The Shocking, Spine-Chilling, 2018 Spooktober Spectacular!

[Felandria]

Bawxes

"Box things?" The box repeats. Again. "Box things are, for example, tactical infiltration and espionage nyaaahhggg." That is . . . quite the noise.
"Paramedic, is there food? Uggghhnnnn." This is accompanied by a quiet little beep of a radio.

Ooh, neat!

I didn’t know boxes did those kinds of things.

Learn something new every day, I guess.

There’s plenty of food at this party, do you want me to bring you some?

Maybe some candy?

[Mee]

Ooh, neat!

I didn’t know boxes did those kinds of things.

Learn something new every day, I guess.

There’s plenty of food at this party, do you want me to bring you some?

Maybe some candy?

Boxes And Things

The box shuffles around a bit.
"I. Uh. I really wouldn't mind some food, actually." Uh oh, the voice dropped. Almost as though the siren call of food made the person in the box forget to do the silly voice.
"I mean, uhhh," oh good it's back. "Paramedic. What does it taste like?" There was that beep again.

[Felandria]

Boxes And Things

The box shuffles around a bit.
"I. Uh. I really wouldn't mind some food, actually." Uh oh, the voice dropped. Almost as though the siren call of food made the person in the box forget to do the silly voice.
"I mean, uhhh," oh good it's back. "Paramedic. What does it taste like?" There was that beep again.

Felandria peers over at the snak table.

Well, the chocolates are very chocolatey.

The Chex Mix is salty and nice.

The pigs in blankets are warm and meaty and gud.

[Reinholdt]

[Bowsette and Lelouch]

Rachel's nervous laugh cuts off a little early as the man she was talking to starts to pet her. W-Wha? Blushing profusely, she moves back in front of him, standing up straight. Or as straight as she can with this massive spiked shell on her back.

She certainly felt more at ease, though Rachel couldn't point to why. "R-right. Or just calling out. But it is Spooktober. A good startle is probably the point," Rachel points out.

[By the Wall]

It doesn't take long for Leah to realize she's curiousitied in over her head. The Princess Peach catgirl stares at the notebook, not really absorbing anything effectively. "Ah, err, right. Gotcha." It was a stock response, designed solely to keep from sounding as stupid as she felt at the moment. Leah thinks she should stick to the one form of writing she does understand and academic isn't it.

Leaning away from the notebook and back against the wall, Leah gazes at Kuriko and wonders aloud, "Are you a time traveler trying to see how the future got the way it is?" That would be a reason to study culture and important people, surely.

[Kitchen]

Reinholdt nods in agreement, tapping his head. "Exactly."

... That didn't clear anything up! Expecting a level of befuddlement from Magtok at his unorthodox reply, Rein figures it's ok to go ahead and explain. "You hate me. Therefore anything you say to me couldn't possibly be trusted as the truth. And on the flip side, I hate you. Though I would never, anything I could say about what happens now also couldn't possibly be trusted since I'd be so liable to lie about what I heard just to make you look bad. You have a complete double layer of protection with me that you couldn't get anywhere else."

But wait, there's more! "Plus, you really couldn't get lower in my eyes anyways so it's safer to lose face with someone like me than with someone you actually care about. Keep that sparkling image you present to people intact and all." It's a little bit of a lie. Magtok could theoretically get lower in Rein's eyes. But would Magtok even care? Plus it'd take something pretty extreme for that to happen and this seems to be less about kissing puppies and more about personal problems. "Basically I'm the cat you can be most honest to."

Rein wraps up his argument and sits there staring, nonplussed, tail twitching slowly back and forth.

[Chaotic Bob]

[Phantom Mingling]

Ivaz chuckles, leaning into Libby just a bit.

Yeah, I heard that. I just see it as a challenge. If Libby passed the flask back, Ivaz will empty it here, then toss it back into her hat. If not, she'll pull a new one from her hat, take a long pull from it, and stuff it in her cleavage for safe keeping.

Wanna go meet her? Scope her out? I got that whiskey she asked for.

The flask never is handed back to Ivaz. It's not even clear where it went in the first place, as Libby doesn't seem to be holding it anymore.
But who cares? There's mischief to get up to.

