2019.10.26 Village of Horrors
| The Village of Horrors | |
|---|---|
| Chayse invites his friends to a haunted trail. What could go wrong? | |
| IC Date | October 26, 2019 |
| Players | Chayse,Rian,Gren,Dominic,Xanthippe,Hannelore |
| Location | The Village of Horrors Haunted Trail, outside Prospect, CA. |
| Spheres | Garou Gaian Fera |
There's an almost cult-like following that emerges every October, of people infatuated with Haunted Trails and Haunted Houses. Many of these attractions, like Cleveland's Hauntville or Baton Rouge's 13th Floor, are rather famous. These attractions range from 'mom n pop' style homemade haunts to extravagant theatrical masterpieces, and vary widely from the 'just there for a scare' boos to the 'you must sign a heart attack waiver' everything-goes trip.
This year, Chayse has received invitations for a Haunt just outside Prospect and has invited a handful of his pals to take part in the... Shall we say, 'spirit' of the season. The Haunt is, apparently, rather famous; having been featured on a travel show here and there, but /does/ boast a very strict 'no touching' rule, which means that, while there may be jump-scares, the actors are most certainly /not/ allowed to touch the patrons.
Chayse is more than happy to offer a ride to the event, which is about 45 minutes outside the easternmost edge of Prospect, out near where Christ left his shoes (read: middle of nowhere). As they approach, the line of cars is surprising, but lends to the 'famous' expectation of the thing. Luckily, the wait is not so long and they are succinctly led to a parking spot in a field, and walk along to where your typical 80's Halloween Mix can be heard reverberating through the woods... The site comes into view.........
The 'Village of Horrors' is one of the premier haunted attractions in the greater Prospect area. A relatively new horror attraction, opening as a result of the increased exposure of Haunt culture, the event has quickly risen in popularity. Online ratings sites say it is one of the most realistic horror experiences in Southern California short of Hollywood Horror Nights.
Here patrons gather in this rural destination, filing through the ticket turnstyles into an open area playground - this year set up to look like a carnival reminiscent of the one in the Bradbury classic "Something Wicked This Way Comes". Those waiting to go into the haunt proper are treated to classic carnival fun and games... with a horror bent. Spooky clowns wander the grounds providing scares. A twisted strong man goads people into testing their strength with a mallet and bell ringing game. A fortune teller surrounded by fog and mist looks into a crystal ball, foretelling of the horrors that await those that dare to enter the Village. There are vendors where all kinds of seasonal treats and merchandise can be purchased. Come in, take your time playing around, and when you are ready, take your ticket and get in line to enter the Funhouse.
Rian is almost always the one that says 'I lost a bet, that's why I'm dressed like this', but for once, he appears to have WON a bet! Obviously he cannot possibly go to a Thing, a HALLOWEEN Thing, without being dressed up, so... He is! Dressed in a bright orange suit and wearing a cleverly applied wig that doesn't look like complete shit, he is dressed in as much detail as possible as... David S Pumpkin. His sisters? Dressed as the B-Boy skeletons. Ay, pappy! Obviously they had to go also. "AAAAAHHHHH THIS IS GONNA BE SO FUCKING FUN!" Rian is ready to explode from sheer excitement, and shakes Chayse like a red headed step child over the whole thing. Gren came because he'd been invited along, and because he should probably at some point, do something that's human (other than watching movies at Kinfolk House, or reading), and to make sure the more rage-y of the pair don't flip their shits. But that does not mean he has to like it. In fact, he does not. The -music- ravages his ears, the lights and massive amount of activity compared to the forest are overstimulation. It's his moon, too, and the darkness itself seems to piss him off. The polar opposite of Rian, whom he follows after, grim and harrowed.
Oh dear. The things Hannelore will do to entertain clients. How else do you explain being invited to essentially babysit a group of men under legal (American) drinking age to a haunted attraction. The least she can do, is be stylish doing it. Ironically enough, tonight she is dressed in a couture version of a gypsy. A long red intricately designed scarf is wrapped around her head and left to fall down her back and down to her hip. A multi colored crop top is hidden under a FABULOUS red leather half jacket with long sleeves. A bohemian skirt sits high on her hips and drapes down her legs from which appear a set of high wedge heel shoes. Her midriff is left bare. Her wrists and neck and bedecked with jangley necklaces and bracelet and large gold hoop earrings are in her ears. She walks along with a plastered on smile for Rian's sisters, laughing and taking selfies and being the group photographer. She entertains herself by being super judgey over people's costumes and making catty comments about those who are a bit...much.
There's always That Guy who never quite gets the whole 'dress-up' thing right. Tonight, That Guy... Is Chayse. He's wearing his old high school football jersey (his number, of course, was '1'), and a pair of jeans that have been rather ripped and shredded to possible support his zombie face makeup yet still perfectly coiffed 'I just rolled out of bed' hair. He steps out of the SUV to a firm shaking and chuckles. The gaggle of excited females fuss ahead of him as he rakes a hand through his hair and casually locks the car with the fob before simply pocketing the fob, tugging out his cellphone, and falling into step just ahead of Gren.
Rian's sisters totally do not want to be B-Boy Skeletons tonight, but they lost fair and square at... whatever. "One of you has to agree to eat things that are bad for me and tell me how great they are." he announces, because he's the idiot that puts himself on terrible diets of not at all interesting things. He straightens up his pumpkin laiden suit, and collects a sister on either arm so his accessories stay with his outfit, and ONWARDS!
Heres the thing about clothes. When you know what you wear, how to wear it, and how it wears you....you know how to dress. Dominic knows what works for him and he works it well enough. Green and black. Flannel, backwards hat because they are trucking it out somewhere. Khakis though. Rian's sisters though knows how to get Dominic's attention. Then..loses them after awhile. Good god, that guy. Hannelore gets a nod and was clearly not the person who dressed him. "So. We're gonna...oh, we're walking."
Fortune teller. That gets Gren's attention, if only because he -thinks- it might be less, um, festive in the tent than out here, in the open, where the music is grating at his brain. He lifts a hand, and points to it, and asks the others, "You think that's for real?"
Rian never has to worry about having to ask twice for someone to eat all the Bad Things for him. Apparently that's Chayse's new job. Almost immediately, he peddles up to the snack foods line and grabs a few orders of fried pickles and kettlecorns before moving back out to stand next to Gren. He shrugs as he offers the other 'Lord some of his treasured junkfood, "I mean, why not? Might as well give it a try and see, right?"
Hannelore walks up beside Gren, "It's rare that any fortune teller is real. Most have simply cultivated a talent for reading people and swindling them out of their money." Her accent is vaguely european, as if she has moved around a bit. "I have a met a rare few that have been genuine and they are rather... disturbing. I should be able to tell fairly quickly if they are legitimate."
"The hell with that, it's totally real, let's go get fortuned!" Rian declares, and uses himself and his arm locked siblings as a seige weapon to herd people into the fortune teller's tent! Whether it's *actually* real or not, he doesn't care, for right now he is a twelve year old and absolutely *hurling* himself into the spirit of things. Get your fortune told, get an aura photo, play those games that are totally rigged and not even care, that's David S Pumpkin tonight!
A high-pitched witches' cackle rings out through the crowd, followed by a bit of a rise in laughter!
As the group steps into the tent with the fortune teller, their feet disappear in the mist of the fog machine meant to provide spooky ambiance. A bent over woman dressed in a combination of a gypsy and the classic wart nosed witch sits behind a crystal ball. "Come come... dare to hear of the horrors that await your future." She points over to a sign that displays the "cost" of the fortune.
