An archway to the northeast leads to a back hallway, while the host stand and main dining room lie to the east.

It is after dusk, about 60F(15C) degrees, and the sky is covered by dark grey stormclouds. The mist is heaviest At Hawthorn and Franklin/span> There is a waxing gibbous moon.

Kaelyn looked like she wanted to just curl into a ball and die, but she was here. A half smile tilted the corner of her mouth as she waved to the couple.

Tessa gives a little wave to Kaelyn, asking, “You okay, Kae?”

Eric says “she was hunting with a monk earlier“

Eric says “something something, monks and impressionable werewolf gals“

Eric says “he’s a good listener, usually“

“So, the monk is building a harem,” Tessa says thoughtfully.

Malin flashes a broad smile at Matthew, telling him, “Thank you,” as the two walk in, not holding hands or even being too close to each other.

Kaelyn huffs, “Monk is mean when he wants. Right but mean.” She leans against the bar staring at the booze and sighs.

Tessa says “I am so tempted to lift him out of that pool, I swear…“

“Hey, Matt, Malin,” Tessa says, lifting a hand in a lazy wave. She’s settled in against the bar, looking for all the world like she belongs here. As she probably should, given how often she’s here.

Eric purses his lips, uncertain, before lifting a hand to Matthew in a hesitant greeting. His wave to Malin is a bit more genuine, and a grin quirks his lips as he tells her, “Careful. Smells like dog in here.”

Matthew and Malin do arrive together, but that’s about as together as it gets. He does lead the way to where the people here are already gathering around the bar, a small smile on his face on arrival. He waves at Tessa, “hey,” he calls, snickering at Eric’s words, “it does,” he confirms.

Per usual, Malin’s nostrils flare before they pinch some as she sniffs at the air, detecting that scent that always seems to offend her nose. Before she can even make the announcement, Eric has done it, and she nods in complete and utter agreement. “That it does, Eric. That it does,” gets confirmed in a tone tainted with drama. She waves to Tessa. “Good evening.”

Kaelyn gives a tired, defeated wave to the pair though she seems more focused on problem solving something in her own head.

Eric says “mercy and Teagan are taking forever“

Eric says “this is what college does to you“

Eric gives a dramatic sigh.

Kaelyn looks to the door, “It just makes me more scared what she is wearing this time.”

Tessa pats Eric, telling him, “It’s what procrastinating does, love.” She considers herself, then asks Eric, “Can you even see my bump in this dress?”

“What exactly does college do to you?” Malin wonders of Eric as her head tilts to the right and slender arms cross over her modest chest before slim digits wrap around opposite biceps. “I wouldn’t know. I never attended.” A shake of her head and she replies to Matthew, “Oh, no thank you, I’m still quite well off after the tea.”

Eric leans in, pecking Tessa’s cheek, one hand brushing over her belly. “Not at all,” he tells her reassuringly, before turning back to Malin with a sway of braids. “Makes you late, evidently,” he shrugs, broad shoulders shifting within the confines of his jacket. “I never went, either. Too busy working.”

Matthew nods to Malin and makes his way to the bar and takes up a seat, “I hear congratulations are in order,” he says to Tessa, “and I was wondering what kind of trivia contest we’ll be into today, I hope it’s teams because I’m actually really, really bad at trivia.”

“Ah,” Malin exhales out that sound as she processes what Eric is claiming. “Because group projects are often black holes because coordinating five people’s schedules is next to impossble, so you therefore learn to accept that lateness is the universe’s natural state, and then it bleeds into everything else.” Firmly, she nods. “Makes sense.” The Swede slides in to take a seat at the bar.

“Depends how many people show up,” Tessa says to Matthew, after appropriate blushing and ‘thank you’s. “I haven’t run trivia in ages and ages,” she admits. “Sooo, learning experience.”

Kaelyn says “Mercy. I know snails that move faster.“

Kai wanders over to the bar and says, “It’s okay, you can all relax if you put me on your team. I’ll win the prize for you and you can have like ten percent of the winnings,” with confidence as he heads to the bar and plops down.

Kaelyn turns her head to look at Kai as he enters, waving a cupcake at him. “Chose not to hide, huh?”

Eric says “lazy ass“

Matthew’s brows perk higher, “Wait, there are winnings?” he asks, glancing from Kai to Tessa and back. He up-nods the latest arrival in greeting.

“I don’t hide!” Kai lies to Kaelyn breezily and looks to Matthew, “There better be or I’m leaving.”

Eric says “the prize is exactly one braid from my magnificent head“

“Oh,” Kai nods at Eric and starts to get up from his stool, fishing his phone out to text.

