2717/AToF - Smile for Me

AToF - Smile for Me
Date of Scene:	03 August 2015
Location:	Soul Eater World
Synopsis:	Sumia awakens in a circus, uncertain of what to do as nothing is familiar.
Cast of Characters:	22, 544
Tinyplot:	A Taste of Fear

---

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    There is nothing familiar about this.

    It's cold, strange and eerie, without a single sense of comfort.

    Whatever this place is, it's been here for a long time. But still, however you found your way here is a mystery as well. No matter how hard you think, no memory comes to mind that would explain just why you are here.

    But here you are, in the middle of the night.

    Despite the bright lights and cheerful music that's playing, there's a sense of unease to this place. Long shadows are cast across the area, which seems to be mostly flat. Tall walls rise, shielding the area from the forests outside and the dark of the night. Here all is bright and happy...?

    Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr9JVhr4R5Q

    Perhaps Sumia hasn't been to a circus before, but that's what this place is. Still, there are rather few people here. As a matter of fact, she is the only one here. If there are other people here, they are nowhere to be seen in this street filled with caravans, stands and an old merry-go-around.

Sumia (544) has posed:
    Cold, strange, eerie... how did Sumia come into a place like this is beyond her. Maybe she took a wrong turn but for now, she's here... middle of the night in a odd place with weird machines, caravans... and strange but cheerful music in such a dark and lonseome place as this. Sumia's looking left and right... "No one is around.." she gives a sigh..

    "It's okay, Sumia. It's okay." she says to herself, taking a look at the pegasus. "Just me and her... I need to find someone so I can find my way around this. You're going to have to stay here, dear.. I'll be back, don't you worry." Sumia gives a light smile, rubbing the mane of her majestic mount before dismounting.. heading under the carnival banner into the street beyond.

    "Music is playing but no one around..." she frowns, clutching her hands together as she slowly heads through the area, step...after step after nervous step...

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    Popcorn crunches underfoot as Sumia steps further down the street. At least there are snacks around should she be hungry. But somehow she doesn't feel hungry at all. Nor thirsty. Perhaps it's the cold and the unsettling feeling that steals attention away from anything else.

    Though as Sumia steps away from the pegasus, it seemingly shimmers... and dissolves. What kind of sorcery is this? What kind of place does this? What matter of realm is in the power of doing so?

    She might ask herself that, but for now... her mount is gone, and she's truly alone.

    At least until the faint sound of sobbing echoes throughout the street, bouncing off of the walls. It's hard to pin point however.

Sumia (544) has posed:
    The smells given off by some of the snack stands and drink stands are enough to cause curiosity in most people, though Sumia... sumia's fine for some reason. As she turns around to make sure her pegasus is there... it's gone. "O... oh no. Did she get spooked?!" she bites her lip and frowns, "Oh dear... oh dear..."

    Then the sobbing... As a knight, she shakes her head and steels herself from the going ons... or the lack of.. and nods, "Mmm.. I'm coming! Stay there. I'll try to find you." she calls out to the sobbing voice, another look behind her at the gate... no, she can't run now. That voice...

    She nods once more and starts heading down the street, calling out for the voice, looking left... looking right.. All the while.. well her lance was on her pegasus... oops.

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    The sobbing is hard to pin point as it echoes from various places. It definitively only sounds like one person sobbing however. Somebody young. Now who would be sad at such a happy and joyous place? Why, there are even rides and candy to be had! Surely this is the place that every kid dreams of?

    As Sumia calls out to the unfortunate person, she gets no reply. However, as she heads on down the street past the merry-go-round and some of the stands, the music that plays around her becomes slightly lethargic, some notes sour and clearly out of tune that twists the carefree melody into something else.

    Some of the lamp posts flicker in the distance, making it hard to see too much. Luckily there seems to be a square up ahead, surrounded by festive balloons, although some of them are popped.

    What's more though, in the middle of the square there's a post with a large, cracked bell on it.

Sumia (544) has posed:
    Sumia frowns, young voice, probably seperated from her parents. That's probably why they're sobbing. Though, with each step, she keeps her ears open to the sound, slowing down music, misplayed notes, and... the happy music being twisted a bit from the lack of proper tuning. Sumia was no music expert but, the way that this was being played... bothered her. The entire place bothered her...

