Visage & Veneer

[LadyeBurd]

Auden

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The wind blew with fall's unique scent, brisk and free with possibilities as it hit his face. Today was it. Today was new and
exciting - bound to bring new adventures that will hold memories just waiting to be retold. Auden smiled a devious smile.
Oh, yes. Anything new he invited whole-heartedly. This small town nearly choked him with its vacant, golden tides of corn fields and grasslands.
One had to be creative in order to survive such a socially vacant state. Although he did admire the vintage entertainment, food, and people - change was always a plus.

And this is why excitement began to rise in his veins. Adreniline rushed to his brain. He gassed it, and sped down the highway in
his old mustang. He lived about thirty miles away from school, leaving him the right amount of time to think and treasure the quiet
before the business of school interfered.

His nostrils flared, taking deep breaths of the fresh air mixed with the agriculture surrounding him. He relished the freedom, and the
way the wind ran through his hair.

That is, until blue lights had shown and a siren blared behind him.

"You've got to be kidding me." He huffed.

......

His mood now unpleasant, he thrust the car door open and slammed it shut. This would make it his third speeding ticket. He didn't even know anyone who had six hundred bucks. He raced to Middletown High's entrance, only to make it in at the sound of the late bell.

​

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[Layne]

So close to freedom. Just a few more steps and she would have made it out the door without an argument. Today she had no such luck. The telltale clacking of heels against the stone tile floor made her turn, just in time to greet the lovely scolding tone of her mother.


"Skylar! Haven't we been over this? There is no need for you to go to school dressed in such a manner. It's bad enough that you insisted on going to a public high school, but to dress as if you are going shopping in a dumpster is simply a disgrace," the older woman said, her perfectly painted lips curled into a frown. Her short blonde hair was looking lovely as usual, and her classy skirt and jacket combination just screamed wealthy. Which was her intention, of course. She loved the fact that their name was known for being one of the oldest families in the region and never hesitated to speak about their fortune gained decades ago. Her daughter, naturally, didn't share the fascination.


"Mother.. They're jeans. Ninety-nine percent of the people in my school under the age of thirty will be wearing them today. Oddly enough, most aren't dumpster divers. I'm not going to school in dresses. Get over it," Skylar said, then turned and walked out. Oh, she'd pay for that one later. Usually she was more polite.


She walked down the long walkway to her baby. Her car was one of her mother's pet peeves, but she couldn't openly complain since her father had helped her buy it. She just seethed in silence, glaring at the old convertible that wore little rust spots proudly and displayed worn out leather on the seats. Skylar adored it, and took full advantage of the soft top. It would be a little chilly, but she might as well enjoy it until it snowed. She pulled on a soft white sweater over her tank top - cashmere, but not obviously expensive, which was the only reason she didn't throw it out when her mother bought it.


By the time she got to school, a bunch of people were already there. She got out and slung her messenger-style bag over her shoulder, waving to a few people that she knew before heading to World History. The bell would ring soon and she had no desire to give her mother another reason to complain.

Skylar

 

[LadyeBurd]

Visage

Cimber

Beckem

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Fire lit the sky and liquid music dampened the atmosphere, sending its listeners in a trance. However, it was only the foreigners that reacted in this manner. It was the natives that created this type of magic, the kind you can feel and experience from the inside out.

​

​

Visage stroked his dark beard and turned to his workmen. The tent glowed a bright yellow and orange, the drapes lifted up from the strong winds above. Everyone busied themselves. Strong muscles heaved metal poles and curtains. Beasts whined and bellowed from behind their cages. A fair lady from afar was walking towards him with a heavy sway in her hips. His brows lifted.

She met him with two feet to spare. She did not smile. Her light eyes twinkled, "Visage, you're beginning to look rather...tired."

He looked away, focused on the bustling around him. He smirked, now looking her over. "You are mistaken, my love." He walked toward her and grazed her shoulder. "However, you seem to be...disturbed." He grew closer, now to where his warm breath lingered on her neck.
"I can fix that."

