Open(ish) Halloween Mingle Log!

[faceguy]

Who: Leo faceguy, Donnie purplexing and any TEENS or teen-adjacent characters
What: HALLOWEEN! Trick-or-treating and then Halloween Party!
When: Halloween!
Where: Central City
Content Warnings: potentially underage drinking?

Trick or Treating!


You're not too old for trick-or-treating, right? Leo may be 16 now, but he certainly intends to, and he's invited everyone he knows to come with. There's a pretty good group now, with kids he knows from school and other metas around the city, headed for the residential districts and maybe a bit later into the suburbs of Central.

Sure, there are gangs around, but with this many teenage superheroes in one place, it shouldn't be a problem, right? It's just some good ol' Halloween fun!

Halloween Party!



And after the trick-or-treating wraps up, it's time to party! School night? Who cares!

Leo and Donnie have taken over an old, abandoned warehouse (no worries, it's... probably safe!) and completely decked the place out. There's lights, cobwebs, sound and motion activated decorations, and snacks upon snacks. There's an even bigger crowd here than there was for trick-or-treating, since most of Leo's local meta school friends are more interested in a party than trick-or-treating. It's mostly the people who are cool with being friends with a turtle, aka the coolest people.

Feel free to dance, play pranks, eat food, maybe slip something into the punch... get up to shenanigans! And don't worry, they're pretty sure the warehouse isn't haunted. Any rumors to the contrary are just that: rumors!

[[OOC: This is a mingle log! Feel free to make your own starters! If your character is a teen or young adult, feel free to assume they got invited through the grapevine; knowing the turtles is not necessary. Otherwise, your character can be at a house that gets trick-or-treated or just come around the party to see what's going on. Party crashing is allowed.]]

Comments

Leo | OTA

[faceguy]

A: Trick-or-Treating

Halloween has always been one of Leo's favorite holidays, namely because no one questions green skin. And he's using that green skin to the fullest with his current costume: Undead Rockstar. With a blonde wig, very flashy suit, platform boots and a guitar hero guitar, as well as make-up to make his skin look patched and scabbed, he's raring and ready to go.

Getting out with a big group is new, and Leo is enjoying that aspect of this, too - he's been floating around the whole group, chatting with whoever he ends up next to after a given house. It's cold tonight, but he doesn't care - he's warmed by holiday spirit, or something.

Leaving yet another house, he falls in step with someone new and grins, and, without further comment, reaches in and steals something from their bag/basket/pumpkin bucket. Just to see what will happen.

B: Party!

As one of the hosts, Leo has again been running all over the place since the party started, mingling with all the various groups that have arrived and making sure the snack table stays full. Which doesn't mean he doesn't have time for a friend, though.

Swinging by someone he knows, Leo grins and throws an arm around their shoulder, pulling them away from whatever they were doing toward the dance floor whether they want to go or not.

"Dance with me, come on!"

Or maybe this is someone new - he's up for meeting new people, too! They can catch Leo pouring punch, and without hesitation filling a plastic cup for the newcomer.

"I don't know how you like it, but we've only got one kind anyway," he says with a grin.

C: Party-Crashing

Or maybe you're really not supposed to be here. If Leo catches sight of someone who looks like they slipped in uninvited, he approaches. Deceptively casual, seemingly easygoing.

"Heeeeey... No worries, but this is an invite only kinda thing. Soooo..."

That isn't technically true, but if this person just wandered in off the street, they probably don't know that.

Accelerator | OTA

[levelshift]

Trick-or-treating

[Accelerator unequivocally does not want to be here, but he's reasonably certain that his options are either show up for trick-or-treating or get dragged out of his apartment by two stubborn turtles to go trick-or-treating, so he's decided to pick the path of least resistance. Better to just go along with their dumb idea than make things more difficult for himself, right?

Dressed in the most low effort costume ever (black feathery wings, some cheap horns and small plastic pitchfork along with his usual black clothing), he's going to hang back from the main group. Not because his crutch has him walking slower than everyone else, but because he has no real desire to socialize with any of the other kids present.

Shoved into his bag are two cans of coffee to get him through the night and it's about five minutes in when he starts considering opening one.]

Party

[You know what's worse than going to strangers' houses for candy? Parties.

Accelerator is not a party person. Not at all. He'd much rather be back at his apartment, sleeping through the rest of this dumb holiday than be stuck in some crappy old warehouse with a bunch of kids he doesn't know or doesn't like.

Unfortunately for him, two specific idiots are the ones putting this whole thing on, and it'd be really stupid if the party got out of hand and they didn't get home in one piece, so....

