Hollow Victory

[John Gears]

John wasn't sure how long he had been running through the streets. He no longer had any idea if ShadowEdge managed to survive or died bleeding in the liquor store by his own idiocy. This was almost embarrassing, he was a summer courtier. A fighter. But common sense always says that you avoid man with shotguns unless you have plenty of cover.

He ducked into an ally, propping himself against a wall just so he could catch his breath. He wasn't going to jail, even if it was just for holding for a day or two. It reminded him too much of what he had endured all those years ago. Damn. Can't stay.... He took another few deep breaths as he looked around for something he could use to help him out. Lets see...Exit, exit, exit...

[Fractured]

John sees a large dumpster in the alley. It looks plenty big enough for him to open the top and get it. There is no one else around.

[John Gears]

Not very clean, but beggars can't be chosers. John though as he approached the dumpster. He's done this plenty of times so it should not be hard. He quickly rapped his hand against the lid and said. "Let me in." He could feel the glamor leave his body as he opened a way into the hedge. He relaxed, trying to keep his head and feelings clear as he opened the lid.

One glamour to open a way to the hedge

[Fractured]

Things go black for the Manikin known as John Gears as he dumpster dives through his impromptu Gate, and then they go purple, and then they go raspberry, and then they gogogosososofastandpretty and you feel like your insides have become your upsides and you're just everywhere, man, everywhere all at once and then...

The Elemental finds himself on a dark, narrow path which twists and winds its way through tall, thick thorns that threaten to overwhelm it on either side. Behind him is a door that appears made of the same material as the dumpster's lid. The little light that the briars allow through is already fading.

Welcome back to the Hedge, John Gears.

ST Note: Please track your WP and Glamour expenditures in your sig from this point forward, -1 for making a Gate.

[John Gears]

No matter how many times I do that, it always feels so god damn WEIRD! John shivers after that experience, trying to shake that feeling out of his body and focus. His dirty glass eyes scan the environment, find that there wasn't much room to maneuver if he got ambushed.

Well, I opened the Gate. he though as he started wrapping his hedgespun scarf around the lower portion of his face. Best to go forward an hope to god I didn't trade one ending for another. And with that, he went forward, buttoning up his trench coat and keeping an eye on the environment around him, just so he could keep his eyes on the mortal world if this way was too dangerous to move through.

[Fractured]

John follows the twisting, deep brown dirt path; as he walks by, the thorns rustle slightly towards him. The hard, black plastic door back to the real world is just barely still visible behind the Manikin's shoulder when he comes to a crossroads. He hears a huffing from his right, and his attention is drawn to a small, green caterpillar, which he only notices because it is tugging a large brown suitcase behind it, and swearing such obscenities as would make an Irish sailor blush. It has not, apparently, noticed John.

[John Gears]

John took a step back as soon as he saw the creature. He wasn't sure if this was a freindly one or not. But seeing as this was the Hedge you could count that either way it wasn't going to turn out well. He held back, trying to gauge the situation and see if interaction was the best course or not.

[Fractured]

The caterpillar inches along interminably slowly, trailing the suitcase behind it, which is clearly too heavy for it to carry effectively. It's getting hard to see the little guy in the dying light...and the door back to reality.

As the little creature gets within a few yards of John, it notices the big brass man standing, watching it, and says:

"OY, BIG NOBBIE! WHAT ARE YEW STARING AT?"

[John Gears]

"Arg!" John winced. Apprently the catapillar had larger windpipes than what his size sugested. "You don't have to shout...God...My fucking ears....

"Sorry, Its not everyday I see a catapillar dragging a suitcase through the hedge. Why are you anyway?" John asked with a slight scowl on his face.

[Fractured]

"I'M ON HOLIDAYS, WHADDAYEW THINK? BIG NOBS," he says, shaking his little green head in exasperation at the universal stupidity of anyone taller than, say, your middle finger. "ME MASTER HAS PASSED ON, GOD REST HIS OLD SOUL. HE COULDNAE KEEP ME TREE PROTECTED UNDER HIS HOME'S HOSPITALITY ANYMORE, WELL NOW, SO THE BIRD'S HAVE TAKEN IT, AND TOLD OL' CHESTER TO FIND A NEW HOME. SO GET OUTTA MY WAY, IT'S GETTING DARK, BIG NOB." He grunts as he pulls the suitcase another inch. It occurs to John that the proud little bastard doesn't stand a snowball's chance in hell of surviving a night in the Hedge by himself in the open like this. Meanwhile, the thorns slowly encroach upon the path behind John.