gooseberryhigh | MASQUERADE

MASQUERADE

Classes are not cancelled this afternoon, which leaves Event Committee scrambling after 3 PM to get everything in order in the Atrium. Students having dinner are given only 30 minutes before they’re ushered out past the privacy curtains again, since EC claims they need the cafeteria for a “special surprise.” At 7 PM sharp, the Atrium opens, and the Anonymity Charm activates.

Mardi Gras is the theme of the night, and the Atrium has been decorated all over in purple, green and yellow. Floor-to-ceiling backdrops are arranged along the walls, depicting a festive city street, and painted figures of masked performers tumble, juggle, swallow swords and perform magic tricks for the students. The ceiling is decorated with glimmering, stylized stars and a smiling silver moon, and multicoloured confetti falls continuously, vanishing just above everyone’s heads. Purple, green and yellow balloons are strewn across the dance floor, but will magically skitter out of the way so no one accidentally steps on one.

The refreshments table is the real star of the night, with a chocolate fountain surrounded by plates of various fresh fruits, marshmallows, caramels, cream puffs and cakes. A long table features treats styled after the theme, with mask-shaped cookies, cupcakes with edible beads, macarons in purple, green and yellow; glittery cake pops, and sprinkles on literally everything. (A few special treats have been set aside for vegan students, and Prospero will point to them.) At the far end of the table is an open bar adorned with feathers and colourful silk, where students can order mocktails from a menu. Isabelle Sargent, Ursula de Luca and Todd Skynner all volunteer to take shifts behind the bar for an hour (or two), and make conversation with their anonymous classmates while serving up drinks. A masked house-elf will always be present behind the bar, if no one wants to play bartender.

Step through the doors into the cafeteria and you’ll discover a stage has been set up with anonymous karaoke. Have you been too afraid to sing in front of your classmates? Now, if you perform badly, no one will know who you are, so get up there! This room is also popular for the MVSC photobooth in the corner, which automatically spits out a strip of four animated photographs for the low, low price of a half-dragot.

If you want a quiet moment, then the balcony is the place to go. The decorations out here are just as bright and glittery, but the little benches have comfortable purple, green and yellow cushions, and there’s bluebell flame lamps providing warmth and light on this chilly but romantic February night.

Staff is present and also wearing masks, but they aren’t using the Anonymity Charm, to make it easier for students to get help if there’s any trouble. Anyone who’s using anonymity to harass others will be given only one warning before they’re ejected from the dance. Observant partygoers will spot Dr. O’Hare on the arm of Mrs. O’Hare (appropriately, they’re wearing matching rabbit masks), but his partner, Agent Larke, is nowhere to be seen…

Just before midnight, Mr. Oakes presents an awe-inspiring fireworks show right above the lake. You can walk outside for the full view, but the backdrops will be taken down so you also watch from the tall windows of the Atrium. The last fireworks light up the sky at the stroke of midnight, when the Anonymity Charm ends.

HOW THIS WORKS

Decorating the Atrium begins around 3:15 PM, and the cafeteria is cleared at 6:30 PM.

Cocktail dress code. That’s party dresses and suits, but you won’t be dinged for getting too fancy or dressing slightly more casually. No jeans or t-shirts, though!

The dance starts at 7:00 PM, and runs until around 12:00 AM. These are also the hours of the Anonymity Charm: the charm activates just as the clock strikes 7:00 PM, and only within the confines of the lodge and the immediate surrounding area, and permanently deactivates at midnight. If students don’t have a charmed mask of their own, a simple domino will be issued to them at the door.

Anyone wearing a charmed mask becomes unrecognizable to those looking at them. You might have known a person by their voice, height, hair, skin, or lips, but now suddenly… you aren’t certain. This could be anyone.

This effectively means that you can’t guess the identity of an individual by their physical traits. However, you might recognize them either from their speech patterns, or something they tell you.

It’s easier to recognize people by their masks, but if you want your character to struggle with this as well, you may. (The same applies to clothing.) This means you might be at risk of losing track of your date if you come as a couple. This is up to individual players.

Mr. Calderon-Boot has the power to take the charm away, though, so if you act in a truly horrendous manner or break a rule, you could still get caught. Not to mention that a lot of people will remember if the guy in the blue domino mask was being a total dick all night, and someone might later see it amongst your possessions.

