And We Danced (Masquerade Overflow!)

[thespaceopera]

The Captcha is upon us, but the party isn't over! Feel free to continue your threads here, start new ones, and continue the dance party!

- Original Mingle
- OOC Post

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Comments

For Qing

[pompous_today]

[Continued from here.]

[Simon smiled quietly, not sure whether he'd been addressed or not, but responding anyway.]

We're not really used to crowds here, hmm? When we're confined to our ships, any group larger than 10 or 12 can seem huge.

[shoujoreject]

[Oh. He looked up as Simon spoke, offering a soft smile and a little laugh.]

I'm not really... unused to crowds, myself. You get used to them working in a restaurant. But even the largest gatherings seem to be made pretty small compared to these.

[pompous_today]

[Simon nodded.]

I attended a lot of parties like this when I was younger, so I'm a bit more used to it. At least people seem to be having fun here... dancing how they like, dressing how they like.

[shoujoreject]

Did they not normally, where you came from? Things like this - though the dancing isn't... nearly so sophisticated anymore - are fairly common where I come from, too.

[His head tilted, a strand of beads on a string fluttering off toward his shoulder.]

Though, I suppose I've only been to one or two of those, myself. To cater it. [Why people ordered Chinese for party catering he had no idea, but whatever.]

[pompous_today]

[Simon laughed.]

I grew up wealthy, so there were a lot of, shall we say, social rules. People were expected to have the finest in the way of gowns for the women and waistcoats and tuxedos for the men- all custom-made. I don't miss it, honestly. It could feel a bit stifling.

[He then nodded soberly.]

I think I would have much preferred that sort of role. Being able to blend in and blend out as needed.

[shoujoreject]

Ah. That's still popular among the wealthy, as I understand it, but a lot of what I dealt with was more... people trying to have fun.

[Not unlike this group, in that. He looked over the group again, a chuckle on his lips.]

It's strange... people think of caterers like that, but sometimes, I found myself the subject of people's interest much more than strictly necessary. [Nothing like being looked at as a pretty piece of eye-candy to make you dislike catering.]

[pompous_today]

[Simon raised an eyebrow.]

Really? That had to have made your job quite a bit more difficult. In my experience, people like cooks and caterers... well. The partiers' eyes tended to slide over them as they were too busy competing with one another.

[shoujoreject]

Oh, that happened a lot, too. [With a nod, he sipped his drink.] But in America, when I'm from, people are... well, many minorities are considered an exotic commodity.

[pompous_today]

America? You must be from Earth. [He let out a sigh.] I am most likely from quite a while into your future, and while I'd like to say those kinds of things have disappeared... truthfully, some sort of treatment of people like they are an other remains.

[shoujoreject]

I am. And I can't say that surprises me - humans don't change, as a whole, if history is to be believed. [He spoke like someone who simply understood it as truth, really.] Are you... ah, from a space ship, then? Or a colony, perhaps.

[pompous_today]

In some ways, but not in others. [He swallowed.] Well, I was born on a planet, but I currently travel with a cargo ship as their doctor. Space travel is very common by my time.

[shoujoreject]

Ah, I see. It seems a very different time to be alive. [He took a sip of his drink, tilting his head thoughtfully.] Do you like that better, then, than a wealthy life? Helping others?

[At least, he likes to think of doctors as helpers.]

[pompous_today]

[Simon nodded firmly.]

I was able to bring medical care to people who may not have had it otherwise. I wouldn't mind making a career out of it, if I ever go back home... find some like-minded doctors, get together some funding, make some way for people to make appointments. [It wasn't likely to happen, but Simon could still dream.]

[shoujoreject]

That's pretty ambitious. [He's plainly impressed, and his smile hasn't faded.] You should say 'when', I think. There's no sense in assuming something might not happen, right?

[pompous_today]

It is... but I feel like it is doable. Too many people on wealthy planets like mine are blind to how people struggle... I could find enough help, I'm sure of it.

[He sighed.]

I suppose so... I have been here for so long, though, part of me can't help but be a little pessimistic.

[shoujoreject]

That's true no matter what the year, I suppose. [He frowned a little, then shook his head.] Ah. That's what you have others for though, no? Little reminders. Any situation is ultimately transitional - or so my grandparents always say. [Haa. He wondered how his family was, back at home... it didn't show on his face, but still.]

[pompous_today]

[Simon smiled quietly.]

Others... I do need to get out here and socialize more. It's... hard sometimes for me to not just keep to myself, not to simply relate to people just as a doctor and not as a friend as well.

[shoujoreject]

I think a lot more people fall into that trap than we realise. [He shook his head, sipping his drink again.] It's much easier, taking an outside position. Seeing people through the glass, from whichever side you happen to think yourself on.