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Post by Garland Von Clossen on Oct 5, 2009 23:46:11 GMT -5
Garland, oh, Garland... Never could he be predicted. One day he could claim to be hunting down traveling portals that lead to a third realm, the next he'll be running with a tea pot on his head claiming he was saving the universe. It could be difficult to keep up with the British-accented boogie. One story that children like to tell of the eccentric is the tale of his walking backwards all of one day, clothes and all. Some even joke about how much trouble he'd be in if he did wear shoes! But Garland only smiled at the children, patting their heads and sending them on their way.
Garland so loved humans... They were part of the circle of death, after all.
Today Garland had found a sock. It had been a long time since he saw them... And the idea struck him like a lemon wrapped around a brick and smashing his brains out. And so, he went to work, constructing his invention with relative ease and finally...
"RAWR~!"
Garland had made sock puppets. And by far this was the most fun he'd had in such a long time! Running around the Palace, 'scaring' children, hitting boogies, then fleeing. Now the man was wandering the hall, frowning as he made grumbling noises out of the side of his mouth and the sock-monster moving according to the noises. "I said no! My word, you little bugger! How many times do I have to tell you?!" Garland said, using his normal hand to hold his forehead. Muttering a few lines of garble, he looked back at the sock puppet, smiling. "You know I can't stay mad at ... LOOKIT!" Garland pointed, the 'beast' turning there as well, the googley eyes swirling in their small confines as they focused on what Garland was speaking about. He and his companion were standing atop the lavish stairs, looking down at the woman approaching.
"Hey, ho, Nael-- Damnit! I was talking!" Garland shouted, looking fiercely back at his hand, before turning down to beam at the female boogie.
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Post by Naelona Ezel on Oct 6, 2009 2:40:17 GMT -5
The day had been pouring out, pouring, gray, damp, cold, foggy.. and overall pleasant. For most, and Naelona was beginning to think the dull weather merely furthered the mad minds that existed within Wonderland, including the one babbling above her upon the stairs. And was that upon his hand? Though after all, it was Garland. Naelona had given up trying to figure the boogie out a long time ago. The things he did didn't make sense and the ones that did didn't mesh match nor mix with her former conclusions on his previous behavior! A maddening individual, not of the infuriating variety as most seemed to strive to be.. but difficult in his own peculiar way.
"Hey, ho, Nael-- Damnit! I was talking!" The greeting and sudden outburst, followed by the cheery smile was comedic, and Naelona may have laughed had she one funny bone in her cold hearted body. The woman merely looked up at Garland as she slowly ascended the steps, undoing some black wraps that'd kept her dry during her outing. "Good Afternoon, Von Clossen. Up to your old habits once more?" Him and his puppets.. a fascination she'd never understand.
Approaching his step she nearly passed him, only to pause in folding her wraps to get a better look of his covered hand. "Is that.. a sock?" The boogie looked as confused as a child seeing a magic trick for the first time. A sock.. with eyes no less. How did he conjure such absurd and deranged ideas anyway? Sticking eyes on a sock.. a perfect waste of time and clothing. Speaking of which, clothing he still didn't wear. For the moment, it was a miracle she didn't remark upon that as well.
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Post by Garland Von Clossen on Oct 6, 2009 15:35:54 GMT -5
Oh dear, dear Naelona... She was always a Debbie Downer when he found something fun to do! Rarely did he a smile on her beautiful face, and this concerned him. She was only a few thousand years old, right? She was worrying over things that only elder boogies should! Silly girl! But all the same, he cherished what company he could coax from the woman. Even if that did mean driving her to a more insane depth at her trying to understand the complex workings of his infinitely working mind. "Silly Nae!" Garland chuckled, shaking his free hand at her in a mock disapproving manner. The sock puppet tried to grin, but with a humanoid hand, that was nearly impossible to achieve. Despite that, the attempt was made and actually was successful to some degree. "This is no sock! This is the fiercesome beast... JOSEPH!" As Garland proclaimed the puppet's name, he thrust it triumphantly into the air, the eyes googling, as they were intended to. The whole thing was rather ridiculous, as was this boogie. But no one seemed to mind. Especially when him and Turge scoured the halls looking for whatever the hunt lead them to.
