InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Relax and enjoy your shoes!"

Line of Fire Mods (lineof_firemods) wrote in lineof_fire_rpg,
@ 2008-03-08 20:34:00

Who: Everyone at the Party
What: Black Tie Ball; BLACKOUT
Where: Shangri-La Hotel on an off-coast Island
When: MARCH 10; 10:15 pm
Rating: TBD
Open? to EVERYONE!

Thunder rolled closer outside, seeming to shake the windows with each crack that reverberated through the sky. Flashes of lightning now accompanied the booming thunder, illuminating the dark water and rain outside every few minutes. While all guests and workers had been securely tucked inside, the storm continued to rage outside.

Flickering lights again, the band began another upbeat song. Right at the crescendo, the lights went to black. Cries of surprise and fear seemed to echo through the big room. Candles illuminated along the walls provided some light, but considerably more so than the guests were used to.

Once again, the host of the evening stumbled his way up onto the stage, calling out loudly enough for the crowd of guests to hear him.

"It seems we've lost our power...um, nobody panic. It's perfectly normal during a storm of this magnitude, I assure you that we're all safe and sound here, so just try to stay calm, and hopefully the power will come back up when the storm lets up. In the meantime, I'll be collecting a small group to go and look for flashlights and lanterns, so please come toward the stage if you'd like to volunteer for that. Again, this is perfectly normal, please try and stay calm."

(Post a new comment)

I am taking this thread's virginity. CLAIRE; in the lobby OPEN

diagnosisclaire
2008-03-10 01:55 am UTC (link)

What with her clientèle, coupled with her husband's loyalty to the force, Claire hadn't been entirely surprised when their invitation came in the mail, though that didn't mean she was any less ecstatic to get to go to the elite party. She had prepared for weeks before, as was her nature to over think things and prepare for every possible outcome. She had tried on several dresses the first week, not one of them seeming just right until she found the one that she would have paid twice the amount she'd found it for. Hiring the usual sitter for Cameron, she had insisted on being only slightly fashionably late. No use in milking it.

For as prepared as she had been for the party itself, she had thought very little of the weather, and there was clearly no way she'd be able to foresee the storm. Excusing herself from the party, she stepped out into the lobby to call Alice, the young woman left in charge with Cameron. She managed cell reception long enough to tell her that they were stranded here, but to just lock the doors and ride out the storm. Her cell cut out just minutes before the lights went out, leaving her in the lobby in the dark, only the flickering of candles along the walls to light the large room. "Well, that's bloody fantastic." She grumbled, trying to let her eyes adjust to the light.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

And apparently we're ganging up on it now.

lesmilton
2008-03-10 03:33 am UTC (link)

Les, generally, hated parties of this nature. Any party that required him to wear a tux was pretty low on his list of things he wanted to do. It always meant that he was going to be surrounded by people who were uppity and would no doubt look down on him if his occupation came to light. Still, Claire seemed excited about it, so he figured he'd suck it up and attend for her sake.

The party was indeed lavish, to say the least. Strange foods he'd never seen before coupled with fancier versions of normal foods. The men were flawlessly dressed in their fanciest tuxes and the women were as equally flawless, some adored with enough jewels to fill a store of their own. He couldn't help but feel a little inferior, but was lucky enough to strike up a conversation with a lawyer who was actually interesting. And then...the lights had gone out.

He glanced around when the lights went out for a final time, his brow furrowing. This was just what he wanted. To get stuck on an island with a bunch of snobby richies. He heard the request for volunteers to help round up flashlights and such and was about to volunteer himself when he realized that Claire hadn't made it back yet. She'd gone to use the phone just before the lights had gone out. So, making his way through the near-panicked mass of people, he managed to find the door she'd disappeared through moments earlier. He carefully stepped out, all but running into someone in the dark. "Sorry," he mumbled, waiting for his own eyes to adjust.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

oh those meddling miltons!

diagnosisclaire
2008-03-10 08:28 am UTC (link)

Claire tried to stay rational and calm as she stood in the dark, glancing around as she saw small flashes of lighter colored dresses and white peeking out through black in the dark. She remembered a few other people being in the lobby, but now they all seemed to be ghost-like shadows. Claire had never been afraid of the dark, even as a child, but still, there was something about being very much alone in a place she did not know that felt the slightest bit unnerving.

She was in this frame of mind when someone bumped into her, causing her to jump a little and clutch her chest. She let out a flutter of a laugh when she recognized Les' voice, shaking her head a little as she turned toward him. "Jesus, you scared me." She said, squinting as if that would allow her eyes to adjust a little better. The candle light caught the shadows of his face, and she easily smoothed her hands against his chest. "Cameron's just fine, Alice said he's sleeping like a rock all through the thunder." She was relieved that their son wasn't terrified through the storm, and just hoped he wouldn't wake up and get scared.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: oh those meddling miltons!

lesmilton
2008-03-14 12:03 am UTC (link)

The dark had never bothered Les. He actually had pretty good nighttime vision, as compared to some. But still, to be tossed into it suddenly among a group of strange people? Yeah, it was a little disconcerting. He'd rather have gotten stuck in the dark at home with his wife and kid. Well, he had half of that here, as he soon found when he heard her voice.

