Daycycle 116 [ November 13 - November 26 ]

[computerized]

daycycle 116

[Nov 13 - Nov 26]

[OOC Plotting for this Daycycle can be found here.]
[The Charity Ball Entertainment post is here.]
[This DC has been extended through 11/26.]

Early Morning [0800 - 0900] — All Troubleshooters Report for Duty

No Special Troubleshooters have been selected for a mission this morning.

---

Morning & Afternoon [0900 - 1600] — Service Firm Positions
All Troubleshooters not assigned a mission should report to their Service Firm for their daily duties, unless specifically assigned a different shift.

Matt Murdock's office will be assigned to defend the most recent Specials accused of treason. He will not be allowed to contact the traitors directly, but he will be given the task of preparing his cases. He has 48 hours to prepare.

Jack Harkness has been selected to plan the entertainment for tonight's Charity Ball, thanks to the popularity of his performances during the Alpha Talent Show a few days ago. When he asks The Computer for help, several specials are assigned to him. Izzy Lightwood will be his event planning assistant and "Stiles" Stilinski will assist in MCing the night's event. Due to their popularity, all Specials will be approached about being auctioned off for dances in order to help raise money by Jack, Izzy and Stiles. They will also be asked if they're willing to take part in specially planned choreographed dances. Dance lessons will be provided for those that require them during the afternoon hours.

---

Evening [1600 - 2200] — Citizen Improvement
All Alpha citizens are encouraged to better themselves through Alpha’s wide variety of educational, entertainment and cultural opportunities offered each evening. Attending these sanctioned events are not mandatory, but is highly encouraged by The Computer. Citizens choosing not to take advantage of these opportunities, have a growing number of other options available to them in how to spend their hard earned credits and free time.

Tonight’s event will begin at 1800 at the Alpha Museum of Fine Art and will be hosted by The Humanists Alpha Society for the Arts. Tickets to the event are 1000cr and can be bought up until an hour before the event begins. Attendees have been given special permission to wear Old Reckoning clothing for this event only, as long as it is the same color as their clearance level. Specials may notice that many of the Alpha Citizen's outfits have gotten key parts of Old Reckoning clothing wrong, with buttons instead of sequins, for example, or men wearing ties that are much too long and go to their knees. Alpha's Very Special Forces will be present to ensure the safety of those attending.

An entire wing of the museum has been cleared as a makeshift dance floor. In an attached room there are several tables covered in white tablecloths and set with the crystal and china that usually only graces Violet citizen tables. Along the wall is a massive buffet made with real food and including an elaborate ice sculpture. There is a bar in the corner where Alpha's finest spirits are being disbursed freely. For the first hour, the focus is on the food and mingling. The music playing is calming and instrumental. There are some that steal the dancefloor for a slow spin, but the majority of the attendees seem reluctant to move away from the buffet.

And then at approximately 1900, Jack Harkness will take the stage and begin the evening's real entertainment.

---

Alpha Curfew Restrictions
All Alpha citizens should be in their quarters within the Wagon Wheel by 2200, unless they’ve been given permission from a GREEN or higher clearance level citizen. Sleeping Aid gas is dispelled each night in the Wagon Wheel at 2200 to assist citizens in getting a productive sleeping period.

Confession Booths
There are hundreds of confession booths available around Alpha Complex if a citizen would like to communicate directly with the computer. Please use these confession booths to report mission statuses, report treason or terrorist acts, unregistered mutants, confess your trespasses against Alpha Complex, request propaganda or speak with Your Friend, The Computer, at any time.

Comments

Open | Throughout the day

[sanguinescry]

morning

Today is the day of the Charity Ball which Lydia wishes she could say was her suggestion to her fellow Humanists, but can only claim to have fueled the fire by encouraging it and promising the other Secret Society members that she'd do her absolute best to make as many Alphas, Special and otherwise, want to attend. So when she gets up in the morning, Lydia takes care to wash her hair especially early so that it has time to dry and look decent without having to be pulled back by the time she heads to the morning briefing. She's stopped hiding in her corner behind the pillar, instead leaving that for the few Specials she's shown the spot to who might want to be there. Instead, Lydia is at the front of the group, feigning as much dedicated attention as she can muster up to fake for them as they make their announcements.

She wastes absolutely no time getting to True Alpha after the meeting and she doesn't open right away, instead filming a quick video announcement which she posts without any encryption to the network. It's the most terrifying thing she's done in recent memory, because everyone can see it...and that means she's effectively invited her attackers to come right to her and she knows it. Any Special who knew Lydia when the A.S.S. first formed and shot their horrible video message; any Specials who know her especially well now and are aware that she was the chosen victim of the attack meant to prove their point of just how unwanted the Specials were — oh, how times have changed — knows it, too. But she holds herself with a confident, carefree, and maybe a little bit excited demeanor — real clothes, though. — so anyone else will be none the wiser. She just has to hope that the rising popularity of the Specials and the (hopefully) decently sized group of people that should arrive to help and to be styled will keep her safe.

