Masquerade! Paper faces on parade~

[not_heavens_adam]

Who: Absolutely everyone
What: Masquerade~!
Where: The Golden Victory Club
When: Night of Saturday the 8th
Style: Whatever you want
Status: Open like the club's doors~



All day the Golden Victory club had been closed, the only people allowed in being the workers and helpers who were setting it up for the night's big event. Finally, at seven, the lights all turn on and the main doors open.

Leading up to the main doors is a red carpet walkway that will lead right into the main room. There, the usual club room is well illuminated with it's large bar at the back wall with plenty of drinks available for everyone. Along the walls, the club's chairs and some new loveseats are placed for anyone who would rather sit and socialize than stand or dance.

At the back, on either side of the large room, there are food tables with a wide selection, certain to please everyone. Along with these food tables are separate dessert tables. On their own table, there are three, large, cakes that anyone is welcome to dig into. (Although, they're just so pretty!)

In a few, strategic, locations there can be found baskets of masks just in case anyone needs one or wants to try and get one on a stubborn friend.

Lighthearted ball music and slow, peaceful songs lend to the atmosphere; loud enough to be heard and danced to, but soft enough that conversation is possible.

The hosts themselves, along with the staff of Temptationis Clementiae, are already there and in costume, as if welcoming their guests in for the festivities.

[OOC: Feel free to tag into the location threads or make your own~ It's a completely open post, just have fun!

Also, the perfectly adorable drawing was done by the wonderfully artistic Reiko~

Note: The overflow post for the ball can be found here]

Comments

Open!

[worldofhurt]

[Sheena adjusted the dress around her hips; there were sheer sections here and there between the floral patterns, covering just enough but also leaving just enough to hint and tease. It hadn't really been her choice of dress, but she'd gone with it... The woman'd been so eager and the ninja hadn't wanted to upset her by turning the dress down (and she'd been in there for a while...), so why not? It was a masquerade, she'd have a mask on--a simple, black-feathered half-mask--so it wasn't like she'd be immediately recognizable, and being around more people would... give her more stuff to focus on than that creepy guy and... and Lloyd. It'd basically been a week, but she still couldn't...

Well, it was only to be expected, she guessed; get kissed by the guy you like, think about it forever after the fact. Whatever the circumstances.

Sheena sighed, annoyance and wistfulness both somehow sneaking into the sound. She'd squared her shoulders and entered the pretentiously decorated entrance (because red carpets? Castle thing, in her book), and... had no idea what to do from there.

Maybe she'd just start with a little bit of food. Put something on her stomach to settle it. Yeah, that sounded like a good idea... She might even migrate to the bar, later. Dancing probably wasn't going to happen, though. Ninja though she was, Sheena wasn't so sure about dancing with anyone. Food tables for now. Everything else she might do, later.]

[aim_exorable]

[Wow, Sheena. Just. Wow at that dress. Darkleer is a bit of a prude in public and especially during fancy social events like these, so to see that sort of dress is... Well, even his full-face mask can't hide the way the tips of his ears tint blue from blushing.]

[He's say something, but right now he's just staring. And this was supposed to be just an innocent journey to retrieve an apple! Gosh.]

[worldofhurt]

[H-hey! She didn't really choose this herself! And... and it's not like everything is showing--in fact, she's mostly covered! It's just spaces along the hip, waist, and her chest a little, really! Which... it... Well... She fists the dress in her hands so she doesn't completely fall flat on her face in it, but stops when she catches onto the staring.

Uh.

Well, she's familiar with summon spirits and elves and half-elves and angels, so he's not that strange, but he's still unusual to provoke being stared at a bit in return.

And then she snaps out of it.]

Staring isn't exactly polite, you know.

[aim_exorable]

[Oh! Crud, caught. His ears droop down a bit.]

My apologies. The dress design was simply very interesting. It is... different from most of those that I have seen around during this event.

[chosen_gigolo]

[Despite knowing of Sheena's presence in the bubble, Zelos hadn't gone out of his way to seek her out. In fact, he'd sort of actively kept away, especially considering the conversation he'd had with Lloyd. He doesn't want to get in the way of that entire powder keg. Hell, she was probably avoiding him as much as he was her. Not to mention he does't know what time frame she's even from. Much better not to push it. And heck, he's probably safe as long as he stays mostly at the club. She'd never set foot in...

Wait...

Every other thought goes racing out of his head when he spots a familiar set of curves to his left. The dress is not something he thought he'd ever see her in, but it suits her. It clings in all the right places and accentuates her lines, bringing an onlooker's attention to her face. That face... He can tell the curve of her cheek even under the mask. I's unmistakable. That slight slope of her shoulders to show she's uncomfortable, that stare into space, obviously distracted by some thought or another as she so often is.

He watches her as she sighs, as she turns a bit to head for the buffet, mentally willing her to hold up her skirt a bit as she walks. She's too graceful to trip over all those feathers. So graceful but so clumsy at the same time. So talented yet so self conscious... That's Sheena. A woman of dichotomies.

Of course he's so busy staring it doesn't occur to him to step out of Sheena's way.]

[worldofhurt]

[Sheena's... largely withdrawn for the most part since that incident. Just the thought of looking at Lloyd makes her uncomfortable, and not in the way she'd expected. Maybe it's the circumstances, maybe it's just how things had gone, but... Well, she'd made it a point to avoid him. Which also meant avoiding Colette (and avoiding Kratos isn't hard since she's pretty sure he just holes up, at this point). Coming to the masquerade is the first "open" thing she's done in a week.

It's really not something she wants to wear altogether too much, this dress, but that's the way of gentle hearts. But that's Zelos, paying attention to those kinds of things like fit and suitability. She'd be surprised to know that it's her face and posture that gives her away with how much he tends to focus (ostentatiously anyway) farther down a woman's body. The fact that he pays so much attention to her instead of her body.

She'd be surprised by a lot of things about Zelos, though.

She does, however, hold up the dress as she walks, well aware of the mess of feathers around her legs and feet. She's rather reluctant to let herself trip, too; it's why her heels are low. She knows how she is, even if she likes to pretend those parts don't exist (not until they come up, anyway). At least there aren't any holes in the ground to fall down. But even then, she's careful and watching the floor. If her eyes were lifted from the angle she's focused on, she might have even seen him. Instead, it's kind of a trainwreck of delayed reactions.

Evening, Zelos!]

[chosen_gigolo]

[It's inevitable, really. Sheena falling. He just hadn't really expected it to be right into him. Even so his reaction time is excellent as always and instead of letting her tumble to the floor he manages to get one arm around her waist, the other helping keep her balanced at the shoulder.]

Woah! You alright? Gotta watch where you're going~

[Ohhhh Martel his arm is around Sheena's waist and she's obviously going to be embarrassed after nearly falling, then being saved by him which he can guess in her book is insult to injury. The only saving grace is his mask will hopefully be an adequate shield for the incoming punch he knows he's about to receive.

Such a great way for this reunion to go, honestly, but he can't imagine why he thought it would be any other way. But maybe if he...]

You look wonderful, Sheena.

[And it's genuine. It's an honest to goddess compliment, which he again thanks his stars for the mask to hide whatever embarrassed face he's making. It's getting a bit warm under there, actually, and he can feel Sheena in his arms and the soft music and maybe he should just bring her over to the dance floor, sweep her off her feet, maybe...]

The dress really shows off your rack!

[Maybe he should have a delicious entree of foot-in-mouth.]

[worldofhurt]

[It didn't have to be inevitable! Th-this place is weird, and she's all caught up in her head! That's all! And, well, maybe that made it inevitable, but it's not like she's always this clumsy! And it's not even like... It's not like she does it on purpose or the floor's jumping up at her. Everything's just a weird kind of delay. Really, it's Zelos' fault. She's been so caught up in avoiding certain people that she's managed to miss the Chosen's presence in the bubble city entirely. How that's even possible is beyond her; he's such a rowdy character when you get down to it, center of attention. Maybe he won't recognize her and she can just go on her way, because it's hard to not recognize him when she's seen him in these clothes before and it's hard not to recognize the atrocious mask and hat.

It just kind of melts into the normal run of things, then.