Not seeming particularly bothered by Ivaz's leanings, Libby takes a moment to slowly scan her eyes over the room while nibbling on a little ghost-shaped cookie. It's not entirely certain where all these cookies and snacks keep coming from either.
"Most of the party seems fairly uninterested or inattentive. I would almost think the meeting would be private. Let's go!"
Let's go meet that brash little Magdaughter.

[The Worst Party Balloon EVER]

"Quite sure. And there are rock-farmers," Geneva replies aloud to the voice in her head. Dear princesses, it's good to have her friend back. Not that it is doing any favors for her apparent sanity. "I actually discovered there's an alternate version of Equestria on a world called Mystara instead of Earth. Many of the ponies who live here trace themselves back to that world, weirdly enough. But they have five tribes there instead of three. One of those tribes has magic even more closely aligned with stone and crystals than earth ponies. And even they can't make Equestrian gemstones. They seem to be something unique to our home world, or alternate versions almost identical to it."

Huh.

Well.

That's pretty strange, isn't it?

And now?

Something interesting to look into that is Persimmon.

"Right, hi," Geneva replies somewhat lamely. "Look, I wanted to thank you for... umm... hugging me. It kind of broke a curse. Sort of. I know that probably wasn't your intention, but you're just trying to be a friend in your own way and I haven't always treated you like a friend."

More like a nuisance.

Which he is.

But that's not the point.

"So... thank you, Persimmon. For being my friend. And, umm, before I give you a push toward those no doubt very nice dragons, do you mind telling me whether or not you came here by yourself?"

Entire new tribes of ponies...before the bombs, this would have been a ground-breaking thesis subject. I'd still be interested in it, but I'm not sure it would have the same impact for everyone else.
There is a sadness to that thought, of learning that doesn't feel fun anymore for everyone.
A travesty, in other words.
We really should find a way to get temporarily back, if only to ferry resources and study unique features like the gems from a new perspective. There is a lot of good that could be done, with what we have in this place.

Meanwhile, Persimmon!
Who has actually stopped his frantic wiggling towards the dragons long enough to give Geneva a somewhat serious and focused look.
Which...with his glowing pits for eyes and generally hollow form is actually incredibly creepy. That is quickly shattered by that usual floppy grin that comes back onto his face.
"Aw! I can honestly say that I don't think I've ever gotten anything so mushy from someone before!"

Fortunately for the hippogriff, he still can't really move himself around, because he's probably trying to wiggle his way towards her for another hug now.
"Stupid...aerodywhatsits..."
A plan swiftly abandoned.
"You're super welcome though! Didn't really know you were under any curses, I thought you were just wearing a weird costume, so that was a happy accident! I will definitely take the credit anyway aaaaand I'll be your friend until the end of time! Literally! Haha, get it? Cuz I can't die and will probably outlive Equestria's sun? Yeah it's not as funny out loud.
Um...I think Down is still outside somewhere being silly, but we didn't bring anyone else to the party no. Lookin' for someone?"

If Geneva was asking about him bringing anyone from the Wasteland, then he completely missed that.
No one ever said Persimmon was a genius.

[Recaiden]

[[Refreshment Table - Snack Section]

Renee had entered the party to watch and catch up on things as she wandered around nibbling food and drinking some of the non-alcoholic choices, but sensing one of her fathers rush away certainly gave her some things to consider. Sure, she could let things probably be picked up by Malice as time went on, but...

Nah, every party needed excitement and this was her home after all.

She sets a small plate of food aside, heads on up to the karaoke stage and takes a moment to look at the crowd before pulling her shotgun from her hip and firing it into the ceiling.

THOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

...sawn-off shotguns don't typically let loose beams of plasma, do they?

"Couldn't you just use some mak---" before she can end the sentence someone uses a plasma shotgun to gather attention. Mika jumps immediately under the table with the candies. only her fox tail looks out and she remains hidden until it's safe again. Which can be hours if none tells her.

Nadas had just been leaving when someone fired off a plasma shotgun.

He also dives for cover under the table, his plans to brood in the corner interrupted by panic. Relatedly, he doesn't actually listen to what Renee is saying. Only comments "what kind of party is this?" to the other person who's quite sensibly hiding.

Giant Wallflower

Glavvy understood some of what was being asked at least. He understood what it was like to kill and eat an intruder, but as for the question...

Well, he was there to learn and observe and watch, but it rose another question. Why was he here? She had suggested that he goes out to observe...but what was the reason? He'd done things purely by instinct before, understanding cause and effect to a degree, but actively searching out something to learn...

