InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Oh Mickey, you're so fine"

Steerpike (snearbite) wrote in labyrinth_rpg,
@ 2009-03-09 13:59:00

Entry tags:

arrival, complete, day one, fuchsia groan, steerpike

Day Two - Not a happy clown...
WHO: Steerpike and Fuchsia
WHAT: A meeting of likes
WHEN: Day 2, mid-morning
WHERE: The ren faire.
WARNINGS: I think this will be ok, but their might be swears.
STATUS: Incomplete

He spent the night curled up in an empty tent. Steerpike had ignored the key and book for a time, until they had started following him around. He had snatched the horrid things out of the air and stalked off, looking for something, ANYTHING that was familiar. After half a day of exploring he had to admit that he was not in Gormenghast anymore. What suprised him was how uncomfortable that made him feel.

Steerpike was still curled up in the tent when he was woken by a gentle coughing sound. Someone was trying to wake him up, and he was not exactly willing. "Sirs will have to leave," said a voice, and he opened one eye to see a hideous little creature standing beside him, wearing strange armour and an apron. Not sticking around to find out what the thing wanted, he staggered out of the tent into the early morning light. With his arms wrapped around his now crumpled coat, he strolled around the strange fair, watching the hideous little creatures moving about and starting their day.

He wondered where all the other strange people had gone. His own night had been less than pleasant, and though the weather had greatly improved his mood had definitely not. Steerpike found a log bench and sat down, trying to ignore the ache in his limbs from sleeping on the ground, or the rumble in his stomach that reminded him that he hadn't eaten in over a day. He was out of his depth, so he sulked.

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ladyfuchsia
2009-03-08 10:36 pm UTC (link)

So many tents. There were so many tents, almost a whole city of them, streaming ribbons into the sky and bustling with strange people and snatches of bawdy conversation. So many people, with not a single one of them stopping to curtsey for Fuchsia, or fall at her feet, or at least get out of her way like everyone was supposed to do.

"Don't touch me! Don't-- Take your hands off my dress! Nannie! Nannie where are you? I'm lost and you're not supposed to leave me alone. Nannie! Oh I hate her. I love her. Where is she?"

The churning masses ignored her when she pleaded with them to send for Flay, or her father, or that kitchen boy or anyone. She thought she must have turned the wrong way on Gormenghast mountain and come out in the village of the woodcutters. She'd never been here before, but she'd heard the stories of their rough, uncouth natures. They weren't supposed to mingle with castle folk.

"You're not supposed to talk to me! You're supposed to bow!" she yelled hopelessly into the crowd.

She couldn't even see the castle from here. It was a cold, frightening feeling not being able to see the stones she had lived in for all of her life. Finally she freed herself from the tented city and into a less crowded area, with plenty of room to throw herself on the ground and sob.

"Oh I want to go home. I want my things. This is horrid! Horrid! When I get back I shall tell father to have them all killed!"

She was nearby, but hadn't noticed the bench at all.

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snearbite
2009-03-08 10:51 pm UTC (link)

Dumbstruck. It was probably the best word to describe his reaction when he saw he come wailing towards him and collapse unceremoniously on the ground. He had never seen her like this, so vulnerable, so childlike, and he felt a turning deep in his chest that could possibly be a seed of sympathy. But it was not meant to be, and he pushed it away as he did all feelings he couldn't control. Instead he sat and stared at her for almost a full minute before standing up and walking slowly towards her.

"Lady Fuchsia?" he said, then again louder so she would her him over her cries. His lip curled slightly at the sight of her on the ground, and he forgot for a moment that he had no idea where he was, or why, and just stared down at such a bizzare spectacle.

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ladyfuchsia
2009-03-08 11:04 pm UTC (link)

One of them was talking to her. It was horrible, horrible. Fuchsia covered her ears for fear of what things it might say to her, only finding herself blinded by tears she had to free one hand to wipe them away.

She saw the Gormenghast livery before she noticed it's wearer, and her expressions chased through a procession of relief, delight, shock and outrage.

"You! What are you doing here? I don't want you!"

But that wasn't quite true, and anything familiar was so welcome that she might have thrown her arms around him if it was in any way proper. She knelt up, instead, looking wobbly enough that getting to her feet would be a dire mistake.

"I'm lost and everyone's being beastly. Take me back to the castle at once! I order it!"

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snearbite
2009-03-08 11:16 pm UTC (link)

It stung like a slap in the face. He felt the anger rise within him, and resisted the urge to slap her back. She sat up and snapped the order at him, and he found himself really seeing her for what she was. Completely fascinated with the reality of a Groan taken away from Gormenghast, Steerpike laughed. He laughed right in her face, clutching his sides and staggering backwards with the release.

It was almost a humourless laugh though, the desperation, desolation and confusion was coming out of him. It was bad enough that he had no idea where he was. But seeing the Lady Fuchsia reduced to a snivelling girl-child, that was definitely the breaking point.

Still laughing he returned to the bench, and sunk back to a seating position where he rocked with laughter.

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ladyfuchsia
2009-03-08 11:30 pm UTC (link)

"I order you to take me back!" Fuchsia called after him, the command not carrying much weight with her looking like a supplicant on her knees. She shouldn't, couldn't kneel to someone like him, after all. "What are you doing? Take me back!"

Gradually, with tiny, fragile movements, she picked herself up and approached the bench, half shocked and half fascinated with such a response. Why was he laughing? What was funny? She glanced around, half expecting to see other familiar faces all sharing in the apparent joke. Perhaps this was all set up to tease her, some sort of game.

"Is there a party? What's wrong with you?"

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snearbite
2009-03-08 11:51 pm UTC (link)

With an effort he supressed his laughter, but still fought to keep his composure. "A party?" he repeated, shaking his head in disbelief. Just like a Groan, everything's just a big celebration with them.

"There's nothing wrong with me, My Lady" he said with obvious sarcasm. "I thought there might be, but now that you're here..." he gave off a strange, maniacle giggle and ended it with an undignified snort.

"Besides," he said, eyeing her with mild contempt. "I can't take you back. I don't know where we are."

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ladyfuchsia
2009-03-09 12:03 am UTC (link)

"You're acting strangely." She jabbed a finger toward him, accusing.

But then, if he didn't even know where he was, well that put him in a worse situation even than her. No one could come this far away from Gormenghast castle without being unsettled by it's absence - although one day she would live alone, and only see it in the very far distance, and be her own person entirely. She would. She was certain that she would.

And so, not understanding contempt or sarcasm for the things that they were, she carefully took a seat on the bench beside him.

"I think these are woodcutters. Horrible people, Nannie says. One of them is wetnurse for Titus. They dress and act strangely, but they're useful to the castle."

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