it's the most wonderful time of the year

[innocentloveholic]

[ Today's invitations are stupidly glittery. Like, there is an obscene amount of glitter? It is going to get everywhere and also on you and there is almost nothing you can do, so enjoy it. They are also obnoxiously colored, because Aligula has missed having the option of adding colors to all of her creations, and she has decided to rectify this.

Anyway, the message itself is blessedly simple, and written in her usual curly-cute script:

Christmas party in the ballroom at 5pm!!
Don't be late!!!
Lots of treats!!!!
also bring whatever you don't want from whatever you got out of that crappy vending machine because we're doing a
~SUPER SANTA SWAP MEET~
and a super special contest!!!

~ Aligula ♥

...The ballroom is likewise obnoxiously decorated, with cut-out Christmas trees and ornaments and chains of colorful streamers and... and look, we got an art studio. Aligula's determined to make up for lost time here. Her treats are all sorts of sweets, like cookies and cakes and a small parfait bar, but she actually does have some other things available: peanut butter and jelly finger sandwiches, an attempt at curry that's pretty bland, salad. The usual refreshments are there too—water, hot chocolate, milk with various syrups so you can make your own, some tea that's been steeped way too long sorry tea drinkers!!!

The swap meet is more or less relegated to the space by the piano; go dump your unwanted things and trade with other people, or just take it off their hands. Or, if you want to be more Santa-like, go gift someone something you don't want!!! Either to get it off your hands or because you think they'd actually like it, whatever. As for the contest...

There's a table marked "COORDY-J CONTEST" off to the side, with plenty of paper and supplies from the art storage—the rules are there too and also very simple: Draw what you think Jericho looks like, and the winner gets to throw the first doll into the fire. ]

Comments

[bloodisthicker]

[...this is kind of an odd thing to be doing literally the evening after someone got their brains blown out for falling asleep in the library, but okay. He'll roll with it. Although... as he's eating some cookies and wallflowering a bit more than usual, he's staring at his invitation in mild confusion and kind of muttering to himself.]

...I wonder if I should know what any of this means. What's... Christmas and Santa?

[he has no idea. although, contest-wise... he's not participating, but...]

... so, we are going to tape these to the dartboard, right.

contest

[evilfrenzy]

[Rideaux is mostly over here too, also in the "what is Christmas" department. And he seems to be down for Tarrlok's suggestion if his response is any indication.]

Oh, that would be an excellent contest all on its own. See who can hit him in the jugular the most times. I would certainly participate.

[chessturner]

You don't know about them? [Oh boy, this is going to be interesting. Kyrie wonders how strange everything will sound to someone who doesn't have such events]

Let's start with Santa. He's said to be a jolly bearded man who leaves gifts to children all around the world...in one night. He enters through the chimney and puts the gifts underneath a tree families put in the living room.

contest

[innocentloveholic]

[ She didn't see it, Katniss means very little to her, and she's already exhibited that she doesn't really do stuff the same way as anyone else, of course she threw a party today.

But oooh, good idea, she's clapping—she is in a red Santa dress and she's over here to do judging stuff, because she's good at being judgey. That is, she's good at judging drawings. ]

We could do that for all the losing ones! The winner's gotta stay in one piece though.

[ at least until she's done with the doll... dolls... whatever. guess who's never made a doll, it's her, this is going to be a fucking experience, and all in the name of Guy Fawkes i guess. thanks susan ]

contest

[bloodbiter]

[She seems to be considering the rules and thinking of what she might draw when she hears the idea, and despite everything - the prospect does bring a small smile.]

What an excellent suggestion. I would certainly be willing.

[ninehundredlives]

[This seems like a bad day for a party, but it's really not surprising that Aligula decided to go ahead anyway.

Susan doesn't quite make it right away. She wasn't on the scene when Katniss died, thankfully, but it still seems a little distasteful. If people are going to have a get-together, though...well, she'll go. For a while she lingers near her pile of unwanted items at the swap meet, sipping from a mug. Though she doubts there's anything she wants in anyone else's haul, she'll check those out too. Who knows?

Once she's finished her food and drink, Susan will sit at the piano and play...some goddamned Christmas carols. Apparently the way to get non-gloomy music out of her is just to give her a theme.

