>>1895528

> I didn't catch your name

>>1895528
>>I didn't catch your name

>writing

"I didn't catch your name" He says.
"I-I'm Angeline" She replied.

The boy smiled, leaning forward in his chair and offering his hand. "Charmed" He says. "I'm Nicholas"

Angeline took his hand and gave a weak handshake. The strangeness of all this was just starting to settle in. Where did this boy come from? Why was he here? Where did he get that apple? How did he get a chair in here?

"So" Nicholas says, breaking Angeline's train of thought. "What's a girl like you doing in a place like this?"

"This... this is a prison" She says. "They captured me because I can feel other people's thoughts"
"That's all?" He asks. "Doesn't sound like a crime to me"
"It is now" She says. "How do you not know this?"

"Not important" He says. "Have you tried escaping?"

"Escaping... how exactly?" She asks. "This whole room is sealed, there are cameras everywhere, and you said it yourself: that door could survive a nuke"

"I didn't ask how you'd escape" He says. "I asked if you'd tried"
Angeline took a breath. "No. I haven't" She says.

"Awfully defeatist of you" He says.
"And how would you escape, o wise Nicholas?" She asks.

"For starters, I'd probably try the door" He says, as he walks over to the door. He grabs the doorknob, twists it, and-

>The door stays shut

>The door opens

>Other

>>1895644

> The doorknob comes off in his hand and crumbles to dust

>>1895644
>>The door stays shut

>writing

... hang on, was there always a knob on that door?

He twisted the knob... and nothing happened.

He looked back and smiled. "Just... maybe you have to jiggle it a bit..." He said as the knobs snapped off in his hand and crumbled into dust.

...

"Well that's never happened to me before" He said.
"Great plan. Going well so far" She said.

"Don't look so smug, it's you that's stuck in here" He said
Angeline raised an eyebrow. "And you're not?"

...

Nicholas frowned, like that hadn't occured to him. Then he sat back down in his chair. "I suppose I am" He says.

"You seemed pretty sure that would work" She said.
"Well of course I was" He said. "It should've worked"

"I didn't think it would" She said.
"Not even a little?" He asked.
"Not even a little" She repeated.

Nicholas smiled confidently, as he stood back up. "And we've found our problem" He said.
"What?" She asked.

He pulled out a handkerchief and placed it over his left hand, before waving his right hand over it dramatically. Then he ripped the handkerchief off, revealing another apple in his left hand...

"It's magic, Angeline" He said, as he tossed her the apple. "It doesn't work if you don't believe"

>1/2

Carl sat in his office chair a little ways away from the security feeds so he could eat his lunch.

His wife had given him his favourite: beef stir fry with brocolli. She even used real ingredients, because she knew how much working here unsettled him.

Guard duty Westbrook PsychLock paid well, but it wasn't easy. In a normal job like this, your main danger is a break out, or a brawl. Here, it was all in your head.

Westbrook was a lower security prison, which meant the dampeners didn't work as well. Usually someone powerful enough to overcome the dampener was transferred to another location. But the other locations were all full, so he was stuck here with the freaks.

Every now and then he could feel it in the back of his head: someone trying to read his mind, or talk to him, or god forbid control him. He had to stay on his toes for the whole 8 hours, or... who knows what might happen?

Carl finished up his lunch and moved his chair back over to the monitors, doing a quick check on each cell and hallway.

A full 4 monitors were taken up by one of the newer prisoners. A girl named Angeline Devarre. She's under close watch on request from her father, and because this place's dampeners can't handle her.

When Carl's eyes glanced over the feed from her cell, a chill went down his spine...

>She wasn't there

>She wasn't alone

> She wasn't alone

>>1895790
>>She wasn't alone

>writing

She wasn't alone. There was a boy in her cell... he looked young, maybe 12 or 13. He was sitting in a chair, and they were both eating apples and arguing over something.

Carl blinked a few times. "How in the hell...?" He asked.

He couldn't call an alarm, as nobody had broken out. The cameras logged no unscheduled motion, so nobody had gotten in...

"Then where the fuck did this kid come from?"

Procedure-wise, Carl's hands were tied. He didn't have the authority to crack open a cell and take the prisoners out. So he stood up from his chair and checked the log sheet to see if there was anyone here tonight who could.

...

Janitor, guard, guard, reception, ah... here it is. Denton Ford... what was a Discovery Team member doing here?

No, it didn't matter. Mr. Denton had the authority Carl needed. Who cared what he was doing here.

Carl opened up the pager system, and gave Mr. Denton a call...

>1/2

"It's not a trick" Nicholas said.

"It must be a trick" Angeline replied.

"Look, I'm gonna do it one more time. Look at it from any angle you want, as closely as you like" Nicholas said. "These apples aren't up my sleeve. I'm not keeping them in my coat. It is magic"

Angeline pursed her lips. "Fine" She said. She had no idea where he was getting these stupid things from. The floor was littered with apples now, and all of them were real.

"Okay, so I cover my hand with the handkerchief" He said.
"Why?" She asked.
"Dramatic effect" He replied. "Just pulling an apple out of nowhere is boring. Covering it gives a sense of mystery"
"You mean it covers where you're really getting them from" She said.

"Fine... here" He said, as he removed his overcoat, unbuttoned his sleeves, and rolled them up. "Now, I cover my hand with the handkerchief-"

A sound from the door distracted both of them. Someone on the other side unlocked it, and swung it open.

Angeline looked around, and Nicholas-

>was gone

>said hello

>Other

>>1895955
>>Other
Offered an apple

>>1895967

Support...

>>1895528

I love pseudo-surrealism.

>>1895967

I agree with this anon.

>writing

so are we some sort of god like entity that just screws with people for shits and giggles

>>1896035

Maybe? I thought that the story is just being told from a second person perspective...

-ripped the handkerchief off of his hand, revealing the apple underneath and offering it to the men at the door. "Want one?"

Angeline examined the two men. One was asian, in his mid-thirties, and wearing the guard's uniform. The other was white, old looking, obviously tired, and dressed like a 50's detective...

"Just what the hell is going on here?" The older man asked.

She recognized him... he was there when they took her...

"I am teaching Angeline a magic trick" Nicholas said.
"Just how the hell did he get in here?" The old man asked the guard.

