Event Open Masquerade Ball 2017

“It really is amazing. I never would have imagined anything like this before I came here.”

Truth be told, it was dizzying and overwhelming, but being with Alain helped to keep her grounded. There was so much to see, and so many scents—new scents mingled with familiar ones. Some she knew she wanted to seek out later, while others she would prefer to avoid.

But she would not worry about such things. She was here to have fun, experience new things, and spend time with Alain. She giggled as they danced, enjoying as he spun her. She wasn’t used to ballroom dancing at all—she usually focused on learning choreography to Pop-type stuff, but she was having a fun time dancing with someone else.

And as the music became something of a slower pace, Adelyn calmed her bouncy, vibrant energy and stepped close to Alain—comfortable in his embrace as they swayed softly to the music.

Charlene still seemed on edge, but allowed herself to sit down as she waited for Shujinko to return. When he did with that plate of food, her eyes widened like she had never seen anything like it before. Of course, she had. She had been the entertainment at many large parties full of catered food, but right now…just those little bits he had brought seemed like the entire world to her.

When she was given the food, she glanced around cautiously one more time—then once she felt sure there was no one else nearby, she started grabbing at the food and practically inhaling it. She wasn’t sure if Shujinko brought her utensils—she didn’t notice, or care. She was too starving to care about whether she looked like an animal at that particular moment in time.

When she was done every last piece on her plate, she gave once last look around them--still partially expecting someone to come out and beat them at any second--before turning to Shujinko and bowing her head to him.

"Th-thank you, sir..." she said, softly.

The demon had thought long and hard about attending the Masquerade. They had never found the idea terribly appealing in earlier years. as there didn't seem to be much point in putting on a mask when you can simply change your face.

Even with this thought in mind, Panaria decided that attending the event may actually be fun. They had slowly begun to make friends, though nothing beyond acquaintances at this point, and were feeling confident enough in their new self to attempt making a few more.

That, and romance. It was a silly thought, a fleeting one at that, but it reminded Pan of their passion for people and their desire to find someone to be passionate about, instead of ruminating about lovers lost on a long walk or locked up in their apartment.

Their outfit was casual, compared to some. A simple black tux and a simple black mask. Nothing that sparkled or shone in the revolving lights of the night. After all, Pan didn't need to find someone to fall in love with them just the way they were; they needed to find someone to fall in love and then change just for them.

They had accepted a few dances, but no one's mind had yet to catch the demon's interest. Most thoughts were wrapped in up clothes and drinks and who they would take home that night. Panaria had more than that in mind.

They stood by the punch bowl, causally sipping down their second glass when a young woman approached. He had noticed her out dancing, twirling between partners. She seemed to be enjoying herself but there was a moment, ever so brief, where she seemed tense. Though Pan's speciality was reading minds, they had picked up a thing or two about body language in their near three centuries of life. More often than not, the two went hand in hand.

He chuckled slightly, lightly, "Don't worry the pumpkins won't come to life and eat you. That only happens every other Samhain." Their voice was a gentle tenor, though slightly deeper than their natural tone. It had been a strange year for the demon, and while they had enjoyed being in their true form for some time, they found that something a bit more human and a bit more male suited them, for the time being at least.

@VeiledInsanity

"Don't worry the pumpkins won't come to life and eat you. That only happens every other Samhain."

The voice jarred her out of her deliberation. She turned to see she was the focus of a handsome, carmel skinned man's attention. A thin fog seemed to roll into the party at his words, twisting and snaking around each of the guests adding an air of mystery to the party. She held out her hand as the fog snaked between her fingers, distracted from her answer. As she glanced back at the jack o' lanterns they all seemed to be grinning at her, a malicious light lighting their eyes from the candles inside. With a start she jerked back towards the attractive stranger.

"I'd believe anything of pumpkins, they've always seemed a malevolent sort of vegetable." She cracked a smile, an attempted bypass of her earlier oddness. Tonight had to be perfect, she was just a normal girl, another mask in a sea of costumes. She leaned in close to the man, "To tell you the truth I wouldn't put anything past them, even this year."

