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							<h1 class="p-title-value">Masquerade
	
	

	

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			<a href="/threads/masquerade.93544/" class="u-concealed"><time class="u-dt" dir="auto" datetime="2015-03-19T23:17:53-0400" data-time="1426821473" data-date-string="Mar 19, 2015" data-time-string="11:17 PM" title="Mar 19, 2015 at 11:17 PM">Mar 19, 2015</time></a>
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			<h4 class="message-name"><a href="/members/november-rain.2724/" class="username " dir="auto" data-user-id="2724" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" id="js-XFUniqueId7">November Rain</a></h4>
			<h5 class="userTitle message-userTitle" dir="auto">perpetually everywhere~</h5>
			

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					<div class="bbWrapper">Okay, I've relocated my characters, haha. I'll start off, and hopefully nothing implodes~  <img src="https://www.rpnation.com/media/emoticon1-tonguesmile.23675/full?d=1488654879" class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":P" title="smile tongue    :P" data-shortname=":P"><br>
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<a href="https://www.rpnation.com/profile/11151-lucyfer/" class="link link--internal" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rpnation.com%2Fprofile%2F11151-lucyfer%2F&amp;hash=1d0650e229a20f57def393c7ec49917b">@Lucyfer</a><br>
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***<br>
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<br>
Cadence paused outside the large, oaken doors, allowing the sharpness of the cold air to bite his nose. Already others were filing in, coming in periodic streams of dresses, ruffles, silk, and leather shoes. He eyed them curiously. You really couldn’t tell who was who. He was impressed. But regardless of who, or what, they were, they had to be smart, or at the very least, keen. Yet still here he was. He entered the halls, the room already filled with the quiet clinking of champagne chalices and murmured, indecipherable idle chatter between random couples. It’ll be fun, they said. It’ll be a great way to let loose, they said. Go, they dared.<br>
<br>
<br>
And he, perfectly unwilling to let go of a dare, obliged. He now scanned the room, not overly concerned. He could trust himself. And armed with that knowledge, he set forth, brushing past a few people already engaged in conversation. It was good to remain unnoticed, he supposed. And no one knew each other. That was the intriguing part of this entire exchange. He looked around, a wry smile slipping on his face. Tonight, of all nights, was truly a night where decisions and judgments were based solely on looks.<br>
<br>
<br>
He could easily decipher personalities through their attire. Females, that is. Males were harder; the customary black tuxedo worn by almost all of the male population present – and a great deal of them there were, he noted – could hardly be used to figure them out. No, for the men, it was their masks. It was the touch of glitter, or not, or the bold flash of blood red, or muted royal purple. His own was a simple black and silver, like the River Styx he loved so much, and the stubborn night he reveled in. Cade found himself at the refreshments table, elbow almost knocking over an entire row of glasses. He turned to view the drink choices, and stepped backwards instantly to avoid nearly bumping into the lady to his left.<br>
<br>
<br>
**<br>
<br>
<br>
Karma felt rather self-conscious, slipping once more into her bad habit of nose rubbing, as she was often prone to do when anxiety struck her. She had dressed simply for the masquerade: she was garbed in a sleek green and black dress, one that melted demurely into the background. It was much safer that way. The kitsune in her protested; playfulness and mischief screamed bright and flashy, but the human side of her had won, this time, anyways. She wrinkled her nose slightly at the sight of all the other ladies in the room; they seemed to carry themselves with all the grace and manners of a well-bred individual. And as for her? Not even close.<br>
<br>
<br>
She felt safer in her torn, dirty jeans and simple t-shirts. None of this glamour and glitter and lights. Karma exhaled quietly. She wasn't here for a story. She wasn't here for a job. She was here for fun, to have fun. But fun for her consisted of tricks and pranks, and it was hardly becoming for her to do so in the current setting. She quirked her mouth to one side, opting instead to rate the dresses her peers wore while surreptitiously eyeing the men. She would allow herself peeking, nothing more.</div>
				
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				Last edited by a moderator: <time class="u-dt" dir="auto" datetime="2015-03-20T21:19:51-0400" data-time="1426900791" data-date-string="Mar 20, 2015" data-time-string="9:19 PM" title="Mar 20, 2015 at 9:19 PM" itemprop="dateModified">Mar 20, 2015</time>
			
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			<h5 class="userTitle message-userTitle" dir="auto" itemprop="jobTitle">I made something that'll love me even when I won't</h5>
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					<div class="bbWrapper">The pair had arrived earlier in the evening, arms locked. One of Nikolai’s gloved hands remained over her own hand as they walked in to no fan-fare. “See anyone you know?” He spoke Russian, though by now he knew a few languages. Russian was still his mother tongue, and he knew that this woman spoke it.<br>
<br>
<br>
He wasn’t sure if there was any language Artume didn’t know. “Mm,” she hummed out the sound, blue eyes peering through the crowd from under the black-and-red mask. “I can’t be certain,” no doubt, there were people here she knew. She’d known so many, though, that things tended to blend together. “That isn’t the point, though. I’m not here to know anyone.”<br>
<br>
<br>
If she had wanted to be known, she certainly would have been more obnoxious in her attire. As it was, she wore a very simple black sheathe dress that hung to her form. There was a slit up the lift side that went all the way up to her hip, revealing the pale skin in the same way the plunging neckline did, but even so—it was just a simple black dress. That was her opinion.<br>
