"Gli farò un'offerta che non potrà rifiutare."

[sharktrash]

Who: MANTICORE and Roy Mustang
What: the violence-worshipping band give the warm-up band's guitarist an offer he can't refuse.
When: 17ish?
Where: someplace a gig can take place. Vista City Mini Amphitheatre? idk
Warnings: language? probably?? SQUALO? idk will add as necessary

(( There are four main sections you can post your toplevels or tag in to:
- before Manticore's performance (watching Roy play, generic shenanigans, forcing him to stay onstage after his band's done),
- during (if you wanna play out making music and/or stage shenanigans!),
- after (the final verdict) and then, finally,
- dragging their catch back home and staging THE INITIATION CEREMONY. that's right MANTICORE is lowkey a frat house.
Have fun! Threadjacking encouraged and expected! Basically, go wild. ))

Comments

[snapcrackleburn]

I'll hold you to that. Can you show me where my room is?

[ He lifts his suitcase up and nods over his shoulder at the guitar case on his back. ]

I should put this aside before any thing wild starts to happen.

[wounds]

We're not going to injure our brand new captive. Follow me.

[It's not too far, right down the hall where most of the bedrooms are.]

[snapcrackleburn]

[ Roy follows him down the hall, looking around and admiring the decor of the place. When they arrive at Orion's old room, Roy blinks in surprise when the lights are flipped on, revealing the grandeur and size of the place. ]

Are all the bedrooms so... ornate? That bed looks like something a king slept in a century or two ago... [ And he grins. ] I like it!

[wounds]

[It's completely spotless, like Orion was never here at all.]

They all look like this.

Good! [Since he's going to be stuck with it.]

[snapcrackleburn]

All of them? Pride sure likes to show off how much money it has. [ He leaves his guitar and suitcase safe on the bed then turns to touch the curtains of the canopy and admire it. ]

I think I can get by living here. [ He chuckles. ] They really should provide us each with crowns to wear when we're in our rooms though. Just to get in that filthy rich mood.

[wounds]

If you'd like a crown, you'll have to buy it yourself.

[Genos just seems constantly amused.]

1/2

[snapcrackleburn]

You know I just might. What are pay raises for? Make way for King Roy.

[ He laughs at his ridiculous idea for a moment then his laughter gives way and is replaced by a blank stare. Genos might recognize what's happening, the way the man in front of him suddenly looks like his mind is lost in another place. ]

2/2

[snapcrackleburn]

[ A chessboard is in front of him. Roy picks up piece by piece to give each one thought. Foreign thoughts echo in his mind but it feels like they're his own. It's cloudy. There are names being said but he can't rightly hear them as he labels each type of chess piece with the name of someone he can't remember.

My pawn. My bishop. My rook. My knight. And worst of all, they've taken my queen.

He sees an old rickety two story wooden house from across a yard and a young blonde girl standing on the porch, sweeping and innocently humming to herself.

Then it's gone. Roy grabs onto the bed canopy pillar with a small gasp and clings to it to keep his balance. ]

W-What?

[wounds]

[Oh. So he's just the same as everyone else he's spoken to... Which means Genos is immediately concerned over him.

A memory or a vision or something has returned to him.]

Feeling alright? Need some water?

[snapcrackleburn]

[ Roy looks at Genos and takes a deep breath. ]

Sorry. I don't know what that was. I'll be all right. [ He stands straight, head clear once more. ] Why don't we rejoin the others? I don't want to keep them waiting too long to get started with the initiation. I might take that glass of water though- to help me make it through the little ceremony you all have planned.

[ His smile and humor return just as fast as they went. ]

[wounds]

... Alright.

[He studies him for a moment more before ducking into his own room and bringing back an unopened water bottle.]

Take that and go back to Sqaulo. He's going to kick things of.

