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Tweak says, "The lad's a genius."

Baron Samedi ☠ Nate Simmons (baronsamedi) wrote in paxletalelogs,
@ 2011-10-25 20:25:00

Entry tags:

baron samedi, chernobog, erebos, eris, geb, horus, loki, maman brigitte, marzanna, nephthys, nyx, phobos, set, sif, thor, tiamat

Going to a Dead Man's Party, Pt 1
Who: EVERYONE.
What: CASKET’s 16th Annual Halloween Party!!!
Where: CASKET
When: October 30th, starting at 7 pm sharp! This thread is getting posted early so everyone can get a head start on the festivities, since this weekend will undoubtedly be busy.
Warnings: Anything can happen.
Notes: All right, boils and ghouls, this is how things will go down.

Upon arriving at CASKET, for two hours everyone will remain in their mortal forms. Drink, discuss, have a good time. Please label your thread with the location of your character - At The Bar, On The Dance Floor, Lounge Area, On Stage Singing My Drunk Little Heart Out, In The Bathroom Puking My Guts Out, whatever strikes your fancy.

Let’s have everyone be nice and courteous: please ask before entering a thread in which there are already two people, unless of course you already have it planned that way.

At 9pm sharp, the deities will begin to take over their mortal shells, though not entirely; only certain aspects will show through, whether it be appearance, powers, or whatever. No full transformations. In this thread, you don’t have to worry about the deities just yet - I will post a second thread for that part of the night.

Have at!

Waiting for an invitation to arrive...goin' to a party where no one's still alive...

CASKET was done up with bells - every inch of the club was redecorated for the main event of the year. Though Julian professed to like no holiday above another, Halloween had always held a special place in his heart. Even if, in modern times, it was meant for those of a younger age, that didn’t mean those of a younger spirit couldn’t join in on the festivities as well! And he strove to provide the most elaborate environment possible for everyone to get their freak on. The addition of Pax patrons was a nice touch, or so he thought - with how lucrative his neighbors had been thus far, who knew what could happen next?

Red lights were exchanged for ultraviolet, hoping to pick out and showcase ghoulish specters in their best light. Every bartender was done up in the best make-up money could buy, elaborate skulls painted on their faces and dressed to match with bones detailing arms and rib cages. The stage area was covered in a thick, ground creeping fog, The Crypt Keeper Five’s instruments already set up and ready to take center stage once the karaoke was done for the evening. Multicolored string lights of skulls were hung from the rafters, adding a festive air to the space amidst the spiderwebs and other macabre decorations. Julian was surveying his work, his own face done up in a friendly looking sugar skull, skeletal gloves covering his fingers while a suit made him seem rather dashing despite his dead demeanor.

The club was already brimming with costume guests, ranging from the sexy to the obscene; as long as no one toted a fake weapon, anything was welcome. Lingering by the bar, he watched the entrance to see who might show up first - and to see if a certain wife was going to make an appearance. His mind lingered for the barest of moments over what would be clinging to those curves, but Julian quickly wiped his mind clean of those thoughts. Undoubtedly she’d only be here to cause trouble, nothing more. Instead, he ordered a Blue Voodoo Doll, which a skeletal Yvette handed to him with a smile. With his potentially most loyal ally manning the bar, Julian was ready for whatever this evening might bring; his lips curved into a smile as Oingo Boingo’s No One Lives Forever blared out over the sound system.

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Re: AT THE BAR (soon to be ON STAGE SINGING MY DRUNK LITTLE HEART OUT)

baronsamedi
2011-10-27 02:40 pm UTC (link)

He was still leaning against the bar, surveying his tiny kingdom when he saw her. Of course she'd make an appearance - it wasn't enough to come snooping around during off hours and bothering his staff. Nevermind that she hadn't wanted anything to do with the club in the past year or so. No, undoubtedly she was merely here to try and make him uncomfortable, perhaps ruin the party in some way. And yet the feeling in the back of his mind that he was assuming too much nearly made him grimace: what was more, it pushed him to move off of the counter and thread his way through the people to where she was standing. The devil costume was elaborate and bright, but it suited her very, very well. She was all color next to his dull coloring, which was a switch when compared to their personalities.

