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

[looksfine]

It was the red that captured Aya's attention. A stark contrast to her usual green hue, including the mask she had donned for the occasion...but also a strong remembrance of a certain Lantern she missed so dearly. During occasions such as these, when persons appeared to be deliberately coupling off, she had found a certain pain in the area where a human (or, in her case, Oan) heart would normally reside.

Still, she was not about to let a bittersweet nostalgia keep her from engaging in friendly social conversation. So she made a point to approach the Red Man with a smile and slight nod of the head in greeting.

"I was not aware that so many individuals would be donning such frivolous articles of clothing this evening."

Aya, in comparison, was wearing...just her usual metallic armor. And the mask. She did have her mask, at least.

[coattailsofdoom]

Kaiba wasn't exactly expecting an alien robot to come walking up to him, and yet that's exactly what happens. An alien robot that is associating things with the color he's wearing. Thankfully he doesn't know that part. Granted he's not unused to talking to machines. He's used to having his own computer mouth off at him in his home. Still, this is a bit different, and gives the young man pause.

"Frivolous?" he asks, peering back at Aya though his own mask.

"The point of a masquerade is to wear a costume -with- a mask."

It's a good thing that nobody else decided to follow Aya's example. This could have been a very awkward evening otherwise.

[looksfine]

Yes, frivolous.

Not that it was always a bad thing, necessarily. Aya had come to learn that not all clothing was meant to be functional, or serve a purpose beyond aesthetically pleasing appearances. It was just something she was not accustomed to.

"I thought the point was to engage in social interaction under the guise of partial anonymity." Confusion momentarily marred her facial features, which were quite expressive. For an alien robot. "Was I mistaken?"

[coattailsofdoom]

Kaiba gave a slight dip of his head in a nod.

"The costume is part of that. Even though you're wearing a mask, you're not doing well in hiding your identity."

There's not many green robots walking around after all.

Oddly enough he found it a lot easier to be patient and civil with artificial intelligence than natural so called intelligence.

[looksfine]

"Do you know my name?"

[coattailsofdoom]

"How can I know your name if I've never met you before?"

He would definitely remember meeting an advanced green robot.

[looksfine]

She smiled, both pleased by his response, and...oddly proud?

"Then I have succeeded in maintaining my anonymous status from your perspective. Would you not agree?"

[coattailsofdoom]

Kaiba blinked, but then the corner of his mouth turned up slightly.

"I would agree."

[looksfine]

Even his facial expressions were very much like Razer's. That calm, reserved manner of expressing emotions. So subtle that one had to really look to see it.

The familiarity of the moment was a strange comfort to her.

Normally, this would have been when Aya properly introduced herself. Offered her name, and even her occupation (that of a Green Lantern, as indicated to those who would recognize the symbol on her chest plate). As the current situation discouraged the usual formalities, however, she was left to continue on a different line of thought.

"Have you been to many of these engagements previously?"

[coattailsofdoom]

"Many times," was the reply with a note of disgust, suggesting that he didn't particularly enjoy them.

"Most of them didn't have costumes, but they were all formal."

People parading around like peacocks and making business connections. Though this was more for fun and socializing and that part Kaiba wasn't the best at.

"I take it this is your first."

[looksfine]

(Was it that obvious?)

A nod, and suddenly, Aya's face twisted into a significantly darker look. Brows furrowed. Eyes narrowed. Lips pressed together in a thin line. She did not look directly at him, as the look was not meant for him, personally, but it was clear that something he said had triggered a less than pleasant memory.

"During our travels, my colleagues and I encountered many planets. Only one would have potentially hosted an event such as this...but I was not invited within the palace walls."

[coattailsofdoom]

(Just a little.)

Kaiba watched as her... (it?) demeanor suddenly changed.

"Why?" was the single obvious question. In most cases he wouldn't have cared, maybe even scoffed at the idea that someone was angsting over not being invited to a party. But this wasn't most cases.

[looksfine]

"They did not like me."

Did you know that a robot was capable of dry, almost bitter sarcasm? Because this one was.

[coattailsofdoom]

Considering that he had a witty computer that didn't know when to shut up? Yes.

And that seemed like the obvious answer.

"Let me guess. They had something against robots?"

[looksfine]

She nodded.

"Their civilization was based upon the notion of preserving the emotion of Love. They did not believe that one of my nature was capable of feeling any emotions at all. Thus, while my colleagues were invited within their quarters, I was forbidden access."

[coattailsofdoom]

Welp... that's certainly interesting.

"Hmph. Their loss."

Clearly those people were morons. In more ways than one.

[looksfine]

Aya had learned something new about herself after her encounter with the Star Sapphires. Namely, that not only was she far more emotional of a being than they gave her credit for...but she was also completely, 100% capable of holding grudges.

"Then you agree that their assumptions were erroneous."

[coattailsofdoom]

"Erroneous isn't a strong enough word."

He'll... keep the appropriate word to himself. She's sure to get the idea.

[looksfine]

She did. And she smiled warmly in response.

"It is a shame we are restricted from sharing one another's identities at this time."

[coattailsofdoom]

He huffed a little at that.

"It's a stupid party. We might be in costumes but there's no rule that says we can't reveal who we are."

[looksfine]

Confusion.

"Then why were we instructed to wear masks?"

Hal Jordan had taught her many things about being a Green Lantern. He had taught her many things about many things. One of which was that a single mask concealing one's eyes was meant to hide one's identity. (Despite the fact that he routinely was referred to by his full name, and in fact, she was more familiar with him in the mask than out of it.)

[coattailsofdoom]

"It's part of the... 'fun'. You come in not knowing who anyone is. You're supposed to figure it out."

Or at least that's his understanding of it anyway.

[looksfine]

She fell silent for a time. Still. Processing his latest statement, and cross-referencing it with everything else she had heard up until that moment.

"...it is a game, then." Like the murder mystery game she had participated in not long ago. A collection of deliberately planted clues and witness statements all meant to lead to a single, inescapable conclusion. "Though I do not understand how I am expected to make accurate deductions when so little information has been presented to me."

(In other words, how was she supposed to guess someone's identity if she had never met them before? She was a highly advanced Living Robot, not a psychic.)

"Their system is flawed."

[coattailsofdoom]

He nodded, because yes it was exactly that. A game. He couldn't help a smirk at her deduction since he also couldn't help but agree.

"I know."

But since they've never met and Kaiba was interested in talking to her in the future, he decided to start the introductions.

"I'm Seto Kaiba."

Congrats Aya you're the first person at the party to know who he is.

[looksfine]

He broke the (arbitrary) rules. He introduced himself, abolishing their current state of anonymity with four simple syllables.

Now there was no reason for her not to do the same.

"I am Aya." A pretty name for a pretty girl. Though Aya still did not understand what her assumed physical beauty despite lacking a body at the time Hal Jordan first named her...she still thought of him fondly with each self reference. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Seto Kaiba."