THE SANDBOX

[wolfintheattic]

NO LONGER IN USE

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SUPER AWESOME GRAVITY FALLS ADVENTURE

[toothaches]

He couldn't hang out around the diner forever. For one, he needed to find something to eat and for another, those possums were terrifying. So wander he did. The bus didn't come back, as the kid had said, and once he found himself a (possibly outdated) bus schedule, he had to accept that he was going to be stuck for at least four more days.

So he went hunting.

Luckily it was a weekend and the woods were filled with campers daring each other to do stupid things and it wasn't terribly hard to ambush the poor sucker who'd been left behind on a snipe hunt. As was Maurice tradition, he left behind both a cookie and a juice box. You had to take care of your food sources, y'know!

So that left him feeling more rejuvenated but no less lonely as he wandered between the trees and listened to the hoots of drunk college kids.

ROLLS IN LATE WITH DIPPERBUCKS

[pinevestigator]

The vampire that he met at the diner lingered in the back of Dipper's mind even as he went back to Mabel and Stan, not bothering to try to tell them what he found (even Mabel, who was more interested in hearing about the possums anyway). He figured that he would be able to leave town eventually, if a reliable bus ever did swing back around. The last bus he'd seen was the one Soos had taken up driving once, after all...and that was a while back.

It wasn't uncommon for Dipper to take frequent walks in the forest himself, taking the book with him so he could document anything strange he saw as well as match up occurrences with those listed on the pages. Jackalopes were a thing that he'd been trying to find, recently, with not much luck.

So when he heard something go crashing through the underbrush he slowed to a stop, his brows furrowing as he turned his pen over in his hand, then stuck it behind one ear. Too many dead leaves and pine needles to see any reliable tracks...so cautiously he followed the noise a bit deeper.

"Let's see...'jackrabbits are common around this area, but are significantly smaller and less agile than the elusive Jackalope. They are lightning quick and their tracks are hard to distinguish from your average hare'"

He read aloud to himself as he walked, keeping his gaze trained on the book in his hands. Of course he wasn't really looking where he was going while he walked, distracted by the text and by listening for any further disturbances...so when he suddenly pitched forward into blackness it was too much of a shock for him to scream.

Dipper tumbled head over heels with a strangled cry of surprise, dropping the journal and losing his hat on the way down as he fell hard on his shoulder. After finally coming to a stop he didn't move, staring up out of one eye at the circle of light above that was the entrance he'd fallen into. A pit in the ground? ...what was this?

[toothaches]

The sounds of partying died away behind him as Maurice trundled deeper into the woods, hands in his pockets. Thankfully he was only slightly buzzed by proxy and could keep his ears open. He hadn't forgotten the kid's warning. Who knew what was in these woods?

Back home, he felt fairly confident that he was the biggest baddest thing in the sticks...but it was Dogtrot. That wasn't saying a lot. A whispering tugged at his attention and he turned only for it to suddenly stop. Did somebody say something about hair?

He self-consciously wound a hand around a lock of his own and squinted between the dark trunks. Should he call out? No...that wasn't usually a good idea. Instead, he carefully took a couple of steps in the direction the sound had come from.

Pinkie Pie | MLP:FiM

[iwasarockfarmer]

.

/finally rolls something that isn't insane GET IN THE CART WE'RE GOIN SHOPPING

[goudatparties]

[It's been some time since Cheese last visited Ponyville, but his travels all over Equestria have brought him back to the familiar town once again. And, of course, he's here to do one thing and the one thing he does best: plan parties, naturally.

A party, to be exact. A rather large, extravagant one that he can already tell will require a lot of hoofwork to get done. It will need plenty of supplies as well, supplies that he doesn't have on him...and Cheese isn't too proud that he won't ask for some help, particularly from the one pony who knows parties better than he does.

He trots up to the door of Sugarcube Corner, lightly knocking on it with a hoof while calling out.]

Pinkie Pie? Are you here? It's me, Cheese Sandwich!

[iwasarockfarmer]

_{[The door pulls inward before Cheese can get out more than three knocks and is replaced with a very VERY excited pink face.]}

Oh WOW! My Pinkie Sense told me that I was going on an important journey today so I got all my hiking supplies together, but I didn't know it would be this important!

