An Ordinary Oddball
Lunch
"Oh, yeah, Guises," Daikon blurted, fastidiously wiping her face and hands with a napkin after finishing her sandwich. "I call them Guises. Our...other selves, I mean. I got mine after I wished hard enough to have something that my brothers didn't. Including a better name. Ahem. Apparently it's tied to my passions and insecurities. It's what I use to hide my weaknesses, so I started calling it a Guise." Her voice rose again as if her momentary wavering never happened.
Daikon took a deep breath and continued: "The light coming from Jaime and Hector must've meant that they have the potential to develop Guises. So, the other common thread running through this is that we either already have a Guise or are going to develop a Guise."
"Based on the evidence, I think something was trying to prevent us from coming together," Daikon said dramatically, earning snickers from nearby tables. She ignored them. "We know our Guises are capable of hurting dream-monsters, like the Abyss things. So something thinks we're a threat."
"I don't know what that something is, but I have a good idea of what it's trying to do," she whispered, leaning inwards. "It's trying to take over this town. I mean, look at everyone. This is a den of iniquity, but nobody's lifting a finger to stop it. Why else would people be trying to get us to knuckle under? We notice how things are wrong. We're literally the last hope for...humanity or something!"
"I sound like a conspiracy theorist, but you get my point," Daikon sat back. "We need to find out why things are the way they are, and fix it."
"Also, I have actual gamebooks and dice, so we'll still get to play. It's not like we're here to just save the world from the encroaching forces of DARKNESS and DEATH—" she paused. "Sorry. But we still get to play. Dice is a fortune-telling method anyways."
"All in favor of forming a band to crusade against that which goes bump in the night and would like to eat us all, raise your hand and say aye!" Daikon herself raised her hand as high as it would go, awkwardly grinning at the gathered group of misfits.
Edited by JumpingFruit on Jan 12th 2019 at 1:33:30 AM
I wear the skin of the Elder Things, having come unto my own.
Brothers' War
Just as Hector was getting into the explanation Daikon was providing, the door to the lunch room suddenly shot open and then slammed shut behind the latest guests. Hector's eyes went there and he visibly drew back a bit when he saw who it was showing up.
There he was - Carter, and a bunch of his athletically inclined cohorts. Carter was very much the anti-Hector - having the natural dark hair color, but well combed and cut, wearing not a heavy trench coat but a white collared shirt and denim jacket, a white hat on his head, and jeans fitted for him.
The others seemed to wear the white hat and similar outfit as a way of showing solidarity with their quarterback.
Carter wound up hearing the imaginative and colorful description of events, the great interest Daikon had in what happened...and promptly stated, "...Sounds like you weirdos are just inventing new reasons not to go to Church and hear the good word of Christ."
Hector clenched a fist, looking right at his brother - could he go nowhere without this blowhard showing up to lord his faith over everyone? He whispered, "...I hate you, Carter."
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AKA Nixer
Lydia – Lunchtime
Tied to passions and insecurities. Hitting too close to home there. I'd rather they see my alter for themselves.
“If you wouldn't be so dramatic about it, yes,” Lydia eventually retorted to the enthusiastic Daikon, the faintest hint of an amused smile on her face as she glanced among those gathered at the table. “Very well. If you insist. Aye,” she monotonously stated, stiffly raising her hand up as instructed.
Only to drop it as Carter arrived. She merely glanced over at him blankly before returning her attention to the table's occupants. But sometimes blatant ignorance wasn't the best option, so...
“Good afternoon, Carter.”
Lucy – Lunchtime
Lucy hesitated for a moment. That was a lot of information and energized yelling in a short amount of time for her to process. Guises connected to inner desires and weaknesses. A defense mechanism. It certainly sounded accurate. But she couldn't help but dread the can of worms this would open. She knew more than anything else that everybody had their demons and their wounds. If this was true, it'd surely be dragging them down into a heap of stress and outbursts.
But then again...
“...My... ‘Guise’ isn't something I made...” she cautiously spoke, keeping her head ducked down even as she flitted her eyes up to meet theirs. “It... it just showed up. So I don't know how good I'll be at... um...” she stammered, trepidation scrunching up her face before she let out a heavy sigh.
“...Okay. Aye,” she relented, mimicking Daikon's pose only to a considerably lesser extent. And a failure to keep her head held high. And a slight melting into her hoodie even further out of embarrassment.
I hope this goes well, she inwardly worried. They seem nice enough. Maybe... maybe I could find friends here after all? At least I know we all have something in common here... so maybe...
A small, slow smile crossed her features—one that slightly brightened the girl's normally unwell-looking face overall.
Maybe.
It only dwindled away as Carter arrived. Lucy's usual hedgehog tactic of ‘shrink down and hide in hoodie’ initiated in an instant, and she instinctively slid an inch or two closer to Jamie for a sense of security. Probably because he was a head and a half taller than her. Also massive enough for her to hide behind with some ease. Yes, he was giant—but Lucy was also tiny.
Edited by Enirboreh on Jan 12th 2019 at 10:41:27 AM
bork
An Ordinary Oddball
Lunch—Confrontation
"What happened to 'Do not wear clothing woven of two different kinds of material?'" Daikon gestured to Carter's gangs' clothing, voice soft.
"What happened to 'If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless?'" Daikon asked, a bit more force behind her words, standing up. She looked up at Carter fearlessly. "'Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.'"
"Which is exactly what we're doing. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone at me. I'll turn the other cheek. So go on, hit me. Tell me how I'm going to hell," she said, still looking into Carter's eyes. "Go on. I'm waiting."
I wear the skin of the Elder Things, having come unto my own.
Breath of the Sun
Uria - Lunch
"Guises are truths we have not yet told ourselves." Uria said, upon hearing Daikon's explanation. "Thus, our Guises show what we truly want to be."
And then one of the wicked ones appeared. Carter, his name was. She knew well of him, her family being quite religious themselves.
"They won't listen." Uria cut in. "Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden."
Reciting the passage from memory, she narrowed her eyes at Carter in a tired glare. "So go away."
What is so amusing about this? Why do you take lives? How can you forget?
This is a lot to think about. And glowing? Did I glow? He could certainly buy being someone else in a dream. Hadn't someone once said that dreams were like wishes? He'd glanced down at the girl's notebook while it was out-she was pretty good. And anyway, this all sounded interesting. His mind flashed back to the Majestic. As long as we don't go back there. There's bad stuff, and then there's that place.
When Carter walked up to the table Jamie didn't bother to get up. He just leaned back in his chair and grinned at Carter and his friends. It was an expression of real amusement. Gesturing to the ladies who had already spoken, he waved his hands in a brushing-off motion and rolled his eyes. "I don't know any of that Bible stuff, but it sounds like they just told you to run along. Good advice."
Edited by Booky on Jan 12th 2019 at 9:27:29 AM
Will ignored the drama between Hector and his brother; it was none of his business.
"You know, all that sounds like a Stephen King novel" he said to Daikon. "But I happen to know its real. I'm a lucid dreamer, you see. I sense these things. I don't know who or what it is yet but yeah, we'd better find out if only because no one else is going to believe us."
"By the way, my 'Guise' wasn't spontaneous. I made it, very much intentionally. I'm not fooling myself in that I did it to hide from my inadequacies. I know I'm a geek and I embrace it. In the Dreamworld, I'm a mighty hero. That's good enough for me."
He then looked at the 'shrinking violet' girl and said, "Maybe I can help you with yours too. No promises, but I can try."
But then the argument with the jocks started heating up. Ugh, religious rethoric. "Can we meet later and continue this discussion- in private?"
The absolute verbal beatdown that ensued on Carter almost got applause out of Hector when Carter grabbed one of his friends by the shoulder, whispered something, and then stormed off. "...I-I'm a Pharisee!? N-N-No, you're all fucking Pharisees! I-I'm the head of the freaking Christian Athletes Club - I-I know my Bible better!"
That was the limit of what he could manage when he addressed the club one last time.
As he basically ran off holding back tears of pure humiliation, Hector began a slow clap. "Woah woah woah...never saw anyone basically get away with telling off my brother like that. Hope that took him down a few pegs...I think I and the rest of the ahem trenchcoat brigade thank you for that."
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Lydia – Lunchtime
“Hmph. Could've said a few things myself there, but alright,” Lydia stated, a hint of a smirk flickering across her features. “Nice literary knowledge. Truly representative of how much of us are bookworms. Apparently a solid chunk. Good to know.”
She visibly relaxed at that point, even crossing her legs under the table as she leaned forward a fraction. “I get the feeling we'll get along with each other just fine. Purely based on that, of course.”
