( open ) I'll wear your colors til you come back home to me

[dothelokimotion]

Who: Everyone!
What: Masquerade Ball
When: 17th of October
Where: The Opherium
Content Warnings: N/A

[ Much like Loki's last party-venture, this is set up very much in the same vein. a large ballroom for dancing needs. Tables and waiters passing around hors d'oeuvres and drinks. At the entrance of the ball room, there’s a fancy mask waiting for you if you don’t have one already. There’s a strict dress code for the event this time and Loki expects everyone to dress accordingly.

The masks also have a spell attached to them. They’ll afford you complete privacy. No one will recognize you under the mask. Unless, of course, you take it off and let them know. Perfect for the party guest who may want to indulge without causing a fuss. Hit up a partner and see where the evening takes you.

This event wouldn’t be complete without candy, of course. There are candies arranged on the tables in all types and colors. In front of them is a small description regarding each kind of candy. Be sure to read them carefully, as Loki has added a little . . . extra to the sweets, to give them a little . . . zing. ]

🍫 White Chocolate: For those who needs a little honesty ( truth effect )

🍷 Alcoholic Chocolate: For those who need to loosen up ( slight aphro effects, please mark headers accordingly and communicate! )

🍬 Sour Candy: For those who are tired of being nice ( shorter tempers )

🍓 Fruit Candy: For those who need to open up ( increased generosity )

If you have a question or comment to direct at the host, Loki is by the entrance dressed in red and gold with a mask to boot. he’s instantly recognizable, compared to the masked attendees. ]

Welcome.

Comments

[mostdangerousbird]

[ The gala is a good place to people watch and, unfortunately, to be watched. Tim is still bitter about Loki spying on Jason and Bruce, which is half the reason he’s at this event: to babysit everyone he knows simultaneously because they’re idiots. He loves them, but it’s like they set foot in a party and forget the concept of a “secret identity.”

The other reason is that he wants to spy on any native guild members that may attend. While he’s dressed to party, he’s here to creep. The costume was chosen because he can move well in it; it even has gloves. White… isn’t ideal, but he’s not bothered. If he can stealth in the colors of a stoplight, he can be inconspicuous as in white.

The mask is his, so he’s not rocking any magical protection. He did borrow components from his, ahem, other mask, but the lenses aren’t down. With blue eyes and black hair showing, he is recognizable if you know his face, but you won’t find him on the dance floor or hovering around the hors d’oeuvres. He’s perched on tables, trying to attach himself to conversation circles, engaging in a little light snooping - he’s here to work, but that means he has to be on his best Wayne behaviour if someone says hi.

The enchanted masks that other people might make use of are annoying him to death. Whenever possible, Tim tries to keep one eye on mask table. He might not be able to recognize people in the masks, but he's hoping there's a loophole where he'd be able to remember the person that picked up the mask. It won’t work, but he doesn’t know that yet. ]

OOC: I have no objection with someone approaching him under the influence of candy. Tim hasn’t imbibed and won’t if he knows what it does.

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth is also engaging in people-watching, although his intention is more to observe social behaviors than to gather intelligence. He is, however, a military man, and he thinks he recognizes something in the stranger's movements. Is this acceptable, at Loki's party?]

...looking for someone?

[Congrats, though, that you've attracted the attention of possibly the only unmasked person in the entire room. He'll be easy to keep tabs on.]

[mostdangerousbird]

[ Tim breaks out a friendly smile for the man and takes his eyes off the faceless crowd for now. It’s nice to be able to properly register a face. ]

Yes and no. I was at the Opherium’s spring gala, and it felt like everyone I knew was here. I keep thinking I’ll find a friend, but if they’re here at all, they’re using the enchanted masks, so thank you for rescuing me from solitude. It’s the horns, isn’t it?

[ Tim hovers a hand by the antlers on his mask while looking at the horned headpiece the other man is wearing. ]

People who know how to dress for a Loki party need to stick together.

[unkindled_madness]

[Sephiroth blinks. He's unaccustomed to being addressed in such a friendly manner in general, and he wasn't expecting it now. Maybe he misread. He glances at the antlers.]

...Loki did assist me. [With the outfit.] Are you well acquainted?

[mostdangerousbird]

[ Being rude would make him more memorable. Who comes to a party to be unfriendly? Tim can’t really say “buzz off, I’m trying to make sure Loki doesn’t eavesdrop on my family again.”

Besides, now he knows that this man knows Loki. ]

I’m afraid you’ll have to be more specific. I’ve met two of the three Lokis that I’m aware of.

[unkindled_madness]

[Bringing up Loki in any fashion will not make him less memorable.]

I was referring to the host.

[He nods in the general direction of the entrance, where he last saw him.]

