SYMPHONY NIGHT - WHAT JACK GOT UP TO
Feb 11, 2015 0:27:50 GMT -8
Post by Thy Dungyeon Maestyr on Feb 11, 2015 0:27:50 GMT -8
((Written in rounds by 2 GM kru...))
The streets rolled by, electric lights stretched and dimmed and disappeared to be replaced in an inescapable smear. Someone honked behind him.
Jack realized he was driving ten under the speed limit as the first car passed. His mind was blank, he didn't even know where he was going.
So where to go? He'd long passed downtown, and now he was deep into the interstitial parts of the city, all warehouses and trees and... a roller coaster. The familiar scaffolding was hardly visible, it cut a silhouette in front of the distant city lights. Well. That was a place.
He parked, and stepped out of the car as if in a dream, and just stood there. The ground beneath him was dusty, unswept asphalt. A flimsy chain link fence stood between him and what must have been a dreamworld of magic.
Memories of just an hour ago were now a blur, his legs felt numb as he walked over to the fence, and looped his fingers through the twisting wire. He ascended it without even thinking, and hopped on the other side. He drifted through the park, fingers tracing railings and walls. The sickly smell of last season's candy floss and stale popcorn still hung in the air and the moon filtered through iron girders, casting bizarre twisting shadows through the park. One of those limbless clowns caught his eye. He leaned a hand against it, and felt it shift. He rocked it in place, idly and continued.
He let out a deep puff of air, it felt strange to stretch his mostly unused lungs, and he crouched down on his heels. But he felt nothing, no physical sensation to blot out his dream-like thoughts. This couldn't happen again, he couldn't take this. What would have happened if someone hadn't come by? He rubbed his face against his knees, and started planning. He could get out of here, get in that car and drive all the way to Glenside Bonnern, or however far he could get on what was in the tank. No one would even notice he was gone. Hell, what was stopping him from going back home? He could explain it to Curlyfry, shit was weird as fuck, but she would understand. They could empty his fake account and get out of the country. This was it, he was never going back to those people, never.
Suddenly, a jolly mechanical discord sounded and cranked itself to life. The hell? It was coming from a relatively new-looking building - Uncle Iggy's Funhouse. The entrance was flanked by those concrete clown barriers and walls painted with spirals. The light was definitely on.
God, did I do something to turn that thing on?
He leaned against the side of an old peanut stand, and gazed at the lights for a moment. Could he turn everything on? Maybe a ride on a roller coaster would do him good. He slid down to a crouch again, and let himself be mesmerized, staring right into the colored lights. Huh. Someone wasn't here, were they? He stayed crouched, and glanced around.
The carnival music tinkled and pinged, ringing its tinny tone through the empty park. It sounded a bit creaky, like it hadn't been used in a long, long time. The funhouse seemed brand new though, all shiny paint and smooth facade. The inside glowed intriguingly and the twinkling lights above seemed friendly and cheerful. Jack forgot all about his rage and the trauma of not even an hour ago. The air was full of strange smells; old popcorn, candy floss, fresh paint, and the lingering scent of a thousand people he'd never met. His senses were caught up in the strange fanfare. He stepped towards the funhouse, with honest curiosity. How? Why? Who? Maybe it was an accident and he'd switched something when he was in destruction mode.
I hope it really is fun in there, I need some fun right now.
He paused, hearing over the music a new sound that grew closer. A squeaking wheel and the sound of footsteps. As he hid behind a clown, he saw a stocky man wheeling a coffin toward the building on a dolly, seemingly talking to himself.
He stayed low, and watched. A schizophrenic delivery man? But why in the middle of the night? The man was closer now, still talking. He couldn't hear Jack over the voices in his head or the whine and bump of his unwieldy cargo.
Holy craps. That gentleman was looking rather bedraggled, with sticky blood pooled in and below his ear. He disappeared through the door. Jack could hear his wheels move over different types of materials - tile, concrete, a wooden ramp.
Uh, okay, the plot thickens... Jack glanced around to make sure there weren't more strange bloody men with coffins nearby, and crept closer. He was already a vampire, so there wasn't anything to be scared of, right? He was already dead and everything. He edged around the door, and peaked inside. He could go climbing up the building if he got spotted. This was just too weird to miss, and the bizarre scene was a very welcome distraction.
The man laid his burden down and now the conversation with himself seemed more a conversation with it.
COME TO ME
A telepathic summons, but unlike any he'd felt in practicing with Vitus. From a stranger? A wayward Sombreta? It compelled him toward the coffin... And he couldn't resist! The human regarded him and the coffin began to make noises from within.
The fuck?! Jack's feet moved him forward like they weren't a part of his body at all. He resisted with all his might but his body was numb, just like some horrible dream! And just like a horrible dream, the coffin opened to reveal a naked teenager, cushioned in soil, shameless, and cold.
