He did the monster mash! [party thread]

[smithnjones]

[OOC: I know there have been a lot of posts lately, but this one can be tagged from now until whenever. I just wanted to get it up this weekend. It technically happens Sunday evening. There has been advertisements up in the journal and around the Kashtta. Non-Kashtta residents can come too! Costume is not required though remember, you can feel free

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[arrowblessed]

Off in one of the corners there stands a small young lady in black with a haphazardly painted face, no older than sixteen (at the most) who some might recognize as Kenzie Douglas. She's perched upon a makeshift stage of sorts-a bunch of empty boxes pushed together that just barely support her weight, covered with a maroon sheet-reading to the small crowd gathered around her.

The book in her hands is large and heavy, easily as big as her head if she decided to hold it up for size comparison, leather-bound and lined with fake gold trim. The cover reads, simply, POE.

She's currently reciting The Raven, one of her favorites, with all the grim enthusiasm and emotion of a seasoned actor whose done this hundreds of times. (The count might not be into the hundreds just yet, but it's close.)

[sophicsulphur]

Iris did only run into Kenzie that one time, so she doesn't recognise the face-painted girl. She does like poetry, though, so she's going to wander over and listen for a while, apologising to those she bumps with her huge (and thankfully, blunt) swordlike accessory as she finds a place amongst the crowd.

Soon she's caught up in the reading, the cadence of the words entrancing her, the talk of souls outpouring and mysterious prophets beguiling a fine fancy for her mind to slip into. As Kenzie finishes with the last line and the small crowd bursts into applause, she's jolted out of her reverie and starts clapping too-- or at least, clapping one hand against her closed fist, since she can't clap very well holding a Keyblade.

"...That was fantastic," she says to her, as the crowd begins to disperse. "Did you write that?"

[arrowblessed]

"Pfff, no," Kenzie nearly scoffs, peering at Iris in a do-I-know-you? sort of way. Once she decides that she probably doesn't, her expression shifts to one much more serious. She folds her arms across her chest, clutching the now-closed book against her body in the process. "It was written by the late Edgar Poe," she explains, "who you might've heard of as Edgar Allan Poe, but the thing is, John Allan wasn't a very nice man-or so I've heard-so I refuse to call him Edgar Allan. I think he would have wanted it that way."

She then arches an eyebrow. "Wait, you've never heard of Poe? The Raven's pretty much his most famous work, and one of the most well-known in the world."

[sophicsulphur]

"Ah, no," she says, sheepishly rubbing at the back of her neck. "Sorry. I'm a Wanderer. Still pretty new to this world."

There's something to be said for the lengths she's going to to defend the man, though. Iris can appreciate that kind of respect. "I think that's nice, though," she adds. "That you think about what he would have wanted. That you honour his memory that way."

She gives Kenzie a soft little smile. "I think he'd have appreciated it. The way you read his poem so well. I can tell you really cared."

[monsterinstinct]

Kae looks like she's going on safari!

A sexy safari.

Really, she didn't know that the costume would be quite this skimpy, but that's not really a problem; if anyone wants to come hit on her, they'll certainly be detoured by the lion that's sitting serenely next to her as she nibbles on a caramel apple, both watching the people who pass by.

Yes, we said lion. A real, live one.

Technically, this is her first Halloween. She doesn't have to worry about catching the curse of Al Howin from anything this year, so she decided she'd party it up and go all-out. Her costume would not have been complete without a lion. And if you disagree, well.

You can take it up with the lion.

[consumesflesh]

"That is a lion," Sunshine says, blinking at Kae. "You have like, the best costume ever."

Says the girl who might as well not be wearing a costume. There's some yellow body paint on her, but that's about it. Mostly, there is nakedness. This is Sunshine we're talking about, and she's pretty broke as of late. What, with the whole losing her house and getting banned from most of the bars in Chicago thing.

[monsterinstinct]

"It is a lion," Kae says, smiling up at Sunshine. She's the first person to give her a compliment, and-

And she's naked.

