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[right][b]Interactions:[/b] Ezra Vanburen & Sloane [@Atrophy] & Jack [@Blizz]
[code]The Halloween Festival: Money Making Area[/code][/right][hr]
Sloane giggled. [I]Giggled.[/i] it was almost... Cute? Wait, since when did Anya think anything was cute? Ah. Must be the shock of hearing such an unnatural sound coming from Sloane's lips. 

She couldn’t give it much more thought Jack suddenly teleported them - something Anya wasn’t prepared for even though she’d expressively begged him to help prevent Sloane from seeing Drake, and he’d said before it was going to happen. Honestly she'd been looking for a distraction to help her steer Sloane away - with their legs. Her stomach roiled, all the alcohol she’d drank threatening to spill back out the way it had come. When Sloane grabbed her to not fall over Anya also [i]nearly[/i] fell over. It was only thanks to the handy Jack next to her, whose arm she grabbed, that she and Sloane didn’t comically fall onto a pile on the floor. Thankfully Anya was sober enough to save them both.

But Sloane was much drunker than she’d expected. And they’d had the same number of drinks, yet Anya was perfectly sober. Well, perhaps lightly inebriated. Only lightly. Anya’s lips twitched up into a half smile. Drunk Sloane really was quite cute. Ah, there was that strange thought again.  

[color=9966CC]”I drank the same amount as you?”[/color] Anya answered the question Sloane had asked mid teleportation, quite a bit after it had been asked. She had been saving them both from dramatically falling, after all. 

But unlike the totally not drunken stumble from both of them, she wasn’t able to prevent Sloane from storming off over… who knew what. It was often the way with Sloane. Something would upset her and it would be obvious (to Anya), and then Anya had to slowly pull it out of her. Normally Anya at least had an idea about what it was. Was it because she was so clearly drunk that she was acting erratic? Because she’d almost fallen?

Anya was stumped. 

She could only watch as Sloane walked away, right past her own stall and the man perusing her wares who she didn’t recognise- until he turned around. Anya’s eyes widened slightly. Everyone in the city knew of the Vanburens, and anyone in business knew of the more influential ones. Anya was looking at the most influential of them all - the new head of the family, the one who’d inherited the majority of his father’s money and businesses, Ezra Vanburen. And Sloane had walked [i]right[/i] past him without even an acknowledgment.

They were definitely having another chat about politeness later. When Sloane was sober again. 

Anya’s lips twitched up into a slight smile when he looked at her - at least, that’s what appeared to be the case. Her gaze then flickered between Sloane’s retreating back, and the richest man in the city.

To do the socially acceptable thing and go after her friend to ensure she was alright, or try to talk to someone who could be incredibly beneficial to her business and future goals.

It was a difficult decision. On one hand, Anya did genuinely care for Sloane. She was one of the three people Anya would even [i]consider[/i] putting aside her own priorities for. Surely even considering it proved that she cared, even if she didn’t follow through in setting it aside?

Why was she even trying to justify it? It wasn’t like either of them could read her thoughts.

But, perhaps it wasn’t as simple as her goals and checking up on a friend. After all, someone had to perform damage control for Sloane’s impolite actions. 

Damage control. Yes, this was damage control after Sloane had stormed past one of the richest and most influential men in the city. Anya had noticed the way his smile had dropped. He might consider choking Sloane’s business and running her out of town! He’d put down the incredibly creepy doll he’d been considering buying! Sloane was done for! 

She had to rectify this. She had to save Sloane.

[color=9966CC]"You go after Sloane, I'll catch up,”[/color] Anya said in a low voice to Jack. [color=9966CC]”I need to make sure she doesn't lose everything after offending the man who practically runs the city.”[/color]

At least that was the excuse she would tell Sloane later if she was upset about it. It was all for Sloane, not a single selfish thought in Anya’s mind at the moment. She definitely wasn't hoping for an investment in her business or just a powerful contact. She was only ensuring her friend didn’t lose the business she’d worked so hard to build. 

She really was the perfect and amazing person Sloane thought she was. 

[color=9966CC]”Excuse me, Mr Vanburen,”[/color] Anya interrupted Ezra as politely as possible before he could get too far away. She gestured in the direction Sloane had headed in and pasted a polite smile across her lips. [color=9966CC]”I’m sorry about my friend. Sloane- Well, she’s had a difficult night. Please don’t hold it against her. I’m sure she didn’t mean to ignore you.”[/color] 

She totally did. Anya knew Sloane was perfectly capable of following enough social conventions to not walk past someone without even acknowledging them. She sighed softly, considering pulling out a business card but deciding it would be tasteless at that moment. [color=9966CC]”Ah, I should introduce myself. I’m Anya Baksh, close friend of Sloane Farris’ and a fellow businesswoman.”[/color]
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[right][b]Interactions (Speaking)[/b]: Sully / Vashti [@Atrophy], [b]Interactions (Desperate Hand Gestures)[/b]: Edict [@AtomicEmperor], Britney / Sabrina [@Punished GN], Layla [@Estylwen]  
[code]The Toga Line from Hell, The Halloween Festival[/code][/right][hr]
One minute, Linqian was taking hilariously embarrassing photos, the next a toga hit her right in the face. 

