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Post by Mindy Omnis on Dec 27, 2009 16:10:21 GMT -5
In the early hours of the morning one very cold December night, an extremely yellow bicycle was trundling down the road at a not inconsiderable speed.
This extremely yellow bicycle was an unfortunate shade of, well, yellow, which resembled in coloration the Xat avatar of one of our beloved admins. This bicycle also belonged to Aimée Faye, although as far as anyone knew she never used it.
However, it was not Aimée Faye who was currently driving the extremely yellow bicycle, but Arianrhod Argall, who was seriously considering either stealing it permanently or arguing with Aimée until she handed it over.
It was one-thirty in the morning, or thereabouts, and Arianrhod was going about her usual nighttime business. (And you thought the dark circles under her eyes were from reading all night. Fool.) She'd left Camp at midnight, leaving a note tacked to her bunk - If you're in here, you're probably looking for me, Arianrhod. I'm in the town closest to here getting supplies and things. If it's after dawn and I'm not here, then I've probably had some sort of horrible accident and you'll need to come collect me or my body. My will is in the possession of my father, and Merle is not allowed to have my copy of Misery under any circumstances. If I am dead and unable to return it, Jack, your book is with me. I'll try to keep it clean if I'm killed bloodily. Serial killers are messy these days. - Arianrhod - and the lights of the little place were finally appearing in the distance. Either she needed to find some way to bike faster or somehow steal the van every night.
The first few times Rhod had biked into the small town, the name of which she had never bothered to learn, people had given her blank and confused stares. No one expected people buying groceries at two in the morning, and especially not a teenager. Arianrhod was fairly certain that most people didn't expect teenagers to buy groceries at all. In the beginning everyone had asked her if she was running away from home, where she lived, etc., but she had just told them that she lived near the strawberry farm and had issues with sunlight, and everyone had accepted this. Maybe vampires were common around this part of Long Island?
The streetlights cast a white glow on Rhod's face, washing it in unnatural pallor, and she slowed to a stop at a corner. The bike tilted slightly as she placed a foot down on the pavement, looking around and over her shoulder warily. The generic 24-hour supermarket, imaginatively named "Grocery Store," was just a block or two away, but something here gave her pause.
It was like... someone was watching her.
But that was just creepy, and far too like Rose Madder for Arianrhod's tastes. So instead of reaching into her pocket and taking out the Swiss army knife that was, really, just a Swiss army knife, she pushed forward and back into motion, resisting the urge to look back over her shoulder as she made the turn.
The grocery store was bright for two in the morning, but Arianrhod was oddly relieved at its brightness. The only way something could sneak up on her here was if it was lurking in the aisles. The thought was discomforting, and despite the warmth of the building, she shuddered.
Ridiculous. You're acting like a heroine in one of those idiotic horror films. Don't open any closets and you'll be fine.
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Jack Travidi
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For the last time, my name isn't Optimus. Seriously. >|[Mo0:2]
Posts: 96
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Post by Jack Travidi on Dec 27, 2009 16:57:57 GMT -5
Jack was the thing in the night you didn't want finding you. If you thought he was mean to his fellow campers, you should see how he acts toward mere mortals. He smiled, thinking of his last jaunt out of camp. He didn't leave often. In fact, he only left camp when he discovered the location of a magical artifact and it was nearby. Or to arrange to have someone bring said artifact to him. He usually had little interest in them once he knew what they did, but he occasionally came across a rare gem, per se.
Jack snapped back to the present, letting out an annoyed sigh. He'd never wished for mastery of teleportation more in his life, except for those times when it would be easier for him to retrieve an artifact on his own. Lucky bitch. At least she has a bike, he thought angrily, the seventeen year old trying to keep up on foot. So that brought about just one question: what was Jack doing creepily stalking Arianrhod?
Well, he had been peacefully sleeping. However, Jack had wards on everything he owned, including the book he'd loaned Rhod. As such, he was aware when it left the camp. She was allowed to have it, so it not being in it's rightful place didn't alert him to anything. When anything he owned went outside the borders, regardless of the circumstances, he would be aware of it. He had gotten up and looked through his trunk and the cabin, finding all his cabinmates asleep and, for once, silent. Well, quiet. SOMEONE snored. He wasn't going to name names, though. Looking through his trunk, he found everything in it's proper place.
