Skeletons in the Closet

[Haru Nyan]

"Excuse me, Polly who?" Paul gave a puzzled look, his one confused eye just hiding from behind the brim of his feathered hat. He scratched the end of his beard trying to think of the last time he and the 'ol fam got together by the riverside, fishing and getting the S.S. Hemingway canoe out from the attic. He remembers a few moments in time when Ella and Salem would repeatedly tell and bugger him to stop going out at the creek because of a quote-unquote "ghost" that they saw lurking around the depths of its waters, and promptly he replied to the London girl's inquiry about the ghost and chalked it up to nothing more than just their little ghost stories.

He coughed, sensing the dreadful and gray tone of the atmosphere, "Ahem, Salem's right, I say we gobble all our feelings away, who's with me?" With that said, he began grab his silverware and wolf down the meal that had been prepared for him. Trying to converse and entertain his batch of guests even with bits and pieces of meat being chewed in his mouth. No doubt the party was already in full swing before, but with the sudden shift from usual Halloween folly and festivities to the disappearance of one of their greatest friends, Halloween is a time to share spooks and laughs, not actually scaring the shit outta each other, even if it did add a certain thrill to it.

​

Hearing the Hayes talk so highly about Kelsey made Ethan's heart wrench just a little bit, even underneath all the velvet his vest was made of. What made it worse was seeing everyone gathered here today, in their best (?) get-ups and the fact that Kelsey couldn't have been here to see all of them having fun instead of chasing after her shadow, and hearing Seasonal Spice's name like that, in this context, made the feeling all the more worse. There were tinges of regret resting on Ethan's mind, thoughts full of what ifs and if onlys. He sighed, sagging down to a slump, trying so hard not to make it seem like he wasn't enjoying the party, but at the same time trying just as hard not to let the weight of the situation drag him down. Everything was starting to irritate him, and he couldn't help but blame a part of himself in Kelsey's vanishing.

Rather than dig himself further in his own grave, Ethan hurriedly began to snatch a mug of hot cocoa from one of the servants, Wnedy was it? And began to gulp it down, he shrugged. It wasn't booze, but it had to do, besides, drinking in front of kids like Sal and El weren't exactly the best example to set.

 

[IceQueen]

Ana looked up at Jace as he patted her back, giving a nod of thanks before glancing around the table. Ana couldn't take her eyes off the scarf. Just looking at it made her want to cry. It brought back so many memories of them all together, memories Ana couldn't afford to think of at the moment. Sniffling back her irritation Ana tucked food into her mouth, trying to get her emotions back in check. Hearing Salem start talking about the voices peaked her interest. If they lived around here they certainly must have known some more about what went on in the woods.

"How often do you hear the voices and how close to the house?" Ana asked simply, taking another bite of her food. Anything they could get out of the family was useful information. Ana was not going to leave a stone unturned looking for one of her best friends. Looking over at London, Ana gave a tight smile of recognition at the woman's face. She looked distraught, much like Ana was on the inside. Ana just had practice keeping it all hidden. Glancing at the scarf now in Jace's lap, Ana reached out to let her fingers run over the fabric contemplatively.

 

[Fox of Spades]

Post by @Fox of Hearts

Ella snuck over to London and gave the girl a hug. "Don't be mean to the cookies." She pouted as she saw the crumbled remains of Mr. Ghost. "I helped made them."

"Yes, you did!" Charlotte praises, removing the cookie plate from the table. "I think it is better if we enjoyed our dinner before cookies. Mama worked hard to cook everything."

"Mama always puts her heart and soul into everything," Alfonse spoke fondly. A bright twinkle shone in the old man's eyes as he thought of his wife, who was still in the kitchen preparing the big surprise.

"Miss London?" He asked politely, trying his best to remember what Charlotte told him about each guest. He hated how his memory wasn't as sharp as it used to be. Retirement seemed closer than ever. Such a shame! He wanted to work here till he could work no more. "Why don't you try some of my wife's stew? The master never fails to have a second helping."

He beamed at her warmly the way a doting grandfather would. In his hands, he held a piping hot bowl. "Take a bite, it's delicious! If you don't believe me, you can ask Master Salem."

"Oh, what?" Salem smiled sheepishly when they caught him trying to sneak a spoonful out of the pot. "I was just stirring it to make sure no one gets burnt… it's very, um, hot."

"Salem!" Adelaide warned. "Mind your manners! We don't eat straight from the bowl. What will our guests think?" She huffed loudly and crossed her arms. "Come, let me get you a bowl. Would you want one too, dear?" She asked Ana kindly.

Not giving Ana nor Ethan a chance to protest, the good hostess served them some stew. Jace wasn't spared too. He got an extra large bowl. Adelaide beamed. "You better eat it before Paul starts. It will be gone in no time."

Wendy was busy offering everyone freshly baked bread. The tray in her hands had a variety to choose from: fragrant rosemary focaccia slices glistening with olive oil, crusty sourdough dinner rolls and a crescent shaped buns covered with seeds. She paused longer in front of Ethan, hoping he would be the first to take a piece. The boy looked like the sort to enjoy his food.

"Voices?" She asked Ana. "You mean like Miss Ella talking to her imaginary friends? She has such a good imagination! We hear her talking all the time."

"Only to Tam Tam," Ella replied, helping herself to three pigs in a blanket. "She plays with me outside. We like the swings."

The little girl frowned. "I don't like her friend. The one you called Polly," she informed London. "She's mean! Really, really, mean! She plays tricks on people. Even Tam Tam!"

​

Milton swallowed his mouthful of warm cocoa. "The forest sounds very crowded," he commented. There was a hint of snarkiness in his voice that made Castor growl at him. The young man flinched. What's with this dog? He heard of protective dogs before but this was ridiculous. "You sure know a lot about them."

Ella shook her head. "I guess they want friends. We are the only family living here. Right, big brother?" She beamed happily before running over to hug Salem. "Tam Tam told me she will bring more friends next time. I saw her looking at Kelsey from the trees that night." She paused. Ooops, she forgot about that. Talking about her new bestest friend reminded her about this. Tam Tam's so nice! She probably knew they were worried about Kelsey. "Yeah! I saw her following Kelsey."

