Dragon

Land of Karchan

Clean Up on Aisle Solol


Summary

Lex has been sent to clean up a mangled body from the cogs of the carousel. Mara comes to watch and ends up helping and Naledi has to endure watching

Contains Bad Language & Gore

The Roleplay

Lex was standing in front of the carousel in the otherwise derelict carnival grounds, it had been closed just half an hour ago and all the customer's cleared out. It wasn't normal for it to close at this time or this quickly, there was a reason for this. One of the tourists had decided to abandon their horse on a pole to see what was in that centre section, having slipped past the door and fallen into the large cogs that operate the ride. It wasn't the first death on the grounds nor would it be the last but it had been the sandman who had been given the task of seeing if the ride was damaged, so with a sigh he steps up, opens the door and..."Oh for fucks sake." he utters, the body mangled and half turned into mince meat was still there.

Mara waltzed through the emptied circus grounds, relieved to have avoided the crush of sticky-fingered children and their put-upon parents. In fact, the closing hours were the only time she deigned it appropriate to make an appearance because certainly her elegant ensembles would not and could not fall prey to the jostling of the carnival-goers. Today, the demon's heeled footfalls carried her with a purpose though as, in a slim-fitted skirt and tucked blouse hardly appropriate for the occasion, she made to present Lex with a mop and...an unhelpfully empty bucket. "Language, darling." She crooned as she came up alongside the sandman. Her nose wrinkled, "Ah, what grisly business. I expect you'll be needing these." The mop was extended the man's way as she cocked a brow at the mangled remains, the bucket still swinging from slender fingertips.

Lex might be frustrated that one of the cannibal members of the cult hadn't thought to give him an easier job but for a second, he stares at the corpse and can't help but make a mental note to use it as inspiration for creating a nightmare at another time. Talking of things of nightmares, the one who most would mistake as a dream but was not came to join him. A blink as her voice pierces the otherwise quiet patch of Solol, a glance out of the corner of his eyes and then a flash of white teeth in a grin "Ah, a mop and a bucket. I didn't even know you knew what they would look like. " Though she might not be aware, the bucket being empty could come into use the mop, perhaps not so much surprisingly. "Keep a hold of the mop. You are going to help. First though we need a few more things. Including beer." Then without further ado, he leaves the performer there, baby sitting the jammed body in the lethal cogs to go to the back quarters of the grounds. It isn't too long before he returns, wheel barrow, saw, gloves, beer and...an apron is then thrown at Mara, seriously expecting her help on this as he cracks open a beer first. "We can give the remains of the body to Steve, he was talking about having a barbeque in a few days so will save him a bit of hassle."

Mara sniffed, even going so far as to emit a breathy note of laughter. "Darling, you must have lost your mind if you think for one moment..." Her words were falling on empty air though as Lex left her - left her - with the less-than-savory remains and the demon tossed the empty bucket aside with a metallic clang that was a prelude to the sandman's return. "You cannot be serious." Came her incredulity as the apron was foisted her way. "Do I look like I am prepared to muck about in this grim business? Do you have any idea how difficult it is to remove bloodstains from silk? No? I'll politely inform you, darling," A beat of silence ensued for dramatic effect, "You cannot remove bloodstains from silk." Even still, she donned the apron, abruptly knotting a bow at the small of her back as she toed off her heels. That was about as far as she got however, lest Lex get too excited she'd actually give a helping hand. Instead, she merely righted her toppled bucket, and looked expectantly to her companion, one haughty brow arched high.

Naledi happened upon the scene because despite not working for the circus herself some of her favorite people did and she found herself to be a regular patron. She had left the gym and despite having taught four classes that day decided she needed to go on a bit of a run to work off her lunch (she had splurged and ordered croutons on her salad--CROUTONS!). Her pace only slowed once she reached the circus ground when she ran into Steve who was equal parts nice and terrifying to the elf. Upon seeing Naledi approach, he insisted she come to a barbecue he was having. After agreeing with a half hearted nod and a tense smile, the clown informed her that Lex was at the carnival grounds. Angling herself that way, Naledi's nose wrinkled when she realized that all the tourists had left and the carnival had been closed down for the day. Folding her arms against her chest, the elf began to creep around trying to find the sandman and was soon greeted by a duet of voices. Sidling up to the carousel, Naledi's blue eyes shift from Lex to Mara (in an apron??) and a dark eyebrow arches. "Did some kid get sick on the ride or something?" She asks inclining her chin towards the mop.

