skippedabeat | Round 3: Test Drive

Entry tags:

test drive

Round 3: Test Drive

Welcome to the third test drive!

Please don't worry too much about using your Personas correctly or following the prompts exactly. They're meant to give you starting ideas, but by all means, go wild and add more options!

The objective here is to try out characters and see who you could have the most fun with in the game's setting. However, feel free to follow this link to request a Persona be generated for you as if you were part of the game. (Please try to limit this to only one of your test drive characters if you can as to not overwhelm us!)

If you have questions about the test drive itself, you can ask them here! If you want to play an AU don't forget this entire post can be used for you to get AU scenarios set up and see who your character might have been related too or know before Awakening.

Now then, let's begin...

Prompt 1 - The National Leviathan Habitat

Eddan's shimmering sapphire of an aquarium, the National Leviathan Habitat, is holding a series of special events at its location in Royal Mount. Students and family groups get half off, with certain events being completely free. This include a full night's stay at the aquarium sometime during the week for any person who checks in with their card. While spots are limited, it's such a large aquarium, and nights can be booked in advance, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. So come, everyone! Enjoy whale spotting, aquarium strolling, educational shows, and a night surrounded by water. However, unknown to you, something else might be starting to beat in the deepest, darkest depths of your heart.

Similar to the flower festival that was used in the prior TDM, Unawakened characters can get a flash of memory sometime during this prompt and Awakened characters will be able to occasionally pick them out. For more information on the National Leviathan Habitat, which is a player introduced location, please check here.

Additionally, if both test drive player and game players agree, the aquarium test drive threads can also become game canon! As long as the test drive character is played as being completely unaware of what has happened in the game up to this point. Keep in mind that they would NOT have had a message on their phones. Two Test drive players can also make these game canon if they get accepted (and they keep the same requirements as above).

Prompt 2 - From Dawn to Dusk

The city has been abuzz for the past few weeks. A new string of murders is making front page news and serving as a grim reminder why the nightly curfew is so important. As families, perhaps even someone close to you, mourn, pressure continues to rise at the many police stations and at city hall. The people are afraid and they’re demanding answers.

There's not much time for you to dwell on this.. Like everyone else in the city, you have a lot to do, and a tight schedule to do it in, even on summer vacation. (Or maybe because of summer vacation for the local schools.) You don't even notice the application that has appeared on your phone's screen. The headache that follows, however, is strange and disorienting, and it brings with it an odd sensation that something is wrong today. You’re just not sure why.

The day passes by and soon, it's close to midnight. Your body, if you're not in bed by now, is completely exhausted. Despite your best efforts, you'll find yourself closing your eyes. Too bad it's quickly interrupted by a strange noise, and movement like something pulsating softly.

It's your phone, or at least you think it's your phone, but it's never glowed this orange before. There’s mist rising above it almost like fire...something's definitely bizarre about this. Despite your fears, you forces yourself to open it, and click on that strange snake-like icon.

It opens revealing a single statement and blank box;

To begin, please write your name.

Your fingers move on their own. Before you have time to really think about it, and as the pain inside your head becomes so terrible you start breathing rapidly and sweating, you've entered a series of letters and pressed enter. Now you're in a large chatroom with many others...but your 'name' you've never even heard of it...have you? It almost feels like you have...

Prompt 3 - Awakening

The last rays of the sun disappeared over the horizon almost an hour ago, yet here you are, walking through the apple orchards located behind one of the campus wings. The strange app that's been sending you strange clues the past seven days now says you're ready to face the truth. It told you to come here tonight, but never to travel alone. Repeatedly, it warns you to make sure to have someone close by if you're to survive…but besides some friends, what else did you bring with you? Did you pack for this, or did you figure you'd make it up as you go? Are you in a position to be able to bring weapons with you that no one would suspect?

Something is out there, and it's getting closer.

Before you can think, you see it: a large, blackish mass, almost like slime, slithering along the ground resembling a vaguely humanoid shape with glowing yellow eyes. When it roars again, it reveals rows and rows of teeth. This was a mistake your brain warns. The strange name from the chatroom, the days leading up to this...you're fairly certain even if you are prepared that you're going to die.

And yet, something inside you stirs. Even as they move closer, you find yourself charging instead of running, as your heartbeat increases. A voice inside is guiding you, each movement bringing forth a surge of memories of a past that you had lost. You’re angry and confused, but your pain, your fears, your rage for all of this… all of that needs to be taken out on those creatures.

