I just want to start a flame in your heart [OPEN]

[madlikegravity]

[ Characters ] The Joker, Oysters, and YOU
[ Location ] Twinklebat
[ Date/Time ] April 28th, Afternoon
[ Warning ] None.
[ Content ] Burning oysters are sent running through Twinklebat.

Comments

[oblitus_clavis]

Xion had been out looking for some food to bring home to the house when she started to hear yells of alarm and the sound of people running. She could hardly believe what was happening. And out of nowhere.

This was terrible. She dodged around houses and alleyways trying to take out as many burning oysters with her keyblade, but it was clearly impossible to stop all of them. She was dearly wishing she were proficient at water magic instead of fire. How in the world was she going to stop this? She hoped that there were others here taking initiative too.

Up for Round Two?

[madlikegravity]

The Joker wandered through the chaotic streets, admiring his latest handiwork. Faceless were rushing left and right. Buildings everywhere were ablaze. He reared his head back and roared with mad laughter, clutching his sides as the flames crackled and danced around him.

When his laughter finally subsided, he noticed a small black shape not too far away. The girl in black who he had fought in the forests. A grim scoff escaped his throat. He should have figured she'd try to play the bold heroine and save the town. Can't have that, now can we? He reached into his pocket, changing his Shifter from a card to a knife, briefly toying with it before hiding it behind his back.

He took several steps towards her, tilting his head and calling out.

"Like what you see, kiddo?"

shit, it's the clown again!

[oblitus_clavis]

She jumped over a crate in the alley and took out two more of the oysters that were careening carelessly into some trash cans about to cause an even bigger fire.

She had been fairly sure it wasn't going to get worse than this until she heard that voice. Maybe this really was a bad dream. She turned and sure enough it was the clown she had fought in the forest. From the looks of it he was making good on his promise to make something bad happen.

"You....it was you that did this!" A statement, not a question. "What did this town do to you?!"

[madlikegravity]

The Joker sneered, expecting some kind of an indignant, horrified response from her to begin with. He took another two steps towards her, opening his arms widely.

"Hmm? This town didn't do anything. Don't you get it? They didn't do anything. Ain't we supposed to be in a war? Where's the, uh, the violence? And the bloodshed? People runnin' through the streets, screaming for their lives. All I'm trying to do is, uh, spark a little bit of inspiration, here."

He dusted off his jacket, giving himself a satisfied little smirk.

"No need to thank me or anything. I'm just doin' my part, y'see. Makin' life more exciting."

[oblitus_clavis]

"No one will thank you for this, because it's insane!"she yelled. "People aren't fighting because they don't want -"

She stopped in the middle of yelling at the unstable man because one of the lit oysters was unsteadily but surely coming up behind him. She had to bite down on the natural impulse to yell a warning, but no. Let this psychopath get a taste of his own medicine when it collided with him.

At this rate, she thought grimly. He'll be used to being set on fire before this whole adventure is over.

[your choice whether it actually hits him of course]

[madlikegravity]

He cast her a quizzical stare. What was with that abrupt pause? Something must have caught her attention. He glanced quickly over his shoulder and noticed the flaming oyster that was headed his way. Even if she didn't want to warn him, her sudden silence was warning enough. He smirked, stepping casually to the side as the oyster continued past him.

"I suppose now's a good time to pay back my debt, right?" snickered the Joker. With no warning, the clown ran up behind the flaming oyster and booted it, sending it rocketing towards Xion. "Catch!"

flaming oyster football! - I think it would be the new popular sport.

[oblitus_clavis]

There was no time for anything but an immediate reaction. The girl reacted on reflex and instinct. She swung her keyblade and the oyster split in half - but the two halves kept going until they hit the trash cans behind her and set them ablaze. She took a quick glance around the alley to see if there was anything that would put it out. No luck.

She glared at the Joker. She'd have been lying to say she wasn't frightened of him, after all she wasn't stupid. But someone had to do something about this guy.

"You wanted something to happen, right?" she said, quietly. "Fine. I'll fight you. But if I win, I want you to leave and let the townspeople clean up this mess you've made."

All we need is cheerleaders

[madlikegravity]

The Joker laughed at her audacity. She really thought she could make him leave? The clown barked hysterically with glee. He shook his head, a manic look in his eyes. He'd have some more fun with her before he took her life.

"Why don't we make this a little more interesting, hmm? I mean, uh, after all... you never did tell me your faction."

[oblitus_clavis]

She felt an uncomfortable feeling settle in her stomach. "No, and I won't. If I fight it'll be because I choose to...not because some kind of power they have over me is making me!" she said defiantly. "Do you accept or not?"

She was extremely doubtful he was going to make this easy, but she would see what he'd choose to do nonetheless.

[madlikegravity]

Party pooper, thought the clown to himself. The Joker took another couple of steps towards her, drawing out his knife. A reflection of the flames made the blade glisten. He tilted his head towards her, as though about to share a big secret. If she wouldn't tell him, then maybe he'd have to take the initiative.

"Now, see, if I was to tell you I was, uh, Carnival... what would you say to that? Hmm?"

If she was on another faction, she'd have no choice but to tell him. And if she was another Carnival member, then he doubted she'd have the gall to attack him. It would perhaps buy him some time to think of a way to get her off his back. Either way, this was a risky gamble.

[oblitus_clavis]

Carnival....? Part of her was relieved and part of her was annoyed - because why would she be in the same faction with someone like this individual? Then again, who knew what criteria the Roleholders went by. For all she knew, the carnival owner chose them because they both smiled often.

What the Joker didn't know was that Carnival or not, she had plenty of gall to attack him. And lunging forward, she prepared to do just that. She swung at him.

"I'd say you're not very entertaining."

[madlikegravity]

"Ooof!" He took the blow right in the stomach. He stepped back, somewhat winded, alternating between gasps for air and gasps of laughter. If she were on another faction, she'd have been forced to reveal hers after he spilled the beans, wouldn't she? The girl still attacked him, but didn't reveal her own faction. She must have played on the same team. The Joker was definitely wrong about one thing: same faction or no, she was dead-set on stopping him. Just another thing the two had in common.

"Like I tell everyone... I'm an---an acquired taste," he sneered, running his tongue over his scars. "Some people just... just don't get the joke."

He brought his knife forward, tossing it up into the air and catching it.

"Wanna play, kiddo? Let's go."

[oblitus_clavis]

It was always disturbing the way pain never seemed to faze this guy. Nobody liked getting injured...not even Nobodys. Joker just reacted like she was tickling him .

"Maybe you're not funny." she replied, bluntly. She took a defensive posture. "You don't learn your lesson, do you? I'm not going to hold back."

[madlikegravity]

He brought the knife up towards his mouth, running his tongue along the blade. It glistened in the firelight. The clown's tongue darted back from the knife to his scars. Victory would be sweet.

With a high-pitched cackle, the Joker suddenly lurched forward, swiping at her with the knife in a wild fury.

[oblitus_clavis]

The thing about the opponent she was facing now was that he wasn't acting with any kind of strategy that she could perceive - it was just random madness. She blocked the first hit, but the second swiped her shoulder, creating a shallow cut. She hissed at the stinging sensation and parried again, going in for a parallel strike at his midsection.

I won't loose to this guy!

[madlikegravity]

The strike pushed the Joker over backwards, but he recovered from it well, doing a backwards somersault into a kneeling position. After a brief pause, he rose to his feet. He stared down the girl and rushed forward for another attack. He feinted to one side, but quickly spun around, punching at her injured shoulder with his free hand.