Wallflower
Moving lightly and quietly through the crowd, Alec headed to the far side of the buffet table. From here he'd be able to watch the entrances in all of their authentic glory without being too obvious about his people watching...though that was the point of masquerades, was it not? Also, it would allow him to investigate some of the hors d'oeuvres...of stunning variety and composition. "Hm...I'm not sure what that one even is...and here I thought I was well tutored in polite culinary foods."
Skirting to the bar, he slipped himself a glass of plain mineral water, wishing to avoid the potential awkwardness that sometimes ensued when you only want the barest portion of what is offered. The waitstaff here seemed well trained, but there would always still be that initial look of wondering what the hell was wrong with the person...heh. If they only knew.
Having resumed his wallflower position, Alec sipped at his water, watching the flow of humanity and inhumanity through the doors, taking in the costumes.
She smiled a bit in his direction, not sure if he'd seen her or not. She sipped slowly at a glass of sprite, her eyes roaming around the room looking for Mai. She wasn't very outgoing, and she certainly wouldn't be here at a costume ball of all things if she hadn't received the note.
Aishe didn't immediately see the girl, however, and she felt more than a little out of place in this big room wearing this costume. She didn't think it'd hurt to meet a few more people in this city, anyhow.
Alec realized that he'd been staring at her the entire time. "Been here less than 10 minutes and you've already committed your first social faux pas. Good job." Blushing a bit, Alec returned his attention to his water, facing the crowd and not realizing he'd yet to blink.
Was she dinner? Or worse, an hors' d'ouvres? What was unnerving was not knowing who here was human, and who wasn't. But certainly Mai wouldn't have invited her someplace unsafe for a human to be wandering? Then again, Mai knew what she wanted by coming to Nachton. Maybe...
Ah, who was she kidding? She'd been through this before, meeting Peter. How long could she psych herself out? All right, so not every vampire 'just needed a hug,' but whether this guy was one or wasn't, he was a wallflower like her, so maybe he'd want to talk.
Uncharacteristically forward, she crossed the small space between them, careful not to trip on the folds of her hastily-made costume. Once there, she held out her hand with a smile.
"Hi. I'm Aishe. Do two wallflowers make a bouquet, or does it just make us wallpaper, do you suppose?"
"Ah, sorry. I suppose it is only a bouquet if you get three or more all together in one spot. At this point I'm afraid we're only the most basic of arrangements. Alec."
Extending his gloved hand, Alec realized another mishap, and pointedly blinked. "Dammit, there's four."
"So...uhh...much practice dressing in the old Egyptian style?"
Smacking his forehead internally... "Five. You're really in top form tonight. Calm down. The worst that can happen is that you'll be marked for death for some perceived slight because of your social ineptitude...if you don't get it under control. Remember the other night...you can be natural and human-ish if you try." With a concerted effort, Alec pulled in his senses focusing only on the individual in front of him.
"Ah well, I think basic arrangements are supposed to be fashionable now. So we ought to be all the rage in the floral industry."
She noticed him blink, but made a point not to stare back. He seemed a little... nervy. Out of place. She attempted to make him laugh again, her polite nature coming out to try and put him at ease. When he asked about her costume, a queston that struck her as... well, odd, the way he phrased it, she laughed lightly and looked down at herself.
"This old thing?" she quipped. "Actually, no. I'm recently arrived here in Nachton, and I was invited here by a new friend. I don't really have much in the way of clothing with me at the moment, so I had to throw something together. And well, since I'm and archaeologist... and Egypt is my specialty, here you have it."
Aishe gave a little shrug and regarded Alec. "Am I to assume, then, that you're dressed as a very modern vampire?"
So...are you teaching at the University here, then? Or are there some Relics in the area I should know about? Nachton's a long way from Cairo, according to my globe.
"There we go. That one's a little more subtle. Maybe you'll get through tonight after all. Oh, blink."
"I had always thought that BAM was an Emeril trademark, not a costume ingredient."
