[ ACTION ] OTA: You'll Never Know How Many Dreams I Dreamed About You

[nascensibility]

Who: Everyone is welcome, children and adults alike.
Where: First floor, ballroom.
When: Friday the 13th, from 9:00 in the evening on.
Rating: E (for Everyone)
Summary: Semi-formal themed fête.






[Guided by brassy music down an expansive hall residents will enter the first floor ballroom: it has undergone many transformations in its time, and suffered the myriad slings and arrows of Wonderland's event-related torment, but tonight its purpose has shaped it into something glittering and streamlined, the décor as advertised not long before. While socialising does appear to be the primary function, the arrangement of amenities would suggest differently.

The gilded walls border on overly opulent and a dancefloor - ringed with refreshment tables, an open bar, and scattered seating - is pointedly centred, and the brass band for which a Vendor Ticket was exchanged explodes with forceful tunes from a handful of different eras, some of which might be recognisable to those of the twenty-first century.

The only uncertainty is how one might spend the evening.]

Comments

open;

[nascensibility]

[Your illustrious hostess is dressed in eye-catching red, because nothing says pay attention to me like crimson and a glittering hairpiece over a meticulously-styled coif. Evelyn flits from one party to the next, ensuring that all guests are tended to, that residents are having a good time and, more importantly, doing her damnedest to see to it that no one's dance card is empty.

(If she has to fill it herself, so help her, she will.)

Evelyn is simultaneously easy and difficult to find, meandering from bar to bandstand and back again, wholeheartedly for accepting dances and conversation alike.]

hey girl, cool party

[everyonecanbekind]

[ Papyrus is carrying a glass of wine when he bumps into Evelyn by accident, managing to not spill a drop of liquid. At this point, he's taken off his suit jacket and just wears the vest and bowtie that he put together underneath it.

He locks eyes with her, the apology lost when he sees her dress. ]

WOWIE!! YOU LOOK VERY DRESSED UP! RED IS A NICE COLOR ON YOU!

[ it just...sort of spills out. Red is such a nice color. This female human? She's got some class. a+. ]

Frisk | open, will match whatever format!

[determinedest]

( near the door )

Maybe this wasn't the best idea.

It took a little while for Frisk to get the closets to come up with an outfit for them, but they took the invitation very seriously, as they do with most things involving grown-ups.

...there are an awful lot of grown-ups here. Human ones, that is. They try not to slink along and shrink into themselves and slip out and disappear. It hasn't been long since their...since they died. It hasn't been long at all. And logically, they're used to it. But it always happens quickly back home, never slow and creeping and inexorable. And Papyrus on top of it -

But they can put on a brave face. A smile, like Sans does. Even if it kills them a little bit to do it.

( refreshment table )

[There's a few platters of hors-d'oeuvres along the table, along with several other foods they don't know the names of. Looks like human food. They pick up a block of something on a stick and munch on it. Tastes like human food too. Tastes like cheese, maybe? They're not sure.

It's getting progressively later, but they've never had a standard bedtime, so it doesn't really matter. Besides, there's nothing waiting for them in their dreams that they'll look forward to. Just screams, memories of timelines gone wrong, moments where they died or killed someone or watched someone they love die because everything they love dies and lately it's only gotten worse.

So. No bedtime. Not tonight.

They've found a sugary drink that fizzes and bubbles in their mouth, and it tastes really good. Their eyes pop open in delight. Is this what soda is?

Undyne truly denied them a wonderful thing.]

( dancefloor )

It's gotten pretty late by now, but Frisk doesn't care. They've decided that they really like this music, and they like to think they've learned a little something from Mettaton (they haven't). So they're in the center of the dancefloor, dancing their little determined heart out in a complicated flurry of hops and kicks and jumps.

Do they have any idea what dances are supposed to look like from this time period? Nope! Do they know a thing about what they're doing? Not a clue! Do they care?

Definitely not. They're determined to have fun tonight, and darn it to heck, they will try their hardest to.

DANCE FLOOR. U. ME. RITE NOW.

[everyonecanbekind]

Papyrus happens to walk past the dancefloor when he sees Frisk just-- just dancing. It's amazing. It's all he can do to bound excitedly to them from where he had seen them walking by.

