[OPEN] Residential Halloween Party

[fanstheflames]

WHO: EVERYONE.
WHAT: Resident run Halloween Party, as well as after party!
WHERE: District 2 restaurant, and also around the city.
WHEN: October 22 to October 31
WARNINGS: To be warned in character threads!

FLIERS GO OUT with the announcement of the university's Halloween Party, and the final preparations for the resident Halloween Party are put into motion. Word is put out that they'll start their party on the exact day of the university's, and on that day, fliers are put around today with a location and time, and message.

THEY'RE TESTING YOU. STAY AT HOME.
IF YOU WANT TO TEST THEM BACK, COME TO OUR PARTY. SEE WHAT THEY DO.
STAYING BACK IS ALWAYS SAFER.
People will do what people will, and in this place, intentions matter most.

But it's just a little party, right? What's the worst that could happen?

... AT THE PARTY.

The Halloween Party takes place at a restaurant with an open courtyard, a high wall to give some privacy, but the sky above is clearly visible, every door opened wide. Precautions even taken, with cinder blocks by the courtyard's double doors leading in and out, with a blanket and pumpkin on top for decoration, of course.

Your typical Halloween decor covers every inch, inside and out, and even on the outer wall to make clear you've found the right place: fake cobwebs cover the walls, there are glowing orange lanterns strung from the ceiling, dotted every now and then by hanging bats (yes, these are also fake) and there are jack-o-lanterns making all sorts of weird and delightful faces at you on countertops and on top of some of the tables. There’s even a skeleton in one of the corners gesturing to the bar! He’s got a cool top hat! He also has a sign propped up against him that reads PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY.

There’s food! There’s drinks! There’s merriment!

It should be the most inoffensive Halloween Party, by all accounts. And for some--who intend to go to the university's event--it will be. But for those who intend to stay away....

1. COMPULSION. It starts out small: you think about what's happening at the university. Sure, you may wonder what's happening and about the other people there, that's normal, but sometimes, you find your mind drifting: why aren't you there? It would be good to go, wouldn't it? You're not even sure why you wouldn't want to go, and you may even find yourself abruptly bringing it up in the middle of another subject to the person you happen to be talking to. Hey, why don't we go to the university? Don't they have a party going?

But then, you may catch yourself, or need another person to snap you out of it. And then you might become more aware of how insistent the thought is becoming...and how you're talking about what's happening at the university, even while trying to watch out for it.

2. IN COSTUME. You've come in costume--what's a Halloween Party without one? From your zombie outfits to your vampires (um, rude? Call the local vampires), maids to cats, there's nothing too serious nor silly for Halloween. You could even just have something simple for the mood--a pair of ears on, or a pumpkin pin.

Whatever you're wearing, over time you start to feel...let's say in character with your outfit. Are you just feeling giddy from the drink? But small instances start to become more insistent: This isn't just a costume, this is who you are. And maybe a person or encounter can make you snap out of it...

But what will happen before then? And how long will you be your regular you?

3. TRICK OF THE EYE. It's reasonable to be worried. There's an expectation that the city will find some way to screw with this party, but is it just your anxiety making you see things out of the corner of your eyes, or is something playing tricks on you? These visual tricks can continue through the night, either staying as small scares to catch you off-guard, or...

...they can become more than tiny glimpses: where you start to see people, figures science-like in nature, faces that appear to be watching you. People who aren't there when you try to approach them, or are gone when you blink. Or are they there? Is it other residents staring at you? Though they might insist they don't have a clue what you're talking about--or accuse you of doing the same.

4. PARANOIA. Slowly but perhaps inevitably, you feel a prickling on the back of your neck. And you can’t shake the insistent feeling that something terrible will happen if you stay here. But where is that feeling coming from? Did Robby put something in your drink when he handed it to you? Is Tsuruno’s smile concealing something more sinister? Can your hosts really be trusted? They might be throwing you under the bus here. Or maybe they were working for the City all along…

In that case, maybe it’s best to distance yourself as quickly as possible?

