Dark Millenium: Into the Light

[sonofzeal]

Into the Light
The OOC thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=227790)
The Main IC thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=12478925#post12478925)

The portal to the Light Kingdom was at the heart of the Moon Empire’s enclave, a massive structure of pillars and cornices and silver-white marble. Few buildings on Earth rivaled its mastery. Silver-clad guards stood at attention, admitting a steady stream of merchants and traders, as well as a handful of tourists. Traffic was certainly reduced since the announcement, but economic realities meant goods were still flowing, and traffic is still backed up from a brief outage a few days ago. Most of the goods were outbound, food and raw materials. The relatively fewer trade goods in the inbound lane seemed to consist of more polished products, the end results of the Moon Empire’s superior material sciences.

The gate itself was a massive thirty-foot tall archway of pure crystal, glowing vivaciously from within with light that seemed to dance around the room. Light and shadow swirl and refract, creating a kaleidoscope of soft colours across the room. The approach to it is full of aisles for directing incoming and outgoing traffic, and more guards stand at attention.

Before you stands one of the clerks, slender and graceful as any of the Moon-born. “Name, destination, purpose of trip, and length of stay please.” She doesn’t give any sign of recognizing you.

[ShouTiombe]

"Name is Xanthos Slade, Destination is the palace ballroom - ultimately - but the palace in general, purpose is pleasure . . . " he grins, but pauses when she looks at him as if to say that "pleasure" is not an acceptable answer, and sighs as he elaborates. "Attending the masquerade. As for how long I plan to stay, well . . . as long as there's fun to be had, I suppose! But, er . . . (insert the actual time frame for how long the masquerade is going to last here :P -N)"

Zoisite is not yet wearing his masquerade costume, nor is he in his standard uniform. Instead he is wearing simple clothing, as one might find among any of the more affluent Earth citizens.

[DaniL]

"Julian Slade, Palace, I'm here to attend the masquerade as well." Jadeite grumbles distractedly, eyes wandering and taking in their surroundings.

[VonDoom]

Perhaps a little late as compared to the others, a tall figure made its way towards the portal. The purpose of this man was easily recognized, for the athletic man was dressed entirely in white. His powerful frame was concealed by a magnificent suit that was clearly intended for formal purposes; it looked to be a strange crossing of an Arabian kandura and a tuxedo, drawing looks towards the only thing deviating from the mono-colour scheme: six golden buttons: a pair on his sleeves, another at the bottom of his achromatic shirt and another at his collar.

What truly made his purpose clear, however, was the fact that his head, too, was draped in white cloth, his eyes hidden behind by a golden mask. Black hair spilled out through a hole in the back, reaching down to the man’s shoulder blades.

Kunzite had gone to quite some length to appear as someone he was not. His hair a different colour, his face well hidden, and the name of a minor noble from a neighbouring territory to that of his own native tribe (as well as suitable identification), who just happened to have a similar build as Kunzite, or Hakeem Qadir, did . The man, one Sharif Nalrim, had considered it quite an honour and would be rewarded accordingly later, even if he was effectively Kunzite’s prisoner for the night and not allowed to leave the premises of Kunzite’s stronghold.

"Sharif Nalrim," Hakeem Qadir introduced himself with a light bow. "The royal palace, to attend the masquerade, for its duration. And perhaps the night after." He made certain to soften his tone a little, the usual harshness of his rich voice would not do if he wished to remain undetected and keep a watchful eye on the other attendants.

[Kyrinthic]

Nephrite arrives later that afternoon, wearing a formal suit in deep blue, but draped across his shoulders was a cloak made entirely of feathers, all of various shades of blue, which complimented his equally feathered half mask. Accentuating his long black hair.

As he calmly strides up to the clerk with a grin, waiting for her to finish her clearly rehearsed lines, then replies, "Alec Welton, and one would hope the rest is obvious" he ends with a grin and a wink.

Pausing only a moment for the clerk to mark what she needs, he strides casually over towards the gate.

[sonofzeal]

The clerk purses her lips. It's hard to remember she's likely as old as any of you; she looks 19, but the way people from the Moon Kingdom age, she's likely twice that. "For the masquerade. Hmn." She eyes your costume. It doesn't appear she thinks highly of it. "Join the second queue on your left. Inside the Corridor, follow the guide. If you get separated from the group, follow the crescent moon icons. Next!"

Then you are mercifully freed from her company, and into the short queue. Within five minutes, you and a mixture of assorted travellers are on their way. Entering the portal feels like walking through a thin membrane of water, a curious sensation of resistance without solid form - and then you're through into the all-suffusing glow of the Light Kingdom. Crystalline walls and ceiling stretch outward, with many turnings-off at odd angles. The translucent walls and ceiling refract shimmering light all around you, but you can't seem to make out where the light is coming from or what's beyond the walls, or if there's anything there at all. But you have little time to look, as the guide for your group is already bustling you off and moving.

One of the side-corridors is blocked off, its entrance covered by a sheet. You hear a vague sound from behind it, as if a distant hammer were striking glass but not breaking it. The guide leads on past it without comment.

[ShouTiombe]

Zoisite is almost irritatingly chipper. He swings his luggage a bit as he walks beside Jadeite, grinning up at him every so often. He can tell Jadeite is being obstinate in avoiding eye contact, but he eventually catches his gaze and grins wider.

"Admit it. You wanted to come. The curiosity was killing you as much as it was me. Oh, maybe not for the party itself - I know social events hold no special place in your heart - but for the world. The way they run it. The inner workings. This is more than just an opportunity to knock down a tax. This is reconnaissance." He smirks a little smugly. Then, a moment later, he mutters out of the corner of his mouth, just loud enough for Jadeite to hear, "And, of course, an opportunity to spend some time with your little brother . . . ." His next grin is of a somewhat more shy and hopeful nature.

