EXT - Windgrace Manor
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) was at ease at this family's home, having been to some innumerable count of such events over the long span of his life. He'd already nibbled on cakes from the sweet table, looked longingly at the drinks table deciding not to partake of champagne yet, but to go with his classic favourite, brandy. There were receptacles for ashes, lighters and papers available upon request for tobacco and other smokables, Hector had even provided coca wine, clearly labeled on the table. The bunnies were secured in the greenhouse, the ones that weren't wild in case others imbibed heavily of the intoxicants on supply and confused a little fur friend for an obstacle to strike. Staff milled about like the music of spring and from the piano aided their light and unobtrusive pace. Otherwise everything was just grand and gorgeously *so.* The weather had held.
Just before everyone could arrive, when he caught Di in a moment of not doing her thing as maestro of the goings-on, he'd toss the end of a butt to a wastebasket, call her
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes): name, and then fluff out his jacket to get cologne to compete with the fragrant smoke as he called, "May I have the first dance? With the prettiest girl at the party? Old time's sake?" Then he'd wink like he'd seen someone do smoother than himself, holding out a hand for her. Only a guest had arrived, and he'd append to his sister, "I shall have to grab you later it seems." The hand held out for his sister was raised to the approaching guest, and he'd call, "Come, be welcome! Miss... Mistress...." He snapped his fingers, rounding around what number it was, finally managing, "Miss Graceful on the Ice, for one thing." Somewhere in the middle there he'd looked to his sister for help, since he knew she knew the pair better.
Hector: had a lot of things to think about. Some interesting things had started to pop into his head lately. Things he never thought he might think. He sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. His fingers wiggled against the keys and he looked up to watch Dorian flit about like a firefly. A smile spread across his lips and he looked back down to the keys. His swayed from side to side, playing some soft rag-time. It was sunny and tinkling, good to dance and be a firefly to.
Dinah (dollihead) was ever a fussy hostess, though at least these days parties were far less difficult than they used to be. She grinned towards her twin and laughed, sweeping by to smooch his cheek with a laugh. "Dancing is later for hosts, darling. Besides. someone will have to teach the island how to use a mallet, mm?" she teased, hurrying towards the table to fuss with the positioning of the drinks, fluffing the leaves around the decorative lemons. Peeking over the top of the lemonade stand, she beamed towards Hector as he started to play
"Do you have a drink up there, dear? do let me know if you would like me to fetch you anything." she asked hopefully
Lex Dashrix strode imperiously through the gate with Thirteen on his arm and surveyed the lawn for a moment then nodded approval at the decor and environs. He pat his companions arm lightly and made his way towards the hosts, "Professor Windgrance, Thank you for your invitation." he intoned with a small bow of greeting. "Thirteen has been looking forward to the festivities, I apologize for my apprentices absence eh's found himself a bit tied up." He excused politely pausing as he ran over the script he'd composed in his head on teh way down, "You've outdone yourself with the decor."
One Who Is Free || There Free was, crouched behind one of the pillars. One might say it was skulking there, really, except no creature could really skulk when it was wearing garishly colourful avant-garde clothing, its hair blue as clear bay water.
Free was one of two of Dinah's more significant summonings into this realm, and by far the rarer to see - the thing hardly seemed to be about except when something else caught its attention. And in this case, it was the party.
Its eyes wandered over the party, curiously. It hadn't, in fact, taken that much interest in the peoplefolk here - it had been in some ways far more fascinated with the fruits of their minds, the strange marvels that they produced.
But of course - while it seemed to look freely upon those about, it would be more difficult for those with Sight to look upon it - though perhaps less so for the practiced Windgraces. Its true nature was dizzying, abstract and strange and not particularly material. It wore the flesh it had taken on in its first appearance m
One Who Is Free like a coat, and the thing that wore it was stars and void and shifting mirage of colours and an ever-changing shape not meant for human comprehension.
Still, it exuded hints of its full existence; the sense rising, unbidden, of the dreadful or exhilarating sense of inhibitions being lifted.
There was at least ONE being here, of course, who would feel the presence of something of like nature. Perhaps Free, too, would notice.
Thirteen (aimee.frakture) was all bright smiles. She'd been a bit of a princess locked in a castle of late - not that she complained. Generally, if it made her makers happy, Thirteen was nothing if not compliant but being ensconced with so much of her freedoms curtailed had begun to wear on the construct's nature, leaving her more pensive. When Lex had taken charge - even if that meant detaining Naoki so that he was not exactly able to express his desires for Thirteen to remain at home - she had been delighted with the change of scenery. "Hello, Dinah," Thirteen offered with a sunny smile, her hand resting with a bit more reliance on Lex. With her body not being a natural existence, the constant change of her center of gravity regularly made Thirteen much more unsteady on her feet than she was used to. There was no hiding the swell of her belly as they were down to the very last days but she seemed content and energetic, despite her uncertain steps. "I have been, it's lovely. Hello to you as well, again, Mr. Windgrace. Have you
Thirteen (aimee.frakture): met the Professor? Professor, I know you know Dinah. Her twin brother Dorian. Professor Dashrix," she said, offering the tall forboding man's name to Dorian with a sunny smile. "I have not been able to skate alas since we last met. Neither the weather nor my constitution has been amenable."
Drystan Windgrace (jacksonn.shepherd) came up from around the house, having put the final hoops in the ground in the back, and smiled as he saw Hec swaying to the music he played. He stood close enough to Hector's back that he reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder, leaning over to give the man a kiss on the cheek and murmur into his ear, "Welcome to the party, love. You'll have to play something snappy soon enough." He grinned and looked out towards the hedge where people were arriving. He worked his way from there, over near his siblings. They always were the pair gifted by Gab.
Hector: smiles up from where he's seated, continuing to just play and have a chill Saturday afternoon. "I'd love a lemonade, Dinah Dear, if it's not too much trouble." Not drinking today? Interesting. Maybe it was a bit too early, even for the Apothecary. Then there was warmth at his back. He leaned into the simple touch from Drystan and smiled up at him. "Snappy huh? I can do that." He said with a grin. His eyes turned to watch people filing in, blinking at Thirteen's massively pregnant belly, but of course making no comment.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) did not go to put an arm around his sister, but stayed a nice proper distance having gotten his cheek kiss. He had occasion to pick up his drink once more, and top it off with a bit more brandy, his favoured Armagnac. As Dashrix spoke with his sister, he'd grin at the tall man, and give him a looking over, a small silver-eyed study in how the man interacted with Dinah whilst sipping.
This just before he noted the woman he'd addressed was in fact very pregnant. His eyes widened while she made introductions and he'd hold out a hand to shake with Lex, explaining, "We've seen one another and never quite made it formal. An honour and pleasure to do so finally Professor Dashrix. May I also introduce you to my brother Drystan? You remember Mademoiselle, Madame? Thirteen don't you? Come, be welcome!"
Dinah (dollihead) brightened, giving Hector a nod to fill him an iced glass of lemonade, tucking in a straw and reaching across on her tiptoes to place it atop the piano, she nodded. "Let us know if you need a refill, dear. And abandon playing whenever you feel like it. you aren't *staff*, you know" she said playfully , until familiar voices turned her towards the gates and she beamed, hurrying across towards Dashrix and Thirteen "Good afternoon, professor. I'm so pleased you could make it." she dipped into a curtsy, giving Thirteen a sunny smile "And hello to you too, my friend. welcome, both of you. Please, make yourself at home" she gestured her hand back towards the rest of the garden. "Thirteen, dear, the large carafes of lemonades are alcohol free, should either of you want anything like tea, just whistle one of the staff. they can fetch you whatever you like, if we have it" she bowed her head cheerfully. Catching sight of Free in his hiding place, she wiggled her fingers in an eager wave
"Good afternoon, dear.
Dinah (dollihead): make yourself at home~" she greeted him.
Tzofi had heard the talk around town. She might be a brute, but she's one that has ears after all. Free Food, Free Drink, some elegant shindig so-an-so. Well the food and the drink got her. She'll always take some Rich schmuck on drinks and food. Hey, she even cleaned up a bit for this, wearing her one not TOO bloodied outfit and donning a necklace that was probably stolen from some princess or queen or the like as it's damn too good for her. Finding the place isn't too hard. Just go where the racket and the people are going. Getting through the gate however... that's a different story. She eyes the man that's been taking up people's coats and weapons and a scowl twists her lips. There is a stare-off, her head bending to glare roughly at the check guy for a good long moment. But eventually the lure of food and drink wins out and she grumpily unholsters her twin pistols, and her cutlass handing it over to the man. This leaves the matter of what appears to be an anchor...an actual anchor over her shoulder "Ya thi
Tzofi ya can lift him? Ga ahead try it" She slings it off from her shoulder and sets the large anchor down with a thud before bending to scoop out daggers from her boots, pulling off the clawed rings she's also got on. She's a walking talking arsenal it seems.
Drystan Windgrace (jacksonn.shepherd) took a few steps forward towards DInah, and nodded towards her giving a warm smile. He lifted a hand in a bit of a wave, "Hello Again Thirteen, Professor it's a pleasure to meet you. "He extended his hand to the man. "Glad you both could make it, and that it's such a lovely afternoon for it as well." His eyes drifted past the pair and fell upon someone he certainly did not know coming through by Hiram. His eyes widened for a moment, but then he looked back to Lex, "Help Yourselves to anything you'd like, and the facilities are inside on the lower level if those are needed as well.
Lex Dashrix regarded Dorian and his familiarity with Thirteen for a moment with narrowed eyes before the relation was explained and he offered a small nod. "I don't believe I've had hte pleasure, you were, occupied, at our last encounter and had urgent matters to attend after it seemed." he replied with a small nod and glanced to Drystan to nod in greeting as well. "It is a pleasure ot make both of your acquaintances. Your sister has been of great value to the academy."
Hector: leans forward when the glass with the straw was put before him. He took a sip through the straw and swallowed, giving Dinah a nod. "Thank you. Don't worry about me. I am going to continue being fresh with your lovely piano for a while. She likes me." He winked teasingly. He was about to say something else when at the gates a VERY large woman with an entire anchor on her back appeared. He blinked a few times and mouthed the word 'dayum' but again, turned his attention down to his fingers and stayed quiet. He's playing a song, he's the piano man.
Hunter lingered like a shadow, a lump of black almost-fluff near one of the trees on the edge of the garden. Once he saw people beginning to arrive he perked up, ears lifting into the air and little eyes appearing on the tips. // Are we playing? // came the telepathic message, something all the Windgraces at least would hear, and any others particularly adept at picking up such things. He hopped over to where the crowd was gathered and sat up near the ankles of his found family, beady bunny eyes on the newcomers. His nose twitched a bit and he looked at those that were unfamiliar - Tzofi, and that colorful creature behind the pillars. That one smelled familiar despite the face being a stranger's face. But there was also food, and the little black rabbit hopped up onto the table to wholly devour an apple, stema nd core and all.
