Geralt was clearly pleased by this answer, for his smile nearly cracked his face in half. "You have no idea how happy I am to hear that, Lucien," he said, then fished into his vest pocket to retrieve the flask he kept there. He held it up and shook it to show its contents, "I hope this means you don't mind if I...begin imbibing?" What was the day for, if not for getting drunk. If it truly was a celebration in honor of Geralt, drinking would be one of the many vices the troupe should consider partaking of that evening.

-------------------------------

Cora beamed up at Ivory, "Oh, yes! I would like to be swimming now, even, but I wanted to make sure that I was here for Geralt's party. I think I'll probably spend the night..." she said, glancing towards the placid waters of the small lake. Though she longed to dive back in as soon as possible, she knew that it would be rude of her not to participate in the party now, especially after Geralt had helped so much with filling her tank. Besides, she had been looking to the celebration as well.

Lucien let out a small laugh as Geralt pulled a flask out of his pocket. "No, not at all. There's more where that came from as well." He said, motioning to the table where the carnies had also set up.

Ivory nodded, that was understandable. It wasn't often she would get chances like this. "Then, shall I help you get ready for the party?" She asked. Upon receiving her agreement, Ivory lead Cora back to her trailer and helped her pick out an outfit for the night, and did half of her hair up into a ponytail. Once she was satisfied with her work, she lead the mermaid back out. Having spent some time in the shade she already felt a little of her strength returning to her.

Akane had used this opportunity to retreat to her trailer and change out of her swimsuit as well and joining the others. "Oh I love that hairstyle Cora! It compliments you well!"

Geralt's eyes widened slightly as he looked over at the table. He spied a couple of bottles of wine, and a clear spirit, along with various mixers like limes and soda water. There was also a tray of food, mostly snacks, but some small sandwiches and sweets as well. Overall, it was quite a paltry spread, but he hadn't expected much else. Although it didn't appear that the others were big drinkers, The Magician had high hopes for the evening. "Hmm..." he turned back to Lucien. "Would you mind if I added a dash of my own flavor?" He had access to different alcohols in his trailer, along with some interesting combinations he could try. Aurel, Ivory, Akane, and Cora may be tempted to drink if he had a bit of something else to offer them.

"Please, it is your party, after all." Lucien said, waving a hand in the direction of the man's trailer, where he imagined the offerings were kept.

"Back in two shakes!" With that, Geralt strode confidently toward his domain to retrieve his contributions.

Cora never turned down and opportunity to have Ivory make her over, especially for an occasion like this. She chose a silvery-gray gown, a blue shall, and a sparkly hair ornament that Ivory used to hold back the top half of her hair. She required no makeup, so overall the dressing was quick. She rolled out of her trailer and accepted the dhampir's assistance in getting over to the mess area as her chair was difficult to push on her own.

She smiled up at Akane's compliment, eyes sparkling, "Thank you, Akane! It was Ivory's idea." She looked the girl up and down, "Your dress is so pretty! Have I seen this one before?"

Illyana had not bothered to change, and was busy setting up the food and drink for the evening. She had made sandwiches the day before, while everyone was preparing for the big top show, and was laying out some other things she had brought with her. She had trouble shaking the look she had seen in Geralt's eyes, and the more she dwelt on it, the more it bothered her. She had to make sure to let it go before it began effecting her mentality negatively. Experience had taught her that any doubt or preoccupation in her psyche opened her up to some powerful vibrations. A vision tonight would not bode well, she did not yet want Geralt to see that side of her ability.

Akane's smile mimicked the mermaid's. "It is! I just hadn't had the chance to wear it yet." She spun on her feet as she spoke, the dress fanning out as she did so. It was a short sleeved dark green dress that went up to her neck, with a keyhole opening that stopped right before her chest. It had no design, but something about it had just called to her, so she had bought it during their last town visit.

"I should ask Ivory to do my hair more often!" She said.

Ivory let out a small chuckle. "If you want, I don't mind." She told her.