Eric balls up a napkin from the bar and hurls it at the back of Kai’s head.

Malin assesses Eric’s hair visually after the golden haired man makes that claim. “With enough creativity, I suppose one braid could be used as a garrote. A fair enough prize.”

Matthew squints at Eric, “I know at least one or two people who’d your hair for extensions….” and then nods. “Okay, I’ll do it but only if I get five of the braids.”

“There’s a creepy crown, I can throw cash in too, but I mostly did this on a whim,” Tessa says with a shrug. “it’s halloween and no one was doin anything.”

Eric is already nodding to Malin approvingly when Matthew speaks, and he gasps, clapping a hand to his chest. “Five? Jesus, I’m not leaving here bald.”

“How many do you even need?” Matthew wonders, looking like he’s trying to count all the braids sprouting off Eric’s head.

Kaelyn sticks her tongue out to the lying Kai, probably didn’t help it was now red with leftover pudding. She does look surprised at Matthew speaking to her. With a shrug she gives a dishonest answer. “I’m fine. Enjoying the single life.”

Kai holds onto his chest when Eric hits him with the napkin, “Gaaah… quartz infused napkins… noooo….” he complains.

“Oh yea?” Matthew asks Kaelyn, not reading into it or really knowing her well enough to tell the difference. “I guess it has… its perks,” he allows, but the look on his face makes it clear he’s not entirely sure what those perks may be. He takes a small sip of the gin and tonic.

Bekki arrives, fasionably late and looking like she just rolled out of bed. She heads to the bar, finds a spot and sinks down.

“Bald and beautiful,” Malin says to Eric, brows furrowing some. “That’s a saying, right?”

Kai gives a two-fingered salute to Bekki, “Hey Beks,” he greets and looks to Mercy, “And Merc!” he salutes her as well, “Crippling depression?” he suggests helpfully to Matthew.

Mercy waves lazily to the crowd as a whole while meandering in, other hand cupped over her mouth to stifle a yawn.

Tessa lightly tugs one of Eric’s braids, saying, “Stop trying to shear my boyfriend,” with a soft laugh. She wavers to Bekki, Mercy getting a look over, then a, “Hey, Mercy.” At some point, she probably greeted Kai, but her player was distracted.

“Yeah, I’m sure there are some.” Kaelyn tells Matthew before offering a walk wave to Bekki and a more proper one to Mercy.

Matthew turns just as Mercy steps in, offering her a small nod but Kai’s words have him snickering. “Sure,” he says, “and like… my creativity spiked. One of my friends told me this was the time to write a whole bunch of songs if there ever was one.” He eyes Bekki as she arrives, squinting like he can’t quite recognize the woman, offering her and then Vale a wave as they arrive.

Matthew says “Depression is what fuels the best art, right? “

Vale wanders into the bar with a slight hesitation on her expression before Matthew waves her over, “Hello hello, this is for the uh, trivia thing right? Honestly I don’t know anything about how this works.” She explains shamelessly in an aloof tone of voice.

Staring at Matthew quietly for a few moment, Malin ends up shaking her head and informs the Montrose matter-of-factly, “I’m going to buy you some happy pills.”

Mercy slides a more pointed look Matthew’s way and ticks an upnod at him, finding a spot by the bar and taking a second to smooth out her too-short skirt who’s cheap material refuses to yield to adjustments.

Kai looks right passed Vale and salutes Teagan with two fingers, he glances at the cupcakes but ultimately ends up pinching his stomach through his hoodie and gives his head a light shake, “I’ve got a bunch, what’re you buyin’?” he asks the last three words in a weird accent to Malin.

Kaelyn smiles once she gets a proper look at Mercy, “That was not the costume I was expecting. It’s great.”

When her eyes find Kaelyn, Mercy grins crookedly and winks at the other girl. “Moon prism power, BITCH.”

“I’m fueled by sass, spite and a healthy level of determination,” Tessa murmurs to Matthew. Her hand ghosts over her lower stomach, and she pauses to look over the folks coming in. “Hey, everyone,” she offers, patient.

“Oh,” Malin releases that breathy vowel sound over towards Kai. “I’ve never had to take them, so I have no clue,” she honestly confesses. “What do you recommend? Is there one that’ll make him prance around like he’s a unicorn?”

“You’d probably want LSD for that, but Xanax is a pretty good, universal happy pill,” Kai tells Malin, grinning a little as he glances from her to Matthew.

Eric huffs, and tells Mercy easily, “You look ridiculous.”