<br>
<br>
It was not so obvious what she was, not like Nikolai, who was decked out in a white Russian military officer’s uniform, with a silver saber at his side. He stood out from all the other men in their black tuxedos, and Artume could feel his pride at that as she led him towards the refreshment table.<br>
<br>
<br>
Artume felt pride, too, at all the glances her companion was earning for being bold. Of course, in Russia, white blended in.<br>
<br>
<br>
When they reached the refreshment table, her painted red lips pursed in a pout. “What is it?” Nikolai hadn’t expected there would be anything for him, and so he was not disappointed. There might be many strange creatures, but he had a feeling blood was still off-limits as refreshment.<br>
<br>
<br>
“They’re all tainted.”<br>
<br>
<br>
Nikolai didn’t understand at first, but as the smell of alcohol reached his nose, he did. He laughed. He took up one of the glasses, the delicious scent of vodka mixed into the red beverage tantalizing in a nostalgic way. “Da? You don’t like this at all?” The look she gave him told him enough, before her eyes lit up behind her mask. She put a hand on his shoulders and pushed him down as she lifted up even high. “What?” He tried to look over his shoulder.<br>
<br>
<br>
He was promptly turned around as she settled back on her heels, “There,” she pointed one silver nail at an area off to the side, near the string-band, “Go get me a mocha,” she gave him a little shove, and he took a step, frowned, then rolled his eyes.<br>
<br>
<br>
Nikolai wasn’t sure why it was odd to him that the Mistress of the Night craved caffeine at all times. “Da,” he rolled his eyes and headed off through the crowd to do as instructed, moving by many, including a woman with amazing green eyes in a green dress—she knew how to pick things out to highlight the eyes that would be seen behind her mask.<br>
<br>
<br>
Artume settled by the refreshment table to observe all others, but was quickly distracted when someone disturbed the glasses nearby, and then almost knocked into her. Her eyes moved to the glasses which managed not to fall over, and then the man who nearly hit her.<br>
<br>
<br>
A chuckle escaped her lips and she took up a glass, “Would you like something to drink?” She shifted back to English, since that seemed the common tongue of the area.</div>
				
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			<h4 class="message-name"><a href="/members/november-rain.2724/" class="username " dir="auto" data-user-id="2724" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" id="js-XFUniqueId15"><span itemprop="name">November Rain</span></a></h4>
			<h5 class="userTitle message-userTitle" dir="auto" itemprop="jobTitle">perpetually everywhere~</h5>
			

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					<div class="bbWrapper">Cadence turned, an apology on the tip of his tongue before he noticed the lady in black beside him. "Attempting to," he laughed off the incident. "I hope I didn't spill anything on you, or step on your toes." He hadn't forgotten his manners just yet, a rarity in moments like these. She was classily dressed, completed with a black and red mask.  He had no way of knowing what it was that instantly caught his attention. Perhaps it was her complexion, the fairness of her skin. Perhaps it was her eyes, a sharp, crystalline blue, so similar to the River Styx. Perhaps it was her dress, the rare few at the masquerade that remained a classy, simple midnight. Perhaps it was the lilt of her voice, the lift that signaled English not her native tongue. Or perhaps it was her demeanor, so much like his own: perhaps proud, perhaps determined, but most certainly self-assured and collected.<br>
<br>
<br>
"Seeing as you're here, I assume you came for a drink? Might I pour you one? Assuming I don't topple the entire table first," he laughed. He wasn't adverse to a little flirting here and there; it was all in good fun, but here he felt an obligation to be more formal, to be more cautious with the teasing. Some of the women might not like it and he had promised himself that the first time he was slapped for overstepping boundaries would be the last.  Conversations were always rather difficult to maintain, in his personal opinion. One never knew what to say, what to do, and especially not if they were a complete stranger. Perhaps the others found it highly entertaining to swap stories and life experiences, but not him. It was rather uncomfortable, actually. But now that he’d seized the opportunity, he wouldn’t back down. It would be highly uncharacteristic of him.<br>
<br>
<br>
**<br>
<br>
<br>
He was an oddity and the first thing she noticed in a sea of black tuxedos and glittering dresses. Not that being an oddity was bad; Karma herself lived for diverse aspects of life. But it wasn't just his attire, which, by any normal standard, would have been enough to warrant the stares, but his demeanor as well. He wore the suit well, however unusual it might have been. It could hardly be called a suit - Karma corrected herself. It was a uniform, very traditional by the looks of it. He was highly attentive, serious, and perhaps just the slightest bit intimidating, but there was no denying the sense of calm assertiveness the man carried about him. He seemed to be searching for something and while she was tempted to reach out to introduce herself to him, she figured it would best be done after he had found what he was looking for.<br>
<br>
<br>
A small voice within her head niggled that he might be searching for another woman, and that thought alone threw her into small fits of anxious butterflies, but she smoothed over the thought quickly, her thoughts bouncing back bright once more. It didn't matter. She was a kitsune; she could deal with pranks and jokes. But commitment? Relationships? Forget it.</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">The stranger gave no indication of what he might like to drink, so the woman offered him the empty glass she’d taken, “You’ll need one of these,” came with the offer.<br>
<br>
<br>