[mostdangerousbird]

[ As a Loki is the host, it shouldn’t necessarily make him more memorable either. Tim nods at this and then shakes his head. ]

I met him at the gala, but I don’t know if a discussion about theater makes well-acquainted. I’d be flattered if he said so.

[ Always be gracious towards your host, especially when they’re a god. ]

But I know the younger, but not youngest, Loki better. [ A pause. ] Younger in appearance.

[unkindled_madness]

[What Sephiroth is hearing is someone who speaks well of Loki, which is uncommon in his experience, even if it is mostly out of politeness. Most people tend to qualify their association, if they have one.]

Ah. I believe that's the one I have yet to meet.

[mostdangerousbird]

[ Loki’s already schooled Tim on not making assumptions based on Norse mythology, so Tim’s extending the same courtesy to his alternates. Odin son and he had a nice chat about the theater and waltzes, but he can’t judge someone on small talk. ]

Maybe you have. I haven’t seen them in the same room.

[ All of the words Tim would choose to describe Loki say a lot more about Tim than they do Loki. Confusing, charming, forward, brash, amusing. ]

[unkindled_madness]

[At that, Sephiroth looks amused.]

You're proposing he's living a double life as... an alternate version of himself.

That would be quite the trick.

[mostdangerousbird]

He could, but as I don’t see what the payoff would be, I don’t know if anyone would bother doing something that elaborate.

[ Tim’s only playing, and he doesn’t want to anger a trickster god - or two - if someone mistakes it as an accusation. It was really just a stalling tactic to sidestep around describing his Loki. Er, not that Loki’s his. ]

But you’re well-acquainted, if he helped you choose your costume. Why didn’t he give you a mask?

[unkindled_madness]

Nor I. Besides, he would have told me.

[It's a funny thought, though. And it could be an effective ploy in the short term, given how many Lokis this place attracts.]

I didn't want one. The last masquerade I attended was enchanted in rather a different way.

[mostdangerousbird]

[ Better acquainted than Tim and Loki are, then. Tim doesn’t think Loki would clue him in automatically. ]

I see.

[ He doesn’t quote, but he can read between the lines. An enchanted masquerade that makes you swear off masks? It’s not hard to see that something bad happened. ]

I don’t know what to think of the enchanted masks. I appreciate the idea behind them, but I’m uncomfortable with being surrounded by strangers. My own brother could be wearing one, and I wouldn’t know.

[dothelokimotion]

Looking for something?

[ it's transparent what tim is trying to do and loki is bemused. ]

[mostdangerousbird]

Loki, hi.

[ He should probably step up his “party” game if it’s this noticeable that he’s people-watching. ]

I was hoping to find someone I knew, but you’ve made that unintentionally difficult.

[ Tim thinks that being unable to identify close friends is a bug, not a feature. ]

[dothelokimotion]

It is a masquerade.

[ and while he enjoys the ferreting out of secrets and whatnot, he rather not turn his theatre into some sort of spy fest. ]

Unlike domino masks which are impervious

[mostdangerousbird]

But Venetian masks only hide people’s identity in movies. You can still figure out who they are.

[ Tim gives Loki a small smile and a shrug. ]

I could introduce myself to the same person three times and not know.

lmao

[dothelokimotion]

Yes. And for some, that anonymity can be a boon. A chance for something real and new.

That's not so terrible, is it?

[mostdangerousbird]

Yes, it is!

[ But he’s laughing. ]

There’s already too much real and new in my life. I’d like a less exciting night out where I can talk to people I’ll remember tomorrow, who aren’t busy playing host to a lot of annoying guests who look gift horses in the mouth.

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki looks perplexed. ]

Then why come?

[mostdangerousbird]

Honestly?

[ Of course honestly, he’s not stupid enough to answer the God of Lies with a lie. He is willing to joke, though. ]

If I don’t do something “normal” every so often, I run the risk of my friends kidnapping me to make sure I don’t fuse to my computer chair through the power of Red Bull.

[dothelokimotion]

[ ah. loki doesn't quite grasp that because he's never had that kind of friendship, but he simply nods. ]

I hardly think this is a normal gathering. The Alliance wanted something for PR reasons, and asked me to facilitate.

[mostdangerousbird]

[ At this, Tim perks up like a fanboy. ]

You’re doing this for Alliance PR? Do you think Fantastic is here?

[ You know. For reasons that definitely don’t include hate watching him. ]

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki blinks, perplexed. ]

He might be. This is an open gathering.

[mostdangerousbird]

Except I can’t spot him, because you enchanted all the masks.

[ Thanks Loki. ]

Is this incognito mode party an Asgardian concept or an Alliance idea?