    As the lamps flicker and the brightness becomes dimmer, Sumia continues her callout for the sobbing voice, her eyes squinting to get in as much as she can from the visual conditions around... "Mmm. Where is that voice. This place is too open... it could be anywhere." Popped ballons, however, get her attention... something happened here. And that bell?

    Sumia makes a small run towards the bell, the armor chiming with each rushed step, the knight tripping a few steps but, thankfully for her, not falling flat on her face. "Hey, where are you!?" she shouts once more, hoping the cracked bell isn't TOO far...

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    More and more lights seem to dim and go out with a flicker, as if a cold gust just blew through the area. However cold it might be, that is not the case. Not a single breeze seems to disturb the place, though it is getting slightly foggy with every step that Sumia takes.

    Nothing impedes her march to the bell besides herself and her tripping. Yet as she nears the bell she will hear something else however, a voice coming from in front of her.

    "Where are you? I'm here!" It's not a childlike voice though, by the sounds of it it's a man. And at that very moment... the sobbing stops.

    Faintly visible through the rising fog, Sumia might notice a shape ambling towards her, dragging its left leg slightly.

Sumia (544) has posed:
    Sumia perks and stops short of the bell, the wind doesn't seem to be moving but lights are going out... "What kind of place did I enter..." she whispers, though the voice stops sobbing.. and that voice of a man is heard...

    "I'm about... ten meters from the bell in the center. Can you hear my voice okay? Follow the sound of it, I'll stand right here waiting for you." a pause, "I see you, are you injured? I have some healing herbs ready in case you need it."

    Sumia takes a couple steps forward, peering at the ambling thing coming for her. She's not sure what it is but... she is hoping for the best that it's the person she's calling out for... It doesn't help that it's getting foggier and dimmer...

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    No reply comes when Sumia responds to the male voice, though the figure is heading towards her, more purpose in his step. His breath can be heard, heavy and laboured as he is eight meters away from her.

    Five meters.

    Three meters...

    And then he's visible, a gaunt man that comes a halt in front of her, peering down at her from under the rim of a dark hat that casts most of his face in shadow. "Have you seen him...?" he asks, about out of breath.

Sumia (544) has posed:
    Sumia holds her ground, reaching into a pouch she has at her hip to grab the vulneary, a healing herb from her world, to assist the person coming. Five meters, her heart is pounding... three and she's nervously twitching.

    The gaunt man causes Sumia to step back just a couple steps, frowning. "Him?" she questions, "Who is this 'him' that you're talking about? I'm afraid I got lost and ended up here." Sumia pauses, "Here, this is a vulneary.. it looks like you're injured, hopefully this should help you, it's a healing herb from my place."

    Sumia offers her hand and the bundle of herbs, "Now who is this 'him', I could help you look for him."

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    For now the healing herbs are ignored, and as Sumia steps back the man takes another step forward, watching her intently. "My son... my son is out here. I can hear him crying, but I can't find him..." he laments, a strange quality to his voice. "I call for him, but he won't come..." He sighs, reaches one hand out... and looks around the area, trying to see something through the fog. It's strange, the fog seems to dull the sound of the music around them, as if having a similar effect on sounds like it has on vision.

Sumia (544) has posed:
    Sumia puts the herbs away, giving a bit of a glance. "I heard a sobbing voice myself as I entered and came deeper... but it stopped when you spoke up, sir." she looks around, "Strange, the sound of music is getting thinner..." she shakes her head and turns back to the shadowed face.. "Shall we look for him together? I'm a knight and it's my duty to help people. I'll be glad to search for him with you. The more eyes, even in this heavy fog, will be the better to find him."

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    "So you heard him too..."

    The man nods his head slightly at the suggestion. "Yes... I must find him. Thank you, Knight."

    And then... he simply stands there.

Sumia (544) has posed:
    Sumia smiles a bit. The confirmation of wanting help was given and that puts her mind at ease. "I did hear him." she responds, "Do you know his name? Age? What he looks like?" as she starts to move off a bit, only turning around when the sound of footsteps are her own. "Do you know his last location?"

