shadowbound | First Scare

First Scare | Video

[The video feed comes to life, revealing one of the cabins. Limited light filters in from the window, drapes pulled closed, but a single candle lit up the desk in which a figure sat at.

The flame flickers, revealing a man's face, highlighting his displeased face. With his lips pursed, silver eyes narrow at the video feed, which changed to gold whenever the light from the candle shone in their direction.

Those eyes roll in their sockets, and the man looks away, his face enveloped in shadows once more.]

This is ridiculous. [He mutters into the darkness, exhaling heavily through his nostrils.]

Reduced to nothing but almost a mere mortal. [The spirit lifts his hand, his eyes concentrating on it. But for the nth time, nothing came. His hand shook and the side of his fist slams onto the desk.]

Locked up like some criminal. Unacceptable. This is no place for me. [His hand soon rests on his face, running down the front of it, pulling at skin.]

What am I even talking about; no one will hear me on this thing. Why even bother?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Nah, they'll totally hear you. Hello, then. I'm Megamind, a warden, and you are obviously a new inmate. Welcome to the Good Ship Redemption, otherwise known as the 'barge'.

Guessing nobody's filled you in, huh?

[He has to take a moment to register that someone has acknowledged him. Perhaps this place made him visible to all? Even... blue aliens.]

That would be preferable, yes. I'd like to know why on earth I was stripped down to this state of almost being a mortal. I didn't think true law enforcement would come into play when dealing with spirits and their actions.

Yeah, uh, true law enforcement would probably do the same. Or worse. At least, all factors being equal and good, you'll get out of here to your life, or anywhere else you want to go, and-- do whatever it is you need to do to be happy and hale at home!

Better than a six by eight cell, promise.

Law enforcement don't see me in the first place.

I'd feel happy and at home if the Guardians weren't around. But that won't be happening any time soon. [He waves his hand dismissively.]

So what, I do a few tasks, pay my debt to society, and be on my merry way back home. Sounds easy enough.

Well, uh. No.

[ You're remarkably more cooperative than most inmates, though, Pitch, he'll give you that. ]

Look. LEt's start from the top. I'm Megamind. Warden, formerly an inmate like yourself. Wardens like me help inmates like you figure out how to get your life back and get it on track, and then-- if you didn't like it at home, there's a million billion worlds for you to go to.

And you are...?

{Okay, hold up. Pitch narrows his eyes at the feed.]

Put my life back on track? My life was fine before this blasted place stripped me away of almost all of my power. Who says I need to be reformed? I don't. Whoever picks out these inmates for this ship chose wrong this time around.

[A beat.]

I'm Pitch Black, the Boogeyman.

Did you say boogeyman?

With a straight face.

That's my title, yes.

[He's dead serious.]

And what, exactly, did you do? In your, uh, former life.

I am the embodiment of fear. I created fear and nightmares across the entire world. People would cower at the mere sight of me, tremble at every whisper I uttered.

And now I'm reduced to almost nothing, thanks to this barge.

So you were a villain. [ that is not what he said, megamind ] Okay, cool. I was too for a long time. You sound more global than regional, though.

I was not a villain. It's what I was created to do. It's all I know.

Created? You're not human, but you're a created spirit?

Spirits in my world were once someone else before they came to be. And before you ask, I don't know what I was like or who I was before I became the boogeyman.

Maybe you'll find out. It might be in your file.

My file? That kind of information wouldn't be in a file.

...Even if it was, it doesn't matter now anyways.

Yeah, it probably is. [ God he sucks at the 'welcome to the barge' speeches. They're so full of boring, fiddly, but important info. ] Look, hate to break it to you -- but you died. THe barge is here to allow you to win back your life. Which means everything you've ever done, good and bad, is in the file that the Admiral has made on you. When you're assigned a warden, they'll be given your file to better understand you.

They don't need a Warden to come barging in on my life, thinking that they understand me.

[Pitch all but hisses, his jaw set.]

If this Admiral thinks he can change me with this barge, or with a little Warden, he's sadly mistaken. I've been the boogeyman for hundreds of years. That's a habit you can't break.

Well, that's-- maybe not what you need help with. [ He shrugs ] Your warden will know more, by knowing your file!

And speaking as a former inmate myself... it's not so bad.

[Pitch wrinkles his nose in disgust.]

Not so bad, he says. [He leans back in his chair, crossing his arms.] Having someone intrude on your life, and tell you what to do, is 'not so bad'.

Some wardens a lot more hands off. More there to be a guide and facilitator. Others are... exactly what it says on the tin. THere to keep everybody safe from you until you learn to play nicely with others.

[ He shrugs once ]

It is intrusive, and that does suck. Nobody likes all their secrets spilled. But it's part of the process.

Forgive me if I don't take your word for it. You and I are not the same.

[A pause.]

Is it safe to assume that you are an alien of some sort? [He's seen a lot of creatures and demons in his time, different shapes and forms.]

Totally safe. I'm not human at all.

A true alien. Hm. Humans chatter on and on about them on earth. [Some more than others.]

Yeah, well, I'm the real deal.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject