Masquerade Ball - Totally not an ambush

[hiken]

Who: Anyone going to the Corsair Island Masquerade Ball!
Where: ...IDK?
When: April 26th - 27th (Early AM)
What: The Masquerade Ball + Ambush (12am)
Warnings: D for dancing, V for violence, A for Ace, L for Luffy
Style: Action or prose.
Status: Open to anyone attending!

There are going to be two main threads. One for the ball itself and the other for the Ambush! There will be an obligatory third thread for FASHION. Just remember to tag your muse in the subject header and OTA or 'Closed to ???' as you comment.

Comments

[maskedtyrant]

[It's difficult to tell when she's talking to a real member of the Navy, but this girl seems pretty young to be a soldier, even by the rather backwards standards of this ocean world. She could be one of the officers' kids? A local? In any case, Codi feels pretty confident that she can act casually here.]

Isn't it? The food's great! They really went all-out for this, didn't they? [A beat; time to see if she can figure out who this is.] So--travel far to get here?

[maskedtyrant]

[Codi is a terrible person, so she decides that now would be a wonderful time to test how well Fuu is working this whole "secret investigation" thing. Letting on to a stranger that she has ulterior motives? Minus some points, there--but maybe she can pull a save.]

Oh? What for?

[heartismyown]

[Roxas shakes his head.]

No, Marco told me I should stay here and watch the ship. It isn't the kind of infiltration I'm used to, and Lea pointed out I'm not really suited for it.

[om_nom_namur]

Wanna borrow it?

[booyaka_boom]

Selphie just laughed, shaking her head, "I still can't believe that Ace can dance! He's pretty good at the whole gentleman type thing." Oh no, Marco, don't spin her - the result is just an extremely happy and flushed-looking Selphie. She smiled brightly at his request, doing her best not to let her eyes flicker around them room in any kind of distraction, "Of course. When would you like?"

[formerabyssinian]

[Aya smiles and takes a sip of the champagne. He doesn't want to be too inebriated this night, so he'll probably leave more than half behind.]

Just let me know when you're ready.

[formerabyssinian]

[Seeing Kairi there is a bit surprising, since he was sure she may not have wanted to be here. Aya tips his cap to her lightly with a smile.]

I am, thank you. And yourself?

[booyaka_boom]

Selphie smiled when she saw Riku in the crowd, and she lifted a hand to wave at him. She was glad that he was coming over her way, also suddenly remembering their recent conversation about dancing. Selphie hadn't expected the whistle though, and she couldn't help but blush at that, "Aww... Look at us both!"

[booyaka_boom]

*Selphie, though, in all her excitement, manages to somehow quickly finish off her glass, and she leaves it on the tray of a passing waiter*

Okay, sailor! I'm ready!

*Not enough champagne to make her drunk, but she'll be perhaps a little more exicted*

[om_nom_namur]

[This is seriously the kind of thing Namur is doing all over the deck, but mostly right in front of the boombox where the music is loudest. Think Codi can keep up?]

[alwaysgrumpy]

"It's not bad, I guess. At least better than I thought it'd be," he shrugged, edging closer. They were finally within earshot of them. "Okay, this should be good. Slap me across the face as hard as you can and storm off like you're offended."

[myfayevalentine]

Faye grinned at his suggestion - she'd had no idea he could be such a drama queen. "Okay. But remember, you asked for this." And she gave a slap hard enough and loud enough that made other couples turn, though only to see Faye storming away.

[thatched]

[he does. Mostly because it's difficult to grumpily spy on her if she decides to come right beside him. But it was probably for the best. Especially if she was going to end up a fixture in whatever capacity in their lives.]

Suit yourself. [he says easily enough] Enjoying yourself in the melee?

[theartofboom]

[Chandra looks over and fiddles with her mask a little self-consciously when she's approached.]

I didn't, no. I bought it at the faire. I'm not so handy.

[alwaysgrumpy]

Akira makes a good show of it, and he definitely feels it due to his diminished state, but the little grin he gives her is almost daring her to slap him harder. He mock-holds his face in pain and lumbers off by her.

"Good luck," he says under his breath, "Be ready to run when things kick off."

[orderispeace]

It was the same for Haytham at least. He was planning on doing much the same thing Lenalee was, speak to the others and then find a quiet way to exit. The less drama the better.

"And what 'other things' might you be hoping to find?"

[hiken]

"They're under-prepared," Ace sighed towards Logan, shrugging. It was plain as day. There was no way they could rig up the proper weapons and counter-attacks they needed to take out the pirate force that had been gathered. Maybe they only expected them all to attack early in the party when the ships had been laid in a set path, but by then the ships were intermingling and a fire-fight would be a major loss on the Navy's part.

"The worst they can do is draw reinforcements in," To which his real disappointment showed. "Unless they have something brand new to show us, this is their loss already."

[hiken]

A strong dancer is just someone who's had their toes stepped on just enough.

[He bowed his head and grinned, waving his hand lightly.]

Look for me if you change your mind, alright?

[thatched]

[at some point he is going to get annoyed with Marco for messing with his hair. They are at a party no less and it's already going to take him a bit to fix it. But for the moment he's mostly trying to stomach what it is he's said. He didn't want to have to get used to it. He didn't want to have to go through it. It wasn't a storm he'd ever intended to weather but... he would have to. For Marco's sake. For Ace's. Maybe even for Namur's for as long as he was here.

But... He would just have to accept it. Or at least, accept that he would have to accept it. Eventually. He sucked in a deep breath and let it out, smiling a little]

Aye... I'll keep it in mind. [he pulled back a little and combed his hair back into place, not really having to see it it to get it in order. Plenty of battlefield practice with that one.]

In the meantime I'll try to enjoy myself. You, too, pretty bird. Sweep that chickadee of yours off her feet.

[hiken]

That's good. [Raising his hand up, Ace assumed the right posture as he walked. One hand was set behind his back, since his main arm was supposed to be cast as the guide for Kodachi. It was all a weird little ritual that he didn't understand, but had a distinct knack for.]

Given what we've talked about, it sounds like that guy might be a bit dangerous. Is he a criminal, too?

[fierybluebird]

[Beams up at him.]

I'll try. But I won't kill myself over it, eh. What happens happens, aye? [Tugs Thatch's cheeks.] Cheer up big guy. It's a party, yoi.

[hiken]

Rising quickly, Ace set his arm around Selphie in one deliberate gesture and began to lead her out into the center of the dance hall. A few people might have been shoved away, but it had been for a good cause.

"So, you've done this before!"

He said, immediately sinking into a slow step with Selphie.

[hiken]

[His lower lip hung for a moment. Ace did his best to not make a face, but it was impossible to avoid. Really? Make-up? The least manly thing he could put on his face.]

They're just spots. For my sake, you should pretend they don't exist.

[Even if he felt sullen, it wasn't impeding his dancing at all. Each step was natural and simple as he lead and followed Kodachi depending on their pace.]

[hiken]

[Ace was a second away from complaining about the woman until Luffy said something to him that was downright terrifying. Immediately, Ace set both hands on Luffy's shoulders.]

...Oi, Luffy. Never, ever do those things to a woman without asking. And, no, I didn't do that.

[hiken]

[Because this woman was completely off his radar, Ace felt it was a measure of his own personal goals to draw something out.]

That's easy. 'Ace' is just fine.