Lucy – Lunchtime
“Th-there's no hoodie brigade though is there...?” Lucy muttered under her breath in a manner almost sarcastic, before she shook it off and cleared her throat as she turned her attention toward Will.. “Thank you, u-um... Bill?” she hazarded, wincing apologetically as if she'd immediately realised it was wrong. “S... sorry. I don't always keep track of everyone, but... that's very kind of you to offer...”
Hooray. She'd said a full sentence without it being too broken up. Goal for the day reached. God was she tired.
She firmly squashed her cynical side down, and resumed slowly trailing her gaze between each of them at the table.
This was gonna be a ride. She could tell.
bork
An Ordinary Oddball
Lunch
Daikon sat down woodenly. "I think I may have brought a future beatdown onto our heads. That's nothing to praise me for."
"Still...we have to stand up for ourselves and each other. That's what this club is for," she said, determined. "We can't let our dreams be stepped on like that!"
"...I wonder what's gotten into people. I remember they used to be a lot nicer when I was younger," Daikon groused.
I wear the skin of the Elder Things, having come unto my own.
Jamie grinned as he watched Carter huff away. "Well, he was kind of a shit, wasn't he? A few mean words and he scampered off. Poor baby." He made a mock-sad face at Hector. "Besides, at least now we know they don't like us instead of getting suddenly jumped out of the blue." Diakon's words made him burst out laughing. "Naw, some people have always been pains in the ass. You gotta have a few to balance stuff out. And I'm no bookworm. Just handsome and charming."
An Ordinary Oddball
Club
The rest of lunch passed uneventfully, as did the rest of the classes. Everyone received a stack of syllabi—since it was only the first day of school, there was not much homework aside from reading them.
Room 101 was an unused broom closet that Daikon said she would be "refurbishing."
When the club members opened the door, they would find a round, wooden table with matching chairs in the surprisingly spacious space, with gamebooks in varying conditions stacked upon it and cases of dice.
Daikon herself was busy pinning up purple cloth with fleur-de-lis designs onto the walls. Half of the room was already covered this way, and it helped hide the cracking wallpaper and give the room a more mysterious (or magical) feel.
I wear the skin of the Elder Things, having come unto my own.
Girly girl writer♡ (*>ω<)
A tiny young girl stood outside of the club room. She was clutching a plush bunny doll close to her chest. She heard what the others were saying at lunch. She understood them but, she was too shy and scared to talk to them. But, she now had her chance.
"Do you think I can do it, Ms. Bun? She said looking down at her plush doll. Regardless, she quietly opened the door. She held up Ms. Bun in front of her face.
"Hello. I heard what you were all saying back at lunch and I want to say I am in a similar situation. Can I join you guys?"
Just an adorable fan girl and cosplayer ヾ(*・ω・)ノ💝💟
AKA Nixer
Lucy – Cafeteria
“I'm sure you are,” Lucy muttered softly at Jamie's joking claim—something she immediately regretted saying and promptly shrank back into her hood again. She even tightened the drawstrings behind her to hide her blushing face. Yet again her nasty habit had cropped up of saying nothing when she wanted to only to immediately blurt out the one thing she desperately didn't want to. It was typical. And incredibly embarrassing.
“I... I d-didn't mean it– uh, I mean I did but– um... uhhh...” she gulped, voice muffled as she only ended up burying herself deeper into her grave. “...That... is to say that... I-I'll just shut up now...”
One could practically see steam escaping from the hole in the constricted hood of her jacket at this point.
Lucy – Club
Evidently the usually socially anxious teen had found the surprisingly expansive broom closet much more comfortable than the classroom and cafeteria—and had already set up her painting equipment in a particular corner for her to work on later. Right now she was quietly helping Daikon in making the room look a little more homely, and had even taken to taking off her massive and baggy hoodie for once so she was clad in a simple black t-shirt.
It was undoubtedly rather jarring to see her so chipper, but any unexpected questions delivered to her still gleaned a flustered look and a heavily stammered response. Nonetheless, she was... better. At least somewhat. She seemed to be in her element for once.
So when the door creaked open, she only nearly dropped her paintbrush on the floor in surprise. Upon seeing who it was, though, she smiled—waving at the younger girl while inwardly ‘aww’ing over her plushie.
“Come in. I'm sure she won't mind. Daikon, we have a visitor,” she called softly, before giggling a little at the bunny toy again. “Or two. They're alright, aren't they?”
Aww. She's shy as well. At least that makes two of us...
bork
Girly girl writer♡ (*>ω<)
Alice slowly entered the room and walked to the older girl. She kept the plush in front of her.
"Thank you, you are very nice. My name is Alice and this is my best friend, Ms. Bun."
Still, she felt nervous. She wondered if she looked too weird holding Ms. Bun but, it was her way of talking to others. She held it down after speaking.
Just an adorable fan girl and cosplayer ヾ(*・ω・)ノ💝💟
An Ordinary Oddball
Club
"Oh, hi!" Daikon chirped cheerfully, putting up various comic book, anime, and movie posters over the purple fabric. "Come in, come in, make yourself and Ms. Bun comfortable!"
She reached into a cardboard box (which had held the cloth and posters, and had been brought in earlier) and produced a crystal ball and its stand. She set it in the middle of the table as a centerpiece.
"There. That's all the stuff I brought," Daikon said with a note of finality.
I wear the skin of the Elder Things, having come unto my own.
Girly girl writer♡ (*>ω<)
Upon hearing Daikon talk to her, she smiled rather shyly and held up Ms. Bun again.
"Thank you. I thought I was alone when I was in my guise as you called it. because it seemed like there was no one else. I call her Fairy-Tale and Ms. Bun also is able to help me more. Don't worry she is as nice as she is now." Putting the doll down, Alice decided she might as well help put the room together. She grabbed some paints and construction paper from her backpack and started painting some pictures to hang around the room along with the posters Daikon made.
Edited by LovelyMagicianSavvy on Jan 17th 2019 at 1:41:22 AM
Just an adorable fan girl and cosplayer ヾ(*・ω・)ノ💝💟
AKA Nixer
Lucy – Club
“...You like painting too?” Lucy asked, smiling as she gently set a few paint pots of her own next to the girl in offering. “You look like you know your colors. I could never work shades out in mine... I usually work in monochrome...”
Which was true enough. The still-packed paintings partially poking out of Lucy's sports bag were either black on a white surface or vice-versa; stylised with brush smears and blotches in some areas yet remaining intricate and realistic in regards to facial features or whatever was the focus of the picture. The handful of paintings with colour did look a little muted and dull—splashes of vibrant colour few and far between.
“I used to have a bunny too. I called him Harold,” she smiled in reminiscence —glancing over to the plushie stationed nearby for a moment before diverting attention back to the spot on the wall she was working on. “He was a little uglier than that, but I loved him to death. I lost him on the bus though, one day... I could barely talk without him. My sister—she bought me another one, bless her—but it wasn't the same. I don't think I–” she paused, looking over at Alice apologetically before minutely shaking her head. “Nevermind. Sorry. I'm rambling. Or rabbiting. One or the other,” she lopsidedly grinned.
Did I really just make a joke? she inwardly questioned, astounded at her sudden vocality. It was surprisingly easy to talk to Alice. Perhaps it was because she was younger than her, or maybe it was because she was shy as well—heck, maybe it was just due to the fact she didn't feel like as if she was being stared at so much now that they had their own clubroom. Whatever the case, Lucy couldn't help but feel a little pleased that she'd managed to hold a conversation for this long without much difficulty on her part.
Now here's hoping she could keep it going.
bork
Jamie was kind of dance-stepping down the hall and singing Panic! At The Disco songs to himself softly off-key as he approached the door to room 101. At the entrance, he stopped and did a little pirouette (well a lot of pirouette given his size) still singing with his eyes closed.
Finishing, he opened them and smiled at the assembled ladies before ambling in and taking a seat. He pulled an apple out of a pocket and crunched into it loudly before asking "Anyone need help? Or an apple? Not this one, of course." He leaned back in his chair and waved at Lucy, Lydia and Daikon before nodding in a friendly way to Alice.
Edited by Booky on Jan 17th 2019 at 7:53:29 AM
Breath of the Sun
Uria - Clubroom
As before, Uria came in and sat down without greeting, rummaging in her backpack for a notebook which she unceremoniously plopped on the table, opening it to reveal meticulous notes about her other form.
"We should know of each other's Guises." She said without prompting. "So we may know our weaknesses and cover with one another's strengths. Also, I like the room. It's cozy."
What is so amusing about this? Why do you take lives? How can you forget?
Girly girl writer♡ (*>ω<)
"I very much like to paint. Also, Ms. Bun thanks you. Sorry about Harold,hopefully someone else picked him up and loved as you did. I don't know what I would do without Ms. Bun."
When Uria entered the room talked about introducing guises, Alice held Ms. Bun up again.
"My guise is called Fairy-Tale. She is based off of fairy tales and in that form, Ms. Bun comes to life. I am support mainly. Ms. Bun has to do more for me and I am rather weak...sorry." Alice put Ms. Bun down. She hoped they wouldn't judge her too hard for that.
Edited by LovelyMagicianSavvy on Jan 17th 2019 at 6:45:05 AM
Just an adorable fan girl and cosplayer ヾ(*・ω・)ノ💝💟
AKA Nixer
Lucy – Club
“I'm sure you're not weak. You'll surprise yourself. I know it,” Lucy quietly assured, gently placing her hand on the girl's shoulder for comfort before turning attention to Uria's question. Jamie got a shy glance and a blush at his cheery wave, but Lucy had her mind on other things. Mainly beating herself up over her own statement.
Can say that about her but not about yourself. Hypocrite.
“My Guise is... well um... I'm not too sure precisely...” she began awkwardly, looking more than a little uncomfortable judging by the way she was rubbing her upper arm and sending prolonged glances to her hoodie hanging over one of the chairs around the table. “I kinda... change. You saw my picture of it. It's... i-it's like I'm not myself. E-Everything's... like...” she stammered, getting visibly frustrated at her own verbal stumbling before she took a deep breath and tried again with a little more composure this time. “It's like I'm focused and everything else clouds over. Tunnel vision, basically. All on the goal.”
Well, that was the tricky part done. Now for the abilities.
“The Wraith, it—I call it the Wraith, by the way—it can use this... this black stuff. It's like ink. I dunno, it... smells like it at least. It can move it, make it, turn into it... which is really freaky to do... i-it's kinda like a nightmare monster, actually. Which... makes sense, I guess?”
Edited by Enirboreh on Jan 17th 2019 at 4:18:55 PM
bork
An Ordinary Oddball
Club
Daikon wrung her hands anxiously and seemed to steady herself. Then she put her right hand up to her mouth and whispered "The great chef is here!" into it. With her hand "holding" the words, white cloth swirled up from some point behind Daikon, concealing her from sight. When it receded into an unknown location behind Daikon, she was clothed in the same frilly chef's uniform as in the dream.
"Greetings, fellow Guisers!" Chef Daikon trilled. "You see before you the great Chef Daikon!"
"This is my knife!" she said, pointing proudly at her Chef's Knife, which was sheathed in her belt. "It's sharp and always ready for service!"
"These are my Peashooters!" Chef Daikon continued, gesturing at the two holstered six-shooters. "They may not do a lot of damage, but they shoot fast and never run out of ammunition."
"I can also do this!" Daikon burst into steam, dashing across the room and re-materializing. "It's good for dodging."
"In addition to those, I can summon ingredients and cooking tools, but it drains me. Whatever food I make in this form can heal and make people stronger, as well as have any variety of positive effects!"
Chef Daikon struck a dramatic pose. "And you all! What are your skills?"
It was to be noted that this version of Daikon had more swagger in her step, as well as significantly more confidence. The tiredness and slight dullness had all but disappeared from her widened eyes.
I wear the skin of the Elder Things, having come unto my own.
Hector
Hector entered among the last of the students to the club - he'd had quite a lot to deal with. Word had gotten out what he'd made during class, and as rumours go, it was typical - the exact details got worse and worse with each pair of ears they passed through. Before long, he was apparently planning to sacrifice the popular athletes and cool kids to Satan, and bathe in their blood, going by how his day had went.
And when he entered, his eyes were captured, absolutely enrapt, when Daikon...changed. No longer was she just the shy and effacing girl he knew. Now she was...different. Hector was at once intrigued and somewhat jealous.
"...W-Wow..."
Hector bit his lip a bit and tried to think of what to say or do. But that was all he could manage for now. Could this be some kind of new face? New abilities? This all sounds so unreal...
The others were here a lot longer than him - likely because they hadn't made that kind of broadcast.
Sign on for this After The End Fantasy RP.
Ah, she suffers from nightmares. That might explain it William thought. He wondered if he could help her, by entering her dreams? He'd never tried before, but why not? Not that he would tell her ahead. She looks like she would panic at the idea.
Her drawing reminded him of something.
"You mentioned something about 'Guises'" he told the girl with the funny Japanese name. "What do you mean by that?"