[Semi-Closed] Trails of Welcoming Party

[fiddlestick]

Who: Class VII, SSS and any friends they invited
When: Evening of October 1st
Where: Trails House!
What: Welcome to Aefenglom/Post-Dorchacht party!
Warnings: An obscene use of tacky decor. Also liquor.



Having the forewarning of the dream that some classmates were coming, the members of Class VII decided to hold a welcome party not just for their old friends, but invite the friends they've made in their time there. The days after their return from Dorchacht, they went straight into preparation work. Setting up their home for new occupants, preparing food, planning activities, and decorating.

On the evening of the 1st, after more emotional reunions were done earlier near the Coven, the party begins. Already from the entry hallway balloon decorations, you can tell this will be a party to remember. The living room too is full of balloon decorations which were put up more clumsily by decorators who spent so much time on the entry hallway they ran out of time. Above it all hangs a giant glitter banner with names hastily enchanted on, giving warm welcome to their old classmates.

Balloons aren't the only decorations. There's magicked bubbles, floating around the room with glitter within that forms the names of the people near them (though the spelling might be off). There's pirate octopus lanterns, random seasonal wall hangings, streamers, poppers, kazoos, party hats for people to wear and all sorts of other random (but also tacky) decorations. The entire first floor and courtyard are covered in these decorations.

A lot of thought was put into planning this party. Was it good thought? That's debatable, but they were thoughts.

I. The Food
What's a party but its selection of food? Despite the questionable decorations, the food table in the dining room is nothing to snuff at. There's a whole spread made of easy party foods: kebabs, mini sandwiches, chips and dip, wings, and vegetable platters. For those with a sweet tooth, there's a build your own crepes station with ice cream and fruit with handmade crepe shells. Towa, with the help of Shinji and Elliot, worked hard to make the food as delicious as possible.

Among Towa's dishes are a few brought by some thoughtful guests. These are a bit more varied in quality...from Ignis's made (and Prompto delivered) fine new recipes to Zack's more questionable fae jello cake that's enchanted to make you giggle if you're brave enough to eat it. Food wasn't asked of the guests, but they won't turn away anyone's kind donations.

Lastly, the drink table is well supplied with juices, ciders, and other cold drinks found in the city. For those looking for alcohol, there's some available - along with a sign written by Lloyd reminding folks not to drink if they're underage. Decide to ignore the sign? You'll need some help, as the alcohol bottles have been enchanted not to pour for anyone under 18. Next to the drink table, there's another table devoted entirely to freshly brewed coffees and teas.

II. The Games
Every party needs good entertainment, and there's plenty to be had. Spread out throughout the party, there's different activity stations. Some are more traditional party games- like pin the tail on the faun, pictionary, make balloon animals or other crafts, etc. There's a spot with decks of cards for card games in the living room, some traditional cards and some magicked to be Zemurian-based card games. Out in the courtyard, a few chess sets have been set up for anyone who fancies a logical game. In the music room, there's music playing on record for anyone who wishes to dance, and a keyboard for anyone who wants to play. Or...try your hand at the bagpipes in there. Why not.

Once it's dark enough outside, a corner of the yard becomes devoted to playing with sparklers and small fireworks. They're magically enchanted to be different colors and shapes. In the opposite corner, there's a bonfire set up with marshmallows to roast and plenty of chairs to sit and talk. Both areas have been stalked up with easy-to-use water spell scrolls - in case anything gets out of hand.

If you're looking just for some good conversation to get to know people? There's jars throughout the party with paper slips which have questions on them meant for conversation. Some are silly ("What superpower would you want?") while some are more thought-provoking ("What's your third favorite memory?") - though most of them are pretty light in levity.

III. Quiet Spots
While festitives are fun and all, everyone needs a little quiet once and awhile. The first floor and outside are devoted to party activities, but there's a couple rooms opened on the second floor that are nice and quiet. Enchantments have been put up to muffle sound from downstairs. Any valuables have been stashed away elsewhere, so you won't find anything worth taking.

Comments

[fiddlestick]

A. FOOD
[Setting up this party and running around town for supplies and finding their friends worked up quite an appetite for Elliot. He's got a plateful of mini-sandwiches and fruit-filled crepes. He's technically of age, but he wasn't much of a drinker, so he's sticking with juice.

