Matthew’s Fall Harvest Festival
Date: 2025-09-28 15:02
(Matthew’s Fall Harvest Festival)
[Sun Sep 28 2025]
A Weathered Fairground Ride Entrance
The entrance to the Ferris wheel occupies a worn patch of fairground where
the queue barriers funnel visitors toward the ride operator’s booth. A small
wooden platform, weathered grey from years of New England seasons, provides
the step up into the wheel’s carriages when they pause at ground level. The
ticket booth stands to one side, its plywood construction reinforced with
metal corners and a sliding glass window clouded with scratches. A
hand-painted sign displays the ride prices, the numbers touched up season
after season in slightly different shades of red. The ground here shows
particular wear, packed harder than the surrounding earth from the
concentrated foot traffic, with a drainage channel cut along one edge to
direct rainwater away from the loading area. Overhead, the wheel’s lower
carriages pass close enough that riders’ feet dangle just out of reach, their
shadows sweeping across the entrance area in steady rotation. The control
panel, housed in a locked metal box beside the operator’s stool, connects to
the main machinery through heavy-gauge cables that disappear beneath
protective metal covers bolted to the ground. During evening operations, a
string of bare bulbs illuminates the entrance, their light catching on the
worn metal of the safety gates that swing open and closed with each loading
cycle.
It is afternoon, about 76F(24C) degrees, and there are clear skies. The mist is heaviest At Panama and Lake
Matthew nods at Dovie and Malin, “Okay, this is just for the Mercer who, if he’s really a member of Megablue, still needs a guide cus he don’t read.”
Matthew smiles at Lillian, “The pies are piling in, I hope you brought your appetite!”
Malin starts laughing over what Matthew claims and then she peers at Obadiah, “Are you going to take that from your boy band brother?”
Dovie waves to Lillian. “Hello judge!” She gives a curtsy while Mochi trots over to sniff the newcomer.
Sophie gives Matthew a happy smile, “Look..and we were curious if we’d get any. Fuck me. We even got savory.”
“Hello, Lillian,” Malin greets Lillian in a warm tone. “I’m glad you will be our judge today.”
Matthew waves over at Annabelle, “Hi, good to see you, did you bring a pie to enter into the contest?”
Obadiah looks over the pies making sure his name tents are just right as he takes a step back then looks up at Malin, “Probably not. What did he say?”
Chance straightens up as Mochi runs off to soak up the attention elsewhere, slipping his hands into his pockets. “What? You didn’t think we’d turn out the pies? Come on. Who doesn’t love pie?”
“He just claimed you were illiterate,” Malin informs Obadiah as she nods Matthew’s way.
“Nope!” Annabelle shakes her head, chipper and grinning. But does pull out an Instax mini. “I’m here to steal everyone’s sooooulls..” She menaces in a goofy lower octave.
Annabelle uses a O: a pink 60Instax mini analog camera, pointed right at you! :O: With a *Flash*, the machine records once again the organics.
Lillian gives all here a finger wiggling wave. “Hello all, I figured it’d be most fashionable to be a minute or two late. Just for the suspense, you know?” she jokes. She then takes the map and gives it a brief look before grinning down at the dog and squatting down next to it? “May I?” she asks before any attempts to pet it.
“Whoa whoa whoa, I said you don’t read, not that you can’t!” Matthew seems to think there’s a distinction in that, “since clearly… well, you would prefer a guide rather than look at a map, right?”
Dovie nods in agreement with Chance.
Obadiah looks to Malin then Matthew, “I can read. I just chose not to sometimes. I am not sure Matty ever learned how to read.” He nods once firmly but smirks as he reaches down and scritches Moose behind the ears.
Obadiah uses a 30curious beagle 30puppy: 30The puppy circles objects with investigative focus, ears flapping with each turn./span>
Malin enjoys twisting words, but as Matthew defends himself and corrects her, she then shrugs her narrow shoulders and tells Obadiah, “I don’t read read other. It is a trick from the patriarchy in an attempt to control us.”
Along with more pies, Seraphina also re-arrives with a corgi in tow, prancing behind her on a pink leash with rhinestones.
“Oh, see, like I said, any member of MegaBlue is highly likely to CHOOSE not to read.” A point of pride by the way Matthew says it and he slides an arm across Malin’s back.
Casually, or not so much, Malin reaches into her bag where she’s ushering a book a little deeper into the purse.
Matthew says “Anyone here need a map of the festival? “
Malin leans into Matthew some, turning her head to press a quick, chaste kiss against his shoulder.
Matthew notices Annabelle’s camera and says, “Hey, did you see there’s a whole photo booth,” he points to the south, “perfect for taking photos.” A pause and then, “I don’t know that I’ve ever caught your name, I’m Matthew.”
The corgi puppy is curious, her nose to the ground, searching for crumbs from all the scents that has made her little black nose wiggle. Meanwhile, Seraphina is organizing the picnic baskets that she had brought. “I know I brought alot but I just couldn’t help myself. I’ll be putting whatever people like most of mine up for sale in Inkwell.”
Obadiah settles down on a bench near Dovie and Seraphina so the dogs can play while their parents talk about pie.
“I really should have brought Maximus,” Malin tells Matthew, looking at the pups who are so adorable.
Thomas wanders in, joining the seats. He waves to Obadiah. “Obie,” he says. “It’s good to see you.” someone gets a: “Good afternoon, Miss Callum. I hope you found class helpful yesterday.” Then Seraphina is shot a smile, and then he glances curiously at Lillian. “Thomas Hale,” he introduces himself to Lillian.
Lillian looks around soon after she sits, then laughs a short, awkward laugh. “Oh no, am I the -only- pie judge? I’ve going to have to keep my pie slices small as possible.”
Annabelle looks over her shoulder, patiently awaiting the strip of film to press out of the analog device and develop, and he regards the booth passively before turning back around. “HMmmmmmmMmm I did not..” She scrutinizes the impulse to go to the booth, then snatches her new photo and tucks it away. “I’ll kidnap someone for a picture in it later, thanks, dood.”
Matthew’s mouth hangs open, he’s a fan of the idea, “Yes, but, you know he likes to sleep in the day,” he points out to Malin, “he’s really more of a night festival kind of pet.”
Chance settles on one of the hay bales, just sort of keeping an eye on things. He watches people come and go, giving a dip of his head in greeting to those new arrivals with a little smile. “Hey, Anna,” he says to Annabelle when he notices her with her camera.
“You’re right,” Malin concedes after Matthew shares his wisdom about her pet.
Thomas wanders in, joining the seats. He waves to Obadiah. “Obie,” he says. “It’s good to see you.” Then Seraphina is shot a smile, and then he glances curiously at Lillian. “Thomas Hale,” he introduces himself to Lillian.
Annabelle shakes a camera out in Navessa as a form of greeting. “Nav-” And then she’s greeted, and she interrupts her attempts with a step over to Chance. “Hey, Chance! How many people do you think we can crush into the photo booth?”
Dovie tells Obadiah and Seraphina. “I’m getting so hungry!” Mochi, meanwhile, makes his way over towards the tables bearing pies, standing on his hindlegs whilst trying to get some height. “MOCHI!” Dovie yells, jumping up and marching over to the table to snatch up the puppy who is too smart for his own good.
Lillian nods in Thomas’ direction. “I’m Lillian, pleasure to meet you.”
Not late, no, not really. Navessa makes her way in, shifting her sketchbook at her hip to keep it clear of the pie plate and jar she carries. She finds a spot at the table and gets it set down and arranged. Then considers briefly and re-arranges it a bit. “Hmm?” The camera almost distracts her as she looks up, blinks: “Oh, hey Anna.” A smile for her. “How are you feeling?”
“Ah!” Thomas tells Lillian. “I’ve heard about you,” he says. “I’m Bookmaster, on MyHaven,” he explains to her.
Obadiah nods to Thomas, “Thomas! El Dorado, eh? Hopefully I can make it this time, though Sera was asking me some questions about it, or wants to ask me more questions. I don’t know I have only been there once before.”
And play the corgi does when Seraphina drags her away from the pies to the pups. The ornery thing takes hold of the beagle’s ear and tugs on it, as if Moose didn’t have problems enough with their length. Seraphina nods to Dovie, “I am too. It looks like a lot of people brought savory ones, so I am eyeing them hard.”
Matthew continuse to study over all the amazing looking pies, “I can’t wait until we can eat some pie,” he telsl Malin, “I really wanna try that one I saw in the kitchen…”
“I. Am. G r e a t.” Annabelle responds socially to Navessa in a manner most hyperbolic, nasally drawing out the word as she starts to position her feet, her eyes framing a composition. “Have you met Chance, Nav? He’s great. I met him the day before yesterday.”
Malin rubs a palm against Matthew’s back, and she laughs after he whispers to her. “It is not. You’ll be fine.”
Thomas introduces himself to Chance “Hello — Thomas Hale,” he says.
With Thomas’s introduction to Lillian, Seraphina also introduced herself, “Hi, Lillian. I know I have seen you about … I’m Sera.” She leans down to try to extract the ear from one corgi’s mouth. Fingers wiggle to Navessa and Annabelle.
Annabelle holds out to Thomas, with steely eyes looking from boot to face, a cookie.
“Chance?” Navessa turns to try to catch who she’s being introduced to. “Uh, I don’t… believe so? Sorry, I tend to hole up a lot.” She reaches up and takes off her hat, shoving it into her back pocket. Noticing Seraphina’s finger-wiggle, she gives a small wave back. Then another spotting Obadiah. “Obie! I have something for you! She’s pulling around the sketchbook on its strap. “Two something’s, actually..”
Annabelle says nothing of her transaction.
“Hello,” Thomas tells Annabelle. “Did you bake them?”
Matthew looks visibly relieved by Malin’s assurance and goes right back to looking over the pies, “There are a few activities,” he shares with the group at large, “while we wait on pies, or try or what have you. Casey will be coming in about fifteen minutes to perform music on the stage. THere’s the photo booth–” he points south with the sign, “That way, and a pumpkin patch with pumpkins to carve–” he points southeast, “That way, and next to that is bobbing for apples. There are carnival games all north of here, and then a corn maze further up.”
Lillian grins at Thomas, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “Only good things, I hope.” And then she looks over at Seraphina and waves to her. “Hey, Sera. I believe I saw you around at… was it the girl’s night? I think it might have been that. If not, it was probably some other Arachne-organized gathering.”
Chance chuckles and glances toward the photo booth and then back toward Annabelle and says, “I have no idea.. guess we could find out.” He then turns toward Thomas and says, “Oh, hello! Yes, I remember, from MyHaven. We haven’t had a chance to talk yet. Nice to meet you. Welcome to the Fall Festival of Flavor. Did you bring a pie?”
Malin snickers lightly over how Matthew reacts to her reassurance, and then she’s looking down at her phone, also swiping off a text.
Dovie hugs Mochi to her, “You’re not going anywhere mister!”
Annabelle waves back at Seraphina, belatedly, retracting her hand to the safety of her camera and catching this momentus event of the meeting of Chance between several parties with a *Poof!*
Annabelle uses a O: a pink 60Instax mini analog camera, pointed right at you! :O: The eye of the Instax mini shutters before you, then flashes you.
Chance turns toward Navessa at the introduction from Annabelle and gives her a smile as well, “No, we haven’t met. Nice to met you.”
Caught by the flash of the camera mid-pulling something from her sketchbook, Navessa blinks a few times. “Oh, ah, yes,” she tells Chance. “Good to meet you, too. I will try to remember you. I’m just a bit overwhelmed at the moment I’m afraid.” There’s a sheepish bit of a smile.
Matthew makes his way on over to Lillian, “Let’s give people until the thirty minute mark and then you can start the judging?” he pauses and asks, “Do you require anything, water or some other type of pallet cleanser? We got cider at the concession stand–” a nod toward Dovie, “from Wild Bloom Orchard.”
Dovie beams at Matthew, calling out after, “We’re now selling single servings of our most popular ciders!”
With the advertisement done, she nudges Obadiah. “Which pies do you think are promising in your professional opinion?”
Thomas prompts someone, gently, for his name: “We haven’t,” he says. “I appreciate being a man of mystery, but if so I’d recommend investing in a mask.” Teasing. Them, “I brought pie, of a sort,” he says. “Have you met my assistant, Miss Hawke?” he says, indicating Seraphina. “She is the baker in our relationship.” From the way he glances at her, ‘assistant’ may not be the end of his relationship with the woman.
