2022.06.24 What does this junk cost and why is it here Episode 1
| 2022.06.22 What does this junk cost and why is it here Episode 1 | |
|---|---|
| Amaranthe hosts her first event as Keeper, and it goes horribly wrong. | |
| IC Date | 2022.06.22 |
| Players | Rane, Amelie, Mikael, Heathen, Ambrosia, Amaranthe, Stanley, Ramona Storey, Colombe |
| Location | Emerald Plaza Elysium |
| Spheres | Vampire Ghoul Wraith |
Tonight, Emerald Plaza is alittle bit re-arranged... Instead of facing the dais as is the usual for all of the seats? They are instead facing the dance floor in the center of the room. Upon it, there stands an impromptu set! Arranged with a bunch of unpainted pieces of plywood- it looks like someone has fashioned a podium of sorts. Around it are several carts covered with cloth, evidently hiding something beneath each.
Amaranthe is already here. Also on the dance floor! Cackling like a madwoman as, with her, there prances a canid figure. She has some kind of stuffed animal in hand, and the creature is skittering about in an attempt to take it from her hands.
When Ramona and Stanley enter, however? The Keeper lets the toy go!
"Crybaby wins! Alright Baby, lay down. Over there. Go lay down!" The dog obediently pads away with its prize in its mouth, sitting down and beginning to devour the poor stuffy.
Stanley grins as he sees Crybaby, and looks to Ramona, "Another satisfied customer." He says to her as he reaches into his pocket pulling out a metal tube and opening it as he moves to find a place to sit in the new configuration, shaking out a piece of dried pineapple.
Lucky spots the doggo. !!!! !!!! O.@ She loves doggos. Ramona feels her tense on her shoulder and she shakes her head. "No. You're smaller than that toy it just about decimated. You WAIT." Ramona strolls further in, moving toward Amaranthe. "That is a gorgeous dog." Lucky SETTLES for leaping to Stanley's hand and trying to steal the pineapple
Colombe descends the staircase, regarding the display below with curious amusement.
Silvana makes her way into Elysium pausing a moment to look around before she steps further. She gives polite nods to those gathered.
Colombe circles mildly around the covered carts with regal grace. She runs a finger along the edge, skirting it ever so delicately. "Hmm."
Stanley looks at Lucky, "Alright miss." He tells the teensy tiiiinsey marmoset, then, "Lucky.." Catching the animals eye, "Well yes I know, but your mother needs to go and make sure the doggo's okay with you." He nods, once side of the conversation, "I know, yes, you can wait here, it won't be long." He consoles the wee little critter, talking to his own hand.
Amaranthe grins brightly in response, "Ain't he just? Stanley introduce he and I just a few nights ago and I swear it was just like... Snap! I knew I had to have him." The dog is completely and utterly distracted. "Good call on uh, telling Lucky to wait... I guess the Sheriff could probably stop him but I'd rather not test that. Go figure, he's fast."
With the monkey and dog in the room addressed, Amaranthe turns towards the others, clearing her throat.
"Silvana and Duschess de Berenger! So glad you two could make it. So glad! Pick any seat you want. Any one. No such thing as an assigned seat." She hop-skips her way over to her... Frankly, ragged plywood podium, standing behind it with a sly grin.
"How are we all doing tonight? Doing well?"
Amaranthe adds, "Made those myself... Is it obvious?"
Ambrosia comes in from Emerald Plaza - Gallery
Heathen comes in from Emerald Plaza - Gallery
Mikael comes in from Emerald Plaza - Gallery
Amelie comes in from Emerald Plaza - Secure Elevator
"It has a lovely rustic appeal." Colombe replies to Amaranthe, her eyes warm. She levels her attention on the Malkavian before turning to take in the seating. "Very bespoke."
Elysium is different tonight! Just a little!
Every chair in the room aside from the black chairs at the top of the dais have been turned to face the dancefloor. On the dancefloor, there is arranged a pair of covered carts, a piece of plywood, and a really 'rustic' podium made out of, likely, woodglued and nailed pieces of plywood by the Keeper herself. A dog sits in the distance, preoccupied with a surprisingly durable toy. Amaranthe stands at the podium, apparently getting things started.
Stanley looks up from the Pygmy Marmoset in his hand, to Colombe, "Duchess, good evening." He greets, sitting and turning his hand to keep the little Rainbow Pride Lucky from leaping away with the pineapple, until the small creature turns to stare at Stanley then gives a dramatic sigh and crawls up into his thick red hair and settles on top of his head, with her piece of sweet sweet pineapple and starts eating as she surveys.
Silvana nods and moves to take a seat "Thank you" she smiles getting comfortable.