She glares at him with the teasing, but it's nothing vicious. Just her usual fussing--she's pouting, really. Being particular about him catching her, about needing to be caught. Maybe it's because of what happened with Lloyd, but being held like this isn't so bad; just a quiet thought in the back of her head in the midst of being fussy and embarrassed--and this is Zelos, so definitely not someone she wants holding her like this. She's just lucky her mask dips low enough to hide the blush because really! What kind of ninja has to be saved from tripping over nothing? In the middle of a crowded space, for that matter! Well, she doesn't seem to have drawn much attention, at least; not that she can tell because she's too busy turning a deeper shade of red at the compliment.

...and then redder still when he has to open his mouth again.

Sheena's well aware of Zelos' ability to flatter and flirt, and she counts herself lucky that she's not in that select part of any given population that he targets. He still tries, but he always does something to make it into something nasty or mean or perverted and she's generally prepared for it. That doesn't mean what he says doesn't sting, because it always manages to do just that. Both hands plant hard on the redhead's shoulders and she shoves at him, forcing him away from her and herself to straighten up. She'd punch him, but this isn't the place. She has some sense of decorum, unlike certain loudmouths.

So instead, she steps on his foot, hissing at him.]

Stupid Chosen! What is wrong with you!?

[She knows better than to expect anything more than that. It's business as usual.]

[chosen_gigolo]

[Oh the novels he could write in answer to that question...

Well huh, he only got a shove? Not getting an immediate sock in the mouth is definitely unexpected! That is, of course, until she brings down her heel on top of his foot, causing the Chosen to whimper at the sharp stabbing pain. Crystal or not, that shit hurts.]

Oh c'mon Sheena! Don't you know it's rude to assault a host? Honestly, no manners~

[His expression remains smiling but it's incredibly strained, as is his voice for as long as that heel digs into his shoe. She really knows how to make it hurt.

Unfortunately, so does he, and the words are out of his mouth before he can stop them.]

If you're looking for Lloyd, he's not here. Maybe he's avoiding you?

[No, he doesn't feel vindictive at all.]

[worldofhurt]

[Maybe he should, because then women wouldn't fall to their knees in his presence and maybe Sheena wouldn't be so violent with him or yell quite so much.

She just scowls at him with his reprimand, and she's prepared to fire off one of her usual retorts, but Zelos isn't finished. When he is, Sheena's stance has gone rigid and her shoulders tense. Dark eyes widen, and behind the mask her flush turns to one of shame and she ducks her head. So, apparently Lloyd talked to Zelos about that? She's not surprised; the two are somehow pretty close (but then, she'd be lying if she denied the fact that even with all their fighting, she and Zelos are close, too--it's just completely unconventional and something she doesn't notice until things like this happen). She steps back, pulling her hands from Zelos' shoulders like they've been burned and holds them to her chest, to cover it; to hide. Her voice is quiet, and wobbles just the faintest bit around the edges; she fights to keep it from doing even that.]

I wasn't. I don't know what to say to him.

[Her arms fall to her sides and she lifts her head sharply. This is supposed to be a distraction, not something that slams the worst possibility in her face.]

I was hoping that being here would help me not think about it.

[The woman pushes aside hundreds of things she could say, trying to find something that articulates how awful he is, and all the while she just keeps wondering why. What is his deal? He tried setting them up in Altamira (which... fell flat, but that's not the point), so why is he being... She holds her breath one, two, three-- Screw trying for meaning, he doesn't deserve anything that clear.]

You're such a jerk!

[Also screw words, she's just going to send a fist at him. Luckily she doesn't think to pull out a card. Anger, though, makes the pain that much easier to ignore.]

[chosen_gigolo]

[He knows he's gone too far. He always does with Sheena, not out of real animosity but because... because why? He really has no idea, but the waver in her voice and the tears that threaten to spill strike him dumb as he realizes he's crossed that precarious line once again, not only in pushing Sheena's buttons but also in breaching that solidarity he has with Lloyd. He hadn't said anything about what they'd discussed, true, but it's still painfully obvious that Sheena now knows they talked.

Because of all of that, Zelos doesn't bother moving out of the way of that mean left hook, letting it send him spinning to the floor and skidding a few inches to topple one of the loungers over onto himself.

Yup, it's pretty much what he deserved.

Ow.

He detangles himself, looking rumpled and a little worse for the wear, though devoid of any actual injury aside from a nice fist print on the side of his face.]

Geeze, the banshee can't even take a joke! I'm so misunderstood~

[Why can't he ever keep his mouth shut?]