✦Tricks for Three✦

Iris, who hadn't been paying much attention at all, jerked his head up from its formerly hunched position with his back to them a few feet away. Turning his head and blinking innocently, lavender eyes darted between the two, trying to rapidly catch up. While Ahote and Aelu had been occupied, the ball of space dust condensed into human form had been up to something. Something devious and wonderful. It'd been a long time since he'd been out and about free of his Hidden Blades guise, so the thought he'd make the most of it by getting drunk as possible and using a thin trail of water to pick everyone's pockets as the crowd moved around him. He chuckled gleefully to himself, not ready to stop his thievery, but accepting that it was time since the others were talking to him.

Approaching them with a small pile of wallets in his arms, he grinned at Aelu. "I got you some presents~" he purred, holding one out to her and exchanging it for the three darts. Putting together what the darts were for, he dumped the rest of the wallets in her arms and scurried over. Whether it was just too drunk or just terrible at it, he missed every balloon. One dart actually went through the board and a sharp "AIE" indicated it was probably sticking out of some innocent festival goer on the other side of the tent. "Oops..." Iris grinned, seeming none-too-worried as he collected his consolation prize from the sweating vendor. "Sorry Ahote, no second plushie..." His voice trailed as his gaze fell on the young man with the stuffed fish, focusing on him for the first time today. The usual levity in his face drained as he walked up to him, leaning in a way so he could stare directly into his eyes. Iris produced a deep frown, highly displeased. When had this happened? Ahote had had such beautiful eyes full of potential, and now they were ruined! "What happened?" he demanded in an uncharacteristically quiet voice, incensed. Nothing ruined Iris's day like a pair of damaged oculars...especially some he'd hoped to reap someday for himself.


[WC: 361/1500]

Still holding quite the serious and darkening expression, Iris's lavender eyes peered into the cloudy messes in Ahote's skull until he buried them in the plush fish, disgusted by what he saw and what he felt. It was unusual for Iris to feel so strongly about something from the past, since all of those memories watched like a dry documentary given his original eyes were gone. Memories that weren't affected by the loss of his true identity were the ones he made while he'd been completely blind afterward. The ocular requip mage could deeply relate to the struggle. He hated it so much, not that anyone really enjoyed being blind. The last time he'd had to deal with his own blindness had been in the Neutral Grounds, getting his iLac. The way his vision worked was by magical connection to the various sets of eyeballs he had, but should his magic be disabled, he'd be just as blind. Someone as shallow as Iris couldn't handle not being able to see. He wanted to bask in the beauty of Earthland and its people. Such a visually stimulated being was utterly miserable and pointless in the endless darkness.

To get around properly without sight took a lot more time than Ahote had had to get used to it. He noticed the small ways he adapted, using his other senses to try and fill in the gaps. How long had the ex-guild master been this way? Why hadn't he told them? Yet, despite all the unpleasant implications, Ahote was more concerned with being embarrassed. Was he embarrassed that his eyes looked so nasty or that he'd let someone do this to him? Iris wanted to barrage him with more questions. He wanted to know who he needed to enucleate before ultimately relieving of their life. Not only had they ruined some truly gorgeous eyes full of potential, but they'd hurt his friend. Iris was a weird person, but he felt very strongly about those he trusted.

"Yes, we can try something else," Iris chirped in a strange tone after Ahote's request, though still incredibly put off and more angry than his friends had possibly ever seen him. It was an unnerving kind of rage, the kind that didn't manifest in the clenching of teeth and increased blood pressure. It was more of the unpredictable sort, and it was an odd fit. Right now, Iris could just as easily lop off a strangers head rather than look at them, or he could drink himself into a daze and raze the whole festival. The aura was strange, as was the grin appearing on his face that didn't quite match the bright intensity in his eyes, none of which Ahote could see, but surely Aelu knew something was coming. Iris had come up with a horribly spot-on Iris-style idea that would solve at least some of the problems standing here in a muted purple vest, all while bringing his happy mood flooding back.

"Let's go eye shopping in the maze, guys~" his voice lilted, hushed enough not to alert any innocent citizens or any lurking security. The high from the mere thought of harvesting a new set of eyeballs for Ahote was sending tingles from his scalp to his toes. He shivered in anticipation. Grabbing both of their hands, he gleefully lead them to the aforementioned maze, erected from tall stacks of sound-dampening hay. Perfect.