Thomas prompts Chance, gently, for his name: “We haven’t,” he says. “I appreciate being a man of mystery, but if so I’d recommend investing in a mask.” Teasing. Them, “I brought pie, of a sort,” he says. “Have you met my assistant, Miss Hawke?” he says, indicating Seraphina. “She is the baker in our relationship.” From the way he glances at her, ‘assistant’ may not be the end of his relationship with the woman.
Annabelle shakes her head to Thomas as another paper is spat out from the Instax. “I got it from the Carousel. I just thought you needed a cookie. I stop by whenever I’m at the mall.”
Sophie wanders over, “Hello gentlemen.” She grins, “Have either of you gotten your maps yet?”
Jeremiah shakes his head. “I have not, Miss.”
“I do enjoy cookies,” Thomas replies to Annabelle. “Even if I prefer pie.”
“Well you know by now that I am a fan of Dovie’s ciders,” Lillian says, an amused grin on her lips, over to Matthew. “So a cider would be absolutely lovely. As for notes… I can probably use my phone? No need to waste paper or anything.”
Jakem shakes his head “Map? What kinda do you have? I’m looking for one of Blackwater.”
“Oh, well I do know you enjoy her ciders,” Matthew agrees with Lillian, grinning right on back, “Let me go grab you a can so you can be prepared.”
Sophie says “Blackwater…not what I have but I do have snacks, pies and games.“
Jakem looks over the map “Huh, not as much morass and salty taverns as I was expecting.”
“The duck and cherry looks good,” Obadiah says coyly to Dovie when she nudges him. “Though Navessa’s could be promising. I wonder if there is cheese on it? I under stand the Irish like their apple pie with cheddar on the top.” Speaking of Navessa, when she calls his name he looks over to her and smiles, “Oh gifts? For me?”
Malin flashes a grin over at Lillian when the cider enjoyment is mentioned, seeing as those beverages saved her from that attempted interrogation recently.
Sophie shakes her head, mockingly defeated, “Arrr..we have failed.”
Matthew says, pointing east, “Folks, if anyone decides they need even MORE food to eat, there are concessions on the opposite side of the stage“
Jakem nods to Sophie “I suppose that’ll have to do. Thank Soph.”
“Chance,” Chance introduces himself to Thomas. “Apologies,” he says with a faintly amused smile. Then he nods toward Seraphina and says, “Yes, we’ve met a couple of times now.” He lifts a hand and gives her a little wave in greeting as well.
“Yes, do not let Mister Hale cook for you unless you like a little bit of food poisoning to along with your meal.” Seraphina says, to Chance, with a smirk. When Obadiah mentions nothing of hers, there is a pout. “I see how it is, you fair weathered friend.”
Gabriel finds a spot next to Dovie and leans in to say, “Alright, little longer than five minutes but I managed to slip away. Offer still on the table?”
Thomas tells Lillian, “All good things, indeed.” He smiles to Chance. “She’s delightful. Don’t listen to her slander about my cooking, though.”
Dovie snorts at Obadiah. “You can’t choose your own! That’s cheating!” She hums a moment, glancing towards the apple pie. “Cheese would be very interesting.” She looks up at Gabriel and nods, “Yes! Take a seat! Mochi was very naughty just now. Trying to get at some of the pies, probably Obadiah’s duck pie.”
Navessa starts meandering past the different pies on display. “I almost brought a shepherd’s pie,” she muses aloud (though mostly to herself). “But I figured people would be wanting sweet-” she does overhear Obadiah and glances up with a grin. “Cream, actually.” She points to the jar. “But yes,” she says, approaching the man and pulling out two (very thinly framed) sketches to hand over to him. “Took me a while to get them all treated and framed, but I did sketches of all the bouts at the joust. So the winners get theirs. You can… do whatever you want with it. Put it up on the wall. Give it to the person you beat to lord over them.” Shrug!
“Its terrible,” Seraphina mentions, under her breath.
“Jak!” Annabelle calls out, caught in the crux of an introduction of smiling nature betwixt Thomas and Chance, she bounds over, taking his elbow with her own insistently. “Picture.” She states, flipping her camera around and lifting it up above both of their heads with a sharpened smile.
“You know,” Thomas comments to the empty air — or perhaps Seraphina and Annabelle. “If I’d really enslaved your mind to turn you into some drooling doll, you wouldn’t insult my cooking.”
Chance winces just slightly and nods to Seraphina, “Duly noted,” with a little bit of a laugh. He casts Thomas a somewhat sidelong glance, faux-suspicious, but it’s followed by an easy smile. “Wait, there’s duck pie?” he asks, looking over in that direction. “I’ve never had pie with duck in it. That sounds amazing.”
“Jak!” Annabelle calls out, caught in the crux of an introduction of smiling nature betwixt Thomas and Chance, she bounds over, taking his elbow with her own insistently. “Picture.” She states, flipping her camera around and lifting it up above both of their heads with a sharpened smile. [resposted]
Jakem interjects to Thomas “My enslaved dolls insult me all the time.” he comments distractedly as he looks over the pies.
Lillian can’t help herself. She takes a sip almost immediately. “Thank you, Matthew. And thank you, Dovie, for the good cider.”
Seraphina puckers up her lips. “Remember what we were just talking about -Mister Hale-?”
Jakem says “I had one conk me on the head for letting it’s plastic flask get empty.“
Annabelle starts to aim a foot for Jakem’s foot, then sucks in a breath and yanks his arm. “C’mon. Look at the camera.”
Jakem says “As if I’m responsible for filling it. Also, they’re fake, not actually hollow so I’m not sure what it was expecting.“
Malin turns her head just in time to see Charlotte. A gasp escapes her elegant throat and she makes grabby hands towards her BFF. “You aren’t naked!” she declares as Captain Obvious. “You look great, though. That green is so good on you.”
Matthew passes a can over to Lillian and returns to Malin’s side, his can of cider in hand. “Alright, the judge has her cider, she has tons of pies, I think–” he motions a hand all around, “she can get to tasting so that EVERYONE can get to tasting.” With that he motions towards the lavendarette, “Miss Ashbrook, the stage is yours.”
Casey makes her way into the area with a guitar case slung over her shoulder. She awkwardly looks about at the crowd, seeking to pick out faces she recognizes
Jakem blinks at Annabelle, looking away from the pies “Oh, you’re here for pie? Give away all your lollipops?” He looks about for some sort of camera.
Thomas waves to Casey. “Casey,” he says. “Here we overlap after all!” Then he laughs to Jakem, before he glances at the people he doesn’t know — Gabriel and Charlotte. “Thomas Hale,” he introduces himself to them.
Sweeping in, Charlotte nods to Sophie, acknowledging the greeting. She looks around at the seating and, wrinking her nose at the hay bales, moves over to someone Malin a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, darling. Grand-mere would be so irritated with me if I’d gotten arrested for public indecency again, so I opted to wear clothing.” Thomas gets a glance and a “Charlotte. Charmed, I’m sure.” before she turns back to Malin.
Sweeping in, Charlotte nods to Sophie, acknowledging the greeting. She looks around at the seating and, wrinking her nose at the hay bales, moves over to give Malin a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, darling. Grand-mere would be so irritated with me if I’d gotten arrested for public indecency again, so I opted to wear clothing.” Thomas gets a glance and a “Charlotte. Charmed, I’m sure.” before she turns back to Malin.
Gabriel rubs a hand over his face after sending off a text. A short moment of respite later he turns to ask Dovie, “Going to have to deal with more of that after this. I miss anything?” then with the introduction he turns to Thomas and dips his head in greeting, “Gabriel Hawkins. A pleasure.”
Another soul, another day. Annabelle takes a picture of a blinking Jakem and a smiling self, purposefully at arm’s distance to convey something meta-ironically. Annabelle tugs herself in right after the picture’s done.
Matthew begins to filter back and make his way over to Casey, offering the musician a fond smile. “I think,” he murmurs to her, “if your time allows, I’ll ask you to take the stage after the pie contest.” He adds, “I’ve been looking forward to your set.”
Obadiah takes the pictures graciously and puts it away in his bag, smiling at Navessa, “I am sure they will go up in my office at home.” He dips his head then looks over to Gabriel giving him a welcoming smile before adding, “And there is Jeremiah… And that Messy Bitch Charlotte who never calls or writes anymore.” He playfully huffs at Charlotte then looks back to Gabriel, “Deal with more of what?”
Sophie comments to Casey, “The stage is to the right of us, and we can encourage people to move over as needed.” She smiles, “I’m excited as well.”
Jakem smiles with half his mouth to Annabelle’s camera, one eye closed, one eye open, and a droop of his faux-hawk over his other eye.
Malin returns Charlotte’s hug with a sisterly affection, pecking a greeting between her lips and her friend’s cheek right after she’s been on the receiving end of the same gesture. “Does she not approve of such things? Back home, it is always the elderly who are nude on the beach these days. The younger people tend to be the prudes.” She smiles broadly as Matthew moves up beside her, and then she’s looking to Lillian, the designated judge expectantly.
Jeremiah gives Obadiah a high-five, and waves to other people he’s met. “Hello!”
“Oh, hey. I guess we do.” Casey replies to Thomas with a friendly smile, she drifts closer to him and seems about to ask something till Matthew picks her out of the crowd and. She grimaces faintly then says, “Ok. I’ll admit I didn’t do a good job preparing anything amazing. Not exactly my usual venue you know? I think you are lucky I’m dressed adequately.”
Rising, Seraphina opens each basket she’d brought to let people see which is which, the corgi is more than happy to get closer to the pie table, but sadly for it, it has itty bitty legs. It doesn’t stop her from trying to tug on a corner of the table cloth.
Jakem calls to Casey “You’ve now performed more outside your usual venue, than in it as far as I’ve seen. Sorry to say, but you’re officially a rennaissance woman now.”
Lillian laughs a little at Matthew’s introduction. “We’re starting now, before anyone has offered me a bribe? Such a shame.” She gives him a wink and then focuses her attention on the pies, humming thoughtfully. “I suppose if we have a mix of sweet and savory here, I should make a meal out of it. I’ll start with the meat pies and then move on to the sweet ones.” And so she cuts free a thin slice from each of those.
“Obie, darling, clinginess is not your color.” Charlotte calls back to Obadiah, though her tone is light rather than cutting. “Besides, the phone works in both directions.” She shoots him a wink, then smiles at Malin. “Grand-mere just doesn’t want me to embarrass the family. Nudity in the proper forum is fine, adding to my criminal record is not.”
“Well, I’ll just have to come over and see your office sometime,” Navessa tells Obadiah with a wink. She steps back then to clear the table for others to place their last-minute entries or have a taste. There is a look toward the main stage and with a glance around the sheer number of people around now, she takes a deep breath and bails. Presumably for cider? But maybe just for a bit of fresh air!
Casey sticks her tongue out at Jakem, playful in her response to that assertion. “Damn it! I knew I’d never amount to anything.”
“Mirabel,” Thomas tells Mirabel. “It’s been too long,” he tells her, greeting her warmly.
Cristal dashes in with a homemade pie, putting it on the judging tables. “AW FUCK MADE IT!” She says in triumph with a fist pump after.
Jakem looks to Obadiah “Don’t listen to her Obie. You’d look fabulous in garment, no matter how long it’s been left in the dryer.”
“Well, life has its twists and turns,” Mirabel supposes and smiles blithely at Thomas. “How are you, dear colleague?”
Obadiah looks down at beagle curled up at his feet and scratches the big floppy ears. “Yeah he is tired. I took him for a long walk this morning. Should be a good boy.” He glances then over to Charlotte and places a hand on his chest in an overly dramatic wounding motion before conceding, “You are right, of course.”
Matthew grins at Casey, shoulders lifting at the comment, “Well, I think it’ll be entertaining all the same.” He speaks up a bit, “but do not be shy with the bribes, It’s never too late in the race to pull strings and win some favor!”
“It does,” Thomas tells Mirabel. “Well enough, really. Back from trip, getting settled.”
Cristal moves to find a seat.
Obadiah leans into Dovie and whispers to her.
Annabelle waves spiritedly at Cristal as she flees for seating.
“Life just isn’t quite as much fun without some arrests,” Malin relays to Charlotte. “I bet if we researched hard enough, we could dig up something on your Grand-mere. She’s had to been involved in some sort of illegal nonsense over the centuries, surely?” Medium-width brows wriggle and she appears to be very interested in trying to find out what sort of secrets there may be.