"I don't know. There's nothing on the cameras, I-"

"Nevermind the cameras. Take them to the cage. I'll question them myself" The old man said.
"Right away" The guard said, as he nodded to someone else and a few other guards stepped in and dragged her out.

Fear shot down Angeline's spine. She'd heard about the cage when she read the other prisoner's heads... she didn't want to go there. She kicked, she bit, she struggled, she- felt something prick her neck... and everything went dark.

>1/2

Denton Ford stood behind the two way mirror looking into the cage. Strewn about the room were pieces of torture equipment, from waterboarding, to more archaic methods, to psychic dominators...

On a cot at the side of the room, the girl was asleep. Knocked out by the dosage they gave her. It was too much, she got a grown man's dose. She could be out for hours...

The boy, on the other hand, had come quietly. He was now sitting at the table drinking a cup of tea. Denton had no clue where he got the tea from, nor where the apples in the cell came from, nor where he came from.

The interrogator stepped into the room. Henry was a suave looking man: black hair slicked back, a perfectly tailored suit, a fancy watch. But Denton had seen what he could do. The man was a sociopath.

Denton didn't want to watch what came next, but someone had to be here to rein this guy in, or they'd never get anywhere.

Henry took a seat across from the boy, laying his log sheet in front of him and giving the kid a smile.

"Your name?" Henry asked.

"Nicholas" The boy replied.
"Last name?"
"Fox"

Henry nodded, and started writing.

"That's Fox with a 'W', by the way" Nicholas said.
"Fox... with a 'W'?" Henry asked.
"Not F-O-X" Nicholas said. "F-A-W-K-S"

Henry, not looking even a little pleased, crumpled up the log sheet and threw it at the girl. He then set to writing on the second sheet.

"And how did you come to Westbrook, Nicholas?" Henry asked.

"Well..."

>Nicholas told a joke

>Nicholas said something that sounded plausible

>Nicholas asked Henry the same question

>Other

>>1896155

> Nicholas said something completely incomprehensible

>>1896155
>Nicholas told a joke

>>1896155
>>Nicholas asked Henry the same question
Let's be that guy

>>1896155
>> Nicholas said something completely incomprehensible
fuck it let's screw with them

>writing

Nicholas continued, saying things that Denton couldn't quite understand...

"I'm sorry... what was that?" Henry asked.
"Spanish" Nicholas replied. "My apologies. You looked like the sort of fellow who spoke the language"
"And what sort of person is that?" Henry asked.

"The kind of person who'd have no trouble making use of all these machines" Nicholas said, as he sipped his tea. "I mean, I don't know much about the Spanish, but I've heard their Inquisition was quite brutal"

"You don't know much... except for their language" Henry said.

Denton pinched the bridge of his nose. All of his skill and experience as an interrogator and Henry couldn't tell that the kid was messing with him...

"Oh, I don't know the language" Nicholas said. "That was a bunch of gibberish"

Henry wasn't doing a very good job hiding his frustration.

"Clearly I know more about Spain than you do, if you can't even tell when someone's not speaking Spanish" Nicholas said.
"Alright. We're going to try this one more time" Henry said. "And I must warn you, I'm breaking my code by asking nicely more then once. How did you get in here?"

>1/2

Henry could feel his blood pressure rising. He hated these people. These freaks. They all acted tough, thinking their freak powers could get them out. Until he hit them with the dominator, and suddenly they were helpless.

He loved that look, when they realised how powerless they actually were here. Henry's job was to wring every bit of information out of them and drag their husk back to a cell to rot. He was good at what he did. He enjoyed what he did.

And he was going to enjoy breaking this boy, too. Wiping that smug look off his face would be something Henry would remember for a very long time...

"Well, how do people usually get here?" The boy asked.
"We cage them and drag them here" Henry answered
"Oh, not like that" Nicholas replied. "My trip was much more peaceful. Did you know there's a grove a few miles south of here with the cutest little rabbits?"

Henry bit his lip. He couldn't lose his cool. He he flipped it again with someone watching, they'd throw him in a cell...

"I brought one to show you" Nicholas said, as he pulled a top hat out from under the table and offered it to Henry. "Take a look. You'll see there's nothing inside"

"That's enough" Henry said. "Tell me, kid. You know what it feels like to lose a finger?"

Nicholas looked at his hands. "Well, obviously not" He said.
"If you don't stop talking and put that damn hat away, that's what I'm gonna do" Henry said.

Give them the option. When someone is watching, you always have to give them the option...

Nicholas put the hat on the table, and-

>Dared him to take a finger

>Pulled out a rabbit

>Kept talking

>Other

>>1896346
>>Other
Did the trick where he pulls off his thumb. Except he actually pulls it off.

>>1896346

> Pulled out a miniature Nicholas.

>>1896346
>>Pulled out a rabbit

>writing

He stuffed a hand into the hat. "Just one little- ah-ha!" Nicholas pulled out... a smaller version of him. With a shocked look, he shook his hand and the smaller him became a white rabbit.. "There. Rabbit. Let's ignore that other thing"

"Alright. Put your hand on the table" Henry said. "You can either do it yourself, or I can make you"
"Fine, fine" Nicholas said. "You sure you want to do this?"

"Positive" Henry said, as he got up and grabbed the cleaver. He looked back at the mirror, where his watcher was. No one was telling him not to, so that meatn he could.

With one quick swing he brought the cleaver down on Nicholas' hand, right at the root of his pinky. He felt the familiar sensation of parting flesh, before the cleaver slammed into the table. Then he tossed the cleaver back to the other tools, and sat back down.

"There. You ready to talk now?" Henry asked.

Nicholas started clapping... something seemed off. "You really do the tough guy act rather well" He said. "Doesn't he, Mr. Rabbit?"

...

"Right, rabbits don't talk" He said.

Henry stared, as it dawned on him. The kid still had all his fingers. He was sure he had cut something, but-

He looked down at his hands. His pinky finger was missing. He screamed.

>1/2

Behind the glass, Denton sent out a call for a technician. The dampener was clearly malfunctioning. In all his years on the Discovery Team, he had never seen anything like this... and that was out there, not in a dampened facility.

When the call was sent out, he looked back into the room. "Aw fuck..." He said. While he was distracted, Henry had grabbed a meat cleaver. If he was already taking fingers, then they weren't going to get anywhere.