Once the video's up, she goes ahead and opens the store, spending the rest of the morning running her sale and hoping like hell that nothing bad happens. Today is supposed to be a good day. She really, really wants it to stay that way.

afternoon

Lydia has a quick lunch before slipping back up to her room in the half hour break she's given herself in the day. There, she draws her hair up in its style for the night to get it out of the way; that way, there's one less thing to worry about later. She figures it's best to give herself some wiggle room to get ready, just in case the time she's officially allotted to help style people for the event isn't enough. If enough people show up and not enough volunteer, after all, it will be. Lydia won't need long to get into her dress, but if her hair is out of the way, then all she'll really have to worry about tonight is getting her makeup done.

Then, she heads back to True Alpha to reopen it, not for business but, as promised, to style. She's set up a few chairs she's dragged in from the main part of the Commissary and lined them up at the front of the store so that women can sit, get their hair done, and go. Elastics, bobbypins, and hairpins are laid out on her desk to be used at will by volunteers and Alphas alike.

evening

Once the last person she's got time to help style leaves the store, Lydia closes down True Alpha again, buys her ticket into the Charity Ball, and heads up to her room once more, this time to get her dress, makeup, and perfume to take down to HQ. She'd rather get ready the rest of the way with her friends because maybe she's an entrepreneur and maybe she's dating an older man, owns a business, has risen in the ranks at Alpha Complex, but she's still a nineteen year old girl who didn't get to go to her senior prom. This is as close as she's going to get and it's the only time she'll be able to get ready for a dance with Allison again. One last hurrah, and all that.

Lydia and Gucci the Petbot make their way down to HQ with a backpack bursting full of samples from the store, makeup she made and didn't sell to the Free Enterprise jerks with the crappy business proposition, and her dress carefully folded over her arm. Lydia slips into a bathroom in R&D just before heading the rest of the way to HQ, changing into the dress since there's nowhere really to change in privacy in HQ. She'll be found there around 17:00 doing her makeup and reminding herself that this is for the Humanists and after everything is said and done, she's a lot more likely to be able to turn a Special or two so that she can finally officially complete her initiation with the group and be a true member of it. Everything is going to be fine.

charity ball

Never one to blend into the crowd when she's got an opportunity to shine, Lydia took some liberties with her gown. Gold is the same as yellow, isn't it? Sure it is. She'll be heading up from Specials HQ shortly after 18:00 — obviously she has to be fashionably late, what kind of savage do you all take her for? — and will spend a portion of her evening with the highest bidder. The rest of the night, she can be found flitting back and forth between friends and acquaintances. She'll be schmoozing any fans of her products — or of her, since that's apparently a thing here now? — and any time she isn't, she'll probably be found with Matt.

[satnalahcsauoyekil]

morning

Zatanna is up early and ready to go, excited about the idea of being able to get this fugly jumpsuit off for a night and wear something that makes her feel like a freaking girl for a change. Zee misses feeling pretty. Doesn't every girl when denied the opportunity to look her best? Today is going to feel like it drags on forever, she knows it, but she gets up early for breakfast, having taken her shower the night before, and maybe the food is usually crappy but it feels like it tastes just fine today. That's almost definitely just because she's so excited for the Charity Ball later.

She hangs in the back during the morning meeting, but she does go. She also goes straight to her troubleshooting station. Today, Zatanna is going to be on her best behavior so that she doesn't get herself arrested or something stupid before she can finally get out of the stupid jumpsuit. This is like being old enough to go to prom, isn't it? She's not screwing that up. No. Way.

afternoon/evening

Half of the reason that Zatanna got up early for breakfast was that she could eat enough to last her most of the day. She'll grab dinner later, but there's set hours on getting her hair done at Rob's friend Lydia's store and Zee's not going to miss the window because Artemis and M'ghann aren't here and she wouldn't have the slightest clue where to begin trying to do her own. Zatanna typically wears her hair down around her shoulders or, occasionally, pulled back in a ponytail. But this is a special occasion and, okay, maybe secretly she's hoping that Robin will find a way to sneak in.

After getting her hair styled, Zatanna quickly buys her ticket and then heads back to her troubleshooting station to spend the rest of her shift there fidgeting with anxiousness, barely able to keep from quite literally bouncing off the walls with her excitement. It's almost time for her to be able to feel like a normal human being again for a few hours and she can hardly stand the wait.