Okay fine. Almost everything. He had lent Arianrhod a book a few days ago, and that was still with her. Jack had no problem with that, though, and it took him a minute to realize that that was the only thing that could possibly have set off his ward. He frowned slightly, putting on his shoes. He dressed as well, preferring not to have to come back if something was wrong, which it most certainly was. Why else would his wards have gone off?
Dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, Jack quietly shuffled around the dark, searching for his overcoat. It had a special holder hidden in it where he could put his staff. The coat itself was magic, too. When his staff was in the holder, it became as flexible as the coat itself, making movement much easier. It also became weightless, yet another way to keep it out of his way when moving. Both the staff and the coat were gifts from his mother, and his features softened as he thought about it. It only took him a minute to remember that he needed to go to the Athena Cabin and check on Arianrhod. His face became more serious as he placed his staff in its holder and put the black coat on. He left his usual pack behind, not having anything else to carry.
Quietly leaving the Hermes Cabin, Jack teleported himself over to the Athena Cabin. He was much less likely to be seen this well. He knocked quietly before entering, on the off-chance she was awake. Of course, he had entered to find the cabin empty. Wonderful. He read her note, a feeling of alarm coming over him. He told himself his book would be fine, as if that's what he was worried about. He stared at the note stupidly for another moment before bolting out the door.
Muttering a spell under his breath, his speed doubled and Jack had caught up with Arianrhod before long. However, he didn't want to startle her. He was sure she came armed. He hoped she had. What if someone attacked and his book got damaged? And so he now ran some way behind her, muttering a spell to hide the sound of his footsteps as he came into her hearing range.
As she entered the store, Jack looked around warily. Did she always do this? No one looked at her twice. Part of them wished he could yell out to her, as it would be less weird than words appearing in front of her face, but... well, we all know Jack and his vocal cords don't get along. That and the fact that he had managed to lose her. He mentally smacked himself, turning down an aisle. What the hell are you doing here? He thought he heard her in the next aisle over, so the words appeared there. It was late at night, so he figured the odds of the person being her were very good. (And in this case, he would be right. ;D )
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Post by Mindy Omnis on Dec 27, 2009 17:45:56 GMT -5
Jack had better ears than, perhaps, he knew. The words appeared right in front of Rhod's face as she was going down the aisle.
... And that was one thing Arianrhod wasn't expecting.
Crazed serial killer, potentially. Monster attack, probably not. Power outage, maybe. But not random black text that she knew well.
Arianrhod doesn't react to surprise well. She made a half-strangled sputtering sound, almost falling over and into a stack of canned pineapples. No one was supposed to know she was here. No one. And no one was supposed to follow her, either.
"Jack?"[/color] she hissed, looking around as if she expected him to be floating above one of the aisles. "Where are you? You're not supposed to be here!"[/color] Her hands balled up into fists, and Arianrhod's eyes narrowed. She stalked out of the aisle she was in - all canned stuff anyway, no good without a can opener - and into the next. Quite luckily for all involved, this was, in fact, the one that Jack was in, and the blonde glared at him with all the irritation of a very wet cat.
... Well, actually, it might not be lucky for either of them.
"I could ask the same of you,"[/color] Arianrhod said in a fierce whisper, still glaring very, very angrily up at the seventeen-year-old. The difference in heights just made this whole stand-off even more incongruous; short(ish) blonde girl vs. tall(ish) dark boy. All they needed was a blue cartoon god shouting 'Let's get ready to rumble!' "What were you doing? Have you been stalking me since I left Camp?"[/color]
No one was supposed to find out about her midnight jaunts out of Camp. They were hers. It probably was overreacting - I mean, would she be kicked out or something if they found out she was leaving? - but it felt good to have a secret, especially when nosy idiots like the Hermits were crawling around trying to find everything out. With this in mind, Rhod set her jaw and folded her arms. The glare cooled.