Lillian eats those two pies and beams after a bite of each. “Oh, wow. Good fucking start with these two.” Once another meat pie is on the table, she tastes that, too. And pulls over the scup pie. “Unfamiliar with this one, so I’ll try it with the meats.”
“You are looking dignified today.” Casey lightly compliments Thomas as she smiles his way again then says, “I think I might make a fool of myself today.”
“I’m in a Hawaiian shirt,” Thomas replies to Casey with a laugh. “And I doubt it. The city craves art.”
“Don’t forget the pies in the baskets,” Seraphina reminds Lillian. “There are two savory and two sweet.”
Obadiah nods to Dovie then lifts his shoulder, “I don’t know her well.” He glances a way a moment thinking about something or another, his thoughts not here before he snaps back to reality, “Hmm? Oh yeah better walks calms them down.”
Obadiah looks to Malin and Matthew, “Hmm? Sorry my thoughts wandered and I wasn’t paying attention.”
Dovie nods at Obadiah and pets Mochi in her lap. She looks over towards Gabriel. “Who do you think is going to win? There’s so many interesting ones!”
Malin eyes Obadiah momentarily as she bites at her lower lip, assessing the Mercer briefly before waving a hand dismissively at him. “We’re just talking about ways to cheat in order to win!”
Casey grins at Thomas and says, “Yeah but its a -dignified- hawaiian shirt. learn how to take a compliment you bastard.” her tone is light and easy going and even accompanied with a laugh
Cristal waves energetically at Jakem and Annabelle. “I GOT A PIE!”
Jeremiah crouches down to pet Obadiah’s pup. “Hello again, little friend.”
Thomas replies back, “I suppose I am a bastard.” He pauses. “Casey, you know Sera?” he says, indicating Seraphina.
“I was told you might start to try and out bribe me,” Matthew explains to Obadiah, “if I tried to bribe Lillian. But… you’d never try to out bribe your King, right?”
“Yeah, wandered to what?” Seraphina asks Obadiah’s teasingly. But to Casey, “Casey right? I’m Sera… I doubt that you will make a fool. Music is life, afterall.”
“Um. I got here on time.” Is what Annabelle manages, distractedly behind the mask, waving back at Cristal, perhaps smiling underneath it with the raise of her cheekbones. “DAT GREAT, BABES!”
Malin points at Matthew as she tells Jakem, “It’s his contest and he wants to bribe Lillian to choose mine.”
Cristal gives Annabelle and Jakem two big thumbs up and a wide smile, telling whatever poor souls sit around her. “Vote for Cristal!!”
Obadiah chuckles to Seraphina and winks, “Wouldn’t you like to know?” Whatever it was he doesn’t dwell on his day dream.
Casey looks towards Seraphina to check her out briefly then she shrugs her shoulders, “I feel like we met before..but I can’t remember how. Doesn’t matter I guess. It’s nice tomeet you now.”
Jakem tsks to Matthew “Your contest, and you’re stuping to bribery? Just make the rules more complicated until no one knows who wins without consutling you.”
Charlotte tilts her head, assessing Matthew for a moment with a measured gaze. “Matthew, dear, I feel that you need a crown to cement your current status” she declares in a firm tone, pulling out her phone to send a text. “I’ll commission one from our jewelers – do you want it to match your shoes?”
Casey says “Just have to go see where I’m going to play. I’ll be back..“
Malin appears highly entertaining by Charlotte’s question to Matthew about the crown.
Gabriel looks over the pie selection and tells Dovie, “I think yours has a very good chance of winning. Like a classic apple pie with a twist.”
Annabelle watches Jakem go through the pies, and Wonders, openly. “Are we um. Are we allowed to jus- Jak, you’re- are you tasting them?”
Matthew holds up his hands, “Whoa whoa, hold on there,” he starts wagging a finger, “Lillian is the judge, this is a fair contest, everyone is welcome to bribe if they want, that’s not stuping to nothing and–” he flashes Charlotte a wide smile, “Yes. To all the above, yes!”
“No,” Thomas replies back to Cristal with amusement. “Vote for Seraphina! Sera’s pie is the best.”
“Aw shit, which one is hers?” Cristal asks Thomas, scratching her head. “I gotta vote for it!”
Jakem looks to Annabelle “Huh, if they didn’t want me eating them why haven’t they stopped me?”
Lillian nods appreciatively as she takes two more slices of pie, one of chicken and the other of potato. “You know, when I agreed to judge I didn’t expect any meat pies, but this has turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Four for four on all of these being good. Let’s move on to dessert now, shall we?” She’s more than happy to talk to herself while the rest weigh in on potential bribery, and only takes a break from eating or talking to sip on a cider.
“She made like fifteen,” Thomas tells Cristal. “I like the fig pie the best, though.”
Seraphina considers Lillian, “Did you try the sweet potato?
Annabelle makes up her mind, taken by advertisement before she’s even had a bite. “I dunno. I just thought you were going through too quickly.”
Cristal stares at Thomas blankly. “FIFTEEN??”
Chance takes a couple of steps back to observe the area, looking from Matthew and Malin to the others, falling quiet and observing the conversations. He smiles a little in amusement at the entire bribery discussion. “Same,” he says when he hears Dovie mentioning being excited to taste the pies.
Matthew says “After Lillian has made her judgment, we will allow the crowd to eat and pick a fan favorite selected through texts to… our judge! “
“Maybe less than that,” Thomas says breezily to Cristal. He asks Seraphina, “How many did you make, Miss Hawke?” There’s an indulgent smile at his girlfriend.
“A pie contest.” Charlotte observes to Malin. “What a delightfully….country activity. Who do you think will win?” She assesses the entries, then points to the pie that has a handprint. “That one looks a bit unappetizing, but the rest seem delightful.”
“I think I’ll have a look around,” Mirabel decides and sidles out of the seating area. “If one of our students win the annual exercise in gluttony, they had better be found in the gymnasium tomorrow morning.”
Obadiah looks hurt by Gabriel’s kind words for Dovie. “Well then,” he huffs playfully.
Matthew gives Charlotte a head-tilted look, “This like when you tried to call the crawfish boil tacky,” he points out, “but that food was damn good. Just like these pies bouta be damn good.”
Dovie smirks at Gabriel.
“I grew up on an island without any cars allowed there, does that make me country-ish?” Malin wonders of Charlotte. As her blue-grey gaze wanders over the selection of submitted pies, she informs her friend, “I will be able to answer that after I taste them, I think!”
Lillian’s mouth is a little full of pie, so all she can give Seraphina is a nod. She seems to be in a pretty good mood. Hard not to be while a pie judge.
Gabriel playfully flips Dovie off.
“Goodness, it’s crowded over there,” Mirabel says after leaving the pie contest. She makes her way over to Sophie and Casey and asks the former, “How are you doing, young lady? I’ve been a little busy this week.”
Cristal stares at Jakem. “Yah! Gotta vote for my pie.” She scratches her head again, looking torn and flummoxed. “Who am I supposed to vote for?” Vexed, she starts crying. “CAN I VOTE TWICE? THEY ALL LOOK DELISH!”
Obadiah nudges Dovie a little then winks at Gabriel, “I am sure they are all delicious. The meat tender, the fruit popping with sweetness.” He grins, “I actually only like two types of pie.”
Charlotte raises an eyebrow at someone, smiling politely. “Crawfish boils are tacky, regardless of deliciousness. Metaphorical taste and literal taste do not always go together.” Her attention then comes back to Malin, pondering. “Yes, but in the best way. Country doesn’t mean bad, necessarily. Just quaint.” Was that a positive statement? Up to the listener to decide.
Charlotte raises an eyebrow at Matthew, smiling politely. “Crawfish boils are tacky, regardless of deliciousness. Metaphorical taste and literal taste do not always go together.” Her attention then comes back to Malin, pondering. “Yes, but in the best way. Country doesn’t mean bad, necessarily. Just quaint.” Was that a positive statement? Up to the listener to decide.
“I made four different pies,” Seraphina relays to Cristal, belatedly, having been lost in a thought. “Fig and orange, apple cranberry, ham and guyere and roasted garlic and sweet potato.” She winks, “You have to try them all, of course.
“I agree,” Thomas tells Gabriel. “Though some of the savory pies are wonderful. That duck pie looks good,” he says. “Still? I think I like the fig tartlet best, honestly.” He looks over. “Is that rhubarb?”
Annabelle tugs Jakem over to the apple tart, labeled with a name.
Cristal sniffles, rubbing at her face as she tells Seraphina. “Yes ma’am.”
Matthew isn’t looking entirely convinced and it’s left him with arms folded loosely over chest. “Mmmm. Well, speaking of taste, yours is impeccable as always, love the fit.” That’s definitely a compliment, begrudging, but complimenting all the same.
Casey makes her way to step up onto the stage to get a survey of it, thoughtful.
Jakem blinks at Annabelle, looking at his hand “Oh, maybe this is hers? I think I grabbed it out of the wrong basket then, I thought it was Sera’s.”
Sophie gives Mirabel a shining smile as she ticks off another thing from her clipboard, “I’m well. Happy to see the event doing alright. It’s exciting.”
Annabelle looses her train of thought, staring intimately at the apple tart, drawn back to a voice near her ear. “Mmn? Maybe. I haven’t found hers yet.”
Charlotte beams at Matthew, smoothing a hand down her torso. “This old thing? Something I just threw on.” She takes him in from head to toe, offering “Your own ensemble is fabulously flashy as usual. I do love your commitment to bold fashion choices.”
“My family did own a world renowned yacht club, so that has to stand for something,” Malin says to Charlotte, no matter how long ago that club existed. “Back home, we actually have a crayfish event every August. We drink a lot and sing songs. They originated with the aristocracy. It’s funny how different cultures can see the same sort of gatherings so different. Quaint versus opulent in its origin.”
Dovie says “Afternoon! The pie judging is starting! Not too late to get to the Faireground!“
“Well, it’s a gluttonous frenzy of pies, not the Olympics,” Mirabel remarks and chortles lightheartedly at Sophie. “Who’s your friend, dear?”
Obadiah gets his usually goofy grin that precedes one of his bad jokes and tells Dovie, “Hot and cold.”
Seraphina watches with anticipation, and tries to inch the corgi back away from Lillian’s feet. But there are so many good crumbs to be hand, some of which are stuck to her nose. “Crayfish…” She sighs. “I remember those days.”
“See, that sounds more like old money opulance than country.” Charlotte agrees with Malin. “The size of the community isn’t what makes something country.” Charlotte clearly has strong opinions on class.
Obadiah uses a 30curious beagle 30puppy: The beagle pauses mid-motion to reassess a scent, nose twitching.
“Now, while our judge deliberates on her pick–” Matthew motions out to the table, “Please try them out for yourselves, and send a text to Lillian who will also be tallying the fan favorites. There will be a crown from the Judge’s pick and a trophy for the fan’s favorite.”
Malin asks Seraphina curiously, “Is that a good or bad memory regarding crayfish?”
Dovie uses a 02sh08arp14 an20d r21eac28tiv29e 31Shib31a 29Inu28 pu21ppy20 na14med08 Mo02chi : 02The 08puppy 14yawns, 20stretches, 21and 28shifts 29exactly 31one 02inch 08to 14the 20left, 21as 28if 29testing 31symmetry.
Sophie lifts her brow, “Friend?” She asks, “If you’re not in the mood for pies, there’s a concession to the east. Technically a candy apple is a fruit.”
Matthew says “Her number is Seven ten, oh two-eighty“
Thomas tells Annabelle, “Sera’s pies are in baskets.”
Lillian sighs and leans back in her seat after eating more pie than any one person should have in a single sitting. “Just one for each, Matthew? Or are we doing top two or three?”
Matthew says “Just one for each. “
Obadiah leans down and picks up the beagle as he catches a scent. “No nose twitching sir. That is how you get into trouble.”
“Are in baskets..” Annabelle repeats, tracing a line with her finger around and ending up on the quartet of them.
Malin mms softly in agreement and understanding over what Charlotte says. “I’ll have to take you and Matthew there sometime and you can experience the ways of the former royals.”
“You don’t remember me? We handled some ghost a while back together. Plus..we’re in the same society aren’t we?” Casey ask Mirabel, glancing her way with a little smile on her black painted lips. “It’s Casey.”
Matthew says “WEll prizes to first place, feel free to announce top three, if you wish. Judge’s choice on that! “
“That’s the best of them, I think,” Thomas tells Annabelle. He glances at Lillian. “Did you try all four of them?”
