(no subject)

[nebulochaoticmod]

WHO: OTA
WHAT: Eglaf Annual Earth Day Extravaganza
WHEN: Friday, April 17, 2020 - Sunday, April 19, 2020
WHERE: All over Historical Downtown Eglaf
WARNINGS: The whole premise of Friday's event is dub-con, so...you know. There's that. If you feel your thread should have content warnings on it, please say so in the soonest possible comment subject line.

Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got til it's gone?

Every year, the weekend before Earth Day, the city of Egalf has a three-day festival to celebrate centered largely in Historical Downtown. Eglaf was one of the first cities in Florida to pass Go Green laws and they're proud of their attempts as a city to reduce their carbon footprint. Each year, the line-up of events is about the same.

Friday night is a fundraising theme costume party, usually attended by any and all, featuring local celebrities and registered Displaced Supers along with raffles, meet and greets, autograph sessions, photo ops with Displaced Supers, local vendors, and more, located in Downtown Pride Hotel's ballrooms. This year's theme is "Getting In Touch with Nature." Party-goers will be turned away at the door if they're not in costume. No exceptions. Tickets can be purchased all week at the hotel or at the door. General admittance is $10 and admittance with dinner reservations is $25 per person. Group discounts are available; please call the front desk at Downtown Pride Hotel for details.

NOTE:This event is where things might get a little hinky this year. The portal being reawakened in January has been causing little issues around town, but the government mostly has this on lockdown. Unfortunately, it would appear that something new has made its way through. Earlier in the week, a small group of playful and mischievous fairies slipped through the portal. Learning of the Earth Day celebration and wanting very much to carry on its message, on Friday morning, locals and Supers alike might notice a sort of shimmer in the air. Spoiler alert: it's their version of fairy dust. Exposure to said fairy dust will have residents of Eglaf under the fairies' spell. They'll feel compelled to reduce, reuse, recycle, and be at the Earth Day fundraiser with bells on.

When the clock strikes eleven, though, that's when they'll decide to have a little more fun. Anyone still in their costume and within a five-mile radius of the hotel will believe themselves to actually be their costume or, in some cases, they will become their costume. So, if someone comes to the party dressed as a tree, they should be prepared to stand very still and be very silent while swaying in the wind for the hour during which the spell will take hold. This spell will last anywhere from 1 to 24 hours.

Saturday, there will be a parade featuring giant balloons, floats built by local businesses, and Displaced Super appearances. The parade will begin at 10:00 am and will follow the usual path down all of Main Street from Historical Downtown up to the upper east side before returning back to Historical Downtown. Typically, this parade runs two to three hours in its entirety. Then, Saturday evening will kick off the Earth Day Film Festival, where locals and Displaced Supers alike are invited to the Downtown Green, weather permitting (or the Oakdale Theater, if not) where the stage will be hidden behind a giant screen onto which Eglaf Community College short films will start things off at 7:00 pm and, by 9:00 pm, everything from nature documentaries to summer blockbuster films will be played back to back until the last movie is scheduled to end around 11:30 pm on Sunday night.

All concessions purchased at official events this weekend will go toward furthering technological advances toward making Eglaf run on clean energy.

Come one, come all! Have a great time!

Comments

Prim; OTAs

[littleducktails]

EGLAF IS GIVING A BALL | COSTUME PARTY (OTA)

Prim had been excited when Lydia had invited her to be her date to the costume party. For as many events as Katniss had attended during her involvment during the hunger games very few had involved her younger sister - that had been better, safer. Here, though, things are very different. The costume party isn't just one in an endless stream of excess, over-indulgence, and ridiculousness. It's fun, and for a good cause, so Prim's happy to be here. And as silly as it is, dressing up ins omething that makes her feel pretty is just nice. There's nothing more and nothing less to it than to have fun with a friend that she's made, and to complete some of her volunteer hours as well.

It's literally thanks to lydia that Prim is here, as well as the fact that she's in something that isn't just a simple floral dress. Instead, she feels a bit like an elven princess of some sort in her green dress with floral attachments and her hair done much like Lydia has worn her's, ribbon and baby's breath tucked into the braid near the front of her head with the rest of it flowing and curled. Much as Katniss dressed up for all of the wrong reasons, because she had to, Prim feels good. And she's trying to ignore the part of her that feels guilty for getting exciteda bout things like this because she's allowed to - the situation is different, and she's not her sister, after all. Sure, it isn't a costume, per se, but it does get her in the door because it doesn't look far off from one.

Prim's full of excitement as she enjoys the photo-ops and the meet and greet in particular. Her smile is free for everyone that she passes. Though, periodically throughout the evening prim can't help but shift and fight ever so slightly with her self-consciousness about her shoulders being out on display considering it's relatively different from anything that she's ever worn before. Still, Prim is mostly happy and participating in everything that she possibly can before she goes home - she's quick to spark up conversation, sit with, dance with, and generally enjoy this evening unlike anything that she's ever really experienced. Literally come eleven.

SEVENTY SIX TOMBONES LED THE BIG PARADE | PARADE (OTA)

[After all of the excitement of the ball the parade is definitely more low-key, but still all in good fun. Prim's smile still hasn't left following the parade. Even if in more than a few moments she had to re-orient herself and take a little breather to gather herself, given the last time she was in a crowd this big there were bombs going of. Still, you won't hear her complain...even if you saw her. Thus far she definitely likes all of the festivities that are involved with Earth day - both of her roommates know that she is staying for the films; she's got a sweater for later and enthusiasm to spare. And the conscessions are all so tempting.

As she stands in line, Prim considers what it is that she wants, sweater draped over her arm in her jeans and t-shirt. It's definitely a far cry from the dress she wore to the costume party, and her body is still relatively thin - the teenager not quite having put on weight even with spending several months here. Still, she's bright and eager - murming to whoever happens to be next to her in line, at that.]

I'm not sure what I want to get yet, what are you getting - would you like to go ahead of me?

[That's just...who she is - and along with striking up conversation, and letting whoever might know what they want cut the line, Prim is all too happy to give up her seat for anyone in a group, as well as just enjoy the films in earnest - by herself or otherwise.]