Lucien watched Geralt go for a moment before he turned and headed toward Illyana. "I'm hoping you try to enjoy yourself tonight Illy, no more working." He told her, just as Aurel approached them.

"We all need a break, including you." He said. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw that some of his snakes had returned, and had began curling around into one of the nearby trees. He'd be sure to keep an eye out for the rest of them.

Cora moved her hands to her cheeks as Akane twirled before her, and her face reddened slightly. "You're beautiful..." she said quietly, as if just realizing it. Akane was so graceful, her limbs long and pale, and her eyes bright and intelligent. Her hair was long and red, like flames...Cora took all of this in as the girl danced before her, her heart suddenly beating a little harder.

Ivory's voice broke her from her trance, and the Mermaid looked over her shoulder. After she gathered her thoughts and brought herself back to the present, she nodded, "Oh, yes, Ivory is amazing with hair." Her voice was quiet and a little far away as the last of these lingering thoughts drifted away. Akane really was so pretty...

Illyana was almost startled by Lucien's approach, she had been so wrapped up in arranging everything on the table. She looked over at him and forced a small smile, then nodded and wiped her hands on the front of her dress. She moved her eyes to Aurel after his comment and raised her hands, palm out, in a defensive posture. "Alright, alright, I'll try to relax...but I won't be able to with you too hounding me all night." She made sure to keep her voice light and playful. They were both right, she knew that her mind and her body needed a break. It was always hard for her to let go of all of the thoughts and worries that plagued her, but she would make an honest effort tonight, she could tell it was beginning to effect her negatively and did not want to continue down that path. She'd have to take this opportunity while she could.

"Oh, and I saw Jade, Liquorice, Bengal, and Ginger come back earlier," She said to Aurel, remembering that he had asked her to watch out for them and that she hadn't gone to find him when she saw them return. "They're around her somewhere...not sure where Ebony, Ripple, and Amber are." She paused, picked up a sandwich finger and offered it to him with a smile, "Sandwich?"

It was then that Geralt had returned, with a bottle tucked under each arm, a metal shaker in one hand, and another bottle in the other. "My apologies for my brief absence, but I promise you all, it was worth it." He made his way to the table with the beverages and began setting everything up, his face alight with devilish glee.

Akane's smile widened at Cora's compliment. "Oh you flatter me!" She said with a small giggle, a tinge of red on her cheeks. She was very used to giving Cora compliments, but hearing them from her brought on a different sort of happiness for the kitsune. She really appreciated them.

Ivory smiled a little at the exchange between the two women. She didn't mind doing things like this for them, they clearly enjoyed it. "Just let me know when you want me to." She told them, eyes trailing toward Geralt as he had returned from his trailer.

Aurel nodded slightly. "I noticed them near that tree over there, though I hadn't seen Jade, thank you for looking out for them. I'll give them a while longer before I go looking for them, just to make sure they're alright." He said, knowing there was probably predators out there. He knew the snakes could watch out for themselves,

"Thank you." He told her as he took the sandwich she offered. "You should have one too." He added.

Lucien turned to Geralt as he returned, raising his eyebrows a bit as returned with a shaker. "Oh? Is drink mixing one of your skills?" He asked, even though he was sure of the answer.

Illyana glanced at Geralt as he re-entered the area, arms full, but did not acknowledge him. She had decided to focus on each moment as it came to her, if she thought too hard, she would spiral again. She picked up a sandwich and took a bite, chewing with full cheeks as she smiled at Aurel.

The Magician deposited all of the bottles onto the table, but held on to the shaker. He turned to Lucien and effortlessly spun the metal container in his hand, winking as he did. "I'll let you be the judge of that." The man had seemed to grab the attention of almost everyone in attendance. He turned toward the group at large and raised his voice slightly, so all could hear him. "I find my happiness at parties comes, in part, from hosting, so I hope our illustrious leader doesn't mind if I take the reigns for just a moment. What is everyone having?"