All you need to do now is to tear out your heart.

Prompt 4 - A new, old life

Now that you have your memories back, the strange veil of this world has been somewhat lifted. Things that seemed simple now seem strange. You have so many questions, but not enough answers. Then there's the new weapons you wield and the strange creature inside of you...your Heart Persona.

During the day, you are encouraged to continue to live as you did before, but with old and new memories together, sometimes it is difficult to keep acting like you did. Will it cause issues in your job or school life? Will it change your reactions to whatever life you had here? Do you notice others like you who have awakened?

Maybe it would be a good time to send a chatroom message, just to ask others what they are planning to do. Maybe you should set up a meeting to fight shadows at night. Maybe you’ll organize a plan of attack or set up a club to escape the strange looks others have been giving you. Maybe you just want someone's opinion on the best place to have pizza. Hey, no one said you had to use the AppleNET just for serious things, after all.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[That strange urge wasn't one Vincent alone felt. Not only did the feeling of being watched not go away, but it stalked them all the way down the hall and toward the stairwell at the end. Kit was prepared to fight if anything happened, though no matter how much he felt inclined to look back over his shoulder again, he never did.

Instead, he focused his attention upon the vending machine next to the stairwell door. He hadn't been mistaken when he'd recalled its location, but there was a message taped now to its face:

Sorry!
OUT OF ORDER
Please use machine in upstairs lobby!
—Management

Idly, Kit removed one hand from his pocket to tug the sign free of the machine's front and inspect it more closely. It hadn't been there earlier, so this was likely the result of someone (or several someone's) stocking up on snacks for overnight and emptying the machine. Surely a coincidence...

But coincidence or no, he could scarcely overlook the opportunity to tease his companion after such a comment.]

I'd prefer to let ghosts do their own haunting. They don't need any help from me.

[The management message was pressed back to the front of the machine and then Kit headed toward the stairwell, a cool and enclosed space that wasn't poorly lit, even at this hour, and was in fact a little on the too-bright side. Its walls were a clean and bright white, the floors waxed to a shine, and each step lined with a bright yellow non-slip strip. Kit eyed them a moment, and then the smaller teen.]

They especially don't need help here. A stairwell at an aquarium facing the northeast and without a hint of blue to ward off evil? That's practically inviting ayakashi. Or worse — oni.

[typical. all that stupidity just to find that some assholes had already decided to stuff themselves for a makeshift pajama party. the soft huff that escapes Vincent's lips is equal parts irate and unsurprised as he leans in to inspect the machine while its offending sign was elsewhere. from the speculative way his brows shift, it's likely that if there were any snacks remaining in the thing then he'd have had no qualms in smashing the poor machine up to get to them. perhaps this is for the best.

he straightens up as Kit replaces the sign, conceding defeat. when he sees the other boy heading for the stairwell his eyebrows quirk again, this time in mild disbelief. was he really hungry enough to go tromping around aquarium stairs for a couple chocolate bars? the only thing that keeps him from commenting on it is the sudden appearance of good-natured jabs; it elicits from him instead another huff, this time gently amused.]

As if you'd need to worry about them now. They've already drunk themselves silly by the looks of things.

[he jerks a thumb sharply behind him to indicate the vending machine and all of its gaping emptiness. it wouldn't come as much of a surprise to him if a bunch of lumbering demons were the culprits behind this inconvenience.

even so...his countenance doesn't convey it, but the references are enough to stir a sort of bittersweet nostalgia in Vincent. he hadn't expected someone like Kit to know Japanese folklore, and so it had caught him off guard - which gave his memories ample opportunity to slink to the forefront of his mind.

it's been quite a long time, and he knows that his knowledge of the myths are rusty now. but demons, wandering spirits, the brave monks who fought off those grisly apparitions...those were once the delight of his childhood. no matter where life took him, he could never completely discard them.

for now, however, they would serve merely as a way to continue being a snarky pain in the ass. Vincent chuckles quietly to himself before brushing past Kit, turning to face him again as he leans expectantly against the stair's railing. pretty slow for a hungry guy, aren't you?]

What should really be concerning you is getting thrown off of here.