She shook her head when he asked about her teaching. "I don't think I'd make a very good teacher. I'm more of a field researcher. I'm sort of on sabbatical at the moment, but looking around for something to do if I decide to stay. So far, I'm just here to see the sights. And as for Cairo, well, I was in Giza last year on a dig, but I haven't actually lived in Egypt since I was a little girl. My parents moved to America and of course I cam along. Hmm, about 14 years ago now."
She had the strangest impression from Alec that he was listening to her, but had something else on his mind as well. That stare was... well, disconcerting. She didn't think he meant anything by it, though, and pointing it out would ave been far too rude. She was still aware that she'd had her fair share of rudeness recently.
"What about you? What do you do here? Have you been here all your life?"
Watching her talk about her childhood, her eyes changed a bit...as if they were looking back in time internally...but not too far. "I guess this one is young or living"...watching her small, subtle movements within her larger gestures, he noted the hands of a field researcher - the hands of someone sifting through ages of rock and mud to find a slip of a clue to where they came from. Coming back to the present, processing her words, he replied,
Actually, I am a recent arrival as well...just finished unpacking the essentials a couple of nights back and am starting to get out into the community a bit more. A little skee ball, a little wandering of the strip, checked out a couple of restaurants, nothing much. Getting ready to open the office up here and get back to work.
"Oh, skeeball? I used to love that game," she laughed. "I haven't played it in years though. I imagine I'd be pretty awful."
She couldn't help but recount the events of the past few days for her, and chuckled again.
"Your time here has been far more productive than mine. So far I've been lost in the city, tripped over and knocked into a streetlamp by a well-meaning but distracted young man, and met a variety of interesting and unusual people. Nachton seems to attract them. This whole city has an air of the unusual about it. Not in a bad way, just that things are different here from other cities sometimes. I love it so far."
Aishe thanked a waiter who swooped by to take her now-empty soda glass and cast a searching glance over the growing crowd for Mai.
"This is certainly something else," she mused. "I wonder if this is an annual event? Halloween is sure big around here."
I'm sorry you feel your time has been unproductive. I'd offer to help in some way, but I fear my avenue of specialty would be next to useless to you...so I'll merely offer my condolences for lost time.
Smiling again, But if you can laugh about it, you're well on your way to curing all of your ills.
Most cities seem to have their own feel, their own spirit. It just takes a discerning eye to spy the differences. Difference, in a lot of way, is architecture...even without the people, the buildings still communicate. That's what architecture really is - communication. Of course, that unconscious conversation takes place with the inhabitants of the area, making them into what the original designers had hoped. Interesting, that. That sense of place exists...even without the people...but it defines the people and molds them.
But I ramble. I'm sorry.
She held up her hand when he'd finished speaking, in a gesture meant to deny her earlier tone of voice.
"I didn't mean to complain," she said hastily. "I can't complain, really. Even though it seems like I've had a rocky time of it since arriving here, I've actually met so many interesting people that way. And you're absolutely right. About this city, it's got its own way of defining its denizens. I've felt it too, since coming here. The city is so alive, it makes me act moreso as well. I'm changing, and maybe it's because I'm here."
Aishe didn't really think simply being here in Nachton was the cause of her acting so oddly lately, but she wasn't about to count anything out and she certainly couldn't deny that the city did have a different sort of 'feel' to it than any others she'd been in.
She focused her green eyes sharply on the man with the unusual stare. "Such deep words," she mused. "You'd make a far better teacher than I."
Ah...sadly, no. There are a very few things at which I would be a proficient teacher. Combine that with a fear of being in front of a crowd and I'd not be long for the blackboard. Assistant, perhaps, but never the show-starter.
Even with the things that I could teach...I can have difficulty explaining concepts in ways other than my own understanding of them. The best teachers I've met have been able to approach it from many, many perspectives to reach the greatest number of students possible. I fear that I'd frustrate my students more than enlighten them.
