Masquerade; part one:
The Lady looked at the orb, crystal clear and dark, looking at her creatures kill or be killed. She smiled slightly, seeing potential slaves among the living. She was fascinated of what seemed to be distortions in her reality, of what some of these people were able to do. Of course, they would not continue to do so, her power tightening when they moved closer to the Tower. She turned to the chess like game behind her, a model of the city, models of the contestants and her creations falling. The few monsters who lived could return to the Tower soon, with the contestants caught. She already had one.
She looked at the little pieces moving closer, then chose one, her own little slave, walking with the guardian dragon. She turned to watch him in the orb.
Her many eyes were filled with anger, when the boy appeared on the floor, her darkness letting go of him. .Did you have fun, boy?. Her voice were painfully calm, but the lad was sure she knew. He rose slowly, the pain in his arm making him a little dizzy. .Did you?!. Threads of darkness took hold of him.
This would be painful.
[...]
.Now, go do your job, child.. Her voice was again painfully calm, and all the anger seemed to have left the Lady. She lifted the beaten boy, and threw him through him through the darkness.
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1 Phill, Bob & a Jango
-Oh, finally something easy.- The three of them spin around at the sound of the voice. A lanky kid stand before them, smiling somewhat dizzily. "Who..Who.." All of them studder, before Phil gets back on track, and grabs his scythe, pointing it at the boy. The rest get the clue and also stand ready to fight. The lad just sighs. -Uhm, just follow, will ya?- He begin walking down the street. Confuzzled the trio follows. Turning down a smaller street, the darkness is lit up, and before them a wonderful mansion appear. "Why didn't we see that?" Bob asks the two other, but none of them answer. -Hey, you.- The kid points at Phil. -You are the one to participate, the two other will have to wait out here.- They are about to protest, when the lad cuts in. -That is the rule. Or you do not want to go on?- A slight nod from Phil, while the two other pout. The kid nods, handing over a mask with the features of a red tabby cat.-Do not take it off before the end of the Masquerade. Go through the doors, and, well...- "Well, what?" The boy only smiles, leaving the trio. "So we're stuck here..." Jack complains, as Phil walks through the doors.
The mansion is as fantastic inside as outside. The dancers, the atmosphere, his furry hands. . .
2 Orlestat
Light steps suddenly appearing makes the falcon look up, getting to his feet, startled at this being sneaking in on him. He stares at the human in front of him. -Are you okay?- Feeling no threat in the boy, the bird nods. After a small conversation, the boy begin to lead the bird of prey. The trip is not long, but still the city is a confusing place. Finally after a long time of silence, and the boy leading the way through the many narrow streets, they enter the open area before the mansion, lit up beautifully, shining by itself, if seemed. -This is where the Masquerade will be held. Here is your mask.- He handed over the mask shaped like the face of a silver fox. -Do not take it off before after the end of the Masquerade.- The bird made a mocking remark, the boy, annoyed and tired, just walked off, leaving the bird by the doors. He took on the mask and entered. The first thing he noticed was that, for the first time in decades, he had hands.
3 Dingsly
-Nice kill.- Dingsley leaps up, though the cut hurts. Before him stands a lanky young man, somewhat familiar, but he is sure he haven't seen him before. He raises his sword, staring suspiciously at the man with the tired, pale face. "Who are.." -I am not here to fight, merely to lead you.- Dingsley looks suspiciously at the stranger, but nods slowly, not letting his guard down. -Follow on.- The two of them do not speak a word on the road, Dingsley watching, observing the stranger, the boy too tired and dizzy to think up words.
Soon they arrive at the grand mansion, its warm lights lit for them to follow. -This is where I stop. Here.- The lad hands over a mask to Dingsley, a grey and black antelope with long horns and big ears. "What am I supposed to do with this..?" He stares at the stranger, examining the mask. -It if for you to wear at the Masquerade. Do not take it off until the Masquerade ends.- "The...?" -Through the doors.- Dingsley looks back at the double doors, but when he looks back at the young man, he is gone. "Strange, like anything else." He sighs, takes on the mask and enter the mansion.
The insides are wonderfully decorated like a historical ball, and filled with these weird animals wearing big dresses and not so modern suits. He looks down, seeing his own weird suit, a dark blue one, and .. He has been changed. He feels at the horns on top of his head, and stared at the three fingered cloven hands.
