Turn a Blind Eye (Action)

[ceasetoexist]

[As he goes about his day today, something seems odd about Pokey. Almost off, if you will. Instead of his usually slow, grumbling, unhappy pace, he seems to be walking fairly briskly. Not only that, he seems to be....greeting people as he goes about whatever it is he's doing?

Screw horrible radio broadcasts and the hazmats, Pokey actually seems happy at the moment. You would almost think he'd managed to get his stupid ass droned, if not for the fact that he maintains his usual tone, although slightly cheerier.

There are several ways to run into him today.]

A. On The Streets

[Again, Pokey is just bouncing with good cheer today, and seems eager to share it. He'll openly great you on the streets today, among other things. Other things he could be doing at the moment? If you look like you need a hand with something, Pokey'd be happy to come help. Or, oh, is that litter? He'll actually clean that shit up. Later in the day, you'll also find him carrying several sheets of cardboard back home with him. Feel free to bother him then too. Feel free to bother him while he's doing one of many semi-helpful services around town or coming to greet you.]

B. At School

[Who cares if there's roving gangs of obviously dangerous men under Grady's control at the moment? School is still school. Which is amazing, considering how often Pokey tends to play hooky. He's unusually attentive in class as well, instead of his usual tendency to just sleep through courses. And much like his on the streets entry, he'll be doing his best to help others: picking up crap, offering to help other kids with their books even if he doesn't know them yet, ect. Feel free to bother him during any of these helpful shenanigans.]

C. Decorating His Yard

[Around early evening, 502 Ricardo Street's front lawn is going to begin to become slightly more colorful. Horribly so. It seems Pokey decided to try and put all that cardboard he had in the first option to good use and try to make Halloween decorations for the front yard with it, such as cut-outs of pumpkins and zombies and witches and yada yada yada. They're...not particularly good. In fact, a blind monkey could have probably made them better. But he's clearly still happy with it as he tries to get his yard set up for Halloween.]

D. Phone

[Pokey's voice, while clearly not droned, is still incredibly enthusiastic, almost bubbling. He's also stupidly left if unfiltered.]

Okay, so we have like, a week and a half to Halloween. And I don't know about you folks, but all this crap with the "Russian" and the radio broadcast and whoever these jokers in the suits are?

Not letting it ruin my holiday. Nope.

Cause the thing is, bad junk happens to us all the time. Constantly. So you know what? Forget about the costs. Halloween only comes around once a year, and I'm not letting some jerkwads ruin this one time of the year for me. You all can, that's fine. But I intend to enjoy the holiday the way it was meant to be.

Comments

A

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

[Should Pokey happen to wander past 726 Anderson on his merry way, he might spot his supposed 'arch enemy' occupying the front doorstep.

On the lowest step, Slugger sits nearly doubled with both arms wrapped around himself. He appears to be staring at the ground, possibly even asleep, but at the slightest sound of approaching movement, he instantly jerks up his head and looks directly at Pokey.

But today the antagonizing grin is absent from his face as is any other expression that might indicate feeling. Today he simply spots Pokey, recognizes him as something other than imminent threat, then silently looks away.]

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

[Pokey doesn't care. he doesn't care. He'll just keep walking after staring at Slugger for a minute. It doesn't matter. It doesn't-

Goddammit, why is he standing in front of him now?]

What's the matter with you, psycho?

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

[Slugger doesn't raise his head but he nods vaguely toward the ground.]

I threw up. [And he doesn't remember where so... watch your step.]

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

Oh, poor baby.

[But thanks for the warning. He'll be watching where he's stepping.]

What, you sick then or something?

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

No.

[His attention is suddenly drawn to the sidewalk where a pair of random drones are taking a stroll. He soon relaxes after deciding they aren't a threat.

Slugger waits until the drones have passed before speaking again. His voice is even quieter than usual.]

...Last night, he came here.

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

[Yeah, that sends a chill up Pokey's spine, considering how subjective that could be. He's just quiet for a moment before licking his lips and asking.]

The Russian, or Grady?

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

Both. [Looking up.]

Smirnov came first. Miss Susan let him in for questioning.

That's when Grady found out. And now Susan is--

[He shifts uneasily, looking at Pokey's shoes for no reason other than that they are in his direct line of sight when looking down.]

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

Oh.

