yes I knew it was no moonshine, it is real

[faceblocks]

Who: vi and various people
What: a catchall for october feat. vileblood anxiety things, animal shenanigans, facepainting things, non-event things. starters will be in the comments. ping me at eisdamme or eisdamme#7495 if you would like one.
When: throughout the month of october
Where: the rookery kitchen, ursulas, cellar door, willful machine, the outpost, the entertainment feed, other places.

Content Warnings: tba

Comments

black parade [open all month]

[faceblocks]

[vi is wearing a either a cat (early october) or a unicorn mask (later in the month), nodding to the music as a float or a kite passes - a bottle of cider in her hand and a look of relief on her face as her anxiety ebbs for a moment, singing along to lyrics she's only just picking up, getting them wrong sometimes (it's fine) and pausing here and there to take a deep breath, to use the music as a mantra - breathe out. just feel the fucking nonsense float away. breathe in strength, breathe out bullshit. she's good, mostly. are you?]

early october;

[manyone]

[ Beatrice is laughing as she mingles with the crowd along the route of the parade. She's dressed for it as well, a stark black dress, glittering with dark gems that catch the light, while her face is covered by a half-mask in the guise of a death's head. A bottle of something in her hand--wine, probably, she sways along up to Vi with a brilliant smile, wips of blonde hair falling about her face. ]

Oh, this is wonderful. I think this is my favorite month so far!

[faceblocks]

[squints. oh. that's ...the pretty witch she'd gotten bristly about. she's seen her around the sanctuary, but they've never really spoken aside from that ridiculous network misunderstanding. hadn't it been a misunderstanding? probably. she'd been prickly. it shouldn't still bother her. why is it suddenly all she can think about?]

I don't hate it! [she has to raise her voice a little over the music, but this whole thing is a good break from her new hobby of worrying. that seems to have resurfaced now that beatrice has appeared. it's a good costume, and vi can't help but look her over. which she will also later worry about. but right now she will redirect with a compliment, as she gestures to the mask.] That's a sick outfit! I like your mask.

[manyone]

[ Why would you ever be worried about talking to the Witch you offended, Vi? That's just crazy! She would never do anything to you, right? Beatrice laughs as she's complimented, though. Apparently she's easy to placate with a bit of flattery.

Or seems to be. ]

Kihihi! It's a good mask, isn't it? Though I don't know what exactly is 'sick' about a black dress, I'm sure someone somewhere must find it not to their liking...

[faceblocks]

[oh no. where she might normally shrug it off and explain, vi blinks - slight panic rising.]

I meant sick in the good way. I know, I know, sometimes words don't make sense, but it's a compliment, like 'cool' or 'badass'. Sick can be both of those.

I like your outfit.

[is she staring too much? she'll look out at the crowd just in case. can't be awkward if you're not making eye contact, right?]

[manyone]

[ Beatrice laughs. It's almost coquettish in it's energy, though still a little bit of a cackle more than a giggle. She seems entirely pleased by the effect she has on Vi, no matter where it's coming from. ]

I'm so glad you approve, then. Your own is quite striking. Psspsspss.

[ She mimics the noise one makes when trying to attract a cat a little closer and laughs, her expression bright and cheerful. And her cheeks are a little red from the praise, because what kind of girl doesn't like being told she looks good? ]

It suits you.

[faceblocks]

[laughing is good. laughing is---

---she slips a sidelong glance back. that seems like a good laugh.]

Thanks! Heh. It was real hard to make a decision. Too many cool ideas and only one body.

[she laughs - caught between self deprecation and swagger - the psspsspss gets her attention, and for a brief moment the anxiety falls away (maybe it's the cider? maybe it's the shared laughter and the whole of all of this) and she turns, wiggling her shoulders in an approximation of a pre-pounce position, pawing at the air with her free hand.]

Ya think? [the blush suits beatrice, too. the fact she's caused it, even indirectly, is an immediate mood lifter.]

[manyone]

[ It is a good laugh! It's just that all of Beatrice's laughs sound Like That. Sorry, Vi. She laughs again, covering her mouth with her hand in a show of being demure as Vi makes the little motion at her. Beatrice seems immensely pleased with that reaction and her eyes sparkle. ]

I do think, yes. Cats well suit pretty women, I think. And a death's head suits me.

[faceblocks]

[wait, what. did beatrice just call her pretty?]

Well, if that's true, then you should be part cat, too, because you're definitely pretty.

[a side effect of cider: less of a filter than normal, which is a sliding scale of good and bad, but vi has an idea - this pretty woman should also be a cat.]

It does! But let's get you some cat ears to go with it, and then you can be both. [there was a woman handing them out not moments ago - ears and tails - but ears would be a great addition to the death's head mask, no?] Fuck rules. Two things!

