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| Outskirts - Walk the Waltz | |
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| Topic Started: Mar 23 2012, 07:40 PM (429 Views) | |
| Zaulyl | Mar 23 2012, 07:40 PM Post #1 |
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Spoiler: click to toggle Phil carried the invitation in his inner jacket pocket. He had no idea what the invitation was about; maybe someone had heard about the man who, for some inexplicable reason, routinely ran for 2 hours at the gym, then boxed for 3-whilst taking cigarette breaks. Or, possibly worse...perhaps someone had seen Phil screaming at his assailant a few weeks ago. Since that first time, Phil had found that his skill had greatly enhanced-it had nearly doubled in power, and now Phil found that he was as capable of producing noises as his attacker had been; and he practiced daily, aiming to increase the force with which his voice could hit. Now, he was here, looking for a circus troupe-hey, a job was a job. And he had other details about this job that were...different. Today would likely prove to be interesting. |
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| VeiledInsanity | Mar 24 2012, 12:51 PM Post #2 |
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Phil would find that following the compass on his paper would be an imprecise art. It would spin full circle at random intervals and take large dips off course from it's proper direction. However the general direction it pointed to was south west, towards what Phil would see as a desert wasteland. On the outskirts of the desert would stand a sign post with numerous arrows pointing in random directions and on each arrow would be printed a ridiculous seemingly made up word. A man would be leaning against this sign post. He was wearing the typical gear of a cowboy as he was dressed from his feet in brown leather boots and chaps all the way up to the large hat that covered his face, in a 'normal' Western fashion. He was waiting here for Phil, the invited, to help him begin his journey. A journey to a place not marked on any map, because what Phil should note, is that this was a desert that lay where a forest should be, as was marked on any modern map. |
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[Metahumans] Seymour Seid Delilah Gates [Civilians] Luis Clarke | |
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| Zaulyl | Mar 24 2012, 05:23 PM Post #3 |
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Phil looked around in confusion; this was a desert. Last he had checked, there were no deserts in the Northeastern US; and yet, his eyes did not deceive him, this was truly a desert. And the man in front of him was truly a cowboy. Or, at least, he looked the part. Phil couldn't read any of the signs. Each of them looked like gibberish to him, written in a language he had never known. Phil nodded at the cowboy; he felt as if the man was here for him. "Am I supposed to follow you?" Phil turned around-green. That was back towards normalcy. I knocked a man to the ground by yelling at him...the time for normalcy has passed. That was it then. Phil could only continue onward from here. |
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| VeiledInsanity | Mar 26 2012, 10:11 AM Post #4 |
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The man looked up at Phil, hearing his words, and revealing his face. His face was... odd. It was black and white, his face divided down the middle. It wasn't paint, but a literal pigment of his skin. The only difference was his eyes, on the white side his eye was black, seeming as if it was drawing anyone foolish enough to look into, inwards. On the black side his eye was white and stared outwards, beyond Phil, as if he could see through him and was viewing something that couldn't be seen on the physical plane. Finally the man spoke, a voice low and gravely, "No. Your path to the Cirque is your own. I am a guide, a teacher; the one with two faces." With that the man fell silent and pointed at the sign post with arrows pointing haphazardly in random directions. Down the post now stood a sentence that stood out, one that wasn't the before. Which road will you choose? |
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[Metahumans] Seymour Seid Delilah Gates [Civilians] Luis Clarke | |
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| Zaulyl | Mar 26 2012, 03:05 PM Post #5 |
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Phil looked at the road, and at the sign-it asked which path he should take. Well...how the hell should he know that? "Do I get any hints? How am I supposed to know which way is the correct way?" Phil looked down the different paths; as far as he could tell, nothing seemed overtly different about them. They both just looked like paths to him. Given the man's appearance, however, Phil suspected some kind of meaning to this test. That, or the man was just a freak. "You're a guide then? Guide me. How am I supposed to make this decision?" |
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| VeiledInsanity | Mar 27 2012, 10:13 AM Post #6 |