{OOC: Feel free to throw something during either event at her even if it's not mentioned in my post, and I'll match!}

Casey Kent | OTA

[caseyk]

COSTUME PARTY (OTA)

Honestly? Casey's excited. She hasn't been to a party, let alone a costume party, in longer than she cares to remember.
Bouncing around the multiverse and never really staying anywhere long enough to settle in all the way meant that she was constantly on her guard. Here, she probably still should be, but this is the calmest place in a long time and she's going to take advantage of it. Besides, how can she not be excited when she has actual fans for the first time in her life? For the first time in her life, nobody asks her questions about her dad. It makes her feel a little guilty, but mostly she's just kind of enjoying being appreciated in her own rite.

Because she'd volunteered for photo oops, Casey was careful when she picked out her costume. She wanted to make sure that it was within the theme of the event, pretty, flattering, but also kid-friendly, just in case this was supposed to be a family-type event. She doubted it, but one never knew and if she was going to be taking pictures, she wanted to look good but also appropriate. So, she found a cool set of fabric wings and set about cobbling together the rest of a butterfly costume.

Throughout the night, she tries to mingle with locals and other Supers alike. She might have a few drinks, but they don't really affect her anyway.
She tries to keep herself approachable via open body language and a smile. Casey plans to make the best of this and really enjoy it, just in case everything goes to crap sooner than later, like everywhere else.

PARADE (OTA)

The next morning, Casey spends the better part of the parade in the air just sort of getting the best look at the area down below so that she can ensure it's safe for everyone. Even though this isn't her permanent home, it feels like her responsibility to keep it safe, just like it always feels like it's her responsibility to keep places safe when she's living in them. When someone has powers like hers, it's hard not to feel that way.

At some point when things look like they're going pretty smoothly, Casey will float back down to the street and take off and tuck away her cape so that she can enjoy the second half of the parade on the street with everyone else.

FILM FESTIVAL

(( Casey will definitely be at the film festival for at least part of the afternoon and evening. If you want to do a thing with her at this event, absolutely hit this back with a start! ))

(( ooc: Please feel free to throw something during either event at her even if it's not mentioned in my post and I'll roll with it! ))

[atypically]

COSTUME PARTY (OTA)

In spite of the fact that parties really just...aren't Caleb's thing, by the time he's on his way home from a half-shift at Target that afternoon, he'd decided he really wanted to go and, not only that, but he needed to find himself the perfect costume. The latter part of his day had been spent all over town, looking.

At dinnertime, Caleb's at Downtown Pride Hotel, dressed as Pan with his stomach empty and ready to be filled with the meal they're providing.

He's likely to be found outside more often than inside as the night wears on and party-goers start to enjoy the libations. The more other people drink, the drunker Caleb gets and he has to stumble his way into some fresh air to neutralize it again. It reminds him of the Winter Gala in Jeopardy after the apocalypse and how Richie had morphed into the old man body to get them alcohol only to have to practically carry Caleb outside to shake off the intoxication he hadn't even earned on his own.

PARADE (OTA)

Honestly, he's only coming to the parade because he volunteered for it. It's sort of the last thing he wants to do because he'll probably be drowning in the high of all the excitement of the crowd for the duration of it, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. His attention is on the road in front of him as the float practically crawls down the streets through town and, admittedly, it's kind of nice to feel the residuals of all the positivity out on the street. Warm and pink and bubbly, that happiness is suffocating but in a weirdly pleasant way and he's smiling and waving to the crowd with ever-increasing sincere contentment, lost in his own little bubble of emotion and only belatedly really registering what the other person on the float is saying to him.

"Sorry, what? I can't hear that well over all the cheering and everything," he says, throwing out the first and hopefully most believable excuse he can come up with for his inattention.

(( ooc: Please feel free to throw something during either event at him, even if it's not mentioned in my post and I'll roll with it! ))

costume party

[solipsistically]

Five had really been hoping to be able to sit this one out, but he overhears Prim's tutor inviting her to come to the costume party and five sighs. He can't just let her go to an event open to the locals by herself. He'd never forgive himself if the kid wound up with a stalker or some creep got fresh with her because they couldn't separate fantasy from reality. He's not unaware of their mild celebrity status in this place and it's one thing for the adults to have to deal with it. It's quite another to think about Prim having to deal with it when he doesn't think she's ever been in the spotlight like that. Her sister has, he knows that much, but has Prim?

Because she told him that costumes are required and only because he doesn't want to get turned away at the door, Five spends a little over half an hour downtown after his morning coffee looking before finally giving up and settling for buying himself a new domino mask. When it comes time to go to the party, he puts on his old uniform, one he'd shucked into the closet by the end of the first day here when he'd stopped by the local Goodwill and gotten himself a few outfits with what little money he had in his wallet on him before he'd come through.

So, dressed in the Umbrella Academy uniform right down to that stupid domino mask, Five hovers a decent distance from Prim during the photo ops and he tries not to get in her way or be a hindrance to her fun by breathing down her neck like an overzealous guard dog. Once she's finished her meet and greets, though, Five approaches her and offers his roommate a small smile. "I like that dress," he tells her. "It's pretty. Did you eat anything yet?" He thinks to himself for a fleeting moment that Delores would probably like that dress, too, but he reminds himself that he's moved on past Delores and continuing to personify her with thoughts like that isn't healthy. Not that he's ever been mentally healthy, but that's neither here nor there.

[littleducktails]

Prim would probably have to have something physically wrong with her eyes...and be entirely unable to get the sense of someone's presence to miss that Five has been hovering throughout the meet and greet volunteer period. It's what Katniss would have done too, so she honestly doesn't mind, truth be told. It's more comforting than annoying for her still, so she really doesn't have any complaints about the fact that he's lnigered near like some sort of bodyguard. He's been steadily picking up doing the things that her sister would have done, looking after her to the best of his ability.

He's not the only, and it is nic that there are good people who care here - it's nice that there aren't people who mean harm or bad which seems to have been the case more often than not at home.

