OPEN TO EVERYONE: Summer Gala

[bowdown]

Characters: Everyone!
Location: By the Park swimming pool
Rating: G to PG (any higher rating, please make a private log)
Time: 20th June (FORWARDED DATE)
Notes: Go ahead and add links as you please under the main threads. If there is anything you need or I forgot, contact me and I will add!

Tonight, the park is full of life. Lights show the way towards the swimming pool, where you can find large white tents set up, all connected to each other. Music, loud chatter and laugher come from them, and inside you may find Guests and Natives enjoying the night together, a rare sight after recent events happening in the City. But tonight, all of that is to be forgotten. Maybe.

Welcome to the Summer Gala.

Feel free to leave your coat by the Coat room, listening to music (some songs are even played by Guests such as Karina, Shinji, Nanami, Hamel and John), dance together (don’t forget the Partner’s dance!), enjoy good food and good drinks, and perhaps after take a stroll by the swimming pool and the park.

But please, don’t forget to thank your hosts, Keroro’s and Eve’s Metokkori R and Hikan Café, and thank Cupid, Lily’s Yesterday's Magic, Hyoubu’s World’s End, Condesce’s Betty Crocker Bakery and the Watch for all their help. And if there is any disaster with your clothing and hair tonight, look for Kanaya and she will give you a hand!

■ PREPARATIONS

Condesce [Open]
Keroro[Open]

■ ARRIVAL/COAT ROOM

Condesce [Open]
Sendo [Open]
Saya [Open]
Bumblebee [Open]
Matt [Open]
Re-l [Open]
Naoto [Open]
Lee [Open]
Fujino [Open]
Meenah [Open]
Minatsuki [Open]
Minako [Open]
Duo [Open]
Near [Open]
Hyoubu [Open]
Giroro [Open]
Kanaya [Open] - Clothing Repairs
Edgeworth [Open]
Dolorosa [Open]
Sugata [Open]
Hiro [Open]
Alucard [Open]
Cupid [Open]
Raidou [Open]
JK [Open]
Yuugi [Open]

■ DINNING TABLES

Saya[Open]
Senji [Open]
Re-l [Open]
Duo [Open] *
Josuke [Open]
Vincent [Open]
Sugata [Open]
Hiro [Open]
Naoto [Open] *

■ BAR

Matt [Open]
Re-l [Open] *
Psiioniic [Open]
Senji [Open]
Duo [Open]
Snake [Open]
Cupid [Open]
Meenah [Open] *

■ BALLROOM

Partner's dance
Lily [Open]
Minatsuki [Open]
Minako [Open]
Karina [Open]
Genesis [Open]
Kanaya [Open]
Dolorosa [Open]
Fujino [Open]
Hamel [Open]
Sugata [Open]
Hiro [Open] *
Yako [Open]
Asuka [Open]
Cupid [Open]
Sendo [Open]

■ SWIMMING POOL

Saya [Open]
Matt [Open]
Condesce [Open] *
Hyoubu [Open]
Shinji [Open]

■ LAVATORIES

Condesce [Open]
Yamazaki [Open]

■ WATCH AREA

Neji [Open]
Mello [Open]
Fabiola [Open]
Karkat [Open] *
Gray [Open]

■ PARK

Amaterasu [Open]
Mizuno [Open]

Comments

[Open]

[timelessummoner]

[Raidou hadn't initially intended to show up. He had never really gotten used to parties, not when there was always work to be done, and this was more formal than the few gatherings he had attended. Still, it seemed a majority of his friends had gone, and the Agency had been quiet. No harm in trying to socialize more, was there?

So he did eventually arrive, a little later than the first guests, wearing in suit and, naturally, hit usual hat. The place was rather crowded, and so he lingered near the sidelines, scanning the crowd for familiar faces.]

[pishirogane]

[She had been there for some time, glancing around, checking for Kanji, but then she spots a familiar hat. Odd, when she spoke with Alucard, he said Raidou wasn't going to come. It... wouldn't be too far to say he changed his mind.]

[As carefully and quietly as she can in heels, Naoto maneuvered through the crowd and approached]

Good evening, Kuzunoha-san...

[timelessummoner]

[Her appearance was unexpected; he didn't think he had ever seen her in women's attire. The surprise wore off quickly, however, and he smiled.]

Good evening, Shirogane-san. Enjoying the gala, I hope?

[pishirogane]

[Yes, she's still a little uncomfortable, but she still has her gun]

It's a little crowded for my liking, but I've been to formal events before. I can attest to it being much more lively than those previous affairs... a-and I didn't come alone.

[She glances elsewhere for a moment] Ah, I saw Alucard-san a while ago. He'll be happy to see you.