Salem squirmed uncomfortably in seat as Ella went on and on, some things were best left unsaid.

 

[Impudimp]

Marten was hard pressed to think of a good question to ask having Adelaide's suggestive language knocking around in her verdant skull. Feeling a small blush threatening to warm her cheeks she pointedly averted her eyes while offering Kindall the plate to share, mumbling, "Um, here, Some food will help pep you up..." She dared not get too close to him now that he was semi-awake. Already she noted his radiant body heat so close to her own. Was he running a fever? Or was it always that warm in the home?

Thankfully the passing around of soup helped to distract her. Food never failed to catch her attention and this dinner was particularly good. She would have to give her compliments to the chef. Maybe Mama wouldn't mind sharing her recipe. But before then she had thought of something to ask. "Hey Ella... Does Tam Tam live around here? Did she maybe live in the chateau a long time ago, or have any friends who did?" It was obvious that this Tam Tam was probably another forest spirit albeit a kind one. If they found it or where it was likely to be they'd be another step closer to Kelsey.

Maybe she could get London to ask the little girl that had taken a bit of shine to her? It was easier to get info out of people who liked you after all.

 

[Ashi]

​

Jace found himself looking down at the scarf, eyes tracing the path of each thread in the embroidered stars. He blinked hard to relieve the burning sensation in them. Ana reached a hand over to touch the garment and Jace instinctively grasped it, his grip gentle yet firm. He wished only to offer his friend comfort and to maybe derive some of his own. After a few minutes, he realized that it had been a little long and sheepishly released Ana's hand. A light blush burned on his cheeks momentarily. Perhaps no one had noticed? Not a moment too soon, a bowl of stew was placed in front of him as well as Ana. It was the perfect distraction. He took a bite and realized with the burst of flavor just how hungry he was. While it wasn't his mother's gumbo, it was delicious. He then very nearly spat it out.

"'Imaginary friends'?" Jace asked incredulously and looked at Ella. What the hell was a Tam Tam? From the little girl's description of the poltergeist that London had labelled Polly, as Tam Tam's friend, Jace guessed that Tam Tam was yet another ghost. Charlotte made it sound like there were more than just two, though. Questions swirled in his mind like the stew in his bowl. Milton was right; the forest did indeed sound crowded. A feeling of dread spread over Jace when Ella said that Tam Tam would bring more friends. "Great, just what this forest needs. More spirits." The feeling only intensified as it slipped out that Tam Tam had been watching Kelsey and following her into the woods.

Jace's expression darkened. Salem seemed uncomfortable as his sister mentioned this. Did Salem know about this and hadn't told them? After offering to help, he kept such a vital piece of information secret? "No, no. Maybe he didn't know. Maybe talking about this in front of his parents is what's making him uncomfortable." Jace thought, returning to reason before he said something brash. Marten asked a good question. From the sound of it, these spirits may have lived in the Chateau a long time ago and roamed the woods, unable or unwilling to pass on.

"Ella, has Polly ever been mean before like she was today?" He asked around a bite of stew. Another thing occurred to him then, something the kids had mentioned earlier. They'd said that they'd seen the creature Kelsey was looking for as well as Polly before, but didn't mention being attacked by them as the group just had been. Was there a particular reason for this? Did it have something to do with the Chateau? Jace directed his attention to Salem. "Do you guys happen to know anything about the house? Like its history, who lived here before?"

 

[Fox of Spades]

​

"I don't think Tam Tam is from around here, she lives in the trees. Her family does too," Ella said in response to Marten's question. The young girl wore a quizzical look on her face, as if she were pondering on the exchange. "This house belongs to Mama's grandma's grandma." She swung her feet back and forth, only to puff up her cheeks in indignation when Jace called her friends imaginary. Tam Tam was real, just as real as Polly! "She doesn't like it when you call her imaginary."

"Ella, he's a guest, be polite." Salem ruffled his little sister's hair.

"Sorry," she whispered before her eyes flitted to Jace once more. "Nuh-uh, she's not as nice as Tam Tam, but she was never really, really mean. Not like she was today!"

Salem eyed his mother and father before returning to the conversation at hand. "Um, I'm not exactly knowledgeably on the house's history, but it used to belong to our great, great grandmother. She didn't live here, but it was her property and we inherited it after she passed. I have heard about the rumors surrounding Whittle Grove. It's amazing how they seem to be mostly true."

He'd never been a believer of the supernatural, and then things started happening to him.

Salem looked particularly fidgety once the questions had all been answered, almost as if the young man was dreading something. He was as polite and good-natured as ever, but he was... distracted. "Anyway, as Alfonse said! Mrs. Putts made this dinner with love, so be sure to eat up. We can't very well go on a search and rescue on an empty stomach."

"Dessert! Dessert!" Ella chimed.

"Later, dear sister," Salem laughed. "If you eat your dessert first, you won't have room for the main course."

More dishes were carted out of the family kitchen and into the dining room, sumptuous stews and succulent meats, hearty broths and beautiful cakes. One by one, the meals were laid out for the group to eat, one by one people grew full.

And then it happened.

Milton was the first to go. His eyes grew heavy and his body lurched forward. The young man's face smacked against the plate Marten was holding up before his entire body fell to the ground, unmoving and limp.

It all happened at roughly the same time - silent and without warning.

The next to go were Jace, Ana, and Ethan, those who'd eaten a hearty amount of the food set before them. Suddenly, their limbs grew as heavy as lead and the world around them dimmed into blots of shapes and colors. They too slumped face-first into their food as their consciousness left them. Marten received the same fate. It took her longer to succumb to whatever was happening to her friends, but she too fell off her chair and onto her side on the manor's carpeted floor.

London, poor London, who'd refused most of the food, had watched her friends go one by one.

She found herself paralyzed, but unlike the others, was lucid enough to see what was going on... at least, for now.

It was around then that Salem got to his feet. "It would have been less horrible if you had eaten." There was no malice in his voice. In fact, if anything, it sounded as if he were consumed by guilt.