Making her way in, Teagan gives a nod toward Kai as she heads over toward the bar. She stops by Kaelyn first and fishes something out of her messenger bag, passing it to the woman. “I think this is what you were looking for?”

Mercy clicks her tongue and points a finger gun at Eric. “Thanks man, goal achieved then.”

A nod is given to Kai by Malin and then she asks, “How much are one of those?” in a curious tone. “And how long do they last? The Xanax?”

Kai looks to Malin and considers, “You know, normally I sell them for two hundred, but for you, I could go as low as a hundred, and it’ll last a few hours,” he tells her, a little grin on his lips.

Mercy starts to kind of sidle up closer to Kai, inch by inch, no doubt drawn by the topic of conversation between him and Malin.

Matthew glances at Malin, “Okay okay, I’ll take the happy pills,” he says, “O

Kaelyn chuckles at Mercy, “Now I’m sad I didn’t make something.” Looking up she blinks at Teagan and gives a smile, “Hey. And, yeah, thank you.” A pause and she places her half eaten cupcake in front of Kai offering it without ever looking at the man.

Matthew glances at Malin, “Okay okay, I’ll take the happy pills,” he says, “I got my own with me, you don’t need to buy anything off Kai, I would’t take it anyway.” And with that he’s turning his attention towards Tessa, totally missing the transaction.

Knowing her audience, Bekki makes little preamble. A knuckle taps the bar, a drink being set at her elbow in short order– that famed family acceptance that everything will go their way, and if not, someone’s getting fired.

The glass of Bordeaux is raised, sniffed, and swirled as though the bimbo were an expert in wines (which would be a shocker), though it’s still held correctly, finger tips around the bowl, the stem left to support itself. Those eagle eyed might note that the blond did not in any world pay for said drink.

Eric side-eyes Kai, then notes, “You know, every time I’ve heard you sell something, which is about…” He counts on his fingers, “Five times now, you always start with, I usually sell for this much, but for you…” A smirk ghosts across his lips, and he muses as if to noone in particular, “I’m beginning to have suspicions.”

When Matthew says he’ll take the happy pills, Teagan gives a loud, audible gasp. “Matthew, willing to be… happy?! It’s a Halloween Miracle!”

Once Matthew has approved, Malin is reaching into her purse and retrieving a wad of cash, which is then promptly handed to Kai. “Voila. I’ll take three then, good sir.” Her blue-grey eyes wander towards Mercy, nostrils flaring lightly, taking in some sort of fragrance that causes the inner corner of her left eye to twitch.

Kai hmms and nods a couple of times at Malin, he pockets the cash and leave the cupcake where it is, “Don’t go anywhere,” he tells Malin. To Eric he just gives a side glance and a little smirk on his way out.

Malin questions, “Did you go with Sailor Moon because of the whole…?” Mercy’s way, hands gesticulating all the while. “Awoo thing?” Her head tilts back like she’s gazing at the sky through the ceiling. When the Swede is told not to go anywhere, she looks after the apparent drug dealer. “If I had somewhere to go, I would go no matter what.”

Matthew pops what looks more like some rock candy into his mouth, but Teagan’s exclamation has him lifting a hand, halting her mock-astonishment, “Even art and artists have to be happy sometimes.” He then looks over, eyes finding Vale, “Yo, you said you don’t know much about the trivia, cus that makes two of us, at least.”

Kaelyn takes her cupcake back, holding it lightly in her hand but not eating it. “She also got forcible dragged into a pack. Poor thing.”

Eric returns to Tessa’s side, leaning back against the bar. He very carefully adjusts his bowtie, fiddling with it uncertainly before dropping his hand. “I went as a werewolf for halloween,” he drawls, spreading his arms in a mock Voila pose.

Mercy sends off a quick text then glances up at Malin’s question, expression blank, but there’s a hint of amusement even she can’t fully conceal in her voice. “Mmhm, ain’ find it clever?”

“I do find it clever,” Malin replies to Mercy as her left eyebrow arches up higher than its near twin that is stationed on the other side of her face. “But I do wonder how many people would actually get it, because…” but she doesn’t outright share her opinion. Several nods of her head is all that is given there as her voice trails off. “It looks good on you, though.”

“That, like, must have been easy.” Bekki calls over to Eric as she swirls her glass of wine casually. “But how will anyone know?”

“What artist?” Teagan asks of Matthew, voice almost a deadpan. Almost. She slips out of her trenchcoat and drops it over the seat she’s claimed before moving down the bar to grab herself a cupcake before returning to her spot.

