~Halloween Event~ Carnival! Fun Fair Fun Times!

[theextras]

On the evening of the twenty-second day of the tenth month, the chilly weather takes on a slightly different shroud: veiling itself in brighter starlight and clearer air and a crisp, pitch black cloak of darkness...lit up by streetlamps and bright, autumnal window displays, and carved vegetables as far as the eye can see.

It's not just Jack what makes a lantern this time of year, but courgettes and bird cages (birds not included) and jars and actual wrought iron lanterns. Candle light permeating the very air of the city, casting a warm glow on anyone who happens to draw close enough.

Here and there Extra parents tug their Extra children along in a hurried quest to find the perfect outfit or costume for this or that party, spooky or sweet or just plain excellent.

What's more is the long winding carnival snaking its way along the many winding streets of Taxon, hundreds of Extras all dressed up in outfits that some may find more disturbing than others: zombies, ghouls, old crones and Killer Klowns and white-masked beings, moaning and wheezing and giggling their way towards Central Square - but who knows where they're headed next.

Fun fair's in town, kids.

Comments

[bub_snikt]

"This oughta be interestin'," Logan mutters to himself as he lights up a smoke and watches the festivities unfold, wandering without much purpose beyond making his way to what may seem like the center of all the hubbub, and to observe how soulless people celebrate a holiday that's heavy on souls, spirits and general humanity.

If he ever actually smells a legitimate pumpkin pie, he might zero in on that.

[threelivesdown]

"I haven't seen you in awhile," Selina says, falling into step with him.

"What do you think of this so far?"

[bub_snikt]

Logan gives her a look over his shoulder, and then a sly smirk.

"I think business has just picked up."

[threelivesdown]

"I think this is going to be horrible if everything I've heard is true," she says softly. "I hate clowns."

[bub_snikt]

Huh. Seems she hates 'em enough to not even bandy back a flirt. Ain't a good sign.

"Guess you've heard more'n I have. What are we s'posed to have comin'?"

[threelivesdown]

"What do you think they're going to do at a holiday built around fear?" Selina shakes her head, pulling in a breath and letting it back out again, "I've heard rumors of killer clowns. I hate clowns."

[genequeen]

Well.

This is different.

The white mask gives her a heart-stopping pause but the creature it is attached to is so unlike anything Sinister would create it frees her from it soon after. Not for the first time in this place, she wishes she trusted herself enough to drink.

Central: Around and about

[loveawkward]

Halloween. It was a night that Josef had loathed back home in L.A., and now, as things began to change in Taxon, he was beginning to believe he might here as well. The difference was, back home it was that people took risks they shouldn't, and the frivolity and costumes made his own kind take chances they shouldn't.

Here? Here he was positive it would turn worse. With what he'd seen in his short time there, how could he believe anything but.

Making his way through the city, he looked at this and that, curious. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. At least not beyond what one might expect of a city preparing for the holiday.

Why did that make him more nervous than if it was real zombies and killer clowns? Oh right. Hamsters.

[thepersianyouth]

"Josef!"

A familiar voice that, belonging to a familiar face, waving from a slight distance and approaching fast.

It's Bagoas, and Bagoas has discovered the next best thing to chocolate and coffee.

...fantastically pink cotton candy.

[loveawkward]

Turning at the sound of his name, not just his name but his name in that beautiful voice, Josef turned on heel, already smiling merely at hearing Bagoas’ voice.

Then when he saw him, he couldn’t help but laugh. It was a bright sound that made the corner of his eyes crinkle. “Fairy floss? Oh, pure sugar and you. Why do I think this is the most perfect thing ever?”

[thepersianyouth]

Bagoas grins, careful not to get any fluffy sticky goodness on his dark blue coat (with sable fur trims, yes, because curse this ghastly weather), standing for a moment on his tip toes to plant one big sugary kiss on Josef's smiling lips.

"It's perfectly delightful, in any case. It sticks to absolutely everything, but I simply cannot make myself care. There was a lady vendor selling spiced, warm wine just down the street. Isn't it lovely?"

Aside from the long train of disconcertingly dressed people, of course.

[loveawkward]

Oh but this was just becoming the sort of day that Josef could ask for. Not only Bagoas, who looked charming in that coat, but then him close. That kiss making him want to linger, sliding an arm around him without thinking about it. He just liked feeling him close even if propriety dictated that perhaps he was pushing his luck.

"It's Halloween," he said with a chuckle. "At least this reminds me of home. Not that I didn't do my best to avoid it. All the wannabe vampires about begging for candy," he said with a chuckle. "But at leas the days of fire and brimstone were mostly behind us in my world," he said, head canting to one side. "Have you had a wine yet? If you're cold, we should get you some."