Looking down at her dress, Prim beams at the compliment...and yet one hand does work it's way up to cover her shoulder at the same time. "Thank you! Lydia helped me decide what to wear, I wasn't sure if this showed off too much of my shoulders." Prim admits, even if the compliment is coming from the equivalent of her grandfather - not that she ever had one - it's still bolstering. "I ate before I came , but I haven't really eaten since I got here." As silly as it is she'd felt nervous earlier, and she hadn't wanted to accidentally spill something on herself.

Still, that has steadily faded the longer she's been here. "Have you tried any of the food, Five?" She asks curiously, tucking her hair behind her ear.

Eddie Kaspbrak | OTA

[riskanalyst]

COSTUME PARTY (OTA)

The government official with whom Eddie had been corresponding had been amenable to Eddie's conditional volunteering for the meet and greet, so bolstered by the fact that no one would be touching him, Eddie had gone costume shopping. Richie asked whether Eddie wanted him to come along to keep an eye out and, given Richie's experience with this sort of place and this sort of event in this sort of place, Eddie didn't see how he should answer anything other than yes, absolutely.

He does feel kind of stupid, though, when he walks in wearing his costume, half chosen because it covered most of the skin most people probably wanted to touch when meeting a celebrity anyway — their word, not his — and the other half because it seemed like a good idea at the time. He's the only one wearing so many clothes, from the looks of things. In his defense, being originally from Maine and then from New York, Eddie's still very much adjusting to the normal weather down in the South. He wouldn't have felt uncomfortable in a getup like this on an April evening in either of his previous home states but, in Florida, he's practically sweating only a few minutes in. It's going to be a long night, isn't it?

Well, maybe not. Richie's advice is to do his hour with the meet and greets and get the hell out of here. Since Eddie trusts Richie, that's Eddie's plan. Hopefully, with a bit of luck, that plan won't go awry.

PARADE (OTA)

Not that Eddie's feeling particularly in the mood to ride around on a float waving at a bunch of strangers and pretending like he gives a shit about this whole thing, to his credit, Eddie does plaster on a smile while he does it. Laura's right about one thing, he'll say that for sure: giving the people what they want when all they want is to see someone they — inexplicably — adore is not actually taking an awful lot of effort on his part.

That and, well. He really should get out into the world more and meet people. Do something with his life this time. He's free to make his own decisions. He's free to take up knitting and make a living of selling his shit on an Etsy store if he fucking wants to this time around. Not that he wants to, but if he did, he could. There's nothing holding him back; no mom and no Myra worrying needlessly over every last thing he says or does. No stress-induced asthma symptoms constricting his chest and throat any time things get too hard. He's got Richie, Ben, and a sixty thousand dollar salary he earns by doing exactly nothing beyond living and breathing in this place.

So sure. He can stand on a float for a few hours waving at strangers and throwing handfuls of candy at the children lining the streets. It's not hurting anything. Why not?

Afterward, though, he might be more approachable and accessible. Neither of those things tend to be his preference, but there it is all the same. Once he's off the float, he's on the same level as everyone who'd been watching the parade go by. He's in good spirits, though, so there is that, at least.

WILDCARD

(( wildcard; not into either of those starters but still want to play with Eddie? I'm totally fine with whatever you want to throw my way! ))

(( ooc: and please feel free to throw something during either of those events at him. Even if there's no starter, I'll roll with it. Just note that he probably won't be around for the 'everyone turning into their costumes' part of the costume party since he doesn't plan on staying that long. ))

Derek Hale | OTA

[duelo]

COSTUME PARTY (OTA)

True to his word to his sister, Derek goes out and finds himself a costume — it's not great, but it'll do — and he's nailed down his volunteering to knock out the year's worth in this first event like Laura is. He'd originally intended to push it off, but she made a good point and he's nothing if not willing to concede to exactly that when a good point is presented in a discussion.

It's kind of surreal. Back in De Chima, people recognized him, but he could only tell by the way they stared and their heartbeats would pick up as their adrenaline and excitement started to take over. Here, they're literally paying the city for a chance to stand next to him for a photograph, have him scribble his name on a photo of him or an Eglaf Earth Day postcard, or join the meet and greet where they mostly stand in a circle with him, roped off from the rest of the partygoers, to have half an hour of his time to talk his ear off or ask him questions.

All in all, it turned out to be fairly easy. Uncomfortable and a little bizarre, but painless and not entirely miserable. He'll probably never tell Laura that, but there it is.

For the rest of the night, Derek will remain as sociable as possible although, admittedly, he'd rather stick with Supers who are far less likely to fawn over him. If the point of the party is to eat, drink, and be merry, Derek is doing all three. By the time eleven o'clock rolls around, something strange comes over him and Derek isn't feeling quite himself anymore...

WILDCARD

(( wildcard; not into either of those starters but still want to play with Eddie? I'm totally fine with whatever you want to throw my way! ))

(( ooc: and please feel free to throw something during either of those events at him. Even if there's no starter, I'll roll with it. Just note that he probably won't be around for the 'everyone turning into their costumes' part of the costume party since he doesn't plan on staying that long. ))

[solipsistically]

With a dismissive sort of wave, Number Five shakes his head and nods for her to follow him. If she hasn't eaten since she got here, she could probably use something in her stomach by now, even if it isn't something heavy or filling. He might be old, but his body isn't and he knows that at least for a boy, a teenage body needs to be refueled often.

"I wouldn't worry about it too much. I think it's nice. Why, did somebody say something?" he asks, lifting his eyebrows. Because he'll put someone straight if they're sexualizing a fourteen-year-old for having her shoulders bared; he'll put them straight really fast. Even if that fourteen-year-old wasn't Prim, he'd fix that problem before it became a problem. Someone who can do that is a bad person and bad people mean trouble. That's literally what he'd been raised to handle: bad people. Now, he's just a lot more lethal than Reginald ever could've trained him to be.

Shaking his head a little, Five starts to lead them toward the food tables. "Not yet," is what he says, even though what he means is, he hasn't wandered far enough away from her to get food, so now he's hungry, too. More hungry than she probably is, from the sounds of it. "But it smells good, I know that much."

