SPRING GALA!

[tracedarte]

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Plot Description: Spring Gala at the Fabre's!

Every year, Judge Fabre throws a birthday party for Asch and Luke's mother Suzanne. Because she's a bit sickly, the party is thrown outside when the air is the freshest in the spring. Any and all nobles and those of high standing in the community are invited, but there are... ways for the common rabble to get in and have a good time as well. Namely, the part of the manor ground's fencing that was torn down during the earthquakes. That, or maybe the guards are having a good time too and wandered away for some ...action. Either way, everyone's eligible! There will be food and drinks (children, mind the wine,) cake, dancing and more! Don't forget the fireworks at midnight, it might be something romantic for you and your sweetie. Wear something nice and mingle!

Warnings/Notes: Nothing but fancy outfits and maybe a little alcohol around here.


Welcome to the Fabre's, please enjoy your stay.

Comments

[hawkethat]

So this is what rich people do for fun?

[He's not sure whether he should be amused or bemused, so currently he's feeling and projecting a bit of both. Michiru is clearly a pro at this whole 'waltz' thing, which is definitely a good thing since she's being kind enough to teach him.]

[incousinswithyou]

[well, it's certainly nice to see you cleaned up a bit. At least your natural good looks draw attention away from your plain clothes. And how could she say no to taking a puppy under her wing? Even if said puppy is at least half a foot taller than she is.]

It's frowned upon to flaunt our wealth at the commoners all the time. [stepping a tad closer, she takes his hand and settles it at her waist. Her hand then settles on his shoulder and she clasps his other hand with her free one.] So we have to do it to each other instead.

[that's a waltz starting up. Let's see how well you follow.]

[hawkethat]

[He does clean up well, that's for sure. No one who hadn't seen him the previous week would ever be able to guess that he'd allowed a metric ton of leaves and flowers to be glued to his head with sticky bug spit last week.]

Are you sure it's not because we commoners wouldn't just roll our eyes at your extravagant displays of jellied fish eggs and elaborate ice sculptures?

[He allows himself to be directed without protest, and carefully follows her lead once the music starts. Like a puppy, he does genuinely aim to please (those he considers worth pleasing, anyway), and is a fairly quick learner. Chances are good he probably won't step on Michiru's feet as the lesson progresses.]

[incousinswithyou]

[the moves she's putting them through aren't quite up to the speed of this particular dance, but she's going to ignore the insistent beat until she's walked them through all the moves at least thrice. Good thing it's mostly just a series of repetitive movements, at its core.]

We tell ourselves that it's because you commoners can't appreciate the delicacy of caviar and ice sculptures, though not necessarily at the same time.

[hawkethat]

I suppose at the very least you could use the ice to keep the eggs from spoiling. That's appreciative, right?

[He's actually only half-attending the conversation, as it occurs to him that if he's careless he could easily step on Michiru. Since that's something he doesn't want to do, he's focusing most of his concentration on memorizing the movement of their feet.]

[incousinswithyou]

[she could probably dodge if need be, but she has mostly been lulled into a false sense of security - her usual dance partner would never step on her feet. Also, this conversation is way more amusing than anything regarding so-and-so's unfortunate fashion choices.]

Just for future reference, that's much too practical. It's positively scandalous.

[aaand that's three times. She quietly steps up the pace a notch.]

[hawkethat]

But I thought the rich and bourgeois thrived on scandal.

[Oh, Michiru's stepping up the pace. But that actually makes it easier, since they're moving with the music now instead of behind it.]

Or have I been misinformed?

[incousinswithyou]

[good, good. Looks like lagging behind for a bit paid off.]

On the scandals of other people. [have a small wink] You can't enjoy a good scandal if you can't speculate on all the titillating details.

[hawkethat]

Is that how it works? [He pauses in a thoughtful sort of way as he mulls this over.] There sure seem to be a lot of rules for this sort of thing.

[incousinswithyou]

Surely you didn't expect to just waltz in here and head straight for the buffet table. [she's onto you]

[hawkethat]

Yes? Isn't that what it's there for?

[Ladies and gentlemen, here is Garrett Hawke, displaying absolutely NO SHAME at being caught]

[incousinswithyou]

You should've had to make your way through a barrage of polite conversation first.

[and for that, she'll be introducing another step. An easy, under the arm twirl.] But perhaps we nobles have been slacking.

[hawkethat]

[Wait, what's - oh, okay, she's twirling, got it.]

Perhaps. I haven't had a single polite conversation since I got here. Should I start making astute observations about the weather or the quality of the music?

[incousinswithyou]

You're going to have to tell me how you managed that.

[well. Probably because your clothes were so plain.]

The weather is always a safe choice. A discussion on the quality of the music is less so. [a quiet laugh] Try to find out if they're a musician first, before offering your opinions.

[hawkethat]

It's probably because my clothes are so plain.

[Right on the mark, Michiru.]

That sounds like good advice. I'll keep that in mind.

What about the quality of the food? Rich people generally keep cooks and don't spend much time in the kitchen themselves, right?

[incousinswithyou]

Don't be too effusive about it. Then they'll think you're being sarcastic. [smile] But don't criticize it either or you'll be insulting our hosts.

[that smile inches up a notch] And don't just say it's "good" because then they'll think you're lying to save them face.

[hawkethat]

[Wat]

...You know, I honestly don't mind admitting I can't quite tell whether or not you're having me on.

[incousinswithyou]

[just look at how innocent her face is, Garrett.]

Would I steer you wrong? [she is still leading this dance, after all]

[hawkethat]

I don't know. Would you?

[He's teasing and clearly not upset, though.]

Though you were defending the fish eggs earlier. Perhaps this entire conversation has been one big charade.

[incousinswithyou]

[le gasp! She puts on a shocked expression. And still keeps them dancing, perfectly on beat.]

You wound me deeply. Seafood is the very pinnacle of taste, I'll have you know.

[that smile again] The odder the better, generally.

[hawkethat]

[Ugh, Michiru, you're making him miss his snarky sister...!]

I won't argue that fish is quite nice. But I'm still convinced that fish eggs as a delicacy are a joke one rich person started that the others haven't got yet.

[incousinswithyou]

[she'll only really joke around like this with people she likes, so...]

Is that also where we got sushi from?

[or whatever the Industrial Era version of sashimi is.] Or did somebody just decide that they didn't want to cook one day?

[hawkethat]

The rice it's served with is cooked though, isn't it? Maybe somebody ran out of time and pretended it was a delicacy to save face, and nobody's got the joke yet.

[What does he look like, some kind of weird foreign food expert?]

[incousinswithyou]

[hey, you're the one saying that you can see through the artifice of nobles.

She tsks at the thought of such shoddy work.] Well, we better not tell anybody else. They'd be terribly embarrassed.

[hawkethat]

[No, he's the one trying to figure out why nobles go to such elaborate lengths to eat weird things.]

Are you sure? Watching the fallout would be entertaining.