The Grand Opening [video]

[immortalrose]

[It's a warm sunny day in Nova City. Picture perfect, even.

The sky is bright and blue without a cloud in sight. No one could ask for better weather, especially since the museum installing a new outdoor exhibition today. The Nova City Museum is teeming with life. Most of the maintenance team, which is comprised of service droids, are out working on the new installation while their human colleagues overlook the construction from afar. Augustine is among them. As curator of the museum, he took it upon himself to lead this project.

What they're working on is a permanent expansion of the museum that serves as its own exhibition. It's a dome-like structure comprised of a special kind of silver metal that gives this odd looking dome a rather ethereal appearance. It almost looks like an uneven silver bubble with all sorts of light glowing from within.

This is a big project and quite costly judging from the look of it.]

Rather impressive, no? [Augustine comes into view briefly wearing his signature smirk but looking quite...blonde for a change. It seems that the dhampir been busy lately. One extreme to the next with this dandy.]

Almost done expanding the Asterdome here in the Nova City Museum. A enormous dome housing about sixteen different exhibits at once. This is a big day for the museum, one that I'm most proud of considering all the hours everyone put in for this.

[Seemingly unaware of his current appearance, Augustine continues to explain the ins and outs of this grand exhibition until one of his robotic colleagues whispers something in his ear. That's when he slowly turns to his phone again with a slightly sheepish expression upon his face.]

Well, not to cut it brief but I have pressing matters to attend.

[He's lying through his teeth as he quickly shuts the feed off. Seems like someone forgot to put on their "makeup". The dread is real.]


[Text;Private] To Lancer

---
Greetings Lancer,

Ignore that earlier footage! It seems I was a little "hasty" in putting up information regarding the Asterdome. However, construction is near completion and I can afford guests.

Are busy today? You can't hide from the technological advancements of the future for long. Don't fret, I'll be your guide.

Best Regards,
Augustine

Comments

[Private, Video]

[singinghuntress]

Zomeone's playing human today~. Not sure if I completely like zhe look or not.

[She's teasing. How could Rip let something like that get in the way of her feelings for him? Though, admittedly, she DID have a thing for blondes once.]

Re: [Private, Video]

[immortalrose]

Spare me. You know you like it.

[He's taking the teasing with grace today but he's nearly screaming. There's no way he's living this down. No way.]

In any case, I suppose I owe you some context here.

Re: [Private, Video]

[singinghuntress]

[She just smirks slightly. Yes, he's very right that she'd like his look no matter what. And no, he's never living this down. Not in the slightest~. Though, he could always distract her later.]

You're right of course~. You know, I used to haf a thing for blondes~.

[Some of her favorite past lovers were blonde. ]

But, context vould be nice right now.

Re: [Private, Video]

[immortalrose]

Did you now? [He grins.] Well, I would have you know I'm a natural blonde.

Thank my mother for that.

[A sigh escape him as he tucks his hand under his chin. This is going to be a long story.]

I pretend be human at work. Even with Nova City being as liberal as it is, some are easily spooked. My eyes are quite unsettling to some. Silly, no?

Re: [Private, Video]

[singinghuntress]

Are you~? How delightful, then I seem to get the best of both vorlds vith you~.

[She wasn't kidding about liking blondes. But, she could also understand wanting to play human. She's done it once or twice but, she could never hold up the act for very long. Rip's very nature always shone through. It was just who she was...]

Very silly. I razher like how your eyes usually look. I find zhem absolutely charming.

[Video]

[om_nom_namur]

Goin' through some shit, Gusty? Keep gettin' prettier.

[Oh! Wait, he gets it now.]

Listen, if there's somethin' yer tryna say, 's gonna be fine. Rip rolls both ways so y' ain't gotta worry 'bout that. We'll support y', catch me?

Re: [Video]

[immortalrose]

What?

[Now completely back to normal, red eyes and all, Augustine stares into the screen in confusion for awhile until it dawns on him.]

No.

[He shakes his head slowly.]

I usually take up a human guise during work. Definitely not what you're thinking. [Pause.] Is this wishful thinking on your part?

I wonder, Namur.

[Video]

[om_nom_namur]

[He snorts.]

Naw. Yer too damn fussy for me, Gusty. Need a girl that don't mind gettin' her hair all up in a mess sometimes.

[Wink!]

Re: [Video]

[immortalrose]

I'm not that fussy, shark face.

[He rolls his eyes at this overgrown fish man.]

Besides, you wouldn't be able to handle me anyway.

[Smirrrrrk]

[redarrowqueen]

Just saying hello officially, Thea Queen over in event planning.

[immortalrose]

Why hello, Miss Queen! I'm quite excited to see what sort of events you'll host in the future.

I'm Augustine Gheorge Glad Tepes, the curator. It's s pleasure, darling.

[redarrowqueen]

Why thank you! Planning parties and events is not just fun but shows off the museum in the process. As for the addition I'm thinking cocktail party.

[immortalrose]

A cocktail party?

[He grins quite a bit at the suggestion.]

That's a wonderful idea! We could invite the chairman and all of our sponsors while opening this party to the public.

[Don't give Augustine an excuse to host a party. This man loves a good little get together.]

Let's do this!

video

[anamnestik]

[Eliot is confused to see his father looking so... human. And like himself. It's not a feeling that Eliot has words for either, which results in a long and awkward staring contest with the screen.]

... Oh. Congratulations, sorry! I spaced out.

Re: video

[immortalrose]

[Augustine certainly looks more human today than ever before but this is an ongoing saga with him at his job. Some members of his team find his "usual" appearance to be a tad too 'spooky' for their liking. So, he decided on this to be a temporary solution for an overall issue.]

Ah, why thank you. I'm hoping the Asterdome will lure in more guests.

[He notices the boy's stare but refuses to say much on it, at least now.]

[anamnestik]

Has there been a problem with low museum attendance?

[Eliot worries. Museums shouldn't be lonely! They should be worn out by too much attention.]

Also, um... Did I forget what you looked like again?

[immortalrose]

As of lately, yes.

[He answers honestly while focusing on someone else nearby. Seems that the construction droids ran into some issues trying to install something. Augustine is catching the tail end of that conversation but he's listening to some of it.]

If a museum fails to engage its patrons thoughtfully, then the patrons won't come. The creation of the Asterdome is our attempt to engage a wider and broader audience. We have no idea if it will work but we're trying.

[He smiles somewhat while still wearing this oddly human disguise. His eyes are just as green as Eliot's while the hair is more of a golden blond than platinum right now. Still, they look related.]

Not precisely. This is an illusion at best, Eliot.

[Video]

[hot_handed]

Hey, Lazy Bastard. Stop wasting your time with your stupid building.

Re: [Video]

[immortalrose]

Hello Bakugou.

[Augustine rolls his eyes once that boy appears upon the screen. Yes, Augustine is still in his human disguise. Very much blonde and green eyes now.]

Nice to see you again. [He's being facetious.] I'm not being lazy, boy. I'm actually at work. Like a real job? One that pays the bills.

[Not everyone can be a superhero everyday, kid.]

I'm the curator of this museum, Bakugou.

[Video]

[hot_handed]

You have a real job, Bottle Blonde. You agreed to teach me.

You think I give a shit about your side retirement volunteer job?

Re: [Video]

[immortalrose]

[The dhampir goes silent. Like spooky silent. The silence that hangs between them lasts for a solid a minute before Augustine suddenly states the following.]

Call me a "Bottle Blonde" again and I'm not teaching you shi--I mean, anything.

[More silence.]

Understood?

text; private

[lancerofblood]

Fear not; I already determined that ignorance would be the preferred state for the both of us in the face of something like that.

And as to your question, I suppose I have little choice but to acquiesce. Perhaps I am overdue the experience of such incredible technological advancement.

[Really, he just needs to make analogies. Example: robots are like homunculi, he's seen those before and so they make just a little more sense to him.]

Re: text; private

[immortalrose]

Good, good. I'm already having a time explaining this to others. It seems they forget I'm not a full vampire.

[Although, it's his own fault really for being far too secretive.]

In anycase, does this mean I finally get to show you around Nova City? If so, it would be my honor. I'll make certain to keep the explanations to a minimum and let you soak in the aura of this magnificent city.

text; private

[lancerofblood]

All I ask is that you do not abandon me to the expanse of what is available. That said, I will not want to take up too much of your time, while you have so much else to attend to.

Re: text; private

[immortalrose]

[Thankfully Lancer can't hear the humored snort that escapes Augustine. Is the man really that leery of Nova City?

He's humored.]

I'm not going to abandon you in Nova City, good king. That would be far too cruel and fear not, I have time today. There's a few meetings coming up later but those can wait for now.

I'll meet you at the gate.