Vale offers a smile to Matthew, “Yeah! I’m also mostly just kinda people-watching too honestly, feels awkward when you come to one of these events alone.” She mutters quietly across all the chatter over to the man, “If you have any tips though.” The woman waggles her brow with a grin.

Kai wanders over to the bar, beelining for Malin and reaches out to casually drop a few pills on the bar in front of her, “Your happy pills, ma’am.”

Eric arches one golden brow at Bekki, raising a finger alongside his nose. “That’s the trick,” he tells her, smiling with just a hint of teeth.

“Much obliged,” Malin extends to Kai, peering at each pill and analysing their quality, or lack of it — it is difficult to read her expression. “These aren’t actually…” Her words are halted, and she leans in to whisper to Kai.

“Nope.” Bekki admits. “I totes still don’t get it.” she watches that finger though with the impending horror of someone who suspects someone they are talking with is about to pick their nose.

Mercy holds Malin in a slightly more contemplative stare for a moment longer, then inclines her chin with a hint of a smirk. “Thanks, ain’ mind if some people ain’ get it. If you know, you know. You know? That’s what makes it cheeky.”

Kaelyn taps her feet against the bar. “Makes you wonder if putting fuzzy ears and a tail would have been a good one…”

Malin scowls a bit upon getting Kai’s response. Those often narrowed eyes widen and she proceeds to produce a bit of a raspberry. Pffb. Only it has far less spittle involved. “Thank you,” she ends up saying before looking to Mercy again. “I know.”

straightening up, Tessa lifts a glass of bright green punch, pointedly not drinking any of the very, very good booze available behind the bar. “Hey, folks,” she calls out, soft voice raised enough to carry along the bar. “Given I wasn’t sure how many we’d pull for this, I’m thinking…” her eyes skim along the group. “Teams of two or three max, or solo teams, if you want to?”

“Thank you! Tell your friends about my deep discounts,” Kai tells Malin and grins a little, he looks around, “So when’s the trivia start? I need to dominate you fools,” he says and rubs his hands together.

“James Marsh,” Matthew informs Teagan, “And if you don’t know him, look him up.” Anyone paying close enough attention would detect that he’s probably lying, has totally just BS’d that whole name. To Vale there’s only an apologetic shake of the head, “Sorry, no tips, well no tips that win?” He shrugs, and then his entire demeanor is shifting towards happy-go lucky, a smile settling plainly into his features. “Can always make things up,” he says breezly to Vale.

“I’ll be solo, I don’t plan on splitting my cash prize,” Kai tells Tessa and considers, “I need to think of a team name, so come back to me.”

Mercy scoops a cup of (hopefully spiked) punch for herself and raises it to Malin in wordless acknowledgement, then sips from it noisily.

Matthew smiles even wider at whatever Malin whispers at him, and he just nods at her a few more times, “Yeah… that was a fun time.”

Eric says “I need whoever knows the most about spooky stuff to carry me to victory, please“

Eric says “I will offer my heartfelt appreciation“

Vale clutches at her chest dramatically, “If only I found someone like, generous.” She chimes through a dumb grin at Matthew, “Either way… Is it mostly going to be trivia about Haven? I’m not gonna know anything if that’s the case…” She says in a more curious tone, her fingers rapping along the bartop.

Kaelyn scoots closer to Mercy speaking quietly. “I know next to nothing about scary things. Want to team up?”

Malin does not have a drink in hand, but that does not prevent her from partaking in a toast. Fingers curl about an imaginary vessel meant for holding liquids, and she says to Mercy, “In memory of Sheldon, who died twice for us.”

Malin winks at Matthew right after.

Twisting on her seat to lean against the bar as Tessa starts the announcements, Teagan leans against the bar with cupcake in o ne hand and glass of bourbon sat on the bar close at hand. “I’m good with solo or teams, if it’s an either-or decision.”

“Nah, TV, movie, those sorts of pop culture horror things,” Tessa says to Vale, clearly distracted, pulling out her phone and browsing. Anyone nearby can see it’s open to her notes app, with questions… and no answers writen. Sucks to suck, if anyone planned to cheat.

Eric wanders down the bar, leaning one elbow on the wood next to Bekki. “Team Pale Orange,” he asks her, grinning. “You’ve got that, I’m secretly smart about weird stuff look.”

Matthew is still smiling, his pupils dilated now, Vale’s question earns her a shrug, like he doesn’t know. “Not sure, guess we’ll find out.”

Kaelyn’s cheating heart cries at the lack of answers, or would if she could get a clear few of the phone.

“Huh?” Bekki unquestionably does not get the reference, ironic, that.

She considers Eric for a long moment, looking at her wine as though it has all the answers. “Umm… sure.” she decides.

