Halloween Event (Pt. 3): Party Crashers

--- Joshua ---

Following the lights and music through the streets, he eventually found his way to the old trainyard. A place filled with rusted metal and abandoned train cars from way back when the city was focused more on shipping goods from the farms and mines of the nearby rural areas. Something that had slowly died out as the city grew larger, new towns popped up, and other waypoints along the tracks became more practical.

“Oh, right… The older teens sometimes throw parties here.” (Not that I’ve ever been invited to said party.) He just remembered Chris sneaking out to them when he was younger.

(Well why not crash it?) The devil on his shoulder whispered. (Show them what they’ve been missing out on, by not inviting you.)

“Eh, why not?” He grinned as he continued on his way.

As he neared the main station, he began to spot a few people here and there in their costumes. Some just loitering about, talking with friends, drinking -what he was pretty sure was- alcohol, and smoking. Though every once in a while he would spot a pair climbing into one of the train cars before closing it behind them.

Ignoring all of that, he made his way inside of the train station where a number of people were meandering on the train tracks between the various platforms, while the actual platforms themselves were filled with the various things that made a party beyond the people. From a drink and snack table, to a number of musical instruments and a DJ board. And randomly placed either near these things or near the walls were a number of big guys in tight fitting shirts that read Security.

Though for some reason he found himself unimpressed with this security detail.

(Given the number of people here, and the fact that anyone can show up there should be at least twice as many guards. Whatsmore I don’t think any of them are Deviants meaning their muscles are probably the only ‘security’ they can provide. Fuck, I can’t even see a gun on any of these assholes.) His more cynical self criticized as he gave them another once over.

(Meaning if this Halloween Haunt thing is real and something goes down, they probably won’t be able to do anything.) He couldn’t help but realize with a grimace. (This whole mess is security theater at best.)

“Fu~uck…” He couldn’t help but groan as he ran a hand down his face. “Really wish I hadn’t noticed all of that…” (Then again I guess it is good practice for casing a place on the spot…)

Slapping his cheeks, he shook his head. “Nope, not going to think about that. I’m at a party and I am going to have fun and enjoy it.” (Just as soon as I figure out how to enjoy a party.)

“That is the idea at this kind of thing.” A voice agreed.

Turning to it, he found a teenager

Chapter Choice

[]- With a skull painted on her face.

[]- Wearing a cheerleader outfit.

[]- Wearing a jacket covered in neon paint.

“Uh, yeah, that’s uh, that’s why I’m here.” He nodded, wondering why this particular stranger was talking to him.

“Oh, right, you were talking to yourself and looking like something was wrong and… I just wanted to make sure no one was having a bad trip or something in the middle of the dance floor.”

“Right, right, that’s fair.” He admitted, knowing that his tendency to talk to himself did make him come off as a little crazy.

(Well, a little Mad if we want to be accurate.)

“Sorry, I just, I got a little caught up in my head.” He grimaced, trying to figure out a way to make himself look less suspicious and floundering. (Damn it, why is it easier to talk to a bunch of gangsters than it is to talk to a normal teenager?)

(Because we’ve got more style… Or at least the ones from back in the day did.)

“You want to talk about it?” The stranger asked. “It’s not like I have anything else going on since my date apparently stood me up.”

“No, I think I’m-”

Something in his head began to crawl as he felt something in the air shift, and, (Shit, we’ve got some real party crashers.)

Moving more on instinct than anything else he wrapped an arm around the girl and kicked off the ground, as the sound of glass shattering and the roaring of a flame passed just behind him.

Turning around he found a crowd of screaming teens running from an overgrown mass of burning flesh burst from the trainyard office before slamming into the middle of the screaming crowd.

“Well that can’t be good.” He dryly noted, as the burning mass stood to reveal a very large man wearing torn and scorched clothing with a snarling visage and glowing red eyes. An expression that was completely understandable given how the man had several torn bits of skin where overgrown muscle could be seen.

“Damn it.” The girl cursed as she broke away from him to glare at the figure.

Part of him felt he should be curious about the fact that the teen wasn’t running at the sight of this monster. Unfortunately he found himself far more concerned with the fact that some aspect of the man in front of him resonated with something inside of him. Something that even with his limited experience with his powers he could tell was distinctly not Madness, but far more Malicious in nature.

And upon putting the sight of the burning man in front of him with that feeling, he and his very twisted brand of Madness came to one very obvious conclusion.