Henry brought down the cleaver... and missed.

Henry never missed.

He then sat down, and asked if the kid was ready to talk.

The kid clapped his hands, and said something to the rabbit at the table. The Rabbit is another thing that wasn't there when he went to call a tech...

Then Henry started screaming, clutching his hand like he was hurt. Denton went to the camera feed for a different viewpoint, and saw that Henry's hand was fine.

Then...

>The screaming stopped, and Henry calmed down

>Henry ran out of the room in terror

>Nicholas fed the rabbit, letting Henry keep screaming

>Other

>>1896523

> He noticed the rabbit was growing. Steadily changing into something hideous and deformed, with a gaping mouth lined with twisted fangs

>>1896523
>Nicholas fed the rabbit some of Henry's "Finger", letting Henry keep screaming

>>1896523
>> He noticed the rabbit was growing. Steadily changing into something hideous and deformed, with a gaping mouth lined with twisted fangs
if we can do this then it gets my vote, let's take all these fuckers down to wonderland with our own rabbit hole

>writing

Denton turned to send out an alarm. It's possible that the entire facility might need to be evacuated. The Dampener wasn't working, and that meant that no one was safe.

As he turned, he saw something out of the corner of his eye. When he looked back, he saw that the rabbit was much larger than it had been...

He scowled and continued toward the call system, stopping again when something large hit the window.

He looked back, and the mirror was cracked...

"Bullshit... that glass is bulletproof" He said.

He watched as something white slammed into it again, only catching a glimpse of the rabbit having grown much larger...

It slammed into the window again, and the cracks grew. Then it slammed again, and again, and finally crashed through.

Denton was frozen, watching this... rabbit... now about the size of a big dog, as it steadied itselt. It had 4 ears now, and knife-like claws. It slobbers on the floor through its open mouth, now a gaping maw lined with hundreds of rabbit teeth.

As the creature fixed its eyes on him he went for his gun, quickly drawing it, releasing the safety, and firing several shots.

The creature shrieked, seemingly unfazed as it set itself to pounce.

Denton made a break for the door.

>1/2

Angeline opened her eyes in an unfamiliar room. Panic slowly set in when she remembered where she was going, and she sat up like a shot and looked around.

She saw Nicholas, sitting at the table drinking tea and petting a white rabbit... on the ground by the mirror, a man in a suit was passed out. Other than that, things seemed normal.

Well, everything but the blaring alarm.

"What's going on?" She asked.
"Not sure" He said. "I think they've evacuated"
"Why?" She asked.
"I may have spooked the man behind the glass" He said.

Angeline looked at the two-way mirror. Nothing out of the ordinary there...

"What happened to him?" She asked, pointing to the man on the floor.
"He passed out from blood loss" Nicholas replies.
"I don't see any blood" She says.
"Don't tell him that" He says.

Angeline stood up, still feeling woozy from the injection. "If they evacuated, then they locked the building down..."
"How do you know?" He asked.
"I've read their minds before" She says.
"A useful talent" He says.

She gave a derisive snort. "The only place it's ever gotten me is here" She said.
"Think it can get you out?" He asked.
"And how would we get out?" She replied.

>Through the front door

>There must be a back door

>You read about any secret passages when you were in their heads?

>Other

>>1896738

> "Obviously through a Door, like any half-way civilized being would." He points at a broken shard of the two way mirror

>writing

i am trying to figure out what exactly our mc's deal is, one of his abilities is the power to warp people's perception reality, i wonder if we have anything else

>>1896823

As soon as I posted I realized that the two way mirror isn't actually broken...

Boy oh boy, do I have egg on my face...

"Through some kind of door, like any half civilized being would" He says, as he finishes his tea and stands up. He walks over to the door, stopping only briefly to hand Angeline the rabbit. "Hold this for a second"

She took the rabbit in her arms. It's fur was so soft... possibly the softest thing she'd felt in a long time. "But... isn't that door locked?" She asked.

He grabbed the handle and turned it. "It actually isn't" He says, as he pulled the door open.

Angeline's heart soared. Did the lockdown procedure fail? Did the interrogator forget to lock it?

...

No... "Those lock automatically" She said. "It couldn't have been unlocked"
Nicholas smiled, holding the door open for her. "But for a moment you believed it was" He said. "Come on. There's bound to be a way out of here. I've gotta take that rabbit back home before his mom notices he's gone"

"You... have to get the rabbit home" Angeline said.
"Hey, rabbit moms worry too" Nicholas replied. "You coming or not?"

She took a breath, and walked through the door. The hallway was barren, probably because of the evacuation.

"Where did you get the rabbit from, anyhow?" Angeline asked.
"I was keeping him in my hat" Nicholas said, as he twirled the hat and laid it on his head.
"And... where were you keeping the hat?" She asked.

He winked. "Trade secret"

>Go crack open some of the cells

>Look for an exit

>Other

>>1896872
>>Look for an exit

>writing

>>1896890

Support...

We have a rabbit family to reunite. We have no time to be gallivanting around some mysterious facility...

"Now, there's got to be an exit somewhere" He said. "Think we can find a map of this place?"

"All the infopads have maps" Angeline said. "But only the guards can access them"
"You sound sure... where can I find one of these?" He asked.
"They're everywhere. I think there's one outside every cell" She replied.
"Then that's where we'll go" He said. "Come along"

Angeline followed, not sure if this was the best plan... this place may not have been good to her, but it was safe. If she went out there, and everyone knew about her...

"I'm not so sure about this..." She said.
"What's not to be sure about?" He asked. "You don't actually want to stay here, do you?"
"I won't be safe out there" She said.
"You're not safe in here" He replied, as they came upon one of the pads. "And out there... I imagine things are going to get quite... turbulent"

"What does that mean?" She asked.
"I've no idea. But a world that never changes is not one I would want to live in" He said, satisfied with what he found on the pad. "Fluidity is the key to excitement. Let's go, the exit's this way"

"S-some people don't like excitement!" Angeline shouted, as she ran to catch up to him. "I don't like excitement!"

>"And look where safety has gotten you"

>"Then you've never felt real excitement"

>>1896999
>>"Then you've never felt real excitement"

>>1896999
>>"Then you've never felt real excitement"

Nice trips.

