sixthiterationlogs | [MINGLE] Saints & Sinners Masquerade

[MINGLE] Saints & Sinners Masquerade

WHERE: Corn field next to the inn
WHEN: 31 October, all day and night
OPEN TO: ALL - MINGLE
WARNINGS: Please warn as appropriate in your subject lines
NOTES: Please make sure you have read and understand the event details! If you have questions, drop them here. RECOMMENDED BUT NOT REQUIRED: Put your SCRUBS COLOR in your OTA subject line for folks doing bingo. Time your OTA for the harvest feast, the masquerade, or both. Costume matches and details for folks who did not get matched are here.

This morning, our intrepid villagers awoke to a surprise of the nicer kind: A bundle of clothing left at the foot of their bed, tied with a bow. There is also a note: Put on your new outfit and join the festivities in the corn field next to the inn.

You may be thinking, what corn field next to the inn? The one that sprung up fully-mature overnight, of course.

In the middle of the field, villagers will find an autumn feast: Tables piled with harvest time food and drink, warm and rustic decorations, the day's sunshine fending off any chill in the air.

Tuck in and enjoy, villagers, but take note: Things often look different in the dark, and you might be one of them.

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Truth of the matter is, Ashley is likely no happier about her costume than anyone else. The long, form fitting gown hugs every curve, including her legs, and makes any concept of running, jumping, or actually surviving, almost impossible. Long ago she given up wearing the heavy metal headdress of snakes that had fanned from her head and framed her face. Not that she won't keep it because it will make one helluva weapon.

Removing it did nothing for the gold snakes painted on her face though, the heavy snake motif earrings, and if she used the head of one of the snakes on the headdress to rip the side of her dress from ankle to nearly hip, well then so be it.

She's had enough alcohol by that point that she really doesn't care. Which is the main reason she's still hanging around. That and because any party thrown by your kidnappers, especially on involving magic clothing? Is one where being on guard to protect others is probably a good thing.

Not that it's stopped her from drinking. Which is probably not the best thing when she just happens to look up from where she's wandering back for another glass of wine and seeing something.

Oh that's something alright.

At first her mind can't even comprehend what she's seeing. The face is familiar and the rest... It isn't even the dress, because least all the possible hairy body is covered up - yeah, that's mocking you, Snow White - but that face and that hair do not go together. At all.

"Uhmmmmmmmmm..." That's all she manages at first before letting the wine glass she holds fall from her fingers. Mostly so she can cover her mouth, biting at her lip and trying to hold back giggles. It's not working though, because she has to say something and it's wrong and she can't help herself.

"You know," she manages, barely uncovering her mouth. "I can almost see the family resemblance now."

And then she burbling with laughter she's still trying to stop.

Being on guard is definitely not a bad idea. After all, the Observers have already thrown one wrench into things, with the suddenly appearing costumes. And while that's not something that's particular harmful (or at least, doesn't seem to be just at the moment), that doesn't mean they aren't going to do so again.

On the other hand, they might not need to. While Druitt knows better than to assume that Ashley wouldn't have made an appearance at the party, he still can't exactly say that he's thrilled about seeing her approaching either. Admittedly, up until she actually opens her mouth, this is more on account of the fact that he's not really thrilled in general, but once she starts giggling he's even less so, and he makes no attempt to hide the fact.

It's only when it looks like she might finally be done laughing that he actually speaks up, even if his expression suggests that he'd much rather be anywhere else.

"If you're quite finished."

Edited 2018-11-11 05:01 (UTC)

Oh she's not. She's really trying but she's not. Though she does manage to straighten, clearing her throat and trying to do her best to just smile tightly and not laugh. It's not easy and her cheeks are red.

"Seriously, come on. I would literally burst if I kept that inside and maybe you don't want that." She's not sure, but benefit of the doubt and all.

"I would kill for a camera right now. Just a single last Polaroid so I can show this to Ty." She glances around suddenly. "Oh man, I wonder where he's gotten off to."

The fact that she's at least trying is worth something, if nothing else. The fact that she's clearly not done tempers it a little, but he can at least recognize the attempt, even if still not thrilled. And while he has yet to know anyone who has exploded from the sheer force of trying to keep from laughing, she's not wrong to assume that he would prefer her all in one piece. Not least of all because it would be terribly inconvenient to have to explain during something that's meant to be a party.

(To be fair, there is also the part where she's one of the few people he cares about to some degree, but him actually managing to explain that is unlikely at best.)