Lex looks up and down Mara's body to look at her outfit, definitely a critical eye but first a swig of his beer as he simply says "I am pretty sure this is probably the most casual I ever have seen you so yeah, I imagine these are the exact clothes you would clean up blood with. I can't imagine you in one of those t shirts with a Blackmyre band logo on it." Mara is going to be the recipient of two more gifts, a pair of gloves and her own beer before he collects the bucket and moves back to the door. A crouch down, one of his knees clicking sharply, cigarettes pulled out though he had been trying to quit but this situation would be another one of those 'exceptions' that stopped him from doing so, just like the exception yesterday when he lost at darts or the day before where his ex fiancé threw a fit, there was an exception every day. Lighting one, he looks for the best place to start, reaching out to grab a handful of the hair of the dead, tugging, first gently and then with a little more strength but it is quite well jammed. He was just about to put his back into it and play tug of war with the body when he hears the voice of the elf "Ah fu..." then a look to Mara, eyes narrowing as he quickly exhales the smoke, stubs the cigarette in one of the puddles of blood to extinguish it so Naledi doesn't see and become disappointed with attempt number three hundred and forty three of quitting smoking not working. Straightening up, pushing the door a little closed to try to block her view of the mangled body and flashing a smile to the elf "Uh huh. Sick....Mara was sick. She is under the weather...." comes the lie, a pointed look to his colleague, silently pleading for her to play along and shield the naïve woman from the true reason they are there.

Mara 's carmine lips curled in a serpentine smile as Lex gave her an appraising once-over. "Ah, unbeknownst to you, darling, I can be far more casual, au naturale one might say. Sadly, you have just never reaped that benefit." Mop set aside, the demon jerked the gloves on with a long suffering sigh but not before cracking open her own beer and taking a dainty sip. Pale hues watched Lex struggle with the corpse's head before she made a shooing gesture, "More aside, darling. And quit that odious habit while you are at it." The saw is wielded then, the serrated edge glinting with promise, as she prowled barefoot into the innards of the deceased when Naledi's voice floated to the interior. A look was cast to Lex, then to the door, followed by an exasperated eye roll at the lame excuse tossed the elf's way. Dark lashes narrowed on the sandman before she called out. "Truly, darling, I find myself rather...put upon. I would be loath for you to witness the mess." An impressively truthful manipulation, punctuated with a tight smile for Lex before the demon turned back to the ensnared remains, toes flexing in the flesh and blood she stood in, presumably pondering the best angle to take with her utensil.

Naledi fixes Lex with one of those unblinking, piercing stares that women everywhere give to the men in their lives. "Hmm I see..." she says in a most unconvinced tone before climbing aboard the ride. "Well you should know that vomiting is not uncommon in the exercise world, I've had to clean up my fair share. Some people think it's a grand idea to down a juice right before a cardio-intensive class," she informs Lex. An innocent smile is given to the sandman before she moves in the direction of Mara. "Let me help you, Mara. Especially if you're not feeling well. You should be resting."

Lex gives a small indebted subtle nod to the woman who played along, even if perhaps her dignity had been bruised a little by the lie they had spun. He was grateful and he might, maybe, mood depending, memory depending more, try to pay back that debt at some point, it certainly proved that the cultists have each others back when push comes to shove. The sandman however hates receiving that look from Naledi but he hates even more that she is approaching and he might not be able to hide the blood on the floor or what is behind the door. It was no secret that the elf was ill fitting in the land of monsters and the damned and she had done well not to be corrupted by the darkness the souls that live in village and he had tried to shield her from the sight but it seems like there is no chance of that anymore so with a sigh of frustrated defeat, lungs screaming for a cigarette but resisted, he mutters "Fine. You are going to regret it." And with that he pulled the door wide open, concerned look at Naledi but then realising that Mara was perhaps seconds away from starting to hack the corpse even more apart in front of the elf "Woah woah woah Mara. Hold your horses a second."

Mara looked over her shoulder towards the sandman with a politely bored expression. "That was the most woefully bad lie I have ever heard, darling." If Naledi advanced, the demon's regard would slid to the elf, "Now, Naledi pet, I would prefer it if you do not get ill on my feet." Because the blood and guts literally wedged between her toes was quite enough. She waggled the saw, carmine lips splitting in a grin that showcased her pearly whites, before the demon returned her attention to the mangled remains of a man and bent at the waist, angling the tool between two cogs to set it against the body's throat. "Lex, darling, believe it or not this is not my first experience with a corpse. Now be a dear and fetch my drink." Pushing her weight into the handle, the serrated edge of the saw bit into the resisting flesh...only to spurt blood square at the demon's face from the multiple and abrupt punctures. "Gods below!" She sputtered, mouth agape, as thick sanguine sluiced along the contours of her pale façade. At least her hair was pulled back already in an elegant chignon...a small perk in this otherwise odious ordeal. Raising one hand, she wiped at her face doing...absolutely nothing but smearing the crimson therein.