Matthew then proceeds to put the directions up on the table, in case anyone forgets.
“Every basket has a different pie,” Thomas explains.
“I would love that.” Charlotte says sincerely to Malin, smiling. “I’ll have to make sure our Matthew has his crown in adbvance so he can fit right in.”
With the judging complete and the okay given to sample the pies, Chance makes his way over to the table and immediately goes for the duck pie first, followed by a sampling of the others.
Jakem nods to Cristal “Yeah, no one’s really stopped me. I’ve been eating since I got here.”
“Her, with the guitar,” Mirabel explains and gestures in Casey’s direction. “Oh–goodness gracious, that’s right. With that grumpy oriental fellow,” she adds with a jovial grin. “I’m sure young Miss Callum doesn’t want to hear about any societies on a festive day like this.”
Matthew wastes no time getting into that rhubarb pie, colelcting himself a slice.
Malin giggles a bit girlishly at Charlotte. “I can’t wait. I’m really looking forward to seeing him that crown.” Next, she’s sampling the pies.
Malin watches as Matthew finally is allowed to try that rhubarb pie.
Cristal digs into one of the pies. “Awww shit! It’s delish!”
Thomas shifts, pleased.
tries a couple of pies, taking one small bite from each. “Obadiah, you have outdone yourself.” Charlotte calls over to someone as she works her way around the table.
Pulling down her face-mask to hang off the ears and on her chin, little aid that it’s doing in attempting to eat, Annabelle isn’t quite a foodie. But she does continue to take ever more bites of the roasted fig she’s captured.
tries a couple of pies, taking one small bite from each. “Obadiah, you have outdone yourself.” Charlotte calls over to Obadiah as she works her way around the table.
“Miss Callum would love to, she’s a little out of the loop with things and the stories are fun.” Sophie says with a soft laugh before clancing at Casey, “Should I herd people over here?’
“Oh! A good memory!” Seraphina relays back to malin. “We’d have large pots of crayfish and just sit about a bonfire and eat until we were full.”
Dovie moves around trying all the pies!
Matthew really, really likes it. You can see, he takes his time, slowly biting, really enjoying it just a little too much. He stays right there, shaking his head, “Oh this is the one–” with a mouth still full, “this the one. Nobody eat too much, I want left overes at home for myself.”
Casey says “In fact..I need to find a washroom or something..Be back in a bit“
Jeremiah takes his phone out, pulls up a picture of a lit zippo, and begins to slowly wave it back and forth over his head.
Matthew says “Feel free to wander around, tehre are games, prizes to win, and activities! “
Jeremiah says “Am I too early?“
Malin’s pie gets a literal moan from Charlotte, and she actually goes back for a second bite. “Crumbles are my favorite” she declares as she digs into the sweet options.
Sophie glances at Jeremiah, “She’s almost ready, you hungry?”
Malin beams ever so brightly at Charlotte. “Mine, too!”
Jeremiah says “I’m always hungry. I should get that looked into. Could be a tapeworm.“
“Well, nobody has started playing yet,” Mirabel mentions distractedly to Jeremiah and takes a moment to survey the faireground.
Jakem waves to Aeryn “Hey Aeryn, didn’t expect yah out on a day like this.” he calls over jovially.
Matthew says “Oh… This duck and cherry pie….“
Cristal nabs all of Seraphina’s pies, smooshing them together to make one giant pie sandwich that she digs into.
“I think I did,” Lillian belatedly answers Thomas. “Fuck. You all are talented bakers.” She settles into her pie coma while everyone else tries their pies.
Malin nods in agreement with Matthew.
“Right?” Charlotte replies to Matthew. “It’s so fucking good.”
“It’s a rarity,” Aeryn agrees to Jakem. “But, I figure worthwhile, at the least.”
“This duck pie is pretty good,” Thomas admits. “And I’m a muse,” he tells someone, airily. “I just inspire great baking.”
“Uhh… damn. Okay… let me just keep on trying..” but Matthew look slike he wants to stop at duck and cherry.
“This duck pie is pretty good,” Thomas admits. “And I’m a muse,” he tells Lillian, airily. “I just inspire great baking.”
Matthew sneaks in seconds of the rhubarb pie, head bobbing, really digging in.
Cristal continues chomping into her quad-decker abomination, flakes of pastry going everywhere. “Yummmm!”
Jeremiah says “I’ll go see what’s what at the concession stand. Back soon.“
Jakem nods to Aeryn, wiping a few crumbs from his lip and plucking one out of a lip ring with green fingernails “Yeah, might as well luxuriate in the knowledge the sun’s gonna be a rare sight coming up.” he says with a glance up.
Making her rounds, occasionally, a little bit of pie crust is given to the corgi, Seraphina tastes each pie, a delighted expression on her face as each flavor melts together into one big happy mass of deliciousness.
Chance glances over at Dovie from where he’s busy sampling all the different pies, trying a bit of one and then the other and nods, “Just a little.” Then he gestures to her pie and says, “This is really fantastic. They’re all so good. I keep going back to that duck and cherry though. But really, fantastic, all of them.”
Matthew says “No, text Lillian your votes“
Matthew then makes his way over to the collection of baskets, there are still pies there, after all.
Malin tries the one with the handprint, and she scrunches her nose. “I think… Is this one poisoned?”
“At the least, won’t be up as long. We are regrettably not in that whole thirty days of darkness region. One day, I should visit there again….” Aeryn’s voice trails off, and she glances about. “How is the pie?”
Obadiah nods and whips out his phone to start texting
Matthew says “seven ten, oh two-eighty! “
“Is her number somewhere?” Thomas asks Matthew.
Aeryn gives Matthew a poke in his side.
Charlotte turns to Malin, looking surprisingly worried. “Malin? What makes you think that? Are you all right?” Her speech gets a little faster and more fretful as she goes on.
Matthew is pulling a pie from his basket when Aeryn is poking at his side, “Hey! You’re just in time for the music, I think!”
“Every single one is … amazing.” Seraphina says, unable to pick just one that she would even possibly vote on. Another bite and she gives herself a little wriggle of joy in her shoulders. “Honestly, I don’t know how you are going to do it, Lillian,” she tells Lillian.
Dovie waves to Aeryn. “You made it!”
“I am going to vote for the fig pie,” Thomas says, sending off a text.
Malin has her tongue stroking the roof of her mouth repeatedly. “It’s… I think I’m all right, but… I’m not sure about that handprint one!” she tells Chance. “Did you try it?”
Cristal still has some flakes of pastry on her mouth.
Thomas laughs to Cristal. “I’ve done fucked up?” he says, laughing to her. “Lord, woman.”
Matthew grabs the remaining hand pies and starts to head towards the steage for the music.
Aeryn beams a smile at Dovie. “I did! Glad I woke up in time, even if it’s bright.”
Gabriel comments to Aeryn, “So fucking bright..”
Charlotte gives Aeryn a distracted wave, though she’s focused on Malin and the possibility that the woman is about to drop dead inf ront of her. She relaxes a little when Malin declares herself all right, putting a smile and saying “Okay. I think…I shall skip that one.”
Obadiah nods to Thomas, “Yes the fig is quite good. Maybe I should change my vote.” He chuckles a little then adds, “Of course I want to see Highgate Coffee and Inkwell go head to head on a Cold Brew Countdown.”
Matthew makes his way over, “Did I miss Casey’s set?” he asks Sophie and Mirabel, arriving with a whole bunc hof pies in hand.
“There’s a time and a place for everything,” Mirabel ventures and smiles sedately at Sophie. “Oh, I’m just fine. I had a lot on my plate this week, but nothing worrisome. Did you help orchestrate any of this today?”
Sophie looks at Matthew, “Nope. I’d have texted you silly.”
“It’s bright enough to see dust,” Aeryn tells Gabriel innocently, smirking slightly. “You know, the little flecks just float about in the light.”
Lillian idly reads her texts as they start to come in. “They are all amazing,” she agrees. “You all have made it so unfair for me. Like c’mon, can’t someone have made a shit pie so I wouldn’t feel guilty not picking it? These are all winners in a lesser pie contest.”
Seraphina glances aside to Dovie on Obadiah’s suggestion. “We -coooooould-.”
“A homeless woman dropped it off,” Malin says to Charlotte, nose scrunching so much that the skin above her nostrils wrinkles some. She’s enjoying a tartlet in an attempt to cleanse her palette now.
Matthew smiles and grins, “Good, hopefully she is getting a chance to enjoy the festival.”
Matthew look sback over at the group, “Okay, gonna go text my favorite. You two wanna try some of these pies?”
Obadiah starts to chant with his mouth full, like a school boy, “Fight, fight, fight.” But then lets it drop and savors the taste.
Gabriel narrows his eyes slightly at Aeryn, “Was dust free until your ancient self showed up.” then on a more friendly note, “How have you been anyway?”
Sophie gives Mirabel a little nod, “I may have had a hand in it.” She watches Matthew with a smile, “His idea though.”
Obadiah says “Good job Navi. “
Chance shakes his head at Malin and says, “No, I haven’t tried that one. I’m.. a little leery of it, to be honest. Did you?”
“Oh, goodness. darling. It was probably scrounged from a dumpster – the homeless have become a real problem in this town.” Charlotte declares like the rich asshole she is.
“I suppose I might try some of the quiche,” Mirabel decides and steps forward to help herself to a slice.
Annabelle politely takes the pie, considered poisoned, away from public consumption. “I’m just gonnnna.. Get this out of the way, then if that’s ‘kay.”
Matthew smiles, “These are all done by Seraphina, they’re pretty good, I especially like the fig one.”
Malin gives a very confirming nod to Chance. In fact, she keeps nodding before she’s shaking her head and says, “I did, and I mean, if you like playing a game of ‘chance’ with your life, you should absolutely try it.”
Matthew glances back towards teh pie contest, “Okay, I should check in on that area!”
Drawing a hand to clutch at invisible pearls, Aeryn gasps at Gabriel. “Mist, not dust,” she corrects jovially. “That’s your department. Haven’t been too bad, procrastinating a fall wardrobe. Yourself?”
“In certain circumstances,” Chance laughs to Malin, “But perhaps not in this one. I would like to enjoy the rest of the festival without potential gastrointestinal distress.”
Sophie says “I’m a ..sucker for figs.“
“A wise man you are,” Malin relays to Chance of her thoughts on his decision. “She probably didn’t wash her hands first. I think it was the woman who Charlotte saw eating out of the dumpster near out apartment.”
Malin points at Charlotte.
Seraphina laughs merrily at Dovie, “I have the ham and guyere thanks to you. I was trying to stop with two, but I just couldn’t contain myself.”
Gabriel gives a slight shrug of his shoulders toward Aeryn, “Dealing with the usual chaos. Came here just to get away from it for a little while.”
Obadiah looks over to Seraphina, “I think the Ham and the fig need to go on the menu full time, but this quiche is also heavenly.”
Dovie chuckles at Seraphina, “Well they’re delicious! I’ve only had two, but I’m sampling the others.”
Matthew says “The omelet I’d want a slice of for breakfast anytime, so definitely get that on the menu, too! “
“Sometime you’ll have to tell me what ‘chaos’ entails,” Aeryn muses to Gabriel, drawing an eye over everyone eating. “If everyone tries them all, it makes selecting one more difficult…”
Sophie asks Jeremiah, “Did you find a snack or two to enjoy?”
Matthew makes his way over to Lillian, leaning in to whisper to her.
Seraphina smiles beamishly at Matthew, Malin, Dovie. “It is going to go onto the menu, for sure. Both!” This brings her glee, but then, so do pies, and she’s backs to nibbling on other contestant’s pies. “This was a perfect opportunity for me to get back into the kitchen, and the coffee house does need a breakfast option that isn’t just sugar.”
Dovie nods at Seraphina. “As it should! And yes, lots of breakfast options. I support this!”
Jeremiah nods. “I did, thank you. I had some corn and some candy apple. Probably good, because the cider is strong.” he says with a smile.
“I don’t understand,” Thomas asks Seraphina. “Why does it need a breakfast option that’s not just sugar?”
Cristal shakes her head at Thomas with a tsk tsk. “Y’all ain’t learn nuthin bout the food pyramid, did ya?? Damn. Education these days.”
Matthew motions Aeryn over towards him, “Aeryn, have you met our esteemed Judge, Lillian Ashbrook?” he wonders, offering up an introduction.
Thomas turns to look at Cristal, his mouth full of rhubarb pie.
