Shout At The Devil! [Halloween Party] Band members and friends invited

[bangingthe_hellouttayou]

Zack had decided that he wanted to do something for Halloween now that he'd gotten his new costume and being a Spider-Man fan he'd gone for a Spider-Punk costume straight from his comics. He'd gotten it at a local comic store down on the Strip and couldn't wait to show Damien because he knew the Dog didn't have comics or anything fun back in Hunger City. Zack now pleased that he'd arranged a Halloween Party for the band members, their friends and family to attend inside the communal area of the apartments. It was the biggest space and there was a bar all stocked up with spooky drinks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic alike.

It would be a blast!

There were even spooky snacks with crisps and chips shaped like bats, ghosts and pumpkins. There were even actual pumpkins on a table for those who wished to carve a pumpkin alone or with friends. Zack had tried to make it accessible for all, those who wished to party and get drunk and those who wanted to do non-boozy activities too.

As for costumes---they were optional but preferred.

"Ok, I think that's it. Everyone should be arriving soon."

Zack looking around the room and hoping everyone would like what he had set-up with help from some of the others of course.

Comments

[willoftheblackbird]

Before the City Charms show, Jake had invited both Dee and Jay to the apartments. Truth be told, they felt a little awkward intruding on the biggest collection of musicians (local and visiting) in their literal homes. But a halloween party seemed the perfect time to mix and mingle.

Anyone who got a hold of a demo for The Prophet would recognize them from the artwork. Both Dee and Jay looked like they crawled out of a post-apocalyptic rock and roll fantasy - studded leather, hair teased, face marked with war paint. (something sort of like this)

Whether they’d gone to the right address was quickly answered by the sheer amount of noise already coming from the complex.

“I’ve got a good feeling about this.” Dee smiled, looking up at his fiancé, who was pushing his wheelchair across the parking lot.

“Let’s have some fun tonight.” He smiled.

[bangingthe_hellouttayou]

Zack was soon to spot some people coming across from the parking lot as he glanced out of his balcony window to see who'd be showing up. Always a good bet to look into the parking lot first to see if people were coming back from the Strip or from being out for the day. At least it had given Zack time to set everything up. The people in the lot though---two guys and one pushing another in a wheelchair---he didn't recognise them but they were dressed up and coming this way. Surely, they were for the party!

The young drummer now heading down to greet the two, wanting to know who they were and if they were relations or friends of other band members. Zack now testing out his Spider-Punk costume, giving a few big strides, feeling the elastic stretch and work around his legs.

"Hello, are you coming to the Halloween party tonight?"

Zack looked to the guy pushing the wheelchair first and then the guy sat down.

[willoftheblackbird]

They were, indeed, dressed to impress.

Despite being extremely thin, the one in the wheelchair somehow still managed to look imposing in his leather vest. He could definitely pass for the charismatic leader of a rock rebellion - some kind of secret weapon born to be underestimated. The one pushing the chair had a more medieval look to his character. His leather looked almost like vestments. A couple of flasks in the shape of potion bottles dangled from his belt.

It was Dee that spoke first. His voice was smooth, almost melodic. “We are. I’m not sure if we’ve met?”

He wasn’t sure who was under the Spiderman mask. And neither was Jay.

[bangingthe_hellouttayou]

Zack realised he was wearing a Spider-Man mask and that people who didn't know his voice wouldn't be able to recognise who he was. The drummer pulling off his mask just so he could introduce himself to the new guys.

"We haven't. I'm Zack, the drummer for the Hell's Angels. That party organiser too."

The Brit smiling and putting out a hand towards the boy in the wheelchair first. It was cool that new people were joining the tour all the time or just coming to visit relatives.

"I like both your costumes."

[willoftheblackbird]

“Pleasure to meet you.” Dee shook his hand first. His grip was weak, but his tone was sincere. “I’m Dee, also known as The Prophet.”:

Jay followed suit, reaching out with a gloved hand. “Jay. Also known as the Mystic. Jake told us about the party. And the apartments.”

Hells Angels… Dee didn’t know many foreign acts, but the band name sounded familiar. It took Dee a little while to remember where he’d heard it before.

“Oh! Hell’s Angels… It was your bass player that tried to scale that skyscraper last year, wasn’t it? Talk about a publicity stunt.”

“Don’t get any ideas, there.” Jay gently put a hand on Dee’s shoulder.

The singer just laughed. “As if either of us could climb a skyscraper.”

[bangingthe_hellouttayou]

"The Prophet? That's a cool name."

Zack shook Dee's hand then moved to shake Jay's after. The Mystic? These guys had awesome names that almost sounded like stage names, which most of the rock stars had here on the tour.

"You mean Joe? Yeah, he's a crazy guy but a decent bassist and I'd trust the world to him. He's Aarne's boyfriend, the crazy tall Finn who screams a lot. You might seem him here around at the party."

The Brit remembered how much publicity the band had after that incident. Joe was out of his mind on booze and drugs, trying to climb a huge skyscraper in heeled boots.