Taking a spot next to her, wondering if she'd move away the moment she had the chance to (though here it was less likely that she'd escape, not with so many people creating a living barrier), he took another sip of his Blue Voodoo and cleared his throat. His line of sight followed hers, right up to the witch currently destroying the song on stage. Karaoke was always a hit, though more with those who were already loosened up with a little liquor. Julian could only grin, because everyone else was so tossed that they didn't care about the cat-like yodeling of the woman on stage. He could only wonder who would be next up in line to humiliate themselves so utterly.

"I bet myself $50 that you'd show up. Thanks for making me a winner, honey bunny." This time he kept his eyes to himself, not looking to see if the wedding band was still there, not going to rove over where the bodice of her dress clung to her hips. No, this was just a friendly conversation. he wasn't going to do anything that would make her feel like she needed to leave - not in such a public space, anyway. No, he'd leave that option for her to decide. In comparison to their last and most recent encounter, he would do his best to behave, which was easy since he was in a place that made him feel the most comfortable. Not to mention, most of the recent, recurring patrons of the bar knew him and not her; everything was in his favor, so there was no reason to not extend a little cooperation to the woman he'd married.

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Re: AT THE BAR (soon to be ON STAGE SINGING MY DRUNK LITTLE HEART OUT)

madamdeath
2011-10-28 05:34 am UTC (link)

At the sound of Julian's voice, Ariana turned to look at him, eyebrows already crinkling together slightly--a display of annoyance that was restrained from anything further only by the alcohol in her system. Julian finding her so early in the night was a bit of a surprise, but she decided that he couldn't help himself, really. To meddle in every little thing going on in CASKET, especially when it involved her, was only in his nature.

Hard to read was his expression because his face was covered with paint, but the mocking tone of his voice coupled with him boldly venturing near her gave away his attitude. Classic Julian, never one to let things go and wanting to exert as much of his presence as was humanely possible when he was inside of CASKET. He was probably getting a real kick out of this, too, knowing full well she'd have to be on her best behavior lest the patrons get wind of what was really going on between them.

It would be maddening if she hadn't made sure to liquor up shortly after she'd entered the building. Ariana regarded him coolly before looking away and taking a sip of her current beverage, determined to not let things go as badly as they had at Pax. Her eyes drifted to the stage again, focusing on the singing witch instead of the grinning skull painted onto Julian's face.

"Don't pat yourself too hard on the back, Julian. I could have just as well stayed home." Her lips pursed at the sour thought of him knowing where she now lived. She continued, doing her best to keep the agitation out of her tone. "But you're right, I did help make you a winner, didn't I?" With a private smile, she gave him a sidelong glance. "However would you have paid for all of this, I wonder." A simple gesture with the hand not holding her drink motioned to the club around them, implying that not only the party decorations but the building itself was included in her statement. She enjoyed the way the extra folds of cloth on her sleeve flowed with her motions, and came to the natural conclusion that perhaps she was a bit tipsy.

She'd give Julian a few more moments to say his piece, whatever nonsense he decided to spout next. And then she would claim the witch's spot at the microphone, unless someone else got there first--which was not going to happen.

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Re: AT THE BAR (soon to be ON STAGE SINGING MY DRUNK LITTLE HEART OUT)

baronsamedi
2011-10-29 03:55 am UTC (link)

Julian had worked long enough in the business, both behind and in front of the bar, to know a drunk when he saw one. Even if Ariana was only hedging on the label, he could still scent the inevitable, and wondered for a moment if she'd come only to drown long harbored sorrows, which, not for the first time, surprised him.

It really didn't make much sense for her to be here, after all, not in the one place that would certainly cause her more pain than she'd already had inflicted on her. And there it was again, that damnable guilt that just had to raise its head during these sorts of trains of thought. He hid the grimace evolving on his face with another sip of his electric blue drink, the glass held so carefully between skeletal fingers, before even attempting to respond to her observation.