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When Phil spoke again he would notice that the cowboy had disappeared. However one of the signs nonsense word would change and begin to stand out, the faded colouring of the word now turned pure white. When Phil noticed this a yellow brick road would form in the direction the sign pointed, making a winding path through the desert. Along the path-If Phil decided to take it-mirages would begin to appear at the sides. Beautiful things, frightening things, and unthinkable creations would take form in the landscape. Without a sound being uttered, each mirage would seem to be calling him, trying to take him off of his path. When the call became unbearable and the temptation to go off the road was great, a voice would whisper at Phil's ear, the gravely voice of the cowboy. "Stand firm and stay true to your path, or be lost in the sands of Desire." When the voice finished Phil would have a split second flash of an image that cut through the illusion painted on the desert. On the sand were countless graves, all marked with a different name. One standing out, an open one, with a tombstone marked with his name. If Phil succeeded to stay true to this path he would find himself at a crossroads, not a proverbial one, but a literal crossroads. His path would diverge into two. He had to make a choice. Each path at first glance looked the same, a yellowbrick road leading off into the distance but there was a distinct difference between the two. Down one you could see a forest in the distance, as if it lead to it, and a soft indecipherable song could be heard leading down the path. The other path lead over a large sand dune, not allowing anyone to see what lay beyond, but the bricks seemed to glitter and glow and a noticable change in temperature could be felt coming from it, so hot the heat was almost palpable. |
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[Metahumans] Seymour Seid Delilah Gates [Civilians] Luis Clarke | |
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| Zaulyl | Mar 31 2012, 08:45 AM Post #7 |
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Phil was known for a few things, but hesitation was not one of them. As soon as it became apparent that he was to follow the yellow brick road, he took his first few steps onto it-almost immediately, he was assaulted on all sides by strange mirages-some amazing and awe-inspiring...and others strange, and of abominations. The mirages of both variety were swaying Phil's resolution-until his guide spoke once more. As visions both horrifying and beautiful tempted Phil to either run away or towards them, Phil focused on the words of the guide-stay true to his path. Just follow the Yellow Brick Road, Dorothy...you'll be home before you know it. Phil pressed on, keeping his eyes on his feet, and on the road. He didn't dare look off to the side, for fear of the temptations, or of the fears themselves, that might push him away from this path. Until there no longer was just one path, but two. "Oh c'mon! This isn't fair! How do I know which path is mine? Hey guide! A little help here!" |
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| VeiledInsanity | Mar 31 2012, 09:59 PM Post #8 |
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As Phil finished speaking he would hear a small childish voice come from behind him. "Why that's silly! They're both your path. Whichever one you pick is the right one for you." If he look behind him he would see a small boy squatting just off of his path in the sand. The odd thing with the boy was that he had an unmistakeable resemblance to a rabbit, right down to his current posture and extended buck teeth. |
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[Metahumans] Seymour Seid Delilah Gates [Civilians] Luis Clarke | |
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| Zaulyl | Apr 1 2012, 10:20 AM Post #9 |
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Phil turned around to see the strange boy-he was reminded of the White Rabbit, from Alice in Wonderland. Phil was hopping from story to story, it seemed. They're both my path, huh? The easy, carefree path, or the difficult, hot path...well...nothing good is ever free. And with that, Phil turned towards the path leading to more endless sand-who knew what he would find down his current path, but whatever it was, he was prepared to face it. |
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| VeiledInsanity | Apr 1 2012, 04:33 PM Post #10 |
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As Phil decided his path the rabbit boy cocked his head to the side, as if listening to something. He then spoke to the empty air beside him once Phil was too far away to hear. "So he chose that path? Well, Rialda will know what to do." With that the boy would disappear. --- As Phil made his way over the top of the sand dune he would find himself in a cell like room made completely out of black volcanic rock, with no trace of the desert he had just been in around him. In the middle of the room would stand a table, made of the same material as the floor and walls around it, in fact, it looked as if it was carved out of the room itself. On the table would be enough food for a banquet, except in the middle sat a woman, her legs dangling over the side. She had flaming red hair and seemed to glisten like the path Phil chosen to take. The room was also sweltering and it seemed as if the heat and the very atmosphere of the room came, and was shaped, by her. As the woman noticed his arrival she would let out a light, tinkling laugh that despite being a small noise, seemed to fill the large room. "You see!" she cried, "I told Gretilda that you would choose me and not her. Stupid twit always gets the new arrivals. But I knew you'd be different, I knew." As she spoke she didn't move, but the table that she sat on seemed to be closer and closer to Phil until the brim was but an inch from his legs. The food and drinks on the table would begin to look even more enticing than before, as if each consumable object was begging to be eaten. "Well why don't you sit and eat your fill? You'll need all your strength when you go on your way. Of course, you won't leave until you pass my test, but eat, eat!" After she had finished speaking a chair would be behind Phil, as if it had been there all along. Despite being made from rock, it looked strangely comfortable, as if the chair had been made for his comfort. |
