[OPEN] Oh, you'll probably go to heaven, please don't hang your head and cry;

[vampdetective]

Who: Angelus & you!
Where: Throughout the mansion and grounds.
When: January 18th - 20th, only available on the grounds after dark.
Rating: R
Summary: Regina issued a challenge. So far, Angelus has been biding his time behind bars or hanging out in dark corners and behaving himself, but now? It's a matter of pride.
The Story:

It seemed stupid now, looking back-- months wasted, months sitting on his hands aside from the throwaway deaths of a couple of teenage girls, weeks spent rotting behind bars in wait, pretending steel was enough to hold him for all that time. Regina's Mirror had made it easy on him, at least-- saved him the effort of having to work at those bars and springing him loose while everyone had been preoccupied, more interested in the Jabberwocky than what they considered to be lesser threats. Lesser was something he could agree to in that situation, and only then, but things weren't what Regina had made them out to be. He wasn't nothing at all.

If she was so damn determined that he was harmless, that he couldn't do any real damage, then it was time to take the gloves off. Stop waiting for the right time, stop trying to play the long game, stop choking down cold, bagged blood just to keep himself under the radar and avoid being blown up by angels. It was almost as rotten an existence as the one Angel lead himself, and that, that was unacceptable. That Angelus had chosen it at all, even in the interest of keeping his head above water in an enclosed space with a dozen other dangerous captives--

No more. No more swallowing down cold swill, no more pretending he wasn't interested in tearing open every throat he came across. He'd been starving himself for months. If Regina wanted to see blood?

Well. He'd give her blood, and plenty of it.

( OOC: Just a note that any and all encounters with Angelus are likely to be violent. Because he's currently on a time limit, torture is being taken out of the equation, but grievous injuries or death are extremely likely, especially the latter as he is primarily looking to feed. If you want to encounter Angelus but are not willing to have your character die, then either be prepared to run or contact me via PM or over on plurk at hufflepuffed and we can work out some kind of feasible distraction or reason he would decide they're too much work to be food. c: Most things are fair game and I am willing to work with anyone who wants to get more detailed, but winging it is a-ok too!

Action and prose are both fine, I will match you! Please include the desired date and location in your subject line.)

Comments

19th - by the beach

[errantdetective]

[Toby is nocturnal whenever she can be. It's a fae thing, one she's sometimes fought through drinking obscene amounts of coffee, but here, she doesn't need to. Here, she can simply live on the schedule Oberon intended for his children.

That and it's much easier to snoop around and do magic when it's dark out and no one's looking.

Her arm's bloody when she stands up, brushing sand from her jeans with her dry hand, but the cut's already healed. She heals faster than ever these days. For once, she managed to keep her clothes clean while she worked the blood, which is good. She doesn't need Tybalt to lecture her. And now she's established something she'd started to suspect... even fear was true. The Luidaeg is gone. Not dead... just gone. And she doesn't know what to do about it.

She has to put that on back burner for now, though, when she sees Angelus coming towards her. She doesn't back away, though, simply raises one eyebrow.]

Out early for good behavior?

[vampdetective]

[The scent of blood had been enough to draw him, overpowering the scent of Toby herself, though they mingle together as he gets closer-- powerful, inhuman, but still tempting, still begging for someone to come along and drink her.

It'd be rude to refuse an invitation like that, wordless though it was.

He smirks as he approaches, hands sunken into his pockets.]

Quite the opposite. Let out in hopes that I'll be a little bad.

[errantdetective]

And something tells me you won't have any trouble following through on that. [Her hand slips behind her, fingers closing around the hilt of the knife hidden in her waistband. It's been a very long time since she went anywhere without one. Willingly, anyway.] That's close enough. I'm not in the mood for bad.

18th - the Orchard

[dissemble]

Lucifer was avoiding company. His stint as a human the previous week had left him frustrated, and had led to another argument with his brothers.

The orchards were fairly quiet and resonably isolated, the perfect place to lounge on a chair with a book and pretend his brothers weren't looking for him.

[vampdetective]

He'd had to wait until the light was low to finally venture beyond the mansion itself, but with a few bodies already left in his wake, a little distance from the scene of the crime was preferable. What he finds waiting in the orchards isn't quite what he expects, however-- not human, but not demon, either, easy enough to tell by scent.