He wasn’t upset, which was wonderfully refreshing. Too many people fussed over such small little things, and with a gesture down her form, she indicated she was all right, “Nothing spilled. Even if it did, no one would see it.” Not in this black dress. She was pretty certain it couldn’t be darkened any further by a stain of liquid.<br>
<br>
<br>
He offered to fetch her a drink, and Artume shook her head, “I have someone off to get me a drink already. I’m not a fan of alcohol,” she explained, and then made a motion towards the location of the barista hub, “That one in white. Would you like something from there? I can always send him back,” a playful smile pulled on her lips at the thought of sending him right back to get yet another drink. He’d be annoyed with her, of course, but he’d do it. He had nothing else to do, and wouldn’t be comfortable here for at least an hour, when the guards of others started to fall down and he realized no one was ever going to know who he was.<br>
<br>
<br>
At least, if he kept his mouth shut about his name. That’s what made this fun, the anonymity, like the anonymity of the man before her. The chances were, they’d never see each other again, and even if they did, they might not recognize each other. Not by looks, certainly, though maybe by voice.<br>
<br>
<br>
~***~<br>
<br>
<br>
Nikolai found himself in the line for the accursed chocolately beverage and he waited, arms crossed, for it to move. He looked around the room again, taking in the sights and sounds. <i>‘And few of them are human.’</i> If any of them were human. He wondered if they all blended in so well in their natural environments, too. He’d never seen anything but those things that looked human, that now it made him wonder if all monsters hid behind that mask.<br>
<br>
<br>
“Sir.”<br>
<br>
<br>
Quickly he turned his head to the strange woman behind the counter. “Hello,” he forced English, since that was how he’d been spoken to. “I need, ah, one mocha. Large.” He didn’t know if they did sizes at this thing, but it would be good to mention it. The woman glanced at his drink, and he hastily spoke, “It isn’t for me.”<br>
<br>
<br>
“Ah,” the woman smiled, as if understanding, “I’ll add a bit of Bailey’s to it, then.”<br>
<br>
<br>
“No!” No, anything but alcohol, he’d get the drink dumped on his clothing if it had alcohol in it. “She isn’t a fan.”<br>
<br>
<br>
“Oh. Okay then,” evidently that was strange, but warranted no other questions as the barista started to work on it, another stepping up to take the next order. There were three, and they seemed to rotate. They weren’t charging for the drinks, considering what kind of party it was, but they still needed to physically take them.<br>
<br>
<br>
<i>‘Shame there isn’t magic to produce this quickly yet.’</i> Or technology. Either one. It had to be done so manually, and take so much time.</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">“Thank you.” He took the chalice from her, casting a sideways glance at the drink choices on the table. So she didn’t care for alcohol. He completely understood. Alcohol was… an acquired taste. He hadn’t cared for it much for the longest time, and truth be told, even now he merely tolerated it. It was more for the principle of it that he drank.<br>
<br>
<br>
“Devoted boyfriend?” Cadence queried, an amused smile quirking his lips upwards. He followed her motion with his eyes, almost instantly spotting the white coated man. He hadn’t been difficult to find; rarely was a white tuxedo seen at parties. No, it wasn’t even a tuxedo – it was a complete uniform, and rather traditional at that. Not from this generation, then, Cade mused. Definitely older… His returned his gaze to the lady in front of him. So then she too must be older?<br>
<br>
<br>
“What brings you here?” He bit off the last bit of his question. He was accustomed to asking for someone’s name, in addition to their reason, but remembered in time that it was a masquerade he was attending; secrecy was valued and identity a burden.<br>
<br>
<br>
**<br>
<br>
<br>
Karma needed a drink. Any drink, really, but preferably one with alcohol. It wasn’t that she was a heavy drinker; not at all, by any means – she was a lightweight if anything – but she wasn’t adverse to a little champagne and wine every now and then. She looked over to the refreshments table and wrinkled her nose slightly upon the sight. There were so many people… Perhaps not a drink just yet, then.<br>
<br>
<br>
The baristas, too, were extremely occupied, but she figured it would be her best shot – the area was just a little less populated. She wandered over, brushing past skirts of silk and lace, ducking under fans and excited gossamer gloves, feeling very much like a lady gone to war, only this time in a battlefield of cloth and chalices. Karma skimmed the drink choices before decided on a simple black coffee – she liked it straight, no sugar or cream. Coffee left behind a strong scent, though, too reminiscent of offices and work. Tea? Tea was too weak, she mused. She was stuck, amusedly annoyed with her fickleness.</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">Devoted boyfriend? There was an amusing thought. Nikolai had not even been a lover, let alone a boyfriend. “You have one word right,” she informed the stranger of blue eyes. She needed to come up with a name for him, if only to simplify matters in her own head. She observed as the mocha was handed over to Nikolai, and watched him move away from that area as others started to take notice of it. Again, he passed by the woman in the green dress who decided to take notice of the selection.<br>
<br>
<br>
A barista also took notice of her, and inquired, "Do you need any help, miss?"<br>
<br>
<br>
Artume turned her head back to observe the stranger, now that Nikolai was back on his way. <i>‘We’re just going to call you Somnus for a while.’</i> Something about those deep eyes reminded her of one of her fellow night wanderers. “Mm, now if I tell you what I haven’t already told my devotee, he might take offense,” Nikolai wouldn’t. He’d be annoyed to be so unprepared, but offense? No, he’d learned better. “I have no singular reason. These events are rare, and,” Nikolai had arrived, and she took the mocha from his hands, took a sip of it before continuing her thought, “I enjoy the chaos it tends to bring when people start to recognize each other. You know, this room likely contains grudges that have spanned millennia.”<br>
<br>
<br>
Nikolai gave her quite the side-eye for that comment, “We are not here to start any fights, are we?”<br>
<br>
<br>
Artume shook her head, “Of course not, dear.” She might if she saw the person who’d stolen from her centuries ago, but what were the odds that nymph was even still alive? She was almost certain Merlin executed her in anger.<br>
<br>
<br>
Nikolai’s gaze shifted to the stranger, a quick once-over done. He blended in like so many others. “Who is this?”<br>
<br>
<br>
Artume frowned at the question, but then a smile lit in her eyes and she said, “We’re calling him Somnus for now.”<br>
<br>
<br>
Nikolai’s brows knit together. He didn’t know of Somnus in the Greek myths, since it wasn’t one of the Olympians, and Artume had never mentioned that one before. So, he wasn’t sure if it was just a random name given, or if it had some significance. Usually, with her, it did. He decided against asking, and instead, poured himself more of the vodka-infused red drink.</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">A smile played on Cade's lips. Sly? No, that wasn't the word he was looking for. Elusive? Perhaps. She most certainly was elusive, a dangerously attractive enigma. She was reminiscent of Athena, and so he decided that would be her alias until further information was given. "Boyfriend?" He returned, in response to her vague statement. Amusement danced in his eyes; he was teasing. He presumed, based on the demeanor he'd acquired from her in the short time they'd interacted, she wasn't the type to settle with a long term partner. If she was, she did a good job of hiding it; she respected the man in the uniform - that much he could glean - but as far as romance went, he couldn't detect much beyond friendly companionship.<br>
<br>
<br>
"You enjoy a bit of banter, then?" She was a curious thing. Smart, elusive, witty. Definitely fringed with danger, as well. Cade eyed her companion, as he did likewise. He could have been a complete foil to her character. He was calm, collected, mild-mannered, it seemed, and overall more of a peacemaker than anything.<br>
<br>
<br>
"You needn't worry; I shan't upset the lady," he offered the man a bemused smile. It was only until the man poured himself a glass that he remembered his reason for crowding the table, and as an afterthought poured a small bit of clear liquid into his wine glass.<br>
<br>
<br>
"Yes, please; I - " Karma decided on the coffee, never mind the scent of it all. It wasn't a particularly unpleasant smell either, at least, nothing as offending as to warrant clearing a room. It would do. She accepted the hot cup gratefully a few moments later, though with noticeable regret as she noted that the crowd near the table had nearly dissipated. Perhaps later on in the evening she would go. Or - an idea curled lazily around her thoughts - she could add alcohol to her coffee? She wrinkled her nose in distaste; as appealing as the idea of mixing her two favorite drinks together, she somehow doubted it would taste as good. Still, she found herself meandering none-to-hurriedly towards the refreshments table.</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">Banter was one of the easiest ways to figure out things about other people. Of course she enjoyed it, and the quirk of her lips suggested it was a silly question.<br>
<br>
<br>
Nikolai’s own eyes narrowed a bit at the suggestion, “It isn’t you I’m worried about.” Artume had a way about her that frequently upset others. Her air of confidence could be read as arrogance, and not all took kindly to that when they saw no reason to respect her.<br>
<br>
<br>
Artume’s smile broadened, “Shouldn’t you be off having fun?”<br>
<br>
<br>
“Is that why I was brought?”<br>
<br>
<br>
“You were brought to entertain me. I thought you wanted to make some changes?” The suggestion glimmered in her blue eyes, “I can’t see you with green hair if you’re going to act this stiff the whole night.” Nikolai sipped at his beverage, ever-polite, ever-poised. Getting him to change would be quite difficult, but he kept saying it was what he wanted. He wanted to move with the times.<br>
<br>
<br>
A woman was approaching their area of the alcohol table, and Artume lifted her cup in a cheers gesture, “Shouldn’t stand around and block people’s ability to get a good drink. If you’re going to insist on being a bore, Vlad, see to what other people want,” Artume directed, and then moved so she’d be out of the way of others who might approach, glancing back to see if Somnus might follow her or not.<br>
<br>
<br>
Nikolai didn’t. He’d been given his marching orders to find something to do, to mingle, and he was 90% certain Artume had noticed his interest in the woman in green. That, or she just knew his favorite color and left it at that. How much she knew or didn’t know was always a concern.<br>
<br>
<br>
He looked to the young woman as she glanced over the beverages, and noted she had a coffee. He glanced at the table for one of the crème liquors, and noticed one. He didn’t offer it the, but asked, “Need another drink?” Since she was looking so inquisitive.</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">Cade was content to simply watch, though he knew he was a part of the conversation as well. The old adage, 'Actions speak louder than words' was more than true here, and he found it interested to watch the exchange between Nikolai and Artume. He laughed at Nikolai's words. "Not at all," he assured the man. Her frankness and confident demeanor were refreshing in a too often saccharine environment. "I quite like her confidence - not too many women, and indeed, even men, are capable of carrying themselves with that sort of manner."<br>
<br>
<br>
Something in the way the two interacted suggested a relationship founded deeply on trust and patience - he suspected Nikolai might've had more than the average person. And yet, he didn't feel an overpowering sense of competition or threat from the man, though he had no doubt the man could snap his neck in half should he choose to. Their relationship, as she had clarified, wasn't that of a romantic one, but the man was very devoted.<br>
