1st Annual Halloween Block Party!

[iam_senpai]

Perhaps it's the leaves of fiery golds and oranges drifting on the breeze, or the sight of various hard squash being mangled into festive ornaments, or even still the bowls of candy left out simply everywhere in the Nexus that signifies the import of today. Regardless of when you take heed, Halloween has come to the Nexus.

Neat little handmade signs and fliers of all kinds lead to a particularly festive sectioned off block with the Crossroads Cafe at the center. The brick building has more than its fair share of decorations hung from every available windowsill and door. Hanging skeletons, jolly Jack-O-Lanterns, orange and black streamers cascading down and blowing to and fro in the crisp breeze.

The doors are propped open just waiting to beckon you inside. What are you waiting for?

((See the OOC post if you have any questions! Backtagging and threadhopping are fine. Come on in and have a blast :D ))



Coats and Costumes
The Cafe
Bonfire
Dance Floor
Haunted House
Side Halls and Storage

Comments

[shardofwinter]

His brow lifts and a low rumble vibrates through his throat. "I'm intrigued already."

He is quickly elbow high in pumpkin flesh and seeds, scooping them out with a spoon and his fingers, sloping them into a bowl. Eventually he runs his hands along the inside and nods in approval. He steps back and gestures to the pumpkin before finding a nearby towel to clean his arms with. "It's all yours." Sitting down so that he can watch, he winks at her. "I hope it's not my face you're planning to put on there."

[chiron_survivor]

Adia smiles mysteriously. At least until Reynard mentions his own face. Then she bursts into giggles. "No, no... not your real face, and not your mask, although it is scary." She sets down her glass of wine and picks up a marker. As clear as her vision is, she doesn't think she can carve out the image freeform. "Who are you supposed to be again? A devil?"

[shardofwinter]

"The devil, yes. 'Lucifer Morningstar'," he announces dramatically and then takes a sip of his wine. "The embodiment of man's fear and hatred, an excuse to unleash his crueler side and still be treated as good. The scariest thing to most people is himself, or herself, and Satan is a terrifying reflection."

[chiron_survivor]

"The Devil?" Adia looks at Reynard briefly before returning to her sketch. She's going slowly, concerned about how each potential cut will affect the structural integrity of the pumpkin. "I haven't heard those names before. I think I understand what you mean, though. People used to claim to be possessed by spirits, or influenced by them." She frowns a little at her sketch. "Do you think there is any merit to that? Or are we always responsible for our actions?"

[shardofwinter]

In the moment between her asking and his answer there is the expression of a man caught out. He hasn't said what he is, but this question is certainly relevant to him. How many times has he altered a person's behaviour during the Winter months? How many times has he skewed perception or forced a situation upon someone? He looks away to hide what feels to be written all over his face.

He gives her question serious thought before he answers. "Some things are out of our control. But if someone is possessed or influenced by a... spirit or demon... I think that is when it is most important to take responsibility for our actions, our thoughts and our feelings. Otherwise how do you know where you stop and this other entity begins? A man could lose himself that way."

[chiron_survivor]

She catches his expression in the corner of her eye, but it's gone before she can even process it. Had she touched a nerve? She hadn't meant to, but there's a lot about Reynard she doesn't know. It doesn't feel like he's dishonest with her, but he hasn't been exactly forthcoming about his true nature, either.

She hopes that he isn't hiding something sinister. She likes having him as a friend.

"Some people don't know themselves well enough to make that distinction," she remarks quietly. before smiling wryly. "Good thing I no longer worry about secretly being a Cylon." She finishes her sketch and stands back to admire her work. It's a simple outline of what appears to be a robot's head. The "eyes" are just one long slit, like a knight's visor. "That should do it... which tool here is best for cutting?"

[shardofwinter]

By now he should have probably have told her, warned her, maybe. Should she have mentioned his name to anyone else he's certain that he would not be described in glowing terms. It's a miracle she hasn't discovered him already... But being treated both normally yet respectfully is such a delight, such a treat. He's not ready to give it up. He likely won't be until the eleventh hour.