Number Five | OTA

[solipsistically]

COSTUME PARTY; POST-SUPER APPEARANCES & CLOCK STRIKES 11 (OTA)

Once Prim had finished with the fanservice bullshit she volunteered for — hearing her ask if he'd gotten the email reminding them of their obligation reminded him why he was still doing this stupid fucking paper route; at least he didn't owe shit to this government — and she found some people more age-appropriate to spend her time with, Five finally allowed himself the luxury of wandering off a little and giving her some space. He might not like that Peter kid, but he was confident enough that he could do a semi-decent job looking after Prim if she needed it and the same could be said about Prim's tutor. Honestly, so long as she wasn't directly and obligatorily in contact with locals who called themselves her fans, Five felt marginally comfortable not being a helicopter friend and letting Prim just have fun at the party without a grouchy old man hovering over her every move to protect her. She's fine. Everything is fine.

For the better part of the evening, Number Five cherry picks which people here to dodge and which to indulge. He's networking for his own benefit. The ones that fawn don't get his attention. The ones that talk to him like he isn't the child he appears to be are the ones he's willing to talk to. Just because this is a celebration doesn't mean that there aren't some people around here that might be in need of a hired gun and, after a while at the Commission, Five's learned how to spot his own kind within a few minutes of conversation. The types that he thinks might know a guy who knows a guy or the types that might be looking for someone willing to bend the rules — break the law — to acquire things that maybe shouldn't be acquired are the kinds of people he's looking for tonight. The paper route buys coffee, bread, peanut butter, and marshmallows aplenty, sure. But it doesn't give him a nice cushion like the salary he'd learned to live with from the Commission. He likes a little more leeway than the paper route can offer.

When he's not trying to make connections with the sorts of people who might be willing to part with some extra money in favor of having someone enforce a favor owed, an outstanding debt, or an incredibly discreet trade of goods via a third party, he'll be skulking around in corners or using his spatial jumps to nab himself liquor from behind the bar.

That is, until the clock strikes eleven and everything changes.

***

"Vanya? Ben? Dad!"

He'd tried and tried to jump back in time, but he couldn't jump at all after a moment. Number Five crumpled to the ground covered in debris and ducked his head to protect his face from the ash falling from the sky, trying not to panic; trying not to cry. He couldn't cry. He wouldn't cry.

After a couple of minutes of deep, calming breaths, Number Five lifted his head and wiped his dirty face with dirtier hands before pushing himself to his feet. He can do this. He can acorn, just watch.

Bolstering himself and mentally preparing himself both for success and failure, Five takes a deep breath and holds it, closing his eyes and attempting to jump—

When his eyes open, his heart skips a beat and he startles when a plump woman dressed as...God only knows what the hell she's supposed to be...bumps against him and laughs before pinching his cheek and giving a drunken apology. Swatting her hand away, Number Five whirls in place as the drunk woman wanders away again. "Vanya?" he calls out. "Dad?" he adds a little more uncertainly. He's not outside, that's for sure.

Chest heaving with frantic and semi-panicked breaths, Five starts pushing through the crowds in search of an exit. There's got to be one. Where the hell did he manage to acorn, this time?

In his rush to find the exit, he jostles against someone unintentionally and stops when he sees the drink in their hand slosh over the edges of the glass. "Sorry," he says breathlessly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to. I don't know..."

Oh, he feels light-headed...oh, that's not good. That is not good...

"...I don't know where I am..." he confesses, wobbling a little on his feet with dizziness which he belatedly realizes is because he's been breathing so hard. His chest aches and feels tight. Okay, this is a panic attack. He's seen some of his siblings have these before and Mom always just sits them down and—he needs to sit down. That's what he needs.

[littleducktails]

Reaching for her skirt, just to be sure she doesn't step on it, Prim moes to follow after her roommate. She is hungry, but it'as easy to avoid, to put it off, when you're having frun. Plus, when you're used to going without that compounts on top of that. Still, she doesn't ahve to do that here. there's a lot that she doesn't have to power thorugh or just deal with here that she had to back in Panem. It's just too bad that Katniss isn't here with her, honestly.

"I'm not worrying too much - nobody has said anything, honestly, it's just different from what I'm used to." Prim clarifies with a small smile. Nobody here has been anything but nice to her so far. there have been more people offering to help her here than she can remember ever making even a little effort back at home. Then again, when you're struggling so hard to get by yourself you can't really make an offer to help anybody else comfortably.

Plus, everything else going on impacted everyone there.

"It does smell good. My sister has been to more parties like this than I ever did back home. Some of them bigger and more extravagant, but the food always looked and sounded good - that was always Katniss' favorite part because she hated everything else." Prim offers, thinking that this is another thing that Five is similar to her sister in. "She'd have probably stood watch over me like you were too, actually." She shares, a little grin slipping onto her mouth as she peers over at the old man in the young body who happens to be one of her best friends here. Part of her wants to ask if he thinks that too much time has passed for her sister to show up - given the fact that several of his siblings have, but she holds back the question, feeling like the costume party with the people milling about probably isn't the best time.

"Are you having any fun so far?"

[solipsistically]

"I like your sister more every time you talk about her," Five replies with a huff of amusement. He thinks he'd get along rather well with Prim's sister; she seems like his type of person. Either they'd get along well or they'd clash spectacularly, he supposes. That little grin isn't lost on him and Five holds up his hands in mock defeat as they approach the buffet table. "Busted," he concedes before reaching for a plate and handing it to her. Then, he takes his own and starts down the line.

Is he having fun yet? That'd be kind of a stretch, he thinks, but he doesn't say as much. Prim is having fun and he doesn't want to spoil it for her. It isn't often that there are things she can do here that don't revolve around her schooling and the job the government gave her. He doesn't want to take this one away from her just because he's having no fun. Five sort of sees this event as a job. Until she gets back to their apartment safely, he's on duty. It's not fun and frivolity for Five; if it was, he'd leave anyway.