Around then, London's vision began to go in and out of focus.

"Please don't think us unkind. We never wanted this," Salem whispered.

It was the last thing they heard before the world went dark.

 

[Fox of Spades]

Cellar and Table Arrangement

The Longest Night... she'd heard fragments, bits and pieces, but nothing enough to make sense of it all. She was dead. She was so fucking dead. The room was dark and damp and it smelled of dust and decade-old wood. It was musty and hot, and the mask they'd pulled roughly over her head threatened to suffocate her.

Theories were all she had right now.

Cultists. Murderers. Cthulhu Summoners. She wasn't sure what niche they belonged in anymore, to be honest, she wasn't sure she cared either. The perpetual fear made it difficult to think - she just wanted to get out of these damned handcuffs. They were digging into her wrists and the more she fought, the more the metal would dig into her flesh.

At this rate she was going to scratch her wrists raw.

Gather your thoughts. Gather your thoughts or die, you fucking idiot.

If she survived this, she was going to get frigging hammered and drink until she forgot her own name.

The girl took several deep breaths before struggling to collect her thoughts. Her vision was starting to adjust to the darkness. She was in a small room with stone walls. There were shelves chock full of bottles and barrels scattered across the floor. Was this some kind of cellar? She was seated on a chair, her ankles strapped to said chairs legs and her hands cuffed to what appeared to be a large, wooden table - it was old and would fit perfectly in a Knights of the Round Table performance.

The black shadows in front of her started to grow more distinct...

People. They were People.

Six others in black robes and what appeared to be animal masks. Frog, Fox, Cat, Dog, Pig, and Cow. They were all sitting motionlessly in their chairs, their hands cuffed to the same round table and their heads dipping forward.

Were they - were they... dead?

Her insides turned to ice and her throat tightened. She started pulling against her restraints once more, not caring that the metal was slicing through the flesh of her hands. Sick. She was going to be sick.

Fuck. This. Place.

 

[Cartoonicat]

Waking with a gasp, London realized the dinner party had not, in fact, been a horrible dream but instead an even worse reality. The cellar walls and metal clasps around her wrists told her as much. Instinctively, she tugged against the metal, only to wince behind the mask on her face.

Mask?

Only now realizing the presence of others in the room, London froze. Let her eyes scan the room, falling on each of the masked individuals sitting at the table.

One, two... there's seven of us?

Someone here did not belong to her group. Maybe none of them did, and this whole thing just an elaborate set-up to contort information out of her. But, really, what information did London have that the Hayes didn't?

The Hayes.

A cold weight settled in London's stomach, squeezing her throat tight. If only she'd trusted her gut instinct, maybe she wouldn't have been blind-sighted. But Salem and Ella answered her questions so honestly - though, now that she thought about it, could she still believe a word they said? Adelaide had been so sweet, too, so kind... just like London's own mom. Who she never said goodbye to that morning. Who she might never see again.

Before she could stop herself, London burst into a sobbing mess. "I don't want to die! No! No quiero morir..." She hiccupped with almost every tear, unable to wipe them away. "They are- They're going to-! Ahhh... Lo lamento, lo lamento, lo siento..."

London had failed to see what stood in front of her the whole time. Peter the Pumpkin Eater wasn't just some lonely cryptid lurking in Whittle Grove; he was a family of four who had just moved in.

 

[IceQueen]

Ana had been enjoying her dinner and the slight touch of comfort from Jace, key word being WAS. She was doing fine when she started to feel heavy. Glancing up at Salem, Ana was about to say something when her head promptly hit the plate in front of her as her world went dark.

Waking up was even worse. Ana couldn't tell if it was her head messing with her or if her arms were stuck to the wood in front of her. Groaning, she tried to lift a hand to her face and found that it made a loud clanking sound before stopping a few inches off the table.

"What the...." She mumbled to herself, trying to get the fogginess from her vision but to no avail. She felt like something was being pressed up against it, long and narrow. She groaned, trying to move from where she was. Ever movement of her chained limbs gave her a wince of pain at the sharp metal. That was when the screaming started.

Turning her head towards another one of the masked people, a frog, Ana had to try and avoid tugging on the chains, which she did immediately trying to look over at the mask. Ana groaned, looking at the person in the mask.

"Look Lady! Man! Whatever you are! Could you shut the fuck up so I could think of a way to get out of here. Stop crying like you're going to die!" She shouted through her mask, looking around the table. Ana seemed to be one of the first few up, and started looking around the cellar.

 

[Fox of Hearts]

Wh - what? Milton's head was hurting like crazy. He wasn't sure if it was an impending migraine or a terrible hangover. Hangover? He didn't recall drinking any alcohol. He'd never drink it, because it tasted like piss.

He wrecked his brains. Vague memories of stew, cocoa and … cough syrup! Damn it! That was the oldest trick in the book! He cringed with embarrassment. How could he get hoodwinked so easily? All those hours spent reading about serial killers went down the drain just like that.

"Will you shut the f - up!" he growled. The Fox and Frog made him want to rip his ears out. God! His head was hurting twice as much with their shouting. He was so ready to commit murder. "Shut the f u ck up or I swear I'll rip your tongue out when I get the chance!"

"I - I - Aaaaaa ACHOO!" Kindall sneezed so hard that his knees slammed upwards into the table. "Aaaa f choo! ACHOO! A - a - aaaachoo!"

He sneezed until he broke into a coughing fit. The chesty sound indicated that there was a built up of phlegm inside his lungs. Milton's chest felt like it was on fire by the time he stopped. Ah crap! He thought. His mask was covered with snot.

That sticky mess made him freak out slightly. The rising panic made him think of London. This led to him remembering that she cursed in Spanish. And, bingo! Something clicked inside his head.

Spanish. Just now!

It sounded like it, honestly. Incomprehensible, fast and breathy. The tone shift threw him off initially, but he was certain that wasn't Jace's native tongue. The latter sounded rougher and more mellow. He paused. He was onto something, wasn't he?

Okay, assuming that the Hayes didn't go on a kidnapping spree while they slept, then his friends should be in this room. He frowned. The gibberish spouter was probably London. The snappy one could be Ana or Ethan. Ethan, probably, if he had a hangover.