<br>
<br>
He watched the man depart, mildly curious as to what the lady had meant by saying he was brought to "entertain" her. Perhaps he was more than merely a friend?<br>
<br>
<br>
Karma was having more and more doubts by the minute as she perused the liquors - now that common sense and not merely curiosity had niggled its way back into her mind, she was beginning to think mixing the two wouldn't be such a good idea. And yet, she thought fretfully, to toss the coffee would be such a waste, particularly because she was certain anything served in this sort of venue was sure to cost a pretty penny.<br>
<br>
<br>
She turned, starting slightly at the sudden closeness of a strange voice. It was the man she had seen earlier, with his curious attire, and perhaps even more curious demeanor. "Mmm, perhaps? My indecisiveness has reared its ugly little head, and I'm uncertain as to whether or not adding liquor to coffee will be a choice I regret in the morning, or later this evening."</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">Though many faces here were covered by masks, the curiosity on that of ‘Somnus’ was easy to read in his eyes. He was intrigued by her companion, by her, which was as good a start as any to the evening. Her eyes lifted from him to follow Nikolai as he crossed the room to his interest—the one in green.<br>
<br>
<br>
Obsessed with green, he was. She ought to throw him to Persephone, one day. Sephy dealt with the living and dead equally well, so she might actually find Nikolai to her tastes.<br>
<br>
<br>
Ah, but it was too soon for such things, and she enjoyed Nikolai’s company well enough. It would be more to help her unchanging, but wanting to change, friend. New company, and such a light heart as Sephy, might do him well.<br>
<br>
<br>
For now, though, she had ‘Somnus’ to entertain her, and they had moved out of people’s paths. She lifted the drink to her lips, asked, “So, my dear Somnus, whatever has brought you to this masquerade?” He had asked her, and so she’d return the question to see if he had any particular reason for his presence. It might give her something to do, help this new face with his purpose. That, or find a way to give him one. She <i>could</i> track down the nymph, or at least, find out where her things had gone when the nymph died.<br>
<br>
<br>
~***~<br>
<br>
<br>
The vampire Nikolai pursed his lips together at the woman’s statement, her indecisiveness quite clear. He picked up one of the crème liquors and glanced at the alcohol content in it. It would add a note of chocolate, and as he squinted, he didn’t think the proof was too much. 60 proof seemed rather weak, to him.<br>
<br>
<br>
Then again, he had been Russian, and had contributed to the Vodka-drinking stereotype when he was human. As a vampire, he’d long since forgotten much more about proofs. He held the bottle out towards her, “This would not be so bad, and this sort is made for coffee and other kinds of drinks. Do you know your tolerance?” He asked, wondering if the woman in the green dress had ever been drunk.<br>
<br>
<br>
He’d been drunk, ages ago. He’d been a violent drunk, an angry drunk, a drunk prone to angsting over the slightest failure. Needless to say, he didn’t get drunk often. He just got tipsy, back in the day.</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">(totally off topic, but I love the little nickname you had for Persephone - so adorable and creative! :3 Ahhh, I always feel a sense of intimidation RPing with you.. haha, your posts are always beautifully long and so classily written. (<img src="https://www.rpnation.com/media/emoticon5-heart.23727/full?d=1488657999" class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt="<3" title="heart    <3" data-shortname="<3">.<img src="https://www.rpnation.com/media/emoticon5-heart.23727/full?d=1488657999" class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt="<3" title="heart    <3" data-shortname="<3">) )<br>
<br>
<br>
"Curiosity," Cade responded simply to her question, and it was true. He was quite prone to sticking his nose into everything and anything that caught his interest, and this masquerade was of no exception. "Well, and quite possibly merely for the excuse to mingle and people-watch," he allowed. He didn't deny the truth - he could be as blatantly honest as he was a liar, and it didn't take much for him to turn on a dime. And besides, he thought, lies, if told often enough, are easily interchangeable with the truth.<br>
<br>
<br>
"If you don't mind my asking," he decided to preface his next question, "how did you and the gentleman who just departed meet? It isn't to say you two make an odd couple," he was quick to clarify, "but that you two click so well, and yet seem to be polar opposites." He figured it might be too rash a judgment to make so early in the evening, but it was as good a start as any to keep the conversation ball rolling, he hoped, without probing too deeply into any further personal details she might prefer to keep privy to herself.<br>
<br>
<br>
**<br>
<br>
<br>
Karma glanced at the bottle hesitantly. While she was no lightweight, she could not truthfully admit that she could hold her alcohol well. It almost always left her with a ringing headache the day after, and kept her cheeks pinker than the centre of a steak well into the night. "Perhaps a bit," she conceded, figuring she might as well try now that she was here, and simultaneously not wanting to turn down the man before her.<br>
<br>
<br>
"I have an average tolerance for alcohol," she admitted. She could hold her sake down well, though sake usually only was around 40 proof. "It often leaves me with a splitting ear-ache the morning after, but I'm certain I won't be swinging about wildly or fainting in here anytime soon," she said with a faint smile. It had happened before, but only once. Once when she was young and naive and reckless, out cavorting with friends that she really oughtn't have been friends with.</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">((^^; thank you! I had a friend who went by Persephone and that’s how Sephy developed, actually. Please don’t feel intimidated! You’re clearly able to match me!))<br>