Gren goes a little too eagerly, compared to his general on-edge behavior in the place. The closed-in area and the fog and the lack of music definitely seem to soothe him, and his shoulders sag slightly, holding a box of kettle corn that he can't eat. He gives a glance at Rian, because he's a poor-as-hell crow (and brain tanned pelts are not listed on the witch's price sign).
Xanthippe apparently didn't get the memo, because she's dressed up. As a fat bumble bee. Her hair is no longer covered up by a black cap, and her wings are a little bent, but her stinger is still perky and she appears only a little ashamed. Way to not ever give enough information, Dominic. She has this whole bee costume and just. Ugh. She's imposing her presence on poor Dominic, who is definitely going to look like more of a nerd because she...exists, but here we are. This is what we've chosen for ourselves.
Hannelore holds an arm out to prevent Rian from opening his wallet (they don't need THAT much attention) and instead, pays the fee for Gren. As she does she reaches out to the woman's hand, turning it over and seeming to inspect her palm as she places the money inside of it, before closing it around the bill.
Rian keeps to the back of the group, he wants the fun but he's also painfully aware of his AHROUN RAAAAAAGE! so, keep some distance and don't freak people out, that's the main rule of fun time. Since he's in back and Gren's up front, he just sort of throws money at him, a wad of bills that piff harmlessly off Gren's head. "Sorry!" he says with a wince at his broheim.
This is the biggest collection of rage and scaryness on this festival. Definitely. Probably making everything seem even more frightening to all the attendees. "Look. Fortune Teller." Dominic is absolutely pointing it out to Xanthippe like it is the funniest thing he has seen instead of spooky or scary. "You should take her job."
Chayse crunches around a mouthful of tasty fried pickles and bends to pick up the cash that fell to the ground. For pete's sake, Rian, can't you see Gren only has one arm! Thinks the man who just gave him the box of kettle corn he can't eat. He pays for the reading and settles back in closer to the back with Rian, offering the greasy pickles over to Rian... Perhaps to at least waft the goodness his way. As he waits, he sort of tilts his head to the side and gives the girl in the bee costume a looksee. He was just checking out her perky little stinger! Honest!
The fortune teller takes the money and settles back into her seat, giving Hannelore's bitch face some side eye of her own. Then she settles down and begins to run his hands over the crystal ball, looking from it to Gren and back as she begins to speak in a gravelly, witchy voice, "You once walked alone through the world but now you discover companions..." Her eyes drift to the group and then back to Gren, "now you are surrounded by a brotherhood of knights." She purses her lips at Dominic's words and raises her voice and really gets into it, "BEWARE the forest that leads to the Village. What may smell of sweet roses may lead you to a broken heart and an early GRAVE."
Xanthippe has the good grace to blush, and her shoulders scrunch up a little. As does her nose. "I don't want it." She mumbles, shaking her head---copper hair scatters over her shoulders and interestingly tries to 'grab' on to Dominic when he gets too close. Static is a beast. Xan's bee costume is notable in that it looks less sexy and more adorable. It is fluffy and appropriately rounded, and the wings are tiny. She elbows poor Dominic, looking wretched, and mumbles something in his general direction.
As Hannelore steps back, she rolls her eyes at the fortune teller and then her eyes keep rolling back, and back, and she stands there for awhile, seeming a bit transfixed by the entire scene. She stumbles off her wedge heels slighly and falls into Chayse, seeming for a moment to swoon into his arms.
Rian grins over at Xan, who I kind of have to call Xippy for the rest of my life now, and Dominic and waves like an idiot. Yep, he remembers her, but now is not the time to introduce anyone! Instead, he watches the Fortuning of Gren, still grinning like an idiot and just totally enchanted by *everything*. This is so fucking dumb but god damn it he's having MAXIMUM FUN! so far.
Gren is about to give Hannalore a 'for real?' glance, but then his eyes linger there, trying to see if -Hanna- is for real, stealing the show, or just fucking around. Either way, now that he's sitting, he rests the snack on his lap, and shoves popcorn into his mouth. "Knights," is the word he repeats. The witchy woman watches Hannelore throw herself into Chayse's arms she turns to the group, "Would anyone else like to hear their fortune?"
Suddenly, a paper tray of the few leftover pickles Chayse has is thrust into Rian's hands as Chayse positions himself to catch the swooning Hannelore. He blinks down at her and raises his eyebrows at her, even though an easy smirk rides up the side of his face, "hey there, you ok?" He chuckles. "You need some water?" He keeps his capable hands at her elbows to steady her until she's ready to stand again, but looks back over at Rian and says, "you gonna get a reading? What about you Dom? You gonna pay for your 'Honey' to get one?"
Dominic glances over towards Xanthippe as if judging the situation. Does he really want to subject her to...he'll headshake about Honey. "No no. I doubt she'll enjoy it. *I*'ll find out though." He steps through the gathering towards the fortune teller to offer up money to pay for a fortune. "One fortune please! Tell me of my future delights and future failings."
Rian tried to ignore those pickles, but now he HAS them! Glee is on his face as he gets half way to putting one in his mouth, but his sisters take them, gasping in Polish at him and quietly berating him from both sides about his figure and what not. Then they eat his GOD DAMNED PICKLES! "Ah! You! But! ... I hate you both so much right now." he complains quietly. His inner sobbing at being Forever Pickalone instantly goes away though when Dominic steps up to the plate to get the Fortune Bat!
Gren slides from his seat, only after getting enough popcorn for the moment. Otherwise, Dom is gonna have to wait for him. Then, to Rian, he asks, "So which one are you?" he whispers, half of his attention still on the other two Shadow Lords.
The witch takes her payment and again looks into the crystal ball. A fresh new bloom of fog encircles Dominic and the feet of everyone standing around. "Your blood screams with ancient power and authority. So used to being the one in control, being the leader. But BEWARE the Ringmaster! He is the king of this carnival. Cross him and he will make you scream in way that will make your blood curdle!"
Chayse steps out of the tent, assisting Hannelore out alongside him so that she can get some air. He pauses to wait on the others before asking, "well. That was... Anticlimactic." He chuckles, "shall we get to the main event, then?"
Hannelore finally realizes that she is being ushered along by her tribesman and draws in a deep breath of air. She lays a hand atop his forearm and pushes herself to stand on her own two feet. "I'm fine, I'm fine, Darling," she drawls in that unusual accent of hers, "I just got a little dizzy. Must have been all the smoke...." She waits alongside Chayse until the others are done, however.
"The ringmaster huh?" Dominic is torn between attributing the ringmaster to THIS carnival, or to ya'know. Life. The second one he definitely didn't need a warning about. "I'll remember that, thank you for your time." He is one of the last few people to usher themselves out of that tent and he is patting Xanthippe's elbow.
"I'm David Pumpkin, any questions?" Rian whispers back to Gren, and says, "Yeah sure, just a second!" At Chayse's suggestion, but dadgumit he's gonna hit that fortune teller! Up. He's gonna hit her up. Not, like... In the face. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. Normally maybe not, but he is compelled to disregard his usual distance-keeping for just a second. He pays, and tips, and sits, and looks to the fortune teller like an over grown kid.
The witch takes the money and pushes it into a little box. Ok, their people are weird but they pay well and... she looks into the crystal ball. "Across the miles and many distances, you hold the hearts of many who wish to surround you. But one will be torn from you and taken from your hands. HOLD TIGHT to your friends for they will not be with you always. The Village devours those who are ALONE!"