5. HAUNTINGS. It’s a nice party, you’re enjoying yourself, maybe bobbing for apples, maybe making out with that cute vampire in the corner (contain yourself, Midnight). Or you could be a killjoy and you’re just waiting to see what will go wrong, in which case you might be able to duck the caramel apple that comes soaring at you. Or the plate. Or a chair? While you won’t be able to pick up on anything supernatural beyond a chills and the distinct feeling that Someone is watching you…

It’s a little hard to ignore when things keep getting tossed at you with increasing regularity with no real source behind it. And you may find yourself being tossed–

Right out of the party. Wow, maybe the university party has bouncers that are a little more polite.

... IN THE CITY.

The party has ended! The one at the university is, apparently, going strong for multiple days! But you’ve resisted! You decided to go along with this experimental idea and made it through thus far! But the horrors persist, don’t they?

And maybe they’re a little more stubborn than you are.

1. COMPULSION. You went to the party, or you never did--it doesn't matter. For some reason, you can’t get the thought of going to the university party out of your head. And maybe it’s light, at first. Just a passing thought. Or maybe you find yourself unconsciously heading in the direction of the university, or even start having it come up in conversation.

“Hey how are you” totally sounds like “Halloween party at the university”, right? Doesn’t this actually sound like a good idea, the more you think about it?

2. DISORIENTATION. Something feels… off. You only paused for a few seconds, so why has it been an hour? Despite your best efforts, your focus keeps slipping away in increasing intervals, and the more frequently this happens, the more time you feel like you’ve lost, even if that person you’re with helps you fill in the blanks. And if no one’s there to assist? Well, you felt like getting lost today, surely!

3. TRICKS. As the day drags on, you may find yourself turning on your heel at the sound of… a familiar voice or a bit of nostalgic conversation, the joyful sounds of a party. But no matter which direction you hear it from, when you turn around, there’s no one there.

It gets worse. You start to see things, flickering across your line of vision, suddenly there. But it’s nothing friendly or warmly nostalgic. They’re flashes of your worst fears, more and more insistent, and these will only increase in frequency the longer you hold off on going to the university party. Is it really worth being stubborn over? This could all be resolved so very quickly.

4. IN COSTUME. If you were at the party, you find it difficult or even undesirable to take off the costume. If you weren’t at the party, you’ll still find yourself dressing up to get into the Halloween spirit, which maybe you didn’t actually give a damn about before? Such is the magic of the holidays.

But it’s more than just a different outfit. You’re starting to acquire characteristics of that outfit. And maybe you can feel those fake vampire fangs digging into your lip with increasing sharpness. Wow, that face paint for your zombie costume is starting to look alarmingly legit! That growl that just came out of your throat might have been wolfish and convincing, but surely you’re not actually turning into a wolf–right?

Don’t worry, it’s not actually real. But you should really go check out the university! Haven’t you been through enough?

Comments

bartender, halloween edition [open]

[unrequite]

[ Midnight's repertoire is unfortunately not as expansive as Daan's, but there's a card on the counter that happily announces five of his specialties — an Old-fashioned, a Screwdriver, a Margarita, a Cosmopolitan, and a Mojito — and a Halloween special: something aptly named Welcome To Hell, which, as he'll happily explain, is a slightly modified Sex on the Beach. (He'll also make virgin versions of all applicable drinks, attempt a custom order with a little guidance, or serve water to those in need of hydration.)

And because there are children at this party, he's opted for a more formal vest and bowtie combo, with the cuffs on his white pressed shirt rolled to his elbows, as befitting a bartender. However, in the spirit of the night, he's also acquired a pair of pink bunny ears and a tail... So given the tone of the night, he might get a little playful. (Not like that. Seriously! He'll wait until the end of the night!!!) ]

Hello, love, what can I get you?

[fanstheflames]

I mean, "Welcome to Hell" sounds pretty exciting?

[ Look at this girl, popped up onto her toes to say hello to this buntender. She's all decked out like a pirate captain, hat included. ]

[unrequite]

[ That'll be a "Welcome to Heck" for her! He leans under the bar to grab the peach nectar from its cooler. ]

Coming right up. With that outfit, I daresay you'd cut quite the figure at those particular gates. Planning on swashbuckling your way out?

[miyagimagic]

[ One should probably wear a Halloween costume at a Halloween party and all, but.. well, there's just certain things you can't force a man to do, especially when he's got enough Halloween party trauma and feels a little too old to put on a silly costume at this point.