Ambrosia enters from the gallery and surveys the scene with ice-blue eyes before nodding once. The small gothling is dressed in a see-through red-dress that leaves little to the imagination while showcasing her numerous tattoos. Moving in from the entrance, the Malkavian surveys the crowd with curious eyes. Colombe receives a wide and toothy smile though it is Ramona who Ambrosia first approaches.
The goth will step in close to Ramona and lean in to whisper something into her ear.
Ramona eyeballs Lucky and then crybaby and shakes her head. "You'll be in so much trouble." When Ambrosia comes up, she smiles and leans in to hear the whisper and she nods, whispering back
Colombe nods warmly to Sheriff Aswillas, extending the nod to Lucky with a slight grin. Ambrosia gets her attention, however, and holds it, as the Ventrue takes a pause near the seating area.
Heathen looks the newly rearranged seating over as he steps inside. "Well, someone has a plan.
Amelie steps off the Secure Elevator, and into Elysium. Dressed for business in her Egyption blue outfit, her heels click on the floor as she enters to see what is going on this evening. "Bon Soir, everyone!"
Amaranthe settles in a little more, resting her arms on top of the podium. "Well! Alright then... Explanations are in order. Hackjob woodwork? Mysterious covered carts? A 'rabid dog' loose in Elysium? Well I have explanations for all of those things! But for now, you're only getting the second of those three things answered." The Keeper clears her throat again, gesturing widely to both carts on her flanks.
"What we have here, my lovely kin, is a game show! A game show with no budget but my own, but a gameshow nonetheless." She pauses her explanation for a moment, giving a small-but-enthusiastic wave to Ambrosia as she enters.
"The Price is Right!.. First. Kind of. You're all familiar with it I'm sure, right? Well tonight, we're bastardizing the poor game and making it something 'way' weirder." She steps away from the podium, slipping her hands into the pockets of her longcoat. Yes, she's still dressed the exact same.
"So, obviously, first! You'll all be guessing prices. But not items from a catalogue or an in-flight magazine, no no... Items I bought from random people on ebay. With my own money. But not only that, your guesses will ALSO include a choice A, or choice B question. The choice is simple. Did I buy this JUST for the game? Or did I buy it for myself?" She pauses for a moment, and concludes...
"And that's part one, of a three part game night. Any questions?~"
Stanley has settled in a chair in the new configuration, with Lucky settled into the hair on top of his head with her pineapple piece, he looks out to everyone, , head going up and down rather an unsettling nod for the passenger, he looks to be an attentive creature, watching the assembly. As the rules are thrown out he smiles, listening and nodding.
Mikael heads inside with Heathen, giving a bright smile and a little bow before turning his attention to Amaranthe.
Silvana shakes her head as she conginues to listen.
Ambrosia exchanges another whisper with Ramona before she makes a show of playfully chomping at her ear. No actual contact, though. The goth-ling moves onward, eyes settling on Amaranthe and a grin offered in return to the wave. The waif makes her way over toward Colombe, next, and she settles in beside the Duchess and leans in to murmur something quietly.
Amelie softly claps at the explanation of the game. Yes, golf clap. She has a smile on her face and is looking forward to seeing how this goes!
Colombe's mouth twitches at Ambrosia's aside, but she quickly offers one of her own.
Silvana gets comfortable crossing her legs and putting her hands on her lap as she watches people quietly.
"And!" Amaranthe continues, "With the lack of questions... Here's how this is going to go. This is a game normally meant to be played by 4 people, right? So what I'm going to offer you all is two choices." One finger goes up!
"Four teams of two! Each of you will discuss your answers to each item, and answer as a team. Option two! Complete bloody free for all. Let's take a quiiiiiick tally before I explain how points are gonna work... And what the reward for the winner, or winners, will be."
Ambrosia's smile breaks into a full-fledged grin at Colombe's quiet reply and she offers a wink, "I don't know yet, but I'm sure we can make something up." She hushes, then, and turns toward Amaranthe before she ooh's and bounces at 'free for all'.
Stanley looks around, thinking, and nods head bobbing, "Option two, Free for all, I agree." He says,
Silvana gives a little shrug "Whatever the masses decide" she smiles softly.
Colombe smiles quietly after Ambrosia, but as the rules are laid down, the competitive streak within the Ventrue ignites, and her gaze rests squarely on Amaranthe. "Free for all."
Heathen finds himself a seat to wait for the festivities to begin.
Silvana looks to see how everyone is voting then shrugs "Sounds like Free for all is winning"
Colombe looks to Amelie, and offers the Herald a warm, welcoming smile. "What do you say, Herald, teams of 2 or free for all?"
Mikael moves across to sit down by Heathen after giving the items a once over, "Either sounds fine."