But between his own quick bites, he is trying to be a considerate host. So he sets his plate down when he sees someone approach and quickly stand up]

Need anything?

B. MUSIC
[It should be absolutely no surprise that Elliot is found in the music room. He'll play requests on the keyboard, assuming he knows it. Otherwise he's just playing music or listening to music and living the best life.]

C. GAMES
[Elliot is bad at chess, so he avoids it. Elliot also has no hand-eye coordination or sense of balance, so he avoids the pin the tail game too. Better this evening doesn't end in a trip to the infirmary okay.

The other games though, Elliot is more happy to check out. He's happy to teach anyone not from Erebonia how to play Blade, or just play a more normal game of cards. Balloon animals he takes a long time to make a set of eighth notes, and is very pleased with himself when he does. He is better at socializing than some of his fellow classmates so it's not necessary, but he'll be happy to answer questions in the conversation jars.

As for the outdoor activities...well, sparklers are fun, and he'll play with some, but he is also hovering around with mild concern in case someone gets themselves burned. Being the healer is hard sometimes okay]

D. QUIET SPOTS
[Surprisingly, Elliot doesn't need to go up to the quiet spots for alone time. He's pretty good at managing all the commotion downstairs. But he still pops up here occasionally, to check on people just in case. He keeps his tone soft, so not to disturb them too much]

Doing alright up here?

E. WILDCARD
[Got another prompt? Hit me with something or talk to me at neutronstar

wildcard!!!

[usurpers]

[ elliot’s probably felt it since the moment he wakes up, wherever he may roam on the early morning of the first of october, and dragging out through the rest of the day. if prompted, eren would curtly answer through his device, mikleo’s gone, but the feeling remains at the end of the dragon’s bond: an emotional hole that had been ripped from him. a sensation that a part of him was missing— and such dents ached. quietly, dully, but they ached.

eren wasn’t upset about his departure, that much was certain, but he feels what he feels. mikleo had become a part of him, and he’ll remember that beyond how long this lasts. elliot’s classmates were throwing a party, and despite being in far less of an energetic synch for this sort of thing, eren shows up early, subdued and reclusive— even when the social dragon in him decides it’s best to stick with at least one more person so he isn’t alone.

if elliot thinks it’ll help for him to be here, he’ll take him up on it, studying the decorations being put up (did the balloon . . . just spell his name wrong?), odd food that he flicks his tongue over one too many times, and . . .

he has a kazoo he accidentally stepped on, but the sharp shard the plastic creates, well— he’s shoving it into his pocket. ]

[fiddlestick]

[Elliot did feel it through his bond throughout the day. The loss, the ache that only missing someone can cause. He'd dreaded at the thought of what had caused those feelings, and Eren's curt answer only confirmed that dread. Mikleo was gone.

He knew he shouldn't be upset. Mikleo wanted to go home, and maybe he'd have a chance to be with Sorey - Elliot never got the full sense of that story. But he still felt sadness. Mikleo was a friend, someone he cared for. Not having him around anymore was sad to think about. Not just for himself, but Eren too. Mikleo had always been a good stabilizing force for the dragon.

So Elliot did the only thing he could do, and invited Eren to spend the day at the house while the party was prepared. He's sure he's not in any party mood, but leaving him alone didn't feel right either. At the very least, maybe they can find a quiet spot for Eren to go to if he needs it.

He's approaches him after being pulled away to help with decorations. His shoulders and hair's got a wealth of gold glitter in it, thanks to that sign]

Sorry about that... [Being pulled away he means] I should be free now, only things left to put up is stuff I'm too short to reach.

[In other words, it's Rean and Randy's problem]

[usurpers]

[ elliot is kidding him because eren is this close to being seven feet tall. a forked tongue now flicks along the top of the ginger’s scalp, where the gold sparkles raved, wrapping the pendant around his hand and standing to his fullest: ]

Where?

[ rean and randy are going to take centuries. ]

[fiddlestick]

[But Eren is a guest!! It'd be rude to just expect him to help.

The glitter tastes slightly of magic, since it was conjured, but mostly it just tastes like glitter. Congrats on your forked tongue now being covered in glitter. ]

Oh, just some more streamers and balloons in the living room. Maybe some in the backyard too.