He put an arm around her as she spoke, nodding when she mentioned Carmeron. "Good. I don't think he ever got the hang of storms, so it'll be good for him to just sleep through it." He glanced around. "So, do we know what's going on now?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

diagnosisclaire
2008-03-14 07:40 am UTC (link)

Claire leaned her chin against his shoulder, her eyes open in an attempt to catch the flicker of light from the candles that would then expand so she could actually see shapes in the black. She felt comforted with his arm around her, not at all as concerned as she had been when the storm had hit. Why on earth anyone insisted on this party happening even with the storm warnings was beyond her, and yet, she had come, so there was little she could say on the matter.

"Mm, and this one isn't kidding around, either." She didn't like the thought of being so far away from home, and even though their sitter had assured her everything was fine, the 'momma lion' instinct in her just wanted to hold her boy and make sure he wasn't scared. Glancing around the room, she sighed a bit and ran her fingers down his arm to take his hand in hers. "I'm not sure, I think everyone is just trying not to panic at this point. I suppose we'll just have to wait out the storm."

(Reply to this) (Parent)

NICCY IS IN TEH HIZZY! ROXY, PLZ!

little_niccy
2008-03-10 06:30 pm UTC (link)

The blackout sent Niccy immediately looking for Roxy. He'd wandered away from her, checking in with Lucas and Raul, chatting with Charlie, making sure everyone was okay during the storm. Roxy could take care of herself, Niccy knew, but he also knew her fear of the dark, and wanted to be at her side.

He searched for her, pushing a little through the mob that seemed to be growing to a bit of panic in the dark. He tried to stay as calm as he could, but not knowing where she was was sending Niccy's head spinning.

Niccy spotted her, sighing with relief and weaving through the crowd a bit more quickly. He reached out and softly placed a hand on her shoulder, smiling at her in the dark. "Hey."

(Reply to this) (Thread)

HOLLA AT A PLAYA!

nightsat_roxy
2008-03-10 07:13 pm UTC (link)

The lights went out and if other people hadn't done half-shrieks in surprise, Roxy would have been one of them. Instead her fingers curled tightly into fists as she hugged her arms around herself. Don't panic, don't panic. Was the mantra that ran over and over in her mind. She refused to be one of those people who ran around screaming, terrifying everyone in her general vicinity.

She swallowed hard, trying not to see the images in the shadows she knew weren't really there. A sigh of relief came from her when she spotted Niccy coming toward her, a calm washing over her almost instantaneously. "Hey." She matched his smile, hugging her arms around his body. "So this is...exciting?" She said, perching a brow up at him. She at least, was trying to stay positive.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

You only holla for my dolla dolla.

little_niccy
2008-03-10 07:21 pm UTC (link)

Niccy ran a hand down her back, pulling her into him. "Glad I found you quickly. You don't migrate much, unless we're in the market. Then you seem to run away and hide behind the toilet paper with the cart when you send me for tampons." He smirked at her, his breath calming, his heart slowing. The glow coming from the candles on the wall were enough to let him see her, but it was still far too dark for that many people to be locked in a hotel on island.

"Exciting isn't the word I'd use." Niccy frowned a little, his eyes scanning the room as people clumped together toward the walls, where the light was brightest. He could see a group gathered near the stage, one of the hotel staff passing around flashlights before the whole group headed out to search for more lighting. "I just hope the lights come back up soon." He sighed, squeezing Roxy against him. He leaned down, whispering into her ear. "You doing okay?" He left the question at that, not wanting to elaborate with 'you're not freaking out because it's dark, right?' He could tell she was a little scared, but it was nice to see her react to him, instead of standing there, trying to steel herself against some invisible evil like she had for so long.

He smiled at her, then pressed a quick kiss to her cheek. "We should do something. Standing here in the herd of cattle that may end up in a stampede could be bad."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

damn straight I do.

nightsat_roxy
2008-03-10 07:47 pm UTC (link)

Roxy laughed a little at his comment and nodded. "Ah, then you get to send me for condoms and insist on yelling down the aisle for me to get the magnums. You ass." She grinned, flushing red at the memory of it. Shopping for groceries was never dull with the two of them, and more of a contact sport than anything else, complete with paper towel football. Ah, the people at Stop and Shop truly loved them.

