Paper Faces on Parade

[applesaucemod]

The residents of Manhattan will once again find themselves drawn into the currents of the rift when they sleep tonight. Once again, too, the rift is drawing in people from other worlds, both those who might one day find themselves pulled through in waking life and those who might yet escape its grasp.

Tonight, it seems, a celebration is in order. The ballroom of a country manor is the setting for tonight's gathering. Wood and marble gleam in the gas lighting, and a bar at one end of the room provides the, ahem, social lubricant some guests may require. At the other end, a staircase leads to a walkway that runs the entire parameter of the room, allowing guests to watch the dancing from above. While the party is localized in the ballroom, who knows what secret passages and hidden ways a grand old house like this one might conceal?

Those who appear here will find themselves wearing a disguise on arrival. Should the rift cause one to appear in a costume not of their liking (as it is fairly likely to do), an enormous wardrobe can be found through a door near the bar. In it, guests will find a seemingly infinite assortment of costumes and masks of all sizes and varieties ready for their use.


[Mod note: Usual dream-party rules apply. Both members and non-members are welcome to use any character, be they already in the game or no, and players can choose whether to have their characters remember this in the morning.]

Comments

[fucking_ebay]

Peter appears, appropriately enough, next to the bar. The long black coat he wears bears some passing resemblance to his old stage outfit, though his clothing tonight is more formal -- and more suave -- than his hyper-sexualized stage fashion of yore. His hair is tidy for once, slicked back above a long-nosed, skull-like mask, and his necklaces and rings could almost be said to be tasteful. Almost.

He watches the dancers out on the floor, his mouth set in a confused frown. A moment later, he turns to the bar, deciding that that, at least, is something familiar.

since nobody is taking the opportunity to bother either of them

[theoldgirl]

This party is woefully lacking in interesting snacks, so the TARDIS has decided to see if there are at least beverages on offer that she hasn't tried yet. It's only because she's so distracted by the unwieldiness of her dress that she doesn't realize who it is that her poofy skirt is brushing up against on her way to the bar. When she does sense his mind a second later, she manages to stop herself from saying anything, as to not further attract his attention, but can't help making a face like she's smelled something rotten.

[stronglikebear]

Yuri tugs at the collar of his outfit. His mask is a simple black domino, and he looks more than a little uncomfortable dressed in heavy fabrics and furs. Why did he even come to this thing? He doesn't even see anyone he recognizes, and he can't even remember how he got in here.

"Excuse me," he says, reaching out to put a hand on the arm of someone passing by. "Do you know where the bathroom is?"

Maybe he can find his way from there.

[edgar_sawtelle]

Edgar stumbles to a halt as his arm is grabbed. No, I'm sorry, I-- His apology trails off as the voice registers in his mind. He stares into the masked face, trying to confirm his first impression. Yuri?

[alwaysalright]

Is a comment even necessary? The Doctor is not new to dressing up ridiculously to blend in somewhere. He's also wearing a mask that doesn't really do much to hide who he is. He's currently watching the dance from the sidelines, a glass of wine in hand.

[theoldgirl]

After the TARDIS has managed to have yet another fight with Gabriel (and wow isn't this party just a barrel of laughs), she's too upset to stay at the drinks table by herself, instead seeking out the only source of happiness she can truly depend on. It's not difficult for her to find the Doctor and she walks up to him purposefully, hurt and anger practically radiating off of her. Without a word, she loops one arm around his waist and presses close to his side, poofy skirt be damned.

[wildmage_daine]

Daine steps through a door and finds herself on the walkway above the dance floor, which is a far cry from the stable she was expecting. Nor is she wearing her usual attire, and she glances down in baffled admiration at her dress. It reminds her of the formal clothes she had to wear as a member of the Tortallan delegation: all subtle blues and greys, the better to match the wolf mask that has appeared on her head. She leans against the railing and fiddles idly with the sapphire bracelet around her wrist, trying to get her bearings.

[antitimelord]

Well here's someone who looks both lost and fancier than is their wont; Zagreus leans on the railing insouciantly, having resigned himself to mingling. Why not? It's a dream, he's growing used to those. He is no help with bearings of any variety, of course, but what he can provide is obnoxious fairytale references. "I must say I'm a bit put out. I thought I held the exclusive rights to all big bad symbolism. I suppose that leaves me telling you what big eyes you have."

[fragmentation]

Who knows where the rift got its inspiration for James's costume? Who even knows? But he's got a matching gold mask, and actually looks quite dapper for the occasion. He's also very inclined to dance, should anyone want to ask.

[has_a_horn]

Hello, person Gabriel hasn't bothered met yet. Gabriel wanders up to him and offers up a plate containing powdered-sugar covered cookies. He made them themself rather than getting them from the table, but they're still excellent.

He smiles, his mouth only partially hidden by the elongated nose of his mask. "Cookie?"

