thelockedplace | MINGLE

MINGLE LOG | WEEK 2
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Greetings, house guests. Surely you're getting into the swing of things, by now? Though, a friendly reminder: there is no escape.

Sunday is, once again, a quiet and likely somber day. At least, until there's one hopefully welcome surprise: belongings from back home that you may have missed will be delivered to your rooms today, if you did not come in with them. (Note: these should be the personal items from your applications, if your characters don't already have them on hand. The dead's personal items WILL NOT be appearing.)

Iris, Shauna, and anyone else in the house who might be considered a mother will also find a red carnation in a small vase by their bedsides. Enjoy these small creature comforts. You have earned them.

(Don't forget to check out the post-trial afterparty!)

Come Monday, everyone will once again wake up to a most unpleasant surprise: their motive for the week. This one is more immediately apparent than the last; the house's hunger has not been sated.

Pratibha is, once again, nowhere to be found, but this time, she's absent every day this week. What's up with that? (Should you feel strongly about this, you may attempt to find her.)

Bucking tradition, this week's first puzzle also arrives on Monday; it unlocks, of all things, a huge wardrobe full of fancy clothes. What could all this be for?

On Tuesday, the second puzzle appears; and it unlocks, this time, a grand ballroom.

On Wednesday, it will become clear what this week's locations are for. Because the ballroom doors open by themselves at 6 PM sharp, and reveal:

A ball. Splendid and scintillating, this gracefully lit space is warmed by the sound of distant music that has no apparent source. There are tables for food and drink, and more tables besides at which to sit. The star, however, is the dance floor; are you feeling brave enough to step out there? More importantly: with whom as your partner?

The windows display only endless green forest before night falls. Twilight and rising darkness paint the ballroom in shadows and shades of gold. All of it is enchanting and lovely to behold. The ballroom even sports numerous little nooks for ... privacy.

Remember, above all, rule 5: Get to know each other. Become friends. Become more. Who cares. Just do it.

Thursday brings calm after the busy storm of the ball. Rest, recuperate, and reflect; you all know what tomorrow brings.

Friday is investigation time once again. The investigation post will go live at 3 PM EST, 5/16.

Saturday is the day of your second real ritual. You may find the ritual post here at 12 PM EST, 5/17.

Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday

code bases by tricklet

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The difference there is usually I'm being paid to dress up. Didn't know I was on the clock tonight.

[ There's an undercurrent of amusement to his voice, for all the grumping. He looks closer at the second outfit as Anemone points it out, considering it with some skepticism. ]

Looks like it'd be easy enough to move around in, at least, but I don't know. Never really considered myself the swashbuckler type.

Mm, I can picture it. Very dashing!

[ Anemone looks him up and down, nodding in self-approval. Is she even listening to what he's saying? ]

If you need any more reason, I'll hire you for one night! The house has been acting up lately and I could use a guard.

[ Leon didn't grow up with any siblings, much less little sisters, but in this moment he feels a little like an older brother getting pressganged into a game of dress up. ]

I guess I can't argue with that, [ he says, solemnly. In all seriousness, he should be present if other people are going, just in case something happens at the party and they need to deescalate a situation or evacuate or something. ] I'll be there, but do I really have to wear one of these?

Of course. Everyone will be dressed up.

[ She enunciates gravely, because this is a matter of utmost importance. ]

Trust me, I'm saving you from sticking out like a sore thumb. You'll thank me at the end of the evening.

[ Leon hesitates, looking uncertain, but between the twin factors of him not wanting to disappoint Anemone or Lortel and him genuinely starting to worry about being the only one not dressed up and that looking weird, he relents. ]

All right. [ he says, reaching for the pinstripe suit. It's more normal, right? ]

[ He's gone for the safe choice, but we all have to start somewhere. ]

Let me see what else I can find!

