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

Oh really?

[brave_heart_verity]

Aww, poor Reynard, did Ver spoil his game? She was only trying to play along. Maybe next time, tell her the rules--or don't underestimate her.

"Nobody can spend as much time reading as I do and not pick a few things up." She tries to shrug it off, but honestly, she's pleased she could surprise them both. "And this is the point when you tell her that of course it's easy with such a muse, or something like that."

Turning her look to Samus, she adds, "He wants to make everyone jealous by having a monopoly on the ladies here tonight. Should we let him get away with that so easily?"

Maybe not something to brag about.

[onemorebounty]

*Samus catches that look, and her smile turns mischievous.*

Have you ever known me to do something the easy way?

*She has an aside for Reynard.*

She's still ahead of you on flattery, you might need to step it up a little--unless that was your best?

It's alright. He won't get away with jack- around these two ladies

[shardofwinter]

"I am beginning to fear that I may be somewhat outmatched. I have a poet on one side and a goddess on the other." He puts a hand on his heart and looks between the two of them. "I am a mortal man stunned, awestruck to be in the presence of two such formidable and, indeed, discerning women."

Almost truth. He's still not human, close as he is to it, but he's still hoping to be allowed a bit of poetic licence.

"And I will point out that my goal was not to make everyone jealous-" He catches Verity's eye and waves a hand. "Well not just to make everyone jealous, but to ensure you both enjoyed the evening to the fullest." Reynard stops to step back, curl his moustache and then give a sweeping bow to both of them. "I am entirely at your service, miladys."

He's getting away with the moustache, isn't that enough?

[brave_heart_verity]

Yeah, he can get away with that. His secrets are his to tell, not hers. "But surely the effort will be worth it when you've won our admiration? Sometimes it's the trying that's the success." She respects people who try to be honest and kind at the same time. Samus respects people who try to keep up with her and know when to admit they can't.

"A far more gallant way of putting things." Again, she looks to Samus, this time with a question in her expression. She's the one who needs to be won over; Ver's already agreed to the dancing.

[onemorebounty]

Well...

*She pretends to think about it, but that is quite the improvement in Reynard's game. She can't resist a smile.*

...when you put it like that, alright. You are the second person brave enough to ask me for a dance tonight, and I've been looking forward to the chance to stretch my legs a little.

*How long can you resist a boots remark, Verity? That one's coming right over the plate.*

As if anyone could resist it

[shardofwinter]

"Ah." He smiles and puts a hand on his heart as he straightens. "You are both gracious and merciful."

He'll offer an arm to Samus and then to Verity. "I'll have to dance my best to make sure I'm a worthy dance partner. Remember, if nothing else, I shall be useful for fetching your drinks."

As if anyone would /want/ to.

[brave_heart_verity]

You are an evil, evil chick, Samus.

Verity is trying so hard to resist. Reynard is a splendid distraction from the other temptation offered and she'll take his arm with a smile. "It's good to know you have your uses."

But her gaze does drop to Samus' boots, and... it's a lost cause. "Those don't look like dancing shoes." Subtle.

Barbers, hopefully, or the rest of us won't get to enjoy it.

[onemorebounty]

*Samus accepts the offered arm with a lopsided smile, tucking her hand into his elbow.*

Hmm, ask Verity about my style of mercy, sometime.

*Her friend and self-defense student gets a smile.*

Oh, I can move quite well in them, I promise you.

*It's settled: on their next run, she's wearing the costume.*

[shardofwinter]

"I am a Swiss knife of a man, my dear." Arms in arms, he'll lead them down to the dance floor, being careful not to drag or pull either of them.

Someone is missing out on an in-joke and looks between the two wondering why shoes are so much of a concern. "If they become a problem we could all go barefoot like a group of free spirited merrymakers."

[brave_heart_verity]

"But carefully avoiding the army? I suppose that would be an off-season sport for you." Verity can keep pace. The only thing likely to slow her up is when the chao inevitably come to join the dancing.

Samus gets an innocent look in response. If she wears the costume for training, Verity might die laughing. Or die while laughing, which is close enough to the same thing.

"I've never been a free-spirited anything, and I don't think there's enough wine here to change that. But you're welcome to try." She should probably be more careful saying things like that to him.

The things on the tips of the laces are called "aglets." Their true purpose is sinister.

[onemorebounty]

You shoot twice and go home?

*Samus may be thinking of Swiss soldiers, there. And it lets her keep up in the wordplay.*

Is that why you wanted both of us on your arms? So you could leave sooner? Tsk.

*Verity must learn that sometimes the thing chasing her will look terribly silly! Doom approaches in kinky boots!*

[shardofwinter]

"I've been in the army before. Something usually regretted by all involved. Too few pretty women looking to dance," he tells her matter-of-factly.

"I wanted both of you on my arms because it would be shameful not to use both arms." As they reach the dancefloor he takes both their hands so that he can guide them to a good spot. "I have no intention of leaving either of you until you are both happily exhausted."

[brave_heart_verity]

"I thought women were supposed to like a man in uniform. Maybe you were wearing it wrong..." The teasing is delivered with an innocent look, as if she believes this is really a possibility.

Samus can handle the innuendo. Thus is the privilege and the responsibility of wearing kinky boots.

[My other boots have jets in them.]

[onemorebounty]

You really want to take us both on with a promise like that?

*She gives Reynard a wry look, while letting him choose a place to dance.*

Verity's got some good stamina built up, and I helped her build it. What's our prize if you can't go the distance, hmm?

[shardofwinter]

"I never wear anything wrong," he informs Verity, voice low and assured.

Once he settles on somewhere with enough space, he spins them both to bring them in front of him. It's a slow movement, in case they didn't expect it or need a minute to get into the swing of dancing. "Whatever you can dream up, my dears, since it will stay a dream."

Better than a jetpack setting your shoe on fire.

[brave_heart_verity]

Reynard does an amazing job walking the line between being confident and being annoying. Verity's very impressed, secretly. And she's getting spun. No complaints here. "You are pulling that costume off," she admits. She could have been pedantic about it, but that's not as much fun with him. Not right now.

"Learn to make my favorite ice cream. Nobody here makes it." And it's the little things you start to miss.

[onemorebounty]

What is your favorite kind of ice cream?

*That Reynard plans to dance with both of them at once gets an amused look and a raised brow from Samus, but if he's opening with a spin, she can certainly spin. Spinning is practically her natural habitat.*

Ambitious, both of us at once. Let us know if you sprain something and need to ice it.

[shardofwinter]

"I've never made ice cream before," he muses, pausing for half a second before deciding, "It could be fun."

"I'm old, not decrepit, my dear." His hips and steps match the music tempo, arms dedicated to guiding his partners around himself and each other. He leads Samus in another spin, this time also in a circle around him so that his arms are crossed when he pulls the two of them closer. "And how could I not be spry as a fox around such exciting and witty women?"

[brave_heart_verity]

"What kind of self-respecting king of frozen things has never made ice cream? Really." She doesn't roll her eyes nearly as much when she's dancing (on account of not wanting to make herself dizzy), but the intent is implied. "Cannoli."

He is really good at this. If he can keep it up, she might even admit it out loud. She thought she was a pretty good dancer, but keeping track of two partners at once is a whole different kind of problem. No wonder nobody can really get maypoles right. "I didn't know foxes were known for their dancing skills."

[onemorebounty]

People overreach and sprain things when they're young, too.

*Samus' admission of Reynard's dancing skills might be a little more grudging than Verity's, or at least longer in coming, but she tends to like to be difficult in general. Hedgehog words aside, she is enjoying herself considerably.*

I thought they were known for faceplanting into snow.

[shardofwinter]

"I get overzealous and end up with ice pops. True ice-cream is a delicate endeavour."

"And for dancing around Winterscapes with boundless enthusiasm." He untangles himself with a twirl, coming between the two and dancing towards Verity, Samus in tow. "But I will make your cannoli ice-cream if you wear me down." Then he spins Verity and dances them back and forth.

[brave_heart_verity]

"That doesn't bode well for your winning tonight," she points out with a little laugh.

His skill, on the other hand... she and Samus might be in more trouble than they'd bargained for. She takes her eyes off Reynard just for a moment to look at Samus, and then, surprise spin. Definitely needs to be more careful about that. "I'm looking forward to it. And what do you want, Samus?"

[onemorebounty]

Hmm, you make a strong case for cannoli ice cream.

*Her grin has a brief flash of teeth, and she tries turning the tables on Reynard, trying to draw him into a twirl of his own.*

Overzealous, boundless enthusiasm that ends with a faceplant--you're going to talk yourself into exhaustion at this rate. And then you'll owe us ice cream.

[shardofwinter]

The twirl catches him by surprise, so he draws Verity close to join him in spinning under Samus' arm. "I only need to be less exhausted than you, my dears, remember that."

[brave_heart_verity]

A second surprise spin? Reynard is 123% made of trouble. By the end of this go-round Verity is laughing and clinging to him. "Just remember that making me dizzy isn't the same thing as making me tired."