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

[alwayscomeback]

I don't know. That's the exciting part of it all. Maybe it's just something really regular, or maybe it's something that'll give us a whole new understanding of this place. Maybe even Atroma.

The sky's the limit when it comes to science.

[goldenglasses]

Really? I guess I didn't think of it that way as it seemed too personal a thing for worldly answers. At least from what I've heard people talking about.

[alwayscomeback]

Oh no, science is the most important thing in any world you want to go to. It can explain so much and it can be super fun!

[goldenglasses]

Alright then, science master, do you know what we need to do next? What I've heard is stand near water and wait.

[alwayscomeback]

I'm pretty sure that's it. When time time comes, we'll know about it.

1/3

[goldenglasses]

Okay! So we're going down by the lake, just us two guys, in the mist at dark, alone!

2/3

[goldenglasses]

[...]

3/3

[goldenglasses]

Sound boring. Unless there are a couple of lonely hotties already down there.

[alwayscomeback]

...Pretty sure the hotties will be here. Science isn't about hotties, Vash.

[goldenglasses]

I'm sure it could be if it tried hard enough. [Vash links his fingers together behind his neck as they walk. Elbows up in the air as he stares a moment back up at the night sky. He really hopes this isn't going to end up being a terrible decision. The locals at least didn't make anything sound dangerous.]

[alwayscomeback]

[Sokka makes a long suffering uggggggggggggggggggggggggggggh noise as he walks. ]

It's about facts and learning more about the world you're living in. That's WAY better than anything else.

...

Except maybe food.

[goldenglasses]

Well, that I can agree on! One can never under appreciate some good food!

[alwayscomeback]

There's nothing better in any world than good food.

[But hey they made it! SCIENCE IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN!! ]

GO-GO-DICE ROLL!

[goldenglasses]

[Vash peers around at the fog that has already begun to lift and drift in the air around them. He didn't notice anything just yet.]

Yup. This is fog.

wooooo

[alwayscomeback]

[Sokka himself sure as hell HAS seen something in the fog. Or rather, someone. He freezes, his expression a mixture of fear, confusion and heartbreak. It can't be. This...can't be. It's not real. It's not real.

And yet, there she is, walking around like it was just a regular day. ]

...Yue?

[goldenglasses]

Yue? [Vash leans to peer in the direction Sokka is looking.] Did you see something?

[alwayscomeback]

[Sokka points (can't Vash see her? WHY can't Vash see her??? ]

Yue! She- she's right there. YUE! Hey, Yue!

[He might be moving to run off towards nothing. Don't let him die, Vash. ]

[goldenglasses]

[The shocked sound Sokka makes that Vash can't see her almost makes him feel bad for having to admit he can't see whoever it is.] I can't see her.

[Vash follows behind Sokka. Eyes on the ground ahead just a little bit trying to spot any holes that may trip Sokka.] Careful not to fall!

[Because Vash doesn't think Sokka will like it if he suddenly has to grab him by his collar, but he's ready to just in case.]

[alwayscomeback]

[He does, indeed to start to run, but Vash's words make him come to a staggering stop. It's like being in the swamp again, none of this is really real. It's just the smog. And the realisation hits him like a ton of bricks. Yue isn't here. She can't hear him or see him, she's not real.

She's still dead. She'll always still be dead. She can't come back to him. Not now, not ever.

His shoulders slump, and his arms hang down by his sides. ]

...You were right. We should have stayed at the party.

[goldenglasses]

[Vash sighs, walking up and placing a hand on Sokka's shoulder. He always hated being right.]

Do you want- [A beat. His fingers curling and then quickly releasing again. For how quickly it happened it could even be mistaken for a reassuring squeeze.] -to talk about it?

[As he keeps an eye on the man who looks a lot like himself grinning at him from out of the corner of his eye.]

[alwayscomeback]

[It's ok, Sokka hates it when Vash is right, too. It's almost never anything good. He exhales, shaky and slow. ]

It's- She's my first girlfriend. She died.

[goldenglasses]

[Vash sighs as he realizes there is nothing he can say that will help something like that.]

I'm sorry. That can't be easy. Did you want to leave? [Vash is ready to get out of here. It doesn't matter that he knows his brother out in the fog isn't really there. He's not comfortable being around even his shadow, but he won't leave until Sokka is ready.] We don't have to go back to the party. Our shuttle is here; I can take you anywhere you might want to go.

[alwayscomeback]

[Sokka continues to stare at the not-Yue, fighting to tear his gaze away. It'snotherit'snother. He takes an unsteady step backwards. ]

Yeah. Let's just- just go. Maybe the Iskaulit.

[Neutral ground. ]

[goldenglasses]

Alright, I can do that. [Vash's hand on Sokka's shoulder pulls firm, but not forceful, towards his shuttle. If Sokka tries to stay, Vash won't force him to move.]

[alwayscomeback]

[He follows, a little numb, a little dazed, but follow he does, glad to be away from this goddamn moon for a while. ]