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

[[OOC: Wait for Sections! Sections are up! Feel free to use the section prompts or make your own! We'd also advise against just linking back to your original mingle post for the sake of players with slower computers.]]

Comments

[dancingmd]

I think we can still play with that.

[But first, because this has aroused her curiosity:]

Is my mind... stronger to you, than other people's? Or would this apply to anyone?

[thezerothlaw]

I am... more aware of you. I am familiar with the texture of your mind, and its patterns are more evident tome. I suppose it is akin to paying more attention to a familiar face at a distance than an unfamiliar one.

[dancingmd]

[She nods. It makes sense and she has to admit, it's a nice thought, that her mind draws his attention like that.]

Or the sound of a voice in a crowd - how everyone turns into an indistinct murmur except for the one you know and are familiar with.

[thezerothlaw]

Precisely.

And while I don't mean to 'cheat,' the fact remains that I cannot cease to sense in this way, no more than I could cease hearing.

[dancingmd]

I don't mind the challenge. Usually, the seeker closes their eyes and counts to 100 while the other hides... [She laughs] theoretically anyway. Most of the time, people do not really give the full count. But I trust you won't do that.

[thezerothlaw]

Of course not. If I'm required to count to one hundred, then that is how high I will count.

[Obviously. It's a rule and he follows rules.]

[dancingmd]

Excellent. Though if you like, I can be the seeker first, if that will give you a better idea of how the game works.

[thezerothlaw]

Very well.

[And he won't even cheat. Because it would be so easy to tweak a mind gently to affect its attentiveness, to be forgotten as soon as their eyes are off him. He knows, because he used to do it frequently. But that would be beside the point, here.]

You count, and I will hide.

[dancingmd]

[She claps her hands together and grins.]

Thank you, by the way, for indulging me. I know this must be... very strange for you.

[thezerothlaw]

It is a little, but I don't mind. It's a new experience, and one I welcome.

[dancingmd]

[Wonderful! She is all about offering him new experiences - she just is always leery of going overboard.]

Then we can begin!

[She starts to close her eyes but then abruptly opens them again.]

Oh! One more thing: boundaries. No going outside the garden!

[This time, she closes her eyes for certain and even turns her back to Daneel before starting to count, slowly.]

One... Two... Three...

[thezerothlaw]

[Daneel moves swiftly when he wants to, and fairly quietly, too. Actively hiding isn't something he generally has had to do, and an adult-sized person has a harder time of it than a child. Also, he doesn't want to do too good a job, because then Beverly might be frustrated.

So eventually he finds a spot under a sort of small tree or large shrub. It has large, broad leaves that sprout from the top of a thick green stem that drape down to the ground, forming a sort of tent. Daneel crawls inside, draws his knees up to his chest to fit, and is still.]

[dancingmd]

...99 ...100

[Beverly finishes counting, opens her eyes, and starts her search. There's plenty of places to explore, with all the twisting paths and little hidden nooks. Unfortunately, she realizes belatedly, her dress is a bit of an impediment - one she'll have to work around when hiding. For now though, she's engaged in her search for Daneel. A couple of times, she thinks she might have spotted him behind that boulder or between those two trees - usually to find it's only another guest at the party.

Daneel's hidden himself pretty well but finally, she sees ah- is that?! Yes that is definitely a foot sticking out there. Never mind that he would have sensed her long ago, she does her best to sneak up, gently pulling aside the big leaf covering Daneel's head.

Seeing him squashed up there, oh so very serious in his hiding duties, she scrunches her nose up with amusement.]

Do you know how very cute are right now?

[Well, she almost always thinks that, but doubly so at this moment.]

[thezerothlaw]

I presume that is a good thing.

[He looks up at her, his face as grave as though he weren't squished under a tree. Serious hiding duties, indeed.]

I also presume this means that you have won this game.

[dancingmd]

[Nope, it's too much, she can't resist: she bends down to give him a kiss before answering.]

Very good.

[Then she grins mischievously.]

But the game is not over! You're it this time!

[thezerothlaw]

[Daneel climbs out from his hiding place, and kisses her again.]

Then I will count.

[He still feels he has an unfair advantage, but he shuts his eyes and begins counting, all the same.]

[dancingmd]

[Unfair advantage on his part or not, Beverly still takes a silly delight in playing with him and fortunately, she was able to scope out some possible hiding spaces while looking for him. Moving as quickly as her voluminous skirts will allow, she gets out of his mental range before heading for a large arrangement of decorative rocks by a little burbling pond in one corner of the museum. Between two large boulders is a little alcove, just big enough for her to fit into without rumbling her costume too much.

While she waits, she attempts to go into a state of mediation, curious to see if that will have any effect on Daneel being able to sense her presence. Probably not, but it's an interesting experiment anyway.]

[thezerothlaw]

[He takes his time. Daneel at first isn't quite sure where to go, but he starts in a likely direction, looking around more with his mind than with his eyes. Is it cheating? Maybe. But he's also not going to go looking under things when he knows she isn't nearby.

Eventually, he comes near enough to feel the edges of her mind -- softened through her meditation, quiet, but still there, louder than an unconscious mind. Unhurried as ever, he follows her mind until he's close enough to look under things and around things, and then it doesn't take long to find her hiding spot.]

You made yourself quiet.

[dancingmd]

[When he speaks, Beverly opens her eyes and smiles at him.]

So it worked? At least a little?

[thezerothlaw]

A little, yes.

[Not that he could ever miss her. He offers a hand to help her to her feet.]

The edges of your mind were... softened.

[dancingmd]

[She takes his hand, but doesn't let go once she's standing.]

Deanna has taught me some mediation techniques, and Worf too, but I've never had reason to block you out, so I thought I might as well use the occasion to experiment.

[thezerothlaw]

I would prefer you not block me out, if I'm honest. I find your presence reassuring.

[dancingmd]

[A rush of warmth goes through her and she squeezes his hand. It's good to know that she provides him with some sense of reassurance and stability, like he does for her.]

Then I promise, I won't try again. I was only testing for purposes of the game. The truth is, I like you being in my head, so to speak. Having someone I trust who can understand me on that emotional level, without me having to explain is... comforting.

[thezerothlaw]

[He looks carefully at her for a moment.]

That's not a typical response, in my experience. Most humans have some suspicion of such abilities. It is the primary reason I have been so cautious.

[dancingmd]

[She ducks her head.]

No, I suppose it isn't. Even in a world like mine, with so many different species, many of whom have telepathic or empathic senses, humans aren't always comfortable with it. But between having Deanna as a friend and experiencing telepathy for myself... well, it's not so alarming to me. I can no more fault you or Deanna for feeling my emotions than I can someone else for being able to see or hear me. It's what individuals do with those abilities that matters, not that they have them.