TheAmishPirate

Monster Hearts: Sleepshy Rise

JEALOUS
DEFINITELY HEXED
CRYBABY
CRUEL

...you know, perhaps it was the long day (or night?), perhaps it was his eyes playing tricks on him, perhaps it was the glasses still stowed safely in his pocket, but he could've sworn that pig did a backflip en route to Annalee's arms.

[Keep cool 4+4+2=10]

Annalee, impatient with luxuriating on Elodie's bed, pulls the door open. Out jumps the pig and Annalee catches her in her arms and gives her a little noogie. "Who's a cute little pig, Carmen? Is it you? It is you! You're very cute." She lifts Carmen up and holds her, then gives her a hug because she is a cute little piggy and she deserves hugs. This is probably not going the way that Carmen expected, but Annalee is practically aglow so good is she feeling.

That does leave the little matter of Timothy Oglevee Crompton though. "Timmy dear" she says, turning Carmen around in her arms so that Timmy can look at the pig. "I asked you to watch this little fellow and what do I find when I open the door? She's running around loose and jumping all over the place. I appreciate your patience, you're welcome to come in now, but I think you need to explain yourself or you're going to be in a great deal of trouble."

[Question to the MC (from the 10+ cool roll): How could Annalee get Carmen to like her (and stop trying to kill her)?]

@Anarion

Timothy Oglevee Crompton lacked the necessary fortitude to take his abuse while standing. He sat there against the wall, knees curled to his chest, eyes bright red with tears, as pig and witch towered over his pitiable form.

Steady on, old chap. It's been a hellish - sorry, sorry, an infernally difficult time of it, but the end is in sight. Take your lumps, keep your head down, and excuse yourself to your room as soon as possible. You can manage just a little farther, right?

"I don't see why I should. You haven't needed a reason to curse me before." he groused, sourly wiping at his eyes.

...no. No, I suppose we can't. Brilliant.

Monster Hearts: Sleepshy Rise

Samael!

The shadow moves. The shadow does not stay still. Roiling thunderheads of inky night convulse with green lightning, as streams of nothingness ooze from every side and flow away. Reaching. Reaching. Farther and farther out. Probing. Hungry. When it steps, the whole mass looms steadily closer, as the legs alternate freezing and jerking forward. Memories of walking. Imitations of motion.

“Oh, there’s no need to be so formal, Sam.”

The voice is...velvet-smooth. Refined. Luxurious in its enunciation. Like yours.

Far too much like yours.

“There’s no need to be so hard on yourself either! After all, there is something you can do for our Timmy…”

The fireplace goes out.

You can hear the logs crackling. You can feel...well, not heat, but less cold. But the light winks out, swallowed by the darkness. One by one, the candles, and even the open door succumb to

It’s before you now. Drawing a tendril across your gashed chest, and wherever it touches is alcohol pouring across the torn flesh, and a thousand stabbing needles of cold too cruel to let you go numb.

The voice whispers in your ear.

”Keep. Your mouth. Shut.”

Carmen!

Now. You need stay calm. Don’t make any sudden moves. Remember your training.

Because one of your fairy tales is coming true right now.

You are sitting in the middle of the serpent’s den, and a handsome prince is holding you. Hugging you. Cuddling you tight until you can feel his panicked, human heart beating against you. He sniffs loudly. Hiccups. With trembling hand he delicately removes his glasses, to better wipe at his glistening eyes, and your heart breaks for him. How long has been kept prisoner here? What have they been doing to him? Justice demands that he go free, and justice has chosen you as its hand. Your whole life’s training has led up to this moment, to be the beacon in the dark for this poor, helpless, hot boy.

The fact you’re a pig? Minor setback. Didn’t have that bit in your dreams. But y’know, evil is ever-crafty. You have to be prepared for anything. You’ll figure something out.

And, yes, your hunch might’ve been wrong last time. That girl might not have been the helpless prisoner you thought she was. But look at him! Crumbling down, alone in a dark hallway, resting his head on you, weeping until he can hardly breathe. Have you ever seen a monster cry like that? From a heart overflowing with fear and sorrow? As a matter of fact, you haven’t. And you’ve seen an awful lot of monsters. Ergo, normal boy.

And, true, he doesn’t look like a prince yet. That comes later, usually after rescuing him, nursing him back to health, and breaking whatever spell’s been put on him. (Protocol for spell-breaking: Kiss him frequently, in as many situations as possible. Process of elimination. You’ll get it eventually.)

But none of that matters right now! A good hunter thinks in the moment! There’s a helpless, despairing prisoner here with great hair and no idea how near hope is for him.

What do you do?

[That's gonna be a 3 + 2 + 4 = 9 on Turning Carmen On. Timmy is currently without his glasses.]

Annalee!

Don’t you worry, the door hasn’t budged once this entire time. To include just now, when you called for Timothy to join you. And for minutes after.

Hrm. That’s probably not ideal. Dear little Timmy must’ve gotten scooped up by yet another one of those monstrous cretins you have to call classmates. I mean, after all, he wouldn’t have the spine to just sit out there, cuddling a pig, ignoring you, now would he?

Monster Hearts: Sleepshy Rise

Annalee pulls on Timmy's arm. She's bolting. Sam is under attack and she has no desire to defend him or be next. Timmy's shadow is doing something strange and that would be interesting, but it's also dangerous right now. "Timmy, come on!" she says and practically yanks him off his feet. She is leaving now and if he's not moving with her by now then he's getting left behind.

