sticks and bones. (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sticksandbonesmods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
sticksandbones2024-10-14 10:40 am
sticksandbonesmods) wrote in sticksandbones2024-10-14 10:40 am
MINI EVENT: GHOST RESCUE
A HEARTBEAT BENEATH THE STAIRS
As the season turns, and blood sinks into the ground of the Grove, as monsters with your face haunt the halls, waiting to pounce, something else is creeping into light. Distantly one might see a light in the forest at night, and the next it comes closer. And closer. Until in the treeline you can see it: a pitch black manor that looks as if it’s covered in ash. The trees act as its gates, rebuffing anyone who tries to investigate, and the air smells like rot. Something watches in the windows, but vanishes when you blink.
… But not even this dark manor can stand in the way of one very angry grandfather skeleton, who will, eventually, rattle his teeth and bones in a rallying cry and urge others to follow him, sword in hand. It’s time to storm the castle, and Mr. Bone-Jangles has had enough.
The air within the manor is frigid and biting, and the inside itself is as decrepit as you may expect. Lights and candles can light the way… but only for a few minutes. The wood creaks as if the building is breathing slowly, and sometimes you here a loud thum-thump, as if its unseen heart beats while you explore.
For an already imposing building, inside seems even larger and there’s almost no end in sight as it feels like the halls wind on forever and more and more rooms, from libraries to studies to bedrooms to- … is this room dedicated to WWE Wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson? … Needless to say, there’s a lot to work through, but Bone-Jangles urges you onward.
Wisps of color drift through. Are they your friends? Or something else?
… But not even this dark manor can stand in the way of one very angry grandfather skeleton, who will, eventually, rattle his teeth and bones in a rallying cry and urge others to follow him, sword in hand. It’s time to storm the castle, and Mr. Bone-Jangles has had enough.
The air within the manor is frigid and biting, and the inside itself is as decrepit as you may expect. Lights and candles can light the way… but only for a few minutes. The wood creaks as if the building is breathing slowly, and sometimes you here a loud thum-thump, as if its unseen heart beats while you explore.
For an already imposing building, inside seems even larger and there’s almost no end in sight as it feels like the halls wind on forever and more and more rooms, from libraries to studies to bedrooms to- … is this room dedicated to WWE Wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson? … Needless to say, there’s a lot to work through, but Bone-Jangles urges you onward.
Wisps of color drift through. Are they your friends? Or something else?
A NIGHTMARE ON YOUR LIPS
And to those who have been locked away for days, perhaps weeks, nothing in this house feels real. Is it a dream? Is it a nightmare? The mere mention of a potential addition from your lips manifests another new room within the manor, but you cannot touch anything. Light hurts and makes you dizzy, while the night is painfully cold. How long has it been? How long will it be?
The burst of life is- new. Exciting. Distantly, you know these people, but the urges of death are whimsical and cruel. Part of you wants to guide them to the attic, where your souls are chained in full to a portrait of you. Break those portraits, and you're free, coming back to life outside, which is what you want, isn't it? Another part of you wants to chase them out, how dare they intrude upon your afterlife? Another yet thinks it’s time to play, but no longer remembers what ‘play’ is- so surely they can dodge the plates and books, right? Right!
And another yet wants the intruders dead. And if not by your hands, then by the demons guarding this world alongside you.
The burst of life is- new. Exciting. Distantly, you know these people, but the urges of death are whimsical and cruel. Part of you wants to guide them to the attic, where your souls are chained in full to a portrait of you. Break those portraits, and you're free, coming back to life outside, which is what you want, isn't it? Another part of you wants to chase them out, how dare they intrude upon your afterlife? Another yet thinks it’s time to play, but no longer remembers what ‘play’ is- so surely they can dodge the plates and books, right? Right!
And another yet wants the intruders dead. And if not by your hands, then by the demons guarding this world alongside you.
no subject
It's when she sees their destination that she begins to freeze up.
Oh.
Spooky mansion.
That's a little too close to home. ...More like incredibly too close to home, it's just like Frasco. But...it's...fine! The door has been properly powered through, so she doesn't have to worry about getting locked inside. .........Right?
Right?
A.B.A. stalks the mansion completely on edge at all times, springing at every little creak and thump like a startled animal. She hates this. She hates reliving the past, she hates how she has to check every door to make sure it's not locked, she hates GHOSTS. There isn't even a need to have a spirit throw anything at her, she does a fantastic job of freaking out all on her own.]
AWAY FIENDS!! ALL OF YOU!! S-STAY BACK!! [Do you like that? Do you like that horrible screeching from down the hall?] J-JUST GO AWAY!! PARACELSUS-! DEAR, SAVE ME!!
[When she isn't scampering up and down the halls shrieking to herself, A.B.A. will eventually find the iconic armor display all scary mansions seem to have. The best thing about suits of armor? They all seem to have axes. It may just be decoration, so it's not exactly sharp, but that won't stop her from yanking one for herself. It's not like she ever used an axe properly to begin with, so long as its heavy, that's all that matters.
Fear now turns into a seething rage. After a few nice, loud test slams, she swings it over her shoulder. Okay. She is now ready to be a proper (???) exploring buddy.]
no subject
Mocking her.
She sees a shadow gleefully munching on popcorn out of the corner of her eye, but it's gone just as quickly.
no subject
I'LL KILL YOU-
[Damn it... That's the worst thing about ghosts, isn't it? Her usual threats and tactics don't work anymore, you can't exactly kill someone who's already dead. She'll have to get...creative.]
Come any closer and the fires of hell will feel like a comfort compared to my wrath! This is my final warning!!
[They...did disappear, though?? So maybe they're keen on keeping their distance. Yes...!! Of course! Only a coward mocks from afar, just out of reach. Everything is actually fine!!]
no subject
...
...
A blond-haired man stands at the end. It's not a form she can recognize at a glance, but... surely she'd know her love anywhere, would she not?
He turns and walks away.
no subject
And then she sees that person. Not just a figure from out of the corner of her eye, an actual person this time. Finally, something to unleash her fury against! ...Or more reasonably, someone else who might have come to help Mr. Bone-Jangles, someone she can perhaps follow and cower behind. Why did she ever think to charge into this mess all alone?
...Oh. ...That's right. Because she is all alone, isn't she? Ever since waking up in this horrible grove...
This person, however... She doesn't recognize him. Not from the Grove, not from her life. Logic dictates this is an ordinary stranger, and yet...something in her chest starts to ache. A pulling, tugging feeling that suddenly takes all her focus. A.B.A.'s growly demeanor melts into her normal, much more timid one as she forgets she's currently in a mansion filled with ghosts.
Filled with danger.]
...hello?
[A.B.A. doesn't get an answer, he only turns away. If she was still smart and kept to her original plan of keeping everything at a distance, then maybe this would be seen as a good thing.
Instead, she rushes after him, her voice trembling.]
W-Wait, no!! Please don't leave me! Please come back! Please!!
no subject
A voice does echo out, like someone so deeply beloved, but not... quite.
You'll chain me down again.
no subject
A.B.A. gasps, the corners of her eyes glistening as the pieces start to click together. There's only one person she's ever chained up... This familiar feeling, the tugging of her heart...]
PARACELSUS, i-is that really you?!
[She almost can't believe it, the tone of her voice surprised in more than one way. Shock, joy, confusion and...fear. Did...did he really get a body?? Here?! It makes sense, she had her theories, if the cookies could obtain bodies by merely appearing in this world....then.....it only seemed fair that Paracelsus would be the same! All her hard work, that long, grueling journey... All her efforts have lead her up to this point!
...And he's....doing exactly what she always feared he would do the moment he got legs. Why...why is he walking away like that? Why can't she catch up?! So close, yet so far... She looks at his arms and starts craving her very first hug, she sees his eyes and wonders what color they'd be, lips....he has lips for...]
Dear, please! Don't leave! N-Not like this! I...I've been trying so hard... All of it just to make you proud- Please!! Stop and let me tell you what I've accomplished!!
["No more confinement."
It was right before she woke up in the Grove, her talk with Paracelsus... Where she finally stopped to listen, REALLY listen to what he had to say. How she promised she would try to meet him in the middle, even if it sounded hard. Even if it was scary. A.B.A. still isn't quite sure she's capable of changing, but maybe if he hears what she has to say...! Maybe he can see the improvements she made! Paracelsus was always so smart, so wise, he could catch tiny changes like that...
But it feels like no matter how much she pushes herself, how much she puts every ounce of effort into making her legs carry her as fast as possible, he just keeps...strolling on ahead. She'll give him that, he walks real well for a guy who never had legs before.]
Please don't leave me, not again...
no subject
Almost becomes does, but before he can reach out to apologize, the sound of metal clinks and scrapes together and the man is pulled back, bound- and out of the shadows steps A.B.A, husband key-bound and slung over her shoulder as she glares at the real A.B.A in disgust.
Infernal energy drips off of her: this isn't your doppelganger. This is so much worse.
PATHETIC.
no subject
[A.B.A. screeches when he's pulled back and nearly stumbles over her own feet. He can play all the mind games he wants with her, she's sure he has his reasons, but she can simply not tolerate anyone hurting her husband. Thankfully the poor bastard responsible appears to want to make themselves known, and A.B.A. snarls when she's faced with...
...herself?]
What is the meaning of this?!
[She's practically foaming at the mouth as she takes on a more defensive stance, hands pulled back at the ready and holding them like claws.]
I already killed you!!
[...right? This is just that double bullshit again? ..........Right?! She knows she can handle it, she's killed her before, but....what sort of mockery is this? Does she really think she'd let an imposter get away with wielding Paracelsus?!]
no subject
NOT UNLIKE WHAT I'M ABOUT TO DO TO YOU- LOOK AT YOURSELF. SNIVELING AND COWARDLY. SCREAMING AT SHADOWS...
B.A.B makes a disgusted noise, shifting as if she's leaning away from something unseemly.
DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU ARE WORTHY OF BREATHING?
no subject
[A.B.A. takes a step back, thrown off by the accusation. She doesn't understand, why don't they just attack? Okay, sure, the last double insulted her, too, it really shouldn't be that surprising.
...So why is it? Why did that hit so much harder?
......It must be mind games, she just needs to shake it off. The last double didn't have Paracelsus to throw her off her game. That's all! ....That's all...]
Of course I am...! I am...a pinnacle of science...!
[As much as she tries to sound confident, her voice can't help but waver. ...it's not her fault, she just needs a weapon! Yeah! She'll be way more confident with a weapon!
But what could possibly be more reassuring than Paracelsus? Frantic, she looks around for anything to grab. Console table? Is console table safe? It's gonna have to be, because she doesn't have much else. Sorry...to any decorations that may have been resting on it.]
no subject
YOU COULDN'T EVEN LEAVE ON YOUR OWN.
As she speaks, she steps forward with a commanding heaviness and swings. Roll a 14 or higher to dodge.