"I come here every week or so,"[/color] she said icily. "Restock on food and books and things. Why are you here?"[/color][/sup]
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Jack Travidi
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For the last time, my name isn't Optimus. Seriously. >|[Mo0:2]
Posts: 96
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Post by Jack Travidi on Dec 27, 2009 19:08:39 GMT -5
Hearing a noise in the next aisle over, Jack new his aim had been true. And then he heard his name, and Jack knew his target had been the correct one as well. He swelled with pride, rather impressed with himself. Then he stopped to think about it a realized how unimpressive it was. Letting out a sigh, he realized there had been anger in Arianrhod's voice. And she was definitely not where she had been a few moments ago. He turned around to find her glaring at him quite angrily. For a moment he felt fear. And then he remembered who he was and what he could do, and that feeling melted away. He could easily enough say it had never existed. In fact, Jack managed to convince himself it hadn't; he didn't have emotions anyways.
Yes, stalking is the word I'd use to describe it. He rolled his eyes at her. If you had left my book at camp, I would still be asleep. And happy. But no, you had to bring it with you and set off my wards. Nothing better than waking up thinking Merle was trying to make off with my trunk. This had happened once, though due to a lack of evidence (she apparently was trying to wake Aimée) Jack hadn't gotten to light her on fire. Naturally, everything was in order, with the exception of one book. He glared at her pointedly. Since you're obviously fine, it's probably safe to say my book is too?
Jack looked down at her, thinking. You come here every week? By yourself? ...do you have any idea what could happen to -you- my book! The word 'you' had flashed before being replaced, unnoticeable by most. Even Jack hadn't noticed, having not really thought about it. There are monsters! And kidnappers! And serial killers, as you pointed out. Messy serial killers.
Meeting her glare (for Jack wasn't one to back down from a challenge), his face reset to neutral. Emotions made people do stupid things. Anger and annoyance made Jack do stupid things. As a result, Jack just avoided all emotions. Looking down at her, he said/wrote one of the last things either of them probably expected. What do you need? He flinched at the sight of the words, a bit confused. He couldn't believe he just said that as if... as if he was going to be - wait for it - helpful! He shrugged the feeling off, looking at her expectantly.
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Post by Mindy Omnis on Dec 27, 2009 19:37:01 GMT -5
... Right. Jack didn't have emotions like fish could breathe air. Apparently he's still strolling along the Nile.
Arianrhod blinked in mild surprise and dropped her arms to her sides. "I apologize,"[/color] she replied harshly. "Nothing ever happens on these trips. Both I and your precious book are okay, thank you for caring."[/color] So saying, she reached into the bag slung over her shoulder and took out the green book he had lent her. She held it out, continuing, "I finished it before I set off. I would have returned it before I left but I was fairly certain you'd be asleep. I had very reasonable doubts about its safety while still in my cabin."[/color] There was no telling who would try to break in in the night, especially those seeking to destroy/possess her books. Jack was not the only one whose possessions Merle tried to make off with.
Rhod's expression was carefully neutral as she mumbled, "Nothing ever happens. This place isn't like the big cities, there aren't any murderers or arsonists or anything. ... Well, there aren't any that have tried to attack me."[/color] And hopefully any that would try to attack her in the future, either. The neutrality was replaced quickly by an irritated frown. "And this is the first and only time I've brought your book anywhere besides the Athena cabin! I doubt monsters or kidnappers or serial killers would be interested in it anyway."[/color] She smiled a small, sarcastic little grin, looking up at Jack through mockingly lowered eyelashes. "If I didn't know better I'd say you were actually worried about me. ... How sweet. Like I said, I would try to keep it mostly blood-free were anything to happen to me."[/color]
... Right, Arianrhod, we've made some excellent progress today, but I think it's time we wind down now.