[DaniL]

Jadeite gives Zoisite a sideways look, maintaining his stoic exterior for a moment or two longer before a sly smile starts to slip through. "You're not wrong" He admits casual, using his next step to bump shoulders with his brother. A small moment before becoming serious again.

[ShouTiombe]

Zoisite grins brightly and squeezes Jadeite's arm, but only for a moment before irritation gets the best of him and he looks around before flailing a little and griping, "What is that NOISE?!" (referring to the hammer-on-unbreaking-glass noise)

[DaniL]

Jadeite sets down his luggage for a moment and looks around. "It is rather irritating, isn't it?"

Knowledge: The planes [roll0] to figure out what the noise is.

[ShouTiombe]

Spot check [roll0]. See if there's anything else to notice - be it related to the noise or not.

[sonofzeal]

Jadeite: You don't know about the sound, but if your topology's correct then the passage connects back around to Earth's Lagrange-3 point, directly opposite from the Moon relative to the Earth. All the Lagrange points have passages, although there's no known structures there in realspace. You've heard tell that's common for planets with moons of relatively large mass - and compared to the planet it orbits, the Moon is the largest in the solar system.

Zoicite: All you notice is that the sheet covering the sidepassage is poorly-fastened, as if it was a purely perfunctory gesture to stop casual observation.

[ShouTiombe]

Zoisite grumbles and follows the guide to wherever it is they're keeping his quarters for the duration of his stay so he can change into his costume.

[ShouTiombe]

This is Danielle posting from Nikki's computer because mine DIED!!! T_T

Jadeite waits a moment until no one is looking his way and then walks over and peeks behind the sheet.

[sonofzeal]

Jadeite
(Spot: rolled for you, got 25)
The action is over a hundred feet away and halfway around a corner. Still, you'd swear there was some kind of crack in the effervescent crystal of the wall. Whether the workers (slender and graceful as all Moon Citizens) are trying to widen it or fix it is anyone's guess. The latter seems much more probable - but then why the hammering? You can't make out anything more from here though.

[DaniL]

Jadeite shrugs and hurries to catch up to Zoisite. "I assume you have a suitably elaborate costume picked out?"

[sonofzeal]

After another five minutes the tedious walk is over, and an identical portal with a moon icon over it deposits you in Serenity Valley.

The sight is magnificent. The Light Kingdom was almost harsh in its radiance, but everything here is suffused in soft shades of silver and cool colours, pale blues and purples and graceful sweeping arches and flowing dresses. Everything seems impossibly delicate, and yet the sense of ancientness radiates from it. The building you're in may well be hundreds of years old.

A grey-haired man in a robe greets you. "Welcome to the Moon, noble Sir. We've prepared a room for your use following the masquerade. If you'll follow me right this way...." He leads you through an underground thoroughfare, through an opulent archway, up two flights of stairs, and down a hallway lined with doors, chatting with you all the way about historical tidbits and random facts about the building and decore. Your room is as splended as you'd anticipates - a spacious, sprawling room with a canopy bed and a small pool lined with rocks.

"The ball begins in an hour, in the main hall on the first floor. Pull the cord beside the bed to summon a servant if and when you need. I hope your stay here is a pleasant one."

[Kyrinthic]

As he steps out of the portal and gets his first look at the moon kingdom, Nephrite's normal confidence slips, as he finds himself in awe of the incredible scene, looking around like a wide-eyed tourist.

He quickly composes himself and followed the man to the room he is shown, careful to remember the way out if he needs to leave in a hurry, however unlikely that event may be. Also making sure to put together the tidbits he is given to make sure he knows the way to the main hall.

As he arrives at his room, he politely speaks the guide 'thank you for your lovely tour, good sir', and then heads into his room.

Once there, he examines the entire room for anything out of the ordinary or suspicious. Then, once satisfied that there is nothing unusual around he tidies himself up and prepares for the ball.

Making sure to head out in time to arrive a minute or two before the hour is up, Nephrite leaves his room and heads for the main hall on the first floor.

[ShouTiombe]

Zoisite only smiled enigmatically at Jadeite's question. (Well. Zoisite would describe it as enigmatic. Jadeite might describe it as bratty.) Upon finding his quarters, he disappeared behind a dressing screen, pulling his costume out of his bag of holding, and began to prepare for the festivities.

[DaniL]

Jadeite rolls his eyes at his brother's antics. Walking into his own room, he tosses his bag on the bed and starts un-packing very simple plain black clothes and laying them out of his bed. From the bottom of the bag, he very reverently takes out what looks to be a well-used sketchbook and lays it carefully next to the clothes on his bed.

With a quick glance around the room for anything suspicious, he makes his way towards the bathroom - specifically the shower.

spot check [roll0]

[sonofzeal]

Neither Jadeite nor Nephrite notices anything untoward. The Earth and the Moon may be rivals, but a ball is a ball.

[sonofzeal]

The Masquerade

Flash of mauve.
Splash of puce.
Fool and king.
Ghoul and goose.
Green and black.
Queen and priest.
Trace of rouge.
Face of beast.
Faces!

The masquerade is stunning in its sheer opulence. While the Moon Kingdom is full of soft, cool tones and graceful arches, the Masque is deliberately and overwhelmingly garish. Sharp contrasts abound, a chiaroscuro of shade and hue. As the figures swirl in a riot of colour, the effect is almost dizzying. And more are still arriving; the ballroom is less than half-full!

(By a stroke of lucky coincidence, the Heavenly Kings arrive at the Masquerade at almost exactly the same time. Jadeite, Nephrite, and Zoicite are free to recognize each other, since you know each other personally and are expecting to see each other. Each of you is announced at the entrance by a single name; I'll leave that up to you. A costume description is also appreciated.)

The guests continue to pour in! The doorman's trumpeting voice announces "Pele", and in flows a woman with flowing raven hair, a wreath of blood-red flowers on her head, a simple tribal dress that nonetheless seems to flow around her like lava, and a featureless ocre mask.

