estdeus_innobis | Masquerade! Hide your face, so the world will never find you!

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Masquerade! Hide your face, so the world will never find you!

Saturday, October 31st
Evening
The Home of Alessandra Ferdis

The last few days have been, at best, a blur of activity and I can't say that it's left me in the best of spirits. Party planning is always a chore, even a gathering as small as this, and I suppose it's the price to be paid - blood, sweat, and countless hours spent hunched over fabric - for an evening of excitement. Alessandra has been more than accommodating, as I've measured, decorated, and almost completely reordered most of her house. It will take some time, tomorrow once the festivities are well over, to put things back to sorts, but I've already hired hands to assist in that.

That is one benefit of living in Excolo, there is never a shortage of strong backs willing to do a bit of labor for good pay, and in a matter of days the entire place has been transformed into something resembling a fitting locale. The walls have been covered with lush fabrics, the garden littered with a multitude of hanging lights, and the main room leading to the back cleared for the guests. After that, it's only been a matter of setting up the refreshments, finding a suitable place for the music, and dimming the lights.

I could kill myself over the details of course, it's in my nature, and so as soon as things are well in hand, I retire to the upstairs guest suite to dress. It's a simple design, more a personal amusement than anything else, and I doubt anyone will get the joke. Those always are the best sorts of fun, though, the personal chuckles that are mine alone. I finish strapping my sword to my side, mask still sitting on a nearby table, and cross to the balcony doors to peek outside. The sun has faded into the horizon and guests have started to arrive. That leaves me with a bit of time - I have no intention on making anything less than a memorable entrance - and so I lean against the door frame, careful to keep out of sight of those out front, and light a cigarette.

There's movement from the adjacent dressing room. Glass. I'd nearly forgotten, in the insanity of preparations, that she was dressing here as well. It certainly wouldn't do to have Iago see her before the game has begun, after all. I smile at that and call out, "You can't hide in there all evening, pet. Might as well come out and let me have a look."

~~[Open]~~

[It's midnight! Wrapping up!]

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"I doubt the town will look as fine as you, ma belle. Tu es magnifique!"

I stand on tiptoes - hard to tell that I am, under all of these crinolines - and kiss Valmont back.

I love the way it sounds when Valmont speaks French - it's so very like him and not like him at all somehow, at the same time, and the way his voice curves around those consonants is marvelous. I haven't any hope of speaking much back - I've read French, but never had a chance to speak it much - but I can understand enough to follow, and to murmur, "Merci, mon cher," as I drop down again.

"Yes, Chester, I know, nous devons aller!"

"It is quite a party already," I say. "What first, my darling? Refreshments, dancing, or trying to spy out our friends whilst trying to keep ourselves hidden?"

"Oh, I think we can do some spying and dancing at the same time," I toss back. "I want to see if I can figure out who Medea is. And...oh my, look at all of the warrior women. Maybe I should have tried for Penthesilea after all. But then I wouldn't match quite so well with you."

Hermia kisses me back, stays creaking slightly, and it reminds me of all kinds of surreptitious evenings I had... It's quite difficult to let go of her really, and I suddenly find I'm looking forward to escorting her home after midnight.

"Oh, I think we can do some spying and dancing at the same time. I want to see if I can figure out who Medea is. And...oh my, look at all of the warrior women. Maybe I should have tried for Penthesilea after all. But then I wouldn't match quite so well with you."

"You would make quite the beautiful warrior," I say. "And it would be an excuse for you to show your legs, which I cannot object to." I grin. "But you are très jolie in that dress, truly." I put my arm around her waist and lead her out to the dancefloor, Chester fluttering alongside. I wonder if he'll try to dance, or if he'll seek out the chicken on the refreshment table. I give his head a scratch as he flies by, and laugh at the squeaks of amazement that come from dancers nearby. The music that's playing is in waltz time, so I sweep Hermia around the floor. "Medea... Who do we know in town who's familiar enough with Greek myths to dress up as a character from one, and who would have the sentiment to play such a woman?" I say curiously as we dance.

Valmont grins up at me, saying, Lead the way, Chester. I twitch my ears as best I can and turn myself round. "You got it, Pal." but of course we can't make it all the way up that driveway cuz he's gotta stop an' kiss with Hermia. i heave a sigh and swing inta a holding pattern above them. fortunately their done fairly soon before I get too impatient. Though Valmont does kinda acknowledge it. Yes, Chester, I know, nous devons aller! I smirk a bit at the French but we continue on and this time manage to actually get inside the massive house.

tons of people, decorations and food. Fortunately there are also fairly hight ceilings at least on this level so I don't have to descend just yet. I do a swoop over head to check things out while Valmont and Hermia decide what to do. I return in time to hear Hermia say, Oh, I think we can do some spying and dancing at the same time," I toss back. "I want to see if I can figure out who Medea is. And...oh my, look at all of the warrior women. Maybe I should have tried for Penthesilea after all. But then I wouldn't match quite so well with you.

I know who Medea is but that's only because I can see her Energy and have met her before. Some might consider that cheating. But that only counts if you get caught. I bat very gently at Hermia's wig."There's always next time, Kiddo. 'sides I think you look real fine in that getup."

I keep a secure grip on Zann's shoulders as we move through the crowd, not wantin' to let her slip off. Didn't even think I'd meet anyone I knew at this shindig, an' there's some relief in that I did. I curtsy to the bloke dressed up in blue and gold and his partner. "Lovely party, innit?" I say, grinning winningly at him and taking another sip from my glass-- soon I'll need 'nother one. Where'd those grapes go? Damn me not havin' no pockets in this dress. "I'm Mercedes, my good sir, an' this here timepiece is Mistress Tick-Tock."

"There's always next time, Kiddo. 'sides I think you look real fine in that getup. Maybe better than if you did the warrior thing."

"Oh, you're sweet. Thank you," I say, looking up at Chester with a warm smile. I don't think he really wants to be thought of as sweet, but it's true. And he'd like that better than 'cute,' which was the other word that sprang to my mind upon seeing him in his little outfit.

"You would make quite the beautiful warrior," I say. "And it would be an excuse for you to show your legs, which I cannot object to."

I laugh softly. "Next time," I promise him.

Valmont and I step out onto the dance floor, falling easily into the steps of a waltz. It fits these costumes perfectly - although I can't help being grateful that there aren't many dancers yet, for I'm still not exactly sure where these crinolines end, and I wouldn't want to bump into anyone!

"Medea... Who do we know in town who's familiar enough with Greek myths to dress up as a character from one, and who would have the sentiment to play such a woman?"

"Well, those are the questions. The Greek literature section at the library doesn't get many visitors. Kaeli would know, I think, but Medea's too tall, and I'm sure that Kaeli would never choose to dress as someone who did harm to children! Eris would know, of course, but she'd choose something with more of a sense of humor." And more seduction potential, most likely. I don't think there are many people who would find bloodstains attractive, even in Excolo. "Would Glass know? Even if she did, I can't see Medea appealing to her, either..."

"Lovely party, innit?" comes a friendly voice in the middle of my thoughts. "I'm Mercedes, my good sir, an' this here timepiece is Mistress Tick-Tock."

Valmont and I turn - it's another woman in clothes somewhat like mine only with narrower skirts, with dark skin showing between the collar and mask, and a slender girl with wires and gears all over.

"Oh! We're...the Vicomte and Vicomtesse," I say, smiling. "A pleasure to meet you both."

"I'm Mercedes, my good sir, an' this here timepiece is Mistress Tick-Tock," and I'm trying to place who they could be. Maybe the Doc and Wanda, but I think Wanda's a bit curvier than her, and when she speaks her voice isn't quite--

--omigod.

"Chester!" and I've got one hand over my mouth so what could been a shrieking turns into a kind of delighted squeal. Because he's flying, white fluffy fur and wings, he's got wings, oh my god that's amazing. "Chester, it's Chester--oh, hey, Mercedes, that's one for me," I add, turning to her and tossing one hand up to him. "Have you met him?"

Hermia smiles up at me calling me sweet. I grumble a bit under my breath but don't try to argue. Let them get onto the dance floor while I circle above at least til a delighted squeal cuts the air with my name. I bank an' come round to see Zann in clockwork stadnin' with a friend as well as Hermia n'Valmont. Chester, it's Chester--oh, hey, Mercedes, that's one for me,Have you met him? She hold up a hand to me as she turns to her friend dressed all in red with dark skin. I'm sure I have never met her before. I almost hover in front of them, rubbing my face into Zann's hand.

"Hey, Doll. Wanna introduce me to your friend?"

I laugh out loud at Zann's reaction. Surely there's not a cat with wings above us. Sure not. I crane my head up to see the, indeed, flying cat above us. Well I'll be damned. It is a cat. With wings. And it is flying. I blink up at it, wonderingly, and wonder if it's as soft as it looks.

I curtsy again, deeper this time to the Victomtesse and Vicomte. "Enchante, madame et monsieur. Comment allez-vous?" Though they're most likely not real royalty, I feel they're due some extra respect with how fine they look.

A dark woman with a French lilt to her voice comes over, her arms around a girl covered in clock gears and wearing a pair of goggles as a mask. There's something slightly familiar about her...

"I'm Mercedes, my good sir, an' this here timepiece is Mistress Tick-Tock."

Hermia introduces us, and then the girl dressed in wires squeaks when she sees Chester - not with shock but with delight. Mercedes looks up at the flapping figure and smiles and blinks, and then curtseys to us.

"Enchante, madame et monsieur. Comment allez-vous?" I grin wider at that, at her easy French. Her accent is different to the French I spoke, but the language is the same. I return her curtsey with a bow, slightly shallower than her deep obesiance, as would befit a vicomte. It is funny how things come back to you.

"Enchante, Mercedes, et Madame de l'Horloge," I smile, nodding at them both, even though I think Madam Tick-Tock is more interested in Chester now - and who could blame her? "We are very well. It's a beautiful party." I smile. "And Madame de l'Horloge, I see you know the extraordinary flying cat. However did you meet?" I say, wondering if she'll give something away.

"Hey, Doll. Wanna introduce me to your friend?" he says, coming down for scritches. That's Chester, alright.

"Mercedes, honey," I say, running my knuckle over his jawline as Mercedes and the man say something I mostly don't quite get. Enchanté I figure is enchanted, and I follow madame and her name, but all the rest is a soft garble. Very pretty, though.

"We are very well. It's a beautiful party." He smiles and I smile back; I don't think it's the Doc, so I'm not sure who the hell it could be, but he's nice. "And Madame de l'Horloge, I see you know the extraordinary flying cat. However did you meet?"

"Oh, fixing up--" I catch myself, 'cause mentioning the printing press is probably a giveaway if he knows me at all, no-one in town could polish it up like I did. "Words and pictures," I finish, and hell, maybe he can still guess, but I think in this town most people would think of the library. Either way it's good, and I grin. "And we met down at the Tavern, as well. Might we have seen you there?"

The clockwork girl turns into a little whirlwind, squealing and laughing over Chester's costume. Which should be a clue in itself, for not many people have that kind of outright delight to see him. All I can do is laugh myself, to see someone so happy.

Mercedes replies in French, and I murmur, "Enchantée" - that much I can do! - but I let Valmont take the rest, and simply dip into a curtsey in return, keeping my head very carefully straight so that the wig doesn't tip forward.

"Oh, fixing up--Words and pictures."

"Fixing up words and pictures?" I repeat. Now that's an odd turn of phrase. The newspaper office? I hadn't thought there were any women working there, only Lugh. Perhaps the post office? Her voice sounds a bit familiar, but she can't be someone I've spoken to many times before. I don't think I know either of these ladies, but they seem to be pleasant company from the little I've seen so far.

"And we met down at the Tavern, as well. Might we have seen you there?"

"Perhaps. I don't visit there quite as often as my friend does," I say, nodding up at Chester with another laugh. "I'm more often found...with words, I suppose you'd say."

I come down an' zann gives me scritches, which of course will lead to me purring, not right now but soon. if she keeps it up. which I'm hoping she'll do. The look of wonder on her friend's face makes me think well of her. I note the French she uses with a practiced ear. Haitian unless i miss my guess. Mercedes eh?

