⇨ FOURTH WALL EVENT! (OPEN TO ALL)

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone and the 4th Wall Visitors!
When: Day 175
Where: Heartstone Manor
What: THE 4TH WALL BALL BEGINS! This is where unapped visitors can post and roleplay. Please read the rules and setting info below. For more information and visuals refs, read this. Questions can be asked over here.
Warnings: Individually marked! Could be a lot of things.

THE GRAND BALL↴ Heartstone Manor is a giant, spooky castle floating in the middle of a twilight filled void. It is the home of a Wyld Fae calling himself The Prince - and despite his name, he is a bestial creature crammed into a gentleman's clothing, completely obsessed with replicating the ideals of old timey human society, much like the 1800's. The Prince and his many servants all dress in a manner appropriate to to the 1500's - 1800's, and decorum and beauty are held sacred above all else. All the workers of the carnival are currently staying there, in the hope of enabling a successful diplomatic venture between the Ringmaster and the Prince. The Grand Ball is being thrown by the Prince to honour these guests, but his manner of doing this is going to come as a bit of a surprise. THE RULES↴ Powers are all partially nerfed for 4th Wallers. They can be used in small to moderate ways for the sake of RP and narrative flavour, but 4th Wallers shouldn’t generally be using any powers in a super disruptive manner. No using powers for fighting with NPCs (yet), causing general chaos, or otherwise making your character a burden to the Prince. If they try, they’ll find themselves unable to do so. Your character isn’t sure how they got here but they think they’re okay with it. Your character won’t remember how they were captured by the Prince at the start of the ball. They’re just kind of here and in formal wear, and something tells them it’s probably fine to just enjoy the ball. They are wrong. In-game characters won’t initially remember how they all ended up at the ball either thanks to a temporary amnesia effect, but they will be able to be concerned about the fact that other people (possibly people they know) have shown up, and the fact that those other people are probably the Prince’s captives. Weren’t they doing something else at the castle before this, though? It’s hard to remember. This is all very confusing. 4th Wall character who aren’t apping in were possibly never the real deal in the first place. There are a mixture of genuine captives and spooky replications created with magic – this is to provide some flexibility regarding 4th wall character’s states in game, as well to allow more than one of each character to be played. If there are multiple people playing the same character, then whichever one has an app accepted will have been the real one. No doubles of in game characters. (Taken list here.) No AUs, no CRAUs, and nothing else besides characters that have full source canons or are original characters/fandom OCs with no bearing on the canon plot. If you tag in with a character who breaks these rules we reserve the right to remove them. THE SETUP: 4TH WALLERS↴ With incredibly foggy memories of their recent past, your character will find themselves at a grand ballroom dance, filled with a mixture of normal humans and odd looking humanoids that have strange features like wings, horns, tails, fur, and the like. They have vague memories of being dressed for the occasion, but are not sure by who or why. Most disturbingly, they will find that, at first at least, they don’t really care about the details. It seems like a pleasant event, doesn’t it? Why not enjoy it. This effect is definitely some kind of mind control, so you can feel free to have your characters be a bit confused and conflicted about it. Ultimately, they have been charmed to participate in the dance, so they will feel like riding the wave is the best thing to do even if that wouldn’t normally be their cup of tea. If your character has resistances to some forms of mind control, they are still overruled in this circumstance. They may discover people they recognize (castmates) or even duplicates of themselves (somehow?), and these can all be treated as canonly occurring and played out as such. This event is canon for Lost Carnival, so it should be played seriously and respectfully – not that silly shenanigans aren’t also bound to happen. All characters are required to dress in formal attire appropriate to a period area – specifically anywhere from the 1500s to 1800s. The Prince prefers if people are heteronormative in their clothing choices, but if you want you can probably get away with your ladies wearing suits or men wearing dresses as long as they look presentable otherwise. THE SETUP: MANOR GUESTS↴ You find yourself at the Grand Ball without really remembering how you got here. The last few days are a foggy blur, and though you can remember some of the important stuff you were dealing with, it will feel less important right at the start. Of course, as the night goes on, memories of how the carnival reached this event will become more and more clear – as well as the inevitable worry and stress that comes with it. For most people, there will have absolutely no memory of anything that happened after the morning of Day 175. Did the boating trip ever happen? Possibly not. Even as the night progresses, they will still have no recollection of how most of Day 175 went, which is probably disturbing. The Mod has contacted those that are exceptions to this privately to tell them what they will remember. The people lost to the Manor’s security earlier in the week will be here too, but not as guests. In fact, all of them will be dressed in the black attire of a Heartstone Manor servant and will seem pretty okay with that fact. There are parts of them that look changed – and their dispositions are definitely one of them. How else could they possibly be working for the Prince now? Updates to the event situation will be posted down in this section below. People can react to these posts as the circumstances change, and may new top levels based on them. It is possible to try to sneak away from the ball, but Manor Security will be trying to hunt you down. There is no mandatory outcome planed to this event, so character decisions can and will have a major effect in where the plot goes from here. THE ACCOMODATIONS↴ MUSIC AND DANCING: There will be music playing the whole night, and most of it is so good you feel practically compelled to dance to it. It's possible to resist, but why would you want to do that, you party pooper? FOOD AND DRINK: There are circle tables set up with fine silverware, and upon sitting down you will soon have a waiter come back to ask for an order. You can request basically any European cusine and it will be made for you. You will also be given drinks, most of which are alcohol, no matter your age. Fae don't care about children. BALCONY STARGAZING: There are balconies that are connected to the ballroom in multiple locations that you can step out onto to get some fresh air. You'll see the courtyard of the Manor down below you, but everything beyond that is black, as if the castle is floating within a twilight void. (Because it is.) One small change is that there are stars out tonight, probably added to the sky for the occasion. ALL NIGHT LONG: The ball will go on far into the early morning. Or, at least, until everyone fucks it up.