[usurpers]

[ he just bedazzled himself and that's okay. it ain't no witch blood, but the little trail of magic is hinted to the roof of his mouth. like pop rocks.

and glitter that will not leave his tongue so soon, sticking to his lips with every occasional flick and making things worse. better. how ever you want to see it. ]

Then lets go. [ he'd rather be moving around and doing something useful than thinking about a cup full of whiskey or getting even this close to feeling the hole in his heart any deeper than it was. the pendant goes from around his hand to over his head and carefully over each horn, tending to them as he attempted a walk to brush past elliot, the flicky tip of his tail flinging close to the other's ankles—

and the perfect sort of balance that he needed for his legs. you were right??? ] Front yard?

[ maybe something extra, he dk but he's mostly proactive. ]

[fiddlestick]

[Definitely better. There was something pretty eye-catching about the glitter on Eren's lips. He wonders briefly how he'd look with actual lipgloss of that variety ... maybe something to consider another time. ]

Alright. [He feels it, the desire for a distraction from the pain. It's understandable ... coming home from a month long to find Mikleo gone soon after was a harsh homecoming.

As for that tail...yeah, he's getting used to manuevering around it. Slowly. So he steps, intending to follow after him]

Oh yeah...I bet there's stuff out there. C'mon.

[Heading out, it's easy to grab some balloons and streamers to hang up on the front yard trees. The front area looks pretty well decorated...just only to the level that Elliot, Towa and Fie could reasonably reach. In other words, not super high]

[usurpers]

[ lipgloss on eren is an entirely new cryptid. and in other words, the decoration placement is a little odd looking for eren. they had limits, and being above them by a mile seems . . . it seems like there's so little. ]

That's it? [ he asks with innocence and not with judgement, glancing around him to show that— yes, it feels really empty up here! just to experiment, he takes a pinned up bundle of curly strings, and raises it far above his head to stick it there.

it's so high up now, bless. ]

[fiddlestick]

[Elliot gives a little huff because wow talk about tall privileges!! From Elliot's height, it looks like a lot...so long as he didn't look up]

Yes? Look, we're short, okay?

[He can admit it!!! Even if it hurts his soul.

But that thing is so high up now. He looks up at it, it hanging way above his head]

...Oh. It looks much better up there.

[usurpers]

[ but aren't there chairs . . . . why weren't chairs used!!!! ]

Want it higher?

[fiddlestick]

[Because 2/3 of the short people are clumsy people who would definitely hurt themselves. ]

Hmm..I think that height should be good. Crow's the tallest and he's shorter than you by a head, so I think it'll work.

[usurpers]

[ well— alright, then. there’re probably a dozen more curly strings, balloons and decorative cut out words to raise to keep eren busy. physically! his mind still wanders, brushing past the strings and ghosting over confetti. he’s sound when he thinks, and immediately speaks his thoughts— but it’s impossible not to miss him. ]

He would’ve liked decorating with you. [ wait, ] Or cooking.

[ definitely cooking. ]

[fiddlestick]

[ Elliot meanwhile monitors the work, sometimes handing decorations to him that need hanging, or telling him to move things to the left or right. You know, the things he can do in his limited short capacity.

But...ah. Yeah. The elephant in the room. Elliot's regained one friend only to have another disappear.]

...Yeah, he would've loved to help with the cooking. Would've made some incredible desserts.

[He sighs]

I was hoping to cook with him more.

D - late but I hope you won't mind!

[thirdbeauty]

[Elliot probably saw an equally small in most ways blue-haired girl with pointed ears sticking close to Towa for quite a while earlier. Towa was busy with a lot of things, though, and Natsuru at least tried to mingle and meet her friend's housemates and other friends.

Right now, though, she just needed to take a quick moment away to get herself collected. She hadn't expected anyone from the party to notice, or check on her; thankfully, Elliot's soft voice doesn't startle her too badly.]

Oh... yeah, I'm fine!

[With a slightly nervous, but friendly smile, she adds:]

I just needed a little break. I... don't know that many people here, yet...

totally fine!

[fiddlestick]

[Elliot had seen her sticking close to Towa. Towa had mentioned bringing a friend, so he had assumed it was her. He'd been hoping to get the chance to say hi to her eventually, though it was just by chance he found her alone now]

Ah...yeah. I can imagine meeting so many new people at once can be overwhelming.

[He's a bit more social than most, but he has his limits too]

You're here because of Towa right? I saw you hanging around her earlier, and she mentioned inviting a friend.