[it's not exactly the taunt he'd intended to make, but the strange vision is still weighing heavily on his mind despite his best attempts to push it back into meaninglessness. it's fine. the environment lent itself to the comment, there was no need to worry about appearing strange.

his smile is a little disconcerting, he knows, but Vincent has faith that it won't be taken as a threat. and if not...well, he doesn't know what anyone would expect from someone with this many piercings.]

[Vincent's joke elicited a genuine laugh from Kit, his shoulders gently shaking as he stifled the sound with a closed palm. Truly, the thought of overstuffed ghosts or other spiritual beings lumbering around the habitat or collapsed somewhere in sugar-induced comas was rather amusing and a much needed momentary distraction from the haunting nothingness he'd felt before.

But if such things as yokai and oni existed, and Kit supposed he did believe in them, then the ones they really needed to worry about weren't mere ghosts at all.]

There's a problem with your theory. Oni aren't interested in the foods that humans eat. They're interested in humans as a source of sustenance.

[He pointed to Vincent and then himself for emphasis as he passed him on the stairs, and even when the smaller boy returned his jab unflinchingly, he didn't bat an eye. Climbing steadily to the first landing, he continued...]

In any case, being eaten is only a problem if you draw attention to yourself and you happen to get caught. [He pushed from his thoughts the vision of that man with the mask and the predatory way he'd focused amethyst eyes on him.] And falling is only a problem if you don't know how to land...or get back up.

Or if you have a purpose.

[now that is an odd comment, but it's just a little too nimble for Vincent to catch. it's out his mouth at the same moment that he realizes how off it would sound, leaving him to silently curse his own poor restraint. there goes all the self-satisfaction in being on top of this conversation only a few moments prior.

he bobs almost comically at Kit's side as they climb the stairs, now forced to put his quicker step to work in order to keep the pace. there's a breath or two of silence after his 'slip', but not enough to attract even further attention. he refuses to allow that. as soon as they hit the landing he's speaking again, determined to just gloss right over his misstep.]

Not that it really matters in my case. You seem like you'd manage pretty well as a distraction.

[would Vincent really abandon even a stranger to the flesh-eating monsters of his youth? no. but the implication makes for a better image, and a more arresting point of discussion.]

[As they turned to start up the next flight of stairs from the landing, Kit was able to steal a brief glance in the direction they'd just come from. As expected, however, there were no otherworldly creatures looming after them from the shadows, no large and lumbering demons, not even a flickering light or eerie sounds coming from somewhere out of sight...

...a thought that was gone when he overheard his companion's slip.

Needless to say, it garnered nothing more than a stray glance out of the corner of Kit's gaze, for whatever he thought, it warranted no comment, only commitment to memory.

What purpose was Vincent speaking of? What driving force would cause him to appear so somber while accidentally musing aloud? The answers to those questions might have something to do with the headaches, or they might not. The only way to know for certain would be to continue observing and keep talking.]

You're probably right. Except they're warded off by fox spirits, so the more likely victim would be you, I'm afraid. Unless you happen to be a monkey, you'd be the one on the menu.

[the little glance is lost on Vincent, fortunately for his companion. his gaze is firmly on his own feet as they pump up and down in steady labor towards the next landing; the fact that it also gives him an easy way to peer through the railing bars below them is purely coincidental.

from his perspective the diversionary tactic has worked, leaving nothing more than purely idle conversation. it's a relief, but one that he's not going to allow himself to indulge in for long. all of his attention will be going to preventing another slip like that from now on.]

You're assuming they'd pick the right animal when you introduced yourself. I'd be long gone by the time you managed to explain - if they even give you the chance.

[he appreciates, in his own way, Kit refraining from outright calling him a monkey due to his size and build. it's why he so generously allows for the possibility that he might be able to talk his way out of being consumed by otherworldly apparitions. what a guy.]

[In spite of thinking he was prepared for just about anything his companion might offer up in retaliation, Kit was not expecting a comment like that.

Fortunately, he hadn't been hurrying up the stairs too quickly, so his nearly missing a step was easily disguised by choosing right then to dart up ahead to the next landing.]

You won't be leaving anyone behind at that snail's pace.

[Least of all him.

He was loath to think of it, but the mention of abandonment was a sore spot whether he cared to admit it or not. How many foster families had come and gone again? How many people he'd thought to call family? Including his real one, wherever they were now...

