Game Opening: May Ball

[undergroundmods]

LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED.

"" (Watch on YouTube)

It had to be done.

Welcome all to the Redbright Institute's May Ball! This evening is a celebration of the Institute's achievements over the past year. Students aged 16 and above can attend on their own, while younger students must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Meanwhile, friends and guests of the Institute are invited as a gesture of friendship and harmony between the various factions.

Rules and etiquette
• This is a black tie event. Formal attire is required.
• No weapons. This is a school, there are children present. Any weapons or objects that could be used as weapons will be confiscated.
• No drugs or alcohol. Obviously. Don't try to sneak any in.
• No violence.

There is security within the school and present at the event. (In fact, if your character is a member of the Redbright Institute, you could have them acting as security if you want.) They will respond to and put a stop to any trouble.

Places to go
The main action takes place in the large Assembly Hall. This is where the Chancellor Sylvia Redbright will give her address. It's also where you can party later on. The disco is family-friendly – not exactly a rave, but the kids will love it.

Drinks and snacks are available in the dining hall. The drinks are non-alcoholic. Vampires, no need to worry about your cravings: blood cocktails are provided! They're given in good faith on the assumption that you won't be snacking on anyone else tonight.

Just off the dining hall, one of the classrooms has been converted into a chill-out area. The lights are off, the desks and chairs have been replaced by beanbags and there's a table in the corner with a chocolate fountain, marshmallows and strawberries. A video of young witches taking part in various night-time rituals (they mostly seem to involve chanting and bonfires) plays silently on the screen.

One of the lecture theatres has been opened up to showcase students' work from the past year. On the screen you can watch a slideshow of notable events and achievements. Strangely enough there aren't many people in this room.

Outside, there is a giant chessboard on the lawn. The pieces are made of plastic and can easily be moved around. Why, you ask? Why not, is the answer.

Finally, a large marquee has been set up in the quad. This is the adults-only area, with wine and cocktails served at the bar, nibbles available at a few high tables dotted around and a sophisticated atmosphere. No children under 18 allowed. (Note that the legal drinking age is 18.)

Timeline of events
20:00 – Doors open.
20:57 – Sunset.
21:15 – Sylvia Redbright makes her address in the Assembly Hall.
22:00 – Disco in the Assembly Hall. The DJ has atrocious taste.
01:00 – Disco stops. The event officially ends.

Comments

[detectiveofthewest]

Heiji put on a completely 100% serious face. "So...

...how many friends have you lost to surprise parties?"

Okay, not 100% serious. But come on, Sasuke, stop being such a dramatic teenager.

[eyeforaneye]

"Two." Zero inflection or sign of a joke.

[detectiveofthewest]

Well, congratulations on having two more friends to lose than Heiji thought you had, Sasuke.

"So I guess the giant novelty cake is out! Well, it was gonna be hard to keep that hidden, anyhow." Was he joking.......

[eyeforaneye]

Thank you.

"There's no way that you were actually intending to do that. Look... I understand that you're bored here, but maybe you could get the mockery out all at once with regards to my situation and personality and we can have a more genuine conversation. I'm not good with this sort of thing." It shows.

[detectiveofthewest]

"I'm not mockin' you. I just don't tell people about their presents beforehand as a general rule." Presents should be nice surprises. Regardless of what Mr. Surprise Hater thought.

"Anyhow, if you wanna have a serious conversation, don't you think you should start from your end? Y'know, exchange pleasantries, tell a bit about yourself, ask a few questions and work your way along? That might work a little better than interrogatin' people."

[eyeforaneye]

"..." He has a decent point, even if it'd be frustrating to admit over something so basic. Sasuke's quiet for at least ten seconds or so, seeming to be planning his angle of attack, working through that list.

"Hello. My name is Uchiha Sasuke." And here he has the decency to switch the order; call it a taste of home. "I'm eighteen-years-old. There aren't many things that I like and there are many that I dislike. I'm serious and dedicated and I have a bad personality. I don't tell lies when I can avoid them and I don't give up when I've put my mind to something. I live alone and don't foresee that changing."

... "Now you."

[detectiveofthewest]

"I go by Hasegawa Heiji, but I don't give out a lot of personal information to strangers as a general rule. Wanna know why? 'Cause from that point on, it's not about who ya are, it's about how they can use you. To destroy others, or to destroy themselves."

As if to provide some small demonstration of this, Heiji raised his hand to shoulder height as he spoke; little blue flames licked at his pinky and spread their way from finger to finger up along his right hand.

"I hate that." The flames went out all at once. "Your reasoning was all over the place, but your conclusion was right; the people in this country would call me fae."

He thought for a minute, then added: "I'm single right now, but I date casually sometimes."

[eyeforaneye]

It's harsh but it's fair, and the confirmation of his suspicions is a slight salve on the wounds his pride's sustained throughout the night. Even so... the sight of that fire puts him ill at ease, both violently curious and instantly wary in a confusing mixture.

