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Natalia Luzu Kimlasca-Lanvaldear ([personal profile] poised) wrote in [community profile] estoria2015-04-24 11:55 am

« intro ⇢ winterball.exe »

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
[ xx:xx ] 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
[ xx:xx ] 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
[ xx:xx ] 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
[ xx:xx ] 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
[ why:o'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!


ota!

[personal profile] arcanaofdeath 2015-04-25 12:59 pm (UTC)(link)
phase i - ii

[Pharos was surprised to get an invitation to the party in the first place. And even though he should have struggled with the idea of attending, the desire to experience such a grand, vast ball had been too big to resist. So he shows up, a slip of a boy in a cute suit. And he had been hoping he would have been able to slip by unannounced, to be able to watch quietly from the sidelines at first.

Unfortunately, the Tellus native Natalia hired is taking his job seriously. And Pharos has always been willing to introduce himself now that he actually has a name.

So his name gets shared with the entire mass of people before he's allowed to go elsewhere.

The first thing which catches his eye is the food. Plates upon dishes upon bowls of food. Rows and rows of bottles and glasses and fine wines.

What an indulgence.

...But perhaps indulging like this isn't bad once in a while. Everyone seems to be having fun, talking and mingling, a lull and hum of conversation. It's quite the amount of noise and Pharos quietly slips to the side until something catches his gaze.

A five layer cake, round and dark and thick with chocolate and raspberries and whipped cream.

Is... that edible? Or only for looking at?]


phase iii

[The swirl of colours and people as they rush by, the music in the air and the sound of instruments being checked so the orchestra can take over again...

It's marvelously messy. There is so much life in this single room that Pharos can't help but be drawn in, eyes wide and trying to follow the movements of the dancers.

He himself is standing near the walls, lips curled into a curious little smile.

He didn't intend to dance since he doesn't know how, doesn't know how to translate the rhythym of the music into the movement of his feet but he's enjoying himself regardless.

Perhaps you're one of the people also not interested in dancing? Maybe you want to brighten a young boy's evening by asking him to dance with you?]
awaken: (magnolia.)

i-ii

[personal profile] awaken 2015-04-25 02:37 pm (UTC)(link)
[ While Minako's hardly been to fancy places and dressed up all nice like this (when does she usually have chances like this anyway?), she approaches the food table, ready to take at least one of everything.

That is, until she sees Pharos.

This is strange. Well, until she sees what he's been looking at.
]

Looks pretty, doesn't it? For a cake.

[personal profile] arcanaofdeath 2015-04-25 06:28 pm (UTC)(link)
[The voice is utterly unfamiliar to him and yet Pharos can't help but be drawn into looking at the stranger. He has never encountered her before in his entire existence and yet... There is something familiar about her.

Something which reminds him of Minato.

It's not something he can physically grasp and yet it's something he wants to hold close and examine until he understands every slope and line to it.]


...It is very tall. Will all that get eaten?
awaken: (they made me sick)

[personal profile] awaken 2015-04-26 02:58 am (UTC)(link)
[ Thanatos shifts in her head; she gets the feeling he's uncomfortable... she understands. ]

Well, there's a lot of people. [ like, a lot ] Maybe it'll wither down to two or three layers after an hour so.

[ It's a pretty good-looking cake... hmm. ] Would you like to try it?

1/2

[personal profile] arcanaofdeath 2015-04-26 08:29 am (UTC)(link)
[Why does this thought keep slipping through his fingers? Pharos closes his eyes momentarily to push the pressure on his mind away, blinking up at Minako curiously once it has lessened.]

I...

[It's rare to see him thrown for a loop but Minako has done it. There is a part of him which would like to try the cake, would like to indulge in something very human but... He shouldn't. And yet he wants to.]
Edited 2015-04-26 08:31 (UTC)

2/2

[personal profile] arcanaofdeath 2015-04-26 08:30 am (UTC)(link)
[So Pharos does what he does best. And smiles.]

Yes. I would like to try it.
awaken: (this day,we'll all pull you in)

[personal profile] awaken 2015-04-26 03:11 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Atta boy. Sometimes, you just gotta admit to yourself that you want to do things, like eat cake. ]

Alright, I'll slice! [ Minako sets her empty plate down on the table, reaching for the cake knife and cuts two pieces from the top layer. She sets the first slice on what looks like Pharos' plate, and then puts her own slice on hers. ] There you go.

[ She already has an idea what this is gonna taste like, but she's excited for his reaction. ]

[personal profile] arcanaofdeath 2015-04-26 07:01 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you.

[For the first time in his existence, Pharos probably looks his age as he eyes the cake rather doubtfully. He isn't sure what to expect when he digs his fork into the cake. There seem to be so many ingredients that this can't taste good.

And yet it does.

There is an explosion of flavor in his mouth and Pharos is wide-eyed as he chews thoroughly. Is... this why humans enjoy eating? He can't tell if is something universally liked by humans but the cake is sweet but balanced out by the dark chocolate and the berries on top of it.

When he smiles up at Minako, it's with a smudge of chocolate near the corner of his mouth.]


