Spooky Scary Skeletons!

[magpiemythos]

Loki had no idea if any other places were having Halloween bashes, but that wasn't gonna stop him from having his fun! Pub-crawls were a thing if that were the case! The Viper's Pit had been decked out in the spirit of the season, the drinks, boozy and non were themed for the holiday, and aside from the magically drugged glitter one could play with down in the club, there were all manner of edibles.

While the changes were mild inside the building itself, the field had undergone the most changes, from the disappearance of the arena and bathhouse to the forests normally vaguely in the middle distance having been drawn in much closer, ringing a large open field where several bonfires were crackling merrily, each stocked with comfortable places to sit, as well as marshmallows, skewers, and several options for meats to be grilled over an open flame. To the east of the clearing was an expansive-looking corn maze, and standing vigil over it from somewhere in the vague center was a large Victorian-looking house. Anyone who wanted to go snooping would find the maze and home both charmingly haunted by costumed staff looking forward to the chance to scare the pants off some unsuspecting partygoers.

Nothing about the place seems off, or strange. Bats fly about overhead, the moon is large and positioned quite perfectly to make the haunted house look charmingly spooky, and the woods that spread around the clearing are just begging for people to dare to creep down it's paths, jumping at the shrieks that echo from the maze, or just their own imaginations running away with them. Not that there seems to be anything scarier than some mild-mannered wild-life like the owls hooting in the trees- it seems the woods are more designed for a nice nighttime stroll for folks who might want a bit of quiet than anything.

Of course everyone wore costumes. They did right? It's a costume party after all! And if anyone didn't have one, the staff of the bar were quite happy to furnish some of the spares they had on hand, even if it might be something so simple as an animal headband, a pair of wings, or a sheriff's badge and toy gun.

No one was quite certain when things started becoming weirder. Not specifically, and no one was sure why it had happened, given the first sign of things going wrong? Was one of the poor unsuspecting waiters who'd been wearing a cute little bear headband? Was suddenly now a very large, and very confused grizzly bear in a darling little vest trying to balance the tray he'd been carrying on one paw, and attempting to sort out how to get all the drinks off without tipping them onto the customers, who were now a table of animals of varying sizes and shapes, as well as one very bewildered knight, whose plastic armor was suddenly much more realistic and cumbersome.

And from the yelps of surprise and alarm echoing quickly through the Pit and the yard, it was clear this was not an isolated incident.



((ooc: Costume bash! OOC info is here leave any questions in there! Feel free to tag either pre or post-costume realism! For toplevels please use the Trick Or Treat system! If you're just wanting cute fluff or maybe minor spooky stuff, just leave 'Treat' in your toplevel's subject line. If you're here for scary chases and angst, or being a monster to hunt folks for fun (keeping in mind the AVF is in effect!) just post 'Trick'! If you're open to both just put both in! Hopefully this'll make it easier to match up what folks are hoping to play with here even if you're going in otherwise blind. The costumes will revert come sunrise with no ill effects- happy hauntings!))

Comments

Trick or Treat

[alittlehinky]

Of course, any party hosted by Loki will be attended by Cricket. No one should be surprised to see him there, mingling happily and serving up snacks and drinks whenever the waiters need an extra hand. For the most part, his eye is on Loki--which makes sense, because her outfit is very eye-catching--but he's his usually quietly upbeat and friendly self for the first part of the evening. His costume seems like it might be a kind of wry joke based on his own history with bootleggers, given that it's the pseudo-uniform of an organized crime family--but one from across the pond.

There is something about it that really suits Cricket, though. The layers bulk up his silhouette nicely, the tailored cut and clean lines echo the angle of his cheekbones and jaw, and the blue of the silk tie sets off his eyes. There does not appear to be a razorblade in the bill of the flat cap, fortunately. He's not convinced that kind of augmentation would do anything but shear off someone's eyebrow by accident.

After the ripple of magic goes through the party, there's a subtle but visible change in him. The usual clank of leg braces is gone when he walks, and his stride is easier and more confident. The look in his eyes is colder and sharper than usual; analytical and alert. His smiles have an extra flash of teeth in them. And the fake weapons that he carried as part of his costume look alarmingly convincing.

((AVF, obviously, but he's got a revolver and a tommy gun and could probably make an awful lot of noise with them!))

[silverseamariner]

"That's a handsome outfit you have there, lad."

There's a rattle of weapons and the click of claws as Cricket is approached by an enormous bird. skekSa recognizes the fiercer look and nods approvingly. She approves of mettle, whichever form it takes. She hasn't seen Cricket before, but she knew the name and what he sold. Magic or not, she likes this new look that the young man carries. It's just a little bit enough to set someone on edge. Confidence looks good on him.

"You're Cricket Pate." The transformed skeksis offers a clawed hand. "I've heard a lot about you, but I can't say we've met. I am Captain skekSa. I run the Scarlet Hooyim downtown." She doesn't look that different, at least, and she would have blown a gasket if the color of her feathers had changed.

[alittlehinky]

Cricket maintains the cool, focused air his costume has gifted him, and when she approaches his gaze flicks over her, taking in every visible weapon on her person--claws included. He's neither too shy nor too diffident to accept the offered handshake, though, especially since he recognizes her as a potential business contact.

