entranceway | [Action]

Current Mood: scared

Entry tags:

[Action]

[The event gave James his normal clothing, and a sheet with a couple of eyeholes.

And James was fine with this; he has a sense of humor. He wore the sheet around and tried to playfully spook some people with the least scary costume in existence. But, after a while (days at least, though it's hard to tell with everlasting night) the sheet fell right through him. This was okay too, for a bit. People could still see him, and James thought it wouldn't go farther than that.

But now, he isn't just transparent. He's barely visible to the naked eye. He's just a glimpse of himself, a whisper of someone who used to be. He can't see himself in a mirror, and it startles him. He can't see his hands when he looks down.

And this would all make his heart beat fast, but he's not sure he can feel his heart at all.

Time passes, or maybe it doesn't, and James is sure he hears something. Whispers. Reminders. Your deathday is near; All Hallow's Eve...]

All...Halloween.

[And he remembers, though he shouldn't. It feels real, and he knows its real. He remembers (imagines. remembers?) the life being drained from him. The fear for Lily's sake, and for.]

...Harry. Harry.

[There's a CRACK and what lights are left in the hall of the tenth floor go out, the bulbs themselves shattering. A couple of mirrors crack as well, and there's a terrifying (terrified?) breeze. His voice comes out but it's hollow, garbled by a lack of vocal chords. Difficult and desperate.]

No, no. No...no. nonoNO! I'm not...I'm not ready; I can't. I still have to...I can still... I WON'T GO!

[And then, the ghost of James Potter flees, causing several decorations to fall over in the process. Anyone is welcome to be haunted by him anywhere inside the mansion.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Souji has completely finished his transformation into Izanagi. He still looks more or less like Souji, with the gray hair and all, but his eyes have turned blood red ~~to match his game's version of Izanami~~. The only really noticeable change is that he's now wearing full black robes and carrying a certain jeweled spear.

He's actually on the roof, looking around Wonderland from up there, mostly peering out at the forest. It's a full moon (has been for awhile now), so the light's pretty good, but he still can't make out anything of note.

He feels a strange breeze around him and it rumples his way too voluminous robes, making him glance around, since it's not exactly a windy night (day? night).]

[James always liked the roof. He always felt a little better high up in the sky, even if he wasn't on his broom.

So perhaps that's why he's there now. But even James isn't sure. He's frantic, trapped between two planes. But he recognizes Souji, changes and all. He'd spent the earlier part of the event trying to scare him, but that feels so, so long ago now.]

Souji...

[Was that a voice? Or was that just a cold breeze, and a ruffle of leaves? Was that anything or anyone at all?]

[Souji's pretty sure he heard something, but it's hard to tell. He turns away from the forest, head tilted slightly, eyes roaming over the roof.]

...Yes?

[There's a flicker as he turns. The pale figure of a boy - messy hair, glasses. But it's just a flicker in the corner of Souji's eye and it's gone as quickly as it came.

But, is he really gone?]

[Souji's experiences have helped him hone 1) his peripheral vision and 2) his ability to sense things that are there but aren't visible. It's not as strong as some people he knows but it's there.]

...I hear you. [He only has an idea of who or what he's hearing, but affirming that might help.]

[That actually helps. James connected. He was heard. He's not gone.]

Help me.

[It's out of him before he fully realizes, and it's louder than he was before. But he's not sure what else to do.]

Please.

[He hears that more clearly and recognizes the voice this time.]

James.

[It's not a question, it's an acknowledgment.]

You turned into a ghost.

[Not he is a ghost. Souji thinks it's an important distinction to make.]

[He flickers again, but manages to hold himself there a little longer, so Souji can have some visual confirmation that yes, it's James. ...And yes, hes turned into a ghost.

Turned into...]

I'm not supposed to...not supposed to die yet!

[But the effort's a little too much, even for him, and he blips out of view once more.]

[Souji turns a bit to face him more directly.]

I don't think you did.

But...

[It's hard. He doesn't think he did either. Not really. But he remembers things, or at least he's pretty sure he does, and it's difficult to argue with not having a body.

He sounds uncharacteristically uncertain, but it is a much more worrisome matter than he usually has to deal with.]

But...ghosts are dead.

[So, he has to be dead then. Right?]

This is Wonderland.

[That age old answer to all existential questions.]

[Suddenly, the wind picks up a little. Something changes.]

No!

[Leaves swirl at their feet, and what few lights are around flicker frantically.]

Before...after, or something. I don't...

[He doesn't know when it was. How long it's been, or how long until. But he knows where.]

Not here!

[Souji remains placid, his robes ruffling around him.]

Where?

[All he can manage is:]

...Home.

[Souji is quiet a moment, considering.]

You aren't dead at home.

[He doesn't think so anyway. He's not really sure now, though.]

[He appears again suddenly, much closer than he was before. His eyes are wide, he is not consoled by that perfectly logical argument. Everything about him seems strained though - communicating between planes of existence is excruciatingly difficult.]

