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Tweak says, "Follow the creepy brick road."

Armand (vagabond_child) wrote in labyrinth_rpg,
@ 2009-03-24 22:52:00

Entry tags:

armand, complete, day four, juniper golding

Who: Armand and Juniper
When: Day Four, after the ball
What: A belated introduction
Where: Starting off just outside Jareth's castle
Rating: Well, given it's Armand, at least an R.
Status: Complete

It wasn't quite the normal thing that he should end up shepharding a victim away from the scene of his crime, and yet, he felt it was the least he could do. Okay, so technically the least he could do would be nothing, but he would go one up on that and at least show the poor girl around. It had been quite a day for her, obviously. Get picked up to a strange new world, get seduced and bitten by a vampire, and then watch a monster appear out of nowhere.

So, he'd show a little compassion for once, be something like the angel he resembled. Which was how he found himself walking side by side with a mortal telepath. Until a day ago, he hadn't even known telepaths were real, and yet, here he was, having met two. The world had a funny way of working out sometimes.

"Usually, there's a huge Labyrinth where we're standing. I guess Mr Sparkly King," It had become his name for Jareth, "Wanted us to be able to come to his party, so he moved it out of the way." Which showed a level of power that, really, Armand wasn't quite comfortable with. "I don't know, it could be back tomorrow."

It was a long walk back to the city at the entrance to the (currently missing) Labyrinth, but it was also away from the random attack monster that had shown up at the ball. He hoped. Now that the shock had worn off and reality had kicked in, he wasn't really sure he wanted to see the creature again. Ever.

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juniper_golding
2009-03-25 01:18 am UTC (link)

Juniper was having an out of body experience, and definitely not the kind she was used to. She was walking, dressed in a medieval gown, along a grassy plain, in a world she had never seen before, stealing away from a gigantic monster that could have crushed her with it's pinky. Oh yeah, and she was walking hand in hand with a vampire, who just that morning had been blissfully restricted to the page. What was there to be wigging out about? Nothing, obviously.

"Another one of his oh-so-fun games?" Juniper asked, though there was little question in her bitter statement. She had already had quite enough of Jareth's idea of fun, thank you, and she wasn't looking forward to getting any more tidbits of it, particularly that evening.

She ran her hand through her hair and let out a sigh, leaning against Armand's shoulder a bit as they walked. She didn't know why she felt so comfortable with him - she shouldn't have - but she did. Perhaps it was because she knew him so well, having read the books. Had he been a real stranger, things might have been entirely different.

But because she knew him well, she was confused. "Why are you being so nice to me?" she asked, turning her head slightly to look at him, still watching where she was going. "Not that I'm complaining, but it's not something I would have expected."

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vagabond_child
2009-03-25 01:26 am UTC (link)

The telepaths thoughts were open to him, insofar as she wasn't making any real effort to shield them. He just smirked and shook his head, thinking that maybe in this case it would be kinder to leave her to her delusions. A cruel voice in the back of his head said this was a bad idea, that he should confuse her more, but surely the Underground would teach her later.

"Of course. What could be more fun than having a disappearing Labyrinth? I wonder what would happen if someone were in it when it disappeared?" But it was a purely academic question, and he found that he didn't really deeply care. Although it didn't make him all that eager to just rush into the place if it ever reappeared.

It was not going to stop confusing him, he figured. No mortal cuddled up to a vampire, but that's what she was doing. He had often walked hand in hand with other vampires, but never a mortal, not since he had been one himself. But, because it was less confusing, he treated her like he would treat a vampire that he had no major issue with. It seemed easier that way.

So he held her hand, and let her lean on him as he walked. "Nice? I went into your mind and bit you." He was a little bit amused by the question. "Nice... why would you let me show you anything, Juniper Golding? You should be as scared of me as that thing..." Yes, he was delaying answering the question, mostly because he was unsure himself.

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juniper_golding
2009-03-26 10:42 am UTC (link)

Well yeah. She thought she knew him well, but was definitely beginning to understand him a bit better. The actual logistics hardly mattered however. She was stupidly, blissfully comfortable, and he was even pointing out her folly, and she didn't care.

Juniper merely smiled at his question. "Because I'm going to die," she said simply, without regret or lament, and not looking for sympathy. "Soon. Within the next six months or so, I reckon. In a fire, more likely than not, as I've already almost drowned a couple of times."

She looked around as they walked and shrugged. "This is life. This is an experience. And while it's not the one I would have chosen for myself, it's something that I'll take with me." Juniper looked over at Armand and smiled. "Besides, I've died by fire before. A vampire's kiss? That'd be a much more interesting way to go."

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vagabond_child
2009-03-26 10:01 pm UTC (link)

The vampire's eyes widened slightly, and he turned to look at her. His first thought was that she was lying, or just saying it for attention, but he read no such intention in her mind. As far as he could tell, she was telling the truth. At least, the truth as she saw it. For a long time, he just looked at her, and then realized he'd stopped walking and began again.