Naledi adopts a satisfied smirk that she directs Alex's way before moving towards the door. He's right though, and she doesn't like what she sees. In fact, the elf makes a noise somewhere between a groan and a gag and crinkles her nose. "Blech! What the hell happened?" She asks with a grimace before moving towards Lex and snatching the beer out of his hand and taking a long pull on it hoping that it will settle her nerves (although truth be told she would probably need something stronger. "I'm keeping this," she informs Lex. "That's for lying to me," she says with a frown before taking another long sip. Her blue eyes had trailed back towards Mara just in time to see the spurt of blood stain her face. "So gross..." Feeling she ought to do something for her dear friend, she tentative approaches the carnage once more and offers a small towel to Mara out of the bag she takes on her runs. "Here."

Lex has no doubt that this isn't Mara's first time with a corpse and that he doesn't argue but gives a low grunt as if tempted to argue but knowing better than to argue with that woman, or any in fact unless he wants to be reminded of it for years to come. He also knows from experience that it isn't Naledi's first time with a corpse as she had witnessed him and sort of been roped into helping dispose of it but he feels the need to make sure she knows "It wasn't me this time. I didn't kill this man. It was an accident." There is a second he looks firmly at her, wanting to see the signs of her belief and trust, no move to claim his beer back as he waits but Mara's new blood facial and exclamation, tears his gaze away and to the other cultist. "It might not be your first time with a corpse but it looks like your fucking first time with a saw. If you break it, you are buying me a new one." After all the sandman uses that beast nearly daily. Surprise takes him once again as Naledi seems to be dealing with the situation far better than he thought, an arch of a brow and for a moment frozen before he realises that he needs to give the aerialist advice lest she have more grotesque mishap "Do not for the life of you, saw close to the intestines. You do not want that. And saw away and down from you and if needed through the joints....You are making a damn mess of it. Move over."

Mara straightened, leaving the saw embedded in the corpse, and smeared the heels of her palms over her eyelids. "Disgusting..." She mutters. Not that the demon was opposed to blood, in fact she had an affinity for its uses, but blood of the deceased was wholly useless to her. It was cold...and mildly coagulated and..."Vile. He tastes like an imbecile." She smeared the back of her hand over her mouth. "Thank you darling." She crooned to Naledi, plucking the proffered towel from the elf. "I daresay we've corrupted you soundly, Naledi pet. You can happen upon a mangled corpse being sawed to pieces with hardly batting an eye." Raising the towel to her face she regarded Lex with a narrowed stare as she side-stepped to give him space with the squish-squishing squelch of guts beneath her feet. "I believe I know the difference between the throat and the intestines, pet." After all, she had been sawing through the neck of the thing. "But thank you for the lesson. Tell me, just how many corpses have you disposed of with our dear Naledi present? One might think this is becoming a habit. It's no wonder she's immune to such grisly scenes. The least of your concerns should be your precious saw." Cue the clicking of her tongue to the roof of her mouth in clear reproach. Wiping her face as best she could she turned her regard to her closest friend then. "And how are we this...lovely evening, Naledi dear?" The demon posed, like she wasn't standing in someone's innards.

Naledi felt a chill run down her spine as a cold sweat broke out on her brow and she attempted to wipe her moist palms on the fabric of her shorts. At Lex's explanation that this wasn't his kill, she cants her head to the side. She wanted to believe him and if it wasn't for the fact that the thing was jammed up in the machinery, she might have doubted him. Still, his instructions coupled with the squishing sound of Mara's feet in the blood and guts is enough to make Naledi's stomach turn--she really regretted those croutons now. Still, the elf it attempting to play it cool, act as if this whole ordeal is no big deal because she's a Solol resident, damnit, who is best friends with a demon and dating another. This is totally normal. "My...night?" She asks Mara, blinking rapidly in an attempt to bring the woman into focus. "Oh you know. Lots of classes to teach. Juices to make. The usual." Cue a steadying breath through Naledi's mouth. 'Just play it cool, N,' she tells herself. "How have you been doing?"