    Sumia looks around, the bell does seem curious but right now, she's got something more important, to find that boy for this man... "Come now, I can't guard you and find the boy at the same time unless you're following."

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    As Sumia turns around, the music in the circus... stops.

    All that can be heard is the man's breath behind her. Why, it's almost as if she can feel it, a sharp contrast to the cold night air. "Thank you... Knight."

    Nearly all the lights are drowned out by the fog now, with only her immediate surroundings visible. "I don't need guarding. I need..." His voice sounds a bit different now as he steps up behind her, the sound of his foot dragging against the ground.

Sumia (544) has posed:
    Sumia freezes into place... the music stopping abruptly.. This... wasn't good to hear. The fog deepens and the breath ffrom that man is heavy upon her.. She shivers, visibly shaking... "S... sir?' she shakily responds... that voice doesn't seem to sound like the person she was just talking to...

    She quicklky turns around, "Sir?!" readying herself for some sort of conflict but what, she doesn't know. It's dark. It's cold. She's alone. Chrom isn't with her. Cordelia isn't there.. this.... this wasn't a happy place to be, the bright colors, the cheerful music. She backs up.. the armored boots scuffling along the floor until, they ccatch on something, sending the poor knight to her butt with a heavy clank of armor on (possibly) cobble. Whispering... shakily. "Ch..chrom... Cordelia..."

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    When Sumia turns around, most of the man is obscured in fog, even if he's close. But he gets closer as he takes another step. And another. And another.

    Even as Sumia tries to back up, stumbling back and falling to her butt, the man moves slowly but with obvious purpose. It's only when he gets closer that she should be able to notice that the man is grinning. A grin that threatens to split his face in two, his muscles defying the laws of what a human face should be able to do. Is this man even human to begin with? His teeth are rather sharp, dripping with dark saliva as he leans over Sumia. Underneath the brim of his hat his eyes can be seen, wide and round as they stare Sumia down, pupils tiny and black in bloodshot white.

    Then without warning, he lunges forward, opening his mouth wide and raising his hands, dirty fingernails reaching for Sumia.

    Everything turns black.

    Breathing is so much harder when you gasp for breath, lungs starved and heart hammering rapidly in your chest. But when she wakes up, Sumia should be delighted to find that she is no longer in the circus. Rather, her surroundings are familiar once more, a place where she fell asleep either on purpose or on accident. Gone is the cold, though the unease seems to remain...

Sumia (544) has posed:
    "What... in Naga's name... are you doing?!" Sumia stammers out, her voice cracking with obvious fear, her eyes going wide as the grin goes wider than what person should be normally capable of, and she's smiled lots of times, she should know. And those eyes... those white eyes with the black dot... "No... g.. get.. get away!" she skitters back, the armor dragging on the ground, making a hissing noise.

    The last thing before it went dark... was a scream, a loud, ear peircing scream.

    Sumia jolts awake, her body quickly assuming a sitting position as she pants for breath, her heart beating quicker than her pegasus and sweat drenching her face and the inside of her armor... "Wh... what in the..." she quickly looks around...where did she put it... oh.. next to her pegasus... "Must... get.. away." her breath is heavy as she tries to skitter up, standing... "Where... did... I fall asleep?" she questions, moving to shakily mount up... "I... who.. .do I tell this to...."

Medusa Gorgon (22) has posed:
    Whatever that place was, it's no longer where Sumia is. Though somehow it does not quite feel like it was a regular nightmare either. The cold still remains as an uneasy feeling clinging to her spine. Those sharp teeth are still there, as if lingering out of sight where she isn't looking.

    The crying is still out there somewhere.

Sumia (544) has posed:
    Sumia's looking around, that feeling of cold... the teeth. Oh Naga, those teeth. Those eyes... she shivers a bit, clutching tightly to her pegasus. "L.. let's go back to Njourn. I.. I don't feel comfortable here..." she whispers...

    The crying echoes into her head... she.. will never unhear this... for a long time...