Whatever Lucifer is, he smells familiar, but not in a way Angelus can place-- yet.

"Nice spot." He raises an eyebrow, leaning against the nearest tree as he slows to a stop. "Didn't think I'd find anyone out here."

[dissemble]

Lucifer looked up from his book and gave the vampire an appraising look. This one wasn't from his world, interestingly.

He smiled. "Funny, that's why I came out here. Nice and quiet. No humans."

19th night- on the mansion roof

[actualwizard]

Billy was avoiding his boyfriend. Things had been strange since Christmas and Teddy wasn't acting like himself. He knew he should probably confront him, demand to know what was going on, but avoiding was what he was going for instead.

So here he was, on the roof looking at the different constellations. Not ones he knew from home, but being from New york City meant he never got to see this many stars at night.

[vampdetective]

It's always best when he finds them alone, especially like this-- far from the beaten path, somewhere nobody would even think to look for them once they'd gone missing, not for days. Angelus smiles to himself as he emerges onto the roof; being outdoors was always a limited engagement for him, thanks to the sun, but the stars? They didn't give him much trouble at all.

"Enjoying the view?" he asks, hands sunken into his pockets as he leisurely takes a few steps towards Billy. They've never met, but they're about it.

[actualwizard]

"I don't really get to see stars where I'm from. This is a nice change." Billy turns to see who was joining him.

He freezes. Oh Angelus may not know who he is but Billy knows Angelus. He's seen every episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer...more than once. He also knows whats been going on.

19th - Gardens

[eventheirvoice]

Mystique vaguely enjoys walking through the gardens. It's quiet. It allows her time to think. Half the inhabitants in the mansion drive her utterly bonkers already, and the other half she can hardly bother to care about. At least when she's out here she can have some time to herself.

Needless to say, she's not enjoying Wonderland much. The snow isn't helping, either. Nothing about this place is helping, aside from toying with the others here and there.

She sighs. What has become of her life?

[vampdetective]

It's always somewhat refreshing when an unfamiliar scent catches his attention. Human and yet something else, too, something more, something potent and oddly foreign with just the faintest hint of something recognizable underneath. That's what leads him in her direction once he's outdoors, letting instinct pull him towards any potential targets as he makes his way across the grounds, glad for the opportunity nightfall grants him.

He smiles to himself as he spots her, the distance between them narrowing. The gardens. Popular spot, during the day. Not so much at night. There probably wouldn't be anyone else crossing their paths anytime soon.

"Nice night for a walk," he offers, instead of a 'hello.'

[eventheirvoice]

Mystique's face darkens once she realizes she's being followed. The nerve of this person! She'd thought she'd have time alone, but that'd be asking too much, wouldn't it?

Her muscles tense, not so much for a strike but more because someone's ruined her mobile meditation. His remark makes her snarl softly, too. It's like an obvious reminder that she's been interrupted.

"It was," Mystique grumbles, "until you decided to join me."

19th; 1st Floor

[notmymccalling]

The nights had been weird since his return to Wonderland. He could still hear La Loba in his nightmares, but he was certain the link had been broken, so it was just his mind playing tricks on him. Sleeping was less of a thing lately, so he spent most of the night in the Training Room when everyone else was asleep until he exhausted himself enough to flop into bed.

He'd have to apologise to Natasha in the morning for breaking one of the claw marks in the mat. He'd gotten carried away, lost in thought, and managed to somehow throw himself from one of the suspension rings. The clawed breaks were habit...

Sweater slung over his shoulder, he made his way down the empty hall, looking down at his mobile to see if he'd missed anything on the network while he'd been in the training room.

nom nom baby werewolf

[vampdetective]

Looking down was probably his first mistake. If he'd recognized Angelus at all, known the face that went with all the warnings that had gone out lately, he might have known to run-- might have managed it, too, given what he was. Whether or not he recognized Angelus, however, didn't really matter. Angelus recognized him, they'd crossed paths during one of his earlier stays in Wonderland-- briefly, but it was enough for the vampire to know exactly who he was and who his friends were. Two of whom he'd eaten in the past.