<br>
<br>
<i>‘Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.’</i> Though Artume would not call the stranger before her a cat. She wondered if he would find his satisfaction here, or be killed by the boredom of the affair. It was strangely quiet for one of these events, although she suspected that was because it was still early and people were still acting cordial behind their masks.<br>
<br>
<br>
Her eyes drifted back to Nikolai as she thought of how best to answer Somnus without revealing too much, “Mmm,” she mused it over, taking another sip of her mocha before speaking, “Oh, we met nearly a century ago, Vlad and I,” Vlad was already saying too much for anyone who knew of Vlad Tepes. She’d met the Impaler. He was dead, despite popular opinion. She wondered if stating the time in centuries was already saying too much to the stranger before her.<br>
<br>
<br>
Though there were many powerful and strange creatures here, not all lived as long as she and Vlad could. “He was a lost little puppy,” a smirk curved under the mask, “and I needed a new puppy. I think he might have stayed with me too long already, though,” the smirk became frown, her thoughts circulating back to his desire for change and growth, and the stunted role he was in as her guard.<br>
<br>
<br>
His thoughts of what a guard should be hindered him from being what he wanted. Frustrating, really, that he could be reckless with green hair, and serve as her guard, in his own head.<br>
<br>
<br>
Her blue eyes snapped back to the darker pair, and she held out a hand, “Since it seems you’re alone,” a playful smile, “that should mean I don’t have any devoted lovers to deal with for one dance, right?” Her other hand moved to set her drink down.<br>
<br>
<br>
~***~<br>
<br>
<br>
The bottle was accepted, and Nikolai smiled at the acceptance, “You will find it to be quite tasty, I think,” he hoped. He didn’t want to make a bad suggestion to the woman. “With an average tolerance,” again he was thinking in Russian military-boy terms. “You should do just fine with a shot or two of that in your coffee.”<br>
<br>
<br>
He smiled as the imagery of her swinging about came into his head, “And do not worry about those things. I believe, so long as you keep your mask on, your reputation will leave here intact,” he looked out at the rest of the party, the minglers in their finery, the poised and structured dancing, and Artume looking to dance. <i>‘Oh dear gods.’</i><br>
<br>
<br>
That one didn’t need to be drunk. That one just needed incentive to cause chaos. Someone could bump into her. She could be bored. Then the shadows would come to play. <i>‘Why you aren’t Eris, I’ll never know.’</i> His attentions snapped back to the woman in green, and he realized he didn’t have a name for her, not even in his head. Artume was good at that, quick to call him Vlad, and quicker to call the stranger Somnus. “Though, is there some name I could call you tonight?” He ventured to ask, since his mind was on reputations and thus, names.</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">Vlad. Cade reminded himself to keep the name tucked in the back of his mind - it brought back a curious sense of familiarity, and though he'd yet to pinpoint exactly why, he wasn't one to leave things unfinished or unresolved. "A puppy indeed," Cade commented with interest and mild amusement. "He doesn't seem quite yet acquainted with the trends of modern day society - or perhaps it is that he'd rather not keep up with them?" He noted the curious outfit - it wasn't terrible; rather, quite handsome in its own right, just simply.. a tad dated.<br>
<br>
<br>
His attention was diverted from the man, who he noted had already wandered off obediently (though with what he thought to be a mild case of trepidation) and strike up a conversation with a nearby lady. He laughed at the way the lady before him had framed the request. "None, milady - though perhaps that is for the best. I find it much more refreshing to have independence for the time being. But of course, I would love to dance, if you would deign to dance with me." He could dance just as well as the next, but truthfully, was not something he kept up from day to day. "I do not promise my dancing skills are up to date. But I will do my best not to tread on your toes." He kept a solemn face, though amusement lit his eyes.<br>
<br>
<br>
**<br>
<br>
<br>
Karma poured a bit of the alcohol into her drink, setting down the bottle and pausing to give her coffee a curious sniff. She looked around briefly for a stirrer, and upon locating one, mixed her drink thoroughly before giving it a tentative sip. She smiled around the rim of the cup. "Good taste," she lauded the man, taking another sip.<br>
<br>
<br>
"True," Karma admitted, acknowledging the mask. "And yet, it still remains difficult to keep one's identity hidden. Our masks serve only as a caricature of our original selves." And that was the bit that annoyed her, particularly at gatherings such as these. Try as she might, the lies swathing her would always contain a fragment of herself in them, just as every lie ever told sprung from a grain of truth. It was almost comically infuriating, to not be able to completely separate herself from, well, herself. Not that she cared to, but she had hoped as a chronic liar her skills would've been much more developed by then.<br>
<br>
<br>
"Oh," she had forgotten the most basic of all introductions. "Darci," she responded easily. It wasn't a name she found disagreeable, and - she felt - it fit her, like a snug glove. "You?" She inquired in return, tilting her head ever so slightly, a terribly awful leftover habit</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">“The man has no understanding of fashion, but all the understandings of class,” Artume said in response to the commentary on Nikolai’s inability to keep up with the trends. He couldn’t, that much was true. Artume practically had to dress him when they went out, and god forbid they go anywhere informal.<br>
<br>
<br>
The look that Nikolai had first given to jeans had been a treat!<br>
<br>
<br>