Chuckling at the image of 'Professor Devereaux' in his head, he continued, Besides...I think I would look quite silly in tweed or sweater vests, and that seems to be a requirement, in my experience.
Besides...I think I would look quite silly in tweed or sweater vests, and that seems to be a requirement, in my experience.
'I always seem to catch the oddest part of conversations...'
She smiled brightly and held out her free hand, the lace falling away to her elbow.
"Good eve to you both. I'm Ginnie. Mind if I join you?"
'There see you still remember your manners. Though the contractions are a bit too modern for your dress.' Ginnie chuckled at herself inside her head as her eye twinkled with the mischief in her head.
Greetings...I am Alec, this is Aishe. Pleased to formally meet you.
"Sweater-vests are only worn coupled with argyle knee-high socks, I hear," she bantered back.
Just then they were interrupted by another 'vampire,' this one dressed in a splendid gown that looked spectacular, if not difficult to get around in. She introduced herself as Ginnie, and Alec bent over her hand. Getting into the spirit of the evening herself, Aishe offered her a curtsey as Alec introduced her.
"Well, we're officially a bouquet," Aishe said with a wink at Alec.
She scanned the ever-growing crowd once more for Mai, but now there were far too many people in the way. She suffered a slight bit of insecurity over whether it would be best to move around or stay in one place, ut patience and common sense won out. She remained where she was, casting frequent glances out over the sea of colors and shapes.
Looking back up, Alec examines the floral patterns on the dress...the intricacy and skill of the hand stitching is very impressive. Boggled at the amount of time that folks from previous centuries took with their clothing, he returns to the moment.
Are all of those flowers hand done? It always amazes me how much things have changed over time. Most people these days wouldn't take the effort to learn to stitch that well, let alone practice it regularly. Or wear clothing that complicated. If it isn't too bold...how long did it take to get into that lovely garb?
Looking past the new arrival's lovely dress, Alec notices a titan from the days of old stride into the hall. Armor clad from head to toe, the man is a wall of metal and flesh. Incongruously, he holds a glass of red wine in his hand...like a cherry blossom in the mouth of a shark. Aside, to Aishe,
Now there's a man who was raised on BEEF. Look how big he is next to that Asian woman. Unreal.
She moved silently towards her target and came to stand next to her. It would seem Aishe managed to find company already. Mai waited quietly, feeling that at this moment it would be impolite to drag the girl away from her new friends but she was not above the action if it proved necessary.
((OOC: Yep, she's horribly polite isn't she? ))
Aishe turned to Mai, happy to see her but feeling a bit nervous. She steepled her hands together and bowed.
"Konbanwa, Mai-chan."
She couldn't recall if that was the proper term; she only spoke a smattering of Japanese, but she wanted to be as proper as possible, it somehow seemed right around Mai. Especially tonight.
"I'm happy to see you!"
She giggled, deciding to go along with that and replied with a bow.
"Konbanwa, 'Neechan."
Mai lightly placed a hand on Aishe's arm, looking towards her with a smile.
" Hai, it is good, so far, yes? You look very lovely tonight."
It was too bad that her friend wasn't likely to see her but then maybe he was here. She got the impression that he had hid from Aishe though and that was why the woman had come but she could be wrong.
"My friends are here would you like to meet them?"
"I do not believe that forward in this day and age, Alec. It took me and two other women just under an hour to get just the dress on. I don't even want to think about the time I wasted on hair and make up."
Ginnie turned when the small kimono clad woman approached. 'Well, shit. That's all I need. No wait, this is neutral ground tonight. Nothing will happen to you for speaking politely to the leader of Anantya...nothing.' She didn't do a very good job of convincing herself, but she managed to keep her thoughts out of her eyes.
'Pesky eyes reveal everything.' She did however think it best to not be forward in this situation and allow Aishe to make introductions...not that Ginnie needed one. She wondered briefly if Mai would even remember her.