People Might Call Me Crazy

Participants:

brian_icon.gif doyle2_icon.gif gillian_icon.gif koshka_icon.gif liza_icon.gif nora_icon.gif child-owain_icon.gif rue_icon.gif samara2_icon.gif

Also Featuring:

hailey_icon.gif joe_icon.gif juniper_icon.gif lance_icon.gif lily_icon.gif mala_icon.gif lh_paul_icon.gif

Scene Title People Might Call Me Crazy
Synopsis A party is throw on Pollepel Island to celebrate life, and what's worth fighting for.
Date January 22, 2011

Bannerman's Castle: Dining Hall

The room converted into Bannerman's dining hall, although long and narrow, can accommodate up to one hundred people, but despite the amount of use that it sees, it isn't hooked up to the castle's electrical grid, which means that after dark it's lit up by gas lanterns strategically positioned on the wooden tables with bench-style seating that occupy the space. A giant hearth set into one of its walls provides the hall with additional light and warmth, as well as a place for the castle's residents to convene when it isn't in use during the hours when breakfast and dinner are being taken.

The walls themselves are bare stone with no decoration except for the four windows opposite the fireplace, and these are covered with heavy pieces of plain canvas cloth at night to prevent the light from leaking outside, where it might be visible from the shore or the air. During the day the canvas is pulled back to brighten the room and make the gas lanterns unneccessary, but on mornings and afternoons when the sky is overcast, there is very little to combat the gloom and so the fuel is burned anyway.


It took a lot of work.

A lot of work.

But eventually, everything came together. A party, a real party. Brian has put a crazy amount of work into making this Pollepel extravaganza as normal as possible. The dining hall's gas lanterns have been accompanied by candles lining each table. Aiding in their war against the cold and dark, the hearth burns brightly before several armchairs and couches that have been moved in and set up.

It's after dinner, so many have eaten. But the announcement went out that those attending the party would have something to eat. And here it is: Pizza. Warm pizza. Going to a not too distant town for the food and borrowing a few hotbags, the pizza is hot and ready to be enjoyed. A few cakes and other appetizers have been laid out, mostly finger foods and nothing too fancy.

A light ambience of music fills the background courtesy of Nora, children's yells and laughter rising up to join it. The party has been going for just a bit now, but already the children have started to play. The lighthouse kids ransacked the shipment of games Brian brought, and a game of Twister is already being held out in the corner. Paul is winning.

In the group of children, Lily and Owain sit quietly near the wall. Every now and then, Mala comes to gift the two with some kind of sustenance be it cake, brownies, or pizza.

But what would a party be without alcohol?

And there's plenty of it. Trying to dive on the side of normalcy, Brian has taken up the liberty of setting up a makeshift bar. It's mostly constructed of a two tables pushed together and a few shelves, one Brian is stationed behind his 'bar' serving up drinks rapidly. He's probably the only one who can work at a party and enjoy it at the same time. Because not a stones throw away, the young man sits on a bench with a drink in hand, his other hand occupied by Samara.

"Paul is completely cheating— they shouldn't be using their powers in games," Gillian comments as she glances back at the group of kids playing twister, noticing how he's swinging his arm through the others, so he doesn't have to go over, under or around to reach his specific dot. That is certainly cheating, but no one is calling him on it. Lance seems to think it's cool. Boys are strange sometimes.

With a forced smile on her face, she's trying her best to look happy, as she promised she would. It's not working as well as she might like, but a young blonde girl coming up and handing her a cat seems to help.

"He's missed you," Hailey explains, holding up the huge ginger that looks like he could be a tiger if one wasn't careful. Fluffy and lightly striped, the ginger's ears tuft and twitch, as his tail swishes. "You should take him with you if you go away again— cause he's really very cranky when you're not here."

"Thanks, Hailey," she says, holding the big cat against her chest, and smiling a little better. "I missed you too, Chandra." …Sometimes.

Owain Griffin Mihangle sits in his little area near the wall, quietly watching the goings on as he hugs his knees to himself. His father is currently off doing chores and helping around the island, and the boy was told to go to the party and enjoy himself. So, Owain is doing…as much as he can to enjoy himself. Which mostly includes watching people, and occasionally nibbling on the pizza; any offers of sweets were turned down with a rather gruff expression on the boy's face.

But hey, the pizza is good, and so is the soda pop that he occasionally slurps down, green eyes trailing the party. Mmph. He knows the lighthouse kids, and he knows Koshka— but he doesn't know anyone else. The twister game is left to the other kids— he'll pass on that.

There are people. And Liza is a people person. Which naturally means that the petite blonde is here. There is no way she couldn't be. Despite her peopleyness, she stands off to the side for the moment, giggling as she watches the cheating that goes on in the Twister game. She's resisted the urge to ask if she could join.

Being as how there's a bar in operation this evening, Rue has opted not to dip into her own stash of cheep beer. An amaretto sour, light on the ice and heavy on the alcohol, is held in one hand and cradled against her chest as she languidly dances to the music Nora provides for the party's benefit. Her other hand is holding onto that of the girl in question, carefully guiding her around the floor. "And spin~" she directs, lifting their joined hands up over Nora's head to encourage the move.

Glances are flickered in the direction of the happy couple, of course. But Rue finds it much easier to keep her focus on alcohol and dancing.

Nora opts not to try to dance and hold onto a beverage all at the same time, given her extra difficulties. She does have a drink, courtesy of Rue in case Brian decides she isn't old enough for any alcohol, carefully stowed at the corner table. She spins when Rue tells her to, with an innate grace that is used to the rhythm and balance of martial arts if not dancing — she trusts Rue not to let her run into a person or a table corner.

"I bet more than Paul could cheat at that game," Sami's head tilts far to the right, overextending her neck in the process, thereby bringing a hand to the back of it for extra support, leaving her drink on the table momentarily before turning back to Koshka, "I bet you could find a way to cheat at it. Not that I condone cheating…er.. Stay in school. Don't do drugs." Her cheeks redden somewhat as she glances at her drink. This is her first, and potentially the last.

A squeeze is given Brian's hand as Sami sips at her drink, a spice rum and coke— with more rum than coke, issuing a bright smile to the room. As usual, there's something undeniably sparkly about her eyes. "Ohmygosh I love pizza— " she declares brightly. "Seriously I think you get ten bonus points for it being warm too." Her grin broadens more as she peeks over to the kids playing Twister, "Yeah, I don't think the other kids mind much." Although it is unfair. "At least he didn't relegate someone to playing the hat in Monopoly when they can't choose their own piece," pointedly Sami's gaze ticks to Brian, but she's grinning despite herself.

Crouched on a chair, Koshka watches the Twister game, a grin fixed on her features. "I bet I could really make the game interesting," she counters to Samara's thoughts of cheating. She'd never cheat, just put the food, drink, and everyone's wellbeing at the mercies of dust and dirt particles. Not that she'd ever do that. The food is too good to risk. "Man, Paul's too smart for his own good though." Sinking down to sit properly on her chair, Koshka turns to see who else has arrived, blue eyes touching over most seen in passing, if at all, and a few lacking names to go with faces.

Watching the kids and occasionally letting her gaze wander to the other occupants of the room, Liza's decided to wander off to get a drink. Sipping liberally, the petite blonde peers over various faces as if studying them all before she wanders over to stand next to Koshka. "Hi!" She offers, cheerfully.

Tipping his own tequila sunrise back a bit the now emptied glass is set back on the table. Returning his own squeeze to Samara's hand. His eyes go to Gillian though as she approaches, another soft squeeze delivered to Sam before he stands up. Letting his fingers brush against her shoulder as he parts from her and Koshka.

Going to cut off Gillian on her route, a light smile plays on his lips. Though his eyes reflect a certain sort of sadness. Looking at his sister levelly, he gives a light nod. "Thanks, Gillian."Looking down at the newly delivered Cat he gives a light exhaling snort of a laugh. "Hey Chandra~" He sort of coos before looking back up to his twin. One hand comes up to rest on her shoulder gently. "You ready to meet her, for reals for reals? That girl with her is the newest lighthouse kid. Koshka. The one I told you about." Dropping his hand, Brian brings his hand up to give Hailey's head a light ruffle and part playful shove.

While Paul continues to dominate and laugh about his Twister success, Joe is trying to gain attention for his own game. Bright eyes flick to anyone who looks his way, though not many keep eye contact with tiny Invulnerable Boy for long. Not long enough for him to solicit them in a game of Poker. Gambling with different pieces of sweets. Joe gives a heavy sigh, eyes flitting over to Owain. He points at his table and cards giving a broad smile of invitation.

Finishing his pizza, Owain blinks a few times over at Joe, his brows raised. After a moment, the boy stands, carrying his soda with him and settling down at the table across from Joe, peering down at the card game. "…Don't know how to play." He generally says things in as few words as possible, these days. The sweets don't really interest him, but…it's better to do something than just sit in the corner.

"I guess, though I already did meet her— I'd rather meet her in a less crowded setting too," Gillian mutters, looking around with a kind of suspicion. She can't help wondering if anyone here happens to be a spy for the people who held her for months, but she shakes it off— If they were the whole island would be in a lot more trouble. Not just her.

Holding the cat firmly, she follows Brian's lead over to the newest member of the teenagers her brother takes care of, and his fiancée.

As soon as they're close enough, she has no hands to offer, so just speaks in greeting, "So you're the one who actually said yes to my idiot brother. He's the younger one, in case you were wondering." They'd agreed last time! She has no idea if the agreement will stick.

A waggle of fingers and a grin is direct at Gillian as Koshka catches her name over the din. But it's Liza who captures her attention more firmly. Turning in her chair, and pulling her legs back under her to crouch, she peers up at the woman with a crooked grin. "Hi," the teenager returns pleasantly.

The petite blonde smiles politely at Koshka before thrusting a hand forward in introduction. "I'm Liza. I don't think we've really met, so I thought I ought to remedy that. I like to meet everyone, so no one has an excuse to be too much of a wallflower and there'll always be a friendly face around."

There's a party, and you can't have a party without some sort of performance. A magician, or a clown…

Or a puppeteer.

The doors of the dining hall are pushed open by Juniper, the teenaged girl holding them open as a large gurney-style cart draped in a red sheet upon which has been set up a carnival-painted wooden stage with an attached curtain of its own. Eric Doyle pushes it along, dressed in a white long-sleeved shirt and a pair of khaki pants. "Am I late? Sorry — sorry if I'm late, everyone."

Joe looks down at his cards then back up to Owain. His lips thin out considerably. He gives a little shrug. "I don't either.. I made up my own rules." Grabbing his cards, he goes to push about half the deck in front of the other boy. "I think you're supposed to get twenty-one." He's assuming, staring down at the red-topped cards. "Whenever I ask people if they want to play Poker they say let's play fifty two card pickup. And I don't like that game." Joe frowns deeply. "So.. I made up my own rules. When you get twenty one, you have to slap the deck. And we bet on who gets it first.. With cake."

Sam sets her drink on the table and then pops up from the bench where she's sitting at Brian and Gillian's approach. Where she'd been beaming before, Sam's smile turns a little haphazard, hinging on nervous as she stiffens just a stitch. But she pushes past those nerves and gives Gillian a small wave, "Hi!" Her nerves actually give her tone a nearly-trying-too-hard-edge. Her eyes close momentarily as she pushes those little butterflies aside. "Hi," she tries again, this time somewhat more sedate, but more certainly easier than before, "It's nice to meet you.. for real, I mean. Being all seeable now and stuff." Her smile extends as she reaches for her drink again, taking a gulp of it.

A small person running through the "dance floor" bumps into Nora who overcompensates so as not to land on the child, and instead lands on her ass falling the other way.

Oof comes a not dainty or graceful exhalation of breath, followed by a wince as she reaches back to rub her rear. "I told you dancing was a bad idea," she laments to her taller partner, before getting up, deliberately without accepting any hands if any reach for hers. "Refreshment time. Where's the cake? It's not bible cake this time, right?"

Owain blinks, and reaches out, taking hold of his cards and looking at them. "We could play Go Fish…" He doesn't like the sound of a game made by his opponent's rules. "Whoever wins gets cake. But…you can have the cake." The boy doesn't smile much. In fact, he frowns more often than not. "I don't want it. I just want to play." It's not his mom's cake.

The son of a terrorist turns his eyes toward Doyle, blinking a few times at that cart…thing. What?

"I never agreed to that." Brian chimes, eyes narrowing somewhat at Gillian. He grins over at Sami, it's clear that he and Gillian have a dramatially different type of relationship then Sam and her own brother. "I'm older." Winters pipes in before smiling down at Sami. "I guess we should make this thing real. Before everyone gets too sloshed. But Eric is suppo—" And in comes the puppet show. "Oh God." Comes the inaudible groan. "I never thought I could ever grow tired of puppets. Like really.. What kid thinks that he'll hate puppets when he's older?" Frowning some, the young man goes to pick up his glass. And then a spoon, eyeing Samara for a moment. "Stand with me, baby?"

It's not too long after that he's picking up a spoon as well. And making the tell-tale alarm that it's announcement time. Everybody shhh.

"I'm Koshka," the girl replies as she extends her hand for a shake. Little hesitant, though she grins true enough. "New kid, kinda… One of Brian's." The youth seems about to say more, though she pauses when Brian taps his spoon against his glass and sends a glance his direction.

"Oh, that's cool!" Liza offers, eagerly, though the tapping catches her attention and she looks brightly towards the couple. Oh look, announcement! She turns to face Brian and Samara, smiling with all the warmth she can muster. Which is a lot, in case you were wondering.

"Everyone likes puppets~" Sam virtually sings as she rises to her feet, her gaze fixing on Brian as her chin lifts to try meeting his gaze. She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, her cheeks already reddening even though no announcement has been made. Her lips press together into a broad grin as she snakes an arm around him. She reaches for her glass with the other hand.

Oh, good! Eric's in time for the announcement. As he sees that Brian is getting ready, he adjusts the cart with Juniper's help - the teenager shaking her head in amusement at the whole shebang - and then he vanishes behind the makeshift stage that he's built and set up, ducking down and rummaging through the contents of the cart as if getting something ready.

Griffin's son turns as the spoon dings against the glass, blinking a few times. Setting the cards face-down, Owain lifts his cup, slurping down some more of that soda. He might not be eating the sweets, but he's certainly going to get a sugar and caffiene buzz from all of the soda he's drinking. He'll listen to the adults talk, for now, watching Brian and Samara over the rim of his cup.

"Yes you did, you agreed that I was older." This argument will never end, will it. She dismisses it and settles on Samara. "I briefly saw you at the end there, right before I was ready to pass out," Gillian says to the former ghost, before glancing back at Doyle. She holds tight to her big fluffy cat-meat, and inclines her head in his direction. "Maybe the two of us should sit down and chat sometime soon, without all these people around. Older sister's have to vet their future sisters, you know." Sisters in law. She wishes she hadn't liked Veronica right about now, cause that makes this job extra difficult…

"And nice to meet you, Koshka— that's an pretty name."

There's a shrill giggle as Rue's attempts to compensate for Nora's thrown balance, and then Nora's overcompensation for that thrown balance sends the ginger tumbling after. And her drink spilling on the floor. "Oh crap," she whines. At least she didn't break the glass.

Rue glances around after she drags herself back up to her feet. "That so did not happen." Straightening herself out again, Rue takes Nora's arm (and her empty glass that so needs a refill). "Nope. Not bible cake. You want a biiiiig slice or a medium slice?" Because a little slice is just such a ridiculous notion, who would even consider such a thing?

"Big," Nora says without feigning to be a dainty sort of girl who worries about her weight — after all, it's not like they're not eating in moderation already here on the island. She rubs her rear with another wince. One more bruise to add to her collection; the black eye is just now faded to a lovely lilac kind of hue on cheek, brow and temple.

She gets her bearings, and moves toward the table where her own cup has been stowed, taking a sip of the alcohol inside before moving to sit on the table. She turns her unseeing eyes toward Brian's voice, even if she can't see him.

"I'd… I'd like that, sitting one on one probably easier to have a conversation and stuff." Sami nods at Gillian with a softer shier smile. It's all very intimidating, but then sometimes intimidating reminds a gal she's still alive. "Thank you," she replies softly from her perch next to Brian. She slides a little closer to him.

"Thanks everyone for coming. I hope tonight can lift all our spirits… AKA I hope tonight we can all get sloshed." He grins a bit, raising his glass. "Just kidding. I just had a few words and we can go back to the sloshing business." His eyes run over Gillian a light smile growing as she makes an attempt at being nice to Samara. It is well appreciated. "This is a tough time for all of us. And a lot of people would say we're crazy for what we're doing. But we all know we're doing this because it's what we have to do." His glass remains aloft in the air as he continues to speak.

"People might call me crazy. But I've made a decision not because I have to, but I know this is the only thing that can keep me doing what I have to do. I've met someone who has given me a sense of purpose and drive to keep fighting the good fight. So I've asked her to stay around a while. And she said yes." Smiling lightly, he leans in to plant a kiss on Sami's cheek lightly. "We're engaged."

The curtains on the little cart-bourne puppet stage are suddenly pulled open with the yank of a rope, revealing— two hand puppets! One in a little felt tux and the other draped in white fabric and lace, dancing about behind the stage with Eric Doyle's hands buried in them to show them off. The Brian-puppet and Samara-puppet bob along towards each other, and then one dips the other - the other way in reverse - while Doyle makes all sorts of kissy noises from the other side of the makeshift cart.

"And some people, like me, wish more people were as crazy," Gillian says, moving to link arms with the future sister in law, so says this announcement. "I'm going to steal her away for a little bit, now, if that's okay little brother." No, she's not letting that drop. "Don't worry, I'll be gentle and return her in one solid visible piece before the party is over." Because she assumes there will need to be dancing and stuff later, but for now, she can kidnap the visible and touchable girl for the one-on-one time. Looks like she's not planning to wait and give her a chance to prepare.

Ooh. Kissy puppets. Liza can't help but smile. Cute idea, really. She claps in response to the announcement, mostly cause… well, it's exciting. And if no one else claps, who cares! That said and done, Liza goes to refill her glass, peering around the room again.

Owain is silent, slurping down his soda pop as he watches Brian and Samara. He…doesn't smile, doesn't clap, just watches. Then, the boy is turning to watch the puppets in complete silence, up until he finds that the soda is gone. He excuses himself from the 'poker' game, wandering his way over to the table to get more. He is going to be wired tonight.

"Yay! Sam and Brian are getting married," Koshka calls out, standing up on her chair once again. She joins Liza in clapping, grinning at the pair. Her own enthusiasm curbs slightly, cooling from a boil to a simmer as Gillian leads Sam off for quiet talkings. The teenager jumps off her chair and turns with the intention of finding more pizza, but finds herself instead watching the puppet show with a giggle.

The announcement has Rue pausing at her and Nora's table, listening silently. Digesting. Once the applause begins, she takes in a deep breath. "Big piece it is!" Rue perhaps isn't as cheerful as might be expected as she heads off to get slices of cake for herself and Nora, as well as a refill for her drink.

Rather than return with two small plates, she comes back with one large plate and three pieces with three forks. "C'mon," she murmurs quietly to the younger girl. "Let's go bother Benji."

Looking after Samara and Gillian a little dumbfoundedly, Brian smiles at all the clapping that he receives… by himself. His eyes fall over to Rue and Nora, his smile drifting down somewhat. Taking a step back his eyes fall to the puppet show, a roar of laughter bursting out of his lips. Winters looks down at Koshka, smiling brightly.


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