"Sure does! And that last impartial answer settles it." Amaranthe quips, "In that case, this is how this will work. Each item in the first part of the game will be worth a total of twenty points. 10 points for getting closest to the price, and 10 more for guessing correctly as to whether or not I bought it for personal use, or for the game. With a total of five items in the first part- there's 100 points up for grabs." She steps back to the podium here, drumming her fingers on top of it.
"And you know what..? We'll save the prize reveal for the start of the third round." The Keeper hums a thoughtful little hum, and reaches under one of the carts.
"I have here an absolute abundance of post-it pads. These are what you're going to write your answers on. I'll come by and pick them up, and read them off one by one. No need to do what we did last time we used paper in a game- I'll make ALL the rounds."
Ambrosia remains standing beside Colombe while favoring Amaranthe with a proper little pout. "But then we can't strut our stuff while dropping off our answers, Keeper. But... fine. Where should we sit?"
Rane comes in from Emerald Plaza - Gallery
Stanley nods, getting into a pocket and pulling out a pen which he opens, observed by Lucky in his hair as he gets ready.
Amelie hmmms, "You know, isn't the game of Price is Right an indicidual game? But whatever works easiest for the Keeper would be best."
Elysium is different tonight! Just a little!
Elysium is different tonight! Just a little!
Every chair in the room aside from the black chairs at the top of the dais have been turned to face the dancefloor. On the dancefloor, there is arranged a pair of covered carts, a piece of plywood, and a really 'rustic' podium made out of, likely, woodglued and nailed pieces of plywood by the Keeper herself. A dog sits in the distance, preoccupied with a surprisingly durable toy. Amaranthe stands at the podium, apparently getting things started.
"Anywhere but the black chairs!" Amaranthe replies to Ambrosia, I took the liberty of meticulously making cerain that every chair in the room was facing the dance floor on just a 'slight' angle. Ask Gladys! It took a while. Crybaby helped." The dog perks his ears up a bit- but otherwise keeps devouring the weirdly durable stuffy.
"And if you 'really' wanna strut, Primogen, who the hell am I to say no? You can totally bring yours up yourself."
Colombe grins to Ambrosia, at Amaranthe's offer. "Perhaps the grey sectional. For me, at least."
Rane steps into Elysium. She blinks a few times, taking in the rearrangements. Finally she descends the steps and approaches the arrangement of seating, but hangs back a little bit to watch people.
Ambrosia moves toward the grey section as soon as Colombe suggests and she offers the Duchess a mirthful glance. "Are we all going at once, or four at a time like the game show?"
Ambrosia sits down at the Grey sectional.
Colombe sits down at the Grey sectional.
"All at once is fine by me. If we'd done teams, I'd do one team at a time. But you know what? This is perrrfect for me. Chaos is lovely when it's harmless." Amaranthe replies, "But with all that said and explained..." The Keeper steps away from the podium with an arm full of post-it notes. Everyone seated will receive a pad and a pen from her, unless they decline participation and just wish to observe.
"Post-its for everybody!"
Amelie sits down at the Grand Piano.
Amelie takes a seat at the Grand Piano, as she is very happy to watch tonight and cheer when she can.
Stanley gets his post it pad and has his pen, and nods, settling in to play.
Silvana gets up to go get a pad of paper and pen before she retakes her seat.
Mikael takes the pad and pen from Amaranthe and balances them on his knee, "Merci, Mademoiselle Keeper."
Colombe tests her pen on the post-it, preparing for battle.
Ramona might have gotten a little distracted .. or something. She blinks out of whatever's going on and scrambles to ... do... the same thing that everyone else is doing.
Rane watches people getting ready to play, but as this is her first Wednesday anything, she seems content to watch. When Amelie sits down at the piano, she starts making her way that direction. Once there she asks the Herald, "May I sit with you?"
Ambrosia settles in on the grey sectional and makes room for Colombe to join her before she leans in to murmur something to the Duchess. Her post-it note and pen are set on her lap and guarded with one hand.
Ramona has a pad of post its! And a PEN! Lucky is interested in such things, so Ramona tears off the top sheet and hands it to the monkey, who has since returned to her shoulder, slightly sticky, but still wearing her HUMAN t-shirt and rainbow tiara and tutu.
Colombe listens attentively to Ambrosia as she puts the finishing touches on the little neon-coloured paper. A bloody cartoonish sword. She looks to Ambrosia when she replies, her eyes warm.
With the post-it distributed, Amaranthe skeedaddles her way back to the podium.
"Well! Then the stage is set! Welcome, friends, to the first edition of 'Why the Hell did Keeper Dupree buy this stupid nonsense? She paid HOW much? Weird!" She pauses for a moment, cracking an eye shut. "Title needs work. Set needs work. Whole thing needs work... Uh, anyway! You all know the rules. Five items in round one. I'll tell you about it, you'll tell me the price, and you'll tell me if it's mine or junk." She leans on the podium... A teeny, but uncomfortably gradual creak eminates from the thing.
