[EVENT] 'Tis the Spooky Season...

[vrdr_mods]

Autumn is drawing on in the Velvet Room and its environs. The days are colder, the nights are crisper, leaves are a riot of colour ready to fall from the trees. And (besides all the pumpkin spice popping up for some reason) that means only one thing: Hallowe'en!

As the season approaches, you may undergo a mysterious transformation. Perhaps you wake up with wings, or hooves, or gills! Or perhaps your transformation will change more, go deeper... perhaps to your very soul. Who can tell? You might wake up as an animal, or a mythological creature. Or as anything at all.

Transformations will reverse on the morning of November 1st. Probably.

In the meantime, Destinyland is celebrating the holiday. Cheerful Jack-o'-Lantern Shadows have set up on street corners, handing out flyers advertising the park's seasonal festivities. In the days leading up to the 31st, Destinyland will host all the usual fun: Hallowe'en games, Trick or Treat for the babies (and the not-so-babey), the Gorb fortune teller, Shadow-run food stalls serving spooky meals and treats, and, of course, the haunted house with its array of friendly, candy-giving Shadows. Or maybe they're not so friendly.

On the night of Hallowe'en itself, there will be a parade at the park and a grand party out in the main square with food, music, and plenty of space, though characters are not obliged to attend. However, if you wish to show off your new form, see what transformations have been wrought on your fellow guests, or simply take the chance to celebrate, it may be a good opportunity...

Who knows? Perhaps you'll even see some special guests.

[ooc: Welcome to our second Halloween event! This post will serve as a mingle for the duration of the event. Feel free to invite friends to play as guest characters, too! There will be a toplevel, and guest characters are simply whisked into the setting to engage in festivities, with a slight ghostly aura. For an example, see the thread here from last year!]

Comments

[lakebrat]

"Corvus," he repeats quietly. "That's a damned good name, you know. Almost sorry I didn't think of it myself. Come on, let's find somewhere to sit."

It's Destinyland; there are benches everywhere. He'll head for the nearest one, if Corvus will follow.

[undyingcrow]

"I'm the Akechi who survived after the collapse of Maruki's reality." And now he looks ridiculous. Ugh...

He crosses his arms, tipping his head up to look at the others. He is not used to being the shortest person in a conversation.

"If we're talking codenames, Karasu will suffice."

[fogboundcrow]

"I'll survive." Really, the last thing he wants is for Ken to feel guilty about this. "With luck, this'll all be over after Halloween, though I certainly think Igor needs a lesson about consent and boundaries."

[linkclickakira]

dude if i could grow into a large size I would have tried stomping down on igor lol.

alas no. i transformed into a demon and basal instincts are hard to contain when you wake up from a bad night's sleep

[lostgemini]

Kou mindlessly follows Frog, caught between wanting- needing to keep composure, and his raw, cutting grief. He doesn't even really register the compliment- not until he's already sitting down next to the other, staring ahead of himself with blank eyes.

He doesn't really know what to say about it in response anyway, so he doesn't.

[lakebrat]

On the way, he's picked up two coffees; he hands one to Corvus, and cradles the other in his own makeshift paws. The glow of him surrounds them both, the fox and the dragon—or rather, the other dragon.

Goro considers his options for a moment or two, as they sit in silence. Then he murmurs, "You know, you aren't the only dragon I've encountered. My world's Ren, Drake, is one as well. Perhaps to be expected, considering his name."

He doesn't ask if there's anyone from Corvus's world here. If there were, he rather thinks there would be less grief on show.

[lostgemini]

Kou wordlessly accepts the coffee, but he doesn't move to drink. His gut is churning, and his tongue feels heavy; he's not sure he could stomach the drink right now. He's so fucking tired, and sad, and he hates it but he can't make it stop. This Goro being so... caring, too, is-

It's-

He doesn't know. He doesn't know.

"Mm," is the only noise he makes in reply. Must be nice, having someone from your own world here- though Kou doesn't know if he'd even like having someone from his own world around. His tail has wound around his own legs. His wings, already awkwardly squished against the back of the bench, droop against himself. Like a fucked up little cocoon for his own grief, illuminated by the other's light.

[lakebrat]

"And as for the tails," he continues, "they're a pain in several ways, as I'm sure you know from experience." He's drawn his knees up on the bench to sit sideways, with his own broad fan of fox tails behind him, spread out like a peacock's tail; already the posture has the air of being highly practiced.

He doesn't touch his coffee either, has it only for appearances. "It would be difficult, I think, to be alone here. Even if things were difficult between us, at least he knows how things are."

[lostgemini]

Kou can't even appreciate the effortless grace of the movement; all he can think of is how like Goro that is. Goro's always been the more effortlessly graceful, poised between the two of them. Kou knows he's always been more sloppy, and he didn't mind, not when he could so easily pretend he wasn't, and he had his own qualities where Goro fell short, but- but-

He swallows again, his face working overtime not to crumple with grief, not to give in, not to be weak in front of this fake. Being alone here is difficult? Hah. Haha.

"Nobody understands," he says, breath hitching. "Even if- if they were. Here."

His voice is far too brittle, and the stutter gives his roiling emotions away, but he can't stop.

