Is it okay if I stalk you? [Backdated to Undeadfield]

[have_your_lives]

[Well, after being abducted, killed, and buried, Schuldig is unexpectedly - although is it really unexpected, in Mayfield? - back. Though he's looking a little...different. He's prowling around Mayfield in an outfit that would be called eccentric even by his standards, looking for a few specific people. Ema and Edward are at the top of the list, but if he sees Ken, the Major, or Black Mage around...of course, he may also run into other people on the streets, but it may take a bit of effort to redirect his attention to you when he has pressing business elsewhere.

He keeps obscuring his face with the cape that seems to have come with his new fashion statement, if only because he's decided it looks slightly less idiotic than the arms-out zombie shuffle. Whatever he is - and he's not thinking about that too hard right now, because he's somewhat hazily unsure on that point - he's no shambling, witless flesh-eater, and he refuses to act like one.]

[OOC NOTE: Schuldig will probably be using his telepathy - in particular his mind control abilities - to full effect in this post! Very much along the lines of a charming vampire hypnotizing scantily clad women. :D Please check out his permission posts here and here if you haven't already, and if you definitely do/don't want him to mind control your character into a bridal-style abduction(and he will do this to both men AND women; he's very equal opportunity that way), let me know!]

Comments

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

[Of course he finds Ken. Why wouldn't he? His fellow Tokyolite is also walking around in that silly tux. Of course, Siberian hasn't seen him yet.]

[have-your-lives.livejournal.com]

[Never mind that Schuldig is wearing the exact same thing - he can't help cackling at Ken's outfit.] Going to go prove to Miakis that you look even worse all cleaned up than you normally do, Siberian?

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

[While yes, he does want to find Miakis, he really hates this stupid get up. Tuxes just were not his style. They were stiff, they itched, and really he just hated the way they looked.]

Like you're one to talk Mastermind! You look like a fuckin' scarecrow in that!

[have-your-lives.livejournal.com]

[Schuldig smirks broadly. Unlike Ken, he's worn formal clothes before - and while they're rarely his first choice of attire, he certainly thinks he looks better in them than Ken does.] At least it's a look I can pull off. You look like you need a cone to keep from pulling those off you with your teeth.

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

[Have the most childish imitation of your voice Schuldig. He knows he can't move fast enough to actually you know, smack you.]

'At least it's a look I can pull off' blah blah blah.

[have-your-lives.livejournal.com]

As always, Siberian, your maturity does you credit.

I wonder if I ought to spare Miakis the sight of you...

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

My speed may be hampered, but yours is too you jackass.

[have-your-lives.livejournal.com]

[Schuldig chuckles, extending a hand to Ken in almost courtly invitation - an impression that probably comes from the formal clothing he's wearing.] And who said I was going to use my speed~?

[Say goodbye to control over your own limbs, Ken. Schuldig casually directs his enemy's body to walk forward, taking his hand as though accepting an invitation to dance, and there isn't much of anything Ken can do about it. Even in their numerous fights up to this point, Schuldig hasn't gone this far...but today, the town has usurped his normal priorities and preferences, making him far more willing to use strong-arm tactics if it'll accomplish his goals.

Not that he really minds any opportunity to show Ken up, or to make him squirm. He just usually wouldn't be this heavy-handed about it.]

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

[Oh there is much cursing, both mentally and verbally. He's a little confused as why he isn't screaming at Schuldig tho.]

Y-you stupid son of a bitch!

[He's trying to fight as much as he can, making his movements jerky and awkward. He really does not want to get into close range to Mastermind right now, though when they eventually do clasp hands, Ken tries to squeeze as hard as he can. He's broken bones that way before.]

[have-your-lives.livejournal.com]

[Oh, Ken - Schuldig is already in your mind, he's inevitably going to be aware of any form of rebellion you attempt. That, and no telepath is needed to guess than a hand clasp between enemies might turn bone-crushing if allowed. As such, Ken will find his hand doesn't obey any more than the rest of him; the best he can manage is a slight squeeze, which is more intimate than injuring. And - just to heighten the insult - Schuldig returns the squeeze in kind, holding Ken's gaze as he does so.

The false intimacy of it arguably makes this gesture even creepier than Schuldig's hijacking Ken's entire body, despite the innocuous form the intimacy takes.

With that, Schuldig takes Ken's hand and begins leading him toward the graveyard, looking immensely self-satisfied. His life hasn't been going well recently, and his undeath isn't going any better...but there are some pleasures that are timeless, and help him forget all the setbacks and misery he's experienced since Schwarz left. It's a comforting reminder that no matter what else may happen, no matter who is or isn't with him, he is still the Mastermind.]

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

[Ken is mentally fuming at this blatant display of Schuldig's power. His brain is rapidly inching towards code red with rage, which is made worse by the fact that he can't actually do anything to help himself in this situation.

The closer they get to the graveyard, the more frantic Ken is to get himself out of that situation.

Mastermind was going to pay for this dearly once he had any control back.]

[have-your-lives.livejournal.com]

[Schuldig certainly isn't loosening his hold on Ken's mind - or hell, even his hand - any time soon. He's perfectly aware of how dangerous Ken can be if he feels like, and thus the importance of keeping the leash tight. Besides, his compulsion to haul people back to the graveyard is still in full effect; until he has Ken back at the crypt he's selected as their end destination, it won't be satisfied.

Fortunately for Ken - and bemusingly for Schuldig - he has absolutely no game plan for what to do when they get there. So, as frantic as Ken's efforts are to break free by the time they reach the crypt, the fact is that by the time Schuldig releases his grip on the other man's hand he simply stands there, at something of a loss.

This isn't to say he releases his grip on the other man's mind, of course, though it does relax significantly. Ken will find he has full control of his voice again(including its volume), and more or less free control of his body...though there's a sort of weight on his mind, a faint but noticeable pressure that seems to suggest any attempts at unapproved actions will result in control being snatched right back. This is a casual deterrent from attacking Schuldig immediately...and also from his leaving before the telepath has fully decided what to do here, if anything.]

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

[Ken practically started vibrating with tension as soon as the control pressure started to dial down but he knows it's still there, that part of his mind that has been primed to be under influence is making him feel it keenly. So thankfully for them both his mouth takes over and he starts screaming obscenities at Schuldig and is attempting to make his displeasure known.]

What the flyin' fuck Schuldig! There is no way in hell I'm goin' down there with you!

[have-your-lives.livejournal.com]

I don't recall saying you had to. [Schuldig's voice is unusually mild, and somewhat distracted; it sounds like he's only half paying attention to Ken or anything he's saying. It's actually a little odd, at least for him.]

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

Maybe not, but it sure seems like you're thinkin' about it! [Oh he just wants to throttle him.

Or Schuldig could now maybe realize Ken is contemplating giving him a boot to the ass to push him in.]

[have-your-lives.livejournal.com]

[If Ken makes an ill-advised attempt to actually do so, Schuldig will have him tangle up his own feet and fall flat on his face. For the moment, he's too preoccupied to bother with physically defending himself or dodging.]

If you weren't here, what would you be doing? [He directs the seemingly inane question at Ken without turning his head.]

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

[The blandness of the question serves to temporarily bring him out of his annoyance.]

To be honest? Who knows. Probably tryin' to find Miakis. Why?

[have-your-lives.livejournal.com]

And why would you be trying to find her? To show off how terrible you look in outdated formal wear?

[These questions actually have an oblique point to them - Schuldig's trying to work out his confusing compulsions, and whether Ken shares them.]

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

Oh fuck no! You think I like bein' stuck in this stupid get up? Like hell I'd wanna show it off. Nah, I wanna find her cause I'm worried...[Well, that and he wanted to cart her off somewhere, but he was ignoring that part.]

[have-your-lives.livejournal.com]

And that's the only reason, Siberian...?

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

I dunno mastermind, you tell me. [This is the snottiest voice he can manage, and it's pretty snotty. Enjoy Schuldig. Of course he relents after a moment, he doesn't want Schuldig actually digging about for other reasons.]

I dunno what the town wants us to do, I just figured I'd know when we got there. What, you don't know?

Shocking. [Nope, wait, he wasn't done being a snot.]

[have-your-lives.livejournal.com]

No, I don't know. [And for a moment, Schuldig looks genuinely nonplussed. This isn't something that happens often. Ken might find it satisfying, or maybe he'll find it strange and unsettling in a completely foreign way. Either way, it's brief.

Then Schuldig grins wolfishly.] Which means I can improvise. What would you suggest I do with an enemy who's mouthing off to me, when I have him at my mercy in a graveyard?

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

[He really does enjoy it. Schuldig sounding like something other then either a really broken doll, or a really arrogant prick is music to his ears. Still, he sees the trap in that next comment.]

Cause it's my neck on the line I would suggest lettin' him go. [Did you really expect him to be that stupid mastermind?]

[have-your-lives.livejournal.com]

[Ken, if you can't recognize a veiled reminder of your precarious position for what it is rather than Schuldig genuinely asking your opinion, there's just no helping you.]

Oh, I think some punishment is warranted. And there are all these open graves around... [He doesn't actually intend to kill Ken...or bury him alive, which is what he's been hinting at. But he sees absolutely no reason not to let Ken sweat over the possibility.]

[weiss-tank.livejournal.com]

You do, you pay for it. [That is a threat that he does recognize.]

[glowing-science.livejournal.com]

[Ema proves easy to find--she's going through her daily routine to try and take her mind off of the graveyard. Even trying to do this, however, nets her little relief. Schuldig will be able to tell that her surface thoughts go back to the graveyard and how she felt seeing all those headstones.

Well, that and dealing with Edward's grief. It was a long, sad night last night at Edward's house, just the two of them huddled together trying not to be swallowed by their own despair.]

[have-your-lives.livejournal.com]

[Schuldig slips in through a window; he does this silently and with surprising grace, thanks to being agile and used to unconventional means of getting around. From there, it's easy enough to slip up behind Ema.] People have been dying in Mayfield as long as you or he have been here. What is it about headstones that makes it seem more serious?

[He hasn't forgotten his reason for coming, but he can't help but be a little curious. Why headstones should make such a difference in their perceptions of Mayfield's usual high death toll, he can't imagine.]

sob, I'm the worst

[glowing-science.livejournal.com]

[Ema jumps and spins around, thoroughly--and unsurprisingly--spooked by Schuldig's sudden appearance. He seems... odd. But he seems alive, from what she can tell. In some bizarre way, it's a relief.

More than that, he asked a question. After a deep breath, she answers it.]

It was empirical evidence of your death... and you weren't back the next morning like the dead usually are here. A change in the system is something to be worried about.

[have-your-lives.livejournal.com]

I'm assuming this is the collective 'you'. [Schuldig cocks an eyebrow. He has no illusions that Ema is particularly glad to see him; he half expects most of her relief comes from knowing that if he's back, then probably the others she was worried about - and that Edward was worried about - are back too.

Being a telepath, he's aware that some of that relief is indeed reserved specifically for him, but he knows not to read too much into that. It's a reaction she can't really help, and one she tends to find questionable or shameful. He can't bank on reluctant sympathies that are half engineered out of a sort of abusive dependency...even if they're really the only kinds of sympathies he's capable of evoking.]

The town was just working up to this. [He makes a somewhat mocking gesture to his outfit.] What do you think? Was it worth the effort?

[glowing-science.livejournal.com]

Of course it is. You weren't the only one in that graveyard. [And she leaves it at that. There's no need to get into a deeper discussion about any of this, especially when he can read her mind.

Besides, he's calling attention to his getup, which looks more than a bit ridiculous, she has to admit.] Why are you even dressed up like that? What are you supposed to be?

[The borderline-silliness of it all, plus familiarity and the fact that he's obviously taking it with a grain of salt, is disarming her far more effectively than even he might have realized. Easy pickings.]

[have-your-lives.livejournal.com]

[At Ema's questions, Schuldig grins - a sharklike grin that's only enhanced by the fact that his canines seem sharper than usual. Granted, there's no desire to suck blood or anything of the sort, but he's been fitted out to at least look the part of a vampire; why wouldn't it come with the most obvious accessories? And, as he often does, he gives the most unsettling answer possible.] I'm supposed to be dead.

Care to join me? [This statement is not actually meant to be connected to the last one - he simply intends for Ema to come with him - but there's a subconscious emphasis toward the macabre in Schuldig's behavior right now. It's largely town-inspired, but in truth he doesn't need any further incentive to amuse himself disturbing even those few people he likes than his own natural sadism.

It's rather ironic that he'd put Ema so easily off-guard when he really hadn't cared about doing so one way or the other, and hardly needs to take advantage of it. He extends a hand to her, in a way that's almost courtly - an impression likely enhanced by the evening wear.]

[glowing-science.livejournal.com]

[Ema regards him with a raised eyebrow, not necessarily buying this whole elegant vampire act. That doesn't stop her from taking a step closer to him and taking his hand when he reaches out to her, however. There's something magnetic about him right now--she feels drawn to him in some strange way.

In the back of her mind, it occurs to her that he's likely influencing her mind to respond favorably to all of this.

However, she quickly deems it not worth fighting (further influence?). Instead, she smiles.] If you dying was what it took to turn you into a gentleman...

[She's teasing.]

[have-your-lives.livejournal.com]

[Schuldig is almost pleasantly surprised by how readily she comes to him. He's not having to fight her much, mentally or otherwise. It's possible his own threads of mind control are being influenced by the town, to render his strong-arm tactics into something more subtle, more compelling in the style of a B-movie vampire seducing a female victim. Or maybe there's actually a latent charm effect inherent in his current state.

Or maybe he and Ema are on slightly better terms than he'd allowed himself to think. Though, frankly, he considers this the least likely possibility.

No matter the cause, however, her snarky reply actually gets a laugh out of him.] Oh, have I never shown you the suit in my closet...?

[And with that, he begins leading her out of the house, toward the graveyard. Through the door, simply because it's hard to gracefully climb out a window while holding someone's hand.]

[glowing-science.livejournal.com]

No, you haven't. I don't make it a habit to poke around in your private belongings...

[Ema doesn't resist when he starts leading her away--he has her hook, line, and sinker. However, she is aware of herself enough to ask a simple question.]

Where are we going?

[have-your-lives.livejournal.com]

[Another cackle. Interesting how easily they get along, with Mayfield's compulsions and Schuldig's telepathy smoothing the way...later, when he's more aware of just how much was induced rather than natural, Schuldig will be disgusted, but for now it's almost pleasant.] As if anyone does make a habit of it. But I meant while I've worn it, Ema.

[In response to her question, he simply grins.] You'll find out when we get there, won't you?