No. Kit had decided long ago that he wouldn't be the one left behind anymore. Even if he had given up some of the activities that had earned him his old reputation, that habit remained. It was better not to get too attached to people. However nice they were, they would inevitably disappoint him, or he would disappoint them.

The only people who deserved to stand at his side were those who could put themselves there using their own two feet and keep up, and even then, it was best if they didn't linger too long.

...or so he told himself. But if they were really being hunted by some invisible monster, would he let this stranger fall in place of him? He wondered as he came to a stop above and stared at the double doors to the lobby ahead...and then made a decision. He wouldn't let this person die. Not until he'd learned from him what he'd come this far to learn, anyway.

Without glancing back over his shoulder, he asked...]

How are you feeling? It wasn't much of a climb, but you seemed to be unwell earlier.

[Th-there it was again...that prickling over his skin and down his spine and a faint drumming at his temples.]

[...and here he'd actually been taking pains to be somewhat amiable this whole time. moments like this were exactly why he made less and less of an effort the more time passed between the present and the days when he'd lived with his parents - it just never paid off.

while Vincent refuses to give his dubious companion the satisfaction of sprinting to catch up, no power in any world could hope to banish the intense annoyance plastered across his face. it wouldn't be too surprising if Kit could actually hear the grinding of his teeth as he spitefully continued upwards at the exact same pace as before.

he'd fully intended to refrain from commenting on any of this just to show how beneath him he was, but Kit's inquiry when he reached the landing was enough to dash that plan to pieces.

it was an awfully roundabout way to bring this up, but that only served to heighten his wariness. Kit is treated to a sharp look that he must be able to feel even if he can't see it with his back turned, the sort that might have burned real holes through his waist if this had been another world.

as it is, he pauses for only a moment before walking swiftly through the doors, jostling the other boy roughly as he passed. there was no need for it, given the size of the doors, but that was entirely the point.]

I don't know what you're talking about.

[he doesn't hang around to wait for a reply, continuing at that brisk pace towards the vending machine glowing dimly in the far corner of the lobby. honestly, he doesn't particularly care what sort of prying Kit would like to do right now.]

[As Vincent stormed past him and into the lobby, Kit lingered for a moment on the other side of the doors. The feeling of being watched still hadn't gone away, and remaining where he stood he was able to successfully confirm one thing: Vincent hadn't been the (sole) source of the sensation he felt boring between his shoulder blades.

While the other boy was preoccupied with stomping around like some kind of temperamental horse, Kit chanced one last look behind him at the stairs. Still there was nothing and no one, just a faint shadow cast by the lights above him. His shadow, standing as motionless as him, precisely where it was meant to be and not at all unusual.

When he'd been younger, he might have stalked right back down those stairs in an attempt to confront whatever it was that was making him feel this way. In fact, it was exactly that sort of behavior that had landed him in the detention center a year ago. He wasn't much older now, but he was wiser from it. He knew how to pick his battles...and this wasn't one he cared to waste time with. Not when it wasn't even clear what he'd be fighting.

Joining Vincent in the lobby at last, he proceeded toward the vending machine. This one seemed well stocked, at least. And in its clean glass window Kit was able to watch both Vincent's face and the open floor behind them where the door to the stairwell shone brightly like a lit up mouth in the distance.]

Do you need a refresher?

Just cash.

[there's no change in Vincent's posture as the other boy decides to join him at the vending machine, no attempt to turn and accept the repeated attempts at making this a real conversation. the only thing he does is stretch his arm out behind him, palm open expectantly for the reimbursement he'd been promised several floors ago.

a part of him almost hopes that this rudeness will be the final straw in driving him away and saving his money for more appreciative companions. there was something beyond his pride that caused his hackles to raise at the thought of being forced to discuss his collapse, although he was at a loss to name it. did it matter, really? it wasn't as if trust was something he threw about carelessly regardless of the situation.

it's not enough to completely brush away his suspicions, but Vincent is willing to chalk at least part of it up to his headache. it hadn't diminished this whole time, but now it's returned as something more than a dim ache - and just as curiously located as last time. all of that pain centralized right in the middle of his forehead...it was in many ways even more bizarre than the visions he'd suffered through.

maybe he really was more dehydrated than he'd first assumed. if Kit decided to play the fool and make good on his promise to finance this, perhaps he'd pick up a drink along with the snacks. his eyes scan the rows of options with an angry severity that is far too much for the task at hand, doing their best to conceal the way they'd occasionally drift to keep track of the other boy in the case's reflection.

he wouldn't let him be eaten by a rampaging demon, no. but Vincent would be the biggest fool of all if he allowed his guard to lower now.]

