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

OPEN! towards the middle

[redcinemareel]

[Because Grell needs to make a fashionably late entrance. There is certainly a lot of guests there, which is good, in a way. It means the ball will be lively with so many personalities present. She does meander about, trying to see if she can spot a certain someone around. She knows he's here.]

[fierybluebird]

[Who, him?]

[Marco will be barely stopping for a breather. Only just long enough to check with his informants and slowly corral and isolate certain navy men on his hit list.]

[At the splash of red though, he'll be ducking behind a group of other officers.]

[~Catch him if you can~]

[redcinemareel]

[While she still doesn't spot him, Grell does feel that he's closer, at least. Perhaps towards her right...

There are a few officers she spots, waving her fingers at them in passing. Yes, Marco is definitely in this area.]

[fierybluebird]

[Oh she's good. He can also sense her getting closer on his trail, and he wonders exactly how she's doing it, but that just means he'll have to try to give her the slip by sidestepping out carefully into the garden areas for fresh air. Supposedly.]

[redcinemareel]

[Reaching into her sleeve, she pulls out a mirror, making to check her mask, but she's really watching the crowd behind her. As she feels Marco's presence get further and further away, she looks around for anyone suspicious moving away. Most were, but there is one figure that stood out.

She preens her feathered mask a bit before closing the small compact and walking the other way, towards doors that lead to the rest area. Once behind them, she disappears, only to appear behind Marco. Grinning, she calls out to him softly.]

Found you~.

[fierybluebird]

[He spins around in a dance step, takes her hands, spins her around as well before leading her into a dip.]

So you did.

I must say I'm quite curious how, eh? I thought I was blending in decently well. [For a pineapple-headed pirate anyway.]

[redcinemareel]

[Grell laughs lightly and follows through the movements smiling up at him.]

It's all thanks to your little gift~! It's hanging proudly from my sails! [GRINS like a cat that brought a dead mouse home as a gift!]

[fierybluebird]

[FACE PALMS.]

[Lord he hopes Robin doesn't find out about that.]

[Bad enough that Thatch will pretty much act like a growly territorial cat around the redhead now.]

Oh.

That?

[YEAH HE MIGHT BE BLUSHING A LITTLE.] Should I ask why that helps or is this an occasion I don't want to know?

[redcinemareel]

[Makes a mental note to find Robin.]

You don't want to know.

[She hoists herself up to her feet, tilting her head, which feels odd with all the feathers.]

This means that I win! So, what's my prize, hmm~?

[fierybluebird]

What, indeed.

[Reaches into his coat pockets and casually tosses her a tube of her shade of lipstick.] I thought you might want to autograph some things tonight.

And...

[With a quick sleight of hand he drops a small vial of nail polish into her hand and procures a rose for her hair.]

Tada!

[redcinemareel]

[There might be a squeal of delight as she uncaps the lipstick, twisting up the tube and seeing the lovely shade. The rose and nail polish are also so very wonderful. She tries on the lipstick lifting up her mask to do so and presses her lips together to spread the color. With a quick check with her mirror and a few wipes to her lips for excess color, Grell calls this shade a success.]

We should play games more often!

[fierybluebird]

[Okay that was 100% worth it. He laughs softly.]

Maybe so, but I'm almost ashamed to say that I'm not usually such a gracious loser.

[redcinemareel]

Ah~? [She ticks all these lovely things underneath her dress, where she actually has a small pouch attached to her leg. Having an actual purse would be too cumbersome. Grell walks over to Marco and places a hand onto his shoulder.]

Well, rest assured that you're more gracious than I would be.

[maskedtyrant]

((ooc: Involves mask! If you're not okay with the perception-filter thing, stab poke me.))

[It's about time that Codi left the Navy masquerade for other arrangements, now that she's had a good gander around and made sure her crew was stationed where they all need to be. But as the mysterious masked woman starts wandering towards the door, she notices a particularly impressive outfit that she has to stop and look over, at least once.]

Hey, nice feathers!

[redcinemareel]

(ooc: it's okay if Grell won't remember her face. They'll run into each other again anyway!)


[Grell turns and looks to the other, nodding at the compliment.]

Why, thank you! You can never have too many~! Although, I do like your mask!

[maskedtyrant]

Do you? [Codi can't help but chuckle at the irony of someone paying mind to the mask that, ultimately, makes them not pay any mind later on. She's going to bask in that for as long as possible.] Beauty in efficiency is the way to go sometimes, you know? Or that's what my friend who made it says.

[A beat as she leans in, speaks in a conspiring whisper: ]

Just between you and me, I would have glittered the whole thing if I knew he wouldn't throw a fit when he found out.

[redcinemareel]

If it's your mask, then why worry about if he throws a fit? [It seems silly to her.] You should decorate it as you wish! Especially if he isn't here.

[maskedtyrant]

Because he's a damned nuisance when he's annoyed. [There's no venom in that--just more giggling. Oh, the look on his face...she might actually try that, just to see.] And it's very difficult to get away from him on a day like this. It just so happens...

[Ah--here's a good place to figure out if she's talking to another pirate! The Tyrant's eyes narrow under her mask.]

...we've been apart for quite a while now.

[...Get it? Yes? Maybe?]

[redcinemareel]

...is that so?

[Maybe she gets it.]

So, what will you do about it?

[maskedtyrant]

[...Not enough. She backs off suddenly, once again perfectly casual and conversational.]

--Oh, keep sailing, you know? I'm due for a vacation at this point. Maybe do a bit of shopping in Port Chance...

[redcinemareel]

[Grell doesn't react much. She merely gives a mysterious smile beneath the mask.]

Then you should watch for those gruesome pirates.

[maskedtyrant]

[Unsure whether to take that as a returned hint or a legitimate claim, Codi walks the neutral path instead (if only for the sake of irony).]

Wouldn't it be just horrendous if they showed?

[redcinemareel]

[Grell nods and looks about.] I doubt they would try something as crazy as that, however. It's utter suicide! Not to mention, these lovely gentlement haven't danced with me yet!

[maskedtyrant]

They haven't? With a bird as stunning as yourself? [She giggles and raises her eyebrows.] Honey, I'm sure you can grab whoever you want from that dance floor. If someone went for me in this drab old dress, they'll go for you without a second thought.

[thatched]

[watches her from his shadowed corner but doesn't approach. He'll definitely keep an eye on her, though. They are allies today but he wonders about tomorrow]