(Open)Halloween at the Grounds

[Seraphina]

Despite the Nix still going though a depression and a loss, Halloween was one of her favorite holidays. It always had, and to not celebrate felt…wrong. And like she was giving in to a broken heart, and that was not the Spring way.

So she had put out flyers for a Halloween bash of sorts at Garden Grounds. There would be specials on Halloween and spooky themed drinks and sweets, plus candy for anyone that showed up in a costume or just wanted candy. The stage had been setup in case anyone wanted to give karaoke a go. Hell, she even opened the patio for the evening, complete with heaters and decorations.

Out of storage came the decorations, mainly the mason jars with tea lights and some of the pumpkin structures. Were they structures? She didn’t know, but she loved them!

This year, she took the time to carefully draw on some pumpkins, artistic designs that had taken quite a bit of time and planning. They were placed near the register, as well as fake leaves, and some real ones, placed here and there. The key to decorations was to draw the eye, not assault them. The clear lights had been pulled from the ceiling and purple and orange ones now hung from the ceiling, mixed in with the live wisteria.

The air smelled of freshly warmed apple cider and cinnamon, the case had new treats within! Each with a fall theme to it.

Outside there was even pumpkin carving going on! Many pumpkins had been purchased from local farmers and setup, ready to be decorated!

The Treasured went with a costume she had thrown together a couple years ago, and it fit her mood. It was dark, but she was a Fairest that could make a potato sack look sexy, so it looked perfect on her. Can black lipstick look sexy? If you were Sera is sure as hell did.

And so, she flitted around the shop, laughing with customers, her musical laugh flowing through the air.

[Seraphina]

-1 Glamour to Harden Mask

[Sonnie Wu]

Sonnie poked her head in the door, peeking around for a moment before fully stepping inside. Mask hardened for the evening, the Beast had arrived in a full sexy witch costume! Completing the look was her staff, which she had dressed up as a flying broom in one hand, and in the other hand was a leash leading to...

Fugly, dressed as a bat!

"Sis-tahs! Are you here?" she cackled in her best Hocus Pocus voice, "We have many children's souls to eat tonight! Mwa-hahahahahaha!"

The bat-dog, not understanding the joke, but excited to be here all the same, just barked! His tail wagged like it was breaking the sound barrier.

Sexy Witch Sonnie spotted Sexy Demon Sera (not a difficult task) and let out a wolf whistle. "Daaaaaa-YUM!"

[Sonnie Wu]

Bookkeeping! -1 Glamour to Harden Mask

[Seraphina]

Hearing the cackle, and recognizing the movie it was from, arms are raised, “We are here sis-tah!” coos the Nix, “We are ready to run Amok! Amok, amok, amok, amok, amok!” giggling as she walked over to the Beast.

“You must be talking about yourself! You look damn fine tonight girl!” Sera had just gone with something to sit her mood. Sonnie had gone the route of breaking hearts, “You’ll have them falling at your feet! Though I must insist on no flying in the building.” She didn’t have a permit for that, and it would just be a mess.

“And look at you Fugly! You are just the most adorable bat in the city tonight!” Kneeling down to make sure to give him a good scratch behind his ear.

“How’s your night been?” she asks, “Been pretty packed here, people really seem to like just having some place to hangout with warm drinks and fall activities.” busy was good in the eyes of the Nix. It meant she didn't have to focus on other things.

[Sonnie Wu]

Sonnie gazed about the cafe, eyeing all the people enjoying the autumn aesthetic, and nodded approvingly.

"Why, thank you, sis-tah!" she laughed and spun about with a flounce. "And it's okay. The broom is out of jet fuel, anyway. Tonight, it's just for style!"

Fugly was, as ever, happy to see his Auntie Sera. His tail somehow seemed to wag even faster as she greeted him. Sonnie smiled as she watched, "I was gonna go with a black cat costume for him, but I couldn't find one I liked. Bat seemed like the next best thing."

"My night's been pretty good, so far!" she nodded. "Had some candy, watched some scary movies, flirted with other people in sexy costumes, Fugs got lots of pets!" The Beast paused, "No haunted houses, though." Nope, none of that this year!

She quickly shook it off, however. "Anyway, a warm drink sounds good! What do we got on tap?"

[Circe]

Circe's entrance is more bombastic than Sonnie's. The first thing visible is the gold laced tricorn, followed by Circe in her pirated attire for the evening, hip first. "Avast ye lubbers! I'm here with me public pirate property!" And Circe reveals her imitation of a Spongebob Pirate. Plus a few other things that have been added to her attire.


