VALENTINES BALL

[thewatchers]

VALENTINES BALL

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February 14th is a day both famed and notorious for feats of love, passion and confession. And violence, as this year’s theme suggests - a 1920s speakeasy theme, initially based off the Valentines’ Day massacre of 1929 and toned down to be significantly more fun and less a dark reminder of bloodshed. While this year’s event has no predicted surprises like a daemon invasion in store, the Student Council has still chosen to hire extra security for the ball; bulky constructs in surprisingly well-tailored pinstripe suits and hats stand guard outside the entrances to the venue, impassively watching for any signs of trouble.

The ball itself is laid out similar to a 1920s club, with a large space for dancing, a stage for entertainment, and plenty of tables and chairs for sitting, dining, and chatting. Bars on both sides of the room provide a place to order and collect both food and drink, and the second storey of the venue has been put into use to provide quieter and more secluded places to sit.

A. Classy…? Cocktails
As ever, the Academy has provided a lavish and thematic spread of food for the occasion, with a few unique twists to fit the theme. The drinks of are particular note - aside from the usual range of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks that Daybreak provides, many are tailor-made for the ball due to a collaboration between some of the alchemy and culinary classes in Daybreak (who were rather too eager to volunteer). Have you ever wondered what it’s like to drink cake or a steak? You’ll find plenty of experiments here, both savory and sweet, to facilitate that experience.

If that’s not to your tastes, some drinks are purely decorative, providing some unique visual or audio effects - you might find yourself sepia-toned or monochrome, chattering like an old-fashioned radio host or filled with an irrepressible urge to sing everything you say - among other things. Mercifully, everything wears off by the end of the night.

B. Changing Stages
While this ball is by no means illegal, there has at least been an attempt to capture the more ‘forbidden’ aspects of a speakeasy. As the night goes on, switches and buttons appear on the walls, and pressing them will make the room shift and change to reveal secret doors and elevators - partially mechanical tricks, but mostly through clever application of magic and mundane illusion. These exits from the room provide ample opportunity for attendees to stretch their legs and take a walk and a break from the rest of the party through mazelike, glittering hallways and smoke-hazy corridors that lead to balconies and small lounges looking out onto strange, abstract views. Walk far enough, and you might end up in a completely different part of the venue than you were before - though for the truly lost, the corridors will always bring you to someone you can ask for help sooner or later, or guide you out.

Well, eventually. It wouldn’t quite fit the theme of a speakeasy without a little bit of uncertainty, would it?

C. Nyeh, See?
For those who would rather indulge in the darker implications of the theme and have no patience for the other entertainment on offer, this maze of corridors offers one other attraction - enchanted guns and gear for laser tag. In strict adherence to the theme, all guns resemble the kind of weaponry that 1920s gangsters would be boasting - and no matter what you were wearing at the time, as soon as you attach a pendant to your clothing, you're immediately in magically-fitting suits any gangster would envy. They even give off the illusion of bleeding should you be 'shot' by one of these enchanted guns, though to avoid causing undue concern the illusory blood sparkles and shines different colours.

D. Shall We Dance?
No Valentines ball is complete without the opportunity to get close to someone you might enjoy the company of, after all. To fit with the speakeasy theme, music and entertainment has been provided - both stage performances from volunteers and a selection of recorded music from the era. And for those up on the second floor, a station has been provided for whatever you’d like to broadcast to the entire room. Whether you’re up on the stage, down on the dancefloor, or you simply want to set a little mood music for certain people to take a hint, there’s bound to be something to do.

Some of the spirits and other, benign creatures that inhabit Daybreak’s grounds have decided to invite themselves, finding the music and warmth too irresistible to refuse. As a result, masked figures dressed in the vague approximation of 1920s fashion can be spotted among the more solid attendants, and those who don’t have a dance partner might well find themselves being asked to dance regardless - and be given small gifts as a token of gratitude for the indulgence. Or they might just nudge you into dancing with someone new...