B-Besides, he isn't here to party! He's here to supervise, okay, someone's got to watch the kids..

Except it seems that someone else did come to watch the kids and wear a little silly costume at the same time, huh. Because even though Daniel is very much dressed the same as always, he does spot Midnight there at the bar.. with bunny ears..

Well, maybe it shouldn't be entirely surprising, given Midnight's natural extravagance, but still. It makes Daniel really try to not smile too much as he approaches the counter. ]

I'll take whatever your speciality is.

[ He knows Midnight is probably here to supervise the kids too, given what Daniel asked from him - and there's something definitely heartwarming about seeing the other guy living up to the request - but Daniel still can't help but ask, lightly playful: ]

Are you having fun?

[unrequite]

Welcome to Hell, then, Mr. LaRusso.

[ He'll get the vodkas and the grenadines out, humming cheerfully to himself. Honestly, this guy is a service industry natural... What a people pleaser. ]

Having a delightful time, the odd accident aside.

[ And the rampant emotional manipulation, but he's never liked being told what to feel, so his natural stubbornness is carrying him through that particular discomfort. He loves a conversation, he loves serving drinks. That's enough. ]

And you? I see you're taking your chaperoning duties quite seriously.

[ Midnight gestures at the good ol' dad casual there. He's grinning, though. Getting dressed up at his own age takes some confidence himself, he's quite aware. He's Just Built Different... or, uh, really has no shame, honestly. ]

[reposing]

[There's a dog.

Well, no, it's a giant white wolf. Someone seems to have dressed him up with a fur-collared cape and a whip, as if he's a dog, but it's definitely a wolf. He approaches the bar and sits.

Then lets out a huff.

Well, it's not like he can communicate with people words now, can he?]

[unrequite]

[ ... bork?

Midnight, for his part, looks at the wolf rather amicably, head tilted. How very dapper. He's about the size Midnight would expect of a Lupo back home, so he simply nods, grinning. ]

I can't rightly get you your order if you insist on that attitude, you know. Did you want something on the menu?

[worldexecute]

( Wow, he looks presentable. Angela's not dressed any different than usual... is what would the narration would say if not for the fact her usual librarian director digs were recently-this-month torn up thanks to her transformation. If she can find an able tailor, she could probably get them fixed, but for now—

...but for now, she's still not in costume at all, just in Regular People Wear. Something like this and a plain white blouse, which will still be a nice surprise for Midnight and anyone else who knows her.

Anyway, she's glancing at his list of drinks and... well... none of them are particularly descriptive, now are they? So. )

Make me one you think I'd like.

[unrequite]

[ Just presentable!? 🥺

Anyway, his nonsense about his vanity aside, he is not at all subtle about what he thinks about her look. That is, he won't make more than a few comments about it, considering his half-remembered conversation with her about her lack of passion about her looks, but he will boost himself onto the bar counter, taking the look in, nodding approvingly when he's done, pink ears wiggling. ]

Your colormatching is impeccable... You really have a good eye for a comfortable silhouette. Anyway, for you...

[ He hums. ]

A screwdriver, I think. Apologies for not being particularly adventurous, but you do strike me as the type to enjoy an orange juice.

kim kitsuragi | disco elysium

[aceslow]

a. party.

[ When Kim arrives at the party, it's not in-costume. He's not in a merry mood, he will admit, and he doesn't see the point in dressing up at the best of times; it's a humiliating practice for most people, deeply unnecessary, and uncomfortable besides. No, he's here out of solidarity, to support their hosts' attempts to protest against the patterns they've all found themselves falling into. He is, at least, open enough to the party to spoon himself a hot cup of - non-alcoholic - apple cider and sit back, content enough to watch the younger, more spirited members of their community at least pretend to have a good time.

He looks around the place, a little impressed despite himself. ] They really went all-out on the decorations, didn't they? I would have thought just staying away from the university would have been good enough.

[ Despite his words, he doesn't sound as though he disapproves; rather, there's a quirk at the corner of his mouth. If people here want to make their own fun, he's all for it. Life here is difficult. They need to find joy where they can. ]

b. compulsions.