"I meant knights," Gren says, but then quiets, head down, but punch-dagger eyes on the fortune telling woman, as she gives Dom her warning. He's definitely taking it literally, as well as the scent of roses-- which he's fucked about, because he can't smell worth a damn.
As the rage filled group moves to the get in line they get quite a few looks from onlookers, both for their outfits and also because, Rian is particular, seems to give off a maniacal aggressive energy in his orange pumpkin suit. Unwilling to move out of the way, they instead start to scrunch forward to create some space between you and them. The line gets a little push and shovey for a bit until the group gets to the front, where a gloved hand reaches out to stop them. Several creepy clowns, reminiscent of Pennywise hold them there, talking creepily at them while inside the screams and squeals of other patrons can be heard. Then it is their turn to enter the Funhouse. Perfectly enough, they have just the right sized group to all go in together. If they didn't, no one behind them really seems interested in going through with them.
Xanthippe just looks...kind of ill? Like the entire thing makes her a little bit nauseated. She stands there in her bee costume, watching forlornly as Dominic gets his fortune read---she wrings her fingers together and chews on her lower lip. Oof. She doesn't say anything about the fortune though.
"Spooky..." Rian breathes, but by his expression (:D) he's incapable of being scared of a costumed lady's warnings. "Thanks lady, you're really really good!" he says, and slips a little extra into her box while he gets up. "Alright, off towards our impending doom, Knights and Ladies!" Regrouping, he says to Gren, "Probably Lancelot. You know, annoyingly virtuous virgin dork that keeps getting into trouble for really, really stupid reasons. That's probably the one! AH! Lookit you! You look so great!" he blurts at a freakyass clown that just startled the shit out of him. He is fearless! But also possesses some very distinct compulsive issues, and literally cannot stop himself booping a plastic clown nose, twitching his neck with satisfaction when super brief contact is made.
Music is pumped out across the event Gemini (talk) 19:35, 11 November 2019 (UTC)'Cause this is thriller! Thriller night.... And no one's gonna save you..... From the beast about to strike....Gemini (talk) 19:35, 11 November 2019 (UTC)
Hannelore puts her smile back on and fixes her head scarf, but keeps a hand on Chayse's arm or back to keep her steady on her feet as they move through the line.
Dominic cannot resist a shoulder-wiggle as he walks. Because you know. Thriller. THRILLER NIGHTS. "Dumdumdumadum. Dumdumdumadum." And to try and startle Xanthippe by grabbing onto her elbow as they walk. "Well that was fine. I would give her a four out of ten on accuracy. But. I guess fortune tellers are telling the future so we should withhold judgement."
As the group moves through the Funhouse, their sense are barraged by room after room meant to scare, startle and keep them off balance. Floors move and shift back and forth and walks move and shift back and forth and up and down, creating a feeling like sea sickness in places. Pinwheels swirl, lights pulse and strobe. Warped mirrors twist their reflections - that is, until there IS no mirror there and someone jumps out at them instead. As for the scares themselves, creepy pinwheeled eyed clowns https://i.pinimg.com/236x/d7/de/fd/d7defd554b01c1437d088c0c8d4b1a51.jpg, terrifyingly costumed little people (some of which may look familiar to Rian) rolls and scoot across the floor. Acrobatic double-jointed actors twist their bodies into horrifying shapes. Loud noises blare out at you from all directions.
Xanthippe squeaks, and jumps like an asshole. Because apparently she is that person. She blinks at Dominic with those wide eyes, still chewing on her lip, but at least she hasn't moved on to her thumb. Yet. "Oh. Well. I mean it's. It's confusing. You know, the fortune telling thing. There's...a lot." That's a really lame way of putting it and she should probably be ashamed but she doesn't LOOK ashamed. As they move forward though, Xan's demeanor changes just a little, and POOR DOMINIC. He gets grabbed. By the arm. Which Xan sort of clings to because she's an easy scare. And she hates clows. She freezes like a bunny when one jumps out of nowhere---her joints lock and she looks like she's going to throw up.
Chayse takes up his place at the front of the line, keeping a protective eye on his tribes' kin, but also checking in pretty frequently with the group as a whole. He nods over to Gren and seems satisfied to see Rian, his sisters and Dominique and Honey (no one ever told hi her name!) all in place. He turns back around and, suddenly, "MOTHERF..." he jumps as Pennywise just came out of motherfucking nowhere! The clown just looks at Chayse, "don't shit yer pants, kid," he mumbles, "just go on through.." Chayse blinks back... No one saw that, RIGHT And steps on through the house........
Whelp, Gren's entered the first circle of hell. His teeth are clenched, as is his fist, and he looks absolutely murderous. His only comfort is to put in a pair of ear plugs that don't render him deaf (alas), but they do help some.
This is so undignified. Cause, yes, Xanthippe is not alone. Hanners totally becomes THAT girl. She screams. She...oh dear god... she SQUEALS. She grabs hold of the arms of Chayse, or Rian or even Gren if he dares to come near her. She hides behind the tallest one of them when something chases after her. "MIDGETS!" she shouts a little too loudly, "I hate midgets." Damnit she is on HEELS, wedge heels but still. She doesn't need to be getting dizzy. Curses in various languages squeak out from between her lips.
Rian releases his sisters into the wild, the skeleton girls having their own fun with sudden yelps and laughs as they stick with the group. Rian exchanges them for Gren though, putting an arm around the fellow with Gren's one good arm between them, where it'll be harder to whip up and deck someone. As for himself, he's startled in some spots for certain, but always with a joyous sort of reaction, an AHH! but always with laughter. The Ahroun is handling it pretty well! And he attempts to lend his Infectious Courage to those around him. Especially Gren. He's gonna owe Gren so much zen after dragging him here! A poof of air shoots out from a hidden tube and across Xanthippe's ankles. Damn if doesn't feel like something slithering between her feet or grabbing at her.
Xan doesn't like snakes either. She finally screeches and jumps, and whether or not she gets caught by Dominic is really up to him. It's like the worst imaginable kind of trust fall---snakes are involved, and if she misses she will probably fall on her head and die.
Around the bend, the room you step into is unlike the others. The central walkway is lined, oddly with handrails. Do you use them? The ceiling appears domes. Do you look up? The walls have an odd sort of blacklit neon...... And they begin to spin...
Dominic is entirely undettered by lights, sound and /blown air/ at him. But Xanthippe jumping and whining concerns him and his eyes roll over towards her in the dark. But then the acid hits and they are in bat country and a hand flings out to grasp a railing.
Rian sees handholds, feels the movement, and dives for those frickin hand holds! Trying to take Gren with him of course, although that guy's doing way better than Rian is at the moment. "WOO!" Still fun though, and while he does look up...He realizes that's a fantastic way to end up sea sick and ruining someone's perfectly nice costume with projectile vomit, so maybe don't do that. TOTALLY not a cool thing to do to someone, not worth the risk of looking up. "So about that fortune teller!" he says while they get spun around like they in a crazy washin machine, "I think we might wanna keep tabs on each other for the night, yeah? Hannelore! What are you doing down there!?"
Gren has entered the second circle of hell. The room doesn't really bother him as much as-- touching. He growls, breaking into a sweat, but it's probably not heard over all the noise in the room, and makes to shoulder shove would-have-been-comforting Rian right off of him. Fortunately, this also means he misses the wobbly others and their humiliation.
Xanthippe falls on Hannelore---right across her so that they make a sort of weird X, although her fluffy suit spreads out and kind of obscures the two of them and makes her look like she's melting. Apparently this is a tits-toward-the-ceiling kind of evening.
Hannelore oofs as she is fallen up by a bee. Muffled from underneath Xan, she replies to Rian, "Just... looking for an earring ... darling."
That hand rail seems slippery and icky. Thats why Dominic's hands can't really grip it, not the spinning lights, sounds and tumbling bodies. He flounders before to faceplant into someone's something that is right smack dab in the good part of soft and firm. Then he is trying to stand and knees a lady in a hip. "Uhhh. Yeah. Looking for an earring."
Chayse's hands are where they usually are, chillin' in the pockets of his jeans as he steps up on the twirling tunnel bridge. And, of course, he looks up which sends him stumbling right into the handrails. Ah! That's what THOSE were for. Good grief. He laughs and looks behind him, shaking his head, but his laughter only deepens at other's misfortune, it seems. As Hanners and Honey pile up, he can't help but grin slightly. He reaches to help the bee and Hanners up, should they allow him to do so.
Creepy, tinny circus music begins to play as everyone reaches the Big Top of the Funhouse where a very tall, probably on stilts Ringmaster looms over the room, long frightening arms streeeetch out towards those who come into the room, "Welcome to the Deadliest Show on Earth!" The music picks up as the room begins to move around them. Not the floor this time, but the walls. Clowns jack in the box out of the walls. Some of these clowns have chainsaws. Cackles of maniacal laughter echo through the room and sprays of mist from giant clown flowers spray them as they run and make their way around and underneath the arms of the Ringmaster and towards the exit on the other side and into the cool, night air.
Xanthippe oofs as she gets a face in her abdomen, and rolls off of Hannelore with a wheeze, because she's taken it right in the diaphram. She lays on her side for a moment, and then gets kneed in the hip and just. Maybe she should have stayed home. "I don't like this." the red-head manages.
"Ah come on, you're not such a hopeless lot!" Rian says, and helps with getting people to their feet as things slow down again. He's still having the time of his life though. "Hey! They got chainsaws! ...I wanna chainsaw." he complains, and makes a (soon to dissapear because his memory sucks) mental note to get himself a chainsaw for christmas. And into the bigtop he goes, still grinning like a dork, but he does tear his eyes off things to do a quick headcount. Just in case.
Hannelore gets counted by Rian as she makes a unheard over the noise *clickclickclick* march out of the Big Top as fast as her designer heels can carry her.
Chayse laughs heartily and rakes a hand through his hair as he is deposited from the turning room and into the Bog Top. His smile, however, fades a bit and his brows furrow as he looks up towards the Ring Master. He's unable to shake something the old woman in the tent said and he narrows his eyes in thought as he marches on into the night.
Gren, after shoving poor Rian, keeps his front toward the spindly-crepy Ringmaster, walking half-backwards out of the tent, and back into the night. Other than getting the Ahroun off of him, though, he doesn't try to split up from the group-- he's still trying to keep an eye on them, as they do for him. When they get out into the night, he breathes in, heavily, lets out a shakey breath, and looks around, for the way either back to the carnival grounds, or the parking lot.
Dominic does get up eventually, grinning down at Xanthippe before he drags himself out by means of the hand railing and regains his feet. Bog Top is good, much better. The ringmaster gets a closer look. Oh. Right. The fortune. A glance back to grasp onto Xanthippe's elbow to ensure she is nearby. Then he follows everyone out of the Big Top.
Xanthippe is more than happy to follow Dominic outside. Because outside is better. So much better. There are no terrifying clows or weird snake breezes or whatever. Hard nope. She grabs at the poor man, and clings until they are outside because this whole place has been terrible and icky. Once the group it out into the night, they get a moment to catch their breath and get their legs under them. Compared to the heat of the indoors, the night has taken on a chill. Soon they are ushered towards a path that leads through a small dark forest path. It is a stark contrast to all of the sensory overload of the Funhouse. After being in such garish light, the forest seems even darker. A few lights mark the trail, and other lights seem to float through the darkness of the woods. Moans and wails and cries echo out onto the path. You can't see the parking lot from here, but everyone once in awhile you can see a plume of fire burst up into the night air in the distance.
With everyone accounted for and no one kidnapped by psychotic clowns or anything, Rian heads along with the group. He has to, simply HAS to stop for a moment though to look up at the ringmaster, like a kid on crack, "Wow, you're terrifying!" says the fearless doofus, although quite sincerely. He then waves at the stilted fellow and carries on, into... THE WOOOOOORLD OF DARKNESS and also evil forests.
As Rian plus sisters, Chayse and Hannelore lead the group through the forest they become blissfully unaware of their surroundings, when SUDDENLY a ghostly white figure flies out of the forest, wailing like a banshee, RIGHT. AT. THEM. It jumps right into their faces, close enough to touch - but doesn't. Then is gets yanked back on a bungee cord back into the forest.
Gren has stepped into the first circle, of, um...heaven? The scent of roses floods his system. It might not even be strong, but the thing is the Metis has never smelled anything. Ever. In his life. He stops walking almost abruptly, maybe making some of the other smack into him. "What is that?" he asks, because it's sickly pleasant, and makes him shiver. They'll likely think he's talking about the figure, but no.
Hannelore does a running stomp in her wedge heels but manages to keep her feet as she screams bloody murder and hides behind Chayse, gripping him by the back of his shirt. "I HATE THIS!"
Chayse has paused to look back at Gren, but turns around just in time to be accosted by the figure in white. "AHHHH!" He screams, but in a manly way! And punch-jabs twice into the air, missing the ghost as it's whisked back away on it's bunjee cord, leaving Chayse panting and his perfect hair finally a distinct mess.
More hard nopes. Xanthippe has seen horror movies before, and she locks her knees, still gripping Dominic's elbow. "That...smells like roses." She tells him matter-of-factly, and her heels dig into the dirt. "This is weird, and I don't like it." She informs him, although if he tugs at her, she'll probably go along. Unhappily. She freezes again when the banshee jumps out, wrapping her arms around Dominic's. Her shoulders scrunch up slightly---her brow furrows.
Dominic's chin lifts high and his nose suckles upon the sweet sweet scent of the air. "Roses roses roses." The man can only agree as his hand slinks up underneath his flannel at the base of his spine. Because thats where you keep a woman, if you watch enough COPS. The handle of something nice is there and fingertips surround it. But. Ya'know. Its just a haunted carnival. "It's just a haunted carnival, Daphne. Lets keep up with the group." Rian is Shaggy. Dominic is Fred. Hannelore is Velma. Gren is Scooby. Chayse is Batman.
"Guess that lady was for real, after all," Gren says, his voice a low, hoarse whisper, punctuated at odd intervals by the fact that he keeps wanting to breathe in. "I can't smell, part of my curse, but I think I smell them too. And there's something out there, following us."
Rian did NOT see that coming and screams like a little bitch. "This is the best thing ever!" he blurts right on Hannelore's heels, completely disagreeing with her apparently! Laughing his ass off, he looks to Sco-er-Gren, Zoinks! Like, Scoob, "It's just a really well timed string act, I bet!"
Somewhere in the night, the sounds of chainsaws starting can be heard.
Chayse reaches back to place an arm around Hannelore only to find Rian in his embrace. He jumps a bit and steps away from the man, giving him a rather wild-eyed stare before the chainsaws interrupt his thoughts. "There's our followers," he mutters, this time taking Hanna's hand and tugging her out into the clearing
"Probably, but..." Xanthippe is still on edge. This isn't a game she likes, and it's kind of pinging on stuff she already doesn't want to deal with, and you know, it's a wild ride. For sure. She shifts slightly to make room for Dominic to do whatever he wants with the thing in his pants, and wraps her arms around herself. "I still don't like it."
Hannelore stiffens at the sound of chainsaws. "This is why I don't go to the Caern. Crazy wild people. Give me Nordstrom's on Black Friday any day." She quickly wedge heels her way out of the woods before something gets her, or makes her go camping.
In the clearing, the groups is faced with a massive wall of... Corn Stalks. Directly ahead, a man dressed as a derelict farmer beckons them forward, ushering the group into, what else, a corn maze. Through the maze, on either side, tall stalks reach skyward and block out anyone's sight beyond. They can only see ahead of them.....
Gren gives Hannelore a look, not a very pleasant one, but that might just be his Resting Psycho Face. But his words are to the group, harsh and tinged with a miserablness: "No, I don't want to go." Even if he's going to go anyway. "There's a shadow following us."
Dominic guides Xanthippe forward to place her in the middle of the procession with Dom right behind her. "Chainsaws and roses, just like that old gypsy woman said!"
"That's...not great." Xanthippe mutters, although she allows herself to be pushed into the middle of the group and follows along, even if her posture suggests that she's a little miserable about the whole thing. Because wouldn't you be? Dressed in a fat bee costume, surrounded by a pumpkin man, a woman who has HAD ENOUGH and a bunch of nominal strangers? And now there's a scary farmer. No, this is not fun at all. "Whose idea was this?"
"...Alright, it's very weird if you can smell that, then." Rian says, still excited, but he DOES take things seriously sometimes, "Not that she didn't pick up on a *lot* of stuff." But serious or not, he can still tell Chayse, "Ferris Beuler you're my hero." in a nasaly voice. Into the corn maze with a tip of the imaginary hat at the farmer! "Besides, tonight we're all monsters. And bees and stuff. If anything terrible happens, Xippe can sting them all to death while the rest of us make sure they know to shop smart. Shop S-Mart." He DID hear about the shadow that time, but also like... That just kinda makes him want to go MORE, and he blurts out at Dominic, "Damn it Cheryl!"
Chayse turns back to make sure that Rian and Gren have Rian's sisters corralled and that Dominic has Honey safe. His own hand reaches out to keep Hannelore in the middle of their precession as he gives his head count and he pauses to look at Gren. The wisdom of the Ragabash has spoken. "What sort of Shadow, Gren," he asks, stepping next to the other 'Lord as he follows Rian's headlong charge into the corn maze
Hannelore crosses her arms as she looks at the farmer and the cornfield with an expression that says, hell to the naw. To Dominic she responds, "She knew what was going to happen because she knew what was on the trail. She isn't psychic." But there is something in her voice that sounds worried. She pinches her bottom lip with well manicured fingernails. She glances over to Xanthebee as she comes closer, "We're blaming Chayse for anything that goes wrong. Including my wedgie."
"It's Carol..." mutters Xanthippe, as if she's trying to be in on the joke. Trying. But also she kind of sounds like a kindergartener that someone threw into a pond. All wet, or something. Sad. Hannelore gets this just. Wide-eyed look. "...Okay." Xanthibee agrees, as if she thinks that's easier. Either that, or she just agrees.
"Couldn't tell. It was just a dark, solid shape. It could be just some performer, or I could be tripping fuckin' balls, but I got a sense of smell for a minute, so something's going on." What, Gren has no idea, and he quickens his pace to keep up with Rian who's still enjoying himself, doing a small headcount of his own. He's still trying to commit that smell of roses to memory.
"The way I figure it, there's only three real options here," Rian says while heading on into the maze o'cron. "We're being stalked by a random weirdo, conveniently making the one lady either super lucky or psychic and someone's gonna get kidnapped, so the best place to be is heading towards the end. Or, this venue is governed by witches and wizards that went through a lot of trouble blending magic and mundane to make a badass holliday experience, and we should enjoy it. OR, we're in a carnival of doom run by pure evil and obviously we have to go and murder it to death. Either way, I think we should see it through, cause this is fuckin *great*!"
The group turns to the right, the only way to go, really. Along the way, sight as the middle of the group passes a section of corn, there's movement and a burlap-covered form lurches forward with a -ROAR- and leers right at Chayse!
"I mean. I brought my fang dagger. Because I don't leave home without it so I can defend my precious virginity." Dominic is puttering behind the group, close enough that Xan can at least know he is around. By yammering his mouth off as they walk.
"I mean...that's kind of easy for you to say. You know, as one of the people that probably ISN'T going to get kidnapped." Xanthibee points out, nose scrunching. Because practically, it is either a sister, a Hanna, or a Xan that is getting kidnapped and 25 percent is too many percentage points. "We wouldn't want your honor besmirched." Xan offers dryly to Dominic, in a tone that implies if not outright states that this is the least of her worries. Then a man busts out---is it a man? A thing, and Xan wheezes like a bird that's been stepped on, and back-pedals into Dominic.
"Oh my god, there's so much unused dick in this party," Rian remarks as they come up towards the ominous looking prop at the end of that path, passing the scarecrow but looking back the way he came. And then when the scarecrow RAR!!s at Chayse, he about pees himself laughing, "See that's why we're definitely going to survive, because not *one* of us would get laid in this horror movie, and those are the *rules*!"
Chayse screws up his face and looks back at Hanne, "your wedges?" He misunderstands, "I didn't tell you to wear those shoes.." And then there's sheer terror! Again! What is it with Chayse being the center of all jumpscares this evening!? Probably because he's so freaking low on Alertness... Either way, he's caught entirely off-guard by the burlap-covered scarecrow and hoarsely screams at the top of his lungs before launching backwards into Hanna's arms, totally expecting her to catch his tall, gangly ass.
Wait, did that boy say he is a virgin? Is Hannelore surrounded by college aged virgins? And she can't deflower any of them apparently until they are fostern? Damn you Jake! So lost in this contemplation is she that she is caught flat footed by the roaring burlap man. She screams! And then she has a heavy muscled Chayse in her (Strength 1) arms and then she is on the ground, on her ass, spread eagle with a Chayse laying on top of her. She wails! Dirt on her ass! Then proceeds to smack Chayse on the top of the head because who else is she going to take her frustration out on?
Gren's standing right next to Chayse, but because he's in a group of knights, and not himself a knight, he leaps away from, rather than toward his Tribemate. Or maybe he's just trying to defend the two Fang kin. But probably not.
Chayse "OwOwOws!" And scoots himself up, still trying to ward off Hanna's swats while he dusts himself off. He gives Gren a withering glance, but shakes his head and reaches down to "Ow!" Help Hanna up.
Dominic absolutely invited Xanthippe along to get her stinger up in his lap. He jolts as she backs into him, and he waits. "See? Nothing bad yet. Yet."
This is all too much, and thank goodness they're all stopped because of this, because he just *can not* stop laughing, pale face turning red and a few tears running from his eyes and everything. His sisters understand the true peril though, Hannelore's dress! Xippy's shoes! Sweet Jesus!! So they smack Rian in unison and go to help the two kin ladies, and Rian tries to contain himself enough to try and help Chayse a bit.
Into the maze the group continues. Above the maze, the recurring gout of flame grows ever closer, spewing into air from a device mounted somewhere beyond the cornfield. Along the way they pass by scarecrow people that jump out at them and some that don't but who MIGHT. They look so REAL! One of these scarecrows doesn't so much jump as just APPEARS seemingly out of this air, right in their path. A LARGE, like glabro sized scarecrow man in overalls with wide shoulders. His burlap face has buttons for eyes and knitting for a mouth, but lacks the shape of a nose. He just stands there.... STARING. Unmoving. Looming.
Right. That doesn't look right, in the sense of typical mortal scariness. Dominic halts pretty quickly and stands in place to watch with wide eyes waiting to see what happens. Frozen in place waiting to flee.
Neither of Rian's sisters is Wonder Woman or anything, and they're both perfectly fine with using Rian as a meat shield. Also they know their dumbass sibling's inability to get too tripped up by terror, and are probably also aware that he's armed, so there's that for comfort too! "Wow! Was that magic? That's so cool!" is what he immediately just blurts the fug out at the hulking scary guy of scaryness. Yes, this could be a BSD employing a gift to try and cripple them before a pack leaps out and bites their faces off. Or maybe it's just a simple warlock with a skeery ability being put to work for this anual business. Or just a dude and the fear wave came from elsewhere. He doesn't know, he's still asking, and yes, he's *still* having fun!
Gren doesn't notice the withering stare. He doesn't notice anything, in particular, He's got his own withering stare aimed at his shoes, head kept down, and maybe his mind is replaying the scent of roses.
Hannelore should have thought to bring a change of panties. Yep. She brought a second pair of shoes, in case people wanted to go dancing later. But didn't think to bring a spare pair of panties. She'll never make THAT mistake again. She thinks all this as she screams and does a pee pee dance in the middle of a cornfield.
Chayse is nearly numb to jumpscares by now. That's a Good Thing, right? He steps up to the last one, and inhales. He nods at it and waves his hand, "yeah yeah yeah," he says, "I get it RAR!" He looks at the actor, curiously..."Nice details," he gestures to the suit, slowly beginning to realize something's off. Suddenly, as he's ushered past, he blinks and looks back towards the others, "did you see that?" He hiss-whispers. Ha! Hispers! "That thing... Grew? After it scared Dominc!?"
Rian whirls around and grabs his skeleton attired sisters, spinning the pair around so they're facing the gang and not the Doom Hulk. Whirling both hands, he smacks each sibling on the butt, startling the crap out of them, before starting to 'sing' the music that usually accompanies David Pumpkins. It takes a minute, and they will both stab him for it later, but the skeleton girls start doing a stupid dance while he grins and grooves between them. Yes, he is aware that activating a gift does not in fact require a bunk because he's not a changeling, but I defy any of you to tell me that's not distracting.
This is what it feels like to want to crawl in a hole and die. Definitely. This is terrible. Xanthippe flails an arm at Dominic, wherever he is, and looks mildly as if she wants to faint---probably because that's on the table.
The burlap man seems to continue to grow as it locks button eyes with Dominic across the path. He doesn't move as Chayse waves his hand in front of his face. The burlap face doesn't even twitch. Not even to breath...
Dominic acts courageously when he is clearly not. A hand presses upon Xanthippe's back to get her WALKING past this Doom Hulk monstrousity. "Its pretty scary, right? Very effective festival..."
Hannelore moves as far away from the man as she can, even if she has to brush up against corn stalks. This also makes her squeal, because she isn't sure something else isn't going to grab her.
From behind them, they can hear the screams and voices of other patrons as they move through the maze and start to catch up to them.
Once Dominic's got control of his very own legs again and Hannelore's found her mobility, Rian gives his arms to his sisters and moves past Doom Hulk. "That was great!" he tells the silent figure. Still inwardly aware that this is all terrible and they might have to burn it down later, but that's still no reason not to have fun with it for *now*, right? Right. Letting the ladies go, he reclaims his position and grins like an idiot, "Best night ever."
Xan allows herself to be lead onward although she isn't happy about it. These jump scares are getting old, and she is going to need like. Six naps, a bath and a snack to get over all of this. She's going to need six weeks alone in her apartment to struggle through the horribleness of this evening because her list of least favorite things features scary farmers, dark corn mazes, clowns, being yelled at, jump scares, snakes, and like, cancer. And if they manage to link cancer into this night it will be. Wild. "I'm not sure I agree with any of the choices we've made tonight."
Coming out of the corn maze, the group can see a tower that plumes fire off to their left. But right in front of them is a large building with an illuminated sign out front that reads, 'The Village'. As you get closer to the sign, dark red 'blood' is smeared across the sign that says, "Turn back!"
For a moment, Chayse wasn't sure they all were going to make it. He keeps Hanna closeby, and does yet another headcount. He looks to Rian, but then asks Gren, "the 'shadow' still there?" He asks, then murmurs quietly to Rian, Gren and Dominic, "or was that /thing/ the shadow?" He whispers. "Like... Possessed?"
Hannelore takes out her phone and holds it up to illuminate the darkness towards the fire. "Are we going to keep going...? Or do we want... waffles?"
Gren looks back, but he's not sure he can see much of anything, given the corn field. His dark, turbulent eyes are squinting, trying to make out any figures, however. Dark shapes.
"It was something alright. It'll fine, Xan. Keep walking and we'll get out." Dominic moves to walk beside Xan instead of right behind her. But the darkness is enshrouding now and Dominic is getting nervous /again/. This damn place. "Why didn't we just play cornhole and /not/ go through the haunted forest?"
"I want waffles." Xan all but pleads. It isn't in her words. It's in her voice, which is, to put it mildly, a little desperate to go home. Or barring that, to go elsewhere where there are no vomit-inducing clowns or blood. "This is like an episode of American Horror Story where the people don't listen to directions and end up in a blender." mumbles the red-head in a tone that suggests that a blender is not the optimum location for her person or person-adjacent bits.
Hannelore says, “I will pay for the waffles.”
"You know where they have waffle houses?" Rian asks Hannelore and Xippe as they get up to the Big Spooky Building, "Villages." So in he goes! One of his sisters pauses before heading in, her painted up face looking to the others. "...He has our keys." she complains, siiiiiiighs, and follows her brother in. HE's goin, at least, or getting started on going, really.
Gren growls low, quiet but deep and rumbling in his throat, not seeming to notice he's doing it. But his answer about shadows is, "No, I think it stays in the forest. Don't let me go back there," he says, though it almost physically hurts to get the words out. Instead, he points out, "We don't have to go through the village. We could go towards the fire beacon, instead."
Chayse pauses and looks back to Gren but, in the moment it takes him to consider which way may be most wise, Rian and his two kinfolk sisters are headed right into the village. He purses his lips a b bit and looks back at Gren. He looks to Hanna and Xippy, but decides that sending them back alone at this point may not be the best idea. Instead, he ushers Hanna between he and Gren and nods to Dominic, "keep her close," his head bobs to Xippy before he asks, "do you speak the tongue of spirits? Can you keep an ear out?" Obviously, CHayse has decided that he, at least, must go in after Rian.
Hannelore says, “Fine. I'll go. But now you must pay for the waffles. Or the crazy pumpkin man.”
