Welcome to Gaia! ::

Eve was beside herself, hyper as could be as she checked to make sure the decorations were hung properly and even if her mother and her family were ready for their part of the party.

The ragdoll herself were dressed in her red dress with her hair as red and messy as usually. The only difference was the smirk on her face. She made special invitations, cards that turned to black and orange roses once they were read.

The Ravena manor was turned into a dark and elegant haunted house with sounds echoing off the walls from recordings of ghost and some witch's laughter. The walls were painted black with glow in the dark and white ghosts were painted on the walls. There were black lights all over the room.

In three rooms, there were games. In the living room was put the stem on the pumpkin. The dining room held a what's in the bowls game and the den had a bobbing for apples game. Prizes of all three would appear if anyone won the games.

Eve's mother, grandparents, and uncles were dressed as eighteen century ghosts and meant to guide the guests through the house and the games before going to the garden, where the cake and goodie bags awaited them.

Ivy was waiting upstairs in the study, the room set up for the adults if they wished to hang out with drinks and food. There was even a dancefloor in case the adults wanted to dance. Anya, Louie, Romero, and Damin were to help with the games and lead the way through the house. Kalia was danced as a vampiric elf, meant to greet the guests with Eve.

The shadows, Altressa, Herion, and Lilium wandering around, hidng in the dark of the house to play and greet guests.

Eve hoped that her guests enjoyed the party. She sat on the stairs, the front doors open to the night air.

Eve had a secret hope that her teacher found the invitation a sight of her improvement with enchanting things. She had to actualy use a spell for them. They weren't like her plants.

The ragdoll smiled when she saw Howl and hugged him. Her eyes widened at the cutest bunny she had ever seen. "Thank you, Howl. It's so cute." She hugged the plush toy close.

"I was going to let my family be the guides, but how about I show you around myself. Lili and the other shadows are around."

Kalia smiled when she saw Ben and greeted him politely, "Hello, welcome to Eve's haunted house party. Would you like to go to the study for food and drink? There's dancing for the adults and games for the children and shadows."

Howl smiled down at his favorite--no, he couldn't say that anymore, he had more than one apprentice. "The spell on the invitation was really good," he said with another smile. He had enjoyed it. The wizard was really rather pleased that she liked his present. "I was hoping you'd like it," he said. "Loki should be coming soon. I think you know him." If not, oh well. Howl had invited him anyway.

"He told me he's got you some kind of creature. I hope your parents don't mind living things." Like spiders, or kittens, or some other kind of animal. With Loki, one could never guess. "I'd like that," he added, nodding. The house was big enough that he could have gotten lost quite easily.

"Oh?" Howl put a hand to where his heart should have been, feigning hurt. "You've broken my heart, Azrael. I thought we were destined to be married at dawn."

"Pu!" Puff agreed, mimicking his host and nearly losing his balance. Okay. Lesson one, do not mimic one's host while sitting on their shoulders.

"Who's getting married at dawn?" came a voice. Loki had stepped in, looking pleased with himself. "Hey Uncle Ben, Howl, Azzy. Puff," he inclined his head to the shadow.

"Azrael's lost interest," Howl said, using his most convincingly gloomy tone. "He no longer loves me..." He brightened suddenly. "But perhaps your stalking of me is a confession of your love," he weedled at the pumpkin demon with a grin to let him know he was teasing.

~~~~

Ben frowned slightly. "We hadn't planned on--" he paused, watching his shadow disappear into house. He sighed. "My wife is on bed rest and I cannot stay long," he said. "I was supposed to give this to the birthday girl," he indicated the rather large gift box under one arm.

The invitation had been terribly impressive, and Heloise had made the executive decision that Liesel should attend the party. Liesel herself wasn't so sure... all those strangers... the thought made her a little nervous. However, she'd been allowed to wear her halloween costume which brightened her up considerably.

The little girl in the angel costume peered at the creepily decorated house, feeling and looking completely out of place. She clutched a small wrapped box to her chest and peered around with eyes that were even bigger than normal.

Her shadow companion, who had a plastic unicorn's horn tied around his head in way of a costume, had no such nerves. Crunch, as was his habit, had spied the snack table immediately. "Punch. Pu-pu-punch." He informed Liesel demandingly, grabbing her by the hand and hauling her towards the food with the heightened enthusiasm he only ever showed towards edibles.

Heloise watched the shadow haul her daughter off with something like relief. At least she probably wouldn't be responsible for providing the entertainment tonight. The way this place was decked out, she was certain that the party would be great. She only hoped it didn't scare Liesel too much.

Damin sensed someone arriving to the house and walked downstairs, tending to the other guests while Eve was busy. Part of him wondered why the boys were teasing each other like that. He was just glad that Eve was not interested in romance at the moment.

Damin dressed an eighteen century nobleman with his hair pulled up with a ribbon at the back of his neck, looked every bit of the role the birthday girl had given him.

"Hello, miladies, I am Lord Damin of the noble Ravena family," he said, greeting Helosie and Liesel with a kind smile. "I shall be your guide for the evening. We have games and a place for the adults in the study if you wish to relax and have something eat."

Eve didn't know what to think of what Azrael and Howl was saying, but their teasing made her have to cover her mouth to hold in the laughter that was bubbling up her mouth. At the teasing words of love was too much for her, the ragdoll bursted into laughter at the humor of it.

Eve was trying to catch and stop laughing. The matter taking several moments to complete, she smiled at her friends. Her face lit up at the mention of Loki' gift, she loved cats whether they were Lava or a kitten.

She nodded, "Wise choice. I'd rather not scare the poor thing before it even gets used to its surroundings." She decided to tell Romero that if he tried to hurt the kitten the way, he had tried to hurt her healing rose and now her shadow, he would see just how many elementals she could summon to hurt him with. It was dark magic, but she was beyond letting Romero hurting the things she loved.

"Whatever spell I have cast, I fear I must reverse or you will both lose your minds to my beauty," she was playing along though she was teasing like they were.

She smirked, "I'm the birthday girl, I'll escort you though thank you for offering, kind sir." She took Howl's arm, "Shall we go? Azrael. I think you two are going to like several of the games I've got set up for the party."

"Puff can come along. That reminds me, Herion!"

A winged shadow flew out of the darkened corner of the entrance hall and latched onto his young host's back. "Azrael, Howl, meet my new shadow, Herion."


Eve smiled at Loki, "You can come along on the tour too. I've set up the garden as the end of the tour treat."

Damin thought about something and called for Eve, waiting till the ragdoll poked her head out the door.

"Uncle?"

Damin smiled at Liesel and Heloise, "I hear the hostess for the party is holding personal tours of the house. Perhaps you would like to come with her through the house? She has set up several games for her guests."

"I doubt that, dear villain and hero. For my magic is my beauty and it clearly has cast a spell on you." She was giggling now, her laughter dying down.

Herion eyed Howl and Azrael carefully as if they were dangerous to his host. He wasn't sure if they were friend or foe, but the shadow didn't like them acting like they were to. No toying with her heart!

Herion saw Puff and flew over, tackling the other shadow, curious.