My fair faire

[sunflowerfields]

Who: Erryone
When: Day 170, right before leaving for Heartstone Manor
Where: The cookhouse
What: dinner and a show A crash course in table etiquette, and/or your chance to get your bad behavior out of your system.
Warnings: Watch your damn language.



With the threat of behave or die hanging over their heads, Hinawa is feeling very nervous. She's only tangentially familiar with the rules and regulations of formal dining and mingling, having only experienced it for the first time during the Celebration, and for the most part she's just a simple country gal. The last thing she wants is to get everyone in trouble because she used the wrong fork, and she can't help but feel like she's not the only one, so she comes up with a plan!

She only hopes it'll be enough.

[This is a mingle-ish! Jump on in!]

Comments

[spaghettimonster]

Papyrus arrives early, jittery with anticipation, or excitement, or dread. Maybe a mix of those sorts of emotions.

Being King in the underground involved more cooking and serving of food than sitting around eating it, and certainly neither he nor Asgore put any stock in standing on very formal ceremony about it. It was one thing to practice speeches and prepare puzzles for the humans: outsiders, lost and confused, and ages of monster tradition to guide his hand.

But this, this official and formal and potentially lethal display of manners... Who knew there were such things in the world! And without a book to read and reference during the festivities, well... He'll just have to make himself one. So don't mind the empty book or writing utensils the skeleton's brought to dinner, he probably won't have it at the real deal.

[showmystar]

Allen also arrives early, largely in anticipation for the food. Despite Hinawa's promise of supper, their looming imprisonment has Allen antsy and anxious for a distraction. He slips in beside Papyrus without much ceremony, peering over his, well, humerus, since his shoulder is probably far too high for him.

"What are you writing?" he asks casually before he even attempts to figure that out himself. Allen, please.

[amusicaladventure]

Ash poked her head around him to take a loot at his notebook. Curiosity, cat -- that was how these things went.

"Taking notes, huh? Looks like SOMEONE's a diligent student!"

[tacosgay]

"... are you... taking notes?" Taako's tone is incredulous, but there's a crooked grin on his face. Despite how much mockery reads in his tone, however, he pauses for a beat, thinking about it.

"... honestly, that's probably not a bad idea. Though I'm pretty sure bringing out notes on manners to read while you're eating is also pretty bad form, if I'm honest."

For Strange! (Or anyone else needing ~Consultation)

[insidescoop]

All things considered, Carly does not have a lot of time to sort this out before the demonstration show at dinner. At all, in fact. But she is nothing if not dedicated, and she certainly wouldn't be the Wardrobe Manager if she wasn't. Dressing models are set together, various regal outfits from a much older location pulled from storage...She's ready to demonstrate the fashion of the time, or at the very least give a good solid few pointers to someone to make sure they wear a colour that actually suits them.

Fingers are crossed, certainly, and her hair and feathers mist and float away into light behind her as she moves through her work.

[kingsroads]

While Carly was flitting about, trying to get everything ready for the demonstration show, Strange was in his trailer trying to get himself ready. After all, between the clothes he's arrived in, clothes he's bought in various worlds, and (hopefully) something from wardrobe, he can cobble together an outfit that's indicative of what people might wear...even if his cravat is a little dingy, his waistcoat is missing a button, and his shoes are scuffed. Still, it'd be good to see these clothes on someone.

So he's shaved, showered, and actually brushed his hair—which is kind of odd looking, considering Strange's normal state of slightly mad and unkempt. And, as Strange approaches Carly, he's fiddling with the buttons on his waistcoat, just now discovering that he's missing one. Looking up, he gives her a smile, the smile of someone who is definitely trying to give off the impression that he's got this.

"Do you need any help setting them up?"

BIRD MOOOOOM

[bananaspeedrider]

[Wanna know someone who is completely and utterly unprepared for this life or death trip, the street urchin that has enough sense to be frantically looking around for the glowing bird woman.]

Carly!!!

[Give him a second to... huff and puff.]

You know more about this stuff than I do right..?!?!

[Which isn't much of a complement since the kid is a crude blank slate to start with.]

[espigeon]

"So, I'm pretty sure getting me clothed is gonna present a challenge."

Several hundred pounds of pigeon has arrived. Julien usually does his actual job in his human body, leaving this one to preen or bathe or fly, or have conversations of little substance with guests. He opens a couple extra eyes in mild curiosity; yeah, he sees this area all the time, but it's always trippy how his perspective as a five-foot-five human and as a horse-sized bird are different. Things seem cramped and claustrophobic like this, closed off from the world. "What do you think, boss - costume, or more like dressage?"

