Carnival in the Park (IC)

[Eviscerus]

Menagerie Stage

Most of the fire show was what you'd expect from it's other counterparts, blowing fire into the air, walking over hot coals, though Max walked over an actual pit of fire, on his hands. The whole show was mostly set apart by it's performers being more physically active, a sort of mix between acrobats and fire eaters. Plenty of times Max could be seen doing flips through walls of fire, eating fire while doing a one handed handstand and other such anomolies. The heavy metal music, which was the soundtrack for the show, also leant an air of danger to the performers, even if you didn't take into account all the tattoos. One strange occurance in the show was when Max appeared to bite off the end of a fire stick, then spit the flames across stage to light an accelerant soaked stair case, which he then ascended slowly.

At the top of the stairs, which he left unlit, there was a large metal contraption that looked much like a rusty furnace with a man sized door laid into the front of it. Max opened the door and a blast of heat issued out of it, behind the door, the furnace was lit, hungry orange flames reaching from the bottom of the chamber to the top.

"Ladies and gentleman," Maxie boomed through his mic. "This is The Chamber! Inside the fires burn at a flesh searing one thousand degrees! This door here, is the only way out, and it locks from the outside only. I will attempt to use my superior willpower and mastery of fire to remain in the chamber for an impressive thirty seconds before Bertram here opens the door! Remember, this stunt is only to be performed by professionals, so you kids don't go converting furnaces into your own personal funeral pyre now."

Max turned to the door and pretended to inspect it, while spitting a bit of fire discreetly onto the hinges inside, ensuring once the door closed, it would be sealed shut. Get ready fer the show folks, it gets hot from here on in! Maxie smiled at the thought before turning to Bertram and helping him up the stairs.

[Warmonger]

Marcus found Cyndi not too far from the horror show; she was buying a funnel cake. He walked up behind her but she turned and saw him. "Are you done?" She asked.

"Done what?" Marcus asked innocently. She rolled her eyes.

"Done waving it around? Maybe we can get back to our date." She said exasperated. Marcus gave her a big smile.

"I was just trying to protect you," he added. This was a game he had gotten pretty good at over the years. "Come on, what was I supposed to do? I didn't hurt anyone." He put his arms around her and pulled her tight. "Are you mad?" He mustered as much hurt in his voice as he could. She sighed. "Are you goign to eat all that funnel cake?"

"You think I'm gonna fall for that?" She asked but she let him take a bite. "You know you are going to have to make this up to me?" She said.

"Anything you want." Marcus added easily. "But lets go check out this fire show." With one hand he tossed her unto his shoulder, she let out a small laugh and they went to check out the fire show.

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For those minutes that he stood there Marcus forgot all about metas. He forgot that he had seen men belch fire or fly through the sky, his eyes darted back and forth as he stood with rapt attention watching the show. He gasped at the feats, cheered at the death defying leaps and clapped loudly. If he wasn't so big, someone might have mistaken him for any other dazzled little boy in the crowd.

[quotemyname]

Near the Kissing Booth

Colt was peacefully strolling through the carnival seeing the sights. He came upon a crowd of people nearly as big as the crowd for the fire breathing act.

After noticing they were all lined up for the same booth, he strolled to the front of the line, and discovered a very attractive young girl selling kisses.

"Well, ain't that a sight." Colt easily walked up to the front of the line, drawing a cigarette from his front pocket. He produced a match from one of his coat pockets, and struck it against the side of the booth. After his cigarette was lit, he addressed the girl behind the counter. "Howdy, Miss." He gave her a smile, holding the cigarette down by his side. "Reckon yer puttin' on a much better show than that there fire breather."

Colt's interaction with grim was much to the dismay of the other customers on line. "Seems business is boomin'." He said, standing off to the side of the booth so as to quiet some of the concerns of the other "customers"

[Heritage]

Kissing Booth

"Howdy, Miss." He gave her a smile, holding the cigarette down by his side. "Reckon yer puttin' on a much better show than that there fire breather."

Grim can only shake her head. "Why do all you Southern gentleman cut in line? Shameful, really!" But there's a twinkle in her eye as she says it.

"Seems business is boomin'."

The pretty young thing shrugs affably."What can I say, I'm a slut for charity! Okay, who's next, let's keep this line movin'!"

She squints back over at the cowboy as she signs a T-shirt for a new fan.

"Uh, do you mind puttin' that out, 'pahdner'?" She points at her nose. "I'm like a bloodhound on crack with this thing. You can loiter all you want, keep me company while I earn an honest living, but the stogie has got to go."

