InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Yer cheese is off yer cracker."

paxnarrator (paxnarrator) wrote in paxletalelogs,
@ 2010-10-31 00:00:00

Entry tags:

amun, aphrodite, ares, changing woman, coyote, eris, harmonia, jormungandr, mania, min, morrigan, mut, osiris, raijin, raven, sigyn, tlazolteotl, urdr, veles

Who: OPEN
What: Pax Letale Halloween Bash 2010!
Where: The Empty Grave
When: 6:30-9 p.m.
Warnings: Likely any and all. Enter at your own risk.
Notes: This is the party post for all Pax residents and guests in attendance, right up to the moment of transformation. Use your subject line to denote your character's location (i.e. 'By the door,' 'at the bar,' 'on the dance floor,' 'in a coat closet.')

The air in Pax Letale crackled with possibility all day Sunday. All week, excited chatter had filled the hallway and the forums; costumes had been carried in and out; speculation on what the party would entail were whispered. By Sunday, the energy surrounding the event held so much promise that it hardly seemed like just a Halloween party anymore; it was something more, and that sense was nearly kinetic.

The main ballroom in the haunted mansion that was The Empty Grave was expansive, but guests had already begun to arrive. When they entered, they found lush opulence withered and faded; grandeur, but with an eerie pall over it. It was perfect for Halloween - dark, ghostly, with a twisted Victorian edge to it. The bar was fully stocked, trays of h'ors d'oeuvres passed around and more substantial fare offered on ornate platters along one wall. A DJ was already spinning a mix of music that somehow managed to fit the theme and appeal to the eclectic demographic he was serving, and attractive (if ghastly) characters added flavor to the already colorful room.

The night had begun.

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On the dance floor

miaiphonos
2010-10-31 06:58 am UTC (link)

Samuel had arrived to the party with surprising promptness, being firmly ensconced at the open bar only thirty minutes after the doors had opened. His enthusiasm for the event appeared to end here, however, as not a stitch of clothing on him could be mistaken for a costume even by the most forgiving or creative of attendees: Though combat boots and tactical trousers were staples in his closet, he had not even made the minimal effort it might have taken to dress in this most basic of his work attire, and thus attend, narcissistically, as himself. Instead, clad in jeans and a worn black fitted tee, he made use of his less than eye-catching garb to better appraise the flatteringly skimpy costumes of the waitstaff and incoming Pax residents.

For a time it proved an entertaining enough endeavor, but now two drinks in and nursing his third, Samuel found that hovering on the sidelines was beginning to lose its appeal. A few neighbors with whom he was passingly acquainted began to mill about and mingle in earnest. He had seen Lia only fleetingly upon his arrival and did not see her now - though he vehemently denied even to himself that he was looking for her, or that he was in the least concerned about their potential interaction - but he recognized Kami among their number, dressed in decidedly more flattering attire than when they had first met on the paintball field. In short order he rose from the bar, drink in hand, a sharp-edged grin tugging at his lips as he sidled up next to her.

"Evening," he said, leaning down to her as much to be heard above the DJ's thumping music as for a shameless glimpse at her costume. "Aren't you just a sight for sore eyes?"

"I'd like to think so, Sergeant Wolfe." Rightly interpreting his not-so-subtle maneuver, Kami stood straight and tall, improving his view and granting him a grin as bright as a handful of sparklers. If he hadn't known her, he would have put down her mood to the party swirling around them. As it was, he knew this was generally baseline Kami. Yet she seemed even more energized than usual and her eyes shone like a kid faced with a 10 speed on Christmas morning. After waiting the few seconds she deemed necessary to let him leer, Kami rocked forward onto the balls of her feet and dropped back with a happy little bounce. Just beneath the music, the click of her high heels was sharp and teasing. With amusement, she watched his eyes track the result of the bounce and she giggled. Then she reached up to toy with the end of one of her braids, head tilted to the side as she added, "Just like I like to think you came over here for the very important reason to ask me to dance."

Samuel laughed aloud at that; being pressed close against the strip of cloth she called a costume seemed slight punishment for his lecherous perusal. "That is exactly what I came over here for," he said. "That and my ass was going numb from the bar stool." He flashed a bright grin at the twirling of her hair, his head giving a knowing little shake. His glass raised to his lips, the last measure of whiskey disappearing in one quick tip of his head. It was liquid courage of a sort, his last foray onto the dance floor having been what it was; he put the thought behind him, trusting to action to put that specter from his mind. Without further hesitation he reached for Kami's hand, discarding his glass on the tray of a passing waitress - an undead cigarette girl in fishnets, he noted, with no small amusement - and guiding Kami to the open dance floor. They soon found their place among the other writhing partygoers, Samuel smiling all the deeper as he pulled her close, his hand tightening at the curve of her hip. "This should get blood flowing again, hm?"

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Re: On the dance floor

sugar_cycle
2010-10-31 07:04 am UTC (link)

"I hope so or I'm doing something really wrong in this costume." Lazily, Kami reached up to drape one bare arm around Samuel's neck while she allowed the other to dangle at her side. It brushed teasingly against his hand before she adjusted her posture and skin touch was again limited to her arm about his neck and his hand at her hip. With a sweet smile, she resisted Samuel's tugs just enough so that they weren't quite touching, just the slightest of distances kept them safely apart. Then she tilted her head to one side as she considered him, rocking ever so slightly as she waited for him to initiate the dance. "Have I thanked you yet for not marking me up at paintball?" she asked suddenly.

