[bonfire night] Fire It Up

[theextras]

Although the notion had originally been Fitz's, the aliens latched onto it and so the Extras took it upon themselves to do most of the building for the bonfire. As the day progressed a tall wooden structure took shape in Sanctuary Square, and figures could be spotted on the roof of the Sanctuary itself setting up fireworks. There were also vendors

Comments

[location]

[tin_hearts]

November was turning into a month of increasingly strange weather. Cain watched as the skies went from bright white to cotton wool in less than an hour. The wind picked up in the afternoon and didn't seem to want to let up as darkness settled over the city.

Being a habitual kind of man, he kept his kitchen window open and caught a disconcerting smell on the wind for the third time this year - smoke. He looked out the window, trying to see the origin, but his relocation left a lot to desire in that department. No clear views as far as the eye could see. So he picked up his tablet and sent a quick message to his friends (namely Glitch and DG, and Smecker): Smoke on the air, going to investigate. Can you see anything from your location?

He put on his peacoat and bright red scarf and set out...and at the end of the proverbial rainbow, he found a fire.

A bonfire.

[text]

[justaddmarbles]

Yeah, it's a doozy of a fire but looks like things are under control. Still, I'm staying over by the hot cider.

You know, where it's safe.

[Text]

[tothelightshown]

[She couldn't blame him for jumping to conclusions when he saw the smoke - she had done the same thing, for a moment - but she was still smiling affectionately when she sent the reply.]

It isn't a crisis this time, Cain. It's a party. You should come.

[Text]

[tin_hearts]

Good thing someone spoke up. [And can't you just read the ever so slight snark between the letters?] Thanks kid. On my way.

[location]

[justaddmarbles]

Glitch had precisely no business going anywhere near a bonfire when something as simple as a lighted match could, in the right moment, fill him with terror. But this was a social event and there were drums and food and friends and family and fireworks lighting up the suddenly long, dark night.

So he's around, keeping a careful eye out for stray embers.

[location]

[tin_hearts]

Cain read Glitch's message, shook his head and opted not to reply.

Not before he found his friend, over by the hot cider. "Ha hah, Glitch. Very funny."

[location]

[justaddmarbles]

Glitch blinked and finished his cup of cider. "What? Not my fault you assumed the worst."

[location]

[tin_hearts]

Cain scoffed - but not in a mean way - and helped himself to some cider. "You could've told me about the bonfire."

Nice and toasty, and all.

[Location]

[poisonousparty]

Party secretly likes the yin and the yang. Just this past week he'd gone into mourning, crying over what was once and what could never be, the lost souls, all the ritalin rats and JuV Halls. Now?

Now there's a bit of a skip in his step because this is how Killjoys celebrate things. His stomach rumbles, loudly, but he's got a hand full of cable on one hand and a large bundle of fireworks on the other. The drum circle isn't even playing what he's singing, but despite the morbid lyrics he's singing his heart out, pleased and...safe

[Location]

[rereremembered]

"That's some beautiful imagery you've got there."

Which is Fitz for hullo, Party, you're always charmingly terrifying. He's dressed in his usual leather jacket, but in concession to the cold he's also got ona striped scarf and some fingerless gloves. His beloved Televaster is slung across his back for later playing.

"Is the event meeting your standards for entertainment?"

[Location]

[poisonousparty]

Party's response is, at first, to just sing louder, the surprisingly jaunty tune a bit of sonic discord in comparison to the subject latter, but..well, that's Party for you. "And we'll fly home, we'll fly home you and I, we'll--"

But Fitz interrupts him and Party's response is a fervent nod.

"This is real milkshake. Like the bonfires we have to get rid of our dead to the S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/Ws don't..y'know." But there's a bounce in his step--literally, he seems to be sashaying in a rather camp manner--and he sets the chords down, glancing over at the leather jacketed zonerat he's actually beginning to trust more than anyone else here.

"You're a genius. More nights like this, I think. And we don't have to worry about anyone finding the fire, you know? And--and fucking slaughtermatic jams, Fitz! Zonerat," he claps the other on the back, having to reach up quite a ways since Fitz is practically a towering giant.

"You're the best thing that's happened to Taxon."

[Location]

[freaks_myword]

Gwen stands a ways behind Party, arms crossed to shield against the cold air rather than to achieve any coolness vibe. She's in all long sleeves. After all, she can be practical when she can be. And she notices Party before he notices her. He's in the zone, seemingly aware of nothing but whatever world his head was in.

And look at that. Boy had a pretty nice singing voice. Her new friend really was full of surprises, wasn't he?

She comes up behind him after his rough coughing fit (and what's up with that?), not particularly sneakily, but she is there when he turns around.

"Hey there. For once, I'm the one overdressed."

[longaevus]

[ It had been years since Helen had seen a bonfire celebration and even longer since she'd attended one; the last time had been 1991. She'd needed to travel to England to attend to a matter in the UK Sanctuary and given the extended nature of the visit Ashley had come with her. Helen hadn't planned on taking her to view the event but given that Ashley had seen the fireworks she'd been naturally curious about it, and so they'd gone to the roof of the Sanctuary, watching the display from there

[tothelightshown]

DG, on the other hand, was wrapped up against the cold and one of the first on the scene after the sun went down.

"Helen? Aren't you cold? Do you want my coat?"

The offer was DG's way of apologising for snapping at Helen during her period in the cells. She'd been angry and confused, but that was no excuse for taking it out on someone who hadn't done anything wrong.

[longaevus]

Helen gave her a small smile before shaking her head.

"I'm okay, but thank you."

As much as her dress didn't protect her against the chill of the night and later months it wasn't something that she was worried particularly about, nor was it something that she wasn't used to - many nights on the roof of the Sanctuary had more than accustomed her to this.

"It's nice to see you out." She was referring back to her brief moment in jail. Helen had suspected after that that DG had been released, particularly after seeing her at the party. "I hope that Halloween didn't affect you too much?" And if so Helen hoped that DG wasn't one of the ones that did blame her.

[tothelightshown]

"It's nice to be out," said DG with a wry smile. She had no trouble guessing what Helen was referring to and DG was just as glad that situation had resolved itself. Going on the run had been an impulsive reaction. It wouldn't have been impossible to sustain in the long term.

"I was fine. I went as myself, so there was nothing for me to turn into."

Although dealing with what had happened to Glitch had been an interesting experience.

[Location]

[freaks_myword]

It was simple curiosity--Gwen's biggest vice--that brought her out from her lair. She only intended on seeing what all the noise was, and when she realized that it was only some kind of elaborate celebration, she rolled her eyes and resigned to return to her comfy, warm, glitch-free giant home. She wasn't in the mood for celebrating, and she felt a big show like this was only meant to lure her for some other big 'gotcha!' moment. Who did she think she was, venturing out to all these big Cumbaya parties, anyway? Crowds were never her thing. She was lucky the aliens hadn't decide her to glitch her into a chronic hugger.

But that curiosity...and perhaps an aching longing to be anywhere but her comfy, warm, glitch-free giant home, drew her further from solitude and closer to the brightness of Sanctuary Square.

Hey, if you can't beat 'em? ...Lurk on the outskirts and have a marshmallow.

[Location]

[imperial_long]

"Miss Raiden," says that very English voice. Lurking at the edge? Psh, this man has sharp eyes.

Long has just collected a cup of hot cider and is thus as near the edge of the crowd as he is likely to be. He offers Gwen a nod-half-bow thing, a polite smile.

"I'm afraid I haven't seen much of you since your arrival to the city." Because he spends all his time in the library and thus misses out on superhero shenanigans and cats and so forth. "How are you acclimating?"

[Location]

[freaks_myword]

"Mr. Long," she says right back to him, less English, but still proper and respectful, and acknowledging him with a responsive head-nod. It's nice to see someone who hadn't seen her drinking from a bowl of punch or scratching fleas as a cat, after all. And his showing up here is a pleasant surprise.

"You don't call, you don't write. You give a nifty little intro for this place and you don't check in. What's a girl to think?"

[Location] long would not use 'appalling' twice in a row.

[imperial_long]

Her witticism gets an appreciative laugh from him, amusement dancing in his dark eyes like the reflection of the bonfire's lights.

"I am taken to task for my lack of manners! Almost unprecedented. And justifiably so, which is even more unprecedented. I can only beg your forgiveness-- I have been caught up in paperwork."

He does not elaborate on what the paperwork might be, only raises the steaming paper cup of cider to her in an ironic maybe-a-toast. "The cider is not terrible. It at least does not taste as though it came from one of those appalling little paper packets with the powder inside. May I fetch you a cup, as penance for my breach of decorum?"