“Not everyone wants to eat a donut everyday, but I mean, I wouldn’t complain. My butt would though.” Seraphina murmurs, helping herself again to another pie to hit those hips of hers.
“I’m certain I have, but I am horrible with memory,” Aeryn gives a smile toward Lillian. “I do not envy your job.”
“I tried to mix up the pure sugar of the candy corn and caramel popcorn with ..huh..I have a lot of corn. Roasted corn..popcorn..candy corn..” Sophie laughs quietly at the realization, “I think I was on a kick.”
“Do we have each other on MyHaven?” Thomas wonders of Lillian. “I am someone, he says. To Aeryn “She is stuffing herself with pie. What’s not to like?”
Jeremiah grins at Sophie. “That’s a-maize-ing.”
Casey climbs up on the stage again after she’s left her guitar case in the trunk of her car. She moves more to center stage to plug in. Presumably something is prepared..she tips her head to Sophie then says, “Yes lets hope I don’t fuck up too much.”
Charlotte gives Malin a squeeze and, as is her usual MO, gets to her feet and slips out, irish goodbye-ing the whole event.
Lillian waves at Aeryn. “We’ve met once or twice briefly, I believe. What’s the bar, though? I’ll have to check it out.” She gives Thomas a nod. “I am bad about adding people on Myhaven, but I can get on that. I’m Midknight. With a K.”
“Edgy,” Thomas deadpans to Lillian.
Obadiah beams at Dovie, “You know any of these recipes you want to put on your menu at your fancy restaurant you can. Or Highgate Coffee. They don’t really fit the vibe of the Brine or the Taco stand.”
“The music’s getting started,” Matthew announces to the group, “Feel free to wander around and enjoy the activities!”
Sophie nods at Casey, “I’ll let the boss know!” She gives Jeremiah a sideways glance, caught off by his CORNy joke as she chuckles, “Uh huh.”
“Velvet and Vine,” Aeryn nods to Lillian. “Fall menu incoming shortly, because I’m told it’s all about pumpkin.”
“It looks like I sent a match at some point,” Thomas tells Lillian. Glancing over, “Is the music about to start?” He starts to rise.
Matthew slips over towards Malin, checking in on her, “You wanan come listen to the music?”
Jeremiah shakes his head at Casey. “That’s what makes live music so special. The little mistakes, the changes, the inconsistencies. It makes things memorable. Otherwise, we could all just listen to overproduced tracks on our phones. So don’t sweat that, in my opinion.”
Malin replies to Matthew, “I will follow wherever you may lead.”
Matthew leads Malin to the stage, taking her hand in his own, taking to one of the chairs to watch the music begin.
Thomas takes a bite of rhubarb again before he goes to listen to the music.
Casey lightly strums a chord, then takes a moment to tune the guitar while she waits on center stage. She bobs her head to Jeremiah then says, “I know, but I usually prepare better and even then I get nervous as hell. This is worse.” she gives a half-hearted smile. Constantly underselling herself it seems. Maybe to set expectations as low as possible.
Thomas wonders of Jeremiah, “This your girl?”
Jeremiah shakes his head at Thomas. “No.”
Seraphina uses a 16wiggly 80corgi 16puppy80/i/i>: 16The puppy watches movement with quiet intensity, tail wagging in slow pulses.
Jakem meanders in, glancing about “Huh, let’s see here. Where yah wanna sit?” he asks Annabelle.
Sophie shouts, “Go Casey!!” She whistles loudly and smiles, “You got this!”
Dovie uses a 02sh08arp14 an20d r21eac28tiv29e 31Shib31a 29Inu28 pu21ppy20 na14med08 Mo02chi : 02The 08puppy 14snorts 20with 21theatrical 28flair, 29then 31pounces 02as 08if 14performing 20for 21an 28invisible 29audience.
Seraphina asks the corgi, “Should we go and check out the music, your highness?
Aeryn says “Ohh, a puppy.“
Casey picks a few notes individually with her fingertips, getting a feel for her guitar hanging by its strap around her neck while she sways a little on the stage. Her dark brown eyes watch the crowd slowly migrate towards the stage. At Sophie’s whistle there is an embarrassed smile from her that shows off her white teeth for a short moment.
Seraphina uses a 16wiggly 80corgi 16puppy80/i/i>: 80The corgi perks its ears at every new sound, swiveling like tiny radar dishes./span>
Annabelle looks around, first to the ground but decides cigarette butts are not pleasant company. “Mmmmmmmmmmmm.. I dun- oh yeah?” Her train of thought tracks over to Jeremiah, grinning sweetly. “Hopefully it stays that way. Insides belong on the inside.”
Sophie gives Thomas a nod, “Proff.”
Aeryn says “There should be a pie with a little bit of poison. For ambiance.“
Matthew steps over and announces, “We will announce winners after Casey’s set. Feel free to wander around and check things out. The announcement will be on the main stage.”
“It was nice to see you in class,” Thomas tells Sophie. “Though I admit it was a little bit of a distracted seminar.”
Chance nods in the direction of the stage and says, “Going to go check out Casey’s performance.”
Sophie shrugs at Thomas, “It happens. I wish it had gone a bit more in deptbh but, that’s just me.”
Casey stands on the wooden platform, boots still to anchor her behind her microphone stand. A light breeze moves her dress and the ribbons in her hair as she adjusts the strap of her guitar. She doesnt smile. Not yet. The femme leans into the mic, and tests the strings of her worn guitar with a slow strum, letting the raw sound settle into the hush of the crowd. The black babydoll dress sported by the emo is nearly too short at the skirt for being elevated on stage. Anyone in the front row risk a more exciting show if the wind gust at the wrong moment but for the moment she avoids making it an R rated event
“Maybe I’ll hold a proper lecture,” Thomas tells Sophie. “Rather than just a discussion.”
Obadiah looks to Dovie, Aeryn, Gabriel, and Seraphina, “Should we check out the concert? We cna hear it from here though.”
“Who won the pie-annihilating contest, then?” Mirabel asaks Annabelle, having come to stand near her in the crowd. “We couldn’t hear from over here.”
Matthew nods, smiling, “Okay, I’ll go grab a pumpkin–” he pauses and asks of the people present, “Anyone here want a pumpkin to carve while I go pick some from the patch?”
Seraphina wanders away with a tartlet in hand, the corgi trying to stay behind with Moose and Mochi, however, “Come along!”
“Sure, hook me up. I’ll carve a pumpkin,” Chance says to Matthew.
“I’m going to get a little closer,” Seraphina says, warmly.
Dovie says “Which way is it?“
Matthew says “Any of you want to carve pumpkins while you watch, I’m about to grab some. “
Annabelle widens her eyes at the question being directed of her, surrendering with a squeeze of Jakem’s arm. “Oh I dunno, Miss Kane. I don’t think voting started. I’m at a bar in my head trying to put a trash baby on a corporate throne, I have no idea.”
Cristal says “More pie for me!!“
Cristal cackles and reaches for some more.
The crowd continues to gather close to the wooden stage, the smell of kettle corn and hay drifting through the crisp autumn air. The sun hangs in the sky, casting a golden glow across the fairground, glinting off the black ribbons tied neat in Casey’s pigtails and the lace choker with its small inverted cross. The femme does not fit the country-style fair at all. Her boots thud softly on the platform as she settles with her guitar in a playing stance. For a moment, there is a pause of silence and then she strums the first chords of her song
Her voice cuts in, raw and steady, carried by the hollow strum of strings.
“You pulled me into your night like I was nothing more than a shadow”
“hands on my hips before I even spoke a word”
“The way you kissed me, it was all heat, no promise”
“and I knew right then you werent gonna ask who I was”
By the time the femme is through the opening verse, only the odd straggler hasn’t made it to this part of the fairground.
Jakem hmm’s to Annabelle “I suppose you could for a bit, Casey’s songs aren’t too long. How much armor are you wearing under that getup?”
“Yes?” Annabelle answers Jakem, hesitantly. “I’m not a pumpkin. Don’t carve me.”
Obadiah comes in with the stragglers from the pie contest and stands with them in the crowd, one very nosey beagle in his arms
Matthew comes with two extra pumpkins, placing them out for anyone to grab before he takes his place right back with Malin. There he begins to carve a pumpkin.
“A trash–huh. Well, be careful,” Mirabel supposes, looking a little bemused at Annabelle’s answer. “And don’t drink too much tonight.”
Dovie uses a 02sh08arp14 an20d r21eac28tiv29e 31Shib31a 29Inu28 pu21ppy20 na14med08 Mo02chi : 02The 08Shiba 14Inu 20flicks 21its 28tail 29and 31lifts 02one 08paw 14mid-thought, 20frozen 21in 28quiet 29calculation.
Malin smiles as Matthew presents her with a pumpkin. “Thank you,” she tells him warmly, pulling out her knife and happily beginning to carve away with so little talent.
With a corgi now in her arms, Seraphina seeks to find a space amidst the crowd to either sit or stand and watch Casey’s performance.
Seraphina uses a 16wiggly 80corgi 16puppy80/i/i>: 16The puppy rolls onto its back when overwhelmed with joy, paws curled in delight.
“Thanks,” Chance says when the pumpkins are brought around with a grin and goes fishing about in his backpack for his knife.
Jakem doesn’t have a lighter, but he does hold up a video of a fire on his cell phone. It appears to be the results of an arsonist being reported on by the news, but the video is zoomed in on the flame specifically at least.
“Yes ma’am.” Annabelle accepts of this beer restriction, warding off this substance illegal for her age. Then, tip-toe’ing, she concludes to Jakem. “I mean. I dunno. I’m putting on muscle, but I’m taller than most the people in front of us. Do you have a big trenchcoat?”
Malin continues to carve her pumpkin, and her tongue is caught between her teeth in concentration.
Casey lets the chords fall slow and deliberate, fingers tracing the strings as her gaze drifts slightly, almost watching the fairground around her instead of the crowd. The sun casts long shadows across the pumpkins surrounding the stage and she leans into the mic with a sly, knowing expression.
“Your words came easy, lines youve probably used before”
“I didnt stop you, I didnt care”
“Sometimes its not about forever”
“Sometimes its just about the heat of the moment”
“And the way strangers can feel like fire”
“I let you in for a night, no promises, no names”
“You thought it meant more than it did, but I already walked away”
The femme seems to grow more comfortable on stage by the moment, swaying a little with her guitar hanging from its strap as she temporarily takes her hands off it to adjust the microphone stand.
Jeremiah begins to sway in time with the music, tapping one hand against his leg as he does so.
Dovie nods at Gabriel and bops to the music, holding Mochi’s paws to make him dance to the beat.
Seraphina rubs the belly as it is demanded of her to do when the corgi flops in her arms to reveal all that soft tuft.
Obadiah grins at Dovie. He doesn’t sway but lets the beagle down to let him wander around the crowd at his feet
Aeryn stretches her arms, giving a glance to her phone.
Sophie quietly sways to the music, enjoying the moment and the fall atmosphere.
Thomas rolls his eyes at Seraphina. “That dog,” he says to her. “I swear — you love it more than anything,” he teases, before he looks back up at the stage.
Looking up at the stage, Thomas watches Casey perform with some easy smile.
The chords pick up subtly, ringing brighter as Casey takes hold of her guitar again and leans into the mic, letting the acoustic guitar carry the rhythm of her words.
“You dont even know my name”
“Not the sound of my voice when Im not whispering in your ear”
“But youll remember the taste of the night”
“And how fast it disappeared when the sun came up”
“You dont even know my name”
She tilts her head slightly, letting a sly smile touch her lips as her fingers linger on the strings as she tells the story of a one night stand in the form of a song. Her boots press into the wooden stage, and she watches the crowd with that sharp, knowing look, letting the silence between the notes speak as loudly as her voice.
“You’re just jealous because I don’t rub your furry belly.” Seraphina remarks, still giving a round puppy belly all the love.
Matthew knifes into his pumpkin, cutting out eye holes, then a little triangle of a nose. He starts going for the teeth but it is all too fine and ends up as chunks gorged out of its mouth.
“My belly isn’t furry!” Thomas protests to Seraphina.
Obadiah looks at his phone and becomes confused then sad then types off a quick response before sliding his phone back into his pants, returning back to the performance
Kaelyn slinks in, mingling with the edges of the crowd. She tucks her hands in her back pocket, watching the stage.
Chance finds himself a place to sit off to one side and begins the process of carving his little pumpkin, first the eyes, then the mouth, carefully etching out small uneven teeth and a curved tongue, making it look as though it were yawning. His attention is half on the pumpkin and half on stage, stopping the cutting long enough to watch Casey on stage.