[Kit was many things, occasionally sly among them, but he was not someone who went back on his word, not without reasonable justification, and here he was lacking that. He might not have solemnly swore to buy anything for Vincent, but an agreement of any sort was just as binding, at least insofar as not being dishonorable was concerned.

Perhaps that was a strange ideal for a not-quite-former thief to carry, or perhaps not. Either way...when the smaller boy held out his hand, Kit didn't hesitate to dig out his wallet and pass him a purple 500 Macca note: enough to buy a beverage and a snack.

He dug out no change for himself, and after returning his wallet to his pocket, turned to glance around the empty lobby. The entirety of the habitat was spotless, so the cause of the headaches couldn't very well be attributed to compromised sanitation. Disease seemed improbable too, what with how quickly people had seemed to show symptoms. What remained the only possible solution was some kind of food-borne illness...unless there truly was something supernatural happening around them.

It was going to hurt, but he needed to test the theory a little more. Preparing for the worst, Kit's whole body stiffened a little in anticipation...]

I had a similar attack, myself. And I saw something stra—

[...and right on cue, there was the headache, like an invisible hand reaching into his skull to pull apart his brain. He clenched shut his eyes and wobbled for a moment where he stood, but managed to keep from reaching out to steady himself against the vending machine or even Vincent.]

[there's a soft sniff from Vincent that sounds more disappointed than thankful, the only acknowledgement of the money in existence before the soft thumping of the vending machine in action overtakes the quiet lobby.

it's an apparently fascinating endeavor to witness, as his eyes never leave the case even as Kit tenses up and begins talking with a low sense of urgency. you'd think that he was completely alone in the world with nothing to rely on but the promise of hydration and a huge shot of sugar. he doesn't even turn around when the other boy cuts off sharply and begins to shake dangerously in place.

whatever Kit thinks about his attempt to broach this subject more aggressively, a soft tap on his chest will force him to reopen his eyes soon after the pain strikes. it's Vincent's hand, roughly shoving his recently purchased soda at the other boy. hope he likes cherry.

Vincent himself still hasn't turned around, choosing instead to watch his candy bar drop agonizingly slowly from the machine's coils into the dispenser slot. if one didn't know better, they'd think that this sign of compassion was nothing more than a hallucination, because he certainly wasn't acknowledging it.]

If you pass out I'm not going to catch you.

[maybe it really was a hallucination, despite the soda's unwavering presence until Kit decides to take it from him. his tone sure didn't sound anything more impassioned than faintly annoyed.]

[Kit's reaction was swift, eyes snapping open as he caught Vincent's wrist before he could pull it away. However, as soon as he realized that the other boy was only thrusting a can of soda at him, he let go of him immediately, instead staring down at the drink he'd been left to hold onto.

It was cold against the palm of his hand, painfully so, and that pain was almost enough to distract from the way his vision was still spotting and his temples were throbbing. Almost, but not quite. The physical backlash may as well have been testimony to his suspicions, and that was all he needed to keep thinking about the oddities he'd experienced so far. Something more was going on there. Something unnatural.

What else could explain what was happening, the wrongness of that vision, of some other life that wasn't his, or his inability to mention certain things without finding himself under attack again?]

I'm alright. It's just a headache.

[As he popped open the can of soda and took a sip, his vision slowly becoming less spotted and blurry, he studied the smaller teen. The pain was still present, dancing with a fearsome violence behind his eyes, but if it was anything like before, he suspected it would slowly begin to fade in a few minutes. That was, provided he didn't do anything to make it worse again on purpose...which he had no intention of doing. Not yet. Not when he'd proven his point, in a manner of speaking, although he still wasn't sure if Vincent had seen anything like the hallucination he had.

Oblivious to, or purposefully ignoring the other teen's attempt to appear completely indifferent and unhelpful, Kit clasped his shoulder with his free hand.]

Thank you, though. For your concern.