It was starting to make him question his existence and to wonder just how long he'd been like this. The being scanning his mind might realize he's starting to get agitated as he faces something of an existential crisis.

Are you trying to grow stronger? Are you looking for something in particular?
The skull's teeth chatter.
Don't think about this much, do you?

[Rebonack]

[The Worst Party Balloon EVER]

Geneva gives a sad, small laugh at the whole 'out living the sun' thing.

It's a keen reminder of just how awful of a situation Persimmon has been put in.

And she was kind of wondering if he had brought anyone with him from the Wasteland, given what was occupying him to begin with if the stories she had been told were accurate. Maybe he came with Down? If she's still outside 'being silly' then that could be answered easily enough.

"Alright, I'm going to go talk with Down a bit, okay? Try not to get into too much trouble," Geneva says before giving her wings a strong beat in his direction. A nice little self-perpetuating breeze should begin carrying him in a generally dragon-ward direction. Geneva is hoping that Persimmon isn't going to make her regret that later.

He probably will. The whole thing will probably-

No.

No no no!

Don't start thinking ill of your friends, Geneva. Don't worry so much about things you can't control, or you start trying to control everything. Be patient.

She takes off toward the door to see if she can't find Down. Geneva will admit that the Enclave pegasus makes her a bit uneasy. But just like Dawn, it isn't her fault what happened back home. Blaming ALL Enclave ponies for that would be irrational.

"I've been working on getting home," Geneva says as she heads for the door. "I've been devoting nearly all of my time to it, my bridge project. I've been steadily making headway, but progress is slow. I'm starting to wonder if there's any truth to the rumors that the Nexus is aware somehow and actively making things difficult for me."

A thought nags at the back of her mind.

The Twilight statue wasn't this lucid before. She would get impressions now and again. Maybe an occasional encouraging word or a bit of insight. But it couldn't carry on conversations like this. Maybe Fortuna HAD done something to it. Or... or maybe something else happened?

Geneva makes her exit from the cave, scanning the sky. "Down? Are you out here?"

[Chaotic Bob]

[The Worst Party Balloon EVER -> Feasting Dragons]

And so Persimmon begins to bob off towards the Totally Scary Dragons that crashed the party!
"Ehehehe, always wanted to meet an older dragon. Not like that one I saw last time, she was a bit of a jerk, but a normal one. These ones are probably cool!"

He'll spend the trip trying to angle himself just enough to ping off either Spako or "Syl Vessak"s heads, with all the impact a gross skin balloon can manage.
Which really isn't much at all.

Geneva is 100% going to regret this.

[Outside the Cave]

Down Feather is not currently in the sky!
She's actually hovering Over There, somewhat near the treeline of the forest that seems to sometimes exist outside the MagCave, shining a flashlight gripped by a wing into the trees with one of her usual trademark scowls equipped.
The pegasus is currently dressed as an uncharacteristically cheerful bumblebee, with pouches attached to her legs colored like pollen patches, a silly little stinger cone over her tail, and a compound eyes mask that is currently pushed up on top of her head. Probably definitely a joking reference to her usual outfit that also probably wasn't her idea.
"Look here you boneless twit, stop screwing around or I'm leaving and no one will get to see this stupid costume you made me wear."
And then Geneva calls out, drawing Down's attention with a slight jump and immediate look of embarrassment.
"Uh...hey. Costume wasn't my idea! Er, I mean. Hi, how's it going Geneva?"
She looks super uncomfortable and awkward. There is a 100% chance that someone she actually knows seeing her in this outfit is her worst nightmare right now.

The statuette has been quiet during this. Probably because it was focused on that flicker of red that sometimes appeared behind Down's yellow on the EFS.
Around when Down jumps up and turns around, the red quickly moves off to the left somewhere and disappears.

[Earl of Purple]

Smiting Candy

Cheasadh jumps when the plasma-shotgun is fired, but is quick to answer Tuskfang anyway. "Well... Dunno. Maybe. You sure they don't eat sheep?" Cheasadh didn't like Zebes much either, though I can't remember if she mentioned sheep then.

Joking Jesters

"That could work, but... I don't have a set schedule or route. You'd have to find me in advance to get a tour. Or you could arrange one now, I suppose." Jack only does tours when she's desperate for money, and doesn't plan in advance, because it all depends on where she starts and what she knows about that's happening in a certain area.

