October 31, 2017:
Immediately following the Halloween introduction some of the X-Men explore the haunted maze
Characters
![class="image1"](http://cmbeta.wdfiles.com/local--resized-images//class="image1"/medium.jpg)
NPCs: None.
Mentions:
Plot:
Mood Music: [*\# None.]
Fade In…
Paths twist and turn, lined in hedges that give no hint as to which
way is correct.
A Labyrinth of foliage, flora, and sometimes fauna (peeks from the
edges), that is set and meant to turn one around. Send them back, or
forward.
Outdoor amusements tend to occur here and form a different bond of
teamwork.
At the opening of the maze, the paper lanterns beging to come to
life, no longer the eyes of the spirits but clasped in hands of remains
that seem "lifted" from the ground itself.
The main usurped at the mouth of the maze seem to move, or maybe
it is the wind through the tattered remnants of attire where the glow
flickers to the opening of a hole in a massive tree, gnarled at the opening
to look as if it plummets down.
The Rabbit Hole?
In the darkness mirrors reflect, some shattered the closer you get
to the maze itself where a dense mist rises and inhibits eyesight. Tiny
chimes cadence a tune unknown (or perhaps known).
//New Cup, new cup.. Move down, move down!
Bellowing lycanthropic howls sound in the distance as the walls of
the maze open wide and the glow of eyes cast the only light to get you
through the paths, even if you get turned around. But within… The Haunt
begins!
Small white rabbits scurry along the paths where rats and mice do
not, playing cards embed into the foliage like bladed weapons… All Red of
Hearts. Flora drooping in the cold is painted red, dripping to the dark
floor.
If you do not know who casts a shadow, run away!
Child safe, until after the witching hour!
*
Scott trails after the troupe of maze goers. "Went all out on these special effects… " Scott's first frown of the night appears. His elbow extending to Rogue, much like when they'd went to the ballpark together.
"Shinin'? Moonshiners? THE Shining with Jack Nicholson? Sometimes, I have to remind myself where it is you come from." The teasing eases down a bit as he observes the surroundings, a leaf crunching under his black buckled boot. "If the kids went through this I imagine we're going to have some extra laundry. Great sound effects."
*
Rogue would hook her arm around Scott's offered elbow and she'd laugh at his words. "Yes, that one, with that guy from the Cuckoo's Nest. And its not my fault Ah can't remembe'ah the names'a these people and their movies. I haven't even SEEN any'a these movies, they're just memories inside'a my head that I've taken outta other people's heads." She smirked over at him. "Like you, in your… getup here. Its the Princess movie. The… 'Have fun Stormin' the Castle!' movie."
She'd look forward then and shake her head while glancing around the maze. "Eithe'ah that or its Zoro, I don't know… Don't quiz me." Rogue would then sigh over-dramatically, adding in a little whine. "I'm lost already. I wanna cheat."
*
Mattias, in all his blackmetal paint and leather, enters down through the rabbit hole and into the maze with Meggan. Once inside, he sets her down and adjusts the axe strapped to his back, looking out into the fog towards the sounds of hounds and the bloody playing cards in the hedge. "Let's head ahead of them and set a trap or something." Mattias whispers to the shorter woman, taking her wrist and starting ahead, ignoring any signs of apprehension. His energy is crackling with careless bravado and joy about the holiday. He guides them further in and turns a corner, helping to get them lost, then turns, placing his hands on her hips and looking down to Meggan's face.
"I swear, there is definitely something to drink in here that can actually kick me. Somewhere. I know she hid it somewhere." Mattias laughs and plucks at the fishnet on her ribs. "You're drinking tonight, ja? All this fog, we are invisible tonight."
*
Meggan (Gobblin Princess) cannot quite help herself as he gets into the maze a bit. She may be lost but that's the fun of it right? Besides she's not alone. Though when her pointed ears pick up the howling of werewolves she can't quite resist a little howling of her own back. Letting her voice call out to the sky and powers let it roll through the area as best it an answering back to the wild ones of hallow's eve. Because she can hear what they are saying even if it is just in her mind. She grins over at Mattias, "Oh that's a great idea! We can have some fun of our own after all." She points out, "I already am drinking after a fashion." Taloned fingers motioning to the edges. She stays close to her partner as she looks for a good spot to say 'BOO' from.
*
"Yeah thats him. I forget about that honestly." Scott walk slows a little as that sensation of chill beyond 'normal chill' creeps up his spine, a second frown appearing that distracts him from what Rogue is talking about just a skip, "The Princess Bride. You haven't actually seen it? We'll fix that. One of the best movies of all time."
