"In cento anni o cento mesi, l'acqua torna a' suoi paesi."

[sharktrash]

Who: Squalo and YOU!
What: birthday catch-all! Squalo's turning 23 on the 13th. Yes he is Pisces because his character wasn't fish-related enough yet.
When: 12th-14th
Where: All around Vista city, the mall, the bars, Pride HQ, MANTICORE penthouse, Junkyard Carnival penthouse, etc.
Warnings: Squalo language, violence, substance abuse, (mentions of) banging, will update as necessary


[ prompts in comments! ]

Comments

March 12th // Vista city // OPEN

[sharktrash]

[ The day before his birthday, Squalo can be found out in the city. He’s mostly getting groceries and booze, but before going shopping he just might wander around the mall for a while. Go to the pet store to look at fish, test out some instruments in the music shop, maybe sign some things if he’s approached by a fan, and so on. Maybe, you know, he’s grabbing your bassist and making a run for it in a shopping cart, whichever. Feel free to pester him! ]

Re: March 12th // Vista city // OPEN

[blindfoldcode]

[You know who's chillin' at the mall? MINDING HER OWN FUCKING BUISNESS? This green haired loser who is legitimately just trying to find her girlfriend an anniversary present oh my god.

She seems really, really into it too. She does see Squalo, but the second she does, she averts her eyes, staring very hard at the display in front of her oh god she does not want to be confronted about Genos or her disappearance from the MANTICORE penthouse or any of that.

But she's a bassist. With very little to no guard on her. Actively avoiding noticing him. Rookie mistake?]

1 (ONE) BASSIST GET

[sharktrash]

[ You know who notices her? No, it's not senpai, it's someone much worse. Now, he doesn't really know much about what happened so he doesn't exactly blame her for it (Genos had been rather vague about why he needed "fixing", and then Squalo was probably a bit too distracted by the fact that OH MY GOD YOU HAVE A FULL ROBOT TORSO?? to dig much deeper). He did, however, notice that she seemed quite scarce compared to earlier. And she was Genos' friend. And Genos was possibly upset. ]

[ Also, they're short an angry teenage girl bassist. Plus, FUCK System Crash and their manager. ]

[ The plan is pretty simple, really. Grab her, get out fast enough for the security to not get suspicious, ??? profit. He keeps his distance for a while, finding a store that sold something probably akin to potato sacks, then going off to get a cart, keeping Kido in the corner of his eye all the while. ]

[ He picks a moment when she's crossing the isle from one store to another, so there aren't any Very Breakable Shop Windows right behind her (he doesn't feel like dealing with the expenses right now), and then he leans on the cart and kicks off. ]

[ A few more speed-up shoves and he's flying at her like a freight train, pretty much. ]

VOOOOOIII!!

[ WHAT IS STEALTH?! ]

[blindfoldcode]

[THAT IS NOT STEALTH THAT IS A MOMENT OF EXCESSIVE TERROR ON A TEENAGE BASSIST'S PART AS SHE WHIPS AROUND COMPLETELY CONFUSED OH MY GOD WHAT IS HAPPENING SHE'S GOING TO DIE???????

She's almost a deer in the headlights, before she scrambles back and away from the DISASTER ON A SHOPPING CART WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!]

[sharktrash]

[ MAYBE. OR NOT. He'll use that deer in the headlights moment to hop off the cart to follow her, throwing the bag over her head. If that's successful, he'll pull it down, topple her over and tie it with proficient haste that surprises even himself. ]

[blindfoldcode]

[She's not as fast or as smart as she could be and she squeals. She doesn't expect to be knocked down by somebody she knows. It takes her a second to even start struggling.]

H-hey! What are you doing?!

[sharktrash]

[ By then, she's probably in the bag, so yeah. With a bit of effort, Squalo heaves her into the cart (thank fuck for lugging two cellos around, he should be able to carry a teenage girl even with his current strength), and speeds off before the security nearby can get interested in whatever's going on. ]

Relax. [ He says, and gives the bag a pat on the most extruding lump as they zoom down the isle. It's probably not encouraging in the slightest. ] You're coming with me.

[blindfoldcode]

[Considering how underweight the teenage girl is, he probably wouldn't have any trouble anyway. She flinches from the touch for a moment.]

This isn't funny! I swear to god I am going to-- [... She doesn't know what she's going to do. But she's going to do it.]

[sharktrash]

[ Excellent. Makes things easier for everyone. And hey, he can already see the exit. Looks like there are some cabs waiting. It's his fucking lucky day. ]

Voooi, do what you want but you're not getting out of this bag!!

[ UGLY HYENA LAUGHTER. ]

[blindfoldcode]

[This really seems like she's going to get murdered. Is she going to get murdered? She's going to get murdered. She didn't think she had that many enemies of this level.]

What the fuck are you doing?!

[sharktrash]

Tactical retreat. [ You know, like running away but manlier. ]

[ There's probably something of a commotion behind them by now. He slows the cart down just enough to wiggle through the spinning doors without breaking them, then hoists the Kido-bundle over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, without much care which end should be pointing up, and dives into the nearest cab. ]

Pride HQ.

[ The driver looks concerned. ]

It's alright, we're roleplaying.

[blindfoldcode]

We are totally not! Let me out of this!

