12428/The Cure: House of the Living Dead

The Cure: House of the Living Dead
Date of Scene:	13 November 2020
Location:	Mandigot Manor
Synopsis:	Lost loved ones are reunited..But a more dangerous evil lurks beneath the surface.
Cast of Characters:	Pixie, Nightingale, Constantine, Superboy, Red
Tinyplot:	Mutant Cure

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Pixie has posed:
Mandigot Manor is a truly gorgeous Neo-Victorian Mansion that is built of brick with fancy black shingles on dramatic sloped roofs and elegant hanging balconies. Ancient ivy crawls along the walls and over some of the grated windows, giving it an extra spooky look.

Legend has it that this gorgeous Victorian mansion was deliberately built on a nexus of ley lines so that it could be a portal to spirits to the other side. The Mandigot family currently only consists of Gerald Mandigot and his wife who now host numerous events, promising to reunite lost loved ones with the living.

Tonight is a grand re opening after the ancient Manor had been mysteriously shut to the outside world for years, and a large sign on the elaborate garden grounds invites the latest group of visitors to know on the door as they arrive on the front steps greeted by an old fashioned yet beautiful golden angel shaped door knocker.

Megan strides up to the front steps and pauses, peering up at the three story mansion in quiet awe. "Sooo pretty.."

Nightingale has posed:
     "It is," concedes what looks like a living embodiment of the golden angel on the door. Shannon has her wings tucked in neatly behind her back, her face tilted up as she takes in the imposing edifice in front of them. She's dressed in dark blue jeans, calf-length caramel suede boots, and a cream-colored turtleneck shirt. Her brown leather bag with its runes is, as always, tied to a belt loop at her side. "It's like time left this place behind."

Constantine has posed:
Constantine doesn't know any specific lore about this house, but he doesn't need to. The bastard Brit can almost smell spooky goings on and, while Halloween may've been last month, that holiday seems to linger all year long as far as he's concerned. He gives a roll of his eyes as he's forced to extinguish his cigarette, snubbing the Silk Cut with the tips of his fingers and dropping the butt into his pocket for later.

"Good t'see even the American nobs get off on flauntin' it. This place is dead posh, but it smells like mothballs, so I guess it's kind of a tradeoff, innit?" he mutters. He's not particularly talking to anyone, but that's never stopped him before, keeping up a running commentary as they go in. "So, the git what owns the place claims he talks t'the dead, huh? Me an' him can compare notes. I bet they talk nasty about 'im behind his back."

Superboy has posed:
"Yeah, not bad," because Conner is too cool to give praise to an old house. The whole concept of coming here to talk to dead is not exactly his idea of a good time. Mostly because he knows it is possible, but also that talking to the dead rarely leads to fun and joy.

Still, he likes spending time with Megan, so he came when invited. Hopefully they won't end up haunted or anything.

Red has posed:
"Looks well built, but so oldschool. I mean, you could almost take this and film gone with the wind here. Well, if you put it into Virginia or something." Alice notes as she follows Megan and Shannon along, brushing a hand through her hair. "Or North and South, Heaven and Hell. For the latter one might use it for the northerners..." Film geek going strong there.

Pixie has posed:
Megan Gwynn shivers a bit and, like Constantine, she can sense spookiness in this place. There is something in the air, and perhaps there is truth to the legend about the ley lines. She can certainly sense some sort of presence here and she bites her lip, drawing closer to Conner. She could have dressed warmer, wearing a thin black jacket over neon green tshirt and blue denim jeans, rubbing her hands a bit, luminescent wings a bit grey and wilted.

"This place is beautiful...But a bit spooky, and sad. I..I dunno if it's a good idea, but I need to know. I wanna meet my dad. Just one last chance to say goodbye..." she nods to Alice and Shannon, "What about you two, you got a personal stake in this too, don't you?" she spies a Constantine too and watches him with silent awe. He's probably as famous as Dr Strange at least in magic circles and she smiles a bit shyly at him.

"You're the famous mister Constantine, right? Have you come to investigate the claims here, or is it personal with you too?"

