Aberrant: Weirder Stuff - Chapter I Homecoming

[WS ST]

FLASHBACK SEAN AND SARA

Sara stared that dead stare at the moment the word gay left his lips. Her hands grasped the edge of the table her mouth became a thin lipped frown. She was about too push away from the table and storm out but Sean's raised hand made her pause as he rapidly tried to explain himself.

She sat as still as death her glare causing Sean's cheeks to burn red. Then she stood. Sean that for sure she was going to grab her jacket and leave but she didn't she just walked over to the mini fridge and opened it.

Taking a Diet Dr. Pepper out Sara popped the tab and turned it up drains the can more than half in large gulps without stopping. Her anger had flared. In her head she was just so disappointed that Sean would out and out ask that. But as he had talked she kind of saw things from his point too after all in some ways he was in a worse position than she.

She turned and leaned her but back against the fridge crossing her arms, drink dangling in one hand.

“I don't give a fuck about rumors, my whole fucking life is a rumor. And I don't like labels.” As soon as she said that she grimaced, yeah I don't like labels but I use them just like everyone else, she thought as she began chewing her lip. “I mean I don't see people like that. I mean I don't see people I like as girls or boys, that's not what attracts me. I find people attractive as individuals not as what they are.”

Sean ponders. “So your bi?”

A frustrated sigh then Sara finishes off her drink and tosses the can in the trash. “Yeah I guess if you have to have a label to put on me. Boy girl doesn't matter to me, Sean. That's not what liking someone is about, if it were I'd be hot for a bunch of girls or guys and I'm not.

You said that Lilly Priior and Kia Mizuki will be here tonight. Big props for that by the way. Those two are probably the hottest girls in school hell in town. Both are beautiful, fit, sexy all those things. And I do find them attractive but I'm not into either one of them I don't fantasize about them and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't go to a dance with them. And I can say the same thing about Sandy Caldwell or Abel Cross or any other good looking guy.” She stands there arms cross again leaning against the fridge, one combat booted foot kicking the floor.

Sean sees something else that he didn't expect. Hurt in her eyes.

Just as he is about to speak a car pulls up outside. Cursing under his breath he looks out and sees Abel, Alec and The other new player Taleena Whitesong.

He turns back and Sara has already gone to her chair and pulled her cigarettes and lighter form her jacket. As the new arrivals come in she says hi with a little start at seeing the indian girl. Sean can't help but note the look that passes between them. As Sara holds up her smokes. “Be back in a minute.”

Sean greets his friends and fellow players and inwardly is disappointed that he wasn't still alone with Sara.

Spoiler

This ends Sean and Sara's flash backs

 

 

[Sara Hutchins]

FLASHBACK SARA

Sara came out of her room it was almost 4:30. She had heard her dad come in about twenty minutes earlier. He was at the kitchen table looking through the bills still in uniform and wearing his gun that meant he wasn't staying long. He didn't look up when she came in.

“I fixed some burgers. Patty's are in the oven rest of the stuff in the fridge.” She says quietly

Sheriff Hutchins looks up at his daughter, after a second or two he nods. “Thanks I'll get something for I head back out.”

Sara moves around the table and opens the oven pulling the foil wrapped meat out then to the refrigerator retrieving the fixings. “I'll make you some to take with you.” She starts putting together a bunch of the burgers. An outsider watching them would feel the cold distance between the two.

“I figured you'd be out at the res.” The sheriff remarks not really having anything else to say to the daughter he doesn't understand.

“I'm going to a... thing.” She says suddenly uncomfortable.

“A thing? You mean a party here in town?”

“No dad, it's just getting together with some friends from school. Definitely no partying there.” She continues making the burgers and wrapping them individually in foil she has four made with two more to go.

The Sheriff has turn and is watching her a frown on his face but then he usually has a frown. She turns around a bag of burgers in her hand . She stats a bit when she sees her father facing her. “There is enough here for whoever s at the station. No chips though we're out.” She holds out the bag her father takes it.

“I was wondering if you could give me ride. The thing is out at the Cassidy's place. You know where I work over the summer.”

The Sheriff narrowed his eyes a bit. Now aint that a coincidence, he thought.”The Cassidy's. Ain't they a bit old for you to be hanging out with?” His question was probing but Sara didnt pick up on it.

“No not Mr. Cassidy, their son, Sean. He runs...It's a game he runs. Sean asked me to come play and.. Can I get a ride?” Sara was kicking herself why was she so flustered, fuck she should have just walked.

“I thought you would be happy I wasn't out at the res getting high and screwing around like you think I do.”

“Sara there's no call for that.” The Sheriff said in a rather conciliatory way witch shut Sara up at how unusual that was. “This game the Cassidy boy runs, Dungeons and Dragons right?”

Sara stepped back her brow furrowing. “Yeah. How do you know that?”

“Annabelle, her brother plays that game with, ah, Sean. Abel Cross too I think.. I don't know I've heard some things about that game. Well not the one Sean runs but that D&D game in general. But I'll give you a ride I think it's a good thing,  you spending time with kids like yourself.”

This is all so weird to Sara like she stepped into the twilight zone or something.

“I'll give you a ride hun. But you be careful and you make sure you let me know if you hear anyone talking about witchcraft or devil worship okay?”

 

 

At the Game

Sara found herself enjoying the game. For one thing everyone was cool and really seemed to want to make her and Taleena feel at ease. And then she found that she really did have fun pretending to be her character. She had been a bit reserved but after the wild display Lilly had made about skinning the dog monsters, Sara found herself loosening up not to mention watching Lilly act so primal was kind of hot, regardless of what she had said to Sean earlier.

And speaking of Sean. He was good at this really good even. And then of course there was the talk they had been having before everyone showed up.Too much heavy shit going through her head to concentrate on while she was playing.

They fought another battle and were approaching the centerpiece of Sean's game when they had to take another break. Not Sara's fault this time. As everyone got up to refill on drinks and snacks or to hit the bathroom Sara went over to Alec who was noodling on his guitar Taleena sitting close next to him.

“Hey Alec Mind if I try your guitar?” She had never played in front of anyone but Samantha and a few of her res friends including Taleena but for some reason she wanted to play here. Wanted to share something with her new friends that she didn't share with anyone else even her father.

“Sure.” He undid the strap and handed it up to her gently. “I didn't know you played.”

“Yeah not many people do. Never a twelve string though. Mines a beat up six, I think originally came from Sears.”

She sat next to Alec and strummed a few cords finding how to finger the extra strings. It didn't take long her natural talent told her what to do and she started playing. First it was just simple chords then she started getting more complex.

It wasn't perfect but it was something none of them had ever heard before. Sara was composing the song in her head as she played. It was the game and her feelings and everything about tonight. She played for several minutes lost in the music. No one made to stop her.

Spoiler

Song - https://www.dropbox.com/s/9e971cl2jatnx1x/Haunted played on Leo Kottke Signature Model.mp3?dl=0

 

[WS ST]

INTERLUDE

EARLIER TODAY 1,025 MILES SOUTH OF SHELLY MT

Dr. Mizuki stepped onto the roll-away stairs and was hit by the heat. Even in early October the southwestern temperature was in the high nineties. His gazed traveled out across the airfield to the small assortment of mid twentieth century style military buildings and hangers to the hazy mountains in the distance ringing the installation. He shook his head and went down toward the waiting car. Such secrecy this isn't how science was supposed to be done.

The dark sedan whisked him away but not toward the toward the buildings instead it turned west and after crossing the runway entered a rough dirt road heading toward the mountains. Thirty minutes later the car pulled up to a small Guard shack and the doctor got out with his brief case and went inside where he signed in and sat and waited. It annoyed him that they weren't already here waiting for him but again. He understood the security precautions even if he didn't like them. Ten minutes passed when a camouflaged military utility vehicle arrived and two armed Air Force Security men got out. They checked his identity and escorted him in the Humvee the rest of the way.

As melodramatic as all of this was Dr. Mizuki still found it fascinating. The Humvee traveled for about ten minutes to what appeared to be a boarded up and abandoned mine. As the vehicle approached the the boarded up entrance folded out of the way in the very best 007 fashion and the truck drove straight into the mine. Once inside the boards folded back out blocking the entrance. The truck continued into the mine a short distance before making a curve and coming to a stop at a precises location. As son as the Humvee stopped rolling the two security guards exited the vehicle after asking the doctor to remain seated and buckled up. They moved to the side and opened a door which looked like part of the wall. After the two men disappeared the Humvee began to lower into the ground.