[ Meaning don't get too attached, we're just warming up. Anemone produces from the depths of the wardrobe a suit with a fancy flower cravat and a second black goth-looking suit complete with a leather half-cape. Suddenly the vampire outfit doesn't look too bad, eh? ]

[ Leon, for his part, also idly starts looking around as he waits for Anemone. He doesn’t really have anything in mind, but he does come across uh. Uhhhhhhhhhhh.

He’s just gonna put that back. And turn around to see that what Anemone’s rustled up isn’t much better. ]

Hm. Is that what girls are into these days?

[ Anemone looks delighted when she returns to Leon checking out an outfit. That's the spirit! She doesn't see a problem with it...besides thinking he's really committed to the dark and serious look. ]

An eye-catching outfit helps, yeah, but you also have to compliment her and spoil her.

[ That's just you, Anemone.... ]

Well, yeah, that's a given, [ says Leon, ever-chivalrous but also having not been on a real date with anyone for over six years. He eyes Anemone's options a bit more carefully before shaking his head and turning back to the fancy vampire getup. ] You think I can get away with just this one? It seems easiest to move around in out of all of them.

Stylish and practical. Hmm, yes, it suits you!

[ She claps her hands together in approval. Yes, she can picture him rocking it. ]

Don't worry! If you're having trouble deciding, we'll throw a ball next week, too!

[ What else is there to do in a mansion like this? ]

Great. [ Practical's not the word he'd use with all those frills, but at least they're not so egregious as to get in the way. The notion of another ball gets a short, huffing laugh out of him as he holds the shirt up to himself to double check the fit. ]

Yeah? I guess that's one way to pass the time while we're here. You ever been to a ballroom like that before?

[ Satisfied with Leon's outfit, Anemone rummages for an outfit of her own. ]

I have! Dewey used to take me to fancy balls thrown by some official or other. [ She twirls as she moves down the aisle. ] I'd dress up and dance the night away.

Sounds like you had fun.

[ Leon says, a subtle, fond smile playing across his features. It's good to see Anemone having fun. ]

Who's Dewey? A friend of yours?

He's the Colonel.

[ Anemone says as she rifles through the outfits, picking them up only to put them away again. This one's not cute enough, that one she doesn't like the color of. ]

I liked it sometimes, but sometimes it gets dull.

[ Maybe she's just hard to please...but seriously speaking, as much as she likes dressing up, the balls were more for Dewey's entertainment than her own. ]

[ That's right, he keeps - not forgetting, exactly, but not fully registering that Anemone's armed forces of some kind, or something adjacent. ]

I could see that. Once you get past the glitz and glamor, most of the high society functions I've been to are more about business and networking than anything else. Gets pretty dry pretty fast.

Hmm...so rich people's parties are the same anywhere in the universe. [ She hums, feeling validated. ] Tell me more about your world!

[ While she picks something out. She's going to be here a while. ]

[ Leon gives an bemused huff at the question. ]

Give me a more open-ended question, why don't you? [ he half-laughs, taking a moment to think about how to answer. ]

... Luis and I have already talked plenty about the bad stuff. [ The bioweapons and the mind control spiders, mostly. ] Why don't I start somewhere more fun? I get to travel a lot for work. You wanna hear about some of the coolest places I've been?

[ She pokes her head out from behind a stall. You have her attention. ]

Yes! Yes I do!

[ Travel stories are way better than mind control spiders. ]

Let's see...

[ He thinks about where to start. His instinct is Terragrigia, since Anemone seems like she'd get a kick out of a city built on the water and powered entirely by solar energy, but that kind of runs the risk of having to get into what happened to it shortly after he was there consulting. 'Downer' isn't a strong enough word by a long shot.

After a moment, he has the perfect idea. ]

You ever heard of a city called New Orleans? The way I understand it, it was a massive trading hub for basically every country and culture that had a foothold in the area going back thousands of years, since it's built where one of the longest rivers in the area meets the ocean, so there's a little bit of everything there. The music, the food, the festivals, the movies they make - they're all incredible. Larger than life. It's not like anywhere else I've ever been.

MINGLE | WEEK TWO

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