Even as she speaks, she steps forward, deciding they've waited long enough and rather hesitantly, she grabs the angelic door knocker and knocks the door three times. Each time echoing oddly loudly.

Nothing happens for several minutes.

Then slowly, the door creaks open, accompanied by a sudden cold wind that almost seems to whistle or sing softly in greeting..

Nightingale has posed:
     "My grandmother," Shannon replies, her voice unusually soft. "She passed away on Halloween when I was nine. I had a fight with her over something stupid a week before that, and we never made up before she passed." Her words trail off into nothingness, swallowed up by the spookiness of the place, the echoing, eldtrich fusion of the living and the dead somehow lingering in the very molecules that made up this haunted house. "I've got my doubts about this stuff, though. But we'll see."

     She smiles, too, at Alice, bobbing her head in agreement with her assessment of the place, visually speaking. "I think if my mom were ever to see this house, she'd love it. She brought me up to love old places like this, and antiques." Conner is met with a smile as well, as is Constantine.

     But the creaking of the door and accompanying cold wind only get a shiver. "Let the games begin."

Constantine has posed:
Constantine turns his head towards Megan, a crooked grin on his face, "Guess I ain't as subtle as I like to imagine, eh? Aye, that's me," he says, letting his magical senses waash over him as he regards Megan, "Got some interestin' magicks tied up in ye, I see. Nah, nothin' personal fer me here, just a bit o' shits an' giggles, hopefully the later most of all. Still, definitely somethin' in the ether here, just ain't real sure as what yet. An' they ain't about t'let me start scrawlin' sigils on their walls to get a sneak preview, eh?" he says.

He turns his head towards Shannon, "Ain't no doubt about ghosts an' goblins, luv. Real as they can be, but don't mean there ain't fictions mixed in with the lot."

Superboy has posed:
Conner is completely oblivious at the house's spookiness. Comes from being totally blind to magical stuff. He stays a bit away from the chat about dead relatives. He has no dead relatives. That he knows. He gives a wary glance to Constantine because he looks shifty. But since Megan knows him, he will give him a pass.

He needs to comment something, though. "Yeah, we got enough from goblins and gremlins for the next ten years."

Red has posed:
Alice nods a little, but at the questions about who she wanna meat she shakes her head. "I don't think Spock would be findable here. And neither Mr. Nimoy. So, I am doing the responsible and cover for the two."

She eyes the building twice over, then over to Constantine. "Gremlins, 1984 style? The Mogwai is very cute though. Or you mean Exorcist style? Good film, lazy reimaginations. Ghostbusters was good, especially the Cartoon. But Goblins are jerks. Pixie, NEVER ever get us in trouble with those again."

Pixie has posed:
Megan Gwynn frowns softly as she listens to Shannon's story with a sympathetic ear. "Oh no, I'm so sorry. That must have been hard..maybe you'll get to see her tonight? We can always hope." she sighs, "My dad died when I was only seven, we were really close.." the memory makes her sad, though she keeps the tears from rolling..

To Constantine, she bites her lip and nods, "I guess it's easy to fake these things, hopefully this isn't a sham.." Conner and Alice's comments are afforded a nervous laugh before she steps in. "Wow, it's really dark in here.."

Once everyone is inside,the door shuts, almost slams behind them. Was that a creak of a lock? Something..Final about it. The Windows are shuttered, some of them even boarded up, and the only light comes from candles in sconces along the walls, and the high hanging chandelier in the middle of the large round foyer they find themselves in.

"Welcome.." an elderly man's voice offers, though it's hard to figure out where exactly the voice is coming from. Flickers of candle light cast strange shadows on the wall, allowing the mind to wander..

"I am sure you all have questions, are curious or seek to find answers one way or the other. I am happy to reconnect you with your loved ones, but I am a poor man. Please show your generosity by donating to the various boxes scattered about my Manor if you wish to continue my connection to the spirit world.."

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon's brows loft, and she gives a little flick of her wings. "Let the games begin," she murmurs to Megan, though it's not without a sympathetic look. "Cross his palm with silver, eh?" With a little shrug, she drops a token dollar or two in a nearby box, curiosity and skepticism at war in her youthful features. "Wasn't too fond of Gremlins, Alice. Even if the Mogwai was cute. But Baby Yoda's cuter."

