I still hear fiends scream in my dreams

[idesof]

WHO: Howdy Doody & March Madness
WHERE: Hotel Castile
WHEN: waves hands
WHAT: One MURDER MAN meets another MURDER MAN. Nothing but sweet gentle goodness can come from this.
WARNINGS: horror stories that are american MURDER torture blood bending haha wow



Once a hostel, the Hotel Castile has been renovated in the image of the Cortez. Smaller, with less behind the scenes magic, but on a surface level? Yes. It was another art deco masterpiece, filled with all sorts of bits and bobs that weren't the norm. Staff in proper ol' timey attire, women in flapper outfits, maids and bell boys who looked the part. There weren't many but the ones that moved about all looked as if they'd stepped out of a movie.

The usual front desk person is nowhere to be found, however. Today March stands behind it in their stead. A cigarette dangles from his mouth as he goes over basic paperwork, looking at names (so many of them Smith, White, Brown, Jones, so many of them doing the seediest shit in those rooms, as he likes it to be) and double checking funds. He is dressed to the nines, tuxedo with white bowtie, black neck piece below it, just casually doing the help's work while chilling like he's got some grand party to go to.

He doesn't. But hell if he's gonna downplay the significance of meeting any Mott who expresses an interest in tearing shit up and wears such a lovely black mantle.

Comments

[affluenza]

Dandy also wore a suit, figuring that he knew enough about the purpose of this meeting to forego the innocent (if not overgrown) child bit and go straight to charming murderer. It's not every day you got to meet a kindred spirit. Frankly, most people were really touchy about the whole murder thing and it was such a drag to be around them.

As he enters the hotel he's overwhelmed by everything - the decor, the people, the employees - it's like an entirely new world to him, one he was prevented from experiencing by his mother's insistence that they mingle only with the upper class. If they traveled, they bought a house and sold it after. If they wanted to go out to eat, they either hired a private chef or booked the entire restaurant. Luxurious, certainly, but dull.

After he's taken it all in, he approaches the front desk, holding out a hand, "You must be James. I'm Dandy."

They'd seen each other over the network already, but introductions were only polite.

[idesof]

March looks up immediately, all smiles as Dandy approaches. That aura! He's tempted to wrap himself up in it like a fine blanket, to roll and writhe encased in twice the extraordinary rage. How delightful that would feel! How positively wicked!

"Dandy, hello! Yes, welcome to my hotel! So glad you could make it." His shake is vigorous, eager for something more and real rather than eager for potentially large sums of cash. "Margaret! Back to your post, dear!"

She comes around, the usual front desk person it seems, to trade places with March. She's all close-cropped dark hair and eyes to match, eyes that drink in Dandy like she isn't sure if she'd enjoy a dinner with him or a dinner of him more. James isn't too different, though he seems more awed where her attentions could easily be taken as flirtation.

"Now, I've arranged for a surprise up in my office." He smiles, a hand gently placed on Dandy's arm, affection blossoming up the moment he walked in. A cue of where to head before he begins in that direction, cane quiet on the floor. "I hope you drink champagne."

[affluenza]

Dandy's pretty oblivious to any sort of flirting. He's not well-versed in romance in general, and tends to ignore the advances of anyone who doesn't immediately satisfy his fetish for abnormality.

"A surprise?" He perks up as if it were Christmas morning, "I love surprises! And champagne is nice, too."

It's the surprise that really has his attention, though, not the alcohol. As he walks there's a bounce in his step, rocking back and forth in his fancy saddle shoes as if he just cannot wait. A lot of his actions were performative, but his excitement here was genuine.

[idesof]

James laughs, pleased as punch, and gives Dandy a pat on the back, a quick squeeze of the shoulder. Far more buddy-buddy than paternal, because James and fatherhood have an odd relationship. Like he's sure Dandy has with at least someone. Most dark hearts do, best not to ever discuss it.

"Splendid! I've been saving it for a special occasion."

Whether he means one or the other or both is not readily obvious. The elevator they step in is also heavily decorated, a trippy sort of thing that March fits in like he was born there. And once those doors have shut and begin the trip up, cane neatly grasped before him, March cuts eyes over to Dandy.

"Finally someone with a bit of class. You could not have come at a better time, dear boy. I'm not a praying man, but if I were...you'd have been the answer."

