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

[smartass_captain]

No worries Verity. Jim's got your back. Besides, the kid is pretty damn cute, all things considered. And the game sounds like it could be fun.

"She's just being modest. She'd be the best at it, right?" He gives Loki a conspiratorial wink. "If I see any of my friends I'll let 'em know about it too, okay? Let's round up some volunteers!"

[rogueinladysclothing]

"A rainbow bonfire?" An eyebrow raises at the description. "Sounds lovely." Now she's regretting not getting that shawl her tailor tried to talk her into. But, really, how was she to know Schön would find a way to make the weather turn cool around this place?

"The Nexus is full of many people, so I'm not terribly surprised that you don't know everyone here. Hell, I don't know everyone here either." She laughs a bit as she adjusts the mask on her face. It's such an odd feeling against her skin, but it makes her feel better, so she's not about to remove it if she can help it.

You rang?

[juststeverogers]

Perhaps Officer Austin isn't the only master of disguise in the mansion. On one of his passing trips from above the ballroom, someone seems to have moved a scarecrow decoration to one of the chairs.

Or conjured one. The magic in this place is weird. And then it starts talking.

"It's a really swell view, isn't it?" Hi Steve, it's Steve.

[notalldead]

Jesse is too busy to notice that skeptical look. Too busy slugging back his forth shot, that is. "Sir, just bring me the bottle, cuz I intend to kill it. There ya go, thank ya kindly." He grins when the Jack Daniels is in fact brought to him, where he pours himself a liberal fifth shot.

"And who's Gavan, for that matter?"

[juststeverogers]

"So..why's someone like you hiding in a corner then? Your costume's real nice. You could go dance and mingle with anyone you like. Why come seek me out?"

Turnabout's fair play, Miss Ronsam.

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"Ah, but wouldn't a planned misstep be harder to forgive?" A brow arches in amused challenge of the notion.

"Time well-spent, it would seem."

[sumarusfinest]

"It's a tradition." So the rumors were true. Schon had managed to recruit himself a demon after all. And a familiar one at that. He'll pull a small can of crab out of his pocket and place it in Nekomata's bowl.

"There's your treat." It's like flipping a switch. She's off of Hughes in a flash, tails fluffed in maximum excitement.

"Nyaa! I knew you loved me~!" She cradles the can to her face and forgets about the two men all together.

"Good to see you." Katsuya offers Hughes a small smile.

[damn_yourself_early]

"Okay!" Loki has a mission, now. No, a quest! Prince Valiant on a quest! (To turn the party into a village wracked by paranoia and in the grip of a witch hunt, how noble.) "We'll see who we can round up!"

[onemorebounty]

Chemoluminescence.

*She pauses, considering whether that word is likely to mean anything to someone elfy-looking. They're usually more magically inclined.*

You know how glow-bugs glow? It's sort of like that, but I don't think there's any bugs in it. Although the honey locusts they've got over there are good, have you tried them yet?

*Jesse gets a chuckle and a shake of her head.*

"Gavan" as in "made by Gavs." They're... little blue-furred people.

[brave_heart_verity]

"Good luck, sir knight, on your quest. I'm sure you and your... noble squire will succeed in the face of every trial."

Take a good look, Jim. This is what Verity looks like with a proper Loki around. Imagine what she'd be like with the full-scale model.

Loki gets another quick hug before he can run off. Then she stands and gives Jim a hug too. "Make sure you make time to dance with me later, yeah? Before all the pretty people are keeping you busy?"

[rogueinladysclothing]

The compliment, when combined with the question shot back in her direction, causes Amelia to blush slightly. Her gaze shifts out to the dance floor, but she's not looking at anything in particular.

"I... did something terrible a few weeks ago. I hurt a lot of feelings with it and I..." A soft sigh escapes her as her eyes close. "I don't think most people even want to look at me anymore."

Her fingers carefully reach up and begin playing with the strands of the hair pin hanging around her neck. The small tinkling sound they make pales in comparison to the music of the ballroom, but it seems to help soothe her a bit.

[rogueinladysclothing]

"Ahh, but I seem to have been foiled already in my attempt. I shall simply have to try harder to make it believable - if it comes to pass, that is." Did she just wink at him/her? Perhaps.

"Thank you. I do my best, but I can only be as good as my partner." She smiles as she offers the compliment. "I had expected you to be a good dancer, but I am still very much impressed."

He can't just come and dance, can he?

[brave_heart_verity]

Verity doesn't quite notice Katsuya the first time she passes him, because she's busy chasing a chao that has managed to abscond with one of her earrings. "You give that back. No. No, don't try to wear it, that would hurt." This particular little cutie seems to be dressed up as Verity for Halloween.

But who's this blonde chick anyway?

[bestdadinamestris]

Oh good, a familiar face. This is definitely a good development and Hughes seems very pleased to see Katsuya again.

"And you as well." The offered smile is returned. "Tell me, though, what do you mean by 'tradition?' Did I miss something about this whole event that I shouldn't have? I thought it was supposed to be a big party."

Once Hughes finds out about what other worlds do for Halloween, he is so taking it home and using it as an excuse to spoil his daughter even more.

[sweetrolled]

"You two embarrass me." Basheda smiles, well, bashfully. "But, ahh, thank you, I think."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

The impertinence, and the wink, earn a soft laugh. "Strive ever higher, my dear."

As for the dancing, "there's a couple, famous for their dancing, of which it is said that everything the gentleman was so famous for doing, his lady partner did backwards, in heels."

wonder steve powers, activate. form of: captain terminator

[prototype_infiltraitor]

Okay, that scarecrow wasn't there last ti-- and it's talking, now. Great. This place sure can be annoyingly unpredictable. Officer Steve Austin, LAPD, stops to converse with the animate object. Time to pretend to not be a total asshole!

"Have you been enjoying it?" asks the chipper officer.

[notalldead]

Jesse guffaws. "What d'ya mean, ya THINK? And of course I'm embarrassin' you, that's what friends do. But hey, glad you two are all acquainted now. Bashy here, he comes from that same world that the lizard feller do. Shade somethin'? SHADE-SEEKER! That was it! 'Cept I guess it's different times. S'nuts. Only way to wrap yer head around it is at the bottom of a bottle, says me, and that's where I intend to be by the time this party's rollin'!"

[sweetrolled]

"So it's more like an insect's glow, then." Basheda thinks on this a little more before noticing Jesse has a full-on BOTTLE of booze now.

"Are you aiming to black out before we've even finished a conversation, Jesse?" Basheda, meanwhile, is a little more than halfway through his tall glass.

[rogueinladysclothing]

"And what happens when both parties are in heels? Who gets the higher praise then?" There's a mischievous look in her eyes as she asks that.

[notalldead]

"Black out? Son, you ain't never seen me drink proper, have you? This is just a warm-up." Maybe to poke fun, he just sips the latest shot, pinky up. Before he slugs that one as well.

"Although I don't think I'm big on drinkin' somethin' what comes from a bug. I mean, I'm undead, but I still got standards, y'all."

For the record, "SHAKE-SEEKER" made me laugh.

[gate_crasher]

"Yes?" Hey, look who it is! It's that lizard guy, in fine robes and a hood.

But the cupcakes D:

[sumarusfinest]

The tiny Verity Chau attracts Katsuya's attention more than anything else, since getting his cupcakes set up had obviously taken priority.

"Well hello Verity. Aren't you looking lovely today." He'll get down on his knees and hold a hand out for the little one to run over to him. He knew they'd imitate her and this is adorable. So adorable. He wonders if he should get one sunglasses. Then he can have a doppleganger too.

"And apologies for being late. The garden path up to the house is actually a maze. Who would have thought?" He'd recognize that tone anywhere.

[sumarusfinest]

"Children take to dressing as various spooks and monsters, or their favorite fictional character and go door to door asking for candy. It's mostly a Western tradition, but. Costume parties are fairly common everywhere."

He's glad Hughes made it in alright.

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"Whoever's going backwards," comes the sly reply.