Several minutes passed as the truck went deeper under ground Dr. Mizuki estimated that they had gone about 1000 ft down when the elevator stopped.

Looking out the windshield he saw and immense hallway carved from the bedrock. A woman in uniform stood by an electric cart she waved at him and he exited the Humvee and joined her. After they both got onto the cart she spun it around and took off down the hallway at a speed that was a little terrifying. She introduced herself as Sr Airman Norman then went on to explain as she drove that the base they were in had been built at the height of the cold war during the 1960s and was used for weapons development as well as secure housing in case of nuclear war. It had been closed up in the 1990's but reopened when the Portal Project moved here from Chicago and went black. Now it housed all of the all of the research and engineering personnel as well as security and logistics of the Project except for the Launch and maintenance personnel based at Cape Canaveral and the receiver personnel At Bulwark where the Doctor was stationed. Her history lesson concluded as she brought the cart to a halt at a set of secure doors. The guard checked his id again then let him in.

Dr. Mizuki found himself in a well decorated office with a large conference table One wall was dedicated to view screens showing all aspects of Project Stepping Stone. There were two other men in the office, Julian Goreman the projects civilian administration director and Dr Farrel Lang the Lead Scientist of the project. Both men stood as Mizuki entered. The three men greeted each other warmly before taking seats.

“So what is so important that I had to drop everything and flay all the way down here?” asked the Asian scientist in a pleasant voice that betrayed none of the annoyance he truly felt.

Dr. Lang answered. “There is some worry of a possible security breech and we wanted to have this discussion with complete containment. They glitch we observed on video last night has been identified as High Density Particulate interference with the orbital receivers on two of the drones, Micky and Mini.”

Mizuki cringes at the use of the silly nicknames, why do the American's insist on giving everything these silly names.

Lang continued. “Goofy did not have any interference so we looked at data that only had impact on the two low orbit drones.”

“What did you find?”

It was Gormen  who answered this time.

“We think the Chinese have a portal.”

 

Spoiler

More to come hold off on posts for now please

 

[WS ST]

BACK AT THE GAME PRESENT TIME

Sean was arranging his miniatures for the climatic fight behind his DM Screen and laptop while the others took a break. He liked giving his players a release after ratcheting up the tension. But when Sara began playing the guitar, his eyes snapped up and he listened raptly like the others. From being influenced by the music his dad listened to growing up - as much as he had - Sean had always had a fondness for acoustic guitar.

He opened an app on his laptop and silently hit record. Sean knew he'd want to hear this again.

Himself, Sean wasn't particularly musically inclined. He didn't have any talent with instruments and had only futzed around with chiptunes as an aside to programming. Many people claimed he had a pretty good voice, but his singing voice sounded like a girl's, so he never used it, beyond occasionally singing along with songs he liked in public.

He hadn't known Sara played, she certainly wasn't on any of the school bands, nor that she was so talented.

Lilly listened and nodded, more than a little impressed. The composition itself was not really her cup of tea, but she could still appreciate the skill it took to play a piece like that, especially composed on the spot.

Kia looks up at the unexpected sound of music, then just smiles and listens, nodding her head a little to herself on the tempo.

For Abel the music was haunting, and he found himself in her head as she composed on the fly, sitting silently and listening with rapt attention.  He was by far the least injured of the group, but at the same time the one who had to be most mindful of missing health within the party. He said nothing as she played, inwardly quite glad she was enjoying herself. As the song ended and he was leaving her mind an image of her father came into her head and a feeling of darkness

The sound of the guitar faded and Kia immediately clapped and cooed, "That was so goooooood!"

From anyone else it might have sounded like sarcasm masquerading as overdone admiration, but Kia was completely earnest in her praise.

"Wow, that was amazing," Sean echoed Kia. Though less ebullient, he was no less sincere in his praise. He might be able to rock at Guitar Hero, but he had no skill with an actual stringed instrument.

Alec lets out an impressed whistle. As Taleena beside him smiled and clapped. It wasn't the first time she had heard Sara play.

"Damn. Way to make a guy feel inept. That was amazing. How long have you been playing for?" He asked.

It had been a long time since someone had played that Guitar with so much skill. For all of his enjoyment of it, Alec was still learning, doing his best to teach himself. He could have asked his mother and she would have hired a tutor, if he wanted, but this was something he wanted to do on his own merit. The time learning was between himself and his dad.

Sara couldn't help but blush, she was not used to the positive attention, but she liked it, it was a nice feeling. “Um, a few years. I started playing when I was twelve.” She blows air out of her mouth to calm her suddenly taut nerves and gently sets the guitar down, she really needed a smoke or better yet a joint. “Thanks a lot guys, It means a lot to me that you liked it. I don't play for people often, but i'm glad I did tonight.” She nods at Alec silently thanking him. “Next time I'll bring mine and we can play together.”

 

The break over, the teens returned to the table and the climax of their adventures.

 

"... axes whirling, Neeva cleaves down the last of Kurgan's cultists. Sara, your roll. You continue attacking Bloodyhands? He looks in rough shape."

"Yes!" The die clatters across the table and Sara exclaimed louder than intended, "Natural twenty!"

"Okay! Bleeding from a multitude of wounds, the hulking Bloodyhands roars and charges Korinn," Sean said, standing up to move miniatures on the mat. "She knocks aside his bladed, crimson gauntlets glowing with dark sorcery with her shield and with a flash, her magical blade Vengeance snicks through his neck with an ease that is terrifying. And thus ends the ravages of Bloodyhands and his bandits."

Sean made several rolls behind his screen, then nodded. "Kurgan attacks both Alec and Taleena, who are still trying to hold him off from the spellcasters trying to disable his summoning circle and the close the baleful green portal open above it. He misses the quick sailor with his claws - Kiala's arrows sticking out of him are impeding his movement, but the scorpion tail he's grown flashes over his shoulder and stabs the bard in the gut. Alec, make a poison save."

"Nine," Alec groans.

"Sorry, Alec, that's a failure," Sean commiserated. "The bard gasps as the poison burns like acid through his veins and he goes down to one knee. 'You are too late, interlopers!' Kurgan crows in triumph," Sean continued, deepening his voice at much as possible. 'My Lord comes!' Through the portal, a hand reaches forth, clawed and scaled. It's huge, easily enough to engulf any of you entirely, and comes with the sickly sweet smell of decaying flesh mixed with the rankness of the most putrid swamp."

"Nice Sean. I'm glad we ate hours ago."

Sean smirked. "Thanks. A... a voice doesn't do it justice, emanates from the the Portal. It's more of a sensation, dread, hate, corruption, so deep you feel it in your bones and it makes the entire chamber rumble. You can hear stone groan and crack. 'I... COOOMMME...'" Sean looked towards Abel and Felix. "The both of you can feel the Portal beginning to stabilize despite your effort, even as it swells larger, the presence of the Demon Lord empowering it. You'll have just one more chance to close the Portal or the Demon Lord Chernovog will walk the world in the flesh, to the detriment of all. Make your Arcana rolls please."

Abel made his roll. "16." Felix took an extra moment to shake the die then gasps in relief. "18. Are those good enough?"

Sean nodded, grinning. "Good job, all of you. Kurgan curses but the Demon Lord bellows -" Sean tapped something on his laptop and a loud, modulated 'NOOOOOOO!' bursts from the speakers, that sounded suspiciously like an altered Darth Vader.

"The chamber is coming down around you, the cave leading to it has already collapsed. 'YOU HAVE FAILED ME FOR THE LAST TIME, KURGAN. COME MEET YOUR MASTER!' The Demon Lord roars. His huge claw snatches Kurgan and begins drawing him towards the portal. Kurgan claws at the ground, trying to resist, but it is futile, his claws scoring the precises symbols making the pentagram. He glares at you all with hatred as he's pulled through the baleful green portal. 'This is not yet done, not while it yet bre-' He's gone and the portal flashes. The Portal remains, but it now glows with coruscating, rainbow colours. Anyone trained in Arcana can tell while the Portal is still open, it no longer leads to the Abyss. Probably. Which might be a good thing, but the Garden of the Green God is still coming down around you and there is no readily available way out you guys can see. Everyone, make Dex saves, anyone who fails takes 22 points of damage. Now, you can try to find a way out through one of the new cracks formed in the chambers walls, or take a chance with the Portal? What do you guys do?"

