lostcarnival | ⇨ The Tourist Trap: WEEK 1

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⇨ The Tourist Trap: WEEK 1

Who: Anyone, anywhere in Portland.
When: October 1st - 7th, 2017
Where: Portland area, in the new reality.
What: Memories begin returning to the displaced as the fall gets chillier. How the hell did we end up here, again? Also, apparently, the fair is in town.
Warnings: Individually marked!

PORTLAND BY NIGHT↴

Memory regains will come into effect at the beginning of October, to whatever degree you've decided upon, and may be regained at whatever pace you desire from then on. For those with their full carnival memories, it will be like waking up in the body of someone else - for those with half and half, it will be like rapidly recalling sets of memories from a totally different life. Those with full amnesia will simply feel as if this is how it's always been.

Unfortunately for you, memories aren't the only thing you have to deal with. The supernatural community of Portland is bustling all of a sudden - could your presence and these events somehow be related?

► THE OUTER CIRCLE: As of the start of the month, the Portland Circle of Enlightenment will find itself starting to get swarmed with members from other chapters. Most notably, it would seem that a small cabal of top mages from the North American Enlightenment Council will be making their home in Portland's HQ. For anyone but the highest of ranks, the purpose behind their visit will be unclear, but it seems like something is definitely up on a metaphysical level. The Circle will be buzzing with rumours of unique planar activity and threatening omens. It seems that it all started with an unusual flare of activity in the planetary ley-lines, starting approximately a week ago. However, even if you would usually be the type to keep tabs on such things, you will find that you oddly have no memory of observing this phenomenon yourself.

► THE ANIMAL FAIR: Good news, the fair is in town! Or, at least, it would be good news... if this was a regular fair. Instead, what's being observed is a bunch of nearly identical flyers, spread all around Portland - each of which bears only the words "THE ANIMAL FAIR", a seemingly bloody paw-print of unknown origin, and the directions to a vague forested location outside of the city. It's dated for October 7th, and all instances of its posting having been discovered with a scattering of rose petals, crow feathers, and pre-burnt matches laying on the ground around them. Most are taking this to be some kind of bizarre viral marketing campaign, but others may know better.

► THE EARTH SPIRIT: If you have connections to The Pack or any of its many variations, you'll probably hear whispers of something very odd that occurred last week - according to the elders, it sounds as if the Earth Spirit, the magical and spiritual center of the planet, has suddenly taken a wound. It's not clear why or how, but there is a fair bit of concern among spiritual types, as it is werebeast belief and nebulous magical fact that the magical forces within the earth are the source of all magic here, as well as the source of life. While many werebeasts claim to have felt the Spirit succumb, you strangely have no memory of such an event occurring. Though things do feel strange, if you know how to tap into the Spirit yourself.

► THE WAR CRY: Though Anath's rain of terror across North America lasted for the first fifteen years or so of the Severing, most independent demons have had enough time to start taking the arch-demon's relative inactivity for granted. For that first while, the warrior queen had seemed determine to rebuild an army on earth by forcing her scattered brethren into service - only for her to gradually settle down in a fortress somewhere in Texas and dig in her heels. Of course, this was too good to last - it sounds as if she and her demonic legion have begun tearing their way up the west coast, their goals remaining a mystery. Their destination, however, is almost certainly Portland.

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'Ah, well... I wouldn't want to embarrass Dolly here, but she can't quite control her magic just yet.' [He gives Snake a sympathetic wince, never once taking his eyes off the pair of souls nestled so snug and close.] 'She just wanted a little warmth, but overdid it. Didn't you dear?'

[Doll crosses her arms and looks away. Knotley shrugs.] 'See? It's not her fault, she tries very hard. People make mistakes, right?'

'Ooh... You ah.' [Knotley knows exactly what's happening, but he's playing dumb for the moment.] 'You're getting a little scaley there, pal. Are we making you nervous?'

[Slowly, very slowly, Sean straightens up, never taking his eyes off Knotley either, except once, when they flick to Doll. He takes a slow step back, then another. He's almost to the mouth of the alley.]

Not nervous. Anxious.

[So close to light and freedom and not being stared at like a freaking buffet dinner. But at the same time, his steps falter. He remembers so much about Doll... was it all a lie?]

'Ah, well, my apologies. Here--' [He pulls Doll in front of him by her shoulders, and bends a little to smile right next to her cheek.] '--let Dolly take you to get your arms looked at. She's not so bad looking, is she? In fact, aside from the occasional fiery mishap, she's legitimately sweet.'