Valmont asks Zann where she met me. And I only just stop myself from helping as she awkwardly tries not to tell the story properly. And Madame de l'Horloge, I see you know the extraordinary flying cat. However did you meet?

Oh, fixing up--Words and pictures.And we met down at the Tavern, as well. Might we have seen you there?

Hermia answers much the same. Perhaps. I don't visit there quite as often as my friend does,I'm more often found...with words, I suppose you'd say.

Bet Zann knows who you are now, Kid. Least everyone seems ot be having fun with this ridiculous game.

However I do puff up a bit and correct one thing. "I'm a Guardian Angel, not just some flying cat; however extraordinary!" I declare.

"Oh, fixing up--Words and pictures." Fixing up? I wonder if this is Vic or Kataniya; both of them are good at making things. She's more likely to be Vic, with her short hair...

"And we met down at the Tavern, as well. Might we have seen you there?"

"Now and then," I say, "though I am more often at the Whitechapel." I grin and Hermia gives her own clue.

"I'm a Guardian Angel, not just some flying cat; however extraordinary!"

I laugh.

"I do apologise, mon ami. And what shall you be guarding us from tonight, do you think?" I say, smiling up at him. I notice a fishman has snagged himself a warrior woman, and they go over to speak to the musicians. A moment later something more lively than a waltz starts, and I grin at our new friends.

"We could dance in a four, if one of you wouldn't mind taking the man's part," I smile. "What do you say? It is a fine night to kick up our heels."

I keep looking at the flyin' cat, not quite believin' my eyes. The cat speaks. I'm not sure whether to pet it b'hind the ears or shake its paw, so I settle for cautiously patting its head.

"We could dance in a four, if one of you wouldn't mind taking the man's part," says the Vicomte. "What do you say? It is a fine night to kick up our heels." I smile and nod, murmuring, "Oui, j'adore a danser. Aller!" It feels mighty fine to be able to speak the old tongue again. Though this m'sieur's accent is more classically French than mine, an' he gives off a regal sort o' air that I'm fond of, if a little put off by. I normally ain't one for high fancies but this one seems more like the common folk. I ruffle Zann's hair. "Come on, Tick-Tock, let's go dance, you can pet the fluffy angel later."

The lady's laughing again, and now I'm pretty sure it's not Wanda--too young, and her voice is sweet but it's not music. "I'm more often found...with words, I suppose you'd say." I grin and I'm thinking the library, but I'm not placing names--

"I'm a Guardian Angel, not just some flying cat; however extraordinary!" and god, it's funny as hell to hear that gravelly smoke-and-whiskey voice coming from what looks like a very large indignant milkweed. I manage not to snicker, though, and in a second music I actually recognize starts up.

"We could dance in a four, if one of you wouldn't mind taking the man's part," the guy says. "What do you say?" and Mercedes is ruffling my hair and I'm grinning.

"Awh, sure," I say, catching Mercedes hand in one hand and the lady's in the other. "Probably haven't done this before, trust me, I'll pick it up quick."

Mercedes gently pets me between the ears so I raise my head and takea polite sniff of her. OOh... metal and magic...Might go looking for her sometime after the party.

Valmont smiles up at me and teases, I do apologise, mon ami. And what shall you be guarding us from tonight, do you think? I shrug my shoulders. "Dunno, Pal. Boredom maybe? or borin' people?"

Another more lively tune starts up and the four of 'em are gettin' set to dance.

I rise up from Zann an' say. "You folks enjoy yourselves. Me; I'm gonna see if anyone needs to be saved from somethin'"

I climb heavily into the air and begin a lazy circuit of the room. From up here it looks pretty cool all that glitter n' flash and laughter...

"And you, Mercedes? What are your interests? When you're not in Paris society, that is?" With that name and those clothes, I'm fairly sure that she's supposed to be Mercedes from The Count of Monte Cristo...

"I do apologise, mon ami. And what shall you be guarding us from tonight, do you think?"
"Dunno, Pal. Boredom maybe? or borin' people?"

