Arista watched as people moved around the room, her heart pounding in her ears as she spotted vaguely familiar faces. It had been so long since she had been in Mystic Falls proper, and she wanted to experience every possible moment before it would eventually end. She'd managed to get a dress just in time to attend the first day of the Founder's celebration. Given her connection to the town, it was only fitting she be here, but she still couldn't help but feel nervous. Pushing a lock of blonde hair out of her face, she nabbed a glass of champagne from a passing tray, nose scrunching at the unfamiliar taste. The Founder's dance was called, and she itched with the urge to join those she belonged with. As the dance began, her eye landed on a handsome man in a tuxedo, dark hair slightly ruffled by the breeze and blue eyes trained on the girl in front of him. There was something about the way he moved, the reassuring looks he was giving the girl, Arista knew immediately he wasn't human. She glanced around, knowing how the Founders had felt about inhumans, but didn't notice anyone who seemed to notice or care. The song came to an end, and it was clear this was the part where people would be asking questions. Finishing the shimmery liquid in her glass, she moved off, trying to avoid making eye contact with anyone. Finding herself alone at last, she took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself for whatever onslaught of questions was to come.
"Not much of a party person?" She turned quickly to see the man from before approaching her, moving with an impossible grace. It didn't take a supernatural to see he was a predator, and immediately her mind jumped to Mystic Falls' infamous vampire problem. He gave her a charming smile, and she had to force herself to give on of her own.
"I'm not fond of being interrogated." He nodded, looking out around their surroundings.
"I can understand that, I guess. It's almost like a terrible family reunion." He chuckled to himself, turning those blue eyes back to her own green ones. He had an allure, something that seemed to pull her in, and she did her best to shake the feeling off. Glancing away, she fiddled with her skirt.
"I suppose it is. For some more than others." Her eyes found her last remaining family member moving amongst the crowd, smiling and greeting people. His gaze followed hers and he made a sound in his throat.
"Been awhile since you've visited?" She nodded slowly, a bitter smile on her face at the thought of everything she had missed out on.
"You could say that." There was silence between them for a time as they watched the people mingle, and she couldn't help but wonder if he had singled her out for a more nefarious reason. Just as he turned to speak with her again, a feminine voice called out, drawing his attention away. Seeing the opportunity, she slipped away, heading back to the place she'd been forced to call home for over a century now. The falls were a beautiful feature of the town, but one that tended to bring too much attention. A part of Arista wondered if that was the very reason this place had been chosen for her. Though she had a few more hours, she thought it best to get the conversion over with, so as not to put off the pain. Still, there was a part of her that didn't want to have to change anymore, to never have to worry about the pain. With a mental shake, she slipped behind her usual cover, taking the dress off and stashing it before moving to slip into the water. She hissed as she felt her legs fusing back together, and though the process only took a couple minutes, it seemed to stretch forever. Soon, she was comfortable again, surrounded by cold water and the sound of the crashing falls. She sighed, moving to sit on a rock closer to the edge, trailing a hand through the murky water around her, the man Damon floating through her thoughts. When the witch had laid this curse, she hadn't mentioned whether or not vampires were still a threat. As the sun began to sink in the sky, so did she, heading deep into the darkened depths to spend the rest of her night alone.