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Post by Penny Royals on Dec 19, 2014 14:57:25 GMT -8
Mary would hear him chuckling as she escaped, before wheeling out what she'd dealt him.
"Mmm, no, sometimes I wait for a second hour to pass," She rested her chin on her fist.
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Flip
Member
Probably a dragon in a previous life.
Posts: 159
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Post by Flip on Dec 19, 2014 15:13:06 GMT -8
"You've settled on her though. The Italian." Eli smiled slightly. "What if she turns out to be terrible in bed? Waste of time. You should do some reconnaissance, first." There was clear calculation behind Eli's reasoning. "Get a person drunk, find out what they're like. Then, you've got an idea of the payoff before you waste the resources."
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Post by Alastor on Dec 19, 2014 15:57:00 GMT -8
Poe gave a forlorn sigh and moved to admit more light onto the desk by way of one of the windows. Not that the rest of the room needed light... oh, it could be made to be better visible, but did you really need to see such things that would tear at your very sanity? "That was going to be the second matter." The butler of the house noted. "Dinner is already in preparation, and while a few hours for the children to get settled in can be coupled with Doctor Godwin's fancy of examining each child in detail, it would be unseemly if you did not at least dress for the event." It was a polite hint that Lovecraft should finish his letter and get washed and dressed to be seen outside of the gloom. Lovecraft sighed, finishing the letter to a Robert Evin as he set down the quill. "I get what you're hinting at, Poe." The man replied, "I'll freshen up after you leave." --- Eulalia nodded as Mary told her to leave, squirming under the gaze of de Sade. After all, wasn't he the origins of a rather nasty word? Regardless, she ran upstairs to search for Jane. She began looking around the common room, " La signorina Jane?" She called out. "The dottore asked me to finish the exam with you..."
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Post by Penny Royals on Dec 19, 2014 16:30:55 GMT -8
Jane smiled at Eulalia, sitting down with her and asking her the same flurry of questions - Recent contact with animals, water, and city - keep an eye out. Sexually active - mentioned female partners?; no vices.
Johanna grinned.
"Mmm, you have a point.... all the more reason to find the staff's spirits, right?"
Soon bells were chiming from an unknown place - the children were rounded up, and taken downstairs. It was finally time for dinner between staff and students alike.
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Flip
Member
Probably a dragon in a previous life.
Posts: 159
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Post by Flip on Dec 19, 2014 16:44:28 GMT -8
Mary listened to the bells ring out, getting up with a sigh. She slid her feet back into her shoes and got up from her armchair, quickly fixing her hair and hurrying down through the corridors, seeming to get there far quicker than was possible. Mary was, unlike most, very fond of the house. She ran her fingertips along the wall as she walked, almost stroking it, before turning into the dining hall where all were gathering. She walked over and took a seat besides Jane, smiling in greeting. "I got the notes- thankyou so much for your help today."
"I swear I saw a wall with slime on it." Elinor grimaced as she sat besides Johanna. "This place is bizarre." She looked around, spotting Jane and the doctor, quickly turning away. The doctor made her skin creep. "I don't like her- the one next to the gardener." She shifted in her seat. "Something about her screams Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. She's definitely hiding something." She sighed, looking across at Johanna. "The gardener- Jane, I think- she's the best of a bad bunch, I think. I mean, come on- what kind of headteacher insists on being called Master in this day and age? Power trip, I bet."
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Post by toothpiic on Dec 19, 2014 17:59:14 GMT -8
Playing with Aurora brought the realization it had been hours sense she had a smoke. Rifiling through her bag she found a pack and a lighter. Glancing around to see if anyone would notice she chewed her lip at the sight of people down the hall. Maybe she could find a backdoor out. Shoving the crumpled pack back into her bag she hopped off her bed.
Aurora meowed in protest but Melody gave no notice leaving her 'room''room'she went the opposite direction she had wrnt for the informary in hopes to find a way out, and a place to smoke.
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Post by Alastor on Dec 19, 2014 18:14:02 GMT -8
The headmaster descended from the staircase, overlooking the student body as he did. He was positively revolted by what he saw- were their no good, pure little Anglo-Saxon children in the world anymore? Had the world been over ran by the degeneracy he decried?
