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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2021 2:37:50 GMT
TW: violence, murder, brief mention of assault (SA)
Cassius was not proud of the actions he had planned for the night, or so that was what he had assured himself. But pride was never something he held in high regard and it surely wouldn't change the script he'd composed and prepared in his head for weeks meticulously for the sole purpose of tonight. He had given up his pride long ago in exchange for any bit of money he could get his hands on. Anything that could help fund his sister a better life was all he needed to know. When a person is born with shameless, junkie parents, they learn to adapt, and oh boy, had Cassius learned how to adapt. The tall man walked hunched over, shrinking himself and blending in seamlessly into the crowd, keeping his head ducked down and using his peripheral to scan the throng of drinking college students and working adults alike for his target. Cassius always tried to justify what he did, only for himself. It was for his sister and he had to justify it because he knew deep down she would be disgusted. A motive sprouting from family troubles couldn't make him that bad of a person, could it? Besides, those he targeted typically deserved what was coming to them, or so he thought.
Cue Act One.
Tonight's target was a college student who couldn't quite keep his hands to himself at parties lately. Cassius always seemed to be lurking in the right shadows to hear the information that he did and this rumor had been no different. For a month now he had been watching. Observing and learning this boy's schedule. He'd spent the last week waiting for the right time, and a drunk Friday night was the perfect timing. Cassius' eyes moved methodically along many faces in the crowd, looking again for the young man. Cassius normally wouldn't have acted. It wasn't his place. He was no hero and he wasn't keen on trying to be another one of the self-absorbed duds that thought his powers needed to be used to serve and protect. It was all an act in his eyes. Glitz and the glamor and all that. Cassius would never trust a self-proclaimed, or Aegis proclaimed, hero in his life. His eyes stopped moving, almost having passed the figure slamming jello shots at the bar.
Bullseye.
Cassius made his way to the bar, licking his lips as if hungry for the event to come. All he needed to do was establish physical contact. Not exactly difficult nor suspicious in a scene such as this. Cassius wordlessly ordered a drink from the bartender, having been a regular in the establishment himself. He'd tapered off lately, fearing he was starting to get a little too.. well, old, for the bar filled with college students. He sat like that for about a half hour. Casually he took sips of his drink and ordered numerous refills. Cassius made sure to spend his time mostly watching the basketball game that played on the large television hanging over the bar. It was a big game that many in the bar tonight were here to watch in addition to their drinking festivities. It made it all the more easy to excuse himself and to merely disappear and melt into the crowd as the home team scored the winning point. The bar erupted into hollers and cheers as Cassius took the moment to place a firm grip on the college boy's shoulder as he walked by. Any onlooker might think it was surely just to steady himself as he navigated his way through the energetic crowd that had formed in the bar.
Cassius had already changed into his costume by the time the bar was starting to clear out, and with it, he donned his villainous persona. He ducked into the alley, willing illusions forward. He first dulled the boy's senses and caused the lights in the bar to flicker. Anyone around him would see nothing out of the ordinary, as Cassius was only manipulating his reality. Cassius then pushed voices at him, all different women cursing his name. The college boy, drunk as a skunk, removed himself from his seat at the bar, delirious. He shoved any friends away that dared step forward to offer comfort and to check in on their visibly panicked friend. He was panicked beyond consolation as the ground his reality began to shake and the voices of various men and women grew louder and louder. Inside the bar, he clapped his hands over his ears, trying desperately to block out the phantom cries. He staggered out the door.
Intermission, Cassius thought happily, laying off all of the theatrics as soon as the boy fell out on to the concrete as he had sprinted out of the bar and tripped on someone's foot on the way out. The door shut behind him and dulled all of the commotion and cheers still coming from inside.
"..Fuck," the college boy whispered, his breath jagged, getting himself up onto his wobbly feet. Cassius watched from a nearby alleyway as the boy glanced behind him, deciding whether to brave going back inside, what to him appeared to be a madhouse, or to call it a night. He chose the latter, and unfortunately, it would be his undoing.
Cassius waited patiently where he was concealed in the dark for the boy to hobble past him. Giggling to himself, he count down from 60 seconds before following the path the boy took. He hummed to the tune of Gymnopedie No. 1. His black dress shoes clacked on the pavement. The boy looked behind him, only to adopt a look of fear when he saw the tall figure walking toward him. Cassius' hands were casually in his pockets, his mask concealing enough of his face but showing just enough to show his crooked smile.
Cue Act Two.
The boy began to pick up his pace to turn around a corner, in a feeble attempt to distance himself from his stalker. Cassius cocked his head a little to the side. The mentality of prey always amused him. Oh, how they knew when the end was near yet they fought tirelessly for something unattainable. His humming grew more intense as he willed forth scares and phantoms to usher the boy down to the right spot - a dead end.
By then, the boy couldn't decipher the man in front of him from the imagined ghouls that haunted him as he cowered in a fetal position, shaking violently. Cassius watched in an expression of pure apathy. He crouched down and slid on clean white gloves before digging in the boy's pockets. The boy did not so much as flinch as he was searched. Cassius gleefully took hold of his wallet. He knew the kid had a generous load of daddy's money both in cash and card in the wallet. Standing up, he put the wallet in the inside of his coat. Pulling on and straightening out the cuffs of his jacket, he placed a polished shoe on the boys throat. It was in this moment that Cassius allowed the boy to return to true reality again. Watering green youthful eyes stared up at him. The boy was able to register what was happening, and began to weakly kick and whimper.
"Amazing performance, almost worth an award, truly," he cackled before effortlessly snuffing out the life beneath him.