"GREETINGS, TINY WELL-DRESSED HUMAN!! A bold opening statement. Papyrus holds an inviting hand out, low to the ground, so he has to bend over a good deal. It doesn't bother him in the slightest-- his excitement is palpable.

"WOULD YOU DO ME THE HONOR OF A DANCE?"

Papyrus | Open! (will match prose!)

[everyonecanbekind]

( the refreshment table )

[ Papyrus is standing at the table, dressed in a well fitting suit! He has in his hand a wine glass with some sort of wine-looking beverage in it. It's not as bad as he had thought it to be. Someone said there were grapes in it, but they must be...sour grapes.

He is slightly disappointed that there is no spaghetti- he'd have brought some if he had known that there was none here. Despite the minor setback, he is content to watch people for now. Everyone wears such dapper outfits; he fiddles with his bowtie, unsure of how it looks. Sure, it looks amazing on Papyrus, but everything looks amazing on Papyrus. He smiles to himself.

Just a little push of confidence to make him excited about this party all over again.

( dance floor! )

[ Papyrus is surprisingly agile on the dance floor-- he'd done a little bit of reading and practicing on his own before the party. Not completely sure how to dance well, but all he needs is practice, right? He's certainly got enough energy to try anything, but the patience to dance slowly.

His tall frame is proper and his posture is perfect. His eyes dart around for someone to show his amazing dancing skills to.

And yes, he's quite excited about it. ]

refreshment table U OK THERE ALEX

[rosswood]

[Alex is just doing another sweep of the area with his camera, and he -

nearly drops the camera.

Tall, and white-faced, and in a suit, looming over him

oh god oh god it's here it's here and no one even notices how can no one care that it's here and staring at them or maybe he's the only one who can see it is that it was he wrong the whole time why isn't there the digital scratch of static in his head why isn't there screaming how can he be here like this oh god]

Get out. Get out!

[His fingers are numb. Everything's numb. It occurs to him that he might be having an attack of some kind, but he doesn't care he just needs to run but his legs are practically bolted to the ground and he doesn't care if he's making a scene, he just stares at the thing in front of him and shouts, fingers fisting into his hair and pulling]

Get out of my head!

Sans | OTA

[punful]

[Sans doesn't really want to be here. Papyrus insisted. Practically dragged him out of his room, even though Sans just kind of...wants to sleep for another week or so. It's gonna take about that much time to recover from the past weekend, honestly. Too much happened.]

[But Papyrus is right, honestly. He should probably get out before he literally starts growing mold. And Evelyn is nice, and the good thing about parties is that there's usually so many people there that you can just hide in a corner.]

[Which is exactly what he's doing. He's camped out near the refreshment table, in an out-of-the-way corner, eating and drinking more than is strictly necessary and watching everyone have a good time. Papyrus is having a lot of fun, so that's good at least. It's amazing how quickly he bounces back. Sans wishes he had that talent.]

[For now, just watching other people be happy is good enough. Sans will figure out how to be happy on his own soon enough.]

[For his part, he's dressed like normal, but he's also wearing a hat. Apparently it's a bowler hat or something, whatever the hell that means? It's about as "dressed up" as he can manage.]

SUP

[everyonecanbekind]

[ a wild Papyrus appears!

He looks a little worn out. His bowtie is crooked, his jacket is hanging over his arm, but damn if he doesn't look delighted to see Sans.

For...a moment. Then he sits at the table. He's not tired, but...Sans came out of his room for this. He came out and Papyrus can't just not say hey. He laughs a little. ]

SANS, YOU ARE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROOM! THE DANCE FLOOR IS OVER THERE!

[ he's a happy skeleton. Dancing for so long has left him a little warm. ]

Alex Kralie | open, will match whatever format

[rosswood]

bar;

Of course he's at the bar. He's got a policy, and that policy is that it's not alcoholism until he's at least in his early thirties.

At least he had the decency to try and fit in. Inasmuch as someone like him can, anyway. He ended up with a derby hat thing too, but it looked pretty damned stupid on him, so he ended up leaving it on someone's chair and hoping they'd spring for a free derby.

He's perched on one of the barstools, experimenting with mixed drinks and taking his sweet time nursing them. He's not overly eager to strike up a conversation at this point, but once alcohol gets involved, inhibition is usually the first thing to go.

literally anywhere;

[He's so not a music major. He isn't, honest. But he won't mind mingling now that he's had a few drinks.