Jack tried to pry his eyes away from the disturbing stranger, there had to be some way out-- but he couldn't bring himself to look away. He'd gotten himself into some deep, deep shit.
Jack stood there, his mind a horrible blank, while the boy and his helper bustled about the fun house. The human man lugged some ancient looking steamer trunks while the boy, still nude, unpacked some boxes of seemingly arbitrary detritus. A ukelele, some horseshoes, a variety of alarmingly high-powered weaponry... He unfolded a dirty lawn chair which seemed to be stolen from someone's deck, along with a few ratty potted plants that he arranged artfully around the colorful environment.
VITUS!!! he started calling with his mind. VITUS VITUS uh what was the name... No, no he couldn't let those kids come here. VITUS!
For a moment the kid was too distracted to answer.
Jack's Stranger Danger levels were going off the chart. Don't give him your home address!
VITUS!!!!!!
The streets rolled by, electric lights stretched and dimmed and disappeared to be replaced in an inescapable smear. Someone honked behind him.
Jack realized he was driving ten under the speed limit as the first car passed. His mind was blank, he didn't even know where he was going.
So where to go? He'd long passed downtown, and now he was deep into the interstitial parts of the city, all warehouses and trees and... a roller coaster. The familiar scaffolding was hardly visible, it cut a silhouette in front of the distant city lights. Well. That was a place.
He parked, and stepped out of the car as if in a dream, and just stood there. The ground beneath him was dusty, unswept asphalt. A flimsy chain link fence stood between him and what must have been a dreamworld of magic.
Memories of just an hour ago were now a blur, his legs felt numb as he walked over to the fence, and looped his fingers through the twisting wire. He ascended it without even thinking, and hopped on the other side. He drifted through the park, fingers tracing railings and walls. The sickly smell of last season's candy floss and stale popcorn still hung in the air and the moon filtered through iron girders, casting bizarre twisting shadows through the park. One of those limbless clowns caught his eye. He leaned a hand against it, and felt it shift. He rocked it in place, idly and continued.
He let out a deep puff of air, it felt strange to stretch his mostly unused lungs, and he crouched down on his heels. But he felt nothing, no physical sensation to blot out his dream-like thoughts. This couldn't happen again, he couldn't take this. What would have happened if someone hadn't come by? He rubbed his face against his knees, and started planning. He could get out of here, get in that car and drive all the way to Glenside Bonnern, or however far he could get on what was in the tank. No one would even notice he was gone. Hell, what was stopping him from going back home? He could explain it to Curlyfry, shit was weird as fuck, but she would understand. They could empty his fake account and get out of the country. This was it, he was never going back to those people, never.
Suddenly, a jolly mechanical discord sounded and cranked itself to life. The hell? It was coming from a relatively new-looking building - Uncle Iggy's Funhouse. The entrance was flanked by those concrete clown barriers and walls painted with spirals. The light was definitely on.
God, did I do something to turn that thing on?
He leaned against the side of an old peanut stand, and gazed at the lights for a moment. Could he turn everything on? Maybe a ride on a roller coaster would do him good. He slid down to a crouch again, and let himself be mesmerized, staring right into the colored lights. Huh. Someone wasn't here, were they? He stayed crouched, and glanced around.
The carnival music tinkled and pinged, ringing its tinny tone through the empty park. It sounded a bit creaky, like it hadn't been used in a long, long time. The funhouse seemed brand new though, all shiny paint and smooth facade. The inside glowed intriguingly and the twinkling lights above seemed friendly and cheerful. Jack forgot all about his rage and the trauma of not even an hour ago. The air was full of strange smells; old popcorn, candy floss, fresh paint, and the lingering scent of a thousand people he'd never met. His senses were caught up in the strange fanfare. He stepped towards the funhouse, with honest curiosity. How? Why? Who? Maybe it was an accident and he'd switched something when he was in destruction mode.
I hope it really is fun in there, I need some fun right now.
He paused, hearing over the music a new sound that grew closer. A squeaking wheel and the sound of footsteps. As he hid behind a clown, he saw a stocky man wheeling a coffin toward the building on a dolly, seemingly talking to himself.
Human-
"Welcome home asshole, nice ‘n comfy?"
He paused before responding to a reply Jack could not hear.
"Well how great for you..."
Jack -
"What...?"
He stayed low, and watched. A schizophrenic delivery man? But why in the middle of the night? The man was closer now, still talking. He couldn't hear Jack over the voices in his head or the whine and bump of his unwieldy cargo.
Human-
"The lights had to be on and everything? ...Such a fucking production."
Holy craps. That gentleman was looking rather bedraggled, with sticky blood pooled in and below his ear. He disappeared through the door. Jack could hear his wheels move over different types of materials - tile, concrete, a wooden ramp.