How could he confirm his hypothesis? Shout his friends' names? Did he even want to do that?

Shouting their names would be an easy way out, but he assumed that their kidnappers wanted their identities to be a secret. The masks won't make any sense otherwise. He sneezed again, getting even more inspiration.

He couldn't help smiling. This was a great way to get a rise from London or Ethan. Maybe both! He sniffled a little then cleared his throat. "KinThan fanfics suck! Why? Because London made Ethan seme. He's a fucking girl. I'm the real seme."

Now to wait. Hopefully, neither would prove him wrong. If not, he'd only be making Kelsey happy wherever she was. She was the most annoying KinThan shipper ever. A real ass!

 

[Ashi]

View attachment 149618​

"Oh..." Jace frowned at Salem's lack of information. Without information on the previous owners of the Chateau, he couldn't be sure if the house actually had anything to do with the ghosts, Peter, or Kelsey's disappearance. He started to ask another question, turning his head to look at the fidgety young man, when he felt dizzy. Then, everything went black. He slumped over the table, head nearly landing in the bowl of stew; his long hair strewn across the table, as he'd forgotten to pull it back with the elastic Wendy found for him.

There was no telling just how long Jace had been out for. He roused slowly, woken by the muffled sounds of yelling and a sharp pain in his arms. His eyes blinked open, vision blurry at first. For a moment, he wondered if he was experiencing tunnel vision; however, it became clear why it looked like he was seeing through holes. He was seeing through holes - eye holes in a mask. Jace tried to lift his hands to remove the mask, rewarded by more sharp twists of pain. Looking down, which he had to crane his neck to do properly due to the mask, he was able to see that his wrists were cuffed to the table at which he sat. His wrists, while slim for one of his height and breadth and strength, were larger in circumference than the average young man's. This made the cuffs much too small and they cut into his skin. He found by moving a little that his ankles were fastened to the legs of the chair he sat on.

"What the fuck? WHAT THE FUCK?!" Jace tugged at his wrists, wincing at the twists of pain as the metal sliced his skin. Looking up, he could see other people, all wearing masks. Who were they? There were seven, himself included. What the hell was going on? Panic rose inside of him and it became difficult to breathe. Where were his friends? What happened to them? They were probably dead, as he was likely going to be. "Ana... Milton..." Jace's eyes welled with tears, his shoulders shook with silent sobs. He'd failed Kelsey; he'd failed them all.

"Tch!" Jace ground his teeth. How could this have happened? He searched his immediate memory. Dinner was a little fuzzy; it was hard to remember what they'd even talked about exactly before he blacked out. Ah! Wait! The house! Jace was asking about the house. He recalled that Salem had looked guilty, how he seemed uncomfortable. "Salem...." He thought with a wave of dread. "He did this..." Jace's stomach somersaulted. How could he have been so blind?! If only he'd listened to his instincts; if only he'd kept in mind what his father said....

"What're we doing out here, Pop?" A young Jace asked his father as they headed into the woods. "I'm going to teach you about survival instinct." Kele answered without even looking back. "But I know how to survive in the woods." Jace objected lightly, feeling this was a waste of a Saturday morning. "I didn't say 'survival.' I said 'survival instinct'." His father corrected and stopped to turn and look at him. "People and animals both have a set of instincts that tells them what to do in a given situation. One of those key instincts is called 'Fight or Flight'." Kele explained, at which Jace scrunched up his face. It was clear he didn't understand. "When, say, a mountain lion is cornered by a predator and it attacks, that's fight. When a deer hears the crack of a twig and runs, that is flight." He tried a simpler explanation, then sighed. "With people, though, it's different. Sometimes people just act without thought, sometimes you know what you have to do, and other times it's a judgement call."

"How exactly do you know which instinct is the right one to choose?" Jace asked. "Well, it differs based on the circumstances. If you could fight, but you know you'll lose, it's best to cut your losses and choose flight. If could run, but you may not make it, you should save your strength and energy in order to fight." Kele took the few steps back toward Jace and placed a hand on his shoulder. "That's why we're out here, so I can try to teach you to listen to that instinct. Nine times out of ten, your instinct is right."
​

Jace recalled that day in vivid detail. He caught himself up on a sob, thinking he might never see his parents again. No, he wouldn't think that way. He was going to get out of this one way or another. He was going to survive. "I choose to fight." A feeling he'd never known before churned in his stomach now, a burning rage. If he got his hands on Salem.. oh, that kid would wish he'd never fucked with him or, most importantly, his friends. He sniffled, blinking away the remaining tears. It occurred to him for the first time since he'd given way to panic that some of the other people in masks were talking. One was speaking Spanish, one had a fiery attitude, and the other couldn't seem to stop sneezing. Sneezing?!

"Was that.." Jace waited a moment, then relief washed over him. It was! It was Milton! It was undeniable! Who else would bitch about KinThan fanfics like that? Jace couldn't help the smile that stretched across his face until his cheeks hurt. "That must mean that the others are behind the other masks.... but who's who?"

"I dunno, Sherlock. It's kind of hard to imagine the Milk Man being on the bottom." He joked, surprised that he even could joke given the situation.

 

[Cartoonicat]

Already distressed, getting yelled at - especially by potential strangers behind fox and cat masks - didn't help. London hiccuped loudly before biting her lip to stifle the noises, but the tears kept coming and her shoulders shook with each wave of emotion. "We- We could- They could-..." she couldn't form proper sentences, constantly hiccuping like that, but her point sent well enough: London thought she was going to die.

Then, surprisingly, Cat Mask sneezed violently. The sound brought Kindall to mind, devolving her hiccups into wet sniffles. She opened her mouth to call out his name, only to stop short and furrow her brows.

My writing doesn't suck! I got the Sullivan Scholar award, you asshat! Familiarity washed over her and, before London could stop herself, she was biting back.