"We just got in! You cannot be lost." Scott stops himself in their walk standing just beside Rogue, this gives leway for the rest to pull away a bit more time for them to prepare their ambush.
More quietly Scott speaks now, for Rogue's ears only, "So, you actually wear a costume under there or just messing with me? The curiousity is nagging the hell out of me.." Scott is actually trying to lighten up a bit. It's a night for fun after all and he's coming off as stiff as usual.
*
'Alice' emerges and the fogs rise in waves of the 'mist' around her, ut shortly behind se can hear the voices of Scott (the frown of doom felt) like a new form of cringe up her spine.
But that does not account for the Warg-ish howls echoed towards a moon unseen and hidden behnd clouds.
The echoes of laughter ahead from Matti and Meggan draw a shark-like grin from her lips as she sets her own haunt before her feet that barely miss dried bramble, and from within brush a flash is drawn to bring to lips and cast back!
Her own path is set solely mono-e-mono, unlike Madrox and the Dupes… Cheater!
A cast of arms…
Fogs part and cast heavenward….
Luna revealed and the howls bask closer, more haunting as shadows flicker across paths - haunting images of adults with swords, axes, horn-laden coronets… Red glowing eyes… Children crawling walls but only in shadows!
At the end of the maze the pyres cast a heavy glow of lofting flames where a small post in the center would have borne witches, but here…
Things have changed, and pale green eyes flash on the surface of flask as it is tucked away and the flimsy fabric of blue satin as well as white lace is left on naked branches claws.
Fear is the Mindkiller!
*
"Totally lost!" Rogue replied then and she glanced over at her escort and just grinned at him. "Wouldn't you like t'know!" She said back at him then. "I'm supposed t'go to anothe'ah party here in a couple hours. The kind that no kids are anywhere near. So -yeah- I'm costumed up."
Rogue's eyes looked around their spooky surroundings. "Who the hell put all this togethe'ah anyway? I mean this is pretty major league Halloweening… Is this some kinda mind game and none'a this is even here in the yard and we're all just walkin' around an empty field right now while Jean'n the Professah laugh at us like rats in a maze?"
Rogue laughed a little then. "Cause if so, then I love'em even more than I did before."
*
Mattias turns off the speakers and the blackmetal music dies entirely. It's the first rule of stealth, truly: No loud blackmetal music. He hides the iPod in the inside of his leather jacket and tries to stuff the cables in. "Oh yeaaaah, I almost forgot about how you drink. That's really no fair, but nothing is." Mattias steps in and looks over her head, watching while she howls and the fog part and shadows dance. That's when he catches the glimpse of fabric on a branch.
"Come," Mattias grins and takes Meggan by the hand, dodging across a walkway towards the hanging dress. "It's got to be here somewhere," Mattias digs around the fabric and the bushes, and comes free with a flask. "Hah! Dirtpay. Okay…" He cranes his neck to the sound of others approaching and pulls Meggan into the branches with him, tucking the two in tight enough that she knows the religion of the skull on his belt buckle.
"If he blasts us, I'm so sorry." Mattias snickers and plants a kiss on Meggan's brow, then tilts the flask to his lips, voice lowering to whispers with her.
*
Meggan (Goblin Princess) was using the music as a bit of a tether to the 'real' her and world. When the music dies, the air grows still and she's lost that static between her and the feel of the maze. She smiles and shows off her drinking. Taking a long deep inhale, back arching, and the fog streams into her nose and mouth, filling the empath up. Her costume shifts and subtle changes take to her body. The edges a bit more frayed, a bit more wild, a little less costume-on-a-cute-girl. She exhales with a purrring growl in hher throat. She walks where Mattias' leads, body moving like liquid sex, "Yes." She pushes against him, pressing her body and fangs go to his neck to nibble. "So I can drink too," she asks after he kisses her brow. "I can take a little zot from Cyclopse. I'm tougher then I look. I bet I can even try to cheat." Reaching out with her power, wanting to spread the sense of 'something is watchign!' 'Something horrible is waiting' and even rustle and shift the hedges, make the braches more sharp and grabby.
*
"Are you talking about the closer at Harry's Hideaway? Got that invite too." Scott counters to Rogues excuse, "Though, I think you're just being a chickenshi… " The howls have him looking up at the tops of the maze then around them, Madrox has slipped off. Everyone has. It's just them and the mists. "Hrm, no I don't think Jean or the Professor are involved in this. As far as I am aware this is just the volunteers. Maybe Nate or Rachel… " It is incredibly elaborate all things considered.
"I think we lost the rest of the group."
"Lets see whats ahead."