Rhod shut her eyes, took a deep breath, and then glanced at her watch. It wasn't all that late, still around two o'clock. Maybe if she hurried she could get back to camp before four. "Basic nonperishables,"[/color] she said briskly, already starting down the aisle. "Nothing that requires refridgeration or a microwave, I'm running low on bread, and serviceable lighters. As you can see, both the book and I are fine, so you can go back if you like."[/color]
But you know that she didn't actually mean that. ... Even if she would deny it vehemently if asked.[/sup]
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Jack Travidi
New Member
For the last time, my name isn't Optimus. Seriously. >|[Mo0:2]
Posts: 96
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Post by Jack Travidi on Dec 27, 2009 20:25:53 GMT -5
Jack ignored the book, looking at her like she was crazy. Not only did she expect him to take it - where would he put it? - but she thought nothing of being in some creepy town, where there may be creepy people, all by herself. At night! Glad to know it's alright. He followed her down the aisle, a few items he thought she might want wandering off their shelves as if of their own will. They continued floating in front of him, though at her suggestion - Pft! Like he'd be worried about her! - his faced reddened.
Jack hoped she was too preoccupied to turn around, taking a deep breath to try to control his emotions. And if you're attacked on the return trip? he asked, glancing around the aisle as he walked, a few more items joining the floating mass of objects ahead of him. The text was now partially see-through, easily ignored once read, since Jack didn't want to be ignored in favor of efficiency.
Jack briefly debated whether or not he would pretend to go back just to be that someone who attacked her, but decided against it, not liking the grocery store. Any creep could just walk in and try something. Mostly blood-free isn't good enough, Rhod, he commented. It only takes one attack to get blood on something, and blood is very hard to get off of things. It doesn't cooperate with magic well, except when healing, and books can't be healed. He ignored the fact that he could have left with his book, getting everything he cared about out of harm's way. Everything he thought he cared about, anyway.
He smirked. Besides, if I go back by myself I might get attacked. Then what would I do? Feigning fear, in case she looked back, Jack continued, I need your protection. He grinned at her - or had a slight smile... to Jack that is grinning - once more entering that strange territory where he was kind of happy. I mean, the dark is scary. What if... what if Merle's waiting out there for some unsuspected innocent? He would later realize these 'jokes', for lack of a better word, were his way of trying to impress her. As it is, it's hard to realize something when you won't acknowledge the 'why' behind it.
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Post by Mindy Omnis on Dec 27, 2009 21:10:05 GMT -5
"Then I'll take care of it, Travidi,"[/color] Arianrhod snapped, wheeling around to face him. She cast a slightly curious glance at the floating objects, flicking away a stray soap box that was a little too close to her head, and returned to scowling. "Despite what you might think, I'm not just a five-foot-something blonde damsel in distress. I'm a big girl - I can tie my own shoes now, too - and I can handle anyone who tries to hurt me. So can you. Thank you for your concern."[/color]
She exhaled in a single puff of irritated breath and turned around again, determined to ignore Jack as much as possible. ... That was difficult when words kept appearing in front of her face and irritating her, but it was a good effort, at least. "Isn't that a really basic book anyway?"[/color] Arianrhod asked, absently picking up a small blue lighter. The flame's probably pretty small, but it doesn't take a lot to set things on fire. "You should know most, if not all, of it, if it's as simple as you say. So a little human juice probably wouldn't be too great of a loss, and if it's thin enough you might even be able to read through the stains."[/color]
Not that Rhod was saying her blood was thin. Rhod was not at all a thin-blooded person. The image of a blood-spattered book was also interesting, and people might even stay far away from Jack if word got out that his books were bloody. ... Although that could also attract trouble. And Arianrhod herself would never want one of her collection to be messed up with human juice. Maybe she should abandon this train of thought before it ran into a wall.
"Oh, 'cause Merle is absolutely terrifying,"[/color] she said dryly, turning to look at him over her shoulder. "Besides, if she's waiting for an innocent then neither of us are in any danger. Or at least, you aren't. I'd prefer my integrity to remain intact for the moment."[/color] Rhod paused for a moment, then smirked and turned to face him fully. "Wait, so are you saying that Jack the Great and Terrible is afraid of the dark?"[/color] [/sup]
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Jack Travidi
New Member
For the last time, my name isn't Optimus. Seriously. >|[Mo0:2]
Posts: 96
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Post by Jack Travidi on Dec 27, 2009 21:39:38 GMT -5
Somehow I have a hard time believing you, he said. Just because you can tie your own shoes doesn't mean you can kill someone. There's something to be said about people who can kill another person. I doubt you can be counted among that group. Granted, Jack himself was part of that group, but he wasn't proud of it, nor would he share that information willingly. That feeling of happiness disappeared at the dark thought. Frequent nightmares kept the memory alive and well in his mind, and his pace slowed.