He even takes out his camera - it's not era-appropriate, but who gives a damn? And starts getting a couple shots when it suits him. Out-of-focus frames of people dancing, images of shiny polished shoes crossing back and forth, distant angles of the odd group socializing.

Don't mind the weird kid with the camera. It's just for, uh, posterity. Really.]

bar; ayyy

[normandysbest]

[Hey, she's not the only one drinking heavily and trying to fit in! That's nice, actually. She's appropriately dapper and waits a bit before approaching him, moving from the other side of the bar to take the stool next to his.]

Hey. You look... better than you did in the tunnels. Nice to see you again.

[She's not perfect at conversation.]

Chara | OTA

[fulllifeconsequences]

[A - Literally Pressed Up Against The Wall Away From the Dancefloor]

[Wow!! Chara doesn't want to be here!! They don't know a thing about 192X, or 193X, or whatever, so their attempt at period-appropriate attire is... an attempt. They hate being around crowds of humans. They've never heard any of this music before. They've never been to a dance. Someone's probably going to call them a girl because they're wearing a skirt.

They. Don't know how to dance. So they're very consciously trying to distance themselves from the dance floor. They're being on their best behaviour, which basically means not moving and not speaking and not looking at anyone and wearing a smile that is starting to look sort of painful.

But maybe if nothing eventful happens, then Frisk will get bored of this quickly and they can both go home and never ever do this again. Boy, that would be super.]

[B - The God Damn Open Bar]

[They're trying to get alcohol. That's it. That's the prompt. It's supposed to calm you down, right? They're totally probably 50 or something. It's fine. This is fine.

They're like. 12 years old. Someone just give them some chocolate milk.]

8) (a) did u say sprawled out on the dancefloor ready to bust a move?!

[everyonecanbekind]

[ Papyrus finds Chara-- it takes some doing. They're just leaning against a wall. Looks uncomfortable. Out of their element. ]

CHARA!!

[ he bounds over. ] YOU'RE HERE!! HOW GREAT FOR YOU, THAT YOU SHOULD GET TO WITNESS THE AMAZING DANCING SKILLS OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS!!

Shepard | OTA, i'll match format!

[normandysbest]

[Shepard's not good at parties or dancing, but an open bar appeals to her, and she feels like she needs a little bit of an adventure after the last week she's had. It's been good, considering the circumstances, but... busy. And being alone just makes her feel twitchy. She's really not sure what period attire constitutes- '20s and 30's to her is 2120 and beyond, so she gets the closets to cough up a fancy version of her dress blues and calls it a day. She's done dresses and heels, but she's just not feeling it tonight. Maybe she's worried about something going wrong; maybe this just makes her feel a little less homesick. You never know.

Still, she can be found on a barstool, watching people dance, tapping her foot along to the beat, and sipping a fancy cocktail. It's nice. Even for one night, it's nice.]

[ofletters]

If I didn't know you were military before, I sure know now.

[ Of course, he did know, since she'd told him the first time they'd spoken, but it doesn't stop the hint of a grin as Sam approaches, one hand stuck in his pockets, the other holding a beer.

His drink isn't particularly fancy, but his clothes are, and he figures that must count for something. ]

Holding up alright?

Rick | OTA

[wriggedywrecked]

[It's a party so obviously the life of the party is here. Not that Rick is the...biggest fan of themed parties? Especially not fusty 20's type parties. I mean, sure, the aesthetic is pretty amazing, gangsters and all and...]

[Okay fine so this could actually be a whole lot of fun, shut up, whatever.]

[He shows up actually looking legitimately dapper in a suit, though the effect is ruined by the effect that it's fucking Rick and he's got a bottle of something in one hand, the suit isn't pressed, his coat is lopsided and he basically looks like he stepped out a student film about mobsters where the students had no fucking idea what a real mobster even was.]

[But whatever, he's here to drink and have fun.]

[normandysbest]

[Haha, okay, NOW it's a party. She waits until he inevitably lumbers over to the bar, or at least somewhere where it's not incredibly public. She's looking appropriately fancy and she grins at him.]

Nice outfit. You might wanna try putting it all the way on next time.