[Morty]

[Smiting Candy]

Tuskfang continues to ponder this question heavily.

"Jillian is way smaller than a sheep. I don't see how that would work."

[Rebonack]

[Outside the Cave]

Geneva frowns a bit at the red ping on her HUD. Just like that weird cat woman the alicorn was talking to. Something hidden, maybe? Stealth is enough to mask someone. But...

Hmm...

Something weird is going on.

"Hi Down, it's nice to see you again. And the costume is cute, even if it wasn't your idea," Geneva replies, her tone soothing. Or at least she thinks it sounds soothing. Her expression falls a bit. "I had a costume too, but then the resident draconequus animated it. And now I think it's protesting laundry."

That isn't quite so soothing.

There is, in fact, nothing soothing about a draconequus.

"It's nice to see you again. I guess everypony from our little gang keeps popping up? I've done a double-take every time I spot a brown pegasus, but I still haven't seen Lucky," Geneva says. "And I haven't had Swiss pounce on me out from under any furniture yet, either." That's probably just a matter of time. "When did you arrive? Did Persimmon come with you?"

She flaps a little closer, voice dropping as her gaze flicks in the direction she last saw the red contact.

"Is there something else out here?" she asks, voice scarcely a whisper. Not someone. Something.

[KerfuffleMach2]

The flask never is handed back to Ivaz. It's not even clear where it went in the first place, as Libby doesn't seem to be holding it anymore.
But who cares? There's mischief to get up to.

Not seeming particularly bothered by Ivaz's leanings, Libby takes a moment to slowly scan her eyes over the room while nibbling on a little ghost-shaped cookie. It's not entirely certain where all these cookies and snacks keep coming from either.
"Most of the party seems fairly uninterested or inattentive. I would almost think the meeting would be private. Let's go!"
Let's go meet that brash little Magdaughter.

[New Host Mingling]

Ivaz nods. I'm fine with all kinds of private meetings. She gives a cheesy grin, then goes to lead Libby over towards Renee. Where was the showoff now?

[Chaotic Bob]

[Outside the Cave]

Down would probably think the costume was cuter if it even vaguely fit her color palette.
Yellow and black, on a pink coat, green mane?
Ugh.

"Thanks, I guess-wait, your costume is doing what?"
The draconequus thing somehow means less to her than the protesting part.
It's also possible she just doesn't really know what a draconequus is. They don't come up much, back home. Or here.

But at least the broader topic is something she's familiar with. Even if it's both good and bad.
There's a somewhat troubled look for a moment, before it mellows out and she shrugs.
"Yeah, I haven't seen hide nor hair of Swiss and Lucky, either. To be honest, I kind of figured I was never going to see any of you again. Although...it really wasn't terribly surprising when I saw Persimmon being thrown out of a strip club..."
Some things just seem to fit.
"So, uh, no he didn't come with me. I ended up alone, months ago."

There's a supremely depressing and horrifying memory she tries not to think about every day.
One which she is happy to very quickly move on from, staring into the trees!
"I brought Persimmon here with me, though the little jerk slipped out of my pouch at some point. Thought I heard him giggling at me in there somewhere."

[Rebonack]

[Outside the Cave]

"Protesting," Geneva clarifies without clarifying at all.

"And I know how you felt. Dawn and I both got dumped in here at the same time. I was... well..." she looks a bit sheepish, here. "I was kind of messing with an old broken MoAS teleportation platform. Which Dawn warned me I shouldn't have been messing with. And it might have exploded a little bit."

Just a little bit.

A very minor explosion, is all.

Nothing to be concerned about.

"But knowing that you and Persimmon are here! That's great!" she continues, brightening considerably as a wide smile tugs at the edges of her beak. "That's at least two more bridge events. The more it happens, the easier it'll be to make a permanent bridge. And that would mean trade, it could mean turning things around back home. I don't know if you've noticed, but Equestrian gems are just shy of priceless around here. I'm sure people back home would be willing to be... you know... slightly less awful if a brighter future was more than just a blind hope."

Or at least that's what she would like to imagine.

Geneva is the type of person to have faith in others.

And then?

Her expression falls again.

"Noooo..." Geneva draws out the word. "Persimmon is inside the cave bothering some dragons. And when I was coming out here, I got a red ping on my EFS. It darted that way and vanished," she says, nodding in the proper direction.

