Halloween GP

[londoncallingmods]

The weather today had been fairly pleasant, a mostly sunny day wedged between fairly grey ones. It wasn't warm, but the chill was minimal for this time of year, and there wasn't a drop of rain in sight. As night crept in, however, the streets slowly faded from sun kissed and painted in autumnal colours, to foggy and damp. An odd thing, really, since the forecast had predicted a clear and pleasant night.

It wasn't normal fog either, it was denser, thicker, and it carried an distinct scent, like cinnamon sugar and chestnuts. It was so thick it seemed to drain the streets of their colour, leaving the wold desaturated and grey. More importantly, anyone with a bit of magic in them would sense, quite quickly, that it wasn't of this world. It crackled quietly with power, dark and heavy. Unfriendly.

It was around nine pm that the local police stations began to receive calls, things they assumed were pranks at first, but soon began rolling in so quickly and frequently that it seemed something more was afoot. The evening news spoke of mass hysteria, warning people to stay indoors. Conspiracy blogs were lit up with chatter of chemical warfare, and some 'airborne drug'. There were reports of people seeing everything from long dead loved ones, to killer clowns.

Though despite the nervous chattering of talking heads and twitter addicts, most people were paying the supposed danger no mind. Clubs and bars on every block were blasting music and throwing costume parties, people were out with friends, wandering the streets and looking for a fun time. It may have been Monday, but that didn't seem to be stopping many people from enjoying the holiday.  

For the most part, everything seemed fine. ...The crowds and groups remained oblivious to the danger of the fog. ...It was only those who slipped off on their own, to have a quick smoke, to get some air or head home early. They were the ones in danger, they were the ones who's darkest fears seemed to emerge from the thick fog. 

Around 10pm, reports started to come in regarding a body found in Whitechapel, cut open wide and left to bleed out. No prints at the scene, no signs that anyone else had even been there. The CCTV footage had somehow been rendered useless, glitched out and blurred. A trouble echoed by every other security camera on the street. It was enough to set twitter and the internet off all over again, with talk of how the things seen in the fog might, somehow, be real.

(Happy Halloween! The fog is bringing fears and spoops to life! You can make the creatures and fabrications of the fog as personal or general as you like. Whatever works best to spook your pup. If, for any reason, you don't want your pup to see any spooks, that's totally fine too. It's not a required plot. Unlike last year, this time around the creepy things your pup might see can harm them and do real damage. Though they will vanish in the morning. If your pup is sensitive to magic in any way, they might sense that this magic is distinctly fae. If you have questions about what you can or can't do, just ask in slack! Though really, the only limit here is your imagination. Remember to check with other players before doing anything that might seriously hurt their pup, ect, ect, and have fun!)

Comments

[0_0_7]

He bounced back, fury coursing through his blood. He'd killed the son of a bitch once and he'd do it again. He rushed in to pull Q away, tearing at Terrance's hold to get the younger man away.

[quartermaster_q]

Terrance's grip only grew tighter, and Q couldn't see, but the man's face slowly shifted and changed into someone else.

Long fingers wrapped around Q's neck, and the quartermaster struggled harder, clawing at the other man and letting out a soft whimper.

[0_0_7]

Bond watched in horror as Terrance became Alec, the very same one who had betrayed not only his country, but Bond and Q personally. He held Q and his hand closed tighter around the man's throat.

"Oh, come on, James," he taunted. "Admit it, he's just a plaything. You won't really care when I snap his neck..."

[quartermaster_q]

Q went painfully still then, breath catching in his throat. Terrance was terrifying, but Alec was far more deadly. ...And the look on Bond's face made it clear to him that he was right to be afraid.

His brain was attempting to make sense of how Terrance could also be Alec, flipping mentally through Torchwood files he'd glimpsed at for an explanation. ...The only one he could find, however, was rather vague.

Magic. Magic that resurrected the dead? No, then there would be two men, not one. ...No, magic that fed on fear. It had to be something like that. Something like what had happened last Halloween.

"He's not real, James. It's alright, he's not real," Q said softly, wincing as Alec's grip grew tighter. "Whatever this is, it's... It's feeding on fear."

[0_0_7]

Bond knew everything there was to know about fear, including how to control it. Fear became fury as he raised his gun an shot Alec in the head.

"Enough of that, then," he said calmly.

[quartermaster_q]

The shot hit, but rather than fall, Alec seemed to just evaporate, and Q crumpled to the ground.

He was shaking, and his ears were ringing from the gunshot.

[0_0_7]

Bond went to Q, taking hold of him and looking him over.

"You're so clever," he said. "Now chin up. Let's get inside."

[quartermaster_q]

Q was shaking a little, and he held Bond's arm tightly as he nodded a little.

"Yes, let's," he agreed quietly.

[0_0_7]

His ability to keep calm was astounding. Only Bond knew how his heart beat hard, how cold sweat painted the back of his neck.

He got Q up and helped him to a nearby cafe half full of people safe from the fog.

"I need a drink. Tea will do, though."

[quartermaster_q]

Q was still shaken, and he held Bond's arm tightly. As though he needed to reassure himself James was really there.

"What do you think it is?" he asked, ignoring the chat about tea. "I've read some strange things in those Torchwood files, but- I don't want to get too caught up in fantasy or extremes. It could be us. ...Chemical testing in the air or something."

[0_0_7]

"What happened to magic?" Bond asked, not beyond believing in such things. It sounded like fantasy, yes, but he'd seen things, met people who weren't entirely normal, and he wasn't about to pooh-pooh it.

[quartermaster_q]

"I just... Like to start at the most plausible before working my way out to the fringe," Q said softly.

[0_0_7]

"And you think chemical testing on London herself is more plausible?" Bond asked. "Alright. To what end? Why would anyone do such a thing?"

He could actually think of quite a few reasons to gas a city, but other than the fear and phantoms nothing seemed to be going wrong. No coup, no terrorism, not even simple robbery so far as he could tell.

[quartermaster_q]

"Doesn't have to be deliberate. Accidental release?" Q suggested.

[0_0_7]

He considered that, but then shook his head.

"If someone had enough gas to accidentally release enough to blanket London I'm sure Six would have heard chatter," he argued.

[quartermaster_q]

"Unless it was six who made the error," Q countered.

[0_0_7]

"That's an entirely unsettling thought," Bond replied.

[quartermaster_q]

"Not as hard to believe as it once might have been though," Q pointed out.

[0_0_7]

"No, it's not," he agreed. "Especially now with C pulling so many strings..."

[quartermaster_q]

"Perhaps we should head to the office, have a look around," Q suggested casually.

[0_0_7]

"Are you feeling up to it? Maybe a cup of tea to fortify you first..." he suggested.

[quartermaster_q]

"I'm fine," Q insisted, though that was bollocks. As strange as this all was, and as much as he wanted to write it off as mind tricks- He could still feel Terrance's device under his skin.

[0_0_7]

And Bond didn't believe him for a second, but he wasn't about to coddle him, either. If Q said he was fine then he needed to be fine. Whether he truly was or not didn't matter.

"Then let's go," he said, leading them back out into the fog.

[quartermaster_q]

"I hope you parked nearby," Q said, keeping close as they walked. So close that it was obvious he was still afraid.

[0_0_7]

"Just at the next lamp post," he said, drawing his gun now that they were out of the cafe. He was on edge, sure that what had appeared before would manifest again.