024 - 4th wall

[tapestodiane]

[AUDIO - and this isn't Cooper speaking. It's a strange, stilted voice you don't recognise.]

You are heere an thereis no place to g o ... BUT HOME!!

[After that, have some laughter. Again, not Cooper.]

[ACTION ANYWHERE: A lot of you know Cooper, but none of you know exactly how bizarre his life actually is. If you run into him today - anywhere, because any one step in a 4th wall is a treacherous one - you might find him accompanied by a Little Man, clad entirely in red, with secretive eyes. He carries a ring. Coop looks ... troubled.]

[You might find yourself in a Red Room, actually. With the Little Man, the Ring, and perhaps other things. Cooper may or may not be there.]

[Or that might not happen at all. In which case just feel free to bother Coop with having your true form/powers back/your very presence. Nevermind the Little Man, he has no business with you.]

(ooc: might do some tagging with reddrapes! the Red Room is basically a place that screws with your mind, so if you want me to mess with your characters just let me know. COME AT ME BROS)

Comments

[cardinal-cage.livejournal.com]

[he whirls around the room; completely empty. he gasps loudly, almost relieved, and just now he realizes how hard his heart is actually pounding]

[he looks down at his palms, both still bleeding. he clenches his hands hard into fists. what on earth--?]

[reddrapes.livejournal.com]

<sub>[Is it really Earth, though?]

[He should probably stay here a while - catch his breath. But once he moves on, because he will, won't he?, and he's back in the corridor ... the statue will be gone.]

[And at that point his hands will also have stopped bleeding.]</sub>

[cardinal-cage.livejournal.com]

[probably not. maybe it's not even real. but it's definitely something]

[and, oh, yes, he will. and the sudden disappearance of the statue startles him yet again. where did it go? he has an awful lot of questions, but still no answers]

[reddrapes.livejournal.com]

<sub>[Well, there's nothing else in the corridor. Just air and emptyness and a confused detective who really shouldn't be there.]

[But if he continues through the curtains once more, there's that room again. The same room, but this time with only two chairs.]

[Katrina Van Tassel is in one of them.]</sub>

[cardinal-cage.livejournal.com]

[he hurries over to the girl]

Katrina-- [he speaks in an almost whisper, his words rushed as though he's afraid someone might be eavesdropping] What are you doing here?

[reddrapes.livejournal.com]

_{[She shakes her head slowly, something just a little off in her movements, and looks at him a little sadly.]}

Icha-bod. _{[Slowly. Haltingly.]} The Horseman eets corn. Whatch out.

[cardinal-cage.livejournal.com]

[he frowns]

The-- what? The Horseman? [he repeats] Katrina, what are you talking about? [and what's wrong with her voice?]

[reddrapes.livejournal.com]

<sub>[She doesn't want to answer. Either that, or she's unable to. She gives him a long look before she slowly rises and points the way back. Back to where he came.]

[.. but the flashing room is that way. Then again, is going forward a better choice?]</sub>

[cardinal-cage.livejournal.com]

Should I-- [he swallows] --go back there? [he asks in an attempt to sound brave, but fails miserably, because yes, he is very well aware of that fact]

[reddrapes.livejournal.com]

That's your choice. Maeke it r-ight.

_{[And with that, she'll turn and walk behind the chairs. Once she does, she's gone. Suddenly, unexplainably. But even if he wanted to try, he couldn't have stopped her.]}

[cardinal-cage.livejournal.com]

Ka-- [he tries, instictively holding out a hand, but he lowers it as soon as he sees that she's gone]

[oh my what sort of mess has he gotten himself into]

[he glances toward the curtains, unsure what to do. but, assuming that there was -- or is -- actually a reason as to why katrina wanted him to go into that room... he should probably investigate it. it's his job after all, even if he's not very satisfied with it at the moment]

[reddrapes.livejournal.com]

<sub>[It's not easy being an investigator, is it?]

[But when he does go back, he'll find the same empty corridor. The statue is still gone.]

[Beyond that ... the same empty room.]</sub>

[cardinal-cage.livejournal.com]

[not under these circumstances, no]

[but... what if he continues further into the labyrinth of curtains and black and white floors? is there a possibility that the curtains in the corner of this room part as well?]

[reddrapes.livejournal.com]

<sub>[Of course. And once he parts them, he'll be back in the corridor ... with the statue.]

[Do you see, Ichabod? You're retracing your steps.]</sub>

[cardinal-cage.livejournal.com]

[... oh. he gets it know. but. how is that possible? not yet has he come to accept the fact that logic doesn't exist in this place, whatever it is]

[what's he even doing here? and is that statue staring at him?]

[reddrapes.livejournal.com]

<sub>[Is it? Maybe. It's hard to tell with her. She watches, sure, but staring might be a little harsh.]

[Will you brave the curtains again, detective? These lead to the room with the lights and the blood, don't they?]

[Oh, and that's right ... your hands are bleeding again.]

[Not much, not much at all, but it's there. And maybe you'll notice.]</sub>

[cardinal-cage.livejournal.com]

[will he or will he not, that is the question. as much as he would like to leave, right now, he still hasn't managed to get his head around this place. and that actually bothers him. it doesn't make any sense to him -- at all -- and ichabod doesn't like it when things doesn't make sense. he wouldn't say that he's accepted the fact that he's going in circles, but that's at least an explanation as to why he's unable to advance. and an explanation is as good as any]

[so, with that thought, he parts the curtains yet again, hoping that they will show him something he hasn't seen before]

[reddrapes.livejournal.com]

<sub>[They don't. They show the same room with the chairs and the flashing lights.]

[The tiny drops of blood are gone, though. Maybe they were never there. Maybe they were always in his hands.]</sub>

[cardinal-cage.livejournal.com]

[he stands in the middle of the room. the lights are still making him feel uncomfortable, but nothing in particular seems to be happening. he looks down at his hands again]

[has he always been here? or was he never here at all?]

[reddrapes.livejournal.com]

<sub>[That's a damn good question. He can stay there for as long as he likes and ponder it, but those lights are unsettling to stay in for too long.]

[There's down to the left if he wants to go back. Unless he wants to go forward again, but he probably knows what awaits him there.]</sub>

[cardinal-cage.livejournal.com]

[is it the corridor with the statue, or is it the one without it? or was that the same corridor? he doesn't know. but he parts the curtains-- and suddenly, he is out?]

[tapestodiane]

<sub>[Out and well! There's snow, a dirt road, some trees, and a man in a coat looking at a little man clad in red with a troubled expression as he laughs, uncontrollably, glances at Ichabod and disappears.]

[Cooper remains ... a blue and yellow dog is by his side, and he pets her distractedly before looking at the stranger.]</sub>

[cardinal-cage.livejournal.com]

[ichabod stares at the spot where the little man stood just a second ago. that's... interesting]

[he looks quite shaken, the constable. and with all right probably]

[tapestodiane]

_{[Yes, with all right. Coop looks a little shaken himself, but probably nowhere near as bad, and that's the reason he offers a few words - after a moment of quietly observing the other.]}

Are you alright?

[cardinal-cage.livejournal.com]

I-- yes [he presses, clearing his throat. he swallows] T-thank you [he then adds. for asking, that is]