Thirteen (aimee.frakture) tipped her head to the side, taking in the many energies gathering on the grassy lawn. It was a more concentrated look than Thirteen normally gave, sending her senses out to lightly brush against all those present. When she found no sense of Lex's father among those gathered, she gave the Professor a slight nod and the touch on his thoughts of reassurances before she returned a sunny smile to Dinah and her siblings, "The pleasure is ours, of course. It's so good to see you again. I'm sorry I haven't been down sooner. There has been some... disagreements as to how much time I should be spending in town. Thank you, I would love a lemonade and I think I shall steal one of your chairs and enjoy the music while others play the game, if that's alright."
One Who Is Free idly listened to Hector's music. This was another one of the inventions of the 'peoplefolk' here, it understood.
It always wondered why they did not play more of those 'keys'. Or why they let themselves be restrained as they were by the keys themselves.
It stared HARD at Hector, through the open top of the piano, as if looking at Hector could somehow provide it the information it wanted.
... It inched closer. Skulk, skulk. Creep, creep. Shuffle shuffle.
Sorry, Free, you're not sneaking up on anyone in that get-up. In fact, you'd probably have trouble even without it, really. That's really not how eyes work.
Shuffleshuffleshuffleshuffleshuffle.
Suddenly, Free is close enough to the piano to touch it.
He doesn't, but he COULD. It... Probably isn't a good idea to let him touch it. Or is it...?
He's still staring up at Hector by that point when suddenly:
It FELT something very familiar. Like the Hounds. Like IT.
Its head swivels. It's almost a little too far for a human body, and it peeks out from
One Who Is Free behind the pillar with a blank expression.
What Hunter receives isn't so much 'telepathy' in the way that humans or psychics understood it. It was something quite different, something that THRUMS through reality. It's not really communication that can be put to words, but if they were, the meaning for something like it would perhaps be something like:
I̷̤͎̞̫̗̘̿͐ͦ̾T̸̪̤ͥ ̈́̓̉҉̻̮̝̞̥̦̪̺I̶̤̫̖͖ͭ͐͒͋S̨̱̪̲ͪ ̠̜̃̋͠O͎̦̠͚̦̯̮ͭ͜N̰͖̬͕̭̓̽͞E̊ͥ̋҉̳̩̪̩̟̣͖ ̯͓̅͒͒͐͝L̡̻͍͓̲̰ͪ̆I̡̺̙̝͕̪̟͕̤͂͊̐̿K̝̹̫͚̲̜̞̍̀E̽ͧͬͭ͏͓͕̰ ̰̻̹̹̯͊ͨ̍̕M̂҉̬̘̰̫̹͎É̜̞̠̝̳̔͠
BriCheese (timidvi): ((behind the piano*
Dinah (dollihead) clapped eyes on Tzofi as soon as she approached with that massive anchor on her back, cocking her head to one side with interest. She gave Lex a warm smile at his praise, however, bowing her head. "you really are terribly kind, professor. thank you." she said gratefully. 'Hearing' Hunter, she turned on the spot like a meerkat until she caught sight of her favourite bunny and she beamed with a replied <"Hello, hunter darling"> until Thirteen spoke and she turned back towards her with a smile. "Of course, dear. catch yourself a spot on the bench before it becomes the more desirable spot at the party" she said playfully. "I can imagine making the trip in your condition must be terribly exhausting. Just let us know if you need anything else" she offered helpfully.
With a polite 'If you'll excuse me', she zipped on by towards Tzofi at the gate, glancing towards the anchor with undisguised interest for a moment before she smiled up towards the big woman.
"Good afternoon! I am dinah windgrace, welcome to
Dinah (dollihead): our home. if you'd like to play a game, that will be around the back of the house there, otherwise, please make yourself at home and enjoy the party" she beamed up towards her, offering a hand to the wall of a woman to shake
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) was glad when he and Lex were done staring each other down for obvious reasons. He was too merry for the green monster to take over, probably. He rejoined to the tall professor, "My sister is truly magnificent, there's no other word. One has only to meet her. Come get some nibbles, think you will swing a mallet, Dashrix?" Seeing a person behind the Thirteen-Dashrixes who sent his brigand senses tingling caused him to need to straighten his face, and try to think what Dinah would say.... onlhy he did't have to, she was off, saying it. He'd shoot the glass of brandy straight down with a likely audible glug for those near enough by, being a very bad influence on Hunter.
Tzofi watches as the man tries to lift the anchor. Most people thought the anchor was just for show, for intimidation purposes and that it was not as heavy as it truly looked. Most people stopped thinking that, or pretty much anything else by after they felt Bert's bite for the first time. She turns her mismatched gaze back to the surrounds, furling her lip into a semblance of a smile, that is more akin to a grimace before striding forward. She stops as Dinah walks forward, looking down at the woman with that grimace smile "Well we be hearin' on teh ship you be givin' way food and drink, Ah came to test teh hospitality of ya fine fucking folks. Gotta make sure that it truthful ya hear?" She says with her oddly lilting but rough speech. For those who had traveled extensively, there's something of some island in her voice, and the tattoos that are on her skin "They be callin' me Tzofi Mora, ya call me whatev and all" The outstretched hand is eyed with a frown but she's playing nice enough for the moment, the
Tzofi allure of drink enough to keep her in a polite enough state so an extremely large and callused hand reaches out to give a firm shake of the hand
Hector: does not let on that someone is stalking the piano. He assumes it's the piano the way that the young man in colorful clothing is staring. Does he think for one second that the individual is actually in that outfit? Not anymore than he believes that black floof on the ground is a bunny. But Hector spends a lot of time at the Windgrace Manor. He both sees and thankfully doesn't see. He spend up his playing, doing a little Flight of the Bumble Bee straight from rag-time to give the young interested individual a view of his fingers sliding back and forth across the keys. Then he was turning to look at something. He slowed down and pecked and plinked.
Lex Dashrix: "The simple truth." Lex replied to Dinah as she bustled off to attend other guests. he let his gaze linger for a moment on the brothers as he awaited confirmation that none so far in attendance were likely to be his father in disguise. He tooka small plate filling it with a carefully selected assortment of fruits and a single pastry in indulgence for Thirteen as she moved toward the bench to relieve her feet. "Mallet?" Lex inquired uncertain what woudl require pounding at such an event before blinking as he recalled the details of the invitation. "Time shall tell I'd not deny those more devoted to sport the opportunity." he replied flatly. "It has been, some time, since last I engaged in such frivolities." He offered a nod and moved to join thirteen and observe for the time being.
Dinah (dollihead) beamed up towards Tzo, taking her hand. Di's hands were the sort of hands that had never, ever worked a day in their lives, utterly scar free and bejeweled, but curiously cooler. She nodded at her words, eyes flicking towards the harbor with interest for a moment.
"on the ships? gracious. How exciting. Well! We shan't have it said that our hospitality will be in question." she idly wondered if it was THAT ship. She definitely had the look of it. she kept her hand on the taller womans, turning and heading back towards the party, hand in hand as if aiming to pull her along like a kite.
"Everyone, this is Tzofi. Tzofi, that is my brother drystan, my brother dorian. Hector is over by the piano there. The lovely young lady is Thirteen, the gentleman with her is professor Dashrix, and the colourful gent by the piano is Free. There is also a little black bunny about, that is Hunter.." she turned to look back up towards the woman with a sunny smile. "What is your preferred drink?"
Hunter gave a little wave of its paw to Dinah then watched as Lex and Thirteen made their way over to the rest of the garden. It was hard, amid the fur and with his size as it was, to see where his focus really sat but the psychics knew well enough that it was on her belly and the life growing inside it. The bunny huffed, smooshed cake crumbs out of its whiskers, and began to bob up and down to the tune of Hector's playing until it heard the greeting, of sorts, from Free. Multiple eyes opened in that fuzzy face, then rather quickly the bunny was backflipping off of the table, popping and expanding and molding into a more humanoid visage. His put on his Windgrace face and grinned at the OTHER being Dinah had opened the way for. He did not respond in kind, merely smiled, nodded, and ate another sweet thing from the table. "Did you also pick a name? Did Dinah help?" he asked, gesturing with a squiddly arm at the black-haired Windgrace.
Drystan Windgrace (jacksonn.shepherd) turned and just headed for the drink table looking at what they had put out. To Dorian's shoulder, "Where's ...the good stuff? Fuck me I thought the whole 'Be proper' bullshit would die with Father," He shuffled the drinks around looking at bottles and holding them up to the light. He looked over as Hector began Flight of the Bumblebee and he watched...Free... stalk Hector. "Ey." Was all he said at Free. The two of them had a tenuous relationship at best, Free did manage to turn a bad time with the Tindalos into a horrible time. He glared at free then looked at Hector. "Stay away from him unless he says it's alright to approach him. It's called being respectful." He put the bottles down and sighed, looking over at the bunbun munching apples. "You have the right idea..oh to be a bunny." He turned and headed to the front door. "I need to grab something inside a moment, ....I'll be right back." He hollered over to Dorian's direction, before grabbing the front door and swinging it wide, and leaving it open,
Drystan Windgrace (jacksonn.shepherd): hopping the little rope by the stairs and headed off in search of something very particular.
Thirteen (aimee.frakture) offered the large woman, Tzofi, a friendly wave though she was already turning towards the bench and leaning on Lex to pick her way across grass like the smooth lawn was unpredictable and potentially treacherous terrain. She'd long ago abandoned her usual heels for soft flats. She glanced over as Hunter expanded offering him a sunny smile, and a brush of his thoughts that was echoed at a much less skilled level from the life within her belly. Of course, Thirteen's thoughts were often touching against her not-yet-born son's and while neither Lex nor Naoki were telepathically skilled enough to catch the babe's light touches - not behind their natural shields, Hunter was much more gifted in that realm and might just. "Thank you, Professor," Thirteen murmured as she was handed over to a seat and then dutifully given a plate of fruit to pick at and her requested lemonade before she turned her gaze to watch the Windgraces greet their guests.
One Who Is Free reaches out and plucks a whole cake from one of the plates set up on the table, its eyes still locked onto Hunter. It doesn't cut it into pieces or even take the plate - no, it's just the cake, whole, uncut and... He's opening his jaw wide and just... Takes a whole bite out of the cake.
He's eating that cake WAY too cleanly for what it SHOULD look like when a human just... Tries to eat a whole cake. Bite by bite. Somehow it's working?
It turns its eyes back on Hector as he speeds up into a ragtime rendition of Flight of the Bumblebees for a moment. It is... Well, it is interesting to the blue-haired being.
Now it DOES, in fact, reach out for the piano. Anyone well-attuned to Aether can feel it - those who were of the inclination of a creed yet more so; the characteristic thrum of spellcraft, the force of belief that willed the world into existence TWISTING to an individual's sole creed.
Gears and tubes and wires seemed to spill out of Free's pockets, almost certainly more than he should have been abl
One Who Is Free to fit in there.
The tug on the Aether falls away, though, as Hunter responds to it, again drawing Free's attention from the piano and the man playing it. Like Hunter, it wobbles its head back and forth in a vague approximation of... Perhaps a nod, or perhaps normal head-bobbing. It's a bit far-removed from both, really. "It is Free," it answers Hunter - its voice baritone, and yet somehow both too quiet and too loud.
It looks back at Drystan at the latter's instruction. It looks like the being has almost no inclination to actually follow it, but it does tilt its head.
Then it eats another bite of cake.
Well, the piano, for the time being was spared whatever strange machinations that Free had in mind for it, though the gears and tubes and wires lying about nearby the piano seemed to indicate that, in fact, it was hardly going to be spared forever.
It waves at Drystan, as if it had no idea how much the other had suffered because of the Hounds. Most likely because it didn't.
It looks back at Hunter
One Who Is Free again. It seems to think for a while, as to whether or not Dinah had named it. "It is simply Free?" it responds.
Tzofi looks down at the small woman as she keeps hold of her hand. There is something almost amusing at the concept that she's being tugged along like a net over the water, and while she does not budge for a few, eventually she follows because in that direction lays food. The introductions are given a nod of the head, but her hand reaches out and snags a whole lemon. Tossing it into the air a few times, when it falls back to her hand, that powerful fist crushes it, tipping her head back to suck out the juices with a rude slurp "The stronga the booze, the betta All ya get is watered down piss on the seas most days, to make it last. Beyond that I don't give a rat's ass bout what it is" Once the lemon has been juiced by her fist, she gives a wild smile, her teeth all jagged and multi-rowed much like a sharks and rips the rind off to devour the pulp, other hand going out to grab another lemon.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) watched Hunter and a very strange stranger have a conversation that was going to probably, he guessed, break his brain. Thus he was glad to hear Di introducing the large lady. He'd turn from the brightly dressed one and his "cousin," to give this Tzofi a smile and a wave. The smile had the tiniest bit of tension around his eyes. He'd call, "Be welcome! Help yourself."
He'd topped himself up and would stop haunting the table like a hungy gargoyle taking a few steps back so others can get at it. He'd make his way toward Thirteen and Dashrix vaguely, watching the brightly clad person and Hunter. That was a spectacle alright, one made whimsical because of the music.
Hector: held up a hand as if to say it was fine about Free stalking around. "He's fine, my love. Just watching. There's been no touchy and my eyes are fine." It was a bit of a joke about beings from that particular dimension, as the Chaos tended to put pressure in the head to the point that eyeball popping, eye bleeding, nose bleeds, ear bleeds, etc. were a side-effect of being around them sometimes. Hector, however, was perfectly fine. At least, no more worse for wear than any other moment in time. And then a bunny flipped through the air, grew a face and became a real boy. Somehow, some-way, he managed not to miss any keys. He just kept playing, offering a nod to the 'new' Little Horror. He stared at Hunter's face thoughtfully for a moment and then let his eyes trail down his body. He was obviously pondering something, but then he shook it off. With a deep breath he started to play with one hand. He reached into his breast pocket and took out a thick envelop with a wax seal. He sat it onto the top of
Hector: the piano and picked up his lemonade, slurping at it for a moment. He stared at the envelop as if he was making a deep decision. Finally he motioned to a maid and whispered to her to take the envelop and slip it to Dinah.
Dinah (dollihead) watched Drystan head for the house with curiosity clear on her face, peeking in after him. Upon seeing the bunny shape become Hunter the Human(ish) she smiled a little brighter. She turned though, giving Tzo a more curious look of her own, only releasing her hand when they had neared the tables properly.
"none of our drinks are watered down, perish the thought. Practically a capital crime" she Looked harder, and for a moment, she let just a flicker of her own true guise flash across her face for half a blink. The too many eyes, the webbed hands, the nebulous stars patterning her skin... all gone just as quickly as it came.
"If you want *strong*, the little golden trolley over there has some very potent gin on it. Bottles of the stuff." she gestured with her now-free hand to the drinks trolley beside the tree. Peering around at her other guests, she finally snitched a glass for herself and added a few raspberries from the fruit table. She grinned up to Tzo again "I suspect it might be fruit flavoured,
Dinah (dollihead): but I rarely drink gin. Does everybody else have a drink that wants one? Oh! thank you dear," she took the letter and turned it over in her fingers, glancing to hector with interest but stashed it into her skirts for now
Hunter chirped a "Will share apples!" at Drystan as he disappeared momentarily. He was in good spirits as the festivities picked up but seemed startled by the silent greeting from the creature in Thirteen's womb. His head swiveled around like an owl's, full 360 to stare at the redhead and her belly. "Bthnknythgof'n... ng gof'n ai," he muttered to himself. <"When will it come?"> came the directed request at Thirteen. Hunter did not guard his thoughts though - anyone who was looking could likely pick up what he was asking.
When he turned back to Free the smile returned. "You are Free," he repeated with another nod. "...Am Hunter. I knocked with the Hunter, and the Gate was opened by Dinah. So I am Hunter," he explained. Hunter trailed off as he saw Tzofi with the lemon. His eyes bugged, wide - he'd clearly never seen one eaten that way. Immediately he snatched one up with a tendril and crushed it in the tentacle's coils, slurping up the juice through the tendril's slippery surface and making a puckered face.
Hunter "...Uyyyagghhh, it. It makes the tingles, the cheeks pop," he said and rubbed at his jaw, the tendril hucking the lemon far and away toward the greenhouse and the other more real buns.
He only saw Hector's nod in his periphery and took it as some affirmation of his opinion on lemons. "Yes. They are no good," he said with a solemn bob of his head. He swiveled around to peer at Dinah. "Gin? Is like whiskey? Burns when drinking? Makes you feel fuzzy, warm?" he asked, and in a blink teleported next to the trolley. Evidently acting was going to be his way of testing of anyone present shouldn't know about magic. When no backlash occurred he grinned wide, teleporting back to the snack tables with the aforementioned gin in hand.
Dinah (dollihead) watched Drystan head for the house with curiosity clear on her face, peeking in after him. Upon seeing the bunny shape become Hunter the Human(ish) she smiled a little brighter. She turned though, giving Tzo a more curious look of her own, only releasing her hand when they had neared the tables properly.
"none of our drinks are watered down, perish the thought. Practically a capital crime" she Looked harder, and for a moment, she let just a flicker of her own true guise flash across her face for half a blink. The too many eyes, the webbed hands, the nebulous stars patterning her skin... all gone just as quickly as it came.
"If you want *strong*, the little golden trolley over there has some very potent gin on it. Bottles of the stuff." she gestured with her now-free hand to the drinks trolley beside the tree. Peering around at her other guests, she finally snitched a glass for herself and added a few raspberries from the fruit table. She grinned up to Tzo again "I suspect it might be fruit flavoured,
Dinah (dollihead): but I rarely drink gin. Does everybody else have a drink that wants one? Oh! thank you dear," she took the letter and turned it over in her fingers, glancing to hector with interest but stashed it into her skirts for now
Hunter chirped a "Will share apples!" at Drystan as he disappeared momentarily. He was in good spirits as the festivities picked up but seemed startled by the silent greeting from the creature in Thirteen's womb. His head swiveled around like an owl's, full 360 to stare at the redhead and her belly. "Bthnknythgof'n... ng gof'n ai," he muttered to himself. <"When will it come?"> came the directed request at Thirteen. Hunter did not guard his thoughts though - anyone who was looking could likely pick up what he was asking.
When he turned back to Free the smile returned. "You are Free," he repeated with another nod. "...Am Hunter. I knocked with the Hunter, and the Gate was opened by Dinah. So I am Hunter," he explained. Hunter trailed off as he saw Tzofi with the lemon. His eyes bugged, wide - he'd clearly never seen one eaten that way. Immediately he snatched one up with a tendril and crushed it in the tentacle's coils, slurping up the juice through the tendril's slippery surface and making a puckered face.
Hunter "...Uyyyagghhh, it. It makes the tingles, the cheeks pop," he said and rubbed at his jaw, the tendril hucking the lemon far and away toward the greenhouse and the other more real buns.
He only saw Hector's nod in his periphery and took it as some affirmation of his opinion on lemons. "Yes. They are no good," he said with a solemn bob of his head. He swiveled around to peer at Dinah. "Gin? Is like whiskey? Burns when drinking? Makes you feel fuzzy, warm?" he asked, and in a blink teleported next to the trolley. Evidently acting was going to be his way of testing of anyone present shouldn't know about magic. When no backlash occurred he grinned wide, teleporting back to the snack tables with the aforementioned gin in hand.
One Who Is Free 'sneakily' (read: not sneakily at all) shuffles himself closer to the piano, holding gears and tubing and wires that look suspiciously like piano wires. Oh, little diodes and stuff like that too - were those always there...?
One of Free's arms stop being... Flesh. Suddenly it is empty void and pinpoint stars and it's not arm-shaped and...
Wait, is that a screwdriver...? A wrench...?
Wait, is that a-
There's another pulse of Aether as Free starts to... Fit things to the piano as Hector's playing. He's actually somehow avoiding getting in Hector's way - is it that uncanny flexibility, maybe? Is he not intending to...?
It's not changing the sound, at first, but by the time that a little wheel on the side of the keyboard shows up that looks SUSPICIOUSLY like a pitch wheel from modern times shows up... Well, Hector might get the idea, since he's from that era.
Free just wants everyone to be free! That's not so bad, is it? The piano can't play in every note and now it can!
Mostly. Well, it was a
One Who Is Free start.
Free was now thinking about making a piano that could make ANY sound. That would be a project for another time.
Free's attention is brought back to Hunter as Hunter responds. It nods, as if it perfectly understands, gives a smile that is maybe a little bit too wide.
Seeing both Dinah and Hunter show off more of their otherworldliness, though, Free seemed to decide to join in on the 'fun'. Muscle and bone and clothes and hair simply... Dissolved into the same empty void and starlight that had previously composed its arm. It waved at Dinah, its form now featureless.
And then its 'arm' stretched out like an amoeba's, slime-like in its movement, wraps around Hunter's discarded lemon and begins dissolving it in itself - as if to confirm for itself the experience. Its body begins to vibrate and wobble. Rapidly.
Drystan Windgrace (jacksonn.shepherd) walked out the front door, leaving them open and letting the cool breeze that kicked up off the ocean to flow throughout the house. It also allowed the whirl of smells from inside out; incense, kitchen smells, cigar and smoke smells, rich old wood, vanilla and old books. He was unrolling a sleeve and buttoning it back down around his wrist, with a hand rolled cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth. Stopping there at the top of the stair, he rolled his shoulders, and licked his lips some after pinching the smoke from between them, taking a look around at the small group. Whatever he had been looking for, he had found, and a flask of it stuck out of his pocket just a smidgen, but Drystan had found more than just the good stuff to drink. He plucked the smoke back into his mouth and headed down the stairs one by one, a curious look taking over his face when he sees Hunter. "Well....that's....new."
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) set his eyes on the brigand looking Amazon of a woman and reappoached the table just as the shapes were being shifted. After sidling near to her, he'd mutter at her general direction something he thought of to say to the type of person the crown had trained him to hunt once upon a time, "Blimey, am I right? This is how our parties become something to talk about. You want strong and good? I have this bottle here decanted of Armagnac that's probably older than you." He'd carry on where his twin had left off with a cheeky wink and grin. Following his sister's lead was usually a good rule, or his reemergent brother's. For his part he'd raised his well filled glass to show Dinah.