[for all of his soft beginnings and relative avoidance of intense violence, the black metal scene was hardly without its pockets of true darkness. the tight grip on his wrist is understandable, easy to deal with. the hand on his shoulder? that was another matter entirely.

from the way his entire body goes completely rigid one might make the mistake of assuming that Vincent had just been electrocuted. indeed, his already unruly hair seems right on the edge of bristling as if it had been shot full of static - or as if it belonged to an angry cat.

he jerks down suddenly and with far more force than necessary, aiming to completely dislodge the offending appendage on his quest to retrieve the candy bar from the machine. between the creaking of the plastic flap as he fishes his prize out, his voice rings out with as much accusatory petulance as you'd expect.]

Are you still dizzy? You're spouting bullshit.

[he rights himself again, shifting his feet to angle himself further away from Kit. he'll move away from the machine in a moment or two, but for now he wants to make it as difficult as possible for the other boy to touch him in any sort of friendly manner.

rather than continue immediately, he busies himself with peeling back the candy's wrapper. it's some chocolate and nougat nightmare, enormous in size and likely possessing enough sugar to knock a diabetic into a coma - and as soon as its protective cover is out of the way, half of it immediately disappears into Vincent's mouth. it's truly fearsome in its own way.]

Shouldn't you be a little tougher than this, anyway?

[for someone who'd acquired such a frightening reputation in prison, that is. not that the question is terribly frightening on its own when spoken around a gigantic mouthful of candy, but it's pretty clear that Vincent doesn't care very much for manners.]

[The resulting laugh from Vincent's startled reception of his gratitude was cut short by the second question and its implication. So, his reputation preceded him yet again...

Smile fading, replaced with something of a neutral if still stony expression, Kit shrugged his shoulders. His head was still aching, making critical thinking difficult, but he knew better than to feel insulted by being underestimated by a stranger. The less people thought of him, the greater his advantage should things between them ever come to blows.

It was that simple: not revealing all one's secrets unless absolutely necessary was how to ensure survival.]

I don't know about that.

[To listen to him, it would be quite difficult to determine if he was still experiencing any of the discomfort from a moment ago, and it was no more obvious by looking, either. He tilted back that cherry soda with complete nonchalance, no more wobble in his stance, and only mild curiosity reflected in the way he gazed at the smaller boy over the rim of the can when it was lowered again.

It required great concentration to maintain such composure with the walls of his skull still feeling like they might collapse inward upon themselves, but he had always been rather expert at enduring. A determination to always remain the last man standing would do that.]

Maybe you've mistaken me for someone else.

[Or maybe it wasn't a mistake at all. In many ways, he wasn't the same person who'd been admitted to the juvenile detention center. He'd cut ties with many of the gang members he'd used to know, had given up that way of life, and the only thieving he participated in these days was, while still self-serving, also considerably more honest. His style of dress was more respectable, and he even had a steady part-time job and practiced respectable hobbies while maintaining an excellent GPA while attending Green Valley. For all intents and purposes...he'd been reborn.]

Maybe. [he admits easily, pausing only to swallow.] Does it matter?

[people would think what they liked, after all. it was something that Vincent was accustomed to himself by now; between his often lousy attitude and the frightening way he dressed he found that the 'first impression' had already been made long before he ever spoke with anyone.

it was simply a part of life, something that would never change. all anyone could do was decide how they themselves would react - to continue the way they were, or to become what people already assumed of them. in this case, however, he doubts that the options aren't one and the same for Kit. there was no reason to respond the way he had unless he'd immediately grasped the implication beneath the comment, not when it could so easily be taken as another run of the mill jab. and to be so cagey about the whole matter..? well.

there's a air of quiet contentment as Vincent swallows the second half of his candy bar whole and wanders off in search of the nearest garbage can. he's gotten everything that he'd wanted out of this little excursion: sugar and satisfaction.]

You tell me. You're the one with the expectations.

[Troublesome, those, and like opinions, everyone seemed to have them. Dress this way, behave that way, be more like this, don't be like that... It was exhausting just to listen to, let alone try and keep up with. Not that deviating from his old routines didn't have its advantages.

He was closely watched these days, but with a little patience and time, he would be rewarded with more freedom than he'd ever had before. Or at least, that had been the plan, but sometimes Kit couldn't help wondering... Would he ever really escape the rumors of his past?

As Vincent wandered away in search of a garbage receptacle (what a proper boy) Kit turned and started back towards the stairwell. He'd proposed a sort of return question, but it was clear he didn't care very much about the answer.