"If it wasn't you, dollface, I'm sure it would have been someone else. Money's money, and then it's just printed paper unless you know what to do with it," were the smoothly delivered words uttered by his mouth. It was a cruel blow - even he was quite aware of the help she'd been in cultivating the business, and Julian was more than willing to give her the due she was owed. Just, not out loud, and certainly not in the form of a partnership in owning the club. He'd raised this place (metaphorically speaking, of course) from the ground up, fed it with his life's blood.

Certainly Ariana had been a huge boon in having the funds to throw around, and had probably helped to speed up the growth of the club exponentially throughout the years; but Julian was also quite sure that, had she not been there, he would have been perfectly capable of finding another sponsor or seven. But what had been said couldn't be taken back, and almost instantaneously he wished he could, uncertain of the effect his callousness would have on her currently inebriated status.

Apologizing was not something entirely outside of his spectrum of experience, but it wasn't something he would do, especially amidst a huge of a crowd as this. He could always try to ask Ariana to follow him into his office, where they could just have it out and then treat each other respectably as grown adults were expected to, but his knowledge of both people and her caused him to slow any approach on that front - it would have been too easy for her to start some kind of a scene, whether it was knowingly or drunkenly.

For some reason, in the back of his mind, he didn't want to cause her further embarrassment, not when things were getting so sticky between them. Rather, had been so for such a long time. From behind his painted mask of black, white, and blue, Julian watched her expression carefully, trying to gauge her reaction before things got out of hand. It was something he was good at, anyway.

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Re: AT THE BAR (soon to be ON STAGE SINGING MY DRUNK LITTLE HEART OUT)

madamdeath
2011-10-29 06:19 am UTC (link)

He was in peak form tonight, that much was certain, chock-full of insults and seemingly determined to lower himself to whatever degraded level he felt was currently suitable (and would be casually ignored in lieu of the drunken populace). She wasn't going to stand here and continue throwing remarks at him, for obviously they merely bounced off his thick skull; how fitting indeed his costume was tonight. It suited him in this moment.

Ariana turned, controlling her actions very carefully--and this had little to do with her level of drunkenness. It was a tad embarrassing how she struggled for a second to not waste her drink by tossing it at Julian in disgust. That would be far too cliche and cause a definite scene. Instead, she finished her drink and set the cup back on the bar, giving him a tight-lipped smile.

"And you know exactly what to do with money. One of the few things you're good at, Julian, is spending it carelessly." She smoothed down the front of her costume, intent on approaching the stage and thus ridding herself of Julian's attempt at riling her up, if only because there was no way he'd get thrown out of CASKET for his actions. But Ariana had to be extra careful. Their failed marriage would not be on display. Not tonight.

"You enjoy yourself, baby. I've got my own agenda to attend to, and I'm sure you have so many other people to bother in here. Take your pick. Goodbye, Julian." This time her smile had the hint of a victory behind it, albeit there was no victory in sight. If they stood here bickering, they'd be at it all night. She wasn't going to bother herself any longer with his trivial arguments, not when she had a song to sing.

In a determined fashion, Ariana walked away from the bar, not pausing to look back even once. Let him think whatever he wanted, she wasn't going to allow herself to fall prey again to his catty pet names and provocative taunts. She made her way through the crowd, several of the more polite guests moving aside to let her through without causing too much of a fuss. In front of the stage, the witch was giggling with her friends, probably over Adele's song that she'd effortlessly ruined with her yowling vocals.

Ariana lifted her skirt slightly and stepped upon the stage to take the witch's place, careful not to trip in the process. After a careful consideration of the list of songs that were available with both lyrics and background music, Ariana selected her choice at the karoake machine. In a matter of moments, the starting beats for Trina's "Tongue Song" played across the speakers of CASKET. The lyrics were particularly scandalous, as was stated in the song itself. Ariana didn't think it was a bad choice.