Alphys | OTA

[sciencelizard]

[Alphys wasn't going to make an appearance- parties are not necessarily her thing, because she's bad at being a Social Creature and it doesn't always work in her favor. But she could hear Sans and Papyrus clattering down the hall, plus Frisk and Chara bickering somewhere, and she decided that it might be worth it to make an appearance.

She has literally one piece of formalwear she's okay with wearing, so that's what she's here in. She's just been hovering near the wall until she spies the refreshment table, and then it becomes clandestinely trying not to look like she's eating all the food available. Finally, she finds her way over to a table with her plate, watching people dance and wishing she was better at it. She can watch, though. That's just as nice.]

[littlestreetcat]

[ Oh, there's someone who looks familiar. And someone that Selina's been meaning to check up on ever since their first conversation. Spotting Alphys taking a seat at one of the tables, Selina abandons her efforts to slip things out of peoples' pockets in order to walk over and join her. ]

Hey, Alphys.

[ Offering a bit of a smile, she drops into one of the chairs. If it weren't for the fact that she's wearing a dress, she'd have probably pulled her feet up onto the seat as well, but as it is...she'll just sit like a perfectly polite child. Her eyes resting on Alphys, Selina's eyebrows raise questioningly. She's been wondering how the lizard monster has been adjusting to Wonderland, having honestly been worried about her whether she'd admit to it or not. ]

How've you been doing? I don't think I've seen you around since you first got here.

Dipper | open

[krmvgivv]

[Dipper really really wanted to try for period accuracy, but it turns out boy's clothes in the 1920s is terrible and he can only imagine how much people will laugh at him and his face starts getting red just thinking about it. Finally he settles on something not entirely terrible and hopes it passes muster.

Once there, though, he's not... sure what to do. He's never been a major partier even at parties of his own era, and the idea of dancing sounds like a nightmare. He still doesn't feel like he should be trying alcohol. This is probably before the era of Bar Mitzvah style party games and anyway, that's not what grown-ups do at parties.

......grown-up parties are boring.

Dipper grabs some snacks and finds a table to sit at, wondering idly how rude it would be to pull out a book. Probably very.]

[alayne]

[ unlike him, sansa had tried the wine they had offered, found it lacking when compared to the summerwine she had tasted in the South, the kind that so rarely reached the north and put her glass back. the sweet, bubbling wine, however, proved to be wonderful and she is still holding a glass in her hands as she crosses the room feeling odd in her gown, it is the only one she could find that she didn't think was scandalously short or revealing or inappropriate for a lady.

her hair falls freely down her back, held aside by a white lily and nothing else. an odd style, not like anything she had seen before but not entirely unbecoming. ]

Those look good.

[ she smiles, standing just behind him, looking at the snacks ]

Good evening, Dipper.

ford pines | open!

[mviw]

[Parties are not Ford's usual haunt, but considering the events of the last month or so, he's decided a little tentative socialization and relaxation are a good idea. After some thought, the closet chose an appropriate suit for the occasion.

Ford makes a point of avoiding the dance floor and floats between the bar and a corner table. People-watching is a lot more interesting to him than trying to test the integrity of his aching joints. Incidentally, he has his cane with him, but it seems to be more of a fashion statement than a necessity.]

[sciencelizard]

[Oh jeez. He's here and he looks good oh jeez. How do you talk to cute people? Do you just... die? Alphys is pretty sure you just die. But, eventually, she psychs herself up enough to at least say hello, so she finds him when he's at his table and waves a little awkwardly on approach. She's in her single piece of formalwear she's comfortable wearing, so... close enough to looking fancy, right?]

H-Hey! It's uhm, n-nice to see you.

Princess Bubblegum } ota

[monosaccharide]

[Bonnie has done research on the "1920s" period of earth history, enough to pull an appropriately styled dress from the closet and appear with a stylishly short hairdo. She's even traded out her crown for something a bit simpler.

She's done the party thing enough that she mingles pretty effortlessly, finding a drink and moving from group to group. If asked nicely, she might even dance.]

Selina | ota

[littlestreetcat]

[ When the invitation had shown up and the message over the network broadcast, Selina had planned on not showing up to the party. Honestly, it sounded like a pretty boring time--she's not one for fancy parties or situations where all you really do is stand around, talking. But, on the day of, she has a change of heart and shows up.

She even tries to fit in, wearing a dress that she pulled out of the closet, managing to look relatively on theme. That earns participation points, right? Even if the reason she wants to blend in is to make it easier to take part in her fun little hobby of picking peoples' pockets while they're having a good time.

Pointedly avoiding the dancefloor, Selina spends most of her time closer to the outskirts of the ballroom. She wanders through the crowd, keeping an eye out for potential targets, and occasionally stopping to pick at the refreshment table. If you're not careful, you might end up missing something (or everything) you brought with you, but if you're quick...you might be able to catch her in the act.

Or, you could just approach and talk. She's not looking withdrawn from everyone, after all. ]

[ttlynotabloodmage]

[Jowan honestly hadn't been certain about going to the party either; it feels like the sort of thing that nobles would enjoy more than anyone else, and despite reassurances that it's different here he half expects to get turned away at the door. But surprisingly he isn't, instead being invited inside to wander the party curiously, feeling exceedingly out of place in his robes.

It makes him all the more grateful to see someone else who looks like they're out of place and avoiding others as well, and he wanders over to the young girl, carrying with him a plate loaded with some of the food available.]

You don't like being here either?

snow white | ota

[onevice]

[ She'd aided in setting up the "little" gathering, so it would be silly not to attend, wouldn't it? Snow White is there before most of the others in appropriate attire and an expression of being actually relaxed (for her, anyway). She makes polite conversation with those who venture across her path or stand idly nearby, smiling and talking and mostly glancing around the room to check for anything that might needing attending to, busybody that she is.

Snow doesn't really dance, but she does hold a glass of champagne and switch from sitting in one of the shell-like booths to standing and watching the others. In some ways, she's acting, and feels, like the chaperon at a high school dance, but it's clearly something within her element, so she's more at ease this evening than she's been in a while. ]

[radiopalkiller]

[ He's aiming for one of the empty booths when he thinks he could use a break from dancing, but then it just so happens that the one next to it is a better kind of occupied. Philip loosens the fly on his suit, grabs himself a glass of scotch on the way, and stops next to Snow's booth. ]

Saving that seat for anyone, or can I jump in?

Elizabeth | Open

[uncaging]

Elizabeth's tapping her foot along to the music, getting rather excited when a song she knows comes on, even if the arrangement's completely different to what she's used to - something that may confuse those who know her to be from an earlier time period to that the music comes from. It took her several attempts to pull a 1920s dress from her closet before she found one she'd be happy to wear, the shorter flapper dresses a little too short for her, and making her marvel at just how drastically fashion had changed within a decade.

She spends most of the evening gliding across the dance floor, pulling anyone who looks as though they've spent too long watching from the sidelines in to dance whether they like it or not. When she takes a break from dancing, she watches the band, enraptured at hearing music played live in front of her.

She glances over at the bar nervously, trying to make up her mind as to whether to be adventurous, but in the end just orders orange juice.

[ttlynotabloodmage]

The bar gets Jowan's attention as well, although not as much as the familiar young woman that he sees considering it. While they haven't spoken terribly often, she's one of the few people in the mansion that he doesn't feel as nervous around and he hopes she won't mind him stopping by to speak with her again.

"Are you only going to have juice?"

} open

[thesamurai]

arrival, tag Philip;

[Michonne can count the number of times she's worn a dress on one hand: Her graduation from law school, her father's funeral, Jo and Simon's wedding, and right now at this party. Dresses don't normally give her that range of motion she's looking for, and they for sure now don't go with a katana. But she's decided to get into this; she'd decided the second Philip asked her, honestly. She's even wearing her locs in an up-do that looks semi-elegant. She has some damn makeup on.

These were the parties her great-grandmother had talked about, when life wasn't good in the south but there was music in the streets of New Orleans and the drumbeats that became jazz. Michonne has an appreciation for it, for that time period when music was an integral part of people's souls. In her world, she's not sure there will ever be moments like this again, and if civilization ever finds its footing, it will be pre-walker invasion versus post, and soirees like this when Josephine Baker was turning heads won't have much room in new history.