A barely visible "flintlock" handle is not unexpected. Hopefully it isn't functional. The lights of Garden Grounds glean off the polished metal of a sword's hilt opposite the flintlock and the object obscuring. And the hilt seems to have spots of wet sheen upon it. It is hard to tell the color with the metal, though she might want to clean it.


But what is obscuring it? Why, her public private property posing as a ponderous produce purveyor. A treasure chest full off gold wrapped hazelnut chocolates. Fancy and golden, so it looked like treasure.


"Yar, there be witches ah broads," she looks down at Fugly, "And ye be a batty one! Though yer mugs are better than the muggers have after me, yar har har ho ho ho ho!" Circe broke character for another character. "Cant keep it going. I've had a greeeeeat night thus far. How about you two? And," Circe smiles, "Wooooow, way ta go Sera. Sonja may have gotten the sexy with of the dark down ta genius, but yer clearlier the hornier witch," she helfts up the treasure chest to her right side, "Glad I went colorful. Couldn't compete with you two," and kneels down so she can pet Fugly.


"Could I? No I couldn't! Yer mistress and her mistress are too dark fer me, aren't they? Hmmm? Ya want some treasure, Bat Dog? Do ya? Well, I don't care how awesomely Sonja dresses ya, no chocolate fer you. No chocolate for you," Circe is ecstatic in her tone as she pets Fugly.

[Seraphina]

“Perhaps later when the kids are asleep and the streets are empty, we can refill the brooms and cause some mischief!” giggling.

It was hard to not be happy with an adorable dog, “A black cat? I’m not sure which would have been cuter, and pretty sure he could pull off both looks.” Standing, she reached behind the counter and pulled out a container that had Fugly’s name on it, inside, was treats just for him! And she proceeds to give him a few.

“I haven’t had a chance to watch scary movies yet.” A slight frown, “But figured once I get home I can watch a few, any you recommend?” scary movies were always fun on Halloween! “Oh, flirting is always a good time, something I highly recommend and enjoy!” Springs gotta Spring after all. The mention of haunted houses gives her pause, a brief look of remembrance before the smile returns, “Haunted houses are overrated if you ask me.” The Nix wasn’t sure if she could ever go to a haunted house again.

“This year we have a variety! There is the traditional warm apple cider, but for those a bit more adventurous, I have Wassail and chai-spiced hot cider.”

The sudden appearance of a pirate Circe brings a smile, “Mary! Or is it, Captain Mary?” always good to check. “But love the costume! You look amazing!” no lie there, the Summer looked great!
“It’s been a great night here too! Seen some really fun costumes.” Her customers had gone all out. At the mention of being the hornier witch, there was an exaggerated sigh, "So goes the single life."

[Sonnie Wu]

"Ahoy!" the Monkey laughed, waving at Circe's arrival, "We're bein' boarded! By sexy pirates! All hands on dick, uh, deck!" She grinned innocently. Fugly the Dog-Bat bounced over to Cap'n Belf, as Sonnie had let him off his leash inside the cafe.

"Ah yes, no chocolate for chiropteran canines. However, I think Ol' Horny Sera keeps some treats for him behind the counter somewhere." If she recalled correctly, which sometimes she didn't.

"Wassail, you say?" She had no idea what that was, but the word sounded vaguely familiar. "I'll try some!"

[Circe]

"The first one be difficult, so try for deck," she assures Sonja, "Top deck not poop deck." And Bat Dog gets all the attention and accolades her could want. At least until Captain Beardless. She walks over to the counter to place the "treasure" so it is facing towards the door.


"Wass ale? Yar, it be what ales ya. Groggy question that be, ya rum-ing off of, of, uuuuh," she drops the accent as she gives up, "That is the limit on that one. But glad yer having fun Sera," which was true. The Spring was getting a little Winter for a while. Understandable all things considered, but still off putting.


"I assume not the same kind I had," she takes a napkin and wipes the handle of her sword clean. The black napkin makes it hard to tell what color she is wiping off. "Very fun times. And I can recommend some scary movies with some qualifiers. Do ya want the type of, ahem, protagonists that are idiots, genre savvy but die anyway, or a horrorverse where everyone is dumb?"

Circe seems to freeze up for a moment, then smiles. "Yar! And feel free ta take a bite of me booty, yar har oh ho ho ho!"