It's... it's very delicious.
Edited 2015-04-26 19:01 (UTC)
awaken: (oh lightbringer)

[personal profile] awaken 2015-04-27 12:10 pm (UTC)(link)
[ He may not remember her (or she may not have been the person he was sealed in) but seeing Pharos like this eases her a little. She chuckles at the smudge of chocolate near his mouth and Minako sets her plate aside as she takes out a napkin from her handbag and crouches a little to wipe away that chocolate smudge. ]

Chocolate tends to be. That wasn't so bad, was it? [ Indulging in something so human. ]

[personal profile] arcanaofdeath 2015-04-27 02:18 pm (UTC)(link)
[Her question makes Pharos pause once more, quietly knitting his eyebrows together as she wipes the smudge away. There is something layered to it and suddenly, Pharos does feel guilty. The taste of cake seems too bright, too sweet, too much in his mouth and he lowers the plate to the table.

It's somewhere between the second and third rub at the stain that Pharos remembers Mitsuru's words, a bright firefly of a name.

And the penny seems to fall because eve if they are two different people, Minato and Minako, on the outside and on the inside both, there is something about them which is fundamental to them both.]


...Minako?
awaken: (if you hold me tight)

[personal profile] awaken 2015-04-27 05:48 pm (UTC)(link)
[ When he says her name, there is a split second of surprise clear on Minako's face as her hand stills. The smile returns, however, and she dabs a little bit more, giving his face another look if it's still smudged by chocolate, and finding none, crumples the now dirty napkin in her palm. ]

...Yes?

[personal profile] arcanaofdeath 2015-04-27 07:53 pm (UTC)(link)
[So he was right. This is a person he knows except not and yet he does. Someone he has interacted with and yet he has not.

What are you supposed to say to someone who considers you a friend but you know nothing about?]


...Good evening. [It seems as good a place to start as any.] My apologies. I wasn't aware of your existence until some days ago.

[Pharos pauses, unsure what to say once more. Until he finally smiles.]

How are you? [The words feel so familiar on his tongue that it reminds him of an almost forgotten dance.]
awaken: (you have bent your shoulders)

[personal profile] awaken 2015-04-28 02:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, I did just arrive a couple days ago.

[ A joke, to ease the uncertainty. And how are you, he asks, a reminder to old visits at night. The reply should be obvious; I'm fine, it's great to see you again—

...
]

I'm good as always. What about you, enjoyin' the party?

[personal profile] arcanaofdeath 2015-04-28 03:00 pm (UTC)(link)
[There is a gear which isn't in its place yet, spinning against the flow and without purpose. Like a missing link which hasn't connected the single, lone gear to the others just yet.]

It is quite the experience. I wonder... Will all the people who came here tonight be happy when the leave? Have they gained something?
pachintoki: (okay everyone)

i-ii

[personal profile] pachintoki 2015-04-25 10:41 pm (UTC)(link)
[Hopefully, Pharos has the answer to his question from the guy with a dinner-sized plate cutting himself a few monstrous pieces of cake.

Cake was one of Gintoki's favorites, and the more chocolate and fruit and whipped cream, the better. He's wasting no time digging in as soon as the cake hits his plate.

The boy catches his eye after a moment; not for any other reason than he was watching, though whether it's the cake or Gintoki that he's watching, he can't tell. Gintoki hadn't seen many kids here, either, and he only wonders about his own kids teenage employees for a moment before swallowing; too bad he's still got some cream on his chin.

. . . and then he'll take a smaller bite . . . is he looking self-conscious, suddenly? ]


Oi, kid. Oi, what do you want?

[and another bite.]
Edited 2015-04-25 22:43 (UTC)

[personal profile] arcanaofdeath 2015-04-26 08:38 am (UTC)(link)
[And indeed, Pharos' gaze had wandered over to watch Gintoki cut into the cake as if it was made of, well, cake, carving out a piece and digging in with much gusto. Such simple enjoyment based on food makes Pharos smile, which only widens when Gintoki seems to catch on to the fact that he is being watched.

Pharos points directly at the spot where the whipped cream is clinging to the man's chin, amusement written all over his face.]


You have something on your chin.

[Pause.]

...And I was wondering if the cake was edible but you have already answered that question.

[personal profile] zombiedude 2015-04-29 04:44 am (UTC)(link)
[Nico is passing by after having tossed his empty plate in the trash when he picks up on something that makes him stop and pause. He glances around him curiously until he spots Pharos leaning against a wall, watching people dance. Studying him a little, it doesn't take long for Nico to figure out there's something... different about this kid. So he makes his way over leisurely and turns to lean against the wall next to Pharos, quiet for a moment before he says anything.]

Hi.

[He himself has an aura of death around him that comes with being the demigod son of Hades if Pharos is able to pick up on that.]

[personal profile] arcanaofdeath 2015-05-03 07:08 am (UTC)(link)
[Oh?

Pharos tips his head back to study the newcomer with curious, inhuman blue eyes. There is something about this stranger that isn't entirely human and while these occurrences have been mounting as of late, it's still a delight to see so many different... beings.

Because they are all so very different and strange and yet still fundamentally human.]


Good evening. Enjoying the party?

[personal profile] zombiedude 2015-05-08 06:06 am (UTC)(link)
[Nico gives a little shrug.] I'm not much of a party person, but someone I know insisted I come, so here I am. What about you?

OOC: Overflow comment if you'd like to move there