Wrapped up in her thoughts, she never heard them coming until it was too late.
“Well hey there Chaz. Fancy meeting you here.” A figure stepped out from a nearby alley, and Charlie whirled to find a boy wearing St Atherton colors. He was swinging a chain around, looking smug. She recognized him immediately as Johnny Green. Johnny ran a gang of third and second years, and had pretty much the entire extortion business locked down at the school. They were in the same year, and Charlie had pissed him off plenty during the course of their mutual stint at St Atherton, so she could think of plenty of reasons why he was here today. Alone, in a fair fight, she wasn't worried about Johnny. He had size and weight on her, but so did Dave at the shop, and she knew how to use her stature to her advantage. The problem was, Johnny and his boys always travelled in packs.
Re: Charlie's World [Self] [L]
by crow » 07/04/2014 3:22 AM
Sure enough, more kids in uniform stepped out from the shadows to join him, some of them carrying weapons. Most of them grinned; a few chuckled; and one had the audacity to spit at her. It landed just short of her scuffed-up sneakers.
Charlie gave them a glance over, and knew that there was no getting out of this without a fight. They had her outnumbered eleven to one, which would have been flattering if it weren't so shitty. If Johnny had thought to come with this much back-up, he meant business. Even if Charlie gave him what he wanted, he was probably going to try and beat her head in anyway, just to teach her a lesson. Gangs like Johnny's ran on intimidation, inside and out. If he let someone like her undermine his authority enough, he was done for. This wasn't the first time he'd tried to have it out with her either, but he hadn't known her well enough back then, and she'd always managed to fight it to a draw or send them packing.
Charlie gave them a glance over, and knew that there was no getting out of this without a fight. They had her outnumbered eleven to one, which would have been flattering if it weren't so shitty. If Johnny had thought to come with this much back-up, he meant business. Even if Charlie gave him what he wanted, he was probably going to try and beat her head in anyway, just to teach her a lesson. Gangs like Johnny's ran on intimidation, inside and out. If he let someone like her undermine his authority enough, he was done for. This wasn't the first time he'd tried to have it out with her either, but he hadn't known her well enough back then, and she'd always managed to fight it to a draw or send them packing.
Re: Charlie's World [Self] [L]
by crow » 07/04/2014 3:22 AM
Eleven to one was pushing it though. Even if she won, she'd be coming home looking like hell, and she wasn't sure that she could win. One boy was carrying a bat, another one had a switchblade. She'd have to take care of him first, and hopefully that way she'd end up with a weapon of her own.
Johnny made as if he wanted to chat, but she wasn't going to waste any time with that nonsense. She dove straight for the boy with the knife, wrenching his knife hand up and twisting it so he dropped the weapon. He fell with a cry of agony. She spun, smashing the hilt of the knife into the face of the boy behind her. From the other side, someone swung a punch. She ducked and slashed up. Her blade bit his arm and blood welled out as she jerked it back, spattering her clothes. She kicked him in the side for good measure, and down he went.
The element of surprise was only good for so much, however. “You're gonna play like that, eh? Get 'er, boys!”
Johnny made as if he wanted to chat, but she wasn't going to waste any time with that nonsense. She dove straight for the boy with the knife, wrenching his knife hand up and twisting it so he dropped the weapon. He fell with a cry of agony. She spun, smashing the hilt of the knife into the face of the boy behind her. From the other side, someone swung a punch. She ducked and slashed up. Her blade bit his arm and blood welled out as she jerked it back, spattering her clothes. She kicked him in the side for good measure, and down he went.
The element of surprise was only good for so much, however. “You're gonna play like that, eh? Get 'er, boys!”
Re: Charlie's World [Self] [L]
by crow » 07/04/2014 3:23 AM
Johnny's gang didn't need to be told. She dodged a kick from one only to end up punched in the face by another. She ducked and sprang up, kicking out with both feet, but Johnny caught her in the back with his chain as she landed. She caught the chain on his second swing, grunting with pain as it wrapped around her arm, but she held on and yanked him past her into her next would-be assailant. A kick sent them both toppling over. The boy with the bat whacked her behind the knees, and she fell.
