for the healer, in a knee-length off-white sheath with a high collar, a darker jacket over, and soft, comfortable boots rather than the heels so many of the other women favor.

She also looks slightly miffed in her posture alone, not to mention the slight downturn of her mouth. She's masked, of course, something white and simple, but it's easy enough for those who are familiar with her to pick her out, though those people in turn might also wonder where her significant other is.

Still, she'll make an effort to smile and be polite to anyone who approaches her.

HERE HE COMES TO SAVE THE DAY~

[hexualdysfunction]

In spite of the fact that Wally is by now aware that his jester mask is somewhat off-putting in that creepy, smiling-too-much sort of way, he's still wearing it, though when he approaches Raine, he has the good grace to raise it enough to reveal most of his face.

Probably not appropriate for a masquerade, but it's better than frightening off everyone.

Now, as for Raine, he doesn't think he's met her before. However, she looks irritated, and a woman irritated at a party must have been ignored by someone. Right? Right. Well, Wally intends to rectify that by giving her some attention. "My Lady, you are -" he begins grandiosely, then immediately finds himself scrambling for something charming to say. "As lovely as a dressed boar with those little cherries for garnish - you know the ones. They're about ye big -"

Wait, he just called her a dressed boar. That can't be right.

Gene | open

[wrathfulkhan]

Gene had been cajoled to come to the Masquerade, and he'd finally given in. He's wearing a black and red ensemble, complete with a black dragon mask, brushed with gold and metallic red.

A statement about his changing heart? Who knows.

He can be found very rarely on the dance floor and even more rarely there without Tony or Pepper, but he's eating and drinking and being genial if not actually merry.

[lasergrenades]

Pepper had played no small part in getting Gene to the masq as well as Bakura, so she makes a point to spend some time with him. He's not exactly a social butterfly, and Pepper doesn't want him to feel abandoned. She left the house before seeing him in his full ensemble, but he might have seen her dress and mask before heading to the dojo.

"Hi Gene," she says brightly, joining him near the refreshment table. "You should dress up more often. That totally looks great on you," Pepper observes. "Wanna dance?"

Kitty | open

[thaumatophage]

Kitty has opted for flair.

She's wearing a white dress, coated liberally with sparkles, and it looks iridescent in the lights. Her mask is wavy-looking and colorful, and she's changing her hair color like a gently fading rainbow.

If anyone asks? She's a nudibranch.

[edgeoftheknife]

It's the color-changing hair that draws Erskine--Rue--toward her.

Not that he's never seen anything like it. There were sorcerers back in Ireland with equally, if not more, bizarre features. A woman with shimmering skin. People with claws. Erskine has seen some very weird things in his time but here and now, at the party, the color-changing hair is a neat little trick. So he sidles over.

Rue is, of course, decked out in a fancy frock coat of black brocade, with heeled shoes and a full face mask with an enigmatic little smile on its gold lips. A black tricorn hat and a feather secured to his chest with a jeweled brooch round out the whole ensemble. He approaches Kitty and gives a polite little bow.

"I don't believe I've had the pleasure, Miss...?"

Tony | ota

[highprofilerichkid]

Tony has reluctantly shadowed his father at more formal events than he can count, so dress parties aren't usually his idea of a good time. But he looks happy enough to be at this one: he's cheerful and sociable, dancing (badly) with anyone who asks - and spending plenty of time at the well-stocked refreshments table. It's fun, he decides, going to a party because he wants to rather than because he's expected to, and being able to mingle with people without the baggage of being Howard Stark's son.

He's decked out in a Keeliai approximation of a Western suit - crimson, of course - accented with gold Mongolian-style embroidery. His surprisingly elegant welded mask is obviously his own creation.

He's careful to stay within Gene's orbit, since his date somewhat less thrilled to be here than he is, but it's easy to nab him for a conversation or a dance. As long as you can catch him when his mouth isn't full of cake, that is.

