« intro ⇢ winterball.exe »

[poised]

Who: everyone, literally everyone
When: ooc: 04/25-04/26; ic: 12/26
Where: the Gardens
What: intro log + winter ball!
Rating/Warning: PG-13 | possibly nsfw (please let me know if you need this rating changed, or you are welcome to continue any naughty shenanigans in a private log)

//winterball.EXE Pimp My Party -- Royalty Style A few weeks prior to December 26th, an invitation went out to all whom already reside in Cerealia. In delicate, curling script, it read: You are cordially invited by Natalia L.K. Lanvaldear to a Winter Ball to be held on the Eve of December 26th in the Gardens. Dress in your best attire and enjoy a magical evening of dance and fine cuisine. What do you mean we should fuss about worlds being destroyed? Get into the holiday spirit, you scrooge! And in regards to the new-comers: whether you have been wandering Cerealia over the course of the past few days and managed to receive one of the later waves of invitations or have simply suddenly appeared in the gardens with nothing but the (hopefully…. appropriate….) clothes on your back, welcome. The gardens have been transformed through the work of slave labor condoned by royalty incredibly talented volunteers. A buffet line possibly a mile long, a sprawling dance floor with temporary wood placement to cover the grass, a lovely orchestra with scheduled interruptions of magic shows on the stage, and the entire thing lit gently with lights stretch the span of the main area of the garden. Not too far off, there are ponds and pathways that take you elsewhere into the foliage, but why would you go that way? The party’s right here! "Good evening, everyone!! Whether you are new to Tellus or old, I hope to find you in good spirits. Mind you, I do not intend to ignore the blunders of CERES nor the grave situation that new-comers have found themselves faced with. However I assure you that at this time, surrounded by these people, you are in good company. Please, dine and be merry - I believe some worlds celebrated a holiday yesterday! Get to know one another so we may strengthen our ties and stand firm against whatever this world may throw against us! Also try the salmon, it's absolutely divine. . . . How do I turn this off...? Should I just walk away?"

//SCENARIOS.EXE PHASE I [ xxxx ] Like any respectable ball, your entrance is announced as you walk right into the party! What do you mean you wanted to slip in unnoticed? That simply won’t do. Natalia managed to rope in someone – is that a Tellus native? – to do the honor of acknowledging your character as they make their debut to the ball. This guy is under strict orders to not miss a single soul. If your character doesn’t give him a name and title ahead of time, then he’ll just make something up. Think along the lines of Broseidon McSnootyname, Duke of Erectile Dysfunction-- What do you mean that’s not your name? PHASE II [ xxxx ] Absolutely no expense was spared when it came to making sure that the food here was the best that money could buy (or threats could extort). Guests can select from a menagerie of main dishes from all sorts of cultures, adorable desserts that look like woodland creatures alongside towering cakes, and even those fruity drinks with the little umbrellas on them. Pig out, you animals – but there’s also a wide selection of fine wine if your tastes and curiosities wander off in that direction…. What even is the drinking age in Tellus? Remember, folks, drink (ir)responsibly. PHASE III [ xxxx ] Well, it is a ball. If you’re interested in proper, classical styles of dance, there’s certainly an orchestra that’s dominating most of the night. One of their songs may or may not sound familiar. Spin around in your flurry of skirts and do the fairy tale thing if that’s what you came here for. Romance, or whatever. Waltz your heart out and don’t forget to point your toes! … that said, there’s also a separate sound system not too far, prepared in case the orchestra might want a break. It’s also not being watched too closely. Maybe put on something to liven up the dance floor? Or did someone ruin your fantasy by putting on something unbearably inappropriate? PHASE IV [ xxxx ] The gardens really are beautiful. Spread throughout the area and more toward the outskirts of the party, there are plenty of beautiful fountains with glittering, crystal clear water. In fact, it’s so clear that you can spot the occasional alien life form flitting through it amidst the lily pads and gently sweeping foliage. It’s so graceful, what beauty! Look at how it rises to the water and gently opens its mouth into a yawn and—tries to chomp anything within range right off with razor sharp teeth what the fuck, whatthefuck. It would appear that's not all, though. Whether you're ready to fight the creature or run screaming, you feel something slowly slide and curl around your arm or your ankle. Look on in horror as you turn your head and realize that it seems that the nearby tree has grown rather fond of you very quickly, to the extent that it will reach out and lovingly wrap its hentai tentacles around you.... Brings a whole 'nother meaning to 'tree hugger', doesn't it? BONUS [ whyo'clock ] Are you lost? Did you try to catch your breath away from the party and start to wander off despite all the cautioning not to? Or maybe you were trying to leave and took a wrong turn? Either way, you seem to have only found yourself deeper in the gardens now. Try not to breathe too deeply or… at all. If you can’t manage that though, it appears that you’ve stumbled upon the hallucinogenic plants of the garden. You start to see things that aren’t there – though whether you suddenly find yourself in a den of cougars lions or think that the person standing next to you is the biggest, cuddliest pile of adorable puppies in the world depends on the person. Hope you have a good trip, bruh. [ Remember to apply proper warnings on threads with trigger-y or inappropriate material and do let me know (through FAQ comment or PM preferably!) if your thread careens off into maiming or canoodling so I can lock the log. ]

//RUN.EXE Welcome to CEREALIA's latest intro post! This one is player-run and all the basics have been laid out for you here. Absolutely feel free to come up with your own prompts, I just attempted to set the scenery! For your convenience, I whole-heartedly welcome questions and inquiries being directed to my attention here and I'll answer them to the best of my ability! Have a ball! Enjoy!! OVERFLOW IS HERE Move over at your captcha-free leisure!

Comments

OTA like the most ota thing

[poised]

[for those who encounter Natalia tonight, she's picked up a familiar dress (but longer, party in the front, business in the back). old princess habits die hard!]

[PHASE I ➝ PHASE II ]

[Well for whatever reason, it seems that she chose not to quite walk away from the mic. Rather, she seems to remember something and instead offers everyone a smile.]

In case you missed it earlier, I am your hostess for the evening, Natalia L.K. Lanvaldear and I couldn't have put on this ball without the help of so many wonderful people. [is this the oscars] Without further ado, [she spreads her arms in front of her in a regal gesture] let the ball commence!!

[And as soon as the fanfare is done, she's off the main stage and... apparently making a beeline for the buffet table. This princess has her eyes set on some of that cheesecake. Do you accidentally get in her way? Are you reaching for the same plate? Choose wisely, peon.]

[ PHASE III ]

[The princess knows how to dance, who would've thought--

But really this is entirely straight-forward as she lacks any interest in standing politely to the side and waiting for someone to ask her to dance. So right on the heels of another song, she makes her way to you - regardless of whether you're male or female and also whether she knows you or not - and smiles as she offers a hand.]

Excuse me, might I ask for this dance?

[do you feel a doki yet]

[ BONUS ]

[Comparatively.... it's not that bad.

But as the night winds down and after she was definitely trying to catch her breath after dance after dance, Natalia does find herself on a bench to the side of the party, a little dizzy and... definitely seeing shooting stars where they shouldn't be. Hm. She just seems to sigh happily though as she sets one hand on her heart and another on the sleeve of whoever's closest to her--]

Wouldn't stars have made absolutely wonderful party favors? Why didn't I think of that sooner....!

[natalia r u high]

Phase I/II

[yourfononsarewhack]

[What if someone is purposefully in her way? Because that's what Natalia will find at the buffet table in the form of a certain colonel. Did he know which food to stand in front of, or is it just a coincidence? Either way, there Jade Curtiss is blocking her path to the his cheesecake, clapping his hands slowly with a sarcastic grin on his face, while dressed in his normal military regalia.]

My, my. Such priorities, Natalia.

jaune + pyrrha, ota.

[reuser]

► ᴘʜᴀsᴇ﹕ ᴀʟʟ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇᴍ

[ Although unaware of the fact that the ball doubles at a natality celebration (and an intro), Pyrrha’s breath is taken away by the shimmering regardless. Everything is tucked inside glittering swaths, the hall itself masquerading as the most beautiful parts of winter.

Pyrrha, for her part, is just trying to keep her feet on the ground. (Metaphorically.) It may be discourteous of her to get so wrapped up in her own happiness when everything else is so concerning, questionable, Ren and Nora aren’t here and Ruby and Blake are missing— But, here and now, those thoughts are far away. Jaune is here, at her side and within arm’s reach. Her friend, her date. Trying not to be overly giddy, it’s hard to keep the smile off her face - muted and catlike, rather than bright or exaggerated, but all her own.

And so, Jaune and Pyrrha can be found at various places over the course of the evening. Separation, while it certainly does happen (if only for brief periods), is not appearing in this top level. Encounter them admiring the decorations, or at their dinner table - maybe your characters are even sharing it - or out on the patio, enjoying the nice night and the lack of angry, potentially murderous robots.

Toward the middle of the evening, Pyrrha will start nudging Jaune toward the dance floor. Admittedly, that’s not very hard to do. At least he’s wearing pants this time. ]

( ooc | Tag both Jaune and Pyrrha, attending together, at whichever prompt of your choosing - or eschew the prompts altogether for standard ball fare. Tagging order will be your character → Jaune → Pyrrha. )

[deontology]

[They'll probably stumble upon him wallflowering, honestly.... but nonetheless, when he sees them, he nods to them. He can be polite...really....

He's just feeling a little stifled by this entire atmosphere, don't mind him.]

Nikos, Arc.

[so they did come together...... that was definitely what Jaune meant that one time then. (The misunderstandings continue.)]

Good evening.

open!

[undaunts]

phase i

[Look--as far as surprises are concerned, going from a rather intense battle to a sudden ball is up there high on the list.

Surprising.

Ruby staggers into the gardens, ridiculous scythe still out and ready and-- she pauses. Why........

no, really, just "why".

She hasn't even noticed that her name was announced as she staggered in, but hey, there was definitely a "Ruby Rose" exclaimed to the crowd for the interested.]

Er....

[She turns to look, and manages to swing her scythe into a tree; thankfully, she doesn't knock over the tree, but one of the pretty decorations falls from it to land on her head.]

Ouch! [and rapidly, to anyone who may be around--] It wasn't me!

[...this is getting awkward...]

phase ii

[Or, if you'd like to find her after she's gotten a liiiiittle more situated, she's wallflowering--by the food and drinks. She's not drinking anything alcoholic (she was giving those a wide berth), but.... she is collecting the little umbrellas.

Whenever people don't need them.

Look, it's keeping her busy, and she's kind of stuck here since apparently Weiss and Yang are heavily involved (how are they heavily involved in something like this already how are they such social butterflies).

So if you do go for one of the fruity drinks with a cute umbrella, Ruby hesitates.

And then--]

...Are you going to use that? [Yeah she's pointing at your tiny umbrella. Hoard it, give it up, fight for your umbrella's honor?]

phase 1

[sagemodes]

[ ...Unfortunately Ruby's going to just see a blonde guy admiring her scythe with a face that totally said: ]

Holy crap that's such a cool weapon! Where did you get that?

[ ...he's not helping matters, but that's par for the course. ]

open!

[deontology]

phase iii

[Sousei really isn't pleased that he was dragged here. Yang kept her promise, certainly, and made sure that he was properly dressed for the ball, but nonetheless he's not looking particularly friendly as he lurks on the outskirts and stares people down.

No.

He definitely doesn't want to be here. But clearly you should drag him out onto the dance floor anyway it'll be fun. Or you can surprise him as he takes a sip of his drink, that would be fun too.]

phase iv

[Has there ever been anyone who looks more done int he history of Done--PROBABLY NOT. He just went out into the garden proper to try to get away from how overwhelmingly crowded the entire dance is. He's never done well with crowds, after all. And that's when one of the nearby trees has twined a branch around his wrist. Which would be fine, he could deal with it, except his other hand still is holding his drink so like.

...????

How is he supposed to deal with this, he doesn't have enough hands to reach for his sword and he's not so threatened yet that he'll chuck his glass and ruin it, that would just be rude. So instead, just enjoy the sight of Sousei and Tree, facing off: Sousei is too far from the tree to be wrapped up further in vines, but nonetheless he also...can't get free.....

This is stupid.]

Phase IV

[sagemodes]

[ ...To be honest Naruto's just getting away from the crowded area in order to get his thoughts back in place. Because holy crap it's his first ever formal function and it's so stuffy inside he has no idea why he said yes in the first place.

Well, he knows why he said yes but not how it'll end up with him spotting someone just having a stare down with a tree.

No he hasn't noticed why the other person is staring off yet. ]

...Uh, are you talking to the tree?

[ excellent interpretation skills there, Naruto. ]

OTA

[sunshrouded]

[ PHASE III ]

[who is this fucker

You might catch Tenka when he's standing around and actually looking respectable, gently nursing a glass of red wine, probably looking foreign to anyone who knows him well.

At least until he's gently wheezing as he tries to stay a fair distance away from the dance floor, already pulling vaguely at his bow tie and looking every instance like he doesn't want to be here. Suffocation.

Though if he does catch the eye of someone nearby, whether he knows them or not, he offers up a sunnier smile, if still a bit strained. The one time that Tenka will ever be awkward is here and now:]

Uh... Nice party, right....?

[also feel free to just pull him out onto the dance floor while he's gently wheezing]

[ PHASE IV ]

You wanna fight?!

[and sometime after that, Tenka actually looks thoroughly more in his element, glaring down a tree and looking like he's about ready to lift it from its roots]

You picked a fight with the wrong guy!!

[he might be a little tipsy]

[ PHASE PARTNERS - w/ Sousei ]

[They've been here maybe 30 minutes.

They want out.

So slowly... but surely.... as they converse with each other - probably trading barbed insults in between actual conversation like true best friends do - they are inching toward the exit.

Escape Attempt #1.

They must be stopped.]

phase III

[sagemodes]

Uh... Yeah...

[ If anything he looks a bit concerned? WHY ARE YOU WHEEZING DEAR STRANGER. ]

You alright there?

ota!

[emotive]

» PHASE I & II

[It's almost like a dream really. A huge ball, numerous guests dressed to the nines, and most importantly, a huge spread of food and drink, the likes of which Ai Thao has not experienced in a while? Well, not in such a formal and fancy fashion anyways. She's prepared herself, worrying about all the little details ahead of time and luckily, she's arrived without a hitch...]

"Presenting, Lady Ai Thao Kha, The White Summer Rose of the Unknown!"

... O-Oh. That was kind of you...

[Well... It's not like the announcer didn't have a reason to make up that title seeing as how Ai dressed herself up in a luminescent white and gold ao dai, embroidered with white flowers. She hopes that her outfit is appropriate enough because surely there will be more people who look more impressive than her. Wallflowering, already? Maybe.

Ai's still a little nervous especially since there's apparently more new arrivals and... Well, there's gonna be a lot of people! So she heads to the food table to, surprisingly, not eat a lot of food (she'd get her ao dai dirty), but instead calm her nerves by drinking a glass of fizzy cider.

Look, she learned her lesson at the sleepover, she won't be hitting the booze anytime soon.]

» PHASE III

"It's a little bit funny,
This feeling inside..."

[When "Your Song" begins to play, Ai Thao can't help, but begin to sing along. Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs, you know? She may not have a special someone anytime soon, but what's wrong with reveling in said love songs?]

I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind
That I put down in words
How wonderful life is
Now you're in the world...

[Whoops, she might have accidentally locked eyes with someone while singing and she glances away, cheeks flushed and probably mumbles an inaudible apology.]

» PHASE IV

[Time to cut the romantic fluffy BS. The evening may or may not have been going swell so far, but either way, Ai's wandered out and about, being mindful about staying way from the waters and the killer fish. What she can't avoid, is that sense of constant unease. The plant life and flowers are beautiful, yes... The trees? They're nice! But she's glancing at the trees every once and a while (she swears her gut feeling is telling her that the tree is literally moving) and may ask someone nearby:]

It's... Um, maybe it's safer inside?

phase i;

[flaredo]

Heeey, White Summer Rose of the Unknown!

[ There's Yang, jauntily waving a hand over her head as she heads over in her own dress.

Now there's a title. ]

England || OTA

[unionjackoff]

PHASE II + III

[welcome one and all, young and old, to the ball! England—or perhaps most of you know him as Arthur Kirkland—is in charge of the orchestra. while he got a few volunteers to play and sing, most of the musicians present are robots. but that just means they will play perfectly, right?

not only is England conducting, every now and then, he'll pick up a violin and play, himself. he's dressed in a tuxedo, and he has some gifts for a select few stashed away behind the stage.

anyway, he's taking a quick break right now, to grab a drink and a snack before the orchestra is scheduled to go back. want to tell him how amazing he is? steal a dance? punch him? now's your chance!]

PHASE IV

[phew! it's been a long night. England needs to get some fresh air. why did they have to play that Taylor Swift song? it was so... very... stupid. he tried to pick out only Christmas music, but for some reason, that song was tucked in among his other sheet music. surprise!

well, it was done now, right? and for the most part, the orchestra's been doing a great job. he sighs, looking over the edge of the bridge. he feels incredibly homesick tonight, despite the festivities. America was gone, and England knew he should have been happy about that, because it meant that he wouldn't have to deal with CERES' bullshit anymore. ...but was there even a home for America to return to? and what about himself and Vietnam? were they to remain in Cerealia forever?

he's so deep in his thoughts that he doesn't notice the vine sneaking its way up the bridge until it's too late. suddenly, it grabs hold of his ankle and pulls his leg out from under him. England yells and then tries to kick it off]

What the hell?! Let go! [the more he struggles, the tighter it gets. he doesn't like calling out for help, but he doesn't have much of a choice right now]

Music!

[faithfulflame]

[Well, isn't this a surprise? Rei makes it a point to take a seat near the stage for whenever Arthur takes a break, and wave him over cheerily whenever he gets close. It's not difficult to catch his emotional aura of loneliness and sadness, she mirrors them, but that doesn't mean she can't at least attempt to be Usagi for an evening.]

Arthur-san! That was beautiful playing.

weiss schnee | ota

[multiglyphs]

[ throughout the ball, weiss will be wearing this dress with these ridiculously high heels (sorry not sorry). and even though she came to the ball alone, there's an unmistakable glow about her... that, surprisingly, has nothing to do with the FANTASTIC JOB SHE DID ON THE DECORATIONS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

maybe it could have something to do with the earrings she's wearing? or maybe that necklace? hmm, maybe it's that bracelet?

every now and then, she might also be idly humming a song to herself. ]

phase II >>

[ even an extreme workaholic has to stop and take a break sometime... though from the slightly pinched expression on weiss' face, she doesn't appear to be enjoying herself too much. a lot of these foods are so decadent... too decadent for her slightly delicate tastes, so despite hovering around the buffet tables for a good amount of time, weiss will never really be seen eating more than a few pieces of fruit.

she's also making sure to stay FAR AWAY from any of the beverages that don't appear to be water. let's not have a repeat of that awful slumber party hangover, thank you very much. however... it's unfortunate how often vodka can look like water, isn't it? ]

—hic!

phase III >>

[ there is a rather expansive list of things weiss absolutely cannot tolerate — tardiness, being unkempt, a terrible work ethic, the color fuschia... terrible and inappropriate music choices are definitely one of them. so despite not actually having been on the dance floor herself, the moment her ears catch wind of a suggestive lyric, they burn bright red, and the petite heiress does not hesitate to march all the way across the dance floor (maybe accidentally throwing off your groove in the process) just to yell at the person responsible.

or the person she assumes is responsible. why else would they be standing so close to the dj station, right? right! ]

Excuse me — do you think this is some kind of desperate fundraiser? [ weiss no. ] What in the world are you playing?

phase IV >>

[ we just can't have anything nice, can we? sometime towards the last hours of the ball, a sharp, girlish shriek can be heard. following it will lead to the... rather strange sight of a tiny heiress stomping her feet at what appears to be a tree... the vines of which appear to be holding a small, silver snowflake charm that looks an awful like one of the ones hanging from her bracelet...

at her feet are a good number of scattered white roses, looking to be haphazardly cut from their bushes. ]

Give that back this instant! [ —is she arguing with a tree? ] Don't make me burn you down, you shriveled excuse for nature!! [ DON'T DO THAT IN A GARDEN??? WEISS? ]

You have until the count of three! One...! Two...!

[ ...maybe you shouldn't have tried to take newer, fresher flowers from the APPARENTLY LIVING GARDEN, weiss.......... ]

CYOA >>

[ during the ball, weiss can be found at various times doing any of the following: fixing stubborn pieces of decoration that refuse to cooperate, lingering by the wall like the awkward flower that she is, or generally running around and fussing about this-and-that that really doesn't need any fussing, tbh... someone stop her and force her to have some fun please.

come at me bros! ]

Phase II

[niceguypose]

[Rock Lee is here and wearing a suit that looks like a green version of an Edgeworth number. Once he notices Weiss, he heads straight towards her.]

Ah... Y-you are looking very nice, Weiss-san! [He says, offering her a thumbs up. But then he blinks as he hears the hiccup.] Are you alright?

Nonon - ota

[shikisha]

Phase 1/3 - Grand Entrance

"Announcing her lady Nonon Jakuzure, Three-Star Deva of Satsuki Kiryuin's Honnouji Academy and Non-Athletic Committee Chair."

[ And in comes... a tiny girl with pink hair, all of four feet and maybe a half, wearing what looks like a marching band uniform than anything else. It's black and gold with a large shako on her head, which she still manages to look cute in, fitting in well amongst the other girls. But she doesn't quite think she's here for the party, she has important business to return to back home.

...At the same time, Nonon is not the type of person who can turn away from a ball, especially with an orchestra playing. She can't help but find herself in front of the orchestra watching them with a critical eye. She can't help but turning to the guest next to her and speaking even if they aren't really listening. ]

The euphoniumist can't even play in time to save his life, it's bringing the whole piece down. Someone should take him out back and put an end to this misery for all of us. [ Staring... ] ...Hey, are you listening to me?

[ Her voice is... slightly grating, but she doesn't seem to be going away either.

Or, find Nonon for a dance. She's not afraid of dancing, enjoying it even, but finding the right partner is an important step. Someone taller than her preferably. Which isn't hard. Dressed well. She might even go up to someone who seems to fall into those descriptions and ask them to dance herself. Only for guys she just rudely informs them they are going to dance, and girls she is a little more embarrassed, asking shyly if they'd like a dance. Though she may prefer dancing with women, especially if they are black haired... ]

Phase 4 - A Nudist In Trouble

W-WHAT THE HELL?!

[ From the gardens, half the party probably hears Nonon's voice scream out when she feels something grabbing her leg. Like hell is she going to lose here to some stupid alien... tree thing. ]

Let go of me right now!! No one makes a fool of me!! [ Pulling at her clothes, Nonon just seems to change her outfit in a flash, going from her black and gold dress to... something a little...more revealing. Thigh high boots, a utility belt and holsters and a hat. ....Yes, Nonon is naked, flashing anyone who might be watching as she is pulled up into the air by one leg. In her hand she has a small knife, slashing wildly at encroaching vines.

...Do you help the poor nudist, or maybe just watch? ]

Bonus

Too cute...

[ And yes, you look like a giant teddy bear to Nonon. Whoever you are. Now you have a tiny girl in either of her outfits that night encroaching you, to put her arms around you. ]

phase 4

[dishonorstudent]

[ Sadly, Ryuko arrived fashionably late to the party, so she missed the little troll's grand entrance. She's wearing a simple black dress in an attempt to blend in with the evening.

But... that voice. Is this a dream or a nightmare? On one hand, there is Nonon and tentacles, but on the other, it is a familiar face from her world. Dare she say a friend? No, she'll never say it because this weirdo is naked at a ball. ]

J-Jakuzure?!? What the hell?!

[ She's not helping you yet. ]

[masakados]

i.
[Honestly, it's kind of embarrassing being announced, but there you have it. It's actually just a pretty typical announcement of his name, because Naoki looked very hard at the one doing it, the smile on his face not looking like a smile at all... before wandering into the party proper.

He doesn't look precisely comfortable yet, but he's all suited up, a pale tie neatly around his throat. A tie that is getting thorough fussing treatment still, small tugs at it. His sleeves are also folded up around his elbows for slightly freer motion.

Feel free to notice that those dark marks visible on him are glowing in gentle pulses of green, or that he's looking around with a faint frown. There are... quite a few people here.

...and quite a lot of emotions to sense. Well.]


ii.
[Welcome to the food table... Land of people avoiding dancing or just very hungry people. Naoki's neither of these, mostly just curious about the selection.] Well, [he'll comment to anyone nearby,] looks like everything's all set to feed the whole of the colony, huh?

[Or you can catch him a little later.

When he's feeding a slice of cake to a big floating rainbow serpent (who eats it off the plate in one gulp), that might turn its two sets of eyes to you if you wander too close. It'll be looking at you as if you're next on the menu.

But, Naoki'll tap one of its heads and just offer it another slice to eat instead and the snake, Yurlungur, says something about how he doesn't like disgusting human food he's only eating it because it's there h-hmph CHOMP.]


iii.
[If you're an acquaintance, expect to be approached with a smile of greeting if you're not in the middle of a dance. (He isn't rude, after all.) His demon company is gone, for the time being. He'll grandly offer a hand while jabbing his other thumb in a gesture over his shoulder to the dance floor.] So, how about it?

[ACQUAINTANCES, MALE OR FEMALE, YOUR GRAND OFFER OF A DANCE... Though 100% chance he is teasing the former to get a reaction.

Now, if he doesn't know you and you are wallflowering...]

Not in a dancing mood? [with an easy tone of voice.

And as for if you want to approach him, he'll be standing off on his own at some points of the evening, arms folded over his chest and his gaze thoughtfully scanning everything.]


iv.
[When being around so many people gets too... taxing for a guy with a demon's body who picks up on emotions, Naoki slips off into the gardens. You can probably find him easily enough, glowing amid the trees, and he summons Yurlungur while he's out on his own. His markings have been probably getting brighter in their glowing all night... but they dim when he offers the demon a handful of glowing red energy.

Demi-fiend, you've got so much energy tonight, Yurlungur will be saying if your character happens to stumble across them.]

...yeah, yeah.

[But when that tree starts getting cheeky and reaching out to him, well.

--it's pretty easy to snap branchy tentacley things with just a firm grip. For Naoki, at least.]


other.
[And if hey you know what, none of these prompts are workin for you, feel free to make your own!! He'll be around the whole night.]

phase ii

[flaredo]

[ Because of all the fussing and having to dress up two grown men and running security, Yang's been a busy girl. Which meant she'd had to come in before Naoki.

Luckily, even with most of his glowing covered up, he isn't hard to spot... mostly thanks to the rainbow snake.

She's quiet when she slips over, clearing her throat once she's a few feet away. It's the first time he's seen her in this, and admittedly, she can't wait to see his reaction. And with parts of her hair pinned up... well, she couldn't let Naoki be the only good-looking one tonight. ]

I didn't know snakes liked cake.

Jingle- Jade Curtiss | open

[yourfononsarewhack]

Phase I

[Jade just happened to arrive in the gardens, wearing his standard military uniform. He enters the ballroom quickly and surveys the area. The announcer has no clue who he is, so his entrance will be announced as Major Jingle Francis, the Duke of the Dance. Jade will just offer a soft facepalm followed by a self-deprecating smile, before he tries to move on into the ground and survey the area.]

Phase II

[He'll take some wine, thank you very much. He does look over the bottle curiously before opening it, as if examining it for something. He'll tend to stray from the larger crowds, but he may make idle conversation for whoever happens to be nearby.]

Do you have any opinions about our hostess?

Phase III

[Jade does know a thing or two about ballroom dancing. He's attended his share of Malkuth social events over the years, so he does know a bit about how to act at these things; proper behavior can be a key to establishing alliances after all, and now that he's new to this world, he's in the mood to try and gather some allies.

One can find him hovering near the edge of the dance floor while the orchestra is playing, looking ready to lead whoever happens to be nearby into a dance, as long as they look formal or useful enough.]

Phase IV

[Action time! Jade Curtiss is trying to fend the monstrous creatures, or he can be running in to try to rescue your character! It seems he's pulled a spear out of seemingly nowhere, and he is fighting with that as well as what seems to be an array of attacks that resemble magic spells.]

iv.

[deontology]

[Sousei really just wanted to leave. He'd thought maybe through the gardens...???

But no.

Alas.

That would be too easy. So as a tree branch moves to grab Jade from behind, Sousei slices right through it with his sword, expression unamused. The other probably would've gotten it anyway, from how he's fighting, but even so, it was in Sousei's way.

Sup.]

open!

[immobileyes]

phase ii;

[ After having tried to quietly inch her way in, only to have her efforts thwarted and drawn attention to as LADY MARY, MOONLIT FLOWER WITH A WATERFALL OF HAIR, Mary is mostly sticking close to the snacks in her dress (thankfully not this long, just below her knees) and a delicate headband. If just because she's fascinated by the cake that's taller than she is. Oh, and the dessert that looks just like a bunny! And if you are a total stranger and try to speak to her, she is very quickly ducking behind the monster cake or grabbing a plate to shield herself (feel free to tell her how this isn't working).

If she knows you, then she'll just offer you a plate heaped with food to recommend something tasty to you. ]


phase iii;

[ Dancing... DANCING!! If Mary was nervous before, she looks downright terrified whenever she stares at the dance floor. She'd had lessons from Zara, of course, but there were so many people out there and so many feet she could step on and... yet it's so romantic, dancing, and it's fun to watch, but still... so... scary. But she should try, after so much practice! But--!!!

If you approach her, you may hear her muttering: ]

It's okay it's okay it's okay it's okay--


phase iv;

[ Air is nice. Trees are nice.

Having to paralyze an alien creature trying to eat you while a tree's got one limb wrapped around your waist and reaching out another for your hair while slowly lifting you off the ground?

Not so nice.

Mary's eyes are red, rather than their usual pink, should you catch her in the act of freezing the monster trying to nibble on her-- but the next minute she's shrieking and flailing and OW HER HAIR, and there goes any sort of intimidating aura she might have just had. ]

L-let go!!! I'm not afraid of you!!

[ YES SHE IS. ]

phase III

[sagemodes]

Yo!

[ And right from behind her, it's one loud ninja that announced his presence with a loud greeting.

Yep. Smooth. ]

makoto naegi | ota

[luckybreaks]

phase i; introduction/wallflowering

[ At least Naegi had a grand total of two days to prepare for this. This means he was able to at least get a (very plain) suit and so he's sort of uncomfortably handling that, although he's still wearing his red sneakers. Apparently he either didn't have the time or didn't think to actually get nicer shoes for this...hopefully no one notices or minds? He's clearly not all that comfortable with the formal affair in the least, although he's also at least calm about things.

And he's polite enough (or enough of a pushover) to immediately offer up a name and title when asked, although the only thing that comes to mind with "title" is "Super High School Level Luck" which isn't...noble enough, probably. Whatever the case, he walks in expecting at least that and gets something along the lines of "Duke of Luck"...which has Naegi spinning around as he steps in and sort of tripping himself up, pinwheeling for a second. ]

H-hey, I'm not - [ But he doesn't really want to block the entryway for too long, so Naegi will just...leave it at that and go inside. He doesn't seem too interested in dancing (or at least hasn't done much and didn't have the time to learn) but doesn't seem too bothered by that. He's pretty easy to find just hanging out near the edges of the dance floor, apparently more or less content to people watch. If he sees anyone glance his way he'll smile or wave in a friendly manner, but he's a little overwhelmed by the amount of people still. This is such a change from the relatively small amount of people he's been stuck with for a while now. ]

phase ii; food

[ While he's not too interested in dancing or changing up the music, Naegi is at least a teenage guy and interested in food. Though some of this is a little fancy for his tastes, and he seems to be sticking to just water to drink...what a boring nerd.

...He can put one of those little umbrellas in his water, though, right? He's just going to do that. Because they're kind of fun looking. Hopefully no one minds that he purloined it from one of the fruity alcoholic drinks? If he does notices someone had been watching, they get an embarrassed smile. ]

They just look sort of fun, you know?

phase iv; fountain

[ See, this just looks like a nice place to hang out. A little out of the way but not out of sight, where he can sit on the edge of a fountain and kind of look at it. This is nice. It's nature, he's outside, and wow is that still a good change of pace he hasn't gotten over in the past two days. The alien fish...? Or whatever they are are nice to watch...right up until that point he's reaching down to kind of poke at one of the water lilies and one raises up out of the depths to try to have Naegi for dinner. Whether you're able to grab him back in time or his delayed reactions kick in and he falls backwards off the fountain. His reactions are not the best, so it might be in his best interests if someone helps out. ]

phase iv 2.0; trees...

[ ...see, even if Naegi could get free of the tree gripping his wrist (which he can't, he's not a fighter) he probably would feel bad doing it, since the tree isn't really. Doing much. Aside from holding him in place, although he's been tugging to get free for a good five minutes now.

How does he do this? Untangling the branch isn't really helping, the tree apparently is stronger than Naegi...

He will offer an awkward smile if he notices anyone approaching, but doesn't seem to think he needs to ask for help yet. Or doesn't seem to want to bother anyone for it, anyway. ]

no phase; wildcard

[ Feel free to choose your own adventure as well, I will roll with whatever! ]

phase iv!

[fittedgloves]

[ Oh, Naegi. You're lucky that Kyouko just happens to be passing by at the right moment. Any surprise she has at seeing Naegi actually here is pushed aside when she notices a fish about to bite his finger off.

She's just in time to grab his arm, in what is almost surely a death grip, and pull him back. The alien jumps a few inches out of the water, its teeth clicking loudly as it bites down on thin air. That was close. ]

OTA

[fatalstriker]

phase iii;

[yuri hadn't initially even planned on coming to this—there really isn't anything about it that makes sense for him. formal events aren't his style, and he doesn't feel like he's got any place being at one to begin with. but flynn is an annoyingly persuasive best friend, so he here is, unwilling ball participant yuri lowell. he's dressed the part, even if he still refuses to neaten his tie; he doesn't like being too stiff, okay?

for the most part, he mingles pretty casually, but at some point, he's being pulled aside and given a task. while the orchestra takes a break, control the music.

yuri, controlling the music. when he doesn't know the first thing about any of this. after being given basic instructions on how to operate everything (which seems simple enough, right?), he's left alone, and that's where things go awry. sure, he can operate it just fine, and only needs to do so for maybe fifteen minutes. did you know it's hard to find appropriate music on a device you've just learned to operate, especially when knowing what's appropriate in cerealia is probably very different than what he'd see back in terca lumireis?]

Okay... and, play.

[the first song that plays is immediately horrendously inappropriate, and quite possibly an assault on his ears. but he was told not to change songs midway through, so he lets it go.

the second song isn't much better, and he's left to wonder what this is all about.

but it's not until the third song that he makes the final conclusion that being a spot dj is a terrible idea.]

...That's enough. [he'll be flagging down whoever is willing to take this off his hands, though at this point? he kind of expects someone to be agitated with the sudden, unsuited music that's filling the ball. it's less of a ball and more of a disaster with music like this. seriously, don't leave a technologically inept swordsman in charge of the music, especially when he clearly doesn't want to do it, or a mess like this will ensue.]

[brbwalking]

[ Judith didn't come here to be swept into finery-- in fact, she hadn't wanted to come at all, but she'd poked her head in to see how Yuri and Flynn were both faring.

Now, she's faintly regretting it, reaching up to touch one unhappily quivering ear. And the culprit? ]

Yuri... I'd like a word.

[heiwana]

[ Phase II ]

[ Kousetsu will be here and he will be trying the wide variety of foods available out on the tables before him. He's actually not standing out like a sore thumb this evening. Although perhaps he is because he's currently wearing this along with his blue hair being braided in a long but neat braid. Souza wanted to do it, so he really has no objections on the matter. He'll be eyeing the food selections with some curiosity but once he has a plate he's...not going to do much else. There's a lot of food to try so he'll just wander around picking up whatever he thinks is odd and weird to eat. ]

[ Phase III ]

[ He doesn't know the first thing about dancing ahuegjs. So clearly he will just be wall flowering it up and watching from the sidelines with intrigue. The foot movements remind him of training exercises but this isn't as terrible as training. It's just he doesn't know if anyone would want to dance with him. But if he's dragged onto the floor or asked to dance he will oblige. He's very chill and calm like that. ]

[ Phase IV ]

[ After awhile the party might just over tax him juuust a little. So to the gardens he goes. It's at least a nice and peaceful night? He was hoping to just take a brief walk among the beautiful trees and plants. But...plants attacking him was not what he was expecting from this place at all. When that vine tries to reach for his sword it's very clear that it made the wrong decision though. In a flash of glinting sliver he draws his blade with in human speed and the wriggle portion of the vine detached from its main body remains on the ground. ]

...I am sorry. [ He really didn't mean to do that! But his peaceful apology is disrupted as several more vines shoot out from the ground and try to attack him?! ]

This is...! [ Help a sword bro out, will you? He's handling it well enough on his own but it's clear he's not really sure what's happening... ]

Phase II

[failedmurder]

[ There are a lot of people in weird clothes who could be one of Haru's swords, but only a few of them look as fundamentally out of place at a party as the people she's actually targeting. After a circuit of the ballroom as a scouting method, she singles out Kousetsu. ]

Hey there! Do you know Haru Kure?

OTA

[allfortheclan]

Phase I & II & III: Serious party for serious people

[ Thankfully someone talked Shirasu out of the lavender tuxedo and got him to settle on something classier. He enters when his name is called, and looks as though he couldn't be more at ease, when in truth, he's not a fan of parties whatsoever. The only time he attended balls was when he had to spy from the rafters, or while disguising himself completely.

So he moves toward the buffet spread, and skips over the savory fare for the desserts. And he piles two plates very very high.

Later, he can be found watching the people on the dance floor, holding his first (and only) glass of wine. He's familiar with some Western dance -- useful on covert assignments -- but it'd take a lot (maybe more wine) to get him to dance, as himself. ]

Phase IV: I saw a porno like this once...

[ Perhaps something was in the wine, or the food, or the affect of the lights on the water, but while he was able to kill the creature with a few well-thrown kunai (ninja are never unarmed, silly!), he completely misses the tentacle tree.

And despite all of his skill, there's only so much one can do wrapped shoulders to feet and hanging upside down.

He is one very unhappy ninja. ]

[ Phase Why: Snot, snot everywhere!

[ After that damn tee, Shirasu needs a break. Too many people, too much socializing, and too much loss of his dignity -- when the only things you take personal pride in are being a ninja and making sweets, getting caught up that badly stings.

Deeper into the gardens, he loosens his tie and undoes the top two buttons of his shirt, he takes a few deep breaths and tries to clear his head....

And sees... Gerokichi -- or rather, tanuki, everywhere. Big ones, littler ones. Couples milling around. Tanuki... dancing? ]

I don't believe this... [ A mixture of awe and dismay and irritation. Gerokichi never liked him and now he's surrounded by them? ]

iv;

[deontology]

[...hmmm.

Hmmm.

Sousei pauses in his walk, spying said ninja dangling from the tree. And he gives that picture a few moments' consideration, before turning on his heel as if to leave him there.

(What a dick.)]

OTA

[gates_of_babylon]

[Intro]

Introducing the King of Uruk, Gilgamesh!

[He only answered the question honestly, though irritably. How dare someone demand him for his name and title? The King seethed as he entered the hall, determined to be in a bad mood the moment someone questioned him over something so trivial.

He was dressed more the same as he would have when he was at home, hair teased up for the sake of looking more radiant than usual. The excess of gold jewelry would be telling.]

[Phase II&III]

[Gilgamesh watched. It was simply something he did without even mulling over. Whether he was eating or drinking wine, he had his eyes on someone--whether or not he felt they were interesting to him, right away. Simply put, he was remaining silent at most times and enjoying the nature of watching people in that environment of a party. He was aware that attitudes changed in those settings. This was a place to make impressions and form bonds with others.

Though, he would rarely initiate a conversation with another person if he could help it. His silence should have been the loudest part about him--that he was doing nothing but judge and appraise others in this habitat. He was certainly approachable, if not fairly non-responsive, initially. It all depended on just how interesting a person was that approached him.]

[Phase IV]

[Gilgamesh's reaction to any and all interlopers was curt and precise--initially. A sword would fling from the Gates of Babylon and cut down the branches of anything looking to touch him. His fury grew to a point and he backed off eventually, realizing it would be meaningless to assault the garden and ruin the party.

Instead, he glowered towards the garden, wondering if anyone would be affronted if he burned the entire thing after the party itself.]

Phase II-III

[faithfulflame]

[Rei immediately picked up on those red eyes watching her, and she cared very, very little for it. Even less so when she snuck a quick glance around to find the person and spotted Gilgamesh. It took only a heartbeat but she did recognize him. It would be difficult not to, with eyes like those, saying nothing of the sense of him. Bright, radiant, much more the king than the brat she'd traded candies with a few days prior.

Getting up, she approached and forced a mild smile. Because he obviously was more than he seemed, and that always caught her interest.]

You're much taller today, Gilgamesh.

[No honorific, it wasn't necessary. There weren't really proper words for it anyway, if truth be told. The most formal of them felt inappropriate for a foreign...being...and any she'd reserve for a human were far too casual. So...]

open;

[kaihentai]

phase 1;

[A drunken man with questionable fashion sense manages to stumble into the ball, geta clacking on the ground as he wobbles. This glass-bottom boat captain has had his fair share of alcohol before the festivities. All too loudly, he exclaims:]

I feel free! Like a bird! Like some great weight has been lifted from my-

[Wait a minute.]

Ah, chest? Isn't that what it should really feel like? Instead, something else seems like it's wafting in the breeze...

[Sakamoto looks down at his torso, realizing that something is amiss.

Where did his pants go? Oh well. At least he's wearing underwear.]

[shoutai]

[Ah, is that Sakamoto? It's definitely Sakamoto. Takasugi doesn't quite feel relief, but there's something sort of reassuring about seeing a face that he doesn't have to doubt, one that he already knows how to deal with pretty easily. He doesn't even think twice about going over to say something—being aware of each other's presence was something that could benefit both of them, after all.

But upon closer inspection, he realizes that there is not just one afro in this picture, but two.

...on second thought, nevermind. He doesn't want anything to do with this. He stops midway and immediately turns to walk away.]

Kaneki || OTA

[dimidiampura]

(Phase II )

[ Large social gatherings were the farthest things from what Kaneki tended to enjoy, and that had come from before he'd become a ghoul. Such only just made it more awkward for him but of course, with Hide going and probably Touka by the sounds of it he'd ended up caving in and going to the ball, dressed nicely with his bangs parted from the left side and giving him a more regal look compared to normal with a white medical eyepatch covering his left eye; he wasn't taking any risks.

If his kakugan activated at all then he was prepared, but for now this would work, and people could find him wandering about with one of those little fruity drinks in hand.

Not particularly paying attention to much but if one pays attention, they can't miss the subtle souring of his expression when he takes a drink. It doesn't taste great due to his sort of tastebuds but it's for the sake of looking like he's blending in so don't mind it much.

He might even accidentally bump into you but it's not intentional as he's really trying to find where his missing friend disappeared off to... ]



( Phase III )

[ No, dancing had never been his strong suit before but since deciding that he was going to be attending some kind of ball, Kaneki had made sure to read and practise up on dancing formally so he figures he's good enough, really.

Plus he should be social here instead of just wallflowering so he'll come up to anyone he thinks looks lonely on their own, puts on a kind smile and offers a hand out to them. It's warm, inviting and he means well, hoping this would go well and they wouldn't think rudely of him for asking this.

Especially since he was still a stranger to some but that wouldn't stop him. ]

Sorry to bother you, but... would you do me the honor of joining me for a dance?


( Phase IV )

[ Really. He'd come to the party just for a quiet time away, leaving the general loudness of the party itself by lingering on the outskirts of the gardens and a peace of mind was honestly what he'd wanted, not even paying attention to the things in the water and his gaze focused on something else in the distance absently as he let off a soft hum, fingers coming up to linger over his eyepatch quietly.

It was getting close to that time and he expected his hunger to kick in but he didn't know what to expect right now or how bad it would be when the time came.

Shaking his head, Kaneki turned to look back in the general direction of the partygoers when he felt something wrap around his ankle and brought his gaze to the nearby tree to which he then frowned at because what is this now? Another tentacle came toward him but he just grabbed it by it's end before it could coil around his arm, and if anyone looks carefully they can see that his grip is entirely near-crushing the thing itself as he's kind of limited in acting like he wants to. ]

...Ah... sorry... could you please let go?

[ Kaneki doesn't expect it will listen but it's worth a shot. He has to play the role of human, even putting on a mildly unnerved act as he tries to tug his ankle free from the tree's grasp the best he's able to.

Help him..? ]



( no phase | locked to Kishou Arima )

[ All night. He'd felt this unnerving sensation of being watched as he'd went throughout the party among the people, doing little to stand out and blend in with people but no matter what happened he'd been unable to shake the gaze of one particular white-haired man no matter where he went but he'd acted like it never bothered him and to most it might just seem creepy but there was something about it that got under his skin.

It was very similar to the exact way certain people looked at ghouls back home but he swore he didn't know this man and he'd never given anything away to indicate he WAS one here so then what was it..?

A scant few hours since the party started and that was when he caught one last glance from that stranger before he went over to Hide, who then had informed him who that stranger kind of was and it explained everything. Not that it made things much better and he then reluctantly excused himself and headed away from the party itself, exiting to a place just outside the gardens where he looked up toward the sky in a fairly innocent gesture despite the unease building in his chest.

Would he have to fight a dove here? Let alone someone like that...? ]

II

[demonicbookworm]

<sub>[Ruca feels nervous and out of place here. He just doesn't know what to do and there's so many people here, too...

Suddenly somebody bumps into him, but the boy thinks it's his fault and without a second though he starts to apologize.]</sub> Oh, I-I'm so sorry! _{[Only then he realizes who he's speaking to.]} Kaneki! _{[And he smiles, glad to see a familiar face.]}

trucy wright | ota

[stagewright]

phase i; introduction

[ Someone willing to announce her? Well, Trucy is always willing to be announced, and after observing some of the titles other people are getting, she gives explicit instructions on how to be announced... ]

"Lady Trucy Wright, Court Magician Extraordinaire!"

[ ...Which are sort of dumb but whatever, who wants to be a Countess or something when you can be a magician? Trucy is wearing a "Trucy Blue" dress and flats, along with her customary top hat, though she may do away with that later on in the evening. She probably won't do away with the white half-cape she's paired it with. She's also wearing at least one necklace and bracelet. She sweeps onto the floor with full confidence and more than a little excitement, although she's happy to stop to speak to people. ]

no phase; a little magic

[ At some point during the evening - probably earlier on, Trucy will be putting on a magic show with Kaito. They're going to be doing a variety of tricks (and with their bullshit talents, the tricks will probably be very impressive, even if there isn't too much "real" magic involved, even if there certainly may be some actual pseudo-telekinesis going on thanks to a certain Christmas present) including but not limited to: sawing someone in half (festive!), pulling improbable objects out of their hats, making things disappear and reappear, and what you would normally expect from a magic show. There are a few odder tricks - up to and including the bullet catch since Trucy had made a promise to Peko to show that off sometime (sorry if she gives you a heart attack, Phoenix). Maybe there will be even more tricks mentioned in a Kaito toplevel, who knows!!! Either way, they'll end with an apparent snowstorm over the party (none of that sticks, it's all illusion) and magical disappearances in the resulting distraction.

However, it's easy enough to re-spot Trucy very soon after; she has at this point taken off her hat (shocker!) to reveal she has her hair done up rather nicely, though it's held in place with a charm in the shape of a diamond, teal and some sort of polished metal. Anyone who can sense magic may notice something going on there. If anyone wants to approach her about the magic, they're free to, but she's not giving away any secrets! ]

phase iii; music and dancing

[ Trucy will definitely be ninjaing over to that sound system once or twice...! But sadly it's not to put on anything inappropriate so much as it is to put on some legal-themed rock ballads. She's...almost definitely the culprit for this even if she's not caught, as far as her closer friends or family are concerned. But she has zero regrets!!

Even when that isn't playing (but especially when it is) Trucy will happily dance with just about anyone. She'll wave and call out to people she recognizes, but she's just as likely to ask people she doesn't: ]

May I have this dance?

phase iv; fountain

[ Well, she had been taking a break...but the instant something surges up out of the fountain, Trucy shrieks and throws her hands up - resulting in, to her eternal relief, a teal force field that the alien fish thing bashes its head upon. Truly, this Christmas present was the best. She's just going to...take several steps back before she stops that, one hand going to the charm in her hair. ]

...I am so glad that worked as advertised... [ Granted, she had of course practiced with the tricks of her new toy before this, but she'd never actually needed the shield part until just now... ]

Legally sanctioned dancing

[troubadear]

[Despite her distaste for modern pop music (sorry, Klavier, wherever you are), Maribelle can't help but bop along just a tiny bit to the music Trucy picks. At least the lyrics are quite charming. She's dressed to the nines in an attempt to fit in with the fashion of Cerealia, along with some white gloves and the bracelet Trucy gave her. Her hair is arranged in some elegant way on top of her head with only a few, strategically selected curls falling loosely around her neck. You get an indepth description of all this because I'm not top leveling, deal with it.]

Oh- Trucy, darling. [... Holds out her hand for Trucy to take.] Well, I suppose you may as well.

open

[rebelia]

PHASE I

[IV all but stumbles into the gardens, his eyes wide from the sudden change in environment. With his disheveled hair and tattered clothes, he makes for a sore thumb indeed. He's more than ready to whip around and leave when the guy nearby gestures to him, announcing: English Ragamuffin, Knight of Bed Head.

Frowning, he turns back around. With how sore his body is from having been tossed every which way up and down the street, he doesn't have the energy for this, but there's the matter of not letting go of such a stupid address.]

. . . Hey. You've got it wrong. That's not who I am. I'm IV.

[English Ragamuffin IV, Fourth Knight of Bed Head! IV grits his teeth and balls his hands into fists, his words sharp and punctuated.]

No! IV!

PHASE II

[Somehow he's been roped into staying. Fine. After all that yelling and gesticulating, he's thirsty and in dire need of a drink to calm his nerves. He runs a hand through his hair, smoothing out some stray strands as he swipes a glass from the buffet table to down its contents.

At first, he's all scowls and closed off body language – namely in how he folds his arms and tucks himself away in the corner – but the mood of the ball gets to him eventually. After a while, he just looks gloomy, and that's where he's at now. It's anyone's guess why he's still there. Hell, he doesn't know.

He might be standing in the way of food, being in front of the buffet table and all.]

ii.

[undaunts]

[The fate of wallflowers everywhere........

wallflowering as best they can. Somehow, in her attempted avoidance of dancing and enthusiastic partners and sisters, Ruby ended up next to him.

... ... ....]

So....

[It takes her some time to speak up, but here she is, speaking up.]

...you're stuck here too, huh?

lapis fathalla | OTA!

[oneirism]

[Once Lapis had found out there was a ball going on, there was no way she would pass on the chance to miss it. Even if she only had a few days to prepare, but she shows up in this dress with her hair pinned up in a loose bun, her two white flower clips still in her hair as well.]

[ PHASE II ]

[Of course the first thing she would zone in towards is the food, especially the desserts. Once she spots the buffet tables, she immediately makes her way over to there, happily munching on some of the cakes and pastries, actually smiling as she does so. But it's sweets, and who wouldn't smile when they're eating sweets.

But she's certainly going through a lot, taking this opportunity to indulge herself, only to pause when she realizes that there's someone else standing nearby. Not that it stops her from being greedy as hell, but she does decide to be friendly. Which is why she offers her plate with a slice of black forest cake that hasn't been destroyed yet, and while her smile has faded by now, she doesn't look too completely withdrawn or closed off. Even if her tone is a little flat.]

... Have you tried this yet? It's really good.

[ PHASE III ]

[If there's one thing Lapis loves more than desserts, it's dancing. Plus since she's eaten all that sugar, she has some extra energy to work off - but if there's one thing that's better than dancing along, it's dancing with someone else. And for how apathetic Lapis looks, she does very much enjoy dancing with other people.

Of course, she knows that not everyone enjoys dancing as much as she does, but does that stop her from zoning in on anyone who looks like they're wallflower-ing or just simply watching for now? Nope. It doesn't even matter that they're strangers, as she simply walks right up to them, a curious look in her eyes as she folds her arms behind her back innocently.]

... Are you gonna go dance? [She asks that, but there's a 99% chance she's gonna try drag them up to dance anyway.]

[ PHASE IV ]

... No.

[That's all Lapis says in response to the tentacle hentai tree reaching out to her, but her expression says more than enough as she glares at it coldly, her eyes having an almost eerie glow to them. Even in her fancy dress, it does make her look fairly intimidating. Or as intimidating as a girl in a frilly dress and flower clips can look.

She could go back inside where it's safe, but she shouldn't have to just because some creeper tree can't keep to itself. So she's not backing down, she refuses!! Even as it keeps reaching over to her, she doesn't even flinch.]