I am! I'm...going to...

[He flickers. Just thinking about it is breaking his concentration.]

Halloween. It was on Halloween!

[Souji doesn't backpedal, but his eyes do widen just slightly.]

Don't panic.

[Too late.]

Murdered on Halloween.

[He's realizing all over again what that means. He didn't remember anything. He didn't save anyone. He can't, and now he's dead, and Lily's dead, and Harry's orphaned and there's nothing he can do. He blew it.]

Souji...Souji, help me. Help me...

[A blink, and then James is reaching towards him, arm outstretched.]

[Souji doesn't know if this is something that is definitely going to happen or not, so he can't say what he wants to, which is that James doesn't have to worry, that the future isn't set in stone.]

How?

I...I don't...

[He doesn't know. He just doesn't want to be dead. He doesn't want to be a ghost. He doesn't want to go home and not even have a chance to change his fate.

But, what can Souji do? Souji can't really help him.

No one can help him.

It's all over.

He flickers so hard it's almost violent, and for a moment, James' presence is gone entirely.]

[Souji waits, but when he hears nothing else, he speaks.]

James?

[There's a rustling. It starts out small, but then it grows, picking up in speed and strength with no signs of slowing. The electricity from decorations doesn't just flicker - it crackles loudly.

An innocent pumpkin is caught up in all this and goes sailing off the roof, only to crash hard against the ground below.]

[Souji braces himself, using the spear he's holding to help balance himself while his robes flap around him.]

This won't help you!

Nothing's going to help me! It's too late!

[The anxiety and panic is making him stronger, louder, and even a bit more visible. But instead of a ghost pitching pumpkins around and breaking lights, James just looks lost and angry in the middle of it all. Terrified all over again.]

Are you giving up?

[The whole windstorm wavers and trembles until it finally halts, and James stops, staring over at Souji.]

I don't want to give up.

[Gryffindors don't give up. They're unwaveringly courageous. This isn't right; it's not like him. But...]

I...don't know what to do.

Edited 2012-10-31 04:20 (UTC)

Just do your best.

[It's already kicking up and screaming in his head, and blowing leaves around outside of it. No, his best wasn't good enough, they're going to die any-

But, he pulls it back. He doesn't breathe, because he can't anymore, but it dies down before it even starts and James starts to fade again. It's like he keeps getting caught in a loop that tugs him back in every time he breaks free of it.

He can't avoid it entirely though. The same worries crop up over and over, but he can hold on and not become dangerous over it. Hopefully.]

I can't die. I'm not...I have to fix things. I can't be dead now.

I believe in you.

[That's, sadly, all Souji can offer.]

[Her teeth grew before her snout, leaving her lips cut and bleeding as her skull expanded and her spine curved forward. She's so close to forgetting herself. She can feel her humanity disappear with the last patch of skin on her face. All that's left is silky black.

She doesn't trust herself around people. Just before her hands shrank and her thumb disappeared, she managed to lock her door and, with a too-feline whine, curled up on her bed to try and nap through the rest of the event.

If a breeze passes through, she'll hardly notice it through her new fur coat.]

[It's only natural that James would come here for support. He's there, but he doesn't remember passing through the door. That's been happening a lot to him today. He'll be in one place and then suddenly appear somewhere else, with no memory of travelling.

But of course he would show up here. He recognizes it as her room - he's been here before, and sought both knowledge and comfort here before. But she's not...oh. No, yes she is. So, that's what the event did to her.

Normally, he would be at least a little concerned for his safety before recklessly proceeding anyway, but...it's not as though he has anything to fear. Even if she's 100% panther, mind and body, what could she possibly do to him while he's ~~dead~~ like this ~~dead dead dead~~.

So, he moves closer. And he moves to pet her, just to show he's here, but his hand passes right through.]

[Beiste shivers, a sudden breeze passing over her. Except she has...fur now...

What is going on? She scrambles back, her rear paws sliding up the wall as she tries to get a better view of the room and James. Who is a ghost.

Oh bunny knuckles.

Beiste's ears perk up and her head tilts. You okay?]

[Now that she doesn't look or sound anything like herself, George figures it's safe to venture forth. Had she come here from her life, she would've actually found this kind of funny. Unfortunately she was taken from her afterlife and, well, the whole skeleton thing hits a little close to home.

Lacking anything better to do, though, she figures she might as well find out what other costumes people are turning into.]

[James has probably been everywhere in the mansion a couple of times now. He's completely restless - how could he ever rest when he's apparently dead? There's so much more he needed to do! He didn't even get a chance to try and change his fate!

But then, he spots that skeleton at the end of the hall. Is that...?

He doesn't even finish the thought before he begins to panic about what that would mean. Some decorations fall over nearby seemingly on their own, and he gathers enough strength to shout:]

STAY AWAY! I WON'T GO WITH YOU!

[George turns, bony fingers curling into her cloak. Who's shouting that?]

What? Are you talking to me--

Oh.

Look, dude, this isn't what it looks like.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Action]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject