PLAYER PLOT: fear is the mind-killer

[fullmoon]

CHARACTERS: You and all your least favorite things.
LOCATION: Shipwide.
WARNINGS: Violence, gore, monsters, psych trauma. (Please warn for any potential triggers—e.g. medical horror, eye stuff, recollection of past sexual trauma—in your subject lines.)
SUMMARY: Boggarts. See the plot post for a full timeline if you want to forward-date; otherwise, watch this space for updates.
NOTES: Whatever happens, however this ends, remember that it's Draco Malfoy's fault.

JAN 22

If you've been paying attention, you should already be on edge. Ward and Resnik have returned without many answers. There's the dead pirate again. The Tranquility is being pursued. People are talking about violent confrontation like it's inevitable, any cycle now. Any day. And now Morgoth is back, somewhere in the corridors.

If you keep an eye out, you won't find him. But you might find something else.

JAN 23

Never mind about Morgoth.

JAN 24

Despite very well-intended claims to the contrary (see above), the mounting evidence suggests that boggarts can be killed. Also, there's probably more than one. Sorry about that.

Comments

[familybusiness]

I wish I knew!

[He doesn't have time to get out much more than that before the thing seems to shift right in front of them, and Sam's expression grows even more...confused and horrified.]

What the hell?

[mspoots]

Wow, I wasn't scared of clowns until right now.

[ As it moves closer to her, she remembers she's got a small wrench-like thing in her pocket and she pulls it out and swings it at the thing's face. Man, she could really use some kind of backup right now. Ward or May or anyone. ]

[familybusiness]

[Wow, what is he? Chopped liver? (jkjk)

He's even more confused about what the heck they're dealing with. He doesn't think it's a shifter, despite it's abilities, considering it's not speaking to them or trying to use trickery to get close. It just seems to be shifting into...whatever they're afraid of?

Well, that's embarrassing.]

We need to get the hell out of here. Whatever it's weakness is, it's not something we have on hand.

[He's pretty sure that if his bullets aren't doing much more than being a mild inconvenience, her melee weapon isn't going to fare much better.]

[mspoots]

[ She has enough time to turn her head and give him a look as she steps back away from the thing. ]

It's weakness? Well, it isn't getting shot, so I have a feeling we're out of resources!

[ Running does sound like a good plan, though. Clown shoes have got to slow a fellow down, right? ]

[familybusiness]

[He's got a knife, but forgive him if he's not super keen on getting up close and personal on a whim here. Clowns, man.]

Hey Bozo!

[He shouts, trying to get the thing's attention before he shoots it solidly in the foot. If he can get its focus off her, maybe she can get around it and they can both make their escape.]

[mspoots]

[ The momentary distraction is enough for Skye to slip by it, quick and nimble--well, maybe just quick, but it's good enough. She slips by it and doesn't stop. ]

Come on!

[ Tool still in hand, she looks down the hall for some kind of easy escape. ]

[familybusiness]

[Awesome, good, just what he was hoping for. His gun drops to his side as he turns and starts to race after her, nothing bothering to look back to see if the thing is as fast as it is creepy.]

Keep going. I'm right behind you.

[mspoots]

I was definitely not going to not keep going. Don't worry!

[ She sees a hall junction up ahead and gestures quickly with her thumb towards the left before turning quickly. He soles skid on the floor, but she recovers quickly and keeps running. Man, is she glad she kept training. ]

[familybusiness]

[Sam catches the visual clue, turning down the same corridor and managing not to trip over his long legs. He keeps pace with her just a short ways behind, not wanting to pass her.]

We need to find a place to lay low until it moves on.

[mspoots]

Yeah? Like a closet... or a space bomb shelter?

[ Where, exactly, does one hide from a bulletproof clown? Right now, she's really in run-for-her-life mode, but she's starting to run out of steam and she makes a mental note to do more cardio training. ]

[familybusiness]

Whichever we find first.

[He just wants a place where they can get out of sight for awhile. He has no idea what kind of tracking abilities it might have, or if it's literally just a line of sight thing.]

[mspoots]

It's looking like a closet.

[ She sees a familiar-looking door up ahead and pushes herself to get there quickly and open the door. It's a decent-sized storage space with enough room for two people to not be all up in each other's business, which she's thankful for, because she doesn't even know this guy's name.

She stands with her hand on the door, ready to slam it closed as soon as he's inside. ]

[familybusiness]

[Closet it is, then.

He slips in through the partially opened doorway, helping her shut it quickly behind them. He stands there for a moment, back against the door holding it closed as he listens for the sound of the creature following him, all while trying to keep his labored breathing as silent as possible.]

[mspoots]

So where did you find that thing?

[ Just some normal small talk while she catches her breath and tries to stay as calm as possible. ]

[familybusiness]

[His voice is hushed and only just audible in the small space.]

I didn't, really. I just...turned the corner and there it was.

[mspoots]

Great so kill clowns just pop out of nowhere. I'm learning fun new things about this ship every day.

[ She leans back against the edge of a shelf, back slumping a little. ]

Who would've thought that clowns could be that scary, right?

[familybusiness]

When it looked at you, it changed.

[He swallows, considering something.]

I think it was only a clown because of me.

[mspoots]

[ She cocks her head, brow furrowed. ]

Okay, but why? Did you grow up in the circus or something? The Ridiculously Tall Man?

[familybusiness]

[He gives her this incredulous look for a moment before he shakes his head.]

My brother used to drop me off at this...kid's pizza place that had this creepy clown. They've freaked me out ever since. I mean, did you look at the thing? Haven't you heard of It?

[mspoots]

Oh my God. [ She's trying so hard not to laugh, but it's a losing battle. ] Oh my God. You're afraid of clowns! You do know that they usually don't try to kill you like that, right?

[familybusiness]

[Wow. Rude.]

First of all, did you not see that clown? [It was fucking scary don't even start.] And second, you haven't been around the kinds of things I have. That isn't the first 'killer clown' I've gone up against.

[mspoots]

Okay when we're not running and hiding for our lives, I might need a run down of your biography.

[ She's pretty sure her life's weirder, but maybe they can compare notes--the kind where he does the talking and she does the listen and she's the one comparing them. ]

[familybusiness]

We'll see about that.

[His life is a pretty horrendous sob story at times, truth be told.

He hears the sound of footsteps, and he puts a finger to his lips, urging her to be quiet, and then waits for the sound to pass before his shoulders finally relax.]

We might have actually lost it.

[mspoots]

I hope so.

[ With a sigh, she lets herself relax a little. She can't hear anything anymore, either, but she's still inclined to hang out in here a few more minutes. ]

My name's Skye.

[ She offers a look that might be more frazzled than happy-to-meet-you. ]

[familybusiness]

Yeah, me too.

[He's happy to do that as well, leaning against the door and listening even as they do introductions.]

Sam.

[He even holds out a hand, though he'll skip the nice to meet you part, considering nothing about this meeting could be considered 'nice.']