[color=CD5C5C]”What the fuck, Sully?!”[/color] Linqian yelled, removing the toga from her face. Where the fuck was he carrying spare togas? What the fuck. [color=CD5C5C]”First time properly seeing each other in years and you throw a fucking toga in my face? Shit, what am I supposed to do with this?”[/color] 

She looked around - they were right in the middle of the stalls. The toga line was edging closer to her, dangerously so. She was still within view of Sabrina, Britney, Layla and Edict (not that he mattered, he’d already seen everything). Loads of strangers were around. Unsurprisingly, not a changing room in sight. Did she even need to wear this? Sully had given her a strangely terrified look. Were people who didn’t wear togas more at risk of getting attacked during the festival? That did track with everything she’d experienced so far. 

Before she could think any further of it Leon appeared - she saw him before she heard him, and it fucking hurt her head. He shouted for the whole fucking island to hear - she bet whatever crackers were on it were broken by now from his fucking yelling. He was much more onboard with joining the weird ass conga line, and stripping down to pull on a toga. Damn. She definitely didn’t eye him up at all while he did it. 

[color=CD5C5C]”Fuck it, give me a drink of that,”[/color] Linqian shot forward and grabbed the chalice from its current holder. She took three big gulps of the wine, sighing as it slid down her throat. Much better than the lukewarm beers she’d been drinking. Once she was done she handed it back… realising who she'd actually taken it from. 

[color=CD5C5C]”Heh, fancy seeing you again,”[/color] Linqian smirked at Vashti, feeling a lot less nervous about the possibility of dying with another dose of beer and wine in her system. She then glanced her up and down. The toga suited her surprisingly well. Huh. And she was clinging to Drake like she wanted to jump on his dick- she probably did. Seriously, of all the available people? [color=CD5C5C]”The toga looks good on you… but you should really go for someone more available. He,”[/color] Linqian pointed to Drake, [color=CD5C5C]”Is too busy pining over his wife and punching pathetic losers. But there are plenty of other hot singles on the island down to bang.”[/color]

Linqian gestured towards Leon, winking at Vashti. Then she took a few steps away from the line.

With the liquid courage she needed to change in public, Linqian awkwardly pulled her red cloak around herself and over her head. It was just about big enough to cover everything as she stripped off all her outer layers (her underwear was still on, it wasn’t that bad) and very clumsily stuffed it into her bag. She then pulled on the toga. With everything just about covered up, she pulled off the red cloak and tied it around her waist as a finishing touch.

The toga [i]just[/i] covered her ass (clearly wasn’t made for people with a bit of booty) and her choice to wear a black bra was a bit unfortunate because it was slightly visible through the white fabric… but no matter! She was pretty sure it looked good on her. All the Greek gods had been sluts, right? 

She didn’t really know anything about Greek mythology, to be honest. 

It was at this moment, toga settled on her body, that Linqian realised she’d made a massive fucking mistake. She was right beside the conga line. She’d gotten into a toga (because honestly, she looked hotter in it). She was getting that tingling sense that someone she fucking hated was in the area (or maybe that was just the alcohol working its way into her system). Someone was definitely going to try and drag her into the conga line. She absolutely did not want to be in that. Fucking hell no. Even drunk off her ass she wouldn’t go into something like that. 

[color=CD5C5C]”Alright, I put on the fucking toga to stop whatever horrible thing you thought was gonna happen to me, but I’m not joining this fucking conga line,”[/color] Linqian put up her hands and started to back away to where she’d come from. She held one hand up in front of her, ready to get real hot if she needed to fend off anyone dragging her into the conga line, while she threw her other hand behind her. She gestured at Edict, Britney and Layla with a thumbs down at first then a series of desperate waves. She had no fucking clue how to show that she needed help in case someone toga jumped her… but it was pretty clear she’d realised her fuck up and wanted out. [color=CD5C5C]”I’ve gotta get back.”[/color] 

She kept moving away, slowly, as if she was fleeing from some kind of wild animal. Really, she was. The wildest animal - a toga line of drunken god wannabes. She was prepared to fight for her life if any of them made a move towards her.