mechanical-masquerade

[mechanical-masquerade]

can you get me some tickets for your next race please Mr Owkame?

"Tickets? Hmm."

(I do have some on me..)

"...Well, I'm not supposed to give these out.."

"..But, yeah, why not! Gift giving is good."

[ x1 VIP Ticket ]

"Here you go! Don't tell my team, fufu."

[mechanical-masquerade]

wow wow wow, three in one! Yoink!

{pronouns stolen >:3}

-the fey

".. Eh? ... Oh well. You probably have a reason to take them, I.. think. Dunno how people will refer to me, though."

( Gotta figure something out.. )

[ ... seems a little bothered, but is otherwise fine. ]

-

"...."

(..Nice.)

[ Sam doesn't seem very pleased with that, but at the same time also appears to not care. ]

-

"What-?! Hey, .. !.. ..?! Eh? .. need those! How will.. .. ngh.. Akumu's, glorious fans refer to.. to.. Akumu! Surely.. surely not by name! Not every singuru taim—!!"

(.. hate this!!! Wahaahaha... T.T)

[ Poor Akumu got every pronoun of .. er, Akumu's, stolen, since Akumu generally went by any and all.. Akumu is definitely panicked, to say the least. Akumu doesn't seem very pleased to speak in 3rd person.. and Akumu's accent even broke out a bit. Akumu also looks like Akumu might cry. You see why Akumu wants Akumu's pronouns back? That's.. a lot of Akumu's name. Eugh. Terrible to read. Poor Akumu. ]

[mechanical-masquerade]

may I have your pronouns? (any of the three)

"Pronouns? Er... well.. Usually just Vaz works? Or.. um, it?"

[Vaz seems a little flustered by the request, but does it's best, anyhow.]

-

"....I use he/him. Doesn't matter, really."

[ Sam seems disinterested, or perhaps distracted. ]

-

"Oh, me? Fufu.. Just he or him works. Unless you want to use something else? Whatever suits your fancy, friend!"

[ Akumu seems eager to answer, although seems to be in some sort of hurry. ]

[mechanical-masquerade]

wait i accidentally just rewrote this with Vaz but slightly different in the rp with @brodorokihousuke

[mechanical-masquerade]

"Know the people? Yeah."

[Vaz gestured to the pair at a nearby table.]

"Those two are regulars here. Siblings, actually. Uh.. their names.. are Dess and Triss."

[It turned to glance at the bartender.]

"The server-dude is a guy named Cesar Trea."

[Vaz turned back to Apollo.]

"They're not bad people."

[It set the salt shaker down, with a sigh.]

"ahem, ..So you've got friends that will house you for a bit?"

[It asked, with a slightly tilted head. Vaz seemed somewhat eager to change the subject. Vaz had completely ignored what Apollo had said about a scientist hanging out here, so it probably just didn't want to talk about Dr. Crescent.]

ongoing rp chain with @surging-eyes-seeing-through

(I dunno how to link parts, but this is part 3)

"..Yeah. and.. I can change my height if needed. This size is most efficient and I can maintain it indefinitely, unlike larger sizes. But I don't need to be big to cook."

[Vaz shrugs. It sways a little, back and forth.]

"There's also plenty of stuff i can cook at my size anyway. Minus.. anything that requires toasters. I tend to accidentally break them somehow."

[It leaned back before hopping laggily onto the floor, landing in silence.]

"And I refuse to fry things. Grease makes me feel icky, even if it just goes right through me."

[Vaz shivered. Probably in disgust.]

[mechanical-masquerade]

"What is.. ah. I don't really know, to be honest. Dr. Crescent took me here a few times, and that's all I know about it really."

"..and. About how long we should hide.."

[It took a few moments.]

"For a while here, but only temporarily.. and maybe a week elsewhere. Unless you want to go to the police, where you'll probably interrogated. And put on trial.. but. I don't know what.. that guy is planning."

[Vaz shivered. It was clear they didn't like that poison bomber.]

"Anyway. You thirsty or anything? They sell non-alcoholic liquids here, if you'd like one. I'd buy one myself... but, eh, you know. And.. I.. also sort of would like to not be stared at by the server-guy."

[It shrugged, fiddling with a lemon-flavoured salt shaker. It seemed to be used to put around the rim of drinks. The lid had a sort of glittery texture on it, which Vaz seemed to like.]

ongoing rp chain with @surging-eyes-seeing-through

(I dunno how to link parts, but this is part 3)

"..Yeah. and.. I can change my height if needed. This size is most efficient and I can maintain it indefinitely, unlike larger sizes. But I don't need to be big to cook."

[Vaz shrugs. It sways a little, back and forth.]

"There's also plenty of stuff i can cook at my size anyway. Minus.. anything that requires toasters. I tend to accidentally break them somehow."

[It leaned back before hopping laggily onto the floor, landing in silence.]

"And I refuse to fry things. Grease makes me feel icky, even if it just goes right through me."

[Vaz shivered. Probably in disgust.]

[mechanical-masquerade]

[It said nothing as they traveled, eventually arriving at a stairway, with a few signs nearby advertising a.. bar, THE bar, as well as other places to go.]

"It's just down here."

[Down the stairs was 2 doors, one of them the bar, the other apparently a staff room. The bar door was unlocked, and it opened without even a creak. Inside was a dimly lit bar-room, occupied by two.. three people, including the bartender. The bartender gave Apollo a once-over, eyebrow raised quizzically, but went back to wiping down the bar.]

"We.. you can lie low here."

[The bartender's head turned at the sound of Vaz's little robotic voice.]

"..Good to see you again."

[He said nothing else regarding Vaz. Vaz hadn't even been really visible, considering he was haphazardly tucked into Apollo's pocket.]

"..Over here, sit on the cushioned long-chair.."

[It guided Apollo to a table with a plush sofa, against the back wall. The entire bar was suprisingly.. fancy, for a place that didn't seem to have many customers. The black wallpaper had an odd texture, flecks of the print reflecting the dim lighting of the modern-style chandelier surrounded by abstract, triangular wood sculptures hanging from the ceiling. There was a few framed photos of unrecognized musicians, and some colorful bottles with lights placed inside, purely decorative.]

[The two that were in the bar with Apollo and Vaz were silent, and had appeared to ignore them. One was a man and the other a woman. They looked related.]

"Well then. you okay?"

[Vaz questioned Apollo quietly once he'd settled on the sofa, getting out of his pocket and managing to hop onto the table, sitting so it's legs dangled off the edge. The bartender kept his eye on them. It was usual behaviour, since generally you'd expect visitors to buy a drink.]

ongoing rp chain with @surging-eyes-seeing-through

(I dunno how to link parts, but this is part 3)

"..Yeah. and.. I can change my height if needed. This size is most efficient and I can maintain it indefinitely, unlike larger sizes. But I don't need to be big to cook."

[Vaz shrugs. It sways a little, back and forth.]

"There's also plenty of stuff i can cook at my size anyway. Minus.. anything that requires toasters. I tend to accidentally break them somehow."

[It leaned back before hopping laggily onto the floor, landing in silence.]

"And I refuse to fry things. Grease makes me feel icky, even if it just goes right through me."

[Vaz shivered. Probably in disgust.]

[mechanical-masquerade]

"Yeah.. a better handle."

[It muttered robotically, mostly to itself. It didn't seem to believe that it did, but it didn't deny it (for Apollo's sake.) It stood still, thinking, before turning to Apollo.]

"Right, let's head out."

[It stayed the same size, staying firmly close to Apollo, apparently worried about the other. It moved further after it kept looking after Apollo, and eventually they'd made it into an alleyway, not too far from the apartment but just enough to where the police would have to search for them in case they arrived.]

"I'll give you a.. er, hold on."

[It summoned a sort of small map, with a red dot in between a few buildings a fair distance away.]

"That's the place. The mall is a little risky, so.. I have decided we will not go there. I'll get in one of your pockets,"

[It changed back to usual size and managed to crawl up and into one of Apollo's pockets.]

"..and.. all we have to do for now, I think, would be head to the bar-place. I'll figure out more on the situation on our way there."

[A police car whizzed by at the exit of the alley, but it thankfully wasn't one of the ones that had been heading to Apollo's apartment. Vaz had tensed but then relaxed when it'd seen it.]

"We shall depart, then."

[The camera in the alleyway was off. Vaz had done it's thing well, it seems.]

"If you would prefer the event at the mall though.."

[It trailed off. A blue dot appeared on the map, at a mall complex nearby.]

ongoing rp chain with @surging-eyes-seeing-through

(I dunno how to link parts, but this is part 3)

"..Yeah. and.. I can change my height if needed. This size is most efficient and I can maintain it indefinitely, unlike larger sizes. But I don't need to be big to cook."

[Vaz shrugs. It sways a little, back and forth.]

"There's also plenty of stuff i can cook at my size anyway. Minus.. anything that requires toasters. I tend to accidentally break them somehow."

[It leaned back before hopping laggily onto the floor, landing in silence.]