"They do not! Dios mio, you're such a-..." She bit her tongue at the last second, clenched her fists. Exhaled slowly through her nose. She'd cursed plenty of people out in her lifetime - usually over headset - but rarely ever her friends. Instead of argue, London racked her brain for something kind. Something to remind her why she enjoyed Kindall's friendship. "...caring person."

Which was completely true, not just for London but their other friends as well. As annoying as he got, she still appreciated the effort he put in to making sure she was healthy - even if he often mothered her more than her own mom did. Something struck London, then. Was that actually Kindall? It has to be, she thought, he's the only sick one and it's not like the Hayes know about our fanfiction stuff.

Relief washed over her. A friendly face! Erm, mask. If that was Kindall then, surely, the others were seated around the table, too. She looked around, eyes landing on Fox Mask curiously. Feisty, irritable... possibly Ana or Marten? Ana would definitely get angry, but Marten had a sailor's vocabulary when she was upset.

Mmm... not colorful enough. I don't think that's Marten.

Another voice sounded, this one cursing twice and loud from behind the cow mask. Okay, that might be Marten. London's theory, however, shot to hell when Cow Mask referred to Cat Mask as 'Sherlock' and questioned his position in the fanfic. To London at least, that kind of teasing didn't seem like something Marten would say to someone she thought to be Kindall.

Ay... This is so complicated! Who is Cow Mask, then? Not Ethan - he spoke in third person. Possibly Ana...? She did like to poke and prod, at least from London's experience. Then there was Jace, but he'd always seemed so mild-tempered and easy-going. Stressful situations did incite out of character behavior, though...

Speaking of which, London inhaled slowly. Thinking about who sat at the table rather than what plot the Hayes were cooking up had cleared her head, dried her tears. She could focus now.

 

[Haru Nyan]

​

Ethan woke to a groggy start, was it perhaps too much to ask for, thinking that the entire dinner party was nothing more than a fever dream and that it was all one crazy vision he had from another one of his bar hopping nights. Stretch, he tried to stretch, but the only thing that greeted him when he did so was metal. So cold, and so hard, would barely budge. He furrowed his brows and let out an irritated groan, trying to use his strength to see if he could at least make them budge, but it wasn't good enough. Dammit! He cursed under his breath, the fatigue was getting to his system sooner than he had thought.

He looked around only to realize his vision partially obscured, his breathing ragged and almost echoing throughout the room...Through the peepholes of the mask, he could see other people, trapped, just like him, all in some of the most ridiculous get-ups he could possibly imagine for a supposed perilous scenario. He wanted to snicked and suppress his laugh underneath all the fear and anxiety, only for his brain circuits to realize that he was in the same boat as them...and someone fucking took the Cow mask! Fucking, rude. Either this was some sort of kinky, furry, BDSM fetish club he got unwittingly dragged into, or the Hayes turned out to be murderous, fucking, psychopaths. He was willing to bet on both.

Then...someone started crying, which was an appropriate response, if you could understand the Spanish in between the whole sobbing. Frog boy, girl...thing? really wasn't setting the mood here and the Fox bitch--er, bastard? Wasn't about to have any of their shit. Then...someone, someone fucking had to say it. By god, if the stupid canine mask wasn't covering his face right now, he would've given the fucking Milton-hiding behind a cat mask of all things-a death glare and strangle him until he proved otherwise.

"OH PISS OFF, MILTON! Your fucking bitch-ass schlong couldn't slide through the slits of a fork if it even tried, let alone my fucking ass!" Ethan was on full-on ASSAULT MODE, and saying that shit actually...felt kind of good. Milton deserved it anyway. He smiled, knowing fully well who was now behind the visage of the bovine disguise, he attempted to wink, completely missing the point when they were wearing these dollar store-bought party masks.

He sighed in relief, trying to mellow out."Don't be, Jace. You'd be surprised at what I can take." Okay, he had to admit, the suggestive tone of both his voice and the current conversation weren't exactly the most ideal things right about now. At the very least, he knew two of his furry friends in the same boat as him, all that was left was to figure which one is which, and...who was their surprise mystery guest?

Dread began to fill Ethan's senses again, was it one of the Hayes? Some random, unsuspecting schmuck that happened to be in the same boat? Was...was it even a person to begin with? For all he knew, hiding behind that mask could be a mass of writhing tentacles or eyes.

 

[Fox of Spades]

The earlier exchange between the frog and the fox fell on deaf ears. She was far too busy straining against her chains and trying to fight back a panic attack. She could tell by the way it was getting harder to breathe and by tightness in her chest. Not now. Not. Fucking. Now. Pain flared up her wrists followed by the warm sensation of blood... it wasn't working.

She was going to die here just like these other poor souls.

The girl slammed both her fists into the hardened oak table, cursing like a sailor underneath her breath as hot tears began blurring her vision. She was going to die here and there probably wouldn't even be a body to bury.

She was gritting her teeth and choking back quiet sobs, at least until a few choice words slapped her back to existence.

"KinThan fanfics suck!"

She jolted upright, wide-eyed - a deer caught in headlights.

How?

The Cat's words triggered a domino effect of reactions ranging from outrage to amusement, and the following replies gave her hope for the first time in days. It was a shred of hope and she clung to it for a fraction of second before it was immediately smothered by dread. No. they couldn't be here. They weren't supposed to be here. It couldn't be them... it just couldn't.

Her mind was playing tricks on her... that's what it was. That's what it had to be.

She was just about to open her mouth when the sound of footsteps echoed against the stone floor.

Walking side by side were Alfonse and Mrs. Putts. Or at least, what appeared to be them... they walked unsteadily, unintentionally hunching forward with each step as if they were struggling to maintain their human posture. Both wore masks that only covered the upper portion of their face, but their cheeks sagged downward like old lumps of clay unable to maintain its original form. Mrs. Putts held what appeared to be a carving knife in her hand while Alfonse held a small remote.

"The game has yet to begin, guests. I'm afraid you have already broken the rules." Alfonse took a step forward and flipped a switch on his remote. A spotlight shone down on him and in the bright lights, it was clear that he was in pain. There was no malice in his voice or features, only a detached coldness coupled with regret. "Those who breaks the rules will be punished. Please refrain from saying any names." The was the last thing he said before he pressed another button.

