middaeg | VALENTINES CHARITY

♥ THE FESTIVAL OF LOVE ♥

"At the Festival of Love: Shine like thunder
At the Festival of Love: Cry like rain
At the Festival of Love: Hear my calling
At the Festival of Love: Hear my name"

...wait, who prepared this poster? The vibe it gives off is totally wrong... ah, well, it will do! ♥

I. Welcome! ♥

On Feoveuer 14th regulars of DiplomaTea will immediately notice that the place looks different. Fresh flowers, garlands and paper decorations are everywhere, all in lovely shades of pink and red. Heart-shaped confetti is falling from the ceiling, magicked to disappear shortly after touching the floor so it would not make a mess. Quiet music is filling the whole cafe, one of the many masterpieces of Amadeus Mozart and a particual favorite of Marie who picked this particular song to play. Even those who have missed Marie's flyers and announcements about the upcoming event would definitely notice that something joyous is going on inside, why not check it out and join everyone?

If you haven't heard before, the posters will explain everything. Today's event, The Festival of Love celebrates the holiday known as Valentine's Day some Mirrorbound might be familiar with. This is the day to celebrate love in all shapes and forms. Spend a wonderful, romantic evening with your partner... or your friends and family, because these kinds of love are important too! Or get some sweets and eat them all by yourself, because self love is also important! All money collected during today's event will go to aid the refugees and help those who have been affected during last month - celebration of love for your fellow woman, man and everyone else.

a. Preparations ♥

Of course an event this big cannot happen without the help of many. Making and putting up the decorations, enchanting the confetti and music, building the booths, preparing the tables, all of this and much more took almost the whole previous day. Everett will also defintely need part-timers to help tending to the increased number of custoers during the event. If you visited DiplomaTea during that time, you probably couldn't enjoy your drink in peace... or maybe you were roped into helping? Marie gives you a pleading look. Every pair of hands is useful, you know!

II. The Festival of Love ♥

Kissing Booths ♥

Two hastily made but lovingly decorated wooden booths have been placed on DiplomaTea porch. For supporting the cause with a small fee of 100 cunes the person inside will gladly give you a lovely kiss... though you are, of course, welcome to throw an even bigger amount into the donation box! The Mirrorbound staff the booths in shifts so nobody will be forced to sit out the whole event and more volunteers are always welcome... come on, don't you want to support the charitable cause? Marie is quite persuasive, she might find a way to convince you even if it's not something you would have usually agreed to ♥ Or maybe your crush is currently in the booth and this is your big chance? Either way, thank you for your support, good people!

Bake Sale ♥

Are you skilled with the cooking appliances? Would you like these skills to serve a good cause? The tables just next to the main entrance of DiplomaTea have been filled with cakes, pastries and other kinds of sweets donated by Mirrorbound - help yourself to some! You have to pay for it, of course, but all the money collected helps the charitable cause! For those who are not fond of sweet things, savory and spicy snacks are also found on the table.

Did you bring a dish? Would you like to buy something? Or maybe you are just staffing the tables and helping with the bake sale itself? All kinds of help are appreciated! Are you culinarily challenged but refuse to admit it? Thank you for your donation anyway, it is going on sale! Did anyone see the Fae who donated these cupcakes? These appear to be enchanted and eating one will cause you to say the opposite what you mean for fifteen minutes. What do you mean, Marie, we are putting these on sale as well? Could it be... that Fae was... No, impossible!

Auction ♥

Want to support the cause with a bigger sum? As a part of the main event, a couple of items will be auctioned. To show their support, the Coven donated several valuables that could definitely be of use for both Witches and Monsters:
an ornate golden ring Fae-blessed to provide the wearer 12 hours of invisibility (which does not have to be used consecutively, it's 'turned on and off' by rubbing the stone set into it, and does not conceal the wearer from other Fae)
a suit set and a dress that will both transform magically to fit whatever Monster form the wearer has (and will also take on the wearer's color and design preferences)
a book on imbuing baked goods with minor luck spells - good and bad both.
Place your bids now! But that's not everything that will be put on sale today - donations from Mirrorbound are also accepted and will be auctioned! Do you have any items you no longer need and could contribute? Maybe it's something you have crafted yourself? Or a voucher for any kind of services you can provide? Whatever it is, thank you for your donation! Yes, even if it's enchanted. Especially if it is enchanted!

Not donating or buying anything? You could certainly help with the organization part! That pile of items over there... Mind checking out what we even have there and assign starting bids?

A Word from our Sponsor ♥

DiplomaTea is offering a couple of special offers on this special day, all proceeds will be donated! Extra large mug of cinnamon cocoa you can share with a special person to warm up your bodies and hearts. You can also drink it yourself if you want to, nobody will judge you and certainly not Everett. However, even if you came here by yourself... Are you sure you can finish it by yourself? How about splitting the cocoa with someone who also came alone? That's the spirit of the day!

For those interested in a drink that can provide more thrill than simple cocoa, Everett is offering a tea blend called Ardric's Warmth. In his own words, it tastes like a live firecracker and has enough caffeine to raise the dead. And yet, this blend seems to have its dedicated fans in Aefenglom, especially among Dragons. Dare to try it? Or maybe someone tricked you into drinking some?

Inkchanted Corner ♥

Caster Cú Chulainn is doing a promotion on behalf of his and Waver's tattoo shop, Inkchanted. Still undecided if you would like to visit their place? Unsure about a permanent tattoo? You can try it out here and help the cause! For a low fee you can have Caster draw a small, enchanted painting on your skin. It can make you give off a charming aura, perfect if you are still looking for someone to spend the evening with or trying to grab the attention of that particular person. Or maybe you are celebrating self love and just want a spell that will allow you to eat a lot of sweets without consequences tonight? Perfect! Another idea? Be sure to communicate it well, you would not want to end up with an enchanted painting that gives a different effect you originally wanted... though even if you do, the magic will only work for a few hours. You can wait that long, can you?

Magic Show ♥

Trucy Wright, one of the recent arrivals to Aefenglom is on stage and about to perform her splendid magic show! Huh, that's nothing special in Aefenglom, you might think. Magic is an everyday thing for every Witch after all. However, this young lady here is not a Witch, so how does she do it? With totally real magic, of course! Get your seats and pay close attention to everything she does, but you are not very likely to notice anything - this girl is a professional, after all. In using real magic, of course! Or maybe you have similar skills? You are welcome to join her on stage and perform your own well-practiced trick. If it's not as well-practiced as you thought... well, at least you made the audience laugh? In need of a charming assistant? Just pick someone more or less willing from the audience!

III. Cleanup ♥

Tired after a busy day? Congratulate yourself on a job well done, we managed to collect a nice sum that will certainly help a lot! But before you can rest in your bed, there's more to be done. Taking off decorations, removing the confetti enchantments, washing the dishes, collecting the trash and cleaning the whole place. We cannot leave Everett alone with this mess after he was so nice to allow the usage of DiplomaTea for today's event, can we? You can stay and help, can you? Maybe there are some leftowers from the bake sale to sweeten the deal?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Alright, hold on just a second here. Is this person here paying for... what he... thinks they are... oh. Oh. WELL THEN. He's just going to stand there, crunching on the rest of his sucker.

Go on, Hector. He'll wait. ]

Edited 2020-02-16 00:48 (UTC)

[Hector has given out a few kisses already, but now he feels Trevor's eyes on him like a millstone around his neck. He squares his shoulders as he looks at the donor.]

Thank you for your donation.

[He leans forward to give the partygoer a quick kiss, lifting his hand behind their back to flip his middle finger up at Trevor. If you're going to be a voyeur, Belmont, at least put some money in the jar, asshole.]

[ Ok, that gets him to snort a bit and he nearly chokes on the sucker stick as he does. Part of him has to wonder if that's Hector's first kiss. But, he doesn't bother asking, instead, he hums a little in amusement and turns away a bit then, finishing off the rest of that sucker before plucking the stick from his mouth. ]

He thanks you so very much for it.

[Hector pulls back. The donor stumbles on to the next booth, seemingly unperturbed by the heckling.]

Fuck off, Belmont.

[Why do you hate charity, Trevor? Hector is just doing what the fae girl told him to do. He doesn't need a candy-crunching buffoon providing commentary while he kisses strangers.]

Well now that doesn't sound very in the spirit of love.

[ He is ABSOLUTELY being a shit on purpose. You know, in case it wasn't obvious. ]

Why are you still here? Do you like watching?

[Maybe it's a whole Belmont clan thing. It would explain why the family was forever forcing their way into Dracula's castle-- vampires tend to get up to the kinkiest acts.]

The great Trevor Belmont, a garden variety pervert.

I've been called worse.

[ And he has. Believe it or not. ]

And for your information, I'm keeping an eye on you.

Correction, Trevor Belmont, a highly specific pervert.

[Confirmed, Trevor's only into vamp hunting because he likes having the excuse to stalk and spy on evildoers.

Another donor steps up, and Hector raises an eyebrow at Trevor, then gives the donor a longer kiss than the last one received. You want a show, Belmont? Fine. Hector will make you regret it.]

[ Wow, he's sure showing him. Yep. So much. Damn you, Hector, and all that.

Except not really. ]

Right. I'm going to get a drink. You... keep doing that or whatever.

[Victory? Sort of maybe? Trevor is leaving, but Hector hasn’t figured out how to piss him off the way the Belmont annoys Hector. He always just ends up feeling like a child trying to throw a punch at giant.

He pulls back from the donor and sends them on their way.]

You know that has a different meaning for you now. [You’re all pale and fangy, remember?] You’re the one someone should be keeping an eye on.

[ It's with a middle finger thrown up in the air at the forgemaster that Trevor glances back over his shoulder, expression SO VERY NOT AMUSED. ]

Fuck off.

[The memory of Dracula’s descent into madness is fresh on Hector’s mind, and his abstinence from feeding, if maybe not the cause, certainly didn’t help.

Hector can only hope Trevor has sources he’s willing to drink from.

He’s not in any sort of position to ask, though, and Belmont pisses him off too much for him to not be an asshole when he’s finally pinpointed a potential weak point.

So he arches an eyebrow at Trevor’s rude gesture.]

Bite me, Belmont.

[ He does, in fact, have a "blood donor" if you will. It had taken him about.. two months?? To finally procure himself one and it was NOT from him advertising for one either. It was an at the end of his rope and going mad sort of moment and while he trusts the person he feeds from, he sometimes feels bad that he relies only on them. He feels bad about.. a lot of shit. Surprisingly.

Hector's remark, however, gets him to roll his eyes. ]

I'm sure you'd like that. So no.

[Hector’s scowl scares off the next potential donor. It wasn’t like that. Dracula didn’t shit where he ate, so to speak. He and Isaac had been off limits for any vampires to snack on.

He’d never been bitten back in Wallachia. There had been no thrall, just the promise of new order and reform that never manifested. What Hector had done, he had done out of faith in Dracula, not out of this accused vampire-philia.

And if he’s made donations here, that’s none of Trevor’s concern.]

I hope you choke on your booze.

[ Look. Whatever Hector does in his private life is HIS BUSINESS. If he likes sucking face with vamps, then he likes sucking face with vamps. Or them sucking his blood is, you know, more likely. Point is... he doesn't care and that's why he waves him off with a sort of yeah yeah motion about it. ]

Stay out of trouble or I'll be on your ass.

[ NOT LIKE THAT. ]

[Great. He’s got a Belmont as a fucking parole officer.

Trevor really is a vampire, ‘cause he’s sucked all the fun out of Hector’s festival. He can’t even make a joke about that terrible phrasing as Trevor walks away. This is his life now, living with the Dracula-killing squad watching him constantly, just waiting for him to mess up.]

VALENTINES CHARITY - Feoveuer 14th

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