Somnus was interested in a dance, and so Artume wiggled the fingers on her still-outstretched hand, “Then, do come along,” she invited him, grin becoming a touch wicked, “It’s much too difficult to follow all the rules of the day for dance.” She had known and forgotten too many of those rules, “So long as you are graceful enough to stay off my toes, we should be just fine,” and even if he slipped, that wasn’t so bad. She’d dealt with much worse in her time, and she wasn’t expecting the inhuman grace of Nikolai or previous partners.<br>
<br>
<br>
In fact, she wasn’t sure what to expect, and that made it interesting. If he was an absolute mess, she’d at least get a good laugh out of it.<br>
<br>
<br>
~***~<br>
<br>
<br>
Nikolai looked quite relieved when the drink seemed to suit the drinker. “Thank you,” he didn’t know if he had good tastes or not anymore, he’d just gone with what was safe. Crème liquor for coffee. That was safe. Chocolate was much beloved, too, if Artume’s obsession with mochas was anything to go off of.<br>
<br>
<br>
Nikolai squinted at the mask that the woman wore, as if it would offer him the clues she said it would. His own mask held some clues, harking back to the days when the Russian Czars claimed descent from Rome. It was inspired by Rome, more than anything else. His uniform, however, had been his once upon a time. That, more than the mask, spoke his truth.<br>
<br>
<br>
“Darci,” he repeated, frowned. What he knew of the name, suggested it a name that meant ‘dark’. Looking at her, he did not see darkness. Her hair, the black with the green, all of these thing were dark, but the woman herself did not seem to be such. Perhaps he was getting worse at reading people as time went on, though. “It seems I am going by Vlad tonight, Darci,” he answered her. Not his choice.</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">(sorry for disappearing; procrastination and writing as a job really don't go hand in hand.. was scrabbling to meet a deadline, haha. Apologies for taking a very long time to write up posts.. And I just discovered post ratings!  O.o  <img src="https://www.rpnation.com/media/emoticon5-heart.23727/full?d=1488657999" class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt="<3" title="heart    <3" data-shortname="<3"> I may be a tad spammy your next few posts; forgive me, haha )<br>
<br>
<br>
"That shouldn't be an issue," Cade smiled. "I trust I can handle patterned movements and steady tempos for at least a few minutes. If not, well, I can add dancing to my list of things to re-learn sometime in the distant future. It'll keep the threat of death by boredom away, if nothing else." He accepted the proffered hand, leading her out into an area not quite so populated by conversationists and those with drinks in their hands. Heaven forbid he trip and fall over the ridiculously plumed dresses of some of the ladies who had arrived.<br>
<br>
<br>
Simplicity was the way to go, in his humble opinion. Too often, gaudy headdresses and hairbands and corsets and skirts got in the way of actual beauty, proving instead to be a visual distraction and physical hazard, to the wearers and the people around them. He wrinkled his nose mildly in distaste at such images, grateful for the simple dress the lady before him had decided to wear. A sudden thought occurred to him. "If I may so inquire, what shall I call you for the evening?" To ask for her name would be absolutely laughable, but he would be content with at the very least an honorific or epithet with which to pin down the lady. For now, she was a butterfly, as beautiful as she was elusive, without even a name to her face.<br>
<br>
<br>
**<br>
<br>
<br>
"'It seems'?" Karma had picked up on the slight flux in wording that the man - Vlad - had spoken with. "It seems," she tossed his words back at him, curious amusement in her eyes, "that you aren't quite certain of your name? No matter, though." She swept the issue under the carpet - it was not her right to voice any concern or curiosity over the manner. They were, after all, at a masquerade, and she herself was faulty to a tee when it came to names.<br>
<br>
<br>
"Would you care for a drink, Vlad?" She indicated the choices before her with a brief nod. He seemed to appear a bit out of place, and not just with his uniform alone, which, Karma had to admit, was beautifully reminiscent of eastern Europe. He seemed just the slightest bit hesitant, though she allowed that she could be reading the man wrong. It had been a while since she'd last mingled with humans so thoroughly and intimately. Foxes, she had found, provided good company and idle chatter all their own.<br>
<br>
<br>
"Just let me know if I step out of line," Karma started with a wry smile, "but do you happen to be Russian? More than one item suggested he as, and yet, she wouldn't be surprised if he turned out not to be. He was a well thought out enigma, enticing to her, almost like a puzzle she'd love to solve before the night had waned.</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">((No worries! You’re managing quite well with posting speed, I don’t need a post every day—I like it, of course!))<br>
<br>
<br>
Artume laughed at his view on the matter, and couldn’t help but say, “I like you,” bluntly. For someone who thought the fear of death was exciting could only be likable. Nikolai had clearly forgotten that.<br>
<br>
<br>
The woman allowed herself to be led out onto the floor, away from the minglers and talkers. She let Somnus take the lead. The pattern was, indeed, simple as he promised. He followed the sounds of the music in the background, and Artume followed him, one hand ever in his, the other upon his shoulder as she reflected on why she thought Somnus again.<br>
<br>
<br>
It was just in the eyes. He had not the disposition of the sleepy one, but his eyes looked just like that of her well-known companion. Unmistakably dark, and beautifully blue. As he asked what to call her, she briefly considered what name she hadn’t gone by. <i>‘Lux.’</i> And any name like it, such as Amaterasu. “Mm, I hadn’t thought to name myself,” she confessed, for she knew who she was.<br>
<br>
<br>
Just for that, she thought to trip him up with a turn of honesty, “For tonight, I’ll be Artume,” not all knew her by Artume. Very few, anymore. Even so, for a night of lies, the truth would be mistaken.<br>
