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

[dorian-excolo.livejournal.com]

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!]

Comments

[metal-minstrel.livejournal.com]

I note that the girl's Zann by her tinkly voice, and I call out. "Hey Zann! Lookin' mighty fine, Miss Time!" It's a wolf with her, I see, and I grin. "Mind introducin' me to your friend? You look quite fittin' considerin' your line of work." I hurry a bit to catch up, the jangly bits on my gown jingling away. "Pretty little house, ain't it?" I say, laughing slightly. The house is definitely imposin' enough, and it looks like a proper old English mansion. Bit intimidating to tell the truth.

[john-thiess.livejournal.com]

She grins and spins and it's just like her so I think I could figure it out even without catchin' her scent. "Awh, thanks," she say, steppin' back t'me and takin' my arm. "Come on, let's go. Night's slipping away, you know. Trust me. I have pieces of clockwork in me, I know these things."

I laugh and follow as she leads me on. "Hey Zann! Lookin' mighty fine, Miss Time!" There's another woman who's caught up t'us, in red and silks. Mind introducin' me to your friend? You look quite fittin' considerin' your line of work."

"I think I'll trust you fer now," I say still laughin', catchin' her up 'round the waist, and then puttin' my other arm 'round the new woman's waist. "You both lookin' forwards t'the party?"

[metal-minstrel.livejournal.com]

The wolfy wraps an arm around my waist. He's pretty young-seeming, an' I don't think I've seen him 'round before. Must not be a regular townsfolk, but I'm sure we look just grand comin' in all entwined with each other. "It'll be good t' get out," I say. "I'm Mercedes, by the way. What are you meant to be, my fine loup-garou?" I roll my tongue on the 'r' and chuckle. 'Course I don't actually expect him to know the French term, but I'm havin' a bit o' fun with him. He's a cheeky young lad, fer certain.

[tereixa-zann.livejournal.com]

"He's a bad luck Shuck," I say, grinning, and wasn't that what the townie herb-witch called him? "Old god of bad luck on roads after dark, taking a break from haunting and howling to come for a drink. And I'm Miss Time but not mistimed, and oh man I haven't even started drinking yet. And hell yes I am looking forward to this."

[john-thiess.livejournal.com]

"It'll be good t' get out," says the new woman, and she's got a bit 'v an accent. She smells like hot metal 'n smoke, like the blacksmith, and her arm 'round my waist feels stronger 'n Zann's. "I'm Mercedes, by the way. What are you meant to be, my fine loup-garou?"

I blink behind the mask, but Zann's already got her carny talkin' thing goin' as she bounces 'long. "He's a bad luck Shuck," she says and I laugh again, "Old god of bad luck on roads after dark, taking a break from haunting and howling to come for a drink. And I'm Miss Time but not mistimed, and oh man I haven't even started drinking yet. And hell yes I am looking forward to this."

"What's that you called me, Miss?" Loup sounds somethin' like lupus, and it makes me nervous when people go sayin' stuff like that. "Like our boundin' clockwork friend here says, I'm the hound-god, waitin' fer unlucky travellers and ill-fated wanderers out at nights. And you, all done up in red and silks and such? I dunt recognize you, nor your costume." Zann keeps me grinnin', and I think that's what I like best 'bout her, that I can't stay broodin' when she's 'round.

[al-shairan.livejournal.com]

Oh look, it is Zann. That is almost enough to make me wish I were here as Kent. But that would give the game away, would it not? And she is laughing with a woman in a red dress and with the werepup. I walk over, adjusting my mask (http://pro.corbis.com/images/42-22134714.jpg?size=67&uid=bd9b32f4-6d80-49b2-89eb-f50ed78e7b7d&uniqID=d628f3a8-5386-415e-a465-06f344959e20). It is sitting perfectly, of course, but it is a human sort of gesture.

"Sorry to bother you, but d'you think I could come in with you?" I say to them. "I know it sounds silly, but I don't know where my friend went, an' I'm a bit nervous of going in on my own. It's real big," I add, in a hushed tone.

[metal-minstrel.livejournal.com]

"What's that you called me, Miss?" says the wolfie. "And you, all done up in red and silks and such? I dunt recognize you, nor your costume." I quirk up my painted lips. 'Course he didn't get it, but I don't feel like repeatin' m'self. He's got a bit of a farm accent, this one, but he seems cheery 'nough 'round Zann. An' Zann! Her clockwork get-up is brilliant, but somethin' tells me she'll be spinnin' with drink before long.

