cyclicality | The White Swanfish Gala (Open to All, including party-crashers)

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The White Swanfish Gala (Open to All, including party-crashers)

The White Swanfish Gala is this evening - A VIP-only event where invitations are only sent to the likes of the heads of industry, Mover stars, avatars, and their guests. The host is Wil Zan (Slade's affable civilian alter ego), and he is dressed in a fine white and blue silk nehru, smiling broadly and chatting with what seems like every patron there, one at a time. He has brought in the finest chefs to provide an unlimited stream of fine food and drink, popular musicians provide entertainment and lively music to dance to, and this gala is sure to be an event worth talking about for years.

Interestingly, Zan has set up some rather unusual security measures. Though your average riff-raff will be kept out, he has intentionally left strategic security gaps that can be bypassed by the bold and the cunning. Zan actually has men covertly watching these gaps, but instead of stopping these party-crashers, their instructions are to inform Zan. (This serves as a sort of test for potential apprentices that Slade may try to recruit in the future.)

((NOTE: This is an event log, so not every reply has to be toward Slade. Feel free to write what your character is doing at the party or how they snuck in, etc. "Zan" is likely to give you his attention, but others can too.))

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The same. Well, at a party this size anyhow. It's almost intimidating.

[Manners, Opal.]

I'm Opal. It's nice to meet you.

The name is Wan. Nice to meet you, too.

[He tucked his hands behind his back and leaned against the wall. He was quiet for a little while, not really sure what to talk about since she was obviously more experienced with parties like this - ignoring the size for the moment. But he felt bad just cutting off the conversation there, too. So he tried to come up with something to say that wouldn't completely out him as not ~~being invited~~ belonging.]

You um... you look nice.

[Sure. That worked.]

[There comes an awkward little laugh.]

Thanks. You look nice too.

[Silence reigns a moment more and then Opal decides she ought to be the one to try to carry a conversation here. Or at least break the ice a little more.]

So are you from Republic City originally?

No.

[Women like travel stories. Varrick had told him earlier. Might as well test that.]

I've been traveling the world for several years now, but this is my first time in Republic City. It's pretty different from the wilds and the smaller cities I've been through. A lot more people in one place than I'm used to.

I got here a couple weeks ago. Before that I was in the great swamp on the west coast of the Earth Kingdoms.

[The theory seems to be true, at least in Opal's case. She leans up a little straighter, expression intrigued now.]

Why were you in the swamps?

I was traveling between cities. Towns. Cities and towns. It seemed the fastest way. It was pretty nice. Lots of vines. The Spirit Wilds here in the city remind me of it. Though, they're not nearly as wet.

[Said with a bit of a laugh.]

[That earns a laugh from her as well.]

I guess not! The Spirit Wilds are pretty fascinating though, despite the lack of water.

[Oh, hey. She was into it. That Varrick guy might be worth getting more advice from.]

I like them. It's peaceful there. Makes me feel like I'm home when I lay down to sleep. None of the sounds of the city really make it through even just a few feet inside the boundary.

Are you from somewhere in the country then originally or did you just get used to silence through traveling so much?

The second. Though when I was growing up in the city, I usually spent my nights in the trees outside the walls. I could still hear the sounds of the city there, but they were faded. In the wilds, it's just me and nature.

[And sometimes the sound of the other humans who had started living near to his chosen home.]

What about you?

I'm from Zaofu. [... Ah wait, things were a little different now, weren't they.] Have you heard of it?

Yeah.

[Though he wondered if he should have, since both Varrick and Opal had seemed to think he might not have. Maybe it wasn't as well known despite being on the maps?]

Varrick said he was there just a week or so ago. Then he woke up here.

Mm, he was there when I left for training. He's head of the city's technology department. He seems... unique.

[That's one word for it.]

Left for training? What are you training for?

Airbending actually.

Oh! So you're one of the new airbenders. I've heard a lot about them. And I went to the festival of Yangchen, too.

Did you? I hope you had a good time then. I think I almost got the hang of flying those kites by the end of it!

[She laughs at herself there. It hadn't been that hard to do honestly but this seemed like a situation where a little light heartedness was warranteed, given how stuffy everyone else around could be. Formal occassions, phew.]

I did. I flew one kite while I was there. And I met Avatar Korra, too.

[He grinned along with her, feeling more at ease.]

She was great.

[Opal seems enthused in her words.]

Avatar Korra really is fantastic, isn't she? She's so friendly!

She is!

[Seeing Opal so excited let Wan feel more at ease with showing his own excitement. And boy did it show.]

And she's so smart, too. And strong, and she brought the spirits back and defeated Vaatu... she's amazing. I'm so lucky I got to meet her.

Me too! She's the one who came to see me after I found out I was an airbender. It was really great getting to meet her and everyone else too. Have you met any of her friends yet?

I've met Bolin and Mako. I don't like Mako.

[Wan frowned a moment before smiling.]

But Bolin is pretty nice. He's pretty smart, too.

[Pff. Opal tries not to breathe out a laugh at Wan's displeasure over Mako. He's just so blunt about it that it's amusing somehow. She does smile over the compliments towards Bolin though.]

Bolin's a very sweet person. He's around here at the party too actually.

I know! I talked to him a little while ago. Did you meet him at Air Temple Island during the festival?

Not really. I spent a little too much time flying kites and talking to Korra.

[Her expression turns a little sheepish as she admits as much.]

We've been seeing more of each other lately though at least.

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