Mystery Thread #12 | CanaryCry & Manna Beast

[Miyu]

@CanaryCry and @Manna Beast
Genre: Supernatural
Gender Preference: MxF
Post Length: Novella

Prompt: A young woman from a prominent family and career (CanaryCry, Muse A) moves into a ritzy neighborhood. She meets her neighbors and one of them invites her to a party hosted by an enigmatic fellow (Manna Beast, Muse B). The festivity is full of pep, elegant in decor, with rousing music, and its people are friendly. Truly a place to be at from dawn to dusk. The host turns out to be a very charismatic, genteel man- perhaps a little too savant for his age. Nonetheless, she is left wanting to know the host more. His presence is attractive. The party lasts until daybreak, and she returns home. While she settles in, these gatherings become a recurring thing-- always different from the rest but planned by the same person. As the days pass, she begins to notice that most of her neighbors are only active at night-- including the mysterious young man-- even when there is no party. Some of the people seldom drink or eat. Others exhibit peculiar behaviors and tend to disappear. The neighborhood becomes alive when the moon rises. Is there a simple as to why? Are the elite neighbors merely eccentric night owls, or is there something more about this community and its people?

Time Limit: 10 posts each (20 in total) or June 21 (two weeks)

 

[Manna Beast]

It felt almost remedial to put out the variety of snacks that would compliment the atmosphere. Merely due to the obviousness in his own mind that knew these were simply aesthetic pieces rather than anything that most of the guests would feast upon. Even if they did, it was simply for show. Likely to decorate carried plates around the designated room of the selected venue. Acting as inanimate chaperone rather than its intended purpose! And, yet, here they were. Displayed out in clean bowls to appeal to those who might nibble.

Leaving him a moment to scroll the rings of frosty grayish blue before turning away at the sound of feet already entering the abode. More like cattle than party goers. Deeming the first entrants were that of familiar entities. Warranting no more than a pleasant smirk upon groomed features as they made their way in. Knowing the drill. Practically waiting for some on-set director to call action!

Head count of the guests were by six. And one in particular amongst their group that was well, new. Encouraging a playful grin to break upon features pairing with a easy wave. Bidding welcome while giving allowance for those who knew the scheme of things to go about their business.

Promptly making the lower floor come to life with the new age beat of music. Thankfully one of the few items that he hadn't found so unappealing that he'd sooner whisk away like a dramatic damsel into another room complaining about how his ears hurt! Rather finding toes already tippy tapping to the newest orchestrated beat while vision made the tilting incline back to sprung open door. Greeted by more familiar and a few new faces that were readily putting their voices to the excited calling of vibrancy. Ready to make the mingle of said evening be ever lasting.

In more ways than one.

"Welcome," The southern twist of accent slipped through, likely to make the damnable lingering of speckled cheeks seem all the more boyish than he would have liked! Not that it was enough to dim his beaming position. Simply an annoyance that should have disappeared far sooner than it clearly wasn't going too. Leaving him mentally frustrated but that was neither here nor there! "Please help yourself," Ringing the hospitality with practiced finesse, optics danced upon each person. Arranging lists of whom was whom, where they were and just little tidbits of information of who was personally brand spanking new to the theme of the neighbourhood! Thus far finding that a few of his comrades had managed to wrangle in new blood.

Surely to be the envy of the evening if they were successful with their intent!

Who knew hunting could be so easy in the modern age! Practically at one's fingertips and yet those who were the prey were so willing to be invited it. One might have thought they had gotten lazy in their years rather than simply taking the means of technology as a boon.

Well, he wasn't likely to complain. "Please, come in."

 

[CanaryCry]

The hardest part of moving to a new place was getting to know a whole new crowd of people. Not that Hannah had ever been very close with her neighbors, given how far apart their front doors generally were, but it was always good to have friends in places that didn't require an hour of driving to visit - and what better way to have fun and meet new people than to go to parties?

Not long after move in day, she'd gotten an invite from someone in the neighborhood - or so she assumed since it had been left in her mailbox but never actually mailed - to what promised to be a fairly lively affair of all those in the area with any sort of social standing. How bad could it be, she'd wondered. The worst case scenario was she got bored or otherwise had a bad time, went home early and never went back. Best case was that she met some new people to spend her time with that would keep her entertained. If anyone asked why she suddenly felt the urge to go and spend time with complete strangers, she would simply call it 'networking'.

While the party itself wasn't particularly rowdy or breathtaking, Hannah found she had enjoyed her first time around and was glad to hear that the same event happened rather frequently. The food was good, the music kept her moving, and the people were, for lack of a better word, interesting. Far from being shy, she was perfectly fine walking into a room of people she didn't know and simply taking her chances at finding someone to talk to or dance with. In a room full of interesting people, she didn't usually have any trouble finding people to entertain herself with.

She did remark on how next to no one ate anything, at least one night of the couple she'd attended, but in a world of rich people with 'influential, social media where every person was trying to stay young and trim and relevant, it wasn't the most shocking thing she'd ever noticed. If some people didn't want to eat or drink in public that was their business; she was just there to meet people and have a good time. It would be no stranger for the majority of them to be doing some sort of new intermittent fasting diet than the time she'd met someone who subscribed to a 'all raw' diet which made her want to puke.

The people themselves were welcoming enough and, again, if any of them were a bit weird she'd met much weirder people before. When she felt like having company, which she often did, it was much better than spending her nights in an empty house with half the furniture still on its way. How inviting they were was a refreshing change from more elitist crowds, like everyone had a reason for wanting everyone else to be there and even seemed a bite disappointed when she left for the night. It was good to spend time with people that welcomed her.

When she caught sight of the host on her way in, a vibrant young man she could recognize quickly now after having him pointed out once or twice on previous visits, Hannah raised her drink in greeting and gave him a little smile. "You guys always play the best music," she said appreciatively, thinking back on many a party or gala whose dance floor had bored her to tears. "Remind me to steal a playlist off you some time."

It was as good a way as any to segway into conversation with someone she didn't truly know. She wasn't even sure if he knew where she had come from or if he had wanted to invite her himself, or if he had let everyone he invited also send out invites of their own. From the way he greeted people as they came in she had a feeling none of the crowd was truly unwanted. So far nothing had descended into chaos that she'd witnessed or heard about, so she could only conclude it worked for him.

 

[Manna Beast]

It wasn't particularly long before the house itself was figuratively leaping at the heels. Bouncing with the rambunctious melody that was what one deemed as suitable music. Inviting bodies to bump and grind with some sort of semblance that could be suggested as personal taste rather than a disintegration of wits into something considerably lascivious. Having seen just how the charm of music had evolved into what it was now. Or, should he think how it de-evolved.

Never mind that.

With the familiar and new faces already setting the pace for what the party ought to be, he personally was making his rounds amongst them. Pardoning ways of bodies with either swift small talk or a polite smile. Barely staying still long enough that one could consider him immobile. Having practiced the art of decorum that assured he looked like what one would determine was the host. Always moving. Always mingling. Always watching.

Eventually coming to a point to where he could finally perch without being potentially hip checked by said dance induced bodies. Lurking nearby to that of the arranged food and drink that he could observe the landscape of guests. Finding himself pleased once more to know that there was more mingling than awkward wall flower stances. Far more suitable for adolescent school functions that had boys and girls sucking to either wall as though they had never encountered the opposite sex before until that point!

The very thought tickled an amusing smirk to speckled features. Tracing the lamps across heads of plenty till attention seemed to gravitate and rest upon one of those newer faces. Having seen them from across the room during a previous arrangement. Well aware of whom the girl was at this point merely out of his nosy investigation. A well off woman by the name of Hannah that had occupied a new home unit on the street. Although he knew little else seeing as he didn't find it necessary to go detective move to dig into every inch of her life! Name and surface level reason for her existence within the neighbourhood, was plenty.

Finding that while his gaze had ventured to rest upon her, she too had gravitated closer. Baring a little simper and voice growing in strength to claim the slide into conversation that. Bidding a easy spread upon his own visage, daring not to interrupt as it appeared there was an attachment to her starter sentence. "I am sure it wouldn't be hard to wrestle away the spotify list from that of Damien." Making an incline of chin to act as pointing gesture to some lanky looking fellow just a bit away from them. Currently making use of his arms to wriggle through the air in what was some sort of attempt of dance. Looking more like some sort of confused jellyfish. Promptly bidding smile to turn to concern. Blinking a few times to express that he was not about to make a comment about that but focused his attentive gaze back to the nearing visitor.

Adjusting bodily frame to angle towards her as a hand was offered formally. "Roman, by the way. You're new to this neighbourhood from what I recall. How are you liking it so far, ms…." Implying he wasn't sure of her name. Leaving her the chance to give it freely or make up one if she felt it necessary.

Even if that would do little good.

 

[CanaryCry]

Hannah wasn't sure what to expect from their enigmatic host, at first. He was welcoming enough, of course, but she wasn't sure if he had other motives for having frequent, large parties in his home. It could have been a power move as much as it could have been just having fun, looking to gather any well off or influential people in the area and endear them to him for the sake of earning future favors. He wouldn't have been the first to use festivities as a disguise for business or more underhanded social tactics, and he wouldn't be the last. But for now, as she did with most other things, she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he just liked to have parties. It didn't mean she wouldn't stay wary, but she would lead with the idea that he was benevolent.

"Ah, so he's the DJ?" She said consideringly, wondering if the Damien she had met the last time she'd been in the building was the same one. He'd seemed like an okay guy, though overeager enough to get to know her somewhere more private that she'd immediately decided to avoid him in the future. "I was hoping you would have them."

She shrugged the thought away, the comment an off-handed one half muffled by another sip of her drink and quickly let go when he offered his hand as a distraction. Having been present in her father's business meetings for years, she was no stranger to the somewhat unusual greeting for their age group and gave a firm handshake and a smile without having to think about it.

"Ardent," she said, holding back the urge to comment on how cold his hands were with practiced effort and tucking a few strands of hair back behind her ear as she let him go. "Hannah Ardent. Nice to meet you, Roman. I'm still getting settled in but it's a pretty neighborhood, and everyone I've met has been friendly enough." She gave a soft laugh, shaking her head at the thought of her own largely incomplete house. "Now if only I could get my furniture to arrive faster."

It was a little interesting that he had invited her into his home without knowing who she was, but she supposed everyone was a stranger at some point. She had no expectation that he would recognize her name to identify her father's company - she did her best not to expect anyone too, really. It was just a name, after all, one anyone could have. She preferred, especially on a personal level, to have people know her for herself rather than what she did for work, or what her family's reputation might be in any given circle.

Asking for the music had been a halfhearted attempt at getting a phone number or at least email for him, though it was just as much because she knew it would be good to establish as many contacts in the area as she could as it was because she found him attractive. He was a good looking young man, and seemingly friendly, though she had yet to determine if he was harmless or not. Her father had made her promise to be careful when she'd moved out on her own, but she wouldn't say no to getting to know Roman a little better.

 

[Miyu]

Mystery Thread has been concluded due to reaching the deadline of June 21. If you both enjoyed roleplaying with one another, then I highly encourage you both to continue to converse via PM or Discord if you are comfortable as such! If you wish to use the prompt given, please feel free to do so!

If you wish to participate in another Mystery Thread, just reply to your PM'd Application and request Manna Beast and/or Miyu to set you up for another one!

Thank you for participating; it was a joy to read along!