If you leave the dance, the charm deactivates until you return. If you remove your mask, the charm deactivates, but will reactivate once you put your mask back on.

» Setting Up: In the afternoon, Event Committee works on getting the Atrium looking its best. Event Committee has thrown up magically impenetrable curtains around the Atrium, so even students exiting dinner at 6:30 PM won't be able to see what they're working on.

» Before the Dance: Dress to impress! Do you let your friends see your mask, or are you hiding it until you get to the dance? The trails have been swept by Mr. Covington, to make it easy as possible for students get to the lodge. (He recommends wearing your boots, and changing footwear once you reach the lodge.) Doors open at 7 PM.

» Beginning of the Dance: Students are allowed into the Atrium and get to admire the decorations and everyone's masks. The music aims to get everyone dancing with a playlist that’s heavy on the jazz, ragtime and brass band. (~7:00 PM)

» Refreshments Table & Open Bar: Food and drinks are available all night, and there’s little tables, decked in colourful tablecloths, if you want somewhere to sit. Head to the bar if you want someone to mix a drink for you—all non-alcoholic, of course. (~8:00-11:00 PM)

» Anonymous Karaoke: Through the doors to the cafeteria is a stage with a karaoke setup. Can you guess which one of your classmates is performing? (~8:00-11:00 PM)

» Photobooth: In the corner of the cafeteria, you can take instant mementos of your night. Just insert a half-dragot coin, and strike a pose! Note that the Anonymity Charm does not work in photographs, so your pictures might give away your identity... (~8:00-11:00 PM)

» Balcony: The balcony overlooks the lake, and some students mingle out here to chat or appreciate the scenery. (~8:00-11:00 PM)

» End of the Night: The music winds down with some slower, romantic songs. Just before midnight, there’s a fireworks show. The charm immediately ends at the stroke of midnight, Cinderella. So either leave the dance by then, or stand around with everyone else to unmask and see who you’ve been talking to! (~11:00 PM-12:00 AM)

» OOC - Questions, comments, concerns!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Xavier manages to psych himself out in the short walk from the Ribbonfin cabins to the lodge. Maybe he shouldn't have worn the crown. Originally, he had hoped it would be a great big "this is that goofball that will embarrass you, do not ask him to dance" warning sign, but now he's realizing that being more identifiable is kind of an instant disadvantage.

He considers taking it off. Running it back to camp. But, it really ties the outfit together. And, god damn does he look good. And, oh, are those cupcakes??

Vanity and dessert win out.

Reid isn't paying specific attention to anyone. What's the point? He doesn't know most of his classmates on a good day. Now there's no pressure to recognize any of them at all. They all look beautiful and indistinguishable. He likes it.

Except...

There's a boy wearing a very memorable flower crown across the room. Xavier. Maybe. Unless he gave someone else his crown. But he wouldn't do that, right? No one would do that. Probably. Ugh. Why does he care? Why is he walking over to him?

Once he's within earshot, Reid clears his throat uncomfortably.

Xavier jumps, but tries to hide it behind a stretch. Not terribly convincing. Look, he was trying to decide how much Ravi would disapprove if he caught Xavier dunking cupcakes in the chocolate fountain. Important stuff. Real issues.

He turns and greets the stranger with an unsure smile. This mask thing is way trippy. His eyes refuse to focus on any specific details about the person before him. Guy. Tallish? Dark hair, maybe? White suit. Dark mask. Kind of like...?

The corner of Zav's mouth tugs up into a lopsided grin that favors the right side. "Hey, man. Nice look. Swan, right?"

Reid nods stiffly, but he's not scowling in frustration anymore. It feels good to drop a hint and have someone pick it up. And it just so happened to be this guy. Xavier. Hopefully.

"Yeah." Say anything. Just keep talking, he reminds himself. No one can judge him for being shitty at it tonight. "Thanks. You're, uh." Reid stops, and his eyes drift up to the crown. He points at it. "That yours?"