[Guess who is literally going to fight the entire way. Most of the way. At least half of the cab ride and then there will be tears once she's actually in the building WAS SQUALO SENT BY LESEDI IS SHE GOING TO DIE??]

[sharktrash]

[ PATTING THE BAG CONSOLINGLY. ]

Very good. Try it with a bit more feeling.

[ While motioning at the driver to get going. They still look dubious, but start the car and slip out into the street. ]

[ It doesn't take long for them to reach the HQ. Probably about five minutes. Squalo tosses hundred dollar bill at the driver, yells "No change!" and runs into the lobby, as fast as he can with the bag weighing him down, a manic grin on his face. There's definitely people witnessing this, but hey, he doesn't care. If it makes it to the news, well, all publicity is good publicity and so on. ]

[ There's a few more minutes in the elevator, and they're finally in the MANTICORE penthouse. Luckily, Genos happens to be out of his room, so Squalo is just going to zoom toward him and shove the bag into his arms. Or dump it on his lap if he's sitting down. ]

Heeeey! Got myself an early birthday gift! Look, our new bassist!

[ Yeah and he's plonking his ass on the couch looking terribly pleased with himself. He'll let Genos actually untie the sack himself. ]

[riveres]

[Malls he finds, are perfect places to stalk creep on observe others. There's usually lots of people there so it's easy to disappear into the crowd. He isn't sure why he decided to follow this loud asshole that screws everything in his path and feels no shame. But Oscar figures it would be good practice.

In the music store there's a indie-looking motherfucker with dark hair, an androgynous figure and face, and wearing dark colors. He's mostly minding his own business, tapping out little melodies on a piano.

For now.]

[sharktrash]

[ That is... extremely inconspicuous to be honest. He looks like a regular teenager, at least one that doesn't follow the Capitol-like fashions of today. So Squalo pays him no mind. ]

[ He's testing out one of the electric cellos. Of course, the staff plugged it in for him, because omfg, a star (sort of) playing in their store! He's mostly fooling around at first, but soon enough all the other instruments anyone might be touching will be drowned out by long, sludgy, almost dissonant sound he's making. It probably sounds like sin. ]

[riveres]

[Good. Better to stalk track observe him.]

[At first Oscar pays no mind to the fact that Squalo is practicing in the music store. Some musicians do to get a feel for their instruments before they buy them. But he DOES give Squalo attention when he starts playing that.

It's at once melodic and also sounds like it was dragged up from hell and summoned onto his fingers. Great and terrible music that scares, arouses, and is guaranteed to put you in awe. He knew the brainwashers did some things to the victims, but he wasn't expecting that level of skill.

He shudders to think that some of them can even have their own mild form of mind control.]

[sharktrash]

[ That's pretty much exactly what it sounds like. Hell and demons and rivers of wine along with every vice imaginable, all accented by merciless, metallic notes. Why, a new metal chart-topper in the making, probably. ]

[ And good call, Oscar. Squalo might not be capable of mind control (yet), but he's got that neat little influencing people's emotions thing. So if you suddenly feel the need to writhe on flat surfaces with your mouth on someone's skin, that's probably where it's coming from. ]

[riveres]

[He does, and it disgusts him. He stands awkwardly in the store while Squalo plays his sinful cello while everyone else seems to be extras in this lurid music video. Dancing and writhing on each other.

Jesus Christ.... oh fuck, he might spot me. He'll duck away out the music store, choosing to watch him come out from another store across from it, away from the sound.]

[sharktrash]

[ Squalo is mildly amused at the alleged-teenager fleeing the scene, but then there are more amusing things going on. Like a few people standing around awkwardly clearly feeling turn on, and a couple who apparently decided to go for it and start... let's call it dancing for now. ]

[ He'll switch cellos a couple of times to finish the piece, pick one to buy, and eventually make it out of the store with a new case on his back. ]

[riveres]

[He got out just in time...

As Squalo makes his way out the music store, Oscar waits for him to give some distance before he follows him, making sure to not gain too much distance on the cellist so he can't suspect someone is following him, focusing on the gleaming hair of his and the cello case on his back.]

[sharktrash]

[ He'll head to the pet store next. ]

[ If Oscar is close enough, he might overhear him babytalking to goldfish, leaned in to the aquarium so that his nose is practically touching the glass. "Who's a good boy? Yes you are, yes YOU are!!" sort of deal. ]

[riveres]

[Again Oscar is remaining close enough to see and observe him, but not close enough to where he can be noticed. It's a few paces away, probably somewhat on the far side, but Oscar can hear the baby-talk.

It's weird as fuck.]

[sharktrash]

[ He buys fish food and moves on. Now he'll go into a clothing store. The season's gonna be changing soon, and he has to figure out how to combine sleeves that would hide his... little mechanical problem, and good ventilation, or he'll risk getting a heatstroke in Vista's summer weather. Right now he's considering simple white button-shirts with long sleeves. Hell, he could probably wear it open if he really needed it -- ]

[ Just browsing expensive shirt selections. Nothing too interesting. ]

[riveres]

[Now he's at a store that Oscar could probably could afford one shirt at with his paycheck. But at least he looks more 'natural' here and doesn't feel the need to keep too much space. Just looking at clothes.]

[sharktrash]

[ It's probably nothing, but he could swear it's the same teen he's seen in the previous store... and the previous one. Maybe coincidence. One way to be sure -- ]

[ He's gonna walk right into women's lingerie section. ]