kaisou | PLAYER-RUN EVENT: Charity Ball

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PLAYER-RUN EVENT: Charity Ball

WHO: Anyone on the Libra app!
WHERE: Kaisou Royal Hotel, Entertainment District
WHEN: December 17th
WHAT: KFA Charity Christmas Ball 2k22
WARNINGS: idk there's an open bar and mistletoe and mistlefoe so Shenanigans are possible, pls label your threads with warnings accordingly

WHAT THIS IS

This is a player-run event that is open to everyone! It's a charity ball with a Christmas theme, thrown by Yoosung's family's charity organization Kim Fundraising Association, which will be gathering funds tonight to help with rebuilding and rehoming efforts for the destruction caused by the dinosaurs in August (though they're calling it destruction from a storm).

It takes place in Kaisou Royal Hotel, a large and ostentatious building within Kaisou's Entertainment District. Those entering should be wearing something at least attempting to be formal (the rules are lax for Librans) and need to show the presence of the Libra app on their phone in order to enter (unless they're part of the socialite elite who got formal invitations anyway).

THINGS TO DO

December 17th, 6pm. Tonight, the hotel is decorated richly with golds and greens and reds, poinsettias and lilies, as well as a large Christmas tree in the lobby with a donation lock box in front of it, which a guard is keeping an eye on.

There is valet parking and even a red carpet entrance, even if there aren't a million photographers lined up to catch a celebrity snapshot. It's meant to make those invited feel special!

THE BALLROOM

The ballroom is quite possibly the largest many of the Librans have seen, with chandeliers and a large upside down decorated Christmas tree hanging down from the center. There is a second story balcony that surrounds the perimeter of the ballroom, where people can go to step away from the immediate social activities and look down upon the dancefloor and the stage where a live classical band plays for part of the night. Later in the night there will be a DJ playing more modern music.

FOOD & DRINK

Surrounding the dancefloor are tables of food both savory and sweet, and tables and chairs for people to sit and eat. The punch and ice water are also located here, while the open bar is in the lobby and serves all sorts of liquor as well as non-alcoholic sodas. Waiters will also be coming around with champagne glasses throughout the night.

THE GARDENS

If one wishes to truly take a step away from the bustle and noise, there are large doors set off the ballroom that exit into a winter wonderland garden. It's lit by sparse lanterns but mostly trails of individual candles with flickering flames marking out the paths in the snow. There are tall hedges and trees decorated with fairy lights, as well as a large gazebo. One may find sprigs of both mistletoe and mistlefoe here.

(CODE)

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The Ballroom

Varian has come dressed in the sort of formalwear he's used to in his time period. He's had to attend Court a few times back home so he figured this would be appropriate- even if he's had to add a tail hole for the monkey tail. Looking around, he realises he's probably...overdone it, but there's no turning back now. This really isn't his sort of scene anyway, and normally he'd be wallflowering hard. Unfortunately, even though the rest of his wolf features have vanished, the pack mentality has stuck. So any of his close CR will find him moving to stand close to them.

"I forgot how much I really don't like fancy parties, I keep thinking I'm gonna trip someone up."

Even if he's not close to them, others might find him keeping to the outskirts of the party. Varian cannot dance and he's hoping if he makes himself as inconspicuous as possible, no one will bother him.

Food and Drink TW: Attempts at underage drinking

Varian knows full-well he's not old enough to drink in modern America, which is frankly unfair and he feels that some exceptions should be made if someone is from a point in time when it was fine. Still, he is an idiot sixteen-year-old and like any idiot sixteen-year-old, he'll absolutely be trying to nab one of the champagne flutes the waiters are wandering around with- largely by walking behind them and trying to stealthily nap it off the tray. If you happen to catch him in the act, he freezes, looking between you and the drink.

"...This isn't what it looks like."

It's exactly what it looks like. Other than stealing a drink, he can also be found prodding at the various foods on offer, trying to figure out if he actually wants to eat it or not. After all, it might be poisoned! He picks up a little quiche, giving it a curious sniff- honestly such a classy sight in this fancy party.

The Gardens

Eventually, Varian manages to pull against the weird pack instinct long enough to get a breather. He looks MUCH more comfortable outside than in the party. He can be found following the trails of candles to see where they lead. He can also be found studying the mistletoe (and mistlefoe) not yet realising they'd captured him, reaching up to prod the berries.

"I've never quite understood why people used an extremely toxic plant as a means of holiday romance. There's nothing romantic about stomach and heart failure, y'know?"