Blink, blink. Kae doesn't avert her gaze, but she does make a clearly concentrated effort at keeping her eyes on Sunshine's face. (There is also blushing.) "Um," she stammers. "What are you supposed to be?"

[consumesflesh]

"I am a ray of sunshine!" Sunshine says as if this was a rather obvious thing. Which it very much is... not. And really isn't a costume at all. "So, where did you get the lion?"

Sunshine may or may not actually notice the fact that Kae is mildly embarrassed at her lack of clothing. She may just not care.

[sophicsulphur]

Iris is one of those who woke up this morning in her costume. And couldn't figure out how to take it off. So she decided to try and track down that Halloween costume party thing that Phoebe was talking about, because if there's one place she won't actually look out of place in this getup, it's there.

She's dressed as Halloween Town Sora, by the way, if you were wondering. Although the Keyblade she's carrying, which she can set down but never quite seem to get rid of, is the Way to the Dawn.

She's sure the universe is trying to be funny, with all those wings. The outfit's starting to grow on her, though, even if one of her "wingtips" is bent from having been lying on it in her sleep.

Currently, she's hanging out on one of the couches with a candy apple in her hand, checking out a movie. Because she really just couldn't say no to candy apples.

...So this is what zombies are, she thinks, mildly alarmed and mildly intrigued.

[allmydiredreams]

Babel can never pass up a party, especially now that she's not being a gibbering mess in the streets anymore. And this is an excellent time to catch up on things, right? A big community event like this?

Oh, who are we kidding? She's been glued to the candy buffet since she got there.

So now there's a small, flitty zombie in a torn Smiths t-shirt and a skirt full of safety pins running around like a hamster hopped up on crack. Or a Babel hopped up on sugar. The sheer amount of candy corn (and candy pumpkins) this girl has consumed is enough to make the rest of the room sick.

And she's just discovered the candy apples as well. Though she's putting even more candy on top of the sticky stuff covering said apple, mostly because she grabbed the apple while she still had a handful of candy, and then needed a hand to do something, so she plopped all the candy on the apple

[sophicsulphur]

"--Gah!"

Iris almost jumped out of her skin, Babel. One minute she was watching that poor guy's sister get eaten by a zombie on-screen-- she's just about used to the fact that movies aren't real, but she can't imagine how they could have faked that one-- and the next, you threw yourself down next to her, covered in what Iris dearly hopes is fake blood and looking like, well, death.

She stares at the girl dumbly for a moment before the familiar energy crashes over her, and she works out what's going on. "...Babel?"

She's still wide-eyed and clutching her heart, even after she gets a sense of her. None of the costumes here so far have been particularly scary, and admittedly at this point she's sort of expecting them, but it's always a shock to be interrupted by a zombie when you're watching a zombie movie.

"Please don't eat wings," she says, looking alarmed at the very thought. Her back muscles twitch, as if she can pull the fake ones in, away from the possibility of hungry Babelmouth.

[allmydiredreams]

Babel giggles, flopping the rest of the way onto the couch. It's a very undignified process, involving a bit of flailing when she remembers she's wearing a very short skirt and is currently upside down, as well as a bit of nearly kicking Iris and a random partygoer passing by in the head to right herself. She just grins in place of an apology, and takes another bite of double-candy apple. She may or may not be bouncing, kicking her very-worn-and-safety-pinned combat boots out in front of her.

"I have never run across zombies that go for wings," she says. "Brains are the usual delicacy." She headtilts at Iris for a moment, still chewing. "Though sometimes shoulders are fine too."

And now she is going to pretend to nom Iris's shoulder. As a proper zombie should.

[wearsnomask]

Rachel has tagged into this thread because Heather has told the narration to do so. Rachel is not big on Halloween. Back in Gotham, it usually meant the crime before, during, and after it would go up the roof. In general, she doesn't like wearing costumes.

Masks are a bit of a sore spot with her, you see. Oh God, if someone is dressed up as Batman...

No, she had no plans to dress up, but the Rift decided otherwise.

She is very, very displeased with its choice in costume.

...Cough.

[winterdog]

What, you mean someone like Conway?

Now why would he be dressed up as Batman?