Lex gives another glare to Mara at the question and in a low voice he mutters "Only one...I think..." he can't entirely remember and gives a glance to Naledi as if seeking reassurance in a way as if he had been asked what their anniversary was but such a bad question to not be entirely sure about so he then says with more firmness behind his words. "Just one." With Mara moving out of the way he can see clearly now what she had been hacking at, bringing the bucket with him so the severed head can be unceremoniously dropped into the pail once he had taken his waistcoat off and hung it on the handle of the door. Of course he is going to once again attempt the quick route of removing the body, planting his feet carefully upon the floor, crouching down and wrapping his arms around the torso , under the arms in almost a hug as he pulls against it, thankful once again for Mara trying to distract the elf. Squeezing and rising, the chest of the headless being compressed by this meant the lungs quickly emptied, the air leaving the air pipe of the throat, flesh flapping around it and a peculiar unpleasant groan like sound coming from it. That method abandoned, he starts to saw closely at the base, the flesh making an array of noises of squelches, harsh brittle sounds and wet meaty chop like sounds, concentrating on this and letting them converse as he says "Okay, I need one of you to get the wheel barrow up here and the other to the controls. we are going to have to try to reverse this to get the legs out."

Mara nodded. "The usual indeed." She reiterated. Flipping the towel over her shoulder the demon shifted her weight to one foot, the swell of he hip angling out from behind the garish apron she wore. "I was doing lovely until this unfortunate mishap. Truly, I daresay this imbecile deserved death if he wanted to climb inside the inner workings of a carnival ride." Scrutinizing Naledi, her pale hues swept over the elf's visage, and the demon carried on, seemingly prattling away, "You know...I met some rather curious individuals the other day, in fact. Lex, dear, maybe you have heard of them? Those who claim to be of the Eternal Light? It is a rather comical irony to claim to be of eternal light and live in the darkness that is Solol though. Either way, they were rather tedious, if I am being candid." The soundtrack to the conversation was the unappealing, wet noises of a body being dismembered, and with a mental grimace Mara moved her lips in a casual smile for the elf's benefit, "Naledi pet why don't you handle the controls just there." Cue a bob of her head in the direction of the panel with a fairly self-explanatory lever, "I'll not have you getting your hands dirty for a second time." The sandman was given a pointed look through her smiling veneer before she waltzed outside to maneuver the wheelbarrow in, plunking it down unceremoniously beside Lex so that blood and guts splattered on the hem of his no doubt already ruined slacks. "Is this an inappropriate time to discuss the favor you owe me, darling?" The demon fairly purred to the male, fingers dancing along the handles of the wheelbarrow.

Naledi sees little stars begin to pop up in front of her eyes as Lex works on freeing the body, decapitating it and dismembering body parts, but the noises are not doing anything to settle her nerves; even Mara's chatter isn't a satisfactory distraction. All the groaning and sawing and squelching and...oh gods she needed to excuse herself. She holds up her finger to Mara, having not comprehended a single word her friend said. "Excuse me. Shoe fell lost where running," she says incomprehensibly and with a forced smile before hopping from the carousel and weaving her way through the attractions and stands. Naledi goes for as long as she can before she is forced to bend at the waist, hands on her knees, as she begins to retch--bringing up the half a beer she guzzled, her salad from lunch, and yes those fucking croutons. 'Please don't let them have heard me,' Naledi silently pleads before she begins to get sick all over again.

Lex takes the lump of the upper body with him out of the sort of room and drops it into the wheel barrow that the demon brings, again with no care or respect that most would deal with the dead, just with the attitude and manner as one would do with unwanted goods. His own shirt of white was sodden with blood, hands and arms too with a splatter or two on his jaw. He sees the little head of Naledi bobbing away and having heard her words, he looks to Mara with a confused look "She has been walking around with one shoe on all this time?" And the sandman who is covered in blood, who has a best friend who is a clown, feeds on the fear of others and let alone anything else, finds the elf, the most normal of anyone he knows, odd. A shake of his head and leaning against the door frame, unaware that Naledi is emptying her guts up on the floor, waiting for her to return to operate the controls, looks to Mara with suspicion. "There has been some talk in the pub about them. They like the moon or some shit. Damn hippies. Rumour has it they have some ties with us lot, they claim to have taught some of our folk magic way when. Hiraeth is supposedly one of them but you know what she is like, not exactly the greatest conversationalist but she hasn't denied." Then folding his arms in front of his chest, eyes darkening and a furrow of brows as he tries to recall if he did owe Mara a favour, after today though he probably owes her at least ten so he doesn't question it but instead glances down the grounds to see if he can see the elf returning but as the coast is clear, he says "I doubt there is ever going to be an appropriate time to discuss favours but you might as well take the opportunity when you have it. What do you want Mara?"