At the end of her shift, Zee heads to the Commissary for dinner and there's a spring in her step on her way to Specials HQ from there after changing into her dress in her room as a pit stop on the way. If she sees Robin, she'll have to ask him if he's coming and see if she can maybe plead her case to get him to consider trying. Otherwise, she'll just be hanging around down there, half because she can and half because...well. She doesn't know which room is Alcide's and this is the only place besides the Commissary that they both know for sure. She's sort of hoping he'll come down here to get her, but if he doesn't, she can head up to the ball without him and just...wait awkwardly outside and hope not to be stood up. Not that she thinks he'll do that! ...but, well. Teenage anxiety.

charity ball

Not only does she get to look pretty for a change, but there's freaking food. Real food. In a buffet. And she sees REDs just like her having right at it without so much as a question. She'll be easy to find because she'll be making plenty of little trips to the buffet throughout the night.

Oh...ohhh, the fact that they're serving alcohol indiscriminately is not lost on Zatanna Zatara, either. Zee's never been allowed to drink; she's too young to drink back home. But apparently, that's not a thing here. Her father, Batman, Red Tornado; everyone who has ever been in charge of her is gone. If she's going to be at this thing; if she's going to be stuck in this stupid place forever, she might as well make the most of it. Why not treat this like a prom in the movies? Drinks, food, a handsome date way too old to be a romantic entanglement bringing her so that she doesn't feel like a loser, but affording her the opportunity to go off with Robin if he comes, or be available to any particularly attractive other Alphas she happens upon. ...her standards may drop as the level of her inebriation rises...

Open | Evening | The Ball

[whattingawhat]

Most of Buffy's day is spent being anxious about the Charity Ball. She's volunteered to be auctioned for a part of the evening for a good cause. The last dance she'd gone to had been her Prom and it had actually turned out pretty nice even if it had started a little rocky. Her dress for the evening is simple, but it's got a high enough slit she can fight in it. This was always a concern in her former life and she figures that it can't hurt to be ready to fight here as well. She's wearing heels as well, because she's short and she doesn't care or know where the heels came from, she's just happy about them.

When she's not with whomever won the auction, she'll spend it on the dance floor or mingling with her friends. She's in high spirits, but that doesn't lessen her awareness. She's never been to anything like this that went well so she's suspicious that this will. She'll be happy to dance with anyone that asks politely and grabby hands will not be tolerated.

Open | Throughout the day

[namegenerator]

morning

Before the morning meeting, Cisco goes to buy tickets for the Charity Ball so that he doesn't forget or run out of his time. He's promised his roommate Prim, who has only been here a day or two, that he'll buy her way in because she can't afford it. Cisco doesn't make a ton of money right now, but he makes enough and he hasn't spent many, if any, of his credits to this point, so he's got plenty. Who is he to deprive the poor kid of having a good time on one of the only nights since he's arrived that it's been allowed legitimately. Those stupid Citizen Improvement events are just that. Stupid. This is kind of cool, though, especially since they're doing it to get donations for the Bot Processing section of the R&D Sector to be rebuilt. It's the least he can do. He'd liked that job while he'd had it. It feels good to be able to do something positive for it in the wake of the last awful experience he had in that part of the sector.

He'll grab some coffee, remember what the coffee caused last time and promptly dump it, and settle for a Bouncy Bubbly Beverage for breakfast while he sits through the morning briefing. He's in especially good spirits because he and Gracie are going to the Charity Ball tonight and, look, he likes to pretend like he's a real ladies man, but Cisco's never dated a ten. Lisa was like easily a nine, but being a bad guy kind of takes her down from ten. Gracie, though? He's excited to spend the bulk of his night with her.

afternoon/evening

At work, for the first half of the day, it's generally fairly quiet and he's putting the finishing touches on the cold gun that Tony helped him finish. If it works, then they're in business and he can start mass producing them for Specials. By tomorrow, he should be able to start running tests on the thing, but when Lydia closes for the day, Cisco takes the opportunity to head back down to Specials HQ after lunch. He's trying to help Stiles better organize his board so that the guy can start putting pieces together and Cisco's hoping that the project will be helpful for moving them one step closer to finding out how they got here and, subsequently, how to get back home.

charity ball

About an hour before the ball, Cisco heads back up to the Wagon Wheel and takes a shower, shaving and pulling his hair back into a ponytail before getting dressed. He cleans up nice, if he does say so himself. Once Prim is ready to go, Cisco will escort her down and then he'll meet up with Gracie, he hopes, to spend a little time with her before the auction starts and he has to fulfill his end of the deal. He's not super looking forward to it, but at the same time, he's not dreading it, either.