E. Wildcard
Anything else you’d want to do at the dance? Feel free to enjoy the night - it’s for everyone to indulge themselves, after all.

code bases by tricklet

Comments

[adjectiveprince]

Zagreus is killing it in a classy suit that definitely looks like it belongs here. The only thing that seems off about the look is that he's barefoot. He usually is, in fact. It's a safety concern, since his feet sometimes catch fire.

Pretty early on in the evening, before the party got into full swing, Zagreus could briefly be seen talking to an unfamiliar woman. She stood out, being at least seven feet tall and also the most stunningly beautiful woman you can imagine. Literally perfect in every way. Even those who aren't normally attracted to women can feel it.

Aphrodite (for who else could it possibly be?) said something to Zagreus with a little laugh that you didn't quite catch, who shrugged helplessly. She laughed again and gave him a playful shove which caused him to stumble back a step. Her piece said, Aphrodite stared out at the student body with a content look. Nothing like a festival devoted to love to put her in a good mood. She nodded in satisfaction, then vanished abruptly in a cloud of pink sparkles.

Later, Zagreus was at the bar, putting away a staggering amount of alcohol. What would have most people blackout drunk only had him mildly buzzed. He sighed and muttered to the world in general that "Unexpected family visits are always awkward."

[superstylishsquid]

[Alastor's shown up in a rather bright suit, still toting the Gothic looking cane that is the more mundane disguise for his sword. The 1920s are...an era he's missed, but they're common enough in movies that he's gotten a solid understanding of the associated tropes.

Guns aren't really his thing, though, so he'll pass on the laser tag. Instead, he uses the hidden passageways for a bit of mischief, sneaking up on wallflowers or anyone who looks too serious for the occasion and greeting them from outside their field of vision.

Other than that, he's taken an interest in the dance floor, and will approach anyone lacking a partner to offer. If they look to be in their twenties or older and are reasonably attractive, he might toss in a friendly wink along with it.

Of course, it's not a party without food, and Alastor is taking full advantage of the buffet. In particular, he's visiting several times throughout the evening to grab meat-based dishes, desserts, and the occasional sweet cocktail. And if he seems to be a bit tired looking while he eats, well...surely that's nothing of concern, right?]

[giornata_gloriosa]

Giorno arrives to the party looking quite impeccable, in a classy suit that looks tailored to fit, but with a few design changes involved. In the suit itself is a subtle flower pattern in dark charcoal, and he's swapped out the pop of color to a jewel-tone green, which manages to make his eyes appear the same color for the night.

At first he is quick to try a few of the sweet attempts to fit delicious treats into a glass, and enjoying the successes quite avidly. Beyond his perchance not to set down his drink until it's empty, the faint tinge of pink colored lip gloss where he's sipped adds to the very defined claim.

Being someone with little desire for the dance floor himself he allows himself to wander, not just along the main floor and upper level, but entering the maze when he finds the first button and open hallway. Upon finding a suitably enchanting balcony he decides to spend some time there, enjoying the scenery and ambiance.

Considering everything he decides to enjoy himself and take a shot at the wiseguy game of lazer tag. He does his best to dodge, and fire, at the same time. Taking a truly mobster approach he fires wildly to hit his opponents, rather than focusing on accuracy.

Eventually, after a few 'bloody' deaths, he makes his way back down to the main floor, nibbling on some of the offered food and sipping some sweet wine, while watching people dance.

[shockingblue]

If there was yet another Daybreak party, Gunvolt wouldn't miss it. Especially not for Valentine's Day. He still remembered what it was like last year, with the daemonic invasion, his first real taste of ugly combat away from QUILL. This year though, he was less nervous. Even if daemons were dumb enough to attack again, he'd grown stronger and more confident in himself... as had so many others here. But he put that out of his mind for now; it was enough to remain vigilant, he didn't need to be needlessly paranoid.