*
Rogue wasn't suspecting any sort of ambush, she figured nobody was even thinking about she and Scott. "Nah, not Narry's… There's a rich dude who owns the ranch about five miles from here. He's outta town and his two boys are havin' a party at the ranch. So I'm gonna go there and see whats what."
Rogue would glance over at their team leader and she'd crack a smile at him. "I'd invite ya, but I figure Jean'd flip her top if she found out, and last thing any'a us want is Red going super nova on us, 'specially me."
Rogue continued to navigate the maze at a slow pace, having no real idea where the hell they were. "I'm gonna start just pushing shit ove'ah if we don't get t'the end'a this soon."
*
Mattias tilts the flask back, throat bobbing and swallowing alcohol of a strange origin burns its way down the back of a throat. Head back, he drinks as he's bit upon, twisting his knees and causing the bushes to shiver gently with their movement and whispering. The afterburn of the alcohol kicks in, twisting his lips. "Are you drinking blood tonight? Be careful." Mattias adds, slipping a hand under the cape Meggan is wearing and waiting out the chance to strike with his face buried against her neck. "Something inhuman always lives inside my blood but this flask." Mattias tsks, quieting as the bushes emit quiet smacking sounds.
And when the time comes and Rogue and Scott near, Mattias pries his mouth from Megan's neck to take a final swig from the flask and stuffs it into his pocket.
"Get ready…" Mattias whispers lowly to Meggan. "They're…right…there."
*
the fog begins to rise higher… thicker…
The revelation f the moon at that time is n held now, silver lght reflecting off the clouds to cause illusory shadows where eeys cannot adjust!
Just before Meggan and Matti's hiding place… Scott and Rogue may pass, but behnd them the bearers of the howling crescendo reveal from the mists as if in their wake. A pair het huff the fog from their nostrils where fangs straddle the maws like boar's tusks. Reflective eyes turn towards Matti and Meg—-
Hands draw in a crackling destruction of bramble and brush, blackened fingers smearing across fascades and silhouettes to yank them through and back while the tattered Alice outfit stands above them with a split grin and a 'tsk-tsk' shae of clawed finger. hand cocked on hip in the altering of attitude. "Now now. We keep it rated -Pee, /g/hee- 'ere…" A wink of kohl lined eye and the black lining is obviously descending like tears…
… Before Scott and Rogue the figure of 'Alice' lowers to grip up a rat and put it in a tea kettle while it screeches and writhes against the caging. "The rats know the safest way is a ship is flooding."
The kettle is handed then, to Rogue and the diection of the desired throttle and 'escape' is hers to govern.
Nope!
Nothing 'horrible at all'!
*
Meggan was having a bit of fun walking on the darker side of the street. She hadn't broken skin on Mattias yet, just a little teaseing poke with those fangs of hers right now as they were squeezing together in the shadows. She saw Scott and Rogue, her eyes already zeroing in on the southern woman to be her target to pounce. Only to get distracted by the beasiest and scruff yanked like a kitten before Bast. She's not sure if she should snarl, frown, growl, or just pout. "PG is a lot less tame then some think," she offers in protest. Cuz Meggan, even as a Goblin Princess, knows her tele and ratings. She looks to see what her partner in crime thinks, and if the wargs and alice(their version at least) is still here.
*
"I don't think she would flip quite as much as you think." Maybe. Scott cannot exactly say there for sure, since Genosha began Jean has warmed up a lot towards him and been surprisingly supportive of his actions. It's almost as if she was her old self again. Recently shes just been busy with X-Institute affairs.
"A ranch nearby and you're going there for 'boys'? How old are they? Harry's is likely a better idea. I mean to be on the cautious side and they're having prizes for best costumes, I am pretty sure slinky is in that list." Scott manages, as if he is taking guesses at just what Rogue may be wearing.
"You're a naughty maid or a sexy kitten, aren't you?"
*
The fog and Alice/Eve's actions doesn't give away the lurkers to Scott. Their visibility is shit in here. Absolutely. The rat being dipped? Does get him to stop and interrupt anything else he is about to say to Rogue, "Thats… wow."
The wargs get a curious look and Scott is staring at Miss Eve, "We need to have a conversation at some point in the following days."
*
Rogue grinned at Scott's words, she legit had had no idea that the Meggan and Matti were up to something and if they'd been permitted, the would've had some easy prey in at least her.
"Oh. its slinky… Thats why I got my clothes on, me'n slinky don't go well togethe'ah." Rogue then sighed softly. "Scott… I'm almost twenty seven years old. I'm single. Ah got -no- prospects on a love life. I'm just… tryin't'have some damn fun before Ah turn around and I'm a legit old-ass woman, collectin' cats in a traile'ah park somewhere."
