One day we'll reach to emotions: unexplored, unprecedented

[matchbreaker]

[ Sometime shortly after the trial small notes will be folded underneath the doors of everyone still alive, and also posted to the staircase leading up to the upper floors. Not many of you have probably seen Elda's penmanship yet unless you checked that Penmanship check a while back, but it's impossibly impeccable fancy cursive script, to match with her old timey appearance. ... She also writes a lot more proper than she talks. ]

To My Fellows,

The half of you who didn't assist me in this are cordially invited to a celebration of our continued living, and to the memories of those who aren't. We are a mismatched group,
but it has become increasingly clear that we are together in this. Do not allow yourself to be alone.

We will be congregating in the ballroom for the rest of the night.

Better chefs than I will be providing food.

Sincerely,
Elda Marker

[ she's being somewhat facetious about half the group, but the fact does remain that she got more offers than she expected, when she set out to do this. She had expected that Sayaka would help, and indeed both her and Alex provide cookies and curry for the tables. Elda herself sets up the tables, dotting one longer central one made of smaller ones in the ballroom for things to sit on. The bulk of the food's provided by Tarrlok of all people, Chinese food by any other name. Susan, bless her, provides alcohol. Hibki, once she was clean, decided to run backup on preparing the food.

And then perhaps fittingly, Aligula provided the decorations. Steamers line the room, and little cut outs hang around. At Elda's instruction, it's a mix of cats, snakes, and bats. The majority of them have little faces on them. And finally, as and afterthought more than anything else, Elda makes some tea.

... Said tea is black tea and is impossibly dark and bitter because she can't taste it, but maybe that's what you want on a night like this. Who knows. ]

Comments

[matchbreaker]

[ As for the hostess herself? Well, she's at the piano a great deal of the night, playing somberly at first, but becoming increasingly upbeat the longer she keeps at it into the night. Perhaps a little bit of defiance, but maybe she's just frustrated at herself. She's going at it with a gusto which can only really be born out of stubborn frustration.

But she's smiling as a result, even if it a little grim.

That's acceptable too, right? After that, well, she'll be carrying a goblet with blood in it (fuck her worries, no one seems to mind) and floating around the tables. She's mostly here to play at being proper host, but she might sometimes ask: ]

So what's that stuff even taste like?

[ But if you want her alone?

... She doesn't want to go back to her room, perhaps as usual. She'll be in the Foyer well, well past the night bell as people start to float out of the ballroom to sleep. She's there idly spinning a pen in her hand, watching the clock. She has a notepad open before her, but she doesn't seem to have settled on doing any one thing. ]

[notaccurate]

[Luca is currently eating one of the cookies, so.]

Ah? Well, it's-

[...wait.]

Don't you have a keen sense of smell?

[matchbreaker]

Of course I do, but it's not as if smell and taste are one for one, especially without context.

[notaccurate]

Smell is a large part of taste, though. If I were to plug my nose, I would not be able to taste any of this. Only the spiciest of foods make it past a lack of smell.

tables

[evilfrenzy]

[...you know, Rideaux finds himself unsure about how to describe this curry to someone who apparently can't taste most food.]

Depends. [He eyes her glass...] Does the taste of blood vary at all?

[He's going somewhere by answering with a question.]

[matchbreaker]

Tremendously, when they haven't neutered my taste. ... Or I suppose all this [ She shakes the glass ] could be from people who have been in comas all their lives, never felt a single thing.

[evilfrenzy]

[Huh. He tips his head curiously.]

Then, what, is it the experiences of the person that cause the variation?

foyer

[innocentloveholic]

[ Well, Elda snuck up on her last week... so Aligula's doing her best to sneak up on her and tap her on the shoulder. Boo, you dumb vampire. ]

1/2

[matchbreaker]

[ Well she's so out of it she doesn't notice until the last possible moment, at which point she jumps, and then immediately swings the pen towards the other to stab them- ]

[matchbreaker]

[ But then sees it's Aligula, stops short, blushes, and drops the pen immediately. ]

Gah, you got me!

