Erik Arrives

[tadfieldphantom.livejournal.com]

Date: May 28th, around eleven PM
Status: Public
Location: Outside the Manor, then wherever it leads from there
Summary: Erik arrives 

To anyone who tags here: He is wearing his mask and it covers most of his face. He is wearing a rather nice suit and coat black, and a cloak over it. And he has hair :3 


A Ghost's Wind

"You have served your time."

And just like that, two hundred years as an apprentice for Death itself is over. There were no flashing lights, nothing that Hollywood would deem appropriate for a scene such as this. 

He simply opened his eyes and found himself shrouded in the shadows of night.

For a moment he stood, perhaps adjusting to the realization of being alive again. Or maybe he simply stood there to embrace the darkness; a very different kind than what he had grown used to while serving his time.

In any case, when he chose to move he did, walking briskly down a pathway that seemed to call to him.

*

**

Memories have an odd way of metriculating at the most undesirable times. There were things that seemed to help it along, such as walking in the same direction. How long had it been? He began humming to himself, a haunting melody as his companion.

Rounding a corner, he stopped abruptly, even the tune on his lips ceasing momentarily as he took in the large building that seemed to have sprung up out of nothing. A silly idea, of course, he could tell right off it was of considerable age.

Slowly approaching it he took in its unique design. Inhabitants lived here, he realized. It was hardly an abandoned building but he was well aware of structures that remained emptied yet occasionally taken care of.

He stood just to the side of the steps, immersed in a shadow the moon could not reach.


((•))  

Comments

[roseheerkens.livejournal.com]

Rose had gone for a nice long walk after work. She didn't dare run around as Cloud much anymore, she never knew when someone from the manor got the idea to run through the woods as well. So she limited her runs in fur form to an absolute minimum. But she still enjoyed walking around outside, breathing in the fresh air and the myriad of scents in the woods.

Upon her return to the manor her step faltered. She was still several meters away from the front steps but her nose caught a scent that didn't belong here in her opinion. Human, yes, and with a faint scent of something like perfume or aftershave or whatever it was the humans liked to use. Leaves. And a hint of something... dead? She frowned. Where would that scent come from?

Rose approached more slowly now, her ears twitching the tiniest bit, trying to get every sound, her eyes scanning the surroundings. There! The body of the person didn't stand out much in the darkness of the night, but where she guessed his face would be she just caught a glimpse of something white in all the black. Had the other person painted his face black? Or pulled something over his head? What was the white?

She took a few slow steps closer, wary, prepared to run at the sight of danger, and tried to get a closer look...

[tadfieldphantom.livejournal.com]

Erik was of course aware of the young girl, remaining in the shadows and silently admiring the architecture of the building. It had been used for something else at one point, he could see the layers of paintwork and restoration that had been done.

He took his time, testing the child's curiousity.

[roseheerkens.livejournal.com]

The stranger didn't seem to notice her. Or maybe he ignored her. Rose knew she didn't exactly make a lot of noise when walking so the first might be true. Or not. It could always be a trap.

She stayed far enough away that even a quick movement from him wouldn't get her into arm's reach.

"Excuse me, sir?"

Her voice was firm, but polite. The scent was quite definitely male to her nose, so she knew that 'sir' was correct.

[tadfieldphantom.livejournal.com]

The child was polite at least. For a moment he did not move, finishing his mental analysis of the building. Satanic. He would know more if he could see inside of it. He watched a spider skitter across the wall and disappear into the bush, glistening eyes peering up at him.

He turned around to face her, letting his hood fall back.

[roseheerkens.livejournal.com]

Rose anticipated a face to be revealed but all she saw was a white mask. It seemed strangely flat where the nose would be, and Rose really wondered why the man was wearing a mask at all. It wasn't carnival or something, of that she was sure. On the other hand, people with wings and people who could change form and immortals and people not from this world lived at the manor, so a mask really wasn't the strangest thing she'd ever seen.

She smiled at the man but stayed alert. It still could be a trap or he could be evil or whatever.

"Good evening, sir. Are you looking for accommodations?"

A valid question, considering he stood in front of a hotel, but it wouldn't explain him standing in the shadows the way he did.

[tadfieldphantom.livejournal.com]

She appeared to be very perceptive, unaffected by things the human mind would seem as strange and then cringe away from. Definatly curious, but most children are. He half-expected a girlish shriek and would have to confess to himself he was surprised it hadn't come.

Well, he was still a gentleman nonetheless. Turning to better face her he regarded her like a lady. "Yes, I am." It confirmed what he suspected about this ancient building.

[roseheerkens.livejournal.com]

Rose smiled up at the man and gestured to the front door.

"Then you might want to come in. My shift ended quite some time ago but I can check you in nonetheless. My name is Rose Heerkens, by the way. I live and work here."

She still kept her eyes on the stranger, not feeling like turning her back to him. Her instincts told her that he might be dangerous, and she wouldn't take a risk.

[tadfieldphantom.livejournal.com]

Erik sensed her unease. It was certainly normal for a child of her age. She may not have been shocked by his appearance but he was still a strange man at an odd hour. He opened the door for her, wondering to himself how easy it would be to haunt this place.

Every good building needed a ghost, after all.

[roseheerkens.livejournal.com]

Rose didn't miss the fact that the stranger hadn't told her his name. Well, if he wanted a room he had to tell her some name.

She thanked him quietly when he opened the door for her and went in, going to the desk and switching on the light there. Over her shoulder she told the stranger

"You'll need to fill in a form and choose a room and then you're already checked in."

Taking one of the forms out of the desk drawer she put it and a pen where the stranger would be able to reach it easily.

[norseloki.livejournal.com]

He casually filled out the form and placed it where the child could take it. Clearly written where his signature was required were two letters.... O.G. "Just call me the Phantom," he said, amusement in his voice.

Rose looked the stranger up and down.

"You don't much look like a ghost, if I may say so."

Phantom, ghost, she didn't think there was much of a difference. But still, the strange man looked pretty solid to her.

She checked the form and frowned.

"Sir, we do need more than just your initials. You need to give us some name, I'm afraid."