Rogue came a stop at the sigh of the 'thing' offered to her. She reached out to accept it and just glanced at it. "Huh." She smirked. "This has got to be a psychic thing. I blame Emma, this is totally her style." Rogue looked the kettle over a bit and asked. "Am I supposed t'do something with this?"
*
Mattias' eyes are over Meggan's shoulder, lips parting for his own bite when he's yanked out of the bushes with a stumble. An atypical "Wha-waitFUCK!" Stammers out of him as he is pushed out into the walkway with the Goblin Princess. He looks back to the fog to where Scott and Rogue are, and double-checks his flask away before eyes up to Helen's visage. He blinks his corpse-painted eyes up to her with a snarl. "Awwww FOKK Pee-Gee, this is Hallow's Eve, Helen EVE." Mattias grins dopily at his little joke, checking Meggan to gauge her reaction.
"A conversation before or after those things attack?" Mattias grins at the challenge, shrugging the axe off of his back to fall into one hand. "Hang on-" Mattias digs into his pocket, pulls out the flask again for a sip, then tucks it away. "-there. I'm pretty sure this can't kill us." Mat looks to Meggan, then points the axe at the wargs.
*
"'Tis but a game, commidant/e/!" A salute and Rogue left with the 'compass' is given a grin.
"In history, the 'door rat' directs the true path to survive."
… Okay… so she has her "myths" verily… crossed. Her accent shows just how (NOT)native she is to here, and hence the variant of holiday that makes a Hallow's Eve, or a Harvest Season… For those adult enough!
Any lingering behind can hear the cadence of the Wargs' hunting and gathering howl, though only two they circle through the mists and eyes once a golden stalking glow bleed red and those tuskine fangs snap with a flah of saliva 'tween, one standing over Meggan to snap massive maw above and land…!
Alice's attire is shredded, as if she herself, has been in a chase, the puff of sleeves falling like tattered strands around her arms of bue and white, but stained a back that matched smeared mascara.
The warg focused on Rogue and Scott bares claws into the tattered ground of the maze, dead folige snapping beneath claws and weight as howls synch and the charge begins, the one over Meggan heading for the Axe-hand Matti bears, the other lunging for Scott and Rogue, namely the 'door-rat' jar in her hands!
"I am okay with a conversation!" A smile and a finger-wiggle wave from Alice seems to bring the White Rabbits to peels from the brush!
"No they will. not…"
*
Meggan (Goblin Princess) can handle lowly beasts. Even scarry ones. She's tangled with warwolves and worse before. She rarely gets angry but having these things try to think they can threaten and go at her!? The gall of that makes those eyes of her's literally smoke and flare with light and they may learn just how physically strong the 'elf' can be. She balls a small fist to deliver a harsh lighting punch at the beast. She knows not to steal all the 'fun' as Mattias will want to play as well. "Begone you disgusting lowly beast! Dare not to touch my form!"
*
They're illusory, right? Even through the caked on makeup and black-rimmed blue eyes, Mattias sneaks a look to Helen that's one part question to two-parts ready for war. In fact, as the wargs begin to snap, he's not entirely sure at all whether any of them are safe. It's not so fun anymore, but the thrill of the fight gets a grin out of the Asgardian-hybrid. "I SUGGEST FIGHTING THEM!" Mattias yells out when jaws snap and Meggan punches. He dives under her swing to grab the hair at the underside of the warg's neck and swings himself up onto its shoulders. "I don't think she wanted you to touch her form, wolf! Look, but don't touch!" Mattias grips a tuft of hair for dear life and swings the axe down towards its shoulder.
*
"Slinky? Noted." Scott mumbles and whips out that replica sword brandishing it at the near beast. "My name is Inig… nevermind. I can't."
Scott circles the warg and while glancing at Rogue, "You don't own any cats yet. I think you're okay and I'm serious, a ranch only five miles away and you want to possibly get in to some trouble? I suggest you just go to Harrys with the rest of us. Maybe you'll win the costume party. Maybe… " A sidestep and hes circling the flank of the creature. Not really attacking it. Hes just playing around. Scotts footwork says hes no stranger to swordplay though no pro, no swordsman but he can handle one.
"You heard Thundarr. Fight the beasty, Rogue."
*
Rogue glanced around their immediate area and just stood there with her drink cup in one hand and the kettle thing in the other while the angry dog and Scott suddenly started to square off.
She'd been in a pretty bad place since Genosha and the stuff in… Nate's 'realm' hadn't really helped either.
