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 Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2011 9:22 pm
 Failure was not taken lightly.
Though she had tried, more than once, to enter the Pumpkin Patch and face her fears alone, she had consistently failed to actually walk into the patch itself. Her first instinct was to ask someone to come with her for support, but the first few options of who to ask had her more frightened than ever. To ask someone like Malodore, Jericho, or Christof to help her face her fears would only exponentiate her fears a thousandfold - no, she was NOT going to walk in there with someone she cared about. No way, no how, not even for a million human brains. She was not taking that chance.
So who, then, was safe enough to ask for help, while at the same time strong enough to be a supportive presence and keep her from forgetting just how silly all of this was?
She hadn't even thought of this option herself - it was Jericho who had happened to mention the boil's name in passing when he started to recommend people to take. And as Riley remembered it, she realized it was the perfect option.
She hardly knew West. She didn't think he liked her very much. And furthermore, they spent almost no time together outside of classes.
It was perfect.
It had her knocking on the demon's door with the back of her knuckles harshly. She would be as professional as possible when requesting his assistance, this much was certain. Even if the request itself was.. a bit.. ridiculous.
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Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2011 11:54 am
If there had been a quick and easy way to discern who was outside his room, it was unlikely West would have actually made the effort to open his door once he had figured out who was knocking. As it was, his door lacked a peephole, and asking who was out there kind of defeated the purpose of pretending he wasn't around. It wasn't that he disliked Riley; in practice he was kind of indifferent to her, especially when he wasn't thinking about things too hard. No, West was simply wary of many things that were either expected of the ghoul or that she lacked the ability to rid herself of. Better to stay away entirely than trigger his own skeev-o-meter.
Tentacles. She had them. West had been molested by tentacles more times than he could count since coming to this school. Several of them had even been purple. None of those experiences had been pleasant. That the mindflayer hadn't actually wielded any of them was hardly the point.
West was also vaguely aware of Riley's tendency to mark, well, everyone, in his opinion. Certainly more than his... one... person, that was for sure. While Barth had the justification of his debilitating slothiness to hide behind, Riley was physically capable of doing pretty much anything, even more so than West if he was being reluctantly honest, leaving her no excuse not to do these things on her own. Had he known about her friendly bond with Jericho, he might have opened the door willingly after all, just to sock her in the face.
He had mostly gotten over the 'talking in his head' thing after being assured several times that it didn't mean she was reading his thoughts, and the 'bleeding on the boxing ring' he and Bul were guilty of was surprisingly not on his list of concerns either. What were you really expected to do in a boxing ring other than bleed?
Thankfully, the fact that he couldn't see into the hall prevented West from even thinking to access this list of misgivings. The only person he thought likely to be calling on him who he didn't want to get within four feet of was Holly, and he highly doubted the ghost ghoul knocked quite like that. It turned out he was right.
"Riley," West said after a few moments of curious silence. His brain cycled through a short list of empty pleasantries, eventually giving him the go ahead to simply get to the point. "Whaddya want?" If she so much as leaned toward him wrong, she was getting a door to the face.
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Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2011 3:47 pm
As soon as West's brusque 'greeting' hit her, she realized this would be harder than she had thought. While it was clear he had certainly been the right choice when it came to choosing someone who she had no real ties to, it also meant West wasn't going to be easy to convince. She usually loved a good challenge, but this.. this wasn't the time for her instincts to flare up.
Hey, West. She murmured awkwardly, shifting her weight to a different leg while her fingers tugged idly at the end of one of her tentacles. It was, on a very strict level, not the kind of Riley people were used to seeing.
I was wondering if you had some free time. I need your help with something. It's kind of stupid.. but it's important to me. And I know we don't talk very much, so I can't really blame you if you say no to me.
Her eyes flickered upward, finally meeting his, earnestly pleading in desperation. But I'm kind of hoping you don't.
