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

[crescents]

[ look, if she pretends everything is fine and there is nothing to worry about, clearly that makes it true. right?

whether it does or it doesn't, she's going to do her damn best. she goes to theater school, she can put on a performance if she chooses to. and she loves james, but the less he knows about the whole johnny affair, the better. (it's still so weird to see him drinking alcohol. not that he can't, it's just weird that he does now when she's used to something else.) ]

Honestly, I can't take much credit for this one. It was all Carol. [ but she'll beam at the compliment all the smile, angling her head upward to smile wider at him. ] It's not hopeless, but there is always room for improvement, James.

[thine]

[oh, sophie. ;o;

james is so completely unaware of... so very much, but it would break his heart to know what she has been through, to have even an inkling of it, of how she felt when she came back to their house to find that it was no longer a home. to find her brothers had been replaced by--

that he'd hollowed himself out. the drinking is something he wouldn't do because of the hunter. making the choice to drink now because he wants to, it's james', much as he knows it must be strange for her to see and get used to.]

You helped though, which is how... I ended up helping. [there is a tiny, fond smirk on his face as he looks down at her and then down at his suit.] I... will keep that in mind. The ship... hasn't done anything weird to you yet, has it?

[it can be unpredictable, and he worries.]

[crescents]

[ james is very different to the brother she remembers, the person that he'd been before she was sent off to boarding school after boarding school in an effort to protect her from the dangers at home. it doesn't make him any less her brother, and it certainly doesn't make her love him any less, but sometimes - sometimes she does feel like there's a wall she can't climb.

it's not here today, though.

today, her two brothers are here with her, and she knows their presence is to make her happy. that alone is enough to make her night. ] You mean aside from the fact it brought me here to begin with?

[ a smirk tugs on her lips. ] No, so relax, James. Try loosening up and having a good time. You might surprise yourself. [ after everything he's been through, sophie wouldn't blame him if he couldn't - but god, would she want it for him. if anyone deserves at least a sliver of happiness, it's james. ]

[thine]

[james is very, very different from that person that he was before. sometimes it hardly feels like that person was him, like they're one and the same, because they're not.

he is so, so different from the stranger he was before, and he is so less human now, used to never think of himself as remotely human at all.

but he is. james is here with her because he knows it would make her happy, make her smile and that is the only reason he needs to come without complaint. he wants her to be happy. he has been a terrible brother for a very long time, and he loves her so much.]

Aside from that, yes. [he smirks lightly before he shakes his head slightly, looking out at the group all gathered here.] I'm... trying. [kind of. :x] At least no one here knows our name and wants what they can get from associating with us because of it.

[it brings a different kind of atmosphere to this ball, which he can appreciate. it's easier to rest against a wall or get food or drink without a bunch of people trying to tell him how amazing they think he is without knowing him at all.]

[crescents]

[ he is. he is trying, sophie will give him that much. if not for himself, then for her. she would rather he do it for himself, but she isn't going to complain, either. what matters is that he gives it a chance. she doesn't want him to go back to being isolated, surrounded by nothing but sandbags and the training. there has to be more. ]

Mm, that's true. You should count your blessings. You know what else isn't here?

[ there's a beat before she smirks unapologetically. ]

Celeste and her sister. [ now you'll really want to count your blessings, james. and possibly, you never wanted to be reminded of them in the first place, but that's just what little sisters are for. ]

[thine]

[james turns to look at her, raising an eyebrow with a tiny smile before she mentions what else isn't here, and the tiny smile widens into a much bigger, relieved smile.]

You're right.

They are not here, and we are free. [:') free from the likes of them, and he is so relieved for that fact.]

They can be... like a sideshow.

[as scary as a Halloween prank ._.]

[crescents]

More like you're free. I think Celeste has made it very clear she has no unfinished business with me.

[ whereas she would totally not be able to say the same thing about james. sophie wouldn't be surprised if there were wedding scrapbooks and pictures of what james and celeste's baby would look like if they had one.

that's sadly not an exaggeration. ]

[thine]

I am very free for once. [james smirks softly, shaking his head a little, because he has so many celeste horror stories really.

it's nice to know that there is no possibility (hopefully, never let her through, red door!) of running into her at this ball.]

One time she cornered me in a bathroom...

[crescents]

Wait, what?

[ sophie knows that celeste drives a hard bargain, but she hasn't quite seen for herself the extent to which the other woman will go to to try and capture james' attention. ]

Do I want to know what she tried to do after she cornered you in the bathroom...?

[thine]

Celeste... tried to explain in detail why we were the perfect match up.

[James shudders slightly, shaking his head as he looks over at her with a tiny smile.]

...she had diagrams, charts.

[It was disturbing.]

[crescents]

[ ... sophie can't help it. she snorts. there is, in fact, a whole lot more than snorting, and by the time she is done laughing, she almost has tears in her eyes because she can picture it so perfectly.

even if gross. ]

I'm sorry. [ sort of. ] Can I hear some of her reasonings? Please?

[ it's so entertaining. ]

[thine]

[james just lifts his eyebrows with a tiny, amused smirk at the way she's laughing to the point of almost tears. it's good to make her laugh even if it's about something like this

it was very gross.]

Are you? [sorry? really? his smirk widens a bit.] She said, because we're both... beautiful so we'd have beautiful children.

[that was one of them u_u there are more.]

[crescents]

... No.

[ not even a little bit sorry.

and she snorts at the reason celeste gave for her and james being destined for marriage and whatnot. ] Of course. That's a solid reason. She's a keeper, James. [ except she shudders afterward, so clearly she doesn't think that. ]

You deserve way, way better.

[thine]

[james shakes his head with a slow smirk that crosses his face in light amusement when he sees her shudder like that.]

That's what she'd say about herself at least. [that she is a keeper, and why doesn't he want to keep her?

there's fondness in his gaze as he looks over at his little sister who he loves so much.]

You always thought so.

[crescents]

I always will.

[ in truth, no one will ever feel like the best for james, because he is the best. obviously, anything less than is simply unacceptable. she wants so many things for him, but most importantly, she wants happiness. she wants whatever would make him happy - and well, okay, she'll butt in with her own opinions about it.

but mostly, she just wants him to believe it. that he really does deserve those things, and he should have them. ]