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

[cisskabob]

“Don’t worry, I wouldn’t want to lose my source,” she tells him, equally solemnly. “I wouldn’t expect you to admit discussing glitter and rhinestones, anyway. Unless the conversation revolves around telling me how amazing my fancy sparkly dress is, because that is just good friendship. I mean, I know you already did, but it’s a very fancy dress.”

[mrsarcastic003]

"Very," he agrees, smiling. "And you look very nice in it. I couldn't help noticing that you happen to match a certain mutual friend...?" His tone is light and teasing. They're cute. He approves.

[cisskabob]

“Red was a suggested color for the dress code,” she says airily, though her face warms and she knows she’s blushing. Blushing and smiling, probably a bit foolishly, because she can’t help herself. She’s happy. It’s nice. “Are you planning on asking me to dance any time soon, by the way?”

[mrsarcastic003]

"Of course. Silly me." He grins at her. It's one of several colors and they both know it, and Cissie would have looked nice in any of them. The fact them at she'd chosen the one that matched Jason is probably not a coincidence.

"Oh, we're dancing? Is that a thing we're doing?"

[cisskabob]

It’s not remotely a coincidence, but good luck getting an admission—for now. Cissie rolls her eyes at him and holds out her arms to gesture at the ballroom. “We are at a ball, Tim. I think dancing is traditional at these things. Of course, if you’d rather be a creepy wallflower in your scary plague mask, I guess that’s a choice you could make. The wrong choice, but a choice.”

[mrsarcastic003]

"I am a creepy wallflower in a plague mask," he says, shrugging a little. "But that doesn't mean I can't dance, if the occasion calls for it." He offers her his hand. "Shall we?"

[cisskabob]

She giggles, but places her hand in Tim’s. “Yes, please. It feels like a shame to waste perfectly good dancing clothes, at a not remotely creepy or sinister actual ball.”

[mrsarcastic003]

"Yes," he says, leading her into the dance floor. "Those are definitely the terms I'd use to describe this. Not at all creepy or sinister. Thanks for putting it into words for me."

[cisskabob]

“To be fair, I think I’ve heard them recently. Often. Every time the topic of this ball has come up, in fact. I can’t imagine who would be so cynical or untrusting, though.”

[mrsarcastic003]

"Who knows. It certainly doesn't sound like me. I am both optimistic and trusting in all ways."

[cisskabob]

“Oh yes, that sounds like the Timothy Jackson Drake-Wayne that I know and love.”

[mrsarcastic003]

He blinks at her. "Did you just full name me?"

[cisskabob]

“And if I did?”

[mrsarcastic003]

"I would feel extremely called out right now."

[cisskabob]

She sighs and gives him a sad look. “Tim, I hate to tell you... but you have totally been called out.”

[mrsarcastic003]

"I suspected." He spins her once and pulls her back in. "I am, of course, devastated."