227 was the highest score ever in the Eurovision Song Contest

[onlyanapple]

[Crowley did not like the news of people going missing. It worried him, not that he'd admit such a thing. And so, he's walking the castle, checking the doors of those he cared enough to be concerned about. It's just a casual peek, to see if the nameplate was mirrored. If that was sign enough, he felt no need to go opening doors willy nilly and making people realise he actually gave a damn about them. Crowley notices a few mirrored nameplates, his mood darkening with each one: Allen, Yuan, Chaucer, Belle. Well, bollocks, what were they doing, being so stupid as to be captured? Now he'd have to do something about...

And then he comes to Barney's door. Barney's door without a nameplate. Barney, who'd annoyed him and wouldn't piss off and eventually became one of his closest friends in the castle. Yeah. As much as he'd like to deny it, Barney was a friend. And now he was gone.

The demon opens the door, to confirm his fears and instantly had that stupid flying fish thing hovering around his head. A counterpoint to this crappy day. Though later, as did all the hand-me-down animals that came into his care, it would provide a little comfort for the person long since lost.

Crowley clenches his fists, taking a deep, steady breath. Peabody and Barney. Gone. Fuck it, and fuck this place. He pulls out his journal to dictate into it]

Right. We're going to find out how to get people back from this...kidnapping backwards name thing, and we're going to find out soon. The castle has officially pissed me off today, and I feel a distinct need to let it know how dissatisfied I am with its service.

[He scribbles down Allen, Yuan, Chaucer and Belle's names in the journal, then looks back at the room, the sad, empty room] For anyone who cares, Barney Stinson has gone home.

Comments

[midhitgrope]

Barney's gone? You serious?

Fuck...

Gone as in Gone gone? Not kidnapped, right?

[onlyanapple]

Gone. No nameplate, and all his stupid, tacky shit is missing.

[midhitgrope]

Shit.

That's a low blow, man. Seriously. Was just gettin' to know the guy

[onlyanapple]

[Crowley bristles a little, but manages to keep his tone surprisingly calm]

I knew him for three years.

[luckyvalentine]

[there's that frozen kind of silence for a minute, before she finally manages to force out a word]


...Crowley?

[please tell her that she didn't hear that right]

[onlyanapple]

[He hears her, and is quiet for a moment. And then there were two. It does nothing to ease that horrible, niggling fear of his that everyone, everyone leaves him eventually. One day, it could be her]

I'm at his room, his nameplate's gone.

[luckyvalentine]

But... [there were very few constant truths in this world, and Barney had been one of them. not even death had stopped him from being around before] ...But, there are some people missing right now, right? Maybe he's just...

[onlyanapple]

I checked, Faye. The other people have their nameplate's there, just...mirrored.

[His tone drops again, quiet. This was wrong. This was so very wrong]

He's gone.

[kungfuwitch]

[All her breath goes out of her in a rush]

No...

[onlyanapple]

Life's a piece of shit and then people get sent home. Welcome to the universe.

[kungfuwitch]

I've seen my sister go home and someone else leave and come back with me as their loss... Trust me, I know how cruel this place can be.

[onlyanapple]

Glad to know you're prepared for the crap this place puts you through.

[ino]

[aahhhh, dammit .... ino just kinda stares at this post. barney's really gone? after being here so long ...

that, combined with the mirrored nameplates and not really know what to do about them and not being able to find certain people ... well, she's just going to aptly comment on all of that in two words]

Today sucks.

[onlyanapple]

I couldn't agree more.

[Crowley]

[ino]

[silent for a moment, before she throws up this filter]

This is probably a stupid question, but -- you definitely haven't heard from Allen at all? [no, it's not PROBABLY stupid, she knows it is. because she looked already. but she's hoping that maybe, somehow, crowley has some insight she doesn't]

[Ino]

[onlyanapple]

No. I checked his room and his nameplate's got that stupid mirror crap going on.

[heloise]

What will you do?

[onlyanapple]

I don't know, but it'll probably involve a lot of fire.

[heloise]

What if the castle refuses to give them back after the injury?

Crowley-san

[amiable]

[ She stares at the names scribbled down, confused for a minute or so. ]

Why is Allen-kun's name there? And Chaucer?

Uru

[onlyanapple]

Because they're missing.

Crowley-san

[amiable]

[ Panicking? Panicking. ]

How long now?

[echivoc]

[ seeing Allen's name scribbled down sends Cross off on a walk through the castle to see for himself. technically he does not know where the boy's room is, but the exploration gives him a chance to see the other mirrored nameplates. soon enough he comes across his apprentice's room, and just rolls his eye. worry? what worry?

back in his room, he opens the journal and dictates: ]

Leave it to my idiot apprentice to get snatched up by whatever's going on right now.

[onlyanapple]

[Crowley scoffs]

Tell me about it. I don't think he'll ever learn to stay out of trouble.

[echivoc]

Agreed. He just cannot keep his nose out of anything.