[ After the party, it becomes apparent that it's all gone to shit. He had set out on his way to walk home, but keeps on finding himself suddenly turning tail, setting off towards the university without his knowing it. He's stuck in that cycle for god knows how long, endlessly pacing the city block, hands shoved deep in his pockets as he tries to ignore the prickling along the nape of his neck, the way that he simply stands there at the crossroads, losing track of time until ten, twenty, thirty minutes have passed. Why can't he just go home? Eventually, he simply sits down cross-legged in the middle of the sidewalk, glaring out at the world before him. It's the only way he seems to be able to resist the urge to break out into a run towards the university. ]

What the hell is...

[ And then, out of the corner of his eye, what he's been seeing all evening -- not a member of the City, but someone else, taking notes, watching him. ]

What is that?

a

[fanstheflames]

[ Overhearing him, one of the party organizers comes trotting over in full-blown pirate captain regalia, complete with Unnecessarily Fancy Hat. ]

Where'd be the fun in that? Sure, it's an experiment, but it doesn't mean it can't still be a party with creative decorations, right?

[ She went so hard, she's proud of it. ]

[aceslow]

Fun hasn't exactly been my priority.

[ That much is apparent just by looking at him -- Kim's inflexible face seems fixed in stony stoicism, his voice, gentle though it may be, just as quiet and calm. He's too old for this anyway, far older than most of the people here, comfortably middle-aged. Still, there's a softness to his eyes when he looks at Tsuruno. ]

Which isn't to say it shouldn't be yours. Best to find the good where you can. This was a good idea, you know. I wouldn't have been able to think of it myself.

a

[miyagimagic]

[ Make that two old men who decided to not put on costumes for a Halloween party.. But given Daniel's own reasons for not doing it, coupled with what he knows about Kim-- it's not surprising at all to see the other not in costume either.

It's also not too surprising to see him here. It seems like the sort of thing Kim would support, even if Daniel's own angle on beiong here has a little more to do with looking out for the kids than necessarily rebellion in itself.

And when he approaches the other and hears what Kim is saying, a smile appears on Daniel's lips. Is he nervous about how this entire thing might turn out? Sure, but.. at least there's good company for now. It might help him forget about his worries for a few moments. ]

Those two don't do anything halfway. [ There's some pride in the words that Daniel couldn't hide, even if he'd try. ] This entire plan was wild enough by itself, wasn't it?

a-ish

[strongroots]

[ Robby has joined in with the costumes, going for a silly cowboy outfit to match the very serious mood of the night. He's a smile to everyone that shows up, if less energetic as his co-host, but he's doing his polite rounds to people that show up.

And he recognises a certain man when he sees if, even if Robby needs a second -- but only a second, given that he doesn't need to think hard about where he might've seen an older-looking man.

Ah, right. ]

Mister Kisseragi? [ There's no need for his approach to him to be a surprise; and regardless of if Kim sees Robby approach him or not, his smile to him is sheepish from the start. ] Sorry, uh, I dunno if I said that right. Nice to see you.

yuki tsukumo | jjk

[unimportant]

A. Barrier

[ As more people start coming into the party, Yuki decides it's a good time to set-up a curtain. The goal is to let anyone in so long as they are a 'resident' of the city. It'll let her monitor who comes in and out at any time, and alert her if something tries to come in that doesn't meet that parameter. She isn't certain how effective it will be, but limiting it too much would make it hard for people to take shelter at the little rebel party.

It's already after hours so the barrier won't be as noticeable unless someone looks very carefully at the area surrounding the courtyard and restaurant. Careful observation will uncover the dome to the naked eye, and those with spiritual powers won't even need to look hard.

So whether you notice it go up at the moment of or only later, Yuki is mainly sticking around the center of the party to best maintain the barrier. ]

B. Entertainment

[ What's a party without the fun? If you want to join Yuki for games, she'll offer:

-Scary stories: Let's trade off haunting tales in the spirit of the celebration.
-Arm wrestling: Won't even use her cursed energy for this one.
-Ouija board: Found at a local generic toy store for the season, surely inviting spirits won't go wrong!

Pick your poison, or wildcard up a game of your own ]

[ ooc: main event toplevel - for the more intense stuff after the party. ]

b

[strongroots]

[ I'm sorry, but is someone offering arm wrestling? Their barrier lady of the night?

Robby just sees her in position, and he is so tempted--the look is clear on his eyes (also, nevermind his very dorky cool cowboy outfit). ]

I'm not gonna find out you're superpowered or anything, am I?

[ Because, you know. ... actually, he still might give it a go. ]

Argalia / Library of Ruina

[entwinedfate]

i. andante con grazia

[ Argalia had chosen a modest costume, fitting a pair of silver wolf ears into similarly colored hair, and while he might notably be missing the cape he'd been wearing last anyone saw him...

Well. Maybe it'll make an appearance on someone else.

The wolfishness won't come out in the way it might in a horror movie, more alike to a predator watching and stalking its prey, but Argalia seems at home the way he rests in the outdoors with a simple glass of water. No alcohol for him tonight, thank you. ]

... Can I help you?

[ Since clearly, you've been staring at him. He doesn't mind; he's rather pretty and he knows it, all smiles and charmingly lidded eyes. Color Fixers are a little more attuned to their surroundings, so he's aware there's something odd about the atmosphere right now -- but still, certainly, he's caught someone staring at him. Hasn't he?

Better safe than sorry. Oh, but if it's Fearne, he'll just wiggle his fingers in greeting. ]

ii. lamentoso

[ The party'd been fun. Argalia's keen to see what happens the longer he stays from the university's party, as per request of those kids, even if the initial experiment was. Not great, as the youth would put it.

... His keen hearing is what gets him, though. A familiar voice he stops and turns at, scanning the streets remarkably flapped, and steadily he tries to find it. Find her, a memory played on repeat in conversation; he thinks briefly of Roland's mentioning that this place had haunted him with her before and laughs.

Probably, probably. But Argalia has been missing her terribly, since he'd arrived and lost the breeze against his cheeks, the clouds watching from above. ]

Excuse me, [ he'll say politely enough to any he sees, ] but you haven't happened to see a woman who resembles me, have you?

[ Calm, even-tones, though his eyes flick about and the call of his name lingers in his ears; Uberto, Uberto, Uberto. ]

iii. tempo comodo

[ the wildcard option. if neither suits you, throw anything at me or i'll write up a starter just hit me through PM or on plurk sundrymunity ]

icb i've been baited. how was i not supposed to huh

[fauned]

( grandma's girl, a fondness for straying off the path and dallying with the big bad - a funny enough reference to herself that she figured, well, why not. she's got ten days of festivities to dress up for anyway.

on her shoulders sits a long cape, red as an apple, with a hood that she can't quite pull up due to both the nagging issue of her horns and sheer volume of hair. a modest dress, of course, her usual would detract from the look. she's even got a wicker basket full of silly trinkets on her arm. even more of the decorations, seemingly, with her leaving plastic spiders here and there for people to find when there were none otherwise just a moment previous..

with one she fumbles the moment she spots the familiar shock of silver. ah.

then he does that, and she has to resist the urge to.. what, bite him? walk away? stick her tongue out in open rebellion? because the man knows exactly what he's doing and she's done a terrible job of not staring already.

so she'll stay on her side of this courtyard for now thanks! but he does at least get a more proper acknowledgement in the form of a mouthed: )

You're a bastard.

( - then innocently takes a sip of her cider before anyone else could be the wiser. )

vanessa ives | penny dreadful (cw; snake imagery)

[matermali]

{ i'm a dream and so are you and so are we
courtyard — by a case of mistaken identity

[ Although recent moods had been sunk so low, Vanessa did enjoy working on her green and gold Medusa costume with Badou. It may be the most skin she's ever exposed to the public, but accountability seems to have vanished of late, and she's still inclined to enjoy the season...only something is continuously teasing her attempts at cheer. It's always when she's on the verge of settling down. When she entertains thoughts of initiating conversation or perusing tempting snacks, a lurking shadow in her periphery beckons her to turn. These events, these visions incessantly plagued her even before arrival, and they are always accompanied by the eerie sensation of unseen eyes upon her.