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Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2011 7:27 pm
No, this wasn't what he had been expecting at all when he had pictured a visit from Riley. Not that he had thought to picture this scenario at all until she had shown up on his doorstep, but still. From Christmas Town to Fitness Club, the only Riley he had ever seen was the one who took charge, the one with the scary tentacles and th...the mind control! Come on!
West's grip on the door loosened and it swung open slightly, revealing a bit more than just the sliver of angry boil that had already been visible. "Yeah. I mean, uh, no. I'm not doin' anythin'." Maybe that hadn't been the best thing to admit, considering that he had no idea what she wanted from him. "I guess I could try'ta help, s'long as y'don't want me t'dress up like a ghoul'r let you ride me 'round campus or kiss Christof r'anything." He had limits. A lot of them, apparently.
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Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2011 1:34 am
Some of the ideas that West had in mind for things she might be asking were laughable. She tried not to laugh at them, but there was a glimmer of amusement in her eyes at the idea of kissing Christof. I don't think my request is very outlandish, no. She finally replied, patting her hand against her side awkwardly. Would you, ah.. mind if we discussed this inside? It's just a touch embarrassing. I would rather not discuss things in public.
Of course, no one but West could hear her - but that didn't mean they couldn't hear West talking back.
If not, we could adjourn to my dorm? Either way, I'm extremely uncomfortable standing out in this hallway discussing matters. If she wasn't there to ask West the strangest of favors, she would have been insulted at the rudeness. Then again - this was West they were talking about. Was politeness ever to be truly expected?
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Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 10:11 am
The fact that West hadn't seemed to consider his suggestions that out there was probably a testament to just how many times he had been pushed out of his comfort zone at this school. He shrugged at Riley's comment and her fleeting amusement. One man's outlandish was another's commonplace occurrence, he would imagine. Or perhaps he wouldn't. West didn't actually think about stuff like that all that often.
He glanced back over his shoulder into his room. Clean. Ish. No Savior. West supposed Riley could come in, if only to satisfy his curiosity, which was growing by the second. He nodded and moved to one side, swinging the door open wide then closing it again once Riley was inside. His dorm room was just that, a single large room with an adjoining bathroom nearly as big behind a door that was currently closed. Besides the bed off in the far corner, other notable pieces of furniture included a desk and the cushioned chair West gestured toward. "Sit if ya want."
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Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 9:52 pm
Riley wasted no time. She may have looked awkward, but she moved with purpose, as always. She strode in, and immediately turned to have a seat on the nearest available clean spot. Once she had done so, she folded her legs in front of her and placed her hands on her knees.
Then she took a deep breath, and summoned forth the courage to make her request.
West, I have a problem. It is a very strange problem, and it is even stranger to have to ask for help about it. But. Here I am.
She lifted her head, looked him straight in the eye, and just.. asked.
My self-inflicted homework for Sex-Ed is to simply enter the Pumpkin Patch and prove to myself once and for all that it takes more than just a pumpkin and a person, to create a scareling. I have done all the proper research, as requested by Professor Cricket, and have attempted to do the task myself, but..
It was here that she suddenly lost her confidence, and the falter was obvious. Let's. Just say. It didn't work out. I need accompaniment, but asking someone I have any ties to emotionally would be.. awkward. I believe you can understand why.
The actual request had yet to be said - but the implication was exposed and obvious. She paused her, waiting to gauge his reaction.
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Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2011 8:53 pm
West remained by the door for a moment as the mindflayer strode into his room, eventually continuing down the short front hall after her and commandeering a spot on the edge of his desk as she began to speak. He was glad he had once Riley completely spit out most of what she had come to say, otherwise he might have passed out or started laughing hysterically out of shock or somehow done both simultaneously. Instead, the hand that rested on the desk gripped it tighter and tighter until his nails had gouged shallow trenches into its underside.
What in the hell was she playing at? Was this some sort of joke? What had she heard? Didn't she understand how dangerous her proposal was?
