How Green Becomes Wood

"Final time this school year," Dark commented, "Before you go, though, since you are both talking about working more: Would you want to take a trip anywhere this summer? Daizi and I have been discussing if we should take another week somewhere, but do not know where to go, or if you both would like to travel again this year."
 
Both twins paused and glanced at each other before nodding.

"That would be amazing! I'd be happy going to the beach again," Alec said.

"That parasailing thing was pretty awesome," Xander agreed. "I'd be happy with that, but if you guys wanted to go somewhere new, that'd be cool, too."
 
"He was telling me about Dollywood," Dark said, running his tongue over his teeth, "I heard that and thought," he waived one hand, "Sequins and the like, but he assures me the coaster rides are quite good. And he said there is some twenty-five pound apple pie, which sounds horrible. It is all around the Smokey Mountains."
 
"Sequins?" Alec repeated happily.

"Twenty-five-pound apple pie?" Xander repeated, perking up.

"Roller coasters?" they both repeated in confusion.

"The mountains are beautiful," Xander said while Alec nodded.
 
"I am sure there is more than Dollywood, but that is what he largely spoke to me about. I know the National Park there is the most visited National Park in the country, and you are likely to see bears." Dark remarked, trying to recall anything he knew about the area.
 
Xander smiled wistfully. "We could maybe get a cabin in the middle of nowhere... chill out wandering around the woods... spy on the animals..."

Alec made a face. "That sounds really nice for a day, maybe two, but then it'd get boring."
 
"I think we probably would get a cabin, presuming it was close enough to everything else," Dark said, thinking about it, "Either way, I need to talk to your mother, for all I know she will not even be interested in going."
 
"That is good to know, I will keep that in mind," Dark told them, putting the cake away for later.

That evening, he mentioned to Daizi the idea of taking a trip to Gatlinburg, per Cooger's recommendation, and she gladly agreed it was a good idea. There was a lot to do, enjoyable by various ages, and it'd be nice to be in such fresh air.

The next evening was finally time for both adults to attend the masquerade.
 
The masquerade was a charity event to raise money for free medical clinics around the area, and it was black-tie finery. Masks required. Beyond that, there was no specific theme anyone had to follow. Valet parking was also provided, as was a fine spread of food, but not an official dinner. They had also done their best to provide accommodation for a multitude of dietary concerns.
 
In the few weeks they had time to prepare, Dark and Daizi spoke extensively about what they'd want to wear. Something cohesive, certainly, but what? At first, they discussed dressing more aligned with Daizi's celestial, ethereal intereste, but they didn't have the time, or money, to commission a fitting suit for Dark. Instead, they decided it was the perfect time to commit fully to Dark's vampire aesthetic.

Daizi wore a dark red, velvet, drop-waist gown with princess seams down the front. It off the shoulder, with black lace like a cathedral lining the neckline, and the sleeves themselves reached the floor. Their hem, and them of the rest of the dress, shifted elegantly to a brighter red hue.

Meanwhile, Dark went with his ruffliest, most vampiric shirt, black pants, and a red double-breasted waistcoat with gold buttons. Over it, he donned a one-shoulder cape, held together by a gold chain, and over the side where the fabric wasn't were leather feathers.

For masks, Daizi wore a mask without any eye holes. It was gold and decorated with red gems, and skeleton hands. Dark's was a more simple, classic, gold Phantom of the Opera style mask.

Due to the nature of Daizi's mask, she didn't have much eye makeup on, but Dark still put enough on her so, if she did ever remove her mask, her aesthetic would still look complete. Her lipstick, though, was a gradient which matched the gradient of her gown. For his part, Dark applied a tasteful amount of eyeliner and perhaps indulged slightly in a bit of contouring.
 
Everyone at the ball had dressed up in their best, but Dark and Daizi pulled their fair share of admiring glances, and Daizi's mask garnered many second glances, primarily from people trying to understand how she could see through it. There was many an impressive dress and costume and suit, but the majority seemed to lean more in favor of the lighter colored fabrics and characters. One woman was even dressed as Dallielle de Barbarac in her fairy costume, complete with gauzy, fluttering wings. However, amidst the finery, there were still a few who'd embraced the more fun and whimsical aspect. One older woman had dressed up as a friendly-looking gnome, and another costume was clearly two people making up a horse. They had a live band playing, and they mostly stuck to the more traditional classical songs and orchestral arrangements of popular music. No one was really dancing at the moment, but there was the space for it.
 
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