She breathed heavily and gracefully left him. She looked above, staring at the dancing tarp above glowing irridecsent colors. "I'm ready, Visage." She turned to him with a steady gaze. "I think you are ready to."

"For what, Cimber?" He purred.

"To retire."

.....

Tapping his pencil irritably, he watched the clock's every movement. Mrs. Whales History class seemed to be taking forever. He did not care much about the past. What could it do? Remind him of past horrors, tradgedies, and regrets? Lets not forget how horrible he was with names. Like HER name.

He never asked for her name. When it came to the opposite sex, Auden found it extremely difficult to call upon courage to open his mouth. He also found it hard to discribe her, to pin point what it was that he found so alluring.

"Auden...AUDEN! Whoohoo, dude?"

A paper ball hit his face. He turned around.

It was Beckem, one of his closest friends. His glasses tilted over the bridge of his nose like always. He seemed annoyed.
He pointed at the paper ball, mouthing, "O P E N I T."

Auden rolled his eyes and forced it open, "I'll meet you at nine at the Carnival." Auden turned in his seat and nodded.

Suddenly the class grew silent. The click-clacking of heels met his desktop with a strike.

"Mr. Xander, PLEASE. Pay attention, you're future depends on it." Mrs. Whales exclaimed aloud, making it known to everyone how he is, indeed, failing her class. He couldn't help but cackle, looking behind him again to see Beckem holding in a loud laugh.

"Is something funny, Beckem?" She bellowed.

"N-no Sir. I mean, Ma'm."

At that, the class lost it.​

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[Layne]

Despite the fact that Skylar had a notebook open in front of her and was taking notes on everything being discussed, her mind was elsewhere. A useful skill, especially in Mrs. Whales' class. The poor woman obviously had no social life or excitement, and tended to drone through her lectures. It was a shame, really, since History was once Skylar's favorite subject.


She sighed and continued to write about Napolean, ignoring the not-so-subtle stage whisper of one of the boys in the back of the class. Beck-something. They didn't talk, so she didn't bother learning his name. She heard a crinkle of paper and glanced over, her eyes a cross between irritated and curious. Her attention was more on Mrs. Whales than the pair of boys, though.


She shook her head a little and looked away, cracking an involuntary smile as she heard 'sir'. That really shouldn't be funny, she scolded herself. Oh, who was she kidding? It was hilarious. She laughed a bit and glanced at the clock. Nearly time to get out of here anyway. A buzz made her pull her phone out of her pocket and glance at it, hiding it beside her desk.


'Carnival tonite, don't 4get!'


It was a text from one of her best friends - best and few, she thought. She had the odd balance of being popular just because she was nice, yet she disliked spending time with most people because they thought she was just an ATM. Ugh. Good thing her mother didn't know that, or she would invite them all over for a party.


'Yeah yeah, I'll be there. Pick me up, I'll have to sneak out again. Mom disapproves of carnies.'


She grinned and tucked her phone away innocently, snapping her notebook shut as the bell rang and everybody scrambled for the door.

 

[LadyeBurd]

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School had gone by in a haze and unnaturally slow, but life seems to trick its people in its own sick way when it came to good things.
Auden felt he couldn't have made it out quicker when the final bell rang. He threw on his bookbag and cantered out of there.

......

The moon shown brightly and the air was cool on his cheeks. He looked up at this starry canvas in awe, wondering what it would be like to be an astraunaut. To live and see those stars every day, or be one of the lucky ones and catch one...

Someone was calling out for him. He sat up from the dewy grass in his lawn.

"Auden! Honey, where are you?" His mother's grey hair was in dissarray and blowing in the nights' air.

He got up and trotted over to the porch. The lights flickered from zapping bugs. "Yeah, Mom?"

She smiled with a hand on her hip. "You're father will be picking you up from the Carnival at eleven on his way home from work."