<br>
<br>
~***~<br>
<br>
<br>
Nikolai smiled, both sheepish and wolfish at once, “Well, it was my…charge, who decided on Vlad for the night,” he didn’t single her out, since it’d be too difficult to gesture through the people for Darci to understand who he was referring to.<br>
<br>
<br>
When a drink was offered, he shook his head, “I cannot,” was that weird? Probably. “It makes me sick,” he hoped that was reason enough. All the foods he had once loved made him sick, now that he was a vampire. He could only subsist on blood, and Artume had made sure he fed before they came, so that he wouldn’t kill someone in a fit of bloodlust.<br>
<br>
<br>
<i>‘It’s likely someone will bleed, and the last thing I need is to be pulling you off of them. Then everyone will know who I am.’</i><br>
<br>
<br>
Mother of vampires, she’d claimed. It fit, with all the moon and darkness imagery around her. “I am Russian, though. A Russian who can’t drink,” he chuckled at the fact, finding it still amusing to this day with modern stereotypes.<br>
<br>
<br>
He slipped into the Russian language to ask, “Do you understand me?” Just to see if the stranger before him might speak his mother tongue.</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">Cade raised a brow at the unexpected remark, though he accompanied the motion with a slight upward quirk of his mouth. "Thank you, I suppose," he said with a burr of laughter in his voice. "That means much - I would imagine not many have received that compliment." The music was simple, easy to follow, and for that he was grateful.<br>
<br>
<br>
"No?" he said, in response to her comment. "Then you must find a name, lest you find yourself as elusive and rootless as the wind. Unless, that is, you prefer being unbound?" It was nice being free from a great deal of ties, Cade thought, but even tumbleweed had its humble origin and birds had a nest to return to.<br>
<br>
<br>
"Artume," he repeated the name. It was a lovely name, sharp but soft all in the same instance, like fire and water. It was a distinctly cool name, he decided, reminiscent of a distantly mysterious moon, who showed and hid herself whenever and wherever she chose. "A lovely choice," he told her, a faint smile on his lips. "You wear it almost as well as your dress."<br>
<br>
<br>
**<br>
<br>
<br>
"A shame then," Karma said, though a smile played on her lips. "though I cannot deny the irony of the situation - you were able to pair the alcohol with the coffee so wonderfully. A recent acquisition, or change of taste, then?"<br>
<br>
<br>
"And indeed," she laughed. "particularly in modern society's definition of a Russian." So he was Russian. How she had adored Russia, in its fervent and scarlet history and culture, food and people as fiery and bitterly cold as its past. And the music - the music was to die for. She could not deny that Russian music was her absolute favorite. Japan, despite all its beauty and tranquility, was just the slightest bit too quiet for her.<br>
<br>
<br>
He spoke Russian to her, and though she understood the question, she regretted she could only speak and understand conversational bits of the language. "I do," she nodded and replied in the same tongue, "but only on a conversational level, I'm afraid." She switched back to English, for fear that she might stumble over her words. "I adored Russian literature and music enough to make an effort to learn," she smiled with mild amusement, "but I'm sorry to say I didn't manage to retain much of what I learned. A pity that lack of usage renders certain skills unsalvageable."</div>
				
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					<div class="bbWrapper">Hundreds, certainly, had heard that comment, though that was spread over millennia. In a way, Cade was right—it was rare, but it was just as honest. Artume was usually more tactful in her truths and lies.<br>
<br>
<br>
The truth of Cade’s words was in her smile. Artume’s name was one from thousands of years ago, but she’d had so many others. Like Artemis, who wished for names from Zeus, she had no singular one to bind her, and she never would. Just like Artemis, though, any name she wore was known, and no one would ever forget who if they met her. At least, Artume liked to believe that. She’d been Artemis, too, after all.<br>
<br>
<br>
“Thank you. The classics never really die,” the little black dress, and an old Etruscan name. Classics throughout time. The music, too, was classic in all its stringed instrumentals, “I do prefer to be unbound, though, my dear Somnus. That much you’ve understood already,” there was a hint in her tone that was a dangerous bit of knowledge to hold.<br>
<br>
<br>
Too many steps too close to the truth was already dangerous, and the shadows flickered beneath them, and on the walls, as if to acknowledge that. A few heads lifted or turned to acknowledge that strange movement, not brought on by the way the lights moved at all.<br>
<br>
<br>
A few others looked around for the source, familiar with that play of magic.<br>
<br>
<br>
~***~<br>
<br>
<br>
Nikolai smiled a little, “I listen well. People have said that crème liquor goes with coffee,” people trying to talk Artume to drink, to add something to her mochas, and always denied. "They have always seemed to like it themselves, so it followed that they were not lying about it."<br>
<br>
<br>
He appreciated the way her eyes seemed to light up as she acknowledged where he was from. His own turquoise eyes took light as he heard the Russian slip from her lips—not perfect, and she acknowledged her own limited knowledge. It killed some of his excitement, but he smiled softly all the same.<br>
<br>
<br>
Someone who appreciated his culture. That was rare nowadays, it seemed. The stereotypes and jokes were much more common. The TV show <i>Archer</i> didn't help matters, either. “Where is it you are from?” He asked, curious.<br>
<br>
<br>
The shadows flickered. He felt his skin crawl, familiar with the magic, but he didn’t turn his head to acknowledge it, or find the source. There wasn’t any screaming yet, after all. He assumed everything was fine so long as there wasn’t any screaming.</div>
				
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