"No," he said, laughing. He let her have her little space even as he slid them into motion, finding the DJ's rhythm and moving them both to it. If his hips wound close to hers in spite of that distance, that was the music's doing, or so he could plausibly argue. A soft smile played at the corner of his mouth as he remembered his last such session. He exhaled on a sigh, giving her faux doeskin-clad side a little pinch. "Your friend Shae made a good enough target. Others, too. No need to bruise you unnecessarily."

Kami rolled big dark eyes at his comment, her mouth quirking slightly higher to one side, but she allowed him to lead without argument. "I'd say that was chivalry," she returned, "but I'd probably be lying. You already know better than to aim for the kiss and make it better angles." She curled the fingers on the hand behind his neck to give the hair there a teasing tug before settling her grip more firmly to cup the nape of his neck. It served as an anchor for when she allowed her body to sink a few precious inches into a squirming dip, timed to the music. Despite the sensuality of the move, she still maintained an air cushion between them - whether he approved or not. "It was a risk, though. I mean, I could have had to play nursemaid to the other casualties all night instead of getting drunk and amenable."

"I'd have been sorry to ruin your plans," he said, his tone utterly bereft of regret. "Pretty sure some of our players would've liked your 'playing nursemaid,' though." He grinned, one brow quirking as he availed himself of the lovely view her lithely bent body provided. "I bet you have a costume for that, too." His hand slipped beneath her shoulders, lifting her back up to him, his body rolling faintly against hers as the beat shifted to a tune with a tempo grinding and slow. "So maybe I ruined their night. Oh, well."

"You sound so incredibly sorry, I'm sure." Her smile was a smirk now and the knowing look she gave him told him that she was onto his schemes. With supreme body control, she hitched her hips back out of contact with his again even as she brought her free arm up to pat her small hand against his chest comfortingly. "There's a heart in there somewhere, tin man."

"Not likely." His smile grew sharper with hers, his languid movements against her curbed somewhat by her gesture. He feigned a pensive look, lips pursing on a smirk, hazel eyes glancing heavenward. "I'm pretty sure I traded that a few years back for a great custom shortboard." When he looked back to her, the impish smile reflected in his eyes, one brow quirked sharp above his steady gaze. "I definitely got the better end of that deal. The board gets much more action."

"If you're the one riding it, I'd believe it." Kami giggled and relaxed her vigilance to allow their dance to continue in uninterrupted closeness now. It was almost as if she had been testing him, setting boundaries of what to expect, and, now that he knew a dance was a dance (no matter how sexy), they could continue. Her hand slid up from his chest to lace with the other behind his neck. "Girls like dangerous men, I hear."

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Re: On the dance floor -

miaiphonos, 2010-10-31 01:13 pm UTC

Re: On the dance floor -

miaiphonos, 2010-10-31 01:36 pm UTC

Re: On the dance floor -

sugar_cycle, 2010-10-31 03:26 pm UTC

Re: On the dance floor -

miaiphonos, 2010-10-31 04:32 pm UTC

Re: On the dance floor -

sugar_cycle, 2010-10-31 08:01 pm UTC

Re: On the dance floor -

miaiphonos, 2010-11-01 02:29 am UTC

Re: On the dance floor -

sugar_cycle, 2010-11-01 02:45 am UTC

Re: On the dance floor -

miaiphonos, 2010-11-01 12:44 pm UTC

Re: On the dance floor -

sugar_cycle, 2010-11-01 02:28 pm UTC

Re: On the dance floor -

miaiphonos, 2010-11-01 04:43 pm UTC

Re: On the dance floor -

sugar_cycle, 2010-11-02 01:24 am UTC

Hiding by the food - OTA

sweetwaterkill
2010-10-31 01:54 pm UTC (link)

Dorcas didn't really want to be here but multiple sources had been persuasive. Her boss, who was flitting through the crowd looking for some chick to take home, had even threatened to fire her if she didn't get out and socialize. So she had gotten out to socialize. The whole steampunk thing had probably been a bad idea though. She would have to spend the evening explaining what she was and the whole concept of steampunk...

Great way not to draw attention. But at least she wasn't baring skin or trying to be extra sexy or anything like that. At least not in her opinion. This was comfortable. This was... out of her closet and an outfit she occasionally wore to work. No one could really know that though. She hadn't worn it in ages. She picked up one of the little treat thingies that looked very much like an eyeball and turned it around on its little toothpick, half glaring at it. "They never tell you what these things really are," she said aloud but mostly to herself.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Hiding by the food - OTA

eristic
2010-10-31 05:48 pm UTC (link)

Charlie couldn't get the thought out of her head that it had been a stupid idea to come to this party. She'd been sitting in her apartment, batting the idea around of whether she should just call work and see if they needed an extra hand tonight; but the lure of free booze and food had eventually gotten her to attend. Maybe she'd just hang out for an hour or so and then leave. In the semi-spirit of the event, she'd thrown on a set of devil's horns, nothing terribly elaborate and Charlie had never been into makeup.

