oh, we dance in misery

[headandhand]

WHO: Open to all Dualizens!
WHAT: the Plague Memorial Masked Ball
WHERE: the Mayor's Mansion (central Dualis)
WHEN: the evening of November 16
WARNINGS: Visuals/discussion of disease and death in the setting. Anything else, please use appropriate warnings!

At 8 p.m. sharp, the lights inside and around the Mayor's Mansion turn up, and the doors are opened to the crowds that begin to trickle inside. All entrances are manned by Iterations, and all party-goers are scanned for both proper attire (formal and masked, mandatory) and weapons (absolutely forbidden) before being allowed entry.

Once inside, attendees are greeted to a spectacle of warmth and light and lavish decorations, all themed in white accented with gold and violet. Venture into the ballroom, and you'll see intricately carved ice sculptures in various representations of death, all laden with garlands of marigolds and violet chrysanthemums. At one end of the room, a rotating cast of musicians plays soft music in differing arrangements of strings and piano. Long tables at the other end of the ballroom are piled high with punch fountains and platters of delicious party foods, and a few bar stations serve beverages of the more adult variety to those of age.

Outside the main ballroom are seven smaller rooms, for more intimate conversations and quiet recovery from the main gala (or just skulking like a brooding weirdo, if that's your thing). Six of the rooms are decorated in monochrome blue, purple, green, orange, white, or violet, and the seventh room is pitch black with red accents.

Throughout the night, the mayor herself winds in and out of the crowds, shadowed by a pair of bodyguards. She is all smiles, greeting people with a friendly handshake and effusive words of thanks for attending the ball, but she never stays in one place long enough for a true conversation. This is a celebration of life and a remembrance of the dead, after all - not the time or place for talks of business or politics.

Enjoy yourselves tonight, everyone! And remember - death eventually comes for everyone.

Comments

[blitzcheer]

What's normal really, Kyoko? Tidus's mask doesn't do well with raised brows, going as high as his forehead, but his small laugh will probably do the trick.

"What? No," that's ridiculous and weird, "I was just guarding someone who was going to take down a big creepy monster. I learnt it on the way."

Which isn't the way he'd want to usually bring up Sin, but that's the way it slides out, somehow. No need to always get too personal about it, right?

"It wouldn't make any sense if I tried describing it. It's something about energy, focus..." Pausing for a long moment, and giving up and waving his free arm in a shrug. "I dunno. Maybe even you could do it."

[wishalone]

It makes sense that there would be other ways of getting magic on other worlds, but it's difficult for her to process it. This city has magic, too, that's been obvious since the day she got here. But it's different, meeting someone else with magic, who is talking about it openly, who didn't have to pay a price to get it.

There's a chance he had to pay a price, too, and he's not mentioning it. That's something she'd do. 'Learned it on the way' isn't something that would imply the kind of price they've paid, but he could be underselling it.

"Me? Do magic?" Kyoko likes to think her voice is impressively even, all things considered. Even if she might be overdoing the skepticism a little. "I think I'll pass. What would I even do with it, anyway?" She should really change the subject.

"I bet it gives you an edge when you're playing your sport, though. I mean, it can't be common."

[blitzcheer]

He chuckles under his breath when she dismisses it, but he won't press it. Could he even teach her anyway? Could anyone learn a new magic here? It was worth finding out, but from a different source.

"There's some stuff allowed in a blitzball game. And it's not easy for everyone to learn," he admits. "There's rules--they've been toning down what's allowed and what isn't for years. They used to allow custom claws in a match once upon a time, but those are gone now."

Mention sports, and Tidus easily gets lost in the subject, captivated. No wonder all the old blitz players were ragged with scars. Did the ronso play blitzball? Geez, he wish he got to see that.

"You still have to think about what you're going to do. You're swimming, you've got guys on every side of you, there's water everywhere, and magic is draining. And it's likely the other team knows some moves too, so you're not at a complete advantage."