voidtreckerexpress | it's halloween, lo-ween, everybody!

Entry tags:

it's halloween, lo-ween, everybody!

Who: Everyone's Invited!
Where: Various decorated carriages!
When: Horseshoe 31.
What: Della is hosting a Halloween party! Come for treats, tricks, and trouble!
Warnings: N/A, will update it needed.

The room is dark…why aren’t the lights on? But as the doors fully open, a voice begins laughing darkly…

… although if you’ve ever heard the voice of Della Duck, you’ll recognize her immediately.

“Boys and girls of every age, wouldn’t you like to see something strange?”

Suddenly there’s a big THUD as someone drops from the ceiling, the lights flash on, and Della herself, dressed as a zombie – ripped apart clothes, fake blood here and there, drawn on scars - wiggles her fingers before laughing joyfully. “Happy Halloween, everybody! Let’s party!”

Tasty Treats

A big buffet table of candy and punch has been laid out! Mini chocolate bars and multi-colored lollipops, gummy worms and candy corn, all sorts of sweet and sour shenanigans, ghost-shaped cookies and mummy-looking muffins! There’s plenty to eat, with absolutely no healthy alternatives.

There are also small wrapped bags of candy with the letters “T.o.T” written on them. If someone tells you, “Trick or Treat!” you have to share your candy! Or keep it to yourself, you monster.

Haunted House

Thanks to Seto Kaiba’s projections, a neighboring carriage has been converted into a Haunted House! While it’s all a trick on the eyes, it gives the illusion that there are several floors of spookiness. Each floor has a different theme –

#1 Serial Seriousness – Every so often, a masked intruder pops out at you, with long claws or chainsaw, ready to give chase! Be careful, or you’ll be the next victim!

#2 Zombie Zaniness – Moans and groans of the undead can’t be unheard. Rotting arms will try to swipe at you through the floorboards!

#3 Ghostly Games – You can see through them, and they can see you too! Each mirror reflects a different dastardly demon!

#4 Deadly Doctors – In this hospital, it’s not the awful health insurance that’ll kill you! Beware the bloody nurses and their extra big needles!\

#5 Fishy Fears - … Wait, what? … Okay, this last floor was clearly designed by Della. It’s like Under the Sea, but with sharks and octopi and kraken - and Della insists this is the worst floor.

Feel free to have your characters braving the house, or trying to scare people within!

Dance Floor

If being haunted isn’t your thing, nothing wrong with getting your groove on! Ask DJ Della what kind of song you’d like to play, and she’s happy to put on the list, from a classic Monster Mash to something more somber and soulful for you slow-dancing-romantic-vampire-types.

Turnip Carving
… Look, they didn’t have pumpkins. Anyway, you’re encouraged to carve scary and silly faces in these veggies! There is a contest, but everyone will be a winner, from “Most Realistic” to “Most Depressing” !

Movie Mania
Kick back and relax – and be horrified – at the otherworldly horror films! Like the horrific monster mime, “That”, the relentless umpire-mask wearing killer, “Monday the 20th”, and the endless array of the undead, “Midmorning Of The Not Wholly Alive”!

Some of you awful people might be thinking of popping up and scaring the theater-goers and this is /winkwinknudgenudge/ totally not approved. /plausible deniability/

Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark
In one secluded, quiet, and verrry dark carriage, lit only by candles, here you are encouraged to tell the scariest stories you can think of! What eerie legends will you share from your world, or do you dare to make it up as you go along?

Make your own top-level, and happy haunting!

Also, if your character would like to dress up, costumes are available for this night only!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Definitely no watching out. There's no time between the warning and Tidus's movement to do anything at all, which means Inigo is just dragged right along to the ground by him. He does hear the chainsaw, but considering he has no idea what a chainsaw even is, it just sounds like some machine whirring.

But Inigo is on guard all the same. This doesn't seem like a Tidus Prank. Something about the way he called out felt just a bit too serious, after all.

And that means Inigo isn't taking risks either.

