Of Carnivals and Big Sisters (Tag Fallon & Sidra)

[Sebastian Flambert]

Eyes wide open, Sebastian Flambert couldn't help but gasp at the myriad of exotic sights, sounds, and smells that filled the carnival grounds, and stumble about the crowded walkways in an almost dream-like state. Despite the fact that breakfast had been cut shorter than he would've liked, the allure of the Carnival never really did disappear from his mind outright, and almost made today's inevitable trek to the psychiatrist's office bearable.

Almost.

Clowns juggling bowling balls weaved through the crowds, dazzling children and adults alike with their impressive displays of dexterity and skill. A suit-clad monkey happily clapped together a pair of cymbals in perfect beat, keeping time with an old man cranking out tunes from a portable hand-organ.

Vendors filled the streets, crying out over the welcome chaos of that environment in an attempt to entice customers to their wares. Fruit, candy, toys, and other little odds and ends could easily be found and bought in this dream-like environment, a fairy-tale world befitting the truly young at heart.

A sack of grain caught Sebastian's attention, drawing him towards a bread vendor's stall positioned several feet away from the dancing monkey. Glancing around to make sure no one was watching, the boy discreetly slid a hand into the sack of amber grain, enjoying the sensation of the fresh kernels shifting around his hand.

He lifted his hand slightly, allowing the cool and smooth kernels to run slowly through the cracks of his hand.

It's nice..

There was something about the simple pleasure of dipping a hand into a sack of grain that brought an unmistakable grin of delight to Sebastian's face, and a bit of comfort to his soul... Something about how smoothly it all felt as individual seeds poured out of your fingers back into a mass of thousands, all perfectly identical to each other in shape and form.

Sensing a pair of eyes on him, the boy turned around abruptly, only to find a familiar face smiling in amusement at the latest quirky mannerism of his.

"Hey."

He smiled and slowly withdrew his hand from the grain sack.

[Fallon Cotton]

Breakfast was Fallon's first time being jealous in her life and she felt bad for how she reacted. Perhaps she should apoplogize to Jonell, not Shelby, cause Fallon did not appreciate the hiss. But Fallon had gotten posessive when Jonel spoke with Sebastian. Then again what was Fallon suppose to do. She liked Sebastian and she was not about to lose him to someone who was way prettier. Unless Sebastian wanted Jonell, in that case she would back off.

Fallon was happy when they got to the carnival. She got lost looking around the carnival until she spotted Sebastian with his hand in the sack. She smirked and walked over eyeing him, "I see you are having fun." She kissed his cheek, "I'm glad." She said into his ear. "I am going to buy a funnel cake, want anything?" She offered as she looped her arm through his.

"I am glad I came with you. And thanks for last night. It was a fun sleepover." Most guys and girls spending the night would lead to something, but this time it was purely innocent. They talked most of the night and Fallon just told him she was there for him. Of course Si knew the truth. Fallon had texted her to let her know. "Be right back, don't miss me too much." She winked and left to go to a near by stand for funnel cake.

[Sebastian Flambert]

"One large hot cocoa and a raspberry strudel, please!" replied Sebastian in delight, clapping his hands together excitedly. "No marshmellows, if you can help it."

The corners of his mouth crinkled upwards as he felt the welcome sensation of two lips pressing lightly against his cheek, brushing against the skin like a pair of butterfly wings fluttering in the breeze. Blushing slightly, the boy squeezed the girl's hand in a silent thank you, before watching her skip away to an adjacent food stand.

She looks nice..

Despite his childlike tendancies, Sebastian Flambert was far from dead, and easily found Fallon attractive.... particularly from this angle.

She's got a cute...

He caught himself staring at the girl's adorable tush, and nearly bit through his lip in shock at his own lechery. A wave of embarrassment and disgust washed over him, causing him to immediately turn his gaze towards the ground..

That's not right... How.. How..

Unconsciously, the boy began to suck on his thumb again as he struggled to push away these unfamiliar thoughts from his head. It was wrong, wasn't it, to look at a girl like that? That made him no better than...

No...

A clown juggling bowling balls nearly ran into him as he shuffled about the crowd, moving aside at the last minute as the boy continued to explore the odd myriad of shops and stands. An ocean of faces seemed to flow around the area, flowing about Sebastian like water. Glancing up from his embarrassment, the boy looked about the crowd... and saw something that immediately made his jaw drop.

A familiar face... A flash of shoulder-length auburn hair.. Two cold-gray eyes, and a cruel smile carved in a disturbingly handsome face.

Sebastian blinked for half a second, and lost the man amidst the sea of faces.

[Sidra Cotton]

She'd stayed the night. With a GUY?!

Sidra was rampaging around her room, both pride for her sister and worry over what may have happened flooding her mind with images she neither wanted to see nor think about when it came to her younger sibling. It seemed, Sidra stared grimly at her reflection as she applied her pale base makeup, that she needed to have another little "chat" with the lad.

Two days did not make bosom buddies sleeping over at eachothers houses. Two days did not mean he was trustworthy. He still had a lot of proving to do. That her little sister had even THOUGHT it was a good idea irked and bothered Sidra. Fallon was smarter than that!

Making certain that her face was as pale as pale could be, her lips lined and filled with a color that was as close to dried blood as one could get in a lipstick, and her eyes were shadowed darkly, Sidra climbed into her car and shifted it into gear. Tearing along the streets towards the carnival.

Shifting to a higher gear with angrily the clutch groaned and the car shuddered, but thankfully did not stall. Slamming her baby into park, Si paused to apologize before whipping out her phone and texting her sister

Where are you?

[Sebastian Flambert]

He tore after the mysterious figure, weaving in and out of crowds in a desperate attempt to validate what he had just seen seconds ago. It had been more than seven years since he had last seen that distinctive face, and yet he could not forget the blazing savagery and cruelty that hid behind those steel-gray eyes.

Sebastian barely missed a couple pushing a stroller in his frenzied rush through the carnival grounds, and uttered a few half-hearted words of apology as he continued on with the chase. Though several dozen meters away, he could easily make out the outline of his quarry's shoulder-length hair fluttering in the light breeze, and pushed his body onward as the unrecognizable blur came closer in sight.

The boy took a hard left and entered massive colorful structure labeled as "The Maze of Mirrors", pushing through several scarlet curtains before finding himself surrounded by a crowd of his own dopplegangers, reflections of himself that mirrored his every move. It was a sizable building with many rooms and chambers, all with a variety of mirrors that served to distort and confuse its explorers.

A flash of auburn hair was spotted for the briefest second in the corner of one of the mirrors, compelling the boy to move deeper into the labryinth. The illusions grew more and more distorted as he went along, twisting his very appearance and shape into a grotesque caricature of what it had once been. Fat ears, a skinny waist, massive arms... In a different setting, it would've been amusing.

"Long time, no see.. Bootkins.." a cold voice called out from the darkness, reverbating through the rooms.

Sebastian paused in midstep, the hair on his neck standing at the sudden shock.

"Long time, no see... Indeed.."

With that, the mysterious figure stepped out from the darkness, a cruel sneer pasted on his face...

[Fallon Cotton]

Fallon had turned her back for a few minutes as she bounced off to go get a funnel cake. She was in line waiting thinking of other things she could expose Sebastian too. She thought about taking him to her job definatly. He would like medievil Times. Or so she hoped. Also there was bowling, as lame as it sounded. In addition, she had to take Sebastian to the beach. Fallon had many plans for her and Sebastian. She really liked her new friend.

When Fallon turned back she saw Sebastians back fleeing through the crowd. "Sebastian....wait..." She called. Fallon started after him, weaving in and out. She had no idea Si was on her way to the carnival to give Sebastian a piece of her mind. Last night had been very innocent. Yet, Fal should have know Si would have gone into protective mode. It was kind of stupid. Spending the night at a boys house she just met