and now for something completely different

[boogerman]

After the night the children die, there is no Pitch for the next eight days. All the nightmares that take place in the castle are natural ones. Not so much as a glimpse of a shadow with ridiculous hair will be seen. He's hiding, resting and recovering from his short battle at the bottom of the lake, the one place he knows no one will find him. Jack especially.

And on the eighth day, he returns, but not for long. There's a new room in the castle he hasn't entered yet. Finally he enters, curious, and naturally he can't resist trying on a gold bracelet. And so the Nightmare King leaves a different man.

He's slender without the bone-thin starved mean look of the Boogeyman, a name that has yet to be spoken anywhere in the world. He's still slender and fluid, a catlike wildness in his movements. And he's wearing a pitch-black skirt. (Maybe it's a kilt?) That's all he's wearing besides a small golden locket around his neck. No shirt, no shoes, no pants. See, he does have perfectly normal human shaped feet, if grey. Not claws or hooves, not the least bit demonic.

The Not-Boogeyman will be everywhere for the next three days, popping up in the strangest of places with endless curiosity about the strange modern world. Nothing like a castle exists yet in the time period he lives in. No ballrooms. No books. He can't read them, but the pictures and the paper itself seem to fascinate him. So will the candy, the birds, everything single thing the others take for granted.

Especially the music room, which he takes over for an entire afternoon on day two, inventing wild dances and looking the fool. Some things never did change.



((ooc: Have some young Pitch, before he turns into a bitter horrible old man who hates everyone and everything and wants to RULE THE WORLD!! May everyone be confused at how he used to be. And what's with the locket?))

Comments

who are you and why aren't you psychologicaly torturing me.

[characlysmic]

After the encounter on the stairs, Chara had no desire to try and find Pitch again. He's a horrible nasty man and they hate him. So imagine their suprise when, in their wanderings after their fateful encounter with that other Chara, they find this.

They blame their new deafness for not hearing the music when the wandered into the random room. A humanlike figure in....a skirt. He's doing some really weird dancing to what sounds like absolutly nothing to them and they let out a snort despite themselves.

Then it hits them. The dark grey skin, dark hair, the practically oozing motions, like some sort of tar or pitch. Oh they know this guy, their heartbeat freezes in their throat and they shudder. They have to get out of here now.

YET???

[boogerman]

He stops and spins around, sensing that inkling of fear which quickly grows into something strong. A small child he's not seen before in his life, terrified of him? How peculiar, since he hasn't done anything to them personally...

He's not speaking English. Fortunately, the castle takes care of that. "Hello, you."

oh boy

[characlysmic]

They can't hear a word he speaks, English or no. But they freeze with their hands on the doorknob and they watch his mouth move. They shudder. They dunno what he's saying, they can't read lips or anything. Facial expressions are even worse, he doesn't look malicious but so hard to tell, people are so good at faking and all they can hear ringing in their (head not ears not their ears ever again hah!). Is murderer, demon, you killed me, you little devil!. They wish they could cover their useless ears and stop hearing that.

Go away.

They can't tell if its shouted or whispered, a drawling hiccupy sentence as they grip the door like a lifeline. Whatever trick he has to play on them right now, they're not a fan.

nah probably not on purpose

[boogerman]

He blinks, taken aback, eyebrowless brows scrunching up. What?? Can't say he's been told that in a while. Most people worth seeing accept the strange grey protector...

The music goes on without him dancing to it. He doesn't know how to shut it off.

"Why? What have I done?" Wrong thing to say, if he had any clue as to what this child's problem is.

[characlysmic]

Nope still nothing! Neither comprehension or comfort dawn on Chara's face. No understanding at all, just wide unblinking watching. Like a deer in the headlights or a trapped rabbit. Confusion. They can read that well enough, eyebrows up mean surprised right? Well, he doesn't have eyebrows, but he's got something scrunching. Why confused? Does he want something? When people want something, you tell them no, usually. Oh, oh! He's playing innocent isn't he! Like they might, to hide a crime!! Better at it then them, most likely but they won't play anyone's fool.

They bare teeth a little, to hide momentary weakness, hunching their shoulders up.

'Said leave!! I don't care that I'm messed up 'not gonna push me around!! Who cares if 'm a demon they both came back!! They're fine!! You hear, they're fine just like you!!

Sounds more like a plead, then a threat in the end and how they hate it. Its like their parents all over again, but so much more terrifying. An unkillable beast and the only cues they have for the right way out are visual.