"A wise and true observation," he rumbles approvingly, then he sips his wine and stands. Picking up a knife he runs a finger along the flat of the edge, then sets it down and inspects another. This seems to pass muster because he offers it to her. "Would you like some help for the first bit or would you like to try yourself?"

[chiron_survivor]

Funnily enough, he hasn't come up in conversation, although to be fair she hasn't spoken to many people in the Nexus, yet. Not one for conflict, she'd defend his name regardless. He has been nothing but kind to her.

She takes another sip of wine while he selects a proper knife. "I'll try," she says, carefully taking the offered knife. "I've cut into melons before." She sets down her glass and flashes him a grin. "But if you see me about to do something potentially dangerous, feel free to stop me."

[shardofwinter]

Give it a few weeks and that's bound to change, but for now he'll enjoy the hint of ambiguity.

He grins right on back. "I will, I promise. You'd never come back if you went home with cuts, and that would be an awful shame." He's happy to take up his wine again, stand back and watch, squinting at the pumpkin. "This is different..."

[chiron_survivor]

"It'd be my own fault," she replies, all smiles, although she is very careful when she pushes the tip of the knife into the pumpkin and begins to cut. Her hands are steady, and though she is slow, she does a good job of following the pattern she had drawn for herself.

"It's a Centurion," she explains, pausing a moment to pop out a chunk of pumpkin. "A non-human-looking Cylon." If she's distressed at all by looking at one in jack o'lantern form, she doesn't show it. "They guard the Cylon base."

[shardofwinter]

He should be less surprised. The steady hand and care that must be required when dealing with anything microsized lends itself to good hand-eye coordination. He'll allow himself to be a little impressed, though.

That reply gets a sideways glance from him. She might not see it as he does, but she has just forewarned him of a dangerous enemy. Or a dangerous hunt if Winter fever has him forget sense and fear. His attention shifts back to the pumpkin.

"In my world a Centurion was a Roman soldier." With a grin he adds, "They were about as handsome as yours."

[chiron_survivor]

Under the gaze of a stranger, she might be less steady, but she's comfortable around Reynard enough to simply concentrate on her work.

She'd worry if she knew what he was thinking, but probably needlessly. In all her time in the Nexus, she's never seen a Cylon, and only spoke with someone once who had even heard of them. He was a wizard, from Earth, and he wouldn't tell her how he knew about them.

"I'll have to look that up," she replies as she carves out the Centurion's other "cheek". "I don't know much about them, to be honest. They don't talk."

[shardofwinter]

"Yours looks scarier. Even moreso because it doesn't speak," he comments. Whether that's encouraging or not is up for debate. He sips at his wine, vaguely thoughtful as he watches. "But then, people don't scare me much anymore."

He turns his attention to her then as a thought strikes him, "Do you have ghost stories in your universe?"

[chiron_survivor]

"They're completely unapproachable," Adia murmurs. "That's probably why they're stationed where they are." She doesn't seem surprised by Reynard's comment. He's probably seen too much to be scared easily.

The eye slit is the trickiest part -- if she cuts too far, she'll ruin the design. She takes a small break to sip her wine and think about his question. "We do. I don't think as many as from what I've heard about Earth, though. The dead are just as likely to reincarnate into a plant or animal than come back and haunt us." There is a brief, forlorn look on her face. "Well, in the stories, anyway."

[shardofwinter]

That makes sense. He would have done the same thing if he were in the cylons' position. "Quite the deterrents."

While he understands that Adia has been through a lot he doesn't entirely understand the expression on her face. The muscles around his eyes twitch, betraying his confusion. A moment later he takes a stab in the dark. "Being haunted isn't all it's cracked up to be."

[chiron_survivor]

"They also have guns built into their arms," she mutters, staring at the partially carved image before her. But rather than look upon it with fear, she seems more thoughtful than anything. "They don't act like the human-looking Cylons, either. Maybe they can't."

She doesn't catch his confusion, but his comment is close enough to her emotions on the subject. "If someone was haunting me, it'd be because their soul wasn't at rest." She smiles sadly. "And I wouldn't want anyone making themselves miserable on my account."

Another sip of wine, and then she sets down her glass and resumes carving. "But if someone you love is transformed... well. Maybe you can't be with them, but you can look upon a certain flower, or bird, or even the stars, and remember them."