[quotemyname]

"Hmm?" a look of surprise crossed colt's face. "Oh, a'course!" Colt ground out the cigarette on the ground. "Damn things're so convenient, ya almost don't realize yer smokin'em. Always had ta roll ma'own back home. Just one thing, though. I ain't fom the south. In fact, I ain't from this dimension."

"I'm like a bloodhound on crack with this thing. You can loiter all you want, keep me company while I earn an honest living, but the stogie has got to go."

"Sounds like a mighty fine idea. I just about seen the rest'a the carnival anyhow. Keen sense'a smell, eh?" Colt asked, indicating the "Kiss a REAL heroine sign. "Nose like a blood hound'll make a girl a hero? Or do ya got more tricks up yer sleeve?"

[Heritage]

"Sounds like a mighty fine idea. I just about seen the rest'a the carnival anyhow. Keen sense'a smell, eh?" Colt asked, indicating the "Kiss a REAL heroine sign. "Nose like a blood hound'll make a girl a hero? Or do ya got more tricks up yer sleeve?"

Grim laughs and shakes her head. "Nah, it just means I can smell losers and wastrels a mile away."

She poses for a cellphone snap with an adorable little boy and his Dad, gives them both quick pecks, and then shoots the cowboy another look.

"You got a name there, stranger? 'Butch McGutch' or 'Whiskey Pete'? I'm Grimalkin, by the way. 'Mistress of Mystery'!"

She grins and holds out her hand for a shake.

[quotemyname]

"Charmed," Colt responded. He shook her hand and tipped his hat. "Name's Billy. Folks round here seem ta like callin' me Colt."

Colt gave her a smile as he looked back up at the sign, "I think it's mighty fine work yer doin here. I done my fair share'a charity work meself. There's always a contest'r two which give away the proceeds. I like ta think I'm pretty quick ta sign up fer'em."

[Heritage]

"Charmed," Colt responded. He shook her hand and tipped his hat. "Name's Billy. Folks round here seem ta like callin' me Colt."

She smiles sweetly. "Likewise."

"I think it's mighty fine work yer doin here. I done my fair share'a charity work meself. There's always a contest'r two which give away the proceeds. I like ta think I'm pretty quick ta sign up fer'em."

Grim gives in an appraising look, sweeping up and down.

"You willing to put your money where your mouth is, cowboy?"

She looks down at her seat, which suddenly shifts and grows into a bench, just wide enough for two. The kissing booth itself shortly follows suit.

"We could make a lot more money for the widows and orphans if we get more girls in this line. And don't tell me you 'ain't no hero'; you put out that stinky thing, you're a hero to me."

She holds up her jar and rattles it coquettishly.

[quotemyname]

Colt looked surprised as the bench and the booth expanded, once again simply willing to accept that things were a lot different in freedom city. He did, however, smile at her offer.

"If'n ya wanna sweeten the pot with a kiss on the house, I reckon ya got yerself a deal!" Colt moved a little closer, seeing if she would take the bait.

[Heritage]

"If'n ya wanna sweeten the pot with a kiss on the house, I reckon ya got yerself a deal!"

The heroine slides her butt over on the bench, then crooks a finger Colt's way. "C'mere, cowboy, and I'll show you how we do it in the big city." :twisted:

[quotemyname]

Colt cocked an eyebrow at the suggestion. "Well! Reckon I don't say this too often, but..." *Ahem* he cleared his throat sarcastically. "Yeehaw!" and with that he sat down next to the mischievous jersey girl.

[Heritage]

"Yeehaw!"

Grinning like a tiny Jewish demon, Grim takes Colt's hat, throws it over her shoulder, and goes in for the kill; as she does so, she lays on a little extra whammy, just for kicks...:kiss: :twisted:

[bootslof]

Keil enters the circus looking for the nearest concession stand. As he never truly new the concept behind "cotton" candy he quickly consumes the tasty treat and attempts to manipulate the strands into a scarf. Much to his surprise, and later joy, only a mere puddle of carmel came out of his hands. Keil soon found his way over to one of the roller coasters. As the car raced down the steepest slope he felt the urge to pull a "look ma, no hands". he raised his 2 hands in the air, while of course having 4 securely gripped around the handle in front of him. When he got out of the ride he started wondering about the magic show. He wondered if perhaps the performer was in fact a super hero like he'd seen on TV, only just to shy to be so forward with it.