Thirteen (aimee.frakture) did not react at all the unnaturalness going on but, then, Thirteen always Saw the ebb and flow of aether. The fact that it was affecting reality instead of just the ripples of magic was not really different to the construct. Settling on the bench, she tucked her skirts around her legs to enjoy people watching. Her gaze flickered between the party goers and then occasionally off towards the horizon as if absently checking in with those nearby that she regularly clocked. There was nothing the construct liked so much as people watching, normal or otherwise. It was their emotions that was the fascinating part. Her smile brightened at Hunter's question and she replied simply, "Soon. A few more sunrises. Maybe more? Probably less," Thirteen said simply, content and unconcerned for the trial to come. Her gaze slid to the piano with some concern as things began to be pulled out before drifting towards the Windgraces in concern. Thirteen couldn't play an instrument but she understood how delicate they could be
Thirteen (aimee.frakture): and how precious to have the same feel for some of those who played them. "Oh, dear."
Hector: looks down at the piano and blinks a few times. Were those cables, moving? He looked to free and then back down to the piano. He's trying not to look alarmed as one of the other worldly at the party was apparently turning the piano into something...Aether Tech'y? It was fascinating! A bit of synth would mingle in with the tinkling of the keys and he'd adjust, furling his brows and trying to keep the songs going uninterrupted as the very piano was...becoming. A wire wrapped around his pinky finger and he tugged it up sharply, moving his but he never stopped playing. The peddles of the piano started doing weird shit and he couldn't help but bark out a happy laugh. It went from just piano music to composing techwaveindustrial Summer time dance party? And then Free gave up on his glamour and Hector blinked. "Oh thaaaat's who you are." He smirked and shook his head. "You know that doggy almost took my leg off." But he's far too smitten with the 'new' piano and all the knobs and peddles to play with.
Hector: He spared a glance to Dinah, watching the envelop disappear into her skirts. He breathed out, incredibly nervous about what he'd just given her. Nothing to do, now, but see what the twins would say about all that. Then Drystan came back out and he practically melted, looking up and getting a dreamy expression upon his face. His wiggling fingers slowed down and the tune became somewhat 'romantic' and easier to dance in pairs to.
Tzofi ate the lemon in quick snapping bites, clearly something other with teeth the likes that she has. There is no chewing, just a tear and swallow... the rind going afterwards. The next lemon she doesn't bother to juice, instead just biting into it like it's an apple and tearing away to swallow. The rough, grating laugh at the expression of the being that clearly was other that also tried the lemon, at both of them "They might be interestin' but I can't say they are very wise" She says after a moment not even blinking at the oddness going on. he glances at Dinah as that slightly otherness shows up, and allows her eyes to shift to the cold deadness of a sharks "Nah nah no need of that here little host, we be all friend ya? You keep your peoples, and I keeps mine...and we all be good. Now ya got drinks! Ah'll be takin' some o'em" Which she does, stalking towards Hunter before he poofs away, stopping just before she runs into the trolley.. and scoops up several drinks. Her shark gaze is looking at all about her
Tzofi taking them in "The OlFucker sure did land us on an interestin' shore this time. Man's thick as molasses but he sure do send people ta fun places" Dorian's commentary ears him an amused scoff, and a heavy hand, sticky with lemon juice patting him on the shoulder "Good Try. Good Try. But ya got to loosen the pretty wishywashy talk if ya gonna be talkin' right."
Dinah (dollihead) turned at Hunters' question, and though her first instinct was to cock a brow at who had been giving him whiskey, she couldn't be terribly surprised. Alcohol was far more consumed than water in this house. "Similar enough, I suppose, yes." she agreed. Similar enough in that both were beastly and she loathed them, at least. She smiled warmly as Free shed his 'form' and her two summoned eldritch darlings were present in the same garden, she giggled and smiled up towards Drystan as he came downstairs. "Darling, had you not seen it yet? isn't he so terribly clever" she gushed with a laugh, though she did pull a face as Dorian looked to share his armagnac. As Hector changed the music to something more slow and romantic, she hummed and danced from foot to foot, turning to grin towards Tzofi as she moved away. "Everyone who comes through those gates ought to be coming through as friends, yes~?" she gave her an innocent smile. "Don't worry. Whilst i'm certain that Hunter can drink a lot, there will be more."
Dinah (dollihead): she promised, but she skipped across the grass to linger near Thirteen
"I had no idea you were so far along, dear. Is everything going well? no troubles? You simply *must* tell us when the babe is born, we shall have to send a gift."
Hunter started for a moment, seeming like he was about to stop Free from ingesting the lemon - but it was too late, and the poor thing was vibrating with... something. Hunter winced, made a face and muttered something in his native tongue. Quickly he went to one of the pitchers full of ice water and poured out a cup before sliding, all-too-fluid, over to pour it over Free as if expecting it to subsume the water and dilute the sourness somehow.
The message that came to Thirteen was quiet, if thoughts could be quiet. <"Is it known? Is it remembered?"> he asked, and this time he did not quite manage to look at her though his blonde and silver-eyed face was frowning.
But the piano was morphing, and that was something to be distracted by. He watched in wonder as it shifted and changed, eyebrows raising and ears twitching like he was still a rabbit as the sound was eventually affected. He stepped back and unstoppered the bottle of gin, about to take a drink when Drystan thankfully commented on his face. "Is it a good shot? Can be long-hair, but... it is warm for long-hair," he said. He picked up a nearby wineglass and poured entirely too much gin into it before handing the bottle off to the nearest person - which happened to be Tzofi or Dorian likely. Then he was downing his glass - all in one.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) definitely drew breath to give it a go, talking like he thought ruffians from another part of society might speak, and before he could think better he'd remark back, "Right-o guv." It couldn't sound right coming from his mouth, so he continued on in his usual urbane purl, "But in all seriousness, eat and drink what you'd like, and I can show you how to play croquet if that's what you're here for. I have played surely thousands of games, it was very common back home in Cheriton, and when we visited others in their country homes. Perhaps you play it at home too, it is simple as houses." Hanging back by Tzofi, he'd study her with plain and unmasked curiosity.
One Who Is Free simply... Splashes apart into a puddle of shadow and light after 'absorbing' the lemon. There's not a whole lot it says in the immediate aftermath, but what DOES happen is... Well, a few people nearby might suddenly FEEL the echo of puckering after biting on a lemon, only... Through their whole bodies.
The puddle that was Free just kind of... Quivers. But it IS quivering in time with Hector's music now, the strange, out-of-time (in the literal timely sense) music that does not belong in this era. THIS feels like what it imagines a piano should feel like, yes, very much so.
It doesn't totally understand, of course, what Hector or Drystan thought of it releasing the Hound. To Free, it was just a trapped thing that should have been freed, and it had, after all, stopped it from doing immediate damage.
Well, it also didn't exactly stick around to stop it from doing damage AFTER the immediate, to be fair. And they probably would have dealt with it much more easily if Free had simply kept away, but alas - su
One Who Is Free was Free.
The puddle absorbed the water that Hunter poured onto it, the quivering slowing and the feeling of PUCKER lessening, formed pseudopods that began to drag it towards the very same trolley that Hunter was raiding.
Could it teleport? Well, yes. Since Free was 'free', after all.
But part of freedom was choosing NOT to teleport.
It did find the feeling of the grass interesting. It didn't travel like this often.
And then it was grabbing the gin and... Also pouring that into itself.
Would... Would Free get drunk without a humanoid body...? Is that how this works...?
Thirteen (aimee.frakture) shifted fully to mental communication, though she made no effort to hide it from sensitives like Dinah. Thirteen would have felt terribly rude sliding into her adoptive pet's thoughts at her house and trying to keep it secret. She simply was taking the conversation to a more private realm especially given the nature of the topic and the sorrow it made Hunter feel. It was less words and much more thought-concepts as Hunter communicated. Framing things in words was an extra step that Thirteen took the effort for, for her human and more human like companions. She felt no need to constrain herself so for Hunter. Thoughts and impressions, those observed from Naoki and from experience, that Naoki was excited and worried and afraid. That this child remained known and more beyond, how while Thirteen could very easily restore memories that were native to THIS Naoki, trying to stitch back together what was stolen from the web of Other and Outside was something that would be both difficult and dangerous for both
Thirteen (aimee.frakture): Thirteen to attempt and for Naoki to experience. Along with that were solutions that Thirteen had ideas for, ways to stitch back in Hunter at least to Naoki's sense of existence - THIS Naoki - perhaps as a shadow or echo of the child that was grounded in this plane of reality. There were other ideas, half formed. Thirteen had had nothing but time to think of late. But it was clear without Deadman's particular magic, Thirteen was uncertain she could manage to bridge Naoki's conciousness back into the realm of other that Hunter called home.
Drystan Windgrace (jacksonn.shepherd) stared sort of glassy eyed at Hunter, taking in the whole of him. The unusual parts for everyone else were the parts that didn't make him hesitate. It was all in the face, and how much he looked like ....if his siblings had a child of their own. It was uncanny and it swung in the direction his mood was headed into, which was more cheerful. He looked over from Hunter to Free, but blinked against their nothingness, because he was not used to using his own eyes to See. He caught Hector's look and gave him a wink, taking one step at a time down the stairs to wind up coming up round the side of the tall beauty that he knew nothing of. "Say, s'that ink darlin'? If so, by Gods It's fanfuckingtastic." He gave her a wide smile as he passed her by, heading towards Hunter. "You look, simply amazing Hunter.." He walked towards him, the splishsploshing of Free just happening as he extended both hands outwards towards Hunter as if to take him into immediate embrace, "Did you do this for them? To fit in?" His eyebrows
Drystan Windgrace (jacksonn.shepherd): stitched upwards as his hands would grab at eyeballed arms, the smoke still hanging out of his mouth.
Tzofi gives another rough grating laugh as she eats her lemon and downs her drink...only to be handed the bottle of gin from Hunter "Ah I like ya" She declares with a wild grin, tossing her head back to chug the bottle of gin. It's an impressive feat as she just drinks and drinks without seeming to take a breath. Those that are near to her might notice a quiver on the flesh of her neck, as though that dark skin has several slits cut into the skin, but she's done soon enough, wiping her lips on her arm. Interesting enough the color on her face does not change, giving the idea that it might actually be tattooed or perhaps natural. Her pale eyes look at Dinah as she grins and poses the question, a sharp grin pulling generous lips wide "Ah there are friends Deep One, and than there are FRIENDS. And who knows what we be on the scale of. Not I, but lost as you ply me with booze and food, we'll be friendly-like" Eventually she turns, bending a bit to look at Dorian "ahhh sure Guv'nor, show me this croquet and we be
Tzofi seein' what I make of it." She'll agree, grabbing a hunk of grape and devouring them. With the amount of citrus she had been eating, she's sure not to get scurvy anytime soon.
Hector: practically purred when Drystan glanced his way. He beamed a smile, but continued to play. A bit of sweat had brushed against his brow. It was rather warm out and he was dressed 'normally.' He had left his hair down, rather than pulling it up as well, which was making him a bit warm. Not even the lemonade would keep him cool after a bit of time. He was going to have to take a break. He huffed and made a dun dun DUN on the piano, turning around and tugging his hair up off the back of his neck to fan himself. "Shew! Isn't there supposed to be some sort of competition today where the citizens of the city smack around Windgrace balls?" He smirked coyly and pulled down his hat, glancing down to something inside of it. He reached into and played with a small object, before plopping the hat back on his head to hide whatever he had under there. With whatever it was squirreled away again, he turns his attention to watcing Stan with Hunter. He gets a distant sort of look in his eyes, as if he was
Hector: imagining more Hunters, more differenter Hunters, some with dark hair and Drystan's eyes.
