The Reception

[smelltheashes]

In the depths of the bunker beneath the Greenbrier Resort Hotel is a massive, columned room, intended to be used to hold sessions of Congress in the event of a nuclear war.

Today, it's being put to a very different and much less somber purpose.

The wedding is over; the party has begun.

Comments

Receiving Line

[smelltheashes]

The wedding party is standing in line to greet the guests as they enter. Well, most of them are standing. The bride is sitting in a folding chair because her feet are killing her.

Re: Receiving Line

[boston_bruiser]

Voodoo's not the first to come in, more like the fourth or fifth, but he is one of the more formally dressed.

It'd taken him thirty minutes, two razor blades, and a quarter of a bar of shaving soap to get rid of his stubble and get his hair within grooming standards, and another four hours on top of that to get his dress whites (along with his assorted insignias, ribbons, and medals) out and make quadruple-sure a picture of them could be used in a textbook, but he'd done it.

(He's going to have to find some way to make all that hair grow back most ricky-tick once he gets back to bar, but that's a bridge that doesn't need crossing just yet.)

His cover's off, tucked under his right arm (they are indoors, after all), and he nods to the wedding party by way of greeting as he approaches.

Re: Receiving Line

[vance_prime]

The bride's smile is muted, but sincere. "Glad to see you could make it."

Re: Receiving Line

[waco_jim]

Jim inches down along the line with a small smile on his face. A bowler hat is balanced awkwardly over his untamed hair, and his double-breasted suit ensemble comes together at the top with a black clip-on bow tie.

Somewhere in the annals of history, there may have been a person who looked like he belonged in a suit less than Jim does. But if there is, Jim certainly hasn't met him.

Jim doffs his hat and smiles as he approaches.

Re: Receiving Line

[acts_of_gord]

Well, Ray probably counts. Usually if he gets stuck in a suit, Congress is involved somewhere. That never helps. But other than that...

"Hi, Jim," Gordon says. "Good to have you here."

Re: Receiving Line

[smelltheashes]

Someone's rushing up to hug the groom without any prior greeting.

Re: Receiving Line

[acts_of_gord]

"Hey, Eleanor," Gordon says, although it's muffled because of course he's hugging back. "Thank you for coming."

Re: Receiving Line

[paragonsoldier]

It's been a long time since Shepard had a reason to wear her dress blues: fortunately they kept well and they still fit just fine (except for the collar, but that's never seemed to fit right). If anyone was hoping to see her in a dress, well...today is not the day.

In spite of the uncomfortable collar, she's obviously glad to be here.

Re: Receiving Line

[vance_prime]

And Alyx is glad to see her.

"Colene! So they let you out for the festivities, eh?" she teases.

Re: Receiving Line

[52_dropoff]

A receiving line...he can't remember the last wedding he went to that was so formal as all this. But he understands that finding tradition in a world such as this is important.

He is wearing a suit for the occasion. He's left the mask at home.

Buffet

[smelltheashes]

The invitations specified that the reception was to be a potluck; not everybody brought something, but there's plenty of food to go around.

Re: Buffet

[boston_bruiser]

It hadn't taken much to convince one of the senior chiefs to let Voodoo take a habanero pepper or sixteen from his garden - just ten bucks. It was easy enough to get the peaches, the molasses, the vinegar, and all the other ingredients, too. But the sauce wasn't the hard part.

The hard part was cutting the wings proper.

There's three huge platters of buffalo wings slathered in habanero sauce among the food. And an equally huge pitcher of water (along with some cups) right next to them. Whoever eats the former is probably going to need the latter in very short order, after all.

Re: Buffet

[waco_jim]

Jim has brought ALL THE BACON. Like four platters worth. And a pot of beans on the side. After all, it can't possibly be a feast without the greatest food ever devised by man.

Re: Buffet

[aeons_crackshot]

As Annabelle's cooking skills stretch to toast and boiling things, she's grateful for the convenience foods that Milliways can provide.


Which may explain why she sets a large bowl of instant ramen noodle soup on the table before darting back to her place in the receiving line.

Re: Buffet

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Ellen believes in making the most of a bad situation. She has brought quite a lot of what smells, and looks, like very good char-grilled steak.

(Ellen's Brahmin herd became the target of raiders a few days ago. The steer was caught in a crossfire.)

Re: Buffet

[paragonsoldier]

Shepard brought two batches of dumplings. Being thorough, she made sure that they were properly labeled - one batch contains pork, and the other is vegetarian.

Music

[smelltheashes]

The far end of the room has a cleared space for dancing in front of a stage with a sound rig on it, playing a motley assortment of music from whatever media could be salvaged from Rowlesburg and the Greenbrier. There's even--God help us--a karaoke machine.

Re: Music

[boston_bruiser]

At some point during the proceedings, when everyone's sitting and relaxing, there's a godawful SCREEE of feedback from the sound system that disappears as quickly as it came.

Except when it does, the sound rig is silent. And Voodoo's on stage, mic in hand, shiteating grin on face.

He's been conspicuously absent for the past half-hour. That's because he's been busy using his years of hard-fought commando training and experience...

"Attention people of Rowlesburg."

...to recon the area and determine exactly how best...

"This is the voice of your new lord and master."

...to make a total ass out of himself.

"One of you guys flip me a beer."

Re: Music

[waco_jim]

A slightly frazzled-looking Jim wanders onto the stage. Given his posture and gait, you'd be forgiven for thinking he got up there by accident.

Jim looks around for a moment before walking up to the microphone. He taps the mic a few times and clears his throat.

"Hello," he says, very slowly and flatly. "I've had a very nice time this...evening? Yeah, we'll go with that.

"Anyway, many...many congratulations to...the happy couple tonight. I thought I might like to do a little number. A classic, written by the legendary...I forget. But he's legendary. Anyway, sing along when we get to the chorus. If you know it."

A cane is tossed on to the stage by an unseen participant as the music starts. Jim's posture straightens instantly as he catches it and begins...dancing.

Nooooow, if you're blue
And you don't know where to go to
Why don't you go where fashion sits...
Puttin' on the Ritz!

Different types who wear a daycoat
Pants with stripes and cutaway coat
Perfect fits...

He points his cane with a flourish at the guest presently nearest the stage in the expectation that they'll finish the next line.

Presents

[smelltheashes]

Gordon and Alyx said that gifts weren't required, but a space has been made available for them nonetheless.

Re: Presents

[boston_bruiser]

When he's absolutely, positively sure nobody's looking, Voodoo drops off a giftwrapped box and walks away whistling Dixie.

On the wrapping, a note, in bold yet developed penmanship:

Happy wedding day.

- V

And in the box:

two onesies.




...well, he thought it was funny.

Re: Presents

[waco_jim]

Well, my default gift is a bottle of 18 year-old scotch, but Alyx isn't in condition to be drinking it and Gordon doesn't like whiskey. I hope this'll do. They're the only thing apart from whiskey I know anything about. If nothing else, they'll look good on the mantlepiece.

- Jim

P.S. Please don't tell George C. Scott I gave these to you.

Re: Presents

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Alyx-

It took me a while to get this one up and running, but it should work just fine for household chores and maintenance. I've included as many repair notes as I could take and a copy of Dean's Electronics for when it needs maintenance. The charger station shouldn't be too tough to adapt to whatever you have for electrical supply here; it's programmed to park itself in the station and deactivate every night.

Its name is Godfrey. I took the liberty of removing the buzzsaw and the flamethrower.

-Ellen

Re: Presents

[smelltheashes]

There are two plush toys sitting on the gift table, labeled "For The Twins." They're stitched together from scrap cloth and stuffed with goat's wool, but they're clearly modeled after a certain fellow who doesn't find it easy being green.

Re: Presents

[paragonsoldier]

Shepard brought a pair of plush varren for the twins. You might not think one could make a marketable cuddly toy based on those vicious lizard-fish-dog things, but these actually are pretty cute. Mostly because they take some serious liberties with varren physiology: the real animals aren't that pudgy, nor are their eyes that big and soulful.