Constantine has posed:
Constantine chuckles, "Yeah, real or fake, they always want their ducats, don't they? Even mediums gotta eat, I suppose, though the house don't make it look like you're lean on the bone. Rich ass wobbler, try'n t'take my hard stolen grift," he mutters. The money he drops in a box seems to be of various denominations, English and Canadian and American, with a few foreign coins thrown in the lot.

To Alice, he grins, "That's a good flick. Dante's a right good moviemaker. Y'ever see Funland? Got a right freak roamin' around the funhouse lookin' like a big right maggot with hands. Guess that's the kinda movie we're in, though. That geezer fixin' to come out with an eyeball on his elbow or some shite."

Superboy has posed:
    "A guy able to afford this house should have plenty of cash," comments Conner, nevertheless going through his pockets for spare change. Oh look, he has Swedish krona from three weeks ago. He had forgotten about those. "Maybe he takes credit cards," mutters the young man. "I meant the gremlins that attacked Evolutions. Nevermind." Long story, not for normal folks.

Red has posed:
"Baby Yoda? Comeon, you can't love baby yoda and not love the Mogwai armed like John Rambo setting his nasty brethren ablaze with a paperclip and magic glue!" Alice comments back to Shannon, giving her a grin. "But then again, I bet filing for Child support will be trouble for the Mandalorian to file for with a 400 year old baby."

She searches her pockets for a few coins, coming up with some quarters to sink in the box, nodding to Constantine. "Funland is a Michael J Simpson movie, The Funhouse is Tobe Hooper... but that one came out together with The Howling by Joe Dante. This more looks like... Cabin in the Woods? nah, too modern building. Exorcist might be the best fit for the house I can find."

Pixie has posed:
Megan Gwynn blinks, peering around, trying to find the source of the voice that seems to come from nowhere and everywhere. "What was that..Where is he?" she shivers a bit but shrugs and tosses a few coins into the box. Once all the collected money lands in the box, it seems to glow softly, and the winds around them pick up suddenly.

"Shannon..." a familiar voice - is it her grandmother?- calls out to her in a soft but unmistakable whisper. Another sharp gust of wind and the candles flicker out, leaving everyone in complete darkness. Footsteps can be heard somewhere in the distance..

Nightingale has posed:
     "I just don't like violent movies like Gremlins," Shannon retorts to Alice. "We see enough violence in real life, why subject ourselves to it on the screen? And that goes for Princess Bride, too!" Le gasp. Someone who doesn't like Princess Bride? The horror! Oh, the humanity!

     But that familiar voice stops her in her tracks. Color drains from her face, her wings extending out nearly to their full span on either side of her. "No way. No way possible..." She glances at Megan and Alice, then over to Constantine. What was -really- going on here?

Constantine has posed:
Constantine is about to make another smart ass response when he sees the reaction from Shannon. "Familiar soundin', lass?" he asks. He maneuvers a bit closer and nearer to her as he draws a small packet from his pocket, a little bag that used to belong to a moderately expansive liquor, repurposed to contain a few spell components.

But he's not about to break up the show yet, not if he still hasn't seen what's happening. But he's starting to get a bad feeling...

Superboy has posed:
    Darkness doesn't mean the same to Conner than for the others. His eyes adapting to the lack of light in a second. He picks one of the candles and it flares alight again. Did his eyes go glowing red for half a second? The definitely did. "I really don't like magic much," he comments for the peanut gallery. "But you girls came looking for ghosts, hmm. You shouldn't be too surprised," this time he is looking at Shannon and Megan, candle in his right hand.

Red has posed:
Alice says, "And yet you like the Mandalorian? Comeon, that one is not less violent! But if you want a good movie that's all about condemning violece, how 'bout the Good German or Schindler's List?" Alice retorts to Shannon, pulling her jacket a little tighter in the breeze.

"No way what?" Instinctively one hand works into her pocket to seek for a cube of hard plastic, seeking to turn it into a defensive tool. But what kind?!"