[bluesuit_handy]

Wherever the rift picked up the outfit in which it put James, it seems to have decided he needs a matching good fairy, pink dress and all. Unfortunately for Andrew, the obvious choice for the role is (apparently) James's pseudo-husband. His mask fails to hide his shame identity or even to properly match his dress.

Andrew can currently be found sneaking along the wall in search of a way out, blushing bright red under the mask.

[wildmage_daine]

With a little exploration, Daine had discovered another way down from the walkway: a smaller and far less grand staircase in the hallway off the ballroom. She could've taken the grand staircase, but she'd spotted someone near the bar that might have been Andrew - or the Doctor, or Peter - and had figured she'd lose him for certain if she had to work her way across the entire dance floor just to get to him.

Wolf mask atop her head so she can see properly, she heads back into the ballroom. As she steps though the arched doorway, she nearly collides with the pink-dressed figure working his way along the wall. "Oh! Pardon me..." she blinks up at him for a moment, so thrown by the dress and mask that it takes her longer than it should to place him. "... Andrew?" she guesses, not entirely certain.

[ham_tyler]

Tyler arrives in a James Bond type tuxedo, with a martini in his hand. He quickly drains off the alcohol, then goes into the wardrobe. He comes out wearing black jeans, a dark green pullover, and a black leather jacket. He feels under-dressed, though, because the dream world didn't give him any weapons. Tyler is very unhappy about that, but fortunately thinks this is an ordinary dream.

Anthropomorphized Miranda from Firefly/Serenity

[paxilonhydrochlorate]

It's beautiful here. A right fine shindig, as Daddy would say. Baba would yawn and pretend to care. But she's acquired some proper fancies and put a drink in hand.

She'll be good tonight. All sweet and proper, no matter the supple leather of her coat.

[stronglikebear]

Yuri has spotted what looks like an exit and is winding his way across the dance floor to get there. He bumps someone's shoulder as he passes.

"Sorry -- excuse me."

[theoldgirl]

Where the Doctor is, the TARDIS isn't far behind. She frowns down at the dress the telepathic current has chosen to adorn her projection with, thinking it's terribly unwieldy, but decides to stick with it for now anyway. She can always change if it gets annoying. At least her mask isn't bothersome. Now, are there imaginary snacks around here?

[has_a_horn]

Gabriel, having just had a confrontation with Peter" is on his way over to the refreshment table to get something that he hasn't dreamed up himself (preferably alcoholic) when he spots the TARDIS. Any other time, he might have just stayed out of her way out of respect, but right now he's not feeling particularly charitable to her wishes.

As he reaches out for one of the drinks in front of her, he says a rather terse sounding "excuse me" that comes across more as a command than a request.

[antitimelord]

When Zagreus turns up like the proverbial bad penny, he does so in a three piece in black and gold that would be quite classy--if it weren't ostentatiously quartered and checked like a jester's. The belled mask seals the deal. He feels a bit foolish, no pun intended, but changing would be more trouble than it's worth and too close to admitting...something. Defeat, maybe. He gnabs a drink and stalks the upper walkway instead.

[has_a_horn]

Gabriel is more or less just going to walk past Zagreus, but he remembers this guy, can sense the familiar weirdness about him that he hadn't quite gotten to explore before. A smile curves its way beneath his Captain Scaramouch mask and he asks, "Know any good jokes?"

[edgar_sawtelle]

Edgar blinks in surprise at the opulent surroundings. He was headed somewhere - he remembers that much - and though he can't recall where exactly (the memory of it slips away like water through hands), he knows it wasn't here.

And he wasn't dressed like this.

A tentative poke at his face confirms that, yes, he is wearing a mask. And a cape, apparently. Taking the edge between his fingers, Edgar pulls the cape out to his side like a wing. It's nondescript black on the outside, but a deep green on the inside.

[wildmage_daine]

"Whoops!" Daine pulls up short to stop herself colliding with Edgar's arm as he lifts his cape. "'Scuse me," she says, an undercurrent of sheepish amusement in her tone.

No. 6

[plaguedrat]

Rat doesn't trust his surroundings. It's too elegant and opulent to be something from the Western District, more like something from No. 6. Even on its nicest days, his theater isn't so polished. So, despite being in his stage dress as Ophelia, it doesn't feel right, nor does the mask he's suddenly acquired.

Like his namesake, Rat begins to search for a way to escape.

Re: No. 6

[wildmage_daine]

Daine has her head turned back to reassure Andrew that it is a bit noisy in here, so it's no great surprise James didn't hear him. But before she can say any of those things, she walks straight into another partygoer.

"Oh!" she belatedly pulls up short, wincing in embarrassment. "I'm sorry. Are you all right?"

[aly_brighteyes]

There's a blue-haired sprite wandering around the masquerade. It feels familiar in a way that she can't explain, but she does feel perfectly at home dressed like a wandering player.