In a split second - thanks, Arms Band - his sword is in his hand. Though his body aches at hitting the floor, he moves it up slightly all the same. Still close to Tidus, but almost above him, a bit protectively. (Of course he knows Tidus can fight, but this is sheer instinct.)

"What's there?!"

Nothing, apparently. Or, well, nothing Inigo can see right now.

There's nothing Inigo can see, nothing around him to tell him what's going on. But Tidus knows what's going on. It hits him along with the floor, when he's down there, realises why he did it. Staring blankly up at Inigo's protective figure as he remembers - wait, they're in the train; and wait - this is the haunted house with all the projects.

Owls hoot and chains rattle somewhere in the distance, or so it sounds. …but below Inigo, there's an even more obvious sound. Real and filled with life.

Tidus's laughter, growing from a bubbling chuckle to a real laugh. He slaps Inigo good-naturedly on the arm; not thinking about getting up right away, despite the mess of cobwebs and who knows what else on the ground.

But he will, he will- though he can't help but to keep laughing at the pair of them.

"I can't believe I did that!" Pfft-! "I got got!"

Hahahahaha!

For another moment Inigo looks on guard. Ready, alert. Even as that sound slowly starts building up from under him, growing and growing.

Only when it hits Inigo's mind that, wait, that's the sound of laughter, does he dare to turn his head to look completely confused. This is not the kind of mood change he expected. It'd be one thing if Tidus were laughing at him, then it'd just have been a Tidus Prank after all that Inigo just happened to fall for--

But it doesn't seem like it.

"You got.. wait, what?"

Not having seen the figure behind him, Inigo's brain is still scrambling to try and keep up with this situation. Even his sword is still in hand, though much less at the ready. But still present, because he isn't fully sure that there really is no danger.

Even though all he can see when he looks around right now - not that the spooky lighting is letting him see much, mind you - is Tidus laughing and slowly getting up. And all Inigo can do is stare at him blankly in turn.

Even in this horrible lighting can Tidus tell the dumfounded look on Inigo's face. Offering him a hand, giggles still bubbling their way out.

"It was one of Kaiba's holograms, his projections! --an illusion! It totally got me panicked!" Haha! "Man, I am so jumpy now. I swear, I'm not usually like this."

But he sounds delighted for the excuses given, 'cause it's fun. As lost as Inigo might be, but hopefully he'll catch up too. ...and maybe we should tell him about not drawing swords during parties.

Bro, you try not pulling out your sword at the slightest hint of danger when you've had to watch your back 24/7 for years.

But thankfully Inigo seems to realise that the situation is indeed safe, even if still slightly confusing, and so the sword disappears from his hand. Instead he uses the same hand to reach back for the one Tidus is offering him, helping the other a bit further up.

"But.. you're okay, right?" Sure, the giggles would indicate as much. But can you blame Inigo for wanting to be absolutely sure when Tidus is so important to him? Especially in the middle of a situation he's still busy trying to fully come to terms with. "You said you don't get scared easily."

He should totally expect this level of confusion from Inigo, shouldn't he? It doesn't wipe the smile from Tidus's face, cheerful despite the whole small scene. Or because of it? It's goofy, he doesn't care about his pride.

Except-! "Heyhey, this wasn't a spooky scared! This was a 'thought-something-was-jumping-out-and-attacking-us' reaction!" Which also isn't about being scared, okay. "There's a big difference!"

Please learn the difference, Inigo!

Are you sure there's a difference.

Granted, Inigo had the exact same reaction, though delayed a bit since he never even saw the danger, only realised it was even there through Tidus's reaction. Inigo still looks a little thoughtful, but at least he seems to be calming down more by the moment, body growing less tense.

And, at least, he's not going to push Tidus on this matter. You keep your pride, bro. You do with that what you want.

"But nothing should attack us here. .. Right?"

He knows Tidus is just as unused to this whole haunted house thing as him, but-!! Making something harmful part of a party seems like a weird, weird custom! That can't actually be true. He's pretty sure.

"I mean.. You don't think Kaiba would want to hurt us for suggesting he should hug the people he cares about a bit more, do you?" OR IS THAT WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.