She couldn't get up fast enough. On the ground, she was an easy target for a pack. They had her surrounded before she could recover, and kicked her anywhere they could reach. Most of them had steel-toed boots, and it hurt, but she bit her lip until it bled. She wouldn't squeal and give them the satisfaction, though she was forced to curl into a ball to protect her guts. Pain shot through her back, her shoulders, her legs. Her jaw throbbed from where she'd been punched, and there was a cut above her eye she didn't remember getting. Someone's boots, maybe. It didn't take long for all the pain to meld together into one long pulsing agony, and it took all her will to stay conscious and not pass out.
She couldn't get up fast enough. On the ground, she was an easy target for a pack. They had her surrounded before she could recover, and kicked her anywhere they could reach. Most of them had steel-toed boots, and it hurt, but she bit her lip until it bled. She wouldn't squeal and give them the satisfaction, though she was forced to curl into a ball to protect her guts. Pain shot through her back, her shoulders, her legs. Her jaw throbbed from where she'd been punched, and there was a cut above her eye she didn't remember getting. Someone's boots, maybe. It didn't take long for all the pain to meld together into one long pulsing agony, and it took all her will to stay conscious and not pass out.
Re: Charlie's World [Self] [L]
by crow » 07/04/2014 3:24 AM
She almost didn't realize when they stopped. She stayed curled up just in case, but after a while she realized that she could still hear the sounds of fighting. There was one horrible noise, a crunch combined with the discordant snapping of... strings? That got her attention. She unwound herself just enough to lift her head, and there he was: the busker boy, standing over Johnny's prone form and clutching the stem of his broken guitar. He brandished it at the rest of the gang, who looked uneasily amongst one another. But eight to one was still a big advantage--- two of the boys Charlie had gotten to had stayed down. They mobbed him before Charlie could scream at him to run. She winced despite herself. He was done for.
Except he wasn't. Next thing she knew, he popped up behind the lot of them, and swung at someone's head. He missed and overbalanced, but he was gone before they could take advantage of that. The next blow he tried found its mark, but it wasn't enough to knock out the boy that had been hit.
Except he wasn't. Next thing she knew, he popped up behind the lot of them, and swung at someone's head. He missed and overbalanced, but he was gone before they could take advantage of that. The next blow he tried found its mark, but it wasn't enough to knock out the boy that had been hit.
Re: Charlie's World [Self] [L]
by crow » 07/04/2014 3:25 AM
It was like watching a pack of fools. The busker wasn't a good fighter, but he had that vanishing trick, so trying to hit him was like trying to punch a ghost. He had good reflexes, at least; Charlie didn't think she saw him get hit even once. He just kept popping up, trying for a few quick hits before he changed positions and turned up somewhere else. It didn't matter that half his swings missed, or that he didn't have much power to put behind them. Eventually, confusion and the busker's persistence won out. The boys who hadn't been beaten lost their nerve, turned tail and fled. The busker stood there for a moment, breathing hard, before turning to look at her.
“You alright?” he asked. Despite everything, he was smiling at her, that slow smile of his that she'd first seen in the park. Charlie didn't know what to say. All she could do was stare at him, for more reasons than one.
“You alright?” he asked. Despite everything, he was smiling at her, that slow smile of his that she'd first seen in the park. Charlie didn't know what to say. All she could do was stare at him, for more reasons than one.
Re: Charlie's World [Self] [L]
by crow » 07/04/2014 3:35 AM
She'd seen him vanish in that fight. And not just once either, but over and over, so many times that she had been sure that what she had seen hadn't been some fluke of her imagination. He had a power, not quite like hers but close enough, and she'd seen him use it in broad daylight.
Or, okay, in a back way at night. She looked around hurriedly to see if anyone else had spotted them, but fortunately there wasn't anyone else around. She had a feeling Johnny's boys wouldn't be croaking. It was enough that they'd gotten their ass kicked by some weedy kid with a guitar. Nobody would believe them if they started spouting nonsense about a vanishing kung-fu wonder.