[visual / location]

[aintnoconvict]

Glitch takes one look at the carnival, at the Extras costumes, nods to himself, and opens a feed on his tablet.

"Halloween's here again," he begins. "Most of you don't know how this goes but let me be clear: the aliens love this thing and they love making harmless things mean big trouble. Like this carnival:"

He pans the tablet around to show some of the games and amusements, the merrymaking, the giggling children and festive decoration, and then back to his own stern and serious face.

"Avoid it if you can. Do not go alone, do not let your guard down. And for Halloween itself? Nobody get costumes and nobody throw a party, just stay inside no matter what happens. Okay?"

[visual]

[loveawkward]

Josef heard the message and made a face before sending back one of his own.

"Right, because hiding in your homes and pretending it doesn't exist will just make the aliens forget we're here. Sure. I bet that'll work. Might as well do whatever you want with it because they'll screw us over one way or another."

[visual]

[aintnoconvict]

Eyebrow arch: engaged.

"It's not so much making them forget we're here as not...just strolling into whatever it is they have planned for us."

[visual]

[loveawkward]

"Has that ever worked for anyone," Josef asked. "I don't remember anyone choosing to get on that ship, to just go from my limited experience."

[visual]

[aintnoconvict]

"Well, a couple years ago when folks were walking the streets minding their own business they weren't asking to get their head chopped off either," Glitch snaps, irritated. "But that still happened."

He reigns in his temper, sighs. "Remember when you first got here and I made that broadcast about wanting to look out for people here? And out little chat about me being an advocate? That's all I'm doing. This is what I've seen, this is how I suggest dealing with it, you can take it or leave it."

[visual / location]

[bub_snikt]

"How 'big' is this trouble you're talkin' about?"

Because Logan's half-thinking he wouldn't mind something to carve up at the moment.

[visual]

[aintnoconvict]

"Well--"

One of the Extras dressed as a zombie lurches past Glitch, and he flinches away with a distressed expression. "For one thing we've had those things for real. A lot of people got killed. And sometimes they just have monsters show up, it's...hard to predict. Lots of running and yelling."

[visual]

[bub_snikt]

Zombies. Nobody likes those damn things.

"What kinda monsters?" he asks, with an odd tone in his voice that suggests he might be looking for a challenge.

[visual]

[aintnoconvict]

Zombies are literally the worst, yeah.

"Monkey bats," Glitch replies with some distaste. Damn aliens kept bringing the horrid beasties here. "Which are exactly what you're imagine. And...well, I try not to predict. The second you start making serious predictions is when they get ideas, that's my theory."

[location, a tiny little while later]

[thepersianyouth]

Oh, if only eye-covering from behind and who's there? was a Thing of Ancient Persia

Despite the chilly night, there's a heated argument taking place just within earshot of Glitch's watchful ears.

Something about the ludicrous concept of target practice when one is not allowed to choose one's weapon.

"A child's toy. How would you judge one's skill as marksman if the wretched thing simply bounces off the target?!"

...and someone else making the unmistakable sounds of...domesticated fowl?

Pkaaaaaw! Pk-pk-pk-pkaw! CHICKEN!

[location, a tiny little while later]

[aintnoconvict]

At this point Glitch is hardwired to respond to that voice with a little smile, and his usual low-level anxiety gets replaced with what can only be described as warm fuzzies. And tragically that tone of indignation is only more endearing.

Investigation has to happen.

"What's all this, then?" he asks as he walks over to Bagoas, a hand going to touch his shoulder in greeting.

[thepersianyouth]

Bagoas startles at the touch, turning with a relieved and delighted smile at the voice. "Oh! Glitch, hi!"

By the beaming, smitten look on his face, it is very probably a given those warm fuzzies are contagious.

"Oh, it's this-- this buffoon," he grinds out, sending a glare and an animated hand wave at the Extra just waiting to get dunked into a giant vat of water.

"Hit the bull's eye, he says, but this!" He grabs one bright, near fluorescent yellow tennis ball wannabe nearly the size of Bagoas' head.

"This is what he'll have me use. A cushion would serve me better than this travesty!"

[aintnoconvict]

Glitch assesses the situation and nods, frowning.

"Something I learned," he begins, trying to adopt his most wise tone. "Is to make the most of a situation, using the tools you're given to get the result you want."

He glances at the target, then at the Extra in his hamster costume - "What, Zippy, you wanna go?" - and sneers.

"So let's get this jerk dunked and hen we'll find something that requires actual skill."