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Observer

"No, it's definitely not bad. Indeed, I was saying I liked it... Silly." She gave him a fond smile, before turning back to the plant they were examining. Or the artistic representation of one, she was not really sure, though given the age of this place, she doubted it could be a live plant at this point.

She sipped her champagne as well, and nodded softly. "I could never create a masterwork like this, not if I tried for a hundred years, I think." She said, a little wistfully. Sometimes she wished she could make art that lasted, rather then just cooking, a lovely art but not one that would stand the test of time. "I want to know so much about so many of these things, to be honest. What should we look at next, love?"

The Angel

Teide - sorry, the Angel - had never met Chauvet, but she loved a good party and especially if that party was in space. Her outfit for the occasion was understated but elegant, her long white dress a far cry from her usual attire. She had, for once in her life, been persuaded to leave her endless assortment of chunky bracelets and anklets and rings in her dresser drawer - for accessories, she wore only a mask, a halo of golden sun rays, and a pair of dainty white wings.

Beside her, Camlann - the Outsider - cut an imposing figure in his sharp suit and sharper shoes, the mask obscuring his face a fearsome mess of clockwork and leather resembling nothing more than a skull or a ghoul.

The Angel thought her brother looked dashing.

She stood nearly a full head taller than him, even in flats, and their differing complexions further set them apart. Taken together, they looked a matched set, the good and the bad. The Angel offered the Outsider a smile as they made their way through the foyer and into the gallery. Chauvet was a very different wonder from her own observatory, and yet it was a wonder of the Cosmos, so in some way it was the same.

“I can’t feel anyone’s auras clearly,” the Angel said, accepting a glass of champagne. She wouldn’t be twenty-one until the end of the summer, but she doubted the Outsider would give her any trouble. He was always saying how American liquor laws were barbaric, and it was a party! When in Rome. Or Chauvet, as was the case. “Maybe it’s because there are too many people… Or maybe it’s the masks.”

It felt strange to be so clearly powered up and yet stripped of her usual costume - her embroidered dress, her golden cape, her sphere of stars. Anyone could be anyone tonight, and she had two options - to spend the whole evening anxious, or to enjoy it.

The Angel chose the latter and drank her champagne.

“I think that’s Chauvet over there,” she said, considering the people in the gallery. Though Teide had never met her before, she seemed to be the center of several people’s attention. “She looks busy.” Surely they’d have a chance to thank their host later…?

She stuck close to the Outsider’s side, jostling him slightly with her wings. It was not the first time she’d done it and would not be the last - but at least she looked lovely! She was glad they were here together - at least there was one person she knew in attendance! And maybe she’d find another later.

The Outsider

He hadn't been intending to show up until the Angel'd come to work practically effervescing her delight over her hokey invitation to some space party. At that point, brotherly instinct took over and he'd fiddled with the schedule to make it work. It was really no different than any of the times he'd cleared a space for them to go to her Wonder, really. (And privately, he thought the old man could really use the break from puttering around his own garden and drinking a handle of vodka.)

If the Angel was discomfited by her inability to sense the auras of those around them, she bulled through it magnificently. He wasn't nearly so graceful about it; he felt stiff. Looked stiff. "Is a magical party," said the Outsider, his accent coming through heavier than usual. Another byproduct of social anxiety! "Who knows who has come."

At least they'd made their way up to the gallery. He had plenty of Opinions about art, and one could lose oneself in one's opinions if they were of that Sort... he supposed. "We shall say thank you later, once the space around her clears." With that, he took himself and his sister over to the wall where several portraits and tapestries hung.

Sunshine Ranch

The Gallery was beautiful and full of amazing relics and artefacts. The cream of his cape swept behind the danseur as he moved amongst the lovingly displaced items a glass of champagne - not the same as before, from the foyer - was pressed into his hand. Genevieve had gone to great lengths to obtain some really spectacular things - some that were kind of familiar in the way the Blackbird had been, only more bittersweet and like an echo. Some were downright...distressing, too, and he had to hurry past them.

Each one that hailed from Saturn held him longer than the others, making him feel wistful and a little sad after all the things that had happened with his team, with past and present. Even some of the more beautiful items like the enchanting topiary couldn't entirely chase the slight melancholy away.

The next series of items made him pause, breath indrawn and hands shaking. I know that cask. and That's mine. both hit at the same time. "Ah-!" He wanted to touch it, to open it and see if the taste was the same as some estranged part of him could recall. Aegir's fingers twitched around his glass and he downed the rest of the bubbling fluid, eyes locked on the Aegirean Mead. That's mine[i]No, this...was actually a gift. I think. To the previous Lady Chauvet. But it [i/]was from me. From Aegir.

Perhaps Katie would want to try it with him? On Aegir, for best effect, of course. And next to the cask was a gorgeous pendant he sort of recognized. It was from Saturn, but more than that he didn't know and found that he couldn't quite make himself want to spend much time on it.

The iridescent doe (hyperborea)

Hyperborea frowned, she knew a lie when she heard one. "Of course that would be understandable, planning a party can be stressful. But you're clearly uncomfortable around me specifically."

"If you don't want to tell what I did thats fine, I don't want to pressure you or ruin your party. But I hope you know I'm sorry for it. I would prefer to be on good terms with all my cosmic brothers and sisters." She said, amethyst eyes looking a bit dejected behind her mask.

"I won't keep bothering you. Congratulation again on making squire, its a big accomplishment and you should be proud. Au revoir Chauvet." She said as she turned to leave. She wasn't about to badger the host no matter the knot of worry it left in her chest. maybe she could find some artifact to occupy her thoughts with.

Ivy

Taking one of the offered drinks, though he wasn't one for drinking, Alexandre made his way further into the gallery. It certainly was impressive, the ceiling itself was impressive and the artifacts most certainly were as well. "No doubt a long time to collect these things." Perhaps more than one life time. How long had life here existed? Had there been a knight here? It was a wonder. Life had existed here, and so long ago, and yet science was clueless about these things. Clueless as to what was really up in space - remains. Would they ever find out? He doubted it....they hadn't known about the surrounding now had they?

Rolling his eyes behind his mask he took a sip from the glass as he moved around, moving to avoid someone, as he went to glance about. clearly not all the original pedestals had survived the years.

(Open for interactions.)

It is 9 PM.

Drinking the champagne, you notice that the flavors seem to shift with each and every sip, sometimes sweet, sometimes dry, but always smooth on the way down. It's the least magical property of the champagne by far--over time, you notice that the wonder seems a little less decrepit and rusty around the edges, and if you squint you can almost imagine where pastel banners would have run from ceiling to floor, emblazoned with six pointed stars.

The decor isn't the the only thing to start to change; around you, you start to notice more of the transparent figures, faded almost out of existence, most of them listless and searching. Like you, they're wearing gilded filigree and draped fabrics and masks, but unlike you, they don't seem to notice many of the artifacts of the gallery--they dance and chatter and move about through the center, seemingly unaware that there are two galas happening at once. You blink, and for just a moment the ceiling disappears, giving way to an open and starry sky above. One of the figures pauses in their dance to look at you. It's someone you've lost to time, and it seems clear from their expression that they know exactly who you are under your mask.

What was in that champagne?

You start to think...maybe you've been here before.

Quote:

What this means:

• Characters choosing to participate in the past life portion may now begin play in the Silver Millenium gala, linked above. For the remainder of the gala, they will proceed to have flickers of memories from this event, as per the Golden Vial item.
  
• Characters not participating in the past life portion may see the shade of one person important to them from this lifetime who has died and interact with them freely. Other people may see the shade, but they are only interested in speaking with the person who 'invited' them back to the Gala. They may be aware that they're dead, but have no memory of the afterlife or what it feels like to be part of the cauldron.
  
• It only takes a single sip, but no champagne, no crazy effects! Sorry, folks! Of course, being sober means you get to make fun at the crazies talking to ghosts.
  
• This prompt will stay up for three days--look for the clock to strike 10 on Saturday evening!