"What? Mom, I thought I already told you I was driving myself. Remember?" He slowly turned around in a circle with extended arms, "Eighteen,
licensed driver." He stopped and smirked. "Plus, I already told Beckem I was going to meet him there, so I should be on my way."

"How does that little boy drive alone anyway? He's only fifteen!"

"He's a smart asain!" Auden called out to her. He got in his car and pulled out before she had a chance to object. He saw her shake her head and enter the house in his rearview mirror. His heart swelled with an odd, horrid feeling creeping at the back of his mind.

It was a dark, warning, type of force - as though he shouldn't go tonight. Just stay home with his mother and father. Just this once.

But this was it; something he and Beckem had been looking foreward to for weeks. Everyone was looking foreward to it, actually, and he didn't want to miss it for anything.

......

"GET READY LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" His voice boomed. All of the garland lights hung on every pole, drapery, and stand. Painted faces strong, weak, and small smiled at him from below. Visage lifted his hand, holding a golden staff with a crystal bulb at the top.

"Tonight is the night, the last for many, the beginning for few! Now - BE OFF!" He thrusted the staff foreward and everyone began to dance, whoop and holler.

Some beings with shimmering, gold scales ran around and then took their places at the entrance to greet the people who already stood in line.
Music was heavy in the air, women danced with jingling skirts, jewlery, and dark hair. Their beautiful eyes peired from behind motley silks, offering
young people cold drinks bubbling from the carbination. A carosel sang and spun with its animals and children that sat atop their backs. Many tents sat beside one another with signs such as "The Mirrors" and "Madam Veneer the Fortune Teller". Gravity defying rides spun around in circles and popcorn flew. The smell of caromel corn, cider, and sweet cotton candy filled the atmosphere. It was a dream-like place, bright with lights and masquerade masked dwellers.

Visage walked around with staff in hand, a handsome smile gracing his features. He then split the staff apart with the ends suddenly set on fire. They burned brightly and he cackled from the pleasure of its power. He threw one in the air, and then the other - juggling the two under his legs and behind his back. Like lightening, they flew. Passerbys came and would stop in awe. Soon there was a crowd that cheered him on.

Cimber then creeped into the circle, playing a charming pan flute beside him. Her red hair and body excitedly danced around him like a wood nymph. Everyone was estatic; children laughed and couples clung to one another in the performance's wonder.​

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Pan Flute Appearance

Throwing Fire

Throwing Fire 2

 

[Layne]

Everything was set.


Her mother was under the impression that Skylar had a big test in the morning and would be studying all night in her bedroom. It was true enough, except for the studying part. She would ace the test without it.


Now she was waiting, staring out her open bedroom window. She had her music on low and her door locked so that her mother could assume she was being antisocial if she dropped by for a 'visit'. Her soft white sweater had been traded out for a dark purple wrap sweater that tied over her waist, and her sneakers had been replaced by black boots under her jeans.


She watched the end of her driveway intently until she saw the telltale double flash of headlights. Grinning to herself, she climbed out her window and eased her way down the side of the house until she reached the ground. Nobody was in sight. She made sure that her money was in her pocket, then ran down the driveway to jump in her friend's car.


***


When they got to the carnival, they were amazed. This was better than anything they had ever seen. Nothing exciting came to this part of the state. It looked like nearly everybody from their school was here.


There was so much to see! They watched groups of giggling students run around, chasing each other to the carousel or to different rides. Personally she always loved rides most of all, but for now they were just trying to see everything at once before they decided what to do first.


Skylar and her friend, Jessie, stopped to watch the man twirling fire around for a moment, but it didn't last.


"Skylar! Look! There's a fortune teller! Come on, we have to go!" Jessie insisted, taking Skylar's hand and tugging her along to the tent.


"Oh, come on. Fortune tellers are just guessers!" Skylar argued, though she didn't resist the tugging too much and followed after her friend.


"Don't be a party pooper! Maybe she'll tell you something fascinating!" Jessie said, giggling and pulling Skylar into the tent before she could protest again.