[amusicaladventure]

"Carly!" Ash practically sang out -- practically because if she was really singing, she'd have full accompaniment -- as she downright waltzed in. "I'm here to trade my help for a dress!"

Ash might have no wardrobe talent at all, but her music could work miracles, and she figured Carly needed the help badly right now.

[dressedtothe]

9S had listened to the radio meltdown with a strong measure of confusion and apprehension. Are humans always like this? Or is this because there's a mix? How do they get anything done when they let their emotions and disagreements get the better of themselves? He's so used to people respecting the pecking order the entire matter had been rather eye-opening.

And it's also made him more aware that he should probably do a last minute maintenance check before they leave, especially since it sounds like the Nightriders are going to have their hands full this trip. But after checking in with Strange to sort out the map and the primer -- he'd skipped out on rehearsal to check on all his internal systems -- he realised he had a dilemma.

Why is carrying an exposed weapon such an offense?! Sword coverings are for people who need to attach it to themselves. Which he doesn't need to. What's the big problem??

On such short notice, he can only come up with a quick solution, which involves seeing Carly. He pokes his head in, sword floating at his back. This time, his eyes are uncovered; thanks Strange. "Hey Carly. I know you're busy and all, but could I ask a favour from you? It'll be really simple, promise!"

ota

[diamondsare]

Oops, there's Blue Diamond. While she certainly handles elegance and refinement with effortless ease even if she does look like she's been crying lately, there are certain things that utterly elude her.

Like table etiquette. She didn't eat, why would she know which utensil to use and when? Her very brief search for information has led the tall blue gem to turn up at Hinawa's demonstration with ... a spoon. It's a rather nice spoon. That there are more silverware needed than that single spoon upon review of what's already set out is for a moment visibly distressing, but she controls it quickly, and works on figuring out where to station herself.

And there's other spoons. Maybe she didn't have to bring her own after all...

[amusicaladventure]

...Ash felt very small. For the first time in her adult life, she felt very small.

That was weird.

"Uh," she said, not quite knowing where to begin. "What's with the spoon?"

[sunflowerfields]

When it comes to the proper use of tableware, unfortunately it's the blind leading the blind, but Hinawa is going to try her best anyway.

"Welcome!... I think the tableware should be provided for us, but it was thoughtful of you anyway!"

ten minutes late with coffee b/c he said he would check in

[atouts]

Blue being the name of the tall blue lady is, in fact, reasonably descriptive. It makes her easy to spot from anywhere in the cookhouse and, once Strange and Joker has gone over their little etiquettes lesson, Childermass will do what he typically always does: seemingly appear out of nowhere (in this case, he was just particularly quiet, no magic involved) next to Blue Diamond.

On the bright side, there's no way in hell he'll ever be able to loom over her, so he has to settle on looking up curiously instead.

"Did they cover everything you wanted to know adequately, Ms. Blue, or would you still like to go over what spoon goes where one more time?"

He wouldn't blame her if she did. Anyone else, either, considering how pointless it must seem to some.

Ginko | OTA

[dontpokethat]

Honestly Ginko has basically accepted his inevitable doom at this point. He has spent most of his life alone in the woods, what the hell does he know about etiquette?

Even if he learns, he knows his own history with social mores; how does he know he won't just end up forgetting and screwing everything up?

Suffice to say, he's looking pretty jittery, his good eye locked on the table and his tail swishing back and forth.

"This... this is going to go so badly."

[showmystar]

"It'll be fine!" Allen leans down into his vision as he comes up beside Ginko, a hand leaning on the chair next to him. "This is the easy part."

This is optimism he doesn't truly feel.

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

"If you say that from the start," Zecora said as she passed by, looking rather stylish for this rehearsal with a few ornaments in her hair and a lovely but simple dress that undersold her eventual outfit for the castle proper,
"You'll make it true in your heart."

Miko Nakadai | OTA

[pullingamiko]

Sooooo this sounds like the worst. Fancy clothes, table manners... Miko, for one, can't see why they have to go somewhere like that, of all places. At least the Celebration only got fancy right at the end. Right before, you know. The vampire attack.

Which, frankly, has her even more suspicious that something will go wrong here. She kind of wonders if she can hide her knife in a stupid fancy dress.

First, though, she apparently has to worry about the whole fancy dinner thing. She is outright pouting, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, looking more like an angry middle schooler than a teenager.

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

"If you go in with that attitude," Zecora commented from across the practice table, where she was cheerfully experimenting with the best ways to eat at a table like this and still be fancy while being a zebra lacking any sort of digits,
"Our host will surely think you're rude."