“What the hell are you doing here?” she asked. She'd tried for consternation, but her voice came out a croak, and she saw his smile falter. He hurried over to where she was and held out a hand to her.
Or, okay, in a back way at night. She looked around hurriedly to see if anyone else had spotted them, but fortunately there wasn't anyone else around. She had a feeling Johnny's boys wouldn't be croaking. It was enough that they'd gotten their ass kicked by some weedy kid with a guitar. Nobody would believe them if they started spouting nonsense about a vanishing kung-fu wonder.
“What the hell are you doing here?” she asked. She'd tried for consternation, but her voice came out a croak, and she saw his smile falter. He hurried over to where she was and held out a hand to her.
Re: Charlie's World [Self] [L]
by crow » 07/04/2014 3:36 AM
She batted it away, and got to her feet, hissing sharply at the pain that bloomed in her side. She might have a few broken ribs. They'd have to see the doctor about that. Shit, this was just not her day...
The busker boy hovered around her anxiously. She shot him a glare as he tried to touch her again, and he backed off, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. “Answer the question. Why the hell are you here?” she asked. Her voice was steadier the second time around. The boy looked sheepish, rubbing at the back of his neck and staring at the ground.
Eventually, he said, “I was just... wandering around. I wasn't looking where I was going. Then I saw you getting beaten, so...” He trailed off, and she saw that he was looking at the remnants of his guitar. He still had the neck clutched in his hand, but the body lay shattered on the ground next to Johnny.
The busker boy hovered around her anxiously. She shot him a glare as he tried to touch her again, and he backed off, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. “Answer the question. Why the hell are you here?” she asked. Her voice was steadier the second time around. The boy looked sheepish, rubbing at the back of his neck and staring at the ground.
Eventually, he said, “I was just... wandering around. I wasn't looking where I was going. Then I saw you getting beaten, so...” He trailed off, and she saw that he was looking at the remnants of his guitar. He still had the neck clutched in his hand, but the body lay shattered on the ground next to Johnny.
Re: Charlie's World [Self] [L]
by crow » 07/04/2014 3:38 AM
Right, those guys were still there, and they weren't nearly as beat up as she was. She didn't want to be anywhere near here when they started coming around.
But damn if she wasn't getting any answers out of busker boy this time around. “Can you take people with you when you do your jumping thing?” she asked briskly.
The boy's eyes widened. “I--- I don't—-”
“Okay, we'll do this my way, then.” She grabbed his wrist, closed her eyes, and pulled everything to a stop. Looking around, she found the door to an old warehouse and tried it. It opened with a creak, and she stalked through, pulling him along behind her. He pitched forward with a yelp, but they were through.
They came out into a loft full of boxes and chests, everything covered in a thick layer of dust. She found the string for the light and pulled. The bulb sputtered to life with a tink, casting a pool of yellow on the floor. For the first time since their park encounter, she got a good look at her companion.
But damn if she wasn't getting any answers out of busker boy this time around. “Can you take people with you when you do your jumping thing?” she asked briskly.
The boy's eyes widened. “I--- I don't—-”
“Okay, we'll do this my way, then.” She grabbed his wrist, closed her eyes, and pulled everything to a stop. Looking around, she found the door to an old warehouse and tried it. It opened with a creak, and she stalked through, pulling him along behind her. He pitched forward with a yelp, but they were through.
They came out into a loft full of boxes and chests, everything covered in a thick layer of dust. She found the string for the light and pulled. The bulb sputtered to life with a tink, casting a pool of yellow on the floor. For the first time since their park encounter, she got a good look at her companion.
Re: Charlie's World [Self] [L, V just to be safe]
by crow » 07/04/2014 3:53 AM
He was just as skinny as she remembered, if not more so. She'd seen him from afar the first time, and it hadn't really registered back then, just how bony he was. His height didn't help, and it made him look like an over-large, gangly scarecrow. He had brown hair, falling in messy waves in front of his eyes and down the back of his neck. The eye that she could see was a soft brown-hazel color. He was preoccupied, looking around at the room, but he wasn't agitated. The jump through the door hadn't fazed him in the least. That only confirmed her suspicions about him.
