[h3]Melanie and Diana[/h3] [@Crowvette][@rawkhawk64][@KillamriX88][@Hammerman] Diana's entrance did not take that long. A speeding sports car, skidding to a halt just before the entrance. The plate with the all familiar plaque, that denoted this once had been Lightbringer's car, now a convenient hand-me down to his old flame, almost a wife in name. It was a great car. But she couldn't reach the wheel nor the clutch, so she had to summon an skeleton chaffeur. It clicked and whirred, and its ugly dissecated head began to spin like a merry-go-round when it skidded to a halt. She should've braced his neck better. [sub]"Stooooppp"[/sub] said the ghastly creature, in a hissing voice, before making a disgusting cracking noise and adjusting the chaffeur hat and suit, waiting for input. It took a brief moment before the sack of bones creaked out of the driver's seat, and opened the room to the passengers' seat, before making a curtsy. It would have looked good, if the damn head did not fall off and started rolling on its own. Still, Diana's [url=https://safebooru.org//samples/2987/sample_0fe12d70ad58c5d8fc010a7c0c251985e81ea98e.jpg?3110169]dress[/url] was notably unfazed by the rough and tumble entrance of the servant. A second figure stepped out of the car. Melanie, bringing a [url=https://safebooru.org//images/2899/6f52cfce56ee0ba74375c37b53d553b77b335cf1.jpg?3019294]strange[/url] getup. The striking difference of height was accentuated even more so, given that both girls were in the different ends of the spectrum. The tall Vigilante tilted her head. "I do think I should thank you for bringing me to this opportunity to find objects of beauty. Or I've been told to do so." said Melanie, before automatically pulling out a lollipop for Diana, which the witch gleefuly declined. "Just go have fun." Diana said, staring into Melanie's vacant stare. "So should I shoot Mephistos? Or Balloons?" Melanie tilted her head. "Do not...ugh, listen, you just get drinks and talk to people, okay?" Diana grumbled. She could not believe she was the one babysitting this tall soul-addled girl. Where was the rest of the vigilantes and Mephistos when they were needed!? It was then when she noticed Brutus, and walking up to him, offered her hand for him to take. "I trust I have not been excessively tardy?" Diana said to her companion, snapping her hands and conjuring a fancy mask out of thin air. "Masquerade dresses require a lot of preparation." She added, before dismissing the Skeleton who had just picked up his head and put it on its place... upside down. No sooner the creature had its orders, it jumped in the car and began driving without closing the doors. [sub]"Speeeeeed"[/sub] said the creature as it hapzardly drove away. The witch urged resisted the temptation to facepalm. Melanie was going on a head, parroting some sort of cat noises? Seriously, that girl was so unpredictable. Her eyes rested on the conmmotion before her, and eyeing Brutus, she retracted her hand. "Do excuse me for a second." She added, as she took hasty strides to reach Lady Valois de Saint-Remy and offered her best appeasing curtsy. That rash fool of Rurik was always mucking things up with poor manners, wasn't he? "Mylady. It is an honour to be invited to this masquerade ball. Joys of this kind are few and far between and I am sure your magnificent self is too much to bear on our crude etiquette, but I assure you, as Mephisto's councilmember that those lovely two mean absolutely no harm, besides that which is born from ignorance. I am Diana Graeca, at your service." She said, buttering Lise up. [hr] [h3]Buncha peeps[/h3] [@supertinyking] Mer knew deep in her heart that as soon she stepped those doors, the stares would come. Stares had always been a part of her life. First, because of her demon heritage... then as her body was shaped by sin of lust that was carried over from her own mother's veins, the heads were often turned the other direction. A third option was the contrast between herself and her companion. Whereas she was a haunting beauty, he was more of a rugged functional form. Day and Night. St Laurel's and Mephisto. Two different ideas together. Meredith ruffled the skirt of her [url=https://safebooru.org//images/1608/7ca2149eb101563e7564a9009521fcd4bcae7a05.png?1684636]dress [/url] and offered her hand to Luigi, indicating that he should lead her. She had done her best to preserve the glamour, and had to ask her father for some things back home, but she had managed to do so. [color=f6989d]"Shall we, Lou?"[/color] [color=ed1c24]"We shall."[/color] Luigi replied, gently taking Meredith's hand as he gently pulled her along with him. The suit that Meredith had helped him make had a tinge of dramatic flair to it, the coat being almost cape like as he strode forwards. Those who knew Vile might not know that the man strolling into the ball was him, as rather than being caked in the oil and soot he normally had clinging to him from his work he had completely cleaned up. His long oily hair was detangled and made fluffy and a tad curly with the help of some conditioner, and his skin has been thoroughly scrubbed and any blemishes picked out or covered with small amounts of make up. He even took the time to cover his augments in a thin layer of fake skin to make himself look more [url=https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.7k3MomwZ4MQIppDvlL-MsAHaJ4?pid=Api&rs=1]human[/url], something he had never done before that night. Vile's eyes twitched behind his sunglasses as he scanned the room for important figures, potential threats, and structural anomalies. He had come to the ball much more lightly armed then he'd of liked, only a combat knife within his coat and the blade built into his arm. He felt practically naked without some manner of ranged weapon, but he figured bringing a firearm to an event like this would be a wonderful way to end up on the news, or in jail. [color=ed1c24]"Oh, sounds like this was supposed to be a masquerade my dear. Here."