He continues. "Sakurada", and you see a woman who would have been fifty had she been from Earth, but who walks with a gayful innocence. Flirtatious eyes within a peacock's mask immediately lock on Zoicite and wink coquettishly, and then she's swirling off into the crowd with a laugh.

"Skadi", a severe figure covered head to toe in an icy white, broken only by the purely decorative bow on her back. Cool eyes pass over the assembled crowd, and freeze momentarily as they pass over Jadeite. She almost seems to stumble for a second, but regains her composure quickly and continues on to the festivities without a second glance.

"Gurio and Baker", a couple walking arm in arm with matching costumes, all black on the sides closest each other and all white on the sides opposite. Unlike most guests they had opted for masks that merely cover their eyes, which allows Nephrite to see her sudden blush as she stares at him with obvious instant infatuation. Gurio seems not to notice.

"Wakiya": a woman dressed as a multicoloured eagle, each feather in relief against its neighbours, and an elaborately beaked mask on her face. Fabric stretches out under each arm to form wings, Tall and poised she pays little mind to any of you and continues forward with long strides, as if looking for someone in particular.

And still they come...

[ShouTiombe]

"Is it a man? Is it a woman?? I don't know! I'm not so sure I mind . . . ."

"Xanthos!"

His coat, a deep blue with subtle swirls of shimmering emerald, fastens only at the waist with two golden hook-and-eyes. It flows all the way down to his ankles, and could almost be mistaken for a dress. Its collar is lined with peacock feathers to match those found around his delicately-beaked mask, which covers only the upper half of his face, leaving his mouth free for unhindered socialization. The feathers at his wrist cuffs are smaller, and a bright golden colour. Under the coat he wears a ruffled white shirt and tight leather pants with matching leather boots that lace up to his knees. His everpresent ponytail is swept over his right shoulder to show off his long, soft blond curls. He enters smoothly at Jadeite's side . . . .

He does not return Sakurada's flirtations. In fact, he frowns a little as she passes by. She stole his theme! He'll be in a snit about this for the rest of the night.

[DaniL]

"Julian"

Jadeite walks in slightly behind Zoisite. He's wearing a sweeping dark grey great coat over a long blue vest which hangs halfway to his knees and lighter grey pants. He has a wide black leather belt with a gold buckle around his waist and diagonally across that one he has a second belt of brown leather which is drooping slightly to his left. On his left shoulder and across his chest it his right is another brown leather strap which is holding a sack which is resting behind his right hip. His boots are long and fold over, the cuffs reaching halfway down his shin.

On his head he has a black leather brimmed hat and a simple black cloth mask over his eyes.

With a smirking bow, Jadeite offers Zoisite his arm.

[ShouTiombe]

Still pouting a little, Zoisite takes Jadeite's arm. He whispers in his ear, "We should work the crowd for a while before moving in on one of the princesses, yes?"

[DaniL]

Julian shrugs pleasantly, taking in the party. "I figured we could get a drink first....all work and no play, and such." He leads Zoisite over to the nearest server and picks up a glass of champagne.

[ShouTiombe]

In half-mock surprise, Zoisite exclaims, "Why, Julian. Are you actually ENJOYING yourself?" before accepting a glass of wine.

[DaniL]

Julian rolls his eyes, but smiles nonetheless. "Do you have any concept of when my last vacation was? working or otherwise?" He tips his glass towards his brother. "cheers"

[Kyrinthic]

"Alec"

Nephrite glides smoothly into the room, his blue feathered feathered cloak reflecting the light in eye-catching patterns. The faintest of nods directed towards black and white lady as he walks in. His everpresent easy smile in place as he casually takes in the lay of the room and tries to sort out who is present.

[sonofzeal]

Eye of gold.
Thigh of blue.
True is false.
Who is who?
Curl of lip.
Swirl of gown.
Ace of hearts.
Face of clown.
Faces!

As eyes grow accustomed to the riot of colour, it becomes increasingly obvious that there's a subtle glamour over the whole place ((all three of you passed Know:Arcane checks)). The effect is slight, almost subliminal, but a subtle blurring around the edge of your vision hints that senses are being blunted here. Indeed, you're finding it harder to recognize each other despite your mutual familiarity.

There's a -5 penalty on the Spot check to see through disguises.

Still, there are a few figures you can pick out. The Queen herself is impossible to miss, surrounded in a nimbus of silvery light, wearing no disguise but her own radiance. She is, in a word, majestic - perhaps the tallest person in the room, with a dress of silvery satin that pools on the ground around her.

The Princess is by her side, one of the youngest people in attendence, a mere teenager. A pretty flowing dress and a simple mask only accentuate the childlike wonder and glee in her eyes at the fanciful ball.

You think you also recognize Mary Baker among the figures near the Queen. She often acted as the spokesperson for the Moon in dealings with Earth - not quite a formal ambassador, but a face known to Earth's media nonetheless. At least, you think it's her - wavy brown hair is unusual on the Moon and you don't see anyone else with it yet.


And still the guests arrive. "Foreman and Elizabeth", and you see a charming man in a blue and red suit, a slightly dopey clown mask, with rather fanciful blond hair. His smile is easy and natural, and he lingers around the entrance near you for a while before drifting off to mingle.

The girl on his arm is a bit younger, perhaps only a few years past the Princess by earth reckoning, with a cheerfully dappled orange dress. She leaves him almost immediately - by their manner, you suspect brother and sister more than anything - and dances off in the direction of the hor d'oeuvres.

"Lyftfæt and Rute": a woman wrapped all in loose pink cloth from head to toe, including her lower face. A wide-brimmed floppy hat with a Dianthus bloom on it complete the ensemble. The man on her arm is similarly dressed, only in a pale cream, a turban, and a moon-shaped broach holding up a knee-length cape. The two seem very much enamored with each other, and move directly to the dance floor.