Cora tore her eyes away from Akane as she heard Geralt address the crowd and raised her eyebrows. She hadn't seen him come back, she had been so enthralled by the sight before her. Her smile slowly returned and she reached out a hand for Akane, "Let's go see what he's doing!" she said, excitedly. She was ready for the party to start.

Aurel smiled back, glad to see Illy was going to eat. It was only then that he took a bite of his own, eyes trailing toward Geralt as he made his loud announcement. Snake-like eyes trailed on toward the bottles at the table, but he made no move toward it, and remained at Illy's side.

Akane wasted no time and grabbed hold of Cora's hand before pulling her toward the small crowd that had gathered now around the table. Some of the carnies moved aside to let them through. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity as they arrived.

Lucien let out a small chuckle. "By all means. I'm not on the clock." He said jokingly. "I have faith in your taste, surprise me." The ringleader said, before looking at the two women who approached.

"Are you going to make drinks for everyone, Geralt?" Akane asked curiously, having caught the last bit of what he was saying. The kitsune didn't have too much experience with American alcohol, but she had seen the carnies drinking it before on occasion, but she had never been curious enough to give it a try. She had been warned in the past to be careful with consuming it, as it would be harder for her to keep her kitsune features hidden, but that wasn't really an issue here, considering everyone was already well aware of it.

Ivory had walked over to Illy and Aurel and took a seat near them. The dhampir quite detested alcohol, for personal reasons, and so had no intention of partaking in it.

Illyana smiled at Aurel, but her attention was drawn to Geralt, just as she was sure he'd intended. She heard his offer and stiffened slightly, constantly reminding herself to relax. Instinctively, she moved a little closer to Aurel as her eyes fell on the multitude of bottles on the table.

Geralt's eyes glinted with a mischievous light as carnies started to gather around the table, and his smile widened ever more when he heard Lucien's answer and Akane's question. He noted with distaste that Illyana, Aurel, and Ivory remained on the sidelines, but saw no need in inviting them over yet. They were well aware of what he was offering, he wasn't going to force their hands, or their mouths.

"Oh, patron," he said to Lucien, "I hope your mouth is watering already." He winked, then set about the task of making Lucien's drink. Luckily, he had all of the ingredients for a French 75. Not only was it on point thematically, but he happened to have all of the ingredients handy.

To Akane's question, The Magician raised an eyebrow but did not take his eyes away from his task as he grabbed a fresh glass and a bottle of gin. "I live to serve, my dear. Would you like something?" he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye as he asked.

Cora's eyes went wide as Akane drew her toward the table. Though she was completely taken in by the sight before her as Geralt's long and skilled fingers moved over the tops of various bottles, she held tightly to the Kitsune's warm hand. "I might..." she said, glancing at Akane and Lucien, as if for permission as she slowly finished her statement, "Want to try something..."

Akane stood closely by Cora as they were surrounded by other carnies. This was the first full on party that Cora was getting to attend, so she wanted to make sure she felt safe and comfortable, so she'd be sure to stay close if that's what the mermaid wanted. She didn't mind it either, her cool hand felt nice against her's.

"If you're going to try something I will too!" Akane said with a smile. She wasn't going to let Cora drink by herself. They could enjoy it together.

Lucien's eyes watched Geralt's hands move toward the corresponding ingredients, curious of what he'd end up going with, but his attention shifted to Cora and Akane as they approached them. He could tell that both Akane and Cora were curious as to what Geralt was doing. He wasn't going to stop them if they really wanted to try, both of them were adults, and they were surrounded by people who would look out for them.

"You can if you really want to, perhaps something light and sweet to start them off, Geralt? Neither of them have had it before." Lucien said. He'd be sure to keep an eye on them both just in case they had enough. He wasn't sure how tolerant either of them would be.