Pixie has posed:
Megan Gwynn arches a doubtful brow at Shannon, "Waiiit, considering all the crazy shenanigans you've been through, you still find Gremlins and Princess Bride of all things to be too violent?" she laughs and shakes her head, "I mean that's Mickey Mouse compaired to Friday the 13th..." she pauses...Waaaait a second, isn't tonight Friday the 13th?!

But as the gust of wind blows out the candles, she shivers some more, stepping towards Conner, "What the heck just happened?!" and then there's that voice. It calls out to Shannon once, and then, riding on another gust of wind is a repeat of the last. "Shannon...Shannon..!"it's more urgent now, and in the darkness there is a single point of light in the distance, down at the end of a long hallway and opening to the large ballroom at the end of the hall.

"Ummm Shan, is that really your grandma!?" Shes a bit doubtful..,But that quickly changes when she hears another voice. This one is unfamiliar to her, but the urgency in his voice is unmistakable. "Pixie! Hurry...!" its coming from the same direction..

Megan's eyes widen and, guided by Conner's candle, she doesn't hesitate any longer, rushing down that hall, soon vanishing into darkness.

Nightingale has posed:
     Megan's question about the things she's been through is like a bit of ice water to Shannon, and she shakes her head quickly. "That's real life. You suck it up, deal with it, and do what you have to do so others don't have to die. A movie is a choice I choose not to make."

     Turning back towards the voice that's calling to her, it's not difficult to see the emotions written on the young woman's face.

     "Gramma?"

     Her voice sounds a bit thin, almost child-like, as if perhaps the heart has never quite let go of regret. "Is it really you?" It's precisely the things she's been through which have her asking now, that hint of skepticism warring with emotions that make the mist gather in her eyes. But, even as she challenges the voice, she's taking those first few steps towards the light in the ballroom. First one, then another, hesitantly.

Constantine has posed:
Constantine draws a Zippo lighter from his pocket and flicks it, answering that single point of life with his own wavering flame. He mutters a phrase in some sort of gutteral language and the light on his wick turns green and casts a shimmering emerald flame. The flame has a simple purpose to which he's not putting it yet, wanting to investigate further before he makes any moves.

"Go 'head, luv, I dunno if ye heard the other girly earlier, but so happens I'm a world-class sorceror and exorcist, of tha actual really-real kind that don't get put in movies with puppets an' soup. I dunno yer granny, but this seems a weird spot for her ghost to give you a goose, so if you feel like this thing's tryin' to hurt you any ways, you lemme know. In the meantime, I'll walk 'longside while you...hey, do you have wings? What kinda group is this anyway?" he asks, even as Megan brushes past him and starts going on down the hall towards the light.

"Such much for caution, eh?"

Superboy has posed:
"Yeah, I think we should sick together because..." and of course Megan runs forward. Again. Conner sighs, "I'll find her, you try not to die back there," he grumbles, leaving the candle on the closest horizontal surface and chasing after his pink-haired girlfriend. It is a Friday!

Red has posed:
"Today is Freddy Kruger day, yes." Alice answers back to Megan, before darting after her, reaching for Shannon to grab her wrist and make sure she wouldn't stay behind alone. "And that means DON'T SPLIT THE GROUP!"

"Mr. Constantine, coming?!"

Pixie has posed:
As the group moves forward towards the ballroom, darkness seems to swallow up the hallway behind them, and even Conner's candle casts only a small area of light before them. And once everyone makes it to the ballroom, the doors suddenly creak shut behind them.

There is a lone candle in the centre of the otherwise empty room, large and round, covered in large windows though oddly, no light from outside shines in to illuminate the otherwise darkened ballroom. There are also no ghosts or images or any source of the voices in here, although another gust of wind seems to whisper something incomprehensible, ruffling everyone's hair, giving the feeling of someone breathing on your neck..

Oh, and there's another metal box resting on the table in the center of the room, illuminated by the candle on the same table.

Megan sighs, "Ugh, guess we need to pay for more service.." she pulls out a couple of dollar bills and shoves them into the box, stepping back to see if others will follow suit.