Okay.

This is actually bad.

With a few sub-vocalized commands she pulls up her armory list, scrolling through it until she finds-

-ugh.

This one is old. She rarely sold her gear on the off chance she needed for something else. Even things with... with bad memories attached. The weapon was too small for her, and she had disassembled several others for parts. But this one was still intact.

An Enclave sparkle rifle.

Taken from a trooper she had... mostly accidentally killed. When they were invading her home. She feels nauseous just holding the weapon in her talons as she holds it out to Down.

"I've got a really bad feeling that you might need this pretty soon. The ping vanished. Stealth, maybe?"

[Chaotic Bob]

[Outside the Cave]

"What?"
Pretty much every thing Geneva just said was tossed straight out the window, into a garbage bin labelled "Stupid and Unimportant".
That memory she was just preparing to suppress like a madmare has surged straight back to the forefront of her mind, in a cackling film of violence, screams, and insanity.

Her ears rotate back towards the trees as one hoof swipes the firearm from Geneva.
"We need to go inside now. Right now."
Down isn't going to wait for Geneva's agreement on that either, adjusting the weapon under one of her wings as she nudge the hippogriff towards the cave and breaks into a rapid trot.

[Rebonack]

[Heading Inside the Cave]

Geneva doesn't disagree.

She had enough misadventures in the Wasteland to know that when someone you trust tells you to get the hell away from somewhere then you do that. You don't ask questions, you just move.

"Do you know what's going on, Down?"

Okay, you can also ask questions while moving.

Which is what Geneva is doing right now.

She's skilled enough to talk and fly at the same time.

One of those low altitude sort of flights. Sure she could run, but the talons can be a bit awkward if she's trying to hustle.

It probably goes without saying that she casts the occasion glance back to check her EFS in the off chance the hostile ping appears to be following them.

[Arkhosia]

The Corpse's Bride

Aurelia peers around the room with idle curiosity, trying to find someone to strike up a conversation with. That lady with the laser shotgun? Interesting, but the host might not like them chatting with her. The kids? No, dear Kramolagh wouldn't enjoy that. He said that children were too rowdy and distracting when she asked about them last time, at least. But that crimson lady over there...

"My, she certainly seems like quite the interesting character." the blonde comments to her paramour, gesturing towards Ravanys. "Perhaps we should say hello?"

[Deathkeeper]

[Refreshment Table]

Nick nods.
”Once again, you’re not asking for anything more than the drow of Delmah Phor do, or the Foxes. But know that if your war with Orcus spills out into Inside, then it is within our jurisdiction, both to help and ask for information. But that’s a worst case scenario.”
And Orcus is pretty evil so he’d probably invade sometime even if Sunder’s group wasn’t antagonizing him.

———

Spako laughs.
”Terrorizing? Is that what we do now? I’m glad you’re feeling more confident. But be wary of such boasts. Pride cometh before a fall, as the humans say.”
And the a pony skin flies at Sylvaak. Oh no!

[Chaotic Bob]

[Heading Inside the Cave]

It's a useful thing, moving and talking.
"Possibly a stupid prank. Maybe some stupid Nexus animal. Maybe a monster from back home."
Down doesn't really want to talk on the go though, straining her ears for movement behind them in place of the EFS that Geneva can rely on.

Which shows nothing.
They're not being followed, at least not visibly.
"...I came over to this place in the middle of a fight, from inside Vanhoover. You remember what's in there?"

These two aren't slouches.
Back into the cave with them!

[5a Violista]

[By the Wall]

Seriously, if you gave Kuriko enough time she could simplify what she's talking about to whatever level you need. Of course, it might take a while and at that point I suppose most people would zone out.

The ex-goomba says, "Um, no. I'm just a student."

Although, that would be a great way to study archaeology and other similar things. But now that you mention it, time travel would be really helpful."

She turns the page and quickly writes down "try time travel" as a personal note. She'll come up with a more complete proposal later. "That would actually be a really good way to test hypotheses and so on."

"I'll write out something more later, maybe a proposal, and check out ways to do time travel later. Thanks."


[Refreshment Table - Snack Section]

Harley's response to the foxgirl is located in post 298, in which she discusses make-up and tables.

