[center][color=CFD3C6][img]https://i.imgur.com/QxwohJt.png[/img][/color][/center] [@Hammerman][@Gentlemanvaultboy] [hr] Rurik had finally successfully fled the party. He'd come very, very close to taking advantage of said fact and going home before someone else happened, but for some reason he just couldn't. He'd already left, and that was that, but he couldn't quite go all the way either. Instead he found himself leaning against one of the pillars for the main gate just waiting. He'd shown up, mingled, and made a half-baked attempt to be polite and sociable... but he hadn't said goodbye. He wasn't sure at which point he'd decided he cared about something like that, but he couldn't shake the feeling that totally up and disappearing would be... wrong. As he leaned, he saw a couple of others leave, and then one of them came back... and then another person stomped by who he was at least 90% sure hadn't been there before. Well, "person" might have been charitable, but he was friends with a walking tank, so he tried not to judge. [color=CFD3C6]"Was... that... Bak's brother? Does she... have a...? Fuck it, I don't care."[/color] Rurik just averted his gaze as the being stomped by. It was a ball filled with students who'd just fought off a demonic invasion. Even a big, stompy thing like that was screwed if it made any wrong moves. Probably. Besides, it seemed to be minding its own business... [hr] [center][color=slategray][img]https://i.imgur.com/kLIYb4r.png[/img][/color][/center] [@Gentlemanvaultboy] [hr] [color=slategray]"What? Yeah, yeah... everything's fine on my end. And, duh, of course you must've gotten mine. I did get yours. It's how I knew to look for you here. I just, uh, got lost..."[/color] It was a tiny thing, but it felt like a continuation of a much bigger thing. He felt like every time it mattered he'd end up MIA. [color=slategray]"We shouldn't have to ask these kinds of questions,"[/color] he said quietly. [color=slategray]"I should have been there in the first place... but somehow I never am."[/color] Lost, locked in a closet, or just too slow. [color=slategray]"I'm sorry."[/color] He rubbed at his eyes. [color=slategray]"And now I'm bringing down the mood again... sorry..."[/color] [hr] [center][color=DarkKhaki][img]https://i.imgur.com/v1UkrNX.png[/img][/color][/center] [center][h1]&[/h1][/center] [center][color=magenta][img]https://i.imgur.com/PMI1m6n.png[/img][/color][/center] [@Crowvette][@supertinyking][@AtomicNut] [hr] One could have heard a pin drop as the mechanical beast stomped through the ballroom. There was nearly a panic, many perhaps thinking it was another terrorist or cultist attack of some sort... and then it simply delivered some tacos to Meredith. [color=DarkKhaki]"What... the..."[/color] Wolf's eyes slowly widened in realization. [color=magenta]"Wait, is that Meredith's date?"[/color] Vera asked. [color=magenta]"Wasn't he wearing a suit before?"[/color] [color=DarkKhaki]". . . yes."[/color] Wolf replied, still in a state of shock. The average person did not slip out of a suit and into [i]that[/i] quite so suddenly. Luigi was very unusual and Wolf vaguely recalled he somehow had this strange person's business card. [color=magenta]"I'm, uh, I'm gonna go check on Andras before this gets violent."[/color] [color=DarkKhaki]"H-he's not-"[/color] [color=magenta]"Yet. He's not [i]yet.[/i] I'm not that lucky, Wolf!"[/color] Vera argued. While she ran off to find Andras while looking up the nearest bomb shelter on her phone, Wolf decided to check on Meredith and her date. [color=DarkKhaki]"Uh, s-sorry to interrupt... but... wh-what?"[/color] Wolf failed to fully verbalize his concerns as he looked at Luigi beyond just a little perplexed. So perplexed he didn't even notice the sweating, anxious individual that, unbeknownst to him, was the cause of all this. [hr] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/cgwz5Z1.png[/img][/center] [@Scarifar] [hr] It seemed Vala would have to learn about Katherine another time. She'd been spotted. Perhaps it had happened a while ago, but it was coming to a head now. "Well, it would seem we're all here. What a momentous occasion," a slightly older boy spoke. Normally, not an especially noticeable fact, but Vala knew better. "Yep. Huh, almost wouldn't recognize you dressed up like that," another boy, this one her age. "Hi, Ward. Hi, Jasper. I'm sure it's not that surprising. We all knew everyone else was here in Rhea." Vala smiled at them without flinching. "Fair enough. I have to say, though. I've already heard of you running your mouth. Here to play hero, are you? Chosen One come to save the day all on her own? You're as ridiculous as always," Ward sighed. "If you say so, but it's not like you're going to do it." "Excuse me?" "We all know you two are only here because of me so that you wouldn't get left behind." Vala tittered. "You want to beat me to the punch and take all the fame and glory for yourselves." "You think I can't?" Jasper let out an aggravated growl. "[i]I[/i] know you can't." Ward rolled his eyes. "Don't be silly." Vala reached out and placed a hand on each of their shoulders. "Neither of you can! And if you try, you'll both die!" Jasper and Ward simultaneously made to shrug her off... and couldn't. For a moment, they could only stand there silently under her grasp. "You should quit while you're ahead! Or, well, while you still have heads anyway." She let go. "Anyway, have fun. I'm gonna get another drink. You should come with me, Michelle. Belinda? Whichever it is right now. These guys aren't very nice." As she walked away, Jasper was left red-faced, hands balled tightly into fists. "You gonna be OK?" came Ward's half-hearted query. "Piss off!" Jasper snapped, turning on his heel and stalking off. Ward sighed, ". . . sounds about right."