The thing is that Cisco's met a handful of other Alphas who aren't Specials, between work and his mission with Stiles to protect Gabi after the whole mutant registration debacle. They're, largely, not that bad. And Cisco is a friendly guy. He's open to spending time with anyone who wants to spend time with him tonight. Plus, heck yeah booze and real food for a change!

Open | Throughout the day

[duelo]

morning

While most people are probably looking forward to today, Derek is not one of those people. He wakes up alone after having fallen asleep with Katniss, for one thing; not a great way to start his day. Admittedly, in spite of the fact that he fell asleep drugged out of his goddamned mind when he'd had to be subdued in the Commissary earlier the previous day, it's the best night's sleep Derek's gotten in longer than he remember. Waking up to a cold other side of the bed started Derek's day off on a bad foot, but he pushes on because what else can he do?

In addition, Buffy's talked him into taking her to this stupid Charity Ball, even knowing he has no interest in being there for many, many reasons. But she gave him the puppy eyes. What was he supposed to do, say no? Doesn't work that way when pretty girls give him puppy eyes, regardless of his interest or lack thereof in them romantically. It's a secret he'd like to keep but doubts he'll be able to for a whole lot longer, but he's always been a sucker for pretty girls giving puppy eyes. He can't help it. So he guesses he's going to this stupid thing after all.

At the morning meeting, he's his usual surly self, but he keeps his composure anyway because he is not looking to be pumped full of more bullshit drugs against his will for acting out. He'll be a good little Alpha. For now.

afternoon/evening

Derek spends the afternoon just getting through the day the way he does every day, like it's nothing special because, to him, it isn't. A day that started out lonelier than he's willing to admit and is going to end at some crappy dance where he'll be surrounded by the creepers who post in that secret forum someone keeps forwarding to the Specials every week.

He's quiet at work, but as pleasant as he can force himself to be, as per usual, and when he finishes his shift, he heads to the Commissary for dinner before retiring to his room to read until Buffy forcibly drags him out of there for the event. ...translation: gives him the puppy eyes again. Yes, he's bought the stupid ticket. Yes, he's gotten himself some Reckoning clothes, and yes, he expects it but some little part of him is hoping that maybe she'll forget. Or take Alcide and leave him out of it. No such luck.

charity ball

He likes to think he looks better when he puts a little effort in and if Buffy's going looking the way she does, the least he can do is not look like a freaking slob when she's on his arm. Once he gets there, though, the buffet of real food is enough to get Derek pumped about being there. He's not all that interested in the festivity itself, but alcohol that can actually have some effect on him and real food that he can look at and identify on sight rather than that nasty goddamn soylent? Yes please.

At some point, he'll have to spend some time with an Alpha who, for whatever reason, paid to be in his presence instead of just coming to his service firm like a normal person, but he's willing to do it because he's being given an offer he kind of can't refuse. So it is what it is.

He'll be in high spirits between the alcohol and the food, so for the most part, Derek's pretty approachable throughout the night and will be happy to indulge anyone who asks, so long as they're not a dick about it, with a dance. He'll be a lot less discriminate as the night wears on and he gets a little more alcohol in his system, because Derek is a lightweight. Usually, he could drink a bar out of business and never feel a thing, so this is kind of new and different for him. It's worth enjoying himself if he's got to be here, isn't it?

Open | Throughout the day

[preemptiveforgiveness]

Morning

Matt is very aware of the ball tonight, but he's got a big workload. Lots of people have been arrested for treason and yesterday had been a wash since he'd had the vision implants removed yesterday. He spends his morning working with his alpha assistant, dictating notes for her and having her read things out loud to him. He is experiencing a little bit of a loss because while he never adjusted to the vision implants, there were things about them that he appreciated (like being able to see Lydia). Despite the adjustment, it's a productive morning for him.

Lunch & Afternoon & Early Evening

In the commissary during lunch, Matt has his sunglasses and his walking cane again. He eats a bit, but he's still thinking about work and even the ball tonight. He eats quickly and heads back to work to get some more done before he heads to his room to take a bit of a nap before the ball. He's lucky, unlike the girls, all he needs to get ready is to shower and to shave. When he's finished, he still has that stubble that he always has. He's been dressing himself blind (and tying a tie) for years so that doesn't take long.

Charity Ball

Matt is dressed for the ball. He's got his sunglasses on and his walking cane. He's in a good mood. It's been an exhausting day, but a good one. He knows by the noise in the room that there are a crowd of people here, and he's glad to see that people turned out for this. He suspects the draw of something actually, potentially, fun has a lot to do with it, but it supports a good cause regardless. Much of his time is spent with Lydia, but when he's not with her, he'll spend his time on the outer edges of the room. He's not up for auction, but he'll be happy to dance with anyone who asks politely.