"Fine, sure." Rogue said to Scott then. "If you're going to Harry's, I'll go too. But if that party turns out t'be the end all be all'a Halloween bashes… you'll owe me." She showed a light smirk then.
When Scott told her to fight the beast, though, Rogue would just walk at it and try to kick it… nothing fancy or cool looking, just a kick, like one would kick over a garden gname, except - you know - with Rogue's super strength behind it. "Action kick." Rogue said in a very dry tone to her voice.
*
A side-long glance to Mattias and the pale gazes match, aside from the gring that splits a corner of ruby lips. Spread arms lower and scoop up the rabbits…esss…Rabbitsesss~ (like Hobbitsess, but fluffier!)
A protectve barrier? Not known as pale eyes peer outward, and she is heading in direction of the rats' nose f retreat, while stepping through a 'plague' of the bodies towards the 'EXIT'.
Behind:
Meggan's protest lifts the beast enough, a backpedal of imbalance and Matti's own swing sends it end-over-end in a blur of pale fur, evaporating into the mists..
But what is at the feet of Scott and Rogue is thick, like pea-soup! in dispersion as the massive form reconfigures into mist around them!
The flank of Warg2 is scathed by Scott, and as head craned back to *scap* his way, the Action Kick! meets it in the chest, and just as its kin it is dispersed into a cast-away mist, one impacted more dense…
"Harry's, but after a drink…" A small dip in Helen's form to the revealed exit- now open to the copse of trees and tables, tatters of attire like ribbbons that are 'Stop-and-Go' to such a traffic jam!
"I do know peoples and stage magics is fun." A wink and she is pouring a bottle into the punch bowl, no longer there for the children!
*
Meggan sees the warg poof away into the mist and then the exit is open. She pouts just a bit. The fun seems done. She looks at those still here as two of them seem to have another party and a date set up. She however doesn't. She looks at her clothes and then strides for the exit putting every bit of viscious into her lascivious motions, look she failed spelling okay. Over her shoulder. "Was a fun little goosebumps run. THink I want to prowl the area and do some scares and tricks of my own. WElcome to join if you think you can keep up." The offer mostly aimed at Helen and Mattias as she breaks int a run to go to the exit and then to for the shadows.
*
"Action kick, really?" Scott quirks a brow the sword sheathed away. He looks at the rest then the drinks at the table, "You really went all out, Miss Eve. Did I say that already? One SINGLE alcoholic drink for each underage adult here will be overlooked. Just one though and I was /never/ here. Also no one under 18." Scott says loudly, hes not sure if there are others lurking beyond the maze walls.
"Anyone over twenty one can of course join Rogue and I at Harry's Hideaway. They got a whole thing going for all the winos and drunks. Probably where Logan is now anyways."
*
Rogue would watch the warg fade into mist and it made her grin. "That was pretty cool…" She admitted before looking up at the maze's exit and then the festive surroundings revealed to them. She looked over at Scott and grinned at him, shrugging her shoulders inside her hoodie and jacket. "I'm not feelin' very creative." She gave as an excuse.
Rogue had two drinks still, though the one Scott had brought her was mostly empty now so she sat that down on the table and that other thing she'd been given, then went to pull her own tall metal coffee mug out of the side pocket on her long leather coat.
"I'mma win me a costume contest tonight." She muttered, before sipping from her mystery mug.
*
Mattias drops back to the ground when the warg turns into fog. He twists upon landing, keeping the business end of his axe away from his leg. He looks himself over quickly. No blood? No blood. He slides the axe onto his back and begins his walk towards the table, towards Helen and the punchbowl. "Action Kick! So I did hear that, didn't I?" Mattias grins to Rogue and Scott as he slips the flask out and tips it back. "Legal as I am to drink now…" He adds, waving with his pinky and coming to a stop before Helen to sniff at the punch. He casts a look her way, speaking in silence with a look when Meggan goes running off.
"That my letter Q, isn't it?" Mattias says thoughtfully, turning one heavy bootheel in the direction of the exit and the wealth of fog and tree. "You have a head start!" Mattias yells after Meggan, spinning the cap onto the flask, which has fumes thick enough coming from the lip to distort the air. "Scott? Rogue? I can promise the forest won't burn down."
With that, Mattias takes off at a run after Meggan, glancing over his shoulder once more.
*
"If anyone is found naked in the yard come morning there will be punitive actions!" Scott yells out after the two racing off in to the forests like Olde World Demons, Faeries and Heathens. Which, they more or less are.
"Harrys it is for the rest of us."
*
"Naked in the kitchen it is, then!" Mat yells back.