[affluenza]

Dandy seems amused by the elevator, having rarely gotten to ride in one before. If he were alone, he would've jumped up and down a little, but he had to maintain some class here.

"Gosh, I'm flattered," he says, "I'm glad, too. No one back home really shares my interests."

And by interests he means murder.

[idesof]

Hopefully soon, Dandy will realize he can be and do whoever and whatever he wants in front of James. Class knows when to indulge in things other than murder. Things like high fives, and jumping up and down in elevators.

"A damn shame, that. You'll find plenty here who do."

Ding! Short and sweet. Out they go, headed to a darker door at the end of the hall. The one with 64 on it, of course. The couple walking down the hall have somehow kept to the other side, as if the room itself demands people keep a distance. They nod at James, who nods in turn and wishes them well on their trip out — a curiously short exchange of words that says far more under the surface.

"Here."

He withdraws his own key ring from inside his jacket and hands it over to Dandy, one key sticking out in particular so he can have the pleasure of "opening" his surprise by opening the door. ...the room is dark because the lights are off, but. It's a show, all right.

[affluenza]

"Plenty? I didn't think a place like that existed," he says.

Well, outside of a maximum security prison, anyways. But that wasn't exactly Dandy's idea vacation destination.

He takes the keys and opens the door, eager to see the surprise.

[idesof]

It's...dark.

He gives Dandy a few seconds to blink about the darkness of the room before he slides in to turn the light on.

Much better.

His desk has been cleared off to make way for something much more interesting than paperwork. A woman, in nothing more than a thin red chemise, has been gagged and bound with rope over the desk, wrists and ankles to each wooden leg. It's hardly comfortable, and she reacts to the light with a muffled whimper and a desperate look for the source. Hopeful, even, that this newcomer is going to put a stop to the madness. All in all, she looks the part of a sacrifice.

James is quick to shut the door behind them, moving to the bookshelf where he's already set out an assortment of weapons on a literal silver platter. Gun, knife, screwdriver, hammer...Dandy has some time to view his present first, though, of course.

[affluenza]

He studies the scene with some curiosity. It's clear from the smile on his face that he isn't here to rescue anybody. He walks around the table, looking her over as if she's some sort of lab specimen.

He then turns to the table. A lovely assortment, to be sure, but he goes for his old favorite: the knife.

"Those powers we're supposed to have, are they real?" he says, turning to James once more.

[idesof]

She blinks, at first, shaking her head like that will somehow wake her from this awful nightmare. When it's made wholly clear Dandy has absolutely no interest in helping her, the tears start. The sobbing is a muffled affair James doesn't seem to notice at all. He only smiles at Dandy's personal choice and sets the tray back down, clasping his hands behind his back.

"Indeed they are. I make use of mine daily." A curious tilt of his head. "Do you have new tricks you find too good to be true?"

[affluenza]

He just nods, twirling the knife around in his hand for a moment before slashing at her restraints, freeing her from her bondage.

Yet, although she lunges forward a few inches in an attempt to escape, she stops suddenly, moving back against the table as if the restraints were never cut. The look on her face is pained - she clearly wants to get out of there, but some invisible force was holding her back.

"I've always loved puppets," he says, "But the wooden ones were starting to bore me. A flesh-and-blood puppet will be much more fun."

And with that, she raises her arms up over her head, and then out to the side, then back down again, all while Dandy laughs about his new ability. He'll get to the stabbing, but he's having enough fun with this for now.

[idesof]

Surprise hits him first, wondering what true torture Dandy is about to unleash. Letting her think she can get away? That is real cruelty and he definitely approves. But then he's just as confused as she is, at least until Dandy speaks. Is the blood? The bone? Can he simply control anyone he wants to with a thought?

Whatever the cast may be, this is fascinating, and James looks on with one part amazement and one part adoration. Be still his dead little heart!

"Incredible." Totally wowed over here. Good job, Dandy, you're a real showstopper. "Can you make her dance?"

[affluenza]

"I think so!" he says, taking a deep breath.

And she dances. It's clumsy, and lacking in rhythm, but it is his first go at using this particular power. He'll gain finesse in time.

"I've got another one, too," he says, dragging the knife along her upper arm just enough to draw some blood, which he wipes off with the palm of his hand.

