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

This is definitely a weird otherworld tradition. Roland is totally invested, no matter how bizarre the entire thing is to Tidus. Meeting Inigo's look, eyebrows raising and a small tip of his head given in turn like a shrug. Well, this is Roland for you. Apparently.

Admittedly, this small exchange does make Tidus miss half of what Roland is talking about. Something about- trading and candy? And now Roland's waving around a candy bar...

"Hm, yeah. Can I have a look at that and see what it is?" Tidus follows Inigo's confusion, holding out a hand in interest. There's nothing that can go wrong in complying, with Tidus taking it and reading off the branding and what it's supposed to contain inside. Ah- A peanut nutty bar?

"--I'll keep this," he declares without pomp, slipping it into his white overcoat. "He already ate something from the pile! So I don't have to trade!"

You know, because that makes absolute sense here.

Ah, and so the trades begin. Roland's tail swishes twice as if in total understanding of what Tidus just pulled off, a serious nod to emphasize a strange juxtaposition of candy in piles with an adult figuring out how to create a harmonious bartering system. To Inigo's point, he makes a gesture to one hand while going through more of the candy closer to his own share; checking with sly eyes, what he has, what they all do, what they don't. Was he actually looking for something though...?

"Intuition." He says definitively, as if that solves all of Inigo's concerns. Aha, were those chocolate rocks? No, but it seems it's the most common of all the candy. Drat. "Feel the candy. Look at it. Imagine how it might taste based on how it looks. Your gut will do the rest."

And speaking of gut - his own starts to give him the signal that he's found the jackpot. With narrowed eyes, akin to a predator, he reaches out slowly to his pile, fingers twitching -

- but nothing. It's not the super sour, mouthwatering, neon-colored crackling pop rock candy of his dreams. Little tiny fireworks that go off against his tongue, wrapped in shiny, glossy plastic. Maybe the train didn't provide...? He sighs inwardly.

"Next trade." Because that fudge-candy bar is totally legitimate.

At least this explanation on Roland's part somewhat makes sense. It's the best alternative, and Inigo can acknowledge as much - especially since otherwise the only true adult here would have to explain what each and every single piece of candy in this pile is, which would just take way too long. And be too boring.

So sure, intuition. Just feel up the candy and see if it's something good. Inigo can go along with that.

But there's one problem.

And that's Tidus's awful, terrible, horrible candy bar theft. It's not even that Inigo really wants the thing. He'd gladly let Tidus have it, if it wasn't for the fact that he feels like he's being done injustice here.

Hence: "W-Wait, I didn't get to feel that thing though!"

Which means that a second after saying that, Inigo has already moved up to Tidus's side, just shoving his hand straight down into the overcoat without any warning. He may accidentally be feeling up Tidus's ~~manboobs~~ pecs as well while trying to feel up the candy bar, but that's not the point, he has to feel this bar now before the trade can be called legitimate!

Edited 2020-12-25 14:16 (UTC)

Wow, Roland actually let him get away with that? They must be truly experiencing the Halloween Candy Ritual if so - which cheeky deals are acceptable - or this was Roland's sly ways revealing themselves. Not that Tidus will argue against his own wealth of a peanut butter bar. Looking pleased with the adult in the room (??) on his side, except-

Not all participants agree, when there's slithering hands creeping up his upper assets. A small "whoa!" followed by laughter, and Tidus has been utterly distracted from the candy table with the guy now on him.

"Hey, those aren't for trade! -- 'less you want to," he teases. "Any candy I want for a full minute!"

Despite the offer, Tidus is backing away on quick steps. But look, he can't let Inigo continue to appreciate the goods without accepting his terms!

Roland glances at the two of them from the corner of his eye and smiles in amusement. But it's a silent acknowledgment that is immediately replaced with a familiar glint in his eye, no help to be had from his end as Inigo may or may not be chasing down ~~manboobs~~ Tidus's hidden candy bar in the inner pocket of his Kaiba coat. Oh no, this was something they had to barter out of on their own.

