xistentia | I see trouble on the way.

Entry tags:

I see trouble on the way.

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.

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!

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.

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Oh, now there's an excellent question that I'm not sure I can answer! It's been a very long time since I was a teenager. [ Well, that's true enough. ]

( Ah, Magnus gets a grin for that. )

Something, something, disco era?

( Clary's still peering down at the magic ball, but instead of shaking it again she just takes another sip of her drink. )

I think I'll leave the one evaluating the past thing alone. For tonight, anyway. ( Eyes sparkling. ) I like your costume.

[ You are a good one, Clary Fray. ]

Exactly! [ Sounds like a four-word history of his life, to be quite honest.

No, it's a little more complicated than that. ]

I should have maybe enchanted it so it doesn't mix questions about the meaning of life among those about which vegetable you'd like to become. [ There are indeed quite a diverse range of queries... ] I like your costume. Tell me though, how are my runes? [ He extends his arms and turns here and there for her judgement. ]

I mean, sometimes questions about the meaning of life are great icebreakers. For us? Not so much. There's a meaning, it's probably forty-two, whatever, we're tired and we just want to drink.

( And dance with handsome Shadowhunters, obviously. )

Ooh. ( She looks over them with very dramatic attention, making humming and hawing noises as she does so. When she glances back up at Magnus, Clary taps her chin thoughtfully. ) Why Mister Bane, they're perfect. It's almost like you spend a lot of your time examining runes just like these. ( Wink wink, nudge nudge. ) You know I'm going to have to get a picture of you and Alec later, right? For prosperity and whenever Izzy finally shows her face. She'll not want to miss this.

( And she is 100% not dead, so there universe eating bad guys. )

Next time, I'll populate the list with more questions about vegetables and what animals you think different celebrities ought to own. [ He says this with a grin on his face. ] Personally, I think that one would be easier to answer after a few drinks.

[ Just as some people might say dancing is easier with a few drinks in you. But he would be willing to bet that neither he nor Clary need liquid courage for dancing with said handsome Shadowhunters.

When she begins her examination and subsequent evaluation, Magnus listens intently, still looking pleasantly amused. ] Me? Spend a lot of time memorizing where someone's runes are? [ Never! Meaning... yes, always. ] I'm sure we can flag Alexander down for a picture. I'd love to have a memento of the evening to show dear Isabelle when we see her again.

[ When, says he. Not if. When. ]

( This is why she likes Magnus. He's there when things get bad, but he's also there when you need to think about silly things that don't mean anything. ) I have to ask now, which vegetable would you be like to become? I haven't put much thought to it before. I guess I'd have to go for carrot though. It makes the most sense with the whole - ( Waving at her hair. ) - plus, I'd help people see in the dark.

( The most logical decision, really. )

You look great, seriously. It's a fun costume.

( And she's super pleased they're happy again. You know, that too. )

[ Magnus hums and nods at Clary's logic. Yep, that seems like a solid answer. Behind the scholarly contemplation of vegetable transformation, there's a definite light of amusement in his eye though. Nothing wrong with being a carrot! ] You'd be brilliant, biscuit, I'm sure of it! A carrot's a very noble answer, given that logic.

[ Brilliant indeed. She already is, mind. ]

I said asparagus. [ He seems to consider this for a moment. ] And I think I'll stick with that one. [ Tasty, pointy spears covered with a fantastic head of spikes. Less prickly than it appears. Goes well with steak. It works. ]

I'm glad you think so! I'm certainly having fun and I think that's a little overdue for a lot of people here, hm? [ You too, Clary. ]

Also, carrot cake is delicious.

( But she's definitely seeing the point of his answer. These kind of icebreakers are often amusing to Clary, and it doesn't matter that she's bee friends with Magnus a long time. There's still always more to learn. )

Definitely.

( They've been through so much, she's surprised any of them can even find the energy to party. But she's glad for it. )

You'll dance with me later, right?

Edited 2017-10-27 19:30 (UTC)

[ Magnus' eyes light up. ] Indeed it is! A very delicious kind of cake.

[ Let it be said that he's not super picky about the type of cake he consumes, which is another little tidbit of info: ] I don't really discriminate when it comes to cake, but carrot is unquestionably one of the more superlative varieties.

[ Energy? Magnus always has energy, don't you know? Even when he doesn't. And if he doesn't, it certainly isn't showing right now. Sometimes your capacity for sadness has just been all used up and you just flat-out refuse to let anymore of your reserves go toward feeding it.

And instead dress up in costume and party the night away? ]

I'd love to dance with you, Clary! I'm honored you'd ask.

