The Causeway, Monday afternoon

[14andseven]

So the thing about deciding to follow the directions of your at least semi-sentient magical harp (with occasional chiming in from your as-far-as-you-always-knew-not-actually-sentient-or-magical guitar) was that after awhile, you started to remember that neither said harp nor said guitar actually had eyes, and thus couldn't actually know that they were leading you down a really long road across open water to what looked like it might possibly be an evil magical citadel.

Roland really hoped that the harp hadn't decided it really missed the world of the Dark and was making him take it home. It didn't seem likely; he was pretty sure the balance of Light and Dark was all fixed now, but still. That was definitely a castle, and while he certainly wouldn't put building a random castle just outside of Baltimore past some enterprising American, it really didn't seem like it fit what he knew of the city.

Of course, what he knew of the city basically came down to "they have a baseball team", so.

He stalled out a bit at the end of the causeway, staring up towards the castle, only barely managing to take in the details of the town that led up to it. The harp had finally quieted down, so he supposed this was, in fact, where she wanted him to end up, but that didn't mean he was going to go exploring before he at least managed to work out whether or not the place was inhabited by evil elves.

[ooc: And the townie I've had in mind for three years finally makes it to town. Open post, sure!]

Comments

[6buckstohisname.livejournal.com]

"You lost, buddy?" Dean was possibly not the best welcoming committee, but those were the breaks when you listened to a magical harp. See where your life leads you? Do you see?

[14andseven]

Roland gave Dean a quick once over, determined that he probably wasn't a cop, and managed a small smile. "Completely," he said. "Are we even still in Baltimore?"

[6buckstohisname.livejournal.com]

"Nah, you have to cross the water to get there." And the magic portal. Dean was not a fan of the magic portal. This should shock no one.

[14andseven]

Roland had actually managed to completely miss the magic portal. This was not the first time in his life he'd managed that, even. Really, you kind of had to have giant dragons coming out of the magic portals before he really figured out what they were.

It was possibly a bard thing.

"Right," Roland said, glancing back over the road (and still not spotting the portal). "So . . . where is this, then?"

And why did it kind of look like it should be France?

[6buckstohisname.livejournal.com]

Because shut up, Roland. That's why.

"This? This joyful little hellhole is Fandom."

[14andseven]

Dammit, harp. And he hadn't even managed to spot a single evil elf (who admittedly, slept during the day).

"Please tell me you don't mean literal hellhole."

[6buckstohisname.livejournal.com]

Well, that Riley guy looked a little Elfish. Not sayin', just sayin'.

"Well, I haven't given the graveyard a real close look yet." Damn it, Dean!

[14andseven]

Nah, dude wasn't nearly pretty enough. Dean himself more had the cheekbones for it.

"Ah," Roland said. He was suddenly quite pleased that he had the ability to recognize sarcasm. Not everyone he'd hung out with recently did. "Just a town, then."

[6buckstohisname.livejournal.com]

He was pretty like a model...

"Mostly." If you ignored the weird shit.

[14andseven]

"Mostly," Roland repeated. "I'm going to regret asking about that, aren't I."

Patience the guitar let out a petulant -- if rather muffled by the guitar case -- E sharp.

Dammit.

[6buckstohisname.livejournal.com]

"...did you just play a note?" You better have, Roland. So help him, he was not dealing with some cursed instruments that needed to get their wooden asses burned.

[14andseven]

Roland really wanted to deny hearing anything at all. It'd be so easy to just pretend this guy was crazy.

"No," he said, going for a nice, dry tone instead (you never knew which lies would just let more Dark in, okay? might as well keep it honest). "My guitar just sometimes plays by herself."

[6buckstohisname.livejournal.com]

Dean stared at him for way too long. You are just so lucky this place was too weird for Dean to pull an Animal house on that thing.

"And that's just normal?"

[1stinkinpercent.livejournal.com]

Riley had seen that look before. He was pretty sure he'd worn that look before and that was what caused him to stop his walk back to his apartment.

"You new?" he called out, squinting at the unfamiliar face. "Or just really into castles?"

[14andseven]

"Just wanting to make sure it's not evil before I commit myself," Roland said. He liked to be honest. "It's not evil, is it?"

[1stinkinpercent.livejournal.com]

"Not that I've seen," Riley said, glancing back at the castle. "I just came from there actually and haven't had the urge to kidnap princesses or sweep into a dark alley wearing a black cloak. I think you're safe."

[14andseven]

Roland considered this for a moment, then shrugged. "I suppose that'll do." He gave Riley a once over. "You work in a castle?"

[1stinkinpercent.livejournal.com]

"Yeah." He nodded. "I teach a class there every Tuesday. High school students. Some would say they're scarier than turning evil."

Cliche. He shook his head. "It's a school. Nothing too sinister about it besides the architecture."

[14andseven]

"That's a high school." At the very least, he'd have guessed 'college'.

Well, no, he'd have guessed 'tourist trap'. Six of one, and all that.

[1stinkinpercent.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," Riley said, nodding. "That's what I thought too. Someone's got some really deep pockets to put a school in there. No idea why it's a castle. I'm pretty new myself. Still figuring things out."

Like the castle thing and the eight bazillion stairs thing and the gremlins thing.

"With that reaction, I'm guessing you're not a new teacher?"

[14andseven]

"I really hope not." No one wanted him molding young minds.

[1stinkinpercent.livejournal.com]

"Just passing through, then?" Riley asked, curious. "Kind of an out of the way place to visit, if you don't mind me saying."

Island and all.

[14andseven]

"Maybe?" Roland shrugged. "I've been kind of trying out this whole roving musician thing, but, uh. That gets a little pricey."

Unless you slept under bridges. Which, well. Roland was pretty well a dirty hippie, but he still liked at least a roof and four walls.

[1stinkinpercent.livejournal.com]

"Roving musician?" Riley repeated, tilting his head. "Like a street artist? Unless I'm mistaken -- "

And he could very well be.

" -- you might have a corner on that market here on this island. Haven't seen a roving musician around here yet. So, there'd be absolutely no competition for you at all. Might be a good opportunity."

[14andseven]

"Really?" Roland looked around. "Not a single busker?" There weren't even any cars. It looked like a pedestrian economy paradise. "Really?"