Comments

Jasper | Steven Universe | 4th wall

[stompadour]

Jasper is... having a ? good ? time ??? Or, well, as good a time as she ever has doing anything except Fighting Worthy Opponents. In the back of her mind she feels like maybe she was in the middle of something important, before she came here, but... it's hard to remember exactly what it was, and anyway, now she's at this dance, so it's not like she can just go and do whatever it was instead.

The only dances she's been at before have been one where she was a guard rather than a participant, but she is finding that she likes dancing with people. It feels good and it reminds her of things that made her feel good in the past. The main problem is that she has yet to develop the habit of asking first -- she will just grab you and pull you into it. Hope you like getting twirled by burly eight foot tall orange women in enormous pink dresses.

new phone who dis

[mirrortide]

Lapis is grabbed, and the first thing she does instinctively is freeze as she's twirled. The second thing she does is take stock of who has grabbed her after a few seconds of just simply not reacting. It's Jasper.

It's Jasper.

She freezes again, emotions running wild and rampant. Confusion, fear, anger. For the first few seconds, it's all Lapis can do to not retaliate violently. The only reason she doesn't is because of her fear for Steven and Peridot's well being.

It doesn't stop her from violently yanking her limbs back as hard as she can, as best she can considering that Jasper is a quartz, and she hisses low: "Let go of me. Right now."

[stompadour]

Jasper doesn't let go of her right away, but she does stop and stare -- as if she hadn't even realised who it was she'd grabbed until she was staring her in the face. She'd just selected this person because she was small and blue, without realising there might actually be anyone here who she'd recognise.

"Lapis Lazuli," she says in surprise. She still doesn't let go. "Dance with me."

ignore the image his arm got cut off mid event oops

[otoko]

"AUH!!" Well, she's certainly got a way of choosing dance partners. Gongenzaka is far from a traditional looking sort-he's actually missing his left arm right now, in fact-but being 9 foot, he's probably at least a better option for a dance partner.

A very good option, actually. "G-Greetings..!" he stammers, eyes wide. "I, the man Gongenzaka, take it you wish to dance?"

[stompadour]

Astonishingly, this one is even taller than she is – although perhaps not taller than the extra couple feet that her extremely tall hair adds to the top of her head. Probably this is why she decided to dance with him – although she probably won't be able to twirl him.

"That's what we're here for, isn't it?"

[periphrasing]

No! No she doesn't!

Actually it's kind of astounding that Peridot hasn't noticed Jasper here before now. Maybe blame it on the fact that she's literally half Jasper's size and probably couldn't see her through the crowds of people.

But she sure sees her now! The smaller gem yelps in surprise, first at being grabbed and then again when she sees who is doing the grabbing. Could anyone really blame her? The last time Peridot saw Jasper, the quartz had just gone through a horrific transformation into a hideous, off-color monster, and was bearing down on two of her best friends. To see her here and now and whole is... well, it's nothing short of startling. She tries to twist away and stares down the other gem with abject shock written all over her face.