"I haven't killed anybody yet," he pipes up playfully, grinning over at her before piling a giant spoonful of Swedish meatballs onto the plate. "So it could be worse." The tone he's using is meant to add levity to the statement but honestly, he's pretty proud of himself for it in all seriousness. "What about you? I think we both know that if either of us is going to have fun here, it's going to be you."

klaus hargreeves ☂ ota

[channellings]

costume party;

[if anyone knows klaus, they are well-aware there's no way he'd miss a chance to dress up. doing so and getting to go to a party? well, those are two of his favorite things, so he obviously can't pass that up. sure, having to entertain people will get tiring after a little while, but he has always been one of the more social hargreeves.

besides, there will certainly be places he can escape to if he needs a moment or two. also alcohol? maybe, it's a bridge he'll think about crossing once it comes.

photo ops and autographs with him should be interesting, to say the least. he's decked out in makeup, flowers, and horns, wearing all black, using the oversized walking stick for extra balance on the knee-high platform boots he'd chosen to tie everything together. he has no problem posing with whoever wants a quick snapshot, signing whatever's handed his way while chatting here and there— it's weird, really does kind of feel like he's back at the academy with all those people calling him a superhero.

thankfully, dinner will serve as a decent distraction, which he attends after some touching up on his costume, but he's gone from the table as soon as he finishes. doing anything he can to dip into darker spaces, avoiding overly zealous drunk people that tempt him with the alcohol.] No, thank you.

[he'd figured red eyes, fangs, makeup, horns, the whole shebang along with standing well over six foot tall would put more people off rather than crowding him— but after eleven, things only take a nosedive from there.


at one point, he's squeezing past people, right hand cupped around his mouth, the other groping around for any unused napkins he can find.] Sonuvabitch, [comes emphatically underneath his breath and as he lowers the hand from his face, there is quite clearly blood smeared across his lips and chin, which he's quick to start dabbing at with the paper towel.

much to his misfortune, as he's turning to make another run for it, klaus slams right into someone else and the momentum drops him flat on his ass. where he stays a minute, clutching the napkin to his face while rubbing his backside with the other.] Damn it to hell— Er, I mean—! [way to go, idiot.] Sorry, I... go into too much of a hurry. Wasn't watching where I was going.


———


[and another time, it's someone pulling at the horns that are now attached to his head. like, if they continue doing so, they'll eventually come off, right?] Please, stop, I already told you they're— ah-attached!

[the how? and why? he can't explain because he doesn't know, either! one minute, they were totally fake and carefully held in place but now, now they are stuck to his head without a doubt. with someone still tugging, regardless of how many times he's begged, pleaded, cajoled them to let go.

just when he thinks he's finished with one, another person comes along. blessedly, this one's shorter and can't quite reach, so he leans out of the way, defensively raises his arms to protect himself.

help? or maybe watch him get into a slap-fight with someone.]



parade;

[surprising no one (as per usual), he appears during the parade in costume and makeup, hair done up, spattered with multicolored glitter and stars.

throughout most of the spectacle, klaus walks or stands on the floats, handing out candy, flyers, anything that's considered proper so the whole mandatory appearance stuff is upheld. eventually though, coming near the first hour passing by, he's migrated to the very tail-end of the concession, is sitting on a tailgate, puffing away on a cigarette. maybe it's too soon to do so, but he's already tired, looks half a mess and some of the lights on his dress are blinking out.

ironic, a galaxy losing its stars. he can't help chuckling, snubbing the smoldering filter out on the bottom of one of his matching sneakers. then he crosses his legs, turns to the nearest person and leans in.] I'm gonna abandon ship, [klaus gestures to where he's sitting.] Think they'll get mad if I do?



wildcard;

[ooc: none of these doing it for ya? hit me with something of your own! klaus will likely not be at the parade after an hour or so but can totally be found wandering downtown during the film festival.]

parade

[riskanalyst]

[ This? This is fucking stupid. He's exhausted from being up all night — maybe the nightmares from the house on Niebolt will go away someday, but yesterday was not that day — and the parade had seemed originally like a good idea at the time because Eddie thought maybe it would mean he'd have an entire float to himself where he could just stand and smile and wave at the crowd for an hour or two and be done with it. Only, he's not on the float alone, literally ever, even though several people seem to be playing musical floats, and before he even hits the hour point, he's already wiped out from pretending to want to be here.

He's registered. He needs the stipend until he can figure out how to get back into risk analysis. He promised.

Sighing heavily, Eddie lowers himself to sit on the tailgate when someone a little more energetic hops on the float and takes over the smiling and waving. He wonders how he managed to miss the dude in a dress covered in twinkle lights getting onto the back of his float, but he managed it. Maybe that's one point toward doing a decent job after all on this whole thing.

Immunity or not, Eddie can't help the reflexive cough and then he clears his throat loudly as if to try to cover it, when the remnants of exhaled cigarette smoke hit him before fading away in the salty Florida breeze. It reminds him — weirdly and fondly — of Bev, actually, and Eddie almost loses himself in the reverie until the other man speaks up, grabbing Eddie's attention. ]

I don't know, man, probably not but I gotta wonder if cutting out early means you'd have to volunteer for an extra thing later on down the line. Is it really worth it?

[ The older man's eyes scan over the younger man's outfit and his eyebrows lift. Ignoring the fact that it's someone who looks, to him, outwardly male wearing what's quite obviously a dress because, really, to each their own, it's...really something, that dress. ]

...I gotta ask, did you fucking make that yourself? Because...holy shit, man. That's fucking impressive if you did.

[littleducktails]

Prim grins - it isn't so much that she likes being right, but she had a pretty good feeling that Five would like Katniss and the confirmation does make her realize that she has genuinely called it right. Haymitch would too, but Prim wouldn't exactly encourage that friendship, considering it would lead to a lot more drinking than either of them should probably be doing, truth be told. He and Katniss, though, wouldn't have that sort of commonality. Though, it'd make for being over-protected on her part - and somehow she doesn't mind the possible idea of that, truthfully. Maybe one day they will find out, Prim can only hope. "It's all right, you could have been worse." She says, understandingly, taking the plate and starting down the line after Fie.

And unlike her friend she isn't scooping a great deal on, her portions smaller - more out of habit than anything else, getting a little sampling of multiple things. "True and that's good because you're not supposed to kill anybody at a party." Prim shoots him a teasing look, a bubble of laughter escaping. She definitely is glad for no bloodshed - she doesn't want to have to heal anybody, or to have tonight take that turn. She's certainly seen enough of that to last a lifetime, and he's gone through enough of that, already, to last his much longer lifetime in her opinion.