In fact, it might even work to Roland's distinct advantage. For in both of their piles of candy, he sees his target. Like the marksman that he is, he doesn't let it out of his sight, not even for a second, the only indication of his keen interest in whatever it is he's fixated on expressed through narrowing eyes, a stern mouth, and the tail swishing slow. A predator catching prey.

Roland reaches a hand in Tidus's pile first, rummages carefully underneath chocolate boxes and snack-sized caramel bits. There. Same goes for Inigo's own pile, and it's there too. They got the luck of the draw. The neon-colored, artificially-flavored sour sweets that look like the ones he grew up on...all of them, in their haul. None in his.

He's using both hands now, staring, planning. The candy, so close.

"If I hold him down, can I get these from you in trade, Inigo? Heh." Roland reveals the pack he wants and waves it twice in the air. "State both of your terms for this, I want in."

Or he wants it rather, but things were heating up and he's not about to let them leave with his goods!

"Are you kidding?! You'll just grab my whole pile!" He knows you, Tidus. He knows you too well. There's no way he can accept that sort of thing just to be able to fondle Tidus's goodies a little!

But before the teens can get into a fullblown dumb argument about it, Roland speaks up behind them, making Inigo's head turn into the other man's direction instead.

And he makes that offer.

"Yes!"

There's no thought behind it. Not even a second. Roland has barely even finished talking before Inigo already shouts yes. Tidus can't make a counter offer here, nuh-uh!

"Hold him down for me, Roland! I'll let you have anything you want as long as you do that!" Yes, that's basically the same thing Tidus asked from him, which he promptly turned down.

But he sure minds Roland getting his whole candy pile a lot less than Tidus getting it instead.

"Wh-- wait! What're you trading?!"

Tidus is backing off! Should he be protective of his candy? His upper man cushions? That's definitely where Tidus's hands- no, arms are crossing over to shield! Gaze swinging between the both of them warily, unsure. Where is this going!

"You can't do me like this! I'll get back-up! I was kidding, I swear- my chest is off the table!"

Please he's just a delicate young boy and YOU BETTER NOT STEP A FOOT NEAR HIM ROLAND, EITHER OF YOU, TIDUS WILL MOVE BACK.

Message received. Roland's sharp gaze perks up, his head swiveling to stare at Tidus as if he's just gotten orders. In a way, he has. His hands grab at Inigo's pile of sour candies...but he also grabs for Tidus's share and this too, he waves in the air as he slowly, ever so slowly, steps forward. The tail behind him has grown almost still, except it does a quick windshield wiper motion from time to time, because Roland is calculating. Thinking.

"...And yours?" He says, curiously at Tidus. He's not going to push it of course, the only goal here was to get Inigo to feel the candy bar, but there is a way to abate the entire thing completely. By all means, Roland presents as neutral ground. "What are your terms for surrendering all of this - " He shakes the sour stuff again. "- to me?"

Tidus couldn't give a blitz of a care about the candy right now, and more about being reassured the pair are not making a trade over the manhandling of his pecs. That step forward is taken, and one is taken back. All Roland wants is the candy he's holding, and Tidus can feel the start of a sweat threatening to come. Eyes swivelling between the pair. Can he trust anyone?

"I'm not letting you have a single bite!" He throws out a hand. "No one's getting my goods! You turn on me, I'll make you regret it!"

The answer to the previous question is: No. But Tidus sure is talking big for a guy who's outnumbered...

For a moment Inigo worries about losing his chance here. About being outbid, and Tidus just getting away with his theft.

But then Tidus does something unexpected. Or maybe it's entirely expected, considering how the other acts towards Roland under all circumstances. But in this particular circumstance it works in Inigo's advantage - so much so that he starts to smile. Oh no, this is perfect.

Inigo turns back towards Roland, batting his eyelashes, folding his hands together. It's hard to tell whether or not his costume makes this look more or less appropriate..

"Daaaaddyyyy." You can tell he's laying it on extra, extra thick when this is literally the only time he hasn't used 'father'. This train is teaching him too much. "After hearing that, don't you suddenly feel like helping out your darling son who's willing to offer up any candy you desire to you..? Your darling son who got so cruelly, cruelly robbed of a candy bar that he just wants to get back..?"

"Oh you creep!" Yeah Tidus is calling you out all the way from other here, Inigo!

"Daddy doesn't care 'bout anything you say, he just wants his favourite junk food! This is war, Inigo. He'd sell you out for the right price!"

And as if he might be able to prove his point, Tidus looks at the once honourable president, now just a sour candy fiend. "What if I got you more of those?"

"Hey." Roland looks over to Tidus, frowning from where he stands. "I take offense to that. I'm not a candy mercenary!" Seriously, trading goods in barter was definitely not getting sold out for the right price! No, this was just trade deals being passed, certainly not war!

But that only answers one of these teens. The other is using his own tactics on Roland, and he's smart to do so. It almost works, softening him up to a degree that the use of such a moniker grants Inigo, His tail is swishing faster too. He's a hardened warrior, though! He can take this heat! These dirty moves! He must flaunt his mastery of total diplomacy!

Or at least, attempt it.

"Okay, hold on a second here. Inigo, I - daddy just really wants those sour candies. What if I propose a way to make both of you happy? Neither of us go after you," Roland turns back to the one backing away, protecting his assets (the candy bar of course), then again to Inigo with his big puppy eyes, oh boy let's not stare too hard into those. "And Inigo gets at least thirty seconds with his candy bar back to decide if he wants a trade or not. Meanwhile, I get to offer my whole pile for both of your sour treats. Deal?"

Edited 2020-12-29 19:03 (UTC)

Tidus can call him a creep all he wants. After all, Inigo is just doing the smart thing here. The effective thing, because he can tell that it's affecting Roland. Even if the tail wasn't a dead giveaway at the moment, Inigo would still be able to tell from how easily Roland goes along with it, with the way he immediately refers to himself as daddy. Inigo figured Roland would be at least a little weak to this sort of thing, but to this extent?

Considering that extent, Inigo figures maybe he could push it a little more here. But someone has to be the adult here, and if it has to be him, then sure, he'll be the adult. (Because that's clearly what the guy calling for his daddy while wearing an evil genie outfit is, right. An adult.)

"Fiiine," he surrenders to the deal. The whole thing was mostly about making sure Tidus wasn't just stealing his candy bar like that anyway. Making Tidus sweat a little was just a fun extra. ~~Just like the feeling of those tight muscles under his fingers--~~ "If Tidus is that scared of me, then I guess I have to go easy on him."

Inigo, please. Please. Are you still not aware that saying anything that remotely sounds competitive or like a challenge around Tidus is just a bad idea?

Oh. Oh, go easy on him, huh? Tidus may have been becoming more aware this wasn't about touching up his pecs (which he was the one to joke about, but look, that's not the point here), and the deal that Roland's offering isn't all that bad, considering - how many goodies was that for a few sour candies? Roland was practically cheating himself for the both of them.

But then Inigo speaks. But then Inigo has to go and speak, and also get his way - look at him, with that face so smug! - that this can't be the end. Who cares about the winnings when the candy wasn't the true signifier?

Oh no.

Oh no no no no.

"So you want thirty seconds with this--" taking the candy bar out of his pocket "--to know if you wanna keep it. Is that right? This peanut butter and chocolate bar?"

Not that Tidus is mentioning what it is for any particular reason, here, and looking for a positive reaction.

"Huh?"

Inigo should know better. Anyone with more than one braincell would know what's about to happen here, would know exactly why Tidus is doing this, phrasing things this way.

But unfortunately Inigo only has one braincell, so he doesn't see it coming at all. Instead he just blinks at Tidus, totally unsure why the other has to confirm it like that.

