Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » Official Masquerade Topic - Winter 2020

The flower became a grand target during his missing hours? It was of no surprise with what he felt earlier. Each step was taken with care as he circled around the group and the flower. Two petals left, could it truly be such a crime to touch it now?

The shadow stirred inside once more as they focused on Alfred. That rose was the answer to so much. Anther petal on the ground shifted as magic touched it then caused it to twirl away as if grabbed by the breeze. "Could it be that easy?" He thought to himself.

Aspen nodded to The Sword in thanks, but he did not say anything. He took a look at the rose and found...nothing too special about it, though it was beautiful. Was it magical? Just a pretty rose? He didn't know, but he didn't want to find out. He then noticed a petal drop and someone else looking at the rose. "Uh...I don't think we should be touching it," he reminded this other person-or being. Aspen now realized why it was special...at least he thought he knew why it was special.

Gyrfalcon’s voice is soothing enough to calm him down at least, but the words are confusing. How can something be both good but also not good to look at?

Still, he considers his words, looking up in thought. Soon enough, he puts the sketchbook down again and makes his amendments: BAD FLAWR

That was one—technically two warned, if Sarthelia was also watching! Time to warn—oh! A new person! Hopefully Sabrina isn’t too startled by the tiny wooden figure running over with the sketchbook!

One more petal falls; one remains. As it does so, the rose's energy seems to shift. Still full of excitement and wonder, joy and songs, but now edged with the very thinnest shadow of regret; the fear of things ending. Like the bittersweetness of watching a beloved child leave the nest, the pride and wistfulness. An acute knowledge that this moment in time is perfect, or has every potential to be so, but that the moment is ending. The party goers as a whole feel the sudden urge to do something make the most of this final hour -- to build something or create something unique and lasting, a symbol of this time that could last beyond the hour's closing.

"That might be a good idea," Alfred said to the Dragoness, nodding slowly as he still broke free from the flower's mental clutches. "And maybe a refill." He looked at his spilt mug of mead, now half empty. When The Sword came between him and the rose, and thus between him and the Dragoness, Alfred took a step back. When the other man asked for a dance, Alfred would have smiled big if he could. Some babysitter he turned out to be! Alfred slunk away from them, regardless of the interaction, and went to scoop another mug-full of mead from a barrel. This one was a different color, a light red. And it was delicious.

When he turned, away from where the rose was poised, to look for a seat, he found that he was already right near a blonde woman in a blue dress (Sabrina). She seemed to stare at everything the way he had when he had entered; in awe and amazement. "Welcome," Alfred about slurred to her, lifting his mug in greeting. "And how are you this eve?"

Yuki had just returned from a stroll. "I think they said 12 hours, right? I think we're nearing that time..." Yukina knew they had to reveal who they truly were behind their masks. Yukina was anxious for that moment. All these strangers she never met before could possibly be new friends! "Everyone's seeming to be quiet..."

Aspen took another look and noticed that there was only one petal left. He blushed and began to panic. "Oh..." He rushed outside to calm himself down, hoping no one would notice.

Gyr had never been much of a people person. It wasn't at all as if he didn't like people, and he could be social, if coaxed or given good reason. It was just that he didn't much know what to do around them! But he didn't mind little wooden men, and certainly not- finally- a pet at the party. When Sarthelia approached and Xefry began bobbing about, the man instantly lapsed into stunned silence. He took in those gleaming emerald eyes and formidable tail spikes with unabashed intrigue. Then the creature's keeper spoke, and at last the calm line of his lips split with an earnest pearly smile. "And I, him!" He peered fondly back at the tiny messenger as he amended the warning, watching it scamper off before turning towards Sarthelia again. What was he? Oh, but that would be rude to ask if the thing happened to be sentient. He would settle for something simpler. "Xefry . I haven't heard a name like it, nor seen anything like him."

As he strode past the manor towards the sound of the bustling crowd, kneewm began to feel a twinge of concern, it sounded as though the party was in full swing, surely he had not arrived late again. As he walked under the floral decorated archway, he looked towards the stage where the band played and saw a white rose seeming to glow dimly as if was in the middle stages of folding its petals inwards. He was indeed late.

"Well" he mumbled, "Shifting through different planes does mess with ones sense of time" With that he began to search for the duchess one of his first friends that he had made in this realm some decade ago and one that had helped him greatly in his search for the plane-shifter.

But indeed the crowd was thick in this masquerade party, and his small stature was no help, as nearly every attendent of the part was vastly taller than him. In an instant he realized his mistake, and instead felt blessed that his small stature instead aided him as he turned his head downward to hide his face an donned his copper colored mask with an intricate clockwork patter (Which in fact was a mechanism that would shift the masks shape in accordance with his facial expression).

Looking around he began to take in the details, there were people of many kind, mostly humans, as it seemed was common through most realms, but many other races as well, including the birdfolk that lived in a surprisingly small number of realms. However it was the attire that truly showed the diversity of the part, everything from dresses and suits to hauberks and plate armor. And as it seemed, many of the people weren't limited by the time period either, he saw people from times long passed dressed in furs, to people in gleaming black armor that reminded him of his adventures in space.