Dinah (dollihead) was intrigued by hunters' reaction to Thirteen and her baby, and she tilted her head to glance between the two. she had picked up at least the odd word of their conversation but she had at least tried not to intrude. She smiled warmly as Dorian was doing his best to be social with the very obvious pirate. She tittered into her glass at Free's reaction, though she turned her smile towards Drystan as he came downstairs, full glassed.
"...next party, we really ought to.." she murmured, dancing from foot to foot at the slow-dance romance and she hummed, taking a drink from her glass. Tzo's words made her grin and she swept her hands out to her sides in a theatrical bow.
"I consider all of them my friends too~" she said cheerfully, though she smiled and approached Hector, patting him lightly on the shoulder.
"Go and play with Drystan, darling, he's in such a good humor. I shall take over for you for a while" she said playfully.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) took note, though late of the strangeness of the music, but it was not the first time with Hector. And it was not unpleasant. He made a mental note to ask the man next time they had leisure to talk. He was busy sipping and chattering at the woman whose ink his brother had admired. He'd stroll with his glass making short work of the amber contents and handing it off to some poor staffer who'd have to keep up with otherworldly appetites beyond those of the open invitation as well as employers' whimsical timing for glass handoffs. He lead the way to the mallet stand, and once there turn and explain, "You take a ball and a mallet and you try from some distance to knock the ball through a called hoop. We're keeping it simple this year."
One Who Is Free 's pseudopodic arms lifted off the puddle of... Whatever it was Free's true form actually was 'made' of here. It was all very amoebic, and it was simply picking up a bottle of very strong gin, uncapping it and... Pouring it all over itself until it was both a) very sloshed and b) sloshing away.
Hunter seemed to ripple impossibly as the 'sour pucker' feeling from Free just roamed through the space. Once he settled again and his skin was... well, skin instead of something more fluid he coiled around to return Drystan's embrace. "Yes, to cheer. Cheer Dinah, after the trinket demon took her hair. And Dorian, since the doctor has made him mad. Always makes him mad." He pulled away, wobbling on his feet. He had absorbed a bit of gin before handing it over to Tzofi.
There was a moment where he seemed to be contemplating as he stood at a slant to the grass, thinking over the myriad thoughts that had come from Thirteen about the present situation. Dinah would realize she referred to the one Hunter had called bthnknythgof'n - and likely be able to figure out who Hunter seemed to label as 'womb' on the island. Those thoughts sprung many things into motion, making the little squiddle too excitable to sit still.
"PLAY. Competition. Cricket? Cricket," he said, and immediately curled up into a little black ball,
Hunter size of a cricket ball and inert on the ground, or so it seemed. ((If anyone rolls a 1 or a 20 while playing with the Hunter ball, a special effect can occur at Windgrace discretion. I have to get ready for work. <3 See you all on disc and thanks for the rp. ))
Hector: bowed his head to Dinah as she came to relieve him. He took his empty lemonade glass so he could get another one. "Thank you, Dinah Dear. Though uh, your friend ummm...he Aether Tech'ed the piano." He let out a laugh and shrugged as he stepped off the porch and around to Drystan's side. He was getting himself more lemonade as Hunter curled into a fluffy ball for the croquet game. A look came over his face that was basically 'AW!!' He blinked aware tears, thinking that was the cutest fucking thing ever. Now he's thinking about the alpaca babies. "I should have brought the twins." He took a deep drink from the cool lemonade. "Mmm, the alpacas I mean. Let them run around and play with the other kids."
Drystan Windgrace (jacksonn.shepherd) looked over at Hector, "They are like, a week old! Hunter isn't exactly a ...baby." He lifted a brow and reached down to pick up the giggling ball of fur and walk over to the croquet area. "C'mon you, you get to knock as many Windgrace balls as you like." He bowwed his head and stuck out his tonge and tucked Hunter up close to his chest and walked over blowing Dinah a kiss as he made his way towards Dorian hopefully with Hector in tow.
Dinah (dollihead) smiled fondly as Hunter spoke of the 'trinket demon' taking her hair, though she did pause a little and titter at his remark about the doctor always making Dorian mad. "He is such a sweet boy" she murmured to herself, though precisely which of the sweet boys she was talking about she didn't specify. She finished her flute of champagne and she paused when Hector mentioned her 'friend' and she laughed
"Free is a curious soul. I am surprised that it remained in one piece" she settled herself at the piano and played a few experimental plays across the keys. She started up playing something light, jazzy, and she peeked over towards Drystan with a friendly smile. "Ah! how are they settling in?" she asked Hector hopefully, though she smirked at Drystan. "..hunter IS a baby" she muttered in playful sulkiness, continuing to play with a giggle.
One Who Is Free totally does not come back to the scene as a super drunken puddle and randomly grabs a ribbon and prize. And probably drunkenly wobbles away afterwards.
Lex Dashrix sat sternly observing the disordered morass of polite socializing grateful Thirteens condition gave him an excuse to sit aside and not participate in that most dreaded of activities, small talk. He assumed she was in telepathic communication with at least one of the guests as she had asked neither to go mingle nor dance so he stat half watching the goings on while his cognitive faculties tackled less dynamic questions of aetheric theory. As Thirteen stired at his side he looked down at her, "Are you uncomfortable? I have no need to participate in the sporting portion of the evening should you require rest."
Thirteen (aimee.frakture) gave a firm shake of her head, after leaning into Lex's side in a way that looked more like a lover than anything else for all that the Professor had an ostensible wife according to society pages. Her hand rubbed across her belly and she offered Dinah a grin as she settled at the piano. "Naoki has been... uncomfortable with sharing much information so I have engaged in the old fashioned habit of being hidden away during much of my confinement after the unfortunate incident at the church. The Catholics have some feelings on unwed mothers that make him... antsy." Murderous was perhaps more accurate. She leaned up to press a fond kiss to Lex's jaw in a manner that was definitely romantic and gave a shake of her head when his large hand came down to caress her belly. "Not yet. Soon. But not yet. There's time for you to play a match. You need to mingle more," Thirteen reminded him, though they were his own words, muttered in his lab about his father's machinations and a need to know the lay of the land. "I
Thirteen (aimee.frakture): will keep Dinah company while she plays the piano. Perhaps you can win me a trinket, Professor."
Tzofi registers after another gobble of grapes that someone is addressing her. After all she's no darling of anyone here, and so she snorts "Some aye, My people are fanfuckingtastic at the art of the inking, though it's done ceremonially" She says before she looks down at Dorian's comment. The croquet bat he hands her seems almost paltry in her massive palms. as the others wander over to join her and Hunter becomes a ball... she smirks, drinking more of the Gin "Well lets see how many Windgrace balls I'm destroying tonight" She pulls her arms back, not truly aiming before slamming it like it was a pinata, just one that's on the ground.
Hector: leans into Drystan and allows himself to be tugged closer to the place where the croquet was set up. He hummed to himself, just enjoying the perfect moment. He glanced to the side and furled his brows, seeing what appeared to be a strange mushroom coming up near the edge of the gazebo. "Huh...never seen those there before. Almost blue'ish...could those be...." He squinted. "Remind me to take a closer look at those mushrooms later. I think I recognize them."
Hector looking at strange mushrooms in the garden on a lovely Spring day? Why did THAT seem familiar? But just as soon as he'd thought it, he was looking to the balls. "I'm only really interested in a particular pair of Windgrace balls myself." He said with a cheeky grin. He did glance back to Lex and Thirteen, giving Lex a respectful nod of his head. "Professor and Miss...you look positively radiant." He passed a hand through the air, muttering a blessing from Mother Nature for Thirteen's child before he was back to looking at balls.
Dinah (dollihead) continued to play, mostly just lilting from tune to tune with whatever pleased her. She saw Free wobble on through and she laughed gently, pausing her playing to turn on the bench when Thirteen spoke to her. Sliding down from the chair again, she smiled.
"being hidden away has always been the tradition, hasn't it? I wish i had realized. I had just thought you were busy, I would have written to you. The Catholics have a lot of troubles with a lot of hypocritical things. They ought to be pleased...their entire religion is founded on an unwed mother" she fussed a pout, but she gave a warm smile towards the professor.
"The greenhouse is open, if you would both like. the seats in there are far more comfortable than that old stone bench, and you will be able to watch the game if you wanted" she offered helpfully.
Lance arrives fashionably late. Or perhaps somewhat less than fashionable, considering that he is bidden to remove his coat - his precious coat - at the door, leaving him with short sleeves and a pair of rather awkwardly sized gloves atop his hands. Luckily, he doesn't have any weapons. Luckily no one else has weapons.
Drystan Windgrace (jacksonn.shepherd) works at the prize table handing out gifts to Free who gobbled them into itself and warbbled off.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) showed Tzofi the basic swing, and explained, "Not too hard, not too soft, as they say." Bending he'd give a solid thwack and whiff it on purpose, not aiming in particular so it went wide and not far enough. "I think you could win this thing Miss."
Tzofi snort inelegantly as the ball swishes through the hoop. It's not a perfect position, but it's a good enough one. Tzo is not a mastermind, but she's good enough with planning and well used to her strength and power. She gives a sharky grin again to Dorian, and takes aim at the next set of hoops.
Drystan Windgrace (jacksonn.shepherd) turns and claps heartily for the sharky woman, "Good show!" He grins and licks his eyetooth as he watches her, giving Dorian a bit of a nod. "There we go, Who do we have up next to knock the ol' ball around?" He looked over and saw that Mr. Song had arrived, as casually as he probably could. He lifted his voice, "Mr. Song! Lance! Please join us! We've a mallet and ball for you here!"
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) squared up on the next hoop in good form, and this time, well the ball sailed through. THere were no better words for it. Practice made shots like that. He'd wink at Tzofi and encourage her, "You're picking it up very well, you know. I have a feeling the third time will be the charm for you. The final hoop."
Lance approaches as he is bidden, being careful to keep at least five paces away from those gathered. He's considerably defenseless - which in reality means that those present are the ones defenseless instead - and he has no desire to inflict anyone with his curse. Once he nears Drystan, the man offers a bow with his hand across his breast, "Are you sure?" he asks, "I regret to admit that I am not the most skilled in matters of sport."
Drystan Windgrace (jacksonn.shepherd) waves a hand at him and makes a little Pfft Sound. "Of course, You need not be good at it, its the fun in trying that is the point. And please help yourself to food and drink, you are here as a guest tonight Lance." He lifted a brow at his manservant and passed a Mallet to him. "It's really quite easy once you see it done." He picked up a couple of the mallets fromt eh stand nearby and handed the one to Lance and then softly tossed a blue ball towards him, so that even if he didn't catch it, it would land near his feet at least. "Blue's you're color mate.."
Lex Dashrix: "Perhaps just observe." Lex remarked as he rose to his feet and offered her his hand to help her to her own. He began to make his way toward the game to watch pausing near Dinah and politely offering his other arm, "Shall we cheer the boys on professor?" he suggested with a raised brow. Did he intend to throw off Dorians game with such antics or was it mere happy coincidence the world might never know.