[Lord Magtok]

Kitchen

Spoiler

Show

[Kitchen]

Reinholdt nods in agreement, tapping his head. "Exactly."

... That didn't clear anything up! Expecting a level of befuddlement from Magtok at his unorthodox reply, Rein figures it's ok to go ahead and explain. "You hate me. Therefore anything you say to me couldn't possibly be trusted as the truth. And on the flip side, I hate you. Though I would never, anything I could say about what happens now also couldn't possibly be trusted since I'd be so liable to lie about what I heard just to make you look bad. You have a complete double layer of protection with me that you couldn't get anywhere else."

But wait, there's more! "Plus, you really couldn't get lower in my eyes anyways so it's safer to lose face with someone like me than with someone you actually care about. Keep that sparkling image you present to people intact and all." It's a little bit of a lie. Magtok could theoretically get lower in Rein's eyes. But would Magtok even care? Plus it'd take something pretty extreme for that to happen and this seems to be less about kissing puppies and more about personal problems. "Basically I'm the cat you can be most honest to."

Rein wraps up his argument and sits there staring, nonplussed, tail twitching slowly back and forth.

Spoiler: spoiled for buzzkills and excess gray text

Show

I can see several holes in your argument, but fine. Imagine I told you Ermine was back. Imagine I said I knew this because...let's say Melody kidnapped her. Melody also enslaved a friend of mine, which is the only reason why I was willing to seek you out and tell you any of this. You with me so far? Using names you'd care about to make this easier to follow. Magtok has mostly managed to get his own face to cooperate with him. His breathing is still a little stuttered, however, so rather than stick to short sentences and small words, he's instead opted to continue using walls of text on his phone for now. Slightly more dignified, and every little scrap of dignity we can still hold onto is worth its weight in gold right now. Besides, what if someone hears him?

Okay, so you throw a party and Ermine shows up, except it's very subtly absolutely not the real Ermine, but someone who's taken on her form and most of her personality traits. Most, but not all, and you're not so stupid you can't tell that someone is taunting you with the face of the girlfriend you're going to fail to rescue. You're going to fail to rescue her because Melody is an unstoppable dragon witch trying to use Ermine's latent divine essence to subjugate the Nexus. She has this divine essence because Melody had a long-term ulterior motive when she helped you bring Ermine back from the dead once. You know, after the two of you did some stupid heist that got her killed.

You're going to fail to rescue her because all your cloning equipment is sixteen floors down in a ruined lair full of deadly, forgotten killer lab experiments. You're going to fail to rescue her because the money to repair and restore that lair is coming from a full-time job doing superscience for a Nazi. You're going to fail because that Nazi is in bed with Melody. You're going to fail because that Nazi who's in bed with Melody wrote up an employment contract enforced by Inevitables. You're going to fail because those Inevitables have issued you a court summons for plotting to turn against the Nazi, because you thought one of his toys might be useful in the eventual fight against Melody. You're going to fail because those Inevitables are going to find you guilty and have you beheaded. You're going to fail because you're just a stupid, useless, worthless little idiot now, and no amount of scheming can change that. No teaming up with old enemies or making friends with strange new aliens will give you enough tools to take it all on. One clone is not enough. Twenty Magtoks wouldn't be enough. No, the sad truth is, no amount of blood, sweat, and tears is going to change the fact that you're just not going to win this one.

Look out the door, cat. Look back at the party, at the raven-haired catgirl in the borrowed purple robe, her arms linked with some drunk slut. The Nazi looking down on everyone else as Marciano's daughter clings to his arm. Look at them and tell me I still have the will and strength and genius to save the world, when I can't even stop that from happening in my own living room. It's over. Pack your bags, tell anyone you actually care about to leave with you, and get out while you still have a chance. The Nexus is done, it's finished, and it's all my fault.

[Rebonack]

[Back into the Cave!]

Thankfully, when moving at a decent rate, returning to the cave really isn't that time consuming.

Which means they'll get inside just in time for Geneva to give Down an absolutely horrified look. "There's a reason nopony goes to Vanhoover anymore," she hisses. "What were you doing there?"

Well!

That sure sounds ominous, doesn't it?

Seems Spooktober is a good time for spooky doom this year.

[Refreshment Table]

"But the point needed to be made, all the same. Thus far Orcus has directed a few minor incursions toward Inside, though none have been significant. Simply the act of sowing particularly virulent undead and hoping for the best. This was early in our conflict and he quickly learned that such spiteful actions would be counter-productive," Sunder replies with a small smile. "And I believe it goes without saying that I would be kept 'in the loop' so to speak with all of Intersection's executive decisions? You are in charge, of course, and I would be placing myself under your authority with respect to the policing of Inside."

An ear twitches in the direction of Geneva and Down as they come into the cave again, but otherwise she keeps her attention on Nick.

"If you find yourself amiable to my conditions, then I believe we have a deal. I will send word to my vizier and have the contract written up," Sunder concludes. "This may be cause for a party in and of itself. I'm sure more than a few of my little ponies would be happy to provide the means for celebration."

There would probably be at least one spontaneous musical number.

[Chaotic Bob]

[The Cave Entrance]

There's a somewhat haunted look on Down's face, by the time they're back inside. She doesn't go too far into the place, wanting to stay vaguely near the door to keep a better eye on it (and the party-goers, from a distance).
The expression is a bit dissonant with her cheerfully bright bumblebee outfit.

"I didn't want to go there, but you can't just say 'sorry, pass' when orders come down from on high!"
Her tone here implies that she would like to be shrieking in high-strung alarm, but discipline and social awkwardness are keeping things in check.
"The city is/was a biological apocalypse waiting to happen, and possibly a vast repository of old world resources, so...the higher ups wanted it purged, while the storm still had it all contained. We couldn't get any substantial vehicles through the storm, so it was mostly just us, our armor, and whatever we felt like carrying in the bitter cold."

Down chews on her lip for a minute, eyes watching far off memories for a moment before she returns to the present.
"Started okay. Things just seemed like easily ignited, hideous tinder at first. Apparently there are different kinds though...smarter ones were just letting their stupid brothers distract us while they infiltrated our squads. Pretty easy to cripple the chain of command and operational control when a couple of your officers aren't actually your officers anymore."

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Feasting Dragons (and Persimmon)]

"Be not worried, oh date of mine. I am a wicked and terrible dragon for one night only and-" Syl Vessak leans slightly to the right to bring his head out of Persimmon's trajectory. "It would seem we have acquired some ghoulish company."

[Chaotic Bob]

[Feasting Dragons (and Persimmon)]

Whoops, his target moved.
"Oh noooooooo, come baaaaack!"
Persimmon is now going to just (slowly) fly right on past the dragons, unless something stops him.
"Curse you momentuuuuuum!"

[Hattish Thing]

[Refreshment Table]

Marco shrugs before responding somewhat cautiously, still very casual. "I simply meant that you seem unlike the sort of musicians I've met. Perhaps I don't associate with the right sort, hm?" He chuckles a little there before continuing.

"I'd love to hear you play at some point. What caused you to fall out of practice?"

---

[Ravanys, Kramolagh, Aurelia]

Nodding somewhat warmly to Aurelia, Kramolagh proceeds towards Ravanys, with his date still in his arms. Tidy locks of well-groomed, white hair have been slicked back and perfectly styled over the pale man's face, peppered and lined with gray streaks, while bright red, almond-shaped eyes peer out at the world from behind ornate circular spectacles of silvery siccatite, with lenses of a shimmering crystalline material. His unhealthily pale skin is perfect and unblemished, and gratuitous makeup has allowed for a perfect contour. In addition to his sunken and uncomfortably focused crimson eyes, the man possesses gaunt cheeks and dark red lips permanently set to smirk, flanked by two white fangs.

He is dressed in what appears to be a vampire-esque Victorian suit-piece, all glittering white cloth wrapped tightly to his frame and fastened by glittering crimson buttons. A voluminous white cloak cascades past the man's angular shoulders, its inside a bright red shade.

After a moment, he gestures towards Ravanys, offering a hand, nails painted perfectly.

"Hello zhere. My lover vhas quite intrigued by your c-costume."

"Vhat is someone as exquisite as you doing at a place such as zhis? I suppose I could ask the s-same of myself, and yet... here we are, zhe three of us."

[Arkhosia]

"I'm going to be honest with you, Cantata. Your power sounds incredibly lame, and I really hope your entire life doesn't revolve around it like some kind of animal-themed supervillain or that one X-Men character nobody cares abou-" Oh fudge, shotgun blast! Malice lets out an embarrassing yelp, and scowls through most of Renee's speech, alternating between feeling confused and humiliated, and confused and upset.