You'd have to be evil to discriminate against cake, seriously. Even a fruit cake can hit the spot with the right occasion. ( But she'll always go for carrot. Or chocolate. Or coffee. Fruitcake makes the list, it's just a little way down. )

See, this is why I like you the best. ( A grand proclamation, but Magnus has been a solid figure in her life the last few months. They don't often get the time to just talk like this, so when they do Clary likes to cherish each bit of it. ) I bet Alec's going to say no, just to spite me. But I'm not going to give up. I'm getting him on that dancefloor if it's the last thing I do.

( Beware, the Fairchild.

Clary looks at her drink, and then peers at Magnus before beaming and holding out her hand. Come on, magic man. ) No time like the present, right?

[ At that comment about fruit cake, Magnus points Clary's way, as if to say, exactly. See? Same page. ]

I'm glad we don't have to get into a brawl about cake at a Halloween party, my dear! [ As if it's a deep relief on his part that neither of them will be forced to defend their faves to the death.

He gets no small measure of comfort from Clary's presence and it's nice to lighten up a bit with these sorts of topics. Cake is something he's particularly happy to spend some time talking about, and with no particular direction in mind for the conversation.

Oh, and dancing! That's another good, fun topic. Fun to do, too! Magnus is already offering her his hand ("don't mind if I do, Miss Fray!") by the time he says anything further on the matter. ] I can't predict what Alexander will say if you ask him, but I do know it's not his favorite party activity.

[ This can be said with some confidence, considering Magnus used to run an establishment that had a permanent dance floor. ]

Yeah, that might bring the tone down a little. ( Brawling, she means. Except --. ) I might have to fight Rafa over his terrible pumpkin bias but I'll at least wait until the party's over. Give him a headstart on escaping.

( She's really not going to fight anyone.

At least not today.

Because she is going to dance with everyone. Which means when Magnus offers her hand she takes it with an excited and beaming smile, her good mood lifting even higher. ) I know. But, a girl can dream. I'm sure I'll wear him down one of these days.

I've heard a little about this situation with the pumpkins. [ Magnus tuts and shakes his head. ] A shame, really. Pumpkins are excellent for adding to just about anything!

[ So says the twenty-first century's obsession with flavoring everything imaginable with that mysterious and delicious combination known as pumpkin spice. ]

I think you're right to give him a head-start, all things considered. [ Is he amused? Well...

Maybe a touch. Sorry, Rafa. The image of him being chased down by Clary Fray, who is extolling the virtues of pumpkin-flavored items... it's just too good. He leads them toward the dance floor with an amused little smile on his face. ] Oh yes, you definitely wouldn't want to give up. And you never know when he might say yes!

[ He feels okay saying that because he knows Alec won't say yes if he doesn't want to. ]

He probably hates pumpkin pie, Magnus. Pumpkin pie.

( Which, you know. He's a vampire. But Clary's not going to apply logic to the situation, not when she can rant about it. All of it's harmless anyway. She doesn't actually want to pelt him with pumpkin flavoured things until he relents. Not at all. )

We should do this more often.

( Whether that's dancing or partying or bickering with Alec, she's not going to clarify. She's just all caught up in the moment. )

Or I don't know, maybe we should do thanksgiving together. You know, you and Alec and me and Jace. Though I'm not sure we should be trusted with a turkey?

[ Vampire or no, Magnus shudders in a very dramatic fashion. ] I can't imagine! [ It's apparently just too horrible for him to comprehend.

There's plenty of unappetizing food created by humans. Pumpkin pie, by Mr. High Warlock's standards, is not on the list. And, like Clary, Magnus has no intent of trying to sway Rafa's opinions on pumpkin-flavored anything. Actually, it means there's more for the rest of them, right? ]

You're right though, we should do this more often. If you can convince Jace to come, then I bet we can entice Alexander into seeing the merits of baking a big meal for us to share. I'm willing to give it my best shot!

[ Alec's fresh-baked dinner rolls and Thanksgiving-theme desserts? Probably to die for. You hear that, Rafa? ]

Somewhere with food and his parabatai? I don't think we could stop him.

( It would be nice, normal. After everything they've all been through, something so mundane as a dinner together is surely sorely needed. Maybe it will help. If anything they can comfort each other while thinking of the people they've lost, and those who aren't with them in this strange alternate universe. Alec must miss Izzy, and Clary isn't sure she can bear the idea of the holidays without Jocelyn. Or Luke. Or Simon.

Especially not when she still has the sight of Jace still and cold in her mind.

This is not the time or the place to think about it though, and she won't let the fear creep in, keeps her focus on moving to the music with Magnus. )

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I see trouble on the way.

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