FORGET THOSE STARTERS, I WANNA RP ABOUT LIGHT BULBS

[screamsgeometrically]

"Hmmmm."

Peridot held the object at its base with her fingertips, rotating it slowly as she scrutinised it through narrowed eyes. It was transparent, with a flimsy metal alloy wrapped around its bottom and shaped with a thick, grooved pattern. The rest of it was made of glass--a fragile, crude amorphous solid.

Above her, one of the street lights of the city rose in silhouette--or. Well. Part of one of the street lights rose in silhouette. The entire upper half of it had been vandalised--dismantled in the course of Peridot's relentless attempts to find something usable or at least recognisable in this technological wasteland.

It was just so... so... primitive.

The Gem technology left on earth had been archaic, but this... this...

Junk! It was all... just... junk!

"Ugggh." She dropped the bulb to the ground in defeat. It struck the pavement with a dull clink and rolled in a crippled, useless half-circle before losing momentum.

[goldeneyeball]

JW had been watching her from his bakery window for about fifteen minutes now. Partially out of amusement because he knew a new face when he saw it and partially out of wonder because WHAT the fuck is she. One of them green Star Trek women? He could get behind that.

But then he worried about her trying to destroy things on his side of the street and decided that maybe he should do something about this.

So, the antlered wonder sat his mixing bowl aside and struck out to cross the street, carefully avoiding any glass that might be littering the sidewalk.

"I'm not an electrician, but it looks like you're havin' some trouble."

[screamsgeometrically]

"A what--?" Peridot turned around, squinting up automatically--but she wasn't looking high enough, and she had to crane rather more drastically to see the face of the... uh. Was that a human?

...eugh. Maybe not. She stood up quickly, not wanting to be on the dirty ground any longer than need be. Especially not with this 'not-an-electrician' right there.

"And you are...?"

Roman Gulliver | OC

[neighborofthebeast]

.

GRIM GRINNING GHOSTS COME OUT TO SOCIALIZE

[neighborofthebeast]

"Hahaha, gross." Roman's idea of a date was classy. It involved a trashy parking lot carnival, greasy food, and a game of 'would you rather' behind the broken down Scrambler.

But all in all it was a nice night. The weather was clear, the carnival had a good crowd, the roads were open, and the prizes weren't half bad. Some of it was even electronics they could pawn off later.

Smash!

All in all it was mostly a nice night. Roman sat up and flicked a long goaty ear into existence so he could turn it in the direction of the haunted house.

"Those douchebags are still here?"

WORLD WALKERS UNITED

[neighborofthebeast]

Things like this always happened at a crossroads. That's just how the world works. It was sundown and the roads stretched from horizon to cloudless purple horizon, crossing neatly at a little Texaco gas station. Roman sat with his legs criss-crossed at the very edge of the lot with a big black school backpack at his side. He was reading something in the low parking lot light and his glasses caught the light of the passing cars.

He was in his human disguise, humming some old Disney song to himself, and keeping an ear open for somebody who Needed him. They always found him when they did. That was what crossroads were for.

[ka_mai]

It never failed to amaze Bert how big every place was in this world. He'd always thought Gilead to be the largest country anywhere, but then he'd woken up in this world and the country he was in was so big it had to be divided up into smaller things just for the sake of ease. It had taken him weeks to remember that states were all part of one big country, not countries and kingdoms of their own.

But they fascinated him. This whole world did, though his heart deeply longed for the fields and forests of In-World. He knew enough about how these things worked to know he couldn't return.

But there was more than enough to explore, and there were even the occasional abomination of the Red to dispatch. Sometimes. Pity he didn't have his guns, but they hadn't made the journey with him. Still, there was so much to see. That kept him going, making his way from one side of the great giant bloody country to the other. He liked to explore and he craved new things, to see and find and know. This world was full of that.

Currently he was in Gods Knew Where, his worn down cowboy boots hauling him to one of those little on the road markets with fuel and food and all other manner of sundries. His stomach growled. Alright, it was time for a break. It was getting dark anyhow, and he was at a crossing of roads. Sommat that didn't go unnoticed by the slim Gunslinger. He spit in his hand and muttered a prayer under his breath as he strolled across the parking area. It was unlikely there were any Prim-spawned vampires hanging about in this little corner of small town America, but old habits died hard.