But, anyway, she's here to have fun, letting herself hold onto Philip's arm, even as she does a sweep of exits with her eyes, seeing faces she knows and some she doesn't, getting ready for whatever drinks and dancing lie ahead.]

taking a seat;

[She's been on her feet all night, and it feels good to just let go of the fear that something shambling or otherwise might crash the party. She's talked to others, danced close to Philip, but it isn't until she sits down to relax for a moment and just soak in the atmosphere that she realizes she's having a damn good time. She's openly smiling, and it's that same feeling she had during the garden party. Someone else gets it, this need to let go of the day to day living in the mansion and just have fun.]

at the table!

[mypartnerintime]

[Max walks up to the table and smiles at the woman. She's wearing a much simpler and less eye-catching dress.] Hey Michonne. Looking cool as usual. I think this is the first time I've seen you without your katana nearby.

open!

[therapize]

[There's no use in denying it; Cami's been all smiles since she stepped into the ballroom, decked out in silver and green with her hair elegantly styled--although that's a little harder to tell at first, since she happens to also be wearing a denim cap. Maybe it's a little bit out of place with the rest of her outfit, but as soon as she sees one Sam Winchester, she'll be passing off the hat anyway. Tradition being important, and all.

But whether she's on her own or talking to someone else, it's clear Cami's enjoying herself. She's fallen in love with this brand of music thanks to her days in New Orleans, and this? God, it reminds her of home, even if she's from nearly a century after the setting. She takes advantage of the open bar and the opportunity to mingle, and definitely the chance to hear the band play. She might even be up for a dance, but chances are she'll have to be coaxed a bit.

It's not outside the realm of possibility, though.]

[interpersonal]

[ cami and elena haven't interacted since that first fateful meeting. she's still processing much of what was said during that meeting, but cami left her with a good impression. it's remarkable, considering what was said and the main topic of discussion. unfortunately, despite elena's seasoned tactics, cami didn't budge and tell her about the future that's awaiting them. she doesn't know if she's relieved or not. she does know that she won't stop trying, but tonight is about enjoying themselves. ]

Cami, hey. [ the smile elena approaches her with is genuine, in spite of it all. ] You look great.

[ though she may be looking at the denim cap with curious amusement. ]

OTA

[lifeskills]

<sub>[Victor has attended a ball like this once before. The style and the company had been slightly different then, but the desire to forget about their circumstances had been the same. So long ago it seems now. It's been more than a year since he'd seen Vanessa dancing happily, or was in the company of Vanessa and Ethan at the same time.

(He wonders, in his own way, what became of them. Do they still yet battle the forces of the supernatural while he rests on his laurels and goes to soirees?)

Most of the people he'd known at that time are now gone, with the notable exception of one. She is tonight's hostess and he can hardly refuse her invitation. So with meticulous attention to smoothing his hair and shining his shoes, Victor dresses in something befitting the theme. Fortunate that tuxedos are a classic and stay relatively the same from one decade to the next.

Dancing and drinking still aren't great passions of his, but he keeps himself occupied slowly roaming the room. He's giving Evelyn her night of carefree distraction and that's the important thing.]</sub>

[mypartnerintime]

[At some point Max glances up from the camera in her hands to notice Victor walking nearby. She didn't think this was his kind of thing, but he actually looks very... time-period appropriate in his tux. She's wearing something a lot simpler, trusting that the closet has in fact given her a 1940's style of dress. She speaks out as he gets closer.]

Hi Victor. I didn't think I'd see you here. Though this is the 20th century, right?

open;

[madehervows]

[Wedding preparations are still in full swing, so Regina is incredibly grateful for the chance to let her hair down. It's not exactly period appropriate, but given her style normally trends towards jewel encrusted and/or inappropriate leather, we can let it slide.

For a moment, she's reminded of Cruella De Vil and the time-locked land she comes from, but the foul taste that leaves is enough to make her clear her head so she can focus on enjoying herself. Which she does, though there's less dancing than one might expect because she's still doing lessons with Henry. She spends most of her time at the bar or picking at refreshments at one of the more isolated tables.

Despite all appearances, she is having a good time. She'll dance if asked, and for once, she's more than happy to talk.]

emma swan | open

[sheriffing]

There's a reason why Emma asked Killian if he intended to dress up for this thing. Period-appropriate dress encouraged tends to translate to wear period-appropriate dress, no matter how gentle the suggestion. Her wardrobe made things simple enough; the cream colored dress she's wearing should suit the time period. Since a certain pirate gave the party second-date status, she's made an effort similar to the one she made the first time, minus the too-high ponytail. Her hair is down and slightly curled, in an effort to spare her the headache. Turns out dating is easier the second time around.

