darling, this place is a lovely oasis [forward dated to Thursday]

[honeyedtea]

[ It doesn't seem right to call for a party this week, not with this new incentive hanging over their heads and ticking ever closer to its deadline. Mielle's been trying not to think about it but she knows she's in the minority, compared to those who've been spending their hours doing nothing but sit around the meeting room. It feels like the fragile sense of stability they've managed to establish is going to come splintering apart and that frightens her. She'd talked about arranging something like this last week with Gaius, but... now seems like a good time to actually make it a reality.

At some point during the prior day, everyone will have gotten an invitation from Mielle – either in person or through notes left at their suites – to come by the restaurant around noon the next day for a little gathering. There'll be food and also a bit of a surprise that she'd like everyone to come and see.

Anyone who drops by at the time indicated will find that Mielle has set up a tea party in the restaurant. She's done what she can to wrangle finger foods and sweets and enough tea for everyone from the menu and there's a few tables set up for people to sit around chatting over tea and food.

There's also another table set up not with food, but handicraft supplies. There's beginner embroidery sets and more than enough supplies for everyone as well as some supplies and paper for flower pressing, if you're into that.

Mielle's hovering around, trying to look more like a confident hostess and less like a nervous wreck but with this week being what it is, she thinks they won't mind her slipping etiquette. ]

I'm not quite sure how typical this is elsewhere, but... in my own world, young ladies will come to gatherings like this to socialize and display their skill at these sorts of crafts. I know nothing can change the situation we're in but... I'd hoped that a gathering like this might lift our spirits, or at least take our minds off of things.

[ It's certainly not as formal as Jonathan's meeting from last week. But there's something earnest about it all the same.

Mielle will be attending, of course, and while she's here to socialize, she'll also be happy to help anyone who wants to learn handicrafts with getting started – she'll be surprised if any of the guys show an interest but she'll help all the same. Otherwise, feel free to mingle around and try not to think about the rapidly approaching motive deadline. ]

Comments

[dullshooter]

[Ok, he gets it. If there was ever a time where lighthearted shenanigans were needed, it would be now.]

Understood, my liege. I advise you hold on, lest you wish to fall and for me to lay claim as the ruler of New Rapture.

[He raises his voice to the rest of the room-]

Make way for his royal demanding-ness, the wise and shady King Obi!

[And off he - he's already running he's running indoors. No manners, this one.]

[kninja]

Yeaaaahhhahahaha! Woohoo!

[Hooligans, the both of them. The wise and shady King Obi is wise enough to duck when they reach doors and keep good hold of Misfire.]

Oh, man, how am I s’posed to go back to horses after this!

[dullshooter]

That's the real cost of this, sire. You can't. You'll forever be riding on the shoulders of men dressed in armor trying to chase the high, but it'll never be the same.

[Remember when the garden was a place of fun. We'll never have that again. This is a moment neither of them will understand the full need of cherishing.]

But if I was in my alt-mode...do you have any idea what a 'plane' is, my liege?

[kninja]

[With the eagerness of a man who knows he’s about to be delighted:]

Nope! What’s a plane, O most valiant metal steed?

[dullshooter]

Well, they’re a lot like horses my Lord. Except made of metal, and they go very fast.

Also they can fly.

[kninja]

They can fly?

[Obi grabs onto Misfire and leans all the way forward so he can stare the robot in the eyes, if upside down, essentially curled like a bean over his head.]

Misfire! Are you telling me you can fly?!

[dullshooter]

[They’re still running. This is dangerous.]

Yes. Yes I am, my King.

[kninja]

[In an alternate (and better) universe, Misfire kills Obi like this and we spare the children. In this timeline, though, Obi laughs delightedly and sits again with a whoop.]

That’s incredible! So freaking cool! How high can you go? I bet you can see everything in the whole world!

[dullshooter]

Pretty damn high. Can't see everything on account of everything turning miniscule past a certain point. But even that's pretty nice too, watching everything just dissolve into a series of increasingly vague shapes.

[How does he even see anything if his face is all folded into his body? Don't worry about it.]

[kninja]

Heh, yeah, high places are fun, aren't they? I'd have to climb a mountain for that kinda view, all with just my puny human legs.

[He kicks them a little.]

If I could fly--man, there are times I think I'd never even land.

[dullshooter]

Guess I’ve always taken it for granted. I mean, my name was literally Flyhigh. It was kind of my whole thing.

[Before he made one (1) mistake that would shape his identity for the rest of his life.]

It’s not like I was always in my alt-mode or anything, but being grounded without a say in it…feels pretty wrong.

[kninja]

...Y'know, Misfire's a lot meaner a name than Flyhigh.

[dullshooter]

[He shrugs, even with Obi on his shoulders.]

You go on trial for accidentally shooting a bunch of guys on your own side, you end up with a name like Misfire.

[He really doesn’t sound too bothered about it.]

At least it’s memorable.

[kninja]

As long as you don't mind it, I guess. In your shoes, I'd probably change my name again to something else. Like... Deathrain! Still gets across that you're dangerous, right?

[dullshooter]

Deathrain…Deathrain…

[He tries out how it sounds.]

It is a good name, milord. Perhaps not for one as humble as I, but for someone as esteemed as yourself?

[He raises his arms.]

The Mayor has fallen! Now Lord Deathrain shall be ruler of New Rapture!

[kninja]

[Laughing uproariously:]

I don't storm down arrows of destruction willy-nilly! Lemme be, like... Nightblade! Or Iron Fist!

[Those names are definitely taken.]

[dullshooter]

[Every Decepticon going through their emo phase went by Nightblade for a single week, probably.]

Mmm…how about Scurry? Fits the way you go up the walls, milord.

[kninja]

Is that a usual sort of name for... dahh, what was it Sir Nandor said. Cipher... Synertropians?

[Bless his heart, he tries.]

[dullshooter]

Cybertronians?

[Bless.]

Yeah. You got guys like Rumble and Frenzy next to guys called Deathsaurus and Thunderwing. There’s a range.

[kninja]

Hmm... all right, then. 'S not very regal, but I can always use another alias.

[dullshooter]

How about Scurry Prime?

[kninja]

Ooooh, a last name. Why not?

[dullshooter]

Not even. It's a title, your highness.

[kninja]

Really? What's it mean?

[dullshooter]

It means you're the top of the top. The biggest 'bot around. It's like saying 'I have a divine right to rule'. We just need a coup or stumble upon the matrix of leadership and you'll be good to go.