Javert ✍ 003

[chose_death]

Who: Inspector Javert, anyone who happens by
Where: A bridge somewhere in Somni
Style: Either
Status: Open like the Wind. The Inspector needs to be bothered today

Comments

[phantomfenton]

*Swoops down behind the man, completely invisible. He's already grinning, rubbing his hands together--heh, payback, on Naomi's behalf! (Completely ignoring any valid reasons Javert might have had to badger her, of course.)*

*Floats around the man for a moment, before he darts closer, snaking an intangible arm forward. When Javert reaches to tear off another piece, Danny turns the bread intangible.*

[chose_death]

[Javert had the distinct feeling that he was being watched.

He hadn't heard anything beyond the sound of the cold wind blowing through the bridge. A brief, subtle glance without turning around didn't yield anything out of the ordinary, either. Yet he couldn't shake the distinct sensation of another man's eyes observing him, same as he does to the rest of the world.

Javert frowned.

Or he was just a mad old dog. Just an ass.

The Inspector absently moved to tear off another piece of bread and received quite a shock when his hand grasped nothing. Not crust, not fluffy chewy interior. Nothing.]

What the devil?

[His coordination couldn't have been that poor. Could it?

Javert's gaze is momentarily distracted from the river as he stares at the bread intently - ridiculously so - and swiftly makes a second attempt at tearing off another piece.]

[phantomfenton]

*Grins as the man stares hard at the bread, indeed watching his every move. Still making not a sound, Danny sees the hand descend again towards the bread. On impulse, he expands his intangibility to include the man's hand.*

[chose_death]

[This time, his hand passes right through the bread - and his opposite hand - before his very eyes.

Javert's jaw imperceptibly slackens. He experiments with this newfound intangibility, brushing his substanceless hand through the solid one with ease. Carefully he sets the bread on the parapet. Best to place it aside before he loses the capacity to grasp with both of his appendages.

He snorts to his cravat imperiously, his attitude back in full force.]

So that's it, is it? And without a word to the Service. [He folded his arms tightly and absently marveled at the lack of sensation when it passed neatly into the center of his upper arm.] Hurry it along, then.

[phantomfenton]

*Widens his grin at the experimenting, remembering his early days of discovering his powers. Of course, the man isn't freaking out half as much as Danny did...*

*Floats a little closer as Javert moves about, all the while keeping his fingertips in contact with the intangible hand to preserve the intangibility. The bread he lets regain solidness, leaving it on the parapet where the man sets it down.*

*Jumps when Javert talks, almost freezing and letting go of the arm. Is he talking to--no, he can't be. (The boy checks his invisibility, though, just to be safe.) And what did he mean by that? 'Hurry it along, then'?*

*Watches him for a moment or so more, until it's clear the man won't be saying anything else. Danny then withdraws his hand, letting the arm regain its shape and jerk painlesly into its own space outside of the arm it was phasing through.

[chose_death]

[Javert lifted his hand and flexed his fingers, the cold biting its way through his joints once more. He tested the hand against his sleeve, and sure enough, the flesh was solid.]

... Damn, [he breathed, his mouth curling into a disgusted frown.] I am a mad old hat.

[Though he did ever so hope, he thought to himself dryly, that whatever was watching him was having a good chuckle at his expense. The Inspector visibly soured at the thought.

Javert drew his hands into his sleeves and resumed his place bent back over the parapet, picking at his bread chunk by chunk. It was as if nothing had happened at all.]

[phantomfenton]

*True to Javert's 'hopes', Danny is indeed enjoying all this, laughing silently to himself.*

*The mirth fades a little at the man's easy recovery, though--there's no reaction beyond some no-nonsense grumpiness. (Then again, should he have expected anything else?)*

*Giving the Inspector just enough time to assure himself that the bread is solid again, Danny reaches forward and plucks the bread from his hands. He's still invisible--the bread is now 'floating' in mid-air.*

[chose_death]

[Javert straightened, his eyes carefully following the dancing bread. The movements weren't fluid. Therefore, the bread could not be moving on its own. In fact, it looked almost as if someone were simply holding it or waving it about...

Again, he folds his arms tightly across his chest, a grimace on his face.] Do you intend to be a ghost, a God, or a common thief? [He gives an indistinct gesture of his chin.] You may show yourself now.

[phantomfenton]

*Puts the bread back on the parapet, allowing himself a quiet sigh. He doesn't show himself--no way, not with how this guy's been dogging Naomi. Instead he folds his own arms and drifts upwards a little, watching Javert with a bored look. This is no good--maybe he should try somewhere else...*

[chose_death]

[Javert stares at the bread intently.

Javert turns about and gazes at one end of the bridge, then the other.

Javert looks in the other direction, his lower lip nearly meeting his nose in displeasure.

Abruptly he turns back to look at the bread, as if expecting it to be gone by the time he's made a complete 360 degree turn. Now he is back to staring at the bread, no better off than the street-corner lunatic.

With a sort of frustrated huff, he scoops up the bread and tears off a large chunk, biting into it as if he hadn't had a meal in days. Truthfully, Javert may not have; he was not the best at keeping to a regular meal schedule, and even in life he had great difficulty maintaining his meals during a significant chase. But certainly, Javert recognized on some level that this kind of craving simply wasn't commonplace...]

[phantomfenton]

*Lingers for a few moments longer, glancing around idly to see if anyone else is around. No--it's still just him and the Inspector. And considering what a bitterly cold day it is, he might be a while if he searches for anyone else...*

*Looks back at the man, remembering his earlier command. On impulse, Danny cups his hands around his mouth, floating down towards the bridge's stonework. If he wanted a reply...*

*Deepens his voice a little, disguising it with hoarseness.* I am the Bridge Ghost...

[chose_death]

[Javert's expression is unreadable. His lower lip quivers at the irony of the spectre's response. With disgust, he utters to his collar,]

It strikes me that this country is making sport of me.

[He frowns and again sets his bread upon the parapet.]

Find another bridge to haunt. I am busy.

[phantomfenton]

Bewaaare! *Has to pause, warring to keep at least a mildly straight face. A full smile would probably give him away, and would defenitely ruin his tone's 'spookiness'.*

I am the Bridge Ghost--and you are on the bridge that I haunt!

[chose_death]

Beware of what? [Javert keeps his head held high. In a level, almost daring tone, he adds,] If you are quite finished invisibly snatching my bread, what else? Condemn me?

[phantomfenton]

Beware of... my awesome wrath! *Shrugs the slight word-stumble off. Hey, it's not like he can just regurgitate everything the Box Ghost says. (Even though he could so totally recite that moron's spiel. In his sleep. Or drug-induced coma. While also buried under a pile of rocks, but that's beside the point.)*

You have transgressed on my sacred resting place! *Sacred as is loosely defined.* You must pay--tribute! In... bread!

[chose_death]

You expect me to believe there is something sacred about a suicide or a murder victim's 'resting place!' Don't be absurd.

[He drew himself up from the parapet, his brow furrowed in discontent. He cast one last... almost longing glance to the chilly waters before turning away with a low growl.]

Adieu, then.

[He made as if to leave, perhaps seeking the neighboring bridge as an alternative.]