four paintings burned

[thehangedrose]

[It's a (mostly) peaceful day in Paradisa. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and some guy is shrieking at the top of his lungs in absolute terror over the journals.]

[Wait, what?]

HHHYYYEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKK!!!! NO! NO NO NO NO NO no no no nooooooo...

No, I don't want this! I don't want you! I never wanted you! So, if you please, just go bug someone else...really, that would be the best thing!

[There's the sound of running, and then it stops and there is a slight gasp.]

Oh! Oh. Why won't...just leave me alone, okay?! I don't want to take you! Nor play your games...just go. Go! Oh...this has to be a dream. I'm dreaming, right? First the rose, now this...

[And now, Garry sounds annoyed- annoyed that the gallery is coming back to haunt him (or is it the castle's doing...? he doesn't want to think about it), annoyed that he has to be reminded of everything that he went through, especially that room...]

I don't think this is doing well at all for my mental state at all...

[He lets out a shuddering sigh and then realizes that he's been holding the journal open the entire time. Welp, that is kind of embarrassing- he moves and turns away from the doll that has been following him everywhere, and speaks in a rather horrified whisper, as if he's afraid the thing can hear him, somehow.]

Um. Sorry. About that...though I have a quick question.

If...you had a specific problem that came back to bother you, what would you do about it? And this isn't a problem that I can get rid of that easily...

[ooc: Garry's first loss! And he'll be found all over the castle in a hysterical state, if you want to run into him. YAY FOR CREEPY DOLLS.]

Comments

[thehangedrose]

[He suddenly turns around and jumps like three inches in the air, letting out a little squeak when he sees her...before suddenly realizing that Mabel is not, in fact, the thing that has been making him freak out so much.]

Oh! Oh, oh gosh, you...scared me...

[He pinches his nose, letting out a sigh, before he realizes that wait, this innocent precious girl is going to turn the corner and see that thing, and...HE MUST PROTECT HER AT ALL COSTS.]

[Cue him trying to make her back away with a shake of the head and a nervous expression.]

No! No, I mean, you shouldn't go around the corner, there's something really bad there! Trust me!

[bezazzled]

[But... she needs to pass! Still, she finds herself backing up at his insistence. That doesn't stop her from trying to peer around him.]

Something bad? What is it? Is it a monster? Should we go get some help?

[thehangedrose]

I don't think anyone can help, and...yeah, you could say that! Very monstrous and rather creepy...

[Don't look, Mabel! Or the creepy doll will get you (or so Garry thinks) and that wouldn't be good at all.]

I just don't want you to get hurt, alright?

[bezazzled]

Really?

[Okay, now he's just making her curious.]

I don't hear anything... is it a silent predator? I wanna see!

[thehangedrose]

[NO MABEL THIS IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT HE WANTS YOU TO DO.]

It's silent, but...I don't think little girls like you should be around that kind of stuff, really!

[bezazzled]

[The sentiment is really appreciated, Mr. Awesome Hair, but nothing can stop the power of tweenage curiosity.]

Not to brag, but I've seen some pretty bizarre stuff this summer. I'm just gonna take a quick peak, and then we can run away in terror according to plan.

[Nudging past him a bit!]

[thehangedrose]

[Shifting to block her way with the most concerned expression ever!]

No, please! Trust me when I say that it's really not something you should trifle with!

Look, even if you've seen bizarre stuff doesn't mean this is something you should absolutely see! And...I can't exactly run away from this thing, it'll follow me wherever I go...

[bezazzled]

[LET HER PASS HER DESTINATION AWAITS]

It will? If it's so dangerous, then shouldn't you be running away from a highly populated area of residents? That just makes the most sense to me. Ooh! You could run to the Dead Zone! Maybe it'll stop there!

[thehangedrose]

[NOPE HE IS THE ADULT HERE YOU MUST BE PROTECTED.]

What is the Dead Zone? That sounds really dangerous! [Excuse him, Mable, he's still not completely informed on all the castle secrets.] And I'm trying to, but that means I have to lock myself in my room or something, because it won't go away.

[bezazzled]

But if you lock yourself in your room, who is going to protect you from the thing? Whatever it is? Level with me here, what is this thing even capable of?

[thehangedrose]

Um...

[Telling a little girl that you kind of when insane for a little while because of a room full of those things isn't exactly the best way to state it. Garry sighs, shaking his head.]

Well...let's just say that it kind of ruins your mental state if you're with it a long time. But it's okay...I'd rather it be me than anyone else...

[bezazzled]

Sooo... it's not a monster or anything? Not even with big teeth or sharp claws?

[The excitement level kind of dropped here]

[thehangedrose]

Oh, it is! Kind of. Just imagine a really creepy blue doll with the most evil of red eyes and a wide red-eyed smile that will never go away...and you've got it.

[bezazzled]

[All she heard was "doll"]

You're afraid of a doll? Now I have to see this.

[Sorry, Garry! You did your best, but Mabel's moving quickly past in order to meet this scary doll of his. CAN'T BE TAMED.]

[thehangedrose]

It's not just any regular doll-!

[But before he can finish, she's pushed beside him, and he lets out a rather nervous rush of "NONNONONOOOOOOOOO" as he tries to get her back.]

[But even he can't compete with the force of the CAN'T BE TAMED MABEL.]

[Why are little girls better than him at all the things? D8]

1/2

[bezazzled]

[She really doesn't see the big deal. How scary can a doll even be? She marches confidently around the corner and--

As soon as she lays eyes on it, she lets out the loudest shriek imaginable.]

[bezazzled]

IT'S SO CUTE!

[Mabel doesn't see a scary doll at all! She does, however, see the cutest green bunny she has ever seen. Ever. Not that there is a lot competition. It's likely the first green bunny she's ever seen.

She rushes toward it and picks it up, holding it out in front of her.]

1/2 THIS IS THE SECOND WORST DAY OF HIS LIFE

[thehangedrose]

[Cute.]

[CUTE.]

[CUTE.]

[Don't mind if Garry's jaw kind of almost falls to the floor, there, Mabel. YOU'RE LIKE IB, THIS IS HAPPENING ALL OVER AGAIN.]

[thehangedrose]

[He's going to point at it with the most accusatory glare ever. YOU ARE FOOLING NO ONE, DOLL, HE SEES YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE.]

That abomination is not CUTE! Not ever!

[bezazzled]

[Mabel places one hand on her hip, the other still clinging to the bunny.]

It's just a bunny! Why you ackin' so cray cray?

[thehangedrose]

...What.

[A...bunny. To be fair, Ib never told him what she saw (only that it was cute and she wanted to pet it), so this comes as quite the surprise.]

[He's just going to stare at Mabel for a minute, before shaking his head as he looks back at the doll. Nope, still a doll. It leers at him, as if it knows exactly how much torture it is putting him through and is delighting over it forever. YEAH, SCREW YOU TOO, DOLL.]

Its...not a bunny. No! No, it's messing with your mind somehow! I swear! That thing is trying to trick you!

It's a doll, and it knows it! Put it down!

[bezazzled]

[She looks down at the bunny.

Then back at him.

Then at the bunny again.

...]

Are you sure you're just not seeing things?

[thehangedrose]

[He shakes his shaggy purple head quite vehemently trying to show that he's telling the truth.]

No, I'm really sure about this! I mean...when I was trapped in the art gallery back home, there was a young girl who also got trapped in there with me, and she saw them as cute bunnies too.

But then later, when we went deeper into the interior of the gallery, she saw them for what they really were...they play tricks on your mind somehow.

[bezazzled]

[...squint]

Okay. I think I see what's going on here.

[thehangedrose]

...

You're...not going to say I'm out of my mind, are you?