Nightingale has posed:
     "Don't suppose you've worked with Doctor Strange, have you sir?" Shannon asks Constantine. Her gaze flickers between him and the door of the ballroom, and back again. Common sense railed against this. "This smells worse than the stinky backseat fish from Grumpy Old Men." Alice wasn't the only movie geek--just seems the two ran in different genres! Something wasn't quite right, and she couldn't put her finger on it. "I don't feel... threatened, sir. But something's still not quite right. And yes," she continues, her lips tugged briefly upwards in a wry half-smile. "Yes, those are wings. Yes, they are real. And yes, I can fly." Let him make of that what he will.

     It seems the group was not to be split apart, with Connor following Megan, Alice and Constantine sticking fairly close to Shannon. "See, we didn't split the group." A couple more dollars find their way into the metal box, the angelic-looking teen's brows beetling.

     Oh, something was starting to smell, alright.

     And it was the stench of a scam.

Constantine has posed:
Constantine points a finger in Alice's direction, "Friday the 13th is Jason Voorhees, I do believe. Or his mama. I guess kinda both. Right messed up family that," he says.

He snaps closed his lighter but the flame isn't extinguished. It breaks free, dancing in the air for a moment and then begins to trail flickering green fire in the wake of it, a serpent of flame swimming in the air and revolving around Constantine as he goes to move forward. "Whoever's behind this better have their big boy knickers on, cause I'm like to burn this place down if they're just playing mindgames."

Superboy has posed:
"Megan, wait!" And there she is. "Ghosts for money, it seems," oh, to have X-Ray vision and look through those walls. "What's up with the windows? It was still daylight outside." The sun is important for him, you see. So while the others pay, he goes to see what is wrong with the damn windows. Because the house looked pretty normal from the outside.

Red has posed:
Alice says, "Capitalist ghosts? I should have brought a wad of 33-thousand Won bills." Alice notes with a sigh as the second box is pointed out, dropping some more quarters into it.

"There's such a thing like blinds?""

Pixie has posed:
Megan Gwynn frowns, glancing around the room, "Cmon, I'm sure I heard a voice..And so did you, Shan, right?" sure it could be a scam, someone could have researched their backgrounds, used fancy technology or something to draw them into this..But she's still hanging onto some hope that it's real. still..

"I just don't get why it wasn't my dad's voice that I heard.lWho was calling me?" she waits patiently, peering around the darkness a bit better as Constantine summons a green flame, but it still seems empty in here..Or is it? Shadows dancing off the light reflected on the walls casts strange shapes, some of them resembling shapeless forms, others the forms of humanoid beings...Or maybe it's just another trick of the light or the mind..

"Shannon..Oh sweetie, I missed you so much.." it's her grandmother, or at least it looks exactly like her, sounds like her too as she steps out of the shadows, opening up her arms as if t9 greet Shannon with a hug.

"Megan, my dear..I've been a terrible father, but I've been given a second chance to make amends.." The infamous villain Mastermind steps out next, moving across the floor towards Megan..Who just stares at him in disbelief, frozen in place..

Its strange, it almost looks like it is night time outside.lDid time speed up? And why are they barred shut? They dont look like they would open easily, even if he tried to break them, but who knows?

Nightingale has posed:
     It's perhaps one of the hardest things Shannon's ever done. Though it's plain she wants to run towards the entity that looked like her grandmother, the presence of so many of those metal boxes didn't bode well at all. She is silent for several long moments, her eyes misting over. For others, time might have seemed to speed up. To her, it seemed to stand still. "If it's really you, do you remember why we fought the day before you passed--and what you died of?" Her voice was shaking and had a definite catch to it, but she did not advance any further. Not until she could figure this thing out.

     Reaching out to Megan, she rests a hand on her shoulder, shaking her head. "Be careful. Please."

Constantine has posed:
Constantine opens up his psychic senses, not finding any immediate evidence of spectral presence here. He frowns and flicks his fingers, barking again in an unknown tongue, this time a rapid hissing one that makes the flaming serpent hovering around his body grow fatter and more rapacious, opening its mouth and showing a flare of light.

"Seek," Constantine whispers, letting the flame's tongue touch his own before it whips away, going to find the source of the energies creating these visions.