Eulalia, however, just sat next to Johanna as well. "Ciao!" She greeted the blond girl, a toothy smile on her face.
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Post by JW% on Dec 19, 2014 20:10:06 GMT -8
Playing with Auror brought the realization it had been hours sense she had a smoke. Rifiling through her bag she found a pack and a lighter. Glancing around to see if anyone would notice she chewed her lip at the sight of people down the hall. Maybe she could find a backdoor out. Shoving the crumpled pack back into her bag she hopped off her bed. Autor meowed in protest but Melody gave no notice leaving her 'room''room'she went the opposite direction she had wrnt for the informary in hopes to find a way out, and a place to smoke. What she found instead was Poe, arms crossed and a weary but unhappy expression on his face. "I realize that this place is new to you, but that was the dinner bell, and it would be best if you attended at least the first meal." He said, having been making a final sweep to make sure everyone was heading in the right direction after the signal came. He was trusting Lovecraft to remain true to his word, having left the man to his writings after getting such word. "Not only will you likely go hungry if you don't join in on time, but much delayed introductions are to be made." On a curtain rod a black bird that had otherwise resembled some of the carved statuary of the place, turned and blinked it's eye, cocking a head at Melody... or rather Auror. It let out a caw of distaste at the idea of sharing it's living quarters with a cat. Poe glanced up at it. "No." Poe told the bird, and it ruffled it's feathers as if to try to play innocent. Poe turned his attention back to Melody. "Come now, the bell has tolled."
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Post by toothpiic on Dec 20, 2014 9:22:16 GMT -8
Grunting in response she swept up Aurora in her arms and followed to where supper was being held. Slightly irritated that she wouldn't be able to make it out to smoke for atleast another hour. Hopefully the meal was quick and she could sneak away without anyone noticing.
Aurora hissed at the squawking bird. Her tail twitching under Melody's arm. Not too thrilled with the bird.
Once she saw all the people sitting around together she choked on her breath abitt but took a seat silently with Aurora on her lap. Glancing at the faces around her and rattling her brain for their names. Hopefully she'd remember them eventually.
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Post by JW% on Dec 20, 2014 22:20:47 GMT -8
Following Melody Poe entered the dining hall and looked over everyone who had arrived, trying to make certain where each of the children were.
This was going to be a chore in itself. He wasn't sure how they would get around to actually making these new arrivals work for their lodgings and food, as this was not a school, this was a halfway house. A place to re-integrate people into society, typically by giving them training in menial tasks. None of these new arrivals looked like they would take well to menial tasks.
Which meant that Poe would be sharing his flask with Lovecraft before the evening was done. Good thing he had filled it last night...
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Post by Penny Royals on Dec 21, 2014 12:23:29 GMT -8
Johanna sat between the two girls, nodding first to Elinor.
"'Master' is a gross word, anyway. Brings to mind a lot of weirdo things. Seems more fitting for THAT guy." She pointed toward de Sade, before snickering and quickly putting her hand back down as Eulalia rushed up. She grinned. "Hey!"
Ryan sat on the other side of Elinor, leaning boredly onto the table and watching the teachers as they came in to sit down at the table. There was a new man, who with one look at them seemed wholly disappointed - what, were they not what he was wanting or something? Weird. Not that that word didn't describe anyone else at the table, like de Sade, who even in the presence of his employer was sneaking glances around the table, taking in the forms of the new charges.
Jane sat between Mary and Poe, calm. At Mary's thanks, she once again softly blushed.
"I hope they were to your satisfaction? I'm afraid I don't have as close of a hand on all of this as you do, Dr. Godwin."
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Post by Alastor on Dec 21, 2014 13:06:02 GMT -8
"What are you two speaking about?" Eulalia asked Johanna. "If that's not intruding, I mean."
The headmaster took his seat at the front of the table, lightly tapping his glass with a spoon to draw students' attention. When all eyes were on him, he cleared his throat. "I am Doctor Lovecraft." He said with a firm, soft tone with a tinge of a lisp and a slight stutter. How he hated speaking in front of groups. "I am your headmaster. I am to ensure that you children do not cause much ruckus, harm yourselves- or harm each other for that matter, and ensure an education for the year if need be."
