HAPPY NEW YEAR!

[paradisamods]

All that clamor from the lion dance prancing down the halls should be enough to draw attention to the party, even without actual invitations. If not the noise, then perhaps the delicious smell wafting under every door and leading back to the ballroom.

The castle is vain, if nothing else. It has decorated the ballroom in the deepest red and brightest gold with auspicious greetings in the common language tastefully posted about the hall. May your happiness be without end, one says, while another goes May all your wishes be fulfilled. Small order, all things considered.

Round dining tables (with the turning glass part) are set up in the middle of the hall, each with about ten chairs and piles of food fit for a whole village. There are two more lion dance teams hopping about the hall and making a racket while occasionally nabbing that dumpling straight from your chopsticks. That should the least of your concerns, however, with many residents still aiming to settle their grudges before the new year.

Watch your back.

[ ooc; IC mingle log for Lunar New Year plot, feel free to make your own threads! ]

Comments

[unmanned]

[That frown is pretty adorable, so James can't help but chuckle. He'll take the drink out of her hand and add it to his own. There we go.]

Doubt I'll be drinking this beyond tonight.

[hellofist]

[There was a lot still left in that glass, you're very brave James.]

Will look out for you, then. Make sure you... get home safe.

[unmanned]

Going upstairs isn't that much of a challenge. [His tolerance is considerable. Years of practice.]

[hellofist]

[Brave and apparently able to drink all of the alcohol ever.]

Guess that means... it's just strong enough, for you.

[unmanned]

Pirates and drink go hand in hand, Cassandra.

[hellofist]

[So do pirates and birds and wooden legs but you don't have THOSE. But still, instead of arguing she picks up another drink and pours it into the glass he's already got, filling it up all the way to the very top.

If you're gonna talk the talk you better walk the walk, James.]

[unmanned]

[... well. That's a fair amount of alcohol, but James doesn't so much as blink an eye.]

Getting pissed wasn't my plan for this event, but if it happens, I know who to blame.

[hellofist]

Will accept it.

[She probably shouldn't sound so pleased about being the reason someone gets shitfaced but hey, it's a party.

But hey, wait, rewind.]

Getting... pissed?

[That's a new one, in this context.]

[unmanned]

Pissed. [He motions to his nearly full glass--which he takes a sip of so it doesn't spill over.] Drunk.

[hellofist]

Huh.

[Congratulations James, when she goes around talking about her friend who got pissed with her everyone will have you to thank for her new vocabulary word.]

Could always... switch back to snacks. If you don't want... to get pissed.

[unmanned]

[Tell Ezio. James would be tickled.]

I'll be fine.

[Any headaches, well... it's not like he has much to attend to, here.]

Have you been enjoying yourself?

[hellofist]

[Her expression dims a little at that question. She'd been trying to enjoy the party, but it's been difficult to ignore the fact that there are people who should be here who aren't. The Once-ler and Jesse just gone, Molotov dead, who even knows how many other people she isn't aware of that were hurt? She didn't even get to say goodbye, but that should be something she's used to by now.]

Doing my best to. Lost friends, this month. They went home.

[unmanned]

[Ezio had made mention of people coming and going on the castle's whims.]

My condolences.

[hellofist]

[She nods, because that is appreciated, and tries another smile.]

They'd want me... not to mope, though. So, came to party. Gives me chance... to make new friends.

[Guess who she means, James. Spoiler: it's you.]

[unmanned]

To new friends. [He raises up his cup, then takes another drink. Speaking of friends, he's hoping Edward's learned his lesson and doesn't decide to try some of this stuff. With his supposed loss, James is pretty sure he'd coat the entire floor with vomit. Ew.]

[hellofist]

[Maybe it's for the best that he hasn't made it to the party yet, that sounds horrible. And since she's not one to be rude enough to let a toast go untoasted, Cass picks up another glass of the liquor and takes a sip as well. It's still very, very gross.]

Have you made many, so far?

[unmanned]

Enough to keep me busy. [Learning about Auditore, keeping Kenway from getting carried away--though the latter is out of habit, not really necessity now, is it?]

[hellofist]

[She looks pleased to hear that.]

Good. It's easier here, with friends. Small castle, too. [Relatively speaking.] Might know same people.

[unmanned]

Do you know Ezio Auditore?

[He's not eager to be affiliated with the man, but it's worth asking about him to see how people feel. What they've come to learn.]

[hellofist]

[It's not hard to pick up on that body language and Cass has to wonder exactly what it was that Ezio did to rub James the wrong way. Not that there aren't a million ways for that, but still. She is curious.]

He was... first person I met, here. Have been friends since.

[unmanned]

I'm sure he was eager to help a pretty lady find her way in this place.

[Ezio was one of the first people James met, but he might as well had been trash on the side of the road. All too preoccupied with himself than helping out a lost soul--not that James needed it, but the moment said a lot about his character.]

[hellofist]

[She can't help it, that gets a laugh from her. If anyone is an acquired taste it's probably Ezio.]

Could say that. Don't like him, huh?

[unmanned]

Am I that obvious?

[He knows how obvious he is, that's what that little smirk says.]

[hellofist]

[Oh James, you are her favorite.]

Only a little. He does have good side, but doesn't always... show that part, when he should.

[unmanned]

He's not without any redeeming qualities. [He sorta got caught him up on the state of the Assassins in Paradisa. Tiny and no Templar threat. Woohoo.]

Has he been a good friend?