They were all adults here, weren't they?

"This might sound so scandalous, but it's the truth that men can't handle it..." The microphone grasped in her hand, Ariana's voice carried over the crowd. This would no doubt be an embarrassing recollection in the morning, but Ariana quickly threw all propriety to the side as more than a few of CASKET's patrons looked to the stage with various expressions of bewilderment, horror, and even amusement plastered upon their faces.

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Re: AT THE BAR (soon to be ON STAGE SINGING MY DRUNK LITTLE HEART OUT)

baronsamedi
2011-10-30 08:25 pm UTC (link)

Julian managed a wide grin, making the best use of his macabre make-up, as Ariana stormed off. At least this time around, she was the one being forced to leave the confrontation, though he had to admit that this wasn't the most equal of battlegrounds. Still, he felt victorious and brought his drink up for one last sip before depositing the empty glass on the bar counter, where it was nearly instantaneously swept up by one of his ghoulishly decorated bartenders. No empty glass was left unattended for long, something Julian had driven home into his employees from the first day they started working at CASKET.

His eyes followed Ariana's trajectory through the crowd, made especially easy due to her brightly colored costume. For a moment he wondered to where she was headed, but his curiosity was satiated as she climbed the stage to the karaoke machine. Brows rose in surprise - either she'd grown bolder in the time they'd spent apart or she'd consumed more drinks than he was aware of. But surely she wouldn't do anything too embarrassing. And if anything, she would only be humiliating herself in the long run. He looked away for a moment, gauging the audience's reaction as the first strains of the song rang out from the loudspeakers - and then the words started, making Julian immediately push up from his spot on the bar.

Signalling the bouncers from the doorway, he motioned for them to head to the stage. Turning around to reach over the counter, he grabbed a walkie talkie that was connected to backstage, hopefully either in someone's hand or clipped onto a belt.

"Cut the speakers, cut them now," was the aggravated whisper that he put into the high-tech communication system that connected him with the sound people in the back. If he didn't hear those speakers going dead within the next few moments, someone was going to lose their job. Keeping a grip on the walkie-talkie, Julian turned and started making his way through the crowd as well (doing so as politely as possible, keeping a cool appearance despite the suddenly spiraling out of control situation) in order to ensure that everything was being handled appropriately. Not many people here would recognize Ariana as his wife, but for those that did, tongues would start wagging and the truth of their relationship's quick unraveling would be the newest kind of gossip tied to his club. CASKET did not need that sort of advertisement, no matter what his little money-making honey might think.

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Re: AT THE BAR (soon to be ON STAGE SINGING MY DRUNK LITTLE HEART OUT)

madamdeath
2011-10-31 04:32 am UTC (link)

She hadn't expected the speakers to go silent not two minutes into her song. It wasn't fair, her intoxicated mind insisted, and even less fair that she was quickly escorted off the stage by a couple of friendly bouncers--both that might actually know her by name, but Ariana didn't take the time to glance at her unwanted aides.

Once she was safely on the floor, club business went as it had before her fifteen seconds of fame. Ariana made a quick beeline for the restroom, conflicted by her drunken decision. Whatever courage had made her get on stage in the first place was gone, and she could feel her cheeks reddening with embarrassment. Nevermind that most of the crowd didn't pay much attention to her (or rather, she hoped they didn't), she was at least aware enough of her actions now to feel shame in them. Ariana barely paid heed to anyone she rushed by (as dignified as possible, of course, though she'd already gone past all dignity tonight, hadn't she?).

Once in the bathroom, Ariana breathed a sigh of relief as the door closed behind her and blocked out the sound of chattering guests, the occasional drunken, excited whooping, and a new song that was currently blasting across the expanse of the club. Seems like they'd hooked the speakers back up as soon as possible. No doubt the sound being turned off in the first place was due to Julian, and Ariana's embarrassment was pushed to the side for a moment at the thought--he would be overly concerned about the club's welfare and not hers. Typical.

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