She made her way over to the food area, trying to avoid anyone who she might know or who might know her, and of course ran into what looked like Dorcas dressed up as a heater. Or at least wearing parts of a heater. Charlie didn't really understand what the other woman was going for, but, hey, it was Halloween. Everyone let their freak flags fly on this night of the year. Grabbing a paper plate from one side of the table, she started to casually fill it with the food laid out.

"C'mon, don't be a wuss," she responded to Dorcas' muttered comment. Charlie plucked one of the impaled eyeballs from the plate and popped it into her mouth. "S'like a meatball. Not bad," she explained around a mouthfull of food. Charlie, ladylike? Hilarious.

"So...what are you? Did you dismember your vaccuum cleaner or something?"

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Re: Hiding by the food - OTA -

sweetwaterkill, 2010-11-01 02:33 am UTC

Re: Hiding by the food - OTA -

eristic, 2010-11-02 03:41 am UTC

Re: Hiding by the food - OTA -

sweetwaterkill, 2010-11-02 04:38 am UTC

Re: Hiding by the food - OTA -

eristic, 2010-11-03 02:42 am UTC

Re: Hiding by the food - OTA -

sweetwaterkill, 2010-11-03 05:27 am UTC

Re: Hiding by the food - OTA -

eristic, 2010-11-03 06:00 am UTC

Re: Hiding by the food - OTA -

sweetwaterkill, 2010-11-03 06:26 am UTC

Re: Hiding by the food - OTA -

eristic, 2010-11-04 04:53 pm UTC

Re: Hiding by the food - OTA -

sweetwaterkill, 2010-11-05 03:43 am UTC

Re: Hiding by the food - OTA -

eristic, 2010-11-05 04:48 am UTC

at the bar: Open

philommeides
2010-10-31 02:03 pm UTC (link)

There was a sway in Lia's steps as she emerged from one of the doorways marked "Employees Only," where she'd been giving the arrangements for Kami's cake and candles a final review. She was dressed to the nines for 1963: a pink sheath dress that clung to every dip and curve of her figure, perfectly tailored to her hourglass shape; nude, seamed stockings; period-perfect heels; even a gold pen necklace. The piece de resistance, of course, was a red wig, perfectly styled in a mini-beehive, the shade chosen as the best match for Lia's skin tone. With it, the effect was complete: tonight, she was Joan Holloway.

Lia's costume had turned out to be more appropriate than she'd anticipated. She'd arrived early to ensure the surprise went off without a hitch, and she was letting the DJ know his cues when she noticed Samuel approaching Kami.

She froze. Almost absently, she finished up with the DJ, her eyes never leaving the couple as Kami preened and bounced and Samuel watched with a clear appreciation. Though she couldn't hear exactly what they were saying, Lia credited herself with being quite fluent in body language, and the teasing flirtation between the two left her lips slightly parted. Her throat seemed to close up, and when she closed her mouth, her jaw clenched.

It was fine. It took a moment to convince her body to behave so, but in the end, it cooperated. With easy grace and an effortless smile, she walked over to the bar, never missing a beat, and ordered a glass of Pinot Grigio. Somehow, though, she couldn't keep her gaze entirely away from the pair.

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Re: at the bar: Open

whiskey_jack
2010-10-31 03:42 pm UTC (link)

"They make quite a handsome couple, don't they?" The observation spoken by the man leaning back against the bar, who save for the bullet holes in his dark pinstriped suit looked like he stepped right out of a production of "Guys And Dolls", held no emotion despite the words of admiration or the velvet-smooth tone of his voice. Jack knew this was likely to happen; Kami was affectionate and flirty and outgoing, and seeing her having such a clearly grand time with another man on the dance floor shouldn't have gotten to him the way it was. And it bothered him that it was.

He watched Kami and the man dance for a few moments more, his gaze hooded beneath his fedora, before tossing back the glass of whiskey he held. He signaled for another, then turned to the redheaded woman. "I'm sorry, I don't think we've met," he said, switching on the Smile That Broke A Million Hearts as he held out his hand to her. "Jack. Jack Mallory. I just moved into Pax a couple of weeks ago, so just about everyone here is a new face. Some prettier than others," he added with a purr.

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Re: at the bar: Open -

philommeides, 2010-11-01 03:50 am UTC

Re: at the bar: Open -

whiskey_jack, 2010-11-24 06:22 pm UTC

At the Bar - JACK!!

lettuce_rejoice
2010-10-31 03:48 pm UTC (link)

There were things you could do in California, especially SoCal, that you couldn't do anywhere else. One of those things was go drag when ever you wanted which Mirza did occasionally. But he especially did it on Halloween when it caused even more confusion by being drag in costume. There were layers and layers of deception. So that was what he had done.

Mirza had bought this cheap knock-off of a silk dress, dawning that and very convincing fake breasts and very lovely wings. Him? An angel? Well, at least in appearance. His hair had been straightened and then delicately curled like a teen girl about to go to prom. Even his make-up was Hella convincing.

So he had made his entrance, hips aswayin', some time ago and mingled about with a few of his Work Friends that he had invited. You could tell who they were because they weren't afraid of showing way too much skin. There had been a couple of dances which where surprisingly not awkward with his tiny, light wings. Then he had gone to the bar to get himself something fruity and full of tequila. Mm, strawberry margarita. His only complaint was that there was hardly enough salt on the glass. "Tsk, tsk. Wouldn't know how to coat a glass if it killed 'em."