"I'm called Mercedes, an' I'm pinin' away for my masked man, the count of a certain place, innit?" I reply, smiling. I'm not givin' up the ghost, not before we've gotten into the party, at the very least. Where'd the fun be in that? "See if you can distract me some from my longin', my lad." I smile at him through the night, reaching over to tussle his furry head.

[tereixa-zann.livejournal.com]

Grinning over Mercedes ruffling Gaueko's fur when a girl comes up, taller than me but who isn't, and--well, I'm calling her a girl for those odd little hesitations in her bearing. "Sorry to bother you, but d'you think I could come in with you? "I know it sounds silly, but I don't know where my friend went, an' I'm a bit nervous of going in on my own." She looks at the house, all squares of light in stacks of shadows, and glimmers in the garden, and the music spilling out as the people are spilling in. "It's real big," she adds, and she sounds like a kid who's maybe getting pushed by a parent or a friend to go on one of the rides she isn't quite sure about.

"Oh, sure, honey!" I say, holding out my hand--she seems kind of shy, and I don't want to spook her, so I think maybe putting my arm around her right off'd be a bad idea. "Maybe we'll find your friend, and if not, it'll be fine. Come on, you rake," I add to Gaueko, hugging him with the arm 'round his shoulders and grinning up at Mercedes. "Let's on in, yeah?"

[john-thiess.livejournal.com]

The small girl who comes up t'us sounds like she's from the farms, but I dunt know her, I think. Maybe she's from over the river, 'r up north a ways. I ain't payin' too much attention, tryin' t'dodge my head out from under this Mercedes' hand, only not too hard 'cause it's fun. I dunt get who she's supposed t'be, but that line 'bout distractin' has me red and feelin' aware 'a the strong line 'a her pressed 'gainst me though the coat.

Zann's bein' herself, invitin' the girl t'come 'long and pullin' us t'the door. "Yeah, dunt worry," I add t'Zann's teasin', "we hardly bite."

The place is big, even with all the rooms, and there's drapes 'n pillows 'n candles, food 'n drinks on all the tables, and I'm glad fer the mask again with all the clothes folks ain't wearin'. There's - I catch her scent through the smell 'a all the people 'n food 'n candles - the Sheriff, and I - I got t'remember t'turn my head back as I bang my knee on a small table. Heck, I could do with a drink; it might help me blush less.

[al-shairan.livejournal.com]

Zann takes my hand. In most people, kindness is nothing of interest to me; but in Zann it is a way that she demonstrates her understanding of pattern, of creating links and circuits. It is the opposite of my purpose, but I understand her functions better than most. I squeeze her hand back.

"Oh, you're real nice," I say, sounding relieved. "Honest, I was standing by the gate and half thinking about turning back, and my ma'd kill me if I'd begged this fabric off her for nothing. She wanted to use it for new curtains," I say confidingly as we walk up to the house.

"we hardly bite," says Johnny teasingly, and child, that is not what I hear, but of course I do not say that.

"Are you the big bad wolf then?" I say, with a smile in my voice. We get inside, and Johnny nearly falls over, doubtlessly because of the half-naked women. Or perhaps the men. I remember that night with Lilith, and I smile behind my mask. "So, we have Mercedes, and Mr Wolf, and - are you a machine?" I ask Zann, tilting my head. "I like the cogs," I add, reaching out and touching one. As I straighten up, I sense something very familiar. Fair and fallen. Is Marbas stupid enough to be walking around at a party? The feel of him is muffled, hidden I think in flesh, but not so much as he is in the Doctor. No, I think Marbas is in control tonight. How curious. I will have to seek him out later.

I tuck myself further into the Danika body so I am very well hidden from even a god - or a monster. And I smile behind my mask.

[tereixa-zann.livejournal.com]

"We hardly bite," Gaueko says, and then we get inside and holy jesus what a show, all the light and sparkle and glimmer and flex and sweep and shine, and running through it the music and the chatter and the pieces of laughter, jokes or giddiness or bits of it the good kind of laughing that comes out when you're happy and you'll take any excuse, free food or pretty people or just being at a party, and hey, I'm laughing that way a little myself.

"So, we have Mercedes, and Mr Wolf, and - are you a machine?" the girl says, reaching out and touching some of the shining metal. "I like the cogs."

"I'm all of them, and what they measure," I say. "Time and space and movement, spinning through the spheres, and the procession of motion, the measured and beautiful motion--" and I catch myself, and grin. "And I'm a girl with old pieces of clocks and keys, who gets stars in her eyes over how beautiful they are, and maybe runs on a bit at the mouth about it." I shrug at that as we head over to the food (http://community.livejournal.com/estdeus_innobis/278861.html?thread=7242573#t7242573), 'cause hey, I know I can come on a little strong sometimes.