He is VERY ready to give you a full explanation on what mistletoe does to a person if they choose to eat it so it's probably a good things these are cursed so the subject can be changed pretty quickly.

[OOC: Only platonic kisses for mistletoe (unless it's Fern) - will match style!]

[i; ballroom]

[The local chemistry professor arrived in his usual colors--cane at his side, sunglasses hanging off the front pocket of his coat, waist-length hair held in a braid tied with a thin silver ribbon. Of more interest was the fact that he arrived with two things: a priest and an astounding poker face. When not around his apparent date(?!) he presented himself as calm and collected, wearing the charming smile of practiced aristocracy as he actually spoke to anyone who approached him rather than wallflowering as one might have expected.]

[Formal affairs like this were easily his least favorite thing, but so long as it was for a good cause he could live with it. And he usually didn't bring a date to these things, so that was already an improvement.]

[ii; gardens]

[Out of general sight and making an attempt to stay away from any mistletoe Waver leaned back against a wall and lit a cigarette, back to his normal look of general annoyance. If anyone approached, he'd just shrug and say:]

Honestly, not the worst of these events I've been to. It's a good deal less boring when not every single person present is obscenely rich with the arrogance to match.

[iii; wildcard]

[whatever other potential stuff i might've forgotten]

[Elliot had come to the dance with his boyfriend, Rean. Fortunately for all, Rean had convinced him to wear something nicer than that flannel suit and tonight he was supporting a simple black tux with his long red hair down and styled nicely around his cat ears.

Unfortunately for Varian, none of this flavor text affects the fact he just got caught by his teacher, and Rean was nowhere nearby to distract him. Elliot gives a smiles]

Haha, really? Because it looks like you're about to hand that drink right over to me.

Ballroom
Isabela arrives at the ball rather early. Anyone in the ball will notice that she has dressed up in a one shoulder ombre gown in sunset colors along with a pair of black strappy heels, a pair of deliberately mismatched gold statement earrings and simple yet elegant gold bracelets on her left wrist. This is probably something she wouldn’t get to wear if she had still kept her perfectionist façade up for much longer, but honestly she doesn’t care too much about getting too awfully perfect these days. Now this outfit is literally up her alley, a term she just learned from some of her younger flower shop co-workers but definitely enjoys a lot.

As she looks around the people around her, a part of her is still feeling the emotional pain of her mother’s disappearance but she doesn’t want to be a party pooper by woefully drowning in her sorrows publicly.

If she is not busy chatting with other guests, she could be seen dancing the night away. And no, she didn’t want to cause a floral blooming on the dance floor out of respect for the normie guests. Sorry to anyone who would want to see it happening.

Food and Beverage
After some time has passed on the dance floor, Isabela retires from dancing altogether to relax and get something to eat. She looks at the food choices ranging from deviled eggs to crudos to seared scallops and she has some tough choices to make with whether to go with champagne or a non alcoholic spritz drink.

If you happen to be at the buffet at the same time as she is, maybe you can chat with her or give her suggestions on which food she should try out. She probably has her eyes on the hamachi crudo and grape crostini though.

Gardens
With the ball getting a little too cramped for her, Isabela excuses herself to go outside to have a breather and go on a walk. After all, this lady has a stronger affinity for the earth element than she is letting on, though her big love and appreciation for the flora is undeniable.

She can be seen following the candlelit trail to the gazebo or having a staring contest with the mistletoe once again. Only this time, it is not as awkward like the last time she saw one, but she is still questioning the nature of these deceptively innocent things, possibly laced with magic, internally.

(OOC: Just platonic actions for now. Will match styles too.)

I. The Ballroom
[Jun's never been invited to a formal ball before, so he was very willing to go to experience it. He wears a white outfit with heels to help him gain an extra inch or two (he's still short) and matching white handbag.

When he first comes in, he stares in awe at the decorations. It really was beautiful in here. But as the night goes on...he realizes he has limited knowledge of what one does at a ball - especially when you don't have a date.

Eventually he drifts towards the sidelines, to try to observe what's going on. When he realizes that it's mostly dancing...well...he gulps. He really should've gotten lessons before coming.]

II. Food & Drink
[But his night won't be entirely wasted, as he's here on a mission! Eventually, he makes his way over to the food table. In fact, he makes a few passes, as if he's looking around trying to decide. When he thinks no one is looking, he'll grab one of the sweets on the table and try putting it in his handbag.

