( open. ) masked gala

[uncourteous]

WHO: Any Outsider is more than welcome!
WHAT: The Royal Gala (citation needed)
WHERE: "Ruby Room," an event hall in Neo Tokyo.
WHEN: 10th day of September.
WARNINGS: Alcohol, potential suggestive topics, and will update as we go!

Throughout the week leading up to the event, every Outsider will have received an elaborate invitation in a wax-sealed envelope. Each letter will be relatively unique, but ultimately seems to carry the same contents:

Your presence has been summoned to the first annual royal gala, which will take place at the Ruby Room on the 10th day of September, the year 2078. Please come dressed appropriately, and do not forget a mask. While not required, depending on your dancing abilities, it is highly suggested.

- Callisto Regulus

CODED BY TESSISAMESS
Whether people attend out of a sense of obligation, out of suspicion in finding more about the event (and by extension, what it entails), or even simply as an excuse to dress up and raise ones spirits— all is welcome. While no theme is established, one could likely surmise from the envelopes that the colors of the venue will be predominately decorated in reds, black, and golds.


No matter where one looks, the entire hall has been intricately decorated. While the vast majority of the venue appears to mirror what one would see in a palace, including all the pillars and seemingly expensive items put on display, if one peer through their oculars, they will find it is designed much like ones room upgrades are: through technology. Though, a smaller percentage of some of the items appear delicately handmade, including the lace on the dining tables thanks to some assistance. It is as much the decadent scenery as one could envision, even if to some degree, it's fake. But, listen, they do technically have some sort of budget.

Additionally, as specified on the invitation, as soon as anyone walks through the doors of the venue, and have their names announced (per course of a royal celebration)— if they are wearing a mask, they will find that their identities are obscured from others. This includes their appearance and voice, which may appear blurry or slightly different to what it usually is. This is because the venue itself casts an affect on anyone wearing a mask, making them completely anonymous to one another. However, the illusion is quick to break if one just removes their mask!

Aside from the mystery of the masks, there will also be several other forms of entertainment available for the night:

1. DANCE
As with any gala, there will naturally be music and dancing throughout the night. Soft music will play throughout the venue and will include several tunes. If one doesn't know how to dance, perhaps they will have a partner who knows all the steps? If not, if they open their oculars, they will find several guides passive aggressively attached to a folder dropped to all Outsiders called "Educate yourselves" made by yours truly. They do, however, appear to be fairly good guide videos, even if they are made through AI, and may even utilize your own face? Oops.

2. GARDEN MAZE
There will be a section in another room of the venue that is labeled as being a maze. When one enters, they will find themselves surrounded by extremely tall shrubs, or what appears to be that. Instead, it is much like a virtual escape room. The point is to find the exit that will lead them back to the dance hall. However, it won't be so easy. Hopefully no one loses their partner for the night in here.

3. SECRET PASSAGEWAYS
If one explores the maze deeply, they will find that the main hall isn't the only place it leads to, instead they will discover that there are several hidden passageways that lead to secret rooms. Perhaps, it was made to provide some people some privacy. Privacy appropriate for such a demure and mindful event, that is.

4. FIREWORKS
At the end of night, there will also be a firework show. Considering that actual fireworks weren't permitted even during the festival period, it's reasonable to say there will be no real fireworks here. However, what guests will get is a VR firework show at the end of the night. Perhaps, not an entirely poor way to end it.

Perhaps, these events and how elaborate the venue is at least makes up the lack of food items. While there are food, they are kept rather simple. Maybe in light of recent events, it was decided they keep it within means. While the food may appear fancy or delicious, they will be made with what is similar to ration bars, but in varying flavors. To make up for it, the main dish, however will be a delicious mystery meat. No one knows where it comes from, or what it's made of.

There will also be several speeches throughout the night, and perhaps you may also feel inclined to make your own before a toast? Whichever the case, surely no one is here for Callisto's speeches, at least.


( ooc note: the mask prompt was approved by mods and purchased with points, but feel free to have your character remove their mask if it's not their thing! i just wanted to add in a fun surprise in the log. also, you're free to assume whatever is typically in galas to be here, so don't feel locked into anything! the most important rule of all— have fun!!!

once again, your character is free to get an invite as everyone was invited! 👍 )

Comments

001

[accordingto]

[ Having been raised in PLANT high society just as Yzak has, Lacus finds the sight of him across the room to be weirdly nostalgic. Though they'd hardly interacted, she'd always been aware of him and it feels right to spot him in the crowd.

It helps a little bit to make this whole affair feel more like a party in Aprilius rather than the Ishtaria royal palace. But unlike those parties they would occasionally attend when they were younger, this time Lacus is not often caught up in conversation with others and seems rather content wall-flowering in a comparatively simple dress.

Yzak's approach gets a mild smile and a little curtsy, at least. ]

It's a very nice gala, despite all the circumstances. [ This is not actually an answer to his question at all. ] I hope it raises people's spirits a bit.

[coordination]

[ It's nostalgic for him, too, but his own recollection has echoes of his mother's voice. Commenting about her (brief) match-up with Athrun when it happened, as that unlocked something so competitive in her that Yzak still pays for it to this day. Commenting about Siegel Clyne ... not always snide or unkind, but Yzak didn't inherit a lot of his more nasty personality traits from nowhere.

He's glad he doesn't have to hear Ezalia's voice now, even if she has come around on various things herself. (assumedly,) ]

I wish it wasn't needed in the first place. [ His words carry an edge to them that make it all to obvious that he is still mad about all that, but it eases as he continues. ] But, that's my hope as well.

[ He takes a look around as he steps closer to her. ]

There's a high turnout of Outsiders, and everyone seems to be having a good time so far. [ So it bodes well. ]

[accordingto]

[ It would be weirder if he wasn't mad about all that, truly. Lacus also finds the situation she's come into pretty dismal and she hasn't even experienced the actual chaos that was the initial mission. Just about every part of how the aftermath is being handled officially is rubbing her the wrong way here. ]

Yes... It might be the first time I've seen people be anywhere close to merry here.

[ It's been a MISERABLE first few days, thanks for checking in. Absolutely nobody who's been here for longer than 24 hours has been anything but frustrated. ]

Is it relaxing for you as well?

[coordination]

... Marginally.

[ He admits. Yzak's problem is that even in less stressful times, he hardly knows how to really relax.

And to top off the fact that he's wound up tighter thanks to the recent stress, he's also doing that thing where his posture automatically goes way too rigidly straight in front of Lacus.

Still, he does move after that from simply facing her to properly join her where she's decided to hang out. ]

I may not have come at all, if this wasn't set up by one of us Outsiders.

[accordingto]

[ Lacus does note the tension in Yzak and she considers commenting on it, but when she remembers how badly Shinn took it just to be asked to call her by first name, she thinks better of it. She's very clearly President Clyne to all of the boys except Dearka, and she's not going to be able to break through that association in a day. (She wishes she could. She'll settle for doing it over time.) ]

I know how you feel. After they went through all of the trouble to set it up, it would feel wrong not to drop by.

[ Even if she absolutely does not want to be here now that she is. ]

Are you familiar with the host?

[coordination]

Not very.

[ And what little impression he's gotten of Callisto isn't! That! Great! ]

But he clearly knows what he's doing. He's even prettied up the ration bars.

[accordingto]

[ What a subdued response about the guy who invited them all here... Lacus files that away to interrogate later. Especially since she's not currently inclined to like guys who throw fancy balls all that much....... Anyway! ]

It's impressive! Though I wonder if it won't disappoint people to try them later...