When she had been ten and wondering about those theoretical others with powers, she hadn't been imagining someone like him.
“It's a summer house. Nobody comes here past September,” she said. Still, she stuck to the loft just to be safe. Besides, she liked it up here. Among the dust and unwanted things, she felt right at home. There was a window stretched from floor to ceiling at the end of the room, which looked out over the grounds. It wasn't a bad place to hide out and nurse your wounds.
When she had been ten and wondering about those theoretical others with powers, she hadn't been imagining someone like him.
“It's a summer house. Nobody comes here past September,” she said. Still, she stuck to the loft just to be safe. Besides, she liked it up here. Among the dust and unwanted things, she felt right at home. There was a window stretched from floor to ceiling at the end of the room, which looked out over the grounds. It wasn't a bad place to hide out and nurse your wounds.
Re: Charlie's World [Self] [L, V just to be safe]
by crow » 07/04/2014 3:54 AM
“I like it,” he said, and somehow, she knew that he would. It was so ridiculous that she laughed, and regretted it deeply as soon as she did. Her sides lit up with pain, and her laughter broke off into a fit of coughing, which she regretted even more. The inside of her mouth tasted like blood, and the wound on her forehead was bleeding sluggishly into her right eye so she couldn't open it. Even breathing hurt. The next few days were going to be hell.
She should have just gone home, but she wanted to get to the bottom of this first. Plus, she wasn't looking forward to explaining this to Elliot or her folks. “Alright,” she said to the busker boy, “I'll tell you what I am if you tell me what you are.”
He turned to look at her and said, “Wouldn't introductions be better? I don't even know your name. I'm Faber,” he offered, holding his hand out for her to shake.
She did her best to look at him like he was crazy, and he slowly lowered his hand again. “Charlie,” she said. She didn't want to waste time on pleasantries, but she supposed it was for the best. It was getting mighty old, calling him 'busker' in her head. Faber it was.
She should have just gone home, but she wanted to get to the bottom of this first. Plus, she wasn't looking forward to explaining this to Elliot or her folks. “Alright,” she said to the busker boy, “I'll tell you what I am if you tell me what you are.”
He turned to look at her and said, “Wouldn't introductions be better? I don't even know your name. I'm Faber,” he offered, holding his hand out for her to shake.
She did her best to look at him like he was crazy, and he slowly lowered his hand again. “Charlie,” she said. She didn't want to waste time on pleasantries, but she supposed it was for the best. It was getting mighty old, calling him 'busker' in her head. Faber it was.
Re: Charlie's World [Self] [L, V just to be safe]
by crow » 07/04/2014 6:03 PM
Under her expectant gaze, he cracked. “I'm, uh... I sort of just... turn up in places, I guess. Kinda like a drifter, a little more extreme, maybe.” Charlie did the raised-brow thing again, partially because she wanted him to cut to the chase, and partially because she legitimately didn't know where he was going with that. Maybe he didn't have powers like her after all. It was entirely possible--- if one type of supernatural phenomenon existed, then it was completely possible for others to exist too. She could be dealing with a vampire-alien hybrid, for all she knew.
He fell silent, made a few more false starts, then sighed and pulled something from around his neck. He held it up so that it caught the light: a shard of gold-colored glass, with cord wrapped around it.
Charlie didn't know whether to be relieved, glad, surprised, disturbed... Any number of reactions would have been appropriate. She rolled up her sleeve to reveal her own shard, wrapped around her arm near the elbow. Faber saw, and smiled.
He fell silent, made a few more false starts, then sighed and pulled something from around his neck. He held it up so that it caught the light: a shard of gold-colored glass, with cord wrapped around it.
Charlie didn't know whether to be relieved, glad, surprised, disturbed... Any number of reactions would have been appropriate. She rolled up her sleeve to reveal her own shard, wrapped around her arm near the elbow. Faber saw, and smiled.