Aurel glanced down at Illy as he felt her get closer, and gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry." He told her. "I'll stick to water and juice." He said, not wanting her to be too concerned about him. Just because.. there happened to be a lot of alcoholic beverages present didn't mean he would be tempted to drink them. He.. knew better at this point.

"Don't you worry, ladies, there's plenty to go around." He nodded to Lucien's comment, still focused on his task as he peeled a bit of lemon to add to Lucien's drink. He set that aside, topped the drink off with a touch of champagne he had brought from his personal stores, and wrung the lemon skin over top of the glass before placing the twist inside.

Finally, he turned and offered Lucien the glass, his other arm behind his back. "For you, patron, une humble offrande."

Cora watched in awe as Geralt extended his arm toward Lucien, her full lips slightly open. She looked at the drink and smiled, "Oh, I like the bubbles,! Will you make that for us?"

Geralt looked down at Cora and tilted his head toward the drink, frowning slightly, "Ehm, nein, mein liebling, this one is a bit too strong for your...delicate constitution. I'll make you something sweet and light, as Lucien asks. Maybe..." he thought for a moment, eyes rolling to the makeshift ceiling before he looked back down at the two of them, "A Bee's Knees?" He had already decided what he'd make for the girls, but Geralt could not help but add a bit of theatrics to every offering. It was in his blood.

Illyana blinked a few times at Aurel's comment, then shook her head slightly in embarrassment. She hadn't intended for her movement to be noticed, but she supposed she should know better who she was dealing with. "I'm sure it'll be fine," she said, almost absently. As she overheard part of Geralt's conversation, she looked about wildly for a moment, down at the food in front of her, before waving a hand and calling over to Akane, Cora, and Lucien. "Make sure you have something to eat, too!"

Lucien took the glass as Geralt offered it to him. He recognized the mixture, a French 75. It had been quite a long time since he had one of these.

"Merci beaucoup." He told Geralt. It seemed the man was quite an expert when it came to making drinks. Perhaps he would return the gesture at one point throughout the night, it had been a while since he had put his own skills to use. He was about to take a sip of the drink when he heard Illy's voice. Right, how could he have forgotten? While that wasn't necessary for him, it would probably be best if Akane and Cora ate something first.

"I'll get you two a few sandwiches. It's best to keep a good balance of food so the alcohol doesn't get to you too quickly." He said

"Thank you Lucien!" Akane called out, before looking back at Geralt, tilting her head a little.

"A Bee's Knees..?" She questioned. "Why is the drink called that? It sounds a little funny." She asked curiously.

Lucien walked over to the table at first and poured a glass of orange juice and one of apple, before he headed over to Illy and Aurel, handing each of them their respective drinks.

"Here, you two should take a seat." He said, knowing neither of them would make an approach on Geralt for drinks. It was best he didn't give them a reason to have to near that side of the table for now.

"Thank you." Aurel said, taking the glass of apple juice before he motioned for Illy to sit first. Maybe it would help her relax a little bit. He knew she was being watchful, and he didn't want to worry her more by not appearing calm himself.

"Of course." He said, before picking up a plate and grabbing four sandwiches for the two women, before heading back to them. He took a sip of his drink on the way back, and raised his eyebrows. The drink was quite well done. "Here you are." He told them.

"It's perfect, Geralt." He said, raising his glass a little in the man's direction.

Illyana was glad to see Lucien approaching them and began arranging a plate for Akane and Cora, making sure to add an extra for Cora as she knew the Mermaid had a large appetite, especially after swimming so energetically earlier today. She graciously accepted the drink from Lucien and smiled at him before he walked off again. Afterwards, she headed over to a table and had a seat with Aurel, holding her cup with both hands. She felt a little on edge, but seeing Lucien and Aurel so relaxed was beginning to help her do so as well. She didn't often get the chance to have downtime with everyone all at once, aside from their meetings, open time like this was rare form these days. She looked across the table and made sure to keep her smile as she took a sip of the juice, remembering something Lucien had told her long ago: "Smiles are infectious."