"Yeah, me too." She breathed, smiling a little bit. She was glad for him being there. She'd been feeling a little sick lately, and blamed the mass amounts of Italian food she'd been craving. It was obnoxious, really, but she completely blamed Niccy and his family for giving them free food from Marino's. "I'm fine." She said, offering him a smile to reassure him. As long as he was right there, she wasn't going to go nuts or anything.

"Do something?" She asked, her brow raising at him. "If that's code for - you want to find a secluded hallway for a little boots-bumping fun time, I am not getting this dress dirty." She said, wrinkling her nose up at him.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Cheap hoar.

little_niccy
2008-03-10 07:54 pm UTC (link)

"Hey, at least everyone in the market knows you've tamed the Italian Stallion, baby." He grinned at her, shaking his head. "All people know when I'm wandering around with tampons is that I have a girlfriend who's hit puberty." He squeezed her again, laughing.

"Good, I'm glad you're good." Niccy was a little more nervous at the situation than he'd let on, but knowing she was okay, and it calmed him down. "This is just a bad situation. I'm not happy about it. I hope they get the lights back up soon. You'd think they'd have backup generators." He shook his head again, then moved back toward the wall a little more, backing Roxy to the wall and using his body to block her in case anything happened.

"Pft, dirty girl." He smirked at her, letting his hands rest at her waist. "No, I mean, get out of this room, track down a flashlight for ourselves, get someplace safe. I don't feel too comfortable being in a room with a bunch of people who will freak out and run like lemmings toward one open door, y'know?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

that's the way you like it :p

nightsat_roxy
2008-03-10 08:09 pm UTC (link)

"Ah yes, and I'm sure the children who go to Saint Mary's Catholic school absolutely loved knowing that information." She laughed a little and bowed her head against his shoulder, shaking her head a little as she did so. "Mm well, at least it will help you fend off those nasty cradle-robbing rumors."

"You seem to forget this building was built when electricity was still fairly new. I don't have high hopes that they have generators that will boot up." She wasn't trying to be pessimistic, but rather talk herself into the reality of the situation. No use buying into a false sense of hope, right? She moved back with him, a smirk gracing her face when he hovered protectively over her.

"You know that's all that was on your mind." She said, pointing a finger into his chest. She nodded at his suggestion, having not been too keen on crowds, picking up their frantic vibes would definitely not be conducive to her mental state. "I think that's a good idea. I really don't feel like getting trampled in a stampede."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

You know me and my cheap ways too well. ::hangs head:: YOU LOVE MY ICON KEYWORDS

little_niccy
2008-03-11 02:01 am UTC (link)

He smiled at her, leaning into her a bit more protectively. His arms wrapped around her waist, and Niccy looked around the room. He spotted someone wandering through an open door awkwardly with an armload of flashlights, and he grinned at Roxy. "Stay here." He darted away from her, moving toward the man with the flashlights. He was already drawing a crowd, and Niccy pushed his way through, leaning over to grab one by the handle. "Yoink! Thanks!" He grinned at the man, who looked thoroughly overwhelmed by the mass of people moving in on him, but Niccy couldn't do much too help.

So, instead, he went back to Roxy and slid an arm around her waist, guiding her away from the wall and scooting out of the mass of people pushing toward Flashlight Man. "That guy is so screwed. They're going to take everything he's got, plus his personal flashlight." Niccy smirked, then pushed Roxy out the doorway they'd made it to into an older, but still dimly lit hallway. "So, do we explore, or just hang out here until the lights come back up? I don't want to end up lost or anything."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

YOU KNOW I DO!

nightsat_roxy
2008-03-11 04:08 am UTC (link)

Roxy smiled up at him, her nose wrinkling a bit as he pulled her in closer. She nodded, letting her hands slip away from him when he pulled away. She watched him as best as she could through the dark room, and shook her head when Niccy so gracefully took a flashlight for them.

Her smile returned just as he did, and she hugged her own arm around him, allowing him to guide her out of the room. "You could have helped him." She pointed out, arching a brow at him. She slid her hand down his side, hugging herself a bit closer to him as they walked down the hallway. She took in as much as she could as they walked behind the glow of the flashlight. "I say we explore a little bit, why not?" She would go absolutely stir crazy if they just stayed in one place for an undetermined amount of time. "Lets just stay on this floor." She continued, not enjoying the idea of getting lose anymore than he was.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

MUAHAHA. Now, teh cute. Awwwwwww.

little_niccy
2008-03-11 02:27 pm UTC (link)

"I could've helped him. Then the mob would've stolen my flashlight, and then we'd be without. No, no. This is self preservation time." He raised a brow and nodded very seriously, then smirked. "Nah, I just didn't care." His smirk lead to a grin, then Niccy pulled Roxy into him, shining the beam of the flashlight down the empty hallway.