Tzofi tilts her head to give Drystan a considering look as he claps for her, eying him up and than down, loking at Hector next before just giving him a sharp almost devouring smile "Poor show of the second. But Bah! Thise sticks are tiny, I'm wavin' a twig... Lemme swing with Bertha and I'da show you power" She states to the brothers before moving up to where her ball, luckily not the lil Hunter ball, though she had considered it, is laying, and gives another whack at it. She's not graceful in her swings, more power than restraint, and swirling woad blue of her tattoos seem to ripple .
Ileravel || Ileravel - or rather, 'linnet', Roesler's little songbird as she was made to go by in public - quietly acquiesced to the search at the front of the gates. Well, it wasn't like the woman was ever much of a threat - she was one of Roesler's more 'trusted servants', after all, for a reason. And unlike Ekko, she generally would not cause incident or upset.
Not that Ekko particularly wanted to GO to the Windgraces after all. She was particularly afraid of them, especially their de-facto matriarch, given that Roesler seemed to quite value her and thus could not be the target of Ekko's otherwise constant laziness and chaos.
So of course the task of bringing the little basket of sweet pastries from Roesler's kitchen had fallen upon Ileravel... Who herself likely had a part in the making thereof.
She comes in just a little bit after Lance. She's dressed much more... Well, perhaps not nicely, but she's well-covered and wearing some heeled boots, the servants' clothing far removed both from the extravagant
Ileravel outfits she wore for cabaret performances just as much as it was removed from the perilously revealing outfits she wore at 'home'.
She looks over the partygoers, until she finds Dinah, approaching and offering a curtsy, but waiting until she was less occupied before continuing:
"Good evening, Ms. Windgrace. Master Roesler would like me to inform you that he regrets he cannot come today, but he would like to gift you these pastries from our kitchens," she told her, extending the basket towards her with all the sincerity required of 20th century etiquette. "We hope you will enjoy them."
Dinah (dollihead) turned at a new face joining the fray and she beamed "Ah! lance, Baihe, it's good to see you. please, grab a drink, make yourself at home, of course. The others have started playing already" she offered cheerfully. Snagging herself another flute of champagne and happily taking Lex's other arm when offered, she beamed and nodded.
"my brothers have had a lot of practice but there's nothing like beginners luck, as they say" she agreed, but perhaps in a small salvation to Dorians' jealousy, Ilravel came in right behind her and she turned with a smile. "I'll be right with you, professor, Just another guest to greet. Hello! welcome. please make yourself at home. we've just started the croquet if you'd like to play"
Lance totally gave Dinah a bow as well, pausing in his way over to Drystan. Baihe on the other hand, while unable to bow, does in fact stare at Dinah throughout the entire process. This is easy because Baihe does not have eyes to blink.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) chuckled, wondering what Bertha could be, that giant anchor maybe? The mind boggled and he grinned at the large woman while it did before he'd move to take his third shot. "I do not think you need anything past a little practice sweet Zofie." He wasn't mispronouncing her name on purpose, he was just very British and sure he had it right. His last shot was another beaut, went straight through and he'd twirl the mallet around in a showy fashion then bow.
Thirteen (aimee.frakture) rose to her feet slowly and requiring more than a bit of Lex's strength to make the transition. Thirteen's expression flattened for a moment, turning inward before she smoothly adjusted back towards the conversation as Lex closed the distance. "I would not say no to a more comfortable chair," Thirteen agreed amiably. She glanced over Lex's broad chest to offer Dinah a grin, "Among other things, but yes. I fail to see what taxable adjustments and a paper with the registrar's office would change any god's opinion about the veracity of this child or my relationships. It sounds like a very dull god, indeed," Thirteen offered conversationally. A shame Luke wasn't here to hear that. He'd likely be more than a little amused, "And we will be certain to send off announcements when the happy arrival has come. I am hoping Naoki will settle a bit then. His instincts have been riding him hard. Unforeseen occurrence. I did not think his nature would lend itself to strong parental instincts. It is curious." Strong
Thirteen (aimee.frakture): parental? No. Strongly possessive? Absolutely. She gave Dinah a slight nod and a smile, "You'll likely catch up with us quickly. I don't move terribly fast." She offered with amusement and a small nod to Lance and Linnette as well.
Lance has fast reflexes. This is good for such activities as catching balls, and with a small blur Lance's hand reaches out to snag the game piece out of the air. There is a moment of pause as he inspects the pair of objects before nodding. These are as good as, or perhaps even better, than the ones he was used to seeing at his previous place of work. Once satisfied of course, he looks towards the croquet field, and hums. "I shall wait my turn," notes.
Hector: was just standing there watching people play. He had absently ended up leaning his chin upon Drystan's shoulder. He lifted his glass to Lance when the other appeared. Otherwise he's just enjoying the afternoon. He reached up into his hat and took something down again. He thumbed the small object in his pocket for a moment and then moved to slide it into Drystan's vest pocket. He made no real stealth at it, smoothing his hand around the other's midsection and depositing the small object there, giving it a little pat in case somehow Drystan didn't notice what he was doing. Then he turned his head and whispered something directly into Drystan's ear.
Ileravel seemed to hesitate for a moment to join in on the play. It wasn't something she was much used to - play hardly existed in her vocabulary nowadays.
Still, she curtsies again as she hands off the basket of pastries. "Well... I suppose the Master wouldn't mind too much..." she ultimately relents. This was, after all, the host's invitation - and besides, she was here in a way as Roesler's representation.
Her boots crunch softly in the grass as nigh began to fall and the sky grew darker and darker, heading up towards the croquet set. "Excuse me... I'm very sorry, I don't exactly know much of, um, how to play," she said, offering yet another quite formal curtsy as she approaches the others. "Could I perhaps be given an explanation...?"
Tzofi would send that ball through the last little hoop with no issue, cackling to herself as she does. Until Dorian makes the mistake of mangling her name. There is a darkness that floats across her expression before she turns, teeth bared in a savage smile "Ah ah, Dandy Man, I'm no lil sweetmeat to dangle and dandle, and pat on the arse. Ya can call me it right, or ya can call me Tzo if it's easier on your tongue, Best that there be a parley here, and ya Sister gives good hospitality, or I might truly be breaking some Windgrace balls" Fiercely she glares with that rabid smile before stepping back and planting the croquet butt deep in the ground, turning towards Drystan "That be all of it right?"
Lex Dashrix: "Of course professor." Lex replied as he turned and slowly approached the game in progress smiling down at Thirteen. "You're not wrong he agreed with a low rumble of laughter. "But worship rarely follows so logical a progression when it can be turned to power and control." His eyes flicked to the newcomer and quickly placed her as one of Roeslers. "I'm sure your patron would not mind the delay for the sake of decorum."
Dinah (dollihead) waved her hand in amusement at Thirteens' observations and she laughed. "The whole thing is a theological *minefield* if looked at closely, Honestly." she agreed. "regardless, I should absolutely wish to know. I certainly wish you all all the best. Children are such a blessing"
As Roeslers' Linnet passed her, she smiled, peering into the basket and she chuckled. "That scoundrel, not showing. I shan't ever forgive him" she handed off the basket, rejoning at Lexs' side
"I shan't break into theological discussion at a party, i daresay it might be considered a controversial topic, mm?" she paused at the brief interaction she caught between Tzofi and Dorian, tensing just a little.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) also set his mallet down, though there was a part of him that wanted a fight just to see what it was like. That flashed in his eyes before his manners got the better of him and he'd bow again and try again, "T-zo, my apologies. I assure you with all sincerity I meant no offense. You did quite well Mademoiselle T-zo. Thank you for giving the game a go!" He really was not trying to troll her. With the accent and a certain smugness that he carried near constantly, even when apologizing, though it might really sound otherwise.
Drystan Windgrace (jacksonn.shepherd) lifted his arms a bit when Hector went reverse pickpocketing, stuffing a small item into his vest pocket, just in tome to see Lance grab that ball out of thin air like it was nothing. He opened his mouth to either say something to Hector or to Lance or maybe to the young lady that had walked up but the whispering in his ear stalled anything he had to say in his throat. He swallowed hard against the lump forming there as he reached up to pat his pocket and look down, fishing his fingers inside to pull out the ring, staring at it looped around his pointer finger absently, his thumb pressed tight to hold onto it. He gaped and looked up at Tzofi addressed him. "Ah..ah..yes, Quite...You've got a keen sense for the game, Thank you for taking your crack at it! COme on over and I'll assist you with some gifts, if you'd like?" He felt like everything was in slow motion and he slipped the ring back into his pocket, unable to look at Hector yet, the shock of it still gripping him. "Ah..One from Each row, you did
Drystan Windgrace (jacksonn.shepherd): excellently." He finally looked over at Hector pleadingly, as if to say, "NOW? YOU DO THIS NOW?" but he was all smiles mixed with confusion.
Thirteen (aimee.frakture) paused, ever alert to her surroundings, especially now and simply stopped, to let Lex insert himself between any concerns of a scuffle breaking out with mallets. It was easy enough to stay back with Dinah and Linette before she turned her head, to offer a helpful, "You take a mallet and strike a ball through the little iron wickets on the ground though truly, you should just ask for the fuzzy ball. Hunter will enjoy trying to score points for you and you shan't have to do much at all other than stand there. I can't promise he'll be successful but it will certainly be easy," Thirteen offered, likely a confusing statment if one wasn't aware of one of the balls being sentient.
Ileravel gave Lex a demure smile before she moved away to join the croqueters. "Indeed, Mister Dashrix. Thank you," the woman placing him as the very same dean who had at times come to the Cabaret and interacted with Roesler.
Not receiving a reply from any of the others, she simply watched the game unfold a bit before she picked up the mallet and set down the ball to strike it towards one of the hoops.
As could probably be expected from a total novice, the woman didn't seem to do particularly well - it had come closer to the hoop, but alas, only a little bit so. Well, perhaps her next hit might be a little better.
Hector: winced slightly at the look from Drystan, but he was smiling too, a bit of pink spreading across his cheeks and his nose. "But it's a garden party, the first one of Spring. If the Eldest was to....be announcing..." He shrugged slightly. "Traditionally, would not a suitor take such a time? It is the day that Alice from Alice in Wonderland was...if you recall the story. While the men and women played croquet, the person her mother picked out got down on one knee...but then she dashed into the maze...and fell into the rabbit hole." He swallowed hard, something in Hector's eyes pleading now. He did this on purpose, with very clear intention and a marked desire for THIS moment as the 'Lords' and 'Ladies' were smacking balls around. Of course, in their Fairy Tale, Drystan was sort of both Alice and the 'Queen' of Hearts painting roses red. Hector...the Mad Hatter, of course.
Tzofi grits her teeth, all those very sharp, very shark like teeth at the sound of her name being almost mockingly said. CRUNCH goes the end of the croquet bat from her grip on it, the shards of wood driving into her hand deeply as she musters the control to...not take the bat and dash it over Dorian's pretty head. Drystan's comment about prizes pulls a bit of her ire away however and she stalks over, snatching one of each row up in her hand "Spoils of my time, I'll take em" She states baldly before looking to Dorian, that predator's gaze in her eye "Pretty boy I'd watch your pretty tongue. And make it less so" And with that she stalks back towards the entrance, briefly stopping to look down at Dinah "Free food and drink always 'ppreciated. Your kin not as good at the talking" She states. She can gather what's going on, with the others, but for now she'll go back to the ship, with her drink and her booty.