Matthew squints at Bekki and asks, “Who are you?”

Tessa’s eyes fall on Eric, and Bekki, and there’s a visible wince at her poor, poor idiot fiance’s choice. But, she just sips her punch, and shakes her head.

Mercy belatedly comments to Malin with a firm nod and solemn tone, “Fer Sheldon. He was a real one.”

Teagan leans a little toward Kaelyn and Mercy “Team girl power? I’m happy to help.”

Malin glances at the pills and then asks Matthew, “Do you want one of these now or later? What if you are allergic, or have a bad side effect.” She’s rambling, “I love those commercials when they advertise a medication, and it sounds brilliant, and then at the end they list off fifty far worse things than the health issue you were treating that are the med’s side effects. Like, you no longer have agoraphobia, but you cannot control your bowels and you’ll have Tourettes.”

Landon tiredly makes his way into the bar, eyes wandering around. He has heavy bags under his eyes. Spotting the crowd he makes his way over to them with a nod of his head to people he recognizes.

Malin nods rightly to Mercy. “That he was, Mercy.” Her chin dips down towards pronounced clavicles in a respectful manner.

Mercy beckons Teagan in. “Sure why not, m’gonna be dead weight but yer smart so.”

Kaelyn looks over to Teagan, “I don’t mind. But, yeah, you might be carrying us.”

Matthew shakes his head at Malin, “Oh no–” and holds up his jar of candies, “I hiccuped and you heard yes before I explained that I was just gonna–” and he jingles it around, “eat my Ambrose candies.” It leaves him smiling all the same, “I dunno what’s up with those but save them for like… a rainy day?” Hah.

Tessa offers her hand to Landon, saying, “Hey, I’m Tessa, I don’t think we’ve met.” How formal and polite, for once. Ignore the blood speckling her skin.

Chin raising in fluent rich brat, Bekki returns Matthew’s squint, telling him, “Bekki Rothwell-Pierce.”

There is a shrug to her fellow students and Teagan says: “If I was playing solo, it’d be the same deal. But if we do win and I do carry, I get to keep the crown.” She picks up her bourbon and calls out to Malin “There’s one of those drugs where a side-effect they claim is you’ll feel disconnected from space and time and I don’t think that’s like, a bad thing.”

Matthew notes Landon’s arrival, upnodding towards that guy, “Hey Landon. Wanna be on team happy?” He’s smiling, so that’s probably his team.

“They don’t got much choice.” Bekki points out to Matthew. (They likely wish they did)

Eric shoos Matthew with the back of one hand, telling him primly, “Shh. You’re going to throw her off her game. This is my prize trivia champion right here.”

Landon smiles tiredly to Tessa. “Nice to meet you, Tessa. I’m Landon.” He reaches out as he speaks to shake Tessa’s hand firmly, before pulling his hand back. “At least I didn’t crash on my way here.” His gaze shifts over to Matthew. “Honestly, if you want someone whose brain is barely functioning on your team, I could join.”

Kaelyn gives a small chuckle to Teagan. “That seems more than fair. Don’t think I could pull off the crown very well.”

“A rainier day,” Malin decides, slipping the pills into a pocket of her purse. “Hello, Landon,” she coos out to Landon as she says, “I’ll try not to skip you this time, although maybe that’s just going to be a thing… We’ll see.”

Matthew pulls up his phone, looking through it, “Ain’t nobody claiming you in the files…” is insisted, “are you sure?”

“Yup.” Bekki responds, giving that no further attention.

Landon smiles towards Malin and chuckles at her words.

Matthew doesn’t seem sold, but it’s trivia night, not interrogation hour. He moves to huddle in with Malin and Landon, “If there are teams…” he says “y’all can carry me cus I’m bad at trivia.”

Tessa looks around the room, asking, “So… Soft Orange, Girl Power… Happy boy over there’s team… Anyone else offering up a name or group, or going it solo, so I can keep track?”

“I once carried you on my back up the World Tree,” Malin reminds Matthew as their group with Landon is initiated. “So, I think I can handle this.”

Eric nods to Matthew, admitting, “I don’t watch horror stuff.” He’s quick to add, “Not because I’m scared, you know.” This comes a little too hastily, and with a slight flush to his cheeks. “Just, you know. Spooky, whatever.”

Matthew nods, smiling at this, you’d think he was right there in the memory again. “You did,” he confirms to Malin, then over at someone, “She really did. She’s really, really strong. Like, I was on her back and she just started springing from branch to branch. I couldn’t believe it, and then I Think she even got first place.” A pause, “You got first place, right?”