[shardofwinter]

While he listens, all Adia's talk of the dead and memories captures his thoughts. Even when she's silent again he doesn't respond immediately. Instead he moves to sit next to her with a somewhat weary sigh while he watches her work.

"Ghosts make for poor company," he tells her, a thin lightness in an otherwise gentle tone. When he speaks again it's with fond, soft words. "You're young, Adia, and vibrant. Beautiful and intelligent, with your whole life ahead of you. And oh but you're brave and strong, weathering a storm with such dignity."

He takes a sip of his wine to give her a moment. "One day you'll understand that living for those lost is better. You'll feel it right through to your very core."

[chiron_survivor]

She blushes profusely, not knowing what to do with his kind words. Her instinct is to argue against them, or somehow brush aside his compliments. She doesn't feel very brave or strong. Halloween costume aside, she doesn't feel particularly beautiful, either. She's just trying to survive.

It's his words of wisdom that she focuses on instead, and the weary sigh that accompanies them. "I try," she says quietly, as she continues to work on the pumpkin, her hands steady. "To live for those lost. But it's a lot of pressure. One life -- mine -- for so many."

She sets down the knife and pops out the last bit of shell, her carving complete. "There. What do you think?"

[shardofwinter]

He nods, gentle and slow, as she talks. While he could say more, try to elaborate or work through it with her, he decides to give his encouragement silently. So when she changes the subject, he doesn't resist.

Instead he smiles, setting down his glass and turning the pumpkin towards him with a hand on each side of it. He pulls his hands back, shudders theatrically and recoils, one hand on his heart. "It's terrifying!" Melodramatically he groans, "Why-oh-why did I choose to be the devil tonight? I'll be driven out by the sight of this!"

[chiron_survivor]

Adia bursts into laughter, both out of relief and genuine amusement. His theatrical display is a welcome change from the previous conversation topic. "You are too much, Reynard. I haven't even put a candle in it yet." She picks up her wine glass and takes a celebratory drink. "Do you want to help me find one and then a place to display it?"

[shardofwinter]

Her laughter makes his smile grow, and then he nods with her suggestion. "A wonderful idea!" Scooping up his cup he takes a swig to finish it off, slaps one of his knees and then stands to search for a candle.

"We should get a large one to burn brightly, or several!" He turns to explain with a wave of his hand. "As it's a robot and they run on electricity, it must glow brightly."

[chiron_survivor]

They don't run on electricity, not exactly, but it's an excellent guess on Reynard's part, so Adia doesn't bother to correct him. "If I had an LED light I could mimic their eye better," she muses. "They have a little red dot that goes back and forth. But a number of candles would work, too."

There is an assortment of candles on another table, both the traditional kind and the flickering electric ones that restaurants like to buy in bulk. It's closest to where the lit pumpkins are displayed, presumably so people don't have to carry them too far.

((FYI, Blaze spilled the beans to Adia about Reynard and what he did last winter, so Reynard should enjoy this last bit of blissful ignorance while he can. ;) ))

[shardofwinter]

"That makes them sound like a metal cyclops," he muses. After a second of thought he perks up with the idea, "A cross between a golem and a cyclops!"

Spotting the candles he heads over to the table and considers the display in front of him. He picks up a traditional candle and an electric one, bringing them back to Adia. "Which do you prefer?"

((Well! She won't be getting a Christmas card from him. ;P ))

[chiron_survivor]

She's not sure why he's so excited by the concept, but she nods agreeably. "I've described them as sentient golems to a few people here, from magical worlds."

Both candles would probably do the job equally well, but the bonfire sways her opinion. "The regular candle. It's more traditional, isn't it?"

((hahaha. I actually hadn't read too far back in the comm so the news about Reynard's eternal winter was a shock to me as well! Good thing Adia met him well after that.))

[shardofwinter]

His lips curl into a grin and his eyes smile at her. "I prefer them as well."

"Sentient golems... A good description." He peers off thoughtfully. "I wonder if they exist in my world."

Turning back to set down the electric candle, he picks three of the wax ones instead and brings them over. "Do you use candles much or everything advanced where you come from?"

((Far be it from Reynard to let things get dull around here!))