"I feel like we're in the Goonies." Niccy let his eyes roam the hallway. "We should see if we can find a fireplace that leads into some caves." He grinned at Roxy, then took a step forward.

"So, you sure you're okay? You seem a little bit distracted." Niccy had noticed it wasn't the same type of distraction as before, the complete absence of Roxy being there. This was more that she was there, but had something else on her mind. "I mean, I know we can't really leave right now, but... If you hadn't wanted to come to this, I'm sorry if you felt dragged along or anything." They rounded a corner, and were presented with another hallway.

Niccy made a face, then decided to move to the nearest door, trying the handle. It swung open, revealing another ballroom with furniture covered in white drapery. "Ooooh, no shit."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

VOMIT ;]

nightsat_roxy
2008-03-12 04:08 am UTC (link)

Roxy laughed at him and shook her head, swatting at his arm as she walked down the hallway with him. She took his free hand and laced her fingers through his, letting their hands swing back and forth a little as they walked. She was surprisingly at ease, even in the dark, and she blamed that entirely on him. "Of course you didn't. You're such an ass." She smirked, bumping her shoulder against his a little.

"Do not ask me to do the truffle shuffle." She drawled, shaking her head at him as they walked, mocking a glare before her face broke into a smile. She had missed all of this, actually being able to joke and play with him, and if it had to be in the dark, so be it...just as long as he didn't let go of her hand.

Her face fell just a little into one of exaggerated confusion at his question. "No, I'm fine just...not liking the situation I guess." She said, much more honestly than she'd been about her feelings over the last few months. This ordeal really wasn't helping how she'd been feeling lately, but she was at least trying to take it all in stride. "You didn't drag me." She said, shaking her head as she squeezed his hand a little bit. "I wouldn't have come if I didn't want to."

She let him pull her along and into the vast open room. "Wow..." She exclaimed, nearly breathless at the large open room that expanded in front of them.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Aaaaaaaall over.

little_niccy
2008-03-12 01:54 pm UTC (link)

Niccy scanned the room slowly with the flashlight, eager to see what was in the room. He saw the legs of a large piano under a white cloth, what looked like club chairs, and some tables. "Huh." He leaned over and pulled a cloth, excited to see exactly what was around. When all it did was expose a banquet table, and send a cloud of dust into the room, Niccy coughed, and shook his head.

"Whoops." He grinned at Roxy, hugging her to him. He'd missed this so much, the ability to just relax, not worry about saying anything that would cause her to pull away, to return to the vacantness in her own mind.

Strings of someone playing a piano in the main room filtered into the empty room they were now in, and Niccy stuffed the flashlight into his back pocket. He took Roxy around the waist, grinning down at her. He pressed his forehead to hers, swaying with the music.

"Look. You got me to dance." He nuzzled his nose along hers, pressing a quick kiss to the tip before pulling her into him, burying his face into her hair. She smelled like flowers, like always, a smell that made his heart race a little more.

He reached down and grabbed her hand, pushing her away from him gently so as to let her spin slowly under his arm, then pulled her back into him, laughing and continuing to sway.

"I lo-" His words were interrupted by a sharp sound, one that immediately sent cold chills down his spine. It made his thigh ache, his brain remembering the pain that came along with the sound last time. It was close, but not in the room. His head snapped up at the sound, and he looked down at Roxy, checking her over to make sure she was okay.

"Oh fuck." The clamour from the main room was even more audible now, the unmistakable sound of people panicking. Niccy grabbed Roxy by the wrist, pulling her along behind him as they exited the room. He pulled his flashlight and started down the hallway toward the sound, looking for where it had come from.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

TRISTAN: OPEN in the ballroom

sergius
2008-03-10 11:32 pm UTC (link)

The storm? That had been no worry. It sucked - that was a given - but it was something that happened and sometimes people got caught in the midst of it and sometimes they didn't. Just the luck of the draw. The power going out? That had been a little more annoying. Obnoxious even given the good time he had been having just mixing and mingling and being out of the usual business and working routine. From his vantage point seated at one of the tables, glass in hand that was actually fairly empty save for the ice, Tristan watched the stage and what shadows he could barely see moving about.

"In the meantime, I'll be collecting a small group to go look for flashlights and lanterns..."

Given there wasn't much else to set his attention on, Tristan stood himself up after a second or two to make his way to the stage. Cutting through the crowd wasn't exactly easy, Tristan bumping into a number before he made it to the stage apron, muttering 'my apologies' and 'excuse me' the whole way there. If someone happened to get their drink spilt or splashed about in their hand, not his problem. The main issue was trying to get the lights back on or finding some sort of alternative source so the party wouldn't be left in the dark.

"I'll help." Tristan said, his attention on the host of the evening, arms resting on the stage as he gave one last glance to the shadows and low lighting behind him.

(Reply to this)