"And I refuse to fry things. Grease makes me feel icky, even if it just goes right through me."

[Vaz shivered. Probably in disgust.]

[mechanical-masquerade]

"..Alright."

[It vanished before becoming a lot larger, about 5'2".]

"..Come on, then."

[It held out a hand to Apollo.]

"I.. um, there was supposed to be an event at the mall nearby. We can get there in time, lots of people to hide in the crowd. Or um, somewhere else."

[Vaz was worried. It knew that the outdoor cameras would have picked up Apollo tossing the poison bomb outside his window.]

"..I also know of a bar underground, near the subway station. It's usually rather empty, except for the server-person and a few customers. They won't kick me out, but.. I don't exactly blend in outside. I'll have to hide in your jacket or something.. um.. I can shut off the cameras temporarily.. let me.. uh."

[It tentatively walked over to the nearest wire. The lights flickered as it touched it, but then came back on. All cameras in a 3 mile radius had become unresponsive.]

"..We have thirty minutes, at max."

ongoing rp chain with @surging-eyes-seeing-through

(I dunno how to link parts, but this is part 3)

"..Yeah. and.. I can change my height if needed. This size is most efficient and I can maintain it indefinitely, unlike larger sizes. But I don't need to be big to cook."

[Vaz shrugs. It sways a little, back and forth.]

"There's also plenty of stuff i can cook at my size anyway. Minus.. anything that requires toasters. I tend to accidentally break them somehow."

[It leaned back before hopping laggily onto the floor, landing in silence.]

"And I refuse to fry things. Grease makes me feel icky, even if it just goes right through me."

[Vaz shivered. Probably in disgust.]

[mechanical-masquerade]

I HAD MY RESPONSE IN DRAFTS.... 💀😭😭😭 SOBBING

entirely unrelated to stickbug apollo but i don't know if i just havent reblogged our rp or if ur taking a break from it lol

i dont mind if u are just chilling but highkey i dont know if i just didnt respond yet💀

I don't think you responsed 😭 HOWEVER if you check and my ass is the one who forgot (I have done this before)) then i will. get back to that

[mechanical-masquerade]

"..wow, wow!"

[He slow-clapped. His voice was laced with sarcasm.]

"Failure of a murderer, hm? You sound like my f-father. Failure this, failure that. It's a-annoying, really."

[While he spoke Vaz quietly walked over to Apollo. It kept it's gaze on the screen.]

"I'd chat w-with you longer, but.. the p-police are on their way to your h-house. Byebye, Justice. <3"

[The screen turned off and then set itself aflame. It was harmless, though, only leaving a pile of black ash and burning a small hole into the desk it sat on. The flame died almost as soon as it had started.

.. He'd burned the evidence of himself. And probably was the one who called the police. Distantly there were sirens.]

"..Apollo.. we.. should go.. hide, or.. something."

[Vaz concernedly stared at Apollo.]

ongoing rp chain with @surging-eyes-seeing-through

(I dunno how to link parts, but this is part 3)

"..Yeah. and.. I can change my height if needed. This size is most efficient and I can maintain it indefinitely, unlike larger sizes. But I don't need to be big to cook."

[Vaz shrugs. It sways a little, back and forth.]

"There's also plenty of stuff i can cook at my size anyway. Minus.. anything that requires toasters. I tend to accidentally break them somehow."

[It leaned back before hopping laggily onto the floor, landing in silence.]

"And I refuse to fry things. Grease makes me feel icky, even if it just goes right through me."

[Vaz shivered. Probably in disgust.]

[mechanical-masquerade]

"I'll admit, failure has a b-bitter bite."

[He sneered at Apollo.]

"Yeah, I'll admit you cheated death o-once again. Heheh. It almost worked. W-wish it did. ...but.."

"You l-look a little un-n..nerved, buddy. Did I u-upset you? Ehe. Poooor little J-Justice. All worked u-up. I admit, you're n-not really at fault.. heh. You're real weak-m..minded though. It's laughable."

[Vaz reappeared, the weird little void replaced by a bright, albiet patchy, glow. It stared at Apollo.]

"..Cres-no, Apollo. You're oka..y?"

[It worriedly stared for a bit longer at Apollo before he noticed the screen. It tensed.]

"..."

[It didn't vanish again, although it was visibly terrified.]

ongoing rp chain with @surging-eyes-seeing-through

(I dunno how to link parts, but this is part 3)

"..Yeah. and.. I can change my height if needed. This size is most efficient and I can maintain it indefinitely, unlike larger sizes. But I don't need to be big to cook."