So he has found himself a spot that is well away from the main party, but close enough to keep an eye on the turtles. He has absolutely no intention of taking part in it, instead cracking open one of the coffees that he's brought along in his bag and drinking it quietly. The other kids generally give him a wide berth, either because of the antisocial aura he's exuding, or because they've heard of his reputation ("that white-haired asshole that never talks to anyone") and have no desire to be in his vicinity.

Which is perfectly fine with him. This might be the first party he's ever been to - been invited to, no less - but it doesn't mean he actually wants to be here. Sheesh, it almost feels like he misses going back to not knowing anyone and having zero friends and family. Life was at least a lot simpler when it was just himself.]

Party

[faceguy]

[Leo has to admit, he expected Accelerator to dip after five minutes, so seeing him actually stay is a surprise. Of course, he is doing a very good job of avoiding everyone and giving off the distinct vibe that he does not want to be here, but he is here, and that makes Leo happy.

He's just wrapped up a conversation with a kid from school, and before he gets sucked into another one he excuses himself and sidles up to Accelerator, eying the coffee but not commenting on it.]

Having fun yet?

[He's grinning as he says it.]

[levelshift]

[The temptation to duck out is still very, very strong. He hates it and he scowls at Leo's question.]

You know what my answer to that is.

[No. One big fat no. Even if he wanted to be (and he doesn't), he's never going to get used to social events.]

How long is this thing supposed to be?

[faceguy]

There's no time limit on fun!

[He is just going to grin right back in the face of that scowl.]

I didn't set an end time. Figured I'd just let people filter out as they get tired.

[Staying up all night isn't that unusual for him so he doesn't mind doing it.]

[levelshift]

[From the sour expression on Accelerator's face, he does not agree with that statement.

He has to take another sip of coffee. God, he isn't going to get through this, is he.]

So the two of you are going to be here until the very end, then.

[faceguy]

We'd be pretty bad hosts if we weren't!

[And he's so excited to be host. It shows in his grin, and the way he's practically bouncing in place.]

It's pretty sweet for the first party we've ever thrown, right? Right?

[levelshift]

I'm the wrong person to ask.

[He is, in fact, the absolute worst person to ask.]

I'm just waiting for it to be over.

[faceguy]

Aww, come on - surely even you can find something fun to do here.

Like, hmmm... [He knows there's no way he's going to convince Accelerator to dance, but...] We could play a game? I think some guys set up cornhole.

[levelshift]

[He clicks his tongue at the suggestion.]

I'm sure literally everyone else here would be more willing to do that than me. Go play with them.

[faceguy]

Yeah well I'm not asking someone else.

[At least not at this exact moment!

He sits down next to Accelerator, giving him a light bump with his shoulder.]

Alright, we don't have to do anything. We can just chill.

[levelshift]

[Accelerator purses his lips, frowning down at his coffee.]

That's really fucking boring for you, though.

[It can't not be. Leo isn't the kind of person to plan a whole ass party and then sit out of it, even for a few minutes.]

[faceguy]

[True, Leo would love to be up and partying, but he badgered Accelerator into coming and he doesn’t want to totally abandon the guy.

Besides…]

Has it occurred to you I enjoy your company? [He chuckles.] Don’t answer that, I already know.

[He is guessing the answer is “no”.]

Donnie || OtA

[purplexing]

i. Trick or Treat!
It would be a mistake to ask Donnie what or who he's dressed as because then he would happily dive into a lengthy and likely unwanted history lesson about Carl Linnaeus and his many contributions to the world of science. Education, the most terrifying force on a night of fun!

The turtle isn't too put off by the fact that people start inching away from him once he launches into his explanation, at least after it becomes a consistent thing. Sigh. No appreciation at all! Others just figure he's some kind of monk or gardener in a weird tunic-smock thing with a floppy hat. It's fine, he's not here to impress people (even if he is just a little disappointed), he's here for candy! And this is a great excuse to wander around the city at night at street-level rather than along the rooftops!

Naturally between houses he is likely found on his cellphone. Also you can bet he's taking a copious amount of selfies. The likelihood of someone else caught in the background or maybe even purposely taken with is also quite high.


ii. PAaaartAAY
Actually being at a party that isn't just immediate family and friends is a surreal thing, even more so when he knows he and his brother were the ones who had set things up. Donnie took what he did with Accelerator's apartment and dialed it up given the space they had to work with. There's fog machines and mood lighting, there might be a few hands that pop out of chip and candy bowls.

He doesn't take to mingling like Leo does, being more content to watch, happier to see people enjoying what he's helped create. Not exactly a wallflower, but he hangs around by the food spread or checks on a few of the technical effects if it looks like they aren't operating like they should be.