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Re: At the Bar - JACK!!

whiskey_jack
2010-12-22 12:48 am UTC (link)

Women. Jack set his empty glass on the bar with a little more force than was really necessary and turned to scan the crowd for Kami once more. She'd refused his offer of a dance for the second time now, and it was starting to get to him. Why couldn't she see that he sincerely wanted to talk to her, to try and make amends? Turning back to the bar, he found his drink magically filled again. He picked it up and eyed the amber liquid; he'd lost count how many he'd had, and he didn't know what it was they were serving him, but it seemed rather more potent than just whiskey. Didn't matter anyway, he wasn't paying for them.

The music paused for a moment between songs, and in the comparative stillness he heard a soft complaint about un-salty glasses from a little ways down the bar. Glancing over from beneath his hat, he saw that little angel he'd filed away for future reference earlier in the evening, standing by herself with her strawberry margarita. He took a sip of his drink as he looked her up and down appraisingly. Yep, still stunningly gorgeous. Well, he decided, if Kami could flirt with every guy in the place, two could play at that game.

He sidled closer to the angel-girl. "Can I get you a replacement?" he offered with a purr, gracing her with the Smile That Broke A Million Hearts. "I'll make sure the bartender correctly salts the rim of the glass for you."

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By the door (OPEN)

banrion
2010-10-31 06:25 pm UTC (link)

Pru was at the party a little late - she had just finished unpacking the rest of the way and doing her makeup had taken such a long time, but the effect was certainly scream-worthy. She had forgone the idea of prom queen to instead hype her excitement about tonight's premiere of The Walking Dead on AMC - her TV was set to record it, as she had no idea what might keep her later here. Of course, there was always the temptation to bow out early, but she was very excited to see what costumes others had come up with. After helping Jack with his Valentine's Day Massacre outfit, it was obvious that there would be a lot of creative appearances.

She was simply dressed in jeans and a green zip-up hoodie with sneakers on her feet, but everything looked frayed and worn. Her face and hands, of course, were the real show-stoppers: skin was peeling away, revealing gaping wounds that bled freshly. Her eyes were sunken into her skull and one was whited out with the help of a contact lens. Her hands looked bony, a few missing fingernails, and her skin tone was gray like that of a corpse. Pru was sincerely hoping Thriller would come on at some point, but she was a little too shy to perform the dance all on her lonesome. She handed out smiles easily upon the compliments and stares she was receiving for her work, and paused by the door for a moment as she oriented herself to the room.

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Re: By the door (OPEN)

jormungandr
2010-11-03 07:49 pm UTC (link)

It had taken less convincing than Adam might have guessed to get Alexandria up and moving. Whether it was the holiday in general, their costumes - and, by extension, their characters - in particular, or just the prevailing mood of the crowd surrounding them, she had followed him with minimal fuss, approaching the door and the gathering of newcomers with only the slightest bit of hesitation. Up close, Pru's costume was all the more impressive. Beneath the thick makeup and carefully-wrought scars Adam thought he recognized someone he knew, if only from having passed her in the lobby from time to time.

Adam put on his biggest, most unsettlingly Joker-inspired grin as they sidled up beside the girl, his arm sliding with comfortable familiarity around his Harley's waist. "You're one of our Pax neighbors, right?" he asked, his green-dyed head canting curiously to one side. "I'm Adam, under all this. This is Alexandria. We thought staring from a distance was creepy and limiting, so we thought we'd try from closer up instead."

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Re: By the door (OPEN) -

urdr, 2010-11-03 08:11 pm UTC

Re: By the door (OPEN) -

banrion, 2010-11-04 05:01 pm UTC

Re: By the door (OPEN) -

jormungandr, 2010-11-04 08:52 pm UTC

Re: By the door (OPEN) -

urdr, 2010-11-05 04:37 am UTC

Re: By the door (OPEN) -

banrion, 2010-11-06 03:28 am UTC

Re: By the door (OPEN) -

urdr, 2010-11-09 06:09 pm UTC

Re: By the door (OPEN) -

jormungandr, 2010-11-10 01:02 am UTC

Re: By the door (OPEN) -

banrion, 2010-11-10 06:03 pm UTC

Entrance, ~7-7:30 PM

piece_o_dat
2010-10-31 08:34 pm UTC (link)

The cowboy took a bold step forward, pushed the door open with the flat of his hand. They didn't swing wide open like a saloon door would, but if he was disappointed, it didn't show on his stubble-lined jaw. When he stepped into the room proper, his boots clinked against the floor, and his chaps added extra gravity to his meandering swagger. He tipped his hat up, looked over the main floor, and whistled.

"Boy howdy," Rick said, and snubbed his thumb over the tip of his nose. "I'm reckoning these bones ain't ever seen a ruckus like this one."

Well. Watching a marathon of John Wayne movies had done him no favors, that was sure.

He hooked his thumbs into the waistband of his Levi's, and elbowed the stiff-looking man walking in next to him. "Look at all that, hoss. Told you this thing was worth coming to."

