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

[sumarusfinest]

"You're hardly ruining the party. You're enjoying a dinner with me. And then more dancing." The addendum is more of a promise than anything else. This is merely a refueling date stop.

"Or whatever else you wish to do." Because he doesn't want to be forceful.

[brave_heart_verity]

She didn't think she was ruining the party, but she suspects she would do so if she had a crying jag in the middle of where everyone can see her. It'd be a domino effect: she'd start to cry, one of her friends would notice and come over to help and make a fuss, more friends would notice and come over, and then other people would notice the huddle of concern around her...

"More dancing, please." That's an easy decision. "But maybe we should go explore the garden or find the bonfire first? I haven't really had a chance to explore yet..."

[sumarusfinest]

This is true. Katsuya would take her somewhere private if she did though! He is a considerate boyfriend.

"We can do that. The field out front should be avoided, however." Katsuya seems tired when he says this. "It is not, in fact a scenic route to the manor."

[brave_heart_verity]

How would he keep her brothers out, though? And the chao? And then V would come check on her, and it'd just be a parade.

"Got caught in the corn maze? That explains why you were late." Because yes, she was watching for him, as much as she could.

[sumarusfinest]

Fire and threats? Oh, who are we kidding that wouldn't work and verity would get mad if he and Jim started arguing in the hallway.

"I..I thought it was a side path." He looks a bit embarrassed. "They don't have corn mazes traditionally in Sumaru." Pause. "The minotaur lady watching over it is quite the challenge, too."

He doesn't remember Aglaia at all does he?

[brave_heart_verity]

That would make things worse. So. Let's hope she can hold it together. At least until they've been seen happily going somewhere private and people can make other kinds of assumptions.

"Mm, they should have put up a sign. I really hope the chao don't get into it... Not that I think she'd hurt them, but I'd never find them." Breezing over the embarrassing part means he can stop being embarrassed, right? "I like mazes, but I didn't think I was up to anything involving traps in this dress." Or this mood.

Vaguely. Good guy/demon fight/rage issues

[sumarusfinest]

"I'm certain she'd help them get out again. I think she uses magic to help control the maze." Which kind of makes the whole maze thing a cheat, if you ask Katsuya. There's no point tryign to remember where you've been or strategize if they can change it on you.

Not that he would complain to the Princess. He's seen how she is when she's angry.

"The bonfire is definitely worth seeing though. We can take a walk and mingle before returning to the dance floor."

Feel free to have him jump in on the fireside chao wrangling, you know they're going like the show

[brave_heart_verity]

"Does she? That's good to know." It's not cheating if there's no rules to begin with. Or maybe he didn't bother to ask what the rules are.

Not complaining to Aglaia is a good strategy.

"I would like that." It's a compromise they'll both enjoy. One of the best kinds. "Thanks."