"I didn't think werewolves went to the gym," he remarks with the faintest hint of a smile, amused as he approaches. Even if he hadn't known beforehand, he would have smelled it on him. Werewolves always had a distinct scent, no matter what breed they were.

But mama always said not to talk to creepy stalker vampires

[notmymccalling]

Scott starts, looking up from his phone and almost dropping it with the sudden reaction. He should have heard this guy approach. Should have at least caught his scent, but all he could hear right now was the ambiance of the night. But then the words sink in and he's left uneasy with a worried sense of dread pooling in his stomach.

He didn't recognise Angelus, but he would know the name if he heard it, thanks to all the warnings on the Network. If he had, he would be running or squaring off to detain him (wishful thinking there, Scott). The wolf carefully tries not to show any kind of fretting over being called out.

"A what?" He tries to laugh it off, but it doesn't sound genuine at all. It's tight an worried. "I think you're being Punk'd 'cause someone's jerking you around." The most convincing denial ever, right here.

19th; The Bar (Cami > Matt > Angelus?)

[therapize]

For a while Cami never would have thought she'd get to say it, but things have been good lately. The naked skinless giants were definitely a thing, one she thankfully managed to by and large avoid. And despite the closets going a bit wonky around the same time, everything seems to have once again settled down. On the whole her second month in Wonderland looks to be ending a great deal better than her first, and Cami's definitely thankful for it.

Also on the things to be grateful for list? The end of her shift. It's been a good half hour since the last barfly left for the night, and Cami's had to fight off more than one yawn as she goes through the routine of getting everything cleaned and stocked for the next day. She definitely doesn't mind the hours, but some nights a girl just looks forward to going to bed.

"How's it going?" At least she's got good company; Cami smiles as she looks over to Matt, who's just as busy cleaning up as she is. "I'm almost done with the glasses, if you need a hand."

Re: 19th; The Bar (Cami > Matt > Angelus?)

[still_human]

Matt looks up from where he was wiping down the tables and shakes his head with a grin. "Nah, I got this. Much easier to clean up in here then it was back home. Drunk townies really know how to make a mess."

[vampdetective]

"What about the local vampires?"

It's not exactly clear when he'd entered the bar. He was able to move quickly enough that he could have been there for several minutes now, lurking in one of the darker corners undetected, or he could have slipped in while their backs were turned-- however he'd done it, the end result was that Angelus now approached the bar at a slow, steady clip.

"I didn't miss last call, did I?" he asks, giving the both of them a lopsided smile.

21st -> During the Ball /w Regina

[misstactless]

For once, could she say she was having a good time? Yes, yes she could. The ball was exactly what she needed to take her mind off of things, which had generally been taken up with giant fleshy monsters trying to eat everyone and an ex-friendboss turned psychotic murderer going around and, well, murdering. It was enough to give her wrinkles and she had been fighting the signs of aging as much as she could for years. Cordelia knew what her priorities were, of course, and she would never forget them, but a girl deserves a break every now and then.

Turned out it was going to be a short break.

Charlie had become a fast friend and Cordelia had been chatting away with her while drinking champagne. When the first indication of a vision came on, Cordelia almost didn't believe it. The Powers had been all but silent since she arrived, so much so that Cordelia had begun to believe that they had abandoned her all together. But if she was worried, there was no reason to be when the vision hit full force, knocking her to the ground with what could only be described as a warning.

"Angel!"

Because that was why she cared, wasn't it? It wasn't just a monster, it was Angel. Big, stupid, evil twin Angel. And he was about to mess things up even further.

She hadn't really explained, leaving the mess of her broken glass and pushing her way through the ground as the after effects of the vision rushed through her. Her head was pounding and her sight was questionable at best, but she could recognize Regina without problem. She grabbed the other woman's arm to get her attention before declaring,

"It's happening!"

[madehervows]

The ball had been going well, too well even. So naturally, by Wonderland standards it had to go completely tits up. Thanks, Wonderland.

When Cordelia finds her, she's taking a break from dancing with a glass of champagne. The last ball she'd been to might have only been a few months ago, but she'd forgotten how tiring they can be. Before that, twenty eight years of nothing, so she's a little out of practice. The declaration shocks her out of her ball-induced good mood, immediately focusing on the task at hand.

