Lights! Escalators! Madness!

[Arabella Balfour]

Arabella was on her own this evening. Arranging a ride, she decided that she needed to go shopping. Upon stepping into the shopping center however she had her doubts. The place was a monstrosity. She was going to get lost for sure. With determination she just started walking.

It didn't take her long before she was carrying several bags and just working her way through floor after floor. She past a commercial lingerie supplier and peeked in the window at the manequins, placed as they were like tortured, half-starved, dungeon-dwellers on suspended platforms.

How.. gawdy.

Her own lingerie company was far more intimate, personal and expensive. Her clients were never dissatisfied though. With a smirk she started to keep walking and that's when she saw him.

A very tall, dark haired, pale skinned man emerged from a dressing room that boasted a pink spotted dog on it's door. She stopped dead in her tracks at the sight. He was dressed in black from head to foot, save for the lime-green lace corset that was over his apparel. He looked like he needed help fastening it and was quickly approaching a sales clerk.

It was so awful. She couldn't seem to look away..

[Demetrius Valois]

"Excuse me, excuuuse me...!" Said 'man' stressed his words with such gusto that it was near impossible to ignore him, even if that was the top priority for the store manager. Demetrius Valois, in all his lime green glory, skidded to a halt in front of the busty woman and promptly gave her the once over. And then a second over. Finally, his hazel eyes locked unabashedly with the name tag which was so strategically placed he began to wonder how he had missed it the first time. And the second.

"Prissssss-illa..." He hissed, his muscular abdomen quivering beneath the corset that fought to remain partially fastened. Each hand desperately tried to bring the loose flaps across his broad chest, mesh shirt, and trench coat but as fate would have it, it was not meant to be.

"Must have been last week's chinese, I swear. You wouldn't happen to have another in this color would you? It just makes my eyes - " Perfect timing. A button attached to the lefthand side of his fancy get-up popped clean off and all he could do was offer the woman a sheepish grin through the thick black smears of halloween makeup. Promptly unfastening the snaps at the front of the corset, he draped the badly stretched ensemble over the woman's head.

"Nevermind. I suppose I'll look elsewhere..." He murmured forelornly, his now questing eyes locking dead upon the 'woman' paused outside the window. The biggest grin imaginable spread across his darkened lips and his pace quickened.

"Oh... rapture.."

[Arabella Balfour]

That was her cue. Arabella shifted her eyes slightly to the side, as if she had been window shopping the whole time and not openly gawking at the spectacle. The store manager was heading behind the counter to phone for security as 'Bella turn slowly, cautiously.. then walked away very quickly.

She stepped onto the descending escalator and did not even dare to look back.

A sinking feeling of inevitability told her it was already too late.

[Demetrius Valois]

Too bad, too bad. He tended to lose more potential stalk-worthy individuals that way. It was the escalators, they freaked him right the hell out. It all started when this kid Timmy had told him about this kid Joe who had gotten his shoe lace caught at the bottom. Blood everywhere, very messy. Quite horrible.

But she looks so wretchedly comfortable now.

Ah well...

The displacement seemed like nothing more than a pivot to Demetrius but the timing really was everything. Just as the pretty lady would have taken her first step from the mechanical contraption, his form slipped into the way. The palms of his hands crashed down against the gliding railway, blocking her in, and he canted his head down so that he might drink in her surprise.

"Boo..."

[Arabella Balfour]

This was bad. Not only was the guy a raving lunatic but she'd been around the Kindred long enough to take note when she was in the presence of one.. She began moving her feet, not retreating, just not stepping off the platform, causing her to step up and back repeatedly. This could only hold out so long though as there were people coming down behind her.

"Pardon...", she smiled, brushing past the fiend.

"Bon Soir..", she murmured quietly, hoping he was so easily dismissed.

[Demetrius Valois]

Spreading his arms out wide and spinning around in a complete circle no more than three times, Demetrius flew after his quarry. All the while he made plane like noises until he decided he no longer wanted to be a fighter pilot and crashed the sucker into the nearest gumball machine.

"Heeeeey...!" He drawled, shoving a pale hand into the treacherous chasm of his trench coat pocket. Drawing out a pack of gum, he drew forth a stick and then thrust his hand at her, all the while matching her pace.

"Wanna piece?"

[Arabella Balfour]

The cheap plastic gumball machine was still rocking back and forth precariously, from the aerial assault. Mesmerized and certain it was going to spill over, flooding the mall with multi-colored gumballs desinged to take everyone down in seconds, she held her breath..

...That is until it was startled out of her by yet another piece of gum, this one in stick form, suddenly a hair away from the tip of her nose, courtesy of a bit of the madman's sleight of hand. Her eyes crossed automatically trying to bring the profane bit of candy into focus.

What was she doing?!

She had to be careful. This one was clearly very unstable. Once wrong move and who knew what he was capable of?

Arabella took the offered stick, sliding it into her purse like a treasure to be hidden away. "Thank you.." She kept her voice heavily accented, still hoping that if he thought she didn't understand him maybe he would just go away...?

She resumed walking...

[Demetrius Valois]

"So polite and proper! You better not be mocking me, mistress." He replied in a gross imitation of her outrageous accent, waving his hands about in a dandy fashion. He never meant to be rude, the words just kind of came out that way. It would be nice if he could make it up to her but that had been his last stick of gum.

Pouting, his eyes fastened keenly upon that fancy bag she carried around like a status symbol. Maybe if he was a good boy, he'd get a treat. Impudence set side, he thrust his arm through her own and skipped merrily down the path. It was only a few moments after he had done so that a resounding gasp crashed from his lips and he spun them both out of view. Her back gently collided with a stone pillar a meter or so away and Demetri's forearm came to slant above her head.

