i saw lon cheney walking with the queen

[hellzone]

Who: open to all!
What: The Aqours Spooky Get Yohane Magical Powers Halloween Extravaganza...which is a super extra way of saying a Halloween party. It's a Halloween party, y'all.
When: early October
Where: a local restaurant in Olympia
Warning(s): none!

The Halloween party is in the back room of a local, family style restaurant. What used to be a banquet hall is decorated with fake cobwebs, crepe paper, and garlands of pumpkins, ghosts, and cats. A lot of the decorations are hand-made, courtesy of Yoshiko and You. There's an open space in the middle for dancing and mingling, some food tables along one side of the room, and some games and entertainment on the other side. There's a table with various hats, animal ears, and crowns for people who didn't bring a costume. Most of them are made out of cardboard. There's a very beat-up boombox in the corner, obviously borrowed from somebody, playing the El Nysa version of hokey Halloween songs like "The Monster Mash" and "Flying Purple People Eater."

The food is fairly standard Halloween fair. There's a large bowl full of candy, as well as some pumpkin flavored breads and muffins. There's a large punch bowl of something that's green, but is really your bog-standard lime sherbet/lemon-lime soda combination. The oddest thing on the table is some jet black takoyaki, labeled "Tears of a Fallen Angel." The label does not tell you that these things are spicy as hell and flavored solely with Tabasco. There's enough space on the table to fit more food, should your character decide to contribute something that isn't 'way too much sugar' or 'something that will melt your tongue off.'

The Halloween games are simple enough. There's a 'pin the tail on the donkey' though you're pinning a broomstick to a witch. There's a large tub for bobbing for apples. There's also a table dedicated to touch and feel mystery boxes: you reach in blindly to touch what's inside. The labels say things like 'eyeballs' (they're really peeled grapes), 'worms' (they're really cold, cooked spaghetti), and 'hearts' (it's a peeled tomato). The party's going past the closing time of the restaurant, so enjoy some slightly spooky nonsense!

( ooc: feel free to make a starter and tag around! Even if your character didn't reply to Yoshiko's post, it's possible that they heard about the party from somewhere else or just came in from the street: Yoshiko isn't turning away anybody. )

Comments

[quintessent]

[One of the many lessons of traveling in space and visiting so many planets is to expect the unexpected, and Allura considered herself fairly adept at adjusting to unexpected situations. But the last few ticks left Allura's face burning bright red. It surely has nothing to do with the sudden degree of nudity (she has seen bare chests on men before but for some reason, it seemed like so much skin when it came to Iskandar) and compliments to her legs going on in the room.]

It is- [She tugs the hem of the dress down self-consciously.] This is not Altean style by any means. It was just a costume provided by the venue. [Then, belatedly,] Thank you.

[She's trying to do better about the whole "when in Rome" business.]

[conqueredhearts]

I'm not sure what is considered to be Altean style but you have beautiful legs.

[And so of course he loves being able to see them. Iskandar grins as he comes over and rests a hand on her shoulder. Obviously he's not at all bothered by all the skin showing here. Look at how much he's showing off!]

Would you like to try to get an apple? It's quite fun!

[quintessent]

Alteans prefer longer gowns, as a rule.

[And long sleeves and pretty much everything that is less fun than showing off skin. And Iskandar is just full of compliments, and she tugs the skirt down once again. (It's not going anywhere).

Glad to change the topic from her legs, she looks at the tub of water,]

Is that the goal for that game? To catch and apple.... with your mouth?

[conqueredhearts]

Indeed! It is supposed to be quite challenging though I found I had little trouble with it.

[He waves for her to come closer to it and crouches by the basin the apples are in.]

You can even eat the apple you capture.

[quintessent]

It doesn’t look so difficult.

[Catching apples in a basin? After a moment of thought, she takes her wide-brimmed hat, holding it out to Iskandar,]

If you would hold this for me. I want to try my hand at this game.

[conqueredhearts]

Of course!

[He takes the hat and steps out of her way so that way she can try it.]

Let us see how you do.

[quintessent]

[She takes a moment to pull her hair back into a neat bun (several moments because boy that's a lot of hair) before standing before the basin, appraising the task before her.

The first attempt is dainty, going for one of the apples bobbing on the surface but, predictably, it bounces off of her mouth (and her nose) dipping under the surface before resurfacing on the other end of the basin. The next two tries go somewhat similarly, with no luck. Perhaps it's not as easy as it first appeared.

She makes a frustrated noise, and with the third attempt and beyond she's finally plunging her face past the surface of the water to chase one down. With each failure, with each apple that evades her, her determination ramps up to the point that she's practically upending herself, up on her toes so she can plunge her head in the water, nosing one of the apples against the side of the basin so it can't get away when she goes in for the kill. Finally-

Well, her mouth is too full of apple for a victory cry, but the mood is the same when she finally emerges, water coming down her face in rivulets. She's not looking too different from Iskandar when she first found him.]

