[center][img]https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/yd5cebzjrn4.jpg[/img][/center][hr][center][color=024B30][b]#024B30[/b][/color] [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [url=https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/49zc2zpknry.jpg][color=9b9b9b][b]outfit[/b][/color][/url] [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [color=9b9b9b][b]Party[/b][/color][/center][hr] 
Fiona spotted one of the newcomers standing behind the bar, and he had seemingly been pouring drinks for many of the others, having taken it upon himself to serve them for some reason. She’d poured herself a fresh whiskey while she followed along, having drifted a little into the background as Nelly was inserting them into the conversation. She had to force herself to maintain her composure as she watched the new barman pouring a line of flaming shots, and other than flashing him rather venomous looks, her only outward reaction was standing a little too still along with a slight tremble in her hands.  

All in all, she was starting to become tired from all the social interaction tonight, since as much as she liked Nelly, the girl had more boundless energy than anyone she’d ever met. And being dragged into a somewhat forced conversation with more people was not exactly what she’d been hoping for. 

Even so, while she was certainly abrasive to some, she was rarely unduly rude if she could help it. So, she made sure to offer a greeting to Evelyn and Lochlan, muttering something about how they should perhaps meet under better circumstances, since her brother had appeared slightly dazed when they were approaching, but either way, he was clearly more interested in Evelyn than he was in her or Nelly.  

Evelyn had also looked as if she had been about to leave when they arrived, and was forced to engage in small talk. Fiona gave the other girl a half-apologetic smile and mouthed [color=024B30]‘Sorry’[/color], thankful that Lochlan likely wouldn’t care to notice her doing that while Nelly was busy pouring herself a fresh drink and offering to see if any of them wanted one as well, which they all declined. 

She was looking around for Duke, half hoping she could use him as a way to excuse herself, but his table was now vacant, and after a moment searching, she thought she could just about make out his retreating back across the party. He was heading towards the Lake, alongside Sloane, most likely. Well, someone whom she assumed was Sloane from what she could make out. She wasn’t entirely surprised he’d given up on the party eventually, since this wasn’t his scene any more than it was hers outside of somewhere to drink, and she could probably have accomplished much the same in the quiet of her cabin. She honestly wasn’t even sure why she’d been out as long as she had herself. 

While Fiona had been distracted looking for her other friend, Nelly had darted away from the bar and made a line straight for Sylas. She’d mentioned briefly something of her plans earlier, and it had felt like a bad idea then and while Fiona hadn’t warned her against it, because what would be the point, as the headstrong girl would do it anyway, but it felt somehow worse now. She wasn’t exactly appreciative of having been dragged into conversation with her brother and Evelyn, especially with it quickly starting to feel awkward as she had little to add, Lochlan had barely acknowledged her presence, and Evelyn still seemed as if she’d rather be elsewhere.  

The silence between them without Nelly to fill it was beginning to feel a little suffocating, and Fiona couldn’t shake the feeling that Evelyn’s continued stare was becoming a little intense, as if she was trying to worm out secrets from her or something which didn’t help anything. She was draining her drink yet again when the first of the fireworks exploded overhead and caused her to almost drop her glass when she involuntarily flinched, her knuckles turning white as she did her best to keep a tight hold.  

She stepped back, her other hand slipping behind her to grip the bar while she carefully rested her tumbler onto the wood. Each firework caused her heart rate to spike as the sky was filled with bright, fiery colours, and her body flinched as she felt the explosions shake her core. She knew they were harmless, far too far away to cause her harm or affect her in any way. Yet even with that knowledge, she was gulping down air through gritted teeth, with a mouth that was already as dry as a desert and eyes shut. Each bang vibrated around her throat, and she twitched, cursing her own weakness as she felt herself dragged back to her childhood. When the last of the fireworks had finished echoing in the darkness, she breathed a long, slow sigh of relief. 

Leaning back against the bar, she turned her face upwards, opening her eyes and taking care to wipe away the slightest hint of wetness left by the tear or two that had broken through. It was several moments after the fireworks had faded that she noticed that Sylas and Evelyn were getting quite heated, which caused her to frown as she wondered what had happened to Nelly’s plan. Though almost as soon as she realised it was happening, they broke apart and before she could look round for her one remaining friend at the party Evelyn had pulled away demanding to know what Sylas was doing which as an initial reaction made Fiona wary given how involved they’d been seconds before but the tone of her voice suggested her feelings on it weren’t positive.  

Even as Fiona was trying to process what was happening between them, Sylas spat out several venomous words, turned and stormed off without a backwards glance. His cool façade was definitely showing cracks tonight as far as she was concerned. She was about to ask what exactly that was all about when Evelyn took off after Sylas, which only served to make her even more confused by events. Shaking her head a little at the sudden burst of activity, she picked up her glass again and slowly poured herself another whiskey. 

