driftfleet | MINGLE — NYE & Winn's Birthday PARTY!

Entry tags:

MINGLE — NYE & Winn's Birthday PARTY!

Who: Everyone!
Broadcast: Broadcast — Earlier than now for planning
Action: Hotel Corona — Winn's birthday / NYE party!
When: Action — Dec. 31 / New Year's Eve

[Broadcast (open to everyone but Winn)]
At the risk for earning a reputation as a party planner, I have a thing for everyone to attend again. Don't worry, lots of other people are helping pull it together. It's going to be on New Year's Eve, but the real event is the countdown to Winn's birthday which is also on the first. It's going to be in a club we rented out for this in the red shift district. Starts around seven-ish. Ends when you pass out?

It's kind of a surprise maybe? At least the part where it's for his birthday. And if you don't know Winn but you still want to come that's fine too. You can trade a gift for Winn for a free drink at the bar. Otherwise, bring some money. Cake's on us though.

[Birthday/New Year's Party]
[The space is well decorated and so glittered you can probably tell Wrath was part of the team putting this together. Lots of Winn's friends came out to help whether it was getting decorations up, managing food, music, or chipping in to buy out the space and a drink for anyone bringing a gift. Not to mention drinks for the birthday boy all night.

There's a table for presents and another one with a spread of openly available food though the bar has appetizers you can buy too. There's a big cake at one end because of course there is and some punch that didn't start the night spiked at least. There's space for dancing and a karaoke machine set up on a small raised platform for those who want to try their hand at entertainment.

The night really kicks off when Winn walks in and instead of a balloon drop there's a fluffy blue stuffed bear drop. Feel free to take one of those home. There are a lot.

When midnight comes closer some people will file out to one of the observation areas to get a good view of the nebula for the big countdown. Bring your own person to kiss!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[She gives a polite smile and a nod in response. She has no idea who this Winn is, but it seemed this party was for him. Or at least the birthday portion of it.]

I suppose I am doing all right. All things considered.

Are things still rough? [Not that she expects anyone to get over their death overnight. Kitty is still dealing with hers on some level after all.] I mean outside of the usual no freedom part.

["Still rough?" Wanda's not sure it's even been a week since she randomly woke up here, and people started bombarding her with claims of being close friends and that she's suffering from memory loss. However, Wanda gets the impression that Kitty may be referring to something else. It was like the two of them were reading lines from different scripts but just happened to go together.]

I think it's going to take me a little more time to get used to... everything.

[Her eyes quickly survey the room, trying to find something else -- something less awkward and potentially less painful to talk about.]

So, Winn was... born on New Year's?

[God help her, she was trying to not turn this into an upsetting moment for the party host. Wanda's becoming increasingly unsure her choice of not coming out and telling this girl that she doesn't remember her is the right one.]

Yep. January first. Nice of everyone to think of giving him a countdown to it every year. [She tilts her head taking Wanda in. Something is off and she hasn't put her finger on what. Different scripts is right.]

Did Misty bringing you back have some kind of lasting after effects or did something else happen? Vision?

Edited 2017-01-03 20:52 (UTC)

[She does chuckle a little at Kitty's joke. But then, her expression shifts. "Misty bringing her back?" What did that mean? Suddenly, Wanda is looking very grave.]

What do you mean? Bringing me back -- what does that mean? Who is Misty?

[Any careful care she was giving to try and not spoil the conversation had now evaporated. There was a very dark feeling Wanda was getting about the potential answers to her questions. She wasn't happy. She didn't know what this was about, but, whatever it was, she found it very upsetting.]

[Kitty's eyes narrow because that was obviously the wrong answer. You don't forget the person who brings you back from the dead. Kitty has been busy with plans for this party and celebrating the holidays with Winn. Could she have missed a second Wanda arriving? One who didn't bother to say she had no idea who she was? Or who maybe knows a Kitty from her world and is acting like this is normal? Or...]

Gemini, if that's you pretending to be Wanda, you're not going to like what comes next. [She had a pretty tense talk with the shapeshifter at Thanksgiving.

This conversation needed to be more confusing, right?]

[Now this was getting all types of confusing.]

What? Gemini? Who or what is Gemini?

[She shakes her head, groaning. Suddenly, she was getting a fierce headache.]

No, no, it doesn't matter! I don't care who or what Gemini is. I want to know what you meant by "bringing me back." You mean bringing me back here? Someone named Misty brought me here to this Fleet? I was told it was something called "Atroma." That they are the ones responsible for why I'm here, why everyone is claiming to know me when I've never met them, and why I keep having all of these weird reactions to things people say!

[Over the course of that entire tantrum, Wanda's eyes and hands began to flare up with crimson red luminescence. The energy around her hands especially was now crackling with a sort of fierce, menacing life. Her powers having reacted to her emotional and mental state. It's unclear if she even meant to activate them. In fact, right now, she seems almost unaware that they're even firing up.]

[If the reaction wasn't convincing the aura of energy is. Kitty reacts with intangibility just in case, but her real concern is everyone else in the room having their drinks and enjoying the party and not needing to have reality warped around them or however that manifests for this Wanda if it is this Wanda. She takes a mental checklist of who she'd seen who might be able to help if things go sideways, but she's hoping it won't get there.]

Wanda. [Firm, but with concern, not force.] I'll tell you what I know, but you need to reign in your powers. You don't want to hurt anyone.

[So much doesn't make sense right now. Wanda should have left the fleet completely to come back with lost memories, right? That's how it always worked before in the prison and here. Did she miss that happening? Is it a belated side effect of coming back from the dead? An augment glitch?]

[Wanda's jaw stays clenched, and her angry expression fixed. However, Kitty's words illicit a few blinks of comprehension from Wanda, and, gradually, she remembers where she was, what's happening around her. The energy begins to fade and then eventually evaporate completely from around her hands, and the scarlet glow in her eyes dissolves with it. The look on her face changes from anger to surprise and then to guilt. Her gaze falls down to the floor and she balls her hands into fists. Suddenly, she looks like she's about to start crying. Her head shakes, and her voice comes out a little choked.]

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-- I didn't mean for that to happen... I- I don't what's going on right now with myself, my own mind, everything is all confusing, and I just...

[She looks up slightly over towards the exit to the party.]

I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come. I'll leave...

[The instinct to hug her is there. Who knew she'd ever get that instinct back after the life she's led but enough time in places that make her feel safe and happy and apparently anything can heal with time. Almost anything. Still, she holds back, not wanting to set her off. She's getting the idea she's a stranger in this situation, not a friend. And with Wanda's powers tied so closely to her emotions she doesn't want to risk it around everyone else.]

Let's take a walk. [Kitty wouldn't mind getting her to a less populated area as she calms down and maybe the space will help Wanda too.] Talk where it's quieter.

[Wanda looks up at Kitty, a bit surprised by the offer. She then looks the room over. All the party goers that were about.]

Shouldn't you stay with your guests?

You are one of my guests. Besides, they look like they're having plenty of fun all on their own. [She wouldn't leave the party indefinitely, but for a little while and hopefully to return with Wanda? Sure.]

[Wanda still looks uncertain as she turns back to Kitty.]

Am I really worth the trouble to you?

[It's a surprisingly heartfelt question. Up til now, Wanda can think of only one other person in her life that would care to take this kind of time away from other things to make sure she's okay -- and that was Pietro.]

Yes, and it's not that much trouble, Wanda. [She guides her out into the hallway where it's already much quieter even though it's not exactly a quiet spoke.]

You don't remember who I am, do you?

[At that question, Wanda's gaze again falls -- unable to meet Kitty's. She shakes her head solemnly, a no.]

I'm sorry.

Back there, I led you on... I shouldn't have. You seemed happy, and I didn't want to take that away.

[She'd already done that for dozens of people she's run into since waking up.]

I'm still plenty happy. Besides, being forgotten is like it being Tuesday. It happens. A lot. I've been in these kinds of places almost two years. Maybe a lot longer. Time was weird in the last one. [So, eight years.] Point is, I can deal. Don't go making it harder on yourself.

I'm Kitty. We met here in the Fleet. [With additional connections she'll ease into.]

[That Tuesday bit of Kitty's gets a soft snort and a slight giggle from Wanda. Its followed by a small yet grateful smile from Wanda.]

Kitty. Nice to meet you... I suppose for the second time now.

And thank you... for calming me down back there.

[Now, she's wondering how exactly she'll explain her little "light show" to Kitty. Though, if they'd already met, does that mean Wanda needs to? Trying to keep this all straight was very irritating.]

You too, Wanda.

[She nods and smiles.] Happy to. You probably don't remember him if you did know him, but Remy and I switched powers a little while ago. Still not sure why, but for a day I kept accidentally charging things. A few exploded. [She has a sheepish look.] No one was hurt, but I do not think I'd be good at having a power that reacts to emotion all the time. [Hers can get triggered by surprise and fear, but that's almost always good.]

[Wanda doesn't know who this "Remy" is, but she gets Kitty's message. It brings a more solemn look back into Wanda's eyes and her smile fades. For all her supposed confidence in her powers, the truth is that they had a tendency to frighten her from time to time. She doesn't like to admit the lack of control there.]

It is not easy. Especially when they are still fairly new.

[Wanda flicks a finger, causing a wisp of scarlet energy to spark into life. It slowly orbits around and then in-between her outstretched fingers as Wanda studies it. Around three years -- at least as far as she currently remembers -- of having these abilities, and it still seemed she was barely skating along the surface. It's both an incredibly empowering feeling but also a frightening one.]

[She sighs. The little light show ends, and the wisp fades away. She crosses her arms.]

But you said you "switched" powers? You are also an enhanced?

[She watches the little bit of energy dance along at Wanda's whim. Definitely prettier than her own power.] I'm a mutant. We're born with differences in our DNA that cause powers.

Mine's intangibility.

"Mutant?"

[Wanda repeats the word. Not sure if she likes the sound of it.]

Your powers come from your DNA... so they are passed down to you by your parents?

[Don't worry, they've found words to sound even worse.]

It can, but mutations can start spontaneously too. My parents were human.

What did your parents think of your powers?

[Wanda tries to imagine how her parents would react to her own abilities and to her brother's.]

[Talking about her parents still hits her after all this time. She glances away and pushes through an answer because she doesn't want to be the one who can't handle a simple question.]

Never told them.

[Yeah, Wanda immediately picks up on the fact that she just stepped on a sore spot. She bites her lip, curses at herself internally. Couldn't she do anything right at the moment?]

I... noticed this was also a birthday party?

[She winces slightly. It was a pointless question. The invitation to the party had already said as much, but she's desperately trying to change the topic of conversation to something more pleasant. She's basically praying she can somehow walk away from this conversation without causing more damage at this point.]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject