"Yes, please," Rodger said, initially to the young lady but quickly including the gentleman in the conversation as well, "I have a parcel to deliver for the manager... would that be you, sir?"

"If that package is for Phillipe Farina, then yes that would be me..."

As evidenced by his nametag, this is the man the parcel was intended for...

"Yes, sir," Rodger said, offering the parcel to him. Out of the corner of his eye Rodger noticed an interesting book cover; maybe he'd come back here to check it out after the deliveries were taken care of. If he remembered. Although that big, industrial size tank of helium also behind the counter was a little worrisome - he hoped that was just used for normal things such as balloons for the kiddies, rather than craziness like putting Mr. Farina on the ceiling.

Rodger would note that Mr. Farina looked to be grinning from ear to ear...as if receiving a gift that was long awaited.

"Thank you very much sir...you've made me a very happy man. Take care of yourself..."

"You're welcome, Philipe..." Rodger said, his gaze drifting over towards that helium tank before snapping back to meet Mr. Farina's gaze again. "I hope... you enjoy whatever it is for..." he sounded a little disturbed, concerned. Half to himself, he muttered, "And I hope next time I see you, your feet will be on the ground."

Phillippe continued to laugh...then it went into a cackle...which somewhat scared the young girl behind the counter.

"Ok...you've served your purpose...now go away...customers to tend to and all that...unless you're going to buy something..."

Rodger half-bolted out of the store, a bit frightened by that cackling laugh. After a brief check of the mall directory to get his bearings, he headed for the food court on the second level. Hopefully the man would be there instead of among the dumpsters. The costume in this parcel was definitely clothing for a hobo or tramp clown, something he was familiar with being one himself. And it just as surely had at least one of those discs again, perhaps more, which he hadn't actually noticed on Philipe's suit but could have overlooked.

Being a food court, there were restaurants aplenty, so Rodger stopped to buy a cup of lemonade to drink while seeking his 'victim'.

As Eskin gets his drink in the food court, there appears to be a homeless man sitting down staring at the wall, rocking back and forth...seemingly talking to himself...

"The End Is Near...I can feel it...Demons...Angels...all of it...it's all comin' to an end...the sky will be rolled back like a fuckin' scroll....APOCALYPSE..."

At first, he didn't really take notice; it was just another poor guy messed up in the head. Then something clicked. Homeless. Could that be why the recipient of this one didn't have a specific address? Because he was a homeless bum?

And that made perfect sense for a clown of this type, a street performer or down and out man was a traditional tramp clown character role. So the demons might have used a real one to be this tramp clown. Although... a crazy clown talking to himself about God only knew what going on his head might upset real clowns. Or it might turn out to be funny. It all depended on the performer and his skills.

Checking the name on the parcel, he eyed the crazy homeless guy thoughtfully while sipping his drink.

The homeless man looked up for a moment and eyed Rodger suspiciously. He then stopped rocking and stood to his feet.

He began to walk toward him but appeared to be somewhat...DRUNK...but was able to make his way to Rodger.

"H-Hey buddy....nice package ya got there...I bet somethin' like that would fit ol' St. Johnny Nickel really good...."

OOC: The package looks to be address to a Jonathan Nickel...

"Hello Johnny. It does look like it's in your size... how are you doing today?" Rodger said, looking the drunk over and listening politely.

Johnny replied, "I'm *Hic* fine! Thanks fer askin'! Now before anything..."

He leans in to whisper to Rodger, and his voice tone becomes clear and concise.

"Good job delivering the package. Just leave it here and I'l take care of the rest. And just remember....you helped a great thing get set in motion. Never forget that..."

He then backs off again and resumes the drunken act. "So buddy...um...got any change to help a poor bum out? Perhaps yer package?"

"Oh, good to hear that." Rodger said, managing to keep a straight face. So the man wasn't drunk at all, but a good actor? "Of course you can have it, Johnny. I'm a bit of a clown myself... are you any good with balloons?" he asked, surrendering the parcel to Johnny as requested while making seeming small talk.

"Why thank ya Mister *Hic* Yep...real good with balloons....an' thanks fer the new suit. I think I'm gonna go try it on...later for now..and remember...APOCALYPSE NOW! REPENT!"

Laughing hysterically, the "bum" makes his way from Rodger...

Watching Johnny go, Rodger decided to stick around a little while and see if he came back wearing it. Or if the gemstones registered any of these three logging in. Speaking of which, he paused, drink in hand, and mentally checked the display. He had the black mana from the demons, and green mana from Richard's small gem. Hmm.

Almost as if on cue, the gemstones DO light up.

Then Rodger's cell phone (if he has one) rings...

Ooc: edited
This message was last edited by a game moderator at 20:38, Fri 13 Nov 2009.

All three of them had bonded to those crazy suits? Yikes... Rodger thought. He'd picked up a slice of pizza to go with his lemonade in the meantime and was eating his small lunch when the login messages started happening.

Then something in his pocket started chiming. His cell phone. Pulling it out he flipped it open and answered.

The voice on the other end was unmistakable.

"Hello Rodger. How are the deliveries coming along?"

"Not too bad. Almost everyone seems to be delighted to get theirs," Rodger said, "Far more than I am about all this."

"Ah...now that is only a matter of opinion. I just wanted to pass on that you are doing a wonderful job in getting these clothing items to where they need to go, and keep up the good work. And I look forward to our future..."

"Oh yes... how many of the others do you personally know, Richard? There's this fellow Johnny I just met; haven't seen him in costume yet but I think I'm actually looking forward to seeing his schtick, unlike most."

"We're still getting together Saturday for lessons?"

"Why yes...yes we are. I wouldn't miss it for the world...and I hope you won't either. Take care Rodger..."

And then a click is heard.

(What is today, anyway?)


Closing his phone, Rodger pocketed it again and finished his lunch, keeping an eye out for any clowns, especially a tramp. Putting the remains in the trash and his tray on a pile of others being returned after use, the teacher started to head out of the food court.  He had a few more deliveries to finish up, but he'd have to stop by home again to pick up the parcels. There was only so much room in a trunk, and things of his own took priority in that space.

If he doesn't notice anything that catches his eye, Rodger will head down to the ground floor, passing Bernotolli's and The Magic Fudge on his way back towards his car.

As Rodger finishes his lunch, he doesn't notice anything out of the ordinary, aside from St. Johnny going back to his "rocking back and forth" act. Nor anything as he goes out to his car.

While he'd have liked to have talked some more with Johnny, he wasn't going to interfere with the man's portrayal of a mentally ill bum. He didn't know why he was doing it, but there could be all kinds of reasons. He just hoped that he'd see him again, clowning around. But than... with all this demon business, that was probably a given, wasn't it? Rather gloomily, Rodger recalled what Richard had said about how mana was built up, or was it generated? He'd mentioned humiliation, mistreatment, even torture, and something about Rodger having to do things... his mind refused to remember just what, even if it had been said specifically (it hadn't), to these people.

He chuckled to himself a bit later, while getting into his car, a few ideas for new skits and routines having come to mind.

Pulling out of the parking lot, he headed home to pick up a few more of the costumes for delivery. Thank goodness there had been a substitute available to teach his homeroom class while he used a vacation day to take care of this.


(Exit to Weston State)