[As she's urged towards the boy, Doll knows exactly what Knotley wants her to do-- corrupt him, win him over to their side, two souls for one is the perfect way to get back on his good side, isn't it?]

[It would be, if Doll had any intention of getting back on his good side. He thinks the threat is legitimate enough, but Doll just doesn't care anymore. Her life is terrible, and lonely, and haunted by a demon whispering to her night and day to steal and corrupt and lure-- what part of it was good at all?]

[Doll stops walking a few feet from Sean, eyes lowered.] I know how t'get t'the hospital from 'ere. Know a nice doctor who don' mind us neither. If you'd like me t'take you to 'im.

[He doesn't need a doctor, doesn't need more than a couple bandaids, he's already healing. But he doesn't say that. This is a chance.

He steps a little closer to Doll, reaching for her hand, very gently. The scales on his upper torso slowly recede.]

Let's go.

[He's got a lot to say to her, once they're farther away from the creepy demon, but for now he'll stay quiet and keep looking over his shoulder. He doesn't trust Knotley not to put a knife in one of their backs.]

[Doll blinks and looks down at their hands, surprised by the kind gesture when Knotley had terrorized him. But it feels... nice, and comfortable. Better than she'd thought holding hands with a stranger would be.]

[She looks back over her shoulder at Knotley. He's smiling like he's doing something nice for someone, but Doll knows better. She knows there's a thread of expectation and anticipation in there, but it slides into the nearest shadow with Knotley himself and is gone.]

[After a beat, she pulls the other young man along the sidewalk. It's quiet at least, and fewer people stare too long when she's got someone walking with her.]

'M sorry 'bout him. He's only got one thing on 'is mind mosta th'time. But 'e won't hurt ya.

[He would normally have just brushed her off, said he was fine, but there were several things going for her in this situation. For one, she was clearly being terrorized. She wasn't happy, she looked more scared than anything. But also... he knows her. The "dreams" he had last night, the memories that feel more real than his "real" life, feature her heavily. Worrying about her, wishing he could help her, being a brother in all but blood to her.

Maybe they don't have that connection here, but helping her's at least possible now.]

What's he want from you?

[Money and sex both seem too... mundane for such a creepy character. What else, though? He acted like some kind of awful movie pimp or slavemaster, that much is for sure.]

[Doll snorts as they walk.] You'd think after getting my soul, there wouldn' be much more he'd want, right? But I'm 'is warlock, so of course there's always more.

He wants me t'convince people t'contract with 'im. Says I have th'face for it. So that's why I'm gonna drop you at th'doctor, he's gonna give you a looksee over, and then you're never gonna see the likes of me again. Too dangerous.

[Souls? Warlocks? This is all over Sean's head. The elders among the pack say they have two intertwined souls, though, so maybe that's why Knotley was so interested? That'd make sense.

There's one thing Sean - or maybe Snake - knows for sure, though. It's not fair to leave someone alone. He remembers the girl who shared so much with this one hated that, and he remembers not being able to do anything about it.

For this reason, he speaks up, voice quiet but firm, face inscrutable. He's not going to abandon her to this fate, not alone, and with three words, he says as much.]

I'll do it.

[Doll's head whips towards him so fast, her bangs fly and shift to reveal a small sliver of something red. They fall back into place quick, but Doll's eye is still wide.]

You have no idea what you're on about. Y'can' just say stuff like that, this is chainin' yerself to a demon. This isn't temporary, it's not a game.

I know.

[He saw her being abused, knows he'll be subject to the same. He saw her powers, too, but that's not what's tempting him down this dark path.

He just wants to help her, to make her not be alone, to get her a success so Knotley will get off her back. He just wants to be the kind of person who would do that.

They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions, but they don't know the half of it.]

I'll still do it.

Th'hell you will. [Doll growls, violently shoving her hands in her pockets and walking a little faster.]

You're barking. You say you know, but you have no idea what it's like! He pops right up out of my shadow to make his demands and push me to make slaves out of unsuspecting people-- middle of the day, middle of the night, it don't matter none t'him! Forget any life or friends y'have now, because he'll be mutterin' in yer ear, day in, day out, t'convince them over t'him. You'll have t'push them away so they'll be safe. You got friends, pal?

[It's hard to keep up with her, or would be if he weren't technically athletic. He has to redouble his pace, and it'll still wear him out quickly, but he manages to take her arm.