"You're... going to die." The words didn't feel very good to say, probably because of his own recent experiences. He thought about that for awhile longer, his mind working it over, before he slowly shook his head. "No, it's not possible, didn't you know that? You can't die. It's in the rules."

He turned to look at her, speaking somewhat slowly. "If you've read the book that David wrote about me, you'll know that I've been near death twice, once by poison and once by fire. Neither was pleasant. I think that death is not something to be accepted." He was basically just speaking whatever words came into his mind, at this point. "So, don't accept your death. Fight it. Win. You can, you know."

With that odd, very rambling advice, he pointed to the main building. "That's where the restaurant is, and a library, and other places I haven't yet had time to see. The buildings around it are our living quarters."

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juniper_golding
2009-03-26 10:39 pm UTC (link)

Juniper gave him a kind, sort of placating smile. She'd heard it all before, of course, but she was a precog, and a good one. Depending on your viewpoint, at any rate. When she saw something, particularly for herself, there was no avoiding it. And then there was her history...

"I've seen my past lives, Armand. I've relived them. I know them well. And I've never made it to an old, normal death, no matter what number that calls up for the time period. A trial by water and a trial by fire, every time. And well..." she looked down at her all too human body and shrugged. "I'm not flame retardant."

"I'm not looking forward to it, or courting it. But I'm not going to be afraid of what I've seen ahead for me either. I'm not going to live my life in avoidance of life, just in an attempt to thwart fate. I don't know what rules you're talking about, but I do know that my future, ultimately, is decided by me. And if that's what I face, I won't do it a coward."

She looked in the direction he indicated and nodded. The library sparked her interest, no doubt. "At least he's provided a bit of entertainment," she mused aloud. "More than likely not enough, but some. How are the rooms?"

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vagabond_child
2009-03-27 12:55 am UTC (link)

Unfortunately, Armand could pick up on her thoughts, and they infuriated him. Being, at heart, always a bit of a child, he could get angered by the silliest things, really. For example, he absolutely hated it when people were patronizing, though often his behavior gave them a perfect reason to be so.

"We are, none of us, the playthings of fate." It seemed obvious he was going into one of his famous speeches, the type that it really seemed only vampires did. His voice was passionate, and he stopped to stare her in the eye, grabbing her hand and holding here there to make better eye contact. "Change fate, if you don't want to die. Who knows, maybe I was fated to die when my English lover attacked me and poisoned me. Perhaps I was meant to die in the sun. But I didn't."

He dropped her hands and shook his head, walking again. "But it's your choice." He shrugged slightly. "You can be as fatalisic about it as you want, it's no business of mine." He paused for awhile, and then spoke again. "But you should know, there's rules against killing here. So no one will kill you, and... I don't think the Sparkly King wants us dead."

He led the way to the nearest door. "I think we need to find out which room you've been assigned, first. And then, we can look around." His voice was still a bit intense, but he was at least making an effort not to make any more speeches about life and fate. "The rooms are horrible. Like a bad motel."

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juniper_golding
2009-03-31 10:46 am UTC (link)

Seeing as how Armand could snap her like a twig, Juniper thought it prudent to not argue with him. Which was going to be interesting, seeing as how he could read her mind, but Juniper decided to use this as an exercise in blocking people out at any rate. So she just nodded at everything he said, and let the subject drop.

Juniper opened the door and let him go through first, before piping up. "It could be a cardboard box at this point, luv. I'm just happy to have somewhere to stay."

She approached the desk and gave her name to the goblin behind it, and was presented with a key and a journal before she was waved away. "B Dorm, number 218," she told Armand, showing him the key. "What's this for?" Juniper asked, flipping through the blank journal. "Does he want us to catalog our imprisonment here or something?" she muttered disdainfully.

Then she had a thought. "What about clothing? Personal items, all of that?" She looked down at her dress and laughed without humor. "They took the clothes I came in, and as pretty as this is...It's not something I'd really want to sleep in, let alone wear every day."

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vagabond_child
2009-03-31 01:58 pm UTC (link)

Armand smirked at the images he was still half-getting, but dropped it. He'd made his point, and, in the end, she was just a girl he'd just met. Even if she was a telepath, something he hadn't thought was possible for a mortal. And interesting, too, in that she believed everything she was saying about dying over and over again. That didn't mean he belived it, but he found it fascinating that she obviously did.

The pet name, which was likely just a normal one that she used with everyone, got her an amused look. However, he just stayed back and watched as she got her journal and her key. "Oh, yes, of course. We're to write down all that we think and feel. Or that's what I do, anyway..." He walked up behind her, rested a hand on her shoulder, and flipped through the part of the book with other people's entries in it until it came to his.

"The key is to your room, lovely mortal, and in there you will find clothing and everything you need. I wouldn't count much on anything else being as you want it, however. The rooms are hideous, in an understated way."