"Captain," he greets, then stands and pulls out a chair for her with a somewhat more suave air than his normal. "Please, join me. I'd been meaning to talk to you before, in fact, but the past season has been extremely busy for me."

[silverseamariner]

The bird-creature examines Cricket, her eyes yellow instead of red. skekSa's current forn really isn't that different from a skeksis, looks-wise, except the claws are longer and sharper, the plumage has a different texture, and there's thankfully only one set of arms. The overall sense is very avian and very fierce.

"I will." She bows her head slightly, and the skeksis-turned-shryke takes a seat. Thankfully, with a shorter tail the process is much simpler. "I spent most of the year settling here, personally, but you're someone I've been meaning to talk to for some time now. But now we have the time we both need. We're in a similar line of work, Mr. Pate."

[alittlehinky]

He wonders idly if she can fly in this form. That could make for an even more formidable opponent, though not so much indoors. Not that he's looking to fight with her, but any attempt to do business comes with potential risks.

"A complimentary line of work, I'd say," he tells her with a sly little smile that would look out of place on his face under normal circumstances. "I'd be pleased to have your tavern carry my product."

[silverseamariner]

This form is as flightless as her typical skeksis form. skekSa isn't particularly bothered by this, since she's never had too much of an interest in flight, as a creature drawn to the water in all her various forms - urSan and her urSkek whole were unique in that respect.

"Then I think we can make a deal to that effect. What kind of payment would you like in return? Someone in our line of work doesn't usually do things for free." She clasps her claws together and listens.

Mostly Treat, but given costume/magic am open to a bit of Trick too

[brother_alone]

It's taken lots of cajoling, reassurance, and appeal to what was once Joshua's very favorite day of the year for him to be out at a crowded party but here he is all the same. Looking more human than he has in a year, thanks to the makeup and hint of magic Loki offered to help hide the half-wendigo's fangs and claws. It won't do anything for his gaunt frame but Joshua had insisted he didn't want a full on illusion. Wasn't comfortable with anyone thinking he was human to their own detriment. He could have scared plenty of folks as is for a Halloween party, but he's not so big on scaring folks as he used to be.

It helps that Loki isn't human either, and that Cricket had worked so hard on the costume idea. Mobsters, gangsters--from two different eras. The suit they've helped Josh into won't fit him well as he lingers around the edge of the party keeping close to his friend.

At least, not at first. It's not until everything seems to have been shaken up that Joshua strides cooly from the edge of the room to stand just off to the side of Cricket. Never moving in front of the other nor being in the way. The toy handgun he'd had stowed in a holster doesn't seem quite so whimsical anymore and it's on prominent display. But when the boss insists on being out and about his muscle isn't ever going to be far from his side....

"Who's a man gotta blow around here to get a smoke?" Not even a hint of a lisp. If he's quiet, it's entirely because he doesn't want people to take note of His opinions over Cricket's own.

[alittlehinky]

Cricket is subtly protective of Josh for the first part of the evening. Or maybe he's partly protective of Josh and partly protective of the partygoers surrounding them all, keenly aware of what Josh could do if something went wrong. Loki's support has been invaluable here; Cricket has long been convinced there's no danger Loki couldn't mitigate in her own place, and he assumes that includes a wendigo on the edge between fun and anxiety.

The Nexus has its own tendency to buck-wild magical events, though, mischief to rival or exceed Loki's, and none of them could have anticipated this turn of events. A third party observer might find it impressive, the way Cricket's body language and Josh's alter and resettle at the same time, like they've choreographed this whole thing in advance. Josh is suddenly Cricket's shadow--if a confident and intimidating shadow--and Cricket just accepts it like it's always been this way. After all, why shouldn't he? He wouldn't bring someone he couldn't fully trust to watch his back to a gathering like this.

His lips quirk into a smile that's less sharp than the bare-teeth grin he flashes at strangers. "In a place like this? I'd double-check what kind of smoke you get offered before you light up."

Still, there's candy all around them, and if he's not mistaken...

"Ah." He leans across a table and scoops up what was, until a moment ago, a pack of candy cigarettes. They look real enough now, though the proof is probably in the smoking thereof. He turns the pack in his hands and then tosses it lightly to Josh. "Can't say I never gave you anything."

[brother_alone]

"Isn't that the fucking truth." Joshua shifts a step to the side while he eyes up a woman trying to serve drinks in a clunky full body suit of armor. The kind you'd see at some kind of Renaissance festival or some shit. In fact, the more he looks the more things don't really seem to be okay at all round here. Is that a bear someone drug in? Pet or not, someone's asking to be mauled.

He'd been willing to accept a nicotine-less evening while sizing up potential threats to Cricket's safety until the boss is turning his way and tossing him a pack of smokes. Not a brand he recognizes, but they smell alright. A slow smirk curls across Joshua's lips before he tears the packet open with his teeth and taps one out.

"Wouldn't dream of it, sir. If these are half decent I'll let you know." Even if they're not, he wouldn't dream of not sharing with the man who signs his paychecks. He nods over toward the far end of the bar while he's swiping something he can light up with.

"You seeing some'a this shit?"