The strumming slows, softer and more deliberate, as Casey leans back slightly, voice dropping into a teasing, almost conversational tone.
“Dont mistake me for the one whos aching”
“You fell in love”
“But I left you standing in the dark”
“With nothing but your own ego to hold onto”
“You thought you could keep me close”
“But I dont play by your rules, I play my own way”
“And if you remember anything at all, let it be this”
“You knew what this was from the start”
The new report on Jakem’s phone eventually shifts to a reporter, so Jakem gives up the lighter waving to let out a bellowed ‘Wooo!’ of hooted approval.
Matthew bobs his head to the music, clearly enjoying the tunes. His pumpkin’s all carved up, the extra pieces left out on the ground.
Sophie sighs at the lyrics, as they hit a familiar note. Glancing around she takes note of those listening, those eating and those carving pumpkins. Which she notes on her clipboard before returning to swaying.
Dovie yells out at Preston. “What every girl wants to hear!”
And wouldn’t you know it, when the corgi is set down to also wander the crowd, Your Highness here has the audacity to start nibbling on the discarded pieces of pumpkin while Seraphina momentarily looses sight of the little thing, in leieu of watching the show.
Matthew snorts a laugh at Dovie’s comment.
Preston arrives to the Festival fashionably late. He’s slightly grimy, clearly, and he’s leading Navessa along. After.. well, a not so hushed conversation, he’s grunting towards Sophie and Dovie both. “I’m a big fan of pie, yes.” Said with an entirely serious face. “All kinds of ’em.”
Navessa returns to the festival with Preston in tow, looking a little rougher than when she left: but not injured! Successful rescue mission. There is a laugh as Dovie overhears the man’s comments. “He did not,” she admits to Sophie. “I left before he was awake.” There’s a light tug to the man’s hand. “C’mon, we can go see the pies.”
Matthew wonders of thoes present, “Any of you try out the games, there are some cool prizes in there. I especially like the puzzle cubes and boomerangs. Yo-yos are fun, too.”
Seraphina uses a 16wiggly 80corgi 16puppy80/i/i>: 16The puppy trots in tight circles before settling into a loaf.
Dovie uses a 02sh08arp14 an20d r21eac28tiv29e 31Shib31a 29Inu28 pu21ppy20 na14med08 Mo02chi : 02The 08Shiba 14Inu 20darts 21forward 28with 29sudden 31precision, 02then 08halts 14as 20if 21reconsidering 28the 29chase. 31
Malin has been focuses on her pumpkin carving very hard. Finally, she finishes, and then displays the finished work to Matthew.
Casey shifts slightly where she stands, letting the guitar ring out with warm, resonant chords. Her black ribbons blow in the breeze, and the cross on her lace choker glints as she leans forward, eyes sharp, scanning the crowd with that signature mix of mischief and control.
“You dont even know my name”
“But you’ll carry the memory anyway”
“Not just a lover, not even a friend”
“But as the girl who left you wanting”
“And maybe thats the part youll never forget”
“I wasnt hoping you’d care”
“I was just here, taking what I wanted, leaving you to wonder”
“You dont even know my name”
“Yeah, you don’t even know my name..”
The last note hangs in the air as she lets her fingers rest on the strings, eyes sweeping the audience once more. A faint smile tugs at her lips, and she leans back slightly, boots planted firmly on the wooden platform, letting the quiet settle around her like a final punctuation.
Dovie claps for Casey, cheering with the crowd.
From the crowd, Thomas claps, cheering. “Well done!”
Sophie applauds softly and then not so softly!
Matthew grins at Malin’s jack-o-lantern, “I love it. We should put it on the balcony,” he tells her. Then points at his own, “I went the traditional route.”
Jeremiah cheers for Casey, clapping along with the others.
Annabelle stirs and begins to give a slower slap of her palms.
Navessa seems to be encouraging Preston towards the pies. “Someone save me a pumpkin to carve.” Says the sculptor.
Chance lets out a whistle along with his applause, cheering Casey on.
Jakem claps with a slightly cuppied hand to created a booming applause almost by his lonesome “Woot, Casey, rennaissance woman of the faire!” he calls up tot he stage.
Malin tries to get a look at Matthew’s carved pumpkin.
Kaelyn puts her hands together in an mostly energetic clap, cheering softly with the crowd.
A nod towards Navessa and Dovie both, but Preston’s soon clapping for Casey. “Wooooo!” The man shouts suddenly, and loudly. “GOOD SHIT CASE!” And then, he’s walking off, towards the pies.
Aeryn gives a little wave, glancing at her phone before heading out.
Obadiah claps loudly after chuckling at someone with a shake of his head at the pie joke
Casey leans into the microphone after she finds Matthew somewhere in the crowd carving pumpkins, “Lets all give our appreciation to Matthew for putting this fair together. This takes a lot of work and its for our benefit.”
Obadiah claps loudly after chuckling at Preston with a shake of his head at the pie joke
Seraphina applauds loudly for Casey, then even moreso for Matthew. “Woooo!” she calls out, a hand at the side of her mouth.
Malin looks entirely impressed as Matthew shows off his finished pumpkin. “That looks fantastic, babe.”
Sophie cheers loudly for Matthew.
Matthew starts clapping for Casey, “Great music!” he calls out, lifting a hand and then pointing towards Sophie, “Hey big shout out to Sophie who was equal parts in making it happen–” and then a finger in Malin, “And of course Malin who always manages to help carry me across the finish line!””
Dovie claps for Matthew and Sophie.
Dovie claps for Malin too!!
Matthew winks at Malin.
Navessa returns to join Preston after darting off to the concessions, handing off a can of cider. “To go with the pies,” she explains.
“I just bought the prizes from the black market to avoid paying the cost of tariffs,” Malin assures Matthew.
Matthew steps out of the crowd and makes his way over to the mainstage.
“The one that says vote for me on it?” The man asks, “I will vote for me.” A huge shit-eating grin on his face, “Which means, I’m voting for myself!” Preston replies, and then opens his hand up towards Navessa for the cider.
Casey grins from the stage then steps away from the microphone, slipping the guitar strap from her neck so shes can carry the instrument by the neck. She dismounts the stage to join the crowd, choosing to gravitate towards Thomas’s side once there
Navessa steps up to the table, nodding to Cristal. “Gonna introduce me to your friend, Pres?” She starts looking over the pies that were not there when she left hers behind. There is a point to it, though the name tag should serve well enough. “There’s mine. Glad I didn’t go with a shepherd’s pie. There’s a lot of savory pies here.”
Cristal waves to Navessa. “Hiya!! I’m Cristal! I gotta try ya pie!”
“Navessa,” Navessa responds with a smile. “Nice to meet you, Cristal.”
Preston gestures to Cristal and to Navessa. “Cristal,” the man says, and then gestures back to Navessa. “Navessa.” A beat. “Cristal’s..” snorting he looks over the pies. “I already tried yours, Navs,” grinning at her. “Absolutely fucking delicious.”
Seraphina smirks at Thomas, at this protest made earlier. There is a nod to Dovie, “I was going to suggest, also, at Inkwell. I put the offer out to Teagan too. Any support of the arts, I think, is good.”
Matthew steps up onto the stage after Casey, offering up another round of applause, “Let’s give it up to Casey one more time, I love hearing the local musicians and I know I’ll definitely be going to the next club she books a show at, so I can see what she does when a distortion pedal gets thrown in the mix.” He waves her way then speaks up, “Alright Lillian, get on up here, our esteemed judge will you please come and announce the winners?”
“Well done,” Thomas tells Casey. “You need to perform more often,” he says to her. “Though honestly — it may just be that I don’t see you out and about.” He nods to Seraphina. “Put her on at Inkwell!” he says.
Matthew steps aside, yielding the mic to Sophie for any announcements she has for the crowd.
Chance gives Casey another round of applause and then whistles, “Wooo Lillian!” He then quiets again to listen to Sophie’s announcement.
“Good.” Navessa says with a satisfied nod. She does glance off, biting at her lip. “I’m gonna go check out some of those games. You enjoy the pies. Text me if you need me?” There’s a squeeze to Preston’s hand as she leaves him with his cider and, openin gher own, starts off to look for the games. Particularly that axe throwing one she saw on the way in…
Sophie wanders up to the stage with a crate of award to hand off to Lillian. She laughs and shakes her head at the Mic, “I’m the background girl! Pretend I’m not here.”
Annabelle’s palms start once again towards a repetitive smack, lips parted on a ‘W.’
Casey bobs her head to Thomas, “I have been slacking. Plus there hasn’t been many gigs to do and its a LOT of work to set anything up myself.”
Thomas tells Casey, “Better to set something up yourself. Once the mists move on, we should do some kind of badass show on the volcano,” he tells her.
Dovie looks at her map. “Hmmm…”
Obadiah watches Dovie wheel and deal before looking towards the stage for the announcements of winners,
Dovie asks Chance, Gabriel, and Obadiah. “What do we want to do?”
Dovie adds, looking around. “Where did Jeremiah go?”
Jeremiah says “I’m here.“
“Lean on MacDuff!” Obadiah tells Dovie before looking over his shoulder at Seraphina and Thomas, briefly.
“Effort.” Casey sours at Thomas, grimacing openly. She smiles then after and just shrugs her narrow shoulders. “Last time I set up a show it was at the Nightside and the mist blanketed the place. Had to relocate to the Den instead.”
“Hey, Obie,” Thomas tells Obadiah with a smile. “What about MacDuff?”
Lillian is clapping on her way to the stage. She stands out of the way when first up there, unsure of what’s going on, but once Sophie explains she’s meant to be in the background, Lillian hurries on over to the mic. “Right,” she says into it, accepting and holding the crown. “Let’s go with the fan winner first, since it probably means more to win over a bunch of people than just me? That one goes to Obie, with the savory duck and cherry pie!”
Jakem calls to Casey “I wish you relocated to the Den. You went to that place of Eva’s. We had you for that student performance.”
Dovie asks Chance and Jeremiah. “Want to come hit up apple bobbing with us?”
Jeremiah nods to Dovie. “Sure. Sounds like fun!”
Obadiah says “Want to come… do apples with us?“
“I am just waiting to hear who won!” Seraphina says.
Jakem shrugs to Casey “Cool, then you won’t notice if we move you to the stage. Can set up a little residence there, and we can pipe out whatever you sign in the shower to the audience.”
Matthew begins to clap from his place on the stage, pointing towards Obadiah from the stage, delivering his props with a thumbs up.
Sophie applauds softly for the winner.
“Congrats Obie!” Dovie calls out.
“I think he took your advice.” Annabelle nudges Jakem. “About the voting thing.”
Malin applauds Obadiah.
Jeremiah cheers for Obadiah
Jakem shrugs to Annabelle “I never did figure out how to vote. Suppose it shall remain forever a mystery.”
Lillian is clapping on her way to the stage. She stands out of the way when first up there, unsure of what’s going on, but once A short busty green haired female explains she’s meant to be in the background, Lillian hurries on over to the mic. “Right,” she says into it, accepting and holding the crown. “Let’s go with the fan winner first, since it probably means more to win over a bunch of people than just me? That one goes to Obie, with the savory duck and cherry pie!”
“Wait what?” says as all eyes turn to Obadiah. “What did I do?”
“You made that dman good cherry and duck pie,” Matthew shouts loud enough for the mic to pick up, “Get on up here and get your trophy!”
Chance lets out a shrill whistle and applauds for Obadiah, “Goooo Obie!”
Annabelle uses a O: a pink 60Instax mini analog camera, pointed right at you! :O: The eye of the Instax mini shutters before you, then flashes you.
Jeremiah cheers and claps for Obadiah
Casey gives Jakem a smile at the last thing he said but her attention shifts to Thomas as she teases him, “Is this weird for you to be up in the sunlight like this?”
“I don’t cheat!” Obadiah shouts to the north and then mounts the stage to receive the trophy, actually blushing faintly. “I mean, thank you all.”
Thomas laughs to Casey. “I tend to have less work during the weekends,” he says to her. “I’m not a vampire, after all.” He’s looking at the stage, though, his eyes thoughtful.
Seraphina looks pleased as pie at the announcement made, clapping incessantly for Obadiah, until she realizes her corgi is not by her, and so she begins to wander the crowd.
Seraphina uses a 16wiggly 80corgi 16puppy80/i/i>: 80The corgi greets familiar faces with a full-body wag that starts at the shoulders./span>
Jakem shakes his head to Annabelle “Wasn’t paying attention. What is?” he asks as he starts to mosey.