Why did Chekov leave his gun laying around?
"So! First item..." Mercifully, the podium does NOT break under the weight of the Keeper's mania as she reaches under the first cart, and produces...
A, frankly, horrifying little stuffed person. (Image: https://i.gyazo.com/d6b89b94adb716d96de52abb62dd4997.png)
"This! Is a pillow person! Created in the year 1986, these little creatures were beloved by children and collectors everywhere! Like, literally everywhere. They raised 125 million off these things... Isn't that crazy?" She shakes the thing around. Shakes it like a bad parent shakes a baby.
"This IS an original one as well! It's from Sarasota Florida from a man named... Uh... "She looks down. There's paper on the podium.
"...Biff? The guy's name was Biff. Can you believe that?"
Stanley watches, checking around and to Amaranthe pen at the ready. As the pillow person comes out he blinks, "I remember those things." He looks at the Post it and Hrms, scribbling, then peels off the post it and folding it on itself holds the paper rectangle out for collection.
Silvana looks curiously "I think I had one of those" she tilts her head.
Ramona MIGHT still have one, but mostly because she's a fucking weirdo. Ramona tilts her head and eyes the thing with.. fondness? Yep. That's what it is. Lucky is licking her post-it. Ramona writes something on her paper and folds it in half.
Mikael looks over the pillow and writes on the notepad. He tears off the page and folds it in half.
Ambrosia replies to Colombe's words while jotting something down on her post-it note.
Assuming Amelie agrees, Rane takes a seat and watches the games begin.
Rane sits down at the Grand Piano.
Silvana writes down on her pad and folds it up.
Colombe is underwhelmed by the stuffed creepy thing, eyebrows slightly vexed. She considers before writing something onto the paper. Ambrosia gets a slight smile, and a reply.
Amaranthe skips around, collecting all of the notes from the contestants with a contented little hum as she does... The Pillow Person does not come with her. In fact, it's left perched on the podium while she goes about her business. When she returns? She takes a moment to look through the postit notes- arranging them on the podium as she starts to speak.
"So! From the top of the pile... Mikael! Ten dollars, personal use. Primogen Lasalle! A super cool $160, for personal use! This guy must have gold sewn in, huh?~ Duchess, my Duchess, $100 for personal use.
Ramona and Lucky! $20, for the show. And finally, Sheriff Aswillas... $35 dollars, and for personal use!"
Once she's done reading through the list, Amaranthe picks up the little pillow person and stares at it in thought...
"Well, one of you was... Actually pretty damn close. The rest? Man I REALLY appreciate the appreciation for vintage- but this lil guy was only $30! Biff must not've bothered looking around collector prices huh? And as for the purpose..." She pauses, looking over her shoulder to where the dog- Crybaby- plays with his toy.
"I bought it for myself! Or, you know. My dog!"
The pillow person is tossed to the merciless maw of the beast.
Stanley nods, "Yeah, Winston and Franklin loved those things when they were more popular." He looks at the face on the Pillow person, nodding, "Yeah they'd tear them to shreds."
Mikael gives Amaranthe a satisfied looking smile and elbows Heathen.
Heathen smirks at Mikael as he gets elbowed
Colombe looks to Stanley with one part amusement, one part cut-throat competitiveness. She continues to converse mildly with Ambrosia at the grey sectional.
Silvana looks over to Stanley and smiles softly as she gets comfortable.
"Oh really?" Amaranthe asks of Stanley, "Well then I made a good choice. I don't really care if they die easy... I just want stuff that he's gonna have fun with."
The dog, it seems, is in the process of figuring out what to make of the pillow person. He looks kinda' sketched out, actually. Seems like he's convinced it wasn't thrown at him- but in fact jumped at him from out of nowhere.
"The next one's easier. Probably. Depends I guess." The Keeper seems intent on keeping things moving along as she bends down to the cart, plucking out another item. This one? Much smaller. Much more compact.
She holds it up!
"This!" She begins, "Is a 1989 Kellog's Rice Krispies glow in the dark yoyo!" It's still wrapped. Presumably, never opened.
"This one came from San Francisco. It was the only one on offer, and I snagged it like- right quick. No name on this one I'm afraid, but I'm sure it's something like... Dick Wolf, or something." She leans onto the podium again.
Creeeeak...
"So! Any questions? Anything you wanna know about it? If you've got none- go ahead and write. If you change your mind because of something you learn about it, you get ONE revision. And I'll know. Cuz you'll have to scribble it out with your lil pens."