[Vaz shrugs. It sways a little, back and forth.]

"There's also plenty of stuff i can cook at my size anyway. Minus.. anything that requires toasters. I tend to accidentally break them somehow."

[It leaned back before hopping laggily onto the floor, landing in silence.]

"And I refuse to fry things. Grease makes me feel icky, even if it just goes right through me."

[Vaz shivered. Probably in disgust.]

[mechanical-masquerade]

[The person simply chuckled at Apollo's panic.]

"..p-piece of what, Justice? Eheh. What I want with you.. I dunno. I'm a bit angry. Maybe r-revenge for Mr. Phantom?"

[He tapped on the webcam, adjusting it.]

"..Since Phantom got that loser scientist and your b-buddy Terran, I-I assumed I might as well just finish off the t-trio, yeah? Too bad that little robot bastard freaked out. You'd p-probably be t-twitching on the floor right now."

[The person twirled in their chair.]

"Didn't e-even think you'd have that 'thing', though. Little bastard makes my job harder t-than it already is.. sigh... but, ah, riiight. I h-hear you were bombed recently. How was that? Eheheh."

ongoing rp chain with @surging-eyes-seeing-through

(I dunno how to link parts, but this is part 3)

"..Yeah. and.. I can change my height if needed. This size is most efficient and I can maintain it indefinitely, unlike larger sizes. But I don't need to be big to cook."

[Vaz shrugs. It sways a little, back and forth.]

"There's also plenty of stuff i can cook at my size anyway. Minus.. anything that requires toasters. I tend to accidentally break them somehow."

[It leaned back before hopping laggily onto the floor, landing in silence.]

"And I refuse to fry things. Grease makes me feel icky, even if it just goes right through me."

[Vaz shivered. Probably in disgust.]

[mechanical-masquerade]

"Pfft- ahah!"

[The person laughed at Apollo. After it'd been tossed out the window, the device landed outside. The timer had been at a staggering 10 seconds before it was tossed. The timer let out a few more beeps before stopping, although it was no longer audible. Some kind of coloured dust came out of the little device, floating upwards. A couple of birds fell out of the nearby tree. The birdsong in the area was silenced. A concerned passerby noticed, walking over. And they fell, too.]

[..It'd been some sort of compressed poison gas bomb. An extremely potent one. A little beep alerted Apollo to a miniature screen on a nearby desk, the person from before staring at him, grinning. It was still too dark and low resolution to tell whom he was.]

"..Glad to s..see you're doing well. You're that astronaut's b-buddy? What was his name.. T..Terran? Ooh, t-that poor guy. Phantom really sent em o-off, heheh."

[He paused, taking a sip of something from a large cup.]

"..Too bad Mr. Phantom is im..p..prisoned now. He woulda been proud, eheh. Ahem."

[The voice was a lot more clearer through this mini-screen's speakers. It sounded that of someone who was no older than 16. It carried a sort of monotone note every time he spoke.]

ongoing rp chain with @surging-eyes-seeing-through

(I dunno how to link parts, but this is part 3)

"..Yeah. and.. I can change my height if needed. This size is most efficient and I can maintain it indefinitely, unlike larger sizes. But I don't need to be big to cook."

[Vaz shrugs. It sways a little, back and forth.]

"There's also plenty of stuff i can cook at my size anyway. Minus.. anything that requires toasters. I tend to accidentally break them somehow."

[It leaned back before hopping laggily onto the floor, landing in silence.]

"And I refuse to fry things. Grease makes me feel icky, even if it just goes right through me."

[Vaz shivered. Probably in disgust.]

[mechanical-masquerade]

"One minute left!" The little thing chimed.

[ It beeped again before the screen darkened so that the timer couldn't be seen. It was replaced by a low-res webcam. Someone wanted him dead, and someone was watching him right now. ]

"You're being slow, J-Justice. "

[The person watching him apparently could talk through the little device. They had a stutter, and sounded like that of a young man. Due to the dark screen and low resolution, his face couldn't be made out, though some basic details could be. He had shorter, dark hair. He was also obviously smiling, head resting on his palm, watching.]

"Nice to meet you. Ooh, t-thirty seconds left. Better hurry-y. Hehehe. It's nothing p-personal, buddy."

[The person wore a sinister grin.]

ongoing rp chain with @surging-eyes-seeing-through

(I dunno how to link parts, but this is part 3)

"..Yeah. and.. I can change my height if needed. This size is most efficient and I can maintain it indefinitely, unlike larger sizes. But I don't need to be big to cook."