Having been in Wonderland for almost six months now, Emma almost doubts their ability to have a night to themselves. Killian is right to think that trouble in this world tends to come and go, but it's hard to leave that suspicion behind her for long enough to enjoy herself. She's still working on it as she takes a glass from the bartender, nodding to him gratefully before she moves to the edge of the dance floor.

Tonight probably isn't the night to push toward finding out what's going on with the pirate. When she finds her date she might have to settle for asking him to dance, instead of giving him the third degree. They could probably use a night off the drama they usually fall into, she just hopes Wonderland will give them one. This world is a lot like Storybrooke - she never knows what to expect.

[villainously]

When he'd said he intended to dress up for the event, it was fair to say that he'd intended to do it his way. That was really how he did most things. He'd borrowed a closet and asked very patiently for something from the right time period, and for once it had even behaved. Putting bits and pieces together and a few things from his own closet had resulted in something quite unique, but horribly him at the same time. A good waistcoat never hurt anyone, and really it was remarkable to catch him without a stitch of leather. How would anyone recognize him?

Probably by the chest hair. Because of course he'd skipped the tie normal of the period, don't be silly.

It felt a little absurd that this was only their second date proper on record. He'd been with Emma for months now, and yet their relationship had not offered much spare time to spend casually enjoying each other's company. Believe it or not, the dastardly pirate quite enjoyed the opportunity to date his lady properly — he was painfully gleeful she'd agreed to attend the fête with him, an exuberance anyone around him had certainly noticed, up to greeting her at her room. He was still painfully gleeful, of course, he was just better at trying to keep his poker face in place when Emma was around.

Since it is a date, Emma doesn't last too long on her lonesome. Despite the fact he's starting to make acquaintances in Wonderland, it wouldn't do to leave the lady on a date all alone. He touches her elbow as he joins her, still utterly tickled by the dress she's wearing. He's never seen anything like it, but it looks very fetching on her. One could argue he'd say most things look fetching on Emma, though. "Braving the wine tonight, are you? I thought you were a dry date, Swan." For once in his bloody life, he isn't armed with a drink, but mostly because ... well, drinking is too much of an ordeal lately, and it never seems to get him anywhere.

open;

[bloodmagics]

[After several hours of making the closet spit out outfit after outfit after outfit, Hawke finally decides on one that he hopes, hopes, hopes to the Maker that Cullen likes. It's right about the time he realises that that he spends a few minutes laughing to himself because this is what his life has become.

Fretting over whether or not an ex-templar will like his, an apostate's, outfit.

(He then had to take a moment to catch his breath when he swung by Cullen's room to meet him.)

He arrives with his arm in Cullen's, looking far happier than anybody who has seen him in the halls lately might expect. They spend most of the evening together -- or rather, Hawke spends most of his time plastered to Cullen's side, only peeling himself off to dance with a few people before making his way back.

Someone might care to notice he pointedly avoids any alcohol when he hangs by the refreshment tables.

Also someone please save Cullen.]

[morework]

[ A thorough wardrobe guide by Evelyn O'Connell has led Cullen to a.) several depths of fashion-induced despair and b.) this outfit. He can imagine worse, he supposes. His shoulders roll back uncomfortably, still. But where a headache had him absent-minded the afternoon before, the splendor of the ballroom immediately catches his attention.

It was nothing like this before. ]

Why do you think it changed like this, by whose influence? Is it enough for one person to say they'd have it a certain way, and to have Wonderland comply? I know it works in private rooms, but the people here can't all want the same thing, so how does it decide?

[ He looks at Hawke, at- Hawke's arm, Maker, did he somehow fail to notice that all people in Kirkwall force each other to walk like that? Either that, or Hawke spends entirely too much time around Isabela.

Cullen endured it on the way here, but now he decisively frees himself. ]

--I think this will do. I'm not planning my escape, so far.

mabel pines | ota

[powerofmabel]

[despite all the trauma of the last event and probably BECAUSE of it, Mabel throws herself whole-heartedly into making an outfit for Evie's party herself, rather than depending on the closet for something. her blood, sweat, and other fluids went into this little sequined masterpiece, and she's now bopping around the party, hunting for people to dance with and trying to have a good time.

boy, how she needed this.]