His lip curled in a bit from disgust as he looked at the children. The lack of Anglo-Saxons truly disturbed him. It was something he was going to have to vent about to Darleth or Bloch or Howard in the next correspondence.
"You are... welcome to visit my office during waking hours if need be, but be warned that any violations of conduct will send you there." He looked over the student body again. "I trust that you children will be able to listen to your elders quite well enough, and that you will not cause a ruckus."
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Flip
Member
Probably a dragon in a previous life.
Posts: 159
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Post by Flip on Dec 21, 2014 13:50:41 GMT -8
"I'd steer clear of that guy, if I were you. He's a hunter- looks at everything as prey, and he'll be sniffing out the weakest. It's a common skill of natural predators- he'll latch on to weakness." She made eye contact with Johanna, before flicking her eyes towards Ryan, subtly and quickly. "If he's any good at it, though, he'll have already spotted the weakest target." Elinor smiled slightly at Eulalia in greeting, before listening to Lovecraft's introduction. She smirked despite herself at the handful of words the man offered in introduction. Nervous, resentful and full of distaste. Upset and dislike seen only behind the eyes of the prejudiced. Every man opened himself as a book before her, whether he liked it or not. No man, or woman, was safe from her analysis- no-one could escape it, once he presented himself before her. Not even the elusive Headmaster of this house.
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Post by Penny Royals on Dec 21, 2014 13:58:09 GMT -8
"Just people," Johanna replied to Eulalia, still fascinated with Elinor's words. She noted the flick of the eyes, nodding before looking back to the Headmaster, who began to speak. "...He seems like a real ass, doesn't he?" She whispered.
"He seems nervous about us," Ryan found himself butting in there, whispering back.
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Flip
Member
Probably a dragon in a previous life.
Posts: 159
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Post by Flip on Dec 21, 2014 14:17:55 GMT -8
"What you're seeing is a very specific brand of arse." She looked across at Ryan for a moment. "He's not nervous about us, that's performance anxiety. Of us- well, it's like resentment, by the looks of it. There's easily fifties-style values in there too- suppress the black man, the yellow man and the red-headed man. That kind of thing." She half smiled, rolling her eyes. "There you have it. Headmaster is a sullen racist with stage fright." She looked back to the others. "Easy to play. Keep quiet, and you stand to get away with murder. Don't cause him trouble, they don't tend to go out of their way to cause you trouble, usually."
Mary leant across to murmur in Jane's ear. "What do you suppose is coming next?"
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Post by toothpiic on Dec 21, 2014 15:12:00 GMT -8
Glancing at the group whispering about. Melody had yet to form an opinion on anything. She nawed on her lip and stayed silent. Melody had never been one for small talk. Stroking Aurora trying to find a way out of here.
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Post by Penny Royals on Dec 21, 2014 15:28:23 GMT -8
"I haven't the faintest idea," Jane replied, scooting closer to Mary, "I only hope it goes better than... last year's."
"So a flagrant racist," the boy nodded. "And I suppose they don't usually... but then there was the Holocaust...."
"And the KKK," Angel joined in, sitting on the other side of Eulalia.
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Flip
Member
Probably a dragon in a previous life.
Posts: 159
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Post by Flip on Dec 21, 2014 15:47:28 GMT -8
"Well, as long as you're a pale, blonde haired, blue eyed treasure, you're fine." Elinor half-smiled. "As for the rest of us, learn a bit of basic self-defence, and you can keep one man off you. Alternatively, you could always harness the power of the supernatural, gaze into his soul with piercing eyes and inflict unknown levels of pain upon the man." She shrugged. "I mean, I guess." She paused, before openly laughing. "Look at us! Victims, misfits and runaways. Like some collective just waiting to be redeemed. That, or we're the cast of a shitty gore B-horror movie." She looked around, and sighed. "Oh please, I can read you all like books. Your secrets are definitely not safe with me, so I doubt there'll be much point in keeping them." Elinor laughed, not thinking twice about the mania washing over her, or the strange twinkle in her eye. "Though I wouldn't reccommend taking the time to have heartfelt conversations about them. This place isn't a therapy group." She looked around. "This place- hah!" The excitement built in her, bubbling over and out. "This is a fucking madhouse!"
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Post by Penny Royals on Dec 21, 2014 16:42:10 GMT -8
Ryan just stared at her then. In fact, half the table seemed to be staring at her strange outburst.
"...A-are you okay?" He asked, his voice low.
Johanna gave an uncomfortable smile.
"Let's calm down.... alright?"
De Sade, meanwhile, just snorted into his wineglass.
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Flip
Member
Probably a dragon in a previous life.
Posts: 159
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Post by Flip on Dec 21, 2014 16:49:04 GMT -8
Elinor fixed her gaze upon the man who had snorted into his glass, falling silent. Her breathing slowed as she calmed, her breaths long and slow. "I'm fine," she stated, quite flatly, before finally breaking her gaze, looking down and blinking a few times. "I'm just tired. It's probably just being tired. Long day- yeah. It's been a long journey to get here." She ran a hand through her hair, closing her eyes. "I'm exhausted, actually." The room felt calm again, and the air felt still to her. She took a few breaths, the strange rush of excitement having passed, before murmuring to Johanna. "Could you pass me a glass of water? I feel a little off."
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Post by Penny Royals on Dec 21, 2014 16:56:19 GMT -8
Johanna nodded, passing her the water pitcher. Ryan relaxed a bit, glancing back over to the adults in the room to see if they needed to hear anything else before eating.
De Sade simply shared her gaze, fixed stubbornly.
"...That does post the question," Jane spoke up to Lovecraft and Poe both, "After this, are there any plans, or shall the children be excused to go to bed? They've had eventful days."
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Post by Alastor on Dec 21, 2014 19:50:15 GMT -8
Eulalia just sipped on her glass of water as Elinor had, seemingly, a slight mental break down. She gotten used to raving lunatics in any day and age, and that it's better not to pay any attention to them. Still, there was a sense of egotism in her words that Eulalia noticed- and not the usual for any standard lunatic.
Lovecraft just sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose at the outburst. "The students may leave for slumber after they eat." He said. "But I want you to keep an eye on the one who is having a ghastly breakdown in progress."
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Post by Penny Royals on Dec 21, 2014 20:26:04 GMT -8
"I'll be happy to look after them," de Sade spoke up then.
"She'll be fine," Johanna's voice was icy as she glowered down the table. "Nobody needs to look after her but us."
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Post by JW% on Dec 21, 2014 20:44:22 GMT -8
Poe wearily watched and listened to what had started as whispers and soon became the dinner conversation in front of the rest of them as they were staying silent. Not even the clink of dinner ware to distract.
"I believe it is my place to handle events within the house." Poe said, twitching his moustache as he looked at de Sade. "Your duties involve maintaining the peace on the grounds. In particular the menagerie both on, and beyond, the grounds."
He folded his hands for a moment and then pushed himself up from the rather limited fare of the dinner. It was not particularly savory or appetizing, but it would stave off hunger until the next meal. "Any of you who wish to leave are free to." He nodded. "However, as Master Lovecraft wishes, he will be watching Miss Reynolds," Had she introduced herself to him? No. In his presence? Perhaps... could anyone remember? He most certainly had not had a chance to introduce himself after all, having been a bit too busy performing his duties. "If that means he will be watching her while she eats with a pleasant exchange of conversation, or while she sleeps, matters little here. She had a good point. This place is not a therapy group. We are a Halfway House. Each of you came to us from unfortunate circumstances. You wouldn't be here if you didn't have some reason to be. And we have taken it on ourselves to ensure that when you leave this place you will be better for it, having learned skills or habits that will help you in a trade that will allow you to support yourself rather than remain a burden on society due to your unfortunate circumstances. This is not therapy, this is work. You will not be coddled, you will be disciplined. If you fail to at least gain an appreciation for the value of personal effort, you will likely not be leaving this place. The train will simply not carry you home I've discovered, and at best you'll end up here again, at worst... you'll go to somewhere without the manners and decorum we hold ourselves to."
He gestured to open the floor to others before taking his seat again.
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Post by Penny Royals on Dec 21, 2014 20:59:51 GMT -8
"Not to be disrespectful, Sir," Angel spoke up, quietly, "While it's very hospitable of you to offer us a place to stay and all... none of us wanted to come here. Some of us were just trying to get home."
