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

[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.

[salutosinedelectat]

Aziraphale only blinks, mostly because he's a tad bit confused by how defensive she is about the suggestion, but also as to give her a little bit of miraculous help. He makes sure to keep his face as straight and nonreactive as possible, to keep her comfortable, and she will soon find that her hiccups are nice and gone.

[irrationally]

Welcome to the world of people who get seemingly very upset about very trivial things, Aziraphale.. In fact, she still seems somewhat on edge, despite the fact that he's doing absolutely everything to try and make her as comfortable as possible in this situation. That's just how much Alice feels like she must be looking ridiculous here as she's holding her breath.

But slowly a few moments seem to pass, and she doesn't feel the urge to hiccup anymore. It's obvious too, since the moment Alice realises as much, her eyes widen in surprise.

".. They really are gone."

[salutosinedelectat]

To be entirely fair, Aziraphale definitely belongs in that world. He's just from a different area, is all.

And when her hiccups are gone (as he knew they would be), the angel smiles. See? No harm done. 

"Well, would you look at that." He comments, sounding exceedingly English. "Guess the rumor was right after all." 

[irrationally]

Alice is a generally suspicious person. Yet in this case - perhaps for once in her life - she doesn't find herself suspecting him at all of being the cause behind the sudden disappearance of her hiccups. The method was believable enough, after all, so to her it really does seem like the lack of breathing did the trick.

Though she still seems fairly surprised by it, even now.

"It.. truly is." She'll have to keep that one in mind in case this happens again in the future. Changing size involuntarily is awfully inconvenient! "I suppose I should give you some credit for pointing that out. Otherwise I would have been stuck changing sizes all evening."

[salutosinedelectat]

"Only trying to help, my dear. Now you know to try it in the future." With perhaps mixed results, but, still, maybe it will work.

"I do have to ask, if you'll pardon my curiosity, what was causing you to change sizes like that?"

[irrationally]

"Let's just say you shouldn't always drink something just because it's labelled 'drink me'."

Apparently she does pardon his curiosity, since she answers the question fairly easily. Alice doesn't fully mind answering these sorts of things as long as they don't get too personal, after all - and she hardly believes her ability to change sizes to be something very personal.

And, well, he did give her some good advice. Maybe this is something small she can do in return.

"I've been stuck with it ever since. Every time I hiccup, I change size. Usually that's rather helpful, but not quite as much when the hiccups aren't voluntary."

[salutosinedelectat]

Aziraphale raises his brows at the answer. Yes, perhaps it would be safer to not drink random bottles of mysterious liquid.

"That sounds rather...bothersome." He'll just put it like that.

[irrationally]

Alice makes an expression that seems to say she agrees, though she does add: "Worse has happened."

Quite literally. But that's definitely something she doesn't want to talk about, so she quickly - and awkwardly, because how does anyone do this whole being social thing? Alice sure doesn't know! - moves on to something else.

"How are you.. enjoying the party? Most people present seem to be quite a bit younger than you." Oh Alice, if only you knew just how much younger. But to Alice this just seems like some random relatively (especially by Victorian standards, considering the terrible living conditions and all) old person.

[salutosinedelectat]

It's probably a good thing that Aziraphale is quite polite, and won't actually comment on any awkward changes of subject. He's quite guilty of doing the same often.

He doesn't even take into account what her comment might imply - as far as he can tell, she's just correct. "Oh, I'm having a lovely time." Which isn't a lie, but it's not the music or the food that's making his evening so splendid - not even the copious amount of alcohol, though it's helping.

"Can't say the music is quite to my taste, but one makes due." He offers, without making much of a fuss, despite how the music just sounds like noise to him. "And yourself?"

[irrationally]

"I would very much agree with your assessment about the music."

Hence why she doesn't seem offended in the slightest that he states it isn't to his taste. This music really is unlike anything Alice has ever heard, and she's pretty sure she doesn't like it. Does this pass as music to other people?

"I'm fairly sure that if someone attempted to play this back where I come from, most people might just faint upon hearing it."

[salutosinedelectat]

Aziraphale's picked up on her accent, of course, but he always forgets that people will come from different worlds as well as different points in time. But what catches him is that, despite how young she seems to be, he absolutely relates to her accessment of the music.

" Yes, quite. But I do suppose styles may vary. I'm more of a fan of the great composers, if I'm being honest." Which absolutely matches his whole aesthetic, probably.

[irrationally]

It so definitely does. As Alice stares at Aziraphale for a moment, she can't help but think he almost looks like some sort of great composer himself - he's got the whole hair part of the aesthetic down, at the very least.

And whereas some people might think twice before just.. saying that, Alice has had a problem with being unable to not speak her mind even before the rest of her grew more cynical.

"So you aren't one of those yourself? You look the part."

[salutosinedelectat]

Aziraphale blinks, gently confused, looking down at himself for a moment.

"Oh, no, no, not at all." He clearly takes the comment in stride. "I must say this look isn't really in fashion nowadays, definitely not with the mask. But, no, I've always been more of a music appreciator myself. But haven't quite dabbled in composing."

[irrationally]

"I see." She takes in the last part first, but then Alice shrugs very slightly.

"I'm not quite sure what is in fashion or not here on the train. With everyone coming from different worlds and all." Even just for her there would be a huge difference between that would be in fashion in London or in Wonderland, after all. "Perhaps you don't stand out that much at all."

[salutosinedelectat]

"Oh, quite right." As much as he's talking about it now, he truly rarely pays attention to any modern concepts if they don't quite interest him at first. Most innovations he does to his outfit are out of necessity - or, rather, were, but he did have some trouble in keeping up in the last few centuries.

"I do suppose there's no real cohesive style, what with the passenger population being as varied as it seems to be."

[irrationally]

Alice dips her head into a slight nod.

.. and then falls silent. At first she still looks the same, but a moment later she definitely starts looking kind of awkward. Ugh. How does anyone do anything at these parties? Or even keep up a conversation? This is so awkward. This is all Xander's fault.

"I.. um." She starts, then falls quiet. Alice is trying real hard to not look as frustrated as she feels at her own lack of social abilities. "I should let you return to enjoying the party, shouldn't I."

[salutosinedelectat]

Aziraphale falls into that silence with her, but instead seems to be looking out at the dancefloor. The music continues to be a blaring mess for as much as he can tell, and he vaguely wonders where a certain lovely demon must've gone.

"Oh! Yes, I do suppose I should get back to my-- company. Lovely meeting you, miss...?"

[irrationally]

".. Oh."

Right. Manners. She may have lost most of hers overtime, but Aziraphale has been relatively nice enough to her that even Alice would feel bad about brushing him off when he's obviously asking for her name.

"Alice. Alice Liddell." There's a nod to go along with it, rather than a curtsey like she may have made in her younger days. She may be willing to extend some manners to Aziraphale here, but that level of politeness is just beyond her by now. "Nice to meet you, I.. suppose, even under these odd circumstances."

Yeah, because clearly a party is the oddest thing possible on a interdimensional train, right.

[salutosinedelectat]

Not even top three, really.

Perhaps it's the alcohol, or just habits that are pulled out of the recesses of his mind through someone else's influence, but he bows in response, and smiles.

"Lovely to meet you, miss Alice. "