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"Nah, I don't wanna step on Layla's tail, y'know?" JD waved to the multi-armed monster who was manning the beverage bar, gave him a quick gesture of two claws and turned back to Marianna. "I mean, It's her party, and like... she's probably not a ghoul you wanna make mad... anyway it gives me more time to spend with much lovelier ghouls... ghouls like..."

He meant to punctuate that thought with a smooth, "ghouls like you." line, but was interrupted by a shrill whine coming from the ghouls' powder room... a whine he hadn't heard in months...

"... Vani?" JD's stomach twisted into a tight knot. Oh no...

"Marceline!" Draconia returned the hug to her old friend. It really did feel like this last scaremester had pulled them in different dissections. "It feels like it's been-"



"How do you boo?" Draconia gave Kriminel a curtsy, and he responded with a sly bow of his own. He straightened up, tipped his hat back and grinned.

"Boo'in' fine, I must say." Krim replied. "Always nice t' meet one of sister's friends. Met th' most colorful crew at Fangsgivin'..."

Marceline turned from looking at her parents and gave Draconia the biggest smile again.



"Oh, the play was-" Draconia tried to start, but was cut off by Marceline going on. She went on for a bit.



"Oh, very well indeed! I'm here with Harry and-"

"Smile!" Draconia was temporarily blinded as Spectra Vondergeist took a picture of Harry, Draconia, Marceline and Kriminel with a flash. "Oh! Great shot! Don't mind me!"

Spectra hovered around a little longer, tapping some notes into her iCoffin. Draconia blushed deeply. She hoped what Spectra was writing was...well, positive...

"Marceline! I talked to Atomica Servo earlier, and she promised that the Rest In Peace Reunion would blow the roof off the embassy! Do you have any scoops for the creeparazzi about the performance? Is the rumor of an original RIP reunion true?!"

Draconia took a step back. It was Marceline Spectra was interested in, not her or Harry...

Demona was trying to keep her eyes on Kai, being obvious that she was that way scary would catch a hint instead of.
One. Two. Turn. One. Two. Turn. One. Two. Turn.

It was honestly the most booring dance in all of Monster hisstory. And Demona wasn't having it. She did say she would pick Kai every time...so why is she dancing with Scary.

Demona laughed and pulled away from the superstar.

"What is it?" He went to pull her back in.

"I already have a date, and it's not you! My date is the most uhhmazing boy here WHO WANTS TO DANCE WITH SCARY STYLES!"

She asked loudly enough for a group of fan ghouls to flock over.



"Baby I got news....this year isn't going to be as normal as I thought." She gave him a little shrug.

"Do you want to dance?"

"Me! Me! I want to dance with Scary!" It didn't take much from Demona's call to cause Octavia to nearly bowl Kai over to get on the dance floor. Soon, Scary Styles was surrounded by ghouls Octi's age, all of them dancing and wriggling on the dance floor like a One Dissection song was playing and not the dignified orchestra music actually being performed.

In a moment, Demona was back at Kai's side with a shrug.



"I dunno...first I'd better check and make sure if you 'don't know you're bootiful'." Kai responded with a smirk. He was lucky Demona didn't punch him in the arm as he laughed. "Okay, okay! Let's go."

They swept onto the dance floor and this was a very different dance than the weirdly choreographed number Scary was doing around Demona. Kai and Demona had done a lot of dancing in the previous year and were actually pretty good at it...but it had been months and there was a little bit of awkwardness and hesitation.

Finally, Kai took Demona's hand and put his other hand on their hip, and they synched up in the rhythm of the music.

"That's better." Kai murmured as they had their first real dance in a very, very long time.

NOT GROOVY! Harry placed himself between Hexdrix and Draconia. How did a peaceful zen dude stop such a villain?

"You! And yes. I mind!"

Harry looked around for help but Goobledygook disappeared and no one else seemed to notice anything out of sorts.

"Why would a cruel monster like you pull such a boner at Woestock? You were the grooviest boosician on the scene. Your powers could be used for good!"

But now the tempo of the boosic being played by the ghostly band softened in tone but picked up in pace, and almost by instinct many of the dancers on the floor spread out into a circle, engaging in the traditional Serpent's Ring dance...

As each boo and gentlemanster was on the inside of the ring, the ghouls and ladeeks of the court danced on the outer rim of the 'ring,' taking steps forward after each spin to switch partners with the ghoul dancing in front of her...

Two members of Atomica and the RIP down! Atomica held Vanissha by one hand (no way you can disappear when 5 hydrolic digits are around your wrist!) and Melody in the other.

Now, she needed to locate Marceline. Every ghoul group worth ANYthing had at least four members. Usually five, but four was acceptable (especially if one member ragequit for their own solo career).

"You see that?" Atomica stopped as they reached the foot of the stage where the orchestra, full of decrepit zombies and ghosts, droned on and on. "Soooooo boring! We have to save this dance!"

Atomica attempted to scan the crowd for Marceline. The monsters were forming big circles and writhing around. It was the most painful and boring form of dancing Atomic had ever seen. Clearly, this entire party was screaming for rescue.

"So....you ghouls brought your instruments, right?"