[open mingle] from my laboratory in the castle east

[gekkajuu]

Who: EVERYONE!
What: Diva's! Birthday! Masquerade!!
When: August 4
Where: the Nadril caves
Warning(s): This is a mingle, so please indicate if your starter isn't OTA. Also: please put any necessary warnings in your subject lines when things pop up!

Atsushi has been planning this for a while now, but needless to say, a certain dragon forced him to adapt his plans, and arguably not for the better. Still, he's determined to make this work! Diva told him she's never had a birthday party in all of her long life, and that is just not all right - so of course he promised her she'd have one this year.

He... should have maybe not said anything, and just done this in secret. Or at least he should have known better than to ask Diva what kind of party she wanted, because she sure had a lot of wishes... That's Diva for you, though. Besides, after more than 170 years without a birthday party, she deserves to say exactly what she wants!

Atsushi has spent more time than he probably should have, decorating a part of Nadril's cave system with fairy lights and anything else he could find. For being in a cave, the setting is very atmospheric! There's food, drinks, and recorded music - not all of it suited for a party, but there are instruments too, for the more talented guests.

A masquerade was Diva's first and foremost wish, and with everyone having limited means and fewer possessions here, masks have kindly been provided by your hosts at the entrance. Some are classy; some are a little unusual; some are -....... Well, you should probably be at the party in time, so all the good masks haven't been taken yet. How well have you disguised yourself? Did you bother to hide your identity at all?

A gift for the birthday vamp is appreciated, but your presence is the biggest gift. There's no better time than the present to forget the unresolved situation elsewhere on the planet, and have a little fun together!

Comments

[thetaintedsorrow]

Green apple. It’s a common candy flavor back where I come from.

[But he’s not finished yet. He has a few more surprises up his sleeve, and he’ll start by mixing up a drink that’s a concoction of all the strongest liquors available to him. It’s a light blue color, not exactly intimidating...

But it’s at least five times as strong as the drinks before it.]

All right. Try this. It’s the strongest thing I’ve got.

[thetaintedsorrow]

You got it.

[Chuuya pours just a tiny bit of rum into the hot cocoa before sliding the mug over to Olivia.]

So how do you know Diva?

[mollymocked]

Generally, I think birthdays are shite- who wants to keep a running count of how old you are?- but birthday parties are another thing entirely. Done properly, for one night, everyone around you has to turn their focus to you and only you.

[he gives her a littly twirl.]

Now what's not to love about that? Even if they're only faking it for social propriety, they still came out and celebrated that you were born at all. The people who matter will still be with you the next day, but the ones who don't had to be contrite for an evening, and that's just lovely.

[shikomizue]

[Takasugi's often wondered if Solomon wants Diva to himself, or to be rid of her entirely. For as obvious as the man is about his complaints, his thoughts on his "Queen" are rather fleeting.

Perhaps Solomon doesn't know the answer to Takasugi's query, himself.

Regardless, it's only natural to dislike some of the pests that buzz around like flies on carrion. The ones who would balk at the smell of unfettered flesh would be first cut from Takasugi's guest list-

He makes a show of spoiling Diva to her face, but if her desires don't align with his, he'll prioritize his own whims every time.]

It makes for an odd party to have a fallen angel, a girl on the brink of tears, and a hybrid beast all in one place.

[Then there's the drunk tending the bar, but of everyone here, Chuuya is the most flippant. He's more likely here for the drinks than Diva herself.] Do you think anything interesting will happen?

[Probably not, but one can always fantasize.]

[objectionattorney]

Eh! Huh?

[Oh hello Ms.Invader-Of-Personal-Space. How are you during this fine party?

Phoenix was taken aback to be sure, but being used to young girls all getting up in his grill, he was quick to blow it off. Instead, offering a bit of an awkward laugh and scratching at the back of his head a bit, he took a step back and continued on.]

W-well... I suppose I dabble with it a little. Used to play a bit back in the day.

[Don't listen to his lies Diva! Escape from this conversation while you can!]

[semblant]

[Time and time again, he's at least inwardly -- sometimes outwardly, but mostly privately judged Diva's choice in camaraderie. Half the time he's certain it's because she's been locked away in a tower for so long, that she hasn't any sort of direction in terms of friendmaking and...such.]

Would you have liked me to tell her that she couldn't invite any nuisances to her very own party? To start, the whole list would have been cleared in an instant.

[Ahem...]

Besides, you aren't meant to see through their disguises.

[Moving slightly closer, he'll give Takasugi's creepy mask a downward tug at the chin.]

Perhaps, perhaps not. I will advise you to dismiss any interesting ideas you may have. I won't tolerate a saboteur.

