[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

It was only when Gabriel began to chuckle that Lloyd realised what was happening, and all at once he was filled with haughty self-righteous fury. "You!" he exclaimed, pointing a dripping finger at Gabriel and Rheese. "You did this to me! Why did you do this? We were all set up for a night of fun and you've ruined it all!"

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"Have we?" asked Gabriel, looking around the room to see the guests chuckling quietly behind glasses of punch and raised hands. "As far as I can see, the only person suffering from these jokes is you - which would have been quite different if you had had your way, wouldn't it, Lloyd?"

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Lloyd tried to hide his sheepish look; he didn't like that Gabriel was right, but it was just so funny when it happened to someone - anyone - else. "So you knew about my tricks then. Well, I've certainly learned my lesson - I shan't bother to attend your stuffy gathering next year." He tried to turn away with his nose in the air, but there was one last trick he had forgotten about...

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

As Lloyd strode towards the door, his ankle caught on a tripwire that he had forgotten about and Rheese and Gabriel had missed, bringing down a huge bucket of flour from the ceiling. He stood still in shock, covered with the white dust, realising that maybe it wasn't quite so funny when someone destroyed an outfit - or a party - you had spent ages planning.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"I cannot believe you!" thundered Rheese, striding over to Lloyd with her skirt held up, brandishing the white patches in front of his eyes. "Some of these costumes took weeks to set up, and you've come along with flour of all things - what would have happened if it had landed on a candle! Thank heavens we're using witchlights for once!"

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"That's not funny, Lloyd" snarled Gabriel with disgust as he beckoned over the servants who were already trying to clean up the mess. "Someone could have gotten hurt." He looked around, before hissing "We might be undead, but most of our guests aren't. Have a bit more thought for others instead of yourself, though I doubt you will."

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"I-I didn't think" stammered out Lloyd, before Rheese cut him off.

"Obviously not. Now go and clean yourself up, and if we catch more that a glimpse of you for the rest of the evening you will not be attending any more of my parties - but not by choice." She watched as he hurried out of the room, before turning to Gabriel with mirth in her eyes.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

"That was really clever of you, to leave the flour tripwire where he would storm out. How did you know nobody else would trip it, though?" Rheese asked Gabriel between her giggles. Lloyd had made such a picture she had been hard pressed not to laugh in his face, but she knew that would only have encouraged him.

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

Gabriel looked at her, eyebrows raised. "I didn't leave it there - I didn't even see it when we did the sweep. I thought you must have left it there when he brought it crashing down upon himself!" he said, voice shaking slightly as he glanced around the room. Was it possible they had missed some of Lloyd's tricks?

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

In a room three floors above, Lloyd was snickering to himself as he bathed. It would take a lot of work to get the glue out of his fur, and he hadn't expected them to trick him back, but it had all been worth it to know they would be paranoid about the rest of the party. His flour had been the only trick that had succeeded, and grinned at the thought that now he was free to spend another year planning - though this one would have to be even bigger!

END