capeandcowllogs | (no subject)

Who: Moonybase and YOU
When: 23 December 2009. 8am - 10pm
Where: Moonybase.
Summary: An open invitation to a party never looked so good. Check your weapons and powers at the door.
Warnings: Probably everything. Please see this post for details.
Format: Whatever works. Don't forget to add your tag.
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Remus had been to enough Christmas parties in his lifetime to know when one would end disastrously, including those that had been specifically dated to avoided interfering with other Christmas plans that the guests might have. This was one of them. But his tolerance had kept him quiet, the happy act of cleaning and decorating taken to as easily as any other task he did.

The twins had also been enlisted to help, given the important task of stringing a length of bright red ribbon and pine up the staircase to the second floor. The soft white lights that followed were magic. In fact, none of the lights, save for whatever lamps or overhead lights that Miles insisted upon, were run by electricity, and many were candles, kept only from setting anything ablaze by a flame-freezing charm.

By the time the morning of the party rolled around, the house looked as if it had been pulled straight out of a Christmas card, Remus borrowing from what he remembered of Christmases as Hogwarts and the Burrow, including a single bit of mistletoe in the entry. The snow helped, piling nicely (if in an oddly organized fashion) outside thanks to a little help from Miles, adding to the image; if nothing else, Remus was happy with it, the certainty that he would wind up having to transfigure another person into some sort of object nagging at the back of his mind.

Tin whistles, toy rocking horses, and sprigs of mistletoe were likely going to be very common later in the evening, he mused, tapping his wand rhythmically against the palm of his hand in thought as he checked everything over once more, walking through the sitting and dining rooms and out into the backyard where the tree house had been built out of ice and wood into the tree there. The floating green structures that Kyle Rayner had promised to provide were still missing, but they would be there soon enough.

He pocketed his wand and walked back into the house, shaking free the snow from his boots, and glancing at the clock. People who had offered their assistance had been asked to come early, which meant that the kitchen was soon going to turn into a madhouse, the extra stove only offering so much help. It also meant he had best make tea before he was banned from the room.

ooc; alkdsjfa you guys are amazing <3 For your convenience, links to the separate comment sections. To keep the death to your bandwidth down a little.

EARLY ARRIVALS: VARIOUS PREPARATIONS
TIMELY ARRIVALS: CHECK YOUR MOTIVES AT THE DOOR
SOCIALIZING FOR FUN AND PROFIT
GO AHEAD! TALK WITH YOUR MOUTH FULL!
I'M GOING TO PISTOL-WHIP THE NEXT GUY WHO SAYS 'SHENANIGANS'
THIS IS WHY MANKIND INVENTED THE 'GUEST BEDROOM'
AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE HAPPENED HERE
TAKING YOUR TOYS AND GOING HOME

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ GLaDOS nods back. ]

I AM ALSO GLAD THAT I AM ALIVE
THOUGH IT WOULD HAVE BEEN OPTIMAL TO BYPASS
THE ENTIRE REVITALIZATION PROCESS COMPLETELY
BY AVOIDING TERMINATION IN THE FIRST PLACE

[ She pauses and then leans her face a little closer to Leeloo's, her brow puckering slightly. ]

I AM SORRY IF I HAVE CAUSED YOU
EMOTIONAL AND/OR MENTAL DURESS

[Leeloo lowers her head slightly. Despite the peculiar use of terms, it is still a description of a death. That - like every form of violence and pain - is hurtful in itself. Resurrection is an unnatural yet nevertheless miraculous concept to her.]

There are many things bad, here. [A beat.] Evil.

Life is important. Don't be sorry.

[ It bothers GLaDOS to see Leeloo upset -- even by the broadest and vaguest terms. When she first arrived, there was a grace period during which GLaDOS had to come to terms with her newly organic body. Her face was part of that. So to see a level of human emotion as nuanced as it is on Leeloo's face is somehow disorienting. Tentatively, she reaches out and touches Leeloo's arm. She is not, however, very good at grasping certain concepts like comfort. GLaDOS offers: ]

LEELOO WOULD YOU LIKE CAKE

[Leeloo looks up at GLaDOS again as soon as she feels her touch on her arms. Her attention shifts to her lookalike's hand.

Leeloo's displays of emotion have been answered with awkward reactions more often than not, but she's perceptive enough to now they're well intentioned - not to mention the last thing she wants to do is worry her friend. It's comforting to see that she is kind and not like most she's met during her stay here - or even back in her own dimension.]

[Smiling softly at her, she answers:] Thank you.

I would like cake.

Edited 2009-12-23 06:13 (UTC)

[ Cake is something that GLaDOS understands. She's not sure if it is somehow a glitch in her programming (given the considerable preoccupation she has with cake in general) but she's long since past wondering about it anymore. Having the conversation switch gears seems to cheer her up considerably as she makes her way towards one of the food tables, glancing back towards Leeloo to make sure she is following. On the way there, she tells her. ]

I LIKE YOUR HAIR

[Leeloo takes some of the time during their walk to look around the party and see if she recognizes anyone else. No such luck.

She raises her eyebrows at GLaDOS's remark, her expression still polite. One finger lifts to stroke a strand of her own hair, like she's not sure what to make of or do with it. The Fifth Element never figured out how she's supposed to answer compliments, namely about her physique. She isn't responsible for it in any way - she's as much of a construct as GLaDOS is (even if at very different levels).

So she answers a little meekly.]

Danko, Gwenowens.

[ Leeloo's thank you -- her version of one -- gets GLaDOS to loo at her again and smile in an encouraging way. There is very little data held in the part of her mind allotted specifically for DESIGNATION: LEELOO, and for all that they are externally similar GLaDOS is also aware that they must be fundamentally different in many ways. Her Curiosity core begins to buzz eagerly in the back of her mind, urging her to quantify to what extent. ]

ENGLISH IS NOT YOUR DESIGNATED DEFAULT LANGUAGE
I DO NOT RECOGNIZE YOURS
AND I AM FLUENT IN ALL DOCUMENTED EARTH LANGUAGES
CATEGORIZED AND AVAILABLE ON THE NETWORK

[By the time GLaDOS finishes speaking, Leeloo's already picked up one of the smaller pastries and taken a bite out of it. Maybe it's not exactly the cake her lookalike had in mind, but it counts. Their eyes meet; Leeloo makes a little movement with her head as she chews, gesturing with the hand holding what's left of the snack with three stretched fingers.]

My language, very old. Not documented. [She swallows, indicating with her index finger for emphasis] Told from Priest to Priest. Mondoshawan toh-t [taught] it to them, a long time ago.

Deo Tokemata. [she nods softly, still looking directly into GLaDOS' eyes.] Divine Language.

[ GLaDOS nods very slowly, acknowledging in her way that she has heard and understands what Leeloo has said. She attempts to repeat the words -- her voice identical, though her tone is still that strange mix of monotone and singsong. ]

DEO TOKEMATA
DEO TOKEMATA

I WOULD LIKE TO LEARN THIS LANGUAGE FROM YOU
LEELOO MINAI LEKARARIBA-LAMINAI-TCHAI EKBAT DE SEB

[Leeloo grins slowly, chewing for a moment in silence before giving her friend a nod.] Okay. I will teach you.

[She then raises her eyebrows, looking down at what's left of her little cake. She extends her hand, offering it to GLaDOS.] Do you want some?