Poster:	wickedwicker
Date:	2010-09-23 12:00
Subject:
Security:	Public

[This is a public forum post made in Magic Land, where everybody is connected by a forum!]

Just curious, but does anybody here have any experience with fire extinguishers?

Poster:	dwagonslayer
Date:	2010-09-10 13:57
Subject:
Security:	Public

The last two days had been very exciting ones, even in the life of an experienced Colombian drug dealer. Diego had heard from Lotte barely a week prior after several weeks of little to no contact. Not only had Bellum Letale collapsed - such a shame - but she was in need of some travel. If anything, Diego was good for the latter. They were able to find a fairly inexpensive flight that took her into Bogota, where Diego was waiting with a car and driver. Her first day had been spent simply getting used to the area, recovering from the flight and getting situated. Her second was an extension of the first, full of talking and quiet during the day. However, as night approached, they both packed bags and left the Forero household for the Pacific rainforest.

Luis and Benito were there, always near, and rode with them in the car. The plan was three days of camping and exploring through the lush rainforest that so often ended up on postcards and environmentalist websites. The three men pitched two tents, one for the boys and one for Lotte. They spent the night trying to sleep in spite of the loud jungle sounds outside.

The next morning, Diego woke up at the same time as Benito, creeping over Luis' sleeping body to break into the jungle clearing around them. Crouching on a log, Diego helped Benito light a small, controlled fire to boil water for tea. Steam rose from the kettle, wafting sleepily through the dense, humid air. Dressed in a pair of denim shorts and tough hiking boots, Diego wiped a cloth over his bare neck. It was still so early and already he was sweating. The jungle heat was oppressive and thick, something one had to get used to. Looking over at Lotte's tent, he considered checking to ensure that she woke soon. However, the piercing cries of several monkeys would probably do the job for him.

The rainforest really was nature's alarm clock.

Poster:	sentinelstar
Date:	2010-09-05 00:25
Subject:
Security:	Public

At nearly four weeks out since Bellum had collapsed, Luther had settled into things. He and Joanie had pooled sources and rented an apartment together. After pulling things together at the headquarters, he resigned - yet again - and remained as a consultant only. Valjean's case was declared closed for a second time and Luther opened up his own practice. As a private investigator, money was still tough to come by but that was what the consulting was for. He ended up with more chores about the apartment to even out expenses, Joanie being the more steady breadwinner between them.

After managing to solve a case involving a kidnapping in the West End of the city, Luther considered enough time had passed. He texted Joanie, telling her to head to the Juke Joint. For old time's sake, they were going to have a night out. It wasn't the sanest of ideas to put aside an evening just to get drunk, but he and Joanie had managed a few nights with friends only. And the constant replenishing of beer kept in the fridge. Being out of Bellum meant slightly less crazy - the Full Moon passed without incident - but it didn't change Luther's strange reliance on it.

Come eight o'clock, Luther managed to get a taxi over to the Juke Joint. He ignored the spot where Bellum had been - he'd passed it since to see it marked off for future development. After giving a small tip to the taxi driver, he got out and waited by the doors. Hands shoved into his jeans, he looked for Joanie in the people that passed by.

Poster:	tempestual
Date:	2010-09-02 00:55
Subject:
Security:	Public

To call it foolish would be an understatement. Johannes knew that. One visit was necessary, the second had been unavoidable. The third - the third didn't have to happen and in the end, fate decided it shouldn't have. She wasn't there. It should have been a sign from whoever was in charge of making the world miserable that he should give up and not think anymore of the Sayre girl. Instead he went the idiot's route, not even bothering to find an excuse with those who hired him. He showed up a week after his third visit, pounding on the flimsy Sayre door, demanding to see Erik - even though it was a lie. No. He wanted to see Blanche.

Blanche wasn't there though and neither was Erik, nor the weak wife. The door broke away under his hands and he searched the whole house, going through rooms he'd avoided before, looking for any sign of those he sought - or made an excuse to see. He couldn't be bothered to turn his nose up at the mess, not even when he came across the girls' bedrooms. Blanche's room was spotted by pictures and the general illusion of youngness. He took one of her posing for the camera, all smiles and covering her sisters, tucking it into the inner pocket of his coat. It was a coincidence it ended up near his heart; it was also where he kept his gun.

He took to the streets soon after, letting the broken door swing behind him. The wind was picking up and a car's passing radio warned of a coming storm. Johannes ignored it, merely tugging his jacket tighter about him and pulling up the collar. He didn't have a reason to fear the cold - not when anger was pulsing through him like this, matched by an inexplainable confusion as to why he was so caught up  with a girl he'd only seen all of once.