He arrived at the party, frankly, dressed to kill, though he still allowed his long braid to run down his back. Monarch had also decided to come, though her hologram had ditched her normal idol outfit for something more period appropriate, though her digitized orange and black wings remained. The latter would frequently be seen with Gunvolt and Desidera, but she rarely ventured off on her own.

A

Gunvolt made his way over to sample some of the cocktails, looking over at some of the reactions his fellow classmates were having at some of the more... creative, mixtures and brews cooked up. Quirking an eyebrow and casting a rather critical gaze at the glass that was given to him, he briefly wondered if this was a good idea. After all, who knows what kind of effect it might have?

Would you encourage him to drink it against his better judgement? Or will you try to talk him out of it? ...Or will you simply join him in whatever awfulness/awesomeness/mundanity might come from drinking one of these?

C

A laser tag style affair at a Valentine Ball? That sounded dumb and out of place. But dumb and out of place in the exact sort of way that sounded fun, so he was in. Being one of the relatively few students actually trained to fight with firearms, though, made him a particularly vicious laser-tagger. Armed with the gear of both a simulated Browning Automatic Rifle and Colt 1911, Gunvolt proved to be a lethal marksman and clever fighter, taking cover, shifting positions, and having surprising situational awareness.

Are you his partner in crime? Are you his formidable opponent?

Or are you joining him after a round? Those who do will find his magical suit relatively clean; he may have been hit only a few times, and the 'wounds' look more like grazes. But... well, you should see the other guys. If you catch him after the fact, he'll simply smile.

"You tried that yet? It's actually a real rush. ...Always wanted to shoot guns of this period."

D (For Desidera)

They'd agreed to meet back up at a specific time, when it was scheduled that some better dancing music would be played for couples. Admittedly, there were a few butterflies in his stomach about it; though he was perfectly confident in his relationship with Desidera... this was the first time they'd really be dancing together. It was... exciting still, and his mind was pretty preoccupied about it, enough that he didn't notice that Monarch had slipped away from him.

When he met back up with Desidera, his expression softened, quite at odds with his gangster look. Trying really hard not to let his excitement manifest as a blush or anything obvious, GV kept his voice cool and collected. Or at least, what he thought it was. Anyone who knows him, like say, Desidera, could still probably pick up the undercurrent of excitement there. He held out his hand to her, ready to take her to the dance floor.

"So, Desi... care to dance?"

E

Want to do something else with Gunvolt? If you have something in mind, he'll be around all night.

[heromedal]

Rex doesn't really care about this holiday. Love is not bound by time nor space, and especially not an irrelevant positioning of the Earth on its loop around the sun. And he's dealt with enough actual gangsters to find romanticising them to be somewhat distasteful, but not enough to be offended. And unlike Halloween doing the majority of the magical and mechanical work to make the whole thing operate wasn't especially interesting, or challenging. Worst of all the clothing is boring. Rex has always been of the opinion that a suit is basically an attempt to turn a man into a sexless rectangle. He's at least made sure his has the Bulgarian embroidery he's fond of. All in all, Valentine's Day is a bottom tier holiday, not to be used competitively.

However...

The theme happens to incorporate amongst his most favourite musical genres and absolute favourite dance style. He's also incredibly good at it. He's quite clearly going to spend most of the night doing dancing- a lot of it slips back and forth between the 20s and 30s, but it's all the wildly energetic sort of swing that it don't mean a thing if you ain't got. While more than happy to dance alone when the Lindy Hop or similar is appropriate, he offers to dance with or teach others to dance. Student, Faculty, spirit, unusually large and intelligent mustelid, it's fine. He's even sometimes different heights- a spell to shrink to a more appropriate size for a partner is pretty easy for him.

And when music that doesn't fit the theme plays, as it inevitably must, it's like a light switch. His small smile snaps off, Rex slings his jacket over his shoulder and walks away from the floor to people-watch instead.

Of course, this attitude and aptitude makes Rex pretty popular with the spirits around and occasionally ends up with a more friendly version of a past visual. Just a buncha happy spirits all danced out hanging off him as he drinks something boring at the sidelines.