>writing

>>1896999

This (https://youtu.be/oQ__LyhyNoA?t=10) verbatim, except replace the word 'pain', with the word 'excitement'...

>>1897057

Oh. The link I used was supposed to start the video 10 seconds in...

Just skip to the ten second mark...

"Then you've never felt real excitement" He said. "Have you ever flown?"
"In a plane, yes" She said. "I wouldn't call that real excitement"

"Not in a plane" He said. "In the air, or in a dream"
"People can't fly" She said, crossing her arms.

"And it's that kind of attitude that keeps us glued to the ground" He says.
"This prison has a tower. You can always jump off if you think you can fly" She says.
"Jumping is not flying" He said. "Just look at Mr. Hops here. He's been jumping his entire life, and yet he's never flown"

"So how do you fly?" She asked.
"You believe"

>1/2

"Where are they now?" Natasha asked.
"Moving through the lower corridor" Her lieutenant replied, using the sensor data from inside the prison to keep track of their target's location.
"Going where?"

"Towards the exit in C block"

"The exit is locked down?"

"Yes Captain"

"Good" She said. When they'd called her in so late at night, she was hoping this wouldn't be a long chase. But from the report of Discovery Sensor Ford, she gathered that it may be a dangerous one. "Take your team and enter through A block. I'll take mine through the front entrance. We can box them in, have them back in a cell, and we can all go home"

"They've reached the doors"

"Already?" Natasha asked.

"Doors have held. They're on the move"
"Now where are they going?" Natasha asked.

>Maintenance, where the sewer exit is

>B block

>The helipad

>Central Control

File: 2OggKej.jpg (1.04 MB, 800x1200)

1.04 MB JPG

>>1897163

>The helipad

Houston, we have lift-off.

>>1897163

> The helipad

>writing

Angeline ran behind Nicholas, as he dragged her along by the hand.

"Why are we going to the helipad?" She asked.
"We can get out that way!" He replied.
"Can you fly a helicopter?"
"I dunno. I don't think I've ever tried" He said.

"So why are we going up there?" She asked.
"So I can try!" He replied.

She ran with him up the stairs, as a sense of danger came over her. Reaching out with her mind, she felt... hostility. More people in the prison now than there were before, and they were coming for her.

"They're-"
"Coming for us, yes" He said. "Best hurry"

They exited the stairway onto the helipad, and make a break for the helicopter waiting there.

Angeline felt uncomfortable. Looking around she could see that this place was right out in the open. These people didn't do things close up. When she was taken, she never saw the person that shot the dart. One moment she was walking to her high school, she felt a prick in her neck, and then she was in a cell.

She meant to voice these feelings to Nicholas, when something suddenly struck him in the side of the head. A bullet. She never heard the shot, but she dropped to the ground nonetheless.

Looking back up, Nicholas was still standing. There was a hole in the side of his head that went right through, but there was no blood... no brains... just blackness.

He leaned his head back and sneezed, somehow causing a wooden post to sprout from the hole in his head. At the top of the post was a street sign, like you'd see on the highway going to a city.

Next stop: Bizarre

She stared at him wide eyed, as he-

>Asked for a hand removing the sign from his head

>Beckoned her towards the helicopter

>>1897276

> Asked for a hand removing the sign from his head

>writing

"Ow" He said, as he reached up to touch the signpost. "That can't be good"
"H-how..." Angeline said. None of this made any sense. Right from the moment this kid showed up, nothing has made any sense.

"Think you could give me a hand with this?" He asked, turning the top of the sign towards her.
"What are you doing? Get down" She whispered.
"Not while I've got a sign stuck in my head" He says.

She let out a breath, put her hands on the sign, and pulled. With some force, it came free... only for another shot to take hit him in the head.

"Now they're just being mean" He said.

Another post, with another sign stuck out of the hole. This time it read 'Last exit'.

Out of fear of both the sniper and whatever was going on with Nicholas, Angeline scrambled away. But no matter what she did, she couldn't seem to tear her eyes away...

>1/2

Natasha sat up in the bushes a good distance from the prison, next to her sniper. 'Hit?" She asked.
"Direct" The sniper replied.
"Result?"
"Another sign, Captain"

Natasha bit her lip and brought up her binoculars. He wasn't lying. There was another signpost sticking out of the boy's head...

"Your eyes are better than mine. What does it say?" She asked.
"Last exit" The sniper replied.

"Sounds almost like a warning... or a threat" She said. "Fire again"

She heard the muffled crack of the rifle and a moment later saw through her binoculars as the shot hit its mark, putting a hole clean through the boy's head. She was disturbed. This was not the first person she'd seen get shot in the head. Usually there was blood. Usually they fell over.

Usually a sign post didn't erupt from their head.

"What does this one say?" She asked, as she brought the binoculars back down.
"It says... Welcome to Bizarre, enjoy your... stay" The sniper said. "Uhh... captain?"

The man next to her sounded afraid. That was also unusual. She raised her binoculars back up.

The boy had fallen over, planting that last road sign into the ground as he did. His body turned black and melted, spreading over the floor like oil.

Everywhere the darkness touched... things started sprouting. Strange things. It was like cracking someone's head open and watching their dreams flow out. None of it made any sense, but it was all there to be sensed.

Natasha could hardly keep track of it all. She saw a slender yellow beast with purple polkadots and long, spindly arms. She saw an apartment building shaped like an upside down bell that could never have actually stood. She saw roads flowing every which way, turning and curving and doing loop de loops.

"C-captain?" The sniper asked.

She peeled her eyes away from her binoculars to see that the blackness had already reached them. A road flowed underneath her feet, and impossible buildings sprouted at her sides.

Breathing heavily as her brain began to tingle, she looked around until her eyes fell on a billboard. In bright letters, it read 'The City of Bizarre! You'll never remember how you came here'...

And she didn't.

That's all for tonight!

This quest will continue tomorrow, and if you guys like it I'll probably run it again. Maybe every month or so, as I'd like to keep a constant running schedule for BtG.

As always I'll be sticking around for question/suggestion time

>>1897390

That was incredible. Bravo OP...

When you said you were going to be doing something different, I cant say I was expecting this.
Having the main characters actions and decisions be shown from another perspective like you've done here is really interesting, and considering the...nature of the character I can see why you decided to go this route.