"Are you overthinking in that head of yours?" Does Tidus need to put his hands on the sides of Inigo's head, he's going to do it anyway. Bro, you're letting your thoughts go wild!

"Kaiba's tech isn't like that. ... ... ... 'least," uuhhhh, "I don't think it is. It's just the fun, ooooh, here's my tiny blue dragon and all my other game cards! Della wouldn't..."

...

"...okay, Della would want actual fighting and punching stuff. But she's probably lookin' for something easy-going after that voidstorm too. She had it rough, seeing her family."

And if anything, she got all her punching out earlier! Beat up stuff in one of the gyms and all that! Right?

Is there a moment where Inigo is not overthinking something? The answer is no, those moments don't exist. This brain just keeps going, baby.

Even while he's being held like he's some sort of idiot sandwich, just staring right back at Tidus. (The fact that he doesn't even try to escape the moment where Tidus holds his head like that is probably saying a lot.)

"I was just wondering!" See, that's the only protest. Just a verbal one, a tad whiny, as usually from Inigo.

He's also going to walk around the Della-and-family topic with the widest angle possible, thanks.

"I'm just-- I'm just making sure we're safe!" Especially since the concept of fun, friendly scares is pretty lost on someone who had to be way too alert for most of his life. But he's trying. "But if you're sure, then let's keep going. No more getting startled now though! Before you break my back."

There's so much dorkiness that can be contained in this head Tidus is holding. Amazing. Watch it pout and whine.

But Tidus lets go (slooowly) at Inigo's protests of innocence, even if he's not a hundred percent sure about Inigo's 'just wondering's. Considering that included Kaiba getting them back for what, trying to help out?? (Inigo, what did you do to the guy??) And speaking of helping out--!

"Break your back saving you from Kaiba's fiendish ways? You sure changed your tune!" But alright, they're walking; the setting around them blending away into the inside of a European mansion, woOooo. They're going down a creaky wooden hallway... Paintings sitting one side of them while on another, a they can see nothing but darkness through the windows that the wind howls against.

"Hmph! I've seen better holograms in Zanarkand!"

See, at least they have the benefit here of not being used to typical horror tropes. Or at least, Inigo doesn't know a single one, so he has no idea what's supposed to be so spooky about this mansion. Other than the fact that it's dark outside? But, you know, that's kind of how nighttime works! Look how calm he is, he doesn't even have to ~~overcompensate~~ point anything out the way Tidus does!

So don't mind him if he just stops for a moment to look at one of the portraits. Clearly that's what this is about, right. Like an art gallery!

"You think Kaiba thought up all these paintings as well?"

Tidus gets some of the mood going on here, though the architecture is beyond him. Zanarkand totally has better holograms, okay. Look at this, he can put his hand through the wall and see some glitching around it! But also, that's just what happens when you live in a futuristic city. (Sigh, what a tragedy!)

Though as they stop, with Inigo commenting on the paintings; most of them in dark colours, leaving the upper section of the heads in darkness... there is something that's familiar about them. He can't quite put his finger on it though. Somewhere in Spira...?

But oh, Inigo's question. "Uhh...I guess so." Hmmm. "Maybe he has a design artist? His company makes all these, so maybe it's from one of his--machines?"

He rolls a hand as he says that. You know, Inigo, how data can just be stored for later use in devices!

Ah, yes, of course! How data can just be stored for later use in devices. How could he not see that!

Except obviously Inigo has no idea what Tidus is going on about. In fact, his attempt at an explanation here is more confusing than any of this other haunted house stuff is. Inigo gives him a look that seems to indicate as much too - that he has no idea what the other is on about.

And with the road his brain is leading him down, the question that he ends up asking is:

"Can machines just do anything in the worlds you guys come from? Do you guys even do anything yourselves anymore?" Because it sure doesn't feel like it! Machines making paintings? You're going to put everyone out of a job! "I'm surprised there weren't machines blitzballing for you."

What happened to trying to have a spooky thread here, Inigo! You're ruining everything with your mechanophobia!!

"You're thinking about it all wrong." Ugh! "It's like-" let him wave out his hands non-helpfully here "-you have to make the art that goes into the machine too! A machine doesn't just know how to make a painting. You have to put that in! With like... code. It's all tech stuff!"

Because how is he supposed to describe any of this with anything better? Does Inigo even care that deeply, or is he just in uncertain awe of what the future can be like? But maybe Tidus does feel the need to defend that future some. That's his life!

"You can play digital versions of blitzball, but it's not the same as with real people. Having the crowds watching you, cheering on your favourite teams, the energy and stakes! When it's digital, you just watch it on screens or projectors. Like the cinema car, or a smaller version of this."

This hologram tech going on now, which he motions to with both hands, bringing them together into a ball.

"You can watch stuff off a screen in Zanarkand. See all angles of it. But that's boring. Real blitzball is way more fun!"

"Okay."

Inigo holds out a hand towards Tidus. But not to offer it, or to grab a hand or anything else like he usually might. No, this is just a flat palm being held out to him. A universal 'stop' signal.

"Please stop saying more words before I get even more confused." How was he even supposed to follow any part of that explanation?! Put it in? Tech stuff? Code? Projectors?!

Please, only one thing at once, dude!

"I'm fairly sure I'm never going to understand all of these things anyway. It's just too.." His voice trails off, like he's thinking, but then he shakes his head. Still staring at the paintings. ".. different. Even if it may make me seem like an idiot."

Because the amount of people used to this weird technology versus the amount of people not used to it on the train is way skewed. Thanks for making him look dumb just because he's medieval, train.

"So I'll just trust you on actual blitzball being much better. I wasn't even aware there really was a machine sort of blitzball!" HE WAS JUST MAKING A JOKE. How is any joke you make about the technological future just instantly true.

Tidus goes for the other universal sign of putting up both of his hands, conceding. Look, he's not used to even getting to say half this stuff to anyone! Do you think anyone would have given him the chance to speak about VR machines back in Spira?!

"I'll try and show you one day. How about that." A machine blitzball as Inigo puts it. There's got to be something he can buy... either for the VR machine in the games room or- or maybe Webs will let him buy one for her gaming console! If anything exists. "But you're not stupid. It's just...different lives. I get it."

And maybe he's not about a guy calling himself dumb over what Tidus had to suffer back in Spira.

"Also," getting back to their surroundings, though Tidus only offers it a tip of his head, "I think we're ruining the spooky spirit of this haunted house."

Maybe Inigo is just going to call himself dumb anyway, huh! What do you think about that!

But before he can say anything at all about either his own technological understanding or Tidus's promise to show him virtual blitzball one day - a thought Inigo actually finds himself kind of liking, if not just since it seems to be such a big thing to Tidus - any and all words die in his throat at that last statement.

Inigo's cheeks glow slightly pink in shame.

"W-- Well, then maybe they should have made it spookier to begin with!" Yes, it's clearly to blame on the faulty quality of this haunted house, and not just that Inigo's thoughts can't seem to stay on one thing for longer than a few minutes. "What's even scary about a bunch of paintings, huh? We had paintings back in our castle!"

"Ohhhh, you hear that, projection? Inigo's saying your haunting sucks!"

...which would be the accurate mood for an actual building than just one made up, but who's going to tell him off?? The digital coding? Tidus is always happy for any excuse to be loud, picking up a pace again to see what the spook for this will be.

"Dellllllaaaaa! Inigo's gonna come and take over your Halloweeeen!"

"Wha-- T-- Tidus!"

Inigo doesn't even sound scared. No, this is just the usual Inigo Fluster Fit. It doesn't help that he was already embarrassed about ruining the mood, but now Tidus just has to go and be himself in the middle of this haunted house! Now who's ruining the mood, huh!

Maybe the guy shouting as he's walking, with Inigo following close behind - his cheeks still red, his arms flailing as if that will somehow help shut up Tidus.

"Come on, you can't tell Della! I-- I don't want her to feel bad about this not being good enough! She really--"

Inigo doesn't speak more than that.

