Posted by: @jackalopeofevul

"The name is Jeff; this is Maeve. It's a pleasure to meet you, Cosette; now,  can you tell me if anything like this has ever happened before?"

Cosette closes her eyes for a moment feeling rather tired. Opening her eyes she responds, "Yes." Cosette gives up leaning on her elbows and lays back on the ground crossing her arms across her face. "This happens," Cosette adds. What she would really like to say is that this happens every time she starts to actually live her life. After taking some slow breaths, she uncovers her face. Cosette realizes they are indeed outside and she wishes terribly to return to the warmth indoors. She would rise herself if she knew it wouldn't make her more light-headed. Bringing her arms down from her face and hugging herself for warmth, Cosette turns her head to face Jeff and await further questions. Doctors usually have many of them.

Molly paused as she saw Junior Gladstone sit down, with a pile of deep red material billowing about him.

"'Long live, hail, Caesar!'" she quoted.  "Sorry, Junior, that's as far as my Shakespeare takes me.  Or are you aiming to make a Santa Claus suit?"  Then she looked closer.  "Aren't those Delia's drapes?  They look a little--ragged--around the loops."  She considered, head to one side.  "I can't imagine her being pleased about that, somehow."  She pulled a minuscule case out of her pocket, and extracted a needle and a small spool of red thread.  "Do you think this would help?"

Jeff gathered up his equipment, slung the medical bag over his shoulder and stood to his feet, offering the teenage a hand as he did. 

"Well, Cosette. Whatever your affliction may be, this cold air certainly won't be of any help. Let's get you inside, huh? Get you some hot cider while we're at it?"

Posted by: @valiantarcher

"Thank you, Lauren - it's very nice to meet you. Is this your first time to the party, or are you a long-time denizen of Ditto Town?" Moira inquired.

"Oh, first time," Lauren said. "First social event in Ditto Town, actually. Ian and I thought it would be a good way to start meeting people, as we're new to the area. Sounds like you are, too. Where are you from?

Junior’s spirit was lifted. “I think that may indeed be of use. Thank you! I got a little carried away with heroics, it seems. But if we can mend these loops, perhaps Delia won’t mind so much. At least until I can order replacements. Come to think of it, it doesn’t look like that ladder is being used. We should be able to replace these back on the windows, if you are willing to help. No obligation.”

Posted by: @arin

First social event in Ditto Town, actually. Ian and I thought it would be a good way to start meeting people, as we're new to the area. Sounds like you are, too. Where are you from?

"I'm from a little place - Kinnelmore - pretty far out. I think it's north and maybe east from here. We were passing through and received an invitation to this party, and decided to attend," Moira commented, slightly ruefully at the last. "What brings you to Ditto Town? And," she said with a quick glance around, "which is your companion Ian?"

"Just looking for a place to settle, after college and everything," Lauren said vaguely. "And Ian is --" she had to look around for him. She pointed. "That's him, by that table. And he's holding -- " her eyes narrowed. "An ... elephant planter?" Knowing him, he's probably named it. 

"Kinnelmore, I think I've heard of it," she said, turning back to Moira. "Ionestra's from there, or at least, their lead singer is. I had a chance to hear them at Musicfest last year. I don't think I'd ever heard anything like that style of music before. Is that native to Kinnelmore, do you know?"

(OOC: the precise nature of Ionestra's music, and Kinnelmore's, is left to the imagination of the respondent)

Moira followed Lauren's direction and identified Ian - he looked to be talking to Faye, so she was sure he was having an enjoyable conversation.

Posted by: @arin
Ionestra's from there, or at least, their lead singer is. I had a chance to hear them at Musicfest last year. I don't think I'd ever heard anything like that style of music before. Is that native to Kinnelmore, do you know?

"Ionestra, hmm," Moira mused for a moment. She couldn't place the name, but Kinnelmore's greatest export was people leaving for a better life. "I don't think I'm familiar with the name, sorry. Do they play a lot of folk songs - you know, the ones about how hard life is and how the crops have failed for years - with kind of haunting pipes and strings, but with a...weird twist, like there is something else going on that no one is talking about? I can't claim any expertise, but I think that would describe the native Kinnelmore music. What style of music do you enjoy? Are you musically skilled?"

(OOC: I tried with the music - no idea if that makes any sense at all, sorry!)

Faye felt bad for Junior. She knew full well how easy it was to mistake his behavior for self-centeredness - she'd made exactly that assumption when they'd met on the Titan IC a couple years ago, only to find out that he wasn't nearly as bad as she'd thought. But he seemed to have a habit of getting on people's bad sides in record time.

She thought about approaching him and letting him see a friendly face, but before she could, she saw that the bull was approaching her where she stood near the dessert table. He seemed to be looking at her expectantly. "How can I help you...." She hesitated. She knew now that he was a talking bull, but.... "I'm sorry, I don't believe I caught your name, sir."

"You can call me Norro," the bull replied to Faye. "Could I have some of those oatmeal cookies?" He might be called to defend himself if he decimated the entire dessert table in pursuit of the cookies, and he didn't want to bother with that again tonight. In fact, he could almost hear Moira yelling at him for the thought. Speaking of - "Emm, I hope you weren't too frightened by the earlier...ruckus." He shot a glance at the man next to Faye, who has holding a ceramic container in the form of an elephant for some reason. "Or you?"

"I don't mind--I'd like to help," Molly said to Junior.  "I kind of enjoy mending.  Mom always said that a person should be able to darn a sock, put on a button, and ... and ... Oh, bother, I can never remember the third thing.  Of course, I don't suppose you ever need to darn socks and all that, but it's more for the sake of knowing how."  She presented him with a threaded needle, and pulled out another needle from the case.  "But if you don't mind, I'd rather you climbed the ladder--I'm not very steady at that."

Grace was relieved to see that Kaelin seemed to be all right, and she decided to stay close to her in case there was a chance to talk later on. Angie stayed in the background, close enough to step in should something endanger her child, yet far enough away  to allow her to not feel pressured.

Emma, meanwhile, grabbed her dad's hand.  "Can I have a cookie?"

He found it hard to resist her puppy-dog eyes, but glanced at his wife for confirmation.  She nodded and added, "She must be in a growth spurt, eating all the time like this."

The pair returned to the dessert table to find Faye and the bull already there.  "Hello again, Faye and Norro," he said as Emma grabbed two oatmeal and raisin cookies and offered one to him. He'd picked up the bull's name as they'd approached. "Enjoying the party?"

Delia had followed the group into the vestibule, but refrained from going outside. She doubted Jeff, Maeve or Kaelin wanted a crowd--in fact, she was pretty sure Kaelin did not want one--and, if someone did happen to croak, she would see their spirit fly anyway. 

Not like, you know, there were any, ahem, misplaced spirits around. Not in Ditto Town. No. 

Kaelin seemed to be better, and the crowd dispelled. A few minutes later, Ainsley returned, conveying the request for aeration, so Delia set about throwing all the windows open. She even propped both doors to the basement open so the draft could help pull the Squirrel-B-Gone air out of the room. She half wondered if she should find said dread Waters and chastise him for poisoning people, but then, well, it was a bit amusing. But only a bit. 

My dearest writers,

It is my sad duty to announce to you that this current Mansion will close soon. You have one week (until the darkest hours of the night of January 10th) to resolve any remaining plot points or otherwise torture--no, torment--I mean, triage!--your characters' evening activities. 

Don't forget to pick up your package if you have not yet done so! I don't need a lot of extra gifts cluttering things up.

Cheers!

D. Death

With Molly’s help, Junior set about rectifying the drape situation. Soon, Junior got the ladder and was lifting up the drape, wondering exactly how it should be hung. He soon figured it out and stopped for just a few moments as Delia opened the window. Before he knew it, the job was done.

“There. That’s done. Thank you kindly for your help. May I get you some punch from the refreshment table?”

"Why, that sounds like a lovely idea, Junior--I would like some."  Molly looked around.  "Now where did that pesky Mr Waters go?  He'd better not have gotten into any more trouble."

_____

Meanwhile, Mr Waters was hiding behind the other set of drapes.  He had gone to the refreshment table and grabbed a slice of sweet bread, a marzipan confection, and some hot chocolate in his new mug.  Then he had seen Norro approaching.  He didn't dare try to find any more repellent sprays, since everyone had been so unjustifiably annoyed--besides, he didn't think he had any more in his wonderful bag.  So instead he slinked off to hide, clutching his edible spoils.