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

beginners luck!

[fightlikehell]

That'd be more like a bar than a party.

"I think it's all in the intent. Any name could be a joke." Verity however. Matt shrugs his shoulders and tilts his head. "Either I don't have the right degree of malice or all the things I can think of that rhyme with Verity are positives."

He doesn't lift a hand to get back his hat. As far as he can see it might be gone for good. "That's fine. Really. I think that the costume is well enough without it. If it keeps harmony, well, the better. Do they come when they're called or you have a special whistle?"

>.> I've got my eye on you missy.

[brave_heart_verity]

And a bar would be a waste of all these pretty clothes.

"My childhood tormentors weren't clever enough to bother rhyming," she admits. "So I had that going for me at least. Still, being a Mary or a Heather would have been easier, at times." Right up until someone tried to get her to drink drain cleaner.

"Thank you." Can he hear when she's smiling? "Oh, no, that'd be too easy. They do usually come running when they see me, but that's because they know it's time for a meal and some games. You're welcome to play with them, but they'll take your glasses next and climb all over you."

.

[fightlikehell]

Goodness knows that pretty clothes need to be worn and not wasted. So parties abound.

"No? Rhyming was big and imaginative." And boys usually just resort to fists. Go figure. "But if you had a choice would you have wanted to be called anything else?" A Heather in name doesn't make a Heather in personality, luckily. Why be a Heather when you could be a Verity or a Veronica?

Matt can indeed hear smiles. "Just a thought." Wrangling a roughly dozen and with no corners to cut, what a task! "I don't think their concept of play would align with my concept." The glasses are not his tinted shades, just round things he still would like to keep.

http://bit.ly/1GIGKjl

[brave_heart_verity]

Worn and discarded in the appropriate places is a much better plan.

"I mostly had to deal with mean girls." It's a whole different breed. "Not now. I do have a choice, it's a form and a fee to change it as an adult. But what I want now and what I wanted at ten..." Sigh. The past is a forgotten planet.

She shifts her hold of the chao to offer an elbow to him. "Why don't you tell me about it on our way down to the party? The stairs are a little crowded right now, but if you'd like to take my arm?"

[fightlikehell]

In due time, all in due time.

"Mean girls and mean boys are completely different beasts. Still unfortunate to deal with. The good news is we got out alive and can have a perspective on the past." Maybe laugh about it.

Matt's lips pull into a slow smile. "Sure. Thank you." He takes a grip at her elbow and is preparing himself for small critters to use this as an excuse to use him as a jungle gym because they're close. "I'm just saying that they probably want hours of entertainment. I've got a few good bouts of poking, prodding and some kind of fetch."

[brave_heart_verity]

"True. And they're still stuck with themselves." Maybe laugh about it someday. Laughing is hard for her right now.

"My pleasure." Her pace is slow and steady because descending stairs in a floor-length gown with no free hands requires a particularly kicky little move to make sure she's not standing on her own skirt. "Oh, yes, they love to have playmates. But they're pretty easy to redirect when it's time to go. I find cat toys work well. Or you can sit there and let them climb on you."

Yes, there's a chao who wants his attention, but a few quiet words from Verity gets it to stop climbing and content itself with petting his hand in a clumsy, childlike way. New friends must be treated gently.

[fightlikehell]

Standing when you've had so much happen in the past is sometimes just the very best thing alone. Laughing can happen later. Much later.

Matt matches her pace, slow and measured. He can feel how she has to make extra kicks. His cane feels for the step before. The two of them are rather accomplished in their juggling of steps. Heels and a dress out do his own impairment. "Shoot. I left home without my cat toys." There's more than a little sarcasm there. Matt wiggles his finger to nudge the chao back. "What do you do when you're not a wrangler?"

[brave_heart_verity]

Standing's all she can manage some days without help. Laughing regularly will be somewhere on the list for later.

Heels, she's used to. That doesn't bother her. The dress is new. But she'll manage. "Mm, see, that's why there's a chao wrangler tonight. Otherwise, it'd be sparkle balls wall to wall and nobody would be able to dance." It's not quite a laugh, but there's an approving note in the back of her throat. She loves a good bit of sarcasm.

The chao is so happy! New friend! New friend needs more pets, yes/no?

"Paperwork. It's all very boring really." Mostly, it's very secret, this answer leads to fewer follow-ups.

[fightlikehell]

She moves very well. It's unlikely she'll fall. Just in case Matt is fixated on the sound her heels make as they hit the ground. "And what if you want to dance?" Chances are she may not have the desire to, after all she is pretty accomplished and comfortable with the chao.

A new friend will take his pets. Matt really wouldn't push the thing again. More fingers wiggle.

"Ah. I hope you get to cut loose." However she may. "I think that you pass the sanity test by not liking paperwork."

[brave_heart_verity]

"Then I'd better hope someone asks me, because I love to dance and how will I ever teach my dumplings if I don't get to show them?" Priorities: she has them. And baby-pet-who-knows-whats. Maybe she shouldn't be dancing, given she's in mourning, but she was careful to not wear red shoes.

Finger wiggles are great! The chao is delighted with this new game. Delighted and getting squirmy.

Now Matt gets a little baby laugh from her. "Me, pass a sanity test? Will wonders never cease."

[fightlikehell]

"That's so true. And if there are enough of them they can learn in pairs." That is hopeful then. Matt smiles. The color of her shoes don't matter, it's how she carries herself and what's on her mind. So dancing is on the table.

More wiggling for the return wiggling. This is going to get silly fast.

"The next would be how you take your coffee and a Rorschach test, I believe. Don't quote me."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Red_Shoes_(fairy_tale)

[brave_heart_verity]

"There are quite a number of them. Sometimes I think they're multiplying," she admits. "It is very hard to keep track of them all because most of them are identical." It's a night to hope for all kinds of things. Dancing might be just the start.

Silly is a chao speciality! Matt's learning quickly. And maybe it's a good excuse to not let go of her arm when they're done with stairs.

"Milk and sugar. None of that half-soy sugar-free syrup nonsense for me. You?" She wonders if Schön has any Rorschach tests around. He seems to have prepared for everything...

ah but is she truly vain in her sorrow?

[fightlikehell]

"Multiplying? " There's enough of them that he can perceive. They're so active he is having trouble figuring out how many there are without complete focus. "You're okay with that? Then again it seems they're not about to ask for permission to do anything."

He's not about to have a chao fall to the floor because he can't keep a simple grip. And very is warm to the touch and has been welcoming. He hopes that she won't mind that their arms have become a ledge for chao to rest on and a means to get out rough, wiggling man fingers.

"A light roast with steamed milk, preferably nonfat and a sugar in the Raw or two depending on the size. They say if you're a black coffee drinker that's when you're of a questionable state of mind.

She's at a ball 2 weeks after her world died. :/ Nexus!Ver gets all the drama.

[brave_heart_verity]

"I don't know how I'd stop them. I guess if it happens, we'll expand the garden..." By 'we' she means the grumpy old wizard she's staying with. It's amazing the accommodations you can get around here if you can cook.

She doesn't mind at all. Happy chao and the company of a (new) friend are pretty much exactly what the doctor ordered. The chao doesn't mind either. He's got a great view and a game!

Matt's preferred coffee gets an approving hum. "So I've heard. I could never. So, where to now? Dancing, dining, garden exploring? I've heard there's a bonfire..."

what's a girl to do really :(

[fightlikehell]

"We'll as long as you anticipate the space." Matt doesn't know the we but assumes it's her living situation. There are chao to consider in the picture.

Best keep things as they are then. Don't want to go against anyone's orders. And really Matt is finding this more comfortable than he thought. The chao are just as she said they were, playful and curious. He's got a whole hand and a wrist. Oh look! A sleeve too!

"Can I get a dance before the chao get any more ideas?" And because it is something he brought up. Wouldn't you know they are touching too. Just seems like a natural progression. "And I do owe you a drink. You found me and all."

Stay home with racist grandpa and mope? (Or be grateful I give her nice things in PSLs?)

[brave_heart_verity]

Nobody should try raising a dozen chao on their own. And what Naugus may lack in friendliness, he makes up for in usefulness.

Such a day of discovery for the chao! So many things to find and play with, so many things to do, so many kinds of forbidden food to beg off of people (shh don't tell Verity about that part). If the human-friends are happy too, so much the better.

"Happy to. Let me just put this little guy down first." Dancing with chao is one thing. Dancing with a man while trying to juggle or wear a chao is another. She doesn't have to go far, once she's got a hold of the chao again; just a minute's crouching to set him on his feet and coax him to toddle off and join his friends. It does mean letting go of her elbow, but his hand moving to her shoulder would be a natural progression.

staying at home with racist grandpa is not a choice, no :/ (PSLs are excellent medicine)

[fightlikehell]

They're like any other herd animal, they need strong leadership. Thank goodness they've found it. Matt feels like they could get out of hand otherwise.

Human friends can be happy. There's a whole gamut of emotions with the happy. They're riddled with them. Matt for now is content with the party atmosphere. He hasn't yet seen if there is a way back. For now he'd rather not. Just a little bit of enjoying now. He could take a page from the chao book and appreciate anything around him.

"Of course." Matt hangs back and releases her arm. It lingers to hover at where he knows she'll be when she rises. "He can cut in whenever though. I don't want to keep you from your dates."

Especially not when he came too. :P

[brave_heart_verity]

Can cuteness ever really get out of hand, though? Is there such a thing as 'too much cute'? She doesn't think so. But she doesn't worry much about worker productivity, the economic output of nations, or the ecological implications of forests being replaced with chaonut plantations.

Content and enjoying the party is a good way to be. However long he's away from home, someone will help him out until he finds a solution. Plenty of people have been having to find new jobs lately, and he has an extremely portable asset: his big wonderful brain.

There's another laugh, short and quiet but it's there. "I'm sure they appreciate the offer." That's a neat trick, being right there waiting when she stands up. "But you're not getting out of it that easily."

she could have said she was just sick.... sick and tired.

[fightlikehell]

Cuteness defies so many laws. Almost always there's an exception when something is cute. Is there a reason why chao is only a letter away from chaos?

The welcoming environment has really been what's put him at ease. Matt really does feel like a solution is only a conversation away. It's a peculiar feeling. The entire atmosphere of this place of places is peculiar, really. There's still a lingering worry or two in the back of his mind about what is going on back at the home front.

All the little new friends scamper close to the ground. He stays still and attempts to recover from his neat trick by miss-stepping. Nothing personal, Verity. Just an image to uphold. "Good. That ensures my space on your dance card."

But think of the chao! Also: http://bit.ly/1Qf7ERY

[brave_heart_verity]

If loving the chao is wrong, she doesn't want to be right.

This home-away-from-home for so many orphans and misfits has become peculiarly welcoming. Where else could someone like Ver be so popular? If they can put up with her, they're going to love him.

Oh, Matt. It's a ridiculous act. Where she's from, Matt Murdock got outed a long time ago, got disbarred, and moved to San Fransisco. And don't get her started on Registration. It's not for making money off the dolls, no matter what they told Parker. But since she doesn't have his full name yet, she doesn't think much about it. "Oh, not much to worry about there. There's still plenty of time for dancing."

Speaking of... time for that dance. She's assuming he needs help finding her waist. Sorry Matt, you don't get to 'accidentally' cop a feel this time. "Ready?"

oof! right in the feelings!

[fightlikehell]

As a clear chao activist and fan, Verity can totally say she loves them. And it's not wrong. Matt just is not sure of what to make of them. They're virtually pets right? And he has not put himself in a position to take care of a living thing that cohabitation with him. It's mystifying and amusing. It's hard to deny their charm when she's so playful with them, it's contagious. Really sets a tone for the place. If Matt only knew that very and the chao aren't from the same place. Some things are meant to be together.

Ridiculous acting has got this Matt Murdock very far. He's still a secret hero, up and coming as they go. And for now he doesn't even dream about moving out of his neighborhood let alone the state. The rocky environment hasn't come to a super being Registration. The future after the fall of SHIELD and the rising awareness of meta-humans and all sorts of nonsense has flipped things upside down. "Plenty? Ah." He smiles wide. "Thank goodness." What he really meant was not wanting to keep her to himself, however pleasant the company.

Help is appreciated. Not necessary but oh he is so very unable to see, yes, yes. And as to accidentally copping a feel, he's not feeling so bold or drunk on anything to give that a try. "Ready."

i sowwy :(

[brave_heart_verity]

They're from the same place now, that's the important thing. Orphans band together. Maybe Matt should get a dog. Something to keep him company. Except he's not home much, is he? A cat might be more his speed.

Oh, he doesn't? Well! She never expected he would, so there. Being sent to play with the chao after a nice dance won't upset her at all. But she does want that dance first. She's going to feel pretty foolish when she realizes who he is, but for now, once his hand is secure against her waist and she's lifted her skirt, she seems to be waiting...

Waiting... whispering, "You want to lead?"

<3 <3 <3

[fightlikehell]

A pet really would be an experiment. In all his years he hasn't had so much as a goldfish. A cat would be a great start. A little more hands off than a dog. Or chao for that matter.

He does only in that way a person can see that another person obviously attracts attention from others. If that means still being close by he would be so very content. They've just met. And so far her company has been a terrific buffer for the kind of culture shock he's going through. That aside, Matt plainly would like to get to know her better.

A hand in her hand and a grip on her waist he smirks. "Yes." Because that's what gentlemen do. And sure he can pull his act but at his core Matt Murdock would like to share a dance with a friendly lady. Blindness and secrecy won't stop him. "Just let me know if we're too close to someone."

⊂((・▽・))⊃

[brave_heart_verity]

Chao aren't hands-off. They're all hands on deck. Although even Wilson Fisk might not be immune to their charms. Maybe Matt's world doesn't need more metahumans; maybe it needs more cute.

The culture shock people experience in the Nexus is hard to avoid, but a familiar sort of presence and having things come at you more slowly can help. Maybe times like this, being blind isn't all bad? He can't see the giant tree person they're sharing the dance floor with, so that revelation can wait until he's feeling more prepared for introductions.

Don't smirk at her, Matt, she's being nice. Well, okay, he can smirk if he must. He's lucky he's cute. "Sure thing." It'll be quite a partnership, him leading with her occasional course corrections. They'll make it work.

"So, does being blind help you get away with crashing people's parties like this?" It's daring to be teasing him about that already, but she's feeling daring tonight.

ヽ(ﾟ▽ﾟ*)乂(*ﾟ▽ﾟ)ﾉ

[fightlikehell]

If metahumans had the charms of chao Matt firmly believes his world would be different. Maybe if Wilson Fisk had a chao or fourteen he wouldn't be the cold, calculating business man and kingpin that he is. Ah well. The chao never asked to be anywhere but where they are. And their charm is in their carefree wonder of everything. Could even Matt handle all that attention? Maybe deep down he is a cat person.

A tree person on the dance floor only smells like there's a lot of greenery to decorate. They don't make noise outside of the rustling that can be chalked up to decorations. Best that he doesn't see that. Or cat people. One step at a time.

The smirk is for himself, for the surge of confidence. Damn lucky he is cute even in a dopey outfit. "I'll make doubly sure you don't fall." If that's a concern of Verity's. Her gown lightly swishes and he feels first hand how she steps. Matt will try and commit the sound of her gait to his memory.

"Oh yes. It has helped plenty of times. Parties, free events... Is it really crashing if I sneak in unnoticed and behave myself?" Now it isn't a smirk so much as a full out grin. If she's feeling daring, she's talking to the right person.