2014.04.26 - The Mad in Great Kills

|Great Kills Park, Staten Island| |Not very far from Mutant Town| |Something lurks in this park. Something damaged| |Something Insane.|

A young man in his mid twenties is walking through the park trail at night. Its rather quiet right now, rather unusually quiet. Even for a park in Staten Island. He's not a normal patron though, he wears no shirt and a pair of leather pants, tonight he has even forgone shoes. He holds a gleaming silver trident in his arms.

|Daimon Hellstrom.| |Son of Satan | |No Seriously!|

He looks over to his companion, a young woman in her own mid-twenties, completely normal looking save for a white streak in her brown locks.

|Rouge.| |Anna Marie Darkholme.| |Power Absorber|

Daimon looked over to his companion and said, "And that's about the shake of it. Magick is a difficult thing to deal with, and sometimes it just drives people crazy. When that happens... shit gets odd."

Rogue kept her wits about her, she never know what to expect when it came to magick stuff to expect. She was still very much a novice, but perhaps with enough experience she could actually recognize when shit was about to get weird.

In this patrol around the park Rogue skipped the Superhero attire, and sticked to the civvies (the spandex sometimes doesn't induce a calming affect on the norms). She was in a purple hoodie with a black leather jacket on top, with a pair of painted on black jeans, a pair of studded motorcycle gloves and steel toed military boots.

She peered over the edge of her hood, at some shadows nearby. Just a raccoon, "It seems like it messes up people real easily, if they aint careful or got someone to keep em in check. Course that's everything. You're sure it's here?"

Daimon's eyes started to glow for a moment, he extended his Demon sight outward to give him a quick look for the magical resonance he had been looking for, "Yup. This is the place. Guy was a druid or something like that. Ley lines have been getting kind of goofy so if your magick taps into that, can make you goofy too."

He did nod and say, "To be honest, Anna Marie, not many people I would trust to take on something like this. Like I said magick can break people really fast. You're made of sterner stuff than the rest of X-Factor."

Rogue lifted her eyebrows and gently punched at Daimon's arm, "Oh c'mon, the guys could handle this alright. Maybe Douggie can see the...'language of magick' or somethin' like that. And Jamie could throw a bottle of booze at this guy."

She checked around behind them. It was a dark and spooky park at night, obviously this thing was going to sneak up. "But no doubt about that, I'm used to weird shit and ever'thin' goin' to hell. Well not literally. Hopefully. Don't got my bikini handy."

Daimon nodded, "Jamie I could see it actually. He handles things rather well, drinking aside. Dougie.. is a kid. He may be an adult but he's really naive to the way things are. If he saw 'the Language of Magick,' he'd fall in and become like the druid. A Mad One, we sometimes call them Marauders, because that's what they do. Maraud."

"Could be worse though, we could be hunting Slender Man. That bastard of a Fae just doesn't know when to quit. He won't even take his twenty dollars and leave!" Daimon said with a chuckle and then stopped both of them.

"Get ready he's nearby and I have no idea what he's going to be capable of, or what his Tulpa will be like."

Rogue started to laugh and slid her hands into her jacket pockets, "Oh c'mon isn't that some CreepyPasta thing? OhAh'm gonna give you a checklist of things that are real and not, and don't lie that's one of my other powers-"

She is interrupted by the announcement that their foe was nearby. Rogue lowered her voice as she looked about, "What's a tulpa? You need to teach me some of this vocabulary. Hm."

She slid off her glove and put her hand into his for a quick but intimate touch so she could borrow his powers temporarily, "Ah so that's what it is."

|Tupla n. 1. A magical companion or doppelganger created by the subconcious of a person with magical potential (see also imaginary friend). 2. The uncontrolled reality warping of a Marauder, usually based on the Mad One's Subconscious desires (see also Faults and Attainments.|

Daimon pulled his hand away, "Hey. Lets not make a habit of forgetting to ask first." he said in reaction to her using her powers on him, "A body likes to be ready after all."