Malin has her blue-greys darting back and forth as Eric uses synonyms to somehow try and prove he is not one thing, but mentioning that it is, essentially, that thing.

Tessa definitely said pale orange.

Matthew nods, smiling at this, you’d think he was right there in the memory again. “You did,” he confirms to Malin, then over at Landon, “She really did. She’s really, really strong. Like, I was on her back and she just started springing from branch to branch. I couldn’t believe it, and then I Think she even got first place.” A pause, “You got first place, right?”

“My team name is Stale Doorhinge,” Kai tells Tessa and looks to Eric and Bekki, staring them down, stone faced.

Eric scowls to Malin, mouthing, NOT A WORD, in exaggerated silence.

“No wait! Smashing pumpkins,” Kai changes his mind to Tessa.

Malin shakes her head. “Second, I think. Vie one right before she broke her ankle, if I recall correctly?” she’s trying to remember while responding to matthew whilst gazing at the scowling Eric like she’s daring him to stop her.

Tessa admits to Kai, “I will zero percent remember the names, it’s just to make sure I know who’s in what group.”

Eric waggles an admonishing finger at Malin, before he leans in to whisper to Bekki, “Alright. Our game plan is, we destroy Kai, then everyone else.”

“Dog dick red!” Kai tells Tessa, “You’ll remember that.”

Landon smirks at both Malin and Matthew. “I believe it.” He says with a brief chuckle escaping from him. “My brain is feeling very broken so, I’m not sure how well I’ll be able to help.”

Matthew suddenly laughs at Kai’s team name, turning to confer quietly with his team.

Tessa points a knife at Kai, telling him, “Behave, I’ve already gotten blood on the carpet here, I’m not afraid to get more.”

“Like, why?” Bekki asks Kai, both brows raising. Another sip from her wine and she turns to Tessa as if she would actually help with -anything-

“I got this,” Malin makes her claim after Landon is on the verge of being a zombie in the head, and Matthew says he doesn’t know any trivia answers.

Kai rolls his eyes at Tessa and grins when Matthew laughs, he tucks his hands into his hoodie pocket.

“There are teams?” Jordan looks around with an unfamiliar squint.

“We’re team Malin’s handbag,” Matthew calls out, informing the group and then points towards Jordan, “You can join us if you don’t wanna join the other teams, we got Malin carrying us and probably going to twin.”

“I mean, that’s the best offer so far.” Jordan shrugs and scoots his barstool closer to Matthew. “I’m Jordan.”

Kaelyn peers at her phone as it vibrates, she smiles and sighs.

Tessa chokes on her drink, spluttering, after reading a text.

Malin eventually finds her spot.

Just shaking her head slightly, Teagan moves nearer to Kaelyn and Mercy, shuffling her things over as necessary. Including, of course, her trenchcoat and bag. Settling back in, she has a sip of her bourbon and offers: “I think everyone can agree that beating Kai is the priority here?”

Matthew watches while all the teams break up, “Hey Jordan,” he says, waving at the newest person, “I’m Matthew, this is–” he motions towards Landon, “Landon. And now you know who’s carrying us, Malin.”

Tessa leans over to kiss Eric, shushing him, despite him not talking, then she settles back in, tall enough it’s not hard to see her regardless of who’s around her. “No bias, because facts don’t care about your personality, but bullying and shit talking is perfectly fine.”

Matthew says just loud enough for his voice to carry, “I can’t believe nobody else joined Dog Dick Red!”

“I’m a solo team!” Kai retorts to Matthew and snickers, he lifts his chin at Teagan’s claim and says, “As it should be.” and makes the wind rustle around him ‘heroically’ while he tries to look cool.

Eric casually swipes a basket of napkins from the bar, carrying it with him as he joins Bekki. “All objectives are secondary to destroying Kai,” he confirms, balling up several projectiles in preparation.

Matthew grins at Jordan, giving him the A-Ok sign, “Your costume is on point, totally asymptomatic zombie.” He nods in agreement to Malin’s words, “yeah, and Landon’s just trying to stay away, or catch a nap and be happy to get some sleep for once… hard to say!”

Kaelyn tucks her phone back in her pocket, looking a soft huff. “I don’t know about that one but we have to win just in general.” She tucks her hand in after nodding to Teagan. “You got this.”

Tessa slips up to sit on top of the bar – good thing she’s friends with the owner and spends a tidy sum here, the bartender just sighs at her. “Alright, folks, thanks for joining me. Please confer in your groups, then one representative give me your answer, alright? For the sake of my sanity.”

