Party Time

[loveandduty]

Who: Everyone who wants to attend.
What: It's a party for all, but the pairing up part is for singles only.
When: Day 19 of Fiddlesticks
Where: Gym Carriage
Warnings: Who knows atm just Minako being Minako will add more as things happen.

[Minako figured she did the best she could for the party. Though she also wondered if perhaps she might not have that many people come. Sure she wanted to put singles together, but at the same time, she simply wanted people to have fun.

In the dressing carriage, people will find costumes and masks that were more gothic in nature. There was food and hopefully some forms of sweet treats for those looking for it as well as a variety of drink, mostly non-alcoholic.]

OOC: Examples of the type of outfits and such can be found here: costumes and
masks]

Comments

[irrationally]

( for xander )

Usually there's no way Alice would have gone to this party. It's so not her kind of thing. But Xander has really been trying for her sake, so the least she can do in return for him is to at least attempt to attend a dumb little party. Surely she can do that much, right? She's faced huge monsters, how bad could one social situation be?

.. Bad. The answer is bad. Alice kind of regrets coming the moment she's there, and she awkwardly hovers at Xander's side in her black dress, like straying too far away from him might just force her into having to have actual social contact with someone else. Imagine the horror.

"I must look ridiculous," she whispers to him. And no, she doesn't mean the dress, more just.. the way she feels like she doesn't fit in here at all. Alice is so far out of her element.

( open to all )

This is so awkward. Alice isn't a party person, though she's blending in on the outside perfectly fine with her gothic dress aesthetic. The moment Xander is turned away, talking to someone else, she just awkwardly hovers near the food table, not even daring to go anywhere near the dance floor. All the people and the music - it's just too much. She's too antisocial for this, but at the same time she told herself she was at least going to attempt this for Xander's sake, so it's not like she can just run out of the party.

So Alice does the next best thing. She grabs one of the drinks, nervously starting to drink. Starting to drink way too quickly too, and that combined with the nerves gives her the hiccups the moments she puts the empty glass down on the table.

But if you happen to look her way right at that moment, you may see Alice.. and then suddenly not anymore. It's as if she completely disappeared on the spot. You might want to go check that out? Perhaps slightly concerning?

[sos_pilot]

Della, having met Young Alice, was curious about meeting Older Alice, and wondering how time didn't just up and explode with them having come into contact with one another. So when she glances at this girl with an outfit similar to Young Alice, she thinks she's got a match. First she pops the rest of her food in her mouth, wiping her mouth on her sleeve before looking back over and...

... Buh?

Where did she go?

Confused, Della lifted up her mask and walked around, trying to figure it out. "I thought the phrase was seeing double, not seeing... nothing?"

[irrationally]

Oh geez. To be fair, this wasn't entirely Alice's plan. It happened rather accidentally, but she did figure it might be a good way to escape from this social situation for a little bit. Surely no one would notice her if she wasn't much bigger than a mouse.

But now she's seeing the downside. If she's no bigger than a mouse and not very noticable, there's a very high probability that someone at the party might just step on her with how many people are present.

So Della may hear a very, very tiny voice coming from all the way down near her feet, barely audible over the music: "Watch where you're going!"

If she looks down, she'll see the older Alice - still looking the same as a moment ago, still wearing her dress and all. Just.. very tiny.

[sos_pilot]

It did take Della a few tries to locate where the voice was coming from, but eventually she did look down...

blink rapidly a few times...

And then casually wave. "Oh, hey there." As if this was completely normal

She bent down, choosing to stay on her prosthetic leg in case she was going to be there for a while. "Need help moving to a safer spot?"

[irrationally]

It's honestly kind of a relief that this - now gigantic to her - duck person isn't freaking out at her being this small. The last thing she wants at this party she already feels so awkward at is to have to deal with things somehow getting even more awkward. So Alice just lets out the tiniest sigh before speaking up again.

"That would be appreciated, I suppose." Better to accept help from a stranger than to get trampled.. Especially since she doesn't have her hiccups under control because of these nerves the way she usually does.

[sos_pilot]

She's seen weirder, and lived through weirder. Itty bitty people are barely a blip on the radar anymore.

"All right, hop on." She held out her hand, laying it flat so Alice could climb on. "How about I put you on the snack table? Plenty of grub to go around."

Della... was willing to eat anything, so all the burnt/raw food didn't seem worth mentioning.

[irrationally]

"Please." Despite being so tiny, Alice somehow seems to manage to sound very exasperated all the same.. "I'm not desperate enough to actually eat any of that stuff."

And that's saying something, considering the food back home in London - let alone in the asylum - wasn't exactly high cuisine. But at least it wasn't charcoal either, okay.

But despite her complaint about the food, Alice does get up on Della's hand after a moment. Trusting a stranger like this is kind of unnerving, so she summons her - now very, very tiny - knife in one hand. Just in case. Not like it'd do more than prick at this size, but it just makes her feel more secure to hold it.