Early October

[foulhussy]

[ The moon is hard on the Vilebloods this month. Even with the Crescent Moon Pendant that she'd received for her Blessed Day in July, she's been anxious and irritable. But she can't let it interrupt her life. The threats that Hunters protect against don't stop, and neither can she. And sometimes that rhythm of life is something that seems perfectly innocuous. Like this masked costume parade.

She wears a leopard mask, standing back a little ways from the crowd as she takes in the sights and sounds of a grim city in celebration. She nods at Vi as she takes a swig from a bottle of beer. ]

This is more like it. Didn't know this town could throw a party that didn't involve people dying and shit.

[faceblocks]

[anxious and irritable are inevitable in trench - but this is some bullshit. vi hasn't yet learned all of the ways to manage her newfound anxiety. who knew that the music works almost as well as the meditation? not this lady, but...]

Party's not over yet. But yeah, this I can deal with.

[she's two ciders in, and about to chug this next one fairly happily. she'll need something stronger if she wants it to make a difference, so she's mostly just drinking to drink. a bit of a fidget, and the taste of the cider's pretty good.]

Good mask. Cats are where it's at.

[foulhussy]

[ Cats are okay, as animals go. Perhaps. She hasn't had many interactions with domestic cats. She's never had a pet, and she lived most of her life far from other people. The wild ones, though, the big ones that can tear your throat out? She has respect for those.

Maybe that's what will make it more bearable when she's turned into some sort of feline hybrid in the next few days. ]

Picked it 'cause it matches this little bastard.

[ A shadowy leopard manifests at her side, yowling crankily. ]

[faceblocks]

[vi has never had a pet either - the undercity had its share of stray (and strange) animals - but prison? well, even the rats were few and far between, there.]

Somebody else got a mouthy bastard on Omen day? Here I thought it was ju----

[an outpour of dramatic smoke, and a dogwolf just giving vi the stinkeye.]

---oh, hey Fang.

ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ɪ ᴄᴀɴ ʜᴇᴀʀ ʏᴏᴜ. ᴀꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍᴏᴜᴛʜʏ. ᴘᴏᴛ, ᴋᴇᴛᴛʟᴇ, ᴠɪᴏʟᴇᴛ.

[foulhussy]

This is a regular picnic, is it not? I do so love a picnic. Take heed, Kainé, I shan't have you slandering me in front of strangers.

[ Kainé rolls her eyes as her Omen registers his own demand for respect. Why does he have to talk so much like him anyway? ]

Yeah, looks like it.

[faceblocks]

[a little nod toward the leopard omen.] In some circles, mouthy bastard is a compliment. Plus, she matched you. Probably also a compliment, even if it's backhanded.

[you know, in case that helps.]

Anyway. [a matching eyeroll because omens.] Back to the thing at hand, or the thing in hand. [a raise of her bottle and there goes the rest of it.]

ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴘɪᴄɴɪᴄ. ʙᴜᴛ ɪꜰ ɪᴛ ɪꜱ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜɪꜱ? ɪ ʟɪᴋᴇ ɪᴛ ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ. ɪ ᴅᴏ ᴡɪꜱʜ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴄʜᴀꜱᴇ. ɪ ᴄᴀɴɴᴏᴛ ᴅᴀɴᴄᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴀ ᴄʜᴀꜱᴇ ɪꜱ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀ ᴅᴀɴᴄᴇ. ɪᴛ ɪꜱ ʜᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴄʜᴀꜱᴇ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴄʀᴏᴡᴅ.

[call her mouthy? she'll talk, then. and so will violet after a moment, because she's getting the impression that fang is judging her for rudeness. which is ...another pot/kettle thing all on its own.]

I'm Vi. I've seen you before, but I don't think we've---nah, I'd remember you if we'd met.

[foulhussy]

[ Kainé snorts. A fellow graduate of the academy of sarcastic wit. ]

I'm stuck with this furball whether I want him or not. [ She reaches down, reaches her hand through it's head as if to ruffle its fur. He doesn't come out often, but she's not complaining. ] Kainé. I'm a hunter.

[ If Vi was being rude, Kainé sure as hell doesn't care. Manners have never been her strong suit. Her Omen on the other hand, seems to be enjoying the attention. ]

Is it? I care not for the foolish games these mortals invent.

[ She shrugs, and tips back her beer. ]

[faceblocks]

[vi can't help but smile at the banter between the two of them - as much as she complains, and it isn't always, she is grateful for fang's assistance when the omen chooses to give it.]

Ah, that's it! I was thinking Outpost, but that's a ..well, that's Hunters, too. A lot of us to go around. Then again...