[This is...uncomfortable. Pokey doesn't really know the woman other then that she's his teacher, but he doesn't necessarily think she deserved to get killed. And he's...kind of surprised that Slugger would take it hard.]

....She'll come back.

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

[At that, he shoots you a look. It only lasts a moment but a definite flicker of anger creases his brow. How dare you imply what he thinks you just did. It's unnerving that someone like Susan could be taken down so easily, that's all. That's all.

He lets it slide though. There are more important matters to discuss. Slugger scans the immediate area before speaking...]

Have you heard of 'Zemekis'?

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

[He isn't phased for once by you. You don't fully have your teeth bared at the moment, so he'll sit down as well, looking at the ground.]

Heard his name mentioned once or twice. That he might be the real big leader of everything.

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

[Slugger has no idea why you would choose to join him on this step and is inconspicuously wary of your every move. However, it doesn't bother him as much as it does mystify him.]

...Smirnov was about to reveal an identity when Grady entered. It must be important.

[What is this... idle chatter. This must be your fault, somehow.]

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

[He's just as confused as you are. He really, really has no clue why he's doing this, other then having nothing else to do.]

...That would suggest whoever he is, he's also inside the town. Somewhere. Otherwise, there'd be no point to knowing the identity.

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

[The concept that the most important information is right here glaring them all in the collective face is an impressive one. It's a wonder you thought of it. Except actually it isn't.]

Is there evidence it's a person?

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

[Pokey chews on his bottom lip a moment, covering his mouth with his hand as he does so. Thinking. Awww, is that some tsundere for your death-game buddy, Slugger?]

...That's what bothers me. We don't even know what the friggin' town is. It could easily be a machine of some type. For that matter, we could be stuck in one.

[He squeezes one of his hands tightly.]

Who's to say we even are who we think we are?

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

[Get out.]

You say machine. I say monster.

[This is his own personal pet theory.]

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

[No, you know it's true~]

May not be much of a difference.

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

[Slander.]

A monster is an entity with a mind of its own.


[ooc] Have you seen this? I maketh icon.

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

[His voice goes a bit softer. Not out of fear but...is he reminiscing?]

It depends. There's mindless machines, but then there's thinking ones. Same with monsters. There are some monsters that think on their own, and their are some you can put a leash on and aim what they do. Or try to, at least.

[OOC: I noticed! I meant to thank you earlier! I'll be using it soon! And really, thank you! I owe you one! :D]

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

[It sounds as if you speak from experience. He imagines you've probably seen a whole lot more in your 400 years worth of it than his 10 (yes, he may look 12 but he's only existed for a decade). Perhaps what you've said is exactly what Mayfield is.]

Until it breaks the leash...?


[ooc] Aw, that's okay. Welcome. :D

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

Pretty much. But honestly, you can never fully keep it leashed. You just have to hope you can keep it back long enough that it doesn't go totally wild, and that you have it so that it's at least somewhat used to listening to you by that point. Whether Grady and the Mayor or Zemekis or whatever have actually succeeded in this...I dunno.

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

[Slugger is eying you keenly. Okay, now he must ask.]

You've had personal experience?

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

[And he'll just look you straight back in the eye for once, Slugger. He isn't attempting to avoid looking at you for once, or showing the usual submission he does when talking with you. And for once, his eyes themselves seem almost obscenely old.]

Yeah. I have.

I should have made him look blue.

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

[Congratulations, Pokey. You've managed to distract him from that terrifying encounter with Grady last night.

And for once Slugger is interested in your thought process for reasons other than hitting you.]

Then you have insight into the minds of the leash-holders.

Did you ever lose control?

LOL its totally cool my icons aren't particularly good at expressing that anyway...

[godisachild.livejournal.com]

[He thinks on that for a moment.]

...It's hard to say. That's the thing. When it can't think for itself, it's just a dumb animal. And you can't train something like that, not really. But you can intimidate it, and as long as it's afraid of you, it'll listen. Because even though it's stronger then you? It still has basic emotions you can control. I'd like to say I had control until the end, but then again? There wasn't much keeping it from killing me either.

...I doubt Lucy or whoever is in-charge is as close to what I controlled, but I think it could be similar. They're trying to cage a self-serving animal. And entertain it so it doesn't get too pissed off.

[strike-you-out.livejournal.com]

Makes sense... How did you intimidate it?

[As a monster, he's a bit curious.]