WHY WOULD HE EVEN BE IN CHICAGO?

DOES HE EVEN KNOW WHO BATMAN IS?

And where the hell is Callie?

Questions: The Universe has them.

The brief explanation is this: Conway's trying to promote his solo act in the States over the next two weeks, so he figured it'd be nice to take a little side trip to Chicago and see some people (namely, Rachel). Except this morning he woke up in his hotel room with this weird outfit on, and he can't get it off.

The worst part is the chest plate. He is not that ripped and he feels ridiculous. But oh, hey! Look! There's Rachel! Time to say hello!

"Hullo, Rachel!"

Oh, and as for Callie, she's back home. With Ashley. Conway's girlfriend.

BOOM.

[wearsnomask]

Rachel recognizes that voice. She doesn't know that many men with accents. And besides, Conway's is rather unique in its own way.

A smile is already pulling its way across her face as she turns around. "Conway, hi!"

And then it freezes in spot.

She blinks. And stares.

And does a little of both some more.

"...Why are you wearing that?"

[winterdog]

"I woke up like this," he explains, shrugging a shoulder. "I'll tell you what, it's not very comfy. Definitely not fun to wake up in. I dunno what's with this chest plate thing..." Conway pokes himself in the chest, then frowns.

"I think I'm supposed to be some superhero or something."

[theacheisleft]

Lucky Spencer has been given the 411 about his situation from someone who found him on the sidewalk and led him to this Tower. He fell through the Rift. There is no way back. There is no way back to his sons, to the important undercover operation that he was handling. It is only this city and this place.

He is seated on a table, thinking about an alcoholic drink. He does not move to get it, but he is thinking about it as he sits at the table with the Halloween music playing overhead.

It is hard to describe the pain in his heart at the thought that he will never see his boys again. There is no use describing it. It is what it is, and it exists in his heart always at that heavy knowledge. There has to be a way back. He'll find it. He can't leave the boys without a word. He stands from the table, intent on getting more punch or something when he runs into another person in the attempt.

[doyoulikecake]

Kaden had been innocently getting himself punch, chatting with a Catwoman taller than he about how no, he's never actually played the Final Fantasy games, this whole Sephiroth thing was a lost bet, funny story, blah blah, when suddenly he's slammed into and there's punch dripping down the front of said Catwoman.

"Godammit!" she blurts out, reaching for the napkins immediately. Awkward. At least he didn't get any of it on himself.

"Sorry," he says, half turning to look at who rammed into him but still talking to her. "Some people's kids. Eager to get to the punch, man?" The last bit's directed at Lucky with a smile, though there's a bite in his words.

[theacheisleft]

Before Lucky fell through the Rift, he had been undercover in Ireland. Many of the lessons and rules that he had reminded himself as he was playing the part of Ronan return to him in this new city. This new universe. Be unassuming. Trust no one. Don't pick fights unless it's unavoidable.

Some people's kids.

He does not miss that implication, but he doesn't respond to it, other than in the tightening of his jaw. It wouldn't matter as much to him if he hadn't been thinking of the kids that he left behind.

"You could say that," Lucky says with a slight grimace as he reaches for more napkins to hand to Catwoman. The apology in his expression is sincere. "I'm sorry. Normally, I pay more attention to where I'm going."

[doyoulikecake]

Kaden notices the tightening of the other guy's jaw, the way he wants to fight but doesn't, and his smile gets a little more genuine. Nothing like picking the little tells out of total stranger's faces to make him relax a little bit more. Not a whole lot, but then, he's taught as a strung wire right now between the drugs and the Calling. Those two things are probably the only two things that are keeping him upright at this point.

Catwoman accepts the napkins with a nod, and proceeds to start wiping the punch off her costume a bit awkwardly. She looks like she wants to say something, but before she gets the chance, Kaden jumps in. "Ah, don't worry about it," he says, impulsively putting his hand on Lucky's shoulder for a moment. "I'm sure it's fine. Innocent mistake, right?"

Then he tilts his head at the other man. "Not one of the costuming types?" he asks. "Or am I just missing a very subtle joke?"