[unfoggedlotus]

"Barkbark!" You're right, actually. Can I wander with you, Small Friend?

[lakebrat]

And Goro doesn't elaborate, just tilts his fox head a little, brown hair pooling in golden light, willing to listen. "No?" he asks.

It's down to Corvus; he can elaborate, if he likes. Or he won't.

[lostgemini]

Kou shakes his head. His horns are heavy on his head, and make the motion a little awkward. He swallows, closing his eyes.

"No."

He doesn't elaborate.

[lakebrat]

That's fair enough. They can just sit here. Goro offers him a little smile, instead, which isn't all it could be what with the fox nose and teeth, but still manages to be kind. He's good at kind. Plus, he's involved now.

"I'm guessing you don't work at Leblanc. Or live there. That seems to be more the domain of the Rens and Akiras, as a rule." Small talk, gentle and undemanding.

[unfoggedlotus]

Ren laughs. "Maybe we can do some...exploring...later," he waggles his eyebrows, to both Hiro and Goro. "But I like you best when you can stand on your own."

Gently, he starts to lower Goro down.

cw: dumbass idiot suggestively flirts

[fogbornphantom]

Goro lightly trails a claw down Ren's chest once he returns to the stability of the bed. The floor beneath his hooves certainly helps as well. "Oh, I'm more than willing to explore. Perhaps you'll serve as my navigator?"

Hiro gives another experimental flap. "I don't feel particularly different below the waistline. Still, I'm certainly not opposed. Preferably once we help you get your footing."

[lostgemini]

"I... huh?"

Work or live at Leblanc? That's... yeah, that's Ren's thing. Kou doesn't even show his face there anymore, not when he and Goro killed the mother of the owner's daughter.

It's hard to even remember which one of them landed the killing blow. It didn't even matter, considering they were one soul, two bodies-

Were. Were. Were.

His voice cracks a little as he tried to answer the question.

"No, I- no. I don't go there."

[lakebrat]

No, perhaps not. The picture resolves itself a little more, though still not nearly clearly enough. "No," he agrees, looking down. "I never saw myself working in a café, either. It turns out I had quite the knack for it."

It's not just making coffee, after all. It's listening. At least, if you're good at it.

[lostgemini]

Another strike. He already knew but-

God. Goro could burn instant noodles, if you let him. It's not like Kou's some kind of master chef, but he could do some cooking, at least. Provide for his little brother in whatever way he could.

Not enough. Never enough. Clearly not, when he's-

He curls into himself slightly more, wings tightening around himself.

[lakebrat]

And Goro watches the wings tighten, watches Corvus cringe deeper into himself. I'm here, he wants to say. You don't have to bear this alone.

But who is he to judge? As if he'd share his private griefs with anyone. He's still barely discussed his mother with Ren, even, who he increasingly shares everything with. He shifts in turn, quiet and open, luminous and bright, a soft ear flicking as his tails shift behind him.

[lostgemini]

It's almost too tempting.

The demeanor is off, but the looks are (mostly) right. The gentle, open expression is- too much. It makes Kou long for his brother all the more, painful grief holding him in a chokehold.

He wants to lean into the other. Wordlessly ask for a hug, comfort, things he was used to but hasn't had in 8 months.

But that's not Goro. That's a stranger with his face. It's painful. So very painful.

He can't stand it.

"... Stop looking at me like that," he says, voice wavering.

[lakebrat]

"Of course," he murmurs, chagrined, turning his fox face away. Sometimes there is nothing you can do.

But he stays there, nonetheless, looking out at the cognitions passing them by, and the odd little Shadows here and there with their pumpkin heads. He knows when to give someone space, if he knows nothing else.

[lostgemini]

The silence stretches.

Kou realizes how fucking pathetic he's being- damn near falling apart in front of a stranger, just because he's got his brother's face, and some of his manerisms. Wouldn't most people be over this shit by now? Ren certainly mostly seems over it. Everyone else too.

But what Kou and Goro had- that couldn't be understood by anyone but them. Sumire sometimes feels like she comes close, but at the same time, not in the slightest. She doesn't understand, and could never understand. She lived in her sister's shadow, whereas Kou and Goro-

What they had was unique. Unreplicable. Without Kou, there was no Goro, and without Goro, there was no Kou. Two halves of a whole, a unit, practically bound together by an invisible force. Nobody could ever understand just how much Kou and Goro were intertwined.

So where does that leave him, now that Goro's gone? He still doesn't know. It doesn't feel like he'll ever will.

He takes a sip of the coffee, if only to distract himself. Not only is it cold, it's also downright nasty.

"... I hate this."

Is he talking about the coffee, or the grief that pounds through his veins?

[unfoggedlotus]

"Later. We have kids, y'know." A pause. "D'you think anyone else has changed?"

[fogbornphantom]

Goro pauses for a moment, focusing on the link. "...Seems Raven is a bipedal cat creature." Wait. "Not like Morgana. He's larger, for one, and less like a mascot suit."

[vessel_ken_amada]

"There's no way he's going to listen to any of us," he says while sulking.

Before a thought crosses his mind.

"Do you think that on Christmas he can be visited by three spirits?"