Electricity crackled to life, electrocuting everyone who was seated.

It wasn't enough to seriously harm any of the guests, but shouts filled the room nonetheless. He stopped the moment everyone's masked heads once again hit the table. "Please play by the rules. We will be playing a little game, if you pass, you may leave the cellar." Alfonse turned to Mrs. Putts. "Give them the rules, dear."

Mrs. Putts took a step forward so she was standing beside her husband. "When the spotlight lands on you, give a fact about yourself. You will not be allowed to mention any names. We will continue this for two to three rounds. Afterwards, you will all be asked to guess who is beneath each mask."

"Very well," Alfonse spoke once again. He flicked the switch and the spotlight shone on the Monkey. "Let us begin."

Fire through her veins and a shit ton of pain. She was crying quietly when the spotlight shone down on her. The girl hadn't even gathered what Alfonse had said and remained unmoving with her head on the table.

"Please, don't let us do this again," Mrs. Putts spoke.

It took a few seconds for the sniffling to transition into coherent speech. She mumbled out the first fact that popped into her head in a garbled up voice. "I... I have three fakes. Three fake IDs."

 

[Fox of Hearts]

Thank you! Thank you for being goddamn predictable! Milton thought. Ethan and London gave themselves away as expected. Elation washed over him, a feeling he experienced whenever he scored a homerun. Dog Mask, Frog Mask, check! Four more to go.

Jace revealed himself when he used the nicknames "Sherlock" and "Milk Man". At least, that was what Kindle assumed. Heck! Jace was the only person who could match his wit even under pressure. That guy was made of strong stuff!

Kindall turned his attention back to the remaining three. Was the snarky Fox, Ana? He frowned. Marten curses as much as London and Ana didn't swear as much. The person didn't really swear earlier but they didn't say that much either.

He realised that he needed to change tactics to deduce the answer. Embarrassing Marten would probably work as well as him insulting London and Ethan. Hopefully, she won't hold a grudge. He just wanted to know if she was sitting with them at the table.

His musings were cut off by their macabre hosts. The man holding the switch informed them that they "broke the rules" before electrocuting them. Milton yowled like a cat, screeching at an unnaturally high pitch. The jolts came to an end eventually but the tingling sensation persisted. Milton felt mutinous. How f-ed up are these people? Electrocuting them to force them to obey? Well, F them.

He glowered at Alfonse. He wanted to protest against participating in this messed up game, but a brief glance at the remote changed his mind. They didn't even receive 10% of the total shock yet, so a full shock could kill them. Sickos! He swore internally. Although he was seething at the injustice, he knew in his heart of hearts that he didn't want to risk killing the rest. Guess I have no choice but to play this stupid game, he sighed.

Lo and behold! The Monkey went first and the unknown person's statement was like a gut punch. KELSEY!?! He sputtered in disbelief. Ke - goddamn - Kelsey!?! The person to blame for their predicament? Yeah, it had to be her. Who else would own so many fake cheesy IDs.

He opened his mouth to say something, when he noticed the light shining on him. Erm …. He hesitated. Kelsey or Marten? He was torn between his asshole friend and his crush. He wetted his lips nervously. The rest got this … right? Someone was bound to confirm the Monkey was Kelsey. He had faith in them. That's why he figured he could help by identifying one of the remaining two people.

If the Frog reacted, then the Fox's Ana and the Frog's Marten. He cleared his throat. Cocky confidence, yes, that's what he needed right now. He swallowed hard to stop an oncoming sneeze, but it backfired. He ended up coughing like a wheezy tuberculosis patient. Kindle stopped long enough to recompose himself again. Thankfully, the light was still on him. He took a deep breath then shouted.

"I ASKED MARTEN TO BE MY GIRLFRIEND BEFORE HALLOWEEN. GUESS WHAT SHE SAID?"

It was a lie, but he doubted the rest knew that. Still, it didn't stop him from feeling embarrassed. He knew he was putting Marten on the spot. Kindall started appreciating his mask for the first time that evening. It saved him the trouble of trying to hide the blush staining his cheeks. Urgh!

 

[Cartoonicat]

Startled out of her thoughts by the banging of fists on the table, London looked at Monkey Mask beside her with wide eyes. Noticed a shimmer of scarlet around their wrists. Whoever it was, watching them struggle to the point of pain hurt London, too - especially if it turned out to be someone she knew. Opening her mouth to try and comfort them - not her strong suit, but she'd try - London stopped abruptly at the sound of approaching footsteps.

Rules? What rules?

"We didn't know-" London's protest cut off sharply with a pained shriek. She gasped when the shocks ceased, skin tingling. Tears welled in her eyes again. This wasn't just some scary Halloween prank - the Hayes weren't fooling around. But why? If they weren't sacrificing them to some sort of monster, why were they doing this? London swallowed dryly, eyes following the spotlight as it landed on Monkey Mask.

What they said shocked her more than the punishment. Everything seemed to slow, the air thick as molasses. Three fake ID's. There was only one person London could think of that would have so many. Punny names like Vronika Smirnov came to mind and she felt herself wishing for all the world she was sitting right there behind the monkey mask.

Kelsey.

London had to play this game to find out, though. Thought hard on what she could say that would get a predictable reaction from Kelsey but also give the others a clue as to which mask London wore. She couldn't think of much; only one thing that would be sure to get Kelsey's attention stood out to her, but London wasn't about to admit that. She'd take it to her grave if she had to.

The spotlight turned to Cat Mask - the presumed Kindall. London gawked when they confessed to asking out Marten before Halloween. What? That can't be Kindall, then! Marten would have told me! Who else would it be, though? The sniffle is a dead giveaway... She didn't think for a second that Cat Mask might be lying. Instead, found herself a little sour at not being told of the new development. Had they started dating? Did Marten say no? London, their secretly invested wing woman, did not like being left in the dark.

Well, fine then.

Her blood went cold just then, realizing Kindall used Marten's name. She didn't say anything, though - kept her mouth shut just in case their captors didn't catch the slip up. London didn't want to be punished again.