And of course, though she seems too serious for this, Susan is exactly petty enough to enter the contest. Her drawing, while dressed like a reasonably normal person, is still essentially just this. He's wearing a fedora.]

piano

[firstaid]

Those songs are rather uplifting.

[They sound so cheerful? It's nice to hear at a time like this where everyone is having a difficult time. Then again, with death all around them, they're all having a difficult time.

Still, it helps Estelle's escapism and make her feel, just for right now, that everything will be okay.]

contest

[innocentloveholic]

[ as we soon find out tomorrow would have been a terrible day for a party too

This drawing is actually... pretty much spot on for what they talked about, and Aligula's giggling up a storm looking at it. She's in a Santa dress, by the way. That's what she was working on in the sewing room. A Santa dress. ]

Adroiiit, this is perfect!! [ Aligula still hopes he's hot but you know what this is funny so— ] Why'd you give him such a cool hat though?

[ fedoras are still cool to her i'm sorry ]

piano

[paralogical]

[ After a while of hearing one too many carols, Suoh approaches the piano. ]

You take requests?

[spiritform]

Christmas?

[Milla's here and she looks quite curious about the festivities. She takes a moment to admire the decorations and even more so all the delicious looking food that's been set up.]

I did not realize humans had so many holidays in such a short period of time.

[They just had a party the other week did they not? Well, either way she certainly doesn't seem to be complaining-- smiling to see such a positive event.]

[chessturner]

We don't. I think that's just Aligula-san being herself, since we don't know what time of the year it is.

[Kyrie feels the festivity cheer!]

Knowing her, next week she'll do something to celebrate Valentine's day.

[sleepytimegal]

Aligula's running the gauntlet. A...holiday speed run. She's taking every excuse for a theme party she can.

[ ...Alex is okay with it, honestly. It's...escapism, yes, but- right now, she'll take it. ]

[firstaid]

[Well, Estelle may as well do the swap meet as she brings three shark sleeping bags worth of stuff into the room. She's not carrying around her plush with her today, so she seems to have gone back to normal and is relying on her own strength again.

As for the actual party, she'll be generally around just drinking some hot chocolate as well as eating a parfait. She might be interested in what others have, but mostly she just figures someone else may want her stuff.

And generally, she feels social again, so there's that?]

I haven't any idea what Christmas is, but it seems really festive.

[That it makes one forget that this is a shitty place...]

swap meet

[paralogical]

[ He honestly has nothing to trade because he left the nonessentials at the vending machine (yes he took the essentials, no don't judge him) but... why do so many people have such much.

Instead of offering anything or asking to take something, all Suoh can do is look at the three shark sleeping bags in disbelief. ]

[chessturner]

I could explain Christmas to you, if you want.

[hentopan]

[ So Terumi's likely here for one reason only, and that's because he generally does like to keep his word, and he had chatted with Aligula about this. All this festive cheer is disgusting though, but she had mentioned something about a contest? So he's by the Coordy-J table for a bit, seeing what everyone has drawn up. He's not bothering to draw his own, but he will send an appreciative smirk your way if yours is awful enough.

He's also by the treats, just staring at them all. Eating is a thing he does need to do here, but ehhhhh. ]

treats

[paralogical]

[ Suoh stares at the staring for a bit before walking over. You realize you're supposed to eat food and not observe it, don't you? ]

Don't like sweets?

coordy-j

[innocentloveholic]

[ Oh, he came!!! That's good, this super isn't his scene and she knows it... but it's nice to see him here, hi. ]

Everyone's got such good entries so faaar, I totally don't know how I'm gonna choose! [ She's partial to Susan's because Susan is one of the people she likes and they already dragged Jericho before, but man— ] Who's your favorite? Come on, come onnn, tell me!

[destage]

[...Well, Aligula is someone Sayaka likes, for better or for worse. So at the very least, she's gonna attend with a small batch of stuff carried from her room. She'll be over by the swap meet area with her tradable stuff, probably looking a little out of it. She's got those shades on again, and a bit of an idle smile on her face, but she's...up for company, at least, if trying not to look too sad.