Open | All Day

[stillplaying]

Morning

It's early when she wakes up but not any earlier than the time she normally wakes up in her own room. The big difference between those other nights and this is that, for once, Katniss actually feels like she got some sleep. The nightmares had been there - that she won't ever doubt - but come morning, she can barely remember them. Instead she's more aware of arms holding her tight and a warm, hard chest behind her back. She's safe (or as safe as she can be, as safe as she'll ever be). That makes a difference. Derek isn't Peeta (no one will ever be Peeta) but he had trusted her during the night not to harm him. He had soothed her fears away as he lulled her back to sleep.

And like the horrible person she is, she doesn't wake him when she slips out. His roommates are back and that means that Katniss can't stay there. She quietly and carefully slips out of his arms to hopefully make it back to her room before any of her roommates wake up.

Afternoon

Her sister is still here. Knowing that. seeing that, makes all the difference in Katniss' behavior. With minor exceptions, she continues to act the ideal citizen She even eats a little soylent during her meals (just a little, just in case her food is still spiked with drugs). Katniss goes to work and does her job to the best of her abilities (which still isn't very well) and doesn't ignore Derek. Not really. Then again, she doesn't exactly make much of an attempt to talk to Derek either. She should but she's awkward and uncertain in this kind of situation.

Not a good person. Never a good person. But at least she has a chance to protect her sister again. Maybe things can work out differently this time.

Evening

Katniss doesn't want to be at the ball. If it weren't for Prim insisting on going, she wouldn't be there at all. She has no date and no interest in having a date. She has no desire to participate in the auction or to dance with anyone or even eat all that much (being still wary of the food here as a whole). Most of all, she doesn't want to be wearing the dress that she's wearing. The initial shock of seeing it in a store that afternoon hasn't yet worn off. But if the glitches are memories, she refuses to let anyone else dare wear the dress. She doesn't know how it got here and she doesn't know why but it had cost Katniss a good chunk of her credits. For Cinna, for his memory, it had been worth it.

She does her best to find a corner where people might not notice her. It's a corner where they might not notice her but she can keep an eye on the room. Prim occupies most of her attention and if anyone gets too friendly with her sister, she won't hesitate to interfere. But she also watches other people in the room. She watches them have fun ( a little enviously) and wonders how they've adjusted so easily to this place. Now that she's not drowning in her pain, now that she's not drugged with happiness, she's starting to think a little like her self again. It might be the setting, and the horrible reminder of the Capitol, but she can't help but wonder how much of a game this really might be.

Definitely not party friendly thoughts.

Open } Throughout the day

[dorkify]

Morning

Gracie is running at double and triple speed today. She's beyond excited about the ball and it shows in her morning broadcast. She trips over her words and talks too fast. Not only does she get to wear a gorgeous gown, it's her first date with Cisco. On top of that, she's never been to a charity ball before. She spends the rest of the morning putting together video broadcasts of various sorts.

Lunch & Afternoon

At lunch, Gracie is far too excited to really eat much. She does have a Bouncy Bubble drink (because she needs more energy) then spends most of her afternoon talking to others about the ball, interviewing them about it. Honestly, talking to everyone, specials and alphas alike, is one of her favorite parts of her job. She takes off early to head to True Alpha to help Lydia out with makeup and hair for everyone. She makes up people and does hair with the same excitement that she's been doing everything else that day.

She does her own makeup at hair while at Lydia's shop as well. She pulls her hair all over one shoulder and ups her makeup game from a simple cat eye, to a cat eye and red lips. Once Lydia tells her to go, Gracie rushes off toward her room to get her dress.

Charity Ball

Gracie arrives at the ball just a few minutes after it starts. She loves her dress and feels a little like a fairy tale princess in it. She can't keep the smile off her face as she walks into the room. She looks for Cisco early on and she'll stick with him a good part of the night but the buffet with real food is super exciting. She's going to make sure and hit that up a couple of times before the night is over. She's up for auction for a portion of the night, but she'll be pleased to dance with anyone who asks nicely. She's going to dance as much as possible and enjoy every, single minute of this night.

The Ball

[dorkify]

Cisco cleans up very well. Gracie watches him from across the room for a moment before approaching him. Her cheeks already hurt from smiling so much, but she's not complaining. She has to force herself not to run across the room to Cisco because her dress is not a running kind of dress. Once she reaches him, she reaches out to run her hand along his lapel.