"Yes, of course! I want to see what it's like before I can know if I even want to trade it away!"

"Oh, cool. I'll see what it's like too then!"

And with the candy bar's fate (already) sealed, Tidus tears open the wrapper and takes a big bite out of it.

Chew.

Chew.

Chew, Inigo.

The build up between Tidus taking the candy bar from his inner pocket to Inigo's inevitable downfall is like watching the trailer of a movie in slow motion, but the ending is revealed in the same reel. Roland's eyes grow wide, and even in his state of total awareness of what's to come, he knows it's impossible to stop Tidus. The crunch of an unwrapped candy bar is too loud, and immediately, as soon as he bites into the thing, almost half of it gone, Roland turns to Inigo with a Fear stoked in his eyes.

"...Seriously?" He says to Tidus. The tail that was once swooshing about happily, stills. "Inigo...Inigo it's fine. Let's barter for something else. And - and half of it is still there, see? Tidus, share the rest. Come on." Or it's your funeral! OF his tears!

Inigo just stares.

It's like a little kid watching the movie Bambi for the first time. And the chocolate bar is Bambi's mother, and Tidus's teeth are the hunters. Inigo looks devastated, as if Tidus is doing so much more than just simply eating a candy bar he took from Inigo's pile. As if he's stealing Inigo's very soul.

And slowly, very slowly, the boy manages to turn his head enough to look over at Roland. It's hard to tell if the words the other is saying are even getting through to him, considering he's just staring. Frozen. In shock.

"Father.. my candy bar." The words are so tiny. Fragile. Inigo doesn't break eye contact with Roland even for a second as he says them. ".. He ate my candy bar."

Wow, Bambi's mum is delicious.

There's judgment from Roland, and Tidus knows what that single seriously? means (judgment on his maturity, on his character, on his commitment to his relationships!), but does that stop him? Has that stopped him?

Not by the look he's wearing, not allowing the tragedy on Inigo's face to sway his own smug. ...but, he's also making a show of chewing than taking another bite. Can't be on purpose though.

"Sho?" That does mean he's talking with his mouth half full though. "What'cha gonna do, guys? Thish is one tasty candy bar...!"

Heh.

Heh.

Heh.

Tidus has become the Halloween villain.

Oh, don't look at me like that!

Roland is stuck between a rock and a hard place. He's just as frozen for that moment in time, not knowing if the right thing to do was to stop this candy fiend or if he should immediately go to Inigo's rescue, and boy is he weak to that kind of expression! The only silver lining is that this is experience for him, on the dangers of bartering with food pirates! But then again, he didn't think it would get this far anyway. What set Tidus off, anyway? Roland assumed the deal he presented would actually benefit the two of them more!

He can't delay this. Tidus was already eating more of the candy bar and Inigo has been thoroughly traumatized. He may never want another candy bar ever again! This can't be! He reckons he can just offer his own candy bar, though knowing Inigo, that won't solve a thing. That's not his candy bar, that's not the one he wanted to feel before trading.

Looks like his diplomacy skills have just met their latest match.

Roland steels himself. His eyes meet Tidus, challenging him, beckoning him to COME AT HIM. So just might as he takes another predatory step, or two, towards him.

"Tidus. Give it back. It's not yours. He didn't get to decide if he wanted to give it you." His tail begins to stand on its end. "That's not fair. Stop eating and give the rest to Inigo. Now."

Oh. Oh look. The sides have been chosen. And typical, who would've guessed otherwise? The train father and son duo on one side and him on the other!

Tidus isn't afraid. He isn't even shook with that Adult Tone being used on him: because whatever Roland thinks he's going to do - and when it doesn't involve his special assets - Tidus wants to see it. See it! Ready to call this bluff of his, getting all weak in the knees over a cute sad face.

Sure, he might shift a tiny inch back, but that's just in case.