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Entrance, ~7-7:30 PM

arzani
2010-11-01 02:23 pm UTC (link)

Navid started, straightening up with a faint clearing of his throat. He curbed the equivocating response that wanted to come, largely for Zara's sake. She had worked quite hard on their costumes, and her enthusiasm had been surprisingly contagious in the safe confines of their apartment. Now, though, surrounded by neighbors he largely had not met, being dressed as Prince Eric seemed a far more daunting thing. He reached a hand down to fuss with his red cummerbund, feeling more out of place than he had since time out of mine. He forced his brow to even out from the arch it had adopted. "Thanks, Duke," he said, only half joking. "I'm still reserving judgment for now."

Though he had his reservations - and his bearing made them somewhat obvious - Navid composed himself fairly quickly after this momentary hesitation. He looked back to Zara, smiling again at the sight of her costume. "Come on, Ariel," he said. "Where to first?"

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Re: Entrance, ~7-7:30 PM -

the_creatrix, 2010-11-02 05:49 am UTC

Re: Entrance, ~7-7:30 PM -

piece_o_dat, 2010-11-04 04:35 am UTC

Re: Entrance, ~7-7:30 PM -

pax_vobis, 2010-11-05 12:54 pm UTC

Re: Entrance, ~7-7:30 PM -

arzani, 2010-11-05 07:57 pm UTC

Re: Entrance, ~7-7:30 PM -

the_creatrix, 2010-11-06 03:58 am UTC

Re: Entrance, ~7-7:30 PM -

piece_o_dat, 2010-11-06 05:28 am UTC

Re: Entrance, ~7-7:30 PM -

pax_vobis, 2010-11-22 06:57 pm UTC

urdr
2010-11-01 04:15 am UTC (link)

Alexandria had left directions tacked to Ty's door - she hadn't been able to get a hold of him in time for the party, and so just stuck to her and Adam's original plan of riding over together.

As it happened, they looked pretty great, if Alexandria thought so herself. The costumes were perfectly authentic; rejected samples from a costume designer's wares that had been judged "too cartoonish" - in that they'd been modeled exactly after the Joker and Harley Quinn costumes from the late, great Batman: the Animated Series from the nineties. Alexandria couldn't have been happier to find them until she'd found out they fit her and Adam just right. Alterations had been no problem to get, and now, here they were.

She'd been trying to avoid what might have been awkward moments between them regarding The Kiss, which really was more of "The Kissing" or "The Makeout," but that was splitting hairs. The fact was, she was avoiding it, and pretending everything was fine and normal, and that was the best way to make things so, really.

"Hm," she said as they walked in. "This place is pretty impressive."

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milling around: open

jormungandr
2010-11-01 01:41 pm UTC (link)

"No kidding." Adam was a mere pace behind her, idly plucking at his boutonnière, turning it on his wide notched lapel. Since he first laid eyes on the costumes Alexandria had found he had felt not a moment's hesitation in ditching his planned priest's cassock. Better still, it fit as well as she had predicted, and after minor alterations Adam felt entirely within his rights to say they were the best-dressed pair in attendance. He had done all he could to perfect the look, even foregoing his hair's typical spikes in favor of his favorite Joker's slicked-back look. He turned to his Harley, grinning nearly as broadly as his cartoon counterpart. "I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't all this."

When his roving gaze fell to the bar, their thoughts ran solidly parallel. Neither of them had spoken of the incident - to one another, at least - and Adam couldn't help but feel that in this, of all things, inaction would only make things worse. For now the fear of losing everything, of that inebriated incident somehow ruining a decade's friendship, had stayed his tongue, but he wondered how long that would last. But he cleared his throat and managed to wind his way with her through the crowd, checking out their fellow party guests and their costumes as they passed. "Steampunk, huh?" he said, pointing Dorcas, a recent acquaintance, out to Alexandria with a nod of his green-dyed head. "And a very lazy devil," he laughed, glancing to Charlie's decidedly half-assed costume. "Too bad there's not a costume contest. We'd win hands down."

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re: milling around: open -

urdr, 2010-11-02 03:52 am UTC

Re: milling around: open -

jormungandr, 2010-11-02 12:11 pm UTC

Re: milling around: open -

urdr, 2010-11-03 05:28 pm UTC

Re: milling around: open -

jormungandr, 2010-11-03 07:50 pm UTC

Out and about, and absolutely OPEN TO ALL

in_the_wings
2010-11-01 09:01 pm UTC (link)

Well, no one could say Shae didn't like to make an entrance.

The costume itself had taken a lot of time and effort- not necessarily to plan or assemble, since he'd used the same outfit for a Halloween shindig almost nine years prior, but to physically put it on. It was intended to be form-fitting yet not overly constrictive, and although the leather pants fit a little more snugly than they had a decade ago, he was still satisfied with the results. He didn't exactly plan to bust out any Brandon Lee-style martial arts at the party...although there was always that possibility...

Make-up had been relatively simple when compared to the task of squeezing into skintight PVC, although it had taken several layers' worth of application to completely whitewash his naturally dark complexion. Coupled with the starkly contrasting black lipstick and eye make-up, he was nigh unrecognizable.

The party was already in full-swing as he arrived, and he kept the stoic expression plastered onto his face as he skulked through the crowd, intent on not breaking character. The costume earned him a few appreciative stares, and he glowered as graciously as possible while scanning the crowd for familiar faces...or at least, interesting unfamiliar ones.