Today the hunt happened to include the small hand-puppet Joseph and not Turge, or any of his other trademark puppets. And so Naelona would then find Garland had come closer, not so much to get too close to the woman who hated contact, but close enough to get her attention. Eyes wide with ideas, sparkling with thoughts, and brimming with nothing but adventure, he spoke again. "We should find you one. I'm sure that you need to cut loose, my dear! Too much bossing around will only make you more dull than you already are!" A chuckle escaped his lips as Joseph then came before the boogie's face, taking on a higher-pitched tone. "Ya should come wit' us, Miss Nae~! T'will be fun~!" As old as Garland was, never would the boogie tire of playing with his friends and acquaintances. Never ever!
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Post by Naelona Ezel on Oct 7, 2009 5:47:41 GMT -5
"Silly Nae!" The boogie watched him carefully, almost warily in some reserved manner. His antics with the puppet were obscure and peculiar, and not very healthy for anyone to be entertaining with - this much she was sure. Socks were for wearing for purpose of warming feet, and if someone refused socks for their purpose they should be taken away and given to those who would use them properly as per their crafted reason. Or that was her perspective when it came to slaves, at least. She wasn't as demanding when it came to boogies. They had reason to be afforded at least some bit of luxury after all, even if - fates forbid any more of it - it was a slightly deranged variety.
"This is no sock! This is the fiercesome beast... JOSEPH!" The boogie woman watched Garlands antics quietly, coughing lightly into a fist. "Joseph?" Fiercesome? Not to be confused with fearsome, she was sure. "How intimidating." Naelona remarked dryly, watching the blacks of the eyes bounce around within their transparent prisons, ascending a few steps.
Only took a moment to note that Garland wasn't exactly departing from her immediate presence. Turning to look down upon him, his face held that peculiar expression she only saw in the eyes of young children, or more often very young boogie children when shown some wonder. A very rare sight, considering where they dwelled. In retrospect, Garland didn't need to come very close at all, for as sensitive to distance as she was.
"We should find you one. I'm sure that you need to cut loose, my dear! Too much bossing around will only make you more dull than you already are!" Cut loose? Pshh.. perhaps the day Wonderland took care of itself without requiring her daily intervention. "Find me what? A 'fiercesome beast'? I already possess Mar." There was a subtle look of some pride behind her features, the closest the humor most could elicit outside of some festive event or a bet. But dull.. pshh.. the poor sock, err, boogie's mind was more dissolutioned and misled than she'd first assumed him to be.
But oh, the high pitched voice.. it hurt. "Ya should come wit' us, Miss Nae~! T'will be fun~!" Fun enough to wish to impale the sock upon a pipe, if it wouldn't injure the boogie controlling it. "Thank you for your offer.. Joseph.." The line was spoken with an odd look, a glance to Garland when she uttered the name. "..though I have more vital matters to mend." For all points and purposes Naelona turned to finish her trip up the stairs. Fun? What was this fun the knitted creation proclaimed existed? There was little fun, save in the matters of bets.. she wasn't being offered one now, was she? Or was she? All these thoughts.. blame it on the walk.. her curiosity had been sparked. "What sort of fun, Von Clossen?"
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Post by Garland Von Clossen on Oct 11, 2009 21:34:34 GMT -5
Jackpot. Nae was hooked. Now all Garland had to do was play his cards right...
Turning on his heels, Garland began strutting down the steps, one hand behind his back, his chin up in the air, along with Joseph copying him. "No, no... I understand... You're too busy to take the risk... I wouldn't bet on you wanting to join this game of chance anyways..." Yes, he was saying the words with emphasis to perk Nae's interest even further, leading her on. Oh how he loved toying with people and information!
Turning again, Garland made his way effortlessly down the steps backwards, not missing a step. "No... Fun isn't for you, Nae. You have work, correct? Wouldn't want you to be distracted... Especially since I would've wagered half my hoard of gold on it, as well... Pity." Nae would know two things: Garland was speaking of somesort of bet, and that his treasury was very, very large. Being around for so long these things tend to happen, whether one wanted it or not. "A pity... I'll find another player. So long then, my love!" He teased, winking before turning around and hopping onto the railing of the staircase. With great dexterity the boogie walked slowly down the thin rail, his hand and Joseph helping to keep him balanced at the treacherous height.