Really excited to see what your going to do tomorrow!

just wow this was fun to read

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292 KB GIF

>>1897390
Cant wait for the next installment. Bravo OP.

That was very interesting. I wouldn't mind it becoming a monthly thing.

>>1897390
That was pretty good. Lets do it again!

Angeline stood up from behind the counter at the King's Head Pub, walking around it to go clear and clean a table that several customers had just vacated.

She'd been working here for a few years now. Things could get a bit hectic and the hours were long on some days, depending on when the sun went down. But it paid well enough, and the King's Head was kind.

She picked up all the empty glasses and put them on a tray for another waitress to take away, then set about cleaning the table. As she wiped, she looked over to see a white rabbit hopping across the floor.

Standing up straight, she looked over the little creature as it hopped about. Strange, the little thing seemed so familiar. But she couldn't remember where she'd seen it before...

"There you are!" Someone called out.

She looked up to see a young man step into the pub and scoop up the rabbit. He was wearing a brown overcoat, and as he stood up she noticed that he was rather handsome...

"Little fluff keeps running away" He said, in an odd british-sounding accent. "Err... hopping, I suppose"

...

Angeline straightened up when she realized that she was staring. "U-uhh... Welcome to the King's Head Pub. Can I get you something?"

The young man raised an eyebrow and said-

>"You look familiar"

>"I don't really drink"

>"Just the King's Head?"

>"I only came for my floof"

>"You look familiar"

>>1899997

>"Just the King's Head?"

>>1899997
>>"You look familiar"

>>1899997
>>"Just the King's Head?"

>>1899997
>>"Just the King's Head?"

>writing

The man raised an eyebrow. "Just the King's Head?" He asked. "What about the rest of him?"
"The rest of him runs the brothel up the street" Angeline said.

He smiled and nodded. "That makes a surprising amount of sense" He said, as he eyed Angeline. "Have we met?"
"I don't think so. What's your name?" She asked.
"Cole. You?"
"Angeline"

He scratched his chin. "That does sound familiar..." He said. "Ah well. I didn't really come here to drink"
"But you must" Angeline said. "King's orders. No man may leave his establishment thirsty"

Cole gave her an incredulous look. "Is there... a punishment for breaking this rule?" He asked.
"Hanging" Angeline replied.

Cole grimaced.

>"Do you serve tea?"

>"Can I speak with the King?"

>"Guess I'll drink..."

>>1900139

> Do you serve tea?

>writing

>>1900139
>"Can I speak with the King?"

"I don't suppose you serve tea here, do you?" Cole asked.
"I'm afraid not" Angeline replied. "Just beer, and lots of it"

Cole frowned, then his mood took a sudden upturn as he pulled a tea set out from under the table.

"I don't mind. Does the King have rules against bringing my own refreshments?" He asked.
"He doesn't" Angeline said.
"Excellent. Care to join me?" He asked.
"I'm still working right now" She replied.

Cole poured himself a cup. "Shame... when does your shift end?" He asked.
"At sundown... whenever it happens" She said.
"Ah... well, carry on then"

Angeline nodded to him, and started walking out into the pub.

"So strange... the sun was never like this out there..." Cole said.

Angeline stopped, and turned on a heel. "You've been outside the city?" She asked.
"I had to come from somewhere" Cole said.

She could feel her heart racing. She had never met someone from outside Bizarre. Everyone here had always been here, and no one had ever left...

...

But she couldn't talk now. If she was caught being lazy on the job, the King's Head wouldn't be happy...

"Will you be sticking around?" She asked.
"I suppose I could" Cole replied. "I don't think sundown is that far off"
"You'd be surprised..."

>1/2

Denton Ford sat in a dusty apartment at the top of a building that by all rights should not be standing.

He was an inward sensor, used by the discovery team to find others who could read thoughts because he could tell when something in his mind was being messed with. So he knew better than everyone else that this entire place was wrong.

No one had been here their whole lives. This city exploded from a corpse 6 years ago. Yet when he said these things, they told him that HE was crazy.

Sitting back in his recliner, he swirled his whiskey and laughed at himself. Maybe he was crazy. Being the only crazy person in a land of sanity sounded like a better fate than being the only sane person in a land off its rocker...

"You may be onto something" Someone said to him.

Denton was out of his chair, revolver in hand and ready for a fight before his glass hit the floor. He might be old, but he was still quick.

In his apartment there was a man, dressed in a fine suit with a top hat. He held his hands in the air.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Denton asked.
"Name's Lass" The man said. "I was just thinking that you might be right"
"You weren't reading my thoughts" Denton said. "I'd know if you were"

"You were talking to yourself" Lass said. "And you're right. There is something off about this city"
"So? What's it to you?" Denton asked.

"I'm looking for help in a little venture I've been planning" Lass said. "I need someone like your self, who can look at this place with their eyes open"

Denton eyed the man, and slowly lowered his gun. "What do you have in mind?"

>"You'll see"

>"We're gonna destroy this place"

>"I need you to find someone"

>>1900289
>>"I need you to find someone"

>writing

going off of everything so far from this one shot, the mc is some sort of eldritch monster that likes to mess with people and wants them to stay in the city he made upon the his "death"

"I need you to find someone" Lass said. "That is your specialty, is it not?"

Denton put his gun away. "And what's in it for me? The money here isn't exactly... real" He said.
"Freedom" Lass said. "You don't like this place. I know a way you can leave"

"You can get me out" Denton said, not believing it.
"I can, but only if you find me these people" Lass said.

"So say I do agree... who would I be finding?" Denton asked.
"My brothers" Lass said. "They're both in the city, but I don't know where"

"What do thye look like?" Denton asked.
"Like me" Lass replied. "Almost exactly. They may dress differently, or carry themselves in a different way, but their faces are identical to mine"

"Alright..." Denton said. "Once I find them-"
"Once you find them, you need only tell me where they are. I will take care of the rest" Lass said, as he extended his hand. "Do we have an accord?"

Denton looked the man up and down. His story was... strange. But that was par for the course in this place. And if he really could get him out...

"We do" Denton said, as he shook the man's hand. He had a surprisingly strong grip, stronger than he looked at least.