And Bert had always been a suspicious fellow. He tried to be quick and discrete, lest the fellow taking his leisure in front of the market notice and think he was daft or roont.

Hotheads

[neighborofthebeast]

Well that happened.

Roman was finally free. He'd thought that a speed dating night would be the perfect place to find some desperate lovers wanting deals. But no. All it got him was a really long awkward conversation about a TV show he didn't even watch (because, being homeless, you tended not to have TVs unless you pretended to be a ghost and lived in some poor asshole's apartment for two months) and several people who were freshly dumped. But there was one person that had been fun.

The demon not-so-in-disguise (since this was Bullshitmonstersvillwhateverberg) was leaning on his tail like a kangaroo outside the fastfood joint across from the much fancier convention center which had hosted the gig. He watched the passing traffic as he rammed handful after handful of scalding hot french fries into his mouth. HE'LL SHOW YOU, ISHIMARU. He will eat ALL THE FRENCH FRIES and still be light enough to fly.

[toaflame]

That happened indeed. That was the first time Adrian had ever been forced to experience something like that, and hopefully was also the last. He didn't really meet anyone much that seemed like they wanted to be there, and even fewer people he had any interest talking to at all. The demon guy, though...he'd been a trip. Seeing as how it seemed like he split the joint as soon as they were let loose, though, he figured that was probably the last he'd see of him.

Still, he had a little while in this town yet before shipping off elsewhere. It had been a while since he'd spent so much time in a city in the first place, more used to spending his nights under the stars anymore. Well, he'd probably sleep on the roof of someone's house somewhere that evening, so it wouldn't be all that different.

Imagine his surprise when he rounded the corner and caught a glimpse of a familiar face that was currently being stuffed to the brim with french fries. He grinned to himself as he changed courses and started in Roman's direction, pushing his hands into the pockets of his jacket.

"Oi, give yourself time t'breathe why don'tcha?"

JW - OTA

[goldeneyeball]

[discordiality]

[Discord was growing spoiled off of JW's baked goods, to the point where he mightn't even summon a cupcake for himself when he could just go get it from the bakery.

Such is the case today; though in this case, rather than just appearing inside, he elects to float on through the door.

No literally. Through. Did you think he pushed it open? Yeah, alright, maybe in the world where he's not chaos.

The draconequus isn't the least bit shy of calling out for his favorite baker buddy!]

Put in a fresh tray of cupcakes, won't you~? I've nothing to trade but my absolute gratitude to you for our tried and true bond of friendship! And don't friends do things for each other?

[Sorry, seems like the trash has let itself in today.]

[onebigculturereference]

[Genie was used to travel. He racked up millions of Frequent Lamp Flyer Miles, he knew. But finding himself back in Ruby City was, to run full on into the pun, a trip. Through exploring he floated towards JW's bakery, sniffing exaggeratedly.] Cookies, cakes, I think brownies? And something else I can't quite place..

[A light bulb appears over his head and then clicks on.] Ah-ha! The overwhelming scent of someone who's probably tired of frosting as much as Rabbit is tired of Pooh coming around for honey. [He laughs and knocks on the service window.] Hello? Anyone home? [And he morphs into Little Red Riding Hood for good measure.]

[smoothkreminal]

The Bull's Chargers were an officially registered mercenary group, though the idea of mercs in this day and age might have changed, unrest with some less than civilized beast still occurred, as well as the need for hired hands in skirmishes. There were rules, lots of them, and codes of conduct that separated them from the sort of bandits that you could meet on the road. That and they didn't loot when the job was done, they cleaned up their mess, got paid and went home.

After an honest, if a little sweaty day's work though, going home to stare at an empty apartment, think about dinner and end up either gearing up for another work out, or cracking open a bottle of wine and watching netflix was the usual routine. Some nights would be spent out with the boys, enjoying a drink, or talking with Bull over contracts after hours, but there wasn't much in his daily routine that was really fun. Or at least, that he thought brought much joy into his life. It was boring, really.

Though, one thing always seemed to make him smile a little, or he'd smile afterward anyways. It might be weird to smile like he did while he was in the bakery, that's for sure.