[stavros]

[Kokoro's dress is pretty plain compared to others', but at least she's not wearing a disaster like her Halloween costume. Even if she did have to check a bulky bag at the door after some fruitless pouting at security. Odds that it was full of weapons and holy water? 100 percent.

At the tables, Kokoro picks at a cupcake and contemplates the drink selection.]

I sometimes wonder why it is they spare no expense with these things. Perhaps only because it makes people happy.

[The laser tag games attract her eventually, and you can find her running around -- well, a little, efore she remembers you're not supposed to run in these things. Either way, Kokoro soon gets the hang of lugging her laser gun around and turns her attention up to one of the towers.]

The entire structure is likely infested with campers. We must strike them down before they hoard all the points!

[Said with all the seriousness of a real fight... or anything else she does.

You can also find her out on a balcony after wandering too long in the mazes of secret passages. But instead of the quiet brooding you'd probably expect, she's... got a binder out and is sitting on the floor writing?]

Why do we even have to take Accounting.

[fullthrottleammy]

A

[Ammy is in a rather fancy kimono for the dance, one with a thread count that's ridiculously high. Her hair is pulled into a bun, and Solar Flare floats behind her.

She stops by the table for a drink a few times, her nose unerringly guiding her to the ones without bonus effects. Not that a few of them wouldn't be fun, but she put a good amount of effort into looking good and she doesn't want it ruined by sudden color failure.]

D

[She's also on the dance floor, casually dancing along with anyone who asks. She seems to flow from one step to the next with incredible grace, complementing even the worst dancers. Some even come away from her a bit more sure-footed themselves.]

Gongenzaka | OTA

[betheman]

[Sneef Sneeeef]

Gongenzaka, as is typical for the evening displays of Daybreak, is currently in bear-state. He's dressed for the setting however- even though it took a fair amount of research, and it also seems to somehow combine the aesthetics of a formal men's kimono set and a mobster's suit from the American 20s.

He's pulling it off alarmingly well however, and manages to even look cool while sniffing at the various cocktails.

"Hmmm...this one is beet," he determines, gently setting the glass down. And the next- "OH! Venison!"

He chugs it, immediately.

Evidently someone can tell just what it is you're drinking. "Hm? Oh, that one is..."

Very skilfully too.

[Sneef Failure]

No amount of bear-sense can save Gongenzaka from the perils of disorientation.

"Aaaauuh..." As per the wishes of the dear student council president, Gongenzaka has been trying to enjoy himself- particularly since (as evidenced by the abrupt change in his trail of rose petals to pink) he has a sword encouraging him to do so as well now.

Which of course meant hitting one of the switches.

Which. Erm.

"I...do not know which way..."

halp

[Update: Bear has GUN!]

Step Something of Enjoying the party- playing a game of laser tag. Technically, Gongenzaka intends to make sure no one is abusing the game of course- with all the forceful wrath of his own twin set of paintball tommy guns, actually. That has to be illegal!

Oh wait, everything is 'illegal', it's a speakeasy.

As it is, the bear is Here. Donning his hat, his weapons, and his...relative lack of skill with firearms, he comes round the corner with his eyes shadowed.

"It would appear...that I now, have you cornered..!"

...Maybe?

[imyoubut]

Prompt 1: The Party

[Urtz is decked out in a dress she'd chosen the very second the theme of this party reached her ears. Aside from the dress, she has a matching cloche bucket hat of the same color, with a black band and feather. Several pearl necklaces adorn her neck and chest, with her outfit being completed by black opera gloves and a black feather boa. All in all she seems quite pleased with herself and makes an active attempt to join people in conversation and on the dance floor. Every so often though she makes her way over to the refreshment table. Sometimes it's to enjoy some of the drinks and food provided, but other times it's to mess with the spread a bit.

Curious as to why your drink tastes like liquid cake? She probably has something to do with it. Not like she's even trying to hide her amusement at all the faces people are making.]

