Spookyville was well set up and served to reinforce a lot of the themes for Halloween, much of it related to costumes and fun. Some of it was fun for all ages while other events, like the party at the Meat Market, was far more adult. There was a slight chill in the air and the cheers of Lyre and Animalia's children were heard. There was a lot of joy that could be heard, and it went across all of Animalia's members. Some were newer than others.
"I'm surprised you didn't have a stunt planned tonight," Patty said to Diego as the two Smilodon Animalians made their way along the various booths that were set up like a carnival tour, "Something to get people going."
Diego looked over Patty, who was dressed up in a fine suit, though he couldn't identify what it was for. It wasn't the uniform she wore for her job at one of the casinos that had been built in Animalia, and it wasn't a formal business suit, like what politicians and CEOs often wore. Though Diego did have to admit that she did look good in it.
"Halloween isn't for stunts," Diego answered, "they can and do go wrong sometimes... I'm all too familiar with that."
Patty nodded, remembering the news reports on the failed jump that had pretty much crippled Diego before his conversion. Though she did still note that Diego had an interest in some of those sorts of sporting events. He did a lot of ski instructing and teaching various Animalians how to ice skate over the past winter, a good thing for many, since so many Animalians had digitigrade legs that changed how they balanced.
"So you're not going to jump the fountain at Caesar's Palace?" came a new voice, making the two Smilodon Animalians look up to see a male Stegosaurus Dinotopian with a human woman. It was the male Stegosaurus that spoke.
"Not for Halloween, Mister..." Diego began.
"Spike, Samuel Spike," the male Stegosaurus spoke, "this is Nadia Wisemans. I did some odd jobs for her father in the past."
Sam didn't mention that those odd jobs were part of his own battle with Cocaine addiction at the time. He'd joined Project Phoenix and Mesozoic to finish that off, but he still regretted the fact that he'd let himself fall that deep into addiction. He was privately thankful that Horizon had been able to get him a job for the state of Nevada helping their law enforcement departments deal with addiction issues and help the various detox centers treat those suffering from addiction. It'd mean he'd have to stay in Nevada for a while, but he'd found that Nadia did actually like him in the process. She'd joined him during the colony tour in the summer and had even come up from Reno for the Halloween celebration.
"And he never even told me he liked me," Nadia said to Patty with a teasing tone of voice.
"Cute," Patty smiled, "So what are you up to right now?"
"Right now enjoying some fun," Nadia commented.
"Being grateful that it isn't too cold, yet," Sam added.
"And that's why you're dressed up like some arctic explorer, I see," Diego couldn't help but laugh.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Others took more to the adult party, and for Buford, Esteban, and Amos, the adult party at the Meat Market was the place to be, where they were keen on celebrating the successes and second start's they'd had with Animalia. They may not have all won in the A-BC over the summer, but they'd done better than before and they felt far better than before. Of course, the group soon had their own questions that they'd tease each other on.
"So what are you supposed to be again?" Aleta asked to Amos, who was seated to her left and was dressed in rather torn up clothing with what looked like red body paint in patches over the areas of his spikey scales that were visible. Amos had also done some preparation with his "trick" as both Aleta and Buford could smell the thin trail of blood smeared down Amos's face from his eyes down to his chin.
"I'm still me... but... say I was attacked by zombies," Amos answered, "it's not that hard."
"Not hard... but why would one want to dress up as something that is already dead?" Aleta asked, "Such a thing isn't scary to me... and the blood only makes you smell appetizing."
Amos gave a gulp at the last line, though Buford waived a hand for a moment.
"Don't worry, buddy, I won't let her eat you," Buford gave a chuckle, and then said with a teasing tone of voice, "besides zombies probably won't taste very good."
Amos stuck his tongue out before retorting, "and going as the sharks from "Jaws" is so much more original. Weren't those movie fish actually Great Whites?"
"In the movies, yes," Buford answered, "but that's the fun about Halloween. Unless you think Tyra Wrex actually IS some wild barbarian from a fantasy novel."
"Okay, you got us there," said Esteban as he raised his hands in surrender, and glancing over to another booth where Tyra and Rex were talking with a female Stegosaurus Dinotopian and a female Triceratops Dinotopian, Rachel and Sherry.
"I still can't believe she didn't recognize my costume," Larry grumbled, and then pointed to the paired thin plastic pieces that he had taped to his head, that formed a sort of half circle crest on top of his head, "I mean... it is accurate to the movie."
Esteban glanced over as Larry then extended his neck frill. It didn't make the rattlesnake's rattle-like noise that it did in Jurassic Park, but it did help Larry present himself as the Jurassic Park version of the Theropod Dilophosaurus.
"And it did earn a few claps and cheers with regard to the costume contest," Larry commented.
Buford glanced over his shoulder to the stage area. Normally at the Meat Market, the stage would hold regular exotic shows. Tonight, however, it showed the adult costume party, with Yuki standing there as the referee and judge for those contestants going up on stage. Much of the vote was up to the audience, but it was interesting. And Larry did get a few cheers. Though Buford had also seen a white horse Animalian with her mate in a costume that looked good too.