"Look at this! Weren't you the guy who said I could have this before? Now everything's changing - 'cause Inigo made the right face? Doesn't sound fair to me! I think I should get the rest of this chocolate!"

And peanut butter. Can't forget the peanut butter.

Roland takes two more steps towards Tidus, that tail of his more indicative of his intentions than anything else. He's getting ready to do...something. Maybe. Even if right now, all he looks like is someone about to lay down the law.

And boy does he ever. Nevermind that he's probably fulfilling the requirements from both of these teens; one asking for his help, the other baiting him totally.

"That was the case, but the subsequent trade received legitimate dispute. It stopped being a mutual trade agreement when he reached in to take the candy bar from you on the precedent that he got to feel it before giving it up. Therefore, on those terms, all items on barter should have been embargoed till further notice."

Boy, where was his suit instead of these cat ears?

"You broke neutrality by eating it. Don't even think about taking another bite!"

Roland, this is candy not a border exchange. Alas. He's in too deep. The tail refuses to move. And he's not looking anywhere else but at Tidus and the candy bar. If he kept going, there would be none left! But what could he do in the face of such rebellion? He's not about to wrangle him free of the candy bar!

"Man, you make me wanna eat it."

It's dry, so dry, an expression of disbelief dropped into the features of Tidus's face as he stares at Roland. Does he think any of that works on Tidus? Fool, Tidus can't ~~read~~ lawyer speak! That just sounds like a load of gobbledygook to a guy like him!

But this is probably swerving into the direction of just giving up the candy. Without any real goading except Roland bringing out the textbooks on him, there's nothing to keep this going, no reason for Tidus to finish with the sweet. Still, that doesn't mean he can't pull one last taunt just for fun; peeling back the candy wrapper as he takes a step back out of Roland's direction, not about to risk the guy coming straight for him.

"Let's see what more trouble I can get into, huh-!"

Tidus's last daring stand! The chocolate is aimed for his mouth and he's moving into a place where Inigo will have a clear view of the crime he's about to commit--!

(nah, he'll bring the candy bar down in just a sec-)

This is impossible. It's as if nothing will make Tidus give up that bar of sweet, delicious chocolate. After all, Inigo really did think Roland would do the trick, especially with the way the other was talking just now. Inigo is all eyes for Roland once he starts pulling out the legalese. He may not have a single clue what anything the other says means, but it all sounds so cool and impressive that Inigo is pretty sure he would have given up the candy bar if that kind of speech had been aimed in his direction. Regardless of his (lack of) understanding of it.

But when Tidus speaks up again, and Inigo's big doe eyes are aimed in his direction, the other is still continuing. The bar is being moved up, back over to Tidus's mouth, in which it will forever disappear, leaving Inigo unable to ever get a taste of it.

And of course Inigo doesn't think for a moment that the other is just joking. He's so sure this is just really happening, that Tidus is making a last defiant stand in the face of Roland's power.

Then.. if even Roland won't be able to do it, maybe Inigo should do something about it himself. A last desperate act.

The moment the bar is being raised back up to Tidus's mouth, Inigo spurts over to Tidus, covering the slight distance between the two of them in absolutely no time. There's only one solution he can think of for this problem - he's got to eat that chocolate before Tidus can. So he leaps forward, aiming to take a good chomp straight out of the candy bar when it's in front of Tidus's mouth, or even just bite into the other end of it when half of it is in the other's mouth already--

But the candy bar isn't there. Because Tidus never intended to raise it that high.

Which means that instead Inigo's lips land straight on top of the other teen's lips.

Tidus catches Inigo pushing his way forward, coming for him. Not enough time for him to think how he might want to greet the guy except for trying to hook an arm around his approaching figure. Have a tiny wrestle ses? And indeed, the candy is stopped from actually reaching his mouth, a smile plastered across his face wide. A laugh waiting to be let out.

This is going great. This'll show Inigo what happens when he gets all cheeky with him!!

And then they're kissing.

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cue the circus music

1/3