Only when she was a few yards in front of him did he realize he'd stopped walking. He quickly caught up, managing to hear the tail end of something she was saying about stains and reading. He didn't understand what the two had to do with each other unless she was reading about stains (cleaning is a woman's job, after all), so he simply nodded, not wanting to say the wrong thing.
Of all the things I should be afraid of, the dark is not one of them, he said indignantly, mildly offended. There were things Jack was afraid of, horrible things, but the dark? Seriously? I'm more afraid of you than the dark. Or Merle. She's only scary because she's persistent. He didn't know what to say about his own innocence. He'd lost that long ago. (NOT THAT KIND OF INNOCENCE, YOU PERV.) Jack the Great and Terrible? He looked at her curiously for a moment.
Jack's attention shifted. He was just starting to realize how many mistakes he'd been making recently. She was teasing him. Joking with him. Who in their right mind did that? And she didn't seem to fear for her life either. It was unnerving. There was a reason he was scary. To keep away all the people like her. He actually glared at her, feeling slightly like he'd been robbed. The glare softened and he walked past her, hoping she'd hurry up and finish. He was ready to return to bed.
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Post by Mindy Omnis on Dec 27, 2009 22:19:49 GMT -5
Arianrhod rolled her eyes and turned on her heel to face him once more. "Don't be so melodramatic. I've got a knife in case anyone attacks me, and it should be enough to at least get me away to somewhere mildly safe."[/color] She reached into the outside pocket of her parka and waved the Swiss army knife - folded up, don't worry - in front of his nose. "See? And it's plenty sharp, too, in case you were wondering. It used to be my dad's. It's a toss-up which one he loved more, me or this thing."[/color]
She had stolen it from his dresser the night before he had kicked her out to go to Camp Half-Blood, too, but there was no need for anyone to know that. Rhod pocketed the knife again and continued down the aisle, pausing at the end to make sure no one was there.
No one was. So she looked back at Jack and raised an eyebrow at the stuff that... was still floating about his head. It was almost like a halo. "Jack Travidi, god of generic 24/7 supermarkets,"[/color] Arianrhod muttered wittily under her breath, and then louder so she could actually be heard, "Jack the Great and Terrible. Haven't you ever seen the Wizard of Oz? Jack the Gweat and Tewwible would just be really disturbing, though, so you get to keep the R's. ... I guess you haven't read Pet Sematary either."[/color] She sighed in mock-despair. "No one has. Camp is so uncultured."[/color]
Her tone became more businesslike as she stepped out of the aisle. "I'm going to try to be only a few minutes. I don't need to get all that much, so I shouldn't be long. Seven minutes and forty-six seconds, tops."[/color] Arianrhod finished this statement with a little wave and a falsely bright smile. "Sit. Stay. As they say, I'll be back."[/color]
And hence, Rhod scuttled off into the mass of the grocery store. Leaving Jack to wait.
And wait.
... And wait.
It was far beyond seven minutes and forty-six seconds by now.[/sup]
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Jack Travidi
New Member
For the last time, my name isn't Optimus. Seriously. >|[Mo0:2]
Posts: 96
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Post by Jack Travidi on Dec 27, 2009 22:39:42 GMT -5
Arianrhod had left so quickly that Jack had complied, not wanting to go through the effort of trying to find her when she clearly said she'd be right back. It would be much easier to wait here for her than to try to find her. She wouldn't be in any danger in the store, right? Or at least not much, right? He shrugged, and waited for her.
And waited.
...and waited.
It was far beyond seven minutes and forty-six seconds by now.