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[Metahumans] Seymour Seid Delilah Gates [Civilians] Luis Clarke | |
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| Zaulyl | Apr 4 2012, 06:55 PM Post #11 |
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As Phil turned towards his chosen path, sand faded and flew away, while rock seemed to melt out of the air itself around him; suddenly, he was in a room with a table that had appeared out of nowhere, and a woman who had appeared out of nowhere as well. His mouth instantly watered upon seeing the feast before him-and it was getting closer to him. As the woman urged him to eat, he wasted no time-he immediately lifted the nearest item, and almost ate it right then and there-and then the chair appeared too. Stay true to your path...wait. No. No, this is wrong, this is too easy. Stop. Phil set the food down, placed both hands upon the table, and closed his eyes. "This is just like the road from before. Just another temptation. Thanks, but no thanks. Where am I to go after this?" |
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| VeiledInsanity | Apr 4 2012, 08:07 PM Post #12 |
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The woman chuckled at Phil's refusal, "You first timers are all the same," as she spoke the feast on the table disappeared, "Now all you've got is an empty stomach when it could have been full. That wasn't the test, but now we'll begin." She got off the table and walked toward him, a dark look on her face. She stopped a few meters a way and stared at him, as if concentrating. Then she asked seriously, "Hippo's? Or Pinata's?" Edited by VeiledInsanity, Apr 4 2012, 09:11 PM.
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[Metahumans] Seymour Seid Delilah Gates [Civilians] Luis Clarke | |
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| Zaulyl | Apr 9 2012, 05:42 PM Post #13 |
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If Phil was confused by the question, it wouldn't be apparent on his face, nor by any amount of hesitation. Phil stood there, looking her resolutely in the eyes, and spoke clearly. "Pinatas." He had no idea why pinatas would be his answer-it just was. So, there it was; his answer, all out there. "Now where is this circus?" |
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| VeiledInsanity | Apr 11 2012, 02:01 AM Post #14 |
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The woman nodded her head seriously at his answer, as if pondering its extreme weight in the order of things. She proceeded to ignore him from that point forward. When she did look back up at him minutes later she looked surprised that he was still there, then getting over her shock, nodded at him. As soon as she was finished nodding a large circular hole appeared beneath Phil's feet, dropping him straight into the heart of the volcano. He would descend at an extreme speed and watch as the lava raced up to meet him. When he finally fell into the boiling pit he would notice no pain other than the thump of landing hard against the ground. His surroundings would then be obvious, as he was inside an old school house, in the middle of an active classroom. About fifteen children sat around the feet of a middle aged man as he read them a story. It was obvious that he was a master storyteller, as his rich deep voice painted a strong image of whatever fairytale he told. The telling would go on for half an hour, the story so intriguing, it would enrapture Phil. As soon as the story was over the man closed the book and the children disappeared, as well as any knowledge of the story he had just told from Phil's brain. He would then speak in that rich and cultured voice of his. "So you've finally arrived. Welcome to the Cirque du Pollentia." However one thing more noticeable than what he said happened at that moment, because as the man straightened something was clearly shown on his chest, a colourful emblem of a pinata was emblazoned on his chest. |
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[Metahumans] Seymour Seid Delilah Gates [Civilians] Luis Clarke | |
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| Zaulyl | Apr 12 2012, 08:10 PM Post #15 |
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"So...what? Have these been illusions? Dreams? Am I even awake right now? You better have answers." Phil wasn't happy-he was tired of being strung along. He felt like some sort of puppet, playing these people's game, and, to be honest, he was getting tired of it. He wasn't even sure why he was supposed to find these people. "Have I passed your test yet?" Normally, he wouldn't have been quite so crass...but he just walked through the desert, turned down a feast, and fell into a volcano...so he felt he was justified in feeling somewhat angry. |
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| VeiledInsanity | Apr 13 2012, 12:28 AM Post #16 |
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The man shook his head and laughed at Phil's obvious anger and conclusions, "You're better off not knowing how you got here, just suffice to know that what you went through was as real as anything else you've experienced in your life." He then stood and gazed at Phil thoughtfully, as if trying to figure him out, "I can't quite say you've passed the test yet, but for now, you'll do," with that he switched to a much lighter tone and gestured for Phil to follow him, "I'm Malachi, and the leader of the Cirque. If you follow me I'll lead you to the rest of the members." Clearly expecting Phil to follow him, he exited the schoolhouse. Edited by VeiledInsanity, Apr 20 2012, 11:30 AM.