Echo (keramu): /em, a casual observer despite being part of the game, is not at all aware of anything regarding sentient balls. He is however aware of Hunter being a bunny rabbit who sticks people's hair to walls, and as Dinah tells Ileravel about it he balks - looking around somewhat nervously. Hello? Evil rabbit? Where?
But there is no rabbit, and more is afoot. He'd have to be blind to miss the shift in infrared about him, and even as he goes about looking for a point in time to begin his whacking of balls he is rather quiet, a snake in the grass waiting for the right time to strike.
Lance test
Lance has no idea why that post failed to work
Drystan Windgrace (jacksonn.shepherd) leaned over, and nudged Hunter the Ball Bun, and whispered at him, "Go help that lass will you? I don't think she can hit you that hard, just..have fun ok?" And with that the little black bunny ball rolled over in front of Ileravel, bouncing and giggling at her ready to PLAY!!
Lex Dashrix noted the simmering tension as Thirteen paused and tapped her hand lightly in comfort. "I daresay your brother likes them tall dark and shipbound." he noted with the full acumen in the nature of human interactions for which he was famed. He watched the woman take her leave and Dorian begin to follow and dropped his head conspiratorially, "I'm sure he'll be discrete and not embarrass teh family." how comforting.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) was oblvious to how he'd made the woman angry but he did trail after her, watching her go, keeping his tongue still and his hands raised as if in surrender. Where he was going he didn't need worries about pronunciations, it was the drinks table to get himself another one, and to light a butt. Blowing off some smoke was the right thing to do. Muttering to himself as he did, "I did not cause that scene, that one was *not* on me."
Drystan Windgrace (jacksonn.shepherd) finally turned to look fully at Hector, to reach out and take his hands, and pull him closer. "Gods, Hector...You know there is more to it than just..." He literally did not know what he could say outloud in the presence of all of these people. Had Hector considered the ramifications? He had to have, he wasn't a stupid man. He felt dizzy, and his heart raced at the notion of him not knowing what came next. "Yes, Hector. Just..yes." His face made a frown but it was because he has feelings stuck in his eyeballs and that stung god dammit. "but we need to talk about this. OKay? Please?"
Dinah (dollihead) remained tense and staring, unblinking, at Tzofi and the interaction with her twin. it seemed she was almost bristling, the knuckles of her fingers holding the champagne flute near white. As Tzo turned towards her, she flashed a sunny smile, however, all tension apparently gone from her. Lying came as easy as breathing to the lady windgrace. Lex's words made her smile, however, but she laughed quietly. As Dorian passed her, she reached her hand out to squeeze his sleeve and she gave him an impish smile, though she nodded up towards Lex.
"you might be right. Dorian does have such a strange taste in women" she said innocently, watching with a smile as the Hunter ball came into play, and something else occuring over by the greenhouse with Hec and Drystan. She tilted her head, the letter still tucked away in her skirt, bafflement on her face.
Ileravel || To Ileravel's credit, she didn't panic when she heard the CRUNCH of the mallet as Tzo stormed off - well, maybe that was par for the course when your days weren't typically spent playing croquet and more frequently spent [REDACTED].
"Ah - um, are you... Are you sure that this...?" She looks between the giggling, clearly quite alive ball that has taken the place of her original one, and then back at Drystan again. She softly clears her throat.
With both Dorian and Tzofi seemingly leaving the game, the servant woman turned to look at Echo apologetically. "I suppose... We keep playing...?"
Assuming that, of course, Drystan or the ball assured her it was okay to do so... She'd... Very gently... Tap the ball again.
Yet again it didn't exactly go far.
Thirteen (aimee.frakture) smiled when Hunter was dropped to play with clear affection for the... thing. It was faintly maternal though not possessive in nature nor proprietary. She didn't see Hunter as HERS but rather regarded him as an extension of Naoki. That the small blob was content with the Windgraces made Thirteen happy, especially with the... complications between Naoki and the eldtritch creature right now. Unlike Lex, she actually WAS good at the nuances of the situation, and a light touch on Lex's arm when she registered him mentioning his reassurances to Dinah. The man actually meant well even if he was far off the mark and Thirteen gave her creator an indulgent smile. "The heart wants what the heart wants," she said simply.
Lance clears his throat, and closes a single pace towards Hector and Drystan - keeping his voice somewhat low, but also because of how he's choosing to protect everyone else from himself he can't help but be a little far away from the pair.
"Excuse me," he says, "My lords, would you prefer it if I took over the duty of scorekeeping? I'm afraid that I can't help but be anxious about having my lord bound to a post when he should be free to roam wherever he so desires." Meanwhile, a smile is given to Ileravel, and Lance himself sets down the ball that he had been given - out of the way so that none may trip on it, but similarly in a place so that he may strike it when he has the chance.
Drystan Windgrace (jacksonn.shepherd) saw out of the corner of his eye the trouble the young woman was having, and he felt pained, and wanted to help, but boy - OH BOY did he have a lot on his plate at the moment. But that bunbunball with toebeans, rolled back up to her mallet, and nudged it, and bounced giggling <HARd ..er to Hit the BALL!> The ball would say to her.
Ileravel tries to hit the ball again at its own urging; yet again, the attempt can really only be described as pitiful. Well, yes, it WAS bringing it closer to the hoop, but it seemed as if the woman was very much hesitant about playing the game, let alone hitting the apparently sentient ball.
Lex Dashrix nodded entirely missing the subtext of the lady Windgrace's comment but putting all due effort into his efforts at polite small talk. "Not so unusual. Many men of his sta..." he trailed off as Thirteen carefully warned him of veering off the prescribed script for such interactions. "tion take all appropriate care in courtship." he finished awkwardly and focused back on the game take a few steps forward to grab up a mallet, "MOre like this." he suggested to Linnete as he lined up with the strange ball and let go a firm crack to send the ball careening with more force than precision as it bounced off the wall to come to rest a few feet from it's starting point. He nodded in satisfaction at his work and re-racked the mallet. "Good Luck!"
Hector: gives Drystan's back a little hug and then slides back out of the way. He sucks in a deep breath and does his best to front a bit of what is going on. After all, it's his fault and Drystan is a bit off his 'game' at the moment, pun intended. He shook his head to Lance. "No, no, please. You enjoy yourself. It is your day off. The siblings would be distraught if the one day they asked you to be here NOT to work...you worked." He moved back and addressed Thirteen. "May I get you anything, Miss? It's a bit warm out and you're hydrating for two, after all."
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) came back to Di's side with a cup brimming in amber fluid and just a few chips of ice. He'd sucked down his smoke in a few long drags huffed out before he even left the table. There were ashing receptacles there, and one caught his stubbed out leavings. As he neared his sister again he cheered, "Bravo Dashrix! I had a feeling you would be good at the thing. You have such leverage, being quite so tall a fellow." He'd lift his cup to Lex, presuming he'd not offend this guy as easily as pirates. Maybe there was just something in him that had needed to be peevish around that woman, given her presumed profession. Dorian
couldn't put it past himself, though he'd tried very hard to not condescend nor be snide.
Dinah (dollihead) tittered at Thirteens' words and she nodded cheerfully. "doesnt it just?" she replied with a smile, sipping her drink. She grinned up towards Lex again and she chuckled.
"I can reassure you entirely, professor, that my brothers have never let such things as 'appropriate care' interfere with whatever they pleased. It's better that way" she paused as Dorian joined her and she stepped towards his side and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
"thank you for playing nicely with the pirate. I do hope that anchor hasn't marked the lawn" she frowned in thought.
Thirteen (aimee.frakture) beamed when Lex whacked the ball much like someone proud of their toddler going to play with the other children rather than sulking in the corner. Sometimes taking her makers places to socialize was not all that dissimilar. She gave Hector a brilliant smile, "Thank you," she offered sunnily, "A glass of lemonade would be lovely and many felicitations to the two of you. I hope you have many happy years," she offered despite starting to sway back and forth in that way women will to try and ease the discomfort of being so forward heavy. She was going to be sore later, though happy for the outing but Naoki would likely take umbrage with Lex for the aches and pains of walking even if it had done her some good. Unlike Lex, Thirteen was very tuned in and the small subtle exchange had not gone unnoticed but the nuance of not congratulating before announcements was difficult for the construct. Social nuances were complicated and made little sense. Her gaze turned back towards Dinah and Dorian, "It's easy enough
Thirteen (aimee.frakture): mended if so. There are so very many nature workers in the city."
Ileravel very respectfully steps aside as Lex approaches, picking up the mallet and offering to show her how it goes. Well, he's not much better, but in the OPPOSITE way. Still, it is absolutely better than what she's doing, so she very seriously responds, "Thank you, Mister Dashrix... I suppose..." She looks down at the clearly unharmed Hunter ball. "I suppose I could try..."
The woman isn't particularly strong or powerful, of course. So if Lex couldn't hurt the ball, certainly, she couldn't.
She hoped so, at any rate.
She hits the Hunter ball and he goes ZIPPING through one of the hoops, right up to the next. She has no idea if that was actually her, or if that was Hunter doing the Hunter thing.
Probably the latter, really.
Lance watches as Hector goes off - though Baihe does most of the staring, her head now up and looking rather directly at those assembled. Meanwhile, Lance gives Drystan a rather serious look and cants his head towards the runaway apothecary, wordlessly indicating his intention that Drystan ought to follow after. Some things, after all, ought not be postponed.
Meanwhile, Lance is splitting half of his attentions already towards the croquet ball at his feet, giving the staff a little spin and then knocking the ball rather firmly - sending it rolling down the way and.... Oh. Just /Barely/ through the hoop. That's going to be awkward...
Drystan Windgrace (jacksonn.shepherd) nods to Mr. Song in a relieved gracious way. And then Hector was walking away. His eyes went from Hector's back to Lance's face over to Dinah, and then to Dorian, off in the distance. He cocked his head to the side, and clicked his tongue up against the roof of his mouth. He did not like being left confused. He did not like his own servant excused by someone other than himself. He did not like feeling like he wanted to explode for no reason other than to just release some of this god be damned tension. The Greenhouse nearby rattled ever so slightly, enough that the glass tinked and tanked against its metal fittings, He took a deep breath in, and a deep breath out, slowly through his nose. "Thank you. Mr. Song. I was going to graciously accept your offer when my choice was taken from me. I do apologize for any confusion. You do still work for me, if it was ever unclear." His tone was fairly lifeless. "Please go ahead and play, and when you both have finished your rounds, I'm sure I'll be back by then to
Drystan Windgrace (jacksonn.shepherd): distribute the gifts.." He looked up and met eyes with the demure Ileravel, "Good shot." He took off slowly walking though with purpose towards Hector, keeping up that breathing technique he had been shown half a million times to calm his rages. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes he was great! Sometimes he fucked it up a bit. "Hector...will you just wait a second?" He called over to him as he was gaining on him.