"Brandy and Karrie": two women in their early twenties. The first has long black hair, and a dress with an ocean pattern all in shades of blue that seems to billow around her just like real waves every time she moves. The second has shorter hair, a lighter step, and a dress seemingly made entirely out of multicoloured flowers. They laugh in unison at some private joke, and then drift off.

You see Karrie approach Foreman for a dance, but he politely declines.

[ShouTiombe]

Zoisite eyes Foreman up and down, appraisingly. Hmm! He looks up at Jadeite, as if asking to be excused.

[DaniL]

Jadeite shrugs as though to say 'do as you will'

[ShouTiombe]

Zoisite approaches Foreman with his most disarming and beguiling smile. "My, my. Normally I'm not a fan of clowns, but in your case, I'll make an exception." He presses a gloved hand to his lips and titters delicately.

I dunno if this will help, but I'm gonna try rolling diplomacy: [roll0]

[sonofzeal]

Foreman blushes deeply. "I'm... flattered. I really am. And another time I might accept. But I have a bit of a prior commitment. In fact, if you'll excuse me..." He moves off, threading his way towards the dancers.

As your eyes follow him, he seems to end up with a girl in pink and a wide hat. Rute, was it? Hard to tell at this distance. But wasn't she with Lyftfæt...?

[ShouTiombe]

Zoisite pouts. This evening isn't going anywhere near as well as he'd hoped. Nobody rejects him at home! He skulks back to Jadeite and sullenly knocks back another glass of wine.

Spot check on Skadi and Pele: [roll0]

[sonofzeal]

Skadi's stark white dress flashes from off to the left of the Queen, but it's harder to spot the darker tones of Pele's outfit. You'd have to work your way further into the crowd for that.

[ShouTiombe]

Zoisite whispers to Jadeite, "What was our final decision, then? Mars first, or Mercury? Or should each of us take one?"

[Kyrinthic]

Casually moving through the crowd while he ponders 'well, now that I'm here, I should probably figure out what I'm trying to do exactly. I will need to start talking to people, but who to approach? I really have no idea who is who, or even who is important past the queen herself. Baker definately seems likely to talk to me, but I think I need to wait till she approaches, for best effect..'

Nephrite continues to move around and ponder his options while more people are introduced and mingle in. Seeing the opportunity as Karrie is dismissed by Foreman, Alec steps in an offers his hand to her as she steps away from Foreman. "M'lady, I noticed that the fellow was too busy to spare you a dance, and it would be a travesty if someone did not take you up on the offer".

[sonofzeal]

"You are most kind, sir", Karrie bats her eyes demurely, but you can sense the undercurrent of girlish excitement. A sidelong glance from her at Brandy, and a covert wink of approval in return, confirm it.

Brandy moves off to the refreshments table as Karrie allows you to lead her in the dance. Her steps are inexpert, but competent and lively. "You know, you're not like the other men I've met here", she opines. "Few of the men here are as tall as you, for one. Tell me, are you from Jupiter?"

[DaniL]

Jadeite chuckles lightly. "The evening not going as well as you hoped?"

[ShouTiombe]

Zoisite's pout deepens. "The night is young . . . but we ARE here to work, don't forget!"

[DaniL]

Jadeite couldn't help the smirk that overcame his face as he looked at his younger brother. "This is quite a reversal, wouldn't you say?"

[ShouTiombe]

In a theatric hiss: "YES, I'M SURE IT'S VERY AMUSING, NOW PICK A PRINCESS BEFORE I SPLASH THIS WINE IN YOUR FACE AND STAIN THAT UNFASHIONABLE BURLAP SACK YOU CALL A COSTUME."

[DaniL]

Jadeite laughed at his brother's theatrics. "Fine." He took a breath, thinking it through. "Let's go talk to Mercury then, since you seem so keen to get started."

[ShouTiombe]

"I'll go alone. If things go south I'll come back here and send you in. She might respond better to one of us than the other, but I think she'd be overwhelmed if both of us accosted her at once."

Zoisite leaves Jadeite's side and approaches Skadi, putting on his most charming smile and reaching out his hand to take hers as he approaches her. "My lady, you look absolutely stunning, if I dare say so."

[sonofzeal]

Masquerade!
Grinning yellows,
spinning reds.
Masquerade!
Take your fill -
let the spectacle
astound you!

As Zoicite approaches Skadi, he notices a woman with long blond hair and a feline costume whispering in her ear, but she departs just as you close in.

The woman known as Skadi regards you austerely, icily. Critical eyes survey you head to toe. "Zoicite. Somehow I don't think you came all the way from earth to flatter me." Her voice is high and sharp, but she pauses for a moment, then relents slightly. "But the attempt is not unappreciated. You may ask me to dance if you wish; consider it the price for my ear."

[Kyrinthic]

"Now m'lady, that would be telling wouldn't it?" Nephrite replies with a clearly joking aghast face, "But then, as you have likely surmised, this is my first Ball, and I gather it is not yours as well" He continues, grinning into a more elaborate flourish.

Swinging her back in close, "So no, I am not from Jupiter. And now it is only fair that you answer a question for me. I think its likely that you live on the moon directly, with your sister?"

[sonofzeal]

"Mmm... quite the mysterious one you are. And yes, this is my second." She's a good dance partner, following your masterful lead well. "I'm from Mars originally you know, but the society here is much more refined. If you've been there, you'll know exactly what I mean..."

She raises an eyebrow expectantly.

[Kyrinthic]

As he contiues to lead in a complicated dance, enjoying the company of a lady who can keep up, Nephrite ponders his goal. 'put political pressure on the Moon Kingdom'. How exactly does he go about that? He remembers the princes prophetic words, "But a masquerade provides additional obstacles. It may be difficult to locate the correct members to talk to - and, in locating them, it may be difficult to turn the conversation to such weighty topics in such a frivolous setting.". How true they have turned out to be. I would imagine the first step would be to definitively locate one of the princesses. Perhaps Karrie knows something of the Martian princess...'