[henrydaniel]

[Henry's looking dapper in a suit that he did get from the closet, but only because he has no skills in making clothes at all whatsoever. He also had the presence of mind to get Mabel a little corsage because he's still pretty sure people did that in the 40s or...whenever, so when he sees her, he hands her a red flowered thing that she can wear on her wrist.]

I really like your dress, Mabel.

[He grins at her, then quickly kisses her cheek before handing her the flower.]

peridot | ota

[slapfight]

[Peridot inevitably goes to every large function out of scientific curiosity and this one is no different, especially after scanning the invitation post and seeing everyone's focus on "clothes" which she eventually figures out is apparently the true plural of "shirts." and given her own fascination with appearance modifiers not melded to her body, the idea of a party that seems to be entirely based around a specific kind of "clothes" as far as her understanding goes seems a great time to... try something new.

it took some doing, and a lot of wording things in different ways at her closet, but she finally manages to find something that suits her, which is how she ends up walking into the party wearing this. it's thrown over her jumpsuit, since those are... actually a part of her and she is here for the sensation of actual clothes, but pfft. whatever, man. new experiences!!!

now if only she could stop turning blue-violet from embarrassment and considering regretting this decision.]

[mourning_ghost]

[That's an interesting shade of blue. Her skin in general isn't within the range of colors Nageki expects from humans. He met Amethyst once but that was a number of months ago and it takes him some time to make a connection between Amethyst and Peridot. When he does, he approaches her.]

Are you an emerald gem, Miss?

[He's a normal-looking mourning dove, just noticeably larger, and currently wearing human-style clothes that the closet modified to fit a bird's body.]

Wirt | OTA

[singloversing]

[Wirt still kind of can't believe he's doing this. He can't believe he's doing this willingly, and that it was his idea to come to the party.

He's still tentative and nervous, just in case things start to go wrong at the last possible second, but...he does feel a little better once he's there, and once he sees everyone else. Under different circumstances he would worry more about his clothes, but his outfit came recommended from the host herself. Honestly, he's pretty comfortable, and at least he's period-accurate. Accuracy is obviously important at events like these, when every guest is borne back ceaselessly into the past.

For the most part, he seems to be having a good time. When he's not with Beatrice (did he really manage to ask Beatrice? Did that actually happen? What is his life? Who is he??) he can be found by the refreshments or on the edge of the crowd people-watching. The longer he's there, the more okay he feels. He actually seems to blend in, or at least he assumes his host-chosen outfit makes that true. Occasionally he fusses with his cap but...overall, he's having a good time.]

[ateherdirt]

[Beatrice dressed up too, though comfortable isn't really the first word that comes to mind for her. She fidgets, rubbing her ankle with the toe of her shoe.]

What is the point of these shoes? They're so painful.

Bethany | OTA

[ladysunshines]

[Despite her best efforts, coming back from the dead and finding out that her twin has left Wonderland for the time being has managed to put Bethany out of her usual sunny mood.

Still, she'd asked the closet for a period-appropriate outfit for this 'fete' and it had spit out an outfit sparkly and shiny enough for her to not be able to resist at least putting it on, and once it had given her the very fashionable shoes to put on with it, she'd at least felt up to leaving her room.

Once she's actually at the party, she's more than a little conscious of how much more of her shins are showing than usual, and it isn't uncommon to find her shifting foot to foot as she looks around. Her gaze shifts now and again to the bar -- drinking right now is something of a poor idea, so she's been avoiding going over there to keep the temptation at bay - and to the dance floor, where people look to at least be having more fun than most of the dancing she'd ever seen in Kirkwall. It makes her think, however, that she ought to have brought some sort of date.

What an embarrassing mistake to have made -- but there are so many others here alone that perhaps it'll be all right.

This is so long overdue <3

[ivehadbetter]

Isabela has never been one to miss a fete. Especially the ones that are thrown here. The closet gives her a dress and shoes that seem to fit this theme she isn't sure about. She does spend a lot of her time at the bar, some time on the dance floor and then she spots Bethany and wastes no time making her way over to her, slipping her arm through her friend's and giving her a smile. "You look nice, darling. Are you having a good time?"