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juniper_golding
2009-03-31 02:12 pm UTC (link)

Juniper gasped when she saw what she'd thought to be blank pages suddenly scribbled on with the writing of others. "That's incredible," she breathed, and instantly wanted to discover exactly how it all worked. A psychic link? A computer system converted to appear like a journal? Impossible, just like the rest of this place and the things and people in it. She smiled at the entry he pointed out and ran the tips of her fingers over the writing that was so clearly Armand's, even without looking at the name at the bottom of the page.

"Hideously understated?" Juniper asked amusedly, looking at Armand over her shoulder before turning around to face him completely. "That's an oxymoron if I've ever heard one, but I'll take your word for it." At least she'd have a tooth brush and a change of clothes. That was something.

"I should probably find my room," she said with a bit of a stretch. Juniper knew she wouldn't sleep for hours, if at all, her brain was going far too fast, but still, having a home base would be nice after the day she had.

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vagabond_child
2009-03-31 02:24 pm UTC (link)

Armand frowned, surprised he hadn't thought about the things that she was. Even though he only got glimpses, and didn't try too hard to take more, he picked up on enough. "A computer?" He frowned and then shook his head. "I don't know. It simply is." Her amusement over his writing went unnoticed, however, which was probably a good thing. He still thought the entry he'd written had been hopelessly brief, but it had been all he'd had time for, at the time.

"Nevertheless, it's true." The vampire insisted, smiling slightly. "It's both understated and hideous. Much like the grotesque motel rooms all over Earth that are interchangable, regardless of location."

"Of course you should." And then, his obligation would be complete. Self-imposed obligation, of course, since he didn't usually let people obligate him to do anything much. But he was already eyeing her again, wondering if he could get away with biting her once more before he left her. Like Schuldig's, her blood was powerful. But could he take more without killing her? He pondered that as he walked with her.

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juniper_golding
2009-03-31 02:39 pm UTC (link)

"It's definitely something to figure out," Juniper muttered. Probably magic though, given the situation. And that, well, Juniper couldn't break down. Her life was science, not fantasy. At least, it used to be.

She smiled at him and then looked at the little map on the wall before heading to the B dorms, keeping to Armand's side. She caught the train of his thoughts and smirked a little bit, opening the door to the building and heading up the stairs. "I'm feeling alright," she told him, finding her door and leaning against the jam.

"It's not like I can fight you off, Armand. If you're going to do it, well..." she shrugged. "It's easier to not fight."

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vagabond_child
2009-03-31 02:56 pm UTC (link)

Armand's eyes widened, and he shook his head. He wasn't sure of he was delighted or infuriated, really. "Damn telepaths..." A human victim would have been completely unaware, and the fact that Juniper knew put him off guard a little bit. Only a little, and only for a couple of seconds, but it was significant. Mostly, humans couldn't do that to him.

Finally, he shook his head, a smile on his lips, though he was still almost angry about the whole thing. But the desire for her blood was stronger. Telepaths were coming to be a weakness of his, apparently, just in terms of what their blood could do to him. "As you say, lovely one."

He stepped forward, reaching for her hair and winding his fingers through it. I will make the images good ones, I can do that much. Carefully, with deceptive gentleness, he tilted her head to the side and bared his teeth. The sharp little fangs easily broke the surface, and he thrust himself into her mind as well, sending sensations of pure please through her.

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juniper_golding
2009-03-31 03:05 pm UTC (link)

Juniper snickered. If she didn't have any control in this situation, the least she could do was make his life difficult by not being polite at all about the mind reading bit. It wasn't much, but it was something.

She stiffened a bit when Armand put his hand in her hair, but other than that Juniper didn't fight him off. That would only end with her getting hurt, and she knew it. Her hands came up to grip his shoulders, and then wound around his neck, hanging on as she felt the sharp sting of his fangs entering her throat.

Far more than before, Juniper's body arched of it's own accord against his and she let out a little moan, her eyes closing and her head falling back, shuddering a little in his arms as he drank from her. Yeah, there was no point in fighting. Not when it felt so good to give in.

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vagabond_child
2009-03-31 06:03 pm UTC (link)

Armand normally made it good for his victims, though he didn't have to. But this girl deserved more than that, and he gave it to her. What a remarkable creature, really, she was. Even if he didn't have to by the odd rules of this place, he would keep her alive just for that. And, of course, the taste of her blood.

He didn't take nearly as much as he wanted to, but his skin was considerably paler than it had been before. "Powerful..." He whispered as he pulled away from her and looked at her with an expression that was almost mischievious, and somehow slightly repentant.

"I think I will see you again, Juniper Golding." Though he usually healed the marks on his victims, in this case, he rather wanted to leave them to heal naturally. He smiled at her, and then waved. "You can take care of yourself from here. Goodnight, and welcome." With that, he was gone, having moved away too quickly to be tracked.

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