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Out and about, and absolutely OPEN TO ALL

the_calm_before
2010-11-03 09:20 pm UTC (link)

Ren had gotten to the party a little late. He had had to work longer than he hoped, but a job is a pay check, and the pay checks went to rent and all the ramen he could eat. After he had gotten done with work he had managed to pull out on of his old costumes that he had bought on one of his last trips to Japan with his family and put it on. A simple hakama and gi, he was a random ronin samurai. He even had a wig pulled back into a pony tail, though it did manage to make his head itch a bit.

He scratched his head absently as he walked through the crowds of bodies in costumes elaborate and lame. He supposed he was looking for someone familiar, but whether that meant he would start walking toward or away from them depended on who he saw.

He walked up next to a guy all in black with a white face and blinked at him a few times before he recognized his friend the bounty hunter. His eyes widened a bit and he begin to smile at the other man who seemed to be very deep into character if one could gain any insight from the scowl on his face.

"Hey, didn't expect to run into you at one of these. I didn't realize bounty hunters were such party animals." Ren set an arm on the hilt of his wooden sword he had tied to his hakama with his belt so it couldn't be drawn without taking his pants off and tilted his head a little as he looked over Shae's Crow costume, cause he obviously could tell exactly what character the bounty hunter was doing.

"I like the costume. Do you like Brandon Lee? Although, you kinda look like you belong in a Tim Burton movie with the white face and..uh..dark hands and all." Ren might have already had a few drinks to loosen his inhibitions to interact with people.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

At the Bar - Open

head_down
2010-11-02 04:58 am UTC (link)

Kaminski had this to say for the managers at Pax Letale: they were not stingy with the liquor. High praise, coming from that particular quarter.

He crept into the ballroom and didn't linger at the entrance. Part of him anticipated being kicked out at any minute even though he had a legitimate invite to the party because Douglas Kaminski simply didn't attend parties that didn't involve a keg in a backyard with an empty swimming pool.

For a second he actually regretted not wearing a costume, as much as he insisted that "guy in a White Zombie concert t-shirt" was a perfectly legitimate costume and thematically appropriate to boot. In a ballroom full of dressed-up tenants he was the one who stuck out, and that was sort of the opposite of what he was going for. Even that Charlie chick was wearing devil horns, damn her.

His concerns were quelled as soon as he caught sight of the bar - the open bar. There were no Halloween parties, only Open Bar parties.

"Scotch," he said as he sat down on a stool. "Neat."

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	Re: At the Bar - Open sinnertakesall 2010-11-02 05:37 am UTC (link)
	A woman in a crimson trenchcoat and matching fedora sidled next to Kaminski, a wide smirk on her painted lips. Her hat was tipped down low over her face, effective as any mask. Just as the bartender slid the glass toward Kaminski, she intercepted it with a black gloved hand. "Didn't think you'd show up." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: At the Bar - Open -

head_down, 2010-11-02 05:58 am UTC

Re: At the Bar - Open -

sinnertakesall, 2010-11-02 06:10 am UTC

Re: At the Bar - Open -

head_down, 2010-11-02 06:34 am UTC

Re: At the Bar - Open -

sinnertakesall, 2010-11-04 01:05 am UTC

Re: At the Bar - Open -

head_down, 2010-11-05 05:17 am UTC

Re: At the Bar - Open -

sugar_cycle, 2010-11-06 03:40 am UTC

Re: At the Bar - Open -

sinnertakesall, 2010-11-07 04:48 am UTC

Re: At the Bar - Open -

head_down, 2010-11-08 03:41 am UTC

Re: At the Bar - Open -

sugar_cycle, 2010-11-08 05:07 am UTC

Re: At the Bar - Open -

sinnertakesall, 2010-11-08 05:41 am UTC

Re: At the Bar - Open -

sugar_cycle, 2010-11-11 03:35 am UTC

Between Entrance and Bar - Kami, Rick, open

sugar_cycle
2010-11-06 05:52 am UTC (link)

Just as Rick had bid his temporary farewells from his arrival party and begun his John Wayne strut towards the bar, he found his method acting thrown up against a most formidable challenge indeed.

Kami had spotted her friend entering with Navid and Zara and had nearly bolted straight over but had managed to force manners into play, holding back while they chatted comfortably. When she saw Brighid approach them, though, a bright grin split her expression with delight. She had been so worried about the quiet, dark-haired Irish girl during the cab ride over - more so even when she had insisted on settling herself at a table for some quality people-watching. A few minutes had been spent in an attempt to bully the other woman into a more social area of the party but Kami had found her new friend to be just as stubborn as she was in a lot of ways. Forced to abandon her due to her own extrovert pull, she had nonetheless kept a distracted eye on Brighid.

But if the other woman was allowing herself to be hugged by Navid and Zara, then all was right in the world and Kami could focus more carefully on her list of birthday wishes.

Case in point, one Rick the Cowboy. Without much trouble, Kami slipped into his pathway and waited until his swagger brought him head-on. Then she grinned and winked at him. "I've been looking for you, Duke," she announced. "Did the horse get lost?"