But if there's one thing he will do, it is dance, and you can bet whenever there's a good beat, he will start bopping.

party

[faceguy]

Leo takes his time socializing for sure, but he does eventually wind his way back to Donnie, just as he happens to be fixing a misfiring fog machine. He's noticed Donnie hasn't exactly been a social butterfly, but that's probably to be expected - these are mostly his friends, after all.

"Please tell me you haven't been working all night."

Which is his obnoxious Leo-y way of making sure Donnie's actually having a good time.

[purplexing]

"This isn't work, it's just making sure things function adequately throughout the night," Donnie replies from where he's squatting beside the offending machine, a panel open, tools out. "They just don't make fog machines like they used to."

He doesn't sound particularly annoyed, tongue sticking out slightly as he tightens a few things within the small compartment. Then he flicks a switch, the machine sputtering before a stream of fog begins oozing out. "There we go!" Donnie says with a grin, slapping the panel cover back on.

[faceguy]

Well, at least he seems chill about it.

"Nice, nice." He looks around the whole space, grinning. "Everyone seems to be loving your setup."

Sure, Leo helped with the decorations, but pretty much anything with any mechanical components was all Donnie.

[purplexing]

He'd probably be less chill about things if they weren't functioning the way they were supposed to. Straightening up, Donnie stretches out a bit before tucking away his tools, looking satisfied overall at his work. He grins at Leo.

"Glad they approve. Aside from a few hiccups here and there, things have been going pretty smoothly, wouldn't you say?" Their first public party thrown and a success? He is practically giddy and while he's not bouncing around like Mikey would be, his expression suggests as much.

[faceguy]

Aww, look at that! An actually happy Donnie face. That gets Leo grinning, too.

He is pretty proud of himself and Donnie. Their first real party, and people actually came! And are having a good time!

(He wishes Raph and Mikey were here, too, but he doesn't let himself dwell on thoughts like that, or he'll just bum himself out.)

"Yeah, it's going great. We tooootally killed it."

He'll hold out a fist for a celebratory bump.

[purplexing]

Heey, he can be happy! True, they'd been more than a little stressed these past few months but look how far they've come!

Such thoughts are never all too far from Donnie's mind, their absent brothers still leaving nearly tangible voids, but at least Leo's here. And they've met so many people they can actually call friends. That may not fill those brother-shaped holes, but it's something they hadn't had back home, this weird sort of freedom. And they'd fought to keep it. They deserved to have some fun!

"Haha, yeah we did!" he laughs, bringing up his fist to connect with Leo's.

[faceguy]

They did fight for this! And they absolutely deserve to have some fun now.

Leo's still grinning as he pulls his hand back. "Alright, I'm gonna go check the snacks and then-"

Whatever Leo was going to say is cut short when all the lights suddenly flicker off, just for a few seconds. The decorations and music are still going, though, so most of the party goers don't even notice.

The lights come back on sequentially, creating a wave that flickers in the direction of the old rickety stairwell in the far corner of the building. It waves twice more, the lights turning on and off in time, before they finally go back to the way they had been before.

No one else seems to be paying it too much attention, but Leo sure saw that.

"...Uh, Donnie? Was that one of your special effects?"

[purplexing]

The moment the lights begin to flicker, Donnie's frowning as he looks up at them, squinting at the rest of the setup before looking back at the lights as they start going off and on in a manner that is decidedly too specific to be a power issue.

"Huh? No, I mean, I could have but then I would have had to do a bunch of rewiring and anyway wait- that wasn't you?"

[faceguy]

“I know I’m great at pranks but I don’t think I could pull that one off.”

Leo looks between the lights and Donnie one more time, unsure what to do.

“Are we… supposed to follow it or something?”

[purplexing]

Not that Donnie really had thought Leo would have, but now it definitely leaves something unanswered and he's not sure how to feel about that. He follows Leo's glance back towards where the lights had seemed to be directing themselves before looking back at Leo.

"They did seem to be very specific about their patterning... If this were a horror movie I would say no, but it isn't, so we may as well check it out."

[faceguy]

That's right - this isn't a horror movie and ghosts aren't real! And neither are ghouls or boogeymen or serial killers!

(Okay, maybe that last one doesn't really fit...)

Anyway! Leo is definitely not scared of some flickering lights. He's seen way worse, after all. This is probably just some nonsense like the Stockboy thing that happened forever ago.

"Yeah... guess we can't let whoever is doing this ruin the party, right?"

So saying, he'll lead the way!