Uh, okay, the plot thickens... Jack glanced around to make sure there weren't more strange bloody men with coffins nearby, and crept closer. He was already a vampire, so there wasn't anything to be scared of, right? He was already dead and everything. He edged around the door, and peaked inside. He could go climbing up the building if he got spotted. This was just too weird to miss, and the bizarre scene was a very welcome distraction.
The man laid his burden down and now the conversation with himself seemed more a conversation with it.
Human-
"What now? What are you talking about? There’s no one here! ... ... No there isn’t! ... Is not!"
Oh shit...! He hadn't been that loud had he? He pressed against the wall, and even used his shadow power to blend in. Nope, nothing here bud. Just come and see for yourself...!
COME TO ME
A telepathic summons, but unlike any he'd felt in practicing with Vitus. From a stranger? A wayward Sombreta? It compelled him toward the coffin... And he couldn't resist! The human regarded him and the coffin began to make noises from within.
Human-
"Oh there was. Go figure. Can I be fired now?"
The fuck?! Jack's feet moved him forward like they weren't a part of his body at all. He resisted with all his might but his body was numb, just like some horrible dream! And just like a horrible dream, the coffin opened to reveal a naked teenager, cushioned in soil, shameless, and cold.
Jack had never felt like this since he'd died-- the lack of complete control over his own body. The boy had called him like he and Vitus did to each other, but this call was different. He couldn't stop moving, and now he felt firmly rooted to the spot. He found himself quavering in a way he hadn't since he was a human. If he was thinking straight, he'd know it was just from fighting against the strange compulsion to stay, but it sure felt like terror. This boy, with his powdery blue eyes and almost childish voice, what was so dreadful about him? Maybe that stare... that terrible stare...
Kid-
"Hello."
Kid-
"You’re like me. What are the bloody chances?"
Jack-
"Wha-- what do you mean?"
Jack tried to pry his eyes away from the disturbing stranger, there had to be some way out-- but he couldn't bring himself to look away. He'd gotten himself into some deep, deep shit.
He crossed his legs and struck a thoughtful pose.
Kid-
"Aw, you’re just a little baby."
Oh god. This wasn't some friend of Dragomir was it? He never heard anything about wandering vampires that weren't Crowboys.
Kid-
"I mean to say it is inconvenient for me to encounter one of Harlan's vampires just as I settle into this place. I may have to move. Now let's see, you are a... Zampeta? Sembeta? Dash it all... that foreign progenitor..."
Jack-
"S-Sombreta?"
He gracefully stepped out of the coffin and strode to some other luggage that had must have been brought in earlier by the bloodied man.
Kid-
"Are you fond of her?"
Jack-
"Fond? Uh, well not really, but-- wh-why do you... ask? Do you know her?"
Kid-
"Very well then. I've known her, but not to my pleasure either."
Jack stood there, his mind a horrible blank, while the boy and his helper bustled about the fun house. The human man lugged some ancient looking steamer trunks while the boy, still nude, unpacked some boxes of seemingly arbitrary detritus. A ukelele, some horseshoes, a variety of alarmingly high-powered weaponry... He unfolded a dirty lawn chair which seemed to be stolen from someone's deck, along with a few ratty potted plants that he arranged artfully around the colorful environment.
Blockhead brought a rocket launcher to the kid.
Kid-
"You'll forgive me for being a poor host," he said as he assembled an outfit from the trunk, "I'm afraid you've caught me in the middle of something. BLOCKHEAD, bring me the doohickey."
Blockhead-
"A fucking ‘doohickey..?’ Yeah, fine."
Jack stammered wordlessly, could that thing be real?!
Jack-
"Oh god! What-- wh-wh!"
He turned over the papers in his hand and hefted the surface-to-air weapon.
Kid-
"Is there a problem?"
Blockhead-
"Maybe he's afraid you'll slip and blast us straight to hell."
Kid-
"Oh, it can't be that difficult. Let me see the instructions here..."
Jack's voice went a bit thin. Shit! If only he could get to his phone-- wait.
Jack-
"Eh uh, what are you... going to do...?"
VITUS!!! he started calling with his mind. VITUS VITUS uh what was the name... No, no he couldn't let those kids come here. VITUS!
For a moment the kid was too distracted to answer.
As he waited for the belated introduction, Blockhead could be heard grumbling.
Kid-
"Let’s see... Put the what in the what?! GAH!" He tossed the pamphlet. "Damn it! Damn foreigners and their poor grasp of Glennish! I can’t figure this thing out."
Kid-
"I‘ll just have to leave it at home this time. I can handle this without silly contraptions. So, um...?"
Blockhead-
"Uf - Expensive-ass toys you kids get."
Jack's Stranger Danger levels were going off the chart. Don't give him your home address!
He had to pause spamming Vitus with his mind to speak.
Jack-
"Ah, I'm... Jack."
