Brawn is Beautiful [Complete]

[mymanlyself]

Character(s): Gaston, Jack Skellington, any others who want to join in.
Content: Gaston and Jack enter Paixao...
Setting: Joutenheim Gate
Time: Monday morning
Warnings: None

Comments

[averyspecialguy]

Perhaps Gaston was right; being dead so long really did alter your perception of things. The oddity of having a rotatable head had been long overlooked in favor of its convenience, until he imagined how it must look. In fact, it was rather pleasing to imagine how it must look to other people, especially since he hadn't used that particular trick in a while. He'd have to use it again soon, just so he didn't go out of practice; it would probably work better on people without such good nerves as Gaston had. If he had been privy to the muscular man's thoughts on the matter, he might have protested; he was considered quite handsome back in Halloweentown, after all

[mymanlyself]

Gaston enjoyed a good practical joke as much as the next man (at least, as long as it was someone else who was looking foolish). He laughed heartily at the poor gatekeeper's expression, giving Jack a friendly smack on the back in appreciation of the spooky trick he'd just played. "Good one!" he exclaimed, glancing over at the pile to take a look at what was over there. "Sure, see if they have any in red... That's my favorite color."

The muscular man reached down and picked up some of the pamphlets as well, giving them a quick scan. He didn't much care for reading, but one of them had a map of the city on it, and that was one thing that might be interesting to look at in the future. It always helped to know where the local taverns were. Actually, a cold beer sounded nice... He wondered if that sort of thing even interested his companion, though. Jack didn't exactly look like someone who would appreciate good food or drink.

[averyspecialguy]

Jack jumped a little at Gaston's smack, not so much because of the gesture itself, but because one of the rib bones under Gaston's hand had popped loose, and fallen with a clatter into his pelvis. It didn't hurt, and it didn't really hinder him in any way, though, so he opted to ignore it until they got into the city. "A good color to like." He agreed, picking out a red for Gaston as well, and offering it over as he popped his skull back into place, murmuring lyrically under his breath. "This is Halloween, red and black, slimy green

[mymanlyself]

"Well, I thought I might find the local tavern," Gaston voiced his earlier thoughts on the matter, not even bothering to hide his stare as Jack put away his journal inside of himself. He settled for putting his own journal in a pocket, since he currently had internal organs taking up that space in his own body. "I've found that's usually the place to go for the latest news..." he added. "Not to mention, there's good company and cold drinks. Something for everyone. What do you say? Are you game?"

[averyspecialguy]

Jack smiled wryly at the stare, smoothing his clothing down and pulling the brochures from his pocket. "Certainly. I wouldn't mind hearing a bit more about the place, while I'm here." Maybe the bar even had a bit of candy? He wasn't much one for drinking--though he was reasonably certain he could drink anyone under the table, he didn't believe it was possible for him to actually get intoxicated--, but candy was the one culinary pleasure he did love to indulge in. He unfolded one of them to look at the map, finger skimming along the gridlines as he looked over the descriptions. "You might like this 'The Cheap Prayer', though it seems to be a good distance away."

[mymanlyself]

Gaston leaned over to take a glance at the map, noting the path Jack's finger took across it. There seemed to be squiggly lines running from one end of the city to the other. Roads, perhaps? He had yet to see any form of transportation, but if there was any to be found, that probably had something to do with it. "What's this?" he said, pointing to the spot where the lines crossed, "Pah... Pah-icks-ay-oh Central Station?" he stumbled over the odd word, not having been paying attention when the gatekeeper mentioned the city's name. "There's lines connecting it to other parts of the city."

He leaned back and crossed his arms, "Of course, even if that's nothing, we could always walk. Exercise is good for the body." Not that it would help Jack... But Gaston expected it wouldn't bother him, either. Skeletons didn't get tired, did they?

[averyspecialguy]

"Paixao." Jack corrected, enunciating carefully for Gaston to remember more easily. The woman had gotten his undivided attention while they had spoken, even if she hadn't provided much useful information. At least if this was part of the afterlife, it was even more isolated than Halloweentown was. "It appears to be a train station, according to the description here.... That would likely be the quickest way to travel, though I haven't any money for a fare--I'm not adverse to walking, though, so I suppose it's just a matter of patience and preference."

[mymanlyself]

Gaston scowled a little at the correction to his pronunciation, though he made no complaint. He could make up for his lack of reading comprehension in another way. "I have money on me," he told his companion. He ~had~ been fairly well-off back in his home town, and he tried to be prepared for all eventualities, so he kept some of that cash at hand for whenever he needed it. True, anyone would have given him a loan in a heartbeat, but Gaston rarely took anyone up on the offer since it meant he would be in their debt.

"The only trouble would be if they refuse to take it," he observed, though he didn't see why that would even be the issue in the afterlife. He wasn't even sure that they would actually use money anymore, though if they did, he would have to find a way of obtaining more of it before too long. It would be absolutely unquestionable to turn into a poor man just because he had passed on to the afterlife!

[averyspecialguy]

Jack, meanwhile, hadn't thought it a question of reading comprehension at all; it was only a matter of paying attention to the woman who had told it to them. Besides, Gaston would have looked more foolish if he'd tried using his own pronunciation with natives, than if he had it corrected right off the bat. "Quite fortunate. I'm not certain if you actually do need it--my own town just works on trading favors, for example--, but if you do, I'll find some way to repay you." After all, payment didn't need to be in money alone, and--in his opinion, at least--he was a decent fellow to be able to call in a favor from.

[mymanlyself]

"We often traded favors in my town as well," Gaston told Jack. "Not all the time, obviously, but the occasional barter can get you better deals than just paying money does. Of course, that works best when the other people know you, and are inclined to give you a favorable exchange. Here, we won't have that advantage... At least, not yet." The muscular hunter grinned widely. "We just have to make a name for ourselves. A good reputation is worth even more than money. Why, back where I came from, I was the most popular man in town, and let me tell you, that was definitely something... All I had to do was say the word, and just about anyone on the street would do me a favor."