"... Alright. I'm bad at communicating with people because I find it easier to focus on goals and I don't hold back my words well. I understand what it's like to have issues with trusting others, too, but if I wanted anything from you it would start and stop with information."

... "And I'm not hitting on you, still." As a comforting reminder in the midst of an otherwise much more serious conversation.

[detectiveofthewest]

"Well, that's only if I can trust what you're sayin'. That's not a slight, by the way; it's just fact. Earlier you called me untrustworthy, but humans are the ones who can lie." He paused. "I do believe that you believe that. But let's face it. You really don't know that much about the supernatural, right? So you can't really guarantee that nothing you'll learn in the future would change your stance. You wouldn't be the first."

Maybe that was what mattered.

"You sure do throw some mixed messages, though." Like who just threw their dating status into conversation with a fae like that. Weird.

[eyeforaneye]

That's enough to quiet him for a moment, genuinely considering his point. He's right, after all, and that self-proclaimed honest nature of his means he can't just gloss over that like it's nothing.

"I just want to figure out what I am," is the next quiet admission, having learned that powers like his have varying origins and to actually be able to track that down? It'd be huge.

"Oi, that wasn't my intention. You're the one who brought relationships into it specifically. I'm not going to pry into that part of your life, don't worry about it."

[detectiveofthewest]

Wow. When he wasn't insulting people, Sasuke was almost... likeable?

"Well, you're not alone on that front, at least," said Heiji. "What happened to your folks? They never talk about it?" After all, it was family members who were usually responsible for one's supernatural education.

"Hey! Don't pin that on me! You started talkin' about how lonely you were and I felt bad. I mean, what would you do if someone started goin' on about how they were gonna die alone in a house full of cats?"

[eyeforaneye]

"Who's-- I'm not going to die alone. Don't bring cats into it." Not that he can be so sure of that. In fact, everything he himself has stated and that has been made obvious throughout this conversation points to the contrary.

"And my parents aren't... They weren't the types to share that kind of thing with a child. They probably assumed they'd tell me when I got older, if they knew anything about it." It's been ten years and he still uses the wrong tense when talking about them. Probably not a good sign.

[detectiveofthewest]

"...Sorry 'bout your folks." Yeah, that... kind of sucked. And explained a lot. Heiji actually looked a little subdued.

"Listen, I'll try to help ya out where I can. Not with dark magic; I don't want any ritual sacrifices on my hands." Or paws. Ha. Ha ha.

[eyeforaneye]

"I don't want you to pity me." It's less a knee-jerk fiery response and more a warning, a statement of his intentions. "If you're saying it because you think I'm a child or someone who deserves to be felt sorry for, I'll find another way.

If that isn't the reason, then I'll accept it."

[detectiveofthewest]

"Don't worry, I don't think you're likeable enough to pity," said Heiji, making a face.

Back to being rude, it seemed...

[eyeforaneye]

A completely accepting nod, unoffended.

"Good, that's how I want it to be."

[detectiveofthewest]

"You are a kid, though," said Heiji, putting his hands in his pockets.

"So you might as well give up on that right now."

[eyeforaneye]

"Age isn't a sufficient measure of a person's maturity or experiences. There are people much older than me that are much more childish, and people younger than me that have seen more than I have."

[detectiveofthewest]

"Yeah, I'm sayin' you're childish. It don't really matter if you're eighteen or not." Just blowing past whatever junk Sasuke just said.

"Like you keep bringin' it up how you're not a child. When you're really older, no one cares."

[eyeforaneye]

... weirdly fair point, to be honest.

"I bring it up because you do."

[detectiveofthewest]

"Ain't really trying to. I think you're just a bit sensitive about it." Don't worry, Sasuke. Heiji was probably like that, too.

"But it's not like that's necessarily bad."

[eyeforaneye]

"If I'm sensitive about it it's because it feels like an insult to me and what I've worked through. To the fact that I live on my own and take care of myself without aid from anyone else. I'm not dependent and I'm not without skills and knowledge; I haven't been for years."

[detectiveofthewest]

Heiji gave him a look like are you for real dude. "'Sorry about your folks' is an insult? Look, I didn't even know ya before today, so it's not like I'd even have a reason to go on some tear about your lifestyle."

Although he was getting the distinct impression now that Sasuke was not even actually a human beomg but rather a potato sack full of insecurities.

[eyeforaneye]

"That part isn't what I'm disputing, it's-- ah, forget it." We are going to go in circles forever. How do you do this to me so easily.

"I think we just think too differently."

[detectiveofthewest]

"Hmmm... maybe." Wow, he agreed to that really easily.

"In that case, how about this? I'm not out to get you. Or bag on you for not having parents or anything like that. I really did make that offer on good faith. I grew up with lots of folks around to support me, but it sounded like you didn't, and that's why you don't know a bunch of stuff. That's all."