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Between Entrance and Bar - Kami, Rick, open

piece_o_dat
2010-11-09 06:27 am UTC (link)

He was clearly surprised at the appearance of an Indian (what a laugh, the Nikesh part of him thought) and especially at the woman dressed as such. But that was maybe for a few seconds, before like any actor he remembered his role.

"Silver was snatched off the ranch, actually," he said, tipping his hat forward. The grin on his face was entirely unlike those of hardened cowboys, but hey, he was only a Rick.

He slipped his fake guns back into the holsters at his hips, pressed his hands at his hips, and slouched forward at her. "I reckon I have an idea who might have done such a thing too."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: Between Entrance and Bar - Kami, Rick, open -

sugar_cycle, 2010-11-09 07:11 am UTC

Re: Between Entrance and Bar - Kami, Rick, open -

piece_o_dat, 2010-11-13 05:58 am UTC

Re: Between Entrance and Bar - Kami, Rick, open -

sugar_cycle, 2010-11-13 02:02 pm UTC

Re: Between Entrance and Bar - Kami, Rick, open -

piece_o_dat, 2010-11-25 07:38 am UTC

Re: Between Entrance and Bar - Kami, Rick, open -

sugar_cycle, 2010-11-26 01:57 am UTC

Re: Between Entrance and Bar - Kami, Rick, open -

piece_o_dat, 2010-11-30 06:24 pm UTC

Re: Between Entrance and Bar - Kami, Rick, open -

sugar_cycle, 2010-11-30 10:26 pm UTC

Re: Between Entrance and Bar - Kami, Rick, open -

piece_o_dat, 2010-12-08 03:09 am UTC

Re: Between Entrance and Bar - Kami, Rick, open -

sugar_cycle, 2010-12-08 06:53 am UTC

Re: Between Entrance and Bar - Kami, Rick, open -

piece_o_dat, 2010-12-22 05:25 am UTC

Re: Between Entrance and Bar - Kami, Rick, open -

sugar_cycle, 2010-12-23 03:29 am UTC

Somewhere around 8:30-ish near the door

delicatefire
2010-11-08 06:55 am UTC (link)

Naea frowned as she finally wandered into the party, feeling like 'fashionably late' had gone out the window. She'd ended up working a double, but at least she'd gotten to wear her costume to work, and didn't have to worry about anything but maybe retouching her makeup and bit of glitter she'd used.

She recognized pretty much everyone, for the most part, but everyone was engaged in whatever conversations they were having. Ugh, so tired. I'll just grab some grub, wave hello and get out. Seemed simple enough and no one would be the wiser.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Somewhere around 8:30-ish near the door

sugar_cycle
2010-12-02 09:08 pm UTC (link)

Except fate had other plans and, as Kami parted ways from yet another dance partner, her dark eyes lit on her fairy-inspired friend and a smile took over her face before she slipped through the crowd. "You made it!" she announced with transparent glee the moment she reached her destination at Naea's side. She threw her arms around the other woman briefly, careful of the wings. As she drew back, she once more took in Naea's costume with bright eyes. "You look adorable," she proclaimed. "Did you wear that all through work?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: Somewhere around 8:30-ish near the door -

delicatefire, 2010-12-02 09:52 pm UTC

Re: Somewhere around 8:30-ish near the door -

sugar_cycle, 2010-12-03 03:58 am UTC

Re: Somewhere around 8:30-ish near the door -

delicatefire, 2010-12-04 07:13 am UTC

Re: Somewhere around 8:30-ish near the door -

sugar_cycle, 2010-12-05 07:27 am UTC

Re: Somewhere around 8:30-ish near the door -

delicatefire, 2010-12-06 06:03 am UTC

Re: Somewhere around 8:30-ish near the door -

whiskey_jack, 2010-12-07 07:36 am UTC

Re: Somewhere around 8:30-ish near the door -

sugar_cycle, 2010-12-07 07:58 am UTC

Re: Somewhere around 8:30-ish near the door -

delicatefire, 2010-12-07 08:07 am UTC

Re: Somewhere around 8:30-ish near the door -

whiskey_jack, 2010-12-07 08:25 am UTC

Re: Somewhere around 8:30-ish near the door -

delicatefire, 2010-12-15 06:20 am UTC

~8-ish, near the dance floor (Kami, Navid)

sugar_cycle
2010-11-23 05:53 am UTC (link)

Looking around for her next victim, Kami once more spotted the charming combination of her cordial upstairs neighbors and their familiar, Disney-inspired costumes off to one side of the dance floor. They looked wonderful, she thought. Zara had a serious talent for pulling off the sparkly and, as versed as Kami was in Disney knock-offs, she recognized the quality in Zara's "tail." Trust an artist to know how things should go to look best. Now that Rick had accomplished his goal and snatched a dance with her she was free to continue spreading the birthday cheer.

With an absent sort of ease, Kami skirted a few other party-goers as she made her way across the floor to the couple. As soon as she was close enough, she gave a low hum to pitch herself and then launched into the first few lines of a credible rendition of "Kiss The Girl." Their heads snapped around to face her and Kami gave them a puckish little smile. "Hello, you two," she greeted them, crossing the final few feet to stand at their sides.

Zara's tail was even more sparkly and adorable up close, the shells amazingly demure, while Navid cut a handsome, slightly rakish figure as Prince Eric. Kami couldn't resist and gave a little clap of glee. "You two are perfect," she announced. "No wonder you waited for her, prince." She winked. "Zara, you look amazingly adorable. It should be illegal. Did you make your own costumes?"