After collecting his thoughts, and letting Karrie linger just shy of too long, Nephrite replies, "I have heard such myself, despite never visiting, I would certainly love to meet the famed Princess of Mars this evening, or any of the princesses for that matter, though I may not be able to even figure out they are at this rate.", He pauses a moment, the barest tinge of a frown crosses his face as he mentions the princesses. "It certainly could be worse, after all I have managed to stumble upon a most beautiful dancer to pass the time with" he continues, his full charming smile returning instantly.

[Kyrinthic]

Sorry about the multipost. I usually check before I retry, I wasnt thinking this time.

[Kyrinthic]

whats with the server errors today?
I mean really, I'm getting server errors editing my multiposts from server errors.

[sonofzeal]

"Ohoh, so you want to use me to get to the princess, do you? I suppose I should have expected as much. I suppose Brandy will tease me mercilessly now. I shall become a bitter old woman, all hooked-nosed and wrinkly, denied even the simple pleasure of being asked to dance for my own sake. Woe is me, for I am undone!"

Throughout all of this she dances closer to you, flirtingly.

[ShouTiombe]

Zoisite bows deeply with a flourish and sweeps Skadi on to the dance floor.

"Dear Princess, I would never presume to insult your intelligence by pretending to you that I'm here for strictly social reasons. Let us talk shop, then. I'm curious about your thoughts and, if I dare ask, feelings on the recently-raised trade tariffs. Yours, and those of your people."

[sonofzeal]

Skadi is un-swept, moving to the dance at her own stately pace. Once there you find her footwork is technically flawless but without inflection, very much the opposite of your own preferred style. "The tariffs? Why, I was the one who proposed them. Most of the revenue goes back into subsidizing trade on our own worlds. I thought you knew." Her eyes are cool and unreadable as she watches you.

[ShouTiombe]

"I suspected. It was a logical idea. Flawed, perhaps, but logical."

[sonofzeal]

The faintest of smiles crosses her face, the first expression you've seen from her. "Indeed. Am I to presume you uncovered this flaw yourself? Or perhaps we should call your noble brother over here to explain it to the both of us?" She dances with planned precision across the floor.

[Kyrinthic]

"Well, to be fair, I thought you might have been a princess." Continuing to dance just as closely, pausing just long enough to prepare for the end of the current song "After all, I came in knowing no-one, and hoping to meet a princess or two along the way. But since I knew none, I just had to settle on the prettiest woman I could find" Nephrite finishes, bringing her into a close bow in time with the end of the song.

'and who says you cant mix business with pleasure now and then' Nephrite ponders to himself.

[sonofzeal]

"Well, to be fair, I thought you might have been a princess." Continuing to dance just as closely, pausing just long enough to prepare for the end of the current song "After all, I came in knowing no-one, and hoping to meet a princess or two along the way. But since I knew none, I just had to settle on the prettiest woman I could find" Nephrite finishes, bringing her into a close bow in time with the end of the song.

'and who says you cant mix business with pleasure now and then' Nephrite ponders to himself.

"Your flattery is almost as dazzling as your dancing, sir." She dips in a curtsy as the song ends, but seems slow to drift off now that it's over. The convention is that any man and any woman can dance, but to dance more than once with the same partner, consecutively, is usually taken as significant.

[ShouTiombe]

"Darling, of course none would take me for anything more than a simple socialite. I am only intelligent enough to know better than to presume to have anything near the staggering intellect that you possess - though, of course, affection and family pride would have me believe that my brother approaches it. Perhaps I speak out of turn and forget my manners. My observation comes more on impassioned behalf of my people."

I'll attempt this for what it's worth: Now invoking Beguiling Influence. If I may, I'll use it to back up a diplomacy roll: [roll0]

"We are hearing protest from some of our biggest trading cartels. I'm beginning to wonder - idle speculation of course, as I know nothing of such things - but I'm beginning to wonder if they will survive this increase at all. It may ultimately occur that we are forced to close off our borders entirely and resign ourselves to complete self-sufficiency. No imports, no exports. Which, I suppose, is fine. We'd survive. We would miss the superior technologies provided by your people and the rest of the Moon Empire, of course, but we would soldier on as we always have. As I'm sure the rest of the Inner System would without our resources. After all, Mars has always been a perfectly competent agricultural provider. Granted, they are a much smaller planet and will be forced to strain their resources in order to meet increased demand. But I'm certain they could handle it, even if the planet is much smaller than Earth." Zoisite looks as if something has only just occurred to him."Ah! Perhaps that is the ultimate goal! To increase business to Mars! Such a wonderful show of sisterhood among planets." Zoisite smiles warmly - perhaps even a little ditzily - with no visible trace of malice or irony.

[sonofzeal]

"My dear Zoicite, your devotion to your people is unquestioned. But did it not occur to you that tariffs were the way they have been for precisely that reason? Or that the recent decision to raise them was because that dynamic has changed? Zoicite, the Moon Empire is not dependent on anything a backwards planet like Earth has to offer. Our Queen has seen to that."

She pauses for a moment and tilts her head. "Oh, and you can save your energy. If you wanted to use magic to win one of us over, I'm afraid you picked the wrong target."

[DaniL]

Jadeite taps his brother on the shoulder. "May I cut in?"

[ShouTiombe]

Zoisite looks surprised, then smiles graciously. "Of course!" He separates from Mercury . . .

. . . And proceeds to dance with Jadeite.

As he's doing this, he leans toward the ear on the opposite side of Jadeite's face from the side facing Skadi, and whispers very, very quietly and very, very quickly:

"Quick! Look disgusted! She's made of much tougher stuff than I realized. The idea really was hers, and she's completely secure in it. I may have ruined everything! I'm going to try it with Pele while you keep this one distracted. Feel free to be the condescending prick we all know and love if you think it'll help."

By the time they've spun around so that Skadi can see Zoisite's face fully, Zoisite has taken Jadeite's earlobe into his mouth and is nibbling on it playfully.

