Masquerade Mingle

[thespaceopera]

[The night has finally come--the Gravity Rush is nearly upon us! What normally serves as a large performance hall has been gutted, emptied of its boring furniture and rigged up into a fantastical mismatch of technology and old culture. No matter where you go tonight, you're encouraged to move around, dance, play games, whatever helps you sleep in late tomorrow morning.

If you aren't one for scurrying around a ballroom all night, there's always plenty of people-watching to do. After all, so many people are wearing extravagant costumes and elaborate masks. How can you even tell who is who? Get lost in a crowd of sequins, chatter with a sun and a moon, or try to beat the guy in the monster-mask at a game of cards. Meet your friends or make some new ones--this masquerade party has begun!]


[[ooc: All sections are up now, have fun! A related ooc post is HERE for any questions or plotting you'd like to do.]]

Comments

Alistair

[theirinurpants]

[ Fortunately for Alistair, Riona is here to give him fashion advice, because half the time he can barely get his shirt on the right way, let alone know how to dress for a fancy party. And he's used to people telling him what to do. So when told to wear a rather evocative mask, who was he to argue? It seems fitting enough.

He spends some time in the ballroom, wondering if he shouldn't approach some of his female friends and ask them to dance, or if perhaps it would be better to just leave it, since he can't really dance anyway, so stepping on their toes for ten minutes probably wouldn't do them any favors.

But before long, he's moving on to the snacks, naturally. He's twenty years old, and a Grey Warden. He's basically a bottomless pit of consuming calories, so he'll sample just about everything laid out, because why not? It can't be any more toxic than Varric's wine scheme. Right? ]

[bryces_pup]

[Oh, but that advice will come with a price.

And she's about to come and make him pay up on it. She takes a moment to smooth out her dress and make sure her hair is still in place before she begins her approach. He actually does blend in rather well; it's only because she pretty much picked out that outfit for him that she can spot him so quickly.

Though, since they are wearing masks and supposed to be hiding identities and all that, she might as well have a bit of fun with it first.]

My goodness, sir, what a fierce mask you wear. Fortunately, you look quite dashing, and dare I say even a bit... regal?

[...she couldn't help it, okay.]

[theirinurpants]

[ To be fair, Alistair has been half-expecting, half-hoping to spot Riona at some point tonight. All his friends, really, so her appearance garners a smile rather than anything more sinister. ]

Regal? Me? Noooooo, not possible.

[bryces_pup]

Not possible? You give yourself too little credit.

[She gives him A Look, though it's offset by the smile on her face shortly afterwards.]

You do look very handsome, though, Alistair. [The game is dropped as she walks up to him. She straightens out a lapel on his jacket.] Are you enjoying yourself tonight?

[theirinurpants]

[ Alistair mostly just looks sheepish at her and shrugs. ]

I guess so. There's a lot of food, isn't there? [ And he definitely likes food! ]

[bryces_pup]

Well, I know so. So there.

[She wins.]

And yes, there is. And what I've had was quite delicious. [Said with a bit of surprise. Honestly, given the planet's air, she hardly expected anything to grow well or taste good here. Perhaps she'd been too hasty in her judgment.] How did you find the cheese? Did it meet your exacting standards?

[theirinurpants]

Oh, you know, it's passable. Nothing to a good Fereldan cheese, of course, but not bad.

[bryces_pup]

Few cheeses are. Even those overrated, stinky Orlesian ones.

[She clasps her hands behind her back, looking all too innocent. Run, Alistair!]

Have you gotten to do much dancing? Work of all that cheese?

[theirinurpants]

Work it off? Do I look like I need to work it off?

[ He glances down at himself in a dramatic sort of gesture. ]

You don't want to dance with me.

[bryces_pup]

Not at all, but without all the usual running about Ferelden and the fighting, you don't have as much means of keeping your figure.

[She sighs softly, giving him a gently stern look.]

And why wouldn't I want to dance with you?

[theirinurpants]

Because I'll probably step all over your toes? I don't know the first thing about dancing!

[bryces_pup]

I know. [She smiles.] Dancing is not so hard as you make it out to be. I'll even lead, if it helps. [She holds out a hand to him expectantly.]

[theirinurpants]

Well... all right, but I warned you!

[ With more than a hint of reluctance, he takes her hand, and allows her to lead him to the dance floor. Hopefully the song isn't terribly complicated. ]

[bryces_pup]

[Fortunately, it's not. It's a slower tempo, and it doesn't seem anything terribly involved.

Riona fights to squeeze his hand, an old habit she didn't expect to come back in such force. The thought is pushed from her mind; she's not dwelling on that now.

After maneuvering around the other dancing pairs, she finds them a decent spot. She turns and assumes the proper dancing pose, ready to help Alistair if needed.]

snacks!

[sandhate]

[ He's a big eater himself, sure. He can pack it away like any six foot something. But this man in front him? He's been watching him for a whole ten minutes and there's just been more and more food going in. He beats him by miles.

It's really. Just. Fascinating.

When Alistair approaches the little pies he's standing in front of, he finally comments on this behaviour. ]

So, are you eating for two?

[ He actually has no idea what that phrase means, just heard it around. ]

[theirinurpants]

[ Eating... for two? Alistair glances around, as though expecting someone else to be there, holding out their hands for some of his food. ]

N- No... Why? Is it too much? I'm sorry... did you want some of this? [ He holds out a plate of some... little bite-sized thing that might be sausage? ]

[sandhate]

CONT'D

[namisan]

[Well, that appetite doesn't quite put Luffy to shame, but she's impressed anyway.]

You've got better table manners than the other greedy people I know. [She grins at him, reaching across to pick up a slice of fruit.]

[theirinurpants]

Am I being greedy?

[ Gluttonous, sure, but greedy? It's not like there's not plenty for everyone! ]

[namisan]

[Gluttonous is what she actually means, but Nami didn't make the distinction.]

Plenty to go round. [I'm not judging you.] Did you not eat before you got here?

[theirinurpants]

No. Why would I have? I knew there was going to be food here.

[namisan]

[Pfft. She lets it drop.]

You have one up on me, then. I wasn't expecting there to be quite so much.

[theirinurpants]

That's okay. More for me, I guess. But have you tried the little... um. Jelly... things?

[ He points at something. ] They're surprisingly good!

[namisan]

Well, if you recommend them, I'll give them a shot.

[They look kind of tangy and she can always enjoy tangy. She plucks one up from the platter.]

So do you have a lot of parties like this at home? [Being a king and all. She takes a bite. Yup. Tangy. Also delicious.]

[theirinurpants]

Continue on overflow?