kansas ♔ you have too much fun breaking all the rules

[cigam]

WHO || Gus, Zatanna, Adam, Dawn, Dimitri [closed]
WHAT || The Knights investigate a multiple homicide that seems linked to ritualistic magic use, in backwater Kansas
WHERE || Black Bottom Ridge, Kansas
WHEN || April 8th [backdated]
HOW || Actionspam or prose

Know what's even worse than Kansas? Kansas after a long winter that just won't die. Everything is creepy and flat and the grass is struggle-bussing its way back to life, and the trees are still skeletal, which just lends an eerie semblance to everything as they drive by. Drive by with a U-Haul attached to the back of her their rented vehicle, because they're bringing a fucking bear along. Luckily Gus was able to coax her into this arrangement, but man, I would not to be the one to draw the short straw opening the doors to that trailer when they arrive.

It only took a single stop at a crappy diner for Zatanna to get someone to spill the whereabouts of the survivor of the night they're looking into: she's being kept at a hospital in the nearest actual city. Zee drops off Adam, Dimitri, and Gus near the crime scene, and takes Dawn with her to go see what they can learn from the girl (after telling Gus to behave).

 

Comments

[cigam]

[ his eyes widen as he takes that in, and he doesn't seem to know how to respond at first. he lowers his head and it's possible to see that he's clutching a large tome of some sort.

zee takes a half-step forward. ] Is that how you-- [ she lets that hang there gently, and after a moment jim nods. zee casts a look back at gus and constantine. ] Jim, I think we should take that with us.

[druidisms]

[ gus nods, slowly moving forward to crouch down next to jim. he keeps his hands dangling between his knees and in plain sight. he's not going to reach out and grab it. ] We know you weren't trying to do anything... crazy. Don't worry, we get that. But this book? It's too dangerous to keep here.

[ diplomacy 18, SEE ZEE HE CAN BE NICE. ]

[rituals]

[ constantine sort of hangs back, moving along the opposite side of the room with his back to them, as he idly looks through the top few drawers of the boy's dresser. he glances over his shoulder slightly, as if interested in his reply.

"I... I get that," Jim agrees, obviously shaken. "I didn't-- I never thought it would be anything like this." ]

[druidisms]

[ of course he didn't. unless he is secretly a teenage sociopath. which could happen. but w/e. gus holds out his hand for the book. ] We should get out of here.

[rituals]

[ the boy hesitates, but then nods, uncurling his arms and about to hand it to gus -- when he stops, staring past him, recognition in his eyes.

"I don't think so," he says, pulling it back to himself, obviously a little afraid of saying no, too.

zee frowns, glancing at gus. "We know what to do with this kind of thing, Jim. We'll make certain no harm comes from it again--" but she's cut off as he points across the room at constantine. "Are you kidding? He's the one I stole it from! He was buying it to -- to summon some kind of demon himself!"

zee's head snaps backwards to look at constantine like BOY YOU DID WAT, and he turns back towards her with a 'who me?' look of innocence. ] Lad's been through a lot, Zee. Think all this must be getting to his head.

[druidisms]

[ r u fucking joking. GUS USED EMPATHY AND IT WAS SUPER EFFECTIVE AND THEN TRENCHCOAT MCDOUCHENOZZLE RUINED IT. he reaches to snatch the book out of jim's hand, but tbh he doesn't put too much effort into it. (str 12) fuck this noise, he's never being nice again. ]

He's not with us. [ which is 100% true since he just showed up out of the ether with some backstory. ]

[rituals]

[ lmao his str score was a 3, so... gus yanks it out of his hands right away, no prob. jim gapes a bit, obviously unsure whether to believe him or not, and looking over at constantine doubtfully.

john picks up a baggie out of the boy's sock drawer, that's... full of joints and wiggles it at jim. ] You heard him. And stay in school. [ you know what, he's just gonna... take those. and turn to head out the door. an exasperated zatanna pinches her nose and then looks to the boy.