I said no. [Then suddenly some fire appears out of nowhere, lashing at the tentacle which quickly recoils. And Lapis just stays unmoving, her glare not even budging at all.] Bad tree.

[Maybe she's had a bit too much of the wine, though she looks completely sober.]

phase iv

[beaconed]

FIRE!!

[ Although the tentacle recoiled just in time, Jaune still witnessed that little flame moments before it did, and he rushes in to yank the seemingly helpless girl away from danger, throwing his drink at the smoking tentacle as he does so.

wannabehero.jpg ]

ota!!

[cheats]

phase I

[ Luckily, Ciel is well acquainted with balls and the like, so he has no problem actually giving his name when it's asked. He still hates balls, mind you, but it at least makes his entrance a little more dignified, as compared to probably everything else that will befall him tonight, since it's not Ciel if I'm not gently bullying him via what I put him through.

So the announcer calls out a title fitting of a nobleman as Ciel enters, though if you don't know him, you might expect something a little more impressive with such a title than a fourteen year old boy. ]

Presenting, Earl Ciel Phantomhive, Watchdog to the Queen of England—

[ Ciel enters, and he's wearing something appropriately and ridiculously frilly and complete with a walking cane as expected, but he gives a sour look at the announcer. He certainly hadn't given him that last part...

But it also makes his night start out exactly how it should, since he sighs heavily and heads into the main room with the grumpy expression that's best suited to Ciel. Maybe you're an old friend who wants to greet him/make fun of Frills McGee, or maybe you're just curious how someone so tiny could have the title of Earl! He doesn't seem quite as against the idea of chatting as usual. At least. ]

phase ii

[ this is barely a prompt but because I play a fattydingdongs I am required to include it

Anyways, Ciel is absolutely not a party person, and as such, you can find him over by the food at least for the early part of the evening. He's definitely picking over everything remotely healthy and going straight for the sweets, since he doesn't have good babysitters that teach him the value of nutrition.

Please laugh at him and call him fat. ]

phase iii

[ There are many things that Ciel absolutely excels at. It's the advantage of having a demon with a lot of worldly knowledge as your tutor, and it had allowed Ciel to grasp the title of Earl when he was only eleven or so. Under Sebastian's harsh tutelage, he had learned every skill necessary, and he had learned it perfectly. Nothing less was acceptable.

...Except for dancing.

Everyone has areas that they're weak in, and Ciel is absolutely no exception. He knows that he's a terrible dancer, and that's also why he is pointedly staying away from the dance floor. He may know all the steps of the lovely, formal waltzes and other dances, but knowing the steps didn't mean knowing the natural grace of a dance. That was the part he tended to completely lack.

He's watching others dance, though, and it might give the (incorrect) impression that he'd like to join. Maybe it's a perfect opportunity to bully him into dancing with you? Oh, yes. Yes it is. ]

phase iv

[ After the definitely traumatic experience of dancing, Ciel has instead retreated to somewhere quieter, which happens to be the gardens in this case. The chilly air relaxes him, since he's definitely flustered enough to feel hot, and as he walks through the garden, he's actually mildly impressed by how beautiful it is. He actually quite enjoys gardens, though it's something he doesn't really tend to admit to or feel the need to acknowledge.

As he calms down, he's by one of the fountains at this point, and with a sigh, he watches the patterns of the water, feeling more relaxed by the moments of peace. But of course, this is temporary. You can't catch a break during a Cerealia event.

He doesn't exactly allow the alien lifeform to come close, no matter how pretty it is, so he misses that horrifying display. As it starts to come closer, he turns to leave, but that's just in time for one of those wayward roots to wrap itself around his ankle and pull him off balance. Ciel falls to the ground hard and lets out a sharp cry of surprise and alarm, but at least his general paranoia comes in handy.

Ciel reaches into his jacket as he twists in the branch's grasp while it pulls him closer, and he pulls out a small, concealed pistol. He's absolutely been packing heat the whole night, since hey, you didn't say he couldn't... There's no hesitation as he shoots at the branch, which is loud enough to catch anyone nearby's attention. However, being a branch, his shot does little to discourage it from trying to pull Ciel closer. ]

Damn! Dammit, someone help!!

[ don't be a bystander and let this end up like 99% of kuroshit doujins ]

ii

[souredsweet]

[Ciel that's not a great impression to leave your future business partner with.

WHICH IS TO SAY of course Kaoru will be here to laugh at him and call him a fattydingdongs, even if that's all happening internally. It's the thought that counts, right!!]

My, are the sweets here very good?

["because you seem to be subsisting off of them", basically.]

ota!

[souredsweet]

phase ii
[That sure is a lot of food that both smells and looks appealing, but Kaoru's plate is mostly empty for now. What a loser!! Of course, that doesn't mean the buffet table won't be frequented occasionally, if only so their contents can be looked over. Just doing that might take the entire night with how much food there is, anyway...

Anyone up and peering around at the selection at the same time may accordingly find themselves next to someone dressed to the nines (pretend it has a high collar instead of a sweetheart neckline......) in a proper gown, with jewelry and hair decorations that some might find familiar - gotta make use of those gifts! By appearance alone, Kaoru seems to fit in perfectly well with the more modern people milling about.

That illusion will promptly be shattered when the nearest person is addressed with a somewhat baffled-sounding:]

What purpose do the very small umbrellas serve? Are they meant to be collected?

phase iii
[You know who's always asking to be pulled onto the dance floor at events like this? The wallflowers, of course! And that's exactly what Kaoru is being. This punk can be found standing off to the outskirts of the main floor, seemingly just content to enjoy (most of) the music.

Of course, whenever it veers too wildly off-track and departs from the tasteful land of orchestral serenades, any neighboring wallflowers or passersby may hear:]

Is this truly what people enjoy in the future...?

[A MYSTERY. Feel free to join in on the pondering, or just come over and ask for a dance! Delicate pretty princesses don't bite...]

phase 2

[invoker]

Ah, Nagumo-san, they are...

[ Talking about cocktails again. This was a very strange sense of deja vu as Mitsuru points to her own drink and how the umbrella was attached to the orange. ]

They are simply decorative and rather fragile. Some do collect them, but they are meant to evoke some sort of tropical image for certain drinks.

ota!

[harepiece]

phase ii
[With such a huge selection of food to be had, it's reasonable that some people might struggle with where to start or what to pick! Anyone standing around by the buffet tables with an expression that says I'm struggling will suddenly find themselves with one (1) wild Oz (in a simple but elegant suit) by their side, an empty plate in hand. The plate's not for him, though! Nope, he gestures toward the table with his free hand instead, beaming over at you.]

Would you like a sample plate? I've tried a little of everything here, so I promise I'll come up with something good!

[That is a lot of food to try but he doesn't seem to be lying...]

phase i-iii
[Throughout the night, people may see Oz toting about a festive and very large-looking bag. He's been reading up on this whole Christmas thing and apparently it's customary to carry gifts around in sacks for whatever reason?! Okay, Earth folklore...

That said, anyone who's so much as spoken to Oz - and definitely friends - may find themselves being flagged down at any point during the festivities tonight while he's busy being Santoz, whether it's at the tail-end of a dance or while they're on their way to try some of the fantastic food. Those who actually meander over will be met with an enthusiastic grin, and Oz immediately dips into his bag and starts to dig around.]

Just a second—!

[Are you really ready for this.]

i-iii

[changeably]

[In between Oz's little gift-giving sessions, Cynbel (dressed up nicely himself) spots him on the edge of the crowd. It's kind of hard to miss someone dragging around a bag that size and color, even in a crowded room like this. He's almost afraid to ask, but someone's got to.]

Oz... What in the world are you doing with a potato sack at a ball?

[He sounds so concerned for his gardening/tea party friend.]