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

[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."

[onemorebounty]

And you have to wear us both out to win.

*Samus puts out a hand to help Verity steady herself, if she'd like it, giving Reynard a challenging smile.*

[shardofwinter]

"But making you laugh might be," he points out with the cheekiest smile you ever did see. He will ease up on the spinning for Verity's sake, dancing them back and forth, hip twisting and shoulder rolling like there's no tomorrow. "It's a win-win for me either way."

[brave_heart_verity]

She's grateful for the assist from Samus and her smile makes that known, even if she's still laughing. It isn't long before she's back to the dancing. "Oh, you are a sneaky one. Next thing we know, you're going to be convincing us you planned all along for us all to have fun."

[onemorebounty]

*Verity's smile is answered with a smile, and her jibe at Reynard earns a chuckle.*

Oh, you fiend. Just how many ulterior motives do you have? How deep the schemes?

*Not that she minds a whit; the dance is fun, and the self-declared snow fox king keeps well in step.*

[shardofwinter]

"Ah, your smiles are the most moving of all my motivations. Your laughter the best music to dance to." Samus gets a spin. "So long as you enjoy them, there shall be schemes for you to uncover!"

[brave_heart_verity]

Verity takes the moment to catch her breath and watch them. They make a handsome couple. "I'm not sure if that's a promise or a threat. Maybe we should stop encouraging you."

[onemorebounty]

*Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice. Samus and Reynard are dancing...

...well, crap.*

Really? I think I'd have trouble with the rhythm, but if you want to try...

*She can't resist another laugh; between the spin, Reynard's bold claims, and Verity's remark, the last of the Chozo is having quite a time.*

[shardofwinter]

He might try to shake his shoulders in time with Samus' laugh, but since it's off time, he'll deny any accusation of such an attempt. He spins Samus around again and then guides Verity to step back and then close again, barking a laugh as he does. "You wouldn't be able to resist encouraging me. You both love it and you know it."

[brave_heart_verity]

The not-an-attempt gets a laugh from Verity now. Good luck keeping up with all that. "Well, you're just so lovable. Hmm, also like a fox: slightly ridiculous looking, but everybody wants to pet them anyway." Back and forth is easy, which is good, because guess what?

Chao dance party all up in their business! Now what's he going to do? Nobody's kinky boots feet are safe!

[onemorebounty]

We must've left you some bait.

*She's about to tease more, but suddenly: chao! She glances down, smiling at the charming little creatures, adjusting her steps so as not to discomfit them.*

[shardofwinter]

The chao, get a startled hop from Reynard who looks down, baffled but curious about the critters. He lifts an eyebrow and looks between his dance partners. "Friends of yours?"

[brave_heart_verity]

"These are the chao," Verity explains/introduces, leaning down to pick up the pink and green one who seems to think she's Miss Bossy Britches. "They live in my backyard and I help take care of them. I'll warn you now, they're going to want to tug on your moustache when you pick them up."

[onemorebounty]

They're very sweet. Childlike, really.

*Samus crouches down, as well, offering the chao her free arm (she's not forfeiting the thing with Reynard on some technicality), and would be happy to lift a couple up with her, if they'd like to see the heights.*

[shardofwinter]

"Quite frankly I'm surprised you haven't tried to tug on it yet," Reynard tells her, feigning seriousness with a slight shrug and shake of his head. Since he's the only one standing, he'll kneel to say hello to the little beings.

[brave_heart_verity]

"Don't tempt me," she warns him with a smirk.

The chao are, as advertised, sweet and childlike. He's a new friend and they want to know everything. They're going to try and climb all over him, and one is hoping to swing from the billowy parts of his costume. It's a good thing he's not wearing his hat, they'd have to form a committee to steal it and carry it off.

Several will be taking Samus up on her offer. Upsies are great! They love upsies. Several others are going to try and steal her lasso for shenanigans.

Verichau seems to be content, for now, 'orchestrating' things from her perch on Verity's shoulder.

[onemorebounty]

I don't know, that sounded like an invitation.

*Samus unhooks her lasso so the chao can play with it (what could go wrong with a bunch of dumplings scurrying about a crowded dance floor at ankle height with a long piece of rope among them?), before scooping up the ones that want upsies and straightening up again.*

[shardofwinter]

The chuckle as they begin to climb on him has an edge of uncertainty to it. "They're... friendly."

Yes, that one looking to climb his costume is going to get relocated to his shoulder before he un-chaos his legs and stands. "We'd better dance very carefully."

[brave_heart_verity]

"They are. They won't hurt you, but... they don't really understand personal boundaries. We've been working on that." Verity takes her role as chao momma very seriously, and good manners are important. "If it gets to be too much for you, I'll send them to play elsewhere."

But for now, she's happy to dance with everybody. There will be less spinning for her with so many of them hanging onto her skirt, but that's okay.

[onemorebounty]

I think they're sweet.

*Samus lets the pair of chao in her arm clamber up to her shoulders, before giving those shoulders a slow shimmy. Wheee, upsies become rides!*