Re: Charlie's World [Self] [L, V just to be safe]
by crow » 07/04/2014 6:03 PM
“It didn't always glow like that, did it?” he asked with the air of someone sharing a secret. Charlie shook her head. “Mine too. It used to always look like glass. Thieves didn't even want to steal it off me.” His laugh was as warm as his smile, soft and throaty. The pendant shard spun gently for a moment before he put it back on and tucked it under the front of his shirt again. Charlie rolled her sleeve back down, and they went back to looking like two strangers who didn't like to collect glass baubles.
“Your power's different from mine,” Charlie pointed out. “I can only jump with doors.”
Faber was nodding. “Yeah... You stopped time back there too, didn't you? I saw everyone freeze before you pulled us through. I can't do that either.” For some reason, his expression turned momentarily bitter. It passed so quickly that Charlie wasn't sure if she'd imagined it, but it made her curious.
“Your power's different from mine,” Charlie pointed out. “I can only jump with doors.”
Faber was nodding. “Yeah... You stopped time back there too, didn't you? I saw everyone freeze before you pulled us through. I can't do that either.” For some reason, his expression turned momentarily bitter. It passed so quickly that Charlie wasn't sure if she'd imagined it, but it made her curious.
Re: Charlie's World [Self] [L, V just to be safe]
by crow » 07/04/2014 6:04 PM
“Why, what can you do?” she asked. She'd revealed her hand, so it was only fair that he should have to show his too. “Teleportation,” she prompted, when he remained silent. “Classic Nightcrawler crap. Is there anything else?”
“Forward jumps,” he said. “I... It's been thirty years since I celebrated my last birthday.” Charlie's eyes widened, but it made sense if she thought about it. She could stop time, he could do something else with it. She had her doors to work with, and he had any space that he could occupy, presumably. Teleportation straight-up seemed a lot handier than her gateways trick, but on the other hand she had a hard time thinking of situations where forward-jumping would be useful if you couldn't jump back. She knew what it felt like to have wasted time and mourned its loss. She couldn't imagine what it was like for him.
It also explained his dated clothes and his retro throwback music selection. He didn't know any modern tunes. “How long have you been here? This time, I mean.”
“Forward jumps,” he said. “I... It's been thirty years since I celebrated my last birthday.” Charlie's eyes widened, but it made sense if she thought about it. She could stop time, he could do something else with it. She had her doors to work with, and he had any space that he could occupy, presumably. Teleportation straight-up seemed a lot handier than her gateways trick, but on the other hand she had a hard time thinking of situations where forward-jumping would be useful if you couldn't jump back. She knew what it felt like to have wasted time and mourned its loss. She couldn't imagine what it was like for him.
It also explained his dated clothes and his retro throwback music selection. He didn't know any modern tunes. “How long have you been here? This time, I mean.”
Re: Charlie's World [Self] [L, V just to be safe]
by crow » 07/04/2014 6:04 PM
“Oh, a while now,” Faber said, the tension in his shoulders easing a bit. Charlie narrowed her eyes at that, but didn't push the questions she really wanted to ask. Being on the same side in one fight only offered you so much in the way of instant brotherhood. They were still strangers, with all the respect of privacy that entailed. “You're not actually the first one of us I've run into. There's this man, his name's Akala--- he runs this antique shop.”
“Wait, there's more of us?” she asked.
“One more that I know... Maybe more. I don't know much about it either, but his family's been looking after their shard since... since these things were made, I think. He says it had something to do with this lady, and his family owed her a debt from way back when...” Charlie was struggling to keep up. She was sure that Faber was leaving out lots of details, and the fog of pain dulled the sharpness of her mind.
“Wait, there's more of us?” she asked.
“One more that I know... Maybe more. I don't know much about it either, but his family's been looking after their shard since... since these things were made, I think. He says it had something to do with this lady, and his family owed her a debt from way back when...” Charlie was struggling to keep up. She was sure that Faber was leaving out lots of details, and the fog of pain dulled the sharpness of her mind.
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