I see trouble on the way.

[lacquers]

Characters: Everyone! Yes, you too!
Summary: Mandy's Masquerade hosts a fantastic Halloween party with a costume contest, some very special cocktails, and a few other surprises.
Date(s): Late in the month of October.
Warnings/Notes: Please mark any threads that need content warnings.

Mandy's is looking a bit festive this evening. Arrayed with spiderwebs, pumpkins, and other ghoulish decorations, the interior resembles a spooky haunted house. Spooky, not scary! Everyone's invited to stop by and celebrate All Hallow's Eve with spirited drinks, excellent company, and a lot of that Magnus flair.

You can loosen up on the dance floor to Monster Mash, Thriller, Dead Man's Party, or maybe something from this list. The spooky sky's the limit! Visit the bar for one of several special drinks you won't soon forget. You can also sample some tasty and holiday-appropriate baked goods, courtesy of the other Mr. Lightwood-Bane. Finally, stop by the table with the MAGIC 8 BALL to learn a little more about your fellow partygoers.

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Potions.
drink list

Siren Song
If you're a little tone-deaf, don't fret. This drink will turn you into a master at serenading. It won't actually give you the ability to influence anyone via magical means, but maybe if your song choice is apt, you'll woo someone either way!

Firework!
A drink that comes with a portable fireworks show hovering over its surface. Drinking it will give you the sensation of ingesting liquid pop-rocks.

Blacklight
Does what it says on the tin and makes the drinker glow under a black light. It's also kind of sour.

Frankenstein's Monster
This drink is quite shocking. Not dangerously so, but when you drink it, you'll have the impression of getting a tingling little jolt of electricity down your spine. It's aliiiiive.

To Be or Not To Be (A Daemon)
Drink this and you will find you've been magically swapped with your daemon. It only lasts ten minutes, but hey! You'll get to see how the other half lives. A note: you won't inherit one another's abilities!

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Who Wore It Best?
costume contest

Congratulations to our costume contest winners!

In first place for individual costumes...

Rafa wins for his devilish costume and he'll be awarded 2 potions: the first of which will up his luck stat, granting him good fortune in an endeavor (it says "Deal with the Devil" on the bottle) and the second will up his persuasion stat, helping him to be more successful in an argument (it says "The Devil's Advocate" on the bottle).

In second place for individual costumes...

Nico plunders the second place spot and will be given a treasure chest full of chocolates that are rum flavored. Careful, they pack a bit of a punch and when consumed, they'll make whoever eats them feel especially happy. No sad drunks here!

In third place for individual costumes...

Zeke and his amazingly sunny costume are in third and he wins a sunflower plant that will never cease to bloom and seems to have a bit of a glow about it. Plus, perpetual supply of sunflower seeds?

In first place for couples costumes...

Magnus and Alec came first for their portrayal of... each other... and they win a pair of seemingly mundane t-shirts that say "Bennet" and "Darcy" on them. What's that about?

In second place for couples costumes...

Vex and Kenzi delighted with their take on the Addams' family patriarch and matriarch and won second place. As a prize, Kenzi will be given a shampoo and conditioner set that seems pretty innocuous until you check out the writing on the bottles: 'Have YOU ever wanted hair like Cousin Itt? Are you ever in luck!' Just a small amount will make her locks lustrous and smooth. Vex will be given a very lifelike and animated hand in a box.

In third place for couples costumes...

Rose and Kaz were drop dead gorgeous in their mafia-inspired garb. As prizes, they will receive the following: for Rose, a pair of magical die that make music when thrown, and for Kaz, a set of playing cards that are intricately illustrated with astonishing art that seems to move. Watch out for the face cards, they get very opinionated about your playing. They both also receive a chip that can be relinquished to Magnus for a small magical favor.

Comments

[dothelokimotion]

[ As helpful as the information here was, Loki has trusted . . . maybe less than 30%. Not because he believes everyone is lying, but he's never been able to take anything at face value. ]

How gracious of them.

[shadowblends]

I thought so. [He shrugs.] Maybe I place too much trust into these people to not stab me in the back.

[Or in the front, considering there's nobody here from his world. For all he knows, people on Xistentia could pretend to be kind when in all actuality, they're waiting to exterminate him.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ Extermination is always a possibility. Loki believes in it fully. ]

Why?

[shadowblends]

Why not? [It's impolite to answer a question with a question.

A sigh.] If I lived in constant fear or questioned everyone's intentions, I don't think that would be much a life.

[dothelokimotion]

It is better than the alternative.

[ Being lied to. Being kept in the dark. Being a pawn and reduced to nothing more than a stolen relic. The fear will never leave and it haunts him, but Loki will take that world over what he had before. Back when the lingering unease could never be explained, why he never could be enough. ]

[shadowblends]

Depends on the alternative. Some people have lived that way for so long, there's no other way for them to function. To see them try and do the opposite would be bizarre.

[He's not completely free of such things; Kurt panics more often than not about how someone will react to his appearance or if he'll say something wrong, offend people in a way he won't be able to apologize for.]

[dothelokimotion]

I've lived a lie for too long to return to that state.

[shadowblends]

[Nightcrawler blinks, opens his mouth to inquire then shuts it once more. That might be a subject to ask about when they're on a more friendly level.]

Nobody's making you return to it.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki purses his lips. The bridle of resentment sits upon him but he's not keen on lashing out. ]

No. Not anymore, at least.

[shadowblends]

[He'd respond with bewilderment at that sort of reaction, but not in a way that would be misunderstanding. All people handle things differently; Kurt's approach has always been more pacifistic.]

I'd say that's an accomplishment.

[dothelokimotion]

I wonder.

[ Loki has little to call in accomplishments. No victories under his belt. Nothing that belongs to him and him alone. ]

Either way, I live freely.

[shadowblends]

[Something else he wants to question, yet again, he second guesses himself.]

That's all that matters, then.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki merely purses his lips tightly as if he's uncomfortable with that. ]

Yes. That's all.

[shadowblends]

[Since Kurt's feeling like the air's a little thick, he figures this might be the best time to gracefully bow out for now.]

Well, it was nice to meet you— [Oh, but they haven't exchanged names.] Ah, my apologies, I don't think we were properly introduced.

My name is Kurt. [He offers a hand, despite the awkward tension.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ Blue. For a moment Loki almost — almost recoils in fear, that he'll turn blue too, that everyone will see him from what he is — but it subsides far too quickly for anyone except one practiced in reading Loki to notice. ]

I am Loki.

[shadowblends]

[Loki's hesitation is noticeable (he's very observant, you know), but he doesn't know the other male all that well, so he doesn't think much of it.]

Pleased to meet you, [he reiterates, withdrawing before things get even more uncomfortable.]

I hope you enjoy the rest of your time at the party.

[dothelokimotion]

[ He inclines his head politely. ]

And yourself as well.

[shadowblends]

Thank you.

[He returns the gesture by bowing, one hand on his chest, the other stretched out as he does so. Then, with a flourish, Kurt pivots and in a bamf and a haze of smoke, he's gone.]