As the man released his hand, he pulled out a pair of glasses and a bottle of whiskey. "A drink then, to toast our new partnership!"

Denton had no idea where the man was keeping those, but that was a bottle of the good stuff... he wasn't about to refuse.

>1/2

>>1900371

It actually looks like the exact opposite is the case. The MC(?) is plotting to get himself, and possibly everyone else, out of Bizarre...

Maria sat down on the road, watching the magician do his tricks. He was really good. She didn't think anyone could do magic like that.

As she watched, the man pulled a hat out of nowhere. Then he pulled a smaller hat out of that hat. Then he clapped the two hats together and they exploded into birds!

Maria laughed and clapped, as the birds flew out every which way. She never saw birds like that before either. They were all white, but all the birds in Bizarre were all colourful.

The magician laughed. "I see I have at least one satisfied audience member" He said. "You have a name, little lady?"

It took a second or Maria to realize he was talking to her. Mom told her not to talk to strangers, but this guy seemed alright. "Maria" She said.
"Maria. Solid name. What brings a little girl like you out to my show?" He asked.

"I like the birds" Maria said.
"Me too" The magician replied, as he sat down opposite from her.

"Is the show over?" She asked.
"For now" He said. "I'll continue when there's more of a crowd. You certainly seem to enjoy the show, but an audience of a single small child is not an audience that pays..."

"Aww..." Maria said, sad that the show was over.

In response, the man-

>Made more birds

>Asked what she was doing here alone

>Asked if she'd like to be his assistant

>Other

>>1900443
>>Asked what she was doing here alone

>>1900443
>>Made more birds
caw

>>1900443

> Transformed Maria into a bird

>>1900459

It was a toss up between cloning Maria a few dozen times so as to give the magician a larger audience, and doing this (>>1900459)...

In the end capricious whimsy won out...

>>1900459
kek sure

>writing

"I could always try turning you into a bird" He said.

Maria huffed. "You can't turn me into a bird" She said.
"Oh? After all you've seen, that's where you draw the line?" He asked.

"No, because I'm a girl" She said. "I can't be a bird"
"You're right... I can't turn you into a bird" He said. "Not unless you think you can become one"

Maria tilted her head, and the man ruffled her hair.

"Don't worry about it" He said, as he looked at the side of her head. "You have something there..."
"Where?" Maria asked.
"Right... here!" He said, as he pulled something from behind her ear.

Whatever it was exploded into more white birds, and Maria laughed and clapped.

The man smiled and sat down. "I'm Nick, by the way" He said. "What's a little girl doing out in the city on her own?"

"Mom said I can stay out until sundown" Maria said. "Plus all the people here are suuuuper nice. Like the tall purple guy!"
"You mean Larry?" Nick asked.
"Yeah!" She said. "He gives me candy"

The man looked up, and smiled. "Looks like we've got an audience again!" Nick said, as he stood and bowed. "Welcome, my friends, to the show!"

>1/2

The King smiled at his subjects from his pedestal. His power might not have reached very far, but here in his pub he was sovereign.

He decreed that none may leave thirsty, all violence must be sanctioned by the crown, and all who enter his establishment will be under his protection.

His rule had been long, and good. From sunrise to sunset, patrons of all kinds enjoyed themselves under his roof. And they enjoyed themselves in a good way. Not like the swine that go to his body's establishment.

"Your grace" A man said, as he bowed before the King.
"Who comes before me?" The King asked.

"My name is Cole" The man said.
"Step forward" The King replied. "Something you need, Mister Cole?"

Cole took a step towards the pedestal, and the King's guards remained wary. The man was dressed well enough, and he looked like the kind of person who blended well.

"There is, actually. I'm-

>Looking for work

>In need of aid

>Looking for someone

>>1900627

> In need of aid

>>1900627
>>In need of aid

>>1900627
>>In need of aid

>writing

-in need of aid" He said.
"What sort of aid?" The King asked.

"It's my brothers, you see. I believe they may be plotting against me" Cole said.
"I know what that feels like" The King said. "It was my brother who beheaded me, and to top it all off my body abandoned me..."

"You seem to have done rather well for yourself in spite of all that" Cole said.
"These brothers of yours. Who are they?" The King asked.

"Nick and Lass" Cole said. "They look almost exactly like me"

One of the King's server girls spoke up. "Nick, Cole, and Lass?" She asked.
"Something wrong?" Cole asked.
"N-no... it's nothing" She replied. "Apologies for speaking out of turn"

"Should I agree to aid you in this endeavour, what would you have in store for these brothers?" The King asked.

>I would strike them preemptively

>All I need is protection

>I just need to find them

>>1900729
>>I just need to find them

>>1900729
>>I just need to find them

>>1900729

> I just need to find them

>writing

File: 1479.gif (5.43 MB, 432x250)

5.43 MB GIF

>>1900729
>Nick
>Cole
>Lass
I'm on to you.

Also
>I just need to find them

Angeline watched from the sidelines, shying away and hoping she wouldn't be punished for her outburst. The names of Cole and his brothers reminded her of something... but she wasn't sure what.

"I just need to find them" Cole said. "After that, I can deal with the rest"

"That sounds simple enough" The King said. "And for this service... you will work for me"
"Fair and just" Cole said. "What manner of work would you have me do?"

"I will find your brothers, aiding you in putting an end to their plotting. In return you will go to my body, and aid me in putting an end to his" The King spoke. "I know that he is planning to depose me, and I will not sit idle while he does"

"Very well" Cole said. "When shall I depart?"
"Just before sundown" The King says.

Angeline shivered. Cole was new to this place, so he wouldn't know...

By day, Bizarre was like a land of dreams. When the sun set, those dreams turned to nightmares...

She turned to look out the window. It wouldn't be long now. She had to warn him...

>1/2

Denton followed the young man at a decent distance. When Lass gave him this job, he thought it might be difficult. But it seemed like one of his brothers had no caution at all, performing in the street and drawing attention to himself.

He was walking hand in hand with a red headed young girl. From what he could glean from eavesdropping, the girl had offered to let him stay with her and her mother for the night.

Denton checked the sky. Sundown was upon them. If they weren't inside when the sky grew dark, things could get ugly...

