party post } { fool and king, ghoul and ghost

[mayoralty]

On the evening of the twenty-ninth, the ballroom on the main deck of the boat is decked out in lavish black and gold, thanks to Carol and Sophie, and the assistance of the very strong men they enlisted to help (thank you, boys). It's been a while since Carol has thrown a full out ball, and she liked the chance to stretch her event planning limbs again, even if those attending are mostly the ghost robots in their cater waiter wear.

A soft music is playing over the guests as they enter. As they pass through the threshold, there's a table with simple masks for them to choose from, in case they've forgotten their's. Once they pass through the main archway, they'll find their way to the large dance space where the ghost robot band is sitting, because live music is so much better than a recording, and they actually don't sound half-bad, all things considered. They also take requests, so feel free to tell them that song where you always wondered what it would sound like with a full orchestral backing. There's a large, expansive dance floor in the middle, and you're welcome to get out there and shake your groove thing whenever you see fit.

Tables with food line the far left wall of the room, as well as clusters of tables for the guests to sit when they so choose. There's also an open bar nestled into the far corner, for all your alcoholic needs. There are also plenty of dark corners to slip into, if you don't want anyone to see what you're doing, however the narration suggests watching those dark corners carefully. Rabbit holes lurk in pretty much every shadowed area of the ballroom and while they won't always drop you into a strange location of your choosing, there's a high chance they will. There's probably a high turnover of people arriving back in the ballroom, looking like they've gone five rounds with a bull.

Probably because they have.

The boat seem to want to promote this event as much as possible. While not everyone loves a good ball, some non-attenders may suddenly find themselves in attendance, completely dressed and no idea of how they got there. Trying to leave? Might not go so well either. For some, socializing isn't so much a choice as a punishment, but there are probably plenty of people to help you have a good time.

Or you could go on a trip to Narnia. One never really knows.

[OKAY BALL IS GO sorry I was late getting this up. Rabbit Holes are to be used at your discretion, but if you need suggestions or want me to randomize something for you, just shoot me a PM/private plurk/ping me (iluvroadrunner6) and I will give you a scenario. Otherwise, mix, mingle and have fun with all the pretty formal wear. o7 Actionspam/prose/whatever floats your boat for this, it was easier to just write up the top part in prose.]

Comments

[banishment]

[ truth be told, zuko would've recognized her whether she had the mask on or not. it was the necklace that gave her away. there was nothing quite like that pendant anywhere, and he doubted anyone (or anything) had the ability to replicate something that was hand-carved — or so he assumed. his uncle had explained some of the water tribes' customs to him, once. zuko hadn't thought much of it at the time, but now the information was proving to be rather valuable. he wondered, but wasn't bold enough to ask, if she knew what that necklace was supposed to be. (of course she did; it was stupid to think that she didn't.) ]

Katara? [ his gaze sweeps over her, quirking an eyebrow at the attire. not that he could say much. he knew from staring at his reflection in a mirror how awkward and unlike himself he looked wearing the kind of clothes that were available on this vessel. ] I thought I was the only one.

[ it's been nearly two months since he's seen anyone else from their world. (the turtleduck not withstanding.) ]

[waving]

[The necklace would be a give away, she should have probably realized it but she's still a little overwhelmed, trying to make sense of the situation. So far, that's not going so well, little of any of this makes any sort of sense.]

I haven't seen anyone else.

[Her eyes sweep around the area for the others for a moment. Sokka. Aang. Toph. None of them seem to be here.

(Though it might be harder to spot them than usual if they've been dressed in the strange clothing she and Zuko have.)]

It's just us.

[banishment]

[ and zuko stood out a little better than most with his scar uncovered by a mask — or a hood tugged down over his face as far as it would go, forcing him to stare at the ground as he walked to avoid being recognized. that agni-forsaken play was both a blessing and a curse. all the people in costume gave him the freedom to roam around without cause for (much) worry, but the play itself had been a rather rude awakening.

one aang had needed, but it seemed he was the only one who really thought that way. there were times when zuko wondered whether or not the others understood the severity of the situation. even after he explained his father's plans for the earth kingdom, it still seemed as if he was the only one who really understood what was happening here.

but he had to remind himself; these kids hadn't spent years at sea with a bunch of sailors. they weren't raised to be potential rulers of countries with a bulk of their studies centering around the battle tactics of both contemporaries and those who came before. it was probably a little harder for them to see history threatening to repeat itself all over again. at the very least, though, he thought aang of all people would want to avoid forcing the earth kingdom to suffer the same fate his people did. ]

Yeah. So far. [ a frown. he's both happy and not to see her. happy that he's not alone (and that she's not mad at him anymore), but angry that whoever or whatever keeps pulling people here thought to bring another person who shouldn't be here to this place. ]

People come and go. Some don't, though. Some people are just... stuck. [ he was starting to feel that way. ]

[waving]

[The play had been a rude awakening, one Katara still didn't know how to process completely. Though she's changed a lot in the past year she is in some ways still the girl who grew up in the Southern Water Tribe, just trying to hold everything together.

She knows what war costs people -- she learned that with the death of her mother early on but sometimes the bigger pictures, the patterns that repeat themselves through history, that's not something she as easily sees.]

How long have you been stuck here? [Because the way he's talking -- he's definitely been here longer than she has. How that's possible, she's not quite sure, but that's how it seems all the same.]

[banishment]

[ time makes no sense on the ship, katara. it's "stopped" back home — or so they say — and keeps moving forward here with you along for the ride. it hasn't been a pleasant one. ]

Two months, give or take a few days.

[waving]

[She'll figure that out on her own soon enough. For now her voice raises slightly, in disbelief.]

Two months? But I just saw you.

[banishment]

Time bends here. Sometimes it stops, and they say they stop it back home. Make it so you're frozen while still moving, so that it's like you never left. There's a timebender or something in control of this place.

[ explaining temporal theory to a boy from a per-industrial era where the ability to bend the elements is the norm: this is the result. ]

[waving]

Great. Just what we needed. [Timebending at least makes more sense than a lot of other explanations might have to her.]

So we're just...stuck here until...they stop stopping time back home and take us back there?

[banishment]

Something like that. Or until someone manages to find a way to get us all home.

[ but that sounds like a near impossible feat from what he's been told and has looked into himself. in the midst of all this futuristic technology the ship and the majority of the societies that thrived on it, zuko felt something like a savage. it really put how he used to treat and regard those who weren't from the fire nation in perspective. he now understood how that felt. ]

[waving]

So until then we just...let them dress us up and make us go to parties?

[The fact that she arrived in such strange clothing only adds to the discomfort of the entire situation, really. It only seems to drive home how powerless they are over the situation.]

[banishment]

They, uh, [ zuko looks down at his own clothing ] didn't dress me up.

[ he put these clothes on himself. or, rather, let one of the robotic shopkeepers suggest something for him and then ignored the bot as it insisted he pick a size that hugged his lithe form a little better. ]

I didn't mean to go to this party. I was just walking by and it sort of sucked me in.

[ sages, that blasted turtleduck that followed him everywhere was probably sitting outside the doors, waiting patiently for him. ]

[waving]

Oh. [He chose those clothes himself? That's really hard to imagine but maybe there aren't any options like what they wore back home here. It's entirely possible.

At least this time she probably won't have to go stealing new clothes like she did in the Fire Nation.]

It just...drew you in? Like you couldn't help it? [That's a little unnerving -- well everything about this entire situation was, honestly.]

[banishment]

Yeah. Like a sinkhole, only instead of being stuck in quicksand you can't even bend your way ou... well, I guess you could. The water parts. ...anyway, it was like that. Except I ended up here instead of stuck.

[waving]

I probably could -- at least enough to get out. [Since there would be some moisture in there, like he said.]

And what, are they holding you hostage untilt he party is over?

[banishment]

Do you see a door?

[ he throws a hand back behind him, gesturing to the ballroom. there wasn't an exit door in sight. at least, none that he could see. ]

It's almost over with, anyway. This is a middle dance. [ zuko inclines his head towards the dance floor. ] You open and close with slower dances. This one's faster.

[ this wasn't his first rodeo, nor would it be his last. it was odd to be one of the people standing at the edge of the dancing rather than on the dance floor or sitting at the head of it to his father's left, but the general atmosphere was rather familiar to someone raised royal. ]

[waving]

[For the first time Katara looks around more thoroughly.]

You're right, there is no door.

[She's impressed Zuko knows so much about this stuff -- though she probably shouldn't be. Still, the Southern Water Tribe never had more formal dances like this.

Actually, the last time she danced at all was probably when Aang tried to Footloose the Fire Nation.]

So when it starts slowing down that's when we know it's ending?

[banishment]

Yeah. You ease in to and out of it. At least, that's the way they did it back home.

[ these aren't the sort of dances that zuko's used to doing, but the footwork looks easy enough. he could probably fall in step with it, easily, if he wanted to. but he's not really interested in getting out on the dance floor. ]

[waving]

Did you have to do a lot of this sort of dancing?

[Not exactly like this, probably, but close enough.]

[banishment]

Sometimes. It depended on the event and who was in attendance. There were some festivals and celebrations that were, uh, below the monarchy. And others that I wasn't allowed to move from my spot during, because there weren't people of a high enough standing to mingle with.

[ he watched one of the couples twirl by them, close enough to the edge of the dance floor that the woman's skirts very nearly brushed against zuko's legs. ]

Asking a six-year-old to sit still and watch everyone else have fun is like asking Appa to firebend. I got in trouble for fidgeting and trying to dash into the crowds. A lot.

[waving]

[She laughs a little at that.] It's hard to picture you as a kid.

[Maybe because he's so serious all the time.]

We never had anything like this in the Southern Water Tribe -- it's different. People seem to be enjoying it, though.

[banishment]

Yeah... [ zuko takes that completely the wrong way, assuming she means it's hard to picture him as a kid because of his scar. ]

Do you want to try it? [ the offer tumbles out of his mouth before he can stop it. unable to take it back, he watches her carefully to see how she'll respond to such a thing. it's quite possible she'll bend the entire punch bowl at him and wash him out onto the dance floor. ]

[waving]

[That's not how she meant it at all :(

....And she was not expecting that. There was a time where the bending the punch on him would of been given but since everything with the Southern Raiders they've gotten along much better. Okay, she still gives him a hard time but she doesn't hate him or anything.

If she's really stuck here and there's no way out (and there's no reason to assume Zuko isn't being truthful about that)...]

Sure.

[She's never danced like this before -- might as well try it, right?]

[banishment]

[ zuko waits until the song changes, holding his hand out to her almost shyly. timid is not his default setting, but is a very raw and real part of himself that he usually keeps buried, guarded his short temper and willingness to stomp off in a huff before he gets too flustered to function. and although tripping over himself is a possibility here, it's unlikely that he will. this is zuko's element, an aspect of his princely upbringing that he do in his sleep. ]

Just act like you're learning a new bending form and follow my lead. Do what I do unless I tell you otherwise.

[waving]

[Katara is at least confident in her ability to catch onto things quickly -- but even so she's a little unsure as she takes Zuko's hand. She's never done something like this before, after all.]

Sounds simple enough.