"And Slender Man is real, he just hasn't always been called Slender Man," Daimon started to say, "And most things are real, just with different names and they aren't all exactly as peo-"

He cuts off as he shouts, "GET DOWN!" and tackles Rogue to the ground. As he does, a swarm of pigeons charges down from the sky attempting to attack the two, "Fucking hippie-druids and their fucking nature magicks!"

Rogue just beams and slides her glove back on, "You just like being on top of anything. Or anyone, besides it doesn't hurt regardless of my reputation. Oof-!"

That's when Rogue was knocked down to the ground. She certainly wasn't expecting pigeons. Damn magic really is weird. "I hate this city some days! Pigeons."

Daimon smirked and helped Rogue back up to his feet, "UT IGNIS!" he shouted as he aimed his trident at the flock of birds heading back towards them for another pass. A huge clout of actual fire spewed from the end of Daimon's trident and into the birds, roasting them alive.

"He knows were here, and he wants something. If he didn't he would bother attacking," he reached out his hand to help Rogue up, "What we are going to do is this. When he shows himself, I distract him, you touch him and knock him out."

Rogue got back up to her feet and whipped off the grass from her chest while sniffing at the air, "Ok it smells like chicken now. Need dinner if/when we survive this."

She smirked and starting sliding off her jacket, hoodie, until she was down to just a small tank top. She tossed her stuff on top of a bench, hopefully a hobo wouldn't snag it. "You've got it boss. Combo number one comin' up...Ok done with food references."

"It won't be that easy, Anna. While we call them "Mad Ones" they are a lot more Hannibal Lector than Daffy Duck," Daimon said with a frown as he scanned the area with his eyes for the next threat that was going to come, "Hopefully he isn't so far gone that..."

And that's when a perfect replica of what reconstructions of Stonehenge may have looked right appears around them, "He can change our perceptions of reality."

Damion sighs heavily and says, "So much for that. Okay, Anna Marie. When he shows up, you need to keep your eyes on him. And only him! Don't look at me for any reason."

He looked right at her, "Understand! No looking for any reason until I tell you."

Rogue widened her eyes as suddenly they now were experiencing an illusion, neat. Weird and awful, but neat. Rogue had only the quickest of thoughts that this was likely the only way she'd ever get a chance to see this location. Ok back to business.

Rogue nodded, "Yeah got it, eyes peeled on the big bad. Should we split up? Ah feel like we're only doing what he wants at this point.."

"We are, hun. You were bait as well. Sorry about that. See he likes controlling woman ever since he became Mad. He's a closet transexual with mind control magicks." Daimon says with a apologetic look on his face, he knew he couldn't draw out the Marauder with out a girl for him to become. But he also knew that Rogue's messed up psyche would keep him from getting in too deep.

A man walked into the Stonehenge illusion, dressed as some sort of Gandalf/Dumbledore wannabee but younger. He looked at Rouge and pointed his wooden staff at Rogue. It began to glow when suddenly.....

A Gout of blue fire came and shot and him, it didn't seem to burn him at all. Only cause him intense pain, "HuRtS DoEs It NoT dRuId!" said a voice that wasn't exactly Daimon's, "FeEl ThE pAiN tHaT yOu HaVe CaUsEd OtHeRs! ThE sOuL fIrE wIlL pUrGe YoU!"

The Druid turned toward where Daimon was standing and created a shield of energy in front, causing the blue fire to lick around it, leaving him un harmed.

And then things were finally getting to the nitty and gritty. As the boys were getting into it Rogue re-positioned herself amongst the tall stones, so she can only see her target from behind. She slid off her gloves and pocketed them.

When he seemed fully focused on Daimon, she silently made her way to him and wrapped her arms around the target, and placed a hand on the side of his face, "Nighty night darlin'."

The Druid turned around towards just in time to catch Rouge on the side of the head with the staff. The flash of pain would probably not enough to keep Rogue from touching him, but damn was this boy filled with life force.

Though his staff being directed elsewhere did mean his shield was gone too.