Superboy has posed:
Conner is ready to punching through the windows yet. Besides some greedy someone and the money boxes, nothing that bothers him has happened. And begging for money is not illegal.

And then a scrawny phantom guy shows up claiming to be Megan's dead father. "Wait, what?" He is at Megan's side in a flash. "Stop right there, man," he states, raising a hand so the supposed ghost of Mastermind can't get to Pixie. Not that he recognizes the mutant villain.

Red has posed:
Alice eyes between Shannon and Megan, her hand in the pocket clenching into a fist, the plastic wrapping arond it like some good old brass knuckles. Or Plastiknuckles? But otherwise she's silent, watching

Pixie has posed:
Gramma tilts her head, still watching Shannon with loving eyes, although there is sadness there too. "Oh dear, I remember it as clearly as if it happened yesterday..You knew I was dying of esophageal cancer, you knew I only had a few days to live, and I wasn't your fault, any of it.." she smiles, taking another step closer, arms still out as if awaiting a hug still. "We fought over something very inconsequential, I made pancakes, you more than your share..You blamed yourself for hastening my death but dear, it was never your fault and I still love you""

Meanwhile, Megan continues to stare with disbelief at her real father, "What? Mastermind? One of the greatest villains? How can that be? It's not true!" she sounds angry now, drawing her soul dagger as she approaches him, eyes flashing with anger, "Quit messing with my mind!" she starts to rush towards him, tears in her eyes..Until he leans over and whispers something in her ear, something that only her true father would know..

"No..." she drops to her knees then, her soul dagger falling to the ground at the same time, cutting the heavy antique rug that rests under the table. For a brief moment, there's a flicker of light, like static shock. It seems to affect the two spirits briefly, both who flicker and vanish for a second or two, then when they reappear, they seem frozen in place briefly, confused almost..

Mastermind just stares right through Conner, an almost cruel smile on his face. "Stay out of this..,BoyyYY.." Shannon's gramma also seems to change and shift, taking on a colder, darker tone, "Come on, DearRR, quit giving your grandmaA a hArrD tIMEE!!"

A lot is going on now, a tall, willowy man with deep brown skin and curly dark hair who resembles the description of a certain escaped meta criminals suddenky crawls out of the woodwork, groaning and clutching his head as he falls to his knees..

And then Constantine's flame seeks out the true source that is causing this chaos as it slips towards the center of the rug, burning a small hole where Megan's dagger tore at it, revealing the center of a pentagram..

Megan shivers, her dagger flaring to signify danger perhaps, although she is still frozen in place, staring at her real father..

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon's shoulders shake, her wings drooping for a moment as the tears that threatened to spill their banks finally trickled down her face. She takes one step closer, reaching out with one hand extended as if to touch the hand of her grandma one last time. "You were taken away the next night," she whispers, her voice a choked shadow of its usual strength. "And I never got to tell you I lo...."

     The flickering, the shifting, the cruel twist of the proverbial knife in her heart has her reeling a couple steps back, as she stares in disbelief at the shades before them. "No... what's going on here?!" Pain, outrage, all thrum in her voice, her heart an open wound that never really had a chance to heal. "MEGAN! Get back! Something's definitely off here! Even if they're real, something's still off!"

     Looking at Alice and Conner, she calls out, "Get her away from them, hurry!" She looks over at Constantine, her face glistening with tears, and her voice choked sounding once more. "It was too good to be true."

Constantine has posed:
Constantine shakes his head, "Real's a matter o' degree. Ain't what they seem t'be, don't mean they ain't nothin'. Somebody's pushin' 'em at our minds. Meantime, we got bigger problems," he says. He meets Shannon's gaze for a moment, "Ain't they always?" he says.

Constantine goes towards that pentagram, drawing a knife from within his coat, "Break the etching first, then we'll do some revealing. Time to pull the mask off the old man who runs the amusement park," he says. A Scooby Doo reference! He drops to his knees and starts to scrawl in chalk, muttering in an undulating chant under his breath as he starts to draw on powers, Enochian script sharply drawn in sudden strokes.