"I'm having a lot of fun - I like dressing up and talking to all of the different people." She confides, earnestly, with that smile still in place. Though, she does feel a little guilt following it for a moment. "IIt's something nice to do every once in a while..."

[solipsistically]

"Yeah, well, so long as nobody bothers you, I won't have to," Five replies loftily, heaping still more food onto his plate as he moves down the line. His consciousness might be 58, but his body is still thirteen and it still requires a lot of food for fuel, as it turns out. He forgot how much he used to eat all those years ago because there wasn't much to eat once he'd jumped too many years forward in time. Rats, shockingly enough, are neither appetizing nor terribly filling, so he spent the better part of his life just...eating as little as possible to survive. As he got older and needed to eat less, he got used to that sort of eating pattern, so being thrown back into his adolescent and fuel-needy body has been...something.

It never ceases to amaze him how much this little girl has been through and how sunny a disposition she still has. It makes sense that she wants to live life now that she actually can, but her extroversion and generally and almost perpetually joyous mood is enviable. She's like the light in the darkness and he wonders sometimes, if he'd actually been thirteen, whether he would've even noticed her enough to benefit from that light like he does now. Because he doesn't think he would've, Five is actually kind of glad he's so fucking old.

"I'm sure they'll do more things like this so you'll get the chance," he says warmly in spite of the fact that, bitterly, he knows that means he'll be on duty more often. He's so fucking attached to keep this kid safe and all he can boil it down to is projecting onto her everything he owed Vanya when they were kids and never managed to give her when she needed it. Prim's a good kid, sure, but just being a good kid isn't enough to drag him out to these stupid events without her even having to ask him to.

When he reaches the end of the buffet table, Five waits for Prim to finish, too, before leading them both to a table. "School's almost out by now, right? What are you going to do when you finish for the year, with all that extra time?" he asks with absolutely no segue. He's not sure why that curiosity popped into his head just now, but there it is. Is she going to be home a lot? Or is he going to juggle keeping an eye on her while she's out exploring the world with all her newfound free time with trying to get his foot in the door of the inevitable seedy underbelly in this city?

after eleven;

[channellings]

For whatever it's worth, Five isn't the only disoriented one. In Klaus's case, it's because he's still adapting to the horns atop his head and the fangs that keep getting in the way whenever he talks. It takes a little while to get the hang of, but once people leave him alone long enough, it's not nearly as difficult to handle.

Initially, he hears him yelling for their father and Number Seven in a tone he hardly ever hears from the old man. Considering the happenings-on at the moment, he can chalk it up to the weird magic in the air that's messing with people. Like turning them into their costumes and whatever else bizarre shit, which is why while he's looking, Klaus is also doing his best to not frighten anyone, his brother included.

There, he sees him, skittering toward the exit, pays no mind to anyone attempting to get his attention as he lurches that way. Pushes the door open and peeks out, whipping his head left then right, discolored eyes darting every which way. It doesn't help the dizziness any, though he eventually spots Five once he's realized he didn't quite make it outside, heaves a relieved sigh, slowly begins moving toward him. ‘I don't know where I am,’ he says and Klaus's eyebrows lift with confusion that ultimately tips further into worry. Oh no, and here comes the panic. Five can't forget. Not after he'd just gotten used to the idea of staying here for however long! Is he supposed to explain how it all works this time? God, it's only been twoish weeks, he hardly knows even half of the shit around town.

“Hey,” he greets from a few feet away, hoping – praying – that Five isn't too started by his appearance. Thank goodness, the people nearby aren't crowding them, however, and for a brief moment, the unsettling demeanor is helpful. A couple steps forward brings him closer, his right hand almost within grabbing distance of Five's shoulder. “Are you okay, Five?”

[channellings]

Funny how he's expecting someone to not fawn over him and it's literally a guy who's dressed as a faun that accidentally bumps against his shoulder. “Shit, sorry,” Klaus mumbles, although he hasn't turned to face Derek, too busy fighting off some drunken man wearing a ridiculous lion costume. “Listen, I'm not all that interested right now, you know?” It's fortunate that another partygoer happens across them, catching the man first by his attached tail then dragging him off, allowing Klaus to effectively extricate himself, fingers wiggling in a dismissive wave.

“Didn't think he'd ever let go,” he sighs, finally turning toward the individual he'd bumped, looking both apologetic and sheepish. “You alright, man? Hope nothing got spilled and if it did, then I owe you drink.” A fingergunning motion, followed by a click of the tongue then it dawns on him, “Oh, hey, are you... Tarzan or just a caveman?”

He likes to think he's pretty decent at guessing peoples' choices, regardless of the fact he may be way off. Those are the first two things coming to mind though, so it only makes sense to ask; if he's wrong, the guy will correct him, simple as that.

[duelo]

The whole costume aspect of this thing is probably the worst part if you ask Derek. Not only does he feel incredibly self-conscious because he's sure he looks like an idiot, but there are some people who genuinely aren't easy to immediately identify when he looks at them because they've gone so completely all out with makeup or are otherwise somehow obscuring their faces. But then there are people whose scents he recognizes and it just takes his brain a few extra seconds to parse the cognitive dissonance between what he smells and what he sees.

Klaus is one of those people. Even though this one is different and doesn't remember having been here before or in the cities prior, he still smells the same. After living with Klaus for a few months, he's beyond familiar with the other man's scent. So when he hears the apology and catches the scent, his guard goes down as he turns toward the source. It does, however, take him briefly by surprise just how completely into the makeup Klaus has gone. Derek doesn't tell this one how good it is to see him again, not reeking of alcohol or stress and anxiety. He'll probably never tell him that he knows how long Klaus has been fighting his demons and Derek's seen them or, at least, whatever they looked like when Klaus was eight and locked in a mausoleum. He could've done without being a part of that memory. In fact, Derek files all of these things away and endeavors to get to know Klaus anew if he's going to get to know him at all.