Friends. Does he... he remembers pushing them away, trying to scare them, but that wasn't this life, was it? He's got Sora, and not much else; the team from high school hasn't kept touch, and he never made time for friends, really. So he just shakes his head.]

Not really.

[His family is distant, too. He's expected to move out after university. He's not even close with anyone in the pack. He's only really got Sora.]

Did you?

[Doll freezes the moment he grabs her-- it's a habit. Nobody handles her like this except Knotley, and it's usually better if she just lets him. When her brain catches up with her instinct, she looks back at the young man holding her, silently asking what right he has to grab her like this. But she doesn't jerk away, she just stares back at him because for some reason, it feels right that he's stopped her from leaving him there.]

...no. [She looks away from him, at the ground.] M'parents abandoned me when I was little, somehow I got by on my own, but it got real hard. [And then she'd made the mistake of thinking someone was finally going to give her a hand, and instead she ended up contracted to Knotley.]

Please, I feel barely human most days, I can' knowingly subject ya t'this. It ain't decent.

[He didn't mean to remind her of her demonic master, but nor did he intend to let her get away, alone, again. She's not... happy. It's obvious why, but he doesn't like seeing her like this. Not at all. So if that means he has to stay with her, he will. Come hell or high water, with the former being more likely.]

He'd come after me anyway.

[Whether it's true or not is irrelevant. It seems likely that Knotley would pursue him through some means, though. He seemed interested in, entranced with, even, Sean's souls. He's never met a demon before, but Knotley seems the tenacious type. Maybe if he doesn't sign on, he'll be eaten anyway.]

But maybe he wouldn't. I've distracted him this long. [Doll says with a limp shrugging gesture. She's running out of excuses though, and part of her wonders if someday she wouldn't turn around and this guy would be standing in the Collapse anyway. At least this way she'd earn some points with Knotley...]

[Damnation, what is she thinking?! That she could ever sell out another person for her own gain?!]

I don't even know you, you don't even know me!

I know you.

[He does. Or did? Or maybe it's another life someone else is living. He's not sure.

But he's sure she was a part of it.]

Your name is Doll. You don't like being alone. You helped save me from myself.

[He's not sure how much is safe to say, how much won't hurt her, if she knows anything like he does or if she's in this world only. He wishes it were so simple for him, that he could just...]

Now it's my turn. Let me do this.

[Two of those things are true-- hell, all three could be true. But the fact that he knows her name and that she hates being by herself... those aren't lucky guesses. Her blood runs cold and she stares at him, dumbstruck.]

...who are you?

[How should he answer... He doesn't try to smile, at least. It would feel fake. He bows his head, and thinks.]

... I don't know anymore.

[He hates that he has to answer like that, but it's the truth. He's not sure which set of memories are the real set - the ones that make sense, the Sean ones, or the ones that seem from another life, the memories of Snake. It's enough to make life difficult., to say the least.]

Sorry...

[That's no answer at all, and Doll thinks this guy must have hit his head behind that garbage can. But... he also sounds sincere, and lost, and confused. Doll can't say she hasn't felt the same before, or wondered how she'd lived this long under Knotley's thumb by herself. It didn't seem to make sense, but she couldn't think too long or hard about it before she felt exhausted.]

[Like she does now. She sighs heavily, starting to become resigned to the fact that this guy was not going to listen to all of her warnings. This could be alright, though, if he really was set on going through with it anyway. It would mean she wouldn't be alone all the time.]

...If yer really serious 'bout this, let me come home with you 'n shower 'n eat 'n sleep. [If he's really serious, if he somehow knows her and knows she hates being alone, this will be a no-brainer for him. If he's not serious, he'll draw the line at letting her into his living space.]

[It takes Sean a moment, but he nods. They're closer to his parents' house than the school; he offered to stop by, but they said they'd be out of town this evening, one of his sisters had a soccer competition or something. This should work out perfectly.]

Alright. My house is near here.

[Realizing that he's still holding her arm, he releases her, and extends his hand for her to take.]

[...wow. He just. Agreed to that immediately. He really is serious.]

[Well, she's not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, however strange this horse is. A bed and a bath sound amazing after this insane night. Doll looks down at his hand and back up at him. Stranger and stranger, but... she's not opposed to it.]

[Doll takes his hand.] What 'bout your scrapes?

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⇨ The Tourist Trap: WEEK 1

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