Geralt turned back toward the table, slid two glasses toward them and poured one finger of gin into each one, then making up the difference with water. This was much less than he would normally serve, but he wanted to be sure to heed Lucien's warnings. Besides, nothing was more unseemly than someone who was fall-down drunk. He preferred his consorts to be tipsy, just enough to be off balance, not enough to wake up and evacuate the evidence of a night's romp.

To Akane, he answered, "Because, honey," and with a twirl of his hand, produced a bottle of a stick golden substance, "It has...honey," he finished, winking again playfully before stirring a hefty serving into each glass. He stirred, then added a good bit of lemon juice and a dash of sugar syrup for a little extra sweetness. He turned to the two woman, glasses outstretched and looked between them. "Let me know if it needs anything else, pleasure is my passion."

Cora giggled as Geralt produced the sticky substance and set about making their drinks. She had no idea what a "beez" was, and also didn't know its relation to honey, though she had tasted the stuff before. She liked it very much, so she had no doubt she would like this too. She took the glass from the magician, finally letting go of Akane's hands. She looked between the man and woman, her face alight with curiosity. Slowly, she raised the glass to her lips and smelled it first before taking a sip. "Oh," she said, "It smells delicious!" After this, she pressed her lips to the glass and let a tiny bit of the liquid touch her tongue. At first, all she tasted was sour lemon, so she tilted the glass a little more and new flavors entered her palette. It tasted sweet, but like flowers and berries too, with a little tartness from the lemon. Her eyes widened as she swallowed and pulled the glass away, and she immediately felt warmth bloom in her throat and chest. "Wow..." she said, her voice quiet with wonder, "It's so good!" She looked up at Akane to see if she would have the same reaction just as Lucien arrived with their food, and placed the plate of sandwiches on her lap.

Geralt turned to Lucien, smiling widely with half-lidded eyes. "Oh, Lucien, you flatter me." he said, laying a hand on his chest and bowing slightly. "I'm glad you don't find it too...on the nose?" Even The Magician had to admit that sometimes his over-zealousness could make him appear too subservient when the truth was quite the contrary. Although the one who shared his body wasn't the biggest fan of it, Geralt understood the need to placate oneself from time to time.

Aurel had followed Illy to take a seat and took a sip of his apple juice. The boy had never been a huge fan of citrus. It smelled too strong for his sensitive nose, so apple was just fine for him.

"You aren't drinking, Ivory?" He asked the dhampir curiously. While he didn't expect her to accept anything Geralt made for her, he was still curious.

Ivory was quick to shake her head. "Don't like it." She said. "Water's fine for me."

"Well.. cheers?" He said, lifting his glass, causing the dhampir to chuckle.

"Cheers." She said, tapping her glass to his before they both glanced over at Illy.

Akane quickly nodded in understanding. That made a lot more sense, but she still couldn't help but think the name was funny. What did it have to do with their knees? Well, no matter. Her attention was taken as she watched Geralt begin the process of making the drink. There was no hesitation in his movement, it was clear he was experienced in this. As he finished the drink, Akane's nose caught a small variety of scents. She took note of Cora's release of her hand, but it was then the glass was handed to her. Cora's reaction to the taste made her even more inclined to try it.

Her tail twitched as the sourness hit her tongue, but then was soon followed by a sweetness that helped to balance it.

"Oh! It is good!" She exclaimed. The kitsune had smelled things like beer before, but it was nothing in comparison to the drink Geralt had made. It was much better.

"Thank you!" She said, just as Lucien arrived with their food. She picked up a sandwich and took a bite, before taking another sip of the drink she was given. Her tails swished from side to side. The kitsune was pleased.

Lucien shook his head. "No, of course not. It's been a while since I've been able to enjoy these sort of cocktails, I admit there's a bit of nostalgia, however that is playing it a bit safe, hmm? I'd love to try a German drink next time." He partially teased, though he was true to his word. He remembered that Geralt had spent some time in France, he figured that's why he was able to adapt to the things he liked, but Lucien was also fond of variety. From his French wine.. to Irish whiskey, the ringleader was always willing to try something new.