[DaniL]

Jadeite genuinely looks disgusted as he shoves his brother away, and nudges him towards the food table.

Turning his attention to Skadi, he opens his arms to her - requesting a dance, but allowing her the opportunity to refuse if she so chooses.

[ShouTiombe]

Zoisite stumbles away from Jadeite, laughing mockingly, and heads toward the food table, all the while looking for Pele.

Spot check [roll0]

[sonofzeal]

"Jadeite. At least your brother was charming, and could dance well enough in his own flamboyant way. You, it seems, lack even the courtesy to request a dance properly. If you have anything to say, say it quickly."



Zoicite threads his way through the crowd. There was the Queen, still with Mary Baker among others in attendance. You notice Wakiya and the blonde woman dressed as a cat among that particular crowd, deep in conversation and casting occasional glances at Skadi. No sign of the princess, unless she's....

Your train of thought is interrupted by a glimpse of the dull burning reds of Pele's garb. She's heading away from you and the Queen's cluster at a stately pace, heading towards a arch doorway leading to a balcony and from there to the gardens.

[DaniL]

Jadeite smiles "May I have this dance?"

[sonofzeal]

Skadi's cold blue eyes down over your outfit again - and then look away, gazing instead across the room, watching the crowd. "I decline. Especially not -", she seems to catch herself here. She seems a little flustered, evidently flustered enough to not complete the thought. The vehemence with which she is currently ignoring you is almost palpable.

[DaniL]

Jadeite shrugs. "Well then, as this is a ball I suppose we have nothing further to talk about." He bows politely and walks away, smiling.

[Kyrinthic]

Holding her just a little longer than is completly appropriate, Nephrite responds "Now sadly I must mingle, but perhaps I shall be lucky enough to share another dance with you later in the evening", as he steps back, lightly kissing her hand.

He looks around the room, trying his best to pick out something that would lead him to one of the princesses. As he is scanning the room, he casually walks over to the refreshments to have a glass of whatever sort of wine they serve on the moon.

As he sips the drink, continuing to look around, nephrite ponders, 'well, that dance was quite enjoyable, but I must keep business foremost on my mind, and I really am no closer than when I started...'

[sonofzeal]

Elisabeth was already at the table when Nephrite arrived, and he soon finds himself joined by Baker, who nibbles awkwardly and casts a couple sidelong glances, but doesn't say anything. Her erstwhile partner Gurio is nowhere to be seen. Off towards one of the exits is Sakurada, trailing Zoicite, who appears to be trailing Pele. How that particular arrangement came about is a mystery from here. Foreman and Rute are still dancing - this would be perhaps their third. There's still no sign of Lyftfæt.

Wakiya was talking to a blonde lady in a feline outfit, apparently oblivious to the irony of a bird and a cat together, when a tall man with waist-length straight white hair and a luminescent white outfit whispers in the feline's ear. She nods, and the man relays the signal further down - you don't manage where to amid the fuss and bother of the crowd.

A male figure in an upside-down mask idly comments, "hell of a night isn't it", before sliding past to grab some refreshments and get off on his way.

[Kyrinthic]

'Well, I suppose I can talk to Baker, at least I will go in with an upper hand, she seems to be quite taken with me, now I just need to find an innocent opening....' And no sooner had he thought that, then the fellow with the upside down mask slips by with his comment.

"That it is, but those are the most interesting kind." Nephrite replies, pausing only long enough for the fellow to step away before turning to the woman near him, "wouldnt you agree.. Baker, wasnt it?", His normal charming grin in full evidence.

[sonofzeal]

"Y-yes! I mean, this is the first one we've - I've - been to one of these functions. We don't usually get on the invite list...." She blushes and trails off, her eyes everywhere but on your face.

[ShouTiombe]

As Zoisite is following Pele, he begins to hesitate. He slows down as he watches her, examining her body language to determine whether she is, in fact, approachable at this time. He also glances at Wakiya out of the corner of his eye, to see if she seems at all welcoming. He does notice the white-haired man walking off with the blonde woman.

[sonofzeal]

Zoicite looks back to see Wakiya still in intense conversation with the blonde woman and the white-haired man. The man looks off to somewhere out of your immediate field of view, and then smiles and nods to the other two before departing. The blond woman is unreadable, but Wakiya herself seems pleased by the news and, with a goodbye to her feline friend, begins to mingle with the wider crowd again.

Looking back to Pele, you see her standing on the Earth-lit balcony with the gardens spread out below her. She doesn't seem to be doing anything at the moment, just breathing in the fresh air.

[ShouTiombe]

Zoisite approaches the balcony off to Pele's side and takes a breath.

"Having a good night?"

[sonofzeal]

"Mmm" She assents wordlessly with an incline of her head. Now that you're closer you can see that her eyes are closed, and remain so. Even so, you sense a studied poise about her. There's something predatory here, even when seemingly serene.

[Kyrinthic]

Politely ignoring her obvious shyness, Nephrite responds, "By coincidence, it is my first function here as well. It is good that you have been able to get yourself on the list, it is quite an enjoyable event."

While continuing the light banter with Baker, Nephrite considers, 'wait, Wakiya, I knew I recognized that name from somewhere, I cant believe I only just remembered, now I just need to wait till she is free'. And while talking with Baker he keeps an unobtrusive on on Wakiya to see when she is free of her current converssation.

After a minute or two, seeing the white haired man depart, and Wakiya move away, its clearly the perfect time to catch her. Turning towards Baker, "I do apologize for cutting this conversation short, but there is someone I must speak with at the moment. If time permits, I will try to find you for a dance afterwards.", and with a wide smile and the faintest of bows, he steps away from baker and casually moves towards Wakiya.

As he draws up to Wakiya, proffering a hand for a dance, Nephrite puts on his most charming smile, "You are certainly as lovely as I have heard, might I have the pleasure of this dance?"

[sonofzeal]

Baker follows you with her eyes until Gurio reappears to take her arm. They head off to dance a little.