Heat creeps up into Xavier's cheeks as he touches the crown with his fingertips. Figured out already? Damn. Instant disadvantage, just like he thought. Next time he'll go for, like, celestial baron or something. And skip out on the identifying accessories. Maybe silver shoe laces. As he considers these plans, Xavier's eyes continue to search the figure in front of him for any hint of this person's identity or intention.

And then it occurs to him that there's not going to be a next time. Because in four months, he'll either be graduating or strung up and gutted by his parents. Fuck it, he thinks. He's a swan. Can't be that bad.

"Yeah, it's mine." Xavier says after what might've been a bit too long. "I, uh, why d'you ask?"

Reid inhales sharply. This is fine. This is cool. This is not a big deal.

This is easier when he's a bird.

"I know you, but you don't know me." That sounds a lot more enigmatic than Reid strictly means it to. It's just the truth. "You're... Xavier?" He sounds deeply uncertain. What if his friends were wrong? He can't quite tell how long or how short this guy's hair is. He can't pin his finger on that jawline.

Xavier tosses a quick glance over his shoulder. Is this some kind of joke? A LARP prank, right? No one is watching. It's a sea of masks minding their own business. A snort of a laugh escapes him, but is silenced when his new friend does not join in.

He smiles with the intensity of someone attempting telekinesis for the first time. Not a good look. Zav's hand finds the back of his head instinctively, like always, fingers fussing with his hair. "Xavier Lewis. That's me."

His lips part as though he wants to say more but it takes him a while to find the words. There's something very bizarrely familiar about the swan stranger. It's in the way he moves. Or is that just the mask charm playing tricks? "Are you...sure I don't know you?"

Xavier looks as uncomfortable as Reid feels. Maybe this was a mistake. There's a reason why he thinks Reid's great as a swan, and talking to him as a human looks physically painful. Opening by saying he knows who Xavier is was probably not a very smooth move. Not that he's making any moves. Fuck. He's probably being creepy.

When Xavier finally says something, it's a relief.

"Yeah," Reid answers quickly. "We've never talked before."

The absurdity of the statement - the whole situation - bubbles over into another laugh from Xavier. Unselfconscious this time. Zav's tightly pulled smile eases into a more comfortable grin. He shakes his head. What in the hell. "Huh. Well, we're talking now, Swan B--guy."

Okay, weird. He shoves his hands into his pockets and shifts his weight to one side. It makes him seem a little more relaxed, though not by much. "So, you're not clownin' on me?" It's a rhetorical question. "What made you, uh, decide on the swan get up?"

Reid's heart does something weird, it twists in his chest, jumps into his throat. There's no way Xavier could recognize him, and yet...

Even Reid didn't miss that slip. Either way, Xavier's laughing now, which is encouraging. Reading people is even harder with this disorienting charm making everything foggy, and Reid's bad at figuring people out on a good day. But Zav must be getting over Reid's earlier fuckups, and Reid's no longer debating running away. He mirrors Zav, putting his hands in his pockets.

"I just like 'em," he says plainly. And then, suddenly bold, he asks: "Don't you?"

“Yeah.” Zav’s still not entirely convinced that this isn’t a set up. It’s just too convenient; the guy who picks him out of a magically anonymized crowd, who knows him by the flower crown, would just happen to be dressed as a swan? Right.

But who on earth would know that Xavier’s been paling around with waterfowl since the teatime contest? Frankly, who the hell even cares? Being “that kid who thinks birds are neat” is no worse than being “that kid who fractured his pelvis last year snowboarding off the Ribbonfin cabin roof” (he really should’ve just sledded) or “that kid who regularly eats his own weight in processed sugar.”

So, whatever. He goes on, “I didn’t think about them much until recently? I – y’know there’s one on the grounds. Seems a little early in the year for it to be back. It’s real—it’s cool. It’s friendly.” Oh my god this guy does not fucking care about your bird friend, Xavier. You weirdo.

There goes the hand in the hair again.

“D’you want to--” What? Dance? Eat? Hah. Back it up. “Have you seen it around? The swan.”

Oh my god with the swan again.

MASQUERADE

Xavier

Reid & Xavier

Reid & Xavier

Reid & Xavier

Reid & Xavier

Reid & Xavier

Reid & Xavier

Reid & Xavier, kings of awkward

Reid & Xavier

Reid & Xavier

Reid & Xavier