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 Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2024 6:13 pm
Quote: The Horseman (13) : Fog is not uncommon in the latter half of the year, so it’s no surprise that Destiny City has been plagued by it. Historically, it has never brought anything good. Walls of white so dense that a deep breath feels like drowning, the rolls across the city in the late hours of the night like a herd of stampeding horses. You can hear them, too–the gallop of hooves. You can’t see it, but you hear a single horse, massive. Trotting behind you. If you speed up, it speeds up. No matter where you go, it follows. Sometimes, you can feel an icy breath on the back of your neck. It’s uncomfortable and unnerving, and there’s the distinct feeling of being followed by some sort of predator. It’s worse, if you run. It chases you. If you look behind you, you’ll see nothing but a dark, swirling mass, and sometimes the glint of a large blade. It’s terrifying. There’s no way to fight it, but if you’re lucky you can hide. If it catches you, you feel a painful sensation around your neck before the horse and its dark rider disappears into the night. Your heart feels like a bomb in your chest, and when you are somewhere safe you may find a deep, red mark on your neck, as if someone attempted to lop it off. The injury will fade after a few hours, but unfortunates may find a strange mist lingering outside of their window, accompanied by the sound of hooves and horse whinnies. The horseman cannot be interacted with; he does not speak, he does not have any form. He is simply hunting.
Desiree had a plan for the evening, she wanted to scout out some of the areas of the city where she could potentially find easier targets for Hedwig or any other senshi that decided participation in draining could be minimal at best. It wouldn’t fly if they were a corrupt of hers and she couldn’t push them to do more since they were part of the mirror. It still bothered her, just as other lazy senshi or agents bothered her. Walking through some alleys as a mauvian, she felt a few signatures but nothing too worrisome. The bothersome part was how people were out and about, gathering for Halloween parties or other activities instead of working or studying. Huffing as she dipped behind one of the fire escapes, she pulled her keychain out and clicked it. Standing up and adjusting her scarf, the now human mauvian smiled. It didn’t make her less blind, which was a shame, but she did enjoy the bit of extra freedom she had when out like this. Clicking to start the timer on her watch, she started down another path while carefully making sure she avoided bumping into things. Tonight her programmed glamour had a long coat over slacks, a button-up, and a vest. Similar to her musician even if she had a broach instead of a tie at the center of her shirt’s collar. It kept her warm, even as a cool fog started to roll in, something she hadn’t seen in the weather report for the evening.
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Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2024 6:15 pm
Mel was thankfully able to keep her own balance, unfortunately at the cost of someone's else.
"I'm so sorry!" she said, sounding absolutely mortified. She took the other's hand–she couldn't see them too well, but it sounded like a girl–and helped them up onto their feet, then squinted a bit as the fog had gotten that much worse in the brief moments of their exchange.
There was no way it was any old fog, she was sure of that at this point. So while it wasn't ideal, maybe it was a good thing that she ran into this civilian. If it meant helping someone out, she would do what she could to make sure they both made it to safety.
"Yeah, it got really bad pretty fast. I know we don't live inside a horror movie or anything, but I'm getting this creepy feeling that something's following me."
The lights from the shops all around, were quiet beacons of hope, albeit extremely hazy and getting hazier still as the fog continued to thicken.
"You wanna duck into one of the shops, maybe see if it passes or something?"
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Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2024 6:15 pm
Turning to look back as the fog thickened, she felt everything spin as someone collided with her. “Oh!” Losing her balance, she ended up stumbling and falling back onto the ground. Looking up, which was a bit hard with the fog, she saw someone there but she couldn’t tell who they were or if they were powered up or not.
The main downside of being like this was the fact she couldn’t tell if any powered individuals were nearby. But that thought was glazed over as she heard the sound of hooves on the pavement in the alley behind her.
Wasn’t there a crazy senshi Aloysius had told her to avoid that had some sort of spectre? Shaking her head and reaching up for the silhouette standing by her, she’d need their help to avoid stumbling into something else here.
“Ah, a hand if you please. I’m visually impaired aside from this fog.”
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Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2024 6:16 pm
Mel had always wondered if her acting was any good, so she was grateful for one thing with the fog–that this person couldn't see the look on her face. It probably looked less than believable as she gave a nod in agreement about the weather. It was odd, but not just a "that's how mother nature works sometimes" kind of odd. She was relieved, though, that they agreed to try and get into the safety of a shop. At the very least they'd be able to see, even if it meant pausing and potentially getting stuck for a short amount of time while they waited out the fog.
Worst comes to worst, they could do a rideshare or something and get dropped off somewhere far away from where the fog was settling in the city.
Obviously that wouldn't work if the whole city was covered, but it'd be worth a shot if it came down to that.
She was running through various scenarios as she glanced around for the closest light. It was half a block up from where they were, and with the sound of galloping seemingly getting closer Mel held on to the other's hand as she started walking toward it.
"Closest shop's not too far," she said, hopefully sounding less nervous than she actually was. She'd be less so if she were powered up, but as her civilian self she was as much a sitting duck in the presence of another civilian.
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Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2024 6:17 pm
At least they were polite—that was something nice for once as Desiree got back up with their help. Just in case, she reached out blindly into the fog to try and feel for the wall. The fact that this girl felt it too meant that whatever it was wasn’t just a single-target illusion.
Internally groaning as she nodded to their response, the obscured lights of the shops did seem like a good idea. It wasn’t too late that they would all be closed for the night but with the fog, it wouldn’t be easy to tell which were open either.
“We can try, such odd weather…” She tried to sound a bit clueless with her words, something she noticed from other civilians who were uninformed.
“Wait, something’s following us?” Turning to look back, because she wanted to sneak a glance if she could through the fog. Unfortunately, even though she heard something approaching, there wasn’t even a shadow of a silhouette in the fog behind them.
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Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2024 6:18 pm
"Yeah, same," she said, a nervous laugh escaping her as she tried to keep herself calm. The conversation was helping, and she moved so she was a bit closer to her newfound companion. It helped with a bit of warmth, but also made her feel just a teensy bit safer. "The temperature's been going down pretty gradually, so I'm working on transitioning my whole wardrobe now–"
For a second there she was calm enough that the mundane topic of her wardrobe came to mind, but when she glanced over during their brief exchange she saw it.
A dark, ominous, swirling sort of thing coming right for them. And it was moving fast.
Fear took its full grip on her as she watched it and realized that it was oddly familiar. In an instant a certain encounter with a certain senshi came to the very fore of her mind, and she inwardly cursed. If it was her, she had a horrible feeling they wouldn't walk away unscathed, or that they wouldn't walk away at all.
"W-we gotta go," she said, barely breathing out the words and tightening her girp on the girl's hand before breaking out into a full on sprint toward that light.
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Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2024 6:18 pm
Letting the other girl lead, she still kept her other hand out to keep steady just in case. If she fell over something else, it would be mortifyingly embarrassing. That and whatever was closing in would be able to nab them both.
“Yeah, let’s try that. Glad I wore a coat tonight, there’s a cold chill out.” They seemed nervous, not that she wasn’t nervous herself. Even as she squinted and tried to look at the lights, she couldn’t figure out what stores they were. The downside of picking a new path tonight it seemed.
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Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2024 6:20 pm
Thankfully they seemed to be on the same page. It was easier to run that way.
With each step they moved closer to the light, but she could hear the galloping behind them get louder. She didn't dare look back at this point, she had a feeling she knew what she would see. A horseman, and very possibly a senshi at its helm. If not that, very possibly a blade, because didn't they have scythes or something according to Halloween lore?
The almost seemed to thin out the closer they got to their goal, and they were so nearly there when she heard the gallop just behind them, and there was suddenly the most excruciating sensation all around her neck. A level of pain she'd never experienced before, like getting cut by a knife...only a thousand times worse.
She came to a very sudden stop just short of the door to the shop as she raised a hand up to her neck. She actually bit her lip to keep from screaming, if only not to alarm the other girl. She found no cut there, nor was there a warm or wet sensation so no blood, not to mention she was still actively thinking, so she was probably unharmed…
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Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2024 6:21 pm
“I’m still working on getting new things for winter, maybe this store might have something right?” Trying to keep them distracted up until whatever was following seemed to start making its move.
Yelping as they broke into a run, Desiree scrambled and tried to keep up without tripping. It did help that they kept her close, it meant she was less likely to fall over something while looking back to see the fog starting to take shape.
“Y-yeah, run!” Looking forward again, she pulled her phone out just in case, so she could text Liam or Aloysius for a pickup after all this. The store was close at least and aside from almost eating the pavement when stepping down from the curb to cross the street, it went pretty smoothly.
“Almost there!” Hearing the sound of a sword being unsheathed, she picked up the pace and was now directly beside the girl instead of lagging behind. Oh if it was that damn senshi she was going to have Aloysius file a report or something. She figured he had enough station in things for it to stick and she’d heard from Alexandre that this wouldn’t be the first time she attacked a civilian that ended up being part of the Negaverse.
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Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2024 6:26 pm
Thankfully they seemed to be on the same page. It was easier to run that way.