Already the streets were clearing, making the job of tailing the man that much harder. If his target looked back, then he'd have to hide. If he couldn't hide in time, there was no crowd to blend into...

The sky darkened. Denton wasn't afraid. He'd been out here at night. The creatures that come out are only threatening if you're afraid of them. If you pay them no mind, they pay you no mind.

But he still put his hand on his revolver, just in case.

As the last sliver of sunlight left the sky, the things started to creep out. It started small, with shifting shadows and the sense that he was being watched...

No doubt his target was feeling the same... except he actually was being watched. The girl walked closer to him, saying something about how her mom told her not to stay out this late...

Then one of the shadows leapt toward them, taking the form of a slimy green creature with one huge eye and a massive mouth... the girl screamed, but the man-

>Turned it into doves

>Ignored it

>Other

>>1900876
>>Other
petted it

>>1900876
>>Turned it into doves

>>1900876

> Stared through the shadowy being. The creature passed straight through him and then, with no inertia lost, through the ground immediately behind him. The creature didn't reemerge...

>>1900876
>>Other
Grinned with a mouth too big and teeth to sharp, and scared the beast off. The girl didn't seem to notice.

>>1900904

Changing my vote to this, provided we play up how scary he is, something more surreal and esoteric. We can do better than a mouth full of pointy teeth...

>writing

Maria screamed, losing her footing and trying to scramble away from the monster.

"Hey now, there's no reason to be afraid" Nick said.

She curled up into a ball and tried her best not to cry. Mom told her not to be out this late, but she wanted to watch the show.

"Come here" Nick said, as he lifted her up. "Look at it"
"No! It'll eat me" She cried.
"It won't eat you. I promise" Nick said. "Just open your eyes, and you'll see that it isn't all that scary"

Maria pried her eyes open, only peering at the monster out of the corner. It was smaller than it was before, and it wasn't trying to eat her now.

"See?" Nick asked. "It's not so scary"
"It's still scary" She replied.
"Watch this then" He said, as he walked to the monster, reaching out with his hand and petting its head. "Totally harmless. And what's more?"

He raised his hand, and the monster burst into doves.

"See? Nothing scary out here" He said. "Now, which way was your house?"

Maria pointed up the street, and Nick started walking...

>1/2

Denton had no idea what just happened. He'd never seen anything like it in this city, and that was saying something.

Not only did the man scare the monster, but he did... that. He turned it into fucking doves.

The magic show from earlier was one thing, parlour tricks and sleight of hand. But that was a monster. And he turned it into doves.

Suddenly Denton thought he was in way over his head. But if that Lass guy was telling the truth, then it might actually be worth it.

He watched as the man took the girl up the street to a house, where another redheaded woman invited them inside.

"Good job"

Denton jumped and whipped around. Lass was behind him.

"What are you doing here?" Denton asked.
"I was bored of waiting, so I thought I'd watch you work" Lass said. "I wasn't expecting much, but I must say that you work quickly"
"This one was easy to find" Denton said. "The other... maybe not so much"

He told his client about how his other brother had been spotted at the King's Head, and that he'd petitioned the King for aid.

"Interesting..." Lass said. "Perhaps there's something I might offer this King that would make him come to my side"
"The King's Head holds his honor high. He won't break a deal" Denton said. "But that's just his head. His body..."

"Much more flexible... gotcha" Lass said, as he started walking.
"Where are you going?" Denton asked.

>To see my brother Nick

>To pay the King's Body a visit

>To speak with the King's Head

>Other

>>1900967
>>To see my brother Nick
After all, we have to see about Cole

>>1900977

> "This story has a King, a Magician, a experienced, cynical Rogue, and a Bright-eyed Child. However, it's missing something: a monster. So I suppose I'll play the role of Dr Frankenstein."

>>1900967
>>To see my brother Nick
let's see how the brothers interact with each other

>>1900993

I'm going to hazard a wild guess and assume that chaos will ensue...

>writing

>>1900967
>To speak with the King's Head

Maria sat at the table, drinking her hot chocolate. Her Mom seemed really worried when she got here, but she's not anymore.

"I'm just glad she's home safe... thank you stranger" Her mom said.
"Not a problem. It was my fault that she was out so late in the first place" Nick replied.
"Oh?" Her mom asked.

"She was watching my show" He said. "It ran a little later than it should have"
"What kind of show?" Her mom asked.
"Magic" Nick replied.

"He's super good!" Maria said "He can even turn the night monsters into birdies!"
"He can? Now that's quite the talent" Her mom said.

Before Nick could answer, someone knocked on the door.

"Did you bring someone else with you?" Her mom asked.

Maria turned to Nick. He looked-

>Worried

>Confident

>Angry

>>1901021

> Angry

Alright. What will you do OP?

>>1901021
>>Angry

>>1901021
>>Confident

>writing

-Angry. Nick was scary when he was angry.

When Nick noticed her looking at him, he smiled and patted her head.

"Do you know who it is?" Her mom asked.
"I have an idea" Nick said. "Answer it. He won't be dangerous to you... tell him you're not interested, and that I'm not here"

"And if he doesn't leave?" Her mom asked.
"Then I'll deal with him" Nick said.

Maria felt uneasy. After what happened outside, she just wanted to drink her hot chocolate and go to sleep...

Her mom went to the door...

>1/2

Natasha went to the door, ready for anything. She had dropped her old ways for her daughter, but if the man at the door wanted to fight then she had a hundred different ways of killing him.

She opened the door, and standing on the other side was a man that looked identical to the one she had just let in...

"Can I help you?" She asked.
"Yes" The man replied. "My name's Lass. I'm looking for a man, a brother of mine. He'd look just like me. Have you seen him?"

Natasha knew that look. This man knew damn well who she'd let into her home. He probably watched him go in.

"Sorry, I haven't seen anyone like that" She said.

She owed Nick this much for helping her daughter get home safe.

"Are you certain?" Lass asked. "I just want to speak with him, nothing more. And I was certain I saw him come in here"
"You must have seen wrong. Sorry" Natasha said, as she started to close the door.

In response, Lass-

>Thanked her and left

>Put his foot in the door

>Tried to force his way in

>>1901090

> Smiles warmly. The Woman closes the door and turns around, only to realize that she is standing outside, in the spot where Lass was standing. Lass is not outside with her.