Everyone made their rolls, but it took them only an moment to make their decision and say in near unison, "The Portal."

"Excellent!" Sean exclaimed. "Helping your injured comrades, the Bands leaps through the portal as the Garden of the Green God in buried beneath untold tons of rock, and the portal closes behind you a flash of light and a  - " Sean clapped sharply. "You have defeated Kurgan - for now - and stopped a Demon Lord from walking the World. Congratulations. Unfortunately, now you guys find yourself in a World not your own. And with that," Sean sat down with a satisfied sigh, his forehead slightly damp with exertion, "Tonight's session - and the campaign - has come to an end. Hope everyone had fun."

The group was spent due to the lateness but also exhilarated by how much fun they had had. They began packing up their books and papers with a few of them doing last minute bookkeeping.

Sara and Taleena sat back since neither of them were used to the normal way the nights gaming ended so didn't know if they should be doing anything.

Alec, Kia, and Lilly were going over key parts of the game.

Abel was quiet as he listened and smiled.

Sean had a big grin showing his satisfaction that he had given his friends a good time. He noticed Sara looking at him and felt his cheeks redden.

Sara laughed and got up and pulled a diet Dr Pepper from the mini fridge then turned back and looked at her new friends. She had had fun a lot to be honest with herself.

“I cannot believe that none of you guys smoke pot. But this was a cool night. Thanks for having me along.”

She thinks of her dad and when he told her she was coming here.

Abel looks up a sudden prick of pain runs through his head, images from the minds of the Hallenbeck's and Sara's dad and Alec's sister flash. Dismembered and dissected animals. Then his eyes flash to Sara as he read her mind a split second before she says.

“But I gotta ask, Why does my dad think you guys would know anything about devil worship?”

Spoiler

you may recommence posting

 

[SalmonMax]

Kia gave Sara a suddenly intense look, her smile immediately fading.

"You know about that? Who told you?"

She didn't quite wait long enough for the timing to be perfect before lapsing into a grin and leaning back to laugh.

"Sorry! That was just so out there! Devil worship? Is that even still a thing?"

[Sara Hutchins]

"Honestly Kia I really don't know."

Sara Jumped up planting her butt on the mini fridge without a thought. Seans's eyes widened.

"It's just when I asked my dad for a ride over here he went all weird on me. I mean, he knew you guys played D&D, and he even mentioned Alec and Abel by name.

The he he told me to tell him if I heard any of you talking about devil worship or witchcraft.

Shit usually when I ask for a ride he calls a deputy to take me. Tonight he drove me himself."

She shakes her head, drains her drink and tosses the can in the trash as she hops down.

"And let me tell you that was awkward."

[Abel Cross]

Abel's eyes narrowed, and briefly he thought about going through her brain to find out what else she knew.   "There's no devil worship here, that's just pretty ancient propaganda by people who fear kids being imaginative and anything that threatens the mainstream narrative of good and evil."

He frowned.  He only really kept one secret from his friends, it was a sign of his trust in them.  Sara was an unknown though, and he was concerned.  Still he came to a decision. 
 

"There is something else going on though.  I'll tell you the little I know, but you've all got to promise me, you won't say a word to anyone else."  With all of them nodding their assent, he sighed, and related the entire incident with the sheriff and deputies, as well as his neighbors, and what he'd been told about the missing animals as well. 

"I don't know if it fits with anything else, but that's what I was told."

[Sara Hutchins]

Sara was wide eyed now.

"Fuck! That is way heavy. You Don't think he thinks You guys had something to do with that, do you?"

 

[Abel Cross]

"Generally no, but he did ask you to tell him if we discussed anything of the sort.  Still I think he's just keeping his eyes and ears open and every possible base covered."  It was the same genial tone he always used without any accusation. 

[Alexander Cordeaux]

Well, that answered that question. He had been wondering if Sara's dad had been suspecting them based on actual crimes, or if it was just the fact they all played DnD together. He drops onto one of the scattered bean bags with a dull oomph.

"Fucking mental. I hope not. Shit."

He ran his fingers through his hair, an unconscious tic whenever he was thinking hard.

"So, buncha animals killed on your Neighbors ranch and there's a hole in the fence leading on to your property. And they suspect you, what? Cause you play DnD? That's messed up."

That was the bit that he was having the hardest time parsing. He had known there was a stigma against Dungeons and Dragons, leftover from the 70's and 80's when people thought that it was basically Devil Worship, but he had thought that they had gotten beyond that point. To have it slap them in the face was a bit jarring.

 

[Kia Mizuki]

Kia quickly shook her head.

"I think if anyone was really suspected, they'd have brought them in to be questioned?"

As an avid watcher of police procedurals, Kia considered herself something of an expert in law enforcement practice. She was still weighing the idea of a career in criminal justice even, though she wasn't sure. Sometimes people seemed really mean in that kind of thing!

"It sounds to me like Abel's right. They just don't have any leads and are looking for anything that might lead them in the right direction. Anything at all."

She looked at Sara worriedly. "At least it's just animals though, right? It might even just be...like wild dogs or something, maybe. Or a bear."

They had bears here, right? Kia had no idea, but sort of imagined that bears were lurking everywhere cities were not here on the continent. Really, what was to stop them?

[Alexander Cordeaux]

Alec shook his head.

"Animals don't cut fences. If it were an animal, the fence would be torn, if they didn't just rip up a bit at the bottom and go under. And the post wouldn't be cut at the base, but splintered at the height whatever it was hit it at. Maybe chewed up a bit or whatever. And then the bloodstains just stop at the fence. if it were an animal, there'd be a trail gradually petering out as they got further away. The fact it stops where it does sounds to me like someone had a tarp or something down where they could clean up, pack up, and leave without putting down any more of a trail."

He paused a moment, continuing in a quieter tone

"Finally, I'm sure the sheriff knows what an animal attack looks like. If they're looking for a person......"

He shrugs. The gesture vaguely self deprecating

"Course, I'm no detective or anything. Could be way off. But if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck. Odds are fairly good it ain't a cougar. Either way, best bets to let the Sheriff and his deputies deal with it."

[Sara Hutchins]

Sara shakes her head and chews her lip

"I probably shouldn't have even mentioned it"

She looks kind of embarrassed.

 

[Felix]

<This just ruin a good night. A interesting end to a story line, and hell even a guitar solo occurred. I was just starting to relaxing from all the stress from my own life for something like this to go off.> Felix ponder to himself. He sighed in annoyance at what was being talked about. Yet Felix knew he was going to put his two cents in.

 

"I can't believe people think that way. Sure there are people whom done some crazy shit due to things like that. Yet those people kinda were fucked up mentally to start with. D and D and other mediums of entertainment are meant to be fun and not take seriously. If you take it too seriously or start to think such stuff is real then you have a problem. As such a person with such a problem needs to go to a doctor and have their head examine before they do something stupid. I do not like it when people used other things to excuse their own behavior unless the object itself was literally toxic to them, as in the case of addiction. It hurts others whom actual have fun with games like this when others do stupid ass shit that harms the community as a whole...." Felix said. He was clearly piss and seems to be off in a rant. He stopped himself before he got too far.

 

Felix took a few moments to calm down before adding more to the conversation. "Now as to the topic of devil worship. This is America as I last recalled, and people have a right to believe in whatever faith they want. That being said, I do not approve of demon worship, but if that's what a person wants to believe in then that's fine. I did not come here to discuss religion, or worship. I like many of you came here to have fun. Now that being said, the shit that's happening at your neighbors is disturbing Able. I am no detective, but that sounds at worse vandalism in a more macabre sense of the word. Are you sure if someone trying to do something to ruin your neighbors business or to send some sort of message to them?" Felix said in a more calmer tone.

[Abel Cross]

Abel had only halfway been listening, being gaming night, he was running his mind in parallel.  While it cut down his overall intellect, it allowed him to multitask his thoughts, focusing one part of himself to one thing while keeping the other side processing all the mental images and such he picked up randomly.