"I'm glad to know someone finds this amusing."

The tone of his voice, on the other hand, says the exact opposite, and he makes absolutely no effort to help her locate Ty either.

"Well, I mean, I'm sure I'm not the only one," she says, though she's schooled her tones a bit better the longer that she takes it in. Not that she is any less amused, but at least she's not laughing in his face.

"Come on. It's our evil overlords having a laugh. If they didn't think it would get a rise out of you, I bet you never would have found yourself dressed that way," she points out, meaning it even if she's glad he did. 'Don't give them what they want and maybe next time they won't think it's amusing."

Okay, they probably still will find it amusing, but she is trying to help. That's something, at least. "Though... that's a wig, right?" Because the alternative leaves her a bit nervous.

She's probably not wrong to assume that there are likely other people who find his costume more than a little ridiculous. Nor that there are other people at least in a similar boat to the one he happens to be in. But that doesn't make it any more comfortable, either.

"That hardly makes it better."

If anything he might be inclined to think it makes it worse. Especially when it means that he's almost certainly playing right into their hands, in being deeply displeased with the whole affair. Even if there is only so much that he can do with regards to keeping his emotions in check.

"But no, it isn't. It's quite real. Even if I haven't worn it in this style for ... some time, and even then it was never this color."

"Oh right. Helping to make it better," she says with a nod, straightening slightly as if she's taking this seriously for his sake. Which is likely why it's obvious that isn't the case at all.

Because then he mentions the details about the hair, and she knows she isn't going to make this work. Even if she knows she should try. Baiting Druitt is never a good idea, and she knows she shouldn't do it. Sadly she's had too much to drink to take common sense into consideration.

"So, I mean, what happens if it doesn't go back after this?"

For all that he knows very well that she isn't anywhere near serious, he appreciates that she's at least willing to make it seem as if she is. It doesn't do much to actually change the situation, admittedly, but in lieu of anything that will actually get him out of the situation at hand, it's perhaps the next best thing. Even if it is only because it gives him something else to focus.

"I can't imagine it wouldn't. But if it doesn't... I do know my way around a straight razor."

There's just enough of a curl at the corners of his lips to suggest that he might be talking about something more than just the mundane use of same as well. Or at least, doesn't care to leave that particular image aside, for the time being.

Maybe it's the alcohol. Maybe it's this place, the people she's befriended and talked to, or the issues she's barely started peeling away the layers on. Even if that's a huge improvement to ignoring them as she has before. Whatever it is, in this moment, she's actually just enjoying the exchange with him, teasing and amused.

So when he makes that joke, she stares at him, stunned. "Oh my God. You are lucky I do not smack you in the shoulder with this mask for that. You are a wrong wrong old man," she says, rolling her eyes at him.

Not thinking about it, about making jokes that aren't right, with him. Except it's what she would have done with nearly anyone else, and without as much alcohol.

Regardless of what's behind the fact that she's actually willing to enjoy the exchange for a change, Druitt doesn't expect it to last. Sooner or later the party will be over, and without alcohol to smooth out of some of the bumps in their rocky relationship, things will no doubt go back to normal sooner or later. Perhaps not immediately, but even so he has enough of a sense of pattern recognition to know how things are likely to go.

But for the moment, he's more than willing to ride the tentative truce for as long as it should happen to last.

"So people keep saying."

There's a slight incline of his head to go with the words; something not quite a nod, but which serves approximately the same purpose.

Her eyes roll back, nearly to stare at the inside of her own skull. Maybe later she'll regret this, but for now, this is just another step where things are normal. At least magical clothes and weird parties are fairly usual to her life.

Shaking her head, she just turns to walk away. Pausing, she glances back. "Behave. Okay?"

Not that she has any reason to believe he hasn't been, but she's still feeling playful. At least there's that.

Magical clothes aren't something that he's had much experience with. But apart from that his opinion is very much the same as hers: while this is unusual and not something he's thrilled about, it's not too out of the ordinary. Or not from how his life had been looking to shape up prior to his descent into darkness, at the very least.

Her comment, meanwhile, earns her another brief huff of annoyance and an eye roll to match. Not that he hadn't had any intention of doing exactly that, of course. But the idea of her being to ask it from him is a little more than he's willing to easily tolerate. Or at least, more than he's going to admit being willing to consider. She's never been the one who's held his reins and they both know it, for all that this is the closest to actually getting along they've been since she'd arrived.

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[MINGLE] Saints & Sinners Masquerade

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