"I'm good, don't worry," he replies with a small smile, holding up both hands defensively for a second as if to fend off the unnecessary apology. "It's crowded; it happens. I'm fine." At the moment, his hands are free because if Derek was going to drink, it wouldn't be at some party filled with a bunch of random people he doesn't know. Derek doesn't drink to drink unless it's socially. Even if he goes to Perfect Spot alone out of habit leftover from when he was drinking to distract himself from missing his friends in the cities, he still only really drinks if he's chatting with the bartender; specifically usually Daisy. When it comes to hydrating with non-alcoholic beverages, he's good for a while, having sucked down an entire twenty-ounce bottle of water after the meet and greet.

Looking down at himself and huffing out a soft laugh, Derek shrugs. "It's supposed to be Tarzan, but I guess it could pass for a more generic caveman, now that you mention it," he replies, looking back up at Klaus again. "I have no idea what you are, but it's equal parts terrifying and incredible so...for whatever that's worth, man, it looks good." He holds a hand out. It feels weird, considering he already knows who he's talking to. "I'm Derek. Derek Hale," he introduces himself. "I know a couple of your siblings. You're Klaus?" he asks, just to be certain that his nose isn't playing tricks on him. Who knows? He's been dragged through time and dimensions to end up in a Floridian city that doesn't exist and he's in the process of closing on a house he bought with his dead sister, so...anything could happen.

[solipsistically]

Distracted by getting tripped up and then the movement of the crowd as Number Five sways on his feet a little, dizzied by the hyperventilation, it takes him a second to actually find the source of the voice he hears attempting to get his attention. Only because he's already observed that he's smack in the middle of a costume party of some kind, he doesn't startle at the way the man looks as he moves closer to Five. Only because he's spent the last couple of years in the spotlight thanks to the Academy, he doesn't immediately bristle at being recognized by name. He's not sure he actually likes the way this man has shortened Number Five to Five the way his siblings have — hell, his own father calls him Number Five — so his eyes narrow just slightly with distaste, but only for a second before his attention is back on the fact that he thinks he actually might faint if he doesn't sit down.

"I need to sit down," he replies, intentionally taking a long, slow breath in on a silent count to five. He holds it for five seconds, exhales for five seconds, tries to center himself; Mom would've had him box count like that. Count to five while breathing in, count to five holding it, count to five letting it out, count to five before starting again. He's heard her do it with some of the others. Five has never felt terribly bonded to their robot mother, so he typically lurks to overhear what he needs to know and then teaches himself to execute the skills without her.

His eyes move around the room in his direct vicinity and all he manages to find is a pillar a few yards away. "Sorry," he says, holding up a hand as if to excuse himself from the press or something, and then stumbling slightly as he tries to move to said pillar. So dizzy. So, so dizzy.

Five reaches it a moment later and leans against it to keep himself upright before giving his attention back to the man. "Where am I? What is this?" he asks, lifting his eyebrows. "...when is this?"

[littleducktails]

"I don't think anybody wants to - everyone has been really nice to me since I got here." Prim reassures Five, thinking back to the multiple offers that were made to help her - offers that she didn't have to poke, prod, or otherwise ask for. She never even considered or thought about needing help, or reaching out really, before it was brought to her attention. It's been since then that she'd managed to find Lydia and begin her tutoring - and that, obviously, led to her getting to come to this. So, really, Prim can't really complain about anybody here as o so far.

The people, somehow, seem to be better than those that she's used to dealing with in Panem. Maybe it's because certain events haven't happened like they did in the history of her home, but the fact of the matter is that the people, especially the ones brought here, seem to have her back. Katniss would appreciate it, even if it isn't something that Prim thinks of without proming. Five seems to have taken on the job for the sister that can't be here at the moment, though. And she cares about him, which is probably the major reason that she isn't complaining really.

"You think so?" Prim asks, trying not to feel too hopeful. "I'd like to go to more things like this - not a lot of them, but maybe some." She wouldn't want to put him through that, but also...she doesn't want to be like the people at the Capitol. She doesn't want to lose perspective. She doesn't want to become someone who doesn't care, who can't value life or people. She doesn't think that she could be that sort of person, even if she went to an event weekly, but you never know?

Forgetting to add anything from the last little stretch of the buffet table, Prim follows after Five, caught off guard by the question. "Oh...I don't know - I'll probably keep studying so that I can try and catch up if Lydia doesn't mind, maybe I can take summer school. And it'll give me more time to work. Why?" She's not sure where he's going with the question, truth be told, but there isn't any sense of hesitation at all in telling him what comes to mind initially. And though she doesn't say it, the realization othat she would like to spend more time with their other roommate, Peter, and some of the other teens maybe...but mostly him...pops into her mind unbidden.

[solipsistically]

Five shrugs, picking one of the Swedish meatballs off his plate with the toothpick that had already been stuck in it, popping the meatball into his mouth as they walk toward the dinner tables. "Probably," he replies after chewing and swallowing and, finally, sitting down. "I sort of get the impression that the local government here is hands-on like that. It's an easy way to collect higher taxes without the ugliness of telling your citizens that you're collecting higher taxes if you just keep having events that require a 'donation' to get through the door," he points out, ever the eternal cynic.

Shaking his head, Five shrugs again. "I don't know, just curious, I guess. What's that like, anyway? Going to school?" he asks her, lifting his eyebrows with interest. Number Five never had. None of them did. Mom homeschooled them because it's not like they had a whole lot of time that wasn't already accounted for with training for the Academy. Homeschooling and actual school are very different things, though. A part of him sometimes wonders, when he sees Prim at the kitchen table working on her homework, whether he and his siblings might've been better-adjusted human beings if they'd been socialized at public schools.

He supposes he'll never know.

[littleducktails]

Prim isn't sure what she thinks; she does know that at least they aren't quite like the Capitol, but that doesn't mean that if they don't do this sort of thing a little too much it might not be a bad thing. The people here, though, seem to be very different from the ones that ran Panem. "I don't think everyone had to come, but I guess I see your point." Prim says, thoughtfully, not sure where she's falling in line at the moment. When you come from a place like District 12, at least for her, there's a bit of learning curve to get used to the things here that are different in a good way, but there could be bad too, she supposes. And taxing doesn't necessarily need to be bad.