At the affirmative, the two ladies slid easily into a brief conversation regarding fabrics and shiny things until things turned towards the impending birthday and Kami suddenly laughed. She looked sideways at Navid, mischievous all over again. "Actually, that reminds me," she said. "As a birthday treat to myself, I'm trying to have as many dances as possible tonight. May I borrow you for a song, Navid? I promise to return you to Zara immediately afterwards and in one piece."

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Re: ~8-ish, near the dance floor (Kami, Navid)

arzani
2010-11-24 02:20 am UTC (link)

A careful observer - perhaps one less enamored of the party atmosphere in general, or its better known attendees in particular - might have noticed the brief flicker of uncertainty that crossed Navid's face then. It showed in a slight thinning of his full lips, a dusky deepening of the bronzed color of his cheeks, a quirk in the black line of his brow. Navigating the tricky and dangerous waters of white-tie fundraisers was one thing, apparently, maneuvering a costume party full of relative strangers - dressed as a cartoon character, no less - clearly something else entirely. Still he recovered nicely; in a flash the expression was gone, replaced by his more characteristic aplomb. A bright smile crept over his lips as he took her hand. "In one piece, she says," he mused, a muted smile playing at the corner of his mouth. He leaned over to Zara, pressing a small kiss of temporary farewell to her cheek.

"She did an excellent job, didn't she," he said, a warm smile coloring his tone. "I admit I made the costume selection process perhaps more difficult than was necessary. I tried to coax her into letting me wear a suit and claim to be James Bond or something, but you see how well that worked." His arm slipped around her waist, his hand shifting against hers as they fell into step. His touch was carefully loose, benign; he was grateful the song she had chosen was reasonably tasteful and suitably slow. "Your costume is quite flattering as well. You've been the belle of the ball, from what I've seen."

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Re: ~8-ish, near the dance floor (Kami, Navid) -

sugar_cycle, 2010-11-25 01:27 am UTC

Re: ~8-ish, near the dance floor (Kami, Navid) -

arzani, 2010-11-26 09:51 pm UTC

Re: ~8-ish, near the dance floor (Kami, Navid) -

sugar_cycle, 2010-11-27 05:34 am UTC

Re: ~8-ish, near the dance floor (Kami, Navid) -

arzani, 2010-11-29 12:19 pm UTC

Re: ~8-ish, near the dance floor (Kami, Navid) -

sugar_cycle, 2010-11-30 06:52 am UTC

Re: ~8-ish, near the dance floor (Kami, Navid) -

arzani, 2010-11-30 04:23 pm UTC

Re: ~8-ish, near the dance floor (Kami, Navid) -

sugar_cycle, 2010-11-30 10:07 pm UTC

Re: ~8-ish, near the dance floor (Kami, Navid) -

arzani, 2010-12-01 02:46 pm UTC

Re: ~8-ish, near the dance floor (Kami, Navid) -

sugar_cycle, 2010-12-02 04:12 am UTC

Re: ~8-ish, near the dance floor (Kami, Navid) -

arzani, 2010-12-04 12:14 am UTC

Re: ~8-ish, near the dance floor (Kami, Navid) -

sugar_cycle, 2010-12-05 07:16 pm UTC

8:55pm, on the dance floor (Kami, Jack)

sugar_cycle
2010-12-08 02:39 am UTC (link)

Though Kami allowed him to lead her through the crowd to a relatively empty corner of the dance floor, the expression on her face all too clearly showed her grudging acceptance of her upcoming dance with Jack. Her heels sounded loud and brisk in the momentary quiet between songs but she left her hand in his. He didn't cling, at least, she thought. It reminded her with a pang of their first acquaintance and she clamped down on those thoughts immediately. He had been so sweet and wicked, teasing her with looks and touches. Kami bit her lower lip. That was not banishing those thoughts.

Without conscious thought, Kami's fingers tightened on Jack's in response to her renewed mental tension. It was not a gesture of affection but, on the other hand, she had clutched instead of jerking away. When he drew her to a stop, though, in an isolated area and the DJ put on a new song, Kami's dark eyes flicked up to Jack's face in momentary alarm. A slow dance? Really? Did karma hate her that much?

She held still and quiet, not making any move. In her costume, glossy-dark braids laying over her shoulders, she eerily resembled a pretty little porcelain doll on a shelf. "Well?" she finally asked and there was little inflection in the word. "It's your dance, Jack."

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Re: 8:55pm, on the dance floor (Kami, Jack) -

whiskey_jack, 2010-12-10 07:08 am UTC

Re: 8:55pm, on the dance floor (Kami, Jack) -

sugar_cycle, 2010-12-10 08:22 am UTC

Re: 8:55pm, on the dance floor (Kami, Jack) -

whiskey_jack, 2010-12-10 06:11 pm UTC

Re: 8:55pm, on the dance floor (Kami, Jack) -

sugar_cycle, 2010-12-10 07:00 pm UTC

Re: 8:55pm, on the dance floor (Kami, Jack) -

whiskey_jack, 2010-12-10 11:28 pm UTC

Re: 8:55pm, on the dance floor (Kami, Jack) -