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Post by Naelona Ezel on Oct 19, 2009 15:41:18 GMT -5
Risk? Bet? Chance? Naelona glared a proverbial hole in Garland's back. What was he talking about? Ugh.. she knew this sort of tactic well, being baited and lure. He wanted something from her, he must. No other reason why he'd carry on so.. then again this was Garland.. Von Clossen.. the Von Clossen's didn't need a reason. They just did.
"No... Fun isn't for you, Nae. You have work, correct? Wouldn't want you to be distracted... Especially since I would've wagered half my hoard of gold on it, as well... Pity." He what..? And Naelona was aware of his wealth.. not that it held as much interest to her as more living goods did. But bets.. turning Naelona descending the steps following him as a murky blackness ran across the floor at the base of the stairs. Like a sudden flood of water it rose, capturing one step, then another, and another rising up as Naelona descended behind the boogie until it captured the precarious railing from sight as well.
"You're baiting me.." Naelona remarked, folding her arms and wading into the sea of shade, turning to look up at the rail-balancing boogie. "..what is it you want, Von Clossen?"
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Post by Garland Von Clossen on Oct 19, 2009 16:27:12 GMT -5
"For you to lighten up," Garland said nonchalantly, shifting into a sitting position flawlessly, sliding gently down the rail, his hand used as a brake only when he was closer to Nae, probably more than what she would've liked, and more eye level. "Not work for a day, have fun, let humans do what they want." The joking had left his eyes as he made his proposition. "I would bet half my possessions that you, Naelona Ezel, couldn't go one whole week without being bossy in some way. You can't relax, you can't let go of control, and you cannot let things be as they are without having some say in it." Garland paused, slipping Joseph off his hand, tossing it into the dark abyss that the other boogie had made.
"I don't think you've got the balls to do nothing, simply put," The Puppeteer said in a matter-of-fact sort of way, a smirk growing out from his small beard. "But I can sweeten the deal for you as well. I will fetch you ten humans, your choice of age and gender, if you best me in this contest. Yes, ten. That's how sure I am that you can't be laid back for one hundred and sixty hours, let things slide for ten thousand and eighty minutes, or have peace of mind for...!" Garland paused, his mathematical skills ceasing for a moment, the gloved hand carrying the numbers that seemed to float in front of the boogie that only he could see. "... six hundred four thousand and... eight hundred seconds!" Saying that with a final triumphant smirk, he moved his counting hand toward Nae, offering for a shake. "Do we have a bet?"
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Post by Naelona Ezel on Oct 25, 2009 0:10:50 GMT -5
Lighten up? Her? Naelona didn't see why she'd need to, wasn't like she took herself so seriously that it drove her to the point of needing to lighten up. The boogie was a bit of a skeptic at heart. Some words you could believe, others you didn't dare. No-one ever told which ones to listen to and which ones to ignore. That was up to one's own discernment. And about Garland, she had the mind to be very discerning indeed. "I would bet half my possessions that you, Naelona Ezel, couldn't go one whole week without being bossy in some way. You can't relax, you can't let go of control, and you cannot let things be as they are without having some say in it."
Naelona about groaned, pressing her fingers to her forehead. "It really doesn't matter how many times I say it, does it?" She muttered. Didn't they get what would happen to Wonderland if she stopped what she did? Couldn't they understand the consequences of that? "I don't think you've got the balls to do nothing, simply put," Naelona shot Garland a cold look, but regardless the boogie kept listening to his.. proposition. "But I can sweeten the deal for you as well. I will fetch you ten humans, your choice of age and gender, if you best me in this contest. Yes, ten. That's how sure I am that you can't be laid back..." His voice droned out of her mind as he started rambling off numbers. They weren't important. Ten humans was.. a considerable offer indeed. Not that she couldn't fetch ten herself, but looking for a specify variety sometimes proved a daunting task indeed.
Though half of his possessions was a considerable bet within itself. No sooner had the offer sunk in that he'd proffered his hand expecting a shake from a soul who'd never willingly touch anyone. It just spoke to her all the more how off his rocker he was. "Do we have a bet?" For several moments Naelona did nothing but look at his hand then up to his face as the shades receded. "Then what of me, Mr. Von Clossen, if I should fail?" The fact he'd posed no conditions what-so-ever raised her suspicions.
