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

[hellofishies]

"What are you sorry for?" The question is asked honestly and comes from a genuine place of confusion. She's not sure what he could be saying sorry for. He's done nothing to her and she doesn't like the idea of making someone feel bad. Or of making him specifically feel bad. There's something about him that makes her want to try to make him smile. Or at least frown a tiny bit less.

"We managed. There's nothing to feel sorry for. Well, we sort of managed. Mistakes were made." Big mistakes, ones she's not really in a rush to elaborate on. "What do you think we can learn here?"

[chaosvessel]

"...I wouldn't have had that happen to you." He immediately regretted his wording but lacked a better form. Instead, he grimaced slightly and looked down. He could understand her sentiment, he'd made plenty of mistakes himself, not the least of which had led to the creation of the man who would nearly destroy their world. Still, he didn't know how to console her. He'd barely begun to try to seek forgiveness for himself.

And thus he welcomed the change of topic, giving a glance around. "Well, we are in the mayor's manor."

[hellofishies]

"What would you have happen then?" There's a slightly teasing quality to her voice with the question. Even if she wasn't psychic it still wouldn't be hard to tell that he felt weird about his wording. He might have enjoyed the chance at a change of topic but she wasn't about to just let it go like that. It was a bit too amusing for her. Besides, it meant staying away from serious conversation longer and she appreciated any chance to go with that.

"I don't think we'll learn anything here. Except what we should all already know about the Mayor." But saying anything more than that here seems dangerous and silly.

[chaosvessel]

"Nothing...like that." There was something about her, something he had yet to be able to articulate and likely wouldn't for some time. She was right about one thing, though: they were unlikely to learn anything worthwhile here. He could simply leave, but something made him stay.

Something about her in that dress, but he didn't know what, and he didn't know how to invite her to join him for anything, so he instead just nodded awkwardly. She was right, after all.

[hellofishies]

"What happened was understandable given what we were. That people were afraid. We didn't even fully know. Still don't." She chuckles at the admission. It's probably a bit strange to laugh at something like not knowing what she really is, but it's better to laugh than to linger on the confusion of it.

"Lets dance." It's time for a topic change and a very quick one. Can't linger too long anything that has to do with her. She takes his hand and teleports them into the main room where others were dancing.

[chaosvessel]

He shakes his head briefly but doesn't comment further. That sort of uncertainty didn't afford parents selling off their children. Nothing did, but she didn't seem to want to discuss the topic further and he didn't possess the social skills necessary to push the subject.

He was instead taken by surprise at her suggestion and even more so by suddenly appearing on the dance floor. Startled, he looks around for a moment before looking back to her. "...how did...?"