bluh bluh huge ball

[thalassino]

Characters: Vatheon
Location: That Castle
Time: Evening, on Sunday
Style: Any
Status: OPEN. Threadjack, threadhop, spam away!

[ Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen of Vatheon— whatever your newfound stature may be, Prince, Princess, Knight, or Peasant, you will all receive a message on your SFC on the eve of Saturday regardless:

You are cordially invited to the castle for this evening's ball. In addition, you are all welcome to try and solve the riddle if it fancies you. It just may break the curse!

The invitation is unsigned, but its intentions are clear. Maybe you hadn't quite noticed the sizeable castle in the distance of the city that had sprung up, but this message would surely garner your attention toward it now.

Should you arrive at the castle, plenty of attractions await you:

Ballroom ❧ A very large and beautiful ballroom is lighted up, complete with a playing violin orchestra. While the curtains will be drawn during this event, there is a windowed view and exit on one side of the ballroom that leads to:

Smee's Rose Garden ❧ A broad and colorful spanse of a garden, complete with many paths and turns. Plenty of roses are arranged in great arches, which provide perfect little places should you need some privacy with your sweetheart. Anyone familiar will even tell you that the garden was purposefully designed for just that sort of thing.

The Riddle ❧ There is an inscription located on a noticeable plaque set in one of the garden's benches. It reads:

Two are necessary to break this curse
Riled up, upset, what kind of love?
Only this kiss will stop it from getting worse.
Look for a winged one is push comes to shove,
Look for a glance slightly dark,
Search for a pair in reluctant love.
One answers a call; that's your mark;
One longs for patria though adverse.

Dining Hall ❧ Connected to the ballroom is an extremely long hall that stretches as far as the eye can see, elegantly arranged as the dining area. Expensive and exquisite cuisine seem to be on the menu— try something new? Chances are you won't be eating from a selection such as this again anytime soon!

Dais ❧ There is a noticeable raised dais that is easily visible via any area within the ballroom. It's locked off from guests, though— what is it for...?

Do enjoy. ]

Comments

[cakesaretheenemy]

[ John is used to being the one flirting and not the other way around, so there's a noticeable blush creeping on his cheeks. ]

Um. Yes, a pleasure, sir centaur.

[ OH. Karkat's still here, right. John rolls his eyes at him. ]

Pff, I think that's your problem, Karkat. You think too much.

[stayb100ponyboy]

He talks too much, too.

[Equius gives Karkat one more withering glance before turning back to John.]

So tell me, dear Anansi, what brings you to this garden?

[bethehugejerk]

So great, you're in agreement. Should I even stick around here or just let you two jackasses have a mutual idiocy party?

[Man, Equius isn't even hating on him. This is... kind of disappointing.]

[cakesaretheenemy]

No, stay! What if we need something?

[ Snort. John reaches out to touch Equius' cheek. What even is subtlety. ]

Oh, nothing much. Just wanted to get some fresh air away from the party. You know, the view's way better out here.

[stayb100ponyboy]

[As much as Equius would enjoy that tender cheek caress, he has lost all patience with Karkat, and whirls on him, his horse half actually rearing up a little as he pivots on his hind legs.]

YOU! You disgusting, foul-mouthed, slathering, pathetic, repulsive example of all fairykind!

[He charges at him then, skidding to a stop mere inches away and positively looming.]

You make me sick. The sight of you is the equivalent of a killing frost in my heart, something that sucks away all that is good and right and proper in the world. Would that I could, I would pierce you straight through with one of my arrows, but you curse me by holding me in your thrall, too awful and horrible for me to look away. I find myself compelled to watch you and insert myself in your life, if only because I cannot fathom you getting any worse or more repugnant in my eyes.

[Centaurs know how to flirt.]

[bethehugejerk]

"Need me"? What would you need me for?

[He could go on (and he would), but at that moment Equius apparently decides that his interjections are too much. And while Karkat is a little surprised at the suddenness, having the centaur whirl on him and storm over to deliver a string of insults like that? That does stoke the flame of hatred in him quite suitably. But looming? Fuck that! Karkat flutters right up to eye level and hovers there.]

Even as a fairy I'm the finest troll you'll ever see, and it is only proof of what a magnanimous person I am that I dare grace you with my presence. You're a shame to existence as troll or beast, an insult to form, a joke at living creatures. I suck away all the good because something like you doesn't deserve it, and never will. But kill me with an arrow? Yeah, right. Like that would ever happen. A bow would only function in your hands through magic, and I'm not about to aid you. If I ever did, it would only be to turn the arrow back on you, but it's not worth it - the act of you being yourself is a greater punishment than death would ever be for being the detestable creature you are.

But you know what?

[He tosses a glance over to John.]