"You procure a very alluring challenge, Von Clossen, however I believe I must impose a few conditions of my own before I could consider accepting yours. Firstly, you cannot act upon such knowledge and intentionally cause havoc in my absence, secondly until the week has passed or I have failed your bet you're not permitted to tell anyone - slave or boogie - of my absence. And thirdly.." The woman sized him up a moment or three. "..should any events of unusual circumstances happen upon Wonderland of unnatural and destructive proportions I shall be intervening, and we may resume the bet anew at a later date, if it so suits you." Feeling more satisfied, she probably couldn't get him to agree to all of it.. and probably not her last point.. but she had suspicions to soothe before she could accept.
Crossing she turned gray eyes upon him with a look that spoke she'd said her peace. Now, perhaps, did they have an agreement?
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Post by Garland Von Clossen on Oct 29, 2009 3:23:15 GMT -5
Garland watched Naelona for another moment, his eyes looking her up and down, the mysterious thought process moving quickly behind those azure orbs. She sure was picky... But then again, one usually had to be to survive this crazy place... Slowly, the hand fell away, crossing over the boogie's chest as he watched the woman. "Of course, I suppose you expect me to agree to the first two, as I never am one to cause trouble, which frankly hurts that you would consider I would," Garland pointed out, his lower lip sticking out in an overly dramatic pout. "And the second I have no problem with what so ever. ...Though the third one isn't what I asked for. I said an entire week. If something does come up and you interfere, I win. It's rather simple." His legs swung back and forth between the banisters of the stair railing.
Tilting his left, then right, then further left, he looked at Nae once more, his eyes seeming to look for something very small, as he scanned every inch of her face for what seemed to be very important. "...Is it raining out today?" He asked suddenly, his entire attention looking to have shifted to another subject. Would that piss Nae off if Garland's attention wasn't long enoug-
Garland coughed suddenly, only once, returning back to their original conversation. "What will I get? Nothing, if you complete my challenge. But I will gain something much more valuable than any material thing or person you could give me." The twinkle in his eyes held a deep meaning, deeper than a sane mind would dare venture if it wanted to return in the same shape it had entered. A disarming smile crawled across his face, seeming almost triumphant. "I believe if you agree with those terms I can accept this new deal, though it be... well, very similar to what we had in the beginning. Look at you, Nae! Already wasting time! I'm so proud..." The best way to convey this boogie's emotions and meaning would imagine the cheery and eccentric man with a face resembling '^_^'. And in no way was Garland being sarcastic or mean. ...or at least that's not how he intended to sound. Some would take it that way, others wouldn't. It would all depend on the mood and person that was on the receiving end.
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Post by Naelona Ezel on Oct 30, 2009 19:48:46 GMT -5
"I am merely ensuring our ongoing survival and prosperity, Garland." Naelona intoned, studying him coolly. "While the cat's away the mice shall play, and boogies and slaves are no different. Least of all - amidst the children." Not all children being human, at least. Internally she grimaced, this would not be pretty towards the end - regardless the outcome. Although, a bit of pride from the reaches of her mind couldn't keep quiet through all this, surfacing the thought that - if Wonderland was truly running as well hinged upon her own plans as she touted, shouldn't it be stable enough to run a bit longer without her guiding hand.
Of course not, the same thought chastised. Wonderland was much more like a teetering child than that, but even a toddler didn't learn to balance on their own while always being held up. "...Is it raining out today?" Naelona blinked. Was it what? So random, so out of the blue. The boogie stared a few moments confused. This man really did make no sense.
Her somber gray eyes focused upon him, trying to discern what could possibly drive him to such measure, what could get possible derive or achieve from this bet? Something he'd be willing enough to bet half of his possessions? Naelona could think of nothing. "What could be.. more valuable.. that by my success or failure you could receive..? I'm giving you nothing.." Yet there was some reason. Some something. "Look at you, Nae! Already wasting time! I'm so proud..." Naelona frowned, crossing her arms and turning away.
"There is nothing here to be proud of, save for games of which you're overtly fond. Regardless.." She turned to face him. "I'll accept your bet. I week shouldn't be too difficult a venture. Beginning from the present, I presume?" She asked, checking upon a small pocket watch she'd fetched from who-knew-where, its keeping place hidden by the darkness that followed her ceaselessly.
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