For Vanessa, this sense has a haunting familiarity. What's even more disquieting is when the fragmented spectres become whole and her gaze finds a figure that shouldn't be here, even less so than her. Their attire goes beyond a masquerade; they're some manner of scientist or physician? In this sudden presence, the oppressive weight of scrutiny feels almost suffocating.

She has been a pawn in one too many scientific endeavors, and without a moment's hesitation, she launches forward to seize the arm of whoever it is that thinks to hold her for observation once more. ]

Stop it.

[ Yet, just as she hisses out her command, the illusion of an intruder dissipates, leaving another unfortunate soul in her grip; someone she certainly did not intend to assail. If they refrain from immediately knocking her in the face, she's ready with an apology.

She may even remember to...let go. ]

{ a transition to a different sphere of consciousness
restaurant — through a poltergeist in distress

[ Whether it’s to seek solace from any embarrassment her behavior has caused, or simply to take a break from the sensory overload of the party, Vanessa is seizing a moment to catch her breath while sitting in a booth near a quieter spot of the restaurant. A cup of coffee that has gone tepid rests untouched by her folded arms.

It’s only for the reflection in her periphery that she catches the threat in time, ducking just as a fork from one of the tables flies over her head to clatter against the windowpane. Now that is something to break her peace, and that’s when she notices someone else nearby.

Quickly standing, she casts an ice blue stare through the gold visage of her mask. There’s a mild alarm in the rasp of her voice, but it remains hushed for the moment. ]

Was that you?

[ She's quite curious if not. ]

{ ooc

[ Wildcard her anywhere at the party. For plotting, please feel free to PM me, hit my OOC TL, or find me at cherto. Please bring me the horror. Here's her TL at the haunted house.

If you want your character to pick up on Vanessa's dark supernatural vibe or have her sense anything specific from yours, I welcome cross-canon trouble. It may be good to check her Permissions for a list of severe content warnings, but they'll be added to the tags as needed. ]

courtyard;

[lupusintus]

Vanessa, it's me.

[ Far from lashing out at her, he clasps one of his hands over hers and forgoes his usual formality with her name in public to bring her the rest of the way out of her stupor. Sharp eyes scan her face and then the area around them, looking for whatever had her so on edge. When Ethan doesn't find anything that he can see, he gives her hand a little squeeze and aims to steer them away from the immediate area. ]

What happened? Did someone attack you?

[ He knows better than to question her visions: if she reacted in such a way then something was there. Maybe it wasn't any longer, but it had been and that's enough for him to want to get her away from the scene of the crime. He offers her his arm and, by proxy, himself as her escort for the duration of the rest of the evening. It was something he was unable to do once before, when she requested it of him, so he is going to remedy that now.

Still, he can't resist the temptation to look over his shoulder to see if whatever it was reappears; it doesn't. Maybe his costume is too intimidating. ]

restaurant

[miyagimagic]

[ Honestly, Daniel was just approaching Vanessa because she was sitting there all by herself. He did figure she was taking a break from the more energetic teenage hustle and bustle parts of the party, but that doesn't mean anyone should have to go without company, right?

Especially when it seems like she truly did her best to dress up - unlike Daniel, who is.. well, he isn't dressed up at all. He's just wearing his usual clothes. H-He's chaperoning the kids, okay!

But filed right under things he didn't expect to happen while approaching her is something just.. randomly flying through the air. Daniel does turn his head to try and see if any of the kids got a little too wild, but then his attention is drawn right back to Vanessa instead when she speaks up.

The hushed accusation has Daniel looking a touch flustered for a moment - a weakness for strong women, really - before the man quickly shakes his head. ]

No, that's-- Maybe one of the kids got a little too wild. [ Well, not like he actually saw that happening, but of course Daniel is normal enough to assume that before his brain would move on to the conclusion of 'party's haunted.'

His fluster softens into something a little more concerned. ]

Are you alright? It didn't hit you, did it?

a

[strongroots]

[ Things are...off, to say the least. More than the unnerving sensation that had been nagging at Robby, easy to dismiss as worries. He's had them, since he's gotten more involved with the plan: when what started as some defiant way to snub the city was given time to brew, and the reality and dangers became more a possibility than some idea aired as a means of acting against their abductors.