Eric can’t believe this betrayal, so the first balled up napkin projectile is lofted directly at Kaelyn’s head instead.

“Not it,” Jordan declares as far as representatives go.

Landon seems to be zoned out a little, but hearing his name snaps him out of it. “I didn’t do it.” He says as if he was answering something else. A slow blink follows. “I mean… Did I miss something?” He clears his throat a little.

“Guys we gotta confer, I’ll do the talking okay?” Kai asks in his normal voice, “You got it bruv,” he says in a shitty British accent and then drawls, “You got it buddy,” and then nods and says in his regular voice, “Good, we’re in agreement.”

“One of you want to be the one giving the answer?” Teagan says with a look to Mercy and Kaelyn. “I don’t know about shouting as people get more-” She cringes at the terrible accents from Kai. “Rowdy.”

It’s very possible that Bekki isn’t even paying attention. This of course leaves Eric doubly with the short end of the stick– the bimbo is buffing her nails instead.

Kaelyn gets beamed in the noggin with a napkin, catching it before it fell to the ground. She gasps and wings it back at Eric. Satisfied, she threw a second to Kai. Finally she nodded to Teagan, “I can but I’m a little slow.”

“They’ve elected me leader,” Jordan tells Tessa and points at himself for emphasis. “I’m Jordan.”

Eric lifts a hand idly, and before the napkin is even halfway to him it reverses course, smacking Kaelyn again. He glances sidelong to Bekki, and nods approvingly. “Pre conquest grooming rituals to assert dominance. Nice.”

Kai winces at Kaelyn’s napkin assault, “Gaahhh, violence. Disqualify both of those teams!” he demands of Tessa, nodding to Eric and Kaelyn’s teams in turn.

Bekki nods to Eric absently, though her expression clearly reads that she understood two or three words out of all of that.

Tessa tucks her phone into the neckline of her dress, out of the way, rather than her bag, and her voice comes out clear, to either end of the bar. “So, we’ve all heard of horror’s best family, and the classic Addams Family show from the sixties, shot in black and white. What many might not know is, black and white required a lot of color. What color paint did they use for this classic goth family’s mansion’s walls, to get it to be the perfect shade on camera?”

That was cheating. Kaelyn gets smacked again with the napkin, not at all expecting it to come back to her. She huffs, tossing the balled up napkins in her hand, waiting for the right chance.

“Bro no one knows that old ass shit!” Kai calls to Tessa and deflates, “…White.”

Eric confers with Bekki, then stands up and puffs out his chest.

Matthew whispers with his team mates, looking pretty animated, gesturing with his hands while the group talks.

Eric says, finally, “We have our answer. I’ve spoken to the experts.”

“Yeah, we have an answer, too. The right one!” Jordan raises his hand.

If any conversation went on, it surely is a miracle. To the outside looking in, it would appear that Bekki had simply blathered a stream of unrelated nonsense at him.

Kaelyn raises her hand later. “Us too. We have a guess.”

Eric says, triumphantly, “Subtle pink!”

“Purple,” Jordan declares.

Teagan sips at her bourbon, brow furrowed as she consults with her team. She looks like she’s actually THINKING about this one. Not guessing? Nerd.

Tessa raises a brow at Kai, saying, “We respect classics in this house,” before her gaze drifts to the teams. Her expression gives no hints to who is or isn’t right.

“Magenta or a pinkish color.” Kaelyn says loudly.

Tessa rubs her hands together as the answers come in, like an evil genius. Or a bitch. Probably the second one. “That’s one point to both Pale Orange and Girl Power, the perfect goth shade is, interestingly, pink.” She flicks her eyes down to her notes, then offers up the next question. “Who’s full name is Charles Lee Ray?”

“Team Google more like,” Jordan mutters.

Eric leaps to his feet, he actually knows this one! In doing so, he bumps Bekki’s elbow, slightly disrupting her nail polishing. “Chucky! I know because I hate that goddamn movie.”

Matthew snickers at Jordan’s remark, turning to speak with his team.

Kaelyn turns as Eric jumps up, winging the stored projectile as he answered. That one sounded right… stealing it she nods. “I agree with Chucky.”

“Uh, yeah, we were gonna say Chucky all along,” Jordan claims and nods to Tessa. “So that counts, right?”

Eric is too excited to notice Kaelyn’s assault, and the napkin catches him upside the head. “Oi!” He flaps one hand at it, knocking it fluttering to the floor with a huff.

Success! Kaelyn seemed pleased with herself.

Mercy turns a glance out into the bar proper with a searching eye, something having caught her attention earlier that, strangely, no longer seems present.

“Chuck E. Cheese!” Kai calls to Tessa.