"Do you have someone you can stay with?" she asks. jim nods a bit. "My aunt. I... I can call my aunt. She lives close to here." ]

[druidisms]

[ clapping a hand on the kid's shoulder, gus gives it a squeeze. ] You'll be fine, kid. Just... stay away from demons. And books about summoning them. Be good. One day you can grow up and hunt down displacer beasts with us. [ which sounds, really... genuine and not at all scolding? like a big brother who is telling their dumbass fucking teenage sibling that yes, you can prevent forest fires and don't worry, i'll let you make this shit up to me and, more importantly, yourself. (diplomacy 20 total) with another squeeze, he let's go. ]

Come on, Sparky.

[watcherjunior]

[ Dawn's just going to hang back here and look supportive. Because it seems to be the wisest thing to do right now. But that last bit, she makes a face. Really? Hunt down displacer beasts with us? Yeah, sure, kid's really gonna jump at that. ]

[cigam]

[ the kid nods absently, obviously is no rush to follow after them, so zee turns to head out the door, pausing to grab constantine by the scruff of his collar and guide him out the door with her. he doesn't resist, and she waits until they're down the steps and back with everyone before she lets go and says: ] Alright, John. Talk.

[likeagod]

[Well that certainly catches his attention, and he starts to move toward the stairs to meet them as they descend.]

Did something happen?

[rituals]

[ john rolls his shoulders as he fixes his collar with a tug ] So the book was mine. Sue me. Just because some punk kid doesn't know what to do with it doesn't mean a professional like myself doesn't.

[druidisms]

You could have... and this is just an idea, not let him steal it?

[ the kid is like 12. ]

[rituals]

Gee, now why didn't that one cross my mind at any point during this whole debacle?

[ the sarcasm is strong with this one. ] The merchant what sold it to me switched the bags and left me with a stack of comic books.

[ex_psionic439]

That happened to me once with a bag of anal sex toys.

[I dunno by the time they get downstairs Adam has like raided the pantry and is munching on some random ass pop tarts or something. He doesn't even know what everyone is talking about but he felt it was important to relate this to his own marketplace mix-up. Don't worry, bummy looking guy. He got your back.

But then he glances at the fucking shredded bodies on the floor, and adds--]

It was actually a lot less awkward than this, believe it or not.

[watcherjunior]

[ Dawn's just going to stare at Adam for a moment because did you REALLY just say that? ]

Okay, can we just swiftly move on from that last bit? Not that I don't appreciate a distraction but... [ Yeah, there's just a dismayed look. ]

[druidisms]

[ meanwhile gus is snorting with laughter. a+ knight. ]

1/2

[cigam]

Do I even want to ask why you were buying a book on summoning demons in the first place?

[rituals]

Think you know the answer to that one, love. [ his expression darkens a bit, but he steps forward, extending a hand for the book. ] Because despite my best personal interests being on the opposite end of the spectrum from all this, I've got unfinished business that needs finishing.

[druidisms]

[ gus looks at his hand like bitch this is sparky's call. he kind of wants to bring it home to peruse at will, but he doesn't know this fuck from adam, the biblical one, so he looks at zatanna questioningly. to trust or not to trust the skeevy ex, that is the question. ]

[watcherjunior]

[ Dawn looks at the guy like you have GOT to be joking. Part of her wants to study the book. And part of her wants to burn the stupid thing so no one else ever ends up like this. If she was a telepath, Zatanna would hear her constant inner chant of no no no no no. ]

[cigam]

[ zatanna stares at him for a long moment, and there's a hesitancy there that doesn't seem to have anything to do with distrust, so much as... concern for him. but finally she hands it over with a sigh. ] Don't make me regret this, John. [ she pauses, lowering her voice a bit as she flicks her gaze up to his ] I suppose 'be careful' would be too much to ask.

[ex_psionic439]

Cool, so are we done here? [Said as he holds the rest of the pop tarts out for Mellie if her big hairy ass is even still around like here gurl u earned it.

#canweleavenowtho]

[rituals]

You know... [ constantine pockets the tome, and pulls out the stash he stole from the kid upstairs, shaking the baggie as he looks at it with amusement ] Kind of a shame just throwin' this away. [ he raises an eyebrow at them, which he turns on zee with a little grin. ] Plenty to go round.

[druidisms]

[ mellie is like omnomnom pop tarts r my fave.ur the bestest adam.

gus looks at constantine with new appreciation. yes, good. but he is on team adam. ]

Let's get out of here, first.