"Hey, Handsome," she greets him.

Open | Throughout the day

[whattingawhat]

Buffy is in pretty high spirits as well. The real food is a part of that, but she really likes looking like a girl and not wearing something that has a zipper down the front. It hasn't actually occurred to her yet that the alcohol is going to have an affect on her. Derek can introduce her to that idea. Right now, she's just about the food and the chance to have a normal night.

"So do we hit the food first?" she says as she takes stock of the room.

[rouxgaroux]

Alcide has to admit that having actual food to eat is the best part. He's a big guy. He eats a lot. He also drinks a lot. So really, he wouldn't mind spending most of the night by the food and drinks tables with Zee as long as she's happy here. Tonight is, for the most part, about Zee being happy. And in that regard, he's willing to give in to most things unless he just flat out starts feeling out of place and silly.

Also in the vein of making sure Zee is happy to be here with him and not at all embarrassed, he's gotten himself suit. Initially, he'd planned on just wearing the jumpsuit. But now... well, he guesses he looks alright. They had to make the suit new because of his broad shoulders and broad... well, everything, and here he is.

He's just finishing off his third beer when he's eyeing the food table again. Luckily, he and Zee seem to be on the same page in this regard. "I dunno about you but I kinda wanna commandeer a whole tray of those cream puffs." The way they melt in his mouth and aren't overly sweet but just a little sweet is kind of fantastic.

[rouxgaroux]

Alcide would argue that there's nothing simple about how Buffy looks tonight. She's beautiful, elegant, and probably way too good for him. For the better part of the evening he's eyeing her across the room, well aware of where she is and who she's with at any given time, but being sure not to look at her if she's looking his way. He doesn't want to be an obvious stalker, just your normal every day wolf-like stalker. Watching without his prey knowing he's watching.

Somewhere in the middle of things, when Zee is busy with someone else, he finally makes his way over to her. While he'd initially thought to just wear the jumpsuit, he'd decided against it in the end for Zee's sake. Zee is young and his best friend here so far. He doesn't want to embarrass her, or anyone. So he's wearing a tailor made suit that fits just right over his broad shoulders. He's a little uncomfortable in it, but that's okay.

"Hey." He says, approaching her from behind. "You look... nice." Better than nice. And maybe the way his hungry eyes take her in says that. But he doesn't want to overdo it verbally. He's trying so hard to give her appropriate space while deep down he wants to follow her around every-damn-place.

[preemptiveforgiveness]

Matt actually doesn't see Lydia until the ball because he's been working on preparing his case for some of the people recently accused of treason. He only has a finite amount of time and he'd actually taken a lot of it back to his room. He'd had his assistant transcribe everything onto his PDC so he can work on it later tonight in his room.

Despite being busy, he wouldn't miss this ball for anything. He knows Lydia is excited about it and he'd actually seen her in her dress before he had the implants taken out so he has an image of her in his mind, but he's anxious to see her tonight. Without his vision, it's harder to find Lydia, but he stays visible and trusts she'll find him.

adam parrish | ota - (and possibly Ronan too)

[adamparrish]

After a stop in the cafeteria for breakfast (minus the coffee, which he still can't bring himself to start drinking again), Adam Parrish spends most of his day on the ground on his back or hunched over the hood of a vehicle and covered in the grease and grime that comes with working on the motorized transport vehicles that make Alpha a better place to live in. He works all morning and well past time when he should have stopped. Most people have already left for their apartments when he finally clocks out.

He grabs a late lunch and eats it on his way back to his apartments to take a shower and get ready for the charity ball, which Ronan of all people has convinced him they should go to. It's something good, Ronan has said. It's something normal, Ronan has said. And given the advice of Parker, that crowds of people are safe, Adam is inclined to go of his own accord as well.

The attire for the night for Adam is simple. Adam isn't one for overdressing. He doesn't much care for suits. And about an hour into the charity ball his necktie will be loosened and the top button of his dress shirt unbuttoned to give his neck room to breathe. The cuts on his face are healing, the bruises a strange purple-yellowish color now. He'll be close to Ronan at all times, not quite ready to be on his own yet. However, there will be times when Ronan is distracted by beer or food that people can get Adam alone. Otherwise, be prepared for both boys being together.

[fictor]

Ronan has no fucking idea why he wanted to come to this thing; Oh--yeah, because he's the fucking romantic in this relationship. Also, he gets to see Adam dressed up, and a little bit that Adam gets to see him dressed up. He actually shaved for this so he's clean shaven tonight and his head has been recently shaven. The hooks of his tattoo peek above the collar of his tee shirt. He sticks close to Adam, usually with a hand on his wrist on the small of his back, but he does make regular stops at the bar and for food. It's been so damn long since he's seen this much real food that he's in danger of stuffing himself and Ronan isn't really much for food in general unless it's a pizza.

