Happy Birthday, Viatorus!

[westfallcorndog]

Invitations to this party have been written in neatly legible, semi-calligraphic font, hand-crafted with care and talent by Amelia Ronsam. Harrowheart has asked that she create a few more than necessary on the off-chance anyone lost theirs and was liberal in handing them out.

The room mentioned on the card is easy to find with a map of the aquarium: In the Earth wing, past a long series of exhibits, and through a glass hallway over which the water rests and the fish are free to swim. The corridor ends in a dome-shaped room spacious enough for a party of a few dozen. 

The meeting space, like the hallway, is composed entirely of glass walls around which a vibrant array of Earth’s tropical fish drift through bright blue waters. Now and then they dart in odd directions, flashing their gem-like scales as their school is disturbed by the passing of a sea turtle or the flowing wings of a manta ray. Far, far in the distance are the silhouettes of whales that, on rare occasion, shadow the dome as they pass between the party and the far-off source of light above the water. Simpler creatures crawl through the coral just on the other side of the glass: crabs and minnows tease at algae, grinning eels poke shyly from their dark crevices, and anemones dance with the motion of the flowing seawater. The only thing to break the immersion of the scene are the mermaid attendants, glimpses of whom can be caught as they feed the fish while trying their best to stay professionally unnoticed. 

Outside the glass is the beauty, but inside is the party! There are bubbly balloon letters hung from the ceiling reading HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Green streamers dangle from the ceiling like kelp, and someone's even set up a motorized shark balloon to swim through the air. Set up against one rounded wall are two buffet tables of food laid out. Stacks of cheese-stuffed fried peppers, fried chicken, grilled corn cobs, a kind of savory pork stew, something resembling black crab legs that’s been labeled ‘Duskwood Land Crab,’ a fruit and vegetable platter, a single pizza for the guests to fight over, and for the English Birthday Boy, cucumber sandwiches. Drinks are a bowl of punch and a keg of water. Looks like this aquarium party is a dry one. The sweets are cookies and hard candies laid atop a pile of pink candy floss. Then, of course, there is the cake: One large sheet cake of marbled chocolate and vanilla iced with buttercream frosting. On top there rests a little gingerbread man with black icing hair sleeping soundly atop a little frosted bed, a red smile on his face. Four tall candles make the posts of the bed. An unsteady hand has piped along the side ‘Happy Birthday Viatorus!’

Two people beat the crowd to enjoy this quiet afternoon retreat. Harrowheart, who sits at one of the tables in the middle and watches the passing of the fish, is dressed for the tropics. He’s bought himself a Hawaiian shirt to go over a pink tank with a pair of palm trees on the front, and of course he’s wearing his usual cargo shorts and tan work boots. Any rumors of pajama dress code were greatly exaggerated. With him is Amelia, whose garb for the evening is much more demure than her usual. The first sign is her lack of visible weapons. The second is the combination of dark navy jeans and black blouse. Her hair is tied back in a simple braid and the hair pin she's always been so fond of is nowhere to be seen. 

((If you'd like to greet the host and/or hostess or remark on your character's entry, feel free to tag this post. Otherwise, try the Gift-Giving or Free Mingle subsections: Viatorus will accept gifts and well-wishings in the Gift-Giving section, and threadhopping will be with OOC permission. Free Mingle will be a threadhopping-encouraged area for party-goers to interact with each other. Meet new characters, talk about fish, fight about who gets to eat the pizza.))

Comments

[smartass_captain]

"Just uh...let me know what everything is? I'll be fine. Don't worry about me." Jim gives Harrow a grin and a shrug. It's really not a huge deal but dealing with strange planets' foods for the first time is always a crapshoot.

"It's really alright. Don't either of you worry." Though it's sweet of them to be mindful.

[westfallcorndog]

What everything is? Harrow scratches at his sideburn and shifts his mouth around as he tries to remember it.

"Cake's got all the usual, nothin' weird there. Chocolate and vanilla and butter and eggs and flour. Peppers got cheese on the inside. Chicken's fried with eggs and flour and some spices. U-uh... Land-crab legs're..."

He mumbles something under his breath that sounds suspiciously like the words 'spider meat.' And what's with that GUILTY-ASS face he's putting on?

[conjuredskies]

Wait, what did Harrow just say? The very fact he's mumbling has Felix on guard. Enough to even distract him from the fancy cake. What would make the undead look guilty?

"Sorry, they're what?"

I love that icon XD

[smartass_captain]

"Yeah this all seems pretty safe then." See? Nothing to worry about you guys. No need to make a fuss over Jim. Everything's totally A-OK and--

"Land crab? like a coconut crab? God it must be huge if those are it's legs."

[westfallcorndog]

"There's no coconut," Harrow says in total seriousness. "It's just spiders. They're spiders, Jim. Spider legs. And my buddy Steve said Earth ain't got spiders this big, so I figured y'all wouldn't know how good spiders taste. I figured maybe if you took a bite you'd like it, and then I could tell ya 'Hey, it's spiders!' but..."

There it is. He is the shifty undead. His eyes dart between Felix, Jim, and the legs.

A moment of awkward silence passes before he whispers, "Tastes like shrimp."

[conjuredskies]

Felix is definitely giving you a look of judgment at this admission, Harrow. Eyebrows are right up there. See? See why you shouldn't trust the undead?

...Okay getting lightly pranked at the buffet has nothing to do with Harrow's status, but that's not the point.

After the awkward moment he glances at Jim very briefly. Then at the 'crab legs'. He jerks his shoulders in a shrug, deliberately casual.

"I'll try it."

[smartass_captain]

"..Spiders." Jim raises an eyebrow and looks at the large black legs. Back to Harrow. Back to the table. And then Felix offers to try them and Jim shrugs. "Land crab's a pretty accurate comparison, actually. I'm gonna pass though."

He's still smiling though so he can't have been upset about it.

"Shellfish er..arthropods. In this case. Are a no-go. Can't have shrimp either, but I hear good things." Jim laughs and gestures for Felix to go ahead. It's not like he's going to be making out with the Imperial at the party anyway. That would just be weird.

[westfallcorndog]

Poor Jim, can't even enjoy the spider finer things in life. Harrow flashes a short-lived, apologetic smile for him before his eyes are back on Felix.

"It's good with a little butter, man. Crack the shell, pick out the meat, tell me how you like it. Just watch out for the leg hairs, don't wanna eat any of those."

[conjuredskies]

Those allergies make things so very inconvenient. If Felix were more mindful of what he's trading away here he might hesitate more, but he’s more concerned with proving that he’s not that easy to spook with weird foodstuffs. He’s studied alchemy, he’s eaten spider… well, eggs before. Those aren’t even meant to be edible.

Besides, he’s willing to try all kinds of things if doing so might amuse Jim.

“Why, what do they do?” He’s assuming these spiders are as venomous as the ones back home. Not too worried, though, he’s been stashing poison cures away.

[smartass_captain]

"Duh. It's hair and that's just gross." Now Jim is wrinkling his nose a bit and leaning back. Oh man he can see the spiky leg hairs from here. That's just ten kinds of wrong. "Unless you're looking to floss after you're done, but still pretty gross."

Jim shrugs at Harrow's apologies. It really can't be helped.

"I'm impressed you made this whole spread yourself, safe for the pizza."

[westfallcorndog]

"Damn, Jim, you're scared of puttin' hairy things in your mouth? Guess I misjudged your interests," Harrow says with a laugh and a wink. Then, nodding, he clarifies, "The hair's itchy, that's all. Might give you a sore throat or tongue splinters, but it oughta be soft enough that you can put your hands on the legs and give 'em a crack. Ain't no different than watchin' fish for the bones."

Looking over the work he's done he plants his wrist stumps on his hips. "It wasn't nothin' to make all this, man. It's easy food, and besides, I love to cook! Don't get the opportunity much anymore. I can eat, sure, but it always feels like it's more trouble than it's worth to make a meal. I'm gonna have to make more livin' friends and play chef to 'em sooner or later."

[conjuredskies]

Well, there's Felix coughing before he's even cracked open one of the dreaded legs. Not that he's in any way tempted to laugh, he'd never do that. "...Hhm. Noted."

He's not going to be put off, now he's decided to do this. Besides, better he has an excuse not to comment on the undead knight collecting friends to cook 'for'.

Julianos knows the living knights he's met can't even cook.

He snags a nice fat leg and gets to work with a shrug. Don't look too close and it's not so different from mudcrab claws, right...?

[smartass_captain]

"Scared? No. But it's not happening if I have to keep it down, Harrow." Jim has no such qualms or shame and retorts just as quickly as he moves to get a plate. "Besides, since when did you take an interest in what I do and don't choose to put in my mouth?"

He won't even break eye contact when he takes a bite of one of the carrots on the crudite platter. Don't start things you can't finish with Jim, Harrow. He thinks this is a game. Or a challenge. Not sure which, but it doesn't matter.

It doesn't even occur to him that Felix may take this the wrong way, because he honestly expects the conjurer to join in.

[westfallcorndog]

Harrow tosses his head back and bark-laughs like a hyena, shameless and loud. He calms quickly, luckily, and smiles between Jim and Felix.

"Hey, better to have problems keepin' it down than gettin' it up, am I right?"

Hey, and then he sees that Felix is eating the spider leg! He's beaming, he's totally beaming. Each of these guys deserve a good pat on the shoulder from a disembodied, haunted hand. Jim is the good old pal, Felix is the good new pal. They're his friends whether they like it or not.

[conjuredskies]

He should have been ready for that. Should have been paying more attention when he turned back and Jim had that look.

Should have been more alert to matters besides 'hey, this probably would be good with some butter'.

But it's too late, and he takes in the conversation just in time for that last comment to coincide with an attempt to swallow. Attempt, because he promptly chokes. Speaking of trouble keeping things down. He's too busy covering his mouth and trying not to die to even give Harrow a funny look when he's touched.

[smartass_captain]

Harrow's breakout in late night comedy will have to wait because Jim has dropped his plate on a nearby counter and whirled around to clap Felix on the back. Felix has Jim's undivided attention right now.

"Felix?! Harrow get me a glass of water or punch. Something."

He will perform the Heimlich if he has to don't make him Felix.

[westfallcorndog]

Harrow scrambles to follow Jim's orders. Cup, water, done. He quickly offers the drink to Felix or Jim, whoever will take it. Jim's got him all amped up now, no matter how minor or exaggerated this choking may be.

In a worried, wavering voice Harrow mutters, "A-ah, shoot, I can't do nothin' but kill people!"

[conjuredskies]

Felix is just trying to breathe without coughing bits of spider meat everywhere. Part of his mind is paying enough attention to be horribly embarrassed about the fuss he's causing, but that's probably a good thing. It means he takes the glass of water without a moment to question who's handing it to him.

He'll be fine, given a minute... okay two minutes, and a fair amount of back-slapping from Jim. Eventually everything's swallowed that ought to be, he's able to wave Jim off, and also he's really very red in the face. Not solely because of the near-choking either.

"Fine, 'm fine..." He clears his throat a bit more, looking extremely sheepish. Mostly at Jim. "My fault." He's not going to die, he just made himself look foolish.

[smartass_captain]

"..Nah, just startled me was all." Okay maybe Jim knee jerked a little hard there. Sorry, Felix. People die at the drop of a hat in weird places where he's from. He's a little jumpy about that sort of thing.

He looks a little embarrassed himself. Jim makes a show of shrugging and gathering up his plate to give Felix some space.

"It's fine, Harrow. We're all good." Time to calm down his undead friend and pretend he didn't just have a mini heart attack. "You sure the spider meat wasn't poison?" Maybe one joke, just to lighten the mood again.

[westfallcorndog]

Harrow laughs weakly, grateful for the fact that it was all non-fatal.

"It wasn't poison!" he says, just a hair (pun intended) defensive. "I'm just glad you're all right, Felix. After all, there's more fun things to be chokin' on, heheh."

Oh, REALLY? We're back to the same thing that caused a near miss just seconds ago?

[conjuredskies]

Don't think he isn't grateful that you care, Jim. There's a smile with that apologetic look. He just regrets embarrassing you.

Quick, Harrow, say someth- there we go. Luckily Harrowheart is unaware of how deadly his jokes may be.

"Ahah... yes." He's too red in the face to flush anyway. Just going to try and compose himself halfway. "The spider's fine, but I can't claim it's that good."

[smartass_captain]

"You can do better than that, can't you?" Jim groans good naturedly at the joke Harrow makes before shaking his head. They should really stop. Their schoolboy level of banter is probably really obnoxious to anyone else watching them.

"If you're choking on it you're doing it wrong." He adds after a moment to take a bite of food. "Wouldn't think you'd have to worry about a gag reflex anymore Harrow." He's at least learned not to point out its because he's dead already anymore.

[westfallcorndog]

"Oh-ho, believe me, Jim, I don't. Don't gotta breathe, either. Makes things reeeeeaaaal interestin'. Either of you ever wanna find out how, you know who to call."

Of course he winks, not really at either of them but generally for them both. That invitation is open to either or, who knows, possibly both of them. He can't stay serious about it though, and he quickly returns to laughing and shaking his head.

"Only downside is the cold. And the insatiable undead cravin's for human flesh. You gamble with the universe when you stick it in the jaws of death, boys. But what's life without a little risk, huh?"

Perfect! Perfect light birthday chatter around a buffet table! Aw, but he's good-natured about it. He can laugh about it, you can too! If you're the kind of people to find zombie dick-chomping humor up their alley.

[conjuredskies]

However willing he may be, Felix probably isn't ready for zombie dick jokes yet. Gods, it's like... actually he doesn't have a comparison. The necromancers he's run into are invariably self-important pompous asses (or trying to sound that way). The dick jokes are new, surprising as that may be.

At least he takes the... invitation with nothing more than a slight lift of his eyebrows and a thin smile. He's getting better. Slowly.

"A little longer and a lot duller." But he's looking Jim's way when he says it. "It's just about who you're willing to gamble on." Nothing meant by that. Of course not. He's just looking round at the table for where he left the rest of his food. Carry on.

[smartass_captain]

"What kind of fun is that though?" Jim shrugs, waggling his eyebrows Felix's direction before he reaches over and picks up the Imperial's plate and hands it back to him. It's a worries smile he gives him briefly before Jim's stepping back and throwing an arm around Harrow to laugh.

"Man if I didn't have to breathe, let me tell you. I would get into so much trouble." And before this joke gets too far into the gutter..."I'd walk into the nearest ocean and just start exploring everything. It would be so awesome."