The spotlight swiveled in her direction and she squinted against the light. Hiding behind the mask helped calm her nerves a little, made it easier to talk, but the spotlight did not. Crap. She still hadn't thought of something to say! There was at least one more round, though. If she felt uncertain about Monkey Mask's identity at that point, she'd have the time to come up with something in the meantime.

For now, though, she settled on something obviously London.

"I am, uh... I'm the editor for the local Murder Mystery Events, even though I-... Even though I rarely go."

Assuming they got out of this alive, London vowed to change that.

 

[IceQueen]

Ana's head hurt, everything was spinning. The peace that she had so desperately screamed about was nowhere closer to being achieved. Groaning to herself, Ana instinctively tried to reach up and rub her head only to grunt as the chains tugged on her wrist again. Ana seemed to perk up at the mention of a name, a familiar name from the party. Looking up, she was just about to ask if one of her friends was there when a voice piped up behind her.

"You- AGH!" Ana gasped, her chest heaving as a bolt of electricity ran through her. It didn't exactly agree with the metal stuck in her ears, or the stuff on her wrists. Ana tried to blink away the ringing in her ears as the servants of the house began to explain. By the time the light had fallen on the monkey mask the ringing had stopped and Ana was barely paying attention to what was going on. She was in time to hear the three fake ID's.

Ana's head snapped up. She only knew one person mad enough to get three fakes and walk around owning them. Kelsey. Ana immediately had the urge to cry and try and reach her friend, she was only seconds away from calling out her name when she steeled herself. She did not want to be shocked again and just like that they were moving on to a more outrageous outburst from the Cat mask, and this time Ana couldn't hold back.

Bursting out into laughter, Ana leaned forward, her head hitting the wood. 'Oh my god that has to be the biggest joke I've ever heard." She laughed, shaking her head. Whatever outburst that was had made her calm down a bit. Taking a deep breath, Ana steeled herself, trying to make light of the situation. 'I am going to get out of here, and I'm bringing my friends with me.' She thought, curling her hands into fists.

Hearing the bit about the murder mystery events Ana grinned. She vaguely remembered someone speaking about it, one of the people who was on the more shy side so if she had to take a guess she would have said London. Clearing her throat, Ana tried to wiggle out her extremities.

"When I was a kid I got stuck in a tree at the edge of the white woods and had to have Jace save me since I was crying my eyes out." She said, the mask hiding the grin behind her features. Sure, it was embarrassing to talk about but it was also specific and not nearly as terrifying as this was.

 

[Ashi]

View attachment 149690​

"Oho, damn!" Jace fought back the urge to laugh as Ethan told Milton off. It was truly relieving to know that they were there with him, that they were alive. He wanted to smile and laugh and hug them all; but that was still little more than wishful thinking at this point. There was no telling how far away they were from getting out of this mess. He looked around as best he could, still unable to pinpoint who was who just yet. There came the sound of footsteps and Jace turned his head to see Alfonse and a woman coming down the cellar stairs. The butler held a remote of sorts; the woman held a knife. A lump formed in Jace's throat, choking him silent. That is, until the shock came. He yelled in pain, a string of profanities following soon after.

"What the fuck?!" Jace growled through clenched teeth, glaring at the two from where his head now lay on the top of the table. It was only while he focused his gaze on them that he realized that something was off. The upper parts of their faces were hidden by masks, but what he could see of the lower parts looked... wrong. It was like their faces were loose masks. Their voices sounded strange, as if they were robotic, though they carried a hint of regret. Beneath the tingling, burning sensation left behind by the electricity, Jace could feel his blood run cold.

A game? They wanted to play a game? Just who were these sick fucks? Jace struggled to sit up, shaking and wincing with pain. That rage burned inside him still, fueled by a determination to not only survive, but to punch their sagging faces. It was out of character for him and he knew it. Jace wouldn't have described himself as a violent person, and neither would anyone else he knew. The urge was foreign, but it was strong nonetheless. He listened as carefully as he could given that his head was buzzing.

The person in the monkey mask started to speak as the spotlight that had been shining on the elderly butler shone on him or her. The voice sounded strange, perhaps due to the mask, but the clue given was about three fake ID's. Jace drew in a sharp breath. Only one person he knew with false ID's was brazen enough to admit she had them and walk around with them on the daily - Kelsey. The person behind the monkey mask had to be Kelsey. Tears filled his eyes again, this time happy ones. Kelsey was alive! A weight was lifted off of his chest; however, another remained. They had to win this game to get out here.

The cat mask went next and the glue given was quite the surprise, but still rather telling. Jace knew there to be something between Kindall and Marten, and Marten wouldn't speak about herself in third person. On top of that, he was pretty sure that that was the mask from which all the sneezing had been coming. The cat mask was definitely Kindall.

The frog mask went next, giving a clue about being the editor for the local Murder Mystery Events. He wasn't entirely sure he remembered what that was, but he pegged the shyness for London. The behavior didn't fit the other girls, not to him. He knew Kelsey and Ana both well enough to know for certain that the person was neither one; and he only ever saw Marten being bubbly and outgoing.

The fox mask followed afterward, the clue being a dead giveaway. Jace had rescued Ana from a tree years ago; it was how he met her and Kelsey. There was no doubt in his mind that the fox was Ana. The light then shone on him. Jace blinked, his mind going blank. What could he possibly say?

"I'm the Tarzan of Bellwoods." Jace said after a moment of thought. They couldn't possibly not know what that meant.

 

[Impudimp]

​

She had been dreaming. Not one of those floating in nothingness affairs, but a full-fledged wonderland of food and friendship even the happiest, fattest kid would be proud of. And of course she had been eating something horribly bad for her when her tooth began to ache. The burning pain was electric and zapped her good. "Ow, shit... What is this a lightning berry muffin or something?" She groused attempting to eat the sweet confection yet again only to meet the same fate at a higher degree. "Ow, ow, motherfuck! No way! Do I have a toothache?!" She screamed her incredulity. You can't have a toothache mid-dream, right? In a trick of fate, as soon as she had that epiphany the shocking sensation was back with a vengeance and spreading like wildfire over her nervous system.