"This is better than some weird fucking puppet show," Ronan says as he watches people filter in and mingle around the room. He's wary and defensive, but he's sipping at a glass of something alcoholic so that'll help him relax a little.

[rouxgaroux]

Anytime Zee is distracted by something else, Alcide gravitates toward familiar faces. Sure, some of the night finds him standing on the sidelines by himself as he and Zee are here as friends and while he keeps a close eye on her just because that's his protective nature when it comes to his friends, she's free to do whatever the hell she wants. So is Alcide.

When he spots Gracie, of course he's going to go over to her to say hello. They have a pretty good friendship forming too. And while he and Gracie aren't quite where he and Zee are, Alcide wants to nurture that friendship and see where it goes anyway. Plus, he's already kind of feeling that protectiveness over her too.

Dressed up for the night in a suit, he makes his way over to her to say hello. "So, Goldilocks. You here by yourself, or...?" Just out of curiosity.

[rouxgaroux]

Alcide came to this shindig tonight with his closest friend. At some point, he's left playing wallflower for awhile, which is fine. Zee is having fun and that was the whole point of tonight. She'd really wanted to come and she didn't want to come alone. Hence, Alcide's being here and not back in his room away from everyone and everything. Lone wolf. He likes being alone sometimes. He's even dressed up for the thing.

He notices another wallflower at some point. She looks so serious and thoughtful. Alcide has to wonder what's going through her mind. Did someone upset her? Did someone piss her off? Does he need to kick someone's ass for upsetting a pretty woman? Cause he could do that thing if it's needed.

When she finally looks in his direction too, the corners of his lips pull in a small closed-mouthed smile and a lift of his chin in greeting. "Penny for your thoughts."

[sanguinescry]

It's been the whole day so far that she's gone without seeing Matt, but Lydia thinks maybe that's a good thing. Maybe the fact that she's been busy at the store and preparing to be here and that he's been bogged down with trial stuff is a blessing in disguise because it gives Matt time time readjust to his blindness and Lydia to readjust to the fact that he can't see her or look her in the eye anymore. It's never going to change the way she feels about him and she doesn't actually mind that he's had the implants removed. Lydia respected and supported his decision one hundred percent and she still does. But it would be a lie to say that there wasn't and isn't still a tiny spark of disappointment in the absence of the implants. It's better that she had the day to process and get past that feeling, because it isn't a good one and it certainly isn't one that she's proud of having had.

But when she finally catches sight of him at the ball, Lydia makes her easy directly to him, more than happy to let all of that selfishness fall away in favor of happiness to see him. He looks great in that suit, she thinks, and they look like Alpha Complex's Brangelina, if you ask her, because they're both attractive, well-dressed now, and in their own ways elite. It's one thing to feel glamorous alone, but as she joins Matt with a soft greeting and a hand gentle against the side of his face before she moves into his arms, Lydia thinks it's that much sweeter to be glamorous as a pair.

"Hi, baby," she greets, lips still brushing against his lightly as she speaks, before parting from him to smile at him. For the first time in a short while, Lydia reaches for his glasses to take them off. She'll give them back, let him decide whether he wants to hold onto them or not, but she likes him better without and always has. Some things will never change. "How was work? I'm sorry I couldn't make it up to help with your dictations. Today was crazy."

[satnalahcsauoyekil]

While Zee wouldn't have cared if Alcide had decided he wanted to wear his jumpsuit, she has to admit that he looks awfully handsome when he's in a suit. Once again, for probably the billionth time, Zatanna is grateful for that age gap, because she adores Alcide and would rather not screw it all up.

He's drinking beer and he hasn't said a word about the fact that she's drinking something fruity that's making her face pink and warm. The more she drinks, the warmer she feels and after so long in a hot, uncomfortable jumpsuit, Zatanna is kind of embracing the whole warm tinglies thing she's got going on, because this dress is so pretty but...it's a little chilly. There's something to be said about the indulgence they're being afforded right now and maybe none of them should trust it, but Zee is having too much fun to think too much on that possibility.

People who know better would call her pleasantly buzzed right now. Zee calls it being an adult for the first time. His comment makes her giggle, a humming amusement that escalates a little before dying off into a silent, mischievous grin. "I bet we could get away with it," she says. No, they probably couldn't. Logical Zee knows that. Buzzed Zee likes the idea of the unnecessary challenge and the potential ability just to be able to say she pulled it off.