She shot him a grin, an inviting conspiratorial look, then turned away, studiously avoiding looking at the leering gourds. She needed air and to get out of the fog now billowing around her. If she could just clear her head she could escape this close call back into the wonder of tonight.

@beloved

It seemed Panaria's words just caused the girl to startle, twice even. Once when they spoke and again when her eyes glanced back at the pumpkins. She moved closer to him, not that he minded but it was almost a bit too close. He was on the taller side and she was on the shorter side, making it difficult for Pan to get a good look at the woman's eyes.

When she smiled, he managed to catch a quick peek into her bue eyes before she moved again. It was just a glimps, a blink of a longing. A longing to be normal. Whatever that meant, Panaria wasn't totally sure. Most people here were more interested in the fact that they didn't have to be normal or hide their true selves.

Her last look before turning away from him gave him this feeling that she knew something he didn't. Now that was definitely something worth investigting.

He couldn't help but chuckle again before leaning down to speak directly into her ear. After all, it was quite loud between the music and the surrounding conversations, "Well, I suppose we will have to keep our gaurd up around these gourds."

@VeiledInsanity

She was in a pumpkin patch. The chill battered against her scarf and sweater, her stalwart guardians from the autumn air. Yet she didn't care about the cold as she mashed her lips against the ginger boy she had spotted earlier that day. They were a perfect match, red on red, freckles on freckles, tweed on tweed. She fit perfectly in his arms as they rolled about the ground in their frantic coupling unconcerned with the dirt accumulating in her hair. They had just met and all that she knew was that she loved him. This farm would be their hallowed ground, fall their season, she wanted to memorize every detail of him, this moment, today. Nothing could be more perfect than now.

Lips slightly pursed, a wild look in her eye, she slowly sank back into herself. The memory was still there, sharp and nettling, but the emotion was gone. Those kisses? Passionless. Her feelings? Vapid. Nostalgia goggles in reverse, what was once a moment that took her breath away now she could only see as a moment of regret. The incident only took place a few weeks ago but she had never heard from that boy again, nor did she have any desire to, he was just one mistake along a road of what seemed like hundreds.

The mist was tight around her, it clung to her with an almost physical substance, a weight on her that made it hard to move. It now covered the entire room, guests now only shapes twirling and dancing amongst its backdrop. She sneaked another glance at the pumpkins to notice them all leering at her, vines now growing and contorting from them snaking outwards along the floor and up the walls.

Her sense of direction lost amongst the valley of fog she reached out towards one of the few people still visible. She gripped the caramel man's arm, changing tack, suddenly serious, "I need air. Now. Help me...?"

Her last few words caught with a slight tremor as they escaped her lips. Her facade of normality now clearly broken she only cared for one thing, a breath of fresh air.

@beloved

In an instant, everything changed. The woman grabbed his arm and her words, once playful, had shifted suddenly. He had noticed the shift, something subtle, in the few glimpses he had into her mind but it wasn't anything to pay mind to until now.

He he moved swiftly, positioning himself directly in front of the woman, gently placing his thumb under her chin and pulling her gaze up to meet his.

His stare are was steady and sure. Unlike many, who's gaze seems to flicker from eye to eye, Panaria seemed to be staring into both at once. He only held her there for a moment until he was sure of what he was seeing and what she was feeling.

Fear. Haunting. An ironic thing to notice in someone on Hallows Eve. Panaria had known a friend or two who had dealt with such fear. It was fear that came from within, gripping you with your own strength, confusing your mind. He couldn't pin down the source of it in that moment but he didn't need to.

He grabbed her hand, his fingers lacing into hers, squeezing once as if to reassure, and then moving. Quickly. This woman was hiding from herself and unfortunately she had picked one of the worst places; a crowd.

Thankfully, the table they were at was near the exit and in a moment they were outside. A few couples and groups stood about and Pan scanned quickly, searching for a private space. He never stopped moving, gently pulling the woman along with him until he reached a distance far enough away from everyone but still close enough to the building that he wouldn't frighten her more. After all, he was a stranger.

He stopped and turned, his eyes unashamedly fixed on hers. He waited. She would tell him what to do.

@VeiledInsanity