In a few moments, the blood fades as if it were never there at all. But something's changed, he can feel it, even if the change isn't visible. To demonstrate, he makes the woman lie down on the table, and then lifts it effortlessly above his head with one hand.

[idesof]

Great googly moogly, this afternoon is turning out to be fantastic. James smiles broadly at the dance. He even claps a bit, all smiles. He'd call for an encore if he thought it was necessary. Clearly, it's not. Dandy is a star and stars love to show off.

Oh goodie. The knife. Murder time? Torture time? Ah, there's blood...not a lot of blood.

The blood is gone?

James frowns, the sort of confused frown that isn't actually negative. He's just trying to figure out what's going on. When Dandy lifts it over his head? James claps again, a full round of applause that's born from pure delight.

"Marvelous, marvelous! Ahhh, look at you! Incredible, Dandy, absolutely incredible."

If that woman is making any noise, she's totally ignored. RIP lady.

[affluenza]

Dandy is beaming, absolutely basking in all the approval he's getting. As arrogant as he is, he still craves positive attention, especially from people he actually admires.

"I guess it's time for the main event," he says, setting the table back down (gently, not out of care for the woman, but because he doesn't want to break March's things).

And with that, he raises the knife, stabbing the woman right in the chest. If the knife didn't kill her, Dandy's increased strength sure did, and there's the distinct crack of breaking bones along with the blood spurting from the wounds. She's dead within seconds.

"That was my favorite kind of surprise!" Dandy says, still grinning.

[idesof]

James Patrick March is In Love. Truly, Madly, Deeply In Love. With lots of focus on the Madly aspect, of course. The universe had some sense of balance. Sally left, lonely and wicked thing that she was, only for this darling boy to come along. At least there was some sense in it all.

His grin at Dandy's approval is wicked, too. More so with the line of blood that squirted over his face he's made absolutely no move to wipe away. Why would he?

"I am thrilled you are pleased, my dear." As serious as the grave, that's James. He looks at the mess on his desk and puts a hand out to grasp Dandy's upper arm. It's a rather paternal gesture. "Would you like to help me dispose of this, or should you prefer I do it on my own?"

Dispose said, of course, with enough of an Expression to show that it will be a time in and of itself. Nothing boring here now.

[affluenza]

Dandy is just delighted at all the positive attention he's getting right now, he doesn't even seem to care that he's gotten a big blood splatter on his nice suit. Next time, he'll remember to take off his clothes and prance around in his underwear like a proper murderer.

"I'll help," he says, because he wants to see how other killers disposed of their victims, "I used acid to get rid of mine, usually. How do you do it?"

Well, he used acid unless he wanted to play taxidermist and make a weird corpse puppet out of the body.

[idesof]

James laughs, the genuine, gut-busting, amazed sort of laughter Dandy would want if he were on stage. A truly joyous burst of mirth, appreciative and approving and enamored.

"Really! Well, Dandy, I've used acid a time or two as well. For a bit more than disposal, too. We have vats in the basement, my boy, vats and tubs. All sorts of acids, lye..." His hands go up as he stops abruptly, chuckling, as if he needs to physically hold himself in. Just so excited. "Let's do it together. Who knows! We might just teach each other something new."

[affluenza]

Dandy is practically bouncing up and down, hands clasped behind his back as he rocks back and forth on his heels.

"I'd really like to see how you do it," he says, "I mostly just learned from books and movies. My mentor passed away soon after I met him."

[idesof]

Oh gosh. This is going to end badly for everyone. Dandy is a darling and James? He smiles like a truly approving papa, putting a hand out on Dandy's shoulder to draw him in closer, radiating every bit of you done good, son one man his size possibly can.

"I pity him. He has certainly missed out. It would be my honor to show you all my tricks." That smile stays, his grip growing for a parting squeeze, a pat on the back so he can stand beside Dandy and look at their first walk down aw fuck lane. "This will be the first of many, Dandy, I believe this with all my heart. We should make an afternoon of this, I think."

And then his presence is gone, vanished entirely, only to reappear across the way at a door that doesn't really seem much like a door at all. It's only obvious because James is in front of it, twisting a number-coded lock.

"Bring that in here, darling. I've wonders to show you."