Wakiya nods her acceptance, taking your hand and leading you to an open space a bit further from the crowd surrounding the Queen. She moves well, but it is immediately apparent that she is leading, not following as would be the normal custom. Given that she has a few inches of height on you, this seems somehow appropriate. "Tell me, strange sir, have we met before? Perhaps at another dance?" Her voice, like her bearing, is confident and clear.

[ShouTiombe]

Zoisite watches Pele carefully for a moment, then offers a very small smile, even if she can't see it.

"I can see that you would prefer your privacy. Enjoy your evening: perhaps I shall see you again on the dance floor."

With a bow, Zoisite departs, and instead of heading back to the ballroom, he goes instead to his suite. He tosses away his mask as soon as the door closes behind him, and falls gracelessly onto his bed, burying his face in the soft fabric of the pillows. For a moment he lies there motionless, the muscles in his arms and back tense and his breath ragged. Then he springs up and throws off his jacket, looking himself in the mirror with loathing. He brings up his fist with the intention of punching his reflection, but thinks better of it, knowing that outright damaging palace property would likely only make things worse, and forces himself away from the offending mirror. Instead he continues his tantrum by knocking over his dressing screen and kicking his luggage around, punching his pillows, and pulling clothing out of his suitcases and tearing it apart, and tossing his heavier belongings across the room. He upturns his mattress, knocking all the sheets and pillows onto the floor, and pushes it over the mirror to cover it. When he finally tires himself out, he slumps into a far corner of the room, wraps a sheet around himself, and puts his head in his hands.

"I've failed."

[DaniL]

Jadeite trails after his brother at a leisurely pace. Arriving at the door just in time to catch the last of the violence, Jadeite knocks and then leans on the doorframe waiting for Zoisite to answer.

[ShouTiombe]

At first Zoisite doesn't do anything: he's actually sort of afraid to answer. Then, wondering if perhaps Pele followed him and it could be a shot at salvaging things, he answers. When he sees who it is, his face crumbles a little.

[Kyrinthic]

With a confident smile, Nephrite replies, "Oh, I'm quite sure we've never met before princess, I'm sure I would remember if I had", carefully maintaining a similar level of confident bearing.

As he considers her dancing skills, 'hmm, I need a way to put her off guard, maybe if I could step into a dance she wouldn't know' While considering, he waits to see where she leads the conversation.

[sonofzeal]

She arches an eyebrow behind her beaked mask. "A stranger, eh? And quite a strange one at that. Too tall for Mars or Venus. And I'd certainly know if you were from Jupiter, though you seem to have the bearing of one. So which is it, Earth or Uranus?"

[DaniL]

Jadeite walks in, closing the door behind him. After surveying the damage, he shrugs and leans against the wall, crossing his arms. "Well, that was quite the exit. Anything you want to talk about?"

[ShouTiombe]

Zoisite frowns, at first hesitant to say anything, but ultimately opens up: "I'm a failure. I was the one who suggested this disaster of a trip and I've already ruined us all by talking to HER. Even if we manage to convince any of the other Princesses to side with us, she'll know we were here with that mission in mind and be able to head off any progress we make. Of course, there's always the possibility that they're all as immovable as she is. Either way, we've done more harm than if we'd never come at all, and it's all my fault. I underestimated her. I could lose everything I've worked for . . . I've disappointed my people, Endymion . . . ." He hugs himself. "All I ever wanted was to prove myself. And I guess I have: I've proved myself to be nothing more than an airheaded socialite, unworthy of the title of Heavenly King. I just wanted to be like you. I wanted to do our family proud."

[DaniL]

"We could go back out to the party and have a good time. Screw the mission, and just have fun."

[ShouTiombe]

Zoisite squints, which is particularly unflattering as he's puffy-eyed at the moment. "Who are you, and what have you done with my brother?"

[DaniL]

Jadeite shrugs. "Yeah, so things didn't work out as you hoped. Yeah the princesses are probably on guard now...but frankly, they were probably on guard to begin with just on account of us being here. You made one mistake....which no one should ever find out because this is a top secret mission. My first mission, I tripped on a rock and nearly killed the king. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes, the trick is to bounce back from them. Now there is a great party out there, let's just go and have fun. If the opportunity presents itself we can try again, but for now let's do what you do best. Let's party!

[ShouTiombe]

Zoisite is still eyeing Jadeite as if he'd just sprouted tentacles. By which I mean, his gaze shows great conflict between feeling disturbed, scared, and excited.

"I . . . suppose you're . . . right. I still think you're underestimating the gravity of our situation. Which is very unusual for you." He leans over and sniffs at Jadeite's breath, attempting to gauge how liquored up he is.

[DaniL]

"Well assuming I'm not underestimating the gravity of the situation, we get to have a great time with no consequences. If, on the other hand, I am underestimating it....well, at least you had a great time, right? Jadeite smirks and starts leading Zoisite out of the room.

[ShouTiombe]

"I'm beginning to doubt your reputation as a great strategist. However, you have a point. To hedonism!" Before allowing himself to be led back to the ballroom, he picks his coat and mask up off the floor and puts them back on. Then he leaves the room on Jadeite's arm and they return to the ballroom.

[DaniL]

Jadeite heads towards the bar and orders a drink for himself, and one for his brother.

[ShouTiombe]

And Zoisite pretty much downs it as soon as he receives it.

[Kyrinthic]

"Your observations are quite astute, princess, now perhaps you care to guess what might bring someone from those locations here?" Attempting to smoothly take the lead into a dance she would not know.


Perform dance: [roll0]

[sonofzeal]

Jadeite acquires a light but rather beguiling wine that serves only to accent the slight hazey feeling to the room. A pair of gossiping socialites in lavender and gold meander by, followed by a lithe young fellow in something that almost looks like a tight green unitard, but which seems to gain swirling patterns of shade and hue as he moves. All three hover by the bar for drinks.