Ambrosia and Colombe share some quiet murmurings at the grey sectional before the Malkavian's attention is drawn toward that yoyo. "Ooooh!" She glances down at her post-it and quickly scribbles her answer.
Stanley looks at the Yoyo, "Hrm." He looks down and scribbles.
Mikael looks at the next item and says, "Look, Heath, a yo-yo." He smiles and jots down something on the paper.
Ramona studies the thing for a long moment and consults with Lucky by booping her on the nose with the pen. Lucky tries to eat it. Ramona giggles and jots something down, folding it in half
Heathen hmmms.. "Maybe if it was cocoa krispies...."
Silvana looks at the item and then writes down at her pad of paper and pass it along.
"Cocoa Krispies more desirable, Primogen?" Amaranthe asks non-committally, "More of a Lucky Charms girl myself."
Rane chimes up with, "I like cocoa krispies. They make good chocolate milk when the cereal is done too."
Silvana looks over to Rane and smiles with a nod "That they do"
"Yeah..? That might be why they're not higher on my list. I was one of those blasphemers who like, never ate cereal with milk. I kinda' just picked through the box for the marshmallows. Something happened when I hit 20 and I mystically got addicted to the cereal bits too, though." Amaranthe responds, "I did NOT eat well."
Stanley nods, thinking, "I remember people talking in the 60's about Cocoa Krispies, "That's Candy, shouldn't be for breakfast, damnit." Kinda people. The hadn't gotten a load of Nutella yet."
Silvana smiles "Nutella is so good too"
"Nutella DOES rock..." Amaranthe muses in agreement, "But hey, Rice Krispies had 'yoyos' in their boxes. That's pretty cool, at least. Not that I was like, around for that."
Stanley nods, "Yeah they used to have all kinds of stuff for kids to send away for, it was a whole thing, Cereal box prizes."
Mikael looks over at Stanley and nods his head, "Oui, I also remember that they once had things like small glasses as well."
Silvana nods to Stanley "The color changing spoons were really populater or the magic bowls"
Ambrosia just sits quietly while waiting for the other answers to get collected.
Amaranthe stares for a little bit, listening to the conversation. "Man, I missed alot of really nifty stuff huh? My parents just put a horror movie on when I was like, 5. That was when fate was decided I'm pretty sure. Not that I buy the whole fatalism thing that much."
Colombe writes something after a lot of thought, and holds out the little paper to be retrieved.
Stanley nods to Mikael, "Lots of glasses, A lot of cardboard 3-D glasses to read the boxes for a while, yeah, color changing spoons and bowls, and the drinking cups and crazy straws, lots of kids stuff."
With Colombe's paper collected, Amaranthe moves back to the creaky podium to read off the answers!
"Aha! And now, the time is here... This time! I'll save us the time of reading out aaaaaaall the answers... Except for the ludicrous ones!" The Keeper grins, setting the yoyo on the podium as she continues.
"This collector's item is just that! A collector's item. You'd think that it would be worth a great deal, right? Well, friends... It's important to remember what it is that gives things value. This lovely little thing was a measly $9.99! There's tons of em! And that, THAT means... Silvana earns 10 points for that, with her guess of $8.88! Literally a dollar off. Real nice guess! As for WHAT I bought it for?" She shrugs, tossing it haphazardly onto the cart it had come from.
"Bought it for the show! That means Silvana earns 20 points, tying her up with Stanley! Everyone but Primogen Lasalle gets 10 points!"
Amaranthe says, "Ramona AND Duchess Berenger thought this lil trinket was woth $100 though! I kinda' wish it was... It DOES glow in the dark."
Stanley nods, "Mmhmm. Yeah figures. the real question is what they're going for today, after all this time." He nods, "Okay, and settles back in his chair with his post it note.
Silvana smiles as she ties up with Stanley and looks over curiously at the yoyo.
Mikael shakes his head and chuckles softly, "I am severely under bidding I am afraid."
Amaranthe grins, "Nah, you over bid that time. It was just 9.99. Nothing much. This is working out alot better than I thought it would."
Mikael continues to chuckle at himself, "Perhaps I am in need of coffee, non? I must have mon caffiene."
"Drat. Appraisal of modern curios is such a mystery." Colombe murmurs. "This trumpery all looks the same to me, alas."
"Trumpery?" Amaranthe replies with mock offense, "I'll have you know these items carry their weight in nostalgia! And nostalgia is a priceless artifact... If, like, you grew up in the time the stuff's from I guess."
Stanley grins, settling back at the cross talk. He keeps his post its and pen handy. "Collectables is a tough business to call accurately."
"Are you, yourself, an afficionado, Sherrif?" Colombe grins at the shaggy, orange man creature.
Mikael takes out a hard candy from his pocket and opens it before popping it into his mouth.
Stanley makes an exaggerated 'So-So' gesture, "Relearning the world in post war America, there was a lot of obsessive collectors in the 50's. Sports cards and comics and the like. I remember the Flintstones selling cigarettes."
"Flintstones smoking cigarettes?" Amaranthe asks, tilting her head, "They did that? MY family friendly neanderthals?"
It's a gameshow tonight! The dancefloor is taken up by a couple carts, some plywood, and a podium that Amaranthe is standing at. There's a dog playing with a stuffy, with a vintage Pillow Person untouched on the ground next to him.
Colombe follows very little of what Stanley has said, but she nods genially, her eyebrows slightly knit.
Stanley nods, "Mmhmm." Raspy voice singing without looking up, "Winstons taste good like a-" claws clack twice, "-Cigarettte should."
Silvana looks over to Stanley and smiles at him softly.
Ambrosia remains unusually quiet on the grey-sectional beside Colombe. Her ice-blue gaze flicks from face to face as she listens to each and she offered no reaction to being the only one to get the 'purpose' part of the answer incorrect.
Mikael looks from Stanley to Amaranthe,
Mikael looks from Stanley to Amaranthe, "There was also a lot of Coca-Cola collectables."
He chuckles then at Stanley's comment.
While Stanley regales everyone with his rendition of a substance addicted Fred Flintstone, Amaranthe sets to work... She disappears under the blanket covering the cart again, and begins to pull something out. Something... Large. She emerges from beneath the blanket with something in hand- which she continues to pull on for five feet... Ten feet...
"And the next item!" Amaranthe finally quips, "A 20 by 20 vintage knotless fishing net! Reclaimed from some old fishing yard, it's been restored to it's old briny luster for... Reasons? Hell if I know!" She finally pulls the entirety of the massive fishing net free of the cart, beginning to rrrrooooooll it up as she talks.
"This is uh... Alot, alot bigger than I thought it was. You ever just... Just decide to pick something up for something and realize, like, you got WAY more than you bargained for?"
Stanley blinks and peers at the fishing net, "Huh." His head tilts, and he nods slowly, scribbling down on his post it before folding it in half and holding the note for collection.
Mikael's eyes widen as he looks at the huge net and he seems mystified. Finally he shakes his head and scribbles something down on the paper.
Ambrosia clucks her tongue and offers softly, "I once ate a man who used to fish with his old man. I think he used something like that to catch their bait. He was also a liar, though, so his memories could have been false."
Colombe tilts her head slightly at the scale of the item, her gaze moving to rest with amused curiosity on Amaranthe.
"I hope the lies are diverting at least." Colombe replies to Ambrosia. "Fishing seems a dull occupation."
Ambrosia leans in toward Colombe, "It's kind of like hunting...", a gesture toward her own see-through dress, "...apply a little bait. Except it's YOU that does the biting, not them."
Colombe's attention remains on Ambrosia as the papers are collected. "Begging the question. What is the most interesting that that you have used for bait?" She grins gently and says something quietly to the Ambrosia.
With all of the guesse tallied up? Amaranthe makes her way to the front again. And as she leans on the podium, with the line at the side...
Rane gives Amelie a smile, and then rises. She makes her way around the back of the chairs and toward the stairs.
Rane steps away from the Grand Piano.
Rane moves to Emerald Plaza - Gallery
Ambrosia glances back toward Colombe and offers her a wide and toothy smile, "Most interesting, now that is a good question. It's usually myself. I used to think I was more Rose than Broken Mirror, back when I was still a fledgling. But I did once use a copy of Financial Times to lure in an old, cruddy sugar daddy who I know needed some 'common ground' before he would approach me."
The podium, at first, does not creak at all. Perhaps oddly so- considering it had been creaking slightly every time she leaned against it. Amaranthe shuffles through the post-it notes for a few moments, muttering nonsense under her breath as though she's pretending to actually be doing math. But then, all at once?
A resounding, crushing, SNAP fills the Emerald Plaza as the podium is crushed, directly at the center of its base.
The Keeper lets out an exclamation as she falls, harshly, straight to the ground.
She doesn't move.
Stanley looks around, "The hell was that?"
Amelie rises from her seat. "Oh no... not again." She moves toward Amaranthe, carefully.
Ramona lurches to her feet when the podium implodes. She snatches Lucky off her shoulder and crams her into a seat. Lucky .. stays put, pulling her Tiara down over her eyes
Silvana slowly stands up and looks towards Amaranthe "Are you alright Keeper?" she seems to be looking behind her though.
Mikael frowns in concern, "Mademoiselle Keeper, are you all right?"
Colombe was about to say something amusing to Ambrosia, no doubt, but the crack of the podium and ensuing activity draws her full attention. From where she is seated, she takes a slow, measured look around the large room.
Crybaby, the poor boy, lets out a yelp. His ears pin to his head as he leaves his toys where they are, darting to the Keeper's side nd nudging at her with concerned whimpers.
Amaranthe... As Amelie draws closer, doesn't seem to move.
Closer... Closer...
The Keeper suddenly FLIPS over onto her back, letting out a harsh exclamation!
"GOD DAMNIT!" Apparently, that was not planned.
"Heraaaald... Can you please help me up? My uh, my head is spinning? And I'm pretty sure for like a minute solid there I was certain there was a stake in my freakin' heart."
Stanley looks around, carefully, opening up with his senses, looking for the sense he got a moment ago, he seems to be intent on looking about.
Ambrosia lingers on the grey sectional and watches as everyone else reacts to her clan-mate at the podium. She arches an eyebrow and watches with a calm expression. "Malkavians."
Ramona has her knees ever so slightly bent, just her fingertips inside her purse. Ramona is always so sweet and chill, but now she looks like a completely different person. She looks very.. readyyy....?
Amelie reaches Amaranthe and carefully helps her up. "Let's get you on a couch." She is quite concerned. "Has this happened before?"
Silvana watches as others move to help Amaranthe for a moment making sure she's alright though her gaze seems to be somewhere else.
It's quite easy to help the Keeper up. She seems able to stand quite fine, as a matter of fact. "Happened before..? What, rickshaw woodwork snapping when I put my full body weight on it? No, actually. Never." The pup follows along as Amelie leads her to a couch, where she sits with a sigh.
"Uh... Sheriff. Stanley, Stanley wins by the way. You get a..." She holds up un-enthused jazz hands.
"Neeeeeew caaaaar." She gestures to the carts. "Pick a... Die cast car from the basket in there. Cherish it. Peep it close and safe and uh... Yeah."
Mikael sees Amelie and others helping Amaranthe and glancing around he notices the wary expressions and he looks curiously around the room as well. His attention goes back to her at her comments. He claps his hands together, "Congratulations, Sheriff."
Ambrosia claps audibly for Stanley and even laughs at the die-cast prize he won. "Thank you, Keeper. A wonderful event." Her ice-blue gaze lingers on her clan-mate, who seems to be getting the attention and help needed. The gothling rises from the grey sectional and curtseys toward the others before she starts for the exit. "Ciao!"
Stanley gets out of the chair, and moves forward, using his arms to move, heading for the podium pieces and stalking around the materials for the game, "Okay thank you." He says, focused on sniffing at the gameshow stuff, looking to Amaranthe, "How are you, Keeper, can you explain what happened there?" He asks, still looking things over carefully.
Ramona lets Stanley take the lead and then falls into step beside him, moving with him, eyes going EVERYWHERE. Not that she expects to find anything, mind you.
Amelie keeps an arm around Amaranthe, as she is concerned for her. "We will have to talk about this more then. Can share my experiences." She lightly claps then for Stanley with one hand on her knee.
Silvana claps for Stanley as he is the winner, though her gaze seems to still be somewhere else.
Ramona doesn't clap and in fact, looks around at people clapping and if Ramona was even capable of a glare, she would do so
"Uh... Well," Amaranthe begins, "It's pretty clear to me... That wood glue and cheap nails do NOT work out in the endeavor of handycrafts meant to support the partial body weight of a humanoid body." The Keeper seems different, now. Different in a way beyond what the experience might have causes in and of itself. "The answer to what just happened is quite simply uh... That. I suck at woodcrafts and shouldn't quit my night job."
Amelie shakes her head, "I fear somehow there is a ghost after you. A wraith as they call them. Very unhappy about something. I've dealt with one before. This was not something of poor craftsmanship."
Ramona's brow just climbs higher and she glances at Stanley. "In Elysium?" Baffled! Boggling! Pissed off. That's Ramona. But she stays pretty calm and keeps looking around and waiting for Stanley's go ahead
Stanley looks to Amelie, "Here, in Elysium." He rumbles, and nods, "Okay, not my expertise, Herald, unfortunately." He nods to Ramona, then back to Amelie, "What does your experience say?"
Silvana nods in agreement with Amelie.
"In Elysium? Highly improbable." Amaranthe half heartedly quips, "I am much more willing to place the blame on my own shoddy craftsmanship. Besides... Wraith? Do you mean phantasm? Some kind of spectre? A spook, as some say?"
Amelie nods to Ramona. "I fear that the Wards clan Tremere put up have long since worn off, and Martha I believe did them." To Stanley she replies, "That we need someone that is a Medium. Someone that can speak with them. At this point. We need Dona Giovanni. She can help release the spirit."
Stanley tuuuuurns to Silvana.
Ramona does likewise, pretty much in perfect synch with Stanley
Mikael looks to Amaranthe more intently as she answers the questions, his expression one of concern as he tilts his head. He nods his head then and murmurs softly, "The Keeper is the same, yet she is also... different."
Silvana has her phone already out of her pocket as she seems to be sending out a text. "I have sent her a message. I can create a ward to keep her safe for the day and evening if she would like till she can get here. Or I can put a ward in this room" she offers.
Amaranthe blinks.
"Wait... Wait, just a second... You are all being serious?" Her head tilts, "I... I'm telling you, it was nothing like that. It really isn't so complex, is it? I shall just simply build a better piece of craftsmanship on the next occasion, with sturdier materials. Like mahogany."
Stanley nods, "Yeeeah, I'll speak with Primogen Baribeau about the existing wards here." He rumbles, unpleased as he looks around, " Though I'm not sure how to proceed with things for the moment, Herald I trust you're able to inform the Crown of this incident, and we will go from there." He lets Amelie reply to Silvana about how to deal with a possibly posessed Malkavian.
Silvana looks towards Amelie "The wraith left it did not enter her. HE went in that direction" she points towards the north "So there is not spirit in her to release at this time, not to say it might not happen next but at this point it's just her" she assures Amelie.
Amaranthe squints. Her disbelief is still quite clear, but she seems to relinquish herself to the collective opinion. "Okay... Well, I certainly don't want to stay here for the day if it's all the same. I have some things I wished to attend to tonight, and I don't think I'll be allowing a, erm... 'Wraith' to stand between me and my agenda. Besides..." She reaches out, finally giving head scritches and attention to the quietly whining dog.
"Crybaby's food is at home and he will surely find the lack unconscionable." Then, towards Silvana...
"Wait, you 'saw' it?"
Amelie nods, "Oui, I will let him know." She rubs her hand on Amaranthe's back. "Oui, absolutely. I've seen some things, experienced some things. You may not think we can feel a lot now, but I feared for my unlife with the one that came after me." She nods to Silvana, "Non, I figured this spirit needs released back to where it should go. Or Dona Giovanni can do what best she thinks. She is the expert."
Mikael slowly nods his head as he hears Silvana and some of the tension rides out of his shoulders. Afterall she was Malkavian and he had been with Madame Celeste for decades. Her sudden pronounced shift could have been from another cause.
Stanley straightens, looking at Silvana, then to the others, "there's dog food in my office, it's fine." He frowns and starts to walk on two legs from the gameshow stuff. Then he stops and reaches into the basket, pulling out a blue Trans-Am Hot Wheel<tm> car and then walks over to where Amaranthe is.
Ramona looks around briefly everywhere, then holds out her hand. Lucky knows this gesture well and leaps through the air a REALLY good distance... further than she should be able to, and Ramona curls her against her chest for a moment, then puts her on her shoulder. "This is fucked up."
Silvana bows her head "I did" she checks her phone a moment before she looks back "Yes or figure out why it's bothering her or what it wants" she nods "I let the Dona know " she assures the others. She nods to Ramona "I agree" she does glance around a little bit then back to Amaranthe, she did make an offer but isn't going to push.
Amaranthe stares at Silvana for a while. Quite, a while. The ghoul is fixed with a thouand yard stare for the duration of the banter around them until, at last, the keeper shakes her head not unlike a dog shaking out its wet fur.
"...Fucking ghosts." She finally, utters, looking back to the others. "Well, fine. If the Sheriff has dog food in the office, Crybaby can take a day here. Not a bad idea either... I can make sure the ghouls here know how to handle him." She runs a hand through her hair, tousling it up with a sigh.
"I'm sorry for the scene, everyone. I uh... Didn't expect any of this junk to happen."
Amelie smiles with empathy to the Keeper. "I understand. Mine nearly blew up a few rare cars once. Thankfully, she's been dealt with."
Stanley nods, "Crybaby will understand." He looks to Amelie, "I think the games done, we can retire to the Keepers office perhaps?" He looks around, "Officers, and Silvana?"
Silvana looks around and then towards Stanley and bows her head as she gets ready to follow.
Amaranthe stares up at Amelie, offering a sympathetic grimace. "Blew up rare cars? That's wild... I know that death can, apparently, make people angry. Understandably. But THAT angry? Have some respect..." She trails off, acknowledging Stanley with a nod.
"Glad to. Probably for the best, given the shift. Give me just a moment to make sure everyone knows where this stuff goes..." She stands up, rather easily. She'll follow, after she's done 'politely' ordering around the local ghouls.