[sos_pilot]

"Alley-oop." Della slowly began to stand up, not wanting Alice to fall off. But she notices the additional weapon all of a sudden, and raises an eyebrow. "Unless you're planning on giving me a haircut, I promise you don't need to feel threatened. Here, how about this?"

She moved her hand to her shoulder. "Wanna have a seat, and you tell me where you want to go?"

[emerald_mirror]

"You don't look ridiculous!" That's a hushed whisper. He'd decided to go flashy but not clashy in a gold and black tapestry vest and a matching pair of pants. Of course he was barefoot, though--couldn't make him wear shoes on the train!

"You look pretty. But I mean, if you don't wanna stay too long, we don't have to!" Xander had promised. It was enough for him that Alice had come, and that she'd even dressed up. He knew this was not her type of thing, regardless of how much he'd probably eat it up. (And really, for a bit at least, he would.) "If you're not happy, we can go."

She didn't have a damn thing to prove to him, after all.

[irrationally]

"If we're going to have to measure our time spent in places by that standard, I don't think we're going to get anywhere anytime soon."

After all, that's Alice's secret. She's never happy.

.. okay, that's not entirely accurate. But an overwhelming social situation like this isn't even necessarily the sple requirement to make her unhappy. Plenty of things could do that. In fact, Xander's very presence by her side is mitigating plenty of the unhappiness that could be caused by this party - although Alice might not admit as much even to herself.

"I'll be fine. For a bit, at least. Besides, you enjoy this kind of thing, don't you?"

[emerald_mirror]

Xander tilted his head for a moment, glancing upward. "I do enjoy this sort of thing, but it kinda defeats the purpose if I came here to be with you, and you're not having a good time, right?"

Because it really wasn't like he couldn't just talk to other people at any other time he wanted to. Not everyone needed some silence and solitude like Alice did--she needed time away and to be by herself at times--classic introvert behavior. And what was wrong with that?

Hell, even his brother was like that. Dealing with people exhausted Alex and he found them incredibly tedious and exhausting. That was why Alex was moving out to his own tower--and Xander had planned to go with him. Mostly to handle people when his brother didn't want to. They worked well enough together, after all.

"If you want to go and I don't, I'll escort you to...wherever on the train you want to go, and then I'll come back." He could always sneak her some party food later, too.

"Besides, I'll have to check on Cottonball eventually." He'd left his bat in the garden, where she'd likely be safe enough anyway, stuffed full of strawberries and sleeping it off.

[irrationally]

The way Xander treats her truly is too much. Not necessarily in a bad way, though. But there's just so much consideration being thrown her way here that she doesn't even know where to start unpacking it. When you're not even used to the tiniest bit of kindness, how are you supposed to handle a sudden barrage of it like this?

At least it makes her more determined to bear this party experience, if not just at least for a little bit. So she shakes her head. "I can go see Cottonball. And stay with her. But.. later."

After all, doesn't she at least pride herself in being someone who doesn't give up easily? Xander said the same thing, right? That she's strong. If she could face down monsters much bigger than her, then one silly party is nothing.

"I'm.." She starts, and then stops, seeming to have trouble finding the words. Or maybe the true problem is with actually saying the words instead of cropping everything up like usually and keeping it inside. "After all, I'm not having a bad time, per se. Since I'm here with you."

It's not super indirect for once, but then again, it's not the most direct way of saying 'I like being around you' either. But this is probably the closest Alice can come to saying that directly.

[emerald_mirror]

"Okay, so. Party things. Would you want to try a dance, one spin around the floor? Or try to have a snack?" Though from where he was looking, those looked a little questionable, for now...so he kind of hopes Alice demurs, there.

Xander did say she was strong! But the hardest monsters to defeat are the type that come from your own head, as he well knows--he's got his own, after all, acknowledge them or not. And Alice is a lot harder on herself than he is on himself. She needs more encouragement to be kind. Not necessarily to others--she's defending herself, he feels, when Alice is prickly, in general. But to herself? Sometimes that's a serious hurdle--it was for Aya, after all. And they're different people, Alice and Aya, different as night and day, but some things did translate.

"You can not be having a bad time, but not having a good time either," he says. "Still, I'll settle for neutral, at this point." At that, he grins at her. Xander is teasing her, just a tiny bit, but whether or not Alice will pick up on that is another thing entirely.

[irrationally]

She seems to be giving him a bit of A Look at that, although it's hard to tell what exactly it is in response to. Did she catch on to the fact that he was lightly teasing her? Is she just really judgemental about the fact he suggested they even try to force down some of those charcoal-like snacks?

At least the issue becomes pretty clear a moment later. Which is when Alice leans a bit closer to him - but just so she can talk in a slightly more quiet voice without having to try and make herself be heard over the music in a way that anyone could hear.

It's obvious why she's being so hush-hush - something about her definitely looks embarrassed.

"I.. I don't know. How to dance, that is."

[emerald_mirror]

Okay, Xander has to laugh, then, but it's not malicious in the slightest. Almost joyful. Because really, that's not even near the top of his 'list of problems' at this party. The biggest one he thought he'd encounter was getting Alice there.

"It's okay. It's easy to fake it, and I'll help you. We can even start with a dance I do know how to do--though that kind of depends on the music. Otherwise, it's just kind of moving with the beat. It's not like I've ever been to a lot of dances in my time, either. I'm pretty sure no one here is gonna judge either of us."

And, well, if they did, Xander sure didn't care about any of that. It was a party! They were there to have fun, weren't they??

In any case, he held a hand out to her, smiling now, eyes bright. "Come on, if you look silly, I'll be right there with you, doing the same thing, so it'll be hard for anyone else to tell if it's intentional or just an accident! We can fake it 'til we make it! And hopefully have fun doing it, right?"

[mynameisallen]

Allen hadn't really come to the party for that long. Maybe ten minutes and he was already heading off, not feeling at all comfortable with the style of party it seemed to be about.

Before he planned of heading off however he figured he should at least say hello to people he knew, Alice included. But just before he got there he found himself pausing for a brief moment. He was sure she had been there a moment ago.

"That's an...interesting magic trick you have there to avoid interacting." He looked around as if trying to figure out what exactly happened.

[irrationally]

"That's not it!"

At least that tiny, tiny voice coming from somewhere way down should give Allen a clue or two as to what happened. If he looks down, he'll find a tiny Alice - about the size of a mouse - standing near his feet. Her facial expression seems like she's trying to look cross with him, but it's hardly intimidating when she's that tiny.

"It's--" She stares, but then stops and sighs. "Please just help me get up." Because talking to him while staring up at him like he's a giant is hardly convenient.

[mynameisallen]

He moved to at least kneel down, hand extended. He at least could see her even if she was rather tiny to say the least.

"I'll put you up to the table, wouldn't want anyone whose dancing or getting romantic to accidentally step on you or something."

It seemed at least to be the polite thing to do, even if there was a hint to teasing behind his words.

[irrationally]

It's a good thing that he doesn't seem too surprised by seeing her this small. Alice's shrinking and growing is rather normal to her at this point, after all, so anyone else throwing a fuss over it would just be bothersome now.

.. but she's not entirely sure if she prefers this reaction. Even though she does accept his help and hops onto his hand, holding onto his thumb for stability.

"Are you making fun of me?" She can hear that teasing hint! Which is exactly why she's pouting. It looks kind of adorable when Alice is this small.

[salutosinedelectat]

It was really only by chance that Aziraphale caught sight of the young woman drinking perhaps a bit too much too fast, while on his way back to his company for the party. There's really no time to pass any judgement, not that he necessarily would, before she's simply out of his sight. That's what actually stops him.

He looks around, almost wondering if he had imagined that, did he not spot the glass still on the table. "What in the world...?" He mutters to himself.

[irrationally]

He's about to get a second surprise. Because for a moment there's still nothing, but then there's the weirdest tiniest hiccuping sound, and then a moment later there Alice suddenly is again. Standing in front of him, as if she just blinked in and out of existence.

(Or, well, more like shrunk and then grew again, but it's hard to tell that's what it was without having looked down!)

She groans, mumbling something about this being the worst before she actually spots Aziraphale when she looks over at him. ".. Hello."

Yes, because greeting him right after that is totally normal, right.

[salutosinedelectat]

You'd think that, being a being that is capable of doing things like that on a whim, that he would be more prepared when she appears again. He is not.

"Oh!" He's startled when she appears closer than he would've thought, though, thankfully, he doesn't spill his drink.

"Oh, hum. Hello."

[irrationally]

It doesn't help that Alice's manners are more than just a bit rusty even when she does try to use them - although this situation is probably a lot cause altogether, since she suddenly looks very much distracted. Her body sucks in a breath, as if she's about to hiccup again, but the girl manages to hold it in at the last moment.

"Blasted hiccups! Please tell me you know a way to get rid of them." Yes, he's just being dragged into this now, apparently.

can he use a small miracle on her? She probably won't notice

[salutosinedelectat]

Aziraphale stutters in confused response, vaguely wondering if there's some sort of drink he should stay away from (specially since he and a particular demon have seemingly made it their mission to drink as much as possible this evening).

"Oh, only the classics." How does he know that when he's never had to use them? Who knows. "I hear holding your breath and plugging your nose is a good method."

that's 100% okay with me! :)

[irrationally]

"Plugging my nose.."

That sounds so embarrassing, even if she'd do it with her own hand. There are just much too many people at this party who could witness her doing it, and that's a thought Alice absolutely dreads. It's so obvious to read that off her facial expression too as she stares at Aziraphale.

"Fine, just-- don't give me any weird looks!" Plugging her nose is going a little too far, but holding her breath by itself she can at least do. Even though Alice thinks even that much might look a little weird. But she sucks in a deep breath before starting to hold it.