Not Your Ordinary Tea Time (Ronan)

[Ricky Maze]

64th of Fall, 512 AV Not Your Ordinary Tea Time! Strange. That's what Ricky felt as his mind slipped into its deepest thoughts, churning everything he knew into some unlikely reality that would only exist in the minds of men. What was in his mind though? What was it his thoughts and memories led to as they gave way to the thin veil between reality and insanity? He knew not, only that as his eyes remained close he was drifting. Slipping into a endless abyss of deep sleep, and unto his greatest trip within his inner concious. He felt the weight of the world move as if he were going up, and when he had grasped this feeling he opened his eyes. He was in the sky, falling from one great blue to another. Panic was the usual reaction to take its initiative, but that was not the case in this moment. He felt at peace deep inside himself, such peace he hadn't felt in a long time. Whatever waited within the depths below he cared not, for he could only close his eyes and drift onward. Downward to the sea he fell, his relaxed body crashing into the surface. Never slowing as he finally came to a slower drift, still descending to the dark depths of the abyss that waited below. He opened once more to see the sky, expecting drown in the time soon to follow. As he lay in the deep void of the abyss he watched the light of the surface become smaller, smaller, smaller, and even smaller; until the faintest glimmer was nigh traceable. He blinked his eyes as his body felt a change in the dream, a rift tore open his inner being to pull out the unexplainable of things. Best part of it all, he was made to bear witness as it all unfolded before him. He felt he gained control of his body once again, the heavy feeling that plagued his limbs now gone as he opened his eyes once more. He was in a garden of a sort, sitting at a table with fine decor. Silver plates and utenils before him. There were cakes and sweets of odd color and smell, and most importantly tea cups and tea pots. Why this was important to him Ricky couldn't say, it was just that he felt the tea was what he was here for. Looking up and down the table no one seemed to be here, just Ricky and the table really. If that were the case though, then why all the chairs? He looked around the garden, flowers and shrubs of unnatural unique hues adorned the shrubbery and trees, no doubt it would lead to a maze. Odd how Ricky somehow knew that, considering this place is one he never ventured to, but he just felt as though he knew. As if he'd been here. "Hello?" He hollered as an echo only answered his call, silence soon to follow the endless night sky. "What the petch?" He mumbled to himself, wondering what in Laviku's name brought him here. He looked to the utensils before him, and noticed he had sleeves on his vest. Wait.. sleeves? He never had sleeves before, no not at all in fact unless it was winter. Which here it felt like spring, so much like spring. He was wearing fancy posh clothes that were the hues of the waves he plummeted in, the threads were that of fine cotton with silk. Though he never wore such an outfit, this one was somehow natural to him. He wondered what this place was named, he somehow was reminded of Alvadas when it came to this place....but it wasn't. Convinced by a combination of instinct and intuition, he decided to stay seated in the soft plushy seat he was in. The fine table cloth made of pure silk, such a strange unusual play this was; and yet so surreal to Ricky.

[Ronan]

Ronan was oh so tired from travelling, and so when he rested his head down, he fell willingly into sleep in less than a chime. As he fell into the chaotic world of dreams, ever shifting, ever moving, he was faced with two doors. One blue. One red. There was nothing else, only endless black around him. Ronan frowned, looking around, before making a choice with conviction. He strode towards the red door, not really knowing what he was doing, and pushed it open. It was a beautiful garden he walked into. A curving pathway led him to a table, but as he walked, he realised his gait was stiff. He was in the clothes of a noble he noted, touching blue silk without a single crease. He had never worn such fine clothes in all his life. And the table... despite the fact another man sat on one chair, he noticed the silver utensils, the cakes in a rainbow array of colours, and the tea, in a pot with cups ready for them. Guided by the unseen force of his imaginative mind, he settled down in a chair and his eyes met with his tea party companion. "How are you?" he found himself asking. And in Pavi too, as he dreamed in his native tongue. The man would understand it though, even with no experience of the Drykas language. That was the nature of the dreamscapes. Ronan put a hand forward and reached for a bright orange slice of cake. He felt strangely hungry in this world that didn't make sense, and at the same time he was barely confused by any of it, as if he had lived here his whole life.

[Ricky Maze]

"Uh, great actually." It was honesty in its most mad form, whatever the world of dreams cooked up it toyed with his feelings with ease. He felt a sense of serenity here that was unlike any other, which is difficult for some to comprehend when they believe they've felt it before, but this....this was something stronger at work. He witnessed as the foreign man reached for the orange fluffy cake. What an odd feeling this was, and an interesting cake he sliced. What in the world was happening?! He felt that the man was meant to be here, as well as others who had yet arrive. Like they were meant to be here, but didn't really feel like he lived here. "Uh, don't ya think we should be waiting for someone else? This isn't our dinner party after all!" He heard a noise nearby his right, where a golden gate was ffound. Two green colored Akalaks wore butler suits of violet hues, ever so starring with their intimidating eyes. Yet they showed no sign of aggression, no hint of emotion at all. They only stood in front of the gilded gate, table napkins at the ready for their current guests. Yet plenty more for others to join in.... was this a party? Where Ricky and this man invited? What exactly was going on?? The two green colored akalaks each made their way to them, preparing the napkins with silent voices and blank expressions. It was unnerving seeing such creatures for the first time, only they weren't usually the color green....or so Ricky heard. After he accepted the napkin, the akalak spoke only once. "The Count is on his way, in the meantime please enjoy yourself." He reassured Ricky with a bow, both returned to their post next to the golden gate. Ricky dumbfoundly accepted the fact, seeing as how they were "welcomed", that this was just a party. Best to relax and enjoy his self while it lasted, so he then decided to follow the foreign mans lead. Politely he sliced in the nearby orange cake like the one the man had, and gently placed it onto his plate. The platters on the table had all sorts of curious fancies for their delights. Whatever their curiosities found within their grasp, they need only to reach for it. Ricky tried his best to be polite, slicing a peice from his cake and eating it with curious fascination. To his great indulgence his had a salty flavor to it when he first tried it, but after a few soft yummy chews he then found the flavor sweeter than sugar itself. To him it was tasty, but to the man that had the initiative; there was no telling what he tasted. For within the dream world nothing was as it seems, and anything could happen with unlimited possibilites.....

[Ronan]

"But this cake will go to waste," Ronan said with a frown, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. He took a great big bite of the cake. It tasted of clouds. Nothingness. The orange hue belied its total lack of flavour. Two green butlers, Akalaks by the looks of it, came over and nestled napkins down in their laps. Were they expecting dinner? Cake and tea before dinner? What madness was this? And who was the Count? Ronan supposed they'd soon find out. It certainly wasn't Riverfall, that much was for sure. He couldn't recall seeing a green Akalak before either. "We have to eat all the cake now, or it will go rotten." Sure enough, as he cut into a piece of blue cake, it began to melt and bubble, and turn brown before his eyes. When he looked around, he saw maggots crawling along the table. He was still chewing a piece of orange cake, but he turned and spat it out. Three little maggots wriggled out of his mouth too, falling to the ground where they shattered like glass. He looked up, face crinkling as he scowled at his party companion. The cake was off. Definitely off. He wondered if the Count would bring more cake, or if perhaps the napkins - which seemed to glisten - were to prepare them for the main course. All of a sudden, the Akalaks were moving again, opening a vast gate. He heard distant trumpets, a fanfare for the arrival of somebody. Anybody. In the end, it was a rotund man that almost rolled into the garden. He was adorned in a splendid suit of black and white. A dark tophat surmounted the peak of his head. "The Count," Ronan whispered to his companion. He glanced back to the table - all the cake had vanished, and the maggots too. The sparkly napkin still lay on his lap though, so he sat and waited patiently for whatever the Count might be bringing. In fact, a line of Akalaks, this time bright pink in colour, came behind him in a procession of sorts. In their hands they held plates covered in pewter domes, concealing whatever might be beneath them. He looked to his companion with widened eyes.

[Ricky Maze]

The strange man came with pink Akalaks to serve their food. Pink. Akalaks. What in Mizahar was happening? The longer Ricky stayed here, the weirder it became, but alas how does one pull out of his own dream? Was this even his dream at all? Or was it the fellow foreign party guest that dreamed this? He knew not what was in store, only that he would be an audience to the madness. The count took his seat at the head of the table, a friendly grin appearing on his face as he saw the two sitting there enjoying his meal. Somewhere else a clink and creak was heard, and when Ricky turned he saw an unbelievable sight. Six Konti maids dressed in the finest silk robes came through into the garden, accepting the platters covered with silver domes from the pink akalak. Their robes were red and short as far as the skirts go, their top torso covered decent but sleeveless with embroidered patterns Ricky couldn't make out. The foreign mans expression seem to really drop then, as the konti stood to each chair at the table. Placing the platters down. They looked only to their chairs with gorgeous eyes as if they waited for someone. The two that was there had the Konti hold the domes down, waiting for the Count to say the word. "Ladies, before we let our tea party continue we need the rest of our guests. These gentlemen can wait just a few more moments." He issued with a grin, but it was overly friendly and too.... creepy. It gave Ricky chills just thinking about it. With a bow the pink Akalaks stood all around the corners of the garden, while the ever so beautiful and graceful Konti stood patiently with their posts. It was in fact a dinner party, but who else was invited? What other madness would be brought to this world? Ooc : Lets wait for our other guests to join, i personally invited them so when they post their entree we can continue here. You may go ahead and post Ronan eating more fake cake if you choose! just kidding about the cake though. I invited three others seeing how me you and the count make three already.

[Ehsan]

Suddenly, Akvatari. Nude Akvatari. Dozens of them. Supporting a giant palisade made entirely out of silk and pastry. And resting within its many-colored folds? A little Benshiran man. Well, little in height. In girth... Not so much. Ehsan was a little heavy in his waking hours, but he was almost wider than he was tall in the tea party. In addition, while his beard was of moderate length in life, in the dream, he had a gigantic mustache so sharp and glorious you could gut a bear with it. An electric blue Eypharian was feeding him grapes, with one hand, and his camel, Khar'jun, with the other. She was sitting in lounging fashion next to him, occasionally roaring in glee at the excellent service. After a chime or two of floating, the palisade landed, and the two guests disembarked. The camel, of course, was walking on two feet, and promptly asked, "Ah, wonderful! What shall we be eating today?" Usually Ehsan would wonder if he had drank tainted water if his camel started talking, but it seemed perfectly fine to him as it were. "This is fine service indeed, Khar'jun." Ehsan said in Shiber before bowing enthusiastically to his fellow guests. "Oh, but we aren't alone! Permit me to introduce myself. I am the Prophet Ehsan, and this is my retainer, Khar'jun." Of course, in reality, he was just a common potter, but a man could dream, couldn't he? "Pleased to meet you both." said the ungulate.

[Ricky Maze]

Ricky watched in awe as another one of the guests arrived, awe filled his entire expression in bearing witness to Akvatari into the garden. A man claiming to be a prophet was being spoiled by an electic blue Ephyrian nonethless, what sort of dream was this?? Was the entire realm going mad or was this the dream taking its stranger turns into strangest twists? The count looked at the prophet unimpressed, but a maniacal grin was upon his face nonetheless. "Ha! A wondrous entrance Ehsan, perfectly reason as to why you were invited here." The Counts eye glared and gleamed like a wild beast, his gave piercing into the guests that had taken their seats. Two more chairs remained empty, their Konti still waiting for the guests to arrive. A gilded charoda entered quickly, wearing a poshed up suit as if he were a royal servant of this Count..... Oh wait, he was. Wearing spectactles too noetheless, for whatever reason the guests didn't know why. The charoda whispered eeriely to the Count, whose eye's now seemed rather bothered by what he heard. He whispered back to the gilded charoda, both nodding as the servant left in a fast paced walk. The Count let a sigh out before letting another eerie glare and grin scour the party table. "It seems we'll be awaiting our guests for a while, but I'm told that they should be around....for desert." His voice sounded menacing and mad at first, but when he finish desert it was rather cold and evil. It gave Ricky the chills. "Right then, let's eat!" He sneered as he snapped his fingers, and the Konti that had their guests there lifted the silver domes. Steam rolling out in a massive heap, Ricky's food needed a minute before he could tell what it was. Roasted ham sat waiting for him, sweet and delicious to look at, his mouth watered immediately. He looked to the other's curious to see what food they had waiting. Ooc : Sorry for the delay Ronaon, the other two will see about joining in at a later date so we can get the ball rolling now.

[Ronan]

All manner of guests arrived around them. People of every race, and every colour of the spectrum by the looks of it. Ronan simply sat, as if none of this were out of the ordinary, watching the goings on at this mad tea party. The Count and the Prophet interacted companionably, he noted, before a gilded Charoda entered. Quite the impressive being, he thought. He knew little of the Charoda, except for stories he had heard in the grass. He had seen one, in Riverfall too. They were beautiful, even more inclined to the oceans than the Konti. Dessert? Ronan had little time to think as a domed plate was put in front of him, and his companion began to eat a juicy looking ham. Ronan wondered what was beneath his, but momentarily feared a bundle of maggots. He lifted the dome gingerly. And there sat a plump guinea fowl, dripping in butter and herbs. The funny thing was, outside of the realm of dreams, he had no idea what a guinea fowl was. His mouth watered as soon as the dome came off. It seemed, at least for now, they had good, generous meals. Ronan felt happy and took his silver cutlery to dig in. He looked around at their other strange guests in wonderment, hoping to see what food they'd be tucking into. After all, anything could happen.

[Sliver]

The first thing that she was aware of, after the slight sensation of falling, was the amount of clothing she was wearing. Usually it was just plain leathers and as little as the Kelvic could manage to ease the process of transformation. She looked down in mild surprise to see that she was in fact wearing a floor length ballroom gown. Somewhere in the deep recesses of her mind, a part of her knew that she would never be caught dead in such a garment, but she cared very little about it now. It was a deep emerald green with slashes at the elbows revealing a silver lining beneath. Simple, but rather elegant. She wore no jewelry save her usual number of golden ringlets up both ears, and her mohawk had transformed into a pixie cut. She knew the creature was a Charoda that approached her though she had never met one, and he extended a polite hand to guide her to the table. Sliver commented on his fashionable glasses, and the Charoda made equally pleasant remarks about her attire. The scene was just simply too much to take in for the poor bewildered Kelvic. Naked Akvatari, pink Akalaks, and electric blue Eypharian. The clothes, the scenario, it was so extravagant, something that Sliver had never experienced before. All of these oddities were completely removed her her mind, however, when she saw the food. Oh and what food it was. Jerking her arm from the Charoda she picked up the edges of her dress and found an empty seat, barely glancing at the other occupants of the table before filling her silver plate with as many goodies she could find. The end result was a pile of food, sweet, sour, spicy, and otherwise. Sliver started with a roll caked with sugar and caramelized duck, inhaling the food, yet...not appearing too impolite, despite the fact that the food was disappearing off of her plate at an alarming rate. About half way through the contents, appreciating some kind of hard candy shaped like an elephant, Sliver suddenly became aware of her surroundings...more specifically the people. She made eye contact with those assembled, and proffered a single hand in greeting since her mouth was still fully, and that would have been down right rude.

[Aidara]

Rolling bandages was such dull work. The Infirmary was warm, almost too warm, but on the edge of discomfort. Paired with boredom and a wandering mind, this was a dangerous combination. Once or twice, Addy caught herself nodding off, eyes drifting closed as her head slowly fell forward, backward or to the side. Jerked awake once her head sank too far in one direction, disrupting her sense of balance and startling her awake, the little healer would glance guiltily around before she remembered that she was the only one in her little office. A few more bandages would be rolled before the whole process would start again.

Before she knew it, Addy was asleep on her desk, the clean linen she had been rolling conveniently soaking up the drool that would have otherwise pooled on the stone desk. A sharp, throaty snore, amplified by the otherwise silence of the Infirmary, startled the little woman awake. Pushing the bandages away, Addy stretched and rose from the desk, groggily stumping from her office and out into…

The most beautiful garden she had ever seen, of course. Reacting as if she had not expected anything else, Addy crossed the lush lawns to the beautiful, gold and silver horse that waited for her. Climbing a miniature, spiral staircase to reach the beasts back, the woman seemed to have forgotten her fear of horses as she slid into a sidesaddle position, her hand resting lightly upon its mane.

“I think the pink spots compliment your hair nicely.” Speaking to no one in particular, Addy patted the horses now gold and pink spotted neck, smiling down at it as they walked at a stately pace throughout the garden. “You must hurry, Sir. We will be late.” With a snort and a bob of his head in apparent understanding, the polka-dotted horse broke into a flowing trot that Addy sat with elegant poise and style.

Fanfare broke out again just as the party guests were about to dig into their food. Stepping up next to a staircase that matched the first, Addy dismounted, descended the staircase and bowed to her gallant steed. “Till we meet again.” Turning back to the guests, the little woman waited for the fanfare to end before smiling brightly at them all.

Dressed in hardly anything at all, the woman nevertheless carried herself as if she were a queen, dropping into a deep curtsey when the attention was turned to focus upon her, pulling out imaginary skirts with a flourish. A fan of brightly colored, exotic feathers just barely covered her chest, the same fan slung low on her hips to cover the back and front of her most private parts, connected by a thin silver chain. Her hair was a mass of dark, glistening red curls that fell almost to her waist, held from her face with more of the beautiful feathers. Green eyes sparkled brightly, wide and innocent as they peeked from beneath long lashes. When she spoke, it was in the beautiful Nari of her people, her words the trilling whistles of birdsong. “I see you all started without me! For shame!”

Fingers were raised and promptly snapped, the nearest of the fluorescent Akalak’s rushing to her side, those great muscly arms reaching and carefully scooping the little Inartan woman up. Carried as if on a platter, Addy smiled and waved as she was brought to the head of the table and placed gently into the empty chair that awaited her there.

“Andnow the party begins.”