[boogerman]

What a rush of nonsense. Kids are impossible when they panic, he swears. And this is clearly a massive load of panic. He's catching whisps of various fears all blended together--he did something to them? Scared them half to death? Which he doesn't remember, but it's so real in their mind. Can't blame them for trying to stand up to him, the big bad grey man.

He gestures a bit with his hands, his culture's odd version of shrugging, and doesn't move. Oh. They can't hear him either, that's scaring them too, the thought of never hearing again. Well...

"No. I'm not going to do anything to you."

[characlysmic]

IT SURE BE GREAT IF THEY COULD LITERALLY UNDERSTAND ANYTHING HE'S SAYING HUH!

The hand motion isn't sign, or at least, no sign that they know. They doubt he knows it anyway, ASL is only something they picked up from the monsters, their parents certainly never thought they would have any use for it. It's not an attack either even though they shrink down, enough to present a smaller target but not enough that they can't run.

Still, he's not approaching and that does wonders to keep them from bolting forwards to attack. They're sure he'd outrun them of course, those long legs. Catch em quick. He's not killable of course, but they've had a pretty decent crash course in maiming the last few days and they'll....well they didn't make any promises about not hurting him, if they even can.

Their trusty knife makes an appearance again, clutched close to their chest but still a weapon, looking all the more dangerous for its tarnish. There's some black stains on the metal and handle they haven't been able to scrub off. Familiar perhaps? Its hard to intimidate a creature like this but they keep the blade pointed and their voice somewhat level.

Don't....I'll....I'll do it right this time!! I swear!! Don't care if it doesn't work don't come near me you hear!!

[boogerman]

How to get it across he means no harm. He only wants the music. He drums his long fingers against his thigh a few times, as he watches Chara silently. No point in speaking. That black stuff on the knife is very familiar--he's had stupid accidents before, he knows his blood isn't red. But a smallish child is no match for him. He regularly hangs out with lions and such, Chara is nothing.

'Shrugging' again, he takes few steps back and calls his shadow staff to him, waving it in the direction of the music. That's all he wants. See? No one needs to get hurt.

[characlysmic]

Huh?

They take a step back at the sight of the staff but...its not doing anything? He's just waving it at the weird looking machine in the corner. That's....not really how you attack. Or threaten. They blink owlishly at him, reassessing. They don't get what he's doing at all. He's acting weird, they're finally picking up on that. Not the same, maybe they have the wrong guy? They guess maybe the horrible pitch man had a brother or something. A weird, non asshole demon man.

I..oh..you're not him.....

The knife drops a little, clutched more for comfort then attack. Success!! You've soothed the savage child! They flush biting their lip. Ok so not the nasty guy, so they threatened a random dude by accident. Good going Chara!

They aren't apologizing per say, and they still look wary but also a little curious. A new person is always somewhat interesting.

more charas for the chara fire

[itstheend]

Chara can play the piano, a little. Not well; not what they understand to be well. They never learned formally - what they know they've picked up by ear, self-taught.

When they enter the music room their entire demeanour becomes the picture of the word 'distaste', but they refuse to let the Nightmare King get the impression they're cowed by his presence in any way (even if he has changed his wardrobe for some reason) and instead of leaving they do what they were going to do anyway; head over to the grand piano in the corner and crack their knuckles.

And then slam a crescendo down on them, because they're a little shit and if he hasn't noticed them by now, this will definitely do it.

[boogerman]

He glances over, inclining his head, but they don't seem to be paying any attention to him. So, he's free to continue his dance for all of thirty seconds before he's jolted back to reality by a painfully loud... something. It's not like anything he's heard yet. He hadn't realized that thing in the corner was also some sort of instrument.

They have his attention now, he's padding over to the piano, amused. "Is that what it's for?"

[itstheend]

They take their hands off the keys to sign at him.

[Frightening shadows? Yes.]

They twist to keep him in their vision as he approaches, but start playing more normally, fingers moving on the keys without looking. There's off notes and odd notes, and it meanders and follows no set pattern improvised on the spot as it is, but it's passable as music.

*He looks different.

They know. The clothes, the odd locket. Frisk continues to press up against the fore.

*No, he looks differenter than that.

When he gets closer, the music stops, and they move their hands once more. [Don't stop for my reason.] His approach makes them just a bit familiarly on edge. They didn't think this through, exactly.

handwaving translation shit for the sake of thread not being lame for u

[boogerman]

He squints at the strange hand signals they're making, until something clicks in his mind--suddenly it's almost as if he can hear them speaking in words. (Someday he'll learn to read once writing is a thing and feel the same sensation.)

Bless the castle's magic, for letting him be able to speak and be understood.