"She has a point," Ryan added on, glancing over to her, "None of us knew we were coming here, or where here is, or, hell, what here is. We barely even know how we got here!"
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Post by JW% on Dec 21, 2014 21:15:23 GMT -8
"We did not invite you here either." Poe returned. "You showed up on our doorstep in a manner that many others over the years have, through circumstances that, while many and varied, all hold a similar thread to them. To put it bluntly, you don't want to be here, and we don't want you here. So perhaps the best option is for us both to get along and work towards getting you all back where you belong as soon as possible?"
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Post by toothpiic on Dec 21, 2014 21:49:22 GMT -8
Melody's eyes shot back and forth. A half way house, huh.she felt she had just gotten her life together was this something she really needed? "So..basically you look at us as a bunch of broken hooligans?"het voice quivered ever so slightly with nerves.
All Melody wanted was to be free. She had finally gotten free of her father and now she was here. Marvelous.
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Flip
Member
Probably a dragon in a previous life.
Posts: 159
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Post by Flip on Dec 22, 2014 2:42:44 GMT -8
"Hooligan is a strong word, but there's no denying you're all broken." Elinor sipped from a glass of water, looking at Melody. "Nervous, twitchy smoker with serious Daddy issues. Sounds very broken, if you ask me." She put the glass down, not breaking the uncomfortable level of eye contact. "Or, did you think you'd moved past that? Did you think you'd gotten away from all the damage he did you?" Her plate of food was missing a few mouthfuls, and she decided that was quite enough for now, standing up. "Like I said, I'm tired." The feeling had begun to rise in her chest again, her eyes a little off to those who would look. "As we're excused, I'm going to leave you burdens on society and go to bed." A lie. A lie, and it was clear enough to anyone- a lie, with a hint of challenge. Elinor slid her chair back under the table, before shifting her eye contact, briefly, to the headmaster. "Sleep well." Her eyes had gone steely and cold, and made for an unnerving sensation. She headed towards the door and left the dining hall, closing her eyes as something began knocking on the floorboards. She headed up the stairs, and vanished into the house, wandering the corridors, running a finger along the walls as she walked.
Mary, not at all stunned by the outbursts of the girl, simply finished her dinner quite contentedly, before looking across to Jane. "If they need intervention, there's tranquilizer in my dispensing cupboard- a bottle marked Clonazepam [BZD] 0.5mg/mL. Give her a milliliter of that, it's what I usually use for acute reactions to the house." She smiled, before getting up herself. "I'll be in my theatre tonight, so try and encourage them not to create any medical emergencies." Mary laughed slightly, gently, before squeezing Jane's shoulder. "I don't know what I would do without you, Jane." She let go and headed for the door, twisting the doorknob and being rewarded with nothing. The door stuck fast. She hadn't noticed the flickering lights, or the knocking from below the floorboards, but the stuck door reminded her of their presence. The house was rearing it's head. "Oh no..." Mary murmured, looking around to the rest of the staff.
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Post by toothpiic on Dec 22, 2014 6:23:05 GMT -8
A bit stunned at the response Elinore gave, any snappy response she could come up with fizzled. It was true she had aa smoking problem, and an issue or two with her father. Did that reaally make her broken? Shaking her head to dislodge the distasteful thought Melody had lost what little appetite she had.
Aurora flicked her tail in agitation. The cat felt something off. Her ears perked up and she darted out of Melody's lap to try and flee from the dinning hall
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Post by Penny Royals on Dec 22, 2014 7:58:58 GMT -8
Ryan glanced over to Melody at Elinor's comments, before quickly looking back down to his plate, glad he wasn't the topic of conversation from this strangely psychic girl.
Jane nodded to Mary, watching her as she left, rather uncomfortable.
"Alright, Dr. Godwin - I'll do my best." There was a hint of worry in her voice - after all, Jane didn't exactly like her companion steeling herself away from the world and barely, if at all, sleeping....
The floorboards were knocking and creaking, the lights flickering - but the door being stuck was probably the best reminder that the house itself didn't want people to leave - or perhaps just didn't want people to follow Elinor.
Except for Aurora, who would find a small section of wood paneling able to open and let her out into the next room with very little problem.
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