the "p" doesn't stand for pretentious, FYI. [art gallery, may 6th—??? ]

[theearth]

[ Welcome to Locke's very own Taste de Louvre, everyone! Predictably, the unveiling of the new set of statues at the magnificent Hugh P. Thadson Gallery of Fine Art has turned out to be a rather fanciful affair. The upper echelon of snobby society, in their snobby society attire, has come to mingle amongst one another—and is endeavoring to ignore you, fair citizen, as much as possible—and discuss this fantastic addition to our city's fair culture.

The first statue is a touchingly metaphorical piece, the prominent carving of a snake coiled around a human heart that looks so real you can almost hear it beating within your ears. This statue appears to be the most popular; the crowds drawn around its base simply can't stop going on and on and on about how wondrous it is, along with the rest of the works on display tonight.

The second statue also depicts a snake, but has its blush-brushed scales cut dramatically open to display its own wicked black heart. The Thunder Corporation and its latest line of tacky memorabilia is the primary subject of discourse here.

The last statue is strikingly different from the other two, and features a wolf howling at the open sky,* dying in apparent agony with a sword driven through its chest. You get a distinctly unsettling impression from it that the other, ordinary folk don't seem to notice—that perhaps your adventure to meddle in recent affairs is ill-advised. Inscribed below the pained wolf's paw is a link of sorts to a peculiar forum that, when accessed, bears only the topic "Let's Negotiate" with the same message enclosed within. Strange, but since no one else is talking about it, you wonder if you can't have just imagined the whole ordeal... and yet stranger things have happened, right? Perhaps it's worth looking into, in any event.

There's plenty to do with the statues about and the gift shop buzzing, with lots of familiar faces to run into. So what's your agenda for the evening? ]

(( General mingling post for the plot as related to art gallery affairs! There will be base threads for OPEN INTERACTIONS, open to all as implied, CLOSED INTERACTIONS, for planned out one-on-one interactions between player characters, and a general purpose EVERYTHING ELSE, for characters who wish to explore the gift shop, just mull about. Just as a general reminder:

1) Touching one of the snake statues will grant you one (1) Echo, for two (2) Echoes max. However, touching a second statue will definitely arouse suspicion, so be prepared for that. One safe Echo, two potentially risky ones up for grabs here! No Echoes from touching the wolf statue, though, so slither your way towards the snakey-snakeys for those.

2) If you'd rather not touch the statues themselves, hanging around them for awhile -- about an hour or so -- will grant one (1) Echo.

3) Accessing the webforum will not grant an Echo, but posting a reply to it will. It will be possible to get a second during conversation, but as for how it happens... it's a secret to everybody!

4) Little statuettes are available for purchase in the gift shop, but do not grant an Echo themselves in any way.

You may also handwave the mingling NPCs being snobby snobs at you, just for fun. Because why not.

As before, please wait for all base threads to go up before posting. OPEN FOR BUSINESS! In your character's subthreads, please put your character's name, the day, and optionally the time you are visiting in the title so things remain nice and neat. Remember, open to all interactions in the open section and one-on-one time in the closed section. Everything else goes in Everything Else. This post will remain stickied throughout the entirety of the plot duration, for easy finding.

The plot post for this week, detailing about the art gallery and more, can be found here.

*This awesome picture drawn by our very lovely Lucas-mun! Thanks, MC! ]

Comments

[wordsgate]

[Sam grins as soon as he realizes who it is and gracefully pick up one of the flutes.] Well, well, I didn't know you worked as a waiter. I think I'll be the one to test--I wouldn't be much of a Prince Charming if I don't, right?

[He briefly holds up the glass in a "toast" gesture and then takes a small sip out of the glass.]

Yep. Champagne!

[espigeonage]

Hahaha! You're kind, so kind, Master Sam. Or Prince Sam. All the apologies, I'm so bad at titles.

[He follows suit and samples the second glass, tucking the round tray under his arm with the ease of someone who's worked with them before.]

It's not bad. Probably way overpriced, but that's on the gallery, not me.

[wordsgate]

[He chuckles, and takes a bigger sip of the champagne. Then he pauses, glances down at the glass like he's just remembered something, then leans closer to Julien a little with a hushed voice.]

...I just thought. How closely do you think they're watching the alcohol here?

[espigeonage]

[Julien tilts his head a little to one side and leans in as well, matching his tone. He's short, around five five, and didn't bother with height-boosting shoes.]

Hmm. As in consumption, or as in people adding things? I pulled these off someone coming right out of the back.

Assuming the drinking age is 21 in...whatever state Locke City is in.

[wordsgate]

[If that's the case, Sasame will be bending down a little--he's actually fairly tall, despite being Japanese.]

Consumption! I wouldn't want you to get in trouble for giving alcohol to someone under the legal drinking age.

[espigeonage]

There is that! We can pretend it's apple juice? Aaah, don't worry, I'm not actually working here - this was just the outfit that caught my eye. Second fanciest thing I've got that's not stained or something, after that punch bowl incident...

[He beams.]

Haha, I forgot I had an advantage over you here! I'm older than I look.

[wordsgate]

[laugh] That's right, I think I remember that. You've graduated college, right?

[espigeonage]

Right, right! A bit more than a year ago. I turned twenty-four on the twenty-fifth, actually. Didn't really get to do anything in commemoration. Certain things are just rude that way.

[wordsgate]

Oh! Happy birthday! That was just a few weeks ago, wasn't it? It's probably not too late to celebrate if you wanted to.

[espigeonage]

Haha, thanks! Well, me and birthdays for the past few years have mostly been about hanging out with people and eating well, anyway - hardly much of a change from usual.

[Julien takes another sip and sobers somewhat.]

No, this one was weird. Finish your champagne or give it back and come over by the wall, where it's less crowded, and I'll show you something.

[wordsgate]

Hm? Okay...[He downs most of the glass and sets it aside.]

[espigeonage]

[He passes his stuff off to a real waiter with a wink, and does as he said, putting his back to the wall. There's a subtle nervousness to him now, a bit furtive, but he smiles anyway.]

Now give me your hand, my dear man, unless you're afraid.

[wordsgate]

[He's picking up on the nervousness, although he couldn't begin to guess why Julien's feeling that way. He raises an eyebrow.]

It's a little early for a proposal, don't you think? [But he offers his hand anyway.]

[espigeonage]

Ah, ah, you have to learn to appreciate the moment.

[He presses Sam's hand gently against his ribs and inhales deeply. Some air passes through his lungs and right into the air sacs under his collarbone, some rushes into the air sacs a little lower down. He exhales and the lower air passes through his lungs, the upper air just goes straight out. His diaphragm is not involved, but his ribs move rather more than they should, expanding and rising and then subsiding.]

A little odd, don't you think?

[wordsgate]

['More than a little' is what he thinks to himself, although he doesn't voice it out loud. He wouldn't want to upset Julien.]

Yeah. This is one of the changes because of the...er, "beats"?

[espigeonage]

Uh huh. Personally I go with "extra", but it's the same either way.

[He eases Sam's hand back away and lets go and smiles.]

But hey, I'm good now. Just felt like it bore mentioning.

[wordsgate]

[He drops his hand to his side with a worried frown.]

"Good now"...which means you weren't before?

[espigeonage]

Not in the least. I was feeling under the weather for a week or so but something came up with the club, you know, and everyone went all quiet for a bit, so I felt like I couldn't say anything.

[wordsgate]

I'm sorry I didn't notice. Please don't feel like you can't say something if your "extras" are causing you trouble--we're more or less all in the same boat.

[espigeonage]

Ah, that's all right. I've learned my lesson! I think. It's one of those things that seems obvious now, but then it was, well, the others were about to be quite busy indeed.

[He doesn't want to say "werewolves" here in the gallery, even if the area is clearer here.]

[wordsgate]

Ahh. I think I read up on that after I finished my paper. I can see why you'd feel like you couldn't anything. But still, you could've at least contacted me!

Actually, come to think of it, do you have my number?

[espigeonage]

I do not miss that part of uni. ...Thanks.

Well... [Julien pulls his phone out of a pocket - it's not a smartphone, but it does have a well-used little keyboard, which he navigates with ease. His contact list appears to be extremely long.] ...I thought I did! Maybe not.

[wordsgate]

[He smiles and pulls out his own phone--his is a smartphone with a purple case--out of his pocket and opens up a "new contact" page.] I'll trade you.

[espigeonage]

Sure. Get a picture! In case you ever forget which name goes with my pretty face. Or I yours.

[Unlikely, obviously, but it's Julien's favorite part of adding a new contact.]

[wordsgate]

Oh, of course! Say cheese! [He snaps a picture with his phone and hands it over to Julien. When he gets Julien's phone, he'll add in two numbers--one is marked as "cell", and the other as simply, well "other"--1241842.]