Prompt 2: I Cast Gun

[After a bit of more standard fun, Urtz decides there's no harm in mixing things up a bit. So she decides to join in on this bit of laser tag even though she's clearly not dressed for it. She can mend and clean her clothing so it's fine. If you're on her team during the start of the match, she'll be sure to pull you aside before it starts.]

I'll likely be splitting off from the group at some point. My abilities to shapeshift should prove useful here. If you see someone without this charm- [She pulls out a small acrylic keychain of a cartoon bunny making a piece sign and fastens it to her gun.] -they likely aren't me.

[Which would explain why if you're on the other team, you might hear about members of your own team somehow getting other people in your group out. Of course if you'd rather not deal with that, she's capable of playing out a match or two without using her tricks.]

[spelleton]

A

[ Ekkehardt is here to chaperone, as usual. What's not so usual is that he's actually eyeing some of the more experimental drinks, though he hasn't chosen anything to drink yet. He has a glassful of wine in hand, though, mostly to compliment his chosen outfit for the night. He's stiff and watchful as ever, however, which sits slightly at odds with the more party-oriented dress.

For those who know him well, he might appear more vaguely expectant than just watchful. Whether he's waiting for something - or someone - is unclear, but he certainly seems more contemplative at those moments than usual. ]

B

[ When he's not watching the party, Ekkehardt can be found wandering the halls, stretching his legs in apparent restlessness. He seems to have trouble staying in one place, for once. Still, he's polite, and he seems to know where he is at all times, making him an ideal person to talk to if you just want to leave the neverending maze of hallways. ]

C

[ Idk wildcard. Whatever you want ]

Héctor - OTA

[unpocoloco]

0 - Bitter Valentines

It's a stark difference from the last year, and in a way, not at all. Last year the themes of love were entirely overshadowed by the daemonic ambush and the threat of the Hollows. Last year, he'd sat by Imelda alone and she'd turned him away because she had every reason to, even having finally found he was dead. In a few days from now, a year ago, he'd be changed to a monster and taken apart. A few days back and a year, he'd left Imelda a gift.

She's not here now. He's left messages but they go unanswered. He's dressed for the occasion, always a fan of the time period in a way he could never explain and for that reason only looking slightly dressed up more than usual, a marigold pinned in the vest. The Hollows haven't been around for ages but the memories and helplessness remain. None of the other kids he was close to then are even here anymore. And then there's the memory of Garcie laying in his own blood.

His expression twists and he scrubs at his face. He wanted to enjoy this but he just has to admit, he's not okay.

"I shouldn't have come here," He says to himself. Or maybe to the guitar at his side.

(But, for any coupled friends, he'll manage a smile and a song for them.)

C / D

At some point, he gets up. He headed over to the table with drinks, downing a few to drown things out and some others just to taste. It's been a long time since he's had cake, after all, and it even pulls a smile from him.

But then he's pulled the other way, offered up for dances with fae and pushed towards friends his age (or ages they both would have been). He offers an apologetic smile, for those forced his way.

E - Off to the greenhouse

He makes his escape eventually, though it takes some time. He opts for something different from his usual haunts, making his way to the greenhouse and settling down there in the heat, where the night flowers bloom. With a drink at his side, he starts to pluck away at his guitar.

[unlogic]

A: you can have your cake and drink it too

Desidera had never really wondered what it would be like to drink a cake or a steak. She very much likes sweets and meat, though, so as strange as it sounds, it would probably be seen as even stranger if she didn't give the drinks a try. (The students who came up with these were thrilled when she started repeatedly coming back for more, then some of them eventually started worrying that maybe they couldn't keep up with her.)

Then somebody got the funny idea of mixing one of those steak drinks with one that, when she downed it, made her go mostly monochrome. High-contrast monochrome, with only five discernible colors total: black, two different (and distinct) shades of gray, and her eyes remained unchanged, keeping their usual red-on-white. To those familiar enough with some of the ways she uses her power, she mostly resembled one of her own shadow-construct clones.