Malin scrunches her nose, shuddering in a way that shows she does not like whatever she just saw happen to Mercy.

Matthew smiles dumbly, looking simply happy to be there.

Landon looks over to Malin. “You okay?”

Tessa ducks her head as she laughs, absolutely amused with her fiance’s outburst, the near unanimous agreement, and the napkin assault. She holds her hand out to Eric for a cupcake, expectant, it’s too far for her to reach. “Points spreading across the board, everybody. Two for girl power, two for pale orange, one for Malin’s handbag, none for …” She pauses, sighs, then says, trying to keep a straight face, “…dog dick red.” After a glance at her phone, she asks, aloud, “What 1973 movie was SO scary that some theaters were providing barf bags to the people heading in to see it?”

Matthew looks over at Mercy, squinting real hard as he tries to study the woman.

Malin mms softly, nodding at Landon. “Fab,” she claims, whilst not looking fabulous, but at least she’s not shuddering anymore. The woman does still look a bit disturbed.

Kai shouts, “The Exorcist!” to Tessa.

Eric gets distracted almost instantly, rising and moving to inspect each cupcake carefully, brow furrowed and lips pursed as he tries to select the perfect one. Once he’s satisfied, he plucks it up between two fingers, carrying it to present proudly to Tessa.

Eric tries to peek at Tessa’s phone while he’s handing her a cupcake, leaning in close.

“Hey! No getting the questions in advance!” Teagan shouts as she spots Eric while trying to flag down the bartender.

Tessa is enough of a nerd that she does, in fact, know the answers, and her notes app has just the questions, no answers listed. Once again, she gives no emotional response to answers given, but she does kiss Eric in thanks for the cupcake.

“My teammates seem to agree that it is The Exorcist.” Kaelyn says, giving Teagan and Mercy a thumbs up.

“So do we, but I didn’t wanna just blurt it out because we’re a team and we have team spirit.” Jordan crosses his arms indignantly.

Matthew nods his head at Jordan, but then he pulls his phone and begins checking something out.

Eric frowns at not finding the answer, though he’s somewhat molified by the kiss instead as he returns to sit next to Bekki.

Tessa peers very pointedly at Eric.

Tessa pulls the eyeball off the top of her cupcake with her teeth, biting through it as she waits, patiently, for Eric to give his answer.

Eric blinks, having completely forgotten. “Uh, the Exorcist?” He shrugs, glancing to Bekki and receiving only a blank stare in reply.

Teagan does take her phone out now… but just to take a selfie. Putting the device back away, she takes a sip of her drink and leans to watch what Team Orange will answer.

“It’d be kinda hilarious now if it isn’t the right answer.” Jordan looks to the other teams with a wry grin.

Matthew grins at Jordan, he nods, agreeing.

“Points across the board, let’s get ever so slightly more obscure,” Tessa suggests, giving Kai a grin for getting it first. “Now, because I’m an asshole… How many movies are in the universe of The Conjuring?”

As the answer is announced, the faint sound of ghostly moaning emerges from the four corners of the room, surfing beneath the din, and occasionally above the din of conversation. the power of Christ compels you, the power of Christ compels you, the power… and the sounds fade to nothing./span>“We’ll all go down together, at least.” Kaelyn says rocking on her heels but she was getting antsy, fidgeting with her phone.

“Seven!” Kai calls out to Tessa immediately and folds his arms behind his head, he looks around and shakes his head a bit at the moaning, “Cringe,” he says.

Kaelyn really did not seems to like the sound, though, shivering as she turned towards her group.

Eric instantly produces an oversized handgun from inside his suit jacket, peering into every corner with a scowl.

“Begone ghost or I will bind and banish thee to the depths of Oblivion!” Kai announces, the wind picking up around him, causing his clothes and hair to flap around overdramatically.

Eric says “well shit“

Teagan does not seem bothered by the ghostly moaning. It’s Halloween, after all. Or she’s just been drinking a lot. Then there’s a snort of amusement that nearly loses her her drink. “Of course Avalon would get caught on Halloween.”

“There goes the damsel,” Malin says as she taps the tip of a finger to her earpiece.

Matthew tips his head back, “And that’s why he’s the–” he nods at someone “the damsel.”

Matthew tips his head back, “And that’s why he’s the–” he nods at Malin, “the damsel.”

And the wind just keeps on whipping about Kai, it doesn’t stop. Blowing hair and accoutrements, while in the distance soft 95ethereal windchimes/i>“Gah!” Kai yelps when the wind continues and dives over the bar to hide behind it, crouching down into a ball.