Leaning in closely, the index and thumb attached to his other hand clasped her chin firmly. She smelled of spring and sweetness, while his spicy breath and earthy cologne washed over her. His lips cracked slightly to reveal prominant canines that were surprisingly pristine. There was a slight hitch in his breath and ever so slowly... he turned both their heads toward the center of the swollen hallway.

"A SLIDE!" He boomed right into her ear, dragging her by her chin toward the play place.

[Arabella Balfour]

She would have feared for her life if his touch on her face hadn't been so gentle. He may be completely insane, but his expression and manner didn't seem so very different from the multitude of height challeneged, little citizens that were running around screaming.

Had he been rough with her, Arabella probably would have driven her pretty little knee into some tender part of his anatomy and ran like hell. For now though she just let him lead her along, not wanting to cause any sort of violent scene in front of the children. She did have a heart, after all..

'Bella was shoved, again gently, onto a little padded bench within the confines of the 'kiddie corral'. The fiend crouched in front of her, dark determination, mixed with boyish delight in his eyes.

She was done for...

[Rod Stafford]

Rod strolled out of Pet World carrying two hefty bags. He hadn't realised how expensive it would be to a accomodate a bird in his home and resented his spending habits. It was getting late and he wanted to have something to eat before going home. First, he needed to find a butcher's shop.

He crossed the main hall, looking this way and that. Something caught his attention: Arabella. He'd met her briefly when he visited Fiona. She was in the company of a strange man. Rod shuddered, recalling a time when he would've thought her companion was wearing the height of fashion. He approached them and leaned on the fence surrounding the play area. He grinned.

"Arabella?"

[Demetrius Valois]

When Demetrius knelt, his knee let out a very distinct pop and a soft whimper escaped his lips. After a moment or so more, he had completely forgotten about it though and he went on with grinning at her like a feral jester. Hazel eyes tripped clumsily down the length of her slinky red but stumbled slightly upon catching a glimpse of the matching stilettos adorning her feet. For several moments, he just looked terribly confused.

Then, his fingers began to pry at the straps.

"What the devil...?!" He muttered, about ready to tear the horrible things off. The pretty lady didn't seem to keen about that though. "AHA!" He shouted, once again collecting the attention of every man, woman, and child in the kiddy area. Whipping both shoes from her feet, he held them in the air triumphantly and wore an expression of pure bliss.

"Arabella?"

"What a faaaaaabulous name!" He remarked, flashing his sincere admiration toward the man who had chosen to join their playtime. Demetri's eyes carefully inspected this stranger, though; you never know what kind of crazies you might run into, after all!

Sweeping his little missy up into his arms, he poked a thumb toward the slide.

"We're going to ride the slide like big kids, Mister. Wanna come?"

[Arabella Balfour]

She watched in horror as her red satin Prada's were shoved into a sneaker keeper along side a rather gummy looking pair of kids shoes. She would have voiced her distress, but she was picked up.

Distraught, her gaze flew to a familiar face as if it were a lifeline. Rod! She tried to communicate with her eyes that she was ok, but just barely, as she was carried off. She peeked over the shoulder of her absconder at Rod.

"Oh, do come along please....? Just wouldn't be the same without you...."

[Rod Stafford]

His amusement turned into concern. He had assumed Arabella was supervising a child and not actually about to join the children in their rickety little play pen. A crowd was gathering to witness the spectacle and Rod clumsily barged through them. He shuffled sideways into the fenced off area, holding his shopping bags high. Her pale-faced friend had already reached the sumit of the slide and she was beckoned to follow. Rod dropped his bags and jogged over to her.

"What's going on?" he said in an undertone, he smiled up at the strange man to keep him happy. "If this carries on security will be here any minute!"

[Demetrius Valois]

"Then we must make haste!" Demetrius exclaimed. He thrust one hand up into the air, propping the other on his hip, and extended his index finger past his fist. To everyone gathered in the play area, he looked like a gothed out druggy ready to keep disco evil; to himself, he was the valiant knight ready to whisk his damsel across the stagnant rainbow moat filled with raging, swimming goblins adorned with razor sharp teeth.

But the princess was cramping his style. Spinning around and nearly toppling off the slide, he slanted a fierce gaze down at the two. "C'mon, lady!" After saying as much, he bent and wrapped his hands around her shoulders. Hefting her up with surprising strength, he cracked her bottom against the plastic slide upon setting her down.

"Ahem... MAKE HASTE!" Plopping down behind her, he gripped her arms tightly and then shoved forward with his bottom. He couldn't help but admire the way her little red dress shifted up as she raced down; couldn't help but follow the multiple balls as they poofed up into the air upon her landing. But, why hadn't he landed on top of her as he'd planned? He glanced down and noticed that he was still at the tip top of the slide.

"Damn... leather pants..." He cursed, scooting forward some. After a few more tries he gave up and stood. Slipping on one of his shoelaces, which was suspiciously undone, he went crashing into the pit after his fair damsel.

"Tally-ho!"

[Arabella Balfour]

He was crazy! Prada's be damned, she could afford more..

Arabella began...swimming through the pit of multi-colored plastic balls as if they were swarming with all manner of predatory creatures rather than children. It was not as easy to stand as one would suppose, she fell forward more than once and in the end just crawled for her life..

Gripping the foam covered exit she pulled herself forward, and prepared to dump herself out onto the squishy floor. She was going to have to run for it...