Sinister Solstice [Trinity]

I thought that you'd want what I want, Sorry, my dear
But where are the clowns? There ought to be clowns...
Jester

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There was something missing from the Ace of Marauder's life, something important. Something he craved for so long now, that would provide him with that sweet euphoric bliss he hadn't felt in so long. He needed to be satisfied, satisfied in a way that only the right person could aid him with. Only the perfect specimen would be acceptable for such a task, and he had to find them. His target.

His next victim.

After the last festival, he'd lost himself again. The carnival had brought it out of him, his other self, the self he couldn't control. He needed to find himself once more, and what better way to do that then to indulge in his true self. The game master. All he needed was the ideal prey to target, to hunt, to play with. Someone he could torture through such an exquisite way that he would feel it again. That euphoric peak that was true living. Which was why as he wandered around the Winter Solstice festival, his golden eyes were on the look out, for a means to make this happen.

Unlike his usual clownish fashion, Jester was in his usual attire today. The painted symbols that normally donned his cheeks weren't there. His bright red hair, styled in a less dramatic manner than his usual spikey design. He was dressed rather plainly, dark denim jeans and a grey wooly jumper. He looked like a normal man, much like his own father might have worn on Christmas Day. He wandered around the festival idly, like a local. As though he were completely innocent and not in any way up to no good.

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I thought that you'd want what I want, Sorry, my dear
But where are the clowns? There ought to be clowns...
Jester

Subject after subject passed by. Countless options for his pickings, so many of which might have been satisfactory. He could dig out their deepest fears and make them squeal like the little piggies they were, or he could hunt down everything they loved and destroy it, then watched as they wallowed in despair. Crushing every hope for respite one after the other until they had no choice but to implode. There were so many delightful ideas dancing around in the clown's mind. But as he speculating over every torment and form of suffering that matched the face of every stranger that passed by, he just couldn't find the face he wanted. The one he wanted to watch twist in anguish and melancholia.

Some time would pass by, and after a while, he wondered if his perfectionist desires for the perfect toy was proving futile. He would consider settling for something simpler, a mild game was still fun depending on how it was played. Perhaps he was aiming too high, or at least this is what he had begun to think. He was standing in the line for a hot chocolate, he had been idly staring ahead, almost blankly, when he'd noticed something curious. A woman with dark hair, who had ordered a drink, strolled away whilst the vendor was distracted. Not paying for her paying, Jester's gaze following after her, analysing her. Her mannerisms, the way she walked, so casually, unperturbed by the crime she'd committed. The vendor turned back to his customers, unaware of his missing stock, continuing to serve as he had before. As he reached the stall, he would order a 'unicorn' hot chocolate beverage, a rainbow coloured drink. One he'd tried during his last visit to the festival, known for its intense sweetness. A preference of his.

He would move off in the direction the girl had, his eyes scanning the crowd to find her once more. Clinging to every dark-haired woman he passed until finally he spotted her, sat down on a bench. Perfect. He moved in, putting on the air of a passer-by who fancied himself a seat. As he brought his golden gaze to hers, he would smile in a polite manner, "Cheers." He remarked, gesturing at her drink. "Do you mind if I sit here?"

---

I thought that you'd want what I want, Sorry, my dear
But where are the clowns? There ought to be clowns...
Jester

The woman would welcome his company, smoothly she would slide in a compliment when doing so. Confident. Not at all surprising considering her behaving at the hot chocolate stand. In order to pull off crimes, no matter how small, it was much more effective when you carried trust in your own capabilities. He would sit himself down on the bench, not so close as to crowd the woman, but enough that would permit for conversation, should she choose to engage with him. He wasn't particular sure what intentions he had for her, not yet. But he was fascinated by her behaviour and considering the lack of entertainment this festival had provided so far. It seems like a good time to dig a little deeper for a game. If she proved dull then he would simply bid her good day, and move on. Although there was an inkling within the clown that made him feel that this interaction had been the right move on his part and that something thrilling might be round the corner. Although that could have just been because he couldn't help but think about what a pretty corpse she would make for - a true art piece.

She returned his cheers, following which he would parrot her, sipping his own. The overwhelming sugary sweetness of the warm drink delighting his tastebuds, after a hearty sip. He would lower the beverage, licking his lips to remove any of the residues from his upper lips. His golden eyes watching her face as she spoke, she would tell him her name was Eliza, and charmingly remark on his lack of company. He chuckled softly, as a flattered man naturally would at such a comment. Jester was very much aware of the qualities he had at his disposal, he had his father's jawline and his mother's eyes. It was often said that the pretty boy would eventually make for a pretty man. And right they were, but Jester didn't care for his own vanity. It wasn't a point of pride but a tool, like honey to lure in flies. Flies for him to squash.

"James." He echoed smoothly, his favourite alias slipping out with ease. "Good looking you say? To hear that from a woman of your allure is surely the greatest compliment I've heard all day, nay, week. And well, I dare say I'm not alone. After all, I'm sat here with you am I not, Eliza." He commented, flashing her a daring smile. He straightened up slightly, throwing a glance out at the festival around them, "Truthfully it seemed like a waste not to explore it, it would seem that the folks here put quite the effort in making it enjoyable for the public. And well, I'm a big fan of thrills you see. A big kid you might say," He remarked playfully to her, returning his gaze to hers.

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I thought that you'd want what I want, Sorry, my dear
But where are the clowns? There ought to be clowns...
Jester

As the exchange went on, Jester would feel his fascination grow. The way she spoke, the air in which she carried herself, it had him momentarily hooked. His mind working out whether or not he wanted to play with her, and if so how he would do so. Her opinion on the importance of enjoying ones youth brought an appreciative smile to his lips. "I couldn't agree more." He uttered softly, before taking another sip of his excessively sweet beverage, his eyes trained on her as he did so. She would go on to tell him about her own interest in watching people, a hobby he understood greatly. He too loved watching others, like observing the patterns of ants, seeing how they moved, how they reacted to certain obstacles. Followed by the eventual thrill of watching their squirm as your burned them under the rays emitting from your magnifying glass. How easily you could squash them...

Following her gaze, he too would observe the crowd once more. As idle passers-by went about their business, clueless as to how close to death they were right now. How with the simple act of snapping his fingers, their happy existence could come to a swift and painful end.  "Yes I'd say I enjoy that too. Often I find myself looking at passers by, and manufacturing my own little narrative about them in my mind. Making up my own stories if you will, pointless perhaps but wholly entertaining." He admitted, this piece of information, was perhaps the most honest thing he had said to her so far. He would omit the part where he often used means to find out how accurate his stories were whether doing so by his card magic or through more 'invasive investigation'.

Her question caught his attention once more, not a surprising question but an open one, with lots of possibilities. How to answer her? He pondered for a moment. His eyes narrowed slightly, a sly smile across his face. Well there was nothing else to do, might as well prompt a more interesting change in subject. He didn't feel like fluffing his answer with some made up interpretation of 'fun', but instead decided to go along the more honest route. He was keen to see how she would answer him, "Unfortunately for the most part, it has been exceptionally dull. With perhaps, one exception. You see, I was in line to get my drink, and I saw a rather beautiful woman in front of me. Not unlike yourself, and instead of paying for a drink, she simply took one for herself. Snatched it up before the vendor could even realise he was missing one, he might not have even realised now. Quite naughty of her, wouldn't you agree?"

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