And as for the other answer he'd come this far seeking? Well...he still wanted that. Enough to wait at the top of the landing at the very least, still nursing that soda and musing to himself. How might Vincent have learned about him? Who might have told him, and what rumor would have been shared? He didn't like knowing less about other people when they clearly knew more about him...

He didn't like it at all.]

[Vincent was enough of a blight on the environment, there was no reason to compound that by littering. and some habits died harder than others, after all.

it's not a long journey, the garbage can being thoughtfully placed with the vending machine's location in mind, and he soon joins his companion at the top of the landing. the brief respite from other people's companionship was enough for him to shake off the unease that Kit's gratitude had dropped onto him; by the time he's returned he's settled more comfortably into that sense of satisfaction.

he pauses before replying, rubbing a hand idly beneath his lips to make sure that no wayward smears of chocolate had gotten caught on his snakebite. that would be just unacceptable.]

I'm hardly the only one.

[his continued presence here only confirms what had been abundantly obvious after that little dizzy stunt: Kit is trying to glean more information about Vincent's own earlier collapse, specifically what he may or may not have seen during it. the thought of someone else having suffered through the same thing is intriguing, to be sure, but not enough to goad him into giving up any information without further pressure.

it must really be chafing Kit, he thinks idly as he stares off at the stairway winding down below them. not only is he at a disadvantage, all of his efforts to turn this excursion into something fruitful have been summarily thwarted. Vincent knew some of his past, while the other boy couldn't even lay claim to his name.

it's enough to make him chuckle quietly as he looks back at his companion with a small smile.]

But at least I can say that I got everything I came for.

[it's unfair to tease him over his failures, but he can't help himself. it was all in relatively good fun...for him, at least.]

[With the same measured stride as before, Kit allowed Vincent to take the lead and started down the stairs after him. The jab at his success, or lack thereof, was unkind, arrogant...and not the sort of thing he appreciated.

It was exactly the sort of boastful response he would expect from someone of a small mind and even shorter temperament. It was disgraceful.]

You're quick to make assumptions.

[With another sip, Kit finished off the cherry soda, letting the hand holding the empty can fall gently to his side. The gesture made no sound, not unlike his footsteps, which seemed almost to disappear in Vincent's own.]

If there'd been anything worth finding to begin with, it wouldn't have slipped my notice.

I doubt you were hanging around because you're scared to go back downstairs by yourself.

[or maybe he was? they'd both be liars if either claimed that the clammy feelings of apprehension had completely deserted their company after the little snack interlude. it wasn't just a natural inclination to rush that kept Vincent's pace so brisk. even without his companion's footfalls adding to the clamor, his heavy boots made it sound as if a horde of elephants were clattering down the stairs.

if he were in a worse mood the obvious implications of Kit's words might've been enough to rile him up into a more heated argument. but he's taken the edge off his monstrous appetite and knows that his supposed uselessness reflect even more poorly on the boy who'd wasted so much time trying to pull information out of him, and so he takes it in relative stride.]

Or maybe you're just worried you'll trip and fall, seeing as you're so blind.

['relative' being the operative word here.]

[He'd given the other boy several chances. Many more than he might have if their paths had crossed one year ago, instead. But the time for being patient had passed.

Coming to a stop upon one of the steps, Kit placed his free hand upon the railing at his side and braced himself. Then, precisely when one of Vincent's feet was still in the air, he began...]

I see clearly a coward before me.

[There it was, a mounting pressure behind his eyes practically summoned by his choice of words, or perhaps the decision to speak them aloud. Could that strange otherworldly something read their minds?

And how was it behind them now? It didn't matter. Kit pressed on, letting the feeling of impending doom slip ever nearer, like Death stalking toward them down those stairs.]

Just as I saw you collapse. [His hand clenched the railing more tightly as the pain intensified. Black dots spotted his vision. But he did not surrender.] The same thing happened to me.

You saw someone who wished you dead, didn't you?

[Was that what that feeling was?

It was so close now, almost like...if he turned, he'd be face-to-face with the something and it would rip his tongue straight out of his mouth for daring to speak so boldly.]