The pain in his temples was quite new, and he massaged his head idly as the girls spoke.   He got a very vivid memory of the animals being dissected, each organ removed carefully then replaced exactly as they were before in the exact reverse order.

He tuned over more of his mind to the image, trying to find the source, But Alec's words peirced his concentration, and it was as if someone had shoved a sharp stilletto into his brain, making him grunt audibly in pain.  He looks at the post, seeing the cut, and his eyes focus, and he notices what he didn't see before looking right at it.  There was a gentle virtually imperceptible curvature to the cut, it was perfect.   He knew of absolutely nothing that could do that, and after that revelation and the pain, it was enough to force him back fully into where he actually was.  
He heard what Felix asked and shook his head.  "I dunno of anyone who'd do that to the Hallenbecks."  Clearly Abel was preoccupied with something, and his head still hurt immensely.  It hadn't been like this since that first week he'd gotten his powers, and he could only surmise that whatever was going on was related to it.

He looked at Sarah. and shook his head.  "Concerns should always be aired, even if we think they're somewhat silly.   Others may not think that way.  That's why dismissing things out of hand without cause is never a good idea."

[Kia Mizuki]

Kia was staring at Felix, a bit open-mouthed in surprise. It was like, sure he was right, but...geez, this must have touched a nerve.

"I don't think it's so much that anyone's trying to say don't worship whatever," she offered, "It's more like...a crime was committed and they don't have any leads and they're just looking for possible suspects? I mean, it might be different if the sheriff actually showed up here and started pushing us around and interrogating us, but he didn't. He just asked Sara if she knew anything that might help him find whoever did this."

"Believe me, I totally agree with you that freedom of religion is a thing, as long as people obey the law, but I don't think this is really about that."

She smiled at Felix reassuringly. "So it's okay."

[Felix]

"I know..." Felix sighed. "I just am a bit... more stress then usual and kinda jump the gun on things. I know this is more about a crime then about religion. Yet the fact that we were though of doing something we didn't kinda concerns me. I know we are innocent of this, that is unless one of us is a up and coming psychopath, but I am just worried that we were being singled out due to doing something different then what most people in town do. If I am over thinking things or jumping to conclusion that are not there then I am sorry." Felix said apologetically. 

[Sean Cassidy]

Sean snorted in derisive disbelief, but he looked a little ill at the thought of mutilated animals. It wasn't like he was an animal person, really. They hadn't gotten a new dog when their last one died a few years ago, had no pets now, except for a stray cat that hung around and they fed scraps to, which they imaginatively called 'The Cat'. But their was no reason to kill a cow or a horse unless you planned on eating them, nor a dog unless it was too ill, especially in such a gruesome fashion. This had to be someone making a scene for a purpose, but Hell knew what?

"It's just something strange," Sean reiterated mostly what had already been said, "so without any other clues, the sheriff or whatnot can't help but ask about anything else in town that's strange." His mouth twisted in self-deprecation, "And without a doubt, we're all strange, in one way or another, except for maybe Abel," he added, not knowing how wrong he was. He shrugged in blasé resignation. "Strange gets noticed, strange gets picked on."

He chuckled softly. "Hell, I don't even remember when the last time someone played a Warlock." Actually, that wasn't true - he knew exactly when and who played it, but it had been several campaigns and several characters ago. "And nobody ever took the Fiend pact."

He looked at Sara and shook his head. "Even if it's completely crazy, better we should know than not. Knowing is always better than not knowing, and knowing is half the battle. This way, if your - if the Sheriff shows up, we can guess why. Just everyone think of where you were when this happened, just in case they ask. But I really doubt any of us have anything to worry about. Still, I guess keep an eye out for anyone new in town. Like new new, not Kia and Lilly new." Sean grinned at the girls. "While Chet is a brain-dead douchebag, I can't think of anyone in town who'd actually do something like this."

[Alexander Cordeaux]

Alec hmm'd in agreement.

"Well, if it was yesterday, a lot of us were at the game. And very obviously so as well, so at least there's that. Honestly, I doubt we have anything to worry about. Sheriffs probably just asking questions for lack of a better lead."

He shrugs

"Either way, nothing we can do about it. If the sheriff comes to us, he comes to us. If he doesn't, he doesn't. Business as usual otherwise."

He heaves himself out of the beanbag, continuing the cleanup.

"What's next for us, anyway?"

[Sara Hutchins]

Spoiler

this was co-written by asa and myself

Sean nods “Well this next week is going to be pretty busy for most of you and I have some work I need to do to set up the next campaign. I think we will skip next weeks game and set up for the following week.” His eyes followed the nods of agreement from the regulars. He smiled at Taleena and then at Sara his smile fell a little. “And both of you did great on your first game I think it's safe to say that you both passed your initiation.” ok that was lame.” And consider yourselves part of the irregulars.”

More nods from the rest of the gang. Taleena looked puzzled. “Irregulars?”

“It kind a what we call ourselves sort of.” Sean laughed sounding way more girlish than he wanted to he stifled it quickly..

“Kind of like a club name.” Injected Alec as he picked up his books.

Abel had his stuff packed and read as well. “You two ready? It's pretty late and I need to get the both of you home.” He asked Alec and Taleena.

 

Lilly and Kia were packed up and ready as well. “Yeah it is late.” Said Lilly “Great game Sean, can't wait to see what you have planned next. We got a good drive so we better get going too.” She headed out the door closely followed by Kia and a few steps behind them by Abel, Alec, and Taleena. Sean went along behind the who bunch of them, his friends, stopping just outside the door and wished them all a safe journey. Sara hung back by herself.

A good five minutes of goodbyes and see ya latter's and the two groups drove off and Sean smiling heads back in thinking that it had been a pretty good night.

 

He stops when he sees Sara standing at the table absent mindlessly playing with a couple of dice he thought he had put up. He cant help looking at her nervously. “So you had fun?” He couldn't keep the hope out of his voice

“Yeah I did. You good at this.”

He couldn't keep the little smile off his face at that. “Well next week is going to be hectic what with Homecoming and all and I have to get set for the campaign so there will probably be a couple of weeks before the next game. But I hope you'll come again.”

Her lips form that thin almost disapproving line again and she just stares at him. It is most unnerving. He changes the subject.

“Did you need to call someone for a ride?”

Sara looks around and shakes her head before piercing him with that stare again “Nah I thought I'd just crash here.”

Sean blinks then goes stock still, flustered and bewildered. He made the offer all the time when a Gaming session ran late, but Sara just making the assumption feels odd, not to mention unexpected.

"Um, er, yeah... yeah! That's... fine," Sean stammers, his voice going so high once that it was almost a squeak. He coughed trying to make his tone more smooth. "I mean, that isn't a problem." The small boy makes a concerted effort to walk - NOT scamper - over to the couch sitting in front of his TV. "I have a futon you can use and extra blankets and pillows."

Gratefully, the futon folds out into bed-position easily instead of being a bitch and sticking, needing him to ask Sara to help him with it. "See?"

He could also mention that there was a guest room in the main house, but Sean told himself he didn't want to bother anyone who might already be sleeping. Or end up babbling like an idiot. More than he was, anyway.

Suddenly Sara can't hold the stone face any more. her lip quivers as Sean stumbles around and then she starts grinning and laughing. Sean freezes and looks at her. "Oh my god I'm so sorry Sean. I was just fooling but oh god if you could see your face right now." Giggling, which is so unusual coming from her, Sara walks over to the red faced boy. She reaches out and cups his chin with a thumb and finger and lifts his head til their eyes meet.

"I'm sorry I just couldn't resist. and You are so damned cute when you blush. Don't be angry, Okay?"

"I'm not angry!" Sean protests with a scowl, then belatedly jerks his chin from her fingers.

Strong fingers he can't help but notice, and calloused. But seeing her obvious mirth, hearing her giggles, so at odds with her normally surly and sour persona, he can't hold onto his bristling affront. She's prettier than I thought, when she isn't giving me the Death Glare. His lips quirk into a crooked grin.

"I'm not angry," he repeats, more honestly this time, looking up to meet her gaze directly "At least you said cute," he said wryly. "That's at least marginally less embarrassing than 'adorable'. Or ruffle my hair. I hate that."

He gives an exaggerated shudder, then nods at the futon. "But seriously, would you prefer crashing here tonight, instead of calling for a ride at this hour? There's a guestroom in the house too, if that would be better."

