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]

[All the Mentors in the history of the Assassins just turned in their graves.]

I wasn't aware you'd be doing any sort of teaching. [He'd be thrilled to learn from the man he heard about. Where's that Ezio?]

[hellofist]

[Hand resting on the back of Ezio's neck now instead of hanging on to his hair, Cass looks James over before shaking her head.]

Not sure how much... you can teach, to this one. Has learned it already.

[Is that some undisguised admiration in her tone? Yep, it really really is.]

[assassino]

[Ezio isn't sure if Cassandra is speaking to him or James. Nor does he really care.]

I've been an Assassin for eighteen years. James doesn't even look like he's been alive for eighteen years.

[No dude older than eighteen has a voice like that.]

[unmanned]

[James shrugs again, though Cass gets the ghost of a smile. She's good.]

I'm your eager student. [One that doesn't sound eager at all.]

[hellofist]

[And she beams right back at James, endlessly pleased.]

Could probably both... teach each other something. Question is, will it be... anything of value.

[assassino]

Given what I've done for the Brotherhood, I know I have lessons to teach that no one else could.

[unmanned]

What you will do for the Brotherhood.

[hellofist]

How much time... is between you? Do you know?

[assassino]

I am from 1494.

[And a vague eye-roll at James.]

And do not presume to know more about me than I do. I've liberated Florence and Venice from Templar influence, and just stopped them from overtaking Spain's monarchy. I ensured that Christopher Columbus was able to journey to the New World.

[And he adds a mildly drunk:]

So mind your tongue.

[unmanned]

1721, here.

[And he's not even acknowledging the rest of that.]

[hellofist]

[This is the most ineffectual dick measuring contest ever, for so many reasons.]

Big gap. Hopefully you'll find something... besides your order, to connect you. Other things in common.

[Because it really isn't looking like they're going to become friends based on work any time soon.]

[assassino]

[He just runs his hand down Cass's side again. HELL NAHHHHHHH.]

[unmanned]

[James just sips his drink.]

[hellofist]

[Oh good, leave the work of keeping the conversation going on the girl who sucks at conversations. This can't go wrong.

She'll try though, smiling at James and not at all concerned about Ezio's affectionate touches. She digs it.]

Have heard a lot... about Assassins, from Ezio's viewpoint. Would like to hear... what it's like for you, so long after him. Must have changed a lot.

[assassino]

Go on then, James.

[unmanned]

I imagine it has, but it's hard for me to draw comparisons when I've only heard brief stories about the Italian Brotherhood from my Mentor.

[His true Mentor. It's only when talking about Ah Tabai that the title holds any fondness or respect.]

But at its core, we still do the same work. Hunt Templars and their associates. Keep them from amassing too much control.

[hellofist]

[It's a striking difference between James saying that word to mock Ezio and saying it with real meaning behind it. She listens with rapt attention, taking in everything she can from the body language she's given because she's still so curious about Ezio's order, there's still so much she doesn't know.]

See? Similar. [She told you so you jerks. She nudges Ezio's shoulder with her hip, trying to prompt him to say something nice.] Your work's in good hands.

[assassino]

[Ezio shrugs.]

I never doubted that. I do, however, worry about its future. Connor's stories are unpleasant.

[unmanned]

[That gets a tilt of James' head.]

How so?

[hellofist]

Things, uh... go downhill.

[She has no idea how if the whole lol Templar thing is common knowledge, but it seems likely James would know if he's from after Connor. How could he not know, there must be some sort of Assassin handbook that explains these things.]

Connor's trying hard... to fix it, though.

[assassino]

He's doing the best he can, but he is only fourteen.

[He rolls his eyes a touch.]

It sounds as though Connor's predecessors allowed Templars to take control of the New World.

[unmanned]

Unfortunate. [That one so young should have to try to fix so much, and that there's so much to fix in the first place.]

I'm looking forward to meeting him. See what he's made of.

[hellofist]

[As much as she'd like to share, Cass keeps the fact that Connor is the sweetest kid ever to herself. He fights hard enough to be taken seriously, he doesn't need her fawning all over him to make that battle tougher.]

You'll like him, I think. He's more serious... than Ezio is.

[assassino]

Dreadfully serious. The boy doesn't have even the slightest urge to enjoy himself!

[unmanned]

That eager to learn, is he?