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[Metahumans] Seymour Seid Delilah Gates [Civilians] Luis Clarke | |
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| Zaulyl | Apr 17 2012, 03:41 PM Post #17 |
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Phil followed Malachi. He kept looking off to the side, expecting something to suddenly change. He was almost positive that things around him weren't real...but who was he to make those kinds of decisions? After all, he had only learned about his own ability a few days ago-if he was even right. "So...you're like me, right? You have a power?" Who better to ask than a man who led a group of these people? Phil had absolutely no idea what he was, or what any of this was about. His only chance to learn more, and possibly get stronger, was to ask these sorts of questions. "What kind of powers have you heard of before?" |
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| VeiledInsanity | Apr 20 2012, 11:35 AM Post #18 |
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Malachi stopped walking, realizing that not giving more of an explanation may be counter productive. So he settles to answering some of Phil's questions, "Of course I have a power. All member of the cirque are metahumans, and all are powerful, or at least have the potential to be." At the end of his words Phil would hear a voice from over his shoulder, the low gravelly one of the two faced cowboy, "Which are you?" With that, the voice would drop and its source would vanish. Malachi then spoke again, "You aren't asking the right questions. Perhaps the real question here would be what powers I haven't heard of. That however, I cannot answer." He then turned and began to walk again, knowing they weren't too far form their destination. Either Phil would decide to follow, or not. |
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[Metahumans] Seymour Seid Delilah Gates [Civilians] Luis Clarke | |
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| Zaulyl | Apr 20 2012, 02:13 PM Post #19 |
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Phil almost answered the cowboy's voice-but it wasn't connected to anything. Whatever the cowboy's power was, Phil wasn't a fan-it felt too sneaky. In case you can hear this...potential. If I'm right about my power, then that literally IS my power. "Well alright then...have you ever heard of someone copying other people's powers? Permanently?" Phil made sure to stay close to Malachi. There was no telling when he might fall into a pit of lava or some other such nonsense. He had to be careful. |
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| VeiledInsanity | Apr 22 2012, 09:33 AM Post #20 |
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Malachi smirked at Phil, a look that made the receiver feel like they were a foolish child, "Of course I've heard of such a thing. I have that power, and I believe, so do you. It's one of the reasons why you've been given an opportunity to join us, your potential." When Malachi finished speaking the world shifted around the two of them until they were in what seemed to be a carnival tent. Standing in front of them were what could be assumed as the other members of the cirque. The cowboy stood off to the side, keeping his distance from everyone else. The glistening woman stood beside another woman who shared enough similarities to be her sister, but with one major difference, while she didn't glisten the air around her seemed to shimmer and when looking at her it felt as if you were being drawn in. Beside them sat the rabbit looking boy, gazing curiously up at Malachi and Phil. Finally a strange looking man, with a very... flamboyant choice of attire stood beyond them holding a purple umbrella. Malachi gestured towards the gathered people and said loudly, "Welcome to the Cirque du Pollentia. Give or take a few members." It seemed Malachi's question period was over, but perhaps he had left more question that answers with Phil...? |
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[Metahumans] Seymour Seid Delilah Gates [Civilians] Luis Clarke | |
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