She shakes her head again looking deep into those big perfect turquoise eyes. She feels her chest tighten and her tummy do a little flip flop but not in a bad way.

"You have pretty eyes." The statement just comes out and Sara kicks her self in her head what the fuck am I doing. Regardless of what she had told Sean earlier this evening she really wasn't into guys.

Again her head shakes."I have someplace I need to be in the morning."

She starts putting her hoodie and coat back on.

"Did you mean it?" she asks

"Mean what?"

"That you want to take me to the dance?"

The compliment and the seriousness of Sara's tone makes Sean stand up straight. This isn't the first time he's been told he has pretty eyes, even if he thinks they look too feminine. Then again, more than one girl in school has threatened to scoop them out with a spoon if they could have them for their own. Overall, he much preferred the way Sara said it. He's not sure if he sees a hint of red in her own cheeks, or if it's just a trick of the firelight from the wood stove.

Sean nods with what he hopes looks like confident assurance. "I wouldn't have said if I hadn't meant it. I would like to take you to the Homecoming Dance." And just because things were starting to feel a little to serious, he adds, with a small grin and a twinkle in his eyes, "As long as you don't wear heels, or expect me to, either."

"You know you're going to be picked on even worse. The guy who could only get a date with a lesbian. Shit like that."

She turned around stuck her thumbs into her belt.

"You really ready for that?"

Sean shrugged nonchalantly, but there was a tightness to his slim shoulders. Now that she was trying to talk him out of it, he wanted to even more stubbornly take her to the Dance.

"Don't see how it could get worse," Sean counters. "If not this, they'd find some other reason to pick on me. At least this, this I can say I chose. Besides, I can say I'm 'not the guy who could only get a date with a lesbian' but rather," Sean waggled his brows comically, "the 'guy who could get a date with a lesbian.' Don't think any other guy in school can claim that."

Sara laughed again then smiled at Sean

"Ok then, I would be honored to be your date to the Homecoming dance, and you do not have to wear heels, unless you want too"

She grins.

Sean laughed. A full, genuine laugh that very few ever heard. It was a very nice sounding laugh that couldn't be confined to either gender. "I got tricked into heels last year for Halloween. Never again." His smile softens and he nods in gratitude. "Thanks for saying yes. I feel like the one who should be honoured. I'm not the only one who is going to get teased about this."

Huh... I guess this means I'll have to get a suit or dress clothes or something. Huh.

Spoiler

This ends game night  I will post the next part soon. there will be another interlude then we will pick up the gang of irregulars at lunch on monday. I award everyone 6xp. you may save the xp or spend it at this point if you spend it you can only spend it on pre-enhancment character stuff.

 

[Alexander Cordeaux]

The drive back was relatively peaceful, broken intermittently by quiet conversation about the evening, the plans for the next game, as well as homecoming next week. Alec could appreciate the comfortable silence if only because it gave him time to steel himself. He knew himself well enough to know when he was making excuses to put something off. Of course, that didn't actually make it any easier to actually man up and just do it.

Arriving at the Wheeler’s, Alec slid out of the truck with Taleena to walk her to the door, doing his best not to catch Abel’s eye while he did so. He didn’t want to risk breaking his nerve if he caught a knowing glance from the older boy.

At the porch he paused, taking a breath to fortify himself. Giving himself a mental nudge to get on with it.

“Hey, Taleena”

She hmmed a response, her focus returning to him from where she had been lost in her own thoughts during the short walk up to the front of the house.

“I’m glad you came along this evening and enjoyed yourself. I was a bit worried, I’ll admit”

That..... was not what was supposed to come out. God dammit. Seriously? How hard could it be. At least she *had* enjoyed it. It had been a rough start, but she had gotten into the swing of things and loosened up as time had gone on. He was just glad that she got on with his friends. Ok. Let’s try this again.

“I had been meaning to ask you before, but it never seemed like the right time. Either we were busy with other things, or stuff distracted me away from it or...... I’m just running my mouth.”

She was giving him a confused look.

“I appreciate the invitation. Don’t worry about it.” She offered another smile.

Mentally, he was beating his head against a wall. Of course she thought he was talking about the game. He was sure that he would laugh at this someday, but at the moment he was mentally shrieking at himself. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

“Ah. Not quite what I was talking about.”

He let out a small laugh at how awkward he felt. This was not as easy as he had thought it would be.

“What I meant was, I’ve been trying to get up the nerve for the last while to ask you, that is, if you wanted to maybe come to the homecoming dance with me next week? If you aren’t going with anyone else and if you want to, you know?”

He could feel the world sharpening around him as the adrenaline rushed through his system. God damn. This was more nerve wracking than literally anything else he’d done before. The awkward smile and blush she was sporting showed that at least he wasn’t the only one feeling out of his depth.

“Yeah. I think yes. I would like that.”

All the breath left him in a single moment as he propped himself against one of the posts by the porch, the relief almost taking the legs out from under him. She laughed at the almost comic look on his face.

“Awesome. That’s great.”

He couldn’t keep the beaming smile off his own face. About to continue on, they were interrupted by the front door opening. Alec quickly standing up fully when it revealed Mr Wheeler standing in the Doorway. Perhaps now was the time to beat a hasty retreat? He nodded to Mr. Wheeler before turning his attention to Taleena again.

“I’ll give you a call over the weekend, and we can discuss things then.” He offered her a smile before bidding his good night to the older Man and making his way back to the truck. Casting a glance back over his shoulder to the front of the house, where the Indian girl was making her way inside, looking distinctly uncomfortable in Mr. Wheelers presence. Or maybe it was his interruption? Either way.

He slid back into the truck with Abel, blushing at the knowing look and the quiet snort. He ducked his head defensively. So what? He was bad at this? Thankfully, the rest of the trip was in quiet companionship. Neither feeling the need to talk over much. What a night. He couldn't wait for the coming week.

 

[WS ST]

Interlude

A Night At The Opera

Queen - We Are The Champions (Instrumental).mp3

 

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.

Edgar Allan Poe

The stage.

They see it almost everyday at lunch. Sometimes it is used by faculty to make announcements, sometimes by students to perform a program. Most often it is empty it's heavy curtains closed. Waiting.

Sean steps out onto the stage in a bright neon blue tuxedo. His small girlish frame straight a slight sashay to his walk. He strides to the center of the stage before the closed curtain and turns to face the audience. The seats are full. They stare at him in silence, holding back their judgment, naked mannequins anticipating the show.

He steps down into the orchestral pit and raises his baton, his musicians ready each the image of the cat his family feeds and swears isn't theirs. They hold their tiny toy instruments in ratty cat paws ready for the baton to direct them. Sean raises it high, the naked mannequins draw a silent breath as it crashes down and the overture begins.

The curtains pull back revealing the stage proper. The stage has been divided in two, one side is a girly bedroom the other also a bedroom but not so girly.

 

Lilly

Queen - Killer Queen (Lyrics).mp3

Lilly comes into her bedroom she is dressed for her daily run all sporty and tough, but there is no denying her femininity. From her strong toned legs and her firm buttocks to her taut perky breasts and the smoldering fire in her eyes She has the looks and the moves that capture and crush any man. The phone rings She sits on the bed and picks it up behind her perched on the pillow out of place in the rooms decor is a medium sized teddy bear with big black button eyes.

“Hello?” She sings into the phone

The stage spins and now there is another bedroom this obviously is a boys room with posters of football and sports heroes, Action movies and half naked pinups. In the center of the room His hair slicked back fifties style is Sandy Caldwell, he is clutching an old fashioned microphone in place of a phone and the music slides into a rockabilly beat right out of Grease the Musical. Sandy sings to her pours out his heart. Lights show them dancing together apart As he sings occasionally Lilly sings back encouraging Sandy, wrapping her fingers around him catching his soul. The song ends with the two of the together cheek to cheek, hands splayed against hands, bodies pressed together, on different sides of the wall. The light on Sandy's room fades, the music slows and Lilly glides around the room singing her voice heavy with heat, sultry, seductive. The shadow on the wall dance with her sing the chorus. The words are heavy with emotion yet the are unintelligible like Italian Opera ran backwards. The song ends with Lilly at the mirror looking down at her dresser while out of the mirror a girl looks out at her...

