towerofanimus | Happy Birthday, Ryoji

Characters: You know the drill. Lancer

notsogrimreaper, the people they invited between the two of them, and everybody else who just happens to stumble into the party.
Setting: Floor 25, November 17, morning-evening
Format: Open, anything goes
Summary: It's Ryoji's birthday, so Lancer is throwing him a big party. Anyone is welcome in! (And nobody is gonna kick out those who aren't so welcome)
Warnings: None for now

[It's been a long time since Lancer had thrown any parties. Therefore, he's making this bigger and grander than the last two parties he's thrown. It's a good way for him to distract himself from all the emotional turmoil that had popped up during the battle with Sephiroth, if anything.]

[There's two tables laden with food over at one side of the floor. The centerpiece for that is a big double-tier cake with "HAPPY BIRTHDAY RYOJI" written over the side of the bottom layer. The top layer is little more than a glorified candle holder, as several handfuls of candles have been jammed all over that second layer.]

[Over on the other side, there was a variety of party games. They're all old favorites like pin the tail on the piggy (pinning spiraling paper tails onto a "pig" with Ganon's face), apple bobbing (various fruits in a water-filled wooden barrel), and everyone's favorite--the pinata (a scarecrow with a berry-filled paper mache head supposed to represent Jason).]

[In the center of the floor, there is a stage nailed together from wooden boards. A ways behind that, a pile of wood stacks into a bonfire pyre. A turnip lantern leers at the party goers from one corner of the stage.]

[For decorations, there are black feathers and crude little paper doll cutouts resembling angels scattered around on the ground or in the corners of the dining tables. There are also a few more turnip lanterns.]

[And of course, Lancer, like a good host, stands on the stage, dressed like a hobby horse, waiting for people to show up. He's feeling pretty relaxed, if only because the major unwanted guest, Sephiroth, was locked up and in no danger of crashing this party.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

*Enoch sits on the grass near the table with some apple juice, which he's draining slowly, and some food, untouched. Maybe he isn't hungry - he seems a little out of it, in fact.*

Enoch-san! You came too! It's good to see you again.

[Ryoji approaches with a glass of his own, though he does notice Enoch seems a little dazed. Hopefully talking to him will cheer him up a bit?

...Oh, Ryoji. *Enoch partially comes out of his stupor and blinks up at the other. Immersing himself completely in an activity always leaves him a little numb to the world for a while afterwards.*

Of course I came. This celebration is important to you.

*And someone who would sacrifice himself for someone who could not help themselves deserves to be celebrated.*

You didn't have to come just for me. I mean, it's just a birthday. I haven't even had one before, so I wasn't expecting anything this big, but that's what I get for letting someone else plan the party...

How have you been? I haven't seen you in a while.

[...He's sure he saw him after the botched infiltration, right? Oh, dear, was he making things awkward again?]

*Enoch isn't entirely certain, either. Events here have been, well, blurring together, with the way he's having to live now.*

As well as I can be. This place is taxing, but I can endure it. What about you? Have you been well?

I've been good! I guess I've been pretty busy with everything...

[He's not going to get into details, though. That would just hint he hasn't been as 'well' as he claims.]

Many of us have. Keeping busy is vital in this place.

*For some more than others, but just like Ryoji, won't say that, it will only give others cause to worry.* I'm glad you've been able to do so.

Yeah. This is something more preferable to keep busy with.

And what about you? What have you been doing, if you don't mind me asking?

I've been making cloaks for the people here. I don't know if I'll have enough for the entire tower by Jason's month, but I still must try.

That’s a smart idea. It’s going to be getting colder here soon, so it’s very kind of you to think of everyone here.

I can't sit by while last year repeats itself. Even if Jason doesn't deliberately introduce an illness for his experiment, any illness at all will spread quickly in a place like this.

Last year? Did Jason make people sick last year? I wasn’t around for anything like that, but I can imagine it was awful...

*Enoch nods.* It began as any other illness, but those of us who had Jason's disease soon began to see ailments of the mind. A young man I know was seeing a monster that wasn't there, and I, myself, found myself suspecting anyone around me could be in league with our hosts, deliberately trying to keep us here.

*It certainly wasn't the worst experiment by far, but he doesn't like having his perception of other people played with. His faith in people as a whole was temporarily subdued, a part of him muffled for Jason's own ends.*

...I hope that doesn’t happen again. An illness sounds bad enough without it affecting everyone’s minds.

[Ryoji also has problems when his mentality is attacked. He has too much experience in it, and it makes him sick how easily manipulable he is. He’s trying to get strong enough so he can always see how amazing the people around him are.]

I hope it doesn't, either. But if we can at least keep ourselves warm, we can help slow the spread of illness, no matter their source.

Yeah. That’s a really smart idea. I wish I could help somehow, but I haven’t tried sewing before.

Cloaks are quite simple. I could show you how to make one.

Really? I’d like to try, if you could teach me.

I'd be glad to. I normally work in the workshop.

Then I’ll come find you sometime soon! Thank you so much, Enoch-san.

Happy Birthday, Ryoji

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

I'm not sure how this tag got lost you can ignore this

It's okay!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

And now you are totally free to handwave Ryoji knowing how to make a cloak :3

Aw, yay! Thank you! Ryoji will put that to good use.