"Jasper-- I--" She's spluttering. "How?!"

[stompadour]

Jasper blinks, and then hauls Peridot up by the arm to get a better look at her. It's not until she spots the gem on her forehead that she fully recognises her, what with everything else going on.

"Peridot," she says, squinting a little and not putting her down. "You're the one from the Earth mission, aren't you?"

[diamondsare]

Blue Diamond had been content to wallflower and observe thank you. It was almost like being back in her proper court, except everyone isn't even remotely colorcoded and there's organics everywhere.

Still, it's nice to watch, or that had been the plan anyway until a rather imposing quartz seizes her and drags her onto the dance floor. It's actually not that hard to do, sheer surprise keeps Blue from protesting much at all. This is not one she instantly recognizes either.. she didn't know a single Jasper that favored poofy dresses or hair quite like that!

She approved of the choice of pink dress, however. "My, I hadn't known Jaspers were so fond of dancing." Yep, Jasper sure did grab Blue Diamond. Who is at least not 50 feet tall, but she's still as regal as ever .. and a little amused it seems. Amused is good! "Very well, but I believe you are ordinarily supposed to select partners without dresses on." But swirling blue and pink and shades of orange was pleasantly contrasting, and that too she approved of.

Dancing with a mere Jasper? The scandal would rock her favorite nobles right to their cores!

[stompadour]

Jasper hadn't recognised her, at first – had thought she was just another guest in a blue gown who happened to be closer to her height than the rest of the people here. But Blue Diamond's voice is unmistakable, and as soon as she realises that the gem in front of her has a face – and a gem – she's used to seeing at several times its current size, Jasper gasps, and lets go of her, and kneels, her hands forming the diamond salute in front of her chest.

"Blue Diamond," she blurts out apologetically, "I didn't realise – forgive me –"

[stillwinningthehardway]

Scout flinches, eyes widening, a second before her arm is grabbed. Dazed by the goings-on, she doesn't react in time. Under her long skirt her brass toenails clack loudly as she works to keep her balance through the spin. Jasper may get incidentally thwapped in the thighs by her tail. Centrifugal force and all.

She finds a moment and jerks free, clicks a step back, looks the gem up and down. Mostly up, Scout's only near six feet, and more than a bit of that is long, long legs. Her tail lashes behind her, whapping hard on the floor.

"You could just ask," she says, and quickly, theatrically, raises her arms and flicks them open, frowning. "I'm a really good dancer, I'd have said yes."

[stompadour]

Unfortunately, on top of the eight feet of regular height, Jasper has an extra two feet of hair (and ribbons and flowers). There's a lot of up to look. For her part, though, she's pretty used to looking down – and also pretty well protected from inadvertent thigh thwaps by the multiple layers of skirts and crinolines and hoops she has on. (Not what she would have picked, but it DOES make her look bigger and therefore more imposing.)

Jasper frowns down at her.

"We're all here to dance, why would I need to ask?"

[puddingemote]

It's pretty unusual that Tamaki is suddenly yanked into a dance, and even more unusual that it's by someone even taller than his own seven feet (plus a few inches thanks to his stubby horns). He looks discombobulated for only a moment as he's suddenly twirled around, but then he quickly gets into the rhythm of the music. He's grinning as he does; it might be unexpected, but he loves dancing, so all is forgiven.

"Ah, hey... Aren't you one of those gems?" he asks, as he moves. She definitely looks like one, though a different color from the others.

[stompadour]

She frowns at the question. "Obviously," she says, cocking her head to draw attention to her rock nose. She squints at him for a second, though, hesitating in the middle of dipping him, because the fact that she's not entirely sure what he is kind of undermines how dismissive she just was. "... What are you?"

[starseedling]

Steven is confused. He has been all night. There's just the lurking feeling that he's definitely forgetting something important, while also not being about to focus on it or worry that much. Yet, the feeling remains.

It has manifested in him basically enjoying the party for what it is, but not being able to completely get into it. He's just so sure he was in the middle of doing something really big beforehand, but he just can't...

Whump.

Steven is small enough and Jasper is having a grand enough of a time that he's only barely an obstacle to her storming around the dance floor. This means that when he gets into her area of effect, he's basically just knocked over and engulfed in her many layers of skirts.

[stompadour]

Jasper almost trips over him, but manages to right herself -- or maybe it's the crinoline that keeps her from straight up falling over. Cursing under her breath, she reaches down to grab the offending short individual who's gotten in the way of her boogie feet and haul him up to eye level, only to find...

"...Rose Quartz," she growls. The usual levels of anger don't quite seem to be with her today, though, somehow.

[scientificist]

Herbert was absolutely not dancing, or even intending on dancing (even despite the insistent voice in his brain going on about how much he absolutely should be dancing--he knows better) and then suddenly he's on the dance floor apparently being eaten by a large amount of very strong pink fabric. He looks sideways, eyes wide and shocked, just in time to see huge orange arms before they spin him. This, thankfully, frees one of his arms for a moment, and he's able to stop his glasses from flying off, but he does stumble over his own feet fairly spectacularly. He's just not this coordinated.

It doesn't seem to matter, really. He's apparently not going to fall down as long as he's being basically held up in the air and manhandled by...what is apparently an enormous woman with enormous hair who must have paid an exorbitant amount for all the body paint she needed for some reason. What is she even dressed as?

"Wh-whzn--" He stumbles over his tongue. This woman is an event. She is happening to him, like Rufus the cat. "What are you doing?!"

[stompadour]

"Dancing," she tells him impatiently. "That's what you're here for, isn't it?" OBVIOUSLY IT IS

[foxemperor]

Yusuke's been content to spend his time as a spectator- admiring the other guests as he weaves his way through the crowds to get a closer look at all the dancers. Not that he's opposed to the idea of joining in, but it'd been easy to let himself get caught up simply from watching.

Of course, until one of the other guests sees fit to drag him over right as he walks past. He stumbles a little out of surprise, but latches onto the woman's arm to try and steady himself.

Although...he's far from upset at being yanked over. In fact, his eyes light up a little as he straightens himself out. Clearly one who'd use such force to sweep him away...such confidence- not even pausing to ask? Why, she may just be an expert! A celebration this grand is bound to have it's fair share of veteran dancers, and he's more than happy to learn from someone with experience.

"Ah! Are you familiar with this one?"

[stompadour]

There is, at least, plenty of arm to latch onto, and she doesn't seem to have a problem with him using her sturdy frame to steady himself.

Unfortunately, his assessment of her qualities is... off base.

She squints down at him. "With this what."

[criticallyfucked]

Grabbing Foster is about the only way anyone's gotten a dance with him, and there's a reason for that.

Well, a couple of reasons for that. One is that he hates people, and also has very clear, very urgent priorities right now. Dancing is somewhere in the negatives.

But also, he sucks at dancing.

But Jasper's version of 'grabbing' is so much more literal than the norm as to render the other version underwhelming. His big meaty bear paws (literal) are invariably bigger than most people's hands, but this gigantic orange... hair... woman's paws (idiomatic) are even bigger and meatier; they just sort of envelop his and also crush them a little as she literally lifts him up off the ground, twirling away from where she nabbed him like some kind of intimidatingly-coiffed Beyblade spinning top.

And with his hooves dangling several inches off the ground, he really has no choice but to accept it.

He looks a little dazed, though.

Probably can't blame him.

[stompadour]

She snorts in amusement as she realises she's literally lifted him off the ground: "Short, aren't you?" She lowers him a little, so his hooves touch the ground, and peers down at him with a sort of impatient curiosity. "What are you, anyway? I can tell you're organic, but I've never seen a human that looks like that."

[the_bodyguard]

See, dragons don't really do dances. They have feasts and celebrations, but these kinds of movements definitely seemed more like a scavenger thing. And he feels a certain way about scavengers already.

And yet there's one right here, tugging him along with an alarming feat of strength. There's a moment of fumbling over his legs, but the assassin recuperates soon enough. He'd suck at his job if he couldn't! Problem is he's...not quite sure what to do with himself after that. Besides play it cool, of course. "Well, aren't you an energetic one. Strong grip, too."

[stompadour]

Jasper looks genuinely surprised.

"Huh, you can talk?" She'd actually been trying to steer him off the dance floor, in the assumption he was a misplaced beast of some kind...

[pullingamiko]

Okay, see, being abruptly grabbed by INHUMANLY LARGE people is something Miko has not had great experiences with in the past. Usually it means that either they're trying to kill her, or something else is and they're trying to get her out of the way. Neither is ideal.

At least she doesn't seem to be being kidnapped or murdered this time?? Though dancing is not much better, let's be honest. "Hey, uh-- maybe give some warning, huh?!"

[stompadour]

"Why?" Jasper scoffs. "You're here to dance, aren't you?"