Jack was getting nervous. This was either a really bad joke, or a really bad situation. He didn't like either. He had arranged and rearranged the items that had once been floating around him on the floor. They were currently sorted by size. At least, they were until Jack kicked them. He wasn't a very patient person, and this was a bad time to make him worry. Worry. Another emotion he didn't need. Arianrhod was like a walking time bomb. Because of her and her stupid existing, Jack was worried. He didn't worry about anyone for any reason, and here he was wondering if she was alright because she'd been gone for ten minutes. Only ten minutes. It's because she has my book, he tried to convince himself.
I mean, really, what could happen in ten minutes? It's not like someone had killed her, or kidnapped her, or... Jack was irritated at the thoughts and finally convinced himself he had to do something. He closed his eyes, focusing. From what he could tell, she was still in the store. He didn't bother pinpointing her location, instead choosing to search himself. It didn't take him long to realize that was a mistake. After searching the store for another five minutes, he didn't find her. He'd looked everywhere.
Jack focused once more, feeling the slightest tremor of fear. He didn't like it, and it only made him angry. He was gonna kill her when he found her. He did a mental search of the store, pinpointing the location of his book. It held traces of his magic, so it was easier to find than Rhod herself. He went to that spot - on the other side of the store of course - only to find she wasn't there. Rhod? Where are you? The words were written a bunch of times throughout the store, in different locations. They were spread so that she would have to see one if she so much as looked down any aisle or along the sides of the store. Jack didn't care who saw, so long as he found her. As previously stated, he was getting worried.
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Post by Mindy Omnis on Dec 27, 2009 23:37:33 GMT -5
Yeah. Sorry, Jack, but this is just a really bad joke.
Rhod was currently crouched behind the counter in the florist's section - on the other side of the store from Jack - when the words appeared on the wall. Fortunately for them, it was an early-morning shift. Stifling an immature snort, the blonde carefully peeled off her shoes and placed them neatly behind the counter. Then, almost soundless in her stocking feet, she crept out from behind the great displays of flowers.
Arianrhod rarely actually did anything playful, and you see now why. Her sense of humor wasn't the best - usually it was at another person's expense - and while she thought this was amusing in the highest degree, it was probably a given that no one else did. So as Jack moved, looking for her, Rhod moved so that he would never see her. It wasn't that hard.
She eventually ditched the book underneath the bakery counter, her bag next to the carts, and her parka was folded neatly under one of the water fountains, missing the knife. (Rhod wasn't nearly stupid enough to leave that behind. There was always a chance she would have to defend herself against a random grocery-store creeper.) Possessions discarded, and fairly sure that Jack was either worried or irritated enough to leave, Rhod paused for long enough to ascertain where he was - people do make noise, especially in a silent grocery store at three in the morning - and set off in that direction.
On feet muted by her socks, Arianrhod slid up behind Jack and tapped him on the shoulder. And then ducked, just in case he was going to attempt to take a swing at her.
Once she had ascertained that he wasn't, she straightened up, grinning widely. If Jack wasn't too furious he might notice exactly how tired she looked, which is really the only excuse for her insanity right now. "'Sup?"[/color][/sup]
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Jack Travidi
New Member
For the last time, my name isn't Optimus. Seriously. >|[Mo0:2]
Posts: 96
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Post by Jack Travidi on Dec 28, 2009 0:15:16 GMT -5
Jack wasn't sure whether to be angry or relieved. Anger won out. He stared at her angrily for a moment, tensing. He had found his book, her bag, and her parka scattered about the store amidst his search from her. He was never one for jokes or tricks, and he liked it even less from someone he was trying to distance himself from. It just proved Arianrhod thought they were friends or something. He was grateful for the chance to prove her wrong. What the hell were you thinking! The look on his face was murderous. It was evident he'd be yelling if he tried to use his voice. It would be in poor form for him to wear out his vocal cords (assuming they still worked) on their first use in years.
What if something happened?! How would I have known!? Jack's hands gestured as the words appeared, like a parent scolding an unruly child. He didn't bother trying to hide that he'd been worried about her. He was far too angry to care. He looked around, hoping to find some way to distract himself. He was unsuccessful, and he had to become extremely serious to stop himself from melting/flooding/blowing up the store. As serious as he usually looked, it was generally with an air of content behind it, as if he'd be fine if you didn't talk to him or look him in the eye. Now? Now there was an hair of viciousness behind it, like he was going to hurt the next person that so much as looked in his general direction.