[Vaz shrugs. It sways a little, back and forth.]

"There's also plenty of stuff i can cook at my size anyway. Minus.. anything that requires toasters. I tend to accidentally break them somehow."

[It leaned back before hopping laggily onto the floor, landing in silence.]

"And I refuse to fry things. Grease makes me feel icky, even if it just goes right through me."

[Vaz shivered. Probably in disgust.]

[mechanical-masquerade]

"..unsure. I don't like it."

[Vaz studies the little thing for a moment longer. A flash of uncertainty causes him to frown.]

"..I.. no, wait a minute.. this.."

[ Vaz started glitching, and a few moments later vanished entirely. The ticking continued. Vaz returned. It seemed.. highly disturbed, visibly trembling(?). It's tone of voice was shocked, somewhat panicked.]

"..Dr. Crescent, you need to leave, something's wr-ong with the a. a. a. air."

[It repeated the word air a few more times before the words faded into an uncomfortable white noise.]

...

[..Vaz had then turned itself off, leaving a strange, darkened patch of air where it'd been glowing moments before.]

[The little die like thing kept beeping. It counted down from 2 minutes. There was a teensy label on it, just above the timer.]

It read, in cutesy lettering,

"Goodnight, Justice. <3"

[It didn't seem like it had just began the countdown. In fact, the little timer showed the original time it'd been set to count down from, which read '1hr, 20mins'. The screen upon which the timer set was dull. It had plenty of scratching on it, like it had been smacked, or ground, against something.]

ongoing rp chain with @surging-eyes-seeing-through

(I dunno how to link parts, but this is part 3)

"..Yeah. and.. I can change my height if needed. This size is most efficient and I can maintain it indefinitely, unlike larger sizes. But I don't need to be big to cook."

[Vaz shrugs. It sways a little, back and forth.]

"There's also plenty of stuff i can cook at my size anyway. Minus.. anything that requires toasters. I tend to accidentally break them somehow."

[It leaned back before hopping laggily onto the floor, landing in silence.]

"And I refuse to fry things. Grease makes me feel icky, even if it just goes right through me."

[Vaz shivered. Probably in disgust.]

[mechanical-masquerade]

[The letter was a loving mess. Inside was one of those stupid, cheesy, yet heartfelt "get-well-soon" cards. Written in it were a couple of words of encouragement. Even Klavier had written something—even though it was written exactly how he talks, albiet a bit messy.. Trucy'd drawn a little smiley face where she'd written, 'Get better fast, 'polly!' And, written by that was a curt get better soon, signed off by Phoenix. Athena simply had doodled a stickman with a hat of flowers. (..Juniper, maybe?) ]

[..Klavier's looked as though he'd been hesitant to write. But it was written somewhat neat enough to be legible, the letters scrawled out upon the page to form "Herr Forehead, " followed by an oddly large empty space, "..get better soon, ja?"]

[The letter itself was decorated everywhere someone had not written. Decorated in stickers, specifically, and abstract marker doodling. Probably something Trucy did, considering most of the stickers were magic related. A corner of the upper left seemed slightly damaged by.. drops of water, and had been covered up with more stickers. It looked a bit crinkled there comparing to the rest of it. Someone probably missed Apollo.]

[The packaging Apollo had torn off fell to the ground with a slight 'clink' sound, heavier than paper. It was then that a small object rolled out of the damaged packaging. It.. didn't seem to belong in the package, nor have anything to do with the WAA. Vaz seemed intrigued. The object was shaped like an average D-20, but instead of numbers there was a teeny timer on one side and the rest of the sides had odd holes closed by some sorts of mesh. It was blue, the mesh black.]

"Yeah.. ah..?"

[It was beeping. A quiet, yet awful, noise.]

"...That's.. familiar.."

[..Vaz obviously didn't like that noise, visibly tense. It vaguely reminded it of something. It.. couldn't quite put it's finger on it, however.]

ongoing rp chain with @surging-eyes-seeing-through

(I dunno how to link parts, but this is part 3)

"..Yeah. and.. I can change my height if needed. This size is most efficient and I can maintain it indefinitely, unlike larger sizes. But I don't need to be big to cook."

[Vaz shrugs. It sways a little, back and forth.]

"There's also plenty of stuff i can cook at my size anyway. Minus.. anything that requires toasters. I tend to accidentally break them somehow."

[It leaned back before hopping laggily onto the floor, landing in silence.]

"And I refuse to fry things. Grease makes me feel icky, even if it just goes right through me."

[Vaz shivered. Probably in disgust.]