[colorature]

_{[Bitch look her dead in the eyes and tell her she's too old for presents. She'll never be too old for presents. In fact, she gives him a look that very well means just that, her exhale a little snort of sorts as he wipes at her mouth.]}

I love presents. What kind of person doesn't like receiving gifts?

<sub>[For real though.

She seems pleased to have guessed which present was his contribution correctly, wasting no time in tearing at the carefully wrapped paper and opening the box. She's a bit like an over-eager toddler at Christmas but who can blame her for being excited? It's her birthday, after all.

There's a little gasp when her gaze settles on the jeweled pendant, an oohh of wonder slipping out and over her lips. The color, the cut, everything about it is gorgeous. Good job Solomon.]</sub>

Oh Solomon...I love it! It's so beautiful!

[conqueredhearts]

Ren? What a fine name that you have, my friend! It has a beauty to how simple it is.

[He laughs and gives him a wink back. He's finding that this young man is quite fun to talk to! And dance with, of course. But that is a given with how he's still moving to the music while he holds him like this obviously.]

What is it like for you to be able to meet the King of Conquerors? You mentioned you are fond of learning about them after all.

[conqueredhearts]

[He's finding he's always delighted by the way Molly acts and he laughs at the thrust of the arm. Rather than take it though, he actually reaches out to wrap an arm around him instead just so he can tug him right up against his side.]

If you have never danced with a King then we should change that. And if there are any other firsts with a King you ever wish to try then let me know. I will gladly help you to achieve those.

[For now though, he is happy to head to the dance floor with him. Because they really need to make sure Molly can say he's danced with a King.]

[semblant]

[Never.]

...That's right, I'm being an imbecile.

[Sometimes he forgets -- like early onset dementia, that Diva's the way that she is. It is nice to watch the anticipation build as she tears away the paper that probably took him far too long to fold and tape.

Another gift nailed. It helps to know in advance how dazzled she is by: a.) shiny stuff, and b.) jewelry.

It's a standard formula or most girls....]

Oh? I'm glad you like it. It stood out to me at the shop, I knew that it had to be yours.

Would you like to wear it?

[Thre's a 50% chance she'll lose it before the night's end, but the chances of her asking him to help her clasp it around her neck are much higher anyway.]

[conqueredhearts]

It's quite delicious! Though it oddly tastes nothing like an apple at all. Interesting.

[Setting the glass down, he smacks his lips a couple of times. Delicious all the same though. He quite likes that. Perhaps he'll have to ask for the name of it and see if he can try getting more of it in the future. That and the spiced one too.

Seeing that another drink is coming his way, he grins and waits. When he sees it, he lifts it up to look at the color.]

Amazing. It's the color of the day sky!

[A laugh before it's right down the hatch, guzzled down to the last drop. He lets out another sigh after and bursts out with another laugh.]

Ha! Now this is the thing that will put hair on a man's chest! That's got a nice fire in my belly now!

[Please don't mind that he laughs at downing strong booze, Chuuya. It's just Servant stuff.]

[diamondize]

[Diamond's eyebrows raise in surprise. They've seen and heard about magic and the like now from their time here, but they've rarely seen it in real action, and certainly not directed towards themselves.

There's no thought of 'will this hurt?' or what might go wrong--They're a solid hunk of rock, after all, it's not like they can really feel pain. And aside from that, if they're broken somehow they can always be put back together. So, really, the danger to themselves is pretty minimal, right?]

You could do that? I'd definitely be interested! What would you need for it? [Like a special...thing?? A hunk of diamond to channel his power??? They can just give him their whole hand.]

[hellzone]

But you're more likely to get it all over your clothes.

[ Yoshiko points out, like this is a super obvious fact and she doesn't know why Diva can't see this. ]

[thedarkbond]

I'm glad you think so~ [Look, it's still technically not just taking the compliment if he says it's the other person's opinion, right? He's pretty sure that's how that works.

At the question, Ren lets out a somewhat exaggerated hum, swaying somewhat absently back and forth in time with the music. There's definitely no denying his interest has sharpened somewhat since finding out who the person he's dancing with is, and he makes no real attempt to hide it even if he's still keeping his cuter mannerisms.]

Mmm, it's definitely fascinating...and you seem like a pretty fun person, too. But I think I'll really know what it's like whenever I have the chance to see you on the battlefield.

[He holds his hands curled against his chin in a surprisingly cutesy and dreamlike motion for a remark like that, especially considering his tone is decidedly...distracted by that thought.]

[morbide]

[IF ONLY HE KNEW THEY WERE LITERALLY DIAMOND... is there a spell he couldn't perform with a hunk of diamond? But he has no idea, and this dark mage is the resourceful sort who wouldn't ask too much of them when he's making the offer. Henry lets his gaze skirt over the room for something he could use to make this happen. Never mind figuring out why they can't drink, or what sort of being they are— Henry's got an idea.]