[/color] Luigi whispers to Meredith, pulling a small black mask out of his coat for her. As to why he was carrying such a thing around was only for Vile to know, and for others to be perplexed by. [color=f6989d]"See I told you could pull it off if you tried, Lou."[/color] Mer clung to Luigi's arm like someone clings to a shade in a sunny day. [color=f6989d]"It's good that you are tall. Not that many people taller than me."[/color] She added as she took the mask for herself. [color=f6989d]"Hm. Something tells me people aren't going to be picky, but I wont be picky about it."[/color] [color=ed1c24]"I figured we went through enough effort, might as well do it right."[/color] Vile says with some pride as he puts on an opera mask, before he registers her remark about being tall. He pats her on the head gently, to not disrupt her hair too awful much. He then leads her forwards into the crowd, his eyes looking for danger at any moment. Meredith could feel the tension in each movement, like Vile was a toy soldier who had his key twisted one to many times. [color=f6989d]"Hey, let them stare. Stares can't hurt people that much."[/color] Meredith said as she drew closer. [color=f6989d]"Or is it something else, Lou?"[/color] [color=ed1c24]"......"[/color] Vile's mind raced for a plausible explanation for his rigidness. He thought back to some of those stupid romance shows he watched late at night when nothing else was on.... [color=ed1c24]"It's cute when you cling to me like this. It's nothing to worry about, I'm just a worry-wart my dear."[/color] Vile says, trying to handwave Meredith's worries. [color=f6989d]"Hmm..."[/color] Meredith said, before drawing apart. [color=f6989d]"If you say so. We could literally fly away from here you know."[/color] Luigi frowns a little. [color=ed1c24]"I know, but...I just get ancy near groups. People do bad things...I just want this to go nicely for you."[/color] Vile says, seemingly unhappy about Meredith drawing away. He keeps moving, trying to head towards the refreshments table, figuring it'd be harder for someone to try something out from the main blob of people. Meredith says. [color=f6989d]" It will be okay..."[/color] before finally pushing Luigi Vile off, dodging a certain suspicious vial that was thrown her way. The strident laugh of a third year was heard. [color=00aeef]"Ohohohoho, my bad, my bad... I confused you with a loiterer on this princess ball, what with the taste of a meretrix you seem to have. I should fetch my associate Marty and show him too..."[/color] Helga, the witch that had thrown acid at Mer's face said haughtily as she snapped her fan. Vile's eyes flickered around as a hand went into his coat, clutching the handle of the combat knife he had come with. [color=ed1c24]"Hmm, a friend of Marty huh? Much like your taste in clothing, your taste in associates is garbage. I'd suggest you leave before this goes towards Mask of the Red Death real quick."[/color] Vile says, before he leans forwards with a pained wheeze. [color=f26522]"Vile, be polite, we're in a constricted public place. The only thing that'll be happening tonight is a clockwork heart beating softly in a grave if you start to misbehave." [/color] Marty says, walking out from the bustling crowd from around Vile. Meredith could see that Marty had stuck Luigi in the side with some sort of small shiv, slipped between plating near Vile's hip. He takes his place beside Helga, leaning over to say quietly [color=f26522]"Do refrain from throwing things. Acid vials make a mess if they hit, and you mutilating someone at a ball would seriously damage your image, even if you think the person deserves it. A shiv works better, small, hard to see, painful but heals easy."[/color] Marty whispers, sounding more like a disappointed instructor than a date. Vile pulls the shiv from himself, and looks like he's on the verge of doing something stupid, if his gritted teeth and his enraged look held any substance to his actual mood. [color=00aeef]"Marty, Marty, always the grandiose. These vials don't have acid, see?"[/color] Helga said, producing one and swabbing it lightly on her face. [color=00aeef]"It's just a purifying concoction, also smells rather nice."[/color] She said, rolling her eyes. [color=00aeef]"You should not stab churls, It is poor etiquette."[/color] The witch waved a hand and whispering arcane words, healing the stab wound. Meredith saw the exchange with a frown, and drew close to Marty, her face a wide smile. [color=f6989d]"Oh you naughty mister... please don't do that again."[/color] She added as she levelled her face against his. [color=f6989d]"Or i will squash you, gnat "[/color] [color=f26522]".....Vile, you really gonna hide behind your date?"[/color] Marty asks, seemingly ignoring Meredith's threat. Luigi smirks before replying [color=ed1c24]"She is stronger than me....smarter...far more beautiful....but if you, or your diana-lite wanna be witch sugar momma tries anything else, I'll use your ivory to carve her an exquisite set of jewelry."[/color] Vile replies, and Marty rolls his eyes. [color=f26522]"I personally have nothing against you, Meredith...but beware your company. He's a bit unstable."[/color] Marty replies, before trying to leave with Helga, figuring squabbling with those two making them look worse than it was making Vile and Blackgate look the fools. Helga said nothing, but upon the mention of Diana, her eyes seemed to bury herselves in Luigi's skull, before deciding it was enough and leaving too. [color=f6989d]"Jewelry?"[/color] Meredith said, raising an eyebrow. [color=f6989d]"Nevermind that... this made me thirsty. Let's get a drink then."[/color] [color=ed1c24]"You can polish bones....make a nice ring set, or ear-rings, or a tiara.....spoons...dice..."[/color] Vile begins, moving towards the refreshment table. [color=ed1c24]"It's as about as subtle as my death threats go. I figured it'd be better than yelling I was gonna skin him at the top of my lungs. More classy at any rate."[/color] [color=f6989d]"A real gentleman huh... you know. You are fetching the drinks."[/color] [color=ed1c24]"I figured..."[/color] Vile says as he goes to grab the drinks for himself and Meredith, wondering who else he'll run into....