GREYBURN - INTO THE LABYRINTH

[◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊]

Babette's earrings fell with a gentle 'tink' against the stones, and Anselm scrambled after them, not even supernatural speed could keep up with the dummy's surefooted-ness on the rough stones . Billy-Quinn took a hard right, that seemed like it could only be ramming straight into the stone wall-- but Babette found herself spun around in a shining hall of mirrors. Billy-Quinn lowered her to the ground like a figure skater releasing his partner to the ice.

           
                                                                      Billy-Quinn-
                                                                        " "

Anselm's voice came from an indiscernible location.

Anselm-
"_{Babette? I don't see you!}"

The hall of mirrors went straight ahead, lit with a bright light that twinkled silvery sunspots on the stone floors. Babette couldn't remember which way they'd come from.

[DKender]

When she heard Anselm's distant voice, Babette shouted, "I'm here! I'm here! We took a right turn ... somehow."

She looked around the mirrored hall. How reminiscent of a carnival! She used to love the mirror maze, lost among thousands of her doppelgangers.



"What a place. Billy, sometimes you remind me of Lord Greyburn ... and then I remember that you come from his head. Is this where you hid the others? Leo? Nick? Who else?"

She put a hand against a mirror and pouted at herself.


Babette-
"Reflections can be terribly deceitful. Especially with talents like ours."

[◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊]

Babette's reflections drew into the infinite distance, staring back sadly at her.
     



Billy-Quinn moved out of sight-- or was that his reflection over there? Wait, no-- Someone ran up behind her, waving a hand.

[DKender]

Babette-
"You found us! I'm so relieved - I'd completely run out of jewellery to drop. Next time, I'll wear more earrings, just like Ausmiller."

She was so very fashionable. It seemed to come effortlessly to her.

"I think Billy is gone. I'm sorry he hit you with a broom, Darling. We've been on high alert since the attacks."

She put a hesitant hand out to touch Anselm's arm, afraid that she'd feel nothing but a mirror's glass.

[◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊]

She indeed touched cold flesh, and Anselm took her arm once more.

                Anselm-
                " *shrug* "

He hurried with her down the mirrored corridor, or had they turned? Either end seemed to reflect through eternity.

    Anselm-
       " "

He turned her in a fancy spin, and put a hand on her back.
            

He leaned in to

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}Kiss Babette!

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}On the lips!!

[DKender]

Babette was a MILLISECOND away from

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}kissing -3-

when something occurred to her. She turned her face quickly.

"Wait, he might be watching like a total per ..."

Juuust a second!

Something ELSE occurred to her.



"...total person. You've been very quiet lately, Friend Anselm. Is everything all right? Kannst du speak?"

[◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊]

Anselm-
"*nod nod*"

Anselm-
"..."

He opened his mouth, and scuffed his shoe against the ground in a speech pattern.

   
                    Anselm-
                        "  "

[DKender]

F sie mein leben!



"That was cute, but you don't trick me. You're Billy in disguise! Huhm." She scrutinized his face. "It's so realistic ... I don't know how you do it. All I can manage is a wiggly spider. Want to see?"

Babette glanced at the nearest mirror and zoned out, trying to project a wiggly spider on her reflection.

[◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊]

    
    -
        " "

       -
         " "

As Babette zones out and stares into the mirror, she begins to see the structure of the mirror. Simple glass in front of a silver pool, so shallow. As though she could just touch it in a certain way, and peel the surface away...

A vague shape moved behind the glass, an odd distortion passed across the reflection. She could hear the faintest sounds of feet tapping on stone.

 
       -
         "  "

[DKender]

"It's not a mirror, is it? I can see him. We need to find the real Anselm. Oh, don't be sad!"

She put her hands on Imposter Anselm's shoulders, like somebody fixin to give a pep talk.



"You never have to be somebody else for me. Although ..."



"Have you ever seen Bryan from Boytown5? I wouldn't be opposed to ... eh ... nevermind.



Enough trickery. Who are you really? If you're a straw-filled mannequin, I won't be mad. Promise."

[◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊]

-
" .... ..."

Billy-Quinn-
" *nodnod* "

Ans-Quinn walked up to a mirror, and plunged his hands through the surface like he was reaching into a silver pool. He yanked out a reflection of himself.

    
                                                            Anselm?-
                                                      "Whoa!! Mirror grabs me!"

He spun around, confused, until he saw Babette.

     
                                                      Anselm?-
                                               "Babette! Vhere does
                                                  mean scarecrow go?"
       
                                                               Anselm?-
                                                     "Are you okay? I vass scared for you!
                                                                 Monster takes you away."

[DKender]

"Um. Um! Darling scarecrow is standing right next to you! Please don't fight! It will be so confusing!"

Not only would Anselm be punching Anselm, Anselm's reflections would be punching Anselm's reflections, and she just couldn't abide that level of weird right now!

Babette grabbed real Anselm's hand, afraid they'd be separated again. She doubted that her pep talk would work a second time.

[◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊]

                                                             Anselm-
                                                                 "Vhat--"

Before Babette could pull him away, a great plume of dust filled the hall. Barely visible through the smog, emerged a bristly figure.

Billy-Quinn-
" *angry rustle* "

He sprinted off, shedding bits of straw.

As the dust cleared, something strange had happened...

Anselm? -
"Babette... Vhere does my reflection--"

Anselm?-
"Oh, 'dhere it is. Veird..."

Anselm (?) slapped his hand into Babette's(?) face.

Anselm? -
"Huh... My reflection don't do it.
Babette? Vhere do you go?"

The mirrors reflected an empty hall. The two vampires had no reflections...


((DK- check yr PMs ))

[DKender]

Babette?-
"Oh my gosh!"


Babette?-
"Hey there, good looking! I like your style."


Babette?-
"Because you're me!"


Babette?-
"This is a dream. I've always wanted to chill-ax with my doppelganger. I wish you could see yourself in all these mirrors. Don't worry. I'll be your mirror, beautiful lady."

Something about Anselm's earlier behavior struck Babette as odd, though. Why did he think she was his reflection? Unless.


Babette?-
"I look like you, don't I?"

[◊◊BLOODBEASTER◊◊]

((cuuuuute! ))

Anselm-
"Huh? I don't see you, mirror is-- Vait."

He put his hands on Babette's shoulders and touched the sides of her face.

Anselm-
"Whoaaa! It's me! You look like me?"

He looked down at himself.

Anselm-
"Huhuhu, I'm beautiful."

He preened his new bobbed hair and examined his manicure.

Anselm-
"I don't be a naughty boy vith your Babette.
Don't vorry, I'm only good. I don't mind
vhat you do vith Anselm... at all..."

Anselm-
"Heh heh."

Anselm-
"How is it to kiss yourself?!"

Anselm-
"Ohh maybe later, it's too veird, isn't it?"

He didn't sound like he thought it was too weird.