The Carnival

[Kwokinator]

Angel rubbed his forehead with the base of his palms and sighed in defeat.  

"Alright, just tell me what's up," he relented. "This isn't gonna go anywhere until you do."

[Chilord]

"Finally tha boy gets some sense!" the girl grumbled as she pulled another cigarette, "Got a light?"

[Kwokinator]

"Yeah, sure," Angel tossed the girl a lighter. "Can't be in my line of work without a lighter."

"NOW are you gonna tell me what I wanna know?"

[Chilord]

The girl took a long drag from her cigarett before releasing a then stream of smoke up into the air with a sigh, "This here is Tha Carnival. Not a carnival THA Carnival... This here place is where someone can change there fate and alter destiny. A place fer second chances where tha threads of can be alterd to suit yer heart's desire... All ya have ta do is win tha prize."

[Kwokinator]

Change fates... alter destinies... he could change so much with his life...

But it was too good to be true, probably just some nut talking.

"Are you bullshitting me?" he questioned.

[Chilord]

"Sugah, afta what ya just went through, ya really think ya  wanna dispute it?" she responded as she rolled her eyes, "Besides, it the only way to pick up tha ah.... problem ya picked up when ya tried ta draw on me..."

[Kwokinator]

Angel shook his head as he recalled the weird things that happened to him during his talk with the girl.

"Alright, I'll bite," he agreed. "So what do I do?"

[Chilord]

"Ya step through the gate and yer at the Carnival, that's the only place ya can claim the prize..."

[Kwokinator]

"Alright, fine..." Angel grumbled and stepped through, keeping a hand near his holster just in case.

[Chilord]

The girl only rolled her eyes before the world dissappeared around Angel. (And Kwok is out of play until Shu and Ryder post through)

[Shukuen]

Makoto sighed from his hiding spot, watching the other's play catch out in the park's field, or hang together to talk about the latest trends and idol bands. Currently, he was on his way home from school and had stopped at the park to change out of his school uniform and into his regular clothes.

He longed to join them, to be able to enjoy and immerse himself in their world and forget the troubles of the double life he was leading. Though he was more comfortable with the adults, he still wished that he could become part of the crowd, even only once, and have it feel natural. A sad smile appeared on his face as he considered his position: too mature to fit in with the teens, yet somehow still too young to be accepted by adults. "A misfit in both worlds," he sighed, picking up his backpack, and heading home.

As he passed by a cluster of trees, a soft melody began to drift towards him. Curious, he paused and listened to the strange tune. "Carnival music?" he pondered, recognizing the cheery, yet haunting melody. "But, where is it coming from?"

Glancing towards where the music seemed to originate from, he saw a cool, foreboding mist, and felt a strange urge to find the source of the melody. Following the feeling, he followed the sound straight into the mists.

[Chilord]

When he first entered the mists, Makoto found himself hit by a wall of damp, stale air. The scent of death clung to his nose for a moment before he found himself standing before a tall iron gate, the barred entrance opened wide as crows peered down at him from above. There, standing a bit to the side, was a man with an empty sleeve clipped up against his shoulder, not even a stump where an arm should be.

Loose camo pants, worn and faded with time clung at his legs, falling to the scuffed and muddied combat boots over his feet. An olive vest, as worn as the pants they met at the waist and covered in a multitude of pockets, fell over a black turtle neck shirt, a stark contrast with its crisp appearance to the wrinkled and aged look of the rest of his clothes. His face however, stood as a strange contradiction, his temples marked with the silvery streaks of middle age against his raven black hair, and yet, his face maintained a smooth, ageless quality to it.

"Welcome to the Carnival kid."

[Shukuen]

Makoto gazed at the iron gates in awe, wondering how this could exist in the middle of the park and not be known. Suddenly, hearing the voice, he turned to the previously missed older man standing nearby.

"Oh, h... hello sir," he greeted nervously. Something about this place put him on edge. His grip on the straps of his pack tightened, reassuring him slightly.

"Not to be rude or anything," he began, gazing back at the iron gates. "But where did this place come from?"

[Chilord]

"Where ever and when ever The Carnival called it from," It was a simple reply, the man's face almost amused.

[Shukuen]

"Oh, err..." Makoto blinked, confused by the man's somewhat vague answer, and wondered why he did not explain how this place could exist in such a small park.

"Well, uhm, just what is The Carnival?" he asked, curious on how it might have called this place as the man said.