Illyana couldn't help but let her smile widen at Aurel and Ivory's "cheers". She lifted her cup slightly to return it to them, and took a sip. Maybe relaxing wouldn't be so bad after all.

"You are more than welcome, ladies. Just let me know if you'd like a refill." Geralt said to Akane and Cora. Even he had to admit he was quite pleased by their happy and surprised expressions. Going out often caused him to order drinks from someone else, he didn't usually have the pleasure of serving many people. It was amazing practice for his hands, and his wits. Seeing everyone else enjoying themselves set his fingers to twitching, he longed to feel a drink in his hands as well.

As Lucien spoke, he turned back to the table and began mixing himself something a little stronger. He grabbed the bottle of whiskey he had brought and the other ingredients required for an Old Fashioned, the correct way to make it, not the way some uppity bartenders thought made it cute.

As he mixed, he turned his head to face Lucien, chuckling as he spoke. "Accuse me of anything, Lucien, but never of safety," he stirred as he finished the drink, then poured a bowl full of the cold water Illyana had prepared and set his glass inside of it. As he waited for it to cool, he turned to Lucien, leaned back against the table and crossed his arms. His eyes narrowed slightly as he cocked a half-smile, "Hmm..I don't know, you don't strike me as a beer man." Geralt himself was not either and much preferred Germany's claim to Brandy. "Besides," he added, tilting his head, "I didn't think you'd permit me to cheat."

Cora nodded to Geralt's instruction, then took a slightly larger gulp of her drink. She really did enjoy it, especially how warm it made her feel. It was a sensation she'd never experienced before, and it reminded her of Akane. She looked up at the girl next to her as she took a sandwich from the plate. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the three at the other table touch the rims of their glasses together, smiling. Almost in a panic, she turned to Akane and raised her glass, trying to mimic the gesture.

Lucien watched Geralt make what he assumed was his own drink "Ah, a proper Old Fashioned, sans ice. It's been a while since I've seen one made properly." He commented, the smell of whiskey hitting his nose.

"You're quite right, beer is not particularly up my alley, but I assure you I can handle more than just fine glasses of wine. I even gained a taste for whiskey over the years." He said. At least with that knowledge Geralt would have a bit more freedom in his options. He was curious to know what he might end up going with.

At what he said next, Lucien let out a small laugh.

"Cheating is a strong word, but after having this I would never dare accuse you of it. I have a good amount of bartender experience under my belt, I know a skilled man when I see one." He said. "Perhaps I'll have a chance to return the favor for this drink." He said, raising his glass a little in his direction.

Akane smiled down at Cora as she raised her glass, and wasted no time in doing the same and tapping it gently against her's. She had seen the carnies do this before too, usually in some sort of celebration, and this was certainly a moment to celebrate.

"Kanpai~" She said as she did so. "That means cheers in Japanese." She told her, eager to share the word in her language. It was something she did on occasion, as she always quite enjoyed being able to teach Cora some of the words. There was something about hearing her attempt to speak her language that made her really happy.

Geralt raised his eyebrows at Lucien's comment about tending bar and tilted his head, "Oh, really now? In that case, I insist that you make my refill after I've finished with this one." At it's mention, Geralt leaned back and rescued his drink from the bowl of cold water where he was storing it. He took a sip, and tilted his head in disappointment. It wasn't as cold as he'd like it, but they didn't have access to ice, and he felt the itch getting more and more prevalent in the back of his mind.

He caught Cora and Akane's exchange out of the corner of his eye, then stood up straight and raised his glass in Lucien's direction. "I wouldn't call myself a follower, per se, but I feel the need to show my appreciation just now." He held his glass up a little higher, made eye contact with Lucien, and said, "À un partenariat fructueux. À ta santé," as a smile curled across his face.