"Indeed" he thought "It is a shame I am late as now i will not have time to meet all these fine people" indeed even as he had entered he had seen people leaving

The Dragoness offered Alfred another friendly smile before looking to the Sword as he spoke again; she nodded slightly in agreement to what he said, even though he was talking to someone else. She could feel the allure of the odd white flower, but perhaps it was the magic that infested her own being that kept her from being too strongly drawn to the rose.

She was aware that the Sword moved, but when he addressed her, her eyebrows shot up beneath her mask. Was he asking her to dance? She felt her face grow warm; it was a very unfamiliar feeling and she hoped her mask was enough to hide it.

"I...haven't danced in quite some time," she said slowly--before it could be taken as a refusal though, she added on, "But I would be honored, sir."

She hesitated, trying to remember the etiquette for these sorts of things; a little uncertainly she extended a gloved hand to him, hoping her instincts about what to do were correct.

Sarthelia extended her hand towards Gyrfalcon, her palm upwards and Xefry slid down her arm and seated himself on her hand. His stance was much more friendly, almost like a dog or a cat with his wings tucked to his sides and his tail swishing back and forth behind him. "He's being quite the social critter today. He's a close friend of mine and has been a great companion for the better part of 8 years now. He's the son of a dragon I saved, though he's only half dragon." She said, her voice more musical than normal. Xefry seemed like he wanted to be held by Gyrfalcon, maybe as a gesture of friendship?

After a few minutes of heavy breathing and playing with the ice that he manipulated, Aspen calmed down and walked back inside. He noticed the tense, yet light feeling in the air, as the masquerade was about to end.

With the final petal, Spectrolite stared at the withering flower, wishing he had more time to spend here and know others. The shadow within was growing stronger and he felt more a stranger now then he did when he first joined. The guests did seem happy. Perhaps he was led to this place for a reason related to this end?

The joy the flower had bestowed upon him before filled his mind. Others should know, even see what a gift this flower held. Spectrolite closed his eyes and focused his magic on the power of flower and his element.

Starting at the flower, a ring of light spread across the ground. Glittering white and blue flowers of crystals and snowflakes blanketed the ground in its wake. He smiled as he watched the flowers surrounded everyones feet. Perhaps this was why he was here, a final gift of excellence.

The flower's influence wasn't something that Gyr- magical though he may be- was built to resist. It crept up on his psyche in secret, and he did not question the urge to make the most of things, to create something, whether this "something" was tangible or memories or- anything. It stirred him from his soft and sleepy disposition, livening the senses and lowering the inhibitions. Decorum was sufficiently stifled as he blurted "You saved a dragon? You must be a skilled and compassionate warrior! If he is half dragon, what is is 'other half', if I might ask?" He had so many questions. All the questions. Eloquence insisted all night that he not disrupt these most magical affairs, but eloquence wasn't here right now. There was only so much time left before he couldn't learn anything more, he could feel it!

Kneewm was caught, should he find th duchess and thank her for he kind invitation, or dive right in to talking. He guessed he could thank her after but still it was the formal thing to do.

Aspen decided to walk toward the rose again, but this time, he watched it in amazement. He knew better than to touch it, for he assumed that it was the reason for the feeling in the air. Every few seconds or so, he noticed other people either looking at the rose with him or walking around. Aspen thought the rose had a special meaning to the Duchess as well, but he wasn't sure. He smiled as he looked upon the glory and beauty that was the rose.

The Duchess reappears just as the alicorn works his spell to spread flowers throughout the snow-covered glade. She laughs with pure joy, raising her hands into the snowy air and slowly turning, letting the spell-flowers climb her. "Yes, my friends! You honor me with the beauty you create for our gala!" The diamond-studded snowflake pins in her hair gleam with the same light that the rose does, her connection to the wilting flower seeming to strengthen the closer the time comes for the party to end. "Let us make merry for as long as we may! Who will dance with me?"

Sarthelia giggled at Gyrfalcon's almost childlike wonder at her achievements. "I'm no warrior my friend, I just know my way around the most dangerous of beasts, learned from the best and still nowhere near what he could do." She said, reminiscing on those old memories and hoping to make new ones at this strange little place. "I'm not sure what his other half is, but it certainly is still a scaly critter." She said. Xefry let out a small sound not unlike a bird chirp crossed with a cat purring. The chittering sound was adorable and friendly.

Indeed he decided to dive into the fray and apologies to the Duchess after the end of the masquerade. As he walked through the crowded field the rose once again caught his eye drawn to it he made his way over to it. A number of patrons were staring at it, from here he could better comprehend its majesty. At that moment, the duchess came forth and invited all to dance with her, and indeed, seeing his chance to chat with her as well as formally thank her he took up her offer. Striding over, he bowed to the lady.

Alfred waited a long while for the woman he spoke to to speak back, but after a while, he realized it was but a wooden cut out of a lady. Woah. He looked into his mug and wondered, not for the first time, what exactly he had been ingesting. When blue flowers and frost littered the ground, Alfred lifted a boot and stared in wonderment at the sight. Maybe this creature could make a glowing flower for him! It was obviously magic and a powerful sort at that. He wandered over to Cosmic and lifted his mead to him now.

"Say, you're pretty magical, aren't you?" He asked him and if the creature would reply with an affirmative, Alfred would then ask, "Could you help locate people? If they needed locating?"