Charlie and Jiwon stood at one of the many food tables arranged in the room, checking out the assorted foods and occasionally looking around at the other partygoers.

“Say what you will about their music choices, but the food’s nice,” Charlie said, moving a piece of suspiciously translucent blue cheese to their plate. The whale opera in the background hit a fever pitch, and the tabaxi had to suppress a wince. They shifted the mandola strapped to their chest and looked over in the direction of the DJ.

Despite how they felt about the questionable music, Charlie felt at ease here. People, food, music, partying- all things the bard had experience with and enjoyed. In addition, they had finally managed to get Jiwon out of the RC for once; they weren’t even sure their partner had ever been to a party before.

Jiwon was warily looking at the party food, picking out only what he recognized as food and thus hoped he’d be able to digest (which wasn’t very much, to be honest). The young gumiho was starting to regret coming here, as he had never been too comfortable with large groups of people he didn’t know.

However, Charlie had been dead set on going and insisted that he socialize, so now he was stuck here. Jiwon figured he might as well get some free food while he was here, though his partner had recommended he stay away from the punch for some reason. He didn’t question it, though- he didn’t care for punch too much, anyway.

Normally as an obvious minor she wouldn't have been allowed to come, but she'd managed to cajole both of the agents who'd rescued her into ostensibly responsible chaperones and nobody in charge had either cared or cared enough to object.

The party food was excellent except when it wasn't (which was often enough that she probably ought to have been concerned, had she not been thirteen). And there were so many people! Surely some of them would talk to her about being an agent!

The worst part was probably that neither of her chaperones would let her drink any kind of punch.

---

Liz was not having as great a time, having mostly been convinced to come by the free food and the vague idea that she should probably socialize with people who weren't her partner. The fact that the thought of saying 'no' to Maryanne had occurred for a whole two seconds before Liz gave in, despite already knowing she would probably regret it, did in fact occur.

So there she was, plate of food she was mostly sure she could eat in hand, trying to keep Maryanne in sight and out of the alcohol. It was just as hard as it sounded.

---

Avery was having a better time than Liz. The fact that 'having a better time' meant 'sitting off to one side with their drawing tablet while it was Liz's turn to keep Maryanne out of too much trouble' probably said something about them.

“Get off me, Quinn. I’m not going to this thing!” he snapped at the small, skinny girl. She grinned, continuing to pull with a surprising amount of strength.

“Oh yes you are. I’m insisting on it. Besides, a little social interaction wouldn’t kill you, Doom.” Doom scowled, but permitted her to pull him over to a small group.

Near one of the tables, a gargoyle called Ed and a duplicant known as Sparky looked around.

"Wow," Ed muttered. "I never knew that I'd be experiencing such a historical moment." Sparky nodded while trying to reach a Cheeto that was on the rim of a very large bowl sat on a table that was about her height.

She warbled something, but Ed's UT had been experiencing an odd bug where sometimes it wouldn't translate Sparky, leaving him unable to understand most of her theramin-y chatter. In response, he nodded.

Then, disaster struck.

Sparky, in her desperation to reach that one Cheeto, accidentally spilled the entire bowl onto her. Ed's wings shot up and out until they were fully extended, however his perpetual scowl barely changed. The duplicant then promptly mumbled an apology and covered her face in embarrassment.

She'd dressed up for the occasion in a red-and-gold pair of silk pants and a loose white overcoat.

She pointedly ignored the drinks and started to wander her way towards the food, keeping an eye out for people she know or who might be interesting to talk to.

To: parties@[...]

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