But, every morning like clockwork, Krem would push the door open, hear the little bell and check his phone for that morning's request. A dozen cupcakes, and never the same order. Bull seemed to like to mix it up a little, but it wasn't the morning routine of getting breakfast for his boss that made him smile, no. The Baker had the most sour look on his face, and that was what made him smile.

"Don't forget the Butterkrem, god he must think he's so funny, the big ass." The chief liked puns.

JW AND KREM GO TO WHITE CASTLE

[goldeneyeball]

It was a chilly day--not the sort of day JW liked. Or that's what he liked to loudly proclaim to Krem in hopes he'd weasel the soldier out of his jacket so that he could wear it. But here he was out and about. Alone. Just at the far edge of the public park where the trimmed grass and winding paths met sheer woods. A little nature trail started off down the way but he wasn't even facing that direction.

Snow peppered the ground and wind pulled at his coat as he glanced around to make sure no one was watching. His shit eyesight betrayed him as he turned, antlers catching on low branches, and crept into the forest.

He didn't go very far but he walked through the tangled brush as though he knew exactly where he was going. Anyone following him would have a clear sight of him in the well-lit, snaggly woods. Suddenly he turned, stepped behind a tree, and disappeared. Skinny as he was, this was not a tree that should have been able to hide him.

INVESTIGATE Y/N

[cameclosest]

Hisssssss.

Varker never thought he would have the ability to salivate from two different mouths at once, and it showed on his face. He could taste and smell things with that other tongue, with his own tongue in his regular mouth which, if he were honest, looked exactly like the new one, but he'd never admit it. His sharp teeth ground together above his eyes and he shifted his gaze to the bakery.

His figure was ruined anyways, couldn't do much about the scales on his arms, the way his head split open and took away what used to be his good features.

If the mouth with a mind of it's own could cooperate for just a few seconds...perhaps he could act civilized and purchase something without embarrassing himself or feeling the need to insult who ever had seen him not at his best.

The bell above the door jingled and Varker walked in and the mouth atop his head Hisssssssed.

"For the love of- Shhhhhhh."

MAURICE HUTCH | OC

[toothaches]

[whatever flavor, catch-all]

[pawpsiclepeddler]

So, stake-outs! Generally not a huge deal. Wait in the designated area, keep an eye out. Or, in this case, with no shady characters to be seen, step away for a while to get a better feel for the area, with his and Judy's radios on for security - just in case something unexpected happens.

Which, so far as he can tell, it hasn't yet. The city street he's wandered onto looks strangely unfamiliar, but that can happen at night, on one's own.

...All the same, he's thinking he might want to start heading back toward the contact point.

TIME TO MAKE GINKO'S LIFE MORE DIFFICULT

[doubledead]

The call was put out for the Mushi-master.

The people of the valley didn't know what the fuck a Mushi was but Ginko's name was not unknown when it came to dealing with the bizarre and what the little village between the mountains was dealing with was just that.

Bizarre.

There were reports of an impossibly tall man in black wandering in their fields--sometimes at night, sometimes in broad daylight. He moved incredibly fast and it was difficult to approach him. At first the people thought he might have been a thief but none of their crops went missing. When someone finally did manage to catch up to the strange man, they feinted on the spot, reporting later that the stranger had worn the "face of death."

They didn't know what to do.

THANKS HE HATES IT

[dontpokethat]

Ginko's opinion, as soon as he hears the stories, is that this is probably not within his job description. The most he can imagine is that some kind of mushi may be causing hallucinations among the villagers, distorting their perceptions - but, otherwise, he can only assume that whatever this is has nothing to do with mushi and more to do with a group of people's collective fears of the unknown making them see things.

Either way, he doesn't expect to find much - or, probably, to be paid for finding nothing. But he doesn't like the idea of leaving them in the lurch like this, and he supposes there's a chance something could come out of this. At least he'll have a few days of shelter.

So, in the end, Ginko arrived in the village not too long after the call went out. He asked around among the villagers, learned what he could, and then set to work. He went right for the fields, where the man had been seen the most, and there he knelt down to search for any sign of an anomaly, his white hair sticking out plainly among the plants as the sun set. Maybe there would be something out here after all.