[one hand flies up in a gesture of all of this - there are a lot of beasts to go around, too. so better too many hunters than too few, right?]

Good to meet you, Kainé.

ɪᴛ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴜᴘꜱᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴘᴀʀᴀᴅᴇ, ɪ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ. ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ, ᴡᴇ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀʀᴀᴅᴇ ɪꜰ ᴡᴇ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ. ᴡᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ꜰʀɪɢʜᴛᴇɴɪɴɢ ᴇɴᴏᴜɢʜ. ᴄᴀɴ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ꜱɪᴢᴇ?

[you know what. if her omen wants to let loose, she's not going to comment. the idea of a giant wolfdog just lurking hugely on a float is enough to make her almost sputter, but she holds it in.]

Hey Fang, before you get all big, or climb a building or sit on a float or whatever? You think you could grab me another two ciders? [she turns to kainé.] You want something too?

early october

[givetheslip]

[Maria's been back from the other Trench for a couple of days now and she's still exhausted, but she drags herself to the festivities anyway. Forcing herself to be up and about seems to help a little, strangely, and it's not as though she can just sit around for days and days.

She looks fairly out of place, not exactly one to join in carefree merriment, but she spots Vi and smiles as she makes her way over.]

You look slightly ridiculous. I like it.

[faceblocks]

[the other trench was ...something. something vi would rather not think about, is actively trying not to, but the fact that people are still disappearing? not great. it's one more twig on the bonfire of her anxieties, which ...wow, that's a pile. she'd rather direct her attention to the other bonfires, and to the fake ones on floats, behind the eyes of mock dragons and other beasts - behind curiously carved pumpkins.

vi smiles back, her little leather batwings bobbing as she raises her bottle.]

Ridiculous, huh?

[she is playfully affronted. how dare. ridiculous: it's what she was aiming for, mostly. trench has been playful lately, but not in the fun way. its tricks have been mean, and meaner still.]

Thanks.

Lemme guess: you're too cool for a costume?

[what she thinks but doesn't yet say: you look tired.]

[givetheslip]

In a good way.

[Really really. If nothing else, it's nice to see people enjoying themselves. Maria never yearned for frivolity during her time with the Templars, spent years with a mindset that was nothing but deadly serious in fact, but it doesn't change how she feels seeing it now.]

I don't know about that. I've never had reason to wear one before. They weren't a custom back in England, and then I spent years at war.

[It doesn't occur to her that to some, dressing up as a knight or even one's steward could be a costume.]

[faceblocks]

[her mouth twists a little at the mention of war - yeah, that's a thing that lurks in the back of her mind, always, and she's able to punt her personal feelings elsewhere, but being reminded of someone else's? that's harder to punt anywhere, honestly. but she'll try, because this is about fun. about dancing, and singing, and parades and face painting and ...weird superstitious chants? okay, maybe not that last one. get outta here, stray thought.]

We can fix that if you want. Grab you a mask, or I can paint you up real quick. But it's not like you need it to participate in the fun.

[maybe just in the keeping beasts away? yeah, yeah, legendary horrors, but after dealing with outpost shifts? eh.]

It's supposed to keep you "safe", but you've got ...yourself for that.

[givetheslip]

Of course I don't. I'm perfectly capable of being fun on my own.

[Is she though...]

But if you have any recommendations I wouldn't mind having them. Or maybe you could paint something and surprise me with the results.

[Maria doesn't want to admit it, but she doesn't really have any ideas of her own. She can't recall the last time she was called upon to be creative.]

[faceblocks]

[she doesn't disagree.]

That depends on what kind of thing you're going for. Scary, pretty, or some combination of both. But yeah, I can throw something on that face in no time. You've got a good canvas.

[the latter is what vi would choose if she had to choose for her. and is it a flirt? yeah, a little, but not a serious one.]

[givetheslip]

That's the first time I've ever thought of myself as a piece of art. Or thought of art much in general.

[There's not much time for that in war. The idea makes her chuckle. She feels a little lighter and more energetic than she has in days.]

Scary or a combination, I think. You might be doomed to failure if you tried for something pretty.

[faceblocks]

Thanks to this festival? Everyone gets to be a work of art. And not in the weird, oh no, why do I suddenly have tentacles way, but in a way we can all enjoy, relax...

[...]

...if that's even possible, and [a hand sweep over all of it - the floats, the costumes, the decorating everywhere] all that out there? Art.

I gotta try pretty hard to fail [unintentional wordplay], and even then ...it's like every fuckup is a better fuck up. Like a friend said, " planned fuckups but with improvements". Not that I'm going to blow this, I can draw almost as good as I fight. C'mon, I'll get my paint, I live practically around the corner.

[headtilt.]

You wanna walk it, or are you a climber?