Forums » General Roleplay » Trick or Treat: Spooks and Scares at the Circus

Halloween night. One of the few times that the circus was open at night to anyone and everyone. This year, Alexis had decided to set up a haunted house as the main attraction, though there were also booths with games and various treats scattered throughout the tent. The various workers of the circus were all dressed up in various flashy and fun costumes, some being stationed at booths while others worked in the haunted house. Entrance was also free, so it truly was fun for everyone.

Alexis was currently stationed just outside the tent in order to welcome guests in, dressed up in a black and red ringmaster's outfit with some dark makeup smeared on her face to make her look more creepy.

((Hey, hey! Figured I would join in the Halloween fun this year after not doing so for a while! My writing may be a little rusty as I'm trying to get myself back into rping, so sorry in advance!))

Like most spooky-loving souls, Spence was out roaming for adventure on Halloween night. He found out about the circus by fluke, following a lead from someone on the street who had been absolutely seething as friends teased him. Poor fella claimed he wasn't even scared at that haunted house. Spencer knew a lie when he heard one, however, and the kid's whole face was white as a sheet, so he asked for more details. The fact that it was free didn't hurt either, and he found himself walking up to the station outside after he'd finally found the location, going by a poorly drawn map in sharpie ink.

He pocketed said map into that Ghostface hoodie he was sporting, flashing a warm grin as he approached Alexis, "Hello there, I like your outfit, Miss Ringmaster." The voice that left his lips was soft-spoken, with a subtle rasp fraying his words delicately at the edges. That dark gaze was alight with warmth just like his grin, despite the abyssal void his eyes seemed to be beneath the shadow of a weathered black ballcap. Spence was dressed casually, the rest of his outfit was merely jeans and Doc Martens, if only for now because he was just exploring, and a costume would probably get in the way. That said, hopefully, there wasn't a dress code to get in here. The kid didn't mention one. "What can you tell me about this place?" he nodded to the tent behind her curiously.

((I am also rusty, so I feel that too!))

Alexis grinned, her eyes practically sparkling as the stranger approached and complimented her outfit. "Well, thank you kindly." she responded, bowing slightly. "As for what you'll find inside, there's plenty of booths with food and games. But, the biggest attraction is our haunted house near the back of the tent. It's got five rooms to go through. Enter if you dare. Don't worry, though, the actors in the haunted house have been instructed not to touch anyone... or scare anyone too much."

Just as she said that, a scream could be heard from inside the haunted house area. "Or... at least try not to scare anyone to much." Alexis chuckled a bit.

Just to the side of the pair who are chatting, there is a sudden eruption of musty yellow-green smoke. It poofs upward, reaching perhaps six feet into the air, and gently coils itself into the shape of a mushroom before lazily dissipating.

What is left behind is a freakishly large snail, "towering" to three feet tall at the top of its mobile eyes. It looks deeply confused, looking around at its new surroundings agog.

"You're welcome," he nodded warmly, listening intently as she explained the tent and its details. Food and games sounded nice, but obviously, he couldn't help but grin at the mention of a haunted house. That was the main reason he'd gotten that sharpie map in the first place, as it were. "I dare, definitely," he laughed softly, "Good to know." His brows rose with interest when someone screamed, almost as if on cue, piquing his interest that much further. "Fair enough," he chuckled as well with a light shrug, "Oop, is the smoke part of the show?"

He had been referring to the rather large snail's sudden appearance, but the poor thing looked as confused as he was. "Heya fella," he greeted politely, unsure if the snail even understood him.

Just as she was about to speak again, Alexis had been interrupted by the sudden smoke and... giant snail? Well, she's certainly used to weirdness, so she simply brushed it off. "Er... no. It's not." she responded to Spencer before turning her attention to The Snail. "Er... are you here to check out the circus too, perhaps? Entrance is free and there's plenty of food and games here." she spoke, also unsure if The Snail understood.

The moment it was addressed, its stalk eyes swivel rapidly to stare, wide-eyed, at the pair by the gate. There is a long moment where it is indeed quite unclear if it understands, the only sound being occasional blinks. Yes, there is a faintly audible squishing noise when it blinks. Then, abruptly, it gargles out with no apparent volume control, "Hello?"

As if it was buffering and has now finished processing, it shakes its head, flinging droplets of moisture, and appears to become enthusiastic. "Food?" it repeats to Alexis. The stalk eyes turn in various directions, trying to spot the promised treats.

It wasn't? Huh.. so they were both a little confused, good to know. It was also good to know, that entry was free, and he must have missed that tidbit before or perhaps just hadn't gotten around to asking that part yet. Spencer was interested to see if the snail would respond in any form or fashion, tilting his head slightly when it squishy blinked at them. Annnd that snail just spoke. Well, like Alexis, he was also used to weirdness and reacted with a soft laugh of amusement.

"Food is a universal language I suppose," he offered playfully.

Alexis let out a soft laugh in response to the excitement from The Snail. "Yes, it's inside this tent. I don't know if giant snails enjoy candy, but there's plenty of booths with that. And there's also some caramel apples if those suit your fancy." she spoke, lifting the entrance of the tent. "Why don't both of you come in and take a look around?" she spoke with a smile.

The inside of the tent seemed to be much larger than the outside suggested. There were multiple booths set up, along with the caramel apple station. However, it did seem the haunted house attraction at the back seemed to be the star of the show. The top of it seemed to scrape the cieling of the tent.

The snail's eyes focus - separately - on the flap of the tent as it's opened, and the creature draws itself up, preparing for an epic journey. Leaning its body forward, it begins charging at the entrance at a staggering speed of about half a mile an hour (For reference, an adult human of average height does three entire mph when walking.) It is clearly excited and focused!

Alexis couldn't help but laugh softly to herself as The Snail "charged" inside the tent. "Well, I hope you enjoy your time here!" she cheerfully called after The Snail as the creature went inside.

"Sounds good to me," he also laughed gently, slowly falling into step next to the Snail's charge forward. He took his time, patient not to leave his new acquaintance behind.

Once inside, he glanced around curiously. "I smell caramel apples.." he noticed, glancing down at the Snail, "Do you like apples?" He slowly started in that direction himself, glancing back to see if the Snail followed or went to do his own thing.

In answer to the question of whether or not it likes apples, the Snail turns its head toward Spencer and opens its mouth wide. Well wide enough that an apple could be inserted. Its eyes, floating above on stalks, look pleading.

The mouth does not have human teeth. Instead, the walls of its mouth, its tongue, even parts of its throat seem to be covered in little tiny scrapey teeth that appear almost barnacle like - almost 14,000 of them, in fact.

It emits a little gurgling sound of eagerness.

((Sorry for taking so long to respond! Suddenly got busy with work and this slipped my mind ))

Running the booth was a young woman dressed in what appeared to be an angel costume. An easygoing smile was plastered on her face as she chatted with patrons who approached the booth. As Spencer and the Snail approached, she glanced towards the giant snail, blinking a bit, before that smile returned to her face. "Ah, hello. Would either of you like some caramel apples?"

At the renewed mention of caramel apples, the Snail scooches forward a few inches. At no point does it shut its mouth, continuing to gape like a baby bird now at the angel. But then! Its stalk eyes do a double take at the wings on Ruby's costume, and it yelps, "BIRD!" before vanishing inside its shell with a terrified SHLOOOMP.

Ruby blinks yet again as the Snail disappears into its shell, glancing around for the bird it mentioned. "Bird? I don't see any birds here... I can promise, you're safe here, big guy." she spoke with a soft smile, offering a caramel apple to the Snail. "I'm just here to hand out treats, no tricks here for anyone."

This prompts one eye to slowly creep out of the shell. It goes wide seeing Ruby still there in wings, and vanishes again. "Biiiird!" moans the snail, its voice echoing out from within the shell.

Ruby glanced around yet again in response to the reaction, before noticing her costume wings. "Oh, is it my wings that are scaring you? Here, how about this?" She took the wings off, hiding them under the booth. "There we go, no more bird. Better now?"

For several minutes, the snail shell just sits there, as if there is no one home. Finally, after a sufficiently long pause that one might have moved on with their day and forgotten about the giant rock that everyone has to skirt around as they go about their business, the nose emerges, then the eyes, then the rest of the head, very slowly creeping out. It blinks around at its surroundings, and looks mildly perplexed. Perhaps it has forgotten what it was doing and why it was scared in the interim.

Ruby let out a soft laugh as the Snail slowly emerged. "There you are. Sorry about the scare. I didn't think some fake wings would scare anyone. How about a caramel apple as an apology for the fright?" She smiled softly, offering the apple to the creature.