“I know you told me that but I was still suspicious.” Casey tels Thomas with a grin, she continues to tease him as she mentions. “I’ve never heard of a vampire wearing a hawaiian shirt after all.”
Lillian hands over the crown to Obadiah and then steps back up to the mic. “And for the judge winner… the two I liked best were the fig tartlet and the Irish apple tart… but between the two, I think the I’ll have to pick the Irish apple tart to be the winner! That would be…” She quickly checks her phone. “Navessa’s!”
Dovie claps for someone. “Congratulations!!”
Dovie claps for Navessa. “Congratulations!!”
There is some frown, now, as Thomas watches the stage, though it is banished soon enough by a smile for someone’ victory.
Jeremiah claps and hoots for someone
There is some frown, now, as Thomas watches the stage, though it is banished soon enough by a smile for Navessa’s victory.
Malin applauds for Navessa as Lillian announces her favourite pie.
Jeremiah claps and hoots for Navessa
Kaelyn gives a clap between trying to juggle with her new pumpkin friend.
Matthew starts clapping lokoing all around for the winner, “Is she here?” he asks, “Navessa, kindly make your way to the stage, you must have sent more money than me cus I thought for sure–” he shoots Lillian a look that’s so over the top that it’s clear the guy’s joking at Dad-joke levels
Obadiah puts his crown on and smiles with a cheeky grin as he starts to clap for Navessa
Navessa comes running in because she was totally trying to dominate the axe throwing game. No surprise. “Ahem, sorry, sorry. There were axes. Hi, yes, hello.”
Chance lets out another loud whistle and gives a round of applause to Navessa as she goes up to claim her prize. “Congrats Nav!”
Lillian laughs and nods at Matthew. “Then he gets to hand Navessa her trophy,” she decides.
Matthew starts laughing at something Lillian says away from the mic and nods at her, agreeing or consenting to something.
With the winners announced, Thomas crosses to Seraphina as she searches for her corgi to steal a kiss. “I need to take care of a few things,” he tells her. “Are you going to hang out for a bit?” he asks her.
“And here, Obie, I was getting ready to accuse you of bribery,” Navessa tells him with a bit of a smirk. “Guess I’ll save that accusation for another time.”
Seraphina picks up the corgi, its mouth orange from munching on pumpkin guts and pumpkin rind, cradling it in order to also applaud for Navessa, though there is a minute disappointment. It doesn’t last long when she calls out, “Congratulations to the winners! They were all so good, so hard to even decide!”
Dovie nods in agreement, clapping for all. “It was very delicious!”
Jakem lifts a hand to wave to a few folks, then moves on through the crowd.
Obadiah chuckles and then says, “Navi will look better in the crown!” He then comments to Seraphina “I am still thinking about the Ham though.”
Lillian does a little award swap with Obadiah off to the side and then hands the crown over to Navessa. “And as I said while enjoying all of the pies, you all were winners in any lesser pie contest. Not one of them disappointed, and so I’m sure they’ll all be wiped out by the end of the day!”
Dovie returns to ask Jeremiah and Gabriel. “Where’s Chance? Once Obie’s back from the stage we can go apple bobing!”
Obadiah hops off the stage and nods to Dovie
“GIve it up to all the pies!” Matthew starts clapping loudly, throwing out to the group, “I’m pleased everyone is here, there’s plenty to enjoy at your leisure, feel free to wander about and enjoy the rest of your day, folks.” And with that, he slides off of the stage.
Chance wanders around a bit and then back over to Dovie. “Sorry, needed to de-pumpkin. Back now. Let’s bob!”
“I heard something about a horse getting into the apple bobbing and that it might be full of horse spittle.” Seraphina says quietly over to someone. “I’m sure that Soph cleaned it all up though.”
Navessa promptly wears the crown because, of course. “Thank you,” she says to Lillian before meandering her way down off the stage to return to the axe throwing. Because she will dominate it. Even if she has to take out her own.
Casey trails after the group thats gone off to apple bob, her casual trek indicates she probably just intends to observe
“I heard something about a horse getting into the apple bobbing and that it might be full of horse spittle.” Seraphina says quietly. “I’m sure that Soph cleaned it all up though.” She head over to Thomas, “I’m going to go watch the apple bobbing. Are you staying?{”
Dovie rubs her head, her cheeks flushed. “I’m feeling a little off,” she tells the others.
Thomas leans in to steal a kiss from Seraphina. “No,” he tells her. “I need to take care of something. You’re good to walk home?”
Dovie tells Jeremiah, Gabriel and Chance. “Sorry everyone. I just feel badly right now. I’m going to curl up at home and rest.”
Gabriel rubs his face, “Yeah, I’m feeling like shit too.. Which is not a good sign.”
Chance waves as Dovie departs, “Well.. hmm.. maybe apple bobbing isn’t in the cards for right now.”
“Always,” Seraphina says to Thomas. Mostly. She pecks his lips, then twice, then with a smile to the others, she starts toward where a group has now diverged to.
Chance glances over toward Gabriel, “You’re not feeling well either?”
Jeremiah says “Hm. Someone did make a joke about poisoning one of the pies… I hope it was a joke, anyway.“
Gabriel shakes his head at Chance, “Nah.. which means it’s fucking magic. Good luck to you all. I’m going to go crawl in a hole.”
Obadiah coughs and snorts a drippy nose. “Imr fine.”
“I don’t feel anything. I kinda feel left out.” Casey laments out loud. Pouting then she heads off towards her car with her guitar in hand
Malin starts to look a bit unless, gazing at Matthew. “I think I was right. That was poison that I tasted in the handprinted pie.”
Chance glances after Gabriel, and then over to Obadiah and squints a little, “You sure about that, man?”
“Obie, I might have to invoke the ‘anyone leaking from any cranial orifice, please don’t bob’ rule here.” Jeremiah says to Obadiah.
Malin scrunches her nose, telling Matthew, “Probably unwashed hands poison…”
Obadiah says “I am gonna go rests“
Lillian clears her throat after people depart and gingerly steps off the stage. “Shit. Something going around?”
Seraphina walks ove to Obadiah.
Chance touches his nose and then points toward Jeremiah, “Yeah I’m gonna.. go with that, too.” He frowns slightly, “Go get some rest. Feel better.”
Jeremiah says “Feel better, Obie.“
“oh…” Seraphina says.
Obadiah waits for Seraphina
Malin informs Lillian, “I think it was that pie from the homeless lady… It tasted… off… and now we’re all getting sick.”
“You’re not feeling well?” Seraphina asks.
Jeremiah squints as people around them are dropping like flies. “This is not good.”
Lillian wrinkles her nose. “Then I think I am going to retire from being a pie judge,” she jokes, before coughing her mouth with an arm to cough again.
“Yeah, for real,” Chance says then asks Jeremiah, “Did you try the handprint pie?”
Obadiah doesn’t look good at all, “I am fine.” He is not fine.
“There was a note on it that read something about poison in French, and I had immediate regrets,” Malin says to Lillian about the dumpster diver’s pie.
Jeremiah shakes his head to Chance. “I had… Navessa’s and Cristal’s, and that’s it. The handprint one looked sketchy.”
Lillian puts a hand to her forehead. “Fuck. I should’ve asked what that meant when I saw it.”
Chance looks at Obadiah critically and says, “You need a ride to the hospital or something?” He glances from Obadiah to Seraphina and then back again, concern clearly written across his features. Then he nods to Jeremiah, “Yeah, me either. And I’m feeling fine.”
Jeremiah says “Same. “
Preston looks at his phone and grunts. “Fuck,” a beat, “I think we might need to do another rescue soon.”
“Thank you, though, for stepping in as the judge, Lillian,” Malin says to Lillian with as much as a smile as she can manage whilst ill. “I know it was short notice, but you did a great job.”
Navessa meanders in, sipping at her cider. “Did we overhear talk of… poison?” She looks over to Preston, frowning. “Another rescue?”
A look from his phone to Navessa. “Poison?” A sigh, “Someone crashed in the mist, they made it out though. Gonna give them a lift.” Since Navessa doesn’t care about dirt. She’s got paint and stuff all over her – not now! But sometimes! “You’re good to stick around?” Preston asks.
Jeremiah tosses a cider can into the trash.
Lillian returns that smile over to Malin, despite her own illness. “It was a fun time, and I’m glad I could help out. Hopefully next time I’ll have a better handle on the awarding part.” She laughs lightly at herself.
Obadiah says “I am fine, Esme may need a place though“
Jeremiah nods. “She can crash with me.”
“You ate that weird one, didn’t you?” Seraphina asks Obadiah, stepping away in case of projectiles. “The one with that handprint on it… I stayed far away from it.”
Matthew look woozy, just sitting there beside Malin, sweating just a little bit. “I dont’ feel that great,” he murmurs to her, “you feeling okay?”
“Yeah, I’ll stick around for the moment. Might swing by my studio briefly after.” Navessa gives Preston a squeeze of his hand. “Go be a hero.”
Jeremiah says “Same here. It just looked off.“
Chance nods and says, “That does seem to be the common factor,” to Seraphina.
Stepping in, Preston pecks Navessa on the lips, and heroes off.
Chance nods vaguely back toward the festivities and says, “I’m going to go see if they need help in there getting things cleaned up since I live pretty much right here. Text if anyone needs anything.”
“I ate the pie,” Obadiah says pitting his hand on his tum
“A lot of people wimp out and run the other way, so I’m glad you had the guts to come through,” Malin gives a slight nod to Lillian. “When given such short notice that is. Next time, hopefully there isn’t food poisoning…” She shakes her head at Matthew. “No… but if it is just food poisoning, we can probably stop it with six drops of Lugol’s iodine in some water… If it’s actual poison, which… it may very well be…” Her breathing is a bit laboured. “We probably just have to wait it out because unless we can find that woman, I’d have no idea the antidote.”
“Finger in the back of the throat.” Seraphina tells Obadiah.
Matthew squints at Malin, “Wait, we think it was that pie?” He looks positively betrayed. “What the actual fuck?!”
Matthew says “I want a man hunt done on this hobo who came into the faireground. “
Jeremiah says “I’ll be right back.“
Matthew says “I saw them, they were on a horse, smelled like horse and everything. “
Navessa lifts her hand, approaching the crowd. The poisoned crowd. “I’m not sure, but I might be able to help if it is poison. Just by, ah-” she sort of gestures, absently. “Angelborn, aura…”
Matthew tells Malin, “You really can’t trust a horse lover, or the poor, they’ll do anything.”
Jeremiah says I overheard y’all… and yeah, so far the common factor of everyone who’s feeling sick is the handprint pie.
Chance makes his way over toward Malin and Matthew and says, “Yeah, a real pale bony horse. She just sorta came in, left the pie, and left. You want any help cleaning up around here while you two get some rest?”
“Well I’m no coward,” Lillian jokes, before coughing again. She wrinkles her nose. “Did you all see her bring it by? No one recognized her?”
Malin nods gently in agreement with Matthew. “The Viscount would never allow a poisoning,” she counters, though, a moment later, defending herself and her own obese pony. She nods lightly to Navessa and then asks someone, “Did you get a good look at the woman? I think it was the same one that Charlotte found eating out of the dumpster next to our apartment the other day.”
Jeremiah says “So far, it seems to have hot Obie, Dovie, Gabe… and a few of you.“
Malin nods gently in agreement with Matthew. “The Viscount would never allow a poisoning,” she counters, though, a moment later, defending herself and her own obese pony. She nods lightly to Navessa and then asks Chance, “Did you get a good look at the woman? I think it was the same one that Charlotte found eating out of the dumpster next to our apartment the other day.”
Matthew considers Chance’s evidence, “I’ll leave somethings up but yes, for sure we’ll need this cleaned by the end of the week,” he decides, “but not today, let’s worry about clean up tomorrow.” a beat and then he asks, “You’re not sick?”
“She passed Matthew on the way in, but I was the only one here sitting on the stage just watching people come and go. I didn’t recognize her. She looked kind of like a dirty hobo but.. I mean.. I’ve seen plenty of people who look like that. And she was riding on a really bony pale horse,” Chance explains. “That was her pie. It was the only one there before I set mine down.”
Malin says to Matthew about Chance, “I stated that I thought something was wrong with the pie after I ate it and noticed the note about poison that went along with it, so Chance chose to abstain.”