She was feeling a smidge better after the fireworks, especially now that the flaming drinks had also been moved further away from her, only to be replaced with glasses of something yellow and bubbly. And with Nelly having rejoined her, she was ready to see in the new year and wind down. Which was exactly when a blur shot past, causing her to almost lose spill her drink.
[hr][center][color=808080][b]Interactions[/b] [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] Nelly, Lochlan, Eveyln, Sylas, Veronica[color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [b]Mentions[/b] [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] Baxter [color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [b]Collabs[/b] [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] None [/color][/center][hr] 
[center][img]https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/yq9c365gew4.jpg[/img][/center][hr][center][color=B300B3][b]#B300B3[/b][/color] [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [url=https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/ye3c2bjova4.jpg][color=9b9b9b][b]party outfit[/b][/color][/url] [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] [color=9b9b9b][b]location[/b][/color][/center][hr] 
Veronica had greatly enjoyed her evening with Sofia, and they’d certainly had a relaxing time even if they’d perhaps not accomplished as much as they’d hoped as midnight drew closer. She sipped a little of her drink, savouring the sweet taste of coconut as she listened to Heath and Sofia talking about cookies and nodding along with the mentions of training that awaited them in the morning. 

She was honestly dreading it herself as she didn’t think she was ready for whatever it was they were going to be dealing with, her mind flashing back to how abysmal she’d done during the duels and winced as she brushed over her ribs which still ached from the night of Pandora’s Box. 

[color=B300B3]”The training shouldn’t be too bad... I hope. The duels were ok-ish?”[/color] 

She knew she wasn’t being very helpful, but she kept getting distracted and glancing back towards the bar. She was going back and forth in her mind over something that she knew was a terrible idea, and she shouldn’t do it, wouldn’t do it. She and Sofia had promised that they’d have fun but that they’d be careful, and this would definitely [i]not[/i] be that. Not by any stretch of the imagination. 

Even so, as she drifted in and out of the conversations happening around her, she only half heard what Sofia and Heath were saying. She felt so guilty that she wasn’t keeping up with her friends properly, but she was plotting, and she knew she shouldn’t. As the fireworks began, she knew that time was running out for her to make a decision one way or another, and what better time was there for bad decisions than at the stroke of midnight?  

[color=B300B3]”Oh, fuck it!”[/color] She downed her still mostly full drink of double malibu and coke in one hurried gulp, glanced sheepishly at a Sofia [color=B300B3]”Happy new year, and sorry!”[/color] She darted round her friends and dashed over to the bar, narrowing avoiding knocking the glass out of Fiona’s hand as the girl was pouring herself a fresh drink. 

Veronica now stood far too close to Lochlan and pressed her hands against his chest to force him back against the bar. There was a flicker of doubt in her eyes before she tilted her head and smiled mischievously, then she ran one hand up his side before slipping it around his neck and pulling his lips towards hers as midnight struck. 

She pulled back a fraction, her lips parting as her tongue flicked out to lick across his lips as she whispered [color=B300B3]”Happy New Year.”[/color]. Sadly, in the bright light of the new year, her confidence faltered as her thoughts screamed with self-doubt, and she took off into the night, trying to get back to her cabin, her face burning bright red with embarrassment.
[hr][center][color=808080][b]Interactions[/b] [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] Sofia, Heath, Lochlan[color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [b]Mentions[/b] [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] Fiona [color=2e2c2c]...............[/color] [b]Collabs[/b] [color=2e2c2c].....[/color]|[color=2e2c2c].....[/color] None [/color][/center][hr] 
[color=024B30]"Ye might wanna chase after her, Loch.”[/color] Fiona chuckled as she nodded in the direction that the fleeing child of Aphrodite had ran off in before she softly began to [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGqKsdhScX8]sing[/url], half to tease her brother but also because the new year always invoked an urge for song. [color=024B30]”Black is the colour of my true love's hair, Her lips are like some roses fair, She's the sweetest smile, And the gentlest hands, I love the ground, Whereon she stands.”[/color]  

After she finished the short verse, she drained her drink and left the glass on the bar, then wished both Nelly and Lochlan a good new year and made her own way back to her cabin. Once she was at the edge of the field, she started on a different [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=411hNIdHWx0]song[/url] that filled the night's air. Her voice was a little out of practice, but still strong and filled with emotion all the same. 

[centre][color=024B30]”My song for you this evening, 
It's not to make you sad 
Nor for adding to the sorrows 
Of this troubled northern land 
But lately I've been thinking 
And it just won't leave my mind 
I'll tell you of two friends one time 
Who were both good friends of mine”[/color][/centre]