Superboy has posed:
    Conner reaches for Megan and wraps an arm around her waist, pulling her back and away from the spirit. "Yeah, how about no, old man," he pulls back to the window, and this time he hits it with an elbow. Pushing behind the blow enough force to shatter steel and concrete. "I think it is time to go, and no more coins in those boxes."

Pixie has posed:
Gerald Mandigot, aka Mulvane Murrow, aka the meta criminal better known as Twilight, is a talented Illusionist and telepath, according to his criminal profile for those who have done their research. Known for petty thievery evolving into various scams and cons, this is clearly his latest trick ever.

Clearly his latest trick just backfired on him in a big way. "This wasn't supposed to happen! My illusions were supposed to bring comfort to the bereaved! And even if they aren't real spirits, their messages are just as real..I can read and hear thoughts, sometimes even those of the deceased..."

But something else is clearly at work here. As Constantine unravels the pentagram hidden beneath the tapestry rug, it may soon become apparent that some truly evil forces were unknowingly summoned to this ancient mansion, perhaps recently awakened at an i opportune time to boot.

Conner pulls Megan away from the distorted illusion, and just in time as electricity leaps from his fingertips towards her, exploding into the wall behind her instead. He growls and turns towards Constantine next as he attempts to seal the portal that let this evil force loose in the first place, launching a bolt of lightning at him next.

Meanwhile, the fake gramma glowers at Shannon, summoning a powerful wind, churning up a whirlwind of chairs and tables from the perimeter of the room and hurls furniture at Conner, Shannon and Alice. "DonT leaVE, you mUSt sTaY!!"

The windows are strong and normally one could not break through so easily, but this is Superboy, and his strength is nothing to scoff at. The window and frame crumble at his strength. It is perhaps the only way out of this mess, but is he ready to flee and abandon everyone else?

Nightingale has posed:
     "You're not real," Shannon chokes out, tucking her wings in tightly behind her. Then, at nearly a shout, "YOU'RE NOT REAL!" Instinctively, without a thought, she beats her wings, as if she could dissipate the shade into the eldritch components that made up the illusion.

     Big mistake.

     Her wings catch the wind and bear her aloft, capturing her in the maelstrom of furnishings hurtling about the room. Emotionally compromised, her wits are scattered, and she never sees the table that clips her left wing with a sickening -crack-. She is flung against the wall like a rag doll with another sickening crack, sliding to the ground with her wings limp. At least she is not being tossed about any longer. But, neither can she help her friends.

Constantine has posed:
Constantine looks up at the would-be criminal, sneering a bit as he holds up a hand and just snatches that lightning from the air, holding it the like a children's toy as it thrashes in his grip and finally settles, accepting the control of its new master, "Ya two bit charlatan! Yer damn illusions just fed the damn demon they got bound in here, you're breakin' it loose t'feed on us all while you're trying to earn a quick buck. Bloody wank! Ye better run yer scrawny foreskin-lookin' ass outta here, cause I'm gonna circumcise yer nog if I get ahole of you after I'm done."

He finishes his scrawling, slamming a palm down into the center of the circle he's created and an echo of that light that illuminates his writing shines in the pentagram, the two portals bound together in a feedback loop as he feeds angelic energy into the demon seal, the sound filling with the whispering sounds of a thousand wings, "Send 'em back where they belong, ya halo-wearin' scouts," he says, flicking his wrist to send the flung lightning back at Mr. Murrow, before turning to see if he can tend to the fallen Shannon.

Superboy has posed:
    No, the hole is so people have some light that is not a candle. Well, and maybe to shove Megan out if things get too spiny. Because in his experience Megan tends to run straight into the danger. This time he is keeping his hand around her waist just on principle.
    It also becomes useful when chairs and tables start flying. Keeping physical contact means he can keep Megan inside his telekinetic force field. Unfortunately Shannon and Alicia are not so lucky.
    "A bound demon? Just great," mutters Conner. "Where is that demon? I need a target."

Pixie has posed:
Twilight blinks as he peers around, surveying his handiwork, which has quickly turned chaotic. "Nooo...This isn't the way it was supposed to be!" even so, Constantine is right, he is a two-bit charlatan, a con-man, and in the end, all he wanted was to trick people into giving away their money for a mere trick!