>>1901100
Seconding

>>1901090
Finds their positions switched.

>>1901100
Support

Man Smiley, you have created what might possibly be the best quest for write-ins ever.

>>1901124
Not my original intention, but it's working rather well.

As you've seen, depending on the "brother" there are things that they can't/won't do. Otherwise most things are fair game.

>writing

Maria watched her mom close the door. But as soon as it closed, her mom disappeared and the man from outside took her place.

She let out a nervous whimper, and scampered around to hide behind Nick.

"What do you want, Lass?" Nick asked.
"You know what I want" The man replied. "I'm going to get it eventually, you know"
"Not from me" Nick replied. "Perhaps you might try with our other brother?"

"Oh, I will" The man said. "I need all of it, after all"

"So that's your answer" Nick said. "Instead of trying to solve this, you're going to take the highlander route?"
"That route is the only route" The man said. "Sooner or later..."

"Looks like it'll be later" Nick said, as the door crashed open and Maria's mother came back in.

Her mom had a gun in her hand, and kept it pointed at the man's head. "You. Out" She said.

"Fine, fine" The man said. "I can see where I'm not welcome. I'll talk to you later, Nick"
"It'll be a short conversation" Nick said.

The man walked to the door. "Of course it will" He said, as he left and shut the door behind him.

When he was gone, the room was silent.

"What did that guy want?" Maria asked.

Nick looked apprehensive. But after a moment, he answered...

>>1901169
There's supposed to be a
>1/2
at the end there.

Angeline walked quickly to keep pace with Cole, as he made his way to the King's Body.

The sun had set a while ago. She was no stranger to the city at this time, but ti still unnerved her.

"I don't understand. Just why do you think your brothers are after you?" She asked.
"Because they are" He replied. "I have something they need"

"What would they need so badly that they'd kill you to get it?" She asked.
"I'm not sure. I only know that I won't be me if they take it" He said. "Which is why I have to take it from them first"

"So you're getting the King's help..." She said.
"Exactly" He replied. "Is this the place?"
"Yes. The King's Body..." She said. "Not the most pleasant building, but people come here often..."

"Well we're here for business, not pleasure" He said. "I mean, I am at least. I did say you didn't have to come along"
"I wanted to make sure you'd be alright after sundown" She said.
"I told you I'd be fine" He said. "Let's just go..."

He walked into the building, and she followed. Angeline had never been inside this place before, so she wasn't sure what to expect.

Past the door was a long entryway, with a stage on either side. All along there were women of all shapes and sizes, dressed in almost nothing, dancing and being... generally provocative.

She wasn't even into chicks, and it was enough to make her blush...

Cole, on the other hand seemed-

>Comepletely overwhelmed

>Interested

>Uninterested

>>1901204

> Completely Underwhelmed

>>1901204
>>1901213
Plus
>Uninterested
We have business to attend to

My home planet needs me, so I've gotta bounce. Hope the rest of the story pans out okay...

Bye...

>>1901204
>>Comepletely overwhelmed

>writing

-completely and totally uninterested.

Part of her thought of trying to read his mind and see if he truly was unfazed by the display. But she'd promised herself that she wouldn't rely on that anymore...

Instead she kept her eyes forward, and walked along the path with Cole. "You aren't uhh..." Angeline asked.
"Aroused?" He asked.

Angeline nodded.

"An impressive display, no doubt" He said. "On any other day I might be tempted to jump up on stage with them. But I'm here for a reason"

She nodded again, trying to find the same resolve that Cole was showing. Even still the displays happening on either side of her were... distracting.

When they reached the end of the hall, the came to a well dressed, headless body sitting on a throne.

The hands of the body started moving. It looked like sign language, but Angeline didn't know what he was saying...

Cole nodded.
"You understand him?" She asked.
"I do" He replied. "He's greeted us, and asked why his head sent us"

Angeline was nervous. If the King's Body knew why they were here, they might not make it out of here...

"Your head sent us to stop you from plotting against him" Cole said.

Someone at a desk next to the King typed all of that out using what looked like a brailler. Taking the page off and handing it to the King, who ran his fingers over it and started signing again.

"Is that truly why you've come" Cole translated. Then he smiled, and said-

>Yes

>No

>>1901253
>>No

>>1901256
Supporting this

>writing

"No"

The brailler typed it up, and handed the King his response. Angeline was dumbfounded.

Even the King's Body looked surprised... as surprised as a headless body could look.

He quickly started signing more, and Cole translated.

"If you haven't come to try and depose me, then why are you here?" Cole says. "To broker a deal, of course"

As the brailler typed, Angeline turned to Cole. "This isn't what we came here for" She whispered.
"The sovereignty of the King's Head ends at his pub doors" Cole whispered back. "I asked him to find my brothers because that's all he could do. I need more than that, and this is the king who can give it to me"

"If the King's Head finds out-"
"He won't find out" Cole says. "As I said, his reign ends at his doors. He has no eyes, and no ears save for the ones on his head. You walk in there tomorrow, and he will be none the wiser"

Angeline was frightened. Cole wasn't the man she thought he was... but she still wanted to help.

The King's Body began signing again.

"What kind of deal?" Cole translated. "The kind that gets me what I want from my brothers, and you what you want from your head, of course"

Angeline watched as the brailler typed that out and handed it to the King. The King signed again...

Cole smiled.
"What did he say?" Angeline asked.
"He's interested"

That's all for this thread!

I'll be running these on a monthly schedule, so expect the next one to happen in late October.

It's an interesting game I've set up here, where you guys are essentially playing every player. time will tell how well it actually plays out.

As always I'll be sticking around for question/suggestion time

>>1901318
This is both as interesting as it is confusing and I eagerly wait more next month.

>>1901318
One of the best, I love what you're doing here. You said you were running another quest as well?

>>1901368
And is there a way we could be reminded/notified for when you start the next "Welcome to Bizarre" thread? I wouldn't want to miss it.

>>1901374
Woops, I forgot to link my twitter: twitter.com/SmileytheQM
Whenever I run a thread, I'll post about it there around 2 hours in advance.

My other quest is Beyond the Gate: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Beyond%20the%20Gate
Completely different tone than this one, so don't expect more of the same. I've also got a few other quests under my belt, which are under the 'Smiley' tag on suptg.