'The Village' part of the Haunt is a large winding building with a series of rooms set up as different locations within a single village. Each room presents a different kind of horror. They start off mild enough, the creepy log cabin with the man that turns into a werewolf and chances you into another room. The cobwebbed knitting room where sits a scary old woman in a rocking chair is chained to an old spinning wheel and a GIANT FUCKING ANIMATRONIC SPIDER jumps out at you as air an water sprays your faces. The room that is filled with nothing but dolls and stuffed animals in different states of disrepair - all seeming to stare at you wherever you look.
"We have come this far on a most noble quest to have Halloween fun," Rian intones in a strong and inspiring voice, "We will not pee our pants and run screaming to the parking lot, NO NO! We will push on, we're going to be brave, and we're going to say AHH FUCK MY MASCARA!" He was really confident after that werewolf, but the spider catches him off guard.
The group going through this 'village' keeps together because someone INSISTED on that. Correctly. The man who is a werewolf is probably the least scary of everything they have come across so far. Dominic grasps Xan's hand and threads it through the loop of his elbow as they keep going. "Nothing weird about this place at all, friend!"
Xanthippe frowns at Dominic's weird phrasing. "Yeah, okay, chum." She says, but she's clearly making fun of him a little---it's in the tone. Sarcasm seems to be a very present element in a lot of Xan's interactions. For the most part, the red-head is pretty silent through the whole thing, clutching onto her escort until they reach the spider room, and then she loses it a little bit. The noise she lets out...sounds like whatever noise a cat would make if you stepped on it by accident.
Usually Chayse is in-between Gren and Rian when it comes to general disposition. Tonight, however, he seems to be more rapidly approaching Gren's take on things. At least in terms of growliness. The werewolf gets a warning growl and the animatronic spider looses one of its 8 eyes as it leaps out. When Gren pauses in the doll room, Chayse just looks at him a moment as he waits, patiently, for him to come along. He's not leaving anyone behind.
The room of stuffies really aggrivates Rian's compultion disorder and he's sort of forced, FORCED, I tell you, to boop noses on his way through. But only the ones that are rectangular and brown and on stuffed animals. NO OTHER NOSES. They are not worthy of a poke. At the head of the line, he cant quite make sure everyone's together, but he CAN avoid moving too fast and keep an eye out behind him. "Lookit us go!" he says 'encouragingly'.
As Gren pauses a moment to linger in the doll room, inspecting whatever it is he is inspecting, Rian and Dominic and the sisters end up at the door to the next room. Realizing that the rest of the group hasn't left the doll room yet, they look back to see a large, giant blue stuffed animal goofy faced bear with a pink bow tie just seem to RISE out of the darkness behind Chayse, Hannelore and Xan. Xan is walking to catch up to Dominic, but it is RIGHT BEHIND Chayse and Hannelore with a big goofy grin on its face. Just as Gren turns and sees this happening, the bear reaches arms out to put paws on each other their shoulders.
Gren got lost behind somewhere, and only gets a few cursory glances behind Dom to see if he'll be coming along. Probably will since everyone seems to think this place is truly scary and not fake scary. Ack. SPIDER. That gets a wince from Dominic because Xanthippe is making scary terrible noises and gets dragged through that room. "You'll get waffles, definitely."
One can almost see the mental foot-tap that Chayse is giving Gren as he waits on his Tribesman to finish up in the dollroom. He glances eagerly at his applewatch just as the overgrown Build-a-Bear lays claim to his left shoulder. He reaches up to give an encouraging *pat* to what he assumes must be Hannelore's hand... Pat. Pat.. Pat? Pat-Pat?? Hanna's hand has sure gotten.... He spins around and "WhatTheLivingHELL?" He does a quick Karate-block to knock the touchy-feely-stuffie's hand from him. Then shoulder-luges at it for good measure, "Noooo Touchy-Touchy!" He reminds the fiend.
Hannelore spins around as she feels something touch her and then SCREAMS. BLOODY. MURDER. She abandons Chayse to get hugged by the big blue furry beast.
Gren drops the doll he'd picked up, and yells out a warning. It's an almost absurd warning. "Bear!" There's an -almost- amused tone in his voice, like maybe he wants to laugh, but doesn't.
Xan lets herself get dragged, because she's like 2 percent less functional after the spider fiasco. She probably doesn't evven notice the bear---at least she wouldn't have, if not for the sudden screaming, which has her wheeling around and staring with those wide eyes at the bear and Chayse and Hannelore's approaching form. Xan reaches out to welcome Hannelore to safety, but that's about the extent of her ability to help.
The bear begins to lumber forward towards Chayse, "Huh huh... let's be friends" it says in a goofy sounding voice even as it Frankenstein walks towards Chayse and the others. Chayse doesn't seem to have hurt his feelings at all. "Don't go! We can play forever!"
Just like the scarecrow incident, Rian stops, looks back aways, and then busts the fuck up laughing, and yells, "Give 'im the Care Bear Stare!" But alas, Chayse turns out to be a master slap fighter and survives the encounter. But he moves as they're herded along out of there and into MORE doom rooms! The bear's head scrapes the ceiling of the room, his lumbering arms and legs, knocking dolls to the ground that all start to talk, or make baby cries, or giggle as is strings have been pulled.
Chayse thusts his shoulders forward to intimidate the bear. When that doesn't work, he jumps onto it and tries to wrap his arm around the bear's head to yank the head off. Only, the head is so big he can't fit his arms all the way around. The bear laughs, "Huh huh... I like hugs!"
Then Gren jumps onto the Mr. Bluebear's other side and grabs hold as well. He grabs hold, but his yank doesn't do anything but make the bear giggle. "Huh huh. That tickles!"
Gren is kind of snickering into his empty sleeve, but tries to at least help his Tribemate. But he's either really bad at brawling or just can't take the job seriously.
"Stop killing the bear and let's go!" Rian says while still laughing, squeezing back to the door of the doll room and snagging a random teddy bear to throw at Chayse. "You're gonna get us sued!"
Dominic heard a scuffle! A trifle! A scrap! "I'd have a scrap!" Xanthippe is left in the embrace of Hannelore, mental images of that for later, and Dominic charges the room to tackle that bear himself! He goes low to upend and plant the thing upon its backside in a surge of prowess!
Now Dominic enters the fray. Maybe the third time is the charm. He leaps onto the bear and the bear falls forward and tumbles to the ground with all three of the NON-AHROUN garou on the back of the bear. There is a ripping noise and Mr. Bluebear's head tears clean off and rolls away, leaving a giant hole where inside, there is.... nothing. The suit is empty.
Mr. Bluebear's head rolls to a stop, his lifeless eyes starting right at Xen and Hannelore and Rian, "Huh huh. That was fun!"
In his defense, Gren says, "Hey, the bear wasn't supposed to touch anyone!" when he's scolded, and anyway, "He likes it!" He gets the hell out of the way when player 3 enters the game, however.
Chayse leaps up, triumphant that the bear was finally taken down, and bounces lightly on the balls of his feet as he grins, wide, and points at the empty (but still talking) bear suit and proclaims: "I KNEW IT! It's Sentient!" His eyes sparkle for a moment, and then his smile fades, "HOly fuck!" He exclaims! "It's Sentient!"
Xan's arms tighten around Hannelore, as if the red-head is SOMEHOW going to do SOMETHING about ANY of this, which is unlikely. "There. There is no guy in there." She says with a tinny sort of panic to her voice that is just. Eager to be calmed. Tell me there is a robot in there. There has to be a robot in there. "Is there like...a robot in there?" Please let there be a robot.