"sOrRy AnNa, ThIs Is GoInG To HuRt!" A voice that slightly sounded like Daimon's said and then the blue flames hit both Rogue and the Druid.

The Druid is starting to lose consciousness from the pain of the soulfire and Rogue's touch (which is probably at this point approaching an uncomfortable amount of time for Rogue and filling her with the rantings of a mad man and magical knowledge she cannot begin to fully comprehend. Memories of normal life and the events that destroyed his mind).

Rouge however may have it worse... she was experiencing physical pain for all the guilt she felt and the pain she had immorally inflicted on others. Starting with Cody... all the way to the last person she ever forced her power on.

Rogue screamed out as she felt the flames flick over her. Mentally she felt like her body was melting into this madman, her thoughts, his thoughts. Both their memories. But all of her own history and the pain she inflicted on others in her own sordid past. Cody. Ms. Marvel. SO many.

She saw a sea of pained faces intertwined with pigeons and the pain of the earth. There are moments where she couldn't tell between herself, all the others, and Brion. She knew she was getting dangerously close to absorbing Brion like Carol.

With her eyes closed she called out to Daimon, "Don't have-much time!"

"AnNa MaRie DaRkHoLmE! lEt Go! CoVeR yOuR eYes!" The Daimon-like voice said.

The Druid shouted, "You will never destroy me Baphomet! I will not submit to you and yours!"

"WrOnG bRiOn! YoU aLrEaDy HaVe!"

There was a gout of sudden read flame around the druid that lasted a good thirty seconds. He screamed in pain as it happened. And then... silence.

|Baphomet: n. The Satan. The Demon. The patron of the Knights Templar. Adopted by Neo-Paganism and neo-Druidism as a God of Darkness.|

Rogue fell to the side but managed to keep her eyes closed. She heard all of the commotion going on. With her touch of Daimon, she knew all of the terminology at the moment including Baphomet. His voice at the moment sounded...completely unlike him. We all have a dark side, some darker than others."

When the silence overtook the area Rogue placed her hand over her eyes so she might not be tempted to look, "Is it over? Is he ok? Hell this didn't go gracefully."

There was a cry of pain for a second before Daimon said, "It's okay Anna, you can open your eyes now. He's in an Oubliette, a pocket dimension... adjunct to Hell because that's the only place I can make pocket dimensions."

Daimon is looking as worse for wear as Rogue is honestly, his leather pants are ripped and torn so badly they are barely holding onto his body or protecting his last bit of modesty. A heavy sweat is all over him, "That's the problem with the crazy one's though, it never goes how it's planned."

As Bion was transported, so his illusion ended. They were back at the part and all was night once more. Rogue saw that Daimon was doing significantly worse than she. Rogue got to her feet and hurried over to the bench. She quickly ran to Daimon and tied her hoodie around his waist, a small smile forming around her lips, "Ah know. But hey, stopped him before he could hurt anyone else right?"

She slipped on her jacket and the gloves before she ran her fingers though her hair, now looking a bit tangled as she looked into his eyes, "You okay?"

"Went to my True Form." Daimon admitted, "True Forms are bad news as well. They take a lot out of the human forms."

He leaned on Rogue a bit and said, "Sorry for the whole Soul Fire thing. *takes breath* Easiest way to non-lethally hurt the guilty. I didn't want you doing a permanent job on him, so I needed to tear him down. Damn druids and their life magicks."

He looked at Rogue and tried to smile, "I'm fine. Really I am."

You need to vote for other players before voting for Rogue again.

"Plus after getting an intimate look at him, Ah wouldn't want him bouncing around my head for good. Ah'm crazy enough. But no you're not."

Being sure fabric was separating the two of them, Rogue slid one of his arms around her shoulder, and grabbed onto his waist, holding tight. She smiled confidently, but was nervous as to what she was about to do, "Hold tight, because Ah need to get you home. /Transportare!/"

And they arrived just near Daimon's house, but further down the street. "Shit. Okay hun just hold onto Anna Ah'll get ya home."

Daimon chuckled and shook his head as they landed just inside the gates of his home manor, "ISAAC!! Get your lazy ass out here and help your Master!"

He pushed himself off of Rouge, not in a 'don't touch me' way but rather in that prideful 'I can walk' mindset, "Anna, you are probably the most interesting person I've met who isn't half-demon or a mystical god or a Sorcerer Supreme. You just shrug your shoulders and wield magicks as if they are nothing."

He smirks and then turns back to the manor, "ISAAC! NOW!"

The doors open and the Gargoyle butler arrives and lifts up Daimon, "Mistress Rogue will you be staying the night? I can prepare the guest room for you."

Rogue couldn't help but smirk at Daimon being so prideful, he isn't the sort to let anyone see him being weak. She understood and walked along beside him with her hands in her pockets. "It's all the same to me, just people fucked up in one way or the other. Somehow, Ah get people more then telepaths do, but don't ever tell them smug fucks that."

And Isaac appears, and smiles warmly, "Just a cot or maybe some pillows (whatever's available) in the master suite, Ah want to make sure Daimon is up to snuff tomorrow. He's got a full plate, still. Good to see you hun, you catch the ending of HIMYM? Ah know how you like Barney."

Isaac smirked at Rogue, "Absolutely hated it, my dear. I'm now convinced that someone sold their soul to Master Daimon's father to get the series to continue to the last season. Only explanation for an ending that would make millions of people stop believing in love."

Daimon plopped down on his bed and said, "That'll be enough Isaac, Ms. Darkholme will stay here. Don't need a cot. I'd rather her sleep on the bed than me."

He sighed and sat on the edge of his bed, "I'm sorry for using you as bait, luv. Honestly, I didn't think it would get it that bad. I really should have to be honest."

Rogue giggled softly at Isaac's opininion and shared with him before he left, "Not denyin' that first bit, it would actually make me feel better. Let's chat for breakfast about the last season for breakfast okay? Ah make omelets, you take the morning off. No butts! Night hun."

Once he left the room Rogue shrugged off her jacket, boots, and gloves, finding open spots in the large master bedroom to place them all, "Yeah, you should have. Would have done it all the same, but honest Daimon is...sexier."

Her eyes looked to the ground as she took off her working ponytail, and placed it onto the dresser, "Lyin' didn't do ya much good, Ah can handle more then you'd think. Just remember that next time. Now how are you feelin'? Now no lyin', I know if you are. /Trust/ me."

Daimon smirked, "You ever watch the Rocky movies? Like I just took on Apollo Creed and Ivan Drago at the same time. I'm fucking worn out. But that's what I do to make sure I can keep this place working the way it does."

His eyes glowed and his hair turned a darker shade of red, "Honestly, Anna. I'm starting to think I can't deal with a lot of things with out you."

He shook his head quickly, "My sister is back in Hell, Isaac... is well Isaac. But you Rogue are really approaching the level of 'My Rock.'"

He laid down on his bed, his back across the whole thing. He then unbuttoned his shredded pants, "I've spent years figuring out how to deal with my literal inner demon, you have spent your entire life. I wish your X-People would realize how much you have sacrificed for them."

"But they don't. I see it. The Demon eyes, see right through your anatomy. Into your deepest fears. Anna, I'm not from here, I'm from the Hell sphere. To you me you are clear... your are transparent."

He lifted himself back up from the bed and put an arm around Rouge's waist, "You've got a thing for me Rouge, it's apparent. And shared."

Rogue's shoulders dropped as he compared today's battle to Rocky, "Hey.."

When He brought up Rogue's history as an X-Men she kneeled onto the bed and brushed her hair over her shoulder, "Aint in all of this jazz for the gratitude. Wouldn't hurt, but hey. Them's the breaks, kid."

She then made eye contact and smirked shyly, "Well, yeah. Aint no secret. An' you know what else Daimon?"

She leaned in to whisper something to Daimon's ears that was for him alone to know.