I dunno what the deal is with your anatomy, but it's much easier to try drinking if you're in a body that can drink, right? I've performed this trick plenty of times; I only need a few things for the exchange...

[On a dime, Henry heads for the table of masks and yanks a fistful of feathers from an ornate mask. He notices a mask covered with what appears to be crystal gems and snags it before heading back for Diamond's side.]

I've been told I feel kinda frail, if you're a klutz. So be gentle, got it? [??? What does he have in mind...? Henry pulls the crystals from the base of the mask, clearly intending to use them in his rite.] Oh. I'm Henry, by the way. And you are?

[conqueredhearts]

You have unique interests my friend!

[Oddly it doesn't sound like he's bothered by this. Instead he seems almost...delighted? Yeah that's probably the word for it. There's not much of a reason for him to be worried about this as far as he's concerned. So someone has an interest in the fact that he's a conqueror and interested in how he would be on the battlefield. What's wrong with that honestly?]

I hope you will like what you see when the time comes. Though, I don't see why you wouldn't. I am magnificent!

[And not even a little bit humble.]

[colorature]

<sub>[The surprise, albeit briefly shown, doesn't escape Diva, before the wolf's nose finds her palm and arm. It's wet like most animal noses are, the sniffing getting a small laugh out of the Chiropteran as she moves to stroke her head and ears.

Ammy isn't the only one enjoying the novelty of such an encounter.]</sub>

Have you come to celebrate my birthday too?

[colorature]

They can be washed. Solomon is rather good at getting stains out of garments by now.

_{[At least she's managed to keep her dress clean somehow...]}

Live a little!

[colorature]

_{[She lets out a laugh as she's twirled, the skirt of her dress flaring out as she spins.]}

There isn't anything not to love about it.

_{[She does love to be the center of attention, after all.]}

[colorature]

_{[She's doing quite well, tyvm. Don't mind her as she shuffles closer, perhaps a little too eager. Sorry Phoenix, there's no escape.]}

Oh? Did you? Well, go on then! Play something for me!

[colorature]

_{[At the end of the day her tastes are rather simple and easy to appeal to. Like a magpie she's always been dazzled by shiny, especially jewels and jewellery. Part of it's due to the early years she spent living in her awful tower. Solomon knew about her past upbringing, sure, but if he'd been there to witness it first hand maybe he'd have an even greater understanding of why her mind ticked the way it did.]}

Oh yes, please.

_{[At least if she's wearing it the chances of it being misplaced are significantly lowered. She seems to be vibrating in place as she holds her gift out to Solomon, to let him pluck it away from her and fasten it around her neck.]}

[colorature]

I've always wanted to decorate a cake...it always looked like it would be fun.

_{[And messy. Clearly there's a theme going on with her.]}

If you bake something you should let me decorate it.

_[Naturally.]

[colorature]

<sub>[She doesn't seem to need words, finding herself beginning to sway and rock to the tempo Takasugi sets. Singing comes naturally - and while she doesn't know that there are words that go with the melody she hums along anyway before rounding out notes with vowels of her choosing.

The cave only adds to the haunting quality of her voice, the reverb off the walls making it sound as if there's more than one of her singing along. Even if the sound may be eerie there's no doubting or denying the beauty in the pure richness of the sound. There really isn't anything else like her voice.]</sub>

[thedarkbond]

[That is certainly one way to describe Ren's interests, and he laughs a little at the comment, not seeming particularly bothered himself. Nor by the lack of humility, because honestly, there's no fun being completely humble if you have the strength to back it up anyway.]

Oh, you're building it up even more now~ [His tone is gradually deepening as he speaks, going from cutesy to something that might be better described as breathy and a little bit dark.] I'll have to really hope I'm not disappointed when it happens, then, with all that confidence.

[There's a fine line with confidence - it's fun if you can back it up, and boring if you can't, as far as Ren's concerned. Iskandar strikes him as the type who would be able to in the first place, though, even if he didn't already know who he was.]

[mollymocked]

[Molly looks about as happy as a kid in a candy shop. People who lean on charm when they barely have any rarely expect to be literally or figuratively swept off their feet, so he feels like he has scored a great victory here. And also, consider, Iskander is big. Big people are remarkably affectionate sometimes- look at Yasha.]

Careful with that. You might not know what you're getting into. [Molly's grin is delighted and a little wry, and he disentangles himself from Iskander's manly arms (with mild trepidation as he was quite enjoying how well he fit against his side) so he can properly position himself for a dance, sweeping into a dramatic bow. Godsdammit, he will do this properly, with flourish, and a bit of cheekiness, so help him Moonweaver.] Your Highness.