4 Sasquatch, the summon Overgrowth & Yeti
Walking through the door, they enter an open space, lit up with a mansion. "Now, this is interesti.." Yeti is cut short by a 'Holy f***!' from somewhere behind them. Both of them spin around, ready to encounter this new danger, but all they see is a human leaning up against a wall, looking shocked. They look at each other, uncertain of what approach to take. Sasquatch, from lack of anything else to do, goes back to his default face: WTF! Seeing this, Yeti sighs, looking at the human. "Who are you?" The human looks up, still a little short of breath from the - nice surprise. "... Just a humble guide, though I seem to have gotten it easier than with the trio before..." Yeti tilts her head a little, questioning, but the human seem to either not see it, or ignore it completely. He straightens up, pointing at the mansion. -Only one of you can go in there, the other have to wait outside. Oh, and you will have to wear this mask, and not take it off before the Masquerade ends, because that would be bad.- He holds forth a mask of what must be, well, a hairless mole, complete with glasses. "He is going." Yeti points at her older brother, not really wanting to wear a mask that ugly. Sasquatch just stands there, WTF'ing all over the place. -Is he all right?- The human leans forward, whispering to Yeti. "He does that sometimes..." She whispers back, looking Somewhat tired at Sasq'. -Hmm, okay. Anyway, through the doors, and everything will, well, happen.- He hands her the mask, and disappears down an alley. She looks at her brother again, putting the mask on him, and leads him to the double doors. "What was that all about?" Sasquatch seems to have come back to reality, now openly wondering about.. Something. Yeti rolls her eyes, and pushes her brother through the doors.
Inside there is light, warmth and a lot of people.
5 Xzeno
-That is a nasty gash you got there.- The alien looks to the side where the human limbs into the light of a store. -Sorry I'm late...- He looks exhausted, and not really like an enemy. Xzeno decides that he will not kill the primitive being, yet. "What do you want, human?" -I'm here to lead you, follow me, or be left alone here, while the rest of the contestants rush to the Tower...- Xzeno looks at the being, nodding once and begin the trip towards the next test. None of them talks to each other on the way, none of them have anything to say. At the mansion the human hands over the mask of a gray feline creature, and leaves with the warning 'Do not take the mask off'. The alien rolls his eyes, puts on the mask, and step inside, immediately transformed.
6 The Nergyl Child and the Fallen Child
As the howl dies out, a low clapping can be heard. The brothers spin around, Nergyl charging at the sound. The boy barely dodges the nergyl, tumbling backwards in a controlled fall. The Nergyl Child charges again, but is stopped by a transparent blackish shield. He hammers at it, without any result. -Hmm, problem.- The boy grabs at the nergyl's face through the barrier, and everything flickers in white and grey colours. -Do not take it off.-
When he can see again, he is no longer on the streets but in a ballroom filled with furred beings. He looks enraged around to find the human who dared to touch him, but finding no one. Instead he realizes everything he is has changed. He has fur himself, a fancy dark blue one, a snout and big ears, a bushy tail and some fancy clothes. . . The only thing resembling the person he once were is his eyes. The rest is Bat-eared Fox...
7 Dervysh & Vixen
See part two
8 Ezale
The streets are still all too open, and the mazzelh have no place to run, the bleeding severe... She feels like giving up, going puffball in a corner between a abandoned bike and a halfeaten burger. -... A mazzelh... Here...- She looks up, ready to be eaten, but instead she is gently patted on the head. Though it might be a trap, she purrs a little, especially when the stinging pain from the gash slowly fades to nothing. The human before her have sorrow in his eyes, guilt too as he gently picks her up, holding her in his arms. [You are going to save the fuzzball too?] The dragon like creature looks up at the green pile of fur. -I guess so...- The creature seems to want to say something, but instead he just licks a little at the hand of his human. -I am going to be killed for this, I guess.- He strokes the soft fur of the mazzelh, small tears in his eyes. The shifter looks at the boy. [You will live like always...] -Probably..-
9 Delairi
See part two
10 Billy
-N/A-
11 Azu
See part two
12 Charlie
Charlie ride on on the monster, and as he does not know the city, he let it lead him. But slowly the thing that kept it together fades and the monster crumbles to nothing. "Naaaw!" He sighs, wondering if it would help to call for a cab. -You're Charlie?- a voice asks. "Uhm, yeah?" He looks around, unable to locate the place the voice come from. -The one with the alternatives...- The lanky kid steps out from a nearby store, beginning to walk off. Charlie runs after. "How'd you know, who I was?" -I am not really in the mood for this, just follow, we have a place to be soon.- Charlie stops in his track, pouting. -Just do that, if you don't want to win anything.- His voice is monotone, tired. Charlie uses a second more to pout before he follows the lad. "What's worth all this, where is the tower, who was that blue picture, why are we here, what was that monster, why did it disappear [...]"