[it's a strategy almost guaranteed to pay off, although it doesn't take a master of observation to have sussed that out. Vincent's foot completely misses the next step and he nearly tumbles right down the remaining stairs; thankfully his reflexes are sharp enough to allow him to grab onto the railing and turn the downward motion into a sharp turn to glare daggers at the other boy.

the fact that there's only one figure behind him when he spins is a surprise that he forgets to register in his ire. all he can think now is to curse the fact that his swift pace has carried him several steps down from Kit, further underscoring the disparity in their height by the time he was provoked. it didn't matter. he'd fight both him and the specter likely looming over his companion's shoulder by now.

...or, he would if such a thing actually existed.

if he weren't so riled up then he may have remembered to choose his words carefully and deny the inquiries for a second time. instead anger clouds his judgement, and he lets out a harsh bark of laughter.]

You wish.

[or rather, he did. a single person who wanted him dead...no. it had been an entire race of people who'd railed desperately for his destruction, an entire tribune of powerful old women who stared down at him with looks of mingled disgust and fear. for so many people to loathe his very existence, it was no wonder they'd found the power to fling him from their world with prayers of a swift fall.

if it had been one person, maybe the force of it all would never have driven him to his knees.]

Who's making assumptions now?

[he plants a foot on the step above him, climbing higher with each belligerent word. calling that vision back to the forefront of his mind had also conjured up the emotions that had coursed through 'him' at the same time - he can feel them pouring through his veins now, that unnatural fiery anger. someone very well might fall from the stairwell tonight.]

[In truth, he'd had no way of knowing for certain what sort of vision the other boy might have had, only that it was powerful enough to stagger him. Operating on the theory that it was possible their hallucinations had been deliberately induced, he'd guessed that Vincent's waking dream was similar to his own.

And, based on the way the other boy had reacted, based on the confrontational approach he'd taken to turning around and climbing back up those stairs, Kit wagered he was right.]

It's only an assumption if it isn't true.

[He stood his ground, unwavering as ever. The look in this boy's eyes wasn't anything like the bottomless well of mirth in the face of despair that the other dark-haired man had worn. Vincent's expression wasn't that of a predator pursuing his prey, but someone whose wound had callously been exposed to prove a point.

He had a right to be angry. He even had a right to lash out. And if he chose to do so...

...strange. Kit almost wanted that to happen. Not because he felt any sort of misguided need to be punished, but rather...because he felt if he didn't do something soon to cut the tension building in the stairwell, much of which had been brought on by the threat of invisible jaws at the nape of his neck, he thought he might burst.

And it was clear he wasn't the only one too tightly wound at the moment.]

[they may both be tightly wound, but it's clear between the pair of them which was going to crack first. Vincent's hateful eyes remain locked on his target as he retraces his steps, anger only welling further at the other teen's completely unwillingness to back down. over-analytical asshat. exactly the kind of person who'd decided they'd figured everyone else out before ever starting a conversation. intolerable.

his pace doesn't slow until he's on the same level as Kit, heedless (or perhaps all too aware) of how uncomfortably close he was standing. without warning his hand flies out to grab a fistful of his companion's idiotic shirt, roughly jerking him down to his own height with far more force than is necessary. he can only pray that it hurt.

for the span of a breath he remains there, inscrutable and coiled up like an enraged snake. suddenly, hatefully, he hisses out -]

Live.

[Kit offered no resistance as the front of his shirt was seized. He found himself bending slightly at the waist and toward Vincent, whose meted violent gesture was simply not returned. Instead, Kit offered only his rapt attention, but when only one word was uttered between them, he was left to draw his own conclusions.

He was only sixteen, but he was much too old to be cowed by scare tactics, especially those that sounded a good deal like the beginning of an ultimatum.

Live or...

He didn't wait to find out what came next, instead posing his own question.]

Have you heard of Cicuta maculata?

[He stared down at the smaller boy, the same infuriatingly calm expression on his face despite the itch to throw down growing inside.]

Also called water hemlock, it's said to be one of the most toxic plants native to North America and is often confused for edible parsnips and celery. A lethal mistake, to be sure, as its toxins provoke painful convulsions and aches, nausea, and death. For those unfortunate enough to survive ingesting it, the prognosis is grim: a body wracked with lifelong tremors and a mind wiped clean from memory loss.

[Suddenly his free hand shot outward and, with surprising strength, he planted his bare palm against Vincent's chest and shoved him back towards the railing.]

Do you see how dangerous it can be to make erroneous assumptions?

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