He's going to try to get away with this as many times as possible, so it's very possible to catch him in the act. ]

III. The Gardens
[Eventually, the hustle and bustle of the ballroom become too much for an introvert like Jun, so he makes his way outside to the gardens. It's cold out here, but at least it's quiet. He finds a bench to sit down on and relaxing, popping open his handbag to eat a few of his sweet spoils of war.

Look, he can always get more for his dad. It's fine]

[Varian seems to genuinely take a moment to consider if he should just grab the drink and run. Elliot can probably see him weighing up the math in his head of how likely he is to get away with it.

He decides the odds are not in his favour and...slowly hands the drink over. Bye, champagne :(]

Right...of course. Here you go.

[This is a goddamn tragedy! He glances at the ears and points at them.]

Oh um...do you have that too? I got uh...claws and my tail turned into a wolf one- it keeps doing it when I go into the spirit realm.

[Ballroom]

[Despite her demeanor, Rose has never been a fan of balls. They're stuffy, and she doesn't like dealing with all of the pressure to socialize. However, she can't overlook an opportunity to look nice, and she has been a bit lonely lately, so she makes the best appearance that she can here. For this evening, she's chosen a striking red dress that compliments both her hair and her tail.]

[The first thing she's going to do is mingle and say hello to anyone she knows. She's going to try her best not to dance, and the moment the music starts when she's on the floor, she'll duck behind someone she knows. She has two left feet. She should not dance. It would not end well.]

Cover me. I'm not made for this.

Food and Drink

[There's food, which means there's drink. And there's drink, which means there's alcohol. Rose wastes almost no time after her mingling to find a glass of wine. After which, she's much more willing to talk.]

[She'll walk up to anyone she knows, greeting them with a smile. There's a flush of red tinging her cheeks as the alcohol takes effect. For all that she enjoys her sake, she doesn't have a particularly strong constitution.]

How are you doing? It's nice that we finally have a month of peace, don't you think?

[Small talk? She really is gone.]

[Reprieve]

[Once the alcohol wears off Rose quickly gets her fill of people. She abstains to either the balcony or the garden, depending on what time of night it is, and how cold it is outside. Wherever she is, though, she's looking at the partygoers with a smile on her face.]

[The effect of the alcohol is gone, but she's still content. There's something wonderful about all this.]

It's nice, isn't it? To see things so peaceful. I wonder if this is what it's like on Eorzea now, too.

[Catch him in the act? Maybe.]

[Or, better idea, swiftly distract someone else about to catch him in the act with a charming diplomatic smile and light conversation. And maybe there's a small wireframe sparrow fluttering over to quickly hand him the world's fanciest small dessert. C'mon, buddy, never do crimes without a lookout.]

Somethin' like it, for a change.

[is...is she sitting on the roof? Well, at least she's making her way back down after speaking up rather than act like some cat-shaped Batman.] Wouldn't catch me around all these blueblooded folk for long, but there's been a fair few spirited late nights at the Drownin' Wench in recent days.

Glad am I to hear it. I was spirited away here before I returned home from Ultima Thule.

[She shakes her head, and smiles.]

I’ve always preferred the Forgotten Knight, myself.

Seven hells, now that's some bad timing.

[yikes!]

Forgotten Knight's lovely, but the ale's a touch better in Limsa. Then again, everyone wants what they're used to, aye?

What can I say? I never had much in the way of luck.

[But she has had much in the way of ale.]

Indeed. And if we’re comparing, the sake from Kugane is top notch. The Shiokaze Hostelry holds a special place in my heart.

Aye, tell me about it.

[such is life as a wol]

Got that right, though. Ain't any beatin' the food there, neither.

[Rose nods in agreement. Of course, she is biased towards Hingan cuisine, but even by those standards, the Hostelry excels.]

Honestly, though, this is the sort of ball I’m in favor of. No political moves to be made.

[No having to get out of it by threatening to talk to people.]

Glad to hear it. Figured I'd stick around out here just in case somethin' decided to go south, but it's nice t' be wrong once in a while.

[were you sitting on the roof waiting for a fight to break out...]

Yes, you’ve been lucky enough to miss most of the chaos this year, too. It’s a nice change of pace.

[And of course, no one could forget what happened in Ul’Dah.]

I’m usually more vigilant, but I decided to relax tonight. Let someone else play hero.

Well, someone ought to keep watch just in case. What, four or five of us, enough to take it in shifts.

[shrug!]

Havin' a good time, then?

I suppose one could say that.