Oh if Mother saw her now, she would just squawk.

[wildmage_daine]

Once Daine has confirmed to herself that it is, indeed, Aly in that astonishing get-up, she can't help sidling up to her niece.

"I can just about believe you're the daughter of a wandering player, after all," she says, eyebrow raised.

[thethirdwonder]

Cassie Sandsmark wasn't sure where she was, just that it was party. Universe hopping wasn't exactly new to her so she took it in stride as the junior super hero she was. The archer outfit she found herself in did cause a bit of a smile though. She wondered idly if Cissie was around to appreciate it, as well as any of her other friends, or if she was on her own.

She wandered about, careful to avoid people with her prop bow and arrow, Wonder Girl persona at the forefront. If she was going to get home, she first had to figure out how she got here and for what purpose was she brought. At least this time, it didn't involve baseball.

[aly_brighteyes]

"Oh, pardon me," Aly says, passing by the girl. She doesn't recognize her, though the outfit sets off sparks at the back of her memory. It takes a moment before Aly remembers herself, adjusting the mask, "This thing makes it hard to see."

[bluesuit_hoofy]

"What?"

It's not so much that the little blue and white pony has never seen humans before. No, he's been long used to people who look like...well, people, of the non-equine variety. No, it's more the fact that he hasn't seen humans in several months. He looks down at himself sharply as if unsure what he'll find. When what he finds are mismatched furry forelegs and hooves, he lets out a long sigh of disappointment.

"Right, because hands would be too much to ask for. Oi --" he tries to catch the attention of someone nearby, not that it ought to be hard given his appearance. "Where are we and why am I still on four legs?"

He's quite a little pony, too. His head would only come up a bit above waist height on the average man. He also happens to be wearing a wizard robe and a Gryffindor scarf at the moment.

[wildmage_daine]

It takes Daine a few moments of bemused staring before she realizes that she's not looking at some sort of strange and incredibly detailed child's costume, but an actual tiny, blue and white pony wearing a robe and a scarf.

It's probably just as well that he speaks up before she's wholly recovered herself, elsewise she probably would have reached out to pat the little fellow (or, more appallingly, blown into his nose to introduce herself as she would to a real pony). She registers the voice's familiarity beneath the more obvious consternation with which it's laced, and then she's rather grateful she's kept her hands to herself.

"We're at a party," she offers, since at least she knows the answer to that question. Then she drops into a crouch (carefully, given her dress) so he won't have to crane his neck to look up at her. "And I've never seen a horse like you before."

~fashionably late~

[has_a_horn]

Gabriel leans over the walkway, surveying the crowd below. He's arrived in Elizabethan garb. He's not too crazy about the breeches and hose, but the robe manages to be comfortable enough, and his mask sits neatly on his face. After a moment of watching, he pushes himself away from the rail and heads for the stair. Might as well mingle if there's a party to be had.

[fucking_ebay]

After his his defeat at the hands of the TARDIS, Peter heads for high ground in the hope that he'll be able to see her coming should she head his way again -- and in the hope that he might spot Lucy, who is always a ray of sunshine in the sea of shit that is the Dreaming. He bumps the shoulder of another man in a long-nosed mask not entirely unlike his own, and keeps going.

[thresh_prince]

Karkat looks pretty alarmed, but mostly over the recently unpunctured state of his thorax; the opulent surroundings haven't remotely sunk in yet. Remember when he hadn't been recently fucking stabbed? NEITHER DOES HE. Oh hey look at this giant room full of giant snazzily dressed assholes. If Karkat gnashes his teeth any harder people will probably be endangered by the shrapnel. At least he looks very dashing in his (ironic, gifted) 'Crabby Christmas' shirt and crabby pj pants.

[theoldgirl]

Oh hey, the TARDIS has definitely met someone like this before, only the girl had wings and didn't look this disturbed. Curiosity piqued, the TARDIS walks over, stopping far away enough not to bump her skirts into him. "Are you alright?"

[has_a_horn]

The party has not been doing Gabe any favors. In his eyes, he's solidly lost two friends that he's not sure were his friends to begin with. Even for him, that's bad luck for the space of less than an hour wandering about the place.

Now, he's very decidedly not moping by sitting at the side of the room and drinking. He's still in costume, but his mask sits neglected on the chair next to him.

[brink]

Here's an opportunity to alienate another friend! Or, you know, reconnect, hopefully. Maybe.

Topher hasn't made any moves to track down and talk to Gabriel, partly afraid he'll scare him off, partly unsure if his company would be welcome at all. But a shared dream party seems like fairly neutral ground, so Topher's making an attempt at contact, approaching him cautiously.

Topher is dressed for the occasion, but he's not exactly the most festive here. His outfit is fairly simple, and all grey and black, and he's taken off his mask (equally plain) to talk to Gabriel.