[wrathfulkhan]

For probably the fifth time that night, Gene says, "You look good," and engages in some display of egregious PDA. This time, it's a kiss on the cheek - which is really more of a snoot-boop from his dragon mask. He's much more animated around Tony and Pepper, and a little looser than he'd expected himself to be at this kind of event.

Cain | ota

[insertdadjoke]

Cain was no stranger to parties. Masquerades weren't exactly common, but he had been to plenty in his time and done a number of cheeky things. This one, he was dressed relatively simple, although he would admit the mask was definitely more embellished than some. With his hair done back and his posture much more confident than usual, he wondered how many people would be able to pick him out of the crowd — announcement of "Jacob Kane" arriving aside.

He mingled easily, made conversation, never turned anyone down for a dance if asked. Anyone without their neck covered was easy enough for him to identify if he had met them before, but he wasn't going to shatter anyone's illusion if, for some reason, some of them were going for actual anonymity here. That was half the fun of the masquerade, after all. Despite all of that, Cain seemed just as in his element here, playing in the fanciful party, than any other time where he was the hapless twenty-something. Not two-faced so much as double-sided.

Anyone care to chat up the handsome, well-cut immortal man?

[phoenixstrut]

As odd as their first encounter had been at the start, Dove is in such a splendid mood that she feels no hesitation as she approaches him. The angel is practically glowing, clock anomaly aside, and her eyes are warm as she offers him a smile. "Enjoying yourself?" He seemed to be, though something still felt odd about him.

Casey Ramone | ota

[dragonaught]

a. the suit

At the idea of being announced, Casey had panicked. Being in the suit was a foreign enough experience and some part of them had rebelled against the idea enough that they blurted it out before even thinking: Gabriel Logan. Someone strong, handsome, gracious enough to deal with all of this without a blink of the eye,and definitely actually male all the way through. Their face was heated under their very simple mask, but it was too late to take back by now.

Where they had found a corner to watch the proceedings, they couldn't help but fidget every now and then and shrink back whenever anyone appeared to approach. This hadn't been a good idea. Parties were fun; this was just a bit too structured for them to feel comfortable with this.

b. the dress

Later in the evening, they tried something different. With the encouragement of someone else entirely, Casey wound up in attire much more comfortable, a nice shade of blue to help bring out their eyes, even if their hair was basically a lost cause for how short it was. Brushed back and neat was about the best they could do on short notice. Another, more flamboyant and colored mask had been found at the same time, both more revealing and hiding in a way Casey approved of. Maybe it would be okay to dress like this if there was the off-chance their newness would help hide who they were or their proclivities or anything like that.

They could hope, anyway.

Regardless, the new outfit helped bolster their confidence and now they were out and talking. Meek, at first, but slowly gaining steam as the night went on. There wasn't a whole lot to lose, it seemed, and if their figure wasn't putting anyone off in interacting with them, that was only more encouragement in the end.

A

[stainedglassreflections]

Sion also is doing a bit of wallflowering, although this was just because he was enjoying watching the much happier feeling party. But what's this, someone who looks far more uncomfortable in the edges?

They seem a bit familiar, and its only after watching the fidgeting that Sion seems to figure out why.

So he does head over, and pretends not to notice the shrinking. He's very gold and black, leaving his hair to the only silver and mostly free of braids - the small pair of braids that hold his mask up barely pulling any hair away from his neck and shoulders.

It might be a little bit of a surprise, then, his voice as looks Casey up and down. "You seem pretty uncomfortable."

Sidelines - Lapis - Open!

[oceantier]

The swirl of lights and color, sounds and energy occasionally overwhelm Lapis; she's not used to so much so quickly and from so many different directions. At times it becomes necessary to pull back -- to retreat from the circle and all its chaos to find a quieter spot either in the courtyard itself or just outside it.

Inside, she closes her eyes and listens to the music. Outside, she takes a seat and watches the dimmed light of the stars in the night darkness.