He climbs to his feet and makes a hasty retreat for the exit, attempting to rush right past Superboy and Megan on his way out..

Megan frowns as she slowly comes to her senses, peering around. "It's the pentagram! It it...Somehow hijacked whatever trickery Twilight was summoning with his illusion powers! There was a real demon in here tonight, feeding off of his illusions.." her eyes widen as that lightning bolt strikes at Constantine but he expertly catches and deflects the attack. She's practically ogling him at this point. "So cool..." she murmurs, but as the second evil spirit hurls chairs and tables at them, she cringes, pressing close to Conner. She's a bit of a glass cannon and he at least can take these attacks without flinching.

For now, Megan stays at his side, which is probably the safest place to be right now..Except that now both Shannon and Alice are down. "We..We need to help them!" meanwhile, it seems that Constantine's ritual is starting to take effect as the two spirits screech in apparent pain, their forms flickering and dispersing, vanishing as they are swept up into the void..But even as they leave, there are faint voices that linger, if only briefly, whispering in the ears of Shannon and Megan..

"I really do love you..Sorry...." and then the voices are gone..Along with the evil presence.

Nightingale has posed:
     With wings limp and in an unnatural position, not to mention a rather nice little egg developing on the back of her head, Shannon's a bit dazed--but at least conscious. As the spirits fade, one hand is upraised to reach out for them, then falling back to her side. The furniture that had been whirling about the room all comes crashing down, left helter-skelter everywhere. A chair upturned here, a table overturned there, bits and pieces of the former grandeur of this room scattered about like so much kindling.

     Looking up at Constantine, her eyes look a bit hollow, and there is no smile to lighten her countenance. "Thank you. And you," she says, looking over to Conner. "Both of you kept a lot worse from happening."

     Though she does let Constantine check her over, if only for his own peace of mind, it's to Pixie she murmurs next. "Think we'd better be getting home."

     Looking back to where the spirits faded, a tear trickles down her face. "I love you too."

Constantine has posed:
Constantine shrugs, "If I get involved, worse is already usually on the menu, luv. But I appreciate the vote o' confidence," he says. He finds an enchantment already in place on Shannon's wings, a longstanding one that he leaves in place, "I don't want to tamper with the magick on your wings accidentally by healing it prematurely," he says. "Probably best to let it heal naturally. Up to you, though."

Superboy has posed:
"I don't feel I did much," comments Conner. Letting Megan go once the furniture stops flying. A few chairs got blown up into splinters when they touched his shield. "Megs, do you feel well enough to teleport us to a safe place? Or maybe we should call the cops for that charlatan. He knew too much about you two, though." Telepaths rummaging through their heads might require calling an even stronger telepath from their school after all.

Pixie has posed:
Now that the immediate danger in over, Megan continues to totally swoon the totally awesome wizard, whom she will most definitely pursue for magic lessons at the earliest opportunity. But first things first! Once the immediate danger is over, she smiles faintly to Conner, "Thank you for saving my bacon...Again?" what's with her and these-weird dates anyway!?

But right now she's more concerned about the safety of her teammates and she quickly lets go of Conner to flutter towards first Alice and then Shannon, neither of whom seem to be in dire straights but even so, they have concussions at the least to deal with. But she is hesitant to ditch Conner this time.

"They'll be okay..I'll send em to the hospital..Sihal Novarum Chinoth!" and she teleports them both in a column of pink light directly to the medbay at a place that is decidedly not the county hospital..Looking back at Conner, she shakes her head, leaning over to give him a good peck on the cheek. "You kidding?! You on,y saved my life and gave us a way out of this mess, besides..." she seems to zone out a moment as that soft voice says 'I love you..' and her eyes fill with tears, blinking them back quickly as she pulls him towards the hole in the window.

"Thank you..." Megan murmurs sadly to the retreating ethers and one last glance is given towards her newest role model. "And thanks to you too, mister Constantine..Conner, let's go.." and she takes his hand if allowed and flies out the window..

As for Twilight, he won't get far, as that white helicopter full of white suits will soon find and capture him, shooting him with a depowering serum, then load him up to send him back to the county jail...

*Mission Accomplished....?*