Cora's smile widened as well as Akane returned her toast. "Oh," she said, her eyes widening, "Kanpai!" She mimicked Akane's accent perfectly as she said the word, one of the talents of her naturally adaptable voice. Their glasses clinked together and she took another sip, beginning to feel a little lightheaded.

Lucien smiled. "I'd be happy to." He said, watching the man take a sip of his drink. He caught on to his disappointment on the lack of it being cold. He'd take note for the next drink.

"A la vôtre." He responded, retaining the eye contact with Geralt. "À un partenariat fructueux en effet." He responded, gently tapping his glass to the man's, before he went on to take his sip. After he had done so, he reached out to grab one of the empty glasses, and set it inside the cold water where Geralt's previous one had been. He wanted to give the glass a bit of a head start, since it was clear the magician wanted his drink cold.

Akane's eyes brightened as she heard Cora do the same, mimicking her accent perfectly. This was one of the things she loved about teaching the mermaid her language, she could copy the accent so well, it was a bit nostalgic at times.

"Make sure you eat okay? I heard alcohol can make you dizzy if you drink it too fast." She told her

Geralt took another sip of his drink, maintaining eye contact with the Ringleader all the while. He found it sexy, the way the French toasted. There was power in looking someone in the eye that Geralt quite enjoyed.

He watched as Lucien leaned toward him to place the glass in the water, but did not move out of his way. "Much appreciated, that. I detest a warm cocktail." There was a moment of silence that followed as Geralt continued to trace the line of Lucien's face with his eyes. His jaw, so soft and familiar, and yet...different.

"Ah," he said, his eyes widening suddenly. "I almost forgot." He turned to spy an empty space on the table behind him and snapped his fingers. Instantly, a phonograph appeared where the empty space had been. Satisfied with this, the Magician spun his finger about and the record already installed began to play. The player itself was old, and the smell of its wood wafted through the small space almost instantly. It was finely crafted and the sound as it began to play was beautiful. There were scrolling designs in gold along the edges of the dark, almost black wood, that made up the case. It was from the Magician's personal collection and it rarely ever left his quarters.

He turned back to Lucien and tilted his head gently, "Not exactly a party sans music, is it?" he smiled mischievously and took another sip of his drink, already beginning to feel more relaxed. The music it played was upbeat, but mysterious, with notes of the macabre, very similar to the music Geralt used in his acts.

Illyana looked over to where the music was coming from and saw the appearance of the phonograph. Her eyebrows furrowed a bit as she studied it from afar. She could tell this was an item of Geralt's just by looking at it. She wondered what she could glean if she touched it...but was too frightened of what might happen if she did. The music was a little grating, not what she would have chosen, but enough to create the party atmosphere that the Magician was attempting to replicate.

Cora seemed a little confused at first by Akane's comment, but the remembered the sandwiches in her lap. "Oh, right! I'm already feeling a little odd...but okay. Are you warm?" she asked as she picked up a sandwich and had a bite. Between chews, she added, giggling, "I mean...more warm than you normally are."

Lucien nodded slightly. "It certainly makes a difference, I was unfortunately unable to procure ice, but hopefully next time will be much better." He would have to work with what he had for now. The ringleader took note of the fact that Geralt hadn't torn his gaze from his face. Part of him was tempted to ask why, but he had broken the line of sight when he had spoke up again. He glanced over at the phonograph that Geralt had made appear on the table. His eyes looked over it's design in appreciation, it was a very finely crafted piece.

"It's beautiful." He complimented. It definitely seemed like it had cost a pretty penny. That kind of craftsmanship was hard to come by. "Is it custom made?" He asked curiously.

Akane let out a small giggle at Cora's comment. "I was about to say I'm always warm." She said amusingly. "I think I do? It's hard to tell. I might need to drink more for a bigger difference." She said, before taking more bites out of the sandwich she had.

"But it's probably best to take it slow?" She said, her ears twitching as music spread throughout the clearing.