Poster:	numbkiss
Date:	2010-08-29 17:19
Subject:
Security:	Public

Prompt: “Toes”

She had very consciously decided on her toes, out of all her other limbs and baits, and had come to this idea a good two hours before he arrived. There was something about the subtlety of her feet that enticed her into that resolve. Her toes, carefully brimming the horizon of her sofa, were such a small but inescapable detail. He’d see nothing of her but that hint that she was there—lounging on the couch—just a few feet away from obtainable vision.

She was in position when he arrived. She had been in position for a good deal of time—unspeakably bored and playing through fantasies and various circumstances. Him killing himself there in the kitchen with his eyes. He, in all glory, tearing at loose threads, buttons, fabric—ripping his outfit apart—feeling like he was fluttering apart--to shreds--on the linoleum. Her toes wiggling hello.

The fact was that her swinging legs represented something. Youth. Vitality. She plotted out every flex of her toes, every swish of her leg, every time she scratched her ankle with her other foot. She bent, and curled. She could hear him talking to her father in the kitchen. She could tell that he was sitting in the chair that breached the wall that divided the house; cut through the living room and the kitchen. She was just barely in sight for him. But she was in sight. Occasionally, at the peaks of their conversation, she would stretch her legs out long and far and whirl them energetically.

He could get up to see her if he wanted to. He could find an excuse. If he did that, she planned, she would get up and walk away. He couldn’t see her face the whole time. Not this time. Perhaps next time.

Though she did want desperately to say hello, this was the way to success for now. She had thought about it extensively. She had planned everything out. Decided everything to the very last detail: her toes.

Though she did want desperately to say hello; the idea was that he would want it more.

Poster:	tempestual
Date:	2010-08-05 04:03
Subject:
Security:	Public

The weather had never been much of a concern to Johannes. Like the mailman, he did his job in rain or shine, snow or sleet. But over the last thirty-five years of his existence, he'd noticed that it could give a tip-off to things. A day that began with rain and heavy clouds rarely ended well. Snowstorms worked similarly. Tornadoes as well. For that matter, sunshine and rainbows didn't make things end well either - but rain, gray rain that always got under his coat and on his neck was always a sign of things ending badly.

Sayre's neighborhood was barely above a slum, which meant that all opportunities for cover were taken already. He swept past, chin ducking under the lapels of his coat, only catching their looks in the corner of his eye. Some of the thin huddlers shied away - a few merely stared. It bothered him, but he was used to that. They should recognize him, logically. He'd been here often enough to get a job done. Things rarely went simply on this side of town. Certain screams and gunshots could be attributed to his prescence.

It didn't bother him; not really. He couldn't allow for it.

The house number was spotted and his pace picked up slightly, eager to get out of the rain. His long trench coat - hiding his usual arms and tricks of the trade - billowed out behind him, slowing him as it kept him partially-dry. He refused to grab at the bottom of it either - a feminine step he couldn't allow. He had a reputation to keep up and it had nothing to do with that. He could only keep on, face stern in it's grimace as he climbed the decaying steps to Sayre's house and rapped on the door. The sounds from inside said family was in. If Sayre wasn't, he'd make it work. He knew how to deal with family members after all - at times, they made the job that much easier.

Poster:	hangmanhang
Date:	2010-07-28 22:54
Subject:	013. Promised Land
Security:	Public

013. Promised Land
Characters: Jude Walmsey

BITCH WE ARE TIED. Now I'll link both of them up.


( Jude’s life rides a safe 35 mph around his little sister’s schedule. )

Poster:	heypigs
Date:	2010-07-28 22:23
Subject:	You Put the Devil in Me
Security:	Public

NOT A REPLY TO THE DEVIL PROMPT BECAUSE IT'S NOT ANY OF THE CHARACTERS HERE.

Well... OK. It is in response to the devil prompt--BUT THE DEVIL PROMPT IS STILL OPEN. This doesn't count.

Anachronism stew ad absurdum.

( So I had this theory going once... )

Poster:	iphigenie
Date:	2010-07-28 20:33
Subject:
Security:	Public

040. Wooden.
Characters: Iphigenia

[Tauris-priestess Iffy. Not my best and it's short, but HEY a prompt and I'm ahead now :D I don't know what happened to the no-competition thing]

( Sometimes Iphigenia dreams of Mycenae. )

Poster:	smallman
Date:	2010-07-27 17:51
Subject:
Security:	Public

[ooc: I chose art museum. The metropolitan museum of art. Because there are pictures of naked women. Hehehehehehe. /sophomoric humor]

There was a swirling, line of people suffocating outside the Met's doors, curling like smoke into the streets. Sidney watched them get checked and file in from a window whose vast dimensions reached the second floor, and from his spot on the stairs he could see over the banner that was draped over every opening of the museum: Waterhouse. Display. Touring. That kind of sickeningly predictable deal. Sidney leaned on the cane, and against the railing, and the whole museum; trying to drag it down with the sheer weight of his unhappiness.