I think my help is needed here.

[He jabs his wand in the air, and with it sends a jet of magic at Equius. One that, if it hits, would put him (or at least what can fit) into a blue ball gown.]

1/2

[cakesaretheenemy]

[ Never in John's 13 years of living did he anticipate that he would ever be able to watch a troll turned centaur blackflirt with a troll turned crossdressing fairy goddad in a rose garden in a cursed, underwater city. ]

[ It was kinda hot, ngl. ]

2/2

[cakesaretheenemy]

[ And then Karkat does that and. And. And. ]

[ John turns around, covering his laughter with four of his hands and the other pair clutches at his stomach. NOT WORKING, JOHN. ]

Pfffffffffffffffhehehehehe. Sorry, Centaur. I think you look great.

[stayb100ponyboy]

[Well. It appears the fairy remembers how to flirt too.]

[Equius has a retort ready and at the tip of his tongue, but then he's trapped in a flurry of sparkles, and when they clear, he's wearing a dark blue formal gown. He looks down at himself, and part of him wants to use his mangrit to rip it right down the center and throw it to the ground... but.]

[BUT.]

[Instead, he looks at Karkat and cracks a wide, confident grin. He straightens his back and squares his shoulders, which just emphasizes how very broad they are, and how his chest is a heavy pad of muscle that even a dress can't hide. If anything, the strapless nature of the gown just makes it more apparent. He might be wearing a dress, but he's still very, very much a dude. Nothing androgenous here.]

You're just mad that I make this look good.

[Then, with a pert little flick of his tail, he turns around and trots back towards John.]

So... where were we?

[bethehugejerk]

[Karkat looks pretty smug when John bursts out laughing. Exact result he wanted!]

[Until Equius grins at him.]

[The smugness fades in increments as the centaur poses, practically flaunting his new look, and then speaks to confirm it. Hate boils up again, black and heated as bubbling tar.]

You know what? I think I got the color wrong!

[Another wand jab! This one should correct that little mistake, and in doing so, turn it vibrant, cherry, mutant red.]

[cakesaretheenemy]

[ John doesn't really know what's so important about this hemospectrum funnybiz, but he liked this color. Red is passionate. Red is sexy. Keeping that system in mind, he smiles up at Equius. ]

Blue looks waaaaaaaay better on you, but I have to admit, you can wear this color better than Karkat, no challenge.

[ wink. ]

[stayb100ponyboy]

[Equius looks down at the new gown color, and something in the back of his mind tugs at him, like he should be flipping right the fuck out over his change in colors, and his hands actually rise to the front of the dress, like he's going to tear it off.]

[But then whatever was bothering him skitters away, as lost as those strange memories about now being able to touch Gamzee. Weird, how those things kept resurfacing at the oddest moments.]

[He bobs a quick little bow to John.]

Thank you.

[Then he turns back to Karkat. Laying his ears flat against the sides of his head, he plucks a single rose from a nearby bush. Making sure Karkat is watching, he crushes it in his hand, grinding it into a messy pulp. Then, moving as quickly as he can, he throws it right at the fairy's face.</small.]

[bethehugejerk]

[Karkat bristles and shoots a glare over at John for that.]

Fuck you with all six of your fists and stop ruining this for me, jerkwad. I don't wear red anyway if I have half a choice.

[Equius doesn't even give a full reaction either, which tightens the coil of frustration in him. Perhaps it's even worse that he almost does something, only to stop. It makes his teeth bare.]

[But as things have gone, the centaur turns and does something right after. A flower - a rose - ground and mashed between sturdy palms. The symbolism is enough to mix up another kind of hate, but before he can do anything the hole mess of it is tossed in his face, pap.]

[Grumble mutter.]

[He reaches up and wipes the flower gunk away. It calls for a retaliation, of course, and it's not hard to find one. Equius is half horse, right? So he flits, not slowly, over to try and seat himself atop his back. Sidesaddle, with his dress.]

[cakesaretheenemy]

[ Don't mind him, he's just enjoying the show. ]

[stayb100ponyboy]

[Better get some popcorn.]

[Now, Equius could handle the dress. He could handle the dress changing colors. But being ridden? Without his permission?]

[Oh fuck that noise.]

[Here's hoping Karkat is an expert horseman, because he's going to have a wildly bucking and rearing centaur exploding underneath him.]

[bethehugejerk]

[Well, at least he's not interfering this time, though getting gawked at isn't that great. Karkat gets no chance to tell him off for that, though, as Equius predictably starts bucking.]

Augh, hold--hold still!

[No expert horseman, he grabs for what he can: a shoulder, a handful of hair. Soon enough he has to resort to his wings and take to the air - while still yanking at the latter.]