Arianrhod. No annoying nickname this time, no teasing or room for jokes. Nothing. We're leaving. Now. Jack handed her her parka, keeping the bag and book (which he quickly placed inside) with him. Then he walked out the doors, stopping by the bike, implying she should get on it so they could go. He muttered the spell he'd used on the way to the store, planning on running double speed to stay with her. He looked toward the doors, daring her to disobey.
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Post by Mindy Omnis on Dec 28, 2009 0:43:42 GMT -5
... Congratulations, Jack, you just killed Rhoddy's buzz.
"Well, I apologize, but you are Jack the Great and Terrible, remember? You're supposed to hate people, you know? I didn't think you would care."[/color] While this was said in a tone that suggested it was trying to be angry, the demigoddess delivering it looked suddenly worn out, and even stepped back slightly at the force of his anger. She probably hadn't slept a full eight hours since they had last met, and probably not even eight in total. Her manner was subdued slightly as Arianrhod shrugged; more of a defensive gesture than anything else by now.
"Let me go get my shoes,"[/color] she mumbled, and then a little less flatly, "I am allowed to do that, right?"[/color] The blonde sloped off to find her boots, and rejoined Jack outside next to the stolen bike after the few minutes that it took.
Without pausing to ask or wonder how he was going to get home, Rhod settled the helmet - also yellow, also Aimée's, and also stolen - onto her head and started off. ... And there was her answer. He was running.
The journey back to Camp Half-Blood was not a happy one. Whenever Arianrhod felt that she couldn't stay silent anymore, she compromised by humming bits of symphonies or Beatles songs. And whenever she noticed that Jack was glaring at her, she would shut up. Only once did she actually get dizzy due to lack of sleep, but that was not at all a good incident; Rhod had been struck with sudden disorientation and found herself sideways on the road.
And of course Jack wouldn't help at all. Jerk.
All in all, it was with relief that Arianrhod saw Thalia's tree, and she dismounted the bike. The brief walk from the tree to the cabins was even quieter than the journey from town to Camp, and probably even colder.
Rhod sighed at length, removed the helmet, and hooked it back over the handlebars of the bike, which was parked behind the Hermes cabin as always. "... You're still an ass,"[/color] she told Jack, and sat down, leaning against the Hermes cabin.
"I'm not getting up,"[/color] Arianrhod grumbled, with closed eyes. "I think I'll sleep here. Your precious book is safe, so you can go now."[/color] She cracked an eye open and peered up at him. "Unless you feel like carrying me to my bunk."[/color]
This was doubtful.[/sup]
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Jack Travidi
New Member
For the last time, my name isn't Optimus. Seriously. >|[Mo0:2]
Posts: 96
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Post by Jack Travidi on Dec 28, 2009 0:59:39 GMT -5
Jack, too was, fairly worn out. You wouldn't think that glaring and being otherwise angry would be all that tiring, but when you paired it with the fact that he ran from the store, he was losing his grip. When she slumped against his cabin, and refused to move, he had just about had it. All that silence had left him with plenty of time to think. Specifically, to think about what she said. "I didn't think you would care." Neither did he, but he was still wound up and extremely tense.
He looked down at her, trying to decide what to do. He couldn't really just leave her out here, could he? If Jack was going to go through all the effort of worrying about her, he was going to at least see that Arianrhod would be in her own cabin, safe and sound. He was starting to realize exactly what he'd been denying all along. But no... he shook the thoughts from his head. He needed time to think first, with a fresh mind. In the meantime... Only in your least horrible nightmares.
He still refused to look directly at her, not wanting to get angry all over again. The statement was meant to show that he was calming down, and something else, though Jack refused to acknowledge it. He murmured something, and Rhod was lifted to her feet with a spell. He handed her her pack after taking his book out of it. Part of him, that part that he didn't like to acknowledge, wanted to carry her himself. But not tonight. The spell guided her to her cabin, though Jack remained by his own, not wanting to hear anything she had to say. Not yet anyways. And he went to bed, where he lay for a few hours before getting up for the day.
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