[periphrasing]

Peridot's here. She's mostly observing everyone else, trying to pick up some tips and tricks without interrupting to ask questions, because that just seems the most prudent way to go about things. It'd be hard for her to miss that scowl, though. They haven't talked much since Portland, but she remembers Miko's temper well enough.

"Wow. I don't think I've ever seen a human look so mad about food before," she comments, eyebrows slightly lifted.

Taako | OTA!

[tacosgay]

Taako, having been a professional chef who's traveled and served people of all walks of life before, is actually surprisingly well-learned when it comes to table manners. When he cares enough to, he can actually hold himself with a surprising amount of poise, his motions graceful as he helps arrange the food that he and the other cooking staff have prepared. It seems his usual rudeness is entirely born out of apathy; he's entirely capable of coming across effortlessly elegant, at least until he opens his mouth. There are some things he just can't control.

The good news is that he manages to keep a pretty good cap on his attitude, at least for the most part; lord knows Hinawa's reminded him to mind his tongue often enough.

"Well? How is everything?" His tone is only lightly smug as he addresses the nearest guest; his hair is pulled up into an elegantly loose bun atop his head, his makeup for the night applied with care. He's eager to show off how fancy he can be.

[amusicaladventure]

"Stuffy and boring!" Ash said, affecting a look of infinite disdain. It didn't last, because a smile crept out a moment later. "At least that's what I keep telling myself. Actually, it's kind of fun watching everyone try to learn how to act and unsubtley fuming at all of this, but a real fancy dinner is supposed to be stuffy and boring, so I'm trying to practice."

[sunflowerfields]

Hinawa is honestly thankful that Taako is here. She really only had a vague idea of what kind of meals to prepare, but meanwhile he seemed to know everything else they were supposed to be teaching the others.

"It's marvelous!" She exclaims, ignoring the smugness for the time being. "I don't know what we would've done without you."

[stillwinningthehardway]

Scout's feeling very stressed right now, especially after how that network announcement went. There's not really time to go and work or meditate it out, not and do everything else that needs doing. But it's okay. She has one other thing she can do. She just has to do it in private, where there's no chance of people seeing and getting upset or misunderstanding.

She shows up with a touch of a limp that she's trying to hide, and her togetic following her anxiously, giving out a worried trill. Table etiquette. No problem. Scout doesn't know how to handle treachery in others or manage their moods, but she can observe all kinds of formalities. It's fine.

Joker and Strange's Lesson On Etiquette

[pipers_son]

A sharp whistle cuts through the cookhouse and, if that isn't enough, Joker's well used voice calls out. As someone in charge of the performers, it's not hard for him.

"Alright folks, listen up!" He's standing right on stage, where a table has been set up. Also notable is that Joker isn't wearing the flamboyant fashion he's so often known for. Even when he's at a formal event, his choice of wear tends to be brightly colorful. Today, however, he's wearing a simple blue waistcoat over neatly pressed slacks. There's not even makeup, which is probably the weirdest thing of all. Trust him, he doesn't like it either. Once he's sure that everyone is sufficiently quiet enough (although he could talk over all of them if he wanted), Joker continues.

"Since most of us could use a refresher on the kind of manners one uses in high society, Mister Strange and myself will be givin' one. Since this is a bit last moment, do yer best ta remember as much as ya can. If ya have questions, feel free ta ask 'em at any time. If ya forget, just come find me while we're stayin' at the castle."

He gives a nod to Strange. "Anythin' ya want ta say?"

[ooc: We're going to be playing it pretty loose, so feel free to have your character theadjack if they have a question.]

[kingsroads]

Strange's appearance is equally noticeable, as he's swapped his normal look of 'borderline unwashed hobo' to something decent. His waistcoat is in a dark green and he's wearing an expertly tied cravat as well. He's even shaven and brushed his hair (though it's obvious he's still in need of a haircut). Despite the fact that this level of cleanliness is so unlike Strange, he looks perfectly comfortable in the clothes.

As Joker nods to him, Strange gives the other man a smile. "And if you can't find the stage manager or he's otherwise occupied, seek me out instead." There's a pause, before he continues. "I suppose the first thing to do is cover the absolute basics of what to do and what not to do—things like proper forms of address or using your napkin, for example."

Because Strange has already had to explain 'you can refuse food you're allergic to' to someone today. He's a little bit worried that they'll need to go over the basic rules of table manners and polite conversation before they get to different tableware and the intricacies of class structures.