With each step they moved closer to the light, but she could hear the galloping behind them get louder. She didn't dare look back at this point, she had a feeling she knew what she would see. A horseman, and very possibly a senshi at its helm. If not that, very possibly a blade, because didn't they have scythes or something according to Halloween lore?
The almost seemed to thin out the closer they got to their goal, and they were so nearly there when she heard the gallop just behind them, and there was suddenly the most excruciating sensation all around her neck. A level of pain she'd never experienced before, like getting cut by a knife...only a thousand times worse.
She came to a very sudden stop just short of the door to the shop as she raised a hand up to her neck. She actually bit her lip to keep from screaming, if only not to alarm the other girl. She found no cut there, nor was there a warm or wet sensation so no blood, not to mention she was still actively thinking, so she was probably unharmed…
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Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2024 6:27 pm
Her fingers brushed against the handle of the door when she felt the other girl stop abruptly, causing her to get yanked back a bit.
It was easier to see with the fog having thinned out but that didn’t mean she liked what she saw. There was a red mark around their throat and that was something she very much wanted to avoid for herself.
“Come on, off we go!” Reaching out to grab both of their hands, she pulled them as she leaned back into the door. At least it was one that opened inward and as soon as her feet crossed the threshold, the cold air seemed to disappear.
“Ah, sorry for barging in!” Calling out to the store owner behind the counter, she waved at them quickly before looking back out through the glass. Whatever had been there was gone now at least.
“Are you okay?”
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Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2024 6:29 pm
Mel let the other girl tug her into the safety of the store, and relief slowly made its way through her as she settled into the warmth once inside. Looking out the window, she saw...nothing. Whatever it was had gone completely, and there was nothing but the city to see out there now. Curiously, she could see through a much lighter fog. She saw the mark around her neck in her faint reflection, and clearing her throat she pulled her collar up to try and get it out of sight.
"I'll live," she said as she looked back to the girl. "That's plenty to be grateful for, all things considered."
She gave her a once over, curious to see if she'd gotten a similar mark, or if the sudden sprint and the near-stumbles along the way might have caused her any harm. When nothing really jumped out at her, she gave a quiet, contented sigh and extended a hand.
"Mel," she said, feeling the introduction a bit funny given what they'd just gone through. Her amusement showed in her smile, which was as bright as it always was now that her nerves had ebbed away. "Thanks for the save."
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Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2024 6:29 pm
Seeing that they were taking things in stride was refreshing to be honest and Desiree offered her hand out in response. “Des, and no problem.” Looking down at her watch, she still had some time before she’d have to step away as her glamour expired for the day.
“Have I seen you before? At DCU? I audit a few courses there sometimes.” Shaking their hand, she then went back to fixing her clothing and dusting off the dirt from when she’d fallen. It’s not like it would stay once she was a mauvian again but she preferred looking more put together than she currently looked.
“Once that clears up some we should be good to head out I think? I have to hurry to pick up some sheet music for class.”
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Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2024 6:31 pm
Mel glanced at her own watch shortly after Des, sort of reactionary because she saw Des do it. She did have to get home soon, an antsy dog awaited her arrival so they could go on their usual walk. Though after this, she was feeling less up to going out again. Not to mention, the mark around her neck might draw more attention than she was willing to deal with after what just happened.
Nothing a scarf couldn't fix though, and the weather arguably warranted one now, so maybe...
She perked up at the idea that maybe they'd seen each other before. Mel had a decent enough memory, and she pulled on a thoughtful expression as she sorted through the familiar faces from campus. "Maybe? I feel like I've been in school for ages and I've taken taken all sorts of classes, so it's definitely possible! I'll have to keep my eye out for you now."
Des's question got her to look outside again. The fog was clearing slowly but surely, and Mel ultimately gave a nod. "Yep, probably a good idea to wait a little more." Looking in the store this time, she saw that it was a quaint book cafe, so she jabbed a thumb in the direction of the counter.
"We can grab a drink in the meantime?"
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Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2024 6:33 pm
“Of course, I mostly stick to the music department but sometimes I wander over to look at the art department.” It was a small hobby of hers when she could carve the time out without poofing back into a mauvian in front of students. At least Aloysius would sneak her in so she didn’t have to use her glamour to get to the university.
Following where Mel was pointing, Desiree thought this was as good a place as any to sit for a while. “That works, good thing I didn’t drop my wallet in all that craziness.” Pulling it from her pocket, she was glad Aloysius had given her one of his cards to use for things.
“Tea sounds lovely and maybe a book or two.” She’d explain later if she had to but it was more likely that Aloysius wouldn’t notice or mind unless it was a purchase over a hundred dollars.
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