He focused on the pain the splinters digging into his nail bed caused, their sting helping to clear his head. Research. She had said something about it. And if there was one thing he was fairly certain of, it was that she knew how to go about doing all of that. Wasn't she a big brain or something? He had also heard that in order for pumpkins to be... fertilized, there had to be some sort of FEAR transfer. And feelings. She had mentioned those too. His formerly nauseous expression went all frowny. He supposed he could see where she was coming from.
"Yeah," he said finally, the word quietly creaking out of his throat like he hadn't spoken in days. "I think I understand." He was even bordering on saying yes right then, telling the panicked thoughts flashing through his mind to shove themselves up his a**. A tiny, perpetually pissed off, mind-reading accident sounded cool, right? He closed his eyes and shook his head slightly. No. No, it didn't.
"How much research's research?" he asked with a resigned sigh. Suddenly struck with a terribly amusing thought, West added, "An' does Malodore know yer askin' me?" He let go of the desk and crossed his arms, amusement in his eyes.
At least he knew that if he agreed to this mess his parents wouldn't disapprove if they found out. No, they would eat up the drama like they had when...
He didn't want to think about that.
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Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 3:18 am
Rejection? Sure. Anger? Obvious. Apathy? She could have dealt with any of these lightly. But amusement? It had to be amusement, didn't it? Her eyes, which had been attempting to look at anything but West this entire time, suddenly flickered up very sternly at him and thinned to slits. Now, stop that, Malodore isn't - I mean telling it would be - this isn't the kind of - just.. ugh! Her head dropped directly into both hands, covering her face within them. It did not seem to affect her speech in the slightest, of course.
I've done my homework. I've read several well documented theses by reputable sources, and none of that bullshit (yikes, when did Riley ever curse that harshly?) tabloids nonsense that people write to rile up the ignorant. She tried not to think about just how ignorant she had been, before she'd taken the time to find out more. Those tabloids had been made for people like her.
Nothing is going to happen. That is the point. And it will be a point we can both proudly proclaim at Nurse Cricket's next Sex Ed Class, because we will have been brave enough to stand there in the face of rumor and prove, to ourselves at least, that it takes more than just mere presence to make a scareling. This last sentence was infused with as much of the more familiar, confident quality her voice usually had - but there was just the tiniest shiver of that anxiety that was riddling her so deep.
And then her confidence fell like a stone. So. Ah. Will you come with me?
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Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2011 8:29 pm
It wasn't the rage he had hoped for, but Riley's brief flustered reply was nearly as good a response in other ways. West had the grace, or perhaps simply the brief and unexpected instinct for self-preservation, to look down as he smirked, and he kept his head down until she swore.
His voice wasn't more than a whisper of air. "Ignorant. Huh." He was one of those ignorant people, or rather he would continue to be one if he chose to ignore Riley and stew in his own apprehension. West had his own reasons for wanting to avoid the pumpkin patch, and none of them had to do with this school or any stupid class he had ever taken here. When he thought of the place he felt like a some scaredy-human and, well, that had to stop. Getting his homework done would be an added plus, even if it was a rather unconventional way of accomplishing that task. But what finally convinced West to agree was the possibility of a public pronouncement of what they were about to do, a proud admission that they were breaking the rules. That was bound to piss somebody off.
"Yeah," he said after a stretch of silence, the pause between that word and his next two a little longer than he would have liked. "I'll go." This was either a bad idea or a really bad idea, but at least it was more exciting than how he had originally planned to spend the next couple of hours. More terrifying too. "So... now... or?" He leaned forward slightly while still remaining perched on the edge of his desk.
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Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 7:32 am
Her fist clenched in victory, and she stood in a rush of movement.
Excellent. She hissed, her head bobbing in a quick nod. Right now, yes. The less I think about this, the better. She took a moment, regretting her words. Unless you have other plans to keep you. I will, of course, abide by your schedule needs.
