The Masquerade!

[avibusraris]

Have you signed up to go to the ball? Not everyone is going, and they don't have to! But they are highly encouraged to. Whether they have a date or not depends on how they'll be getting there. If they do have a specific date then the car that picks them up will be a regular guard car, and they will be told to get into the back and be escorted that way. The guard's cannot be harmed in their car, there is a metal blockade in the car, so sorry! For those that don't have a date, they'll be expected to get into a limo, taking about six or seven inmates at once! You might find your friends in the limo on the way there, yay!

The guards will take the inmates to a secluded spot on an entirely different island than the main one the prison is on. It's a coliseum, one that's used for special events involving horses and other fun animals. The Warden special ordered a massive tent that covers the entire coliseum, and there are heat lamps scattered about within. It's cold outside, these are a must! Around the perimeter of the tent there are several guards with loaded guns. They're standing about, watching very carefully, and if anyone tries to attack another inmate or tries to escape they will be shot on sight, no questions asked.

Comments

[tanteiotaku]

Oi! What are you doing?

[decideformyself]

[ He takes a sip, a look of pure concentration on his face. ]

Intriguing.

[tanteiotaku]

[Sigh. Fine. Time to teach him a bit of the detective aesthetic.] If you're going to do this, then you'll learn the right way to do it. And that's not it. [Judgmental point at that fruity thing.

He asks about what kind of scotch there is, and picks one. He has the bartender pour two.] This is how a real hard-boiled detective drinks.

[decideformyself]

[ But he's already drinking this one... Well, he's already got a feel for how it tastes, so he might as well. It's for research.

He makes a face at the scotch. ]

This is hard-boiled, Shotaro?

[tanteiotaku]

[He can't help but chuckle at the face Philip made.] It takes a little getting used to. [He seems plenty used to it, though.] But a true hard-boiled detective is able to handle a little bitterness in his life and in his drinks.

[decideformyself]

[ Far be it from Philip to turn down a challenge. He downs about half the glass, then starts coughing. ]

[tanteiotaku]

[he laughs again but gives him a helpful pat on the back.] It's a sipping drink, not something you just throw back. Like the way the arm on a typewriter slides back at the end of a line versus a text message.

[decideformyself]

[ He rubs his throat and stares warily at the glass. He has a basic idea of what Shotaro just said, but. ]

Pace myself, then.

[tanteiotaku]

Exactly. That's the most important part of alcohol in general, though. A sip of scotch is a fine punctuation on the end of a question or an answer to someone you know well. Or someone you'd like to get to know better. [A light shrug, and he demonstrates just that.]

[decideformyself]

You are a very strange person.

[tanteiotaku]

You're a smart guy, so you probably wouldn't be too surprised to find out I've heard that before. [And he seems a bit amused at his own joke.] But this is true. If you rush things with people or with things in glasses, you'll only have regrets in the morning.

[decideformyself]

Intriguing... [ He takes another small sip of the scotch. ] There are many complicated facets to human interaction.

[tanteiotaku]

You'll have to find your own way, mostly. I'm willing to help as much as you want, but you'll have to make your own mistakes to learn from sometimes. And no, the books won't cut it for you all the time. [Fond smirk. But he needs to steer this conversation somewhere else. This is a party, after all.]

But, I wouldn't be a good neighbor if I didn't give you the first lesson on talking to girls at a party. [No this is a terrible idea Shotaro.]

[decideformyself]

[ He doesn't particularly relish the idea of making mistakes. He glances warily at Shotaro.

But then he's just confused. ] Girls? Why girls in particular?

[tanteiotaku]

Because that's the best part of parties like this. Look around you, Philip.[He points around with the hand holding the drink.] All of these ladies are dressed their best. It'd be a true crime if we let all their effort go to waste. At a party, everyone's having a great time and it's a bit easier to break the ice.

[decideformyself]

[ He does look, and he's not any less confused. ]

It's true that the female inmates seem to have put a great deal of effort into what they are wearing. However, the same must go for the male inmates. I do not understand the distinction.

[tanteiotaku]

It goes both ways. The goal is for people to come together and get to know each other.

The hardest part is starting the conversation. Telling her she looks great is a start, but it helps to be a little more specific about something. Then introduce yourself.

[decideformyself]

I see.

[ He doesn't. ]

[tanteiotaku]

[But he's just going to keep rolling on.] After that, it's easy to get a little lost for something to say. Ask her about herself. If she turns the question back to you, try not to go on too much. But I don't think that's a problem you'd have. [He doesn't mean that meanly, but it's a fact.]

[decideformyself]

[ He just nods, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

This is the worst. And the worst part is, Philip doesn't even know that. ]

And this is an important part of developing relations with others.

[tanteiotaku]

Well yeah. [At a loss for a moment. He's never done this before. Help.] I-I I think it's a bit like a puzzle. Finding out what makes her tick and just keeping her talking, really. If this weren't prison it'd be phone numbers and coffee later, but it's a little different here.... [Takes a drink while he considers for a moment.]

[decideformyself]

...What?

[tanteiotaku]

[Waves a hand] Nevermind. That's a more advanced lesson for another day.

[decideformyself]

I'll be holding you to that.