"Uh---I wouldn't. I mean---Spider-Man can but I'm not actually that brave enough to do it."

[willoftheblackbird]

They sounded like stage names because they were, and not just for the sake of a costume party. “It’s actually the name I perform under.”

Of course, speaking of names, there were a lot of them to keep straight.

“Someone was crazy enough to climb with him…” Jay tried to remember the article. “Not Spiderman, but a spider fan, or something like that.”

“Spider fan?” Dee snickered.

[bangingthe_hellouttayou]

"Yeah, I heard it was Ziggy's cuddle boyfriend, Minoru. He does parkour and Fredrik sometimes jumps with him."

Zack might be good at graffiti and riding his motocross bike but he'd never even attempt what Joe and Minoru did. It was a death sentence if one of them fell---mainly, if Joe fell.

"I love comic books and graffiti art, going around on my motocross and making art. That's when I'm not performing on stage with my band. Maybe they're around here some---"

The drummer's words cut off as Joe came screaming towards Zack, Dee and Jay, laughing because Billy and Viktor were with him too. Zack now smiling and introducing the rest of his band.

"This is Joe "The Hellmaster", Billy and Viktor "The Devil."

[willoftheblackbird]

Of course, neither Jay nor Dee knew what a 'Cuddle Boyfriend' was. An escort of some kind, perhaps? They'd heard of parkour, though, and that made Joe's stunt sound even more like a PR stunt. The Spider Fan was a professional that just happened to do some work on the side with Ziggy Stardust.

The connections kept overlapping.

And suddenly names like The Prophet and The Mystic seemed to fit right in.

"...Hell's Angels. It's a pleasure to meet the whole band." Dee reached out a hand to the group as he introduced himself and his partner. His grip was weak, and his hands were thin to the point of feeling fragile. But he certainly wasn't shy. "I'm Dee, the Prophet. And this is my fiance, Jay, also known as the Mystic."

"Pleased to meet you." Jay echoed. They'd obviously heard a lot about the band in the press, but they hadn't gotten a chance to see a Hell's Angels' show yet.

[helland_damnation]

Joe screamed at the new people as per usual on greeting someone new, or just because he always screamed when he was excited, drunk and high, or all three. Viktor just shoved Joe out of the way slightly as he thrust a hand towards the guy called Dee the Prophet sat in the wheelchair then to Jay the Mystic.

"Don't worry about Joe here. The loud fucking banshee."

Viktor getting the bassist in a headlock, rubbing the top of his crazy hair while Billy laughed and shoved both the punk and Joe out of the way while meeting Dee and Jay.

"Sorry about these two drunken idiots. I'm Billy, nice to meet you. My tarty brother, Gilly is around somewhere, probably with Hunter, his fiance."

[willoftheblackbird]

They'd already run into people just as excitable. (And possibly also just as drunk or high.) Aarne had stopped them at the elevator, and was not stingy with the big hugs.

"I see what Jack meant by rowdy." Jay pulled the chair back just slightly, to avoid the punk pile.

"Gilly, as in the Spiders from Mars, Gilly?" Dee asked.

he was beginning to think he might be better off on his feet. Navigating around the common area was going to be rather difficult like this.

[shutyour_frettingmouth]

"Yeah, we can rowdy at times, mate. Joe is drunk and high and Viktor is just a bull-headed punk, aren't you?"

Billy smacking Viktor on the back playfully as he still had Joe in a headlock. The two playfighting off to the side as poor Dee and Jay hadn't known what to expect of course. Billy wondered why Dee was in a wheelchair but he wouldn't ask since that would be rude.

"Gilly is Ziggy's drummer and my baby brother. He's engaged to Hunter Ivarsson, the lead singer for The Hammers. Rik is my boyfriend, who's lead guitarist for The Hammers too."

They were all connected in a way.

[willoftheblackbird]

The likes of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars really were at these apartments. This was the opportunity to end all opportunities. Dee couldn't hide his excitement. Nor could he really take it sitting down.

"It really is a pleasure... to meet everyone." he added, still very polite. He looked back at Jay. "Can you... find somewhere safe to put this? A corner or something, please?"

"You sure?"

Dee nodded. "There are enough seats around the room... I can manage without it for a while."

Jay held out a hand, and Dee carefully stood up. His legs shook a bit, weak muscles protesting, but he didn't fall. Once he was steady, Jay would find a spot out of the way to stow the chair.

"I've heard Rik is... quite the musical prodigy." Dee gave a compliment where it was due.

[apocalypsejack]

Jack hadn't seen his sister yet tonight, nor is he in costume, though he does look scuffed up and a little dirtier than usual. Things had been a little rough in Hunger City earlier in the day and there wasn't an opportunity to bathe. However, as he walked in he got compliments on his 'costume' and decided that a shower could wait.

While waiting for the elevator in the lobby he saw the two coming toward the door with a wheelchair. It was instinct to abandon the elevator to get the door for them. His own child needed this sort of assistance and he didn't recognize these people. Were they new? Jack was already trying to imagine who they might be related to given their looks. Maybe the Harpers or maybe they weren't related to anyone at all.