[She has had a lot of alcohol tonight. An extremely large amount. Maybe she should have kept track of how much wine she consumed.]

I’m sure you understand. As the Warrior of Light, it usually falls to you to handle any emergency that occurs. Here, there are people to help shoulder that burden.

[Was that something nice? Gasp!!!]

Christmas Ball

Networking. That's what they called it when you showed up to a fancy ball you really didn't have any business attending as you had no extra cash to toss at the charity it supported or the clout needed to secure a formal invite just to chat up the rich folks and tell them all about your new investigative business... with nanny side option. Anthony at least knew the family and could spend some time catching up with them about Yoosung and what everyone had been up to since he no longer needed a Nanny. An embarrassing story or two might have been told, not by Anthony, but these things did tend to happen at posh dos when people were speaking about their families. Anything for a chortle.

There had been some momentary drama getting through the ballroom door as his shades had caused a few palpitations until he mentioned they were for an eye condition and then the formality about them was established with apologies for the trouble. He wore a dark suit with a brilliant red lining but a loosely fastened jacket giving him a some what more 'rock star' appearance than many of the others in the ballroom.

He helped himself to a glass of champagne and settled in along a wall to nibble a canape and look for some one who seemed to have a ton of cash and a burning need for a Private Investigator to chat up.

Sabotage the DJ

Later in the evening the dulcet tones of the Christmas Waltz's gave way to the more modern and the opportunity to put in requests.

He couldn't help himself!

Anthony wrote a note in the fanciest script he could write in, which was surprisingly elegant, and slipped it to the DJ as if it were a request from the host.

That was why the ballroom broke out in a improvised melody of the Chicken Dance.

Evacuate the Dancefloor

Anthony found himself a dance partner in one Princess Maria von Hapsburg, who may not actually have been a Princess but she did have a tiara and she knew how to bust a move to Jingle Bells like no other lady on this floor.

He wouldn't might some one stepping in however. The Princess could rock but this was a party and at a party you danced with as many people as you could fit on your dance card!

Aye, sure do. It's a rare opportunity indeed we get to step back and relax a bit.

[Elliot will stand there, waiting for Varian to think through his options as Elliot continues holding out his hand. Finally, it seems Varian makes a wise choice]

Thank you.

[He'll take the glass in his hands. Good. Varian makes enough bad decisions while sober we do not need to put alcohol into the equation. Though with that question, Elliot will happily take a sip himself. Ah yes, please Varian. Bring up his curse in a public venue]

Ahah... oh those? It's... a long story. [Take a HINT kid] But a wolf tail and claws huh? When did that start?

Wallflower at 10:00.

[ Calling the situation as he saw it he finished off his glass of champagne in one go and found a comfy bit of wall to lean against. ]

This party is going to feel really dull if you don't get out there and shake something.

Edited 2022-12-10 23:37 (UTC)

[Jun is so focused on the theft task he doesn't realize that someone had played interception for him. It's only when the wireframe sparrow comes over and offers him a dessert does he notice. He's no stranger to friendly bird companions, but a wire birdie is new! He takes the dessert and mouths a thank you, pocketing it into his handbag before he quickly closes the bag and shifts it to his side so it doesn't look like he stuffed it full of snacks.

Mission accomplished, he'll hold out his hand for the bird to perch if it wants, all while looking around for the potential owner]

Haha maybe a little, I'll admit.

[Yeah, even Jun isn't about to deny the fact he's an introvert. The guy who feels more comfortable hiding on rooftops under a hood than mingling with strangers is at least a LITTLE self-aware]

Shake...what, exactly? I've never been to one of these before.

[It perched on his hand, metal faintly glowing a pale blue in the rudimentary shape of a bird with a long tail. Like, a suspiciously long tail. A long tail that trailed off a couple feet away--the other end hidden under the sleeve of a certain mage holding the nearest person's attention. He glanced over to Jun out of the corner of his eye as if making sure he wasn't doing anything incriminating at that specific moment, then the bird unraveled itself with the wire coiling back around his wrist like the world's thinnest snake.]

[Act casual or plan an escape route. Maybe both.]

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PLAYER-RUN EVENT: Charity Ball

Varian | Tangled | OTA

Lord El-Melloi II/Waver Velvet | fate/ servantswap au | ota

Food & Drink

Isabela Madrigal | Encanto (OTA)

Jun Nightroad | Tokyo Xanadu | OTA

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Rose (WoL OC) | FFXIV | OTA

ii

garden

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Anthony J. Crowley | Good Omens | OTA

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i

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