quickattackjack | 31 days till Halloween [Action/ Video]

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Current Location: Goldenrod

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31 days till Halloween [Action/ Video]

Have you ever seen such a big city?

_{[A winded Jack points his 'gear at the entrance to Goldenrod in all its glory. The camera is unsteady and the little Houndour puppy in the shot looks anxious. His trainer's been wobbling for a while.]}

Halloween Town was big, but this place is amazing! Hooh, it was...it was a hike, I'll say that much. My memory's a little off right now, but whoever said that forest was a maze, you were right. It's no Union Cave but...

Who can tell me anything about this place? How is everyone?

_{[Jack starts walking and gravitates towards a bench which he then flops down on and films the street traffic from. One the Houndour chases some Pidgies away from a nearby statue.]}

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_{[Jack nods, looking determined.]}

Rumor has it they have something to do with going home. That is, if you don't go home randomly. I don't know how reliable that is but it's something. I can't use the graveyards here. I learned that the hard way.

To be frank, I think there's a lot of wishful thinking in that rumor, but I suppose there's no harm in trying. _{[Coop's not exactly putting his fate to it, in any case. But hang on what]}

Graveyards are a means of transportation where you're from?

_{[Oh, God, Jack is entering I LOVE TO HEAR MYSELF TALK mode, Coop, watch out.]}

Oh, yes! Most graveyards connect to my world-- it's how we get around and do our spooking business. You've just got to know how to find the door. It's the same with certain dark alleys and foggy woods.

_{[Well since it's NEW AND INTERESTING INFORMATION Coop is a-okay with listening!]

[And haha, well.]}

That does explain one or two things, I suppose.

_{[All of the sightings! And oh hang on information seeking]}

What kind of creatures are there in your world?

_{[Jack starts gesturing around with his fork, possibly endangering the eyeballs of anyone passing their booth.]}

A little bit of everything-- mostly things that yo-- us humans are afraid of. You know, ghosts, ghouls, zombies-- there is a difference-- werewolves, giant spiders, vampires, clowns...

Do any of your gateways lead to children's closets?

_{[Asking with some humour cause he's pretty sure a couple of those have traumatised children worldwide. Oh and then because BOB is scary too, okay - and he's curious -]}

No inhabiting spirits?

_{[Jack pauses for a moment, looks thoughtful, then nods and goes back to making points in the air with his fork.]}

That's right, closets too. Under beds. Dark staircases...wells. Bridges. Bridges aren't as popular as they once were though. A lot of trolls went out of business.

_{[THEY MOVED TO THE INTERNET.]}

Inhabiting spirits? Do you mean demons? Or possession specialists?

_{[HAHAHAHA]

[Also Coop is really enjoying how it sounds so .. well, normal, the way Jack speaks of it. Then again in that world it probably is. Just a job to scare people and so on.]}

There are specialists?

_{[Jack looks thrilled that Coop is just...accepting all this and not giving him the 'u crazy' brow others have given him.]}

When you're a ghost--or spirit-- you have a lot of options since you're a non-corporal being.

A lot of spirits I know started as poltergeists because the art of scaring people is a little like acting. You can't see a poltergeist, so there's that comfort of being invisible and not making your victim laugh instead of scream when you try to pull a face.

You find what you're most comfortable with-- be it working through your voice alone, manifesting as a gruesome monster in the window, or a mysterious woman in white. Oh, the woman in white is a classic!

I don't think I know that one.

_{[Feel free to ramble on, Jack. Coop's listening with interest!]}

_{[Jack pauses, brows lifting.]}

Really? It's almost the most famous form a ghost can take. A grizzly murder in some hotel or castle or even a home. The light is low and the floor boards creek. You turn and there-- down the hall-- the edge of a long gown. A woman in white just disappeared through that door.

But noone is there.

_{[Jack thatches his fingers together.]}

I'm sure you've heard of Bloody Mary.

_{[Ooh, you're good at telling stories, Coop senses. And - no, actually, he hasn't. While he does enjoy legends and lore, he's not that familiar with it on the whole. Kind of like he's pretty bad when it comes to movies and music.]

[Sooo, a shake of the head and a small smile.]}

Feel free to enlighten me.

_{[Jack's shoulders slump. DB What...where was this man FROM? Wherever it was, it was seriously under-haunted...or perhaps Coop had simply been a skeptic and never developed an interest in such things.]}

Bloody Mary is mostly popular with younger folks-- it's a ritual that a spirit can answer but it usually doesn't take up their entire haunting time because it's so irregular.

A temp job, I suppose you could call it.

Anyhow. There are several different Bloody Mary stories-- some of a woman who was murdered, some where she killed her children or someone took her children from her. Suicides. The legend has spread through word of mouth so it's wide open to interpretation. The ritual is this--

You must go into a dark room with a mirror. It's normally a bathroom. Some versions call for candles or flashlights. Sometimes you must prick your finger and put a dot of your own blood at each corner of the mirror. It goes on and on. Ghosts usually aren't too choosey about these specifics.

_{[Jack pauses and runs all that back through his head. That sounded about right.]}

Then, you must preform a chant. The chant is different depending on who you ask too. Sometimes it's, "Bloody Mary, I have your baby." or "Bloody Mary, are you there?" and there are some variations where you must simply chant her name a certain number of times while spinning about with your eyes shut.

The whole to-do is to get the spirit of this woman to appear in the mirror and either curse the summoner or reveal something about their future.

They don't answer every time, mind you, it's quite rare. It's not the only summoning haunting but it's the most popular I know of.

_{[Hmm well Coop's not exactly a skeptic, but it's true he never had a lot of interest - there didn't seem to be a lot of point when chasing down corporeal bad guys. BUT THEN TWIN PEAKS AND OTHER FREAKY THINGS HAPPENED SO YEAH]

[But ooh. Hm. Cooper stops eating in favour of listening, leaning forward slightly.]}

It has appeal. _{[He grins.]} Sounds about right for people wanting to play around with the unknown.

So can you curse them or reveal their future?

Well that depends on what kind of spook you are. I'm dead, sure, but I can't predict the future. Witches can be good at it with enough practice. Curses are the same. It's all about practice.

And psychology too! You've got to understand the way people work before you can frighten them.

I stand behind that. Understanding people is a great help in any situation.

_{[Jack thatches his fingers together, and looks at Coop expectantly.]}

So, are there any spirits where you're from?

_{[He wasn't sure if he asked before, but Jack tended to get carried away in BLA BLA land and not actually listen to what the other person was saying.]}

_{[He didn't, actually! Something a touch dark crosses over Cooper's face before he answers. What is BOB, anyway?]}

Some think so, yes. I'm not too sure what I think myself.

There's a good chance there are. I can't think of anywhere that doesn't have some sort of spirit...even here.

_{[Even Christmas had ghosts...]}

In all honesty, I wouldn't be too surprised.

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31 days till Halloween [Action/ Video]

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