 

[LadyeBurd]

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Auden drove up into the lot where there was little room left to park. Cars were up on the sides and next to trees, on the curb of the country
road. He sighed, should've known it would be packed way before the opening time. He took his car all the way into the far left of the field, out
of the lot's gravel where it was empty. Auden made sure to keep his car away from everyone elses. A large dent proved his point as he struggled to
make it out of the car.

He jogged to the entrance, the odd sensation in the pit of his stomach strengthened. Go Home. Go Home, it prodded. He ruffled his brown hair, irritated
with himself. What's his deal? Couldn't he just enjoy this one night and maybe meet that girl, whose name he was too cowardly to know?
No. He wouldn't let himself get in the way of something extraordinary.

He caught sight of Beckem leaning against his black truck. They took each others' hands and pulled together. Auden pat Beckem's back and pulled away with a grin.

"What's up broskee?!"

Beckem laughed and shook his head. "You're late, man. See what happens when your late?"

Auden snatched his glasses and put them on, trotting away. "See what happens when you instigate?" He laughed aloud and ran with Beckem on his tale.

....

They both couldn't believe their eyes. Although Auden was still a bit creeped out by the scaley monsters that hissed at him at the entrance, everything else
there made up for it.

"I can't believe it." Beckem mumbled. Auden chuckled. "Dang, you really do live under a rock."

"Don't act as if you've been to something like this before!"

"I don't think ANYONES' been to something like this."

They agreed. Auden looked around for that girl, wondering what she was doing right then. Was she even there?​

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[Layne]

Just as they got in the tent, another hand grabbed Skylar and pulled her back out. She was startled for a moment, until she realized it was her friend Becca.


"You have to come on the carousel with me so that I don't feel like a little kid!" her friend insisted, and Skylar laughed.


"Seriously? Come on, can't you ride one of the bigger ones?"


"Well.. Nick is on the carousel and I heard that he dumped his girlfriend today. C'mon, Skylar, please? I just want to maybe flirt a little bit!" Becca begged.


"No way! We have to see the fortune teller lady!" Jessie insisted, having walked out of the tent with her hands on her hips.


"Okay okay. We'll do the carousel, then the fortune teller. Come on," Skylar said, and the three of them set off toward the music of the carousel. The rotating horses and other animals were hard to miss, and Skylar spotted the boy in question astride a big tiger. He was talking to a pretty blonde that she knew for a fact was a bit of a slut.


"Uh oh.. Looks like he's already making a move," she said, nodding toward them.


"No way! I'm too charming, he'll end up tossing her aside in my favor," Becca said cockily, giggling and running over to the line. "Come on, Skylar!" she called back, making her friends laugh and run after her.

 

[LadyeBurd]

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She could feel them coming.

Madame Veneer knew children would begin to enter her humble abode, fixed with cigar smoke and perfumes. She paced her small floor with
a pipe in hand, puffing after every thought. Then she smiled.

They will be here.

She had a strong inclination that these were...different folk. Much more different than those she'd coaxed before. Interesting.
Madame Veneer turned her head, expecting her son to emerge from her beaded curtains.

Visage smiled and took off his hat. "Hello, mother." Madame Veneer's dark eyes twinkled,"Don't give me that, son." She paused, unsure whether
to tell him about her vision or not. She decided to.

"Strong spirits dwell here, stronger than any we have come upon...take caution, my child."

His dark brows raised. "Did you see their faces?"

She shook her head, her earrings jingling. "No, but I will say this, I haven't felt it this strongly since Cimber."
.....

"Is that who you were looking for?" Beckem nudged Auden in the side, nodding toward the carosel. There she was. Right there.

"You should go make your move!"

Auden smirked and shook his head. "It's better from a distance, bro. If fate will have it, she'll come my way..." he sighed as he saw her laughing
with her friends, completely unaware. "...eventually." He whispered.

He heard Beckem cackling in the background. He shoved him. "Something funny, Beck?" He smiled.

"You're such a fruitcake." He laughed again, pointing to the fortune teller's hut. "Let's go get our palms read."

Auden pretended to gag. "Are you for real?"

"Yeah, let's go. Maybe we can catch her in the act. We could see if there are cables in the crystal ball." Beckem fixed his glasses and walked over
without him. Auden took a look back at the carosel, then followed Beckem back into Madame Veneer's Tent.

He couldn't help but realize how fast his heart was beating and the quickness in his breath. Something felt odd, but soon the sensation left him in ignorance to
what was about to occur.​

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Madame Veneer

 

[Layne]

The three girls ran all the way to the line for the carousel. It kept stopping and letting more people on, like a ferris wheel. Soon they were on board and making their way toward Nick. They were discreet, of course. At least.. as discreet as one could be when stalking a high school senior and trash-talking the girl that he seemed to be enjoying spending time with.


"Look at her! She's basically a stick and she doesn't even know how to use make-up. Plus we all know she's all 'stretched out', if you know what I mean," Becca said, pouting a bit as she crossed her legs. She was sitting sideways on a unicorn, her arm wrapped around the pole.


"Complaining isn't going to do anything. Get up and go talk to him! The sooner the better!" Jessie insisted from her pony-perch, clearly impatient to get back to the fortune teller. Skylar grinned at her friends and nodded a little.


"C'mon, Jessie's right. Go talk to him," she insisted, sitting backward on a white tiger to face both of them. Becca finally sighed and gave in, trudging over to strike up a conversation with Nick. To the surprise of everybody watching, he seemed interest. She soon waved her friends off, clearly wanting to be alone with her dreamboat.


"If she calls me later for a ride, I'm not picking up," Jessie grumbled as they stepped off of the carousel. Skylar giggled a bit and poked Jessie in the side.


"Yes you are. You're too nice not to. Now come on - you said you wanted a fortune, let's go get one so that you can stop complaining and we can get some food!"


"You are such a damn pig! How do you keep your figure? God, I hate you.." Jessie muttered, but the both knew she was kidding.


They smiled at each other, then ran back toward the fortune teller's tent.

 

[LadyeBurd]

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When he entered he was hit in the face with pipe smoke and fumes he didn't even know of. His head pounded from the unexpected impact, blinking several times. "HOLY CRAP."

Beckem was fanning his nose. "Dude, this place reaks with female odor!"

Then there were footsteps and jingling. The curtain of beads split. An old, charming woman stood with sharp eyes and a long, wooden pipe peeking'
from her lips. She puffed on it for a few seconds, looking the two boys up and down. Her blond hair seemed to be greying, and her face seemed to
hold years of the burning sun. Wrinkles creased from under her eyes as she squinted closely, then nodded her head with a slow smile.

"What can I do for you four beautiful young men and women?"

Beckem and Auden turned to one another, confused. Auden opened his mouth to protest about there only being two in the tent, until he heard the flap
open again. He turned around to see her.

He didn't know whether to feel caught off guard and utterly bashful, or freaked out by the old woman's perception. Both seemed to be equally shown through
his dropped jaw and red face. He quickly turned back around, wanting to fold within himself or turn into some sort of rodent and scurry away.

"No need to be so uncomfortable my dear," She giggled behind her pipe, a knowing look in her gaze. "She'll come around."
The old woman then turned around, her large shawl trailing behind her. "All four of you follow me."

Beckem was estatic. He glanced behind him and cackled, "Oooh man. I knew this was gonna be good."​

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[Layne]

"One of these days you're going to get old and fat, Skylar," Jessie threatened as they ran, giggling a bit at the thought of her friend ever having anything other than a perfect body.


"I don't ever want to get old. Not just because of the slow metabolism thing, either. Have you ever noticed how miserable old people are? They can't get up and just go do whatever they want," Skylar replied, shaking her head. "I'll be young forever!" she declared, laughing along with Jessie as they reached the tent and walked inside, a bit breathless.


Both of the girls were surprised to see that there were two boys ahead of them. Skylar recognized them from class, but she wasn't certain on the names. The one who had made the class laugh was Beck-something, she thought, but the other one had never even spoke to her so she had no idea. She blinked as he turned and looked at her, giving him a friendly smile while Jessie glanced around the tent. They were both surprised as the fortune teller said something confusing about somebody coming around. Who was she even talking about? They glanced at each other, shrugged, and followed behind the boys.


"Oooh, this is gonna be good!" Jessie whispered excitedly at the same time that Beck-whatever spoke up. She blinked and giggled, looking at him in surprise.


"I hope so, or Becca will never let you hear the end of it," Skylar teased quietly.

 

[LadyeBurd]

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They followed her inside into a smaller room where the curtains were a dark purple and red, with candles lit along small tables. The fabric tents's walls flapped against the wind as Madame Veneer took a seat and looked up at her son.

Visage stiffened, his smile unnuasually vacant. His eyes pierced the visitors as they took their seats at the large round table. Dark purple
fabric was laid out on top, and there in front of Madame Veneer sat a small, glossy globe that seemed to have an internal hurricane swirling inside.

....


Auden looked all around, taking in every detail as though he thirsted for single pictures and images needed for survival. He was uncomfortable, as though
his inner being wailed within him, but he ignored it. However, it seemed that the middle-aged man standing beside him was well aware of his strong feelings.
It was as though this man were a hunter, and he - a young buck waiting to be snared.

Beckem was completely unaware. He was normal - excited to hear his 'fortune'. He faced Auden and squinted his eyes behind his glasses as he smiled. He rubbed his hands together.

"So..let's get this show on the road!" He laughed, but Auden stood quietly. He was reluctant to sit down.

.....


An aroma stuck thick in the room, baring upon his mind from the inside out. This young man who stood seemed to be disturbed. Did he know?

He caught his mother signaling for him to comfort their bait.

With sly grace, he walked closely toward the young man. The strong scent of uneasiness was released from the blue t-shirt wore, and struck
Visage to be even more odd. "Would you take a seat, sir?"

The young man looked at him from the corner of his blue eyes, brows pensive. He slowly pulled out a chair and sat.

He also felt the quiet strength and waywardness of a young woman who sat across from this young man, who seemed normal but held a secret boiling within her
breast - just waiting to be snuffed out by his expertese to seduce and...well, cause illusions so that he could begin the process.

However, Visage felt that the young man would be a problem, but he made sure to not let this show.

"Now..." Madame Veneer took out her pipe and plopped it into her son's hand. "Please, in order to do this I need you to relax and think of the happiest
event or memory that has occurred recently."

She smiled, looking around slowly with bright cat eyes. She spoke soft and slow.

"When you have this, allow the emotions of this memory
overwhelm and saturate your being. Capture and hold onto this, and take your neighbor's hand."​

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[Layne]

"I'm sure it will be. I mean, come on. It's already better than that fortune teller that we had at the school fair last year in the gym," Jessie pointed out, grinning as she followed after the boys into a smaller room and looked all around at the candles and everything else with delight.


"Of course it is. That was just Mr. Jacobs in a dress and headwrap," Skylar said, glancing around as well.


There was somebody else there. A man. Curious. She examined him for a few moments, then moved over next to Jessie and took her seat. At first she thought she was last, but then she realized the boy whose name she didn't know was still standing up. Did he feel it too? Wait, feel what? She shook her head to get rid of the thought, focusing on the woman instead as she told them what to do.


A happy event or memory? Hmm..


"Oh, that's easy!" Jessie whispered, giggling softly to herself. Skylar glanced at her friend, frowning thoughtfully. When was the last time she was extremely happy? Well, sneaking out was a thrill. Happy enough, she figured. Besides, it wasn't like the woman would know if she wasn't thinking of a joyous thing or not. She smiled and relaxed, nodding a little as she took Jessie's hand and held out the other patiently.