From here, Iris seemed to forget all about his friends. With only the vision of what Ahote's eyes used to look like and the sharpened melon baller in his hand, he rushed into the maze. Unlike the patrons inside, it wasn't even a blip in his mind that he was supposed to be paying attention to the twists and turns. No, he was being lead through by sensing all the magical signatures within. It was a good thing he was pretty or this whole deal would be exponentially more creepy and alarming to each person he grabbed by the arms, whirling them around so he could peer into their eyes. With each one he spun that had the wrong color, he'd mutter a "tsk tsk" sound or click his tongue, releasing them. It was a shame he was shopping for Ahote, because he'd found some truly gorgeous pairs brimming with interesting powers. But some were too nice, the type he wouldn't be able to part with once he possessed them. Even now, some were so tempting he nearly took them for himself, but that would throw everything off. The hay muffled everything, but the screams would surely alert someone. This was a one shot to get a nice pair of golden hazel hues with enough allure to reclaim some day, but not so much that he'd be unable to resist the urges when they came.

He grabbed a girl by the shoulders and spun her, receiving an 'eep' as a reward. "Hnn, blue. Nope," he huffed. The man with her, blustering at his boldness and misconstruing it as a threat to their relationship, turned on him to run him off, but Iris grabbed his chin and dragged his face closer to get a good look. "Aw, so close. Brown," the space dust lamented, releasing the guy's face and running off in another direction. More turns and similar results. Sometimes he got a nice punch to the face, but his light moans in response had the bothered maze-goers running ahead to put distance between them,

"Aw, come on~" Iris cutely pouted, pausing at a four-way cross int he hay. "I thought hazel was really popular..." he muttered, trying to decide which way to go. Deciding to go left, he met a pretty young woman in a head end, a little flustered because she'd been separated from her group of friends. Her rust colored sweater dress and ochre scarf were luxurious, complimenting her deep mahogany ringlets tumbling from her head. Sauntering up to her, he smiled. This one looked promising at a distance, but what about up close? She smiled back at him, not feeling like the prey she was. Good, he wasn't giving off a predatory vibe. That was definitely a perk of being a beautiful person. Running his hand through his lilac locks, his other hand kept his enucleator hidden behind his back. "Oh dear~" he purred lightly, watching her pupils dilate. "Another dead end, there are so many~ How will we ever find our way out?" Attraction. She was unarmed, and that was ok for now, but he dearly hoped she'd fight back, for just in mere moments he'd be holding her down on the grassy ground strewn with hay to take from her his gift for Ahote.

She allowed him in close, blushing and acting demure. "I'm sorry," he said suddenly, slipping a hand behind her neck. A swift motion from his leg bucked her knees and he laid her down, pinning her with one knee in her stomach. "I need something from you," Iris said, indeed looking a little remorseful for about two seconds before a wide smile spread. He was a terminal masochist any other time, but when it came to snatching eyeballs, a sadistic switch flipped. "Please, don't forget to scream~" the man reminded her sensibly, reaching into a pocket dimension for a jar to sit beside her head. She started to kick, reaching up to claw at his deceptively strong arms. Inhaling sharply, he sighed at the delightful rush of stinging pain. "Oh, yes, and lots of that~" he nearly moaned, then went to work. nimble fingers spread her eyelid wide, and with a simple motion of his eyescooper, one eye was out. The girl shrieked, the hay gobbling most of the sound right up. The process on one person was never long enough to really satisfy Iris, so in just a few moments both eyes were plopped into the jar of liquid and he was groaning in something like happiness mixed with disappointment. It was conflicting.

Long legs brought him back up to his standing position, giving the jar a little shake to get a good look at his work. Flawless as usual. Grinning deviously, he glanced down at the writhing blind girl. She was less pretty now, but there was something about her splayed out there, wailing and surrounded by droplets of red on green that seemed almost artistic. Maybe he should take up painting? "Thank you, lovely~," he purred, and with that, he turned and rushed out of the maze. If his friends had followed him the whole time, he hardly took notice. He thought they were there, but he wouldn't be able to focus until he got out of his hunting ground.

Once out, the unsuspecting attendant handed him a few trophies for winning. The general theme of the Autumn Equinox was a good cover for him. There was a bit of blood on him and he was holding a jar of eyes, but other people were in grotesque costumes as well. He looked like he fit in. In fact, given all the tricks and pranks going on, screams weren't uncommon either. How long would it take for the people to realize a girl had been brutalized in there? Well, it didn't matter. They'd be long gone before all that.

"Ahote~!" he called brightly, holding up the ultimate prize. "I can fix you up, no problem. Isn't that great? Mmmm, I'm such a good friend."


[wc:1574 || Total: 1935/1500]