"That's Magtok's daughter? My stupid brother has a daughter? No way. No, Magtok's a complete loser. Only way his kid could be that intimidating and cool would be if it's just her rebellious teenager phase, where she goes out of her way to be the exact opposite of her old man. Tatas, use your empathy power and see if she's lying. Magtok's daughter, pfft. She's just trying to seize control of the party because he walked out of the room." Malice's skepticism turns to regret in a matter of moments, and he gulps down some ridiculous-looking blood orange sangria as he tries to resist the urge to burst into a slew of profane self-recriminations for his own incompetence.

"...Just like I should've done myself, instead of standing around talking to you! Dammit! Great job, Catana, you've ruined everything." No, I'm pretty sure this was all on you, Malice.

Cantata gasps - she can make that noise, at least! - in shock as Renee fires a shot, stepping back in reflex as her gaze snaps towards the woman. Nigel can frown upon the method as much as he likes, but there's no denying that it's remarkably effective at drawing focus. The songstress listens to the speech with mild interest, an amused little smile forming. This Renee woman seemed like fun, even if she was laying down the law.

And it seemed Malice was impressed by her as well! Cantata suppresses a silent giggle when the cyborg gets her name wrong yet again, before moving to type... and that's when Malice shifts from berating himself to turning on the empath. Taken aback for a second, the songstress blinks.

Blaming others for your failures isn't going to get you far, Malice. Cantata subtly begins to focus her powers as she writes, trying to reach out and soothe Malice's emotions, calm his anger, and thus make him a little more receptive to what she's trying to say. Besides, where one door closes, another opens. This doesn't mean that there won't be another chance for you to upstage everything, and maybe it'll be all the more easier now that she's already gotten everyone's attention.

[KerfuffleMach2]

[Ravanys Makes Friends?]

Ravanys gives both of her guests a quick glance up and down with her good eye. Hm. Dressed as a vampire, but given the way the girl is acting, might actually be some kind of vampire. Gonna have to be careful here.

She gives a polite smile as she extends her right hand to shake his. The stone hand. If he takes it, Kramolagh will note that it doesn't feel like a prop. At least, not a cheap one.

With her other hand, the tiefling takes the cigar out of her mouth, giving a slight smirk before responding. Heh. Think that's the first time I've been called exquisite.

After the handshake, Ravanys will extinguish the cigar in the palm of her stone hand, and save what's left of it in a pocket in her coat. It was a good cigar. No use letting it go to waste.

Probably here for the same reason as anybody else. Free food, free drink, meet people. Stuff like that, right? She flashes a toothy grin. Clearly, she has other reasons to be here. And clearly, she knows Kramolagh does, too.

[Deathkeeper]

[Refreshment Table]

Nick smiles, or at least as hard as one can with a beak.
"Great! I'm sure a party won't go remiss. Everyone likes a party." Especially if a large chunk of the faceless Intersection NPCs become marked as Equestrian.
"But uh, I'm not great at organizing those. You'll have to talk to someone- aaaand Geneva lost her clothes. Great." he groans, noticing Geneva and Down re-entering the party.

[Feasting Dragons (And Persimmon)]

"No no no! The O Mine thing is my line! You can't say it too!" Spako grumps as a gross skin thing flies past them, yelling.
"Uh. Indeed."

[Rebonack]

[Refreshment Table]

"That may be something you have to grow accustomed to," Sunder replies with a small laugh. "Equestrians are well known for their love of festivities. My little ponies are no different."

And then Geneva is brought up!

Sunder raises her one eyebrow at the display. "So it appears. One of the hazards of allowing spirits of chaos into parties, I'm afraid. It's good to see her well, though. Down, too. Especially after the trauma Down suffered when she was snatched up by the Nexus."


[Geneva and Down]

"Yeah they're... they're pretty awful. I didn't actually face any myself, but the stories I heard were," Geneva recounts, giving an involuntary shudder.

Bad.

They're really bad.

She's curious about how Down even got to the Nexus to begin with, but now might not be the best time to discuss it. Not when there might be a face-stealing, shape shifting, memory devouring, emotion eating abomination slinking around the party. That one woman, the one with the purple dress on. She had pinged red a few times. That was suspicious, but hardly worthy of pointing talons over. This needs to be approached carefully.