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After the meeting with Danny Willow had decided to get some more punch, after all for some reason she couldn't quite quench her thirst. Which was very not cool. No sooner than getting another cup and starting to sip on it, the whole world turned red. And suddenly she was mad at it, it was also stifling hot.

"Stupid crowds, making everything hot as all hell."

It was a scene from the cover of a romance novel. Taryn, in her skirts for ones and sitting sideways on the floor, clutching the feet of her hero, his weapon raised valiantly toward their assailants. Taryn closed her eyes hard and gripped harder.

Even with the punch's additive flavoring, there was a different sort of status effect in action. Merope swayed gently on his feet, his eyes glazed over. It was as if he was staring at something only he could see, something that seemingly made the skull-half of his face grin even wider than possible.

More and more people passed him, each and every one drawn by thirst to drink from the smoking punch bowl. He ignored them all. It was as if he was oblivious to the entire proceedings and to everything. And yet. And yet -

1. Mitsu
   
2. Shun
   
3. Amrita
   
4. Mac
   
5. Titus
   
6. Barth
   
7. Cricket
   
8. Jericho
   
9. Shehk
   
10. Calder
    
11. TG
    
12. Freya
    
13. Zixil
    
14. Shine
    
15. Riley
    
16. Sibyl
    

Merope's eyes seemed to snap, the green-yellow glow sharply intensifying as he looked around with a new sense of wonder. The undead boil froze to a stand-still as he caught sight of Calder. He stood there, still for one, two, three living heartbeats. Then he moved. Merope wove his way through the crowds until he reached Calder's side.

Immediately upon arrival, Calder would find a bouquet of dead red roses shoved into his arms before he was picked up and spun around and around. "Isn't this wonderful?!" Merope laughed, his eyes sparkling before he set the kelpie down and leaned close. Almost too close.

He stood there for a moment, gazing into Calder's eyes before his hand slid around his shoulder.



"LOVE!" He shouted. "Love, love everywhere! Can you feel the love tonight? It is where we are." Merope's other hand gestured towards the gathered assembly as he held the pose, drinking in the splendor and magic that was Scarentines.



"SIBYL!" Merope shouted, abandoning Calder in favor of scooping the selkie up and spinning her around. And around. And around. And around.

At some point during the spinning she had wound up with the foxfire beanie he had acquired at the prize booth. He beamed down at her and continued to hold her, rocking back and forth on his feet with a foolish grin on his face. "Isn't this magical?" He breathed, beaming before raising her up as if she couldn't see for herself. "Just look at how happy and magical everyone is tonight! I wish this night could last foreverrrrr!"

He still hadn't put her down, and didn't seem inclined to.

Out of all of the screaming, it was a wonder that when Titus screamed in his general direction that Yuki looked up. A brow cocked in confusion, although that confusion was abruptly overpowered with shock when the nightmare demon suddenly advanced on him. Yuki's eyes widened and he began to step back, his own mouth moving to words that would surely not be heard over the commotion.

"What? Wait. I think you might have the wrong pers-"

Surely he had mistaken him for someone else, or something. Too bad the table was in the way and the ghost couldn't back up all that far. Whatever he thought the other boil was about to do did not include what happened after that rough grab and tug of his shirt collar brought him face to face with Titus.

Apparently Titus was trying to set some sort of record for how many first kisses he could steal that night, because he'd just taken another one without permission.

He only had time to stare in wide-eyed stupidity when their lips parted just as swiftly as they'd been crushed together.

And then the demon took Yuki's breath in a totally non-romantic way via fist to the stomach and was gone before he could even finish crumpling forward to clutch his now very sore gut.

"Wh-what... What the... Who was that?!" Yuki choked out between gasps. He wasn't sure if that was supposed to have been something he enjoyed or not... He certainly could have done without the second part.

During this process the cup of punch that Astra had given him had ended up spilled on the floor. Such a waste.

For a person who was already in belief that danger was popping up everywhere, Deacon really probably should have went back to his dorm for a safer drink.

From the looks of the area, let alone the refreshment table itself... This punch was something amazing.

So like all of the poor souls before him, Deacon hastily dipped out a cupful and threw it back as if he had just crossed the jackdamned Mojave.

A strange, pink and sparkly haze settled over his vision. About two seconds ago that probably would have made him freak the hell out all over again. But now? He felt good. He felt really good. Like he was floating on air, even.

Titus had nothing on him. Why had he been so paranoid? Deacon was twenty percent hotter than that stupid boil could ever be.

He was now dead set on finding Riyo and proclaiming his love.

There was just a bundle of wings under the table as Jericho had pretty much curled up into a ball, covering himself. The dragon quivered every now and then and it sounded like he was whimpering to himself quietly. When he heard his name, he jumped, pulling himself in further.

"M-mad? N-no.. We are not mad... Elephants.. they won't stop.. whispering.. "