( says the teenage girl who needs to stop sneaking up on people on accident. frowning, she stares into the guest services, like her displeasure will somehow summon someone.
it doesn't. )
The only staff I've seen are those... masked ones, the ones that don't talk.
( or move in a way that doesn't make her want to gag on reflex. )
[Gary's reaction is immediate - a little too quick to be natural, in fact. He whips around to face Mafuyu in an instant, dropping into something between a combat stance and a runner's crouch.]
--Ah! What?! [Just as quickly he realizes his mistake. Just a kid with a wrist monitor. Gary breathes a relieved sigh and straightens up, scooping a hand through his bangs.] You really need to warn people before you roll up on them in a creepy abandoned amusement park, y'know?
[There's a few beats as the man just stands there, trying to relax. It doesn't take as long as he's used to after being surprised like that. Like his heart isn't working right. That's...concerning. But it's not like he knows what to do about it, so Gary ignores it for now.]
Yeah, right. The life-sized masquerade action figures with too many articulation points? [He raps one of them on the shoulder with his knuckles.] Ditto. You're...the only other probably alive person I've seen in here, actually. What's your name?
( to her credit, mafuyu does jump at his alarm- whoops! for a moment she blinks, before offering a shaky smile. )
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I've always been a little quiet.
( still, there's more pressing matters, and the man seems to recover quickly enough. and it's reassuring to see adults around, if only because it provides some sense of structure... even if it's only for her. she's never been the rebellious or independent sort, honestly. )
My name is Mafuyu Asahina. I've seen some others, but I think they've gone deeper into the park to explore.
[Gary offers an apologetic smile back. Hardly her fault that he's too jumpy for his own good. Besides, she seems nice enough, and eminently helpful to boot. Already Gary has mentally binned her as a Good Egg.]
Mafuyu Asahina?
[His American accent chews on the name a little bit, but part of the reason he's repeating it back to her is to get a better handle on the pronunciation. The smile he wears turns bright and toothy, creasing his eyes.]
Gary Epps, reporter for the Granite City Sentinel. It's nice to meet you! I mean, it's nice to meet anyone else at all here, but-- [handwave] --you know what I mean.
( it's alright, she'll quietly correct him. given that he... well, her first thought was that he looked like a foreigner, but then she remembered that there's no guarantee or even a large chance that they're in japan and that sort of went right out the window. sort of like her regard for safety in some instances, such as exploring the circus tent!
anyways. )
Mmhm. It's good to be polite, but it's also a relief to see others. ... Right?
Right. I'm just happy I'm not the only one that was kidnapped and dropped into the devil's fun park. [A beat.] --Well, maybe not. I'm not glad that anyone's here? Anyway.
[Gary slips his hands into his pockets, rocking slightly on his heels.]
So--you said there were others? How many are we talking about?
Mm... nine, that I saw? Maybe more. I get the feeling we won't be the only arrivals.
( but she gets it, honestly. even she can't help but be relieved to see other people amidst shadows and disjointed puppets. tapping her chin in thought, she frowns slightly. )
Most seem to be my age, to be honest.
( concerning in it's own right, but perhaps it's because theme parks carry a child and teen demographic? )
( or is it seventeen? ... she's stopped paying too much attention to be honest. )
So yes, you'd be correct. It's... unsettling. But part of me feels like maybe it makes sense? Amusement parks are targeted towards kids, mostly... and parents to pay for them, of course.
[Gary winces. She looked young, but something about getting confirmation really drives home to him just how fucked up this whole thing is. Mafuyu's nearly half his age - and that's the primary victim demographic?]
[The man shakes his head, forehead in his palm.]
I mean, in a psychopath's dream world, yes, that does make a lot of sense. But damn, someone needs jail.
[Glossing over the fact that Gary, a 30-year-old adrenaline junkie, is also definitely an amusement park's target audience. That's not where his brain is right now.]
[He looks up, suddenly determined.]
Don't worry--I'll figure this out. It's my job! Kind of.
( she kind of hopes not, even if the experience would be helpful. that means there's other demonic amusement park kidnappings. or something similar, which is just as bad. )
I've been taking note of things I've seen, so if it can help, I'm more than willing to share! It... just hasn't been very much yet.
i. entry
( says the teenage girl who needs to stop sneaking up on people on accident. frowning, she stares into the guest services, like her displeasure will somehow summon someone.
it doesn't. )
The only staff I've seen are those... masked ones, the ones that don't talk.
( or move in a way that doesn't make her want to gag on reflex. )
no subject
--Ah! What?! [Just as quickly he realizes his mistake. Just a kid with a wrist monitor. Gary breathes a relieved sigh and straightens up, scooping a hand through his bangs.] You really need to warn people before you roll up on them in a creepy abandoned amusement park, y'know?
[There's a few beats as the man just stands there, trying to relax. It doesn't take as long as he's used to after being surprised like that. Like his heart isn't working right. That's...concerning. But it's not like he knows what to do about it, so Gary ignores it for now.]
Yeah, right. The life-sized masquerade action figures with too many articulation points? [He raps one of them on the shoulder with his knuckles.] Ditto. You're...the only other probably alive person I've seen in here, actually. What's your name?
no subject
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I've always been a little quiet.
( still, there's more pressing matters, and the man seems to recover quickly enough. and it's reassuring to see adults around, if only because it provides some sense of structure... even if it's only for her. she's never been the rebellious or independent sort, honestly. )
My name is Mafuyu Asahina. I've seen some others, but I think they've gone deeper into the park to explore.
no subject
Mafuyu Asahina?
[His American accent chews on the name a little bit, but part of the reason he's repeating it back to her is to get a better handle on the pronunciation. The smile he wears turns bright and toothy, creasing his eyes.]
Gary Epps, reporter for the Granite City Sentinel. It's nice to meet you! I mean, it's nice to meet anyone else at all here, but-- [handwave] --you know what I mean.
no subject
anyways. )
Mmhm. It's good to be polite, but it's also a relief to see others. ... Right?
no subject
[Gary slips his hands into his pockets, rocking slightly on his heels.]
So--you said there were others? How many are we talking about?
no subject
( but she gets it, honestly. even she can't help but be relieved to see other people amidst shadows and disjointed puppets. tapping her chin in thought, she frowns slightly. )
Most seem to be my age, to be honest.
( concerning in it's own right, but perhaps it's because theme parks carry a child and teen demographic? )
no subject
Great. So it's not just a serial kidnapper, but a kidnapper that's fixated on the under-twenty crowd. That's messed up.
[He blinks, suddenly sheepish.]
--I mean, assuming you're under twenty? You don't look--how old are you?
no subject
( or is it seventeen? ... she's stopped paying too much attention to be honest. )
So yes, you'd be correct. It's... unsettling. But part of me feels like maybe it makes sense? Amusement parks are targeted towards kids, mostly... and parents to pay for them, of course.
no subject
[The man shakes his head, forehead in his palm.]
I mean, in a psychopath's dream world, yes, that does make a lot of sense. But damn, someone needs jail.
[Glossing over the fact that Gary, a 30-year-old adrenaline junkie, is also definitely an amusement park's target audience. That's not where his brain is right now.]
[He looks up, suddenly determined.]
Don't worry--I'll figure this out. It's my job! Kind of.
no subject
( she kind of hopes not, even if the experience would be helpful. that means there's other demonic amusement park kidnappings. or something similar, which is just as bad. )
I've been taking note of things I've seen, so if it can help, I'm more than willing to share! It... just hasn't been very much yet.