Kid-
"Jack, lovely. I'm Theodore, and as to my purpose..." He seemed to be considering his words carefully, but was not a naturally careful person.
Theodore-
"Jack, you are a new prisoner of the Circle, what do you think of them?"
IT'S A TRAP!
Jack-
"Uh! W-well? It's um, there's some nice people and there's... well. Heheh yeah. I don't... get along with everyone? But you know that's how things go sometimes...!"
He seemed to be gauging Jack's reaction.
Theodore-
"Don’t be shy! You had a wild look in your eye just now. Have they wronged you already?"
Jack-
"Um... Not everyone..."
Theodore-
"But it was someone. I know them. They’ve done something terrible. Or why stop at just one offense? Those monsters think they can do whatever they want, unchecked. They get their pretty children and run rampant through Harlan. They think they can murder, torture, rape... Whatever pleases them. They keep their dolls weaker than themselves, so they can do as they wish forever."
Jack couldn't keep up with all of this, what was this guy's plan? A freaking rocket launcher? And-- Why was all this happening? Why did it have to be him? After all that happened tonight... He tried not to wince as Theodore described the situation. The eccentric vampire picked an unusually sturdy looking rapier from his miscellanea and swiped it at the air.
He put one firm hand on Jack's arm in camaraderie and lowered the point of his sword to the floor with the other.
Theodore-
"I can abide it no longer, I have experienced their torture. No more. No more for you. No more for anyone. Jack, join me tonight, help me stop these demons. Tell me...
Theodore-
"How would you like to become considerably more powerful?"
Jack-
"Huh?! I-- uh?"
Theodore-
"I shall take that as a tentative yes. Power and respect are the only safety available to us now. I respect you, but..."
Theodore-
"Listen to me rambling on. Perhaps this will make more sense with a demonstration. Can you lead me to a few Circle chaps?"
Jack-
"Uhhhhhhhh?"
VITUS!!!!!!
That name slid off his tongue like battery acid.
Theodore-
"I can find them myself. Perhaps another Sombreta child?"
Jack-
"Huh? There's just-- oh, no--no... Um, okay I guess... I know where some Dr-agomirs are..."
"But-- there's a lot of them there..."Well, the guy did have a rocket launcher. Ugh.
Oh god this just kept getting better. What the hell was going to happen now?!
Theodore-
"Ooh, Dragomirs? Good lad. Did you perchance come here in an automobile? My current means of transport leave something to be desired."
Jack-
"Uhm, yes I do..."
Theodore packed light - just his sword. He didn't seem to have anything in his pockets - no phone, no wallet. They went out the Jack's car, the lil' guy smiling and bouncing on his heels as they went.
Theodore-
"Let's get to it then..."
Vitus, what the fuck? Where is your slow ass?! Take your fucking time!
Theodore-
"I like this vehicle... it's shiny."
Jack-
"Yeah, it's... shiny."
So, this kid was gonna take on all the Dragomirs with a skinny little sword? It could've seemed comical, if it weren't for that freakshow of mind powers earlier. Somehow, it seemed plausible. Jack started up the car, and wondered if he should be driving very slow, or very fast. Was it too late to find a nice brick wall?
Theodore-
"Jack, you’ll soon be rid of the terrible yoke of the Circle!"
Jack-
"You think?"
What the fuck was even going on right now?!
Theodore-
"Absolutely... Say, you could turn on some car music, like a transistor or whatever the current technology is."
Jack-
"Err... okay. What kind of music... do you like? You had a, um, little guitar, I noticed..."
Jack handed Theodore his phone, which was plugged into the radio.
Theodore-
"My good ol' uke? It's more fun to play, for listening, I like clarinets. Do you have something like that?"
Jack-
"Um... I don't think so..."
Theodore-
"*sigh* Oh the modern world just doesn't have much to recommend itself, does it?"
Shit, this guy could be a million years old for all he knew.
Jack-
"You can put on what you want. Er, do you know how to...?"
Was he almost about to talk to some ancient vampire murder creep about Dr. Pinkpink?! What the fuck was the world coming to? He put on some bland-o dance music at a low-ish volume, and wondered if this would be the last music he'd hear. Maybe it would soothe the savage beast, or whatever.
Theodore-
"Oh I'm not sure. You can, if it's not too much bother. What kind of music do you like, Jack?"
Jack-
"Oh I like... dance music..."
If only he could get this guy to go to a damn club instead of whatever horror show awaited.
Theodore-
"Ooh, electric organs have come back into style? Or is this a bit old? What sort of dance would you do to this music?"
Jack-
"Oh, haha. People do... all kinds of dances I guess."
Theodore stared off at the waterfront that they sped by.
Theodore-
"Mm, hard to imagine..."
Theodore-
"Do you like boats?"
Jack-
"Uh? Oh, sure."
Theodore-
"Me too!"