[willoftheblackbird]

“Thank you.” They both answered, almost in unison.

Jay deftly maneuvered Dee’s wheelchair inside, while Dee couldn’t help but admire the costume of the man who held open the door. He looked like he could blend in well with the Prophet aesthetic.

“I love the costume…” he complimented the stranger. Neither Dee nor Jay had any idea who they were talking to. Or that bands of the caliber of the Spiders from Mars actually stayed here too. “You look just like Ziggy Stardust… but with grit instead of glam.”

At this point, Jay stopped to get a better look. The man really could pull off a Ziggy Stardust. He had the bone structure for it and everything - which wasn’t something many people could say.

He nudged his fiancé playfully. “You’d make a pretty good Ziggy Stardust too.”

Neither of them knew what an Anthean was, but as thin as he was, Dee could definitely pass for one.

[apocalypsejack]

Jack simply nodded an acknowledgement to the thank you. He smiled as he let the door close once the two were inside.

"I haven't seen my sister yet but I'm sure he's around." Jack had no idea who these people were but assumed they were someone's friends or family.

He could definitely see the resemblance in body structure. "I've heard it's hard to dye black hair this red." He mentioned it with a bit of amusement and charm.

[willoftheblackbird]

Not like the they knew who Jack’s sister was either.

“Oh, is that her…his? Her? costume too?” Jay stumbled over which pronoun to use. He was fairly sure he heard the man say ‘he’.’ But he also heard him say ‘sister,’ and the two labels didn’t quite match.

“I’d have to buy a wig…” Dee chuckled. “It’s way too long to be Ziggy’s hair.”

Needless to say, he liked wearing it long. (And Jay liked it quite a bit too.)

[apocalypsejack]

Jack grinned slightly because Ziggy would be pleased that their existence confused someone so much. "Ziggy prefers he but feminine identifiers; lady, sister."

Jack thought it was worth explaining even if Ziggy would do the same.

"I don't see many good short, red wigs."

[willoftheblackbird]

“Oh.” Jay nodded. “I suppose that makes sen…”

You could see the wheels turning, and the moment they ground to a sudden halt.

“Hold on, you said Ziggy prefers. The actual Ziggy Stardust?”

Even Dee blinked. That wasn’t a costume? That was actual family resemblance?

“…THE Ziggy Stardust… is coming to this party?”

[apocalypsejack]

"This is his tour." Jack isn't quite as used to this reaction outside of a venue and all the fans. "I'm not sure if he's performing tonight or not."

Of course, even if he was this was where he slept. Eventually Ziggy would have to come back. "I think he owns this building."

Jack had made that assumption and never cared enough to ask and get clarity.

[willoftheblackbird]

When Jake told them about the party, Dee and Jay largely assumed the guests would be other local musicians. It would be a good chance to network and have fun at the same time - dressed in their stage personas, no less.

“Ziggy Stardust’s… tour? He owns this building?” Dee stuttered, some of this finally clicking.

Of the band names he’d heard so far, the vast majority of them were opening acts on the Ziggy Stardust festival. But he hadn’t connected the dots until now. If he was lucky, he might actually get to hand a copy of his demo directly to one of the biggest stars in the music business today.

[apocalypsejack]

There were a lot of local or newer bands around but there were some more famous people. Jack didn't know much outside of Ziggy and Tom's fame. In all fairness this wasn't his world.

"Tom bought it when the tour got grounded." Jack mentioned but left out the part about that all being due to Rekker and his trial.

[willoftheblackbird]

Dee looked up at Jay, who was still standing behind him in shocked silence.

“The Tom that Syn suggested we look for… was that Tom Jones? Ziggy Stardust’s manager?”

“And father.” Jay corrected. “His manager is his father. And maybe it actually was?”

Of course, if Ziggy’s manager was his father, and this was Ziggy’s brother, then it was technically his father too.

“…Is he here? …at the party too?”

[apocalypsejack]

Jack is trying to piece together what they were talking about but had a good idea.

"Tom is never far away." Jack asserted as he started to head for the elevators. "He and Robert are usually the ones that keep parties like this from getting out of hand."

[willoftheblackbird]

At this point, Dee was beginning to assume all the various names were interconnected, and that this Robert was probably the boyfriend of the young man he met at Denny’s a few weeks back.

He was also trying his hardest not to look starstruck, or get his hopes up too high. Tom probably received hundreds of demos from people looking to make it in the industry. Ziggy might not even have time to talk to ordinary strangers like them. Who knew?

Fortunately, Jay was already following Jack to the elevator.

“We were warned that some of the people here get a little rowdy.” Jay put it mildly. ”They won’t have to worry about us adding too much to that.”

Jay had largely grown out of that wild party phase by the time he entered nursing school. Dee certainly had it in him, Jay had found out as they got to know each other better, but it was tempered by his condition and how said condition affected his priorities.