ic Nightmares and Demons (IC)

[Supercape]

"Jingles! Happy Halloween!" laughed Rene at the night terror. 

 

He was damned if the thing would have any sense of satisfaction. Of course, he could spread fear and discord. But he would be known. 

 

Rene whipped out his magic paintbrush and spun it left and right, as it flung its magic paint around the circus tent. 

 

"You can laugh, Jingle, but you don't own the night, you don't own these people, and you don't own me. And, my friend, all your power was given to you. So you don't even own yourself!" he concluded, as the magic ink started to light up the circus tent. 

 

With that, he made his way to the Circus control, where all the lights and loudspeakers (and pyrotechnics) were monitored and manipulated. He fancied a cheery Circus music...

[Thunder King]

Rene's words seemed to hearten the people around him, who seemed to calm down slightly. Rene found the sound system readily enough. Everyone stayed out of his way either because they were too afraid to move, or because they knew he was a hero and there to help.

 

Either way, it took him no time to find the sound system. Cheerful music replaced the scared silence. It was as if the crowd realized the circus was still on.

 

"Y-yes!" The ringmaster said, clearly shaken. He found a microphone, and seemed to have found some of his courage, as well. "W-we are a circus!" He said, raising his hands. "T-the show will go on!" He said, looking around the area. "W-we have a superhero here. He will find the villain who scared us, and he'll put him in his place!" The crowd murmured nervously.

 

He put his hand over the microphone "If he's here, please, find him."

[Supercape]

"I will, Monsieur!" he said. 

 

"But, be aware!" he continued, theatrically. "Monsieur Jingles is not a creature of Flesh and Bone. He will not be defeated by a mighty punch, or a bolt of lightning" he explained, although he knew he was speculating. He gave a flex of his old arm, devoid of any significant musculature to emphasise the point. 

 

"Jungles is a creature of ze spirit. Of dreams, of nightmares, of desires, wishes, and fears. I fancy he will be defeated by brave heart and courage. And perhaps even, joy..." he smiled. 

 

But, having said that, I shall indeed seek him! And I know an old friend of fearless soul, who may just help. And, I think,can help us with the music for the evening. 

 

Rene had no mood for cold silences in the Circus. He drew his mind out of the dreamworlds, and dragged something back with it. 

 

From around a corner, Henri Zenon appeared. He was a slightly short, mixed race man with grey hair, wearing a neat combination old style suit and shoes, complete with bow tie, braces, and trousers, like he had stepped out of a music hall. He was whistling a gay, rag time tune as he appeared. 

 

"My friend here, they call Deadbeat" said Rene, embracing his old friend affectionately. "He can whip up a song and rhythm like no other. And I fancy we will need a gay tune tonight!" he laughed, trying to keep everyones spirits up. 

[Thunder King]

The crowd were, as expected, still nervous. However the near panic that had washed over them had now passed. Rene's exploration of the area lead him towards the darkness. With his glasses on, he could see where the menacing, supernatural aura lead. There was a spot towards the back of the circus area, and when he reached it the darkness and shadows filled the air and his heart. For a moment, he felt a twinge of fear, like a discordant note on his heart strings. It passed quickly.

 

Peering through the depths of the magic and into the heart of the malevolent force, he saw what could only be described as a tumor, a black lump of dark magic, anchored in place by shadowy, ephemeral chains.

 

Two slits, looking strangely like eyes. They seemed to glow a malevolent red, and seemed, against all sanity and logic, to be glaring at him.

[Supercape]

Rene turned to Deadbeat. 

 

"My friend Henri, go, look after the Circus, and make sure ze spirits are high, Non? A gay tune to raise spirits, over ze speakers, perhaps?" he asked. 

 

The Man from Martinique flashed a bright white smile, although his eyes were dark. Something about the sombre darkness raised a chill even in him, who had walked in dark places when dead. 

 

"A song and a dance? I've played to worse crowds!" he answered, turning heel and offing. It was true, too. The dead had danced to his beat. 

 

Rene turned to the red slits. 

 

"Monsieur Jingles, I presume? Come to see ze show? I think it shall be a gay evening! perhaps you could share in the fun!" he asked, politely. 

[Thunder King]

The chains rattled as more of them shot from the ephemeral tumor, rattling around the area and reaching underground. The ground beneath the malevolent entity seemed to darken visibly, turning black. The blackness spread, jagged lightning that coursed through the circus. An unearthly chill filled the air, and even the lamps seemed to dull visibly.

[Supercape]

"How illuminating" replied Rene, his smile frozen on his face. He had faced many creatures from beyond the ocean of reality, but this Jingles - or perhaps, the power behind him - was an ominous force indeed. 

"Not in a speaking mood, today, then?" he asked. "Just come to blacken the night? To rattle the chains? Perhaps, if you could not raise a smile, you would raise a scream then..."

He brought out his magic paintbrush. 

"But life is for song, dance, and laughter" he said, simply, and started painting wafts on sunshine into the air...

[Thunder King]

Things lightened up visibly, and the tumor seemed to retreat slightly. The blackened thing floating in the air emitted an audible growl that sounded like rattling chains. The eyes turned on Rene and a hundred screaming voices shattered the air around it.

"You have made things brighter?" It said, it's cruel laughter ringing out through the air. "You've fixed nothing, nothing! Old fool!" The circus grew colder still as the tents twisted into horrific mockeries. People screamed in terror as one man ran body, body twisted. Rene, though, he knew that none of it was real.

 

It was a nightmare made manifest, but like all nightmares, it wasn't real.

[Supercape]

"Perhaps there was nothing to fix?" said Rene. It was not that he was full of doubt, but rather, after centuries, he was confident in any lack of certainty. A paradoxical position. 

 

"But I am old, and I am a fool, what would I know?" he said, without mockery. Rene may have had pride, but he didn't need flattery. Again, the centuries of experience had left him playing the part of doddering old fool, almost as the default position. It was best not to be feared. It was best to be under estimated. 

 

"Maybe you are trying to break something? But my eyes grow dim and grey, and my hearing dull and void. Alas, my venerable age mutes my senses and my wit!" he sighed.