Forums » General Roleplay » Trick or treat: James

Hoping to possibly make some aquaintances for James with this, or even just some character interaction to help develop him. Modern setting, humans and supernaturals alike welcome!

Plenty of halloween decorations lit up the garden of this humble-looking, yet decently sized two-store villa. The lawn was mowed, leaves were raked into neat piles, though wind was spreading them about making the job undone. Jack-o-lanterns lined the gravely path, and little pumpkin-shaped lights hung in the naked trees, both spreading pools of orange light in the otherwise approaching darkness. Some of the jack-o-lanterns were outright just plain ugly -in a bad away- but what could you expect when you gave a bunch of kids and a blind man knives and pumpkins? James knew they were there, his mother had put them out earlier this week, even though James himself couldn't enjoy them. Maybe they would attract some trick-or-treaters at the very least. He really hoped they did, becsuse he was bored.

Being blind he didn't need the lights on. He cooked, cleaned and did all the chores in darkness if he was home alone, but if someone was going to fall for the cheezy halloween-decorations it ought to look like someone was home. So he lit the little white lights in the windows, before fetching that bag of chocolate bars he had hid from his little brother earlier this week. He put it on a stool next to the front door, and turned on the lights in the hallway, before making his way out into the kitchen to turn on the radio.

He made some coffee after that, he suffered from insomnia already so it didn't make much of a difference.

He was not quite sure why he was doing this. It was not like he could exactly speak his thoughts... not without manipulating sound from a source of some kind. However, the friends he had at the 'base' insisted they all go out for a night of fun.

'Fun...' Jas thought to himself in disdain. There was a grimace from behind his mask as he walked along the area. If there was 'fun' to be had, it would likely have to be in the form of messing with people in some fashion... that, or just going about his own business like any old day.

As Jas thought upon the latter of those two options, his attention caught on the villa that was neatly taken care of. He lifted a brow as he drew interest toward the crudely carved pumpkins. He frowned a bit at them... however, he wondered if a kid had done the handiwork on those.

It seemed dangerous to give a kid a knife....

Jas made his way up to the door. The kids -- if there were any -- were probably already out and about for their nightly trick-or-treating... that, or at a supervised party of sorts. That seemed like something a medium-high class person would do....

Of course, that was all speculation and assumption based off of what Jas was looking at.

Sighing softly, Jas decided to just commit to it since he was already there. He knocked his fist against the door a couple times, awaiting the answer.

James was about to pour himself some of that coffee when he heard a knock on the door. Smiling a little to himself the redhead put the cup and the pot back down. He counted the steps walking back out into the hallway, and pulled the safety chain away before unlocking the front door.

His curly hair was a bit of a mess, but he was neatly dressed in a grey knitted cardigan and button-down shirt, paired with nicely fitted slacks. His small frame was that of someone not used to physical work, however, he straightened up a little when he opened the door as if trying to compensate.

"Good evening." he greeted the other man, his British accent shining through. He had his eyes closed, as always.

When the individual opened the door, there was a moment of pause once more as Jas took the time to see the fact that the male greeted him with closed eyes. At the sight, Jas hesitated before taking a sample of the young man's voice in his manipulative power while he spoke.

It was a carefully practised power, though a power nonetheless... and one that had been far better than using a whiteboard or a notebook to communicate. Especially in this scenario where the person that greeted Jas held his own eyes closed.

"I suppose it is a good evening..." Jas manipulated the sample to say. "The house is very festive. I just came by to express a form of admiration."

Symphony's costume wasn't much of one, really. She'd found a whole bunch of pretty pink cloth someone'd thrown out because it had spill stains on it and pinned and tucked it into a sort of dress that dragged the ground a little bit and mostly didn't show the stains. She and Bones had tried really hard to make her hair look less dirty, and they'd spent an entire fifty cents on an actual plastic tiara. She didn't have a fancy bag or plastic pumpkin to hold her treats, just a plastic shopping bag. She felt very see-able among the kids with their store-bought and mommy-made costumes, but she was doing this. She'd only ever gotten to trick-or-treat once that she could remember, and she wanted to do it again.

Walking next to Symphony, holding her hand in one of his and a shopping bag of his own in the other, was Bones. One of the other homeless men had helped him shave his face and comb some of the tangles out of his hair. He was a grown-up, so he didn't really need a costume.

The pair had already stopped at a few houses and gotten some good candy. The kids at the schools around here were always willing to trade things for good candy. She could probably get gloves and a hat for what they had already, and they could save the not-so-good candy to eat themselves.

The next house down the road was a nice big one with lots of decorations, lights in the trees and pumpkins all over, and only one person at the door. Symphony tugged at Bones' hand and headed up the path. She stopped a little ways away from the person already there. Just because she didn't have a home didn't mean she didn't have manners. She could wait her turn.

The redhead went silent for a moment and managed to look confused even with his eyes closed, for obvious reasons. You could tell he was thinking from the way he arched an eyebrow. But then that smile of his returned, possibly even wider than before. They were having a conversation, he couldn't just stand there and think about what was going on. "You really think so? Me and my younger brothers made those pumpkins." he answered, "Mum said she couldn't differ mine from theirs..." They were nine and twelve, and that said a thing or two about James's artistic skills, or rather, lack thereof. Still, he wanted to do those things too, like every other year, even though he couldn't enjoy the fruits of their labor.

He was done sulking.

"Also I know you're here for the candy, you don't fool me." He proceeded to reach for the bag of chocolate bars behind the door, but realizing they were out of reach he momentarily moved out of sight to get them. "I think they're some kind of chocolate bars and... Skittles? Are these Skittles?"

Someone else approaches. No costume, the eager expression of someone who's really looking forward to being given some sweets absent. Just a woman in shades, wearing a black overcoat and with the hoodie over her head. Seeing the commotion, she decides to stay at the gates for now and kill some time by admiring the garden. She rubs her gloved hands together for warmth - one of them surprisingly stiff - and waits.

Taking a 'fresher' sample of audio before his power wore off on the sample he held, Jas almost broke concentration as he had to glance to another couple of people approaching.... However, he looked back to the individual before him and worked his ability.

"The pumpkins sure are unique and scary for sure." It was more of a compliment for the young one before him. Jas doubted he could do much better if he were doing everything blind. Heck, he had been unable to do simpler mundane things just by being mute at times.

"As for the candies, that would be appreciated. Thank you! I'm definitely more of a chocolate fan." There was a smile behind Jas' mask, and though that was not visible, it was evident in the way his eyes appeared. "Afterward, I suppose I should get going. It seems you are getting more visitors."

Holding out the bag towards the other for him to take what he wanted, James pried his unseeing eyes open, just a little. They were a striking shade of golden brown. When he was told more people were waiting he blinked and was silent for a moment, listening. He had pretty good hearing, but couldn't pick up on any movement from here through the rustle of leaves. "Really? That's good." he said, still smiling, but then he raised his eyebrows when a question came to mind, he had to ask before he left. "Oh, are you dressed up, by any chance?" Dressing up was kind of the whole point with this. It's what everybody looked forward to. That, and all the candy.

Contemplating the answer before he went ahead to take his leave, Jas kind of frowned in thought. He supposed he was kind of dressed up unconventionally a lot of the time. But he never really considered it a costume or inappropriate attire for other events.

"To a degree, I suppose. I'm masked, for the most part. The bottom part of my face. There are varying parts of my outfit that reflect in the light -- I was going for a low-key cyberpunk look," Jas replied with a newer sample. Jas was not really lying, though he never really say that this was just part of his everyday attire, either.

When it was an event like this, he decided it best not to ruin the illusion of it all. Especially for someone like him -- someone that dealt with their own form of disability in their own way. It would have just been disheartening.

Sky was just walking around the neighborhood when she sees a very well taken care of villa. she sall that many people were there and thought that she should wait a little bit before approaching it.

She stared at the pumpkins and smiled. she thought they were all unique in there own way. she came to comment the owner on their decorating and wish them the best of luck. she for some reason hoped that all the kids would like this place.

she thought that she go to some group of kids and tell them to come to this house but she remembered that the house was already busy. so she just stood there and waited while staring at the pumpkins.

The arrival of a new person seems to give Laura extra incentive to just be done with it. After a quick glance at the newcomer, she finally decides to make her way toward the door. "Yo. I like the pumpkins." is her greeting, a very awkward one at that. The fact that she's blatantly butting in the conversation between the other two doesn't seem to bother her. "Yeah, I can confirm that the dude's dressing all cyberpunk-like. I'm going for the cyber look as well. See? Kickass robot hand.", she says, raising her left arm, before suddenly realizing that maybe 'see' wasn't the best word to use in this situation.

All of this is way out of her comfort zone. Why is she doing this again?

"Cyberpunk, huh? That's creative." James realized the other was leaving, and was about to say good bye when a second voice caught his attention. He turned towards it, and realized they were probably showing something, to which he held back the urge to purse his mouth.

He remained silent for a moment as he felt a sting of jealousy. Part of him also wanted to dress up, but he wasn't brave enough, nor did he have anyone to go with. There was a lot of things he opted out due to his disability. "I bet you all look great." he just answered, still with a smile on his face, but there was a subtle change in his voice. It was lower, and quieter.

Costume or not, however, there was enough candy for anyone who came knocking on the door. Or even a cup of coffee if they lingered long enough on the porch.

"I thank you for thinking so," Jas managed to respond before taking a couple steps back.

"It was really nice getting the chance to meet you. I hope you have a great rest of the Halloween. I am taking my leave now." Jas went on to say before walking back along the path and passing the others to get back on the walk home.

Symphony let Mr. Cyberpunk go by before stepping up to the door herself. "Hi," she said. "I'm dressed like a princess. My name's Symphony. What's yours?"

Symphony actually really liked people, but couldn't really talk to them a lot because most people tried to take her away from Bones. If trick-or-treating meant being able to talk to people without worrying about being taken away, then she loved it even more.

Bones, meanwhile, smiled polite at the woman who'd joined them. "I like your hand," he said. His voice was soft and quiet, and he spoke slow. Sounding out each word in his head first, making sure it was the right one. He got words mixed up sometimes when he tried to talk normal. Symphony said it was better to be slow and right than fast and wrong, so slow it was.

"Thanks. I do too.", Laura answers the man, with a half-smile on her lips. She seems uneasy about something; her body language conveys both awkwardness and the subtle swagger of someone who needs to look like she shouldn't be messed with. The two don't mix well, and she ends up looking pretty weird. That said, she makes a conscious effort to try and tone it down around the present company.

"Symphony, hm? That's one hell of a name. I like it."

(pardon the lack of replies during the last two days. Work consumed most of my sparetime, but I'm back on my regular roleplaying schedule now!)

The redhead raised a hand, waving as the visitor took his leave. "Good luck trick or treating." he said. He would have liked if he lingered some more, because he was pretty intrigued.

He remained at the door, knowing others were there. He ended up just listening to the conversation for a moment as a girl and another man joined them. "I wish I had a cool name like that." he pitched in leaning againt the doorframe. He thought his name to be plain and boring, and a bit old-fashioned. Who named their kids James these days?

He lowered his gaze, assuming the girl was shorter than him, and reached out the bag in her general direction. "I think I've got Skittles and chocolate." he said, smiling as he raised his head to the two adults, "Or coffe if neither tickles your fancy..." James was dying for some company, and was subtly trying to make them stay, because he couldn't very well force them. He was bored out of his mind, not to mention having none of his family around, or friends, even, was scary. There was always someone there to help him.

The young teenage female sighs quietly her older brother told her to go out in a attempt to get her to finally make friends. It was hard to dress up with flowers growing on your body that's for sure. So she went as her self. She sees a decent size house though with only one eye,the flowers covered her right leaving her with only her left eye, her depth perception was off trough this she triped as she head towards the house falling flat on her face "I knew I shouldn't have came out tonight" she frowns sighing. "Well I'm already this far so I'll just head home after this" she walks up to the house seeing others there she waits for her turn at the house.

she walks up a bit and stop at the drive way waiting to comment on the pumpkins.

Symphony giggled, standing on her toes to pull a bar of chocolate out of the bowl and drop it into her bag. "I like my name," she said. "No one else I ever met has it, so it's just mine. This is Bones. No one else has his name neither. Bones, come take your candy."

Bones turned, glancing down at the bowl, then at Symphony. "Sure?" he asked, because they had watched, and grown-ups mostly didn't take. Bones was a grown-up, so maybe he wasn't supposed to take. But if Symphony was sure it was okay...

"Bones can have some, too, right Mister?" Symphony asked the man with the bowl. "It's okay if no, because he likes coffee, too- if grown-ups get coffee instead of candy, Bones can have that."

Bones just stood and patiently waited for an answer yes or no. Symphony always did the talking. She was better at it than him.