Marten woke with a scream, twitching in agony at both the voltage and the metallic resistance on her ankles and wrists which desperately wanted to move if only to let the girl assume the fetal position. She vaguely noted the limitations on her vision through her spasming before the zap was completed and she was left thanking God that her bladder was empty beforehand. "What the hell is going on?!" She was pissed. Who woke someone up with a taser? This wasn't a fun game at all! None of her friends were that big of an asshole. Okay, some of them were assholes, but they had limits!

Speaking of her friends, she took note of the very Godfather-esque setting of the dimly lit round table filled with shadowy figures who were... wearing masks? Was she wearing one as well? She'd assumed so since her range of sight was really hindered at the moment. Eyeholes = Mask, dumdum. Were they here? Who were these guys?

Anxiety bubbled in her chest as the night's most recent events came flooding back to her mind in a rush. Poisoned food, avoided questions, a missing Kelsey... We never found her... Her heart hurt. She was subdued, presumably captive, and she hadn't even been able to find her missing friend. This was a terrible night to say the least. All the green-haired girl could do was take a shaky breath since she was on the verge of tears. This wasn't supposed to be how everything went.

She felt like her own little dark cloud hovered over her head. Of course, she had never been prone to depression, but this seemed like a perfect moment to be depressed. Well, that was until Milton opened his big mouth, because who else but him would say anything like that.

"What the--! You! You cottonheaded ninnymuggins! Take it back!" She felt the burning heat on her cheeks that let her know her blush was quite vivid. She was suddenly thankful for the mask. She would have cursed that little liar out, but as much as he was a lying buttface at the moment he was also... still her crush, and it was crass outbursts like that that kept hot-blooded females like Marten on their games.

With blood rushing in her face and ears like it was, it also gave her time to really take everything in. The other masked individuals had been talking the whole time. In her rising panic, she had picked out the voice that affected her the most. Turning her head she noted its origin. A cat? Of course. Milton's a cattier bitch than any other person I know. Well... outside of Ana, but she's just a hot pepper over all. She managed a small smile at the thought. But someone... Someone had mentioned IDs? But she had been recovering from shock. Hahah, literally! You punny bunny!-- Okay, and obviously her brain was a little fried from it. She didn't know where it had come from at all!

Well, she needed to focus now damnit! Being electrocuted hurt! And if this was just a task of "Name that friend" then she would pass! So Milton is the cat. Who else? The frog had been next. Murder Mystery? Milton's already out. So, London? I'm going with London. London is frog-chan. She didn't have the mental capacity to second guess herself right now. She just had to go with her guts.

Jace saving someone in a tree? Ana the fox, then. They had known each other the longest. So it made the most sense. Well, aside from Kelsey. Kelsey didn't climb trees, but she would send you up one! Just like she would dare you to do just about anything... and make you fake IDs... IDs... IDs?! IDs! Kelsey! Kelsey is here somewhere! She was so happy. Deliriously happy, but happy all the same! They had found her!

The deep voice from beside her made her jump a bit. She couldn't quite see who it was, or their mask, but at the mention of Tarzan, she couldn't help but laugh genuinely. Jace is on my left. And then the light was on her. Her spirits were significantly lifted. She was surrounded by friends. All of them! Sure they were somewhere exceedingly dank and creepy, but... They were together so everything was going to be fine! Sure they couldn't see her smile, but they would be able to hear it for sure as she chirped, "I have green hair that I'm damn proud of!"

 

[Haru Nyan]

Punished? Just when he thought one of the worst-case scenarios wouldn't happen, he just had to jinx it! Then...pain, nothing but pain, excruciatingly sharp pain that was as transient as it was shocking. He let out a sharp cry, trying to endure it for as long as he could but the screams just kept on coming. Ethan had always thought he was the tough guy of their group, but the intensity of the sensations he was feeling right now left him with few words. He panted and heaved, as if this whole goddamn freakshow didn't have enough depraved undertones as is.

The aftermath of the electrocution left him mildly unhinged, he swore that he could still feel the moment that nothing made sense anymore, like the rules of this game. The foreboding flashlight made its way to Monkey See, Monkey Do first and foremost, only when the masked figure revealed something about themselves did Ethan's brain start connecting the dots.

​

No. Fucking. Way. He stared there in shock and awe, and if this stupid furry convention mask wasn't hiding his face, his agape mouth would be out there in the open for everyone to see. Half of it was from the "game" they were forced to play. What is this, fucking Saw? He felt nauseated just remembering the movie. While the other half was from a mixture of pure delight and a tinge of bittersweet. Kelsey? Was it...was it really her? No, now wasn't the time to be clouded by self doubt! Ethan harrumphed and made himself 95% sure that it was Kelsey beneath that fucking mask, the other 5% could be some unspeakable horror that had come to sell their souls to Satan or whatever.

Three, and then there were three. Three that was positive that he knew. The cat obviously couldn't have been anyone else but that jackass...Cow was plain as day, well to Ethan anyway, he doesn't quite remember anyone else calling him "Milk Man" and the Monkey was Kelsey (?), still 95% on that one. I mean, how could he forget fucking Vonika Smirnov? Ethan's suspicions were confirmed when the Cat began to blurt out one of the most hilarious things he had heard this evening. He snickered, and then went on to full-on Laugh Out Loud mode as even one of the masked figures began to laugh with him. Up next was Slippy Toad, who he still hasn't quite figured out yet.

...Oh you have got to be kidding me...Were the words that swarmed Ethan's head as Frog Mask revealed bits and pieces about themselves. It was safe to bet that he knew who that one was. Up next, Fox McCloud and this one...this was the one he wasn't particularly very confident about. There were a number of guesses running around in his head and even then, he still had to give it a long and hard thought. Was there really any doubt at this point as to who was behind the Moo Moo Mask or the Pig one? Then, like a deer in headlights, Ethan gulped as the light began to ominously shine its rays at him. Think! Think! Think! What was something that everyone knew him for?

He sighed, "I, uhh...I didn't hesitate at all to bring four cartons of milk to this expedition. All in different flavors."