♥

[thirdbeauty]

[Ah... she blushes a little at the mention that he'd noticed her with Towa earlier. Her smile doesn't falter, though.]

Yeah. She invited me over for a sleepover, and... I guess we talked about meeting some of her friends from her world too.

We've, um, kind of known each other pretty much since we arrived here. So... she's a really important friend.

[She swears she's embarrassing herself, but it feels important to express that.]

[fiddlestick]

[If she's embarrassing herself, Elliot doesn't seem fazed by it. If anything, he gives a gentle smile of reassurance]

Ah. So in other words, she was your first friend here huh? [He knows the importance of a friendship like that] A friend like that is really important, you two seem really close to each other ... I'm glad.

[He means that sincerely. He's glad Towa's making friends]

I'm one of the people from Towa's world. I'm Elliot. We went to school together ... though she was a year ahead of me.

[thirdbeauty]

[She nods, agreeing.]

One of them, yeah. Her and Monika-chan... my roommate.

[Someone actually saying they seem really close keeps her blushing even longer. He's not wrong; they really had become close very quickly. She's just never had someone call it out like that before.

In any case, she's quickly distracted from getting flustered over inconsequential little things, when the young man introduces himself.]

Oh... I'm Natsuru! It's nice to meet you.

[fiddlestick]

Oh you're roommates with Monika? I've talked to her a couple times.

[But aha, it's cute how that makes her blush. They must really mean a lot to her. It's sweet to see.]

It's nice to meet you too, Natsuru! I know you've been here a few months, but have you been settling in okay?

[thirdbeauty]

[Smiling, she nods again.]

I think so. Well... I'm still getting used to... changing.

[Unconsciously, she tucks a lock of hair behind a pointed ear. She doesn't have the wings, but anyone familiar with monster changes would recognize the signs of a Fae: the ears, her larger eyes, the faintly shimmery markings on her face that could be mistaken for subtle makeup at first glance. And of course, there's her height, or lack thereof. But only someone who met her before she started changing would know that's unusual for her.]

I thought it'd be weird just living in a place like this, but that's not the weird part. I guess Witches have that part easier...

[fiddlestick]

O-Oh...

[Honestly, with changes that subtle, Elliot hadn't noticed at first. The only fae he knew was Steven after all, so he wasn't deeply familiar with all the changes they have. But he does know that sometimes the changes are subtle at first, taking time to fully manifest]

Yeah, I can imagine that takes some getting used to. Witches have to learn a lot, but at least we don't have to worry about that part.

[thirdbeauty]

[If he'd known that she actually used to be taller than him, rather than Towa's height, he wouldn't be thinking the changes were subtle! Though it's true, she hasn't gotten any of the other more dramatic changes quite yet. She's pretty sure she's still shrinking, actually, as much as she hopes it'll stop here...

She keeps up that friendly smile, though, in case she accidentally made him feel awkward or something. It's not his fault, and she really is adjusting to it as well as can be expected.]

It could have been a lot worse! I don't know how people handle growing fur or tails...

[Not to disparage anyone who had, of course. She just sympathizes, some people have more than a size difference and looking a bit otherworldly to deal with.]

[fiddlestick]

[It's alright Natsuru. He doesn't feel particularly awkward. He's pretty used to being around monsters]

Aha...from what I can tell, fur seems itchy when it's growing in, and tails just make your tailbone sore for awhile.

It's not pleasant, for sure, but I don't think it's something to be scared over.

[thirdbeauty]

Maybe not...

[She glances to the side, with a thoughtful little smile, as she agrees. Lots of people seem to be living with changes like that here. It's nice to look at it in a more positive light.

Lifting her gaze to meet his again, she gives him a curious look. The way he talks seems so familiar, she wonders...]

You said you went to school with Towa-san? So you were friends back then?

[fiddlestick]

[Better to look at it in a positive light than treat it like a death sentence, Elliot feels. It doesn't help anyone if you make people dread it ... at least that's how Elliot feels.]

We did, yeah.

And ... well, I knew her! She'd help out our class a lot as Student Council President. [Also through the civil war, but he bites back on that since he has no idea how much Towa's told Natsuru of her life] I always looked up to her, and she was friends with some of my friends, but our social circles were different enough that we didn't start really getting to know each other until we both came here.