It had been Jane who persisted to come. For the wine. For the prestige. For the beauty. For the company. Sidney watched her from about, waltzing on the first floor; hovering just above the tile as she danced in and out of men's minds; ethereal, but there. She laughed orgasmically, and flirted, swinging her vowels in sure tones of "sultry" and "my husband's a sap." She talked so quick, and exclaimed so loudly that the whole room began meandering around the strong gravitational force of her large, large voice. She moved behind a pillar, and Sidney, frowning, carefully crouched down and stuck his forehead between two rails to keep an eye on her. He clutched his cane tightly, grimacing.

She was making a fool of herself down there.

Poster:	still_lotte
Date:	2010-07-27 02:37
Subject:
Security:	Public

088. Human
Characters: Lotte Karsten

[With Bellum canon, though it takes place before.]

( When Lotte is three, ‘human’ is a loose term. )

Poster:	iphigenie
Date:	2010-07-23 03:05
Subject:
Security:	Public

078. Lamb
Characters: Iphigenia/Holly Kimball.

[Okay, this ended up more as a ...what-if, as I really prefer the version where she doesn't know and has to deal with the angst of that and stuff. Whether it's in the Underworld or off in Tauris. SO, this is a little what-if that's not quite accurate with it's references, but it's a short piece so I get lee-way, right? >_> But anyway, have Iffy. I missed her.]

( Sheep are lucky because they’re so easily led along. )

Poster:	smallman
Date:	2010-07-22 17:15
Subject:	019. Steam
Security:	Public

019. Steam
Characters: Hephaestus/Sidney/WHATEVER HE'S HEPH IN THIS PARTICULAR INCARNATION

(This is to-tal-ly cheating, fellas. I wrote this before--like a month or so--when I first made the table. I forgot I had it until I found it again today and was like "OH YEAH." Posting it up here now. xD S'not special; I was just really in love with the image/idea of grilling burgers in the rain. Plus also you know that myth with Hermes where he steals Apollo's cows and wants to eat one but can't because gods can only drink ambrosia? Yeah. When I read that myth I thought "Wow that sucks, man" and I always wanted to hand Hermes my cheeseburger. This is my way of doing so: an Anachronism Stew ad absurdum, with tons of fun scholarly mistakes. OH YEAH. Olympic gods have barbecues while listening to Bruce Springsteen in the rain~ Yes.)

( There was a chorus of hissing on the grill... )

Poster:	heypigs
Date:	2010-07-22 01:43
Subject:	047. Marooned
Security:	Public

047. Marooned
Characters: young!Rose


( The thickness of the morning fog did wonders for Rose’s burning cheeks... )

Poster:	woodsman
Date:	2010-07-20 16:18
Subject:
Security:	Public

Pulling his truck up to the edge of the park, Anthony decided that attending the Jazz Festival was one of his more idiotic moves. He’d made several good ones before – ones that had ended up with buildings destroyed and lives lost. Yet attending this festival ranked up there with his worst ones. He shut the car off and got out, scanning the parking lot for a confirmation of his stupidity. He half expected someone to come up to him, point out that he had no business here with Stella gone and that doing this was only a way to re-open old wounds.

No one noticed the scruffy man hover by his car though. Families and young couples bustled towards the entrance, hushing each other as big band echoed out. Few people were there alone – most preferring a friend to share their blanket and picnic basket with. People seemed happy to be there, aside from the few screaming toddlers dragged along by their parents. Big Band entreated people to come further into the park where the stage was.

Anthony sighed before locking the truck up. He pushed his keys and hands into the pockets of his cargo pants, following a young couple into the park. Habit allowed him to not stare as they pushed the rules of PDA – her hands in his pockets and his lips constantly going to her hair. Anthony needed to keep his eyes moving, watching for any sign of disruption. Not noticing things cost lives and he’d done enough of that. Even if today he was off-duty from work, he could never truly relax.

The music grew louder as he moved down the bend until the path opened into a small clearing below. He moved away from the others, towards the edge by a surprisingly vacant tree. His eyes flicked over the crowd, before he allowed himself to lean against the trunk, just listening.