Because a moment later a pair of ghostly arms lean out of one of the portraits, grabbing at Inigo. And while usually that wouldn't startle him, the last thing his mind was on in the middle of his fit is the spooks waiting for them.

So he lets out a yelp, stumbling forward and only last-minute maintaining his balance by latching onto Tidus - arms wrapped around the other guy's waist, Inigo's chest (and therefore skin, thanks to the costume) fully pressed against his back.

When you're being an over-the-top goof, you usually know you're being one. Tidus does anyway (what, stop snorting), and that's his whole point now. Something good is bound to happen, either with Inigo or their surroundings -- that's how it always goes! Head swinging around, searching for the next spook to try and get him again.

--but it's Inigo that does, clinging on and pushing him forward. Stumbling him, a ringing of 'whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa!' leaving him as he attempts to get his balance, succeeds-!

And from below, the floorboards beneath their feet 'break' apart as more hands come reaching from below. Tidus slams a foot back to try and get out of the way.

And stomps on something less protected than usual, when gifted ~~dancing~~ genie shoes with their outfit for the night.

"Ackkk-- Aah!"

That's not a shriek of horror, mind you. Inigo is not afraid. Instead he's just stumbling around blindly, entirely unable to see what's happening around him with the way he's still clinging to Tidus once the other starts moving.

The first real sensation he feels again is a foot suddenly coming down on his own foot - hard - and that's exactly what pulls that scream out of him.

Inigo lets go of Tidus, falling backwards onto the floor. The projected spooky ghost hands still try to swipe, though the projections are just going straight through him now as he's lying there, eyes closed.

Inigo has fallen.

And he has chosen to not get back up.

UGGH WHY DO THINGS KEEP POPPING EVERYWHERE AND TRYING TO GET IN THEIR SPACE!!

Is it Tidus's fault he's used to moving out of the way of anything suddenly coming for him? But he does realise-- or doesn't even need to, by the sound of crash behind him -- that his foot trod on something. So he looks back, sees the crime scene below him, the hands continuing to come out and swipe now and then at the Inigo.

"Oh man, sorry!" ah shit, didn't mean to step on your foot bro. "Inigo? You still with me?"

Did you hit your head, bro?? He's leaniiing over him to check him out.

...

...maybe he should try and push open an eyelid from under his brow.

"I'm dead."

He's mumbling with the most defeatist tone ever. Please, are these haunted houses really supposed to be fun? He's not really having fun right now. This is already the second time he's landed on the floor. Somehow these things are more deadly than the battles back home.

Inigo is also still not opening his eyes, but you know, that's less of a concern when he's actually talking. Mumbling. Whichever.

"Just leave me here."

But if Tidus moves even the slightest inch away after he says that, even if it's just to stand upright and look around them or something rather than making any actual moves to leave, he'll feel something latch onto his ankles that is solid.

(Because it's Inigo's hands rather than some projection ghost.)

"Wait--! No, I didn't mean that!" Please don't leave him.

It was the smallest shift! He wasn't going anywhere! And Tidus also figures that's Inigo latching onto him given who it is below, the guy second-guessing himself, the plea that follows unsurprising. Don't worry bro, he won't even make fun of you for it. Instead, Tidus is wondering to himself if this is what the 'spooky Halloween' experience is really meant to be like...

Something tells him, this is just them.

"We can just skip to a different carriage if you want," Tidus offers sympathetically, yet close to flat. He's kinda over all these projections himself now.... he sees no better happening in the others.

At least the cruel sin of accidentally stepping on his foot is already forgiven and forgotten, apparently, since Inigo isn't whining about that anymore. Instead Inigo slowly rises back up onto his feet, though with a lot of 'ughs' along with way until he's upright once more.

"Please," he just replies. It's not even a sarcastic kind of please, oh no, he's honest about this one. Please, let's just get out of this. This isn't even fun. Modern Earth people are so weird. "At this rate the next phase of this whole haunted house thing may just murder me."

And would you let that happen to him, Tidus? To your dear friend Inigo?

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