Skulduggery Pleasant (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
light_mischief) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
come_sailaway2022-12-05 08:07 pm
light_mischief) wrote in come_sailaway2022-12-05 08:07 pm
[open] see the sunset turning red; let all be quiet in your head
Who: Skulduggery Pleasant and you!
What: Horror movies, playing in the pool, and privately disclosing an evil fugue state to his besties
When: Covers all of pre-event December, slap a specific date down if you have one
Where: Tauva, the pool, or wherever, IDGAF
Warnings: discussion of being an evil mass-murdering necromancer in one thread. everything else should be cool!
[CLOSED: Ava & Max] you'll sleep better when you think you've stepped back from the brink
[Something dark has been settled in the back of his mind for some time; he's allowed it to fester there, untouched and avoided ever since he abandoned Vile's armor in the earth. He had been afraid to confront it for so long, and when it began to manifest like a dark sludge in his skull, he'd felt real fear. Panic had driven him to confess to Darcy, and anxiety had done the same with Jade. But he'd found with the latter conversation that the more he talked about it -- the more he confronted it -- the more the subconsciousness seemed to ebb away. As if keeping it a secret gave it more power.
If that's the case, he refuses to let it continue. His reputation will be shot one way or another; who cares if it's because he's dating the Captain or because he used to be an evil necromancer? The only thing that matters is making sure Vile never regains control.
Part of that means telling the people he trusts the most, before admitting to it on the larger stage. It may be gaming the system slightly, telling the two people he expects to have the least emotional reaction to the news, but look. When you've kept a secret for over a century, it gets hard to tell just anybody about it.
Max and Ava, as usual, recieve matching text-messages during the first week of December:]
[Tauva] you'll breathe easier just knowing that the worst is all behind you
[Skulduggery got a box set of Universal Classic monster movies back in November, and ever since Tauva got a DVD player, he's been in the bar at least once every few days to watch one of the 30 movies at his disposal. Since he can't drink or eat, his movie-watching activity of choice is tidying up the binder of information. He has a pen, extra paper, and a thick black permanent marker, which he's using to edit out incorrect statements from previous meetings. Things have changed a lot in the last few months, and most of their original assumptions have been proven laughably untrue.
Mostly, that means he spends almost an entire movie idly commenting on either mistaken theories or old-school Hollywood special effects. There's a solid 30 seconds after the first bat scene in Dracula that Skulduggery spends laughing himself silly. And when the Mummy steps out of his sarcophagus and destroys the archeologist's mind, he shakes his head ruefully.]
Yep. That'll do it.
[And then moments later, he's shaking his head again, this time at the contents of the binder.] I don't know where "he eats souls" came from...
[Pool] the waves that tossed the raft all night have set you on dry land
[Skulduggery sits at the edge of the pool late at night. His jacket, hat, and shoes are stowed on a lounge chair, and his pants have been rolled up to the knees so he can sit with his legs in the water. Both hands are outstretched as the surface of the water puckers and bunches, twisting in on itself as he tries to get it to take some shape beyond a pillar. Something loose, tall, and spindly.
A thin, spidery tree starts to form out of eddying funnels of water. A trunk, and then branches... and if he tries hard enough, maybe he can shape some sort of hint of leaves? He's never actually tried to manipulate water like this before, though, so it's slow going, and it takes all of his concentration. You... you wouldn't be about to distract him, would you??]
[B-B-BONUS OPEN, Chatterbox, Post Wedding] when you see him, you'll know
[It's like nothing's changed -- mostly because for Skulduggery, it hasn't. He's still here at the Chatterbox on a leisurely afternoon, all alone save for the karaoke machine and his thoughts. He's laying out on the stage, microphone in one hand as he lazily sings along with the songs that he knows.
It was... a good night, overall, despite anypotential dramatic flareups, but Skulduggery has been making himself somewhat scarce in the week following the wedding. Not because he's scared, or anything like that; it's more or less out of respect for other people's space. Which is why he's holed up in here!
Whenever the door opens, Skulduggery will turn his head towards the newest interloper, and through the microphone, he asks:]
What's the password?
[Those who play along will find themselves free to move directly from the doors to the stage, completely unimpeded. Those who refuse to play will find their way invisibly impeded. And those who look like they're about to start a fight will find themselves blocked off by a single, thick wall of thin air.
The password is: whatever Skulduggery decides it is, get used to it, he's unstoppable now!]
[wildcard] wish me well where i go
(Throw me any random scenarios you want, or hit me up on discord to plot something!)
What: Horror movies, playing in the pool, and privately disclosing an evil fugue state to his besties
When: Covers all of pre-event December, slap a specific date down if you have one
Where: Tauva, the pool, or wherever, IDGAF
Warnings: discussion of being an evil mass-murdering necromancer in one thread. everything else should be cool!
[CLOSED: Ava & Max] you'll sleep better when you think you've stepped back from the brink
[Something dark has been settled in the back of his mind for some time; he's allowed it to fester there, untouched and avoided ever since he abandoned Vile's armor in the earth. He had been afraid to confront it for so long, and when it began to manifest like a dark sludge in his skull, he'd felt real fear. Panic had driven him to confess to Darcy, and anxiety had done the same with Jade. But he'd found with the latter conversation that the more he talked about it -- the more he confronted it -- the more the subconsciousness seemed to ebb away. As if keeping it a secret gave it more power.
If that's the case, he refuses to let it continue. His reputation will be shot one way or another; who cares if it's because he's dating the Captain or because he used to be an evil necromancer? The only thing that matters is making sure Vile never regains control.
Part of that means telling the people he trusts the most, before admitting to it on the larger stage. It may be gaming the system slightly, telling the two people he expects to have the least emotional reaction to the news, but look. When you've kept a secret for over a century, it gets hard to tell just anybody about it.
Max and Ava, as usual, recieve matching text-messages during the first week of December:]
I have something I'd like to talk to you two about. If you could meet me at my cabin in about an hour, I'd appreciate it. Easier just to tell the two of you at the same time, honestly.
[He assumes they both know who "you two" stands for...][Tauva] you'll breathe easier just knowing that the worst is all behind you
[Skulduggery got a box set of Universal Classic monster movies back in November, and ever since Tauva got a DVD player, he's been in the bar at least once every few days to watch one of the 30 movies at his disposal. Since he can't drink or eat, his movie-watching activity of choice is tidying up the binder of information. He has a pen, extra paper, and a thick black permanent marker, which he's using to edit out incorrect statements from previous meetings. Things have changed a lot in the last few months, and most of their original assumptions have been proven laughably untrue.
Mostly, that means he spends almost an entire movie idly commenting on either mistaken theories or old-school Hollywood special effects. There's a solid 30 seconds after the first bat scene in Dracula that Skulduggery spends laughing himself silly. And when the Mummy steps out of his sarcophagus and destroys the archeologist's mind, he shakes his head ruefully.]
Yep. That'll do it.
[And then moments later, he's shaking his head again, this time at the contents of the binder.] I don't know where "he eats souls" came from...
[Pool] the waves that tossed the raft all night have set you on dry land
[Skulduggery sits at the edge of the pool late at night. His jacket, hat, and shoes are stowed on a lounge chair, and his pants have been rolled up to the knees so he can sit with his legs in the water. Both hands are outstretched as the surface of the water puckers and bunches, twisting in on itself as he tries to get it to take some shape beyond a pillar. Something loose, tall, and spindly.
A thin, spidery tree starts to form out of eddying funnels of water. A trunk, and then branches... and if he tries hard enough, maybe he can shape some sort of hint of leaves? He's never actually tried to manipulate water like this before, though, so it's slow going, and it takes all of his concentration. You... you wouldn't be about to distract him, would you??]
[B-B-BONUS OPEN, Chatterbox, Post Wedding] when you see him, you'll know
[It's like nothing's changed -- mostly because for Skulduggery, it hasn't. He's still here at the Chatterbox on a leisurely afternoon, all alone save for the karaoke machine and his thoughts. He's laying out on the stage, microphone in one hand as he lazily sings along with the songs that he knows.
It was... a good night, overall, despite any
Whenever the door opens, Skulduggery will turn his head towards the newest interloper, and through the microphone, he asks:]
What's the password?
[Those who play along will find themselves free to move directly from the doors to the stage, completely unimpeded. Those who refuse to play will find their way invisibly impeded. And those who look like they're about to start a fight will find themselves blocked off by a single, thick wall of thin air.
The password is: whatever Skulduggery decides it is, get used to it, he's unstoppable now!]
[wildcard] wish me well where i go
(Throw me any random scenarios you want, or hit me up on discord to plot something!)
Tauva
He is literally a skeleton. A talking skeleton. Moving on his own and watching movies and writing in what she now recognizes as the binder. So not anything of Palamedes'. Anything really is possible.]
Skulduggery I presume? I thought Pratt was confused, but you really are a skeleton.
no subject
It's the skull that gives it away, usually. I'm not surprised you didn't believe him. He didn't believe himself, either, until he tried to beat me over the head with a shovel. [He says it as though it were a fond memory.]
no subject
[He's actually a skeleton. Fascinating. His soul has to be there, but she has no idea how it's even working. Necromancy maybe? But he's his own person. Strange.]
You're in charge of the binder then.
no subject
I'm as in charge of anything as the next person around here. But I am probably the one most obsessed with its contents.
no subject
[Obsessed, but not in an angry manner, more a fascinated one.]
I spoke with him, he's definitely not what I expected from my reading. Seems like he'll meet you exactly where you meet him.
[Hopefully he won't be dropping any bodies outside her door. Palamedes might not appreciate that.]