Nephrite transitions into a slightly informal dance from his region, full of kicks and swaying motions, as the music lifts into a lively rhythm. He comes very near to bruising her shins, and she his, but she picks up his lead quickly and within a minute her movements are natural and polished. She doesn't seem to have noticed that this would mark the second dance together, but the ball is in full swing, there's plenty of drinks, the subtle haze over everything softens things still further, and most importantly the pretence of anonymity provided by the Masque is a seductive intoxicant. People are beginning to relax from courtly inhibitions, and you hear a raucous laugh from somewhere over your left shoulder, and a couple in front of you are dancing far too close for normal propriety.

"I suppose I could ask my peers from Mercury or Venus if I were really curious, but I'd rather hear it from you. What did bring you here, if it wasn't strictly pleasure?"

[Kyrinthic]

As the dance moved on, nephrite tries to note who is dancing so close, as well as perhaps the source of the laugh, if it can fit into the dance, and any other unusual happenings in the area, all while maintaining the dance, as keeping the lead from Wakiya is proving to be no small feat.

Nephrite widens his eyes, and obviously feigns a wounded expression, "Oh my, I didn't expect you would need to seek aid so quickly, I can try to be a little less subtle if you aren't up to it", pondering how to sell this, nephrite considers 'I could bring up the tariffs directly, but I'm sure she has a prepared line for that, but the related 'excuse' of issues with the light kingdom, combined with the unusual look of things on the way here makes me wonder if there is more to this story. And even if there isn't, it might make Jupiter think there is, and sowing some division is at least a partial success', and so he continues, "I am of course referring to what is going on in the light kingdom" And leaving it there, he carefully watches her reactions to see how she responds.

[sonofzeal]

Foreman and Rute are definitely dancing too closely - and this must be their fourth, at least. The laugh came from an unknown man in an upside-down mask. Pele is now dancing with a man in an ornate red suite and a skull mask. And, while you're distracted on that, Wakiya has taken the lead from you again. Even though she's not using it right now, you can tell she has immense strength, the strength of mountains, of Atlas, who could bear the world on his shoulders and never waver. When she moves, you can't help but move too. The dance returns to something more traditional.

She quirks an eyebrow behind her feathered mask as she makes a graceful circle around you. "Earth then. Making you one of the Heavenly Kings I've heard so much about. I can see where you got your reputation." She fails to mention what that reputation is. "I'm afraid you picked the wrong Senshi to talk to about the Light Kingdom tariffs. I usually leave such matters to my peers. But while you may think we intend this as part of some master plot to overthrow the Earth, I assure you that our costs there are indeed on the rise. They call for my services weekly now, rather than monthly. Once the situation has stablized, I'm sure the tariffs will go back down. Or not." She waves offhandedly. "Again, the others would be better to ask there. Interplanetary economics is not a subject that holds much appeal to me. I could introduce you to Skadi if you wanted, though I doubt you'd thank me for it."

She guides you through an intricate patch of footwork that leaves you facing each other again. "If you are a Heavenly King, I suppose this is your first time on the moon. What do you make of our proud domain? Is it much like your own home?"

[Kyrinthic]

Ignoring the later question for the moment, Nephrite replies, "Oh the tariffs are the symptom and I have no more interest in discussing economics than you, I am curious about the source. What is it that suddenly has you so so busy of late? Clearly there is something afoot in the light kingdom, and it just as clearly affects us all, even if indirectly through tariffs and the like." While replying, he closely watches her, hoping to see any side glances or the like.

[sonofzeal]

"Hmm. Yes, you could say that. Tell me, do you know the reason that the Senshi exist?" She gives you an appraising eye. "I suspect not. He wouldn't have told you. The current Senshi for Earth is male, yes? If he's told you who he is. He might not even know it himself. Well, we predate the Moon Empire you know, all of us do. Not as individuals, but as a function. If you do happen to know the Earth's Senshi, do pass along that they might be needed in an official capacity soon. If not, well, there may be more closures and interruptions in the Light Kingdom for the next year or so until things get sorted."

"And with that, I think the song is coming to an end. Perhaps another dance later?" Her meaning is clear enough - you've already technically stretched propriety by dancing through two songs, but a third later is not out of the question.

[Kyrinthic]

"It has been most enlightening, I will see if I can find another dance if the chance permits, Princess.", and with a overly flourished bow, he step back.

Now, pondering again where he can find more information, he wanders slowly back towards the refreshment table for another drink. 'I will need to find someone with enough influence to know what is going on, surely more than the senshi know what happens in the light kingdom. But also someone who is a little less canny than the princesses.. there are all manor of people involved with the upkeep...perhaps it is time to see what Baker is up to, she seemed eager enough to dance earlier, she might know something... This would be so much easier if I had just a little bit of information on who is who'.

And after the small break, Nephrite heads out to see if he can find a new dance partner.

[sonofzeal]

Nephrite quickly spots Jadeite and Zoicite, not a dozen steps away from him at the table. The gossiping socialites are still at it, as is the slender green man. Wakiya returns to the area near the queen. Pele appears not to have re-entered the building, perhaps she is in the garden somewhere.

The crowd is starting to thin slightly as people begin retire to the rooms provided, often in pairs and occasionally in larger configurations. There's still plenty though, and it looks like there's perhaps an hour left of steam in this party.

I'm going to call it two more mini-scenes until the Masque winds down. If there's anyone you want to talk to or anything you want to do, now's the time. If you're ready to finish though, let me know. You're also not obligated to leave just because the Masque is over, of course.

[ShouTiombe]

Zoisite is clearly tipsy at this point, and excitedly waves Nephrite over to join him and Jadeite. (Nephrite is free to ignore this).

[DaniL]

Jadeite looks around the room taking note of who is still present. "Having a good time?" He asks his brother wryly.

Which Senshi, if any, are still there?

[sonofzeal]

Most of the named characters are still here. Is there anyone in particular you're looking for?