Still, she looked excited. Her hands were clenching and releasing, and the tips of a few tentacles were curling in anticipation. This would be the day she finally set her insecurities to rest, in one empowering sweep. And who better to empower with, than a rage demon?
Perhaps, when they were done, they would scream at the pumpkins until they exploded.
Wouldn't that be nice.
She practically hopped to the door, though her dress kept her quick movements hidden under the smooth slide of it's skirt against the floor, and she swiveled once she was standing under the frame once more. She looked like a puppy ready to be taken for a walk.
Except, without all of the cuteness. Or movement. Really, she didn't look like a puppy at all.
It's within walking distance, thankfully. I have been there before. Just. Not inside.
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Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 9:21 pm
Not thinking about it was one way to deal with the situation, he supposed. Too bad he wasn't succeeding at doing so. Just because he had agreed to this didn't mean he wasn't still concerned, no matter how cool he was trying to play things.
"Nah, I've got nothin' better't d...o..." West's words tripped over each other and landed in a sprawling heap as he watched the illithid positively traipse back across the room, at least when compared to her normal behavior. He couldn't help but notice that Riley was now acting a bit... twitchy? Squirmy? Antsy? Batshit crazy? Had he known about her weakness for sugar, West might have suspected that she had mysteriously encountered some during her trip from his chair to the front door, but he didn't, so he couldn't.
"Are you... nevermind," he sighed, rising to his feet and shuffling after her. Once they were in the hall, he closed the door behind them, locking it with an ornate key for good measure. Part of him was convinced this was all an elaborate hoax designed to make him look like an a** and he wasn't keen on having Jericho or Aksaja or somebody else from coming in here and stealing his underwear or something while he was gone. Dragons hoarded, right?
He nodded, his neutral expression carefully guarded. "Lead th'way."
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Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2011 6:30 am
And lead the way she would, all the way out of the demon dorms, across the fields, through the forest, and down a ragged, unmarked path. Her steps were quick, and she never really looked back to mark sure West was keeping up - he was a big, strong boil, she was sure he had no problem doing so despite her speed.
Despite how quickly she walked, the trip took them a good half hour of walking, until finally they reached a clearing. There was nothing in the clearing, but it was here she stopped.
And all of the excitement melted away in place of anxiety.
That grove of trees, there. She rose her hand ominously, pointing at the grove on the other side of the field. It was the first thing she had said in a half hour, and it was riddled with discomfort. It's not a grove at all. It's a very shallow grouping - it surrounds the pumpkin patch like a border.
She swiveled around, rose one eyebrow, and took a good look at West for the first time since they'd left.
Are you ready?
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Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 10:59 pm
It took them longer than West had anticipated to reach the clearing. As they walked, the boil went from jittery to resigned to bored to angry, and was just circling back around to carefully suppressed anxiousness when Riley came to a stop in front of him.
He looked up, expecting a flash of deja vu upon seeing the grove or the clearing or something, but alas. Nothing. It was as if he had never been here at all. His lips pressed together in a thin line, anger bubbling past his nerves with ease. He reluctantly pushed the feeling down deep into his chest. None of this had anything to do with Riley or what he had agreed to do here. West turned to her, his expression still slightly strained. He nodded.
"Yeah. I'm ready." He squinted at the trees as if daring them to try something. "Let's get on with it."
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Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 11:10 pm
It was the right choice to bring him, Riley decided as she watched West glare at the grove. Determination, and sheer cocky force of will, were staples of West's persona. They were exactly the kind of influence Riley needed for this specific situation. His attitude rubbed off on her, forcing her to surge ahead at his words, straight through the grove until it suddenly broke into the patch itself.
And there, at the edge of it, as usual, she stopped.
Well. Her voice betrayed her, shaking just slightly. Here we are.
Her fists were clenching and unclenching methodically, and her body looked as if it was leaning forward, trying to move towards the patch despite her feet being rooted to the ground. It was clear West would have to go first.
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