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Post by Miss Jack on Sept 22, 2008 14:06:44 GMT -5
Vince grumbled, cursed, and brushed off yet another supply of bandages, limp over his arms; useless and dying. The faint pitter of a heartbeat pulsed against his ribs. Why was it coming so early? It had only been three months since his last transformation. Rarely, but it had happened before, something would trigger an early cycle-- though, only if the situation demanded this inconvenient side of himself.
He didn't know why he was surprised. Everything was different now. He could do nothing without his newfound love forcing his perspective into disarray.
It wasn't bad, honestly.... but it was irritating.
He walked into Mary's room, expression stormy, and said, "Come on. I'm giving you the tour so you don't get lost if I'm not around." He might have warned her he wasn't in the happiest of moods, but then, she probably already understood, as she understood everything about him.
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Post by Jules on Sept 22, 2008 14:35:34 GMT -5
Mary had, for the most part, spent her time in bed. It was a real bed, a mattress, not a collection of pillows or costumes but a real bed. And so when Vince came into her room with the same kind of forewarning he always did (none), she was cucooned in the blankets and about to drift off for yet another nap. But the tone of his voice suggested to her that perhaps telling him to buzz off wasn't such a good idea. In some ways it was comforting to see Vince hadn't changed all that much. Although when she turned around and opened her eyes she saw she was wrong, physically at least. "Molting already?" She commented, slipping out from under the blankets and pulling on the pants she'd left by the side of the bed.
"Isn't it a little early?" Sure he looked like he was channeling Godzilla at the moment but since when did she ever let up on him? Although perhaps she'd stop just so she could go on this tour, the idea was kind of exciting.
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Post by Miss Jack on Sept 22, 2008 14:43:48 GMT -5
"Yes, and yes," he growled, eyes narrowing as he waited for her to get out of bed, not appearing very guilty for disturbing her nap. He led the way out of her room, expecting her to follow. "It's probably your fault," he grumbled, more to himself than her.
"I don't know why you'll ever need to go into the deeper chambers, but if you do--" And she probably would. Knowing her, she'd go in simply because she was bored, "-- most of them are traps, and you'll need to know how to get out."
The rooms, all near the front and sectioned off by thick layers of tent fabric gave way and became something of a chamber. "The majority of the main tent used to be a funhouse."
It reminded him of the pyramids, and that's why he liked it.
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Post by Jules on Sept 22, 2008 15:01:58 GMT -5
"Me? How?" She asked, slightly puzzled---she thought it was like cycles or something. She didn't realize anything could affect it. Or maybe he was joking in that odd way he had (close to non-existent). Although she fell silent as he explained and showed. This was amazing, this place was so much more fantastical then she could have possibly imagined.
"Wow Vince..." She trailed off, trying to remind herself to hold her tongue. But it was too hard, it just wasn't in her. "This is amazing, but why the traps? What're you protecting down there?"
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Post by Miss Jack on Sept 22, 2008 22:16:31 GMT -5
"Most of my misfortunes are a direct product of you," he replied, lips twitching in amusement.
He didn't mind the interruption; it was impressive, and he felt a certain personal pride from her awe. He quirked a brow at her. His privacy, perhaps? He lifted a shoulder in a bored shrug.
"Most of the illusions were here before I came, though disorganized."
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Post by Jules on Sept 22, 2008 22:26:35 GMT -5
Mary rolled her eyes, "Your life would be mighty boring without my bestowing you with misfortunes." She watched as another piece of religious paper sloughed off and she came to his side, brushing it off his shoulder. "But if you really think I'm such bad luck to have around..." She trailed off teasingly and then turned her attention back to what he was trying to show her.
"Illusions, huh?" She stepped forward, it made sense. You wouldn't think the place was this big from outside, this complex. "Of what?"
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Post by Miss Jack on Sept 22, 2008 22:41:12 GMT -5
Vince watched the paper float to the floor dejectedly. By this time tomorrow, he'd be bronze-skinned.
"Everything," he said, and to prove his point, stepped forward and pushed his hand through a wall that was apparently not a wall at all.
"It's easy to get lost, so I don't advise going in without me until you know your way around."
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Post by Jules on Sept 22, 2008 22:51:26 GMT -5
"Don't look so sour. You're so much cuter when you've got skin." She grinned at him and tried immediately after him; pushing her hand through the wall that wasn't a wall. "Don't you have some kind of map I can study? I doubt you want to take me around every time I want to explore."
Which would be a lot. Because Vince was always wrapped up in the Important Study of Something or Other and none of it interested her (or very rarely) and so she did other things around the Circus to entertain herself, but this was something new and challenging and amazing. "Must've taken you forever."
Mary was itching to go deeper, see more, and getting lost wasn't ever a bad thing for her; she loved getting lost. "So what's behind this one? How long do they go on? Anything deadly? If I do end up getting lost, what would happen? Got any dirty secrets down there?"
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Post by Miss Jack on Sept 23, 2008 21:59:08 GMT -5
He scowled, not interested in appearing cute. Although... her approval was the only reason he could think of for the early cycle. That, and certain things were easier when you had skin and proper body functions.
"I lived a few centuries before you came and messed everything up," he reminded her.
He placed two fingers over her lips at the (predictable) onslaught of questions.
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Post by Jules on Sept 23, 2008 23:36:54 GMT -5
Mary put her hands on her hips and frowned at him from behind his fingers. She spoke against them anyways, her voice just a little muffled. "Geezer." She accused and then tried for her best glare. Did he think he could show her something this neat and not have her ask questions about it? He knew her better than that.
"Sides." Came her muffled voice, "You looooooove me." Her eyes flashed mischievously, "You like that I messed things up."
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Post by Miss Jack on Sept 23, 2008 23:45:35 GMT -5
He smiled (sort of, he was getting better at it). "Against all odds," he mused. He removed his fingers and decided to silence her lips with something else, namely his own.
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Post by Jules on Sept 24, 2008 0:02:29 GMT -5
Mary thought that it would still come as a shock everytime Vince kissed her. She'd only had a few days of him being like this and a few centuries of him being his usual rockish self. So she froze for a moment before melting into the kiss; he wasn't exactly generous with them and so when she did get them, she tried to make the most out of them. One hand she pressed to his chest to feel the new found heart beat. She wondered if she made his heart race like he did hers.
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Post by Miss Jack on Sept 24, 2008 18:00:33 GMT -5
His heart seemed to sense her hand over it and responded with a fervent thump, pushing out into the final transition, and then it was no longer a faint pitter, but full-fledged beat. He jerked back, examining himself with an annoyed glare. It was like her kiss had jump-started something in him. He felt warm all over, and... what the hell?
He shook his arm once and the remaining bandages fluttered to the floor, revealing tan skin and the tattoo that curved around his forearm. He shifted his glare to Mary. "Your fault," he said shortly, with a hint of 'I-told-you-so'.
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Post by Jules on Sept 24, 2008 21:03:45 GMT -5
Mary jerked back almost at the same moment, but instead of looking annoyed, she laughed. She supposed she did, after all, affect his heart. Despite his annoyed glare she pressed her ear to his chest to hear the thumping for a moment, fingers tracing the tattoo. Although she knew how much this state bothered him and if it really was her fault...
"I'm sorry Vince, I didn't mean to. I don't know what I did, but I'll stop?"
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Post by Miss Jack on Sept 24, 2008 22:15:26 GMT -5
He sucked in a sharp breath as he felt her cheek against his chest, her fingers, light over his marked skin. He'd known his thoughts, understood his emotions as best as he could interpret something like this, but he'd never felt it. His blood heating, his skin tingling, his heart picking up pace, every single nerve aware of her and what she was doing.
"No, I... Nevermind. I doubt you ever mean to."
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