"Okay good point BUT STILL!" Rian counters back at the lot, "Stop murdering all the magic! I mean, unless it tries to stab you. ...Although seriously mate, you have some pent up rage issues." he tells Dominic then with a grin and a laugh. "Don't think too hard about it, just follow me, doves." he tells the ladykin.
"That's it," Hannelore says as she holds her new best friend Xan. "I'm done with this shite. Ciao baby. We're getting out of here."
Dominic is the triumphant warrior now, standing astride the fallen bear that is completely empty. In a very Darth Vader move, his foot taps the now deflated suit. "Yeah. I think we're done with this place. We'll burn it down tomorrow in the day, yeah?"
The bear body is still moving. And when Chayse and Dominic get off of it, it start to push itself up and move towards his head.
"AHHH!" Dominic pulls out his Fang Dagger ready to murderate some fluffy floof!
"Huh huh, I love you!"
Gren has a completely 180 opinion. This has been a mood whiplash kind of day, and the giant, sadomasochistic teddy bear was kind of the only thing about it that he hadn't felt a twisted fear of. He almost kinda seems to like the thing. He offers it a two fingered wave, and then goes to leave with the others.
Hannelore pulls Xan into the next room, cause boys will be boys, and they can deal with their Bluebears their damn selves.
Chayse heads out next to Dominic, his lips pursed when no one seems to.. AHH! It's Alive! Again! He grabs his Silver Fang compatriot, attempting to drag him from the dollhouse of horrors.
Dominic is very much over with the place now, turning to follow along with Chayse's pull back towards the ladies. "Who's idea was this hauntfest again?"
"Can I come with you?" Xan asks in a just, muted sort of panic that seems to keep her from fully realizing that Hannelore had probably meant her. Her arms tighten around Hannelore, and she tries to shuffle them more in the direction of Rian, simply because he is away from the bear. The bear is not good. The bear is terrifying. Xan is terrified. She follows after the other woman, still clutching at her. It's like a two sided, weird, walking hug. It is awkward. No one should do this, but they are gonna ride or die it, because their bond is forged in bear terror.
"OY." Rian shouts, and throws another random stuffie, this time at Dominic though, "Stop muckin about and come on!" Yep, he can see the teddy bear, heard the whole thing, it's some freaky shit! He grips a sister and pulls them to make sure Hannelore and Xippy don't get too far ahead, but also tries to keep an eye on their back trail. Thank god he learned how to waltz or he'd fall on his face.
As the group runs through the rest of the village, running to avoid the bear, they pass through the a dungeon scene of assorted horrors, a post apocalyptic nuclear fall out scene and finally through a medical horror scene. "The CANCER is EATING THEM ALIVE! MUTATING THEM! The horror!"
Hannelore moves as fast as her wedges can carry her. If she were strong enough, she would throw Xan over her shoulder.
There is this sudden, yipped "WHAT THE FUCK." squeaked out of poor Xanthippe, who is still holding on to Hannelore as if this is the only thing that is going to save her. Like Daphne and Velma. Like Betty and Veronica. Like two people who are going to have really bad dreams about bears and definitely need new shoes because they are going to fill up with sweat and other things that don't bear considering. Probably fear-blood. "I HATE THIS."
Hannelore says, “You and me both Darling. I'm going to need shoe therapy”
"My shoes usually need therapy," Gren mumbles to himself, keeping up with the others, not glaring down at them for once, because his eyes are on the beacon ahead of them, and the way out.
"Seriously though." Dominic is looking for blame not that he has caught up with the group and is sheathing his scary blade back into place. "Who picked this place, and decided it was a good place to visit?"
They escape the village and into a graveyard. Ghosts wail. Zombies burst from graves. Mummies rise up out of sarcophagi. Bats zip around them. Hell at this point they may be real bats. In their eagerness to get out of here they pass by another group. Up ahead, Gren can see the giant fire beacon that signals they are almost to the end.
When Chayse gets a bone, he can be pretty dogged. "I mean," he says, "has anyone ever seen anything like that before? That... Wasn't /right/..." To Dominic, he runs his hand through his hair and says, "an old friend sent me the invitations. Said I needed to check it out," he confesses. Feeling a little like maybe he should duck.
Rian howls with laughter while keeping up, and his sisters who are attached to him by the hand howl with various explatives aimed directly at him because he's the asshole that brought them. That makes him laugh more, because HA! Fuck you, family! The exit is ahead, he's not upset about the ride ending but instead feeling like, "HAAAAAA! We fuckin did it!" at the end there, "Do we get a prize? That was SO GREAT!"
Xan looks like she wants to buy thirty sweaters, and wear them all at once in a bath tub with grilled cheese and tomato soup. All the comfort things. "If that is a flame thrower and I get lit on fire..." Xan doesn't even seem to know how to finish that sentence, and so it trails off sadly into obscurity. It's more like icing on a cake than any sort of threat at this point. Once you up the bar to 'constant emotional torture and jump scares' there's really no up from that. What are they going to do? Scare us more? Probably kill us. Curse that Old Man Jenkins.
Up ahead, the sounds of the Monster Mash can be heard as the groups escapes the graveyard and run into a smoke and strobe light. Other dark shapes of people leaving the Haunt can be seen. A few sit on the ground catching their breath. One is receiving medical attention, "It didn't have any eyes...just darkness...."
Then they are back in the carnival area, with snack and Oingo Boingo's "Deadman's Party" playing on the speakers.
"...leave you body AND soul, at the door..."
"I think they're fear-feeders or something," is Gren's guess, though he's not sure about it, breathing heavily from his nose, like a bull that had just charged someone with a red blanket. Hell, he'd even just come out of a maze.
"Fear-feeders isn't a thing." Dominic grumbles back at Gren as he reaches out to pat Xanthippe's shoulder in comfort. To add to the grilled cheese in her happy place. "I think they might be banes that eat the fear that the patrons are producing." He reworks Gren's guess and claims it as his own.
Hannelore kicks her shoes off. Her SHOES people. That is the level of DONE WITH THIS PLACE, she is at. "I need to find a bathroom and take my underwear off." She looks to the girls as if it is their responsibility to go to the bathroom with her.
"Sure it is." Rian says, catching his breath and straightening out his jacket of pumpkin fabric. "Fear spirits feed on fear, not that a shit load of them don't work for the Wyrm. No way to really know without actually snooping around and sensing though. We could find out." Ah poor Hannelore. "Men! Let us guard the bathroom!" he says, and takes off after the ladies.
Chayse's record skips and he looks between Gren and Dominic, "you're just reworking his guess and claiming it for your own," he says to Dominic. "Either way.... Do we come back and.... *Do* something about it?"
"Fear-feeders aren't a thing, they're just banes that eat fear. Yeah." Gren snorts in irritation, it returning to him with the dark of the moon and music, back on edge, and the Metis goes to head back toward the car, once they reach the beacon, ceasing to speak openly, and asks the group, "So. Tomorrow?" He wants to know if they're serious about burning the place down.
Xan is nothing if not a beta personality when she's absolutely terrified and afraid of everything that makes noise and/or breathes. Or that looks like a stuffed animal that might get IDEAS. She follows after Hannelore, collecting Rian's poor sisters as well and sort of shepherding them to the bathroom. Boys suck.
"Only if there's a reason to." Rian says, although waiting till they've got that pocket of privacy. "If it's evil, sure, if not, I don't really see a reason to. But we'll definitely check, we'll make sure since that definitely wasn't normal. Fuck that was fun. How can you have not had fun in there?" From in the bathroom: "SHUT UP RIAN!" from two women.
Four women.