 

Kia

Queen - Dragon Attack (Official Lyric Video).mp3

The light fades on Lilly's room and comes up on the girly room, Bright posters and colors this room is a happy room there is nothing scary about this room this sanctuary.

Kia dressed in a little girls Sunday dress is lying on the bed the music is upbeat happy, she is playing with her teddy bear. It looks like the same bear that was on Lilly's bed. The music is upbeat with an Asian or anime flavor but listen closely and you can hear a dark brooding back beat flowing through it. Kia sings a happy song full of sunshine but behind the door to her room it is cold. A wet clammy mist seeps under the door and Kia clutching the teddy bear goes to the door and opens it. It is the hall in her house the music is darker now more ominous.

Kia and the teddy step into he hall and turn to the right towards the audience of naked mannequins. The light is flickering everything has a blue cast with the shadows slithering along behind Kia and her Teddy. Kia talk singing in backwards Japanese follows the hall she turns into the living room and comes out not into he familiar but into something she has never seen.

The room is large and white it is in ruins there are wholes all over them like bullet holes. There are dark puddles all over the floor in this light the puddles are black. But Kia knows that they are really red that the puddles are blood. Dominating the room is a platform on the platform is a square frame work of plastic, ceramic,and metal it is about eight foot square inside the frame is a silver disc it's edges almost touch the frame, but not quite. The music is loud now Kia is still singing but her voice is full of fear and anguish as she moves toward the disc the shadow behind her is inhuman beastly and full of rage.

 

The lights go out and the curtain closes only to reopen immediately

 

Abel

Queen - Another One Bites The Dust (Lyrics).mp3

 

Mountains and the prairie fill the stage the snow capped peaks in the distance gleam and center stage in the distance something moves. The something comes closer the steps of it are in time with the slow steady country beat of the music. As it gets closer it becomes tow things a large something and a smaller one beside it. Closer and it becomes three.

A dog a wicked looking doberman, and a horse, on the horse a cowboy. As the hose, rider and dog get closer the country beat becomes heavier and louder until the arrive fully on stage the plastic audience gasps the cowboy is Abel.

He slides off the horse the Dog comes to his side dancing a little two step tapping time with it's paw the doberman begins to sing

Oh! Let's go!

Abel walks warily down the street
With the brim pulled way down low.
Ain't no sound but the sound of his feet,
Machine guns ready to go.

 

The dog keeps singing as Abel throws back his coat revealing his guns gleaming silver in the raw sunlight he turns to face his advesary. Standing some twenty yards away is a Teddy bear it's dead black button eyes locked onto Abls it's tiny cap gun strapped to it's furry hip. Abel starts to walk toward the bear hand close to the handls of his guns. His steps in time with the beat.

The dog sings.

How do you think I'm going to get along
Without you when you're gone?
You took me for everything that I had
And kicked me out on my own

Are you happy, are you satisfied?
How long can you stand the heat?
Out of the doorway the bullets rip
To the sound of the beat

 

The bear and the boy stand separated by only feet now the bear stuffed on moving the man tense ready waiting for the other to move.

The stage spins. Points of view change, the bear and the boy, the boy and the bear.

The dog still sings

Are you ready, hey, are you ready for this?
Are you hanging on the edge of your seat?
Out of the doorway the bullets rip
To the sound of the beat

Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone, and another one gone
Another one bites the dust
Hey, I'm gonna get you, too
Another one bites the dust

 

They draw the bullets fly and the curtain closes before anyone falls.

 

Sean

Queen - I Want to Break Free (Official Lyric Video).mp3

 

The curtain opens.

The school cafeteria full of kids there is the Irregular's table all of them are sitting there all but one.

She comes in from the band hall doors the whole cafeteria between him and her table. Harly Quinn ain't got nothing on him. She struts into the room all eyes turn and follow him, lust fills the air. Her short shorts lifting her ass her tight t revealing large perfect breasts, His finly muscled arms gleam with sweat as if she is just coming from a work out or a wild round of sex. Her lips are crimson and full his eyes penetrating turquoise.

She starts across the room and they come at him like rabid wolves. They have chains and clubs, knives and guns the kids are animals hate filled fear of the unknown and the unusual . She tears into them lost in the music the hard rock beat driving him the violence is brutal raw, sexual in moments the cafeteria is littered with moaning kids her tormentors of years gone by Only one stands between him and her friends.

Chet

The music picks up the beat drives them into a dance that is so violent and full of sexual tension it hurts to watch but in the end He stands over her tormentor. A broken bloody writhing Chet cringing in pain on the floor.

There in front of him his friends and there she is. He steps forward and she holds up the Teddy Bear it's sightless Black Button eyes Seeing everything. She presses the bear into his hand and she clutches it to her breast as the curtains close.

 

Sara

Queen - Innuendo (Lyrics).mp3

The curtain opens on a dark empty stage. Only a chair is present in the center sitting on the chair is a Teddy Bear.

In the back corner a flicker of light draws the eye. Sara stands a cigarette dangling from her lips an old fashion lighter in her hand. She steps forward smoking, faceless shadows surround her, some menacing some loving, none touching. She walks to the chair slowly, the music a passionate Spanish guitar, leading her to the chair the smoke billows around her seeps to the floor the shadows merge into one.

She takes the teddy bear into her arms and sits. The Shadow stands behind her the smoke billows and the flickers of flame light up the floor as the legs of the chair start to burn.

Sara rocks backwards and forward singing a lullaby to the bear her voice horse and heavy Harsh the words sound like some native tongue spoken backwards the shadow wraps it's arms around her as the chair and the girl burst into flame.

The curtain closes.

Felix

Queen - Under Pressure (Lyrics).mp3

The curtain opens on a sparse room a bare table and a wooden chair fill the room. A window dirty and opaque is in the background before it are two faceless mannequins, one male one female.

At the table sits Felix he is drawing crazily, fiercely as he finishes he rips the drawing off the tablet and throws it away.

It falls catching in an unseen breeze, it spins away, the drawing of a tortured dead animal, it floats to the wall and sticks there only to be joined by another and another each one more vivid more real than the last. Each one signed by the cat icon, Felix took as his own. No music the only beat the scratch of his pencils the only riff the tear of the paper. Faster and faster those mundane sounds build until a song emerges desperate, crazed, violent.

The last pages are done the drawing castaway to float to the ceiling the last bare spots covered these images are different they show people, not tortured animals not death and destruction, people with color and bold strokes of wonder and hope. All except the last picture.

The last picture is of a Teddy Bear with flat black button eyes.

The curtain closes

 

Alex

Queen - I Want It All (Lyrics).mp3

 

Silence fills the auditorium the lights fall dark. One spot lights up revealing a stool.

From off stage comes Alex he carries his dead fathers guitar, he sit and adjust the guitar.

He tunes it carefully.

The naked mannequins lean forward as one in anticipation.

Alex begins playing.

Music unlike any ever heard on earth fills the hall the chords are more than what could possibly be drawn from a simple twelve string guitar.

He plays hard his fingers moving making chords never befor imagined.

The tears begin to fall from his eyes.

He plays harder trying to ring more for the instrument but the harder he plays the more the music fades.

Still he plays his fingers flashing the tears streaming from his eyes, drenching his shirt soaking the guitar pooling on the floor the sound is gone no music fills the hall yet still he plays long hard desperately trying to find the sound

The curtain slowly closes

 

Finale

Queen - Princes Of The Universe (Lyrics).mp3

Sean raises the baton the cat orchestra ready themselves and he bring it down and the hall is filled with an unholy screeching sound that remind all who hear it of hell.

The audience of faceless naked mannequins shudder and begin to explode. One by one two by two row upon row. In a room which can seat hundreds millions are blown to plastic bits.

Demons flow from the shadows

On stage the players come upon the stage before the curtain, Lilly, Kia, Abel, Sean, Sara, Felix, And Alex, they bow.

Flowers wilted and dead land at their feet. Flames lick the walls, the demons come for them over the chairs and broken plastic bodies. At the very back of the room Stands the Kurgan

The irregulars prepare for the attack and meet the demons in the air over the Orchestra Pit

Lights

Sounds

Explosions

it's like an anime battle on steroids all to the beat of the orchestral cats led by Neon Sean even as Sean herself fights above them.