"Frightening what shadow? Shadows can't be afraid." Not this one. He doesn't back off. The piano was a block of wood in the corner before. Now it's something interesting. "You're the one who stopped."

thumbs up

[itstheend]

[Anything that has something to lose can be afraid.]

They feel very wise, saying that, chest out and head tipped back a little, baring the scar on their neck a bit. The trick is to let it turn to anger, or cut away all attachment. So. Maybe this shadow can. But a piano's not going to do it, apparently, and they're a little disappointed.

They give him a flat look when he mentions them stopping. [I can't talk and play at the same time.] Duh. Not anymore, at least. Their throat still aches a little. Maybe they should seek out the not-Papyrus.

*S4

But they turn back and resume, keeping him in their peripheral vision.

[boogerman]

Cute. They're trying to be Adult and Scary. To him. They're not wrong, except everything he does care about is far far away and safe. He'll go back soon, he's sure.

"I see. You don't have to talk."

A hand sneaks around while they're focused on playing, inching to the keys... And then he slams that hand down to make a horrific noise, just like they did not two minutes ago. Hah! See how you handle it!

[itstheend]

Being as Adult and Scary as possible is how they've managed to survive thus far. Stepping into the narrative role of the horror movie monster for a time has only reinforced the idea that this is how they are.

Chara can dish it out, but they can't take it; they hate loud noises, when not made by them. They can't suppress a flinch, half-jerking away from him, shoulders up to their ears and legs having stiffly pushed the piano stool away. Their heart is racing, and they look at him with a glare above a smile.

Chara gets off the stool, picks it up in both hands, and swings it at him. Ordinarily they might have made an attempt at biting down this urge for Frisk's sake, but after their death they are very much not in the mood.

*!

[boogerman]

Mildly creepy, the smile. And the extreme overreaction to a bit of noise. He's an inhuman man who plays with lions on a regular basic--his reflexes are like lightning. He's ducked down before the chair even comes close to smacking him in the head. "Stop that before you hurt yourself." he says, and laughs. This man's laugh isn't quite as cruel as Pitch's. "It was only a joke!"

[dustless]

The music room's still one of their favorites. They're getting to be okay at the piano, even if they don't know how to read music for anything. It's a nice place to hang out in to relax even if they're not trying to play anything, too--so after a rather stressful time and searching out revivals, that's where they head.

Before they even get in, Frisk...hears dancing. Probably. Footsteps, anyway. The Nightmare King again?

They don't know if they want to see him right now. No, they really definitely do not after running straight through him. Damn it.

...In the end, they decide to peek inside. Just a look, not even stepping in. They plan on backing off if he sees them.

may be slow

[boogerman]

He's carrying his staff at the moment, which looks like it's made of pure solid shadow, not the Nightmare Sand he will one day use. It's as if he's a dark mirror of Jack Frost, almost. He looks healthy. Young. Perhaps thirty, perhaps forty if he's aged well.

And he's shameless about his dancing, even twirling in front of his audience. Yes, he sees you trying to peek all sneaky-like. And he gives them a grin with surprisingly little malice. Hello!

no prob |V

[dustless]

They jerk back reflexively, pause, peer inside once more.

That's...different. Very. Clothes, staff, but that attitude sticks out the most by far.

He must be new.

"...hi?" they try softly.

[boogerman]

Mild confusion takes over his almost happy expression. Why should they be afraid too? He's never met them. And it cannot be denied that they are, it's slapping him in the face.

Best to be honest and ask, as he tends to do back home. "You're very nervous for someone I haven't met. Why?"

[dustless]

"...'cause I kinda hurt somebody who looks a lot like you." They lean into the room a little more. "And I didn't want t' see him right now."

[boogerman]

He doesn't nod. The world is so very different, even nodding hasn't become common yet. How very interesting. How curious he is. "There's someone who looks like myself?" Nonsense. He doesn't look like a single person alive. Even the sickest of people don't quite match his bizarre grey skin. The age of spirits is just beginning and he isn't used to odd folk yet...

[dustless]

They're leaning and holding the doorframe. They are in danger of falling on their face. "Yeah. Might be another you, actually. This place can be weird that way." Surely that'll help with his confusion!

Frisk adds "An' I am gonna apologize for hurting him, too. Just not today." They don't want to needlessly give the wrong impression.

[boogerman]

He's a little skeptical, because he knows how children are: prone to exaggeration, blowing things out of proportion sometimes and full of wild imagination. They're probably making up some sort of story. Or... Twins? Twins do happen.

"A twin. I don't remember having a twin." Never argue with a child's story, it's more interesting that way. "Is he angry?"

The music's still playing. He's ignoring it.