[timelessummoner]

[He would expect nothing less. Always come prepared.]

I cannot say I'm used to events like this. The occasion never presented itself back home. [He tugs at the collar of his suit idly.] Tatsumi-san is here as well, I take it?

Ah, yes. I wasn't planning to attend at all, so he wouldn't know I'm here yet...

[pishirogane]

[Indeed.]

[Nodding, she really doesn't see Raidou going to events like these often. Considering the time too... Her face darkens when he mentions Kanji and she nods, albeit, much slower this time] He is... I'm looking for him myself actually.

You'll be a pleasant surprise. He was wandering around here, but he may have gone in by now.

[timelessummoner]

[He's mildly amused by the blush... but he'll refrain from teasing her too much.] He will be eager to see you, I'm sure. I hope you don't mind me saying it, but you look quite lovely.

Well, I will find him soon enough. Fortunately he is easy to spot in a crowd.

[pishirogane]

[Nooo senpai...] I don't mind. It's just... new.

He's wearing a black pinstripe suit. You should ask him to a dance...

[timelessummoner]

[Sshhh, he won't make fun of your love life. and if he does, you'll get the chance for payback later]

It suits you. Not that your usual attire doesn't, but trying new things isn't a bad idea. [...This coming from the guy who's not very good at trying new things.]

[He blinks.] Ask him to a dance...? Is that customary?

[pishirogane]

[Good. He wouldn't be spared.]

No, it isn't. [Besides exposing a little more, it has been comfortable]

It is apparently for Meisters and Weapons. It could be viewed as another way to strengthen their bond.

[timelessummoner]

[One of these days Raidou needs to wear something that's not a uniform]

Oh. I thought dancing usually happens between a man and a woman... unless my understanding of the tradition is outdated.

[pishirogane]

[They'll go shopping together.]

And traditionally, it still is. However, things change over time. Where once dancing with someone of the same gender was viewed negatively, it's become more accepted.

[timelessummoner]

[To buy hats?]

I see. Hm... I suppose I could ask him, though I doubt he would agree.

If you don't mind that I'm super late tagging around in here...

[vintage_magic]

[Tonight, Lily was wearing a dress that’s closer to Raidou’s time, a 1920s tea dyed silk chiffon flapper dress although her long hair was just loose as usual. When she spotted the familiar hat, she approached with a little wave.]

Hi, Raidou. I didn’t realize you were coming. [He had seemed kind of awkward the time she had spoken to him at the pool party and she had gotten the sense that, like her, he didn’t normally attend many parties.]

I'm not in position to accuse anyone of late tags

[timelessummoner]

[Her appearance made Raidou feel a little nostalgic. It seemed like something Tae might have worn on this kind of occasion...]

Ivory-san. [He tipped his hat.] I wasn't intending to, but decided I might as well.

[vintage_magic]

Ah. Did your friends ask you to come? I take it you don't attend these types of events normally...

[The suit was formal enough although she wondered a tad why he hadn't substituted something dressier for his normal hat. Was he that attached to it?]

[timelessummoner]

I am not very used to them, no. Everyone else seemed enthusiastic about it though, so...

[...The hat stays. If he can wear it to a bath house, he'll wear it to a gala too.]

[vintage_magic]

[She nods.] I reckon folks like the chance to dress up, sort of like how teenagers make a big deal out of going to the prom.

[Not that Lily ever got to go to a school dance herself... She'd always been banned from them back in her hometown.]

The formalwear section at my shop has been nearly cleaned out over the past week and a half.

[timelessummoner]

I see. I'm not sure whether our high school had similar events.

[Even if they did, chances are he wouldn't have attended...]

[vintage_magic]

It's sort of like this, a formal dance but organized by the school for the seniors who are graduating. I don't know if they would have them in Japan and back in your time.

[timelessummoner]

Hm. I miss school activities often, so it is possible I simply haven't taken notice.

[vintage_magic]

Because of your job? I guess that would make it difficult to keep up with everything. [Raidou had said he worked at a detective agency back home too, hadn't he? And then there was the whole demon hunting business...]

[timelessummoner]

Yes. I'm usually the one handling legwork, and Narumi-san often asks me to take care of... well, more mundane things.

[There was a hint of sheepishness in his expression as he said this.]

[vintage_magic]

Narumi? I take it that's your boss back home. What was he like? Sent you out on a lot of errands, huh?

[timelessummoner]

Yes. He, ah, liked to enjoy life between taking calls, so I was the one who cleaned up the Agency, did the laundry, picked up groceries, relayed messages from clients who didn't own phones, and negotiated with restaurant owners when Narumi-san postponed paying his bills. [A pause.] And I brew the coffee.

[...Now that he said it all out loud... he felt a bit of a doormat.]