-WOULD YOU PLEASE SHUT THE F..... UP!!- Charlie looks at the stranger a little startled, too surprised to express a word. -Thank you.- They turn a corner, the mansion lit before them. -Here's your mask, don't take it off, go through the door, good, hi.- The boy disappears in a slight flicker, leaving Charlie dumbstruck. He looks at the mask, a pheasant looking bird. He takes it on, and enters the mansion.
13 Pazx and Garrow
See part Two
14 Strop
Light steps is heard through the roar of the flames. Strop slowly turn to face the boy. "Can I help you?" -I think I might be the one to help.-
(Sorry for ruining your intro a little, but I have this strong desire to just c/P the rpg into here, which I should not)
As they walk off, small talking a little the fires of the fair dies out. Somehow the lad manages to get lost, and awkward situations appear. At last they enter the open space before the mansion. -There. Inside. Don't take off the mask until the Masquerade ends. Because that is stupid.- He sighs a little, hands over the mask shaped like a light brown wolf's face, with long eyelashes.
After a few words they part, the ninja horse walking inside the mansion, the boy disappearing into the night.
15 Akuma
-SCRAM!- The blood monster stares in the direction of the yell, and so does the shapeshifter, both making big eyes. The monster dissolves into a pit of darkness. [Kai, my - hero.] The shapeshifter jumps down from the window frame, trotting to the lad's side. -Hi, 'Kuma...- The boy smiles tired and a little depressed down at the black dragon like creature. -You are caught in this mess too...- The dragon looks at the boy with bright white eyes, then nudges at his side with his snout. [I missed you, that's why, kiddo.] Trying to comfort his "master" the shapeshifter makes a purring sound, nudging his snout at the boy. The lad smiles a little, but still seems so very exhausted... Used. -I can't let you go through the tests...- [Whatever you say, kid...] The shifter disappears, and in his head the boy hears a single, comforting sentence: [I'm with you now.]
16 Hallow
The dragon turns slowly at the sound of the thud, eyeing the bleeding boy. "Oh great, you're back." The dragon moves closer, offering the boy a hand. Kai takes it, pulling himself up, his head foggy with pure, malicious pain. -Thank you...- the kid looked tired and distant, pallid from the massive blood loss. "Anything interesting happened besides torture?" The dragon sniffs the boy's face, licking off a little of the blood. -Not torture, just a beating... I talk too much.- "Then why are you back here?"
The boy explains briefly about a "arty", when directs Hallow towards the location. Little black sparks mends his skin, but he still looks tired and broken.
After some minutes the two of them stand before a great mansion lit up by glorious lights, the surface almost shining itself. The kid is still rather weak, but manages to stand. -Here, this is where it is held.- He hands the dragon a mask, a black unicorn, seemingly a female. -Just through the doors. Don't take off the mask before the Masquerade ends.- Hallow nods, taking on the mask, while the boy walks off into, well, nothing. He just disappears.
Hallow looks after him, then walk into the mansion through the double doors. And what a magnificent place! Filled with anthropomorphic creatures, prey and hunters, birds, even dragons. Like hims.. At this point he realized that A. he is not a he any more, B. he is no longer a dragon, and C. he is f***ing wearing a big read dress, quite elegant and fitting his new figure, but still a dress.
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Wait for part two, before you make any entries, since this intro is not done yet.
Unless you want to post an entry illustrating the trip to the mansion, of course.
All I can ask you for now is to wait (I have something more important to do, so I guess I will have to be annoying and delay it a bit), oh, and try and guess the order of the intros. I can tell you so much that it begin with Hallow.