There- [She's panting a little bit, taking the apple out of her mouth with one hand before mopping some of the water out of her eyes with her arm. That wasn't the most princess-ly display but maybe being a little Extra about victory runs in royal lines.]

[conqueredhearts]

[He bursts out laughing when she finally dives for an apple, patting her on the back after she resurfaces.]

Excellent! That is just the sort of approach you should have! There should be no cause to be gentle and cautious when the victory is right there before you. Now have a bite. It will taste delicious.

[And he nods to the apple she's holding.]

[quintessent]

[And it is with a victorious grin that Allura takes a mighty (for her) bite into the apple, even closing her eyes to savor it for a moment. When she opens her eyes again, she gives a small laugh, bringing her free hand up to pat the sopping wet mess of hair that's pulled back from her face. Squishing it causes a new cascade of water to run down her face and neck, darkening the already wet top half of her costume.]

That was fun, but I think I should find some dry clothing now.

[And she is not going shirtless like Iskandar, thank you very much.]

[conqueredhearts]

Here. I will help get your hair down to get the water out. I would bathe with Roxana at times and her hair could also hold so much water in it.

[Who is Roxana? Apparently someone he's close to if he's going bathing with her but he seems to forget to go on and explain her relation to him. Instead, he just reaches to help with getting her hair down. His hands may be big but they do seem quite gentle about not pulling on her hair!]

[quintessent]

Oh. That isn't necessary- [She seems genuinely surprised when he reaches out to help her with her hair, but doesn't move to stop him. Instead she just cants her head to the side as needed, to help him unwrap it properly.] But thank you.

[Admittedly, it feels nice. It has been such a long time since anyone other than the mice have helped her with her hair. A lifetime ago when her title of princess was more than just a sentimental heirloom of her family line.]

We should move outside, so we don't leave a mess.

[As if they aren't both already dripping puddles onto the ground.]

[conqueredhearts]

It's alright. I was told the mess would be cleaned after the party and I have already volunteered to help clean it.

[Since he made...most of it.]

Just enjoy yourself! Fun can be had even when wet!

[quintessent]

[That’s what she said? She frowns because leaving a mess isn’t in her nature but…]

I suppose, I can assist in cleaning as well.

[With his assistance, they get to work wringing out her hair, and there’s a lot of it, the water making her normal bouncy curls hang so that, left loose, her hair reaches below her knees.]

…Who is Roxana?

[conqueredhearts]

My first wife. Ah she was beautiful and a powerful woman as well.

[Is he grinning with pride while talking about his first wife? YOU BET HE IS.]

[quintessent]

[Her expression immediately turns to one of sympathy,]

I am sorry for your loss.

[Even if he’s jovial about the whole thing. Some people hide sorrow behind a jovial facade.]

[conqueredhearts]

[He blinks a bit then laughs.]

It's alright. I died before her. She went on to live for another fourteen years after I passed away.

[quintessent]

Oh.

[That’s right, they talked about his death before. But- Allura’s face scrunches up, confusion crossing her features,]

You called her your first wife. But if you died before her…

[Then did they separate? But he still spoke so fondly of her.]

[conqueredhearts]

Oh! She was my first of my three wives!

[quintessent]

Three-!

[Oh. Her face turns red and her gawking is covered by a hand that curls over her mouth. Oh dear. Allura might be a little bit sheltered, considering all of her travels, but she’s familiar enough with the concept of polygamy from other cultures.]

Then… did you have a harem?

[There are warlords she’s heard of with such arrangements.]

[conqueredhearts]

[He throws his head back laughing.]

I did not! That is a wonderful question though!

[Now he's grinning as he continues.]

I did have three wives and many lovers.

[quintessent]

[Even if Iskandar is taking it all in his characteristic good mood, Allura can feel the heat radiating off of her face, embarrassed that she kneejerk immediately assumed a harem of all things, and the fact that they were talking about this at all.]

I see! How very interesting!

[Said too loudly, not making eye contact. Alteans weren’t prudish in the traditional, human sense, but topics of an intimate nature were mostly kept in privacy, not casually discussed in an open forum. It’s something she’s slowly come to acknowledge the more open nature of things in both Olympia and Wyver, but it’s still largely a foreign experience for her, one she still has trouble navigating.]

You must have been a very busy man- I mean, to court so many individuals.

[It took at least a full movement of romantic tension before she kissed Lotor for the first time, but that’s complicated.]

[conqueredhearts]

A King is always busy. But just because I was busy didn't mean I couldn't devote time to those I loved. When you love someone then you make sure you're able to put effort into letting them know that they're special.

[He thinks about it and...]

I think that would be the benefit of forming a harem. I'd be able to have many lovers and to shower them with my affections.

[quintessent]

Still, but to make time for so many-

[There's a beat as she catches up to what he's saying,]

Wait a tick- are you considering forming a harem now?

[What has she wrought...]