[Dr Archeville]

Menagerie Stage

Once Dead Head got near the fire eater's performance, he began to exhibit some trepidation, as if having second thoughts.

In his earlier days, when he was very dark and grim and brooding, seeing a sizable fire like this would send him into a sort of fugue state, in which he'd have traumatic flashbacks to the night when the flaming man had run, screaming, into the house where he & his college friends -- who'd already died once that night, and were up due to Dead Head's new powers -- and set many on fire before setting off the gas tanks for the stove that destroyed the house and incinerated everyone inside. Dead Head came back -- like he always does -- but none of the others did.

But that was then. Now, Dead Head was far more happy-go-lucky, nowhere near as grim or brooding (though his sense of humor was still quite dark). He knew what he was getting into here -- he knew there was fire here, it wasn't something that popping up unexpectedly -- but he didn't know how he'd react.

[Eviscerus]

Menagerie Stage

Maxie turned to Bertram and smiled. Unlike most of his smiles this one was tinged with a small bit of sadness.

"It's been fun sir, these past few years. Do me a favor and let Deedra know that after this show I'll be giving my notice. There's a big world out there Bertram, and I aim ta get me mah share of it." Before Bertram could protest or ask what was going on, Maxie stepped into the contraption and closed the door. Stunned and unable to think, Bertram closed the door and started the timer.

"The Countdown has begun!" Bertram announced to the expectant crowd.

For Bertram, the passing thirty seconds were an eternity. Thoughts and emotions broiled within him, he couldn't get his head around what the boy was doing, or planning. Whatever it was, he was sure it wasn't going to be a logical and rational decision.

After the eternity inside half a minute, Bertram turned to the door and tried to open it, but found it stuck. "Oh lord, boy don't you do this!"

Maxie heard Bertram's exasperated plea but only smiled. For the last thirty seconds he'd been building up heat, getting ready for something spectacular. "Get away from the door Bertram! I got a show to do!"

Just then the whole contraption started to glow slightly, becoming red, then white hot. Bertram was stunned for a few seconds, watching the past replay before his very eyes. Bertram quickly came to his senses and set off down the stairs at a demonic pace. As he reached the bottom the chamber could no longer sustain itself and exploded outward, chunks of molten metal flying out over the crowd, but dissipating into ash before touching the ground. The conflagaration was an enormous spectacle that could be seen for miles if one had a clear view to the park. It was as if a bomb had gone off on the stage. The speakers, the poles, the very ground beneath the blast was reduced to cinders. Some people screamed, most were flabergasted by what they saw.

When the smoke cleared, Maxie stood, arms outstretched towards the sky as if in praise to the gods, and completely unharmed. As he took a small bow a scattering of applause started from within the crowd, then more took up the chorus until there was a screaming, clapping mob before Maxie, giving him a standing ovation.

Let's see them try and forget THAT!

[Dr Archeville]

Menagerie Stage

"Oh-"

That was all Dead Head could utter. Seeing the explosion, the one exactly like the one that had re-taken all his friends, and fearing for a moment that it was all about to happen again, made part of him snap.

If he was alive, his reaction could be called "fainting". Since his body had no functions, the term would perhaps no apply. More importantly, though, was how he fainted: he literally fell to pieces. Both legs popped out at the hip joint, both arms at the shoulders, and his head fell off his neck, all landing in a neat pile. Of course, most of the audience was still focused on Spitifre... except for the woman who had been standing right behind Dead Head, and saw him collapse.

She shrieked. At first it went unnoticed, due to all the cheers and such, but soon enough others did notice.

A few dozen feet away, another person shrieked, but for different reasons. At one of the food stands, a whole chicken carcass, freshly rubbed with oil and about to be put onto a spit to roast, twitched a few times before leaping out of the cook's hands and running off down the midway! It was soon followed by another... and another... and another!

[Gizmo]

"Oh, nuts," Erik groaned as Dead Head hit the ground in a literal heap. He spared his sister a quick glance. "Ellie, maybe you and Romeo need some alone time, huh?" She nodded in understanding, leading her confused date away.

Jogging over to the collapsed zombie, Erik narrowly avoid tripping over an undead chicken. "Man, these guys really go all out with the prosthetics," he remarked to a nearby man loudly enough to carry through the pandemonium to those nearby. "Too bad that blood and gore looks so fake. Too many Romero flicks, amirite?" Bending down, he hesitated briefly before gingerly realigning the unconscious ghoul's neck with his shoulders. "I swear, 'Head," he hissed under his breath, "if you force me to make a 'pull yourself together' joke..."