Mara tipped her head to the side, the gesture predatory in nature, as Naledi fled the scene. "Another terrible lie." She tutted with a slow shake of her head, "Between the pair of you I can hardly say who is worse." The demon mused, sliding her regard back to Lex and scrutinizing him as if trying to discern if he was kidding. Of course Naledi had both shoes on. Her features shifted in exasperation and she barely refrained from an audible sigh. " Are you so dim, darling? Apparently. Naledi is currently retching her guts up and is probably feeling rather miserable both from having gotten ill and having gotten ill near us. An unnecessary concern but a typical anxiety." The look favored upon the male was distinctly unimpressed. "Go and tend to her, take her home, and I will manage what remains of this mess. Gods below, Lex." Her nose wrinkled in mild disdain. "You are a fortunate man, but you need to try far harder, darling. You already know neither one of us is worthy of what Naledi has given us but you need not make it so blatantly apparent." With that, the demon waltzed towards the control panel herself.

Naledi takes several more minutes to recover; each echoing sound of Lex dismembering the body bouncing around her mind causes the elf to gag. Unsurprisingly, she doesn't have much in her stomach so not much else comes up; however, the elf takes a few moments to gulp the cool night air and lean against the nearest stand. Eventually when she recovers enough she riffles through her bag and comes up with a tin of mints and pops a few in her mouth. Slow, deliberate (albeit shaky) steps carry her back towards the carousel all the while she gives herself a little pep talk in a hushed whisper. "You can do this N. Its just a dead body. There's just a little blood. You used to work at the taxidermists, for crying out loud! Pull yourself together!"

Lex looks clearly enlightened as Mara explains why Naledi disappeared, of course now she had said that it seems so obvious he wonders how the heck he could have believed her and though his mind might wonder this, the shrug he gives Mara is dismissive in appearance though his eyes remain on the spot Naledi had left in. Her next few words hit far lower and far harder than she might realise, lips pressed into a fine line as elegant but fatal woman utters his own worries about not being worthy, not being good enough and he knows there is no way that he could change, there will be blood on his hands of his own doing again in the future, he needed fear of others to survive and he truly belonged to Solol even if an occasional cheeky grin or joke might fool a stranger into thinking otherwise. "Shut up Mara." he comes back with, wanting his words to stop so he can ignore, disregard and once again try to bury those thoughts back into the grave he had put them in. "What ever favour I owe you, let me know soon. I would rather pay whatever debt I have to you sooner rather than later." A little growl to his voice, leaving his waist coat upon the door to collect another time as he starts walking in the direction Naledi had gone in, only to find she had returned, trying to offer a reassuring smile but with the blood of another on him, it wouldn't be the most fitting "I will walk you back to your house, you are taking the rest of the day off. Tomorrow maybe too. Deal?"

Mara would have no doubt laughed in amusement at Naledi's little pep talk to herself. A little blood? Hardly. It was a thick pool that sloshed if stepped in and boasted unidentifiable pieces of meat courtesy of the dismembered corpse. That hardly constituted as a little blood, but what a bloody mess indeed. "Does the truth ache, darling?" She purred, a dark undercurrent woven through her words, as they reached towards the sandman. Her pupils elongated from her position at the control panel and she fixed the male with an unwavering look. "No. The ache has already been there." She crooned. "A dull, throbbing reminder of your own constant fears that I merely breathed to life." She paused, dark lashes narrowing on the other, as her lips curled in a slow, predatory smile, "We will discuss what is owed at a later date. Give Naledi my well wishes." To punctuate her words, the demon pulled the lever to reverse the gears of the ride and was rewarded with a groan of machinery as the cogs turned and strained against the body's remains with a distressed screech, effectively dismissing the pair with her efforts to dislodge the remains of the corpse.

Naledi attempts her own reassuring smile as Lex approaches and is about to walk right past him to go back to helping with the body at the carousel when he intercepts her and angles her towards the exit. "But...what about Mara?" She asks peering over her shoulder but Lex seems intent on getting her home and Naledi knows that noncompliance will lead to being carried out of here. Naledi waves in the direction of the ride, trying to ignore that screeching sound, unsure if Mara is even in a position to see her or not. She looks at Lex carefully and purses her lips together. "It's only a deal if you stay with me." As the pair walk, Naledi attempts to change the subject to more light hearted talk. "Hey Steve invited me to a barbecue. I assume you're going too, right?" She asks the sandman with a smile.

 

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Last modified on November 19, 2017, 06:10:41