Lance smiles as Drystan gives him his thanks, and smiles larger when the man actually departs. Sure, he's grateful that Drystan acknowledges what he's doing, but that's poor comfort if Drystan doesn't actually take up the opportunity presented to him - whether he's forced to or not.
Meanwhile, Lance clears his throat and looks to the blond woman nearby. His smile remains on his face and he offers a small bow, "I apologize, Miss. My name is Lance, Song as you may have heard. We are tied now, yes?"
Ileravel clears her throat very gently as she quite politely knocks her mallet against the giggling, cheerful ball on the ground, hopefully nice and easy through the hoop - Hunter, of course, had a quite different idea, zipping straight through the hoop up to the next one. Ileravel couldn't help but giggle in that case, giving Drystan a small curtsy as he leaves, looking... Mildly concerned.
"Ah, well - I suppose we, um. Were? Was it that each hoop is a point...? I think I may be cheating a little..." she admits rather sheepishly.
Hector: held out a hand like he might catch Thirteen, though he wasn't anywhere near close enough. It was her wobble. "Goodness. That little one is putting a wobble in your step mmm? Let me get you that lemonade." He concentrated and gave just a tiny bit of pressure from Thirteen's back. His mind making a large soft 'hand' in the air that could not be seen. Just a little something to help her not feel like she was so wobbly on her own two feet. He wasn't as good as Drystan and likely never would be, but Hector's Telekinesis was up there. He went and nabbed a glass of lemonade, lots of ice and put a straw and a sprig of mint, bringing it back to hold out to Thirteen. "Here you are." And then the gazebo rattled and he could FEEL Drystan at his back. He blinked back at the other, looking incredibly apologetic. He lowered his head. "Begging pardon, I was only trying to help." Hector looked back and forth to all those gathered then back to Drystan. "I apologize. I shall not speak out of turn again." It
Hector: was said softly and there was a gentle and earnest look in his eyes like he truly was trying to calm Drystan down.
Lance has in fact put two and two together - he heard that ball speak, and the innate horror of Hunter is slowly dawning on him. Perhaps he ought to invest in hair ties. Or a veil. (Are there even veils for Masc heads?)
The man shakes his head and clears his throat, taking his time to walk over to where his own ball touched down and give it a simple knock once more. The penalty from the previous shot carries over, and Lance's strike only gets just barely through the hoop this time as well. A smile is cast to Ileravel, "Don't worry about cheating," he says, "I'm sure that if someone here truly desired foul play, there would be worse ways to go about it than receiving a favor from the lord of the house himself. I shall treat your performance as his will made manifest. Ah, we are tied again by the way."
Dinah (dollihead) turned towards Thirteen at her remark about the nature workers and she hummed, nodding. "I suppose it would be easily remedied anyway. its grass, after all. it just seemed such an odd choice of thing to carry about. I would think certainly her ship would need that where it was" she murmured in thought, though she looked up towards the greenhouse as it rattled. Staring at it for a long moment, she reached out to give Dorian's arm a little squeeze.
"Darling, I am going to step inside for a little, check on the kitchens and contact the gardener to look at the lawn." she gave a friendly smile to the rest of the party.
"it was a delight to see you again, Professor, Thirteen. I shouldn't be too long. enjoy the gardens! Thirteen, dear, if you need it, the greenhouse *is* open" she beamed, pressing another kiss to dorians' cheek as she swept off to attend to the minutiae of the party ((night night everybody <3))
Lex Dashrix turned and nodded to Dorian at the complement, "I have not kept up with the rule changes." he admitted with a small shrug. "I heard they had a version on horseback in England now." he shook his head at the absurdity of it all. He took note of Thirteens stance and returned to the small cluster of onlookers offering his companion his arm once more. "Don't overdo it." he reminded her quietly and blinked at her. He nodded agreement with her assertion, "Yes and not so difficult to manage oneself with a little practice just takes a firm and and the plants listen." he assured them and nodded toward Drystan, "Like your brother with his man there." utterly missing the relation and thinking hector was an employee of some sort moonlighting here, adjunct were terribly under paid after all.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) was, when told that he'd done a good job despite the mallet destruction, instantly all beaming grins again, and he'd shrug in silent reply about the whole affair. "What a strange individual, armed to the teeth she was." He leaned down to deliver a peck on the cheek to his twin and thought at her <see you soon>. He'd look over at the game yet being played and give a random "Huzzah!" when someone cracked mallet against ball. It just happened to be a giggling Hunterball that defied odds. He'd chugged down his cup and once more handed it off to staff when it was empty.
To Lex he'd chuckling reply, "That sounds like exciting sport, I must say, though I wonder if it is hell on the horses when people have bad aim."a
Thirteen (aimee.frakture) let out a little sigh at the nudge of power to balance her. Her smile for Hector was gentle and appreciative as she accepted the glass of lemonade. "Thank you," she said simply, though she glanced between Drystan and Hector and their tensions with a slight tilt of her head of her usual curiosity at emotions and the people displaying them before she grimaced slightly. She took a few sips of her lemonade and nodded politely to DInah. "Thank you so much for inviting us but I think we will likely head home sooner rather than later." Her gaze transferred to Lex then with expectation, "I should return home, I think. It is about that time." She murmured for Lex's ears.
Ileravel laughs softly. "Anyways, it is a pleasure, Mr. Song. I am simply Master Roesler's little songbird - his linnet. You can come hear me sing at the cabaret sometime~." She again approaches the Hunter ball, again pulling back her mallet to gently thwap Hunter through the next hoop. He goes zooming off again - but alas, Ileravel seems a little winded, and perhaps missing 'home' as well. "Well, thank you very much for the fun," she tells Lance, curtsying to him as she goes to set up the mallet where it ought to be, Hunter still probably zooming about and rolling around on his own having fun.
She stops by Dinah on her way out, curtsying to her also. "Thank you very much for hosting~. I will let my master know things are well - I do hope you all enjoy the pastries."
She smiles, and then off she went back to Roesler's airship.
AlsoBriCheese (timidvi1): ((Thank you for the RP :DDDD
Lex Dashrix: "Of course precious." Lex hushed quietly in response and turned to Dorian who was not busy disciplining misbehaiving employee and bowed slightly, "It has been a Pleasure Master Windgrace." He assured the young man. "The hour grows late and I ought get my companion home your hospitality is much appreciated." he stated almost formally. "Good evening all." he added to the assemblage a rare addition to his social scripts.
Drystan Windgrace (jacksonn.shepherd) let out his breath as smooth and as calmly as he could. "I understand. That is all forgiven." Deep breath, blows it out."Now, will you answer my question? May we talk about this?" He lowered his voice some but the strain was more evident when he was forced to quiet down. "You just glassed over me saying yes by the fucking way." His face was drawn and his lips were thin, holding onto the now no longer lit smoke tensed between teeth and lip. He turned and tried to smile at Thirteen, but it was tight as well and was only barely reaching his eyes. "Thirteen, Professor...It was a pleasure to have you both here. I hope to see you and your babe sometime soon!" That was genuine at least. He was fond of other peoples babies. They were so fleeting.
Lance smiles to Ileravel, though does gesture her to the awards, before she leaves. He falls silent, being the last person using the croquet field - and feeling rather awkwards for it. Perhaps everyone else had had something to it when they arrived to the party earlier to him, and also started croquet earlier than him. Another hit sees the ball rolling rather slowly towards the final hoop, and Baihe oversees the rest of the party behind him.
Hector: tilts his head blinking a few times. "Of course we can talk. Like I said...I was trying to make it fairy tale, like Alice in Wonderland with the croquet and..." He took off his hat and brushed his hair back, looking a bit at a loss before blinking wait. "Wait, what?" He looked a bit shocked, honestly not having realized that Drystan said yes. "Y-you did? O-oh." Of course he had been talking too, but the croquet kind of got hectic and he was trying not to call too much attention. "I'm sorry. I was trying to...not make too big of a deal in case you would have rathered not." Bites his bottom lip. "Was it...did I manage to give you a fairytale rush like a Princess?" People were coming and going and saying goodbyes, but right now Hector's ENTIRE attention was on Drystan so the other wouldn't be made to feel he wasn't taking things seriously.
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) watched the Dashrix-Thirteens go with a friendly wave. He was jiust about ready to get aanother drink, as he was starting to feel warm from the first few, and there were still lingering guests. What he did then was get the staffer who could play danceable music to do so and then danced his way to another cup of brandy. Danced wihle he poured, danced while he shot it down. This while keeping an aye on the butler, in case he needed help in the interim while Drystan was Hectoring.
Lance gives the ball one last final knock - watching it roll through the final hoop before turning back to the party at large. Baihe rests her head once more upon her coils now that Lance is free to not have his back to the group at large. The balls are collected, mallets stored, and Lance returns to his usual post of watching everyone present. Even Dorian. Especially Dorian.
Delilah Harper-Windgrace: Delilah made her way up the path to the house, offering a quick nod to Hiram and grabbing a stray glass of bubbly. Letting her eyes drift over the grounds, she noted only a few remaining stragglers: her brothers, Hector, and of course the new butler. Stan and Hector obviously seeming occupied, she turned her attention to Dorian. "Ah'm sae sorry fer ma tardiness, big brother. Ah realized if Ah came back sooner, Ah'd prob'ly hafta play croquet, and that's just tae English of a game fer ma tastes." Grinning, she offered Dori a wink.
Drystan Windgrace (jacksonn.shepherd) looked over and smiled wholeheartedly at Delilah. "Oi..." He said to her, despite the tension happening in front of him. He looked back at Hector. "Yeah, I did. And maybe that's part of what we need to talk about." He looked just concerned. He was happy, but how the rivers flowed crashingly to the sea, emotions were messy. "Can we go upstairs and talk?" He offered his hand out to him.
Hector: breathed out, calming and slithering in to wrap his arm around Drystan's arm. He put his cheek against Drystan's shoulder and started to follow him inside. "You have all of my attention."
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) was staring right back at Lance when Lilah appeared and when he saw her, he was jolly enough to throw his arms around her in a hug and then lay a smooch on her shorn side of her head. If she allowed this he'd grin, if she didn't, he still would. But he'd also try to catch Lance's gaze again while regaling his sister, "Glad ye made it at all ye wee bonny lass." His Scottish brogue was *Awful*
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes): *awful.*
Delilah Harper-Windgrace: Lilah not only allowed but leaned in to the hug and kiss Dorian placed on the side of her head, even as she cringed, physically cringed, at his butchery of her accent. "Ach, Dori, never dae that again...ye sound like a Glaswegian crossed with some form of spasmin' Goose." Flashing her blonde brother a toothy grin, she raised her glass of bubbly and downed the contents before setting down her empty, "Still, s'good ta see ye in high spirits. Ah take it it went well?"
Dorian (alexandros.lycomedes) wound down his happy feet and wasn't even winded in the least, he explained, "You could not get me to play that what is it called golf?, if you tried. Even though the hats are quite fashionable. Sorry sis, I am ever so terrible with accents, I nearly started a fight with a pirate because I mispronounced her name. Still do not know what it was." He cheesed a grin to punctuate leaving whether or not he was actually sorry to be a matter of evaluation. "I am glad you are here now. Still plenty of food. Oh, I put Hiromi on guard duty for the Widow Esher. She sees well enough for that with her spectacles on."