[namegenerator]

When Cisco catches sight of Gracie for the first time, his eyes widen a little with pleasant surprise. She looks incredible. ...which is not to say she doesn't always look gorgeous, but she's...kind of breathtaking tonight.

It actually takes Cisco a few minutes to propel himself forward to meet her halfway, because he's too busy staring at her as she comes closer. Her greeting and the way she's touching his suit, something that looks and feels maybe more intimate than it is, earns her a smile. "Hey there, beautiful. You look amazing, Gracie."

[duelo]

Derek looks over at Buffy like she's grown an extra head at that question. Is that even a real question? Derek hasn't had real food in weeks unless you count the apple he got off Natasha when she won the Running of the Halls.

"...yeah, of course we do, are you kidding me?" he laughs. The only good part about being forced to be sociable is that he's getting real food, of course he thinks that's where the two of them should start.

So Derek starts to lead his roommate, still at his side and on his arm, to the buffet. Food first, booze next," he says, leaning down slightly so he can lower his voice and still be heard. "I've never even gotten a buzz before. I kinda want to see what the big damn deal is."

[adamparrish]

Adam remembers Matt from before. They'd gone on a mission together and while the color of Matt's suit is a reminder of his status here in Alpha, he still remembers Matt was a decent guy who had been just as curious about what they found on that mission as Adam has been. Maybe there's also something to be said for the fact that Adam doesn't think Matt will be able to see his messed up face.

They're both here at the ball thing, Adam mostly because groups of people are safe and Ronan wanted to come. Adam has a question for Matt in spite of it maybe not being the best setting for it, so while Ronan is getting a drink, when Matt is close by, Adam steps closer to him.

"Hey." He says. "I don't know if you remember me. We went on that errand together awhile back. With the car. Adam... I'm Adam."

[adamparrish]

It might surprise anyone who knows that they're together, or even anyone who knows Ronan, that Ronan is the romantic in their relationship. It's true though. And while Adam has no problem telling Ronan no when he really doesn't want to do something, he also doesn't like telling Ronan no. So he picks and chooses when he does it. This is not one of those times. Plus, he gets to see Ronan dressed up in a very Ronan way. His boyfriend is hot, okay? Adam's not blind. Seeing him out of the jumpsuit, able to express some personality through dress, Adam likes that.

Ronan looks so good tonight that Adam is having a hard time not looking at him. It feels like forever since he's seen Ronan in anything but the jumpsuit. Adam's going to soak it up. He lets Ronan hold onto his wrist or touch him however and when Ronan isn't, Adam returns the favor. They're together. And now, in this big a group of people, he guesses everyone is going to know that. There's a ping of fear of repercussion over that knowledge, but he quickly pushes that away.

"Yeah, the attire alone." He says. "I like it." Meaning, he likes how Ronan looks tonight. It was a roundabout compliment, of course, in a very Adam and Ronan way.

[rouxgaroux]

If Alcide knew she was at all chilly, he'd over her his coat, if just because that's what Southern gentlemen do. So if she gives any sign of that, he'll get right on it. To say that he thought she looked pretty tonight when he'd swung by her room to pick her up is an understatement. What guy doesn't like a strapless dress on a pretty girl? Alcide had told her right away that she's pretty. He'll probably tell her again before the night's over.

He chuckles low when she says they could get away with it. "Probably not but it sure would be fun to try." He's had quite a few beers so his decision making skills might be a little bit hindered, even if he's still completely in control of himself. He's buzzed too, although it's taken him a lot to get there. He isn't shit faced drunk just yet.

Everybody else seems to tip-toe around acting up here. They glance at cameras and worry about repercussions. Alcide isn't that guy, at least not yet. He isn't sure what a freakin' Computer could do to him that's worse than subduing the wolf parts of him. And if they tried anything worse than that, he'd fight them. So yeah he isn't too concerned about getting in trouble.

"Although maybe we should dance once or twice before we get ourselves kicked outta the place." He adds.

Open | Throughout the Day

[runsonwater]

Morning/Afternoon
Barry spends the majority of his day in the Forensics Lab trying to catch up on the work that has managed to pile up in his absence and with Lydia's departure to greener - or yellower- pastures. He can be found there buried under paperwork and lab samples until the clock strikes 1700.

Lunch [Closed to Felicity]
He makes a point of escaping his mounting tasks in order to walk down the hall to Encryption. He hasn't seen or heard from Felicity since returning and he can't help but think that has something to do with Oliver's disappearance yesterday morning.

He can only imagine how she's taking that. It doesn't help that he has to say her name twice once he reaches her cubicle and still doesn't get an acknowledgement. He moves a little closer, reaching out to put a hand on her shoulder. "Felicity?"