"Oh, I have no doubt that you will relieve boredom wherever you go!" I toss up to Chester, and finally let the laughter come out. "Enjoy the rest of the party!"

Valmont leads us into a four-person arrangement and I tilt my head, trying to puzzle out the music.

Mercedes is playing with Tick-Tock's hair - do they know each other well, or is she just exceptionally friendly? They both have an easy enthusiasm that makes me smile, though.

"I'm not sure I know this one either," I say, with an apologetic little grimace up at the others. "I'll do my best to follow along."

I glance quickly around the room to see who else is dancing - one of the blonde princesses seems to have found herself a knight, and there's a pair in green that must be meant to be Robin Hood and Maid Marian - oh, they look terribly sweet together! - and...is that a scarecrow costume rising above the rest? It's too crowded to get a good look, and - oh! I stumble a bit, and have to do a little skipping double-step to get back into the dance. "Sorry," I murmur, and focus back on the dancing.

"I'm not sure I know it," I say to Hermia with a smile, "but it seems simple enough... Look at those four, they seem to know what they're doing - step step hop, step-back hop, turnabout," I say, following along, and I catch at Hermia's hand and smile at the other girls, and soon we're making a good attempt at the dance, a lively country affair. Hermia stumbles a little and apologises, and I catch her lightly and carry on. I glance over to where she was looking, and yes, I can see how a man like that could be a distraction - well over six foot and wearing the most enormous pumpkin as a mask.

"That must be heavy," I say. "People's dedication to costumes tonight is impressive," I add, crossing diagonally to twirl the clock girl then stepping back across the square to Hermia's side.

"And you, Mercedes? What are your interests? When you're not in Paris society, that is?" asks the vicomtess and I shout down th' urge to spill all about my metalwork and drawin' and tea. Instead, I smile and reply, "I'm a simple sort, madam. Seducin' dangerous men's a hobby o' mine. Gettin' in sword fights an' livin' in trees." I laugh as we dance about. The dance is an old one that I'm half-familiar wi'h, and the steps come back to me in pieces.

"Please don't be judgin' me on that score, though. I like a good cup o' French coffee ever' so often an' pretty dresses an' high-steppin' horses. An' what of you, good madame?" 'Round an' round, an' off the flying cat goes to delight other party-goers.

"I'm a simple sort, madam. Seducin' dangerous men's a hobby o' mine. Gettin' in sword fights an' livin' in trees."

"Well, as long as you've got a sword of your own, the dangerous men shouldn't be too much of a problem," I say to Mercedes with a laugh as I step up to her and then back again. But half my attention is still on the other side of the room. Was that really a scarecrow I saw?

Step-hop, step-hop, yes, I've got it...

"That must be heavy," I say. "People's dedication to costumes tonight is impressive."

Back to Valmont's side, where I dare to lift my head just long enough to see...

My breath stops, and all I can whisper before it starts again is, "...oh sweet Athena."

Shock. Joy. It is. I know it is. It's Jack!

My foot catches in the hem of my gown, and I grab onto Valmont's arm to keep from falling.

"Darling, forgive me," I babble. "I - I think I've spotted someone I know. A girl who comes to the library, who's about to start dancing with a gentleman who's all wrong for her. Nothing dangerous," I reassure him hastily. "But I think I need to go rescue her. I'll be back in half a second."

...and darling, forgive me for telling you a lie - and such a pathetic one, too! May this be the last lie that I ever have to tell you.

Hermia breathes in sharply, "oh sweet Athena," and then with a few hurried words goes across the room. I bow to Mercedes and the clock girl.

"It seems our four is broken up," I say. "I shall step out, since this can be danced in a two, and I'd not hinder you."

I walk across to the refreshment table. The punch seems popular, but that sweet sort of drink is not much to my taste, so I get something more refreshing and look around. And there is Hermia, almost hidden by the crowds, being embraced by the staggeringly tall pumpkin-headed man, clinging to him like he is someone long lost. I look down into my glass and frown, and then back up again. I do not want to be jealous; I will not. Hermia has never given me cause. But...

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Masquerade! Hide your face, so the world will never find you!

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