Sitting down, Prim finally begins to nibble lightly at her food. "I might hang out with Peter some too." She admits and then considers the question. "It's different than in Panem - it's structured, they have lessons mapped out, goals for everyone to reach and they do their best to help everyone reach those goals even with the other people. There are multiple classes, a lot of people, but not everyone is on the same level, not everyone likes being there, and it's...busy. Sometimes overwhelmingly so, and there's a big mix of different people." Prim shares, continuing to nibble, not sure that she's answered that question particularly well, if she's being honest. The friends, for the most part, that she's made are other people that have come here, not the ones that she goes to school with for the most part, though Prim is pretty friendly anyway.

"Why didn't you go to school?" Prim asks, curiousity getting the better of her.

WILDCARD: Endish of the Evening

[littleducktails]

Prim is almost positive that Five didn't want to spend this long at the costume party. She also knows that she didn't really mean to spend as long as she has either. In her defense, though she probably doesn't need it, she was having fun and Five doesn't seem to get too upset with her for having fun and doing things that she enjoys. He generally doesn't get upset with her, it might be that he still just feels too bad about what happened before with her having no idea that he's older than he appears to be. Still, Prim seeks Five out actively now that it's a winding down point of the night. Plus, some people have been acting...oddly, which she's noticed mainly in passing considering her current mission of finding her friend.

It takes her a little while to find him, but seeing the familiar outfit from earlier, and the back of his head Prim smiles in relief. "Five!" She calls out ahead, trying to get his attention as she approaches, right hand reaching for his shoulder to draw his attention to her. "I think that I'm ready to head home if you are, it's getting late and people are a little off." She says by way of greeting, looking around at the other people in the ballroom. She could have left on her own, but she has a pretty good feeling that that would have just worried him - Peter and potentially Lydia too. She had to choose one of them, and Five only came because of her, anyway.

Plus, she doesn't want to ruin any fun that her other friends might be having, so Five it is.

COSTUME PARTY

[passedthedoor]

In stark contrast to Eddie's Robin Hood get-up, Sally's embraced the heat of Eglaf with her costume, thematically and logistically, coming to this costume party as a full on mermaid, complete with ridiculously blue lipstick and hair on top of it. Sure, she's probably not gone quite this before with a costume in the past because Danny, in particular, would hve thrown a fit, but Danny isn't here. And with the long skirt to rep the tail Sally doesn't feel like it's quite so bad. Still, she can't help herself when she actually spots Eddie, whom she definitely hasn't managed to forget from her grand introduction post. And that's the exact reason that she approaches him during a lull.

"Sooooo, on a scale of one to swamp how much are you melting in that?" Sally asks by way of greeting, with a wide smile pulling at her mouth. She certainly remembers just how much Eddie was struggling with being here from before, so if she's being honest there is a part of her that is surprised that he's even here - that he showed up. In a good way, not a bad way, obviously. Given how long she literally had to sit in the house she died in, unaware of the fact that she could leave when she'd been a ghost, and the time that she spent ghosting around here in Eglaf before she decided to even announce her presence she wouldn't have blamed him for staying as far away as possible from any sort of gathering like this.

And no, she may not know Eddie, but that doesn't stop Sally from speaking to him familiarly - she has talked to him before and that's enough for her to go off of, especially considering it isn't like she has any of her old friends here. She's got to make new ones. And Eddie, unfortunately for him, already put himself on her radar, so she can't help herself.

LAURA HALE | OTAs

[deadashale]

COSTUME PARTY (OTA) PRE & POST CLOCK STRIKE

Laura is probably embracing this whole thing beyond what she should, if she's being honest. She didn't have to go all out on the costume, or worry about a theme, but it seemed like part of the fun of all of this - to embrace it and take it on as a challenge. And boy is Laura sure that she's embraced it. And, on top of that, she's forced other people to come to. Enjoying all of this is something that she can't help but want to do. There isn't just a suffocating sadness keeping her from living her life going on here. And she really is alive, so she wants to enjoy everything, at every opportunity, and really get the chance to live while she's here. She's not doing anything, really, in half measure now.

Maybe that's why Laura is decked out and dressed as Persephone in a beautiful dress with varying shades of pink and red petals, branches, and touches to show the difference between the two seasons that she was said to have influenced in her myth. Laura even has her crown in place with her curls around it and matching (thematically) heels. She really did go for it, but as kids (obnoxious ones somehwere, that is) say...YOLO. She doesn't regret really going for her costume, and she definitely has gotten more than a couple of compliments from fans during the meet and greet, autograph, and photo session, which she gives copious amounts back in return, having literally no problem with sparking up various forms of conversation and engaging with damn near every person that she can in the time alotted. Laura Hale does not half-ass anything. Still, between those things Laura is sure to take breaks - grabbing some food from the buffet, grabbing a couple of drinks (that have absolutely no impact on her, to tell you the truth), and forcing various people that she knows to dance with her (particularly after she's finished with her obligations). And that's, honestly, when Laura really has fun.

After meeting all of her obligations for volunteering she focuses on just having fun truly, with no idea of the change that was to come. When the clock strikes Laura is unaware of what's going on, but then again when the long hand hits the twelve on the dog Laura's no longer in the ball room. The Queen of the Underworld, the Greek Goddess, stands in the midst of the ballroom, confusion written on her face. "Hades? Husband?" She calls, mouth falling open in shock at what she sees around her. Her feet move of their own volition as she begins to take in face after face - mortal faces - that she neither recognizes or that seems to answer her. Stumbling into person after person, the goddess fights her frustration, knowing that this isn't right, knowing that something is wrong, and knowing that she can't stay here, she has to find something familiar. Pushing someone that bumps her away, refusing to be a weak Queen, Persephone decides to make haste for the exit, hoping she will have more luck that way.

PARADE & FILM FESTIVAL WILDCARDS

[Literally just throw anything you'd like here and I'll respond, because she'll be at both things, enjoying, interacting, eating, all of it! Either throw it on out or poke me, I'm here for it all!]