It seems they will be over whelmed when time seems to slow and freeze only Neon Sean and the cats are moving and the Teddy Bear on the Music stand in front of Neon Sean it sightless Black Button Eyes, seeing everything.

 

The show must go on

Queen - The Show Must Go On (Lyrics).mp3

Sean's eyes snap open he is covered in sweat. His sheets twisted around him soaked. The early morning sun peaking through the windows down below the loft. He looks at his alarm clock its barley 6:00 AM. He sits up the dream already fading most of it just a blur. He looks down at the table and his eyes widen in shock and horror as the Teddy Bear looks up at him and holds the mug of coffee up toward him...

 

Sean's eyes snap open he is covered in sweat. His sheets twisted around him soaked. The early morning sun peaking through the windows down below the loft. He looks at his alarm clock its barley 6:00 AM. He sits up the dream already fading most of it just a blur. He looks down at the table below and see the few books and things from the game that he hadn't put up. His breathing steadies. He crawls out of the loft and tries to remember.

 

 

Spoiler

This was a dream. Each of you had the relatively same dream when you awake Sunday morning at exactly 6:00AM the dream is fading from memory you can kind of remember the beginning and the end of the dream and you can remember the dream that was specific to your character. The others parts are a confused blur. You do know that your friends were in your dream but not in any unusual way . It was just a normal weird dream that you had were your friends played some part in your mind.

My next post will begin at lunchtime the following Monday  If any of you want to post about your Sunday please let me know so I can hold off making my next post. if you have any questions ask in chat pm or ooc thread

 

[Sean Cassidy]

Sean shifted his weight from one foot to the other, waiting impatiently for his coffee to be ready. Though he usually got by on four hours sleep, he'd gotten less than that and with the weird-ass dream that was already fading, his eyes felt grainy. He ran delicate fingers through his sweat-dampened auburn hair and wished his coffee would brew faster.

It wasn't the first time he'd dreamed he was a girl, but those were usually vague, indistinct, and nightmarish. This was the first time it had been so... vivid and seemed... not torturous. He'd been a girl, a woman, but he hadn't been weak. Far from it! He'd - She'd - kicked ass, especially Chet's. It might almost be worth, to be able to beat the shit out of Chet like that. The feelings that had gone along with the dream had been intense and a bit disturbing. The rest of the dream - that he could remember - just ramped up the weirdness to eleven.

Sean downed his first cup of coffee quick and was halfway through his second when he started feeling human again and most of the dream was gone. He rubbed the last of the sleep gunk from his eyes, then got dressed in a pair of sweatpants and an oversided sweater. He finished his second cup of coffee, got a set of clean clothes and underwear from his dresser, then shrugged into an overcoat and loose shoes and scurried quickly over to the main house.

I really gotta see about begging dad to add a bathroom addition to the barn...

He barged into the main house, noticing the cat's food and water bowls on the deck in passing. He really wanted to get into the shower before Laurelei got to it first, but parts of the crazy dream were still lingering in his forethoughts. So he sat his clothes down on the couch and refilled the cat's water and food bowls, though he struggled with the huge bag of dry kibble.

He stuck his tongue out at his younger, taller sister as he ducked into the bathroom just as she was staggering half-asleep from her room and he got cleaned up and dressed. He'd probably have to do a load of laundry today too, he was running low on clean clothes. He was making breakfast for the family - eggs, bacon, hashbrowns and pancakes - while trying to figure out a way to smoothly ask his dad about a bathroom addition to the barn - when he caught he his sister and mother talking.

"You're going to Great Falls today?" he asked, in hopeful surprise.

"Why, yes we are, hon," his mother replied. "Laurie needs a new dress for Homecoming."

"Why, do you need a dress for Homecoming too?" Laurelei commented playfully. Then she rushed over to her older, smaller brother, clasping his hands in hers, an eager expression on her face. "Or have you reconsidered for Halloween? After Suicide Squad, Harley is so in now, and you made such a sweet--"

"No!" Sean exclaimed with a scowl, pulling his hands free. Nobody could understand just how irritating it was having to look up to a sister that was two years younger and half a foot taller, who was heavier and stronger to boot. "I told you, I'm not dressing up for Halloween this year." Or ever again. "And I don't need a dress. But I do need new clothes for Homecoming."

Everyone looked at him blankly.

"I'm going to Homecoming."

Sean could hear the blinks.

"With a girl."

"Oh," his mother said faintly in unfeigned surprise, then continued, privately pleased, though from the expression on her husband's face, she could tell he shared her pleasure, "Oh! Why, why of course, Sean. And since we were paying for Laurelei's dress, it's only fair that we cover your dress clothes too."

Laurelei finally managed to find her voice and picked her jaw up off the floor, though she still stared at Sean in complete shock.

"You're going to Homecoming? With a date? A girl?! WHO?" she demanded in a near squeal.

Sean made a show of buffing his nails, tilted his finely sculpted chin up with mock arrogance and arched a brow, then smiled slow and wide. "I guess you'll find out next week at Homecoming."

[SalmonMax]

Kia woke up with a start, and looked around in confusion. She didn't really have nightmares that she remembered. What had that been? The emotions of it were already draining away, the memories degrading into impressions as she spent a moment fishing back through them. There'd been a teddy bear, and some kind of gunk on the floor of her house...or...had it been a stage set? And she'd been talking backwards, but she couldn't remember what she'd said.

Ugh. Talking backwards in Japanese was a huge pain too.

Bad dreams. Well, she HAD been under a lot more stress than usual lately. What with dad...

DAD!

She jumped out of bed and shrugged into a robe and hastened downstairs. "Mom!" Kia called on her way down. "Is dad..."

As she got down to the kitchen, Kia stopped. Her dad was at the table, looking a bit tired but none the worse for wear. He had just enough time to set his coffee down before a squealing Kia impacted with the force of a dinosaur-ending meteor, and hugging him as hard as her fortunately-not-superhuman arms could squeeze.

He returned the hug with considerably more care, and a smile that broke his usual reserve.

"Is everything okay, oto-san?" Kia murmured. Normally mixing English and Japanese in one sentence would be grounds for a mild reprimand...but not today. Her father glanced at her mother, the look between them unnoticed by Kia since her face was still buried in his shoulder.

"Yes. Everything's fine. I...am sorry I was so late."

She popped free then and planted a kiss on his forehead. "I understand. This new job is really important. Just call next time, okay? All right, I gotta get ready!"

And just like that she was scampering upstairs, all nightmares forgotten. Nothing could be wrong now.

Her father picked up his coffee cup again and sipped from it. His hand was shaking, ever so slightly.

[Felix]

 

^{Felix woke up from his desk in a sweat. Felix fell asleep at his desk from drawing. Some of the pictures were on the floor. Each one was elegant and beautiful in their own way. Yet a part of Felix wanted to tear them all up and burn the scraps.}

^{Felix body was shaking violently, trembling at what he saw. Was he going insane? The dream felt too real to him despite the fact it looked like something from a play. Yet why did his body react like this? What made him afraid? What made him violent like this over a simple dream? He did not know, nor could he identify the precise reason.}

^{He wanted to talk to his parents about it. He wanted to talk to them, he wanted some sort of comfort or hope that it was all okay. Yet Felix was afraid of doing so. He was afraid of being laugh at. <Being afraid of dreams is something that children do right?> Felix ponder to himself. He really did not know.}

^{Yet what he feared was being rejected or laugh at by his parents for it. More so if he talk with others, what would they think of it? Would they laugh at him for being so silly to worry over something that was in his head. Or that he finally snap and went mad. <After all it was only a dream right?> Felix asked himself.}

[WS ST]

Monday Shelly High Lunch Room

 

The morning had been hectic for the Irregulars, all of them had slept unusually heavy Sunday night so there had been a rush the following morning and none of them made it to their usual morning get together.

By the time the lunch bell range everyone was in full on school mode. And lunch was just the break they needed.

 

Alex had arrived first with Taleena and the two of them sat at their usual spot at the end of the table Sean had taken his usual seat as well. Abel and Kia were the next to arrive both of them laughing about soemthing that had occurred in the class they shared before lunch. This was where things went a bit different.

Usually Abel sat beside Sean and Kia sat on the other side of the table with the big windows behind her.