Where to go, where to go? They need to find someplace safe. Someplace to take shelter. Abandoned classroom? Maybe one of the tower rooms. Annalee kept an eye open for a sanctuary. She really needed to make her own, but any small room would do the trick. They needed some place quiet to catch their breath and she needed a little time to work her magic.

@Anarion

That is, perhaps, the most sensible idea that Timothy's heard all day. He offered no resistance, letting himself get dragged stumbling out of the room.

And as she pulled him out the door, into the light and (relative) safety outside, his shadow stretched into the study, growing ever-longer...

Monster Hearts: Sleepshy Rise

Awww, Timmy attacking with your shadow? That's so not...normal

@Anarion

Timothy is a perfectly ordinary boy, and I'm shocked - shocked! - that you would suggest otherwise.

Monster Hearts: Sleepshy Rise

To be clear for bookkeeping: I did not have a String on Elodie before this post. I talked it over with Raz, and the dark bargain I agreed to was one String on Elodie in exchange for Elodie getting two Strings on Timmy for future use.

is good trade

Monster Hearts: Sleepshy Rise

JEALOUS
DEFINITELY HEXED
CRYBABY
CRUEL

I’m very disappointed in you, vampire. Confusing poor Timmy like that.

Did you mean to squeeze his heart until it burst? You did, didn’t you. I’ve seen your kind before. Always a game to play, always a string to tie. Never say what you mean, never quite mean what you say. “Protect him,” really! As if you were ever going to do such a thing.

But wouldn’t you know it! It must be a night for shattering plans, no? Here’s our Timmy, so prepared for a vampire to assault him, and now here’s some terrible beast of the night bounding towards him. There goes the shriek, there goes the punch meant for you, and there it goes a-whiffing through the breeze. Better luck next time, Timmy! You’ll certainly need it.

Then there’s you! You worked so hard to be the big, bad vampire, and now you’re getting ripped to itty bitty pieces. By a ditzy woodland creature who’s forgotten how to bathe. That’s going to leave a mark on your menacing reputation. Not to mention your exposed chest. Such a shame!

And then? There’s me.

I didn’t have to step in, you know. But you had to go and cross the line. You filled his head with lies of safety, then you got yourself mauled by a wild thing. So confusing, for such a sweet, innocent boy. I’m afraid this is all just too much for him, so now I have to make myself clear.

You aren’t going to protect him. You can’t protect him.

Because he’s got me.

[Rolling to Lash Out Violently at Elodie: 5 + 3 + 2 = 10, spending String on Elodie to make it 2 Harm]

Light streamed through the open door.

Timothy’s shadow stretched out over the creature.

And feasted.

Monster Hearts: Sleepshy Rise

Sorry for holding everyone up. This week has kicked my butt. ><

Post done. It's clunky but it's there.

@Elanorin

No worries. It's been a rough week all around. >_>

Anarion, I'll let Analee take the first stab at this one.

Monster Hearts: Sleepshy Rise

JEALOUS
DEFINITELY HEXED
CRYBABY
CRUEL

SAVAGE
MERCURIAL

The human clearly knew how to hold a grudge. Fine.

The long game it is.

Samael bows his head as if in concession and takes a step back, palms open and held wide.

"A mutually beneficial agreement. A deal, if you like. And a negotiable one. I offer you my protection. I believe that might be worth something to you. When you're ready to discuss the particulars and of your end of it... you know where to find me. If not tonight then... I'm certain life at Sleepshy Rise will have you reconsider before long. I have that feeling. Just don't wait too-"

@Elanorin

A flurry of emotions ran through Timmy's eyes. Anger. Suspicion. Confusion. Was that a trace of curiosity? Maybe only a trace. But he settled on relief. Finally, this awful night might end.

Samael's eyes quickly shift to Annalee and there is obvious surprise on his face. He searches her expression and the light in his eyes changes. He looks genuinely taken aback. If genuine is a word that can even apply to him. Could it be she actually caught him off guard?

"Ana..." he breathes, his voice much less certain than a moment ago "...what is this? Are you... breaking up with me?"

@Elanorin

...you know, he really ought to know better by now.

"Annie..." Timmy glanced to the door (on the other side of Annie) and back to the emotionally distraught vampire (on the other side of empty, unprotected space). "Are you breaking up with him?"

Monster Hearts: Sleepshy Rise

Ball is in the vampire's court on this one. :P

Monster Hearts: Sleepshy Rise

JEALOUS
DEFINITELY HEXED
CRYBABY
CRUEL

Timothy lowered the Hand of Modesty from his face a necessary smidge. Just enough to see his eyes, and little else. Eyes framed in a still-flushed face, carefully looking at Samael without looking at Samael. Especially without meeting his gaze.

This close, can you hear the thunder of his heart, vampire? Oh, is there any heart like our Timmy’s? Who else can stand so long on the precipice of fight or flight? You won’t find a soul so steeped in sweat, adrenaline, blood, innocence, ignorance, life! How delectable! How precious!

“It would seem,” he swallowed hard. “That the smart human who feared vampires would know better than to trust one.”

He did not move for the door. The simple, unspoken response: Why on earth should I believe you?

Annalee? Or is it Annie? Which do your lovers call you? Whoever you are, your Baba must’ve taken you near some frightful places during your education. It’s important, you know! Being afraid of the dark. So, so important. Baba didn’t forget. I doubt you did either. Won’t you tell us what you felt then? When your body tells you to run before your eyes can tell you why, what’s it like? Won’t you tell us?