The effect didn't last too long, though, possibly because that drink was mixed with something else. A mild disappointment, that; she'd found it kind of funny.

B: you can wander as much as you want

Between some of her trips back for more of those experimental drinks (god, she loved them), Desi occupied herself by exploring the venue's more-mazelike areas, taking the different doors and elevators to see what led where, not worrying too much about if she was getting herself lost; whatever way she went, she'd eventually end up back where she started, anyway.

Eventually.

E: wildcard

Desi is otherwise around until it comes time for the dance (at which point she's pretty much attached to Gunvolt for the remainder of the event), and she's not averse to mingling with others, so anyone who wishes to do so can catch her when she's not getting more of those drinks or wandering the maze of rooms and halls.

[hatesdragons]

As someone who hates far more than she loves, Emille isn't much for Valentine's Day. Yet she is pleased with the playful twist on the traditional theme, which makes her chaperone role seem a little less tedious after all.

Being her typical stick in the mud self, Emille's outfit is her usual buttoned-up maroon military jacket, but with formal black slacks underneath instead of a dress and leggings. At least it's something a little different?


A. Observing at the drink bar

[Emille sits at the drink bar with a water at hand, watching the crowd on the dance floor. No, she's not interested in trying any of the fancy drinks (at least not on her own), but she does take interest in watching others' reactions to downing the drinks. Want to amuse her by getting grossed out in front of her, or allow her to see the effects of one of the more odd drinks that actually changes one's voice? Or, even better, want to try and coerce her to live it up a little and try a drink herself? She has had her eye on one of the visually-altering drinks...]


B. A maze for days

[After sitting at the drink bar for a while, Emille notices a button on the wall to her left. That hasn't always been there, has it? Curious, she walks over to it and presses it, revealing a hidden door. Even more curious now, she enters it without a second thought. Follow her before the door disappears?]

(or)

[Emille has been in the hallways for a little while now, marveling at the magic on display. At least, she thinks it's magic? The walls glitter even though the hallways are filled with an odorless smoke... Her intrigue keeps her going, finding her journey and its unpredictability endlessly interesting.

She eventually ends up in a hallway that dead-ends into a small lounge area, with what must be an illusion of a full moon beaming through a window onto a plush red couch. However, as she approaches, the image of the night sky is replaced with a red and pink cascade of hearts, and she notices that the couch now has pink heart-shaped pillows on it.

Emille just frowns and sighs. Looks like she's stumbled upon the lovers' nook.]

...Seriously?

[It's too hazy for her to tell if anyone else is in the room... Or behind her, laughing at her response.]


C. Baby's first gun

[After escaping that red and pink nightmare, Emille hears others ahead of her chattering amongst themselves about a game at the end of this hall. Interested, she follows a ways behind them so they would not notice her, until they enter into a much larger, darker room with... black lights?

To her right are pendants and what look like guns. There's also a list of rules for the uninitiated such as herself, complete with instructions on how to use the weapons. Emille's never held a gun, let alone used one, so she's unsure whether or not she wants to partake in this activity. For now, she'll watch the others to get the gist of the game...]


D. Chaperoning... spirits?

[The ball is winding down, but Emille is once again at the drink bar, doing her duty as faculty chaperone until the bitter end. There seem to be more unrecognizable figures out on the floor now as the time has grown closer to midnight, and she has no idea who they may be, as their faces are veiled by hats and masks.

Every now and then one sort of mindlessly drifts over to the drink bar, and as they come closer to Emille, her small body glows with a blue aura that drives the stranger away without a word. She knows what the aura is, but she's unsure why it's reacting. Even more, she's nervous about other, more spiritually-attuned people seeing what's happening.

In an attempt to stop this from continuing, she whispers,] Please, I'm okay...


E. Wildcard

[Emille's going to be around all night and in all the places at some point. Feel free to poke her with whatever!]