Honesty met with honesty. Bit refreshing, but also very open to interpretation.
no subject
That's the Captain, for you. Honest, but not always direct. Not unless he knows exactly what he wants, which is... hmm. Not often. Part of being stuck here for so long, I imagine. Give us a few hundred years... thousands, even, and we'd probably be just as looney as he is.
no subject
[Though, she's missing a couple hundred years worth of memories, so it is possible she is...or will be.]
Anything in that book we know to be true or is it all speculation so far.
no subject
[Skulduggery flips towards the front, where a lot of earlier information has been mostly erased via black marker.]
Most of the earlier stuff was speculation, and I admit I haven't followed up on everything. Anything I've included myself, however, is true as far as I know it. [He holds up the binder to indicate a page full of his clean, neat handwriting.] The things I haven't included are also true, but largely irrelevant.
no subject
I asked him if he was stuck here with us and he told me he could leave whenever he wanted.
[It's possible he was lying. She couldn't get a single read on the Captain. He was like a giant black hole.]
Not to be rude, but the name Skulduggery is a little on the nose sound-wise, hence my confusion when Pratt mentioned you. Were you always a walking skeleton or did something happen to make you that way?
no subject
Who is, by the by, his own favorite subject to talk about; he's happy to shut the binder on the Captain talk for the time-being. Nobody asks him about the skeleton thing anymore!]
Not rude at all. I was a person with skin, hair, eyes... all that good stuff. But that was before I was murdered. [It doesn't seem to phase him by the way he talks about it.] I suppose I just took umbrage with the way I went out, and so... here I am.
I did take the name "Skulduggery Pleasant" before then, though. I can't really explain that one outside of irony.
no subject
[He used the word 'umbrage' and he seems to be a very deliberate individual.]
Skulduggery is essentially a word to describe trickery. It would certainly be a trick of a kind to cheat Death in a such a way.
no subject
Oh. But no, I chose the name because it sounded nice, and I like the word Skulduggery. Fun to say, fun to cause.
no subject
God's wrath let down upon the earth where the guilty shall be judged and the world shall burn?
[She's sure that's what he's referencing. Wrath.]
Sounds a little dark, but then again, you are a skeleton. Something powerful brought you back, and I suppose being pissed off enough might do it.
no subject
[Damn, he keeps forgetting people aren't always Earth-media savvy.]
But it does fit the other way, too. Then again, the Bible is sort of like astrology. You can make any of it fit if you say it with the right inflection.
no subject
Ingmar Bergman.
[She sighs and looks up at the horror movie still playing.]
And I'm pretty sure the humans designed it that way. They like being able to predict things. The old 'If you fight the Persians a great empire will fall.' I swear they see the apocalypse at least once a decade, if not twice.
no subject
[Well, between the comment about living for thousands of years and the separation between her and humans, it's pretty safe to ask:]
Would it be rude for me to ask what you are? Since you're differentiating between us relative mortals and yourself.
no subject
[She's mot sure she would count Skulduggery as a mortal now, even if he once was.]
I'm a Hellhound. Though, fairly recent events have made the waters a little murky on what that means.
no subject
Does that uncertainty come from a lack of an underworld?
no subject
[A small shrug, and then a small amount of uncertainty]
And then there's the name the Captain called me. I don't know who she is, but I feel I should.
[Another smile]
Then again, maybe I'm not 'loony' because I simply don't remember parts of my life.
no subject
[He's trying to picture a reality in which any Christian mythos is actually real. That must be unbearable for all people involved...]
All of it, I mean. The angels and demons, along with the lack of memories. As for the Captain, well. He knows more about us than we do. That's what happens when you have access to everyone's universe in some way or another.
no subject
[It is indeed unbearable. Her hatred for Christianity and other forms of religion is only rivalled by her hatred for the gods. She looks over at Skulduggery's blank face. Best poker face in the entire world.]
He might know more about us, but I think he's almost as lost as we are.
no subject
[He can't help it; he loves mysteries. But he doesn't know Valdis enough to be entirely forthright -- she's saying the right things, and likely feels some measure of sympathy given her own long-lived life... but Ava is right. He could afford to play things more safely than he does.]
I think you may be right about that, at least in part. It's been a long time since his original goals made sense to pursue.
no subject
Sometimes people just don't know anything different, so they struggle to change even when the world around them has.
[Her attention refocuses on him]
What about you Skulduggery. How did you adapt to the world after being revived?
no subject
[Sounds a bit obsessive, when he puts it like that...]
In between the two, I took up detective work. I like mysteries, I like being right, and I love punching bad guys in the face. So, it seemed like the right line of work.
no subject
[He seems happy to talk about himself, which isn't exactly odd here, but odd by the standards of her world, depending on who you are talking to.]
Another detective. I was hunting serial killers and murderers for a time, within the law unfortunately. I assume a Private one? Lawyers tend to frown upon punching suspects in the face.
[She'd been one of those once too.]
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