[innocentloveholic]

[ Aligula jerks away instinctively, even after Elda's dropped her pen— she's not. really. looking to get stabbed, here. ]

Already eager for another trial? Juuust kidding. [ ...Not as teasing as it really usually is, but she'll lower her hands after a bit. ] What're you doing? Aside from being totally weird.

[ girl you were the one staring at Alena's door last time, is Elda staring at a clock really that weird. ]

piano

[sleepytimegal]

[ Wow. That's...some intense playing. Alex watches for a little and...wants to say something? But she doesn't want to interrupt the playing what do ]

[matchbreaker]

[ sure is. And it moves on and on as she glares daggers into the piano even as she continues to play. Every missed note is brushed past and every slip up just continued.

... She might be sweating some by the end, actually.

But when she finishes, she exhales, shaking out her hands to clear her fingers free. ]

[sleepytimegal]

[ Jesus- you...keep on going, Elda, you do you. Alex watches and...once the sound's stopped, just...walks over, reaches out tentatively. ]

Hey, uh... Hey.

ballroom ---> tables;

[hesperos]

[ So of course since Yuri's hanging out in here, he'll have heard her play the piano and well. He is a bit surprised but it goes to show you that there are a lot of hidden and accomplished pianists around here. Either way at some point, he's going to be heading over to the tables eventually, and when he does, he'll take a glance over at her as he's putting food onto his plate. ]

Depends on what dish. Which one are you looking at?

[matchbreaker]

[ She's actually looking a little tired for it all. But... hmm. ]

Any of them? No, how about that.

[ she'll point at the curry. Sayaka made it, after all. ]

[hesperos]

[ Funny thing is that he probably grabbed a bit of that too. He has a liking for curry, after all. ]

Usually curry's pretty savory, especially red curry. You might be able to taste a little bit of sweetness from it, but only if it's been made less spicy. Still, it's fairly popular since it can be very good with meat and make for a hearty meal.

[ And it might also taste different based on the meat, but eh he'll go with the general description for now. ]

Piano

[heritrix]

[Rin's sitting on the edge of the stage, legs dangling off the side as she listens to Elda play. She's really quite good. Thinking of how old she is, maybe this was the sort of refined talents instilled to her, before she moved to Japan? Enjoying the tune, Rin simply listens for a bit and lets her mind wander, though where it ends up... Towards the end of whatever tune Elda is working on, Rin has to work hard at stifling a series of giggles so she doesn't interrupt. Oh. Oh, that's still funny.]

[matchbreaker]

[ she's definitely gotten better over the last month, remembering more of her talents that were drilled into her as a little girl. There's still flubs, but she moves forward with gusto.

And as she gets to the end...

She glances over at Rin, playing a little sting ]

[heritrix]

[PFFT.]

Can it be true?

Piano

[ninehundredlives]

[It's interesting to be at a party where she doesn't have to provide the music. Susan's quick to wander over, leaning lightly against the side of the piano.]

Having fun?

[matchbreaker]

Yes.

[ She's forcing it, honestly. Just... just a little. But it's better to be like this than to focus on things for which there are no answers. She grins up at the other woman, her fingers sprawling on the keys. ]

What might I play to make you have fun too?

[ninehundredlives]

Oh, whatever makes you happy. I haven't got any requests.

[Susan folds her arms over the top of the piano. leaning on it.]

Not being the person playing is enough of a change for me. Though I don't mind it as much as I did...I'm used to being around so many people, now.

[bloodbiter]

[When she's asked, she looks at the cookie in her hand, tilting her head.]

It is... difficult to describe. Have you ever eaten any food? That way I could at least compare it to something.

[matchbreaker]

When I was very young. Vampires can still taste your food up until we become adults.

[ NOD. ]