Out with the old....

[sundead]

Who: Everyone
What: New Year's.
When: Dec. 31st, New Year's Eve, to Jan 1st, New Year's Day.
Where: Everywhere
Summary: It's New Year's, and the people of Luceti have a lot to reflect upon, and to look forward to. And on a more meta level, new journal names.
Rating: We'll see...

New Year's brings images of crowds, and songs, and fireworks; staying up til midnight and watching balls or bells being rung. But Luceti is a different time and place. Whether you're partying with friends or watching the sunrise, what are you doing today?

Comments

brackets or prose is fine with me!

[vervainsheriff]

In all honesty, Liz had almost skipped the party entirely and probably would hsve if not for a handful of factors: 1) she needed and wanted to make sure Caroline would have a good night tonight and be safe and 2) she needed to show the rest of the town that she was serious about protecting the people. This was Liz's job and she wouldn't forgo that for anything, not even a change of location.

So, for the most part Liz hung out on the edges, not willing to be completely involved in the party, but not wanting to be exactly not involved, either. She was wearing a long coat and warm pants, a far cry from her uniform, but the closest thing she could come up with at the moment.

[aintnoconvict]

People lurking around the edges of things tended to get Glitch's attention, especially when they were in his age bracket because so, so many people in the village appeared to be...not. Plus, hey, he needed to meet people.

"Hi!" he said with a wide smile and a vague little wave. Friendly! Nice! Yay! "Name's Glitch and...um. What is going on?"

He likes parties and festiveness, he's just...a little bemused.

[vervainsheriff]

Liz took note of the man walking towards her... and pointedly ignored whatever it was on the top of his head. She didn't want to know and wasn't sure she could deal with whatever crack answer asking might get her.

"Sheriff Forbes," she answered, more used to her actual title than people calling her by her actual name. Someday she might become more used to other people knowing her name and perhaps even calling her 'Liz,' but for now she stuck with what she knew. "It's a New Years' party as far as I can tell. I heard there might be fireworks later if you're interested."

It was a little unfortunate that Liz wasn't much of a small talk person... or talk in general. She'd never socialized well.

oh hey a tag /still the worst

[aintnoconvict]

Sheriff? Oh dear. Glitch's long experience with (wrongfully) being on all the wrong sides of authority figures made him both wary and...want to make a good first impression. He was a gentleman headcase after all, not some common criminal.

So he inclined his head politely to Liz and tried his best not to fidget.

"Thank you, Sheriff," he said graciously. New Year's...that's probably like Annual's End, right? "I hope there are fireworks, I...I don't remember the last time I saw any."

noooope i'm the worst.

[vervainsheriff]

Finally, someone who'll call her Sheriff instead of Miss or something equally insulting. She glanced at the man with a closed look that held a tinge of curiosity to it before she looked back around at the party and shifted her weight.

"There should be. At least, there will be if they're going to keep it similar to Earth's traditions." But of course she didn't know if they would or not. She knew next to nothing about this place and she didn't like it. Her eyes looked over the man again. "Have you been here long?"

[folklorist]

Don't mind the derpy man walking on by, he looks quite chipper about this whole thing. New Year's Eve parties were always fun, especially when you celebrated them with an Egyptian dragon god and a few other close friends. But here? With friends as close as family Helios can't help but celebrate.

He will note Liz and give a congenial smile. "Happy New Years Eve!"

"It's a wonderful party isn't it?"

[vervainsheriff]

Liz gave a small nod in greeting to the man. "The same to you." She gave him a quick once over with her eyes to determine what kind of person he was. Even though she didn't think he was much of a threat from her first impression, she wasn't stupid enough to let her guard down. That was the easiest way to get herself killed.

"New Year's parties always are," she agreed, glancing up to the sky to avoid the awkward small talk she was absolutely horrible at. "Did they have much of these... where you're from?" The concept of different places, different worlds was still making her head spin.

[folklorist]

Helios isn't that much a threat! He wouldn't even hurt a fly, let alone someone like Liz. Despite his derpiness and cheery disposition Helios pauses giving her question a thoughtful nod. Luckily Helios isn't as awkward with small talk, so you know, this was somewhat good.

"Oh yes! Lots of parties for this sort of thing. Coming from Earth I suppose that's not a big surprise, hm?" Just a smirk as he continues, "I-I can't say I was much a partaker in them, especially ones of this size. But you know...Luceti has proven to open people up to lots new experiences." Helios smiles looking around at the crowd gathering for the fireworks and other festive displays.

"This is probably one of the better ones for the most part."

[vervainsheriff]

It's more that old habits die hard, especially for one raised in fear of the unknown.

"You're from Earth, too?" She has no idea why she's surprised. Maybe it's the presence of so many weird people and things she'd never imagined. Or it could be the whole dragged to a place that shouldn't exist and be treated like a lab rat. "Do you mind if I ask where you're from?"

Because clearly that's more important than talking about parties and the place they're currently residing in.

[folklorist]

Helios is all to knowing about the fear of the unknown. Why it's one of the reasons he opened up his school in the first place, to ease and quell that fear. But most of all to help people realize that beings of the dark and unknown aren't as scary as myths and legends have made them out to be.

"Yes! And not at all! Romania." He smiles. Helios has nooo problems talking about here or back home. Well depending on the subject but, well, for the most part he'll partake in idle chatter.

[vervainsheriff]

Liz just nods once in response to that. "That's a little out of my way," she admits. "I'm from Mystic Falls, Virginia, in the United States." And she's never left it. Mystic Falls is her home and always will be her first priority. In some ways, even having someone be from Romania is a relief. It means there's a little bit of normalcy in this crazy place.

[folklorist]

"Ah yes! The states. I-I lived in America for-for a short while." It's why his English is rather good at least. "Very nice country, very open towards the people who live in it. Home of the free and brave. But Virginia, Virginia...I don't think I've ever been it's on the East Coast correct? Just about North Carolina..."

He's trying to remember if there are any mythologies endemic to that area. Oh right! Dismal Swamp. "Have you ever heard the folktale about Dismal Swamp?"

[transitioned]

"What are you doing here?"

Caroline was happy that she and her mother had found a way to get along here in Luceti, to cohabitate without wanting to rip each other's heads off, but she didn't expect to run into her at a party of all things. Her mother so wasn't the partying type. She probably wasn't here for the enjoyment-- Ah. That must be it.

She crossed her arms. "You're working, aren't you?"

[vervainsheriff]

Caught. Liz hadn't been paying as much attention as she should have, so she hadn't actually noticed Caroline's approach. Then again, the girl could be quite stealthy these days if she wanted to be. Liz looked to her daughter, opening her mouth to give an answer before she was cut off, floundering to find an answer that wouldn't anger Caroline or be too far off the truth. Sure, her original plan had been to do what she always did at events like this, but now that she and Caroline were actually getting along... Liz didn't want to ruin that.

But at the same time, she didn't know quite how not to.

"I was, yes," she admitted. "I wasn't sure where you were." She really was terrible at this. Socializing had never been her forte and Caroline was the social queen. It often made Liz feel like she was raising a miniature version of some of the people who had made her high school years so difficult.

[transitioned]

"You are. Still are. And now you're playing mother."

Caroline felt irrationally put off by her mother attempting to find some semblance of a normal life here in Luceti. After all, hadn't she done the same? Yet, at the same time, she felt a little threatened by the idea of her mother acting like a police officer again. They'd been getting along, actually talking, and she didn't want to lose that.

[vervainsheriff]

"Caroline..."

Damn it, Liz would never be able to figure her daughter out. What was so wrong with trying to find a normal life, or with trying to protect a town? It was natural for Liz, something she'd grown up with. Why couldn't Caroline see that?

"Am I not supposed to?"

A hint of annoyance, anger, worry, and fear were all present in her tone at that question. "What would you rather I do? I'm not a... social butterfly, Caroline." The idea was kind of icky to her, to be honest. It felt wrong, like a skin she couldn't shed but wanted nothing to do with.

[transitioned]

"Could you maybe try to be one for a change instead of being the sheriff all the time?"

It was unfair of Caroline to ask that of her mother and she knew it, but articulating that fear was off the table. Lashing out was on it, though, and she'd use it. They had a lot of things to work through and get over in this messy mother-daughter relationship of theirs.

[vervainsheriff]

Liz folded her arms over her chest, a protective and defiant move all at the same time. She never appreciated this treatment from her daughter, was never quite sure how to react to it, and it stung even more than normal since they'd actually been getting along prior to this.

"I'm not Miranda Sommers," she snapped, finally unable to hold in the press of anger at her daughter's lashing. Her teeth ground together for a moment as she took a deep breath to attempt to not completely blow this. Even if she didn't think it was her fault, just her daughter being touchy, she wanted to make it work. Somehow.

"...How? I don't do small talk."

[hisdarkmark]

Okay. Okay, he had to take into consideration what Hermione had said about being nice to Caroline's mother, but on the other hand...he really didn't want to. Why did he have to be the first one to give in? Still, he cleared his throat and stood up straight, striding over to Liz and trying not to look like he wanted to be anywhere else.

"Evening, Sheriff Forbes."

[vervainsheriff]

He would have to because Liz didn't see things the same way. The family voice brought a tinge of recognition along with wariness. Liz turned to eye the boy approaching her. At least he'd called her 'Sheriff' this time. That was a plus.

"Good evening. If you're looking for Caroline, she's here."

[hisdarkmark]

He bit the inside of his cheek rather hard to assure he didn't spit out words. He wanted to say that he already knew Caroline was here and what kind of an idiot did she take him for? Honestly. But he knew he wouldn't, so he gave a stiff nod.

"I'm not surprised. She loves parties. What brings you here though?"

[vervainsheriff]

Liz let her gaze wander around for a moment, taking in the party again.

"Because I knew she would want me to. And so I can learn more about this village. It's still new."

He might also be able to pick up on the fact that she's not here on a pleasure cruise. She's here to work.

"I take it you like things like this?" What teenager didn't?

[hisdarkmark]

He pauses for a moment, looking around at the other villagers. Ordinarily, sure, he liked these things. Originally he wasn't planning on coming out tonight but he knew a few people were expecting him to. Liz works to protect the village. Draco works to keep an appearance.

"I suppose so. It's more the fact that I knew she would want me to."

/apologizes for liz's fail, sob

[vervainsheriff]

Liz could understand that. "She's good at getting people to go to these things." Like Bonnie and Elena. "Especially close friends."

Small talk. Liz is terrible at it and this is starting to get awkward.

/never apologizeee. draco's not much better 8|

[hisdarkmark]

"...so I've noticed." Caroline had told him about how she was practically head of everything; it wasn't hard to realize that she was a social butterfly. "She's always been like this?"