Of course, she'll more than likely be over by the snack table with so many goddamn sweets. Seriously, it's probably a good thing this girl keeps up with her exercise here, she would probably be showing some weight from all the sweets she consumes. The tea is...manageable, at least.

It's a bit of a somber night, but Aligula went all out. The least she can do is respect it.]

Swap Meet

[ninehundredlives]

Sayaka?

[Susan's got...well, a boxful of entirely new stuff. Sayaka might notice her idol outfit sticking out of it, but right now Susan is holding this gauntlet out to her.]

This is one of those alchemy circles, isn't it?

[bloodbiter]

[She has no idea what Christmas is, of course, but she comes to the ballroom regardless. Even if she isn't in a pleasant mood after this morning, she makes it a point to come. Of course, right as she arrives, before participating at all, she'll ask someone close to her:]

My apologies, but what precisely are we having a party for?

[She does have a small collection of items that she brings to the swap meet, curiously looking over what everyone else has brought. It's still strange to her, everything that comes out of the vending machine, but she supposes it isn't the strangest thing that's happened here.

Later on, she heads to the contest area. After looking over the rules for a moment, there's a hint of a smirk that comes to her face, before she takes some of the art supplies and starts drawing... what looks like a troll, after a while. A fairly ugly troll that is not at all petite, to be specific. She is #bitter.]

[chessturner]

You don't know about Christmas either? It's a winter celebration. Usually it involves exchanging gifts and deepening bonds with other people.

[heritrix]

[This is a weird day for a party. Rin didn't see Katniss's execution, but it's still weird to think about. Even if she didn't get a chance to talk to her much, Katniss was always an expected presence to pass at the food tables. Any way you look at it, it's kind of a bummer.

Rin attends all the same though, mostly because she appreciates it as an attempt to cheer up, She's brought along with her more of those salt crystal trees she was working on the other day, these ones all pines and firs to fit with the theme. Decorating the tables with them is her contribution to the spirit of things.

And hey, it's more generous than her contribution to the swap meet! Because you bet your ass Rin is taking every stone or jewel-like object for herself if no one stops her. These are hers now? These are hers now. Ribbons too. But at the same time Rin is bringing only four items to offer up herself: the Norma Bates wig, the interface headset, and Danny's glass eye. If this is meant to be a trade, it's a terrible one...

Oblivious to that, she's as happy as can be holding up a Blue Orb to the light, like the events of earlier today have been forgotten.]

This is what I call a Christmas present.

[Rin doesn't stay very long, but last but not least before she goes, she's stopping by the Coordy-J Contest and submitting her own entry. It's a bonnacon that keeps its horns, but wears a human face. The human trying to shield itself from the spraying feces has the same expression as in the link, but looks suspiciously like Tarrlok.]

swap meet

[hesperos]

[ Yuri doesn't plan on being here for long but because he did a pinky swear promise, he's obligated to come. He's not over here to actually swap anything though. ]

Why's that? You found something you like?

[sleepytimegal]

[ Christmas...? Well, Sayaka had mentioned it, maybe the girl's actually a psychic. Alex shows up, in a bit of a funk, and she mostly sticks by the snack table. There's some sweets here and she's all for snack therapy, honestly. She wears a long red scarf; get into the spirit of things?

At the swap meet portion, she has a collection of items, anything for trade she's dragged here. What a weird bunch they have.

As for the contest? Well, she's feeling uninspired. Or maybe inspired? Depends on how you look at it. Keeping the tradition alive, she draws dickbutt. Fuck you, Jerry. ]

swap meet

[perpend]

[When Cabanela notices Alex in a red scarf, he looks delighted.]

Theeere's where my scarf went off to! I hope it's keeping you warm.

[He doesn't seem to be the least bit bothered by this turn of events.]

[perpend]

[Well, this is... unusual, considering they'd just had a Halloween party but sure, why not. But he can't complain too much, setting up shop for the swap meet with his various items.

Later, he can be found drawing for the contest what appears to be a bald stick figure with a single wavy hair sticking straight up out of its head. Hey, he isn't going to put effort into this.

Throughout this, he can be found mingling around the food and refreshments, looking... better than he has been, considering absolutely everything.]

food

[introspects]

Hi, Cabanela-san!

[ here's someone she barely talks to! ]

What are you eating?