Carmen looked up after playing the last note of the tune as she felt a poke, that she knew came from Lily, her roommate and partner in crime. [color=orangered]"Oh, you're [i]too[/i] kind, Lily,"[/color] the skylark purred in response to the angel's compliment. [color=orangered]"I'm so glad you like it. You look [i]lovely[/i], by the way. The dress compliments you nicely...and of course the shoes,"[/color] she teased. [color=orangered]"I think we stylized well together,"[/color] she said, looking over her own flowing dark red dress.

Listening to Lily's question, Carmen looked over at the band quickly and replied. [color=orangered]"I booked the band for another hour, but I can have them pack up early if you'd like. They wouldn't mind...they're still getting paid, after all. Or I could just join the festivities and have them keep playing on their own. Whatever all of you would like."[/color]

She hoped Lily hadn't noticed that in addition to the gifts that Carmen put under the tree for her roommate, there were many more waiting at their apartment.

Before she could run with that thought anymore, though, she was hit square in the stomach with a snowball. She saved herself from falling backwards onto the saxophone player, and she was perplexed. [color=orangered]"If that's what the 'shadows of evil' look like, we've all been worrying for no reason,"[/color] she joked with Lily. [color=orangered]"Hey cats - let's hit #21. "Let it Snow" in E flat. Here we go..."[/color]

After hastily counting off the band, she turned her attention back to the stealth snowballman. [color=orangered]"What's wrong, don't like the music?"[/color] she called out with a critical, but still playful, tone. She noticed that others, conspicuously including Crash, were involved in CQC (Cold Quarters Combat) as well, so she didn't think much of an errant snowball.