"Yeah... but I still think that horse couple over there will win," Buford commented as he pointed.
Larry of course playfully denied it and they settled on into their dinner.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Of course, not all Animalians went out to the party at Spookyville or the adult party at the Meat Market. For Iphis, Ianthe, Waterlily, and Typhoon it was pretty obvious. With all their newborns sleeping for some periods, waking up to be fed, or because the specialized diapers that had been put together for snake Animalians needed to be changed was something that took up a fair amount of time. The three often tried to rotate through the day so that the work was shared as much as possible.
This allowed Waterlily to work with Norrie Simus running a small curiosities shop that seemed to cater to many of the things Norrie's own parents had sold for years... aroma therapy candles, chimes, and other things to heal bad vibes. Waterlily did like it and got along with Norrie fairly well too. It also let Iphis and Iantha keep up with their workout schedule and some of the various promotional ideas that had been made for the two headed Anaconda. But their little ones needed attention and while it did tire them out, even Ty found hirself being more and more protective of the ones shi gave birth to. As such, they generally agreed to stay in their apartment, flip on the hallway light above their door and hand out candy to trick or treaters. It was pretty fun, and Iphis was quite impressed with a little girl who had dressed up as her with a cloth jumper that mimicked Iphis and Ianthe's scale patterns and even included a fake tail, and even two foam copies of the Anaconda Animalian's heads.
The big thing though was that the three hermaphrodite snakes had a few guests in Xenophon, Daffodil, Goldenrod, and Hirschi had also joined them, with Daffodil and Goldenrod both showing signs of pregnancy. It wasn't much, but it was there. As such they all settled into the living room where they found that the hermaphrodite horses were there for advice.
"Well... you're looking rather well," Ty commented, "that's good... though... aside from being hermaphrodites and the inspiration for Project Hermaphroditus... I'm not sure there's much that we can really say to be of help..."
Iphis nodded agreement, "yes... even if your children share the things that make you unique, I'm sure the actual pregnancy will go fairly close to those the other Horse Animalians have had.
"Maybe..." Daffodil said slowly, "but given some of the attention you three got when you were pregnant and now that your little ones have been born... I suppose there is some of the concern that we won't be ready if anything big comes up.”
“About the biggest thing will be in the number of young born,” Ty commented, remembering labor, and hir promise to never go through that again.
“And the doctors at Horizon Light did say that our pregnancy did generally function in much the same way other Animalian pregnancies,” Waterlily added.
"And surely the other Horse Animalians have been supportive," Ianthe commented.
"They have been for me," Daffodil answered, "but... I think..."
Daffodil's voice got a bit weaker as shi looked over to Goldenrod, who sat nervously next to Hirschi.
"They know," Goldenrod said in referral to Samson and the Brown family, "but... I haven't really been able to really talk all that much..."
"Why?" Waterlily asked with wide eyes, "they've struck me as pretty nice people. I'm sure they'd understand."
"They do..." Goldenrod said weakly, "but before all this... I was a male and male only, which meant that being pregnant was never an issue for me. I was also a gelding, which meant that I'd lost all real interest in the mares that I was with at the time before I was uplifted. In this... I was so excited at getting certain parts back... that I wasn't paying attention and just let it happen and then didn't think that it could happen."
Ty slowly nodded, getting the real sense that for Goldenrod, there was some sense of shame at an unplanned pregnancy and not taking responsible precautions to prevent it. That happened from time to time.
"Are you happy that you're pregnant?" Ty asked.
"Well... the morning sickness is bad... but I suppose... I'm not opposed to being a mother," Goldenrod answered, "I just thought..."
"That you'd actually get to make the conscious choice to be a mother first?" Ty finished.
Goldenrod slowly nodded, while Hirschi held her hand.
"Surprises happen," Ty commented, "and like Waterlily said, I'm sure the Browns will be more than happy to help and be there for you. And it would seem like Hirschi has been very supportive. So things can't be too bad... and sometimes those surprises become very good things."
Ty then paused to think on the children that shi and her mates had given birth to. While Ty remembered all the pain of going through labor and the added stress of all the young that shi and hir mates had to care for, a part of hir looked down on them, even the ones that shi knew Waterlily and Iphis and Ianthe gave birth to, and wasn't quite as eager to part with them. At times, Ty did try act strong, but shi knew shi loved hir babies dearly, all of them. It lead to some teasing from Waterlily and Iphis/Ianthe regarding the "change of heart," but it was all friendly, and Ty was fairly certain the rest of hir three way marriage felt pretty much the same way. It gave Ty the sense that things would also be fine for Goldenrod.
"Just try to talk with the Browns," Ty urged, "I'm sure they won't do anything to hurt you... especially if you know they've already stated some support."
"That may have to wait a bit," Hirschi commented, "they're busy with all the stuff related to Halloween and announcing who won the Mr. and Miss Farmhand Competition. We saw them making their way out to the big stage/booth set up for it down at Spookyville on the way here. Malice's tail looked like was going into overdrive with excitement."
Iphis and Ianthe chuckled at that as the doorbell rang, signaling the arrival of more trick or treaters.