Robby's been worried for a while, making excuses and hoping the best regardless, but also accepting that he's played a part in this coming together. Finding a certain strength to do his part, and yet tonight--tonight, he's been plagued by an ever heavier uneasiness, an inability to settle for long.

Waiting on bad news, his eyes open at the bodies and faces around. He tries to hide his worries behind a mask of a host (god, a mask would've been good, but instead he'd opted to be a cowboy), but he's biting at the back of his bottom lip, telling himself over and over--he's just imagining things.

And yet, that's not where his mind is at all when he feels a hand around his wrist, startling him, face turning at the woman peering at her from behind her mask. His mouth opens, but he fails to immediately speak. ]

I--

[ And he fails to say anything of substance after, like he's caught by her command. Stop the party? Stop doing this to them-- ]

Loki | MCU | OTA

[abit_ofboth]

At the Party

No one ever said Loki didn’t love a good party. He didn’t really share with anyone what his plans were for the event, but Loki is looking forward to causing some dissent by not going to the City run event. He’s regretting this decision only slightly as he’s curious to know what Hob has decided to do. He’s found he can’t stop thinking about the man, even if he’s feeling less certain (re: scared he’s totally misread everything and did something he’s going to regret for a literal eon), but as Loki strides into the party, a wide grin on his face and dressed like a viking (a real viking, thank you), no one would be able to tell he was anything but ready to party.

He strides through the room, looking to see who is there while trying to appear as though he’s not looking at all, and heads directly to the bar. What’s a party without a bit of alcohol anyway? Loki looks around trying to see what they are serving, hoping but not expecting something decent.


Trick of the Eye


Loki is happily mingling around the room. Much like a certain friend of his, he’d had some worries about the party being organized by two people who were frightfully young, Loki has never met a party he didn’t enjoy.

Okay, maybe that was a lie, but this one hasn’t been so bad thus far.

He’s just retrieved another drink when he thinks he sees someone standing in the corner. Normally he wouldn’t think much of it, but there was something about said person that had him feeling a little uneasy. When he turns to look, the person is gone and Loki shakes his head, figuring it must be just someone at the party, people watching much as he is.

As the night goes on, he sees more of these people, all dressed similarly, but when he actively looks for them, can find no sign of them. A little tipsy, Loki turns to the closest person to him asking, “did you see that? Those people?” Yeah, he’s not quite as elegant after he’s had a few.

[codenametesla]

I. At the Party

[Of course Althea was curious what would happen, should the people of the city avoid the Halloween party, but it seemed some had gone even further in this experiment and thrown their own.

So of course she had to check it out!

But despite the weirdness of the city and the lingering fear that something was certainly going to go wrong, or perhaps because of those things, she kind of still wanted to find a costume. She never had before, so what better time than the present?

That being said, she maaaaaaay have gone overboard. Just a little! The outfit itself was a fairly standard 'steampunk mad scientist' kind of fare, but the kicker was a somewhat clunky and awkwardly made leather and metal gauntlet that looked like she'd attached extra wires and metal nodes to, like some sort of discount jacob's ladder on an even cheaper knockoff brand iron man gauntlet. If she channeled some of her electricity through it, the jacob's ladder lit up, and also smelt a lot like burnt electronics.

And she was proud as HELL.]

II. Compulsion
[But as cute as the party is, as happy as Althea is to take part in this experiment and even to interact with some of the others stuck here...

Her mind keeps wandering.]

What do you think is happening at the party at the University?

[It's asked idly, as she shifts her gauntlet under her arm to grab a cute halloween snack.

She may have asked this already. She may have asked you this already. She has no idea.]

ii

[miyagimagic]

[ .. huh.

It is - indeed - not the first time Althea has asked Daniel this during the party. And her costume stands out enough to the man that he does know it's the same person asking him it, even if he wouldn't already be remembering the face in the first place.

It makes the man blink in a bit of surprise - Daniel himself is also wearing absolutely no costume, he's just here to chaperone the kids, okay!! - before his eyebrows knit together into a faint frown. ]

I'm.. pretty sure you asked me that half an hour ago or so. [ Then again, maybe she just forgot? There's quite some people at this rebel party, so.. ] Have you been going around and asking everyone that?