End Scene. Fin.
Cassius was not proud of the actions he had planned for the night, or so that was what he had assured himself. But pride was never something he held in high regard and it surely wouldn't change the script he'd composed and prepared in his head for weeks meticulously for the sole purpose of tonight. He had given up his pride long ago in exchange for any bit of money he could get his hands on. Anything that could help fund his sister a better life was all he needed to know. When a person is born with shameless, junkie parents, they learn to adapt, and oh boy, had Cassius learned how to adapt. The tall man walked hunched over, shrinking himself and blending in seamlessly into the crowd, keeping his head ducked down and using his peripheral to scan the throng of drinking college students and working adults alike for his target. Cassius always tried to justify what he did, only for himself. It was for his sister and he had to justify it because he knew deep down she would be disgusted. A motive sprouting from family troubles couldn't make him that bad of a person, could it? Besides, those he targeted typically deserved what was coming to them, or so he thought.
Cue Act One.
Tonight's target was a college student who couldn't quite keep his hands to himself at parties lately. Cassius always seemed to be lurking in the right shadows to hear the information that he did and this rumor had been no different. For a month now he had been watching. Observing and learning this boy's schedule. He'd spent the last week waiting for the right time, and a drunk Friday night was the perfect timing. Cassius' eyes moved methodically along many faces in the crowd, looking again for the young man. Cassius normally wouldn't have acted. It wasn't his place. He was no hero and he wasn't keen on trying to be another one of the self-absorbed duds that thought his powers needed to be used to serve and protect. It was all an act in his eyes. Glitz and the glamor and all that. Cassius would never trust a self-proclaimed, or Aegis proclaimed, hero in his life. His eyes stopped moving, almost having passed the figure slamming jello shots at the bar.
Bullseye.
Cassius made his way to the bar, licking his lips as if hungry for the event to come. All he needed to do was establish physical contact. Not exactly difficult nor suspicious in a scene such as this. Cassius wordlessly ordered a drink from the bartender, having been a regular in the establishment himself. He'd tapered off lately, fearing he was starting to get a little too.. well, old, for the bar filled with college students. He sat like that for about a half hour. Casually he took sips of his drink and ordered numerous refills. Cassius made sure to spend his time mostly watching the basketball game that played on the large television hanging over the bar. It was a big game that many in the bar tonight were here to watch in addition to their drinking festivities. It made it all the more easy to excuse himself and to merely disappear and melt into the crowd as the home team scored the winning point. The bar erupted into hollers and cheers as Cassius took the moment to place a firm grip on the college boy's shoulder as he walked by. Any onlooker might think it was surely just to steady himself as he navigated his way through the energetic crowd that had formed in the bar.
Cassius had already changed into his costume by the time the bar was starting to clear out, and with it, he donned his villainous persona. He ducked into the alley, willing illusions forward. He first dulled the boy's senses and caused the lights in the bar to flicker. Anyone around him would see nothing out of the ordinary, as Cassius was only manipulating his reality. Cassius then pushed voices at him, all different women cursing his name. The college boy, drunk as a skunk, removed himself from his seat at the bar, delirious. He shoved any friends away that dared step forward to offer comfort and to check in on their visibly panicked friend. He was panicked beyond consolation as the ground his reality began to shake and the voices of various men and women grew louder and louder. Inside the bar, he clapped his hands over his ears, trying desperately to block out the phantom cries. He staggered out the door.
Intermission, Cassius thought happily, laying off all of the theatrics as soon as the boy fell out on to the concrete as he had sprinted out of the bar and tripped on someone's foot on the way out. The door shut behind him and dulled all of the commotion and cheers still coming from inside.
"..Fuck," the college boy whispered, his breath jagged, getting himself up onto his wobbly feet. Cassius watched from a nearby alleyway as the boy glanced behind him, deciding whether to brave going back inside, what to him appeared to be a madhouse, or to call it a night. He chose the latter, and unfortunately, it would be his undoing.
Cassius waited patiently where he was concealed in the dark for the boy to hobble past him. Giggling to himself, he count down from 60 seconds before following the path the boy took. He hummed to the tune of Gymnopedie No. 1. His black dress shoes clacked on the pavement. The boy looked behind him, only to adopt a look of fear when he saw the tall figure walking toward him. Cassius' hands were casually in his pockets, his mask concealing enough of his face but showing just enough to show his crooked smile.
Cue Act Two.
The boy began to pick up his pace to turn around a corner, in a feeble attempt to distance himself from his stalker. Cassius cocked his head a little to the side. The mentality of prey always amused him. Oh, how they knew when the end was near yet they fought tirelessly for something unattainable. His humming grew more intense as he willed forth scares and phantoms to usher the boy down to the right spot - a dead end.
By then, the boy couldn't decipher the man in front of him from the imagined ghouls that haunted him as he cowered in a fetal position, shaking violently. Cassius watched in an expression of pure apathy. He crouched down and slid on clean white gloves before digging in the boy's pockets. The boy did not so much as flinch as he was searched. Cassius gleefully took hold of his wallet. He knew the kid had a generous load of daddy's money both in cash and card in the wallet. Standing up, he put the wallet in the inside of his coat. Pulling on and straightening out the cuffs of his jacket, he placed a polished shoe on the boys throat. It was in this moment that Cassius allowed the boy to return to true reality again. Watering green youthful eyes stared up at him. The boy was able to register what was happening, and began to weakly kick and whimper.
"Amazing performance, almost worth an award, truly," he cackled before effortlessly snuffing out the life beneath him.
End Scene. Fin.