Today, Able sat next to Kia where Lilly would normally have sat.. Felix arrived next his usual scowl seemed even deeper than the norm he stopped, stared at Abel sitting out of place and his eyes narrowed even more. He plopped his tray down grunting greetings then sat opposite Alex and Taleena like he always did.

“Well in case any of you were wondering.” Began Alex his cheeks coloring a little. “I'm taking Taleena to Homecoming.” Taleena smiled up at him and leaned into him affectionately.

“So with You two,”Alex gestured at Kia and Abel, “going together and Lilly and Sandy going, that just leaves us having to find dates for Felix and Sean.” Alex grinned at his two dateless (as far as he knew) friends.

As those words were issuing from Allex's mouth Sara Hutchins came into the Lunch hall and made her way to the Irregular's table. She drew a few looks since this was only the second time she had been in the lunch room all year. She stopped at the end of the table by Sean and Abel.

“Hey guys, mind if I sit with you?”

 

Across the hall Lilly and Sandy came in they had been making plans for Tuesday. It was only going to be a half day at school due to a teachers workday, so they had made plans to go to Great Falls and do some shopping for homecoming and catch dinner and a movie. Lilly thought it would be nice if Abel and Kia wanted to join them. Sandy had agreed. Sandy went to grab lunch for the two of them while Lilly made her way to the gangs table.

Spoiler

Lunch served Chicken Fajitas, Refried Beans, Pears, Muffins, Fresh Salad Bar.     Let the RP commence

 

[Sean Cassidy]

Putting down a fajita that looked comically large in his small hands, Sean scooched over to give Sara a bit more space and gave her a grin, instead of the typical neutral expression he offered most people not in his tight circle of friends. "Not at all. You gamed with us, so there's always a place for at the Irregulars table."

Carefully not looking at Sara, Sean arched a brow at Alec, a wry smirk on his face. "Good going Alec, Taleena, but you don't have to worry about finding me a date, guys."

It could easily be construed that Sean meant he didn't need help getting a date for Homecoming because he never went to any of the dances. But to those adept at reading body language, or more specifically, able to read surface thoughts, there might at well have been a giant glowing arrow pointing at Sara.

[Abel Cross]

Abel hated both of the options for lunch today, and elected to eat the salad, since it would cause less issues for him.  He smiled when Sara came up and nodded.  "By all means take a seat.  That is if you don't mind being seen eating at the nerd table."  He looked over at Sean and while he could palpably feel his friend's happiness rolling off his mind at seeing her here, and that she said yes, he couldn't show that he knew.  Still as one of Sean's best friends, he had to react in normal fashion.

"Oh, can that mean that you've already taken care of that?  Sean Actually deigning to attend one of the regular social functions of the school calendar.   Do tell."  his tone was light and teasing, in the manner of old friends.  Sean never went to dances, indeed Abel'd not been to too many himself, but it was still a pleasant surprise.  

[Kia Mizuki]

"You guys!" Kia gushed at Alex and Taleena, "that's so awesome! We should all go somewhere after the dance too!"

She was practically bouncing in her seat with excitement and happiness that all her friends were going to go out together, and in the process very intentionally bumped shoulders with Abel, nudging him as if to encourage him to join in.

Alex and Taleena! They were so adorable together she wanted to get a picture right THEN, but no, no...wait for the dance, wait for the party.

When Sara came over, Kia waved her over. "Come on over! We were all just talking about Homecoming!"

[Sean Cassidy]

Sean's grin widened, unable to completely conceal his joy, not even finding Kia's excessive exuberance cloying. But then he noticed his sister and all the other girls at her table looking his way and whispering animatedly. He glanced over at Sara surreptitiously, but couldn't tell what she thought about all the Homecoming talk. It had taken them long enough to talk about just between the two of them alone.

But he couldn't say nothing. He was too happy about it. Besides, thanks to Laurie, it would be all over school in about 1.7 seconds anyway.

"What's there to tell, Abel?" Sean said with an attempt at nonchalance. "I figured it was 'bout time to go to at least one Dance during highschool. A girl caught my eye. I asked her out, and she very graciously said yes. Kinda like how you asked Kia, except I had to look up to meet her eyes."

[Sara Hutchins]

"Thanks." Sara said as she sat next to Sean and tried to sort out what was being talked about.

She took in Taleena's moon eyes staring at Alec, and Kia's barely contained excitement and then Sean. Her brow furrowed as he talked about the two of them going to the dance to Abel without ever saying it was her he was going with/taking. (She wasn't sure how that was going to work, neither of them drove).

She shot him a questioning look as he finished. Then smiled over at Kia.

"So what about the holy homecoming are we talking about?" She punctuated the question with the pop of her Dr Pepper top.

[Kia Mizuki]

"Well, it just turned out that a lot of us are going to the homecoming with a lot of OTHERS of us, so we were talking about maybe having a little homecoming after homecoming," Kia responded with a big grin.

Of course, in this case 'they' were talking really meant 'she' was talking, but that's just because Sara had arrived before the others could totally agree that that was a great idea.

"And Sean was just saying he had a date!"

She leaned over to pat him on the shoulder.

"Is she here? We should meet her!"

[Sara Hutchins]

Sara takes a sip and looks a Sean.

"Yeah Sean, maybe we should meet her."

[Felix]

Felix was slowly eating his food as he was listening to the others chat. After listening for a few minutes he stop eating and goes to speaks. "It's cool you guy and gals are getting dates for this dance. I wish you all luck the best of luck and that they go well." Felix said with a smile.

[Sean Cassidy]

"Thanks, Felix," Sean replied with a nod. "Even if you don't go to Homecoming, you should come out with us to the After-party, if we have one."

Sean gave Abel, Kia, and Sara a vaguely irritated scowl. "I was planning on it being a surprise when I showed up with her at Homecoming," he said in a prim tone. "Do you guys all really wanna know right now?"

[Sara Hutchins]

Sara didn't say anything at first she just looked down at her tray and picked at the salad she had gotten from the bar. She kinda felt guilty at putting Sean on the spot but she was also a little put out that he was keeping it a secret like he was embarrassed or something.

But then she remembered the way Chet and his cronies had been going at him for no reason at all. She stole a sideways look at him at those big turquoise eyes she felt she could just jump in and... what the fuck!

For a second she saw Sean as a woman a real woman a real beautiful sexy woman. Her heart skipped a beat at that thought and that tightness in her center came back along with a very unexpected heat. Jesus she was more fucked up in the head than she thought.

"No Sean if you want it to be a surprise you just surprise us."

 

[Felix]

"Thanks Sean for the invitation. As for the surprised lady. I rather like it to be a surprised. It rather boring to know everything." Felix said with a playful smile. "Or are you guys really that childish and not up for the challenge in figuring it out by yourselves."

[Kia Mizuki]

"You could have it be a surprise now," Kia points out with a teasing smile. "Then we could have her come over here and plan with us. Maybe she has a place she wants to go to, or some kind of favorite food or something? It's kind of mean to leave her out just because you want to turn a few extra heads at the dance."

[Sean Cassidy]

Sean could no longer withstand the unrelenting assault of Kia's exuberant inquiries. He ducked his head, taking a couple of deep breaths to gather his courage. Well, everyone is going to know now. It was likely to get ugly at times for him, for both of them, for the next week, but he'd, they'd deal with it. He was about to blurt it out when he had a different idea that would still give them a surprise. Pounding heart deafening in his ears, he looked back up at his friends, a tremulous grin on his face.

"Fair enough point, Kia."

Sean straightened up, then getting up a from the bench slightly, he lurched over and to give Sara a kiss on the cheek. I hope she doesn't hit me for this!

[Sara Hutchins]

Sara was expecting Sean to say something as he stood up so naturally she turned to watch only to find him coming in for a kiss!

Her eyes went wide and she started to lurch back but if she did she would fall over and Sean leaning in would over balance and fall on top of her not a way to not draw attention. instead she grabbed his arm and he opened his eyes but it was too late.

Their lips met.

And Sean immediately jumped back a horrified look on his face.

The table fell silent. Even Kia was dumbstruck.

Sean had kissed Sara Hutchins.

Sara held her breath as the feeling of Sean's quick kiss sent tingles of pleasure all through her. Never before had a boys kiss done that  in fact only one other person had ever made her feel anything.

She looked at Sean wide eyed and then at the stares of everyone else at the table and at the table behind them and she saw the heads turning their way.

Oh Shit.