The Samhain Ball - Come as You Aren't

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

A woman strides through the Nexus, garbed in royal finery of a distinctly Elizabethan style. In the crook of her arm, she carries an ebony scepter shod and capped in silver. There may be something familiar about her confident bearing, her angular features, her mismatched eyes. When she pauses to speak, the cadence of her words might spark recognition--is this Schön?!

"People of the Nexus, friends, in the world from which I hail we stand on the cusp of a special day, a harvest-fest when the walls between worlds grow thin, when masks and costumes are worn to frighten away the wicked spirits--or to invite them in on more congenial terms. So on this day, I invite you, each and every one of you, to join me in a revel to bid farewell to Summer, and welcome with fire and song the coming dark! Join me, won't you?" Letting her gaze sweep the crowd, she raps the heel of her scepter once against something solid, vanishing in a flash and leaving a sparkling trail for the curious to follow.

A cool wind herds dry, crackling leaves through the gathering gloom. On the cusp between the parklands and the residential district, darkness and cloudy skies have been slowly coalescing for days around a stately house of Gothic style, ivy-encrusted and showing its age somewhat. A square tower stands vigil over the entryway, tall windows overlooking the flagstone drive looping around a fountain gone dry. The house’s angular wings stretch to either side, the windows dark save for occasional glints and gleams of colored lights bobbing within. A glow does creep over the line of the roof, however, and the faint throb of distant music hint at something happening behind the house. The door stands open, a silent invitation to every brave soul who passes by.

((Happy Halloween! Enjoy the festivities. All LOLs are optional. Threadhopping is encouraged. Backtagging is forever, so don’t worry about missing out: we’ll still be here when you get back from your more mundane ghosties and goblins.))

Playlist
Visualosity
The Entrance
The Ballroom
The Banquet
The Bonfire
The Corn Maze
Dark Corners
Costume Icon Requests
The Photo Booth

Comments

[rogueinladysclothing]

She sighs again. "I didn't try to find him, I just..."

Verity was right and Amelia knows it. Still, it's harder to say than she expected. "I was looking through all the rooms up here when I found him. It was completely by accident. I didn't want to be rude by running away, so I... I gave him the letter I wrote him. But then he felt like he did something wrong and I felt so guilty and I just couldn't lie or properly explain..." And there's her hands on her face again. Seems talking about it brought back the tears.

Her voice is small when she continues speaking through her hands. "I panicked. I couldn't think of what to say. Finally I asked for you. And he... he was trying to be nice, to be helpful, but... e-everything he said hurt, because I knew I couldn't accept his help... not yet..."

There's a small shift of her hands, but it's not to grab the tissues. Nope, her knees are being hugged to her chest and her face buried in them again. Dress be damned. She wants to hide right now.

[gate_crasher]

Shade-Seeker gives an appreciative murmur when he finds the compass, taking a moment to try it out (and also try to determine whether it's some manner of clue, or simply a reward).

"An interesting place for a refreshment table. An invitation, perhaps, to increase the difficulty?" That latter musing is suggested with a chuckle. Some of the smaller bottles, though, he takes up to sniff, perhaps sampling the tiniest of sips. "Ho, there is magic in some of these."

[conjuredskies]

He has two, he just hasn't shown her yet. He tries not to remind everyone about them. But he is quite easy to please, gift-wise.

"I wouldn't!" he protests. "That would be... um. Odd." Mostly he just fears to think what Jim would say about that. "But maybe I should ask him for a dance while he's still got his feet. You did say he's some kind of hero?"

One Dovahkiin-equivalent, one swashbuckling space captain who fights time-traveling pirates- Verity, what kind of family are you putting together here?

[conjuredskies]

"Oh, not in the least, I hope. I just meant that you won't mind if this should happen to benefit her in some... small but significant way."

[brave_heart_verity]

That's good, because he's probably getting something homemade, and she is too hipster to knit. Naalbinding was knitting before the last Ice Age wore off. (But since he's mentioned Skyrim is cold, she figures he won't mind another extra-warm blanket.)

"It would be really odd, especially since they're the ones who are actually related. By blood, I mean." It's nuts, this family of hers, but it's one that can hold her together when her world is literally falling apart. "You should ask him for a dance, yes. I'm sure he'd like that. He's what we call a superhero--someone with abilities beyond those of a normal human being."

[smartass_captain]

"I'd argue that I'm dressed for the best kind of dancing, but not without causing a scene." There's no worry, Jim's not going to cause any embarrassing faux paus with Felix out there.

He will get up and sidle over to Felix's side of the table soon enough though, extending a hand to help the other up.

"Shall we?"

[ixis]

"Oh? May I inquire as to what that would be?" He's struggling to determine how something of this nature would be something good for the poor girl. "Pertaining to her curse, perhaps?"

[brave_heart_verity]

"And he wouldn't leave you alone because he wanted to help, and he didn't know how to help, and that made you feel worse?" These two are like an open book to her sometimes. She wraps an arm around Amelia's shoulders. A familiar move for them both. "It's okay. I'll explain to him for you if you'd like? It'll be okay."

When Amelia calms down again, or at least is coming up for air, she offers, "Do you want to go back to the inn now?"

[rogueinladysclothing]

If she were more aware of her surrounding, Verity might get some cuddles with that move. As it stands, the best she's going to get is a little bit of a lean in her direction. Sorry Verity. "That would be best," she agrees softly. "Just... don't let him think I hate him. I know he means well."

It'll be a few minutes, but Amelia does eventually look up from her knees. "I think it's best for everyone that I leave now." Not really a direct answer to her question, but it's the best she can manage right now.

[brave_heart_verity]

"I'll do my best. He'll be okay once he understands why this happened." That, she's going to make bloody well sure of. She strokes Amelia's hair a few times, trying to help her calm down enough for the short journey ahead.

"Okay. When you're ready. I'll come see you the day after tomorrow and we can start looking for doctors. I'd come tomorrow, but you'll probably want to sleep most of the day and I'll be taking care of the sick chao. They've been getting all kinds of human food they shouldn't be eating. If you feel like going for a walk tomorrow, I had some books pulled and put on hold for you at the library. Some things to get you started."

Verity takes a couple of tissues while she's talking and starts wiping Amelia's face. There's not much she can do about the makeup, but she can try and make the mess less obvious. If Amelia moves quickly, maybe nobody will notice.

There's a joke here, about not seeing the forest for the trees.

[i_amgroot]

"I am Groot," he confirms enthusiastically, hand still extended.

[rogueinladysclothing]

"Oh, but if my father were around to hear that!" She laughs a bit at that. "Dressing above my station might suggest I was finally taking my position as a noble's daughter seriously."

She nods along as he explains. "It sounds like your world is much more like mine than most of the worlds I've heard about. Our most advanced weapons are a few cannons mounted on the walls of our cities, swords, and bows." Normally she'd motion to her belt and all the weapons on it when she said that, but she gets the impression that's not necessary anyway. The thought makes her smile a bit. "It's nice to meet someone from a world closer to mine than any of the others I've heard about."

[rogueinladysclothing]

She nods along as Verity speaks. Something to keep her mind off of the fantastic mess she just made is welcome. "Thanks. I'll have someone bring them to me." Because there's no way in hell she's risking running into Viatorus again after tonight.

The effort of cleaning her face gets a sad smile before Amelia grabs Verity's hand gently to stop her. "I'm sure it's a lost cause at this point. I'll clean it off when I get to the inn." Her mask will cover most of the mess and she'll stick to the shadows to avoid being seen as much as possible. It's not a perfect plan, but it's something.

[brave_heart_verity]

"Okay. Do you want me to find someone to walk you home? I can't leave the chao, but... Clint can be a gentleman when prompted." Next fancy party, she's going to have to put a strict limit on how many people she's responsible for. Chao are time-consuming. "He's wearing a shiny costume, so he'll take all the attention off you if you want."

[rogueinladysclothing]

"I've subjected enough people to my problems. No need to drag anyone else into it." There's that stubborn streak she'd been doing so well suppressing tonight. She sighs and shakes her head. Time to try that again. "I think it's best I take myself back, but I appreciate the offer of finding me an escort." Better.

Shifting up off the couch onto shaky legs is a little harder than expected, though, and she nearly falls back onto said couch with the attempt. So, back onto the couch carefully it is. She looks beyond guilty as she looks over at Verity, somewhere in the territory of vaguely horrified. "I... guess an escort would be best." To keep from seeing the look she knows is coming her direction, she busies herself with pulling her mask back on. Good gods she's a mess after all of this.

[brave_heart_verity]

The correction gets an approving nod. It is better. She wouldn't press if it weren't for those shaky legs. "Yeah. You sit and rest while I find him. Someone will be up with a snack for you soon. Ginger ale and cookies, I figured you'd need it after a cry." A blood sugar boost and mood elevator should do a lot to help her propel herself home.

"...have you had anything to eat since you got here?"

[rogueinladysclothing]

Is it possible to pale and blush at the same time? Because she's honestly trying for that right now. "...no. I... forgot." Well, that's partially true. There was so much going on, and she wasn't expecting to stay very long, so she didn't bother going into the banquet hall. The biggest deciding factor for not eating was the stress. It's hard to remember to eat when the stress takes away your appetite.

[brave_heart_verity]

It's possible. It's an ugly blotchy mess, but it's possible. Verity's been there, so she doesn't comment on it. Better to give Amelia a hug. "Then you definitely need the snack. And try to eat something when you get to the inn, please?"

Then she'll stand up, nudging the tissues toward Amelia again. "It's going to be okay, Amelia. It will."

[rogueinladysclothing]

"I'll try." It's the best she can promise right now.

She nods. "I know. Now go get your friend. I'll try to get presentable." A small, terrible joke, but it's something? She'll take a few tissues and start trying to clean off her face and neck around her mask, because there's no way in hell that's coming off right now.

[brave_heart_verity]

That's all she asked.

"Don't worry so much about it, Clint's used to seeing people who've been through all kinds of things. He'll be glad you're not bleeding." Avengers lead interesting lives, and Amelia can think about that while Verity's off looking for Clint.

How hard can it be to find a man covered in tin foil?

[fightlikehell]

With a world of no color or light and only memory of what could be seen with the eyes, Matt lets Steve's voice and recollection decorate the canvas of his thoughts. There are many small places so he thinks it's something close to what they're talking about. A humble place for a humble guy.

A fresh sip from his cider makes it all the more cozy, intimate like. Matt smiles at the Dodgers still being in New York but says nothing at all. That's a change worth saving.

"No? I lived in a dorm at Columbia for college. Before that I stayed in Hell's Kitchen." Saint Agnes was not so far from the apartment he grew up in. "People don't get it until they've lived in the city." There's no place like it in all the world. No matter what time it seems.

a tree-mendous discovery beyond be-leaf

[fightlikehell]

The surprise is plain on his face. Matt hears and doesn't quiet get it. Then again, he's here isn't he? The chao are here. Verity is here. This is real.

Why not a tree person?

He carefully reaches out and there is a manner of a hand. Rough bark meets his fingers and say... that is a hand. Matt curls his own digits to shake Groot's before an experimental shake.

"Pleasure to meet you."

[heirtothearcane]

"Many underworlds lead to other planes, other worlds. Sometimes people even cross through them to get from one world to another. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a connection." The permission gets a smile and a nod. "Is there anything in particular she liked?"

Birch, please. That was terrible. :P

[brave_heart_verity]

Verity watches quietly, gauging Matt's reaction to this as a good indication of how much further down this rabbit hole he might want to go. His eventual acceptance earns a sigh of relief.

How much more should she explain right now? Maybe finding out that Groot is also their prom king can wait. There's only so much a man can take in all at once.

"Groot is our arboreal expert, and he also works in space as a bounty hunter."

[drehnifusbahi]

"I wonder if anyone has been confident enough in their abilities to accept that invitation," he replies wryly. He's as fond of his drink as the next man, but in this instance it seems like begging for trouble.

"So there is," he replies as he partially uncorks the bottle in his hand to sniff at the vividly green liquid within. It looks and smells like an ordinary stamina potion - but nothing in this maze has been quite what it seemed so far, why should this be any different?