"Where."

There's only one thing that it could possibly be, after all. Angelus reacted to her challenge as much as she expected, but it didn't quite exactly go as planned. Where were the angry crowds, the mourners desperate for vengeance? She begins to push her way through the crowd, earning more than a few angry looks from the party-goers.

"Everything is in my room, ready to go."

In retrospect, maybe taking a night off wasn't such a good idea.

[vampdetective]

The ball itself presented a perfect opportunity to give Regina exactly what she wanted. He'd given it time to get itself underway, for people to find themselves comfortable and at ease and, even if only for a little while, to forget that more than half a dozen bodies had been strewn about the mansion during the last three days, a feeding frenzy that almost begun to make up for all the time he'd been forced to behave himself. Almost.

There was always the chance, of course, that Cordelia's visions would pre-empt him. She hadn't managed to get a crossbow bolt through his heart yet, and he wasn't worried about her making that shot now, but if she happened to stumble across his path on his way to the ballroom, so be it. He was more than ready to deal with her.

He doesn't enter right away, instead hovering beside the doors to the ballroom, hands in his pockets as he rests his head against the wall, listening to the conversations milling about on the other side of it, the lively talk of people who have no idea what's waiting for them.

He's been pacing himself until now. No more.

18th; Fourth Floor

[sidecars]

As usual, Bucky's leaving the theater room at an ungodly hour. Thank God for the "soundproof" walls; otherwise, half the mansion would be up day and night with the amount of time he spends in there. Most people would probably stage an intervention at this point, but he figures after forfeiting his life for his country (both figuratively and eventually literally), Bucky's pretty sure he's owed all the time he wants to be a lazy fucker while he catches up with seventy years of cinema's greatest.

He closes the door behind him with a slow blink. His neck starts to prickle and he's got that feeling of something lingering in his peripheral vision. In an instant his sluggish mood's flooded with adrenaline. Bucky whips his head around, but there's nothing there. It's quiet like most nights. Huh. He'll chalk it up to his spooked senses after the horror picture he just finished watching. That's all it probably is, just paranoia. Well either way, he's not looking to linger. He starts hightailing it down the spacious hallway to his room.

[vampdetective]

He moves quickly enough that it's as though he appears out of nowhere, suddenly standing just a few feet to Bucky's right by the time he's done searching for whatever it was that had made the hairs on his neck stand on end. Angelus greets him with a wordless smile at first, wholly unpleasant and way too broad, dropping his head to one side.

"Catch the late show?" he asks, tilting his chin towards the theater. "Anything good?"

Really, Bucky, he's just looking to make friends.

20th - somewhere between the gardens and the forest

[alionsheart]

Compared to a few months ago, Robin's been feeling much better of late, about everything with Regina. It doesn't mean everything is automatically better, but he's at least made a choice that sits well in his heart. He thinks of Marian often, and though he knows he won't remember things that happen here, he trusts himself to come to the same conclusion back home, to be true to himself and make the choice that's kindest to both Marian and Regina. He wants Marian to be happy more than anything, and he'll do anything he can to help with that.

But even with his thoughts far less troubled, Robin still has difficulty sleeping sometimes, dreaming of Marian dying, or Regina being hurt, especially with things so unpredictable in Wonderland. He doesn't like staying in the mansion more than he has to, and when he can't sleep, he simply throws on a warm coat and boots, grabs his bow and arrow and makes his way outside. Most of the time, it's quiet and peaceful at night, hardly ever anyone else around.

But tonight, he sees someone, and thinking nothing of it, he's just his generally pleasant self, waving politely and calling out, "Afflicted by a touch of insomnia as well?"

[vampdetective]

Insomnia. It might have been the best explanation for why he was out at night, if he were looking to be subtle. Angelus, however, had never very been good at subtlety. He had always been crass, blatant; discreet only to a point so long as it served his needs, throwing it aside the moment it became more effort than it was worth. Instead, he smiles, hands deep in the pocket of Angel's long overcoat, striking black against the white of the snow.

"Just out for a walk. What about you?" He tilts his head towards the bow, curious. "Doing a little late-night hunting?"