Navessa does, however, look mildly offended at mention of not trusting the poor. She just sort of shoves her hands into her pockets and hovers. “Guess you could put a call out on chat. See if anyone knows her? Maybe… phrase it like she’s due a prize? Maybe she’ll come back herself.”
Jeremiah nods. “I avoided it just because it looked sketchy, and I’m fine, too.”
Matthew says, sounding very upset, “Yes, I want to find this culprit “
“Do you still have the note?” Chance asks Malin. “What exactly did it say?”
Malin shakes her head. “It was something in French… I can’t quite recall exactly, but I only noticed it after I had taken a bite,” she says to Chance.
“And there was this metallic flavour that was not good,” Malin tells Chance.
Jeremiah says “Well, if I can be of any help to any of you, just shout. I hope those of you affected get to feeling better soon.“
Jeremiah offers a friendly nod as he walks off.
Matthew says “Where’s the pie, I want it studied. “
Navessa glances to her phone. “Well, if I hear or see anything… I’ll let people know.”
Obadiah says “I can drive though.“
Chance dips on over to the pie table and says, “No, I remember Annabelle saying she was going to remove it from the table. She must have taken it with her.”
Navessa says “I’ll text her, see if she has it.“
Chance nods and says, “I just shot her a text, too.”
Obadiah nods to Jeremiah. “I’ll keep that in mind,” then moves with Seraphina away from the crowds
Malin murmurs, “It’s always the French…” She notes, “I think every French person who has come here is a fatecrafted fake Frenchie, because they all use incorrect French grammar, and now… they also use French to leave notes about poisoning us.”
Navessa frowns at her phone and moves out quickly. “Sorrygottago”
Malin notices the sleepy looking pumpkin now, and goes, “Oh, I like that one.”
Matthew grins, nodding at the pumpkin, “Yeah, that looks good.
Chance glances up from his phone and says, “She said she’ll be back.”
Chance glances over at his pumpkin and grins, “Thanks.”
Matthew nods at Chance, “Great, can you keep hold of that pie, I want to find someone who can run tests,” he decides, “see what’s going on with–” he motions towards himself, “Someone poisoned us and this is….” he shakes his head, telling Malin, “Babe, I’m going to hire food testers for us.”
Malin says to Matthew, “You know Les Poissons means like… ‘with the fishes’ like… sleeping with the fishes… and it tasted… like that’s where it wanted people to go lie.” She nods to Matthew.
Matthew stares Malin, cus no he didn’t know. “Are you telling me someone tried to kill us?”
Malin says, “Or maybe… the fishes… but like… my instinct was this is poisoned.”
“I mean, bad fish will definitely give you food poisoning,” Chance observes. “You want me to keep it? Uh. I can hold onto it I suppose. But I have no idea who we’d bring it to to look at it. Who does .. chemical analysis? Would someone at the University?”
Out from an ambulance, Annabelle strolls over, stale pie still in its tin. “Hey guys, sorry, was discharging a patient. You wanna look at the pie?”
Malin shrugs at Matthew. “She could just be crazy! And not washed her hands after getting stuff to make it out of the dumpster, plus the ingredients… from a dumpster…”
Malin supposes, “Perhaps someone at the university or the hospital knows something about that sort of thing,” to Chance. “I don’t know anything about it.”
Matthew nods at Chance, “Yes, I don’t want it contaminating anything in the penthouse,” he says, but apparently it’s fine at his knight’s house? “And yes–” he’s nodding at Malin, “Yes, that’s a smart idea, we can get it tested at the hospital or the university. Do we know any students?”
Malin states, “But I really think the intention was the wordplay with ‘poissons’ and it made sense once I tasted that horrible thing.”
“Hey Anna, do you know anyone who could analyze the pie for like.. foodborne .. bacteria or something?” Chance asks, since he’s very much not a scientist. “Or do you think someone at Windemere?” Then he points out to Matthew, “Oh I’m not bringing that shit home. It’s going wherever it’s going to get studied or it’s going back to the dumpster from whence it came.”
“Perhaps Miss Kane has some suggestions,” Malin suggests to Matthew.
“Me.” Annabelle replies to Chance, glancing down to the paprika hand-print. “Errr. I mean, identifying the type of poison used is sorta beyond my occupation as a nurse, but I can look at the symptoms of Malin and diagnose her. If she’s showing symptoms so soon, it’s not simply bacteria.”
Annabelle rolls her eyes, and equivocates. “I am a Registered Nurse, not a Nurse Practitioner. I am not qualified to medicate her, only provide medical advise.”
Chance nods to Annabelle and says, “Well it’s not just Malin. It’s also Obadiah, Dovie, Matthew, and anyone else who took a bite out of that pie. Those of us who haven’t are fine.”
Matthew says “Does anyone have Kane’s number, see if she has suggestions? “
Malin does indeed look sickly, but so does Matthew, who is sweating visibly. “It feels very much like I have the flu,” she says to Annabelle.
Malin says to Matthew, “I just texted it to you, babe.”
Annabelle does a double take on Malin, pauses, and very slowly starts to nod. “Yep. You’re sick. Mild, not life-threatening, but it might be good to see a toxicologist. Are you supernatural? If you are uh, you’ll be fine.”
Lillian has zoned out in a chair, wiping sweat off her forehead. “Fuck. We’ll be fine then?” she asks, coming to just in time to hear that. “Good.”
“I’m a mermaid,” Malin says to Annabelle, which is a bit ironic, since the Les Poissons is a reference to The Little Mermaid song about killing fish.
Jeremiah says, “Alright, I need to head home for a bit. If I can be of any help, don’t hesitate to call on me. Anna, I’m nowhere near as skilled as you are, but I know some first aid and such, so if you need extra hands, happy to help.”
“That’s what Dovie said, that she was all sniffly and felt like she had the flu, and Obie was sniffling and looked kind of feverish too,” Chance supplies.
Jeremiah nods to Chance. “Yeah, Obie went from zero to nose-running-like-a-faucet in no time.”
“Thas so cool.” Annabelle mumbles, perhaps jealous, perhaps longing for a space unda tha sea herself. She, nonetheless, sets the pie out to the side for the sake of investigation and moves to put on a face mask. “If anyone’s natural I would recommend visiting the hospital for a diagnosis.”
Annabelle gives Jeremiah a thumbs up. “I’ll call ya.”
Jeremiah waves as he heads out.
Jeremiah says “I hope y’all feel better soon.“
Matthew points out, “I’m a mermaid too, And Obie… was someone attackign the Court?” What may well be a honest to goodness food poisoning event due to bad ingredients is escalating quickly with every new revelation the Montrose makes. “This is awful. We need to find this woman.”
Malin gives a small nod to Annabelle. “I think we are all supernaturals who dared to try that pie, but if someone else comes down sick, I will send them your way to the hospital.”
Annabelle dips her head, which brings her eyes down to the pie one last time. She gives it a stink-eye, it’s such a bad pie, doing so poorly at pie-like things. “Kay, I’ll take a shift tonight. Not really my expertise, but I followed a friend of mine through the streets for like twenty minutes, following a smell-trail. If they’re homeless, they might not have had a car. Coulda walked home.”
“Oh, she rides a pretty sickly horse, I think?” Malin says to Annabelle, glancing at Chance.
Matthew look sat Lillian, “Are you sick?” he wonders of her, “you had to eat all the pies, too.”
“Oh, there’s bunch of those.” Annabelle mumbles, faintly plussed. “Could check stop four on Blackstone? See if any in the Legion parked a horse?”
“She is.” Annabelle answers for Lillian, throwing in a medical opinion.
Lillian nods belatedly. “Yep. I’m sick, too. Came down with it right around when everyone else did, too.”
“I’m going to have that pie studied,” Matthew decides, glancing back to his phone, “but Dunno who and definitely don’t wanna bring that back to the penthouse.”
Matthew says “Maybe we should ask Ophelia to study it. “
Matthew says “Or at least keep it quarantined until we can get someone to give it a look. “
Malin gives a nod to Matthew, saying, “That’s a good idea. Ophelia does like doing all kinds of research projects.”
Annabelle gives a pair of fire-ready thumbs up to everyone. “We okay? I can recommend, within my conscience lots and lots of water, maybe some food to flush it out your system. I’m gonna head out if that’s all.”
Annabelle says “Oh! hum.“
“I’m sure we’ll all pull through, but thank you for coming by,” Malin says to Annabelle, shifting a bit in her seat uncomfortably.
Annabelle takes off her stethoscope and holds it out. “This is an artifact. If you’re familiar with how to activate those, just hold it for a second, let the light flash, and you can hand it back to me. It’ll help someone else around you recover faster for about three hours.”
“Thanks Annabelle,” Matthew says, waving in her direction, “Yes, I think we’ll manage. I at least have…” He starts drinking more cider.
Matthew says “they say an apple a day, keeps the doctor away. “
“Yes, it was a pretty sickly looking horse — pale and bony,” Chance says and then just for the record, “I’m not a mermaid.”
Matthew nods and reaches for the stethoscope, “Sure, I’ll try it.”
Chance offers Annabelle a bit of a smile and says, “Yeah, thanks for coming back. Appreciate it.”
Annabelle takes her stethoscope back, then fleees!
“I want that pie put into quarantine in the theatre,” Matthew decides, looking over the remaining crowd, “and then I think we just… rest, get better, and hope it’s as easy as that.”
“Cheers,” Lillian says, belatedly again, of Matthew’s wisdom about apples and doctors.
Matthew says “and I’m going to raid some of those prizes. Have you two gotten to check those out? “
Chance nods and says, “That sounds like a good plan,” with a faint sigh. “I hope this passes pretty quickly for everyone. Next time, no unauthorized pies before the competition.”
Chance shakes his head and says, “I really didn’t get to check anything out. We walked down to the apple bobbing and then everyone started getting sick.”
Malin offers up a nod of agreement to Matthew. “That sounds like a good idea. Leave the pie at the theatre.”
Matthew nods at Chance, pointing a finger in his direction, “Smart call. This is why you were working security.”
“Yeah, next time we inspect the food first,” Chance says with a slight shake of his head. “Make sure anyone who brings anything remains present while it’s tasted. If there’s any drop and runs, we don’t eat it.”
“That’s a very wise idea,” Malin says to Chance.
Matthew is continuing to nod, “Would’ve, could’ve, should’ve” he says, lifting the pie as he turns to look between the remaining three, “Which of my Courtiers will be making sure the pie makes it into quarantine?”
Matthew says “And… Chance needs his unique title. “
“If you can tell me where you want it to go and I have access to go there and I can find it, I can take it,” Chance says, with a slight shrug of his shoulders. “I don’t mind. I just don’t know the place.”
Sophie stops and blinks as she chews her candy apple, “I figured ya’ll would be home.”
“Oh, then you need to be the one,” Matthew decides, sounding very certain as he approaches Chance, “It’s time you wandered your way through and learned the Theatre. I think taking it to Ophelia in the medical wing, where she likely has a quarantine space available. Make sure it’s very clear this is a poisonous pie for study!”
Matthew says “Hey Sophie“
Matthew says “You trying out the games? “
Matthew says “I’ll be right back. “
“Alright,” Chance says, “I have no idea who Ophelia is, but I’ll figure it out.” He then takes the cursed pie and says, “Guess I’ll go take this over.” He then wanders off in that direction. “I don’t want to be holding this any longer than necessary.”
Matthew returns, settling in beside Malin, “You wanna go home, run hot showers?” he asks, looking like he’s not feeling too good.
Malin narrows her eyes a moment, and says to Matthew, “I think I should run to the hospital before the raid… so if I can’t get something to settle my stomach.”
Malin blinks softly, “Oh, they cancelled the raid.”
Lillian shakily rises to her feet. “I should probably try the sa– Oh, really?”
Sophie furrows her brow, “You guys gonna be ok?”
Malin shrugs those narrow shoulders. “It makes sense, I guess, with everyone being so ill.” She nods to Lillian.
Matthew nods his head, “I can go with you, might be good cus I can help you all heal faster,” is reasoned.
Matthew nods at Sophie, “Yeah, we’ll be good,” he assures her, “Thanks again for all the hard work.”
Sophie smiles at Matthew, “I just did what you said. Thanks for letting me.”
Sophie waves, “Get better. And when you find out who made that pie, lemme know so I can hurt them.”
Lillian nods back at Malin. “Yeah… that makes sense. Anyway…” She rises shakily to her feet. “I’m gonna get going. Thank you for hosting, Matthew. Sorry it got ruined by the shit pie. I had fun, though!”