it's halloween, lo-ween, everybody!

[sos_pilot]

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!

Comments

[flatteries]

Inigo is sloooowly moving a bit closer towards the other two. Almost dramatically slowly, really. He'd fit right in with one of those overdramatic silent movies where every single action is exaggerated. Like he's slowly inching closer to a lion rather than just 1 sulky teenager being harassed cheered up by 1 old man.

And just as he gets to a point where he's practically worriedly hovering behind Roland, Inigo realises that the ultimate threat isn't even working on Tidus. Roland is saying he'll hug him, and the most Tidus can do is just let out that cry?! Something really must be fundamentally broken within him!

"M-Maybe you have to hug him for real, Roland!"

Maybe that's the only thing that can fix this! Extreme measures!

[adregem]

"Me? Never. There's honor among thieves. Heh." And listen, he's got it all wrong anyway. Roland's pretty sure he's won that case, but Tidus just isn't having it! And neither is the threat doing this whole thing the justice - pun intended - it deserves, so Roland glances over to Inigo with a knowing look in his eye. Suddenly, he creeps an arm far too slowly for it to be truly serious; mimicking a snake, or a worm, moving from shoulder to shoulder.

"Hear that, pro? Looks like this hug is coming in fast if you don't get up now." Oh boy, it really is a real hug, come on Tidus you've got all the time in the world! Roland even encourages it, playing to the scene by sounding like he's about to chuckle, talking in melodies as Roland can only do. "Don't do this to yourself. Or to me. My nose still hasn't recovered." Hard-headed in more ways than one, but Roland can take it!

[blitzcheer]

"What do you mean, hug me! Ugh!"

What is this!? Why is Inigo like this! Tidus is even sure that Inigo isn't doing this on purpose - no, this Inigo in his true and genuine frantic mode, and Roland is only all too happy to go along with it like the mischievous bag of bones that he is. You wanna sulk one time but nooo - you're surrounded by a pair of dweebs!

So Tidus is up, up for real this time! Standing on his own two feet and his back to the wall, body moved away from that creeping arm and hand, his own rigid and tight, folded across his torso. Roland is getting the sulkiest, glare of his life, a tight frown worn on Tidus's face.

"You're both unbelievable." Nevermind that Tidus was the one who flopped down on the beanbags dramatically in the first place. Details, schemtails. What matters now is Tidus moving forward, straight for-

"I'm getting my share of candy back! Did you take those stupid green ones already, Rol?"

[flatteries]

Thank you, Roland. Truly, his father is the only person Inigo can depend on when it comes to situations like these. Because clearly the whole hug thing is working - look, Tidus is already getting up! No longer stuck to the beanbags, like he's going to sulk there for all eternity!

But before Inigo can thank Roland, there's something else to be done.

You see, Tidus made a mistake. A critical mistake. Yes, he realises this was really just Inigo in his true and genuine frantic mode, but he didn't think about the full extent of it.

He didn't realise what could be waiting for him.

Because what is waiting for him, the moment he's moving forward and his back is so dangerously unguarded, is Inigo latching onto it in the most desperate hug possible.

"Tidus, I'm so sorry! I really didn't mean to!" He frantically apologizes, and yet somehow retains an iron grip on the other. Torture. "You can keep the candy bar! Y-You can take all my candy, if you want! Just please don't feel so bad about it..!"

[adregem]

Thank you Inigo, for providing mischievous guys like him the perfect distraction! As Inigo comes in for the kill, that hug enough to draw attention elsewhere, Roland stands up with an easy smile, and only meets Tidus's eye when he's able to retrieve a box of said sour candy from his filled pockets. There are no words shared in this exchange, only that Roland raises his brows once before the candy is opened by the top flap and the rocks are emptied in his mouth. The wince brought about by artificial sourness only emphasizes how Roland's expression is meant to taunt and hide a laugh, as he walks back to the pile knowingly poking the den of the (water) lion.

Don't mind him, he's leaning down as if seeing the collection of candy for the first time, taking something sticking out from the top layer of sweets. He's making a show of studying it, deliberate, before it joins its brothers and sisters in the depth of his stash.

"Oh, hey. Missed one."

Hug it out you two, he's having the time of his life.

[blitzcheer]

Thank you, NO ONE.

Inigo comes in like a wrecking ball, and Tidus has never been hit so hard from love behind. Or, it's a knock that stumbles his feet before he captures his balance; head swerving around, his hands coming to rest on Inigo's around his waist. "Inigo, come on...!"

It's a pathetic whine of exasperation, at the sudden assault and the obvious problem he now has of having to assuage his worries. But then, the exchange happens: the eyes that connect, the packet of sweet sour balls deposited in one's mouth; the retrieval of another from the table.

The absolute.

Deliberate.

Show of it all.

Tidus's teeth grit together, before he lets out, loud and clear and at his limit:

"Oh, I HATE you!"

HE IS GETTING READY FOR MURDER HERE despite not actually peeling back Inigo's arms or anything. INIGO, HOLD HIM BACK BEFORE HE MURDERS A MAN.

[flatteries]

Wow. Inigo is trying to get just some reassuring words here, and there's his father, ruining it all because he felt like being a candy thief. Inigo doesn't even mind the candy theft itself, Roland can take all he wants, but Inigo knows how this is going to rile up Tidus even before he hears the other.

And, indeed. Tidus gets riled up exactly as Inigo expects him to, though that just means he doesn't let go! Thankfully Tidus isn't trying to pry Inigo off him, since he isn't too sure if he'd win this contest of hug strength over here.

"T-Tidus! Listen, I understand that what Roland is doing is wrong!" Because he knows Roland is doing this on purpose. The show. That tone in his voice. DAD, YOU ARE SO NOT HELPING. "But I can't let go of you until you promise you won't hurt him!"

[adregem]

Roland is keeping to the promise of living true to his new identity: reformed honest grimalkin who has handed his ears down to the next in line, now living life as a candy criminal on the loose. Never to be captured, always escaping in the nick of time.

Inigo's plea for mercy is received only with a grin that could put jesters to shame. It's easy for him to be reminded that once upon a time, he could totally let loose and have fun, so long as these two kept him on his toes. The sour candy is used to taunt once more, throwing a rock in the air with his open mouth to catch it expertly, the crunch of it audible in the pop that it grants him, or the pleasurable wince of sourness traversing tastebuds. He leans one hand against the edge of the table, with one foot behind the other in pose.

"I don't know what's gotten you so worked up, pro." Roland smirks. "You're getting my entire pile of candy, and then some. Heh." You know. Maybe chocolate kisses are in his future, apart from three whole collections of candy that are for their shared taking. Roland only leaves with a bunch of treats they probably won't even enjoy!

Or so a thief will rationalize. Long gone is the lawyer, long live Roland the crook.

[blitzcheer]

This taunting. This terrible, terrible taunting. Tidus is taken in, hook line and sinker of a most dangerous catch, and while he isn't putting the effort to completely pull himself out of Inigo's grasp, he is wiggling, throwing out an arm with a finger pointed direct at Roland.

"You stick another bit of candy in there and I'll suck it out myself! You think I won't?! I'll make Gibbs put a hose down there! I'll water you out!"

Is Tidus actually thinking of the threats he's throwing out?? Who knows. Does Roland dare to find out? Whatever he does-

"Gibbs! Bambosh! Take him out!"

Fists thrashing the air at his sides, Gibbs at least materialises, popping out from Tidus's chest and!! ...searching around frantically, squeaking, not a hundred percent sure as to what's going on.

"Roland!"

Okay, now he's looking the right way. But he still doesn't know what to do.

[flatteries]

Okay, this is just going too far. Inigo can appreciate a good Tidus teasing, sure. But this is just getting cruel! Inigo feels guilty even holding onto Tidus at this point, but he also really doesn't want someone to die here!

Which means he clearly has to be the one to stop the Evil Candy Thief's plan here. Because he can't trust Tidus to do it in a way that doesn't involve blasting Roland halfway across the carriage with a water jet.

"Tidus-- Tidus! Okay, trust me on this one! Just listen and do what I say-- I swear I'll get you your candy back, just trust me!" Inigo's tone is pleading, desperate, since he has no idea if the other is in any mood to listen to him when he's this worked up.

But he'll give it a moment to let it sink in, and if Tidus still isn't listening by then, then.. well. It's his party.

Inigo lowers his voice, this time mumbling in a tone that can only be overheard by Tidus, and not the nefarious criminal in the room.

"Close your eyes."

A moment later he's letting go of the other teen, and at the same time Jumblie jumps out of Inigo's chest--

And then the world goes white with a blast of light. The burst of light being sent forth by the higgledy doesn't even last that long, but it's sure to leave anyone who didn't close their eyes in time dazed, or dealing with those annoying spots in front of their eyes for a good minute or two afterwards. Sure, Inigo may not have any fancy sunglasses, but he is smart enough to have figured out most of this trick on his own, apparently.

"Go, quickly grab the candy!" While Roland is still caught off guard and dazed!

[adregem]

The threats sound hollow to Roland, and it takes a lot out of him not to grin wider and taunt further. No wonder Tidus enjoyed trying to rile reactions from time to time; this did have its charm. In fact, his laugh is honestly amused at the tirade thrown his way, giving him a chance to pop more rocks inside his mouth with a singular, annoying wiggle of a brow.

And he would have gotten away with it too, if it hadn't been for those darned twin teens.

For Roland's biggest mistake is not in the hubris which he performs dastardly acts of candy theft and the following consumption of sour candies that were not bartered legally. No, the downfall of Icarus happens because he forgets that the twin teens have seen him improvise too many times. That, and between his lack of magical expertise and their fluency in higglespeak, both have a better relationship with the creatures bound to their hearts. Creatures he gifted to them, so one might argue that Roland did this to himself. How the chief consul must suffer!

There's no time for Roland to realize what's happening when Jumblie performs Higgledy Daze out of nowhere - magic that's far stronger than he expected, especially now that he's on the receiving end and not the guy telling them what to do. He only understands the move as the incredibly bright light almost blinds, forcing him to cover his face with both arms in the seconds that it lasts. A sharp cry is all that's heard from him, before blue and yellow higgledy helpers surround his body, crawling all over limb and shoulder and hair. They move and tug, trying to find candy to take...

Meanwhile, Roland is unable to stop the straight laugh from the bellows of his stomach. He's on the floor, sat uncharacteristically casual with legs trying to cross over the other. 'These tricksters taking a page from my book...!' Even if they had no clue he performed the very same move many moons ago. As to why he's laughing, well. It could be because the entire show of it all has amused him to no end, or that the higgledy helpers are not actually stealing the candy he's pocketed back, but are tickling him from the inside, some small magical heads popping out of his shirt collar, others dancing on his knee and thighs.

Some weird miscommunication is happening here, but at least there are a couple who are filing in a straight line, carrying a few boxes of sour candies back to their respective owners in offering.