[snapcrackleburn]

[ He quietly thanks Genos for the water and heads back down the hall, opening the bottle and taking a few sips as he makes his way back to the common room to find Squalo. There the fellow is, in robes and everything. Roy smirks. ]

Nice hat. So what comes first in this initiation?

i don't even

[sharktrash]

Isn't it? I got it from -- [ Ah, right. Gotta be in-character for this. He's going to POINT at Roy. Does he always look so INTENSE? And shit, his voice is loud. ] ALL RIGHT, YOUNG WARRIOR!! I HEARD YOU WANT TO JOIN "MANTICORE". YOU WILL BE PLEASED TO KNOW THAT WE ONLY TAKE THE BEST OF THE BEST, AND ONCE YOU'RE IN, YOU'RE AS GOOD AS A FUCKING KING OF MUSIC. [ How many wizards use the word "fucking" in their speeches? Ah well. ]

BUT OF COURSE, YOU MUST FIRST PROVE THAT YOU ARE WORTHY. TO DO SO, YOUR ELDERS WILL EACH FASHION A TASK FOR YOU TO COMPLETE. IF YOU SUCCEED AND THEN ACCEPT THE FINAL BLESSING, YOU WILL BE A FULL-FLEDGED MEMBER OF THIS GROUP.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS?!

[snapcrackleburn]

[ Roy has to hold his breath to keep from laughing. Thankfully he wasn't drinking the water when Squalo started up the act. He really wishes Squalo had done this to bother him about staying on stage instead of the knife thing.

Pushing thoughts of their uncomfortable meeting aside, Roy puts the bottle of water aside and snaps his feet together, giving Squalo the Silver a salute. Might has well play along. It'll be more fun. ]

No questions Sir Wizard Sir! I am ready for the first task.

[sharktrash]

[ It's a good thing he doesn't laugh, or he just might get brained by a vase or something. This is serious fucking business. ]

[ Squalo grins and swipes a hand majestically in the direction of... a spare room? Or maybe it's Roy's new place? Whichever you prefer. ]

Vooooi, big guy! Do your thing!

[ While the sounds of chaos (and possibly some things breaking) start from there, he looks back at Roy, and holds up... a small stud earring. Possibly with an alchemical symbol or a pentagram, you know something cool. ]

See this right here, adventurer? Your task is to find a twin to this jewel. It's hidden... [ The door opens, revealing a... definitely rockstar-worthy room. Piles of clothes and instruments and bottles and whatever else. ] ...somewhere in this cave!

[snapcrackleburn]

I will not fail!

[ Roy looks closely at the earring just in case there are extra earrings scattered in the spare room to throw him off. He couldn't be sure how much they prepared ahead for this.

He pauses at the doorway to the messy spare room. Had this all just been thrown on the floor just now? That's a talent. Of sorts.

Roy turns to Squalo before heading inside. ]

This might take a little while. Get comfortable, Wizard Sir.

[ He starts in the far corner of the room, searching the floor, glancing up just to be safe, shaking out fabric, and lifting up some of the tossed objects and even the furniture. ]

second task (Genos)

[sharktrash]

[wounds]

[Now that Roy's gotten the earring, Genos slides up to him, dropping an arm around his shoulders.]

Guess what you get to do with that?

[snapcrackleburn]

[Roy holds it out in his palm a ways away from his body. He doesn't exactly want to touch it considering where he just found it.]

I feel the need to sterilize it.

What did you have in mind?

third task (Jecht)

[sharktrash]

fourth task (Ryuko)

[sharktrash]

[droppedthread]

[Ryuko has been mostly... watching this magic unfold from the sidelines. And trying very hard not to laugh. She found a pair of meat scissors and sort of... disassembled them so that one half is in each of her hands? That's way cooler than swords or knives. And she had to go along with the theme at least a little, right?]

So... I gotta think of some shit for you to do. I guess I'm last?

[She looks around. Yep. Looks like.]

[snapcrackleburn]

Yes. What task do you have for me?

[Roy smiles at her but he's starting to look a little worn. Far more mentally than physically. He reaches up to his ears to turn the earrings now adorning his earlobes as instructed earlier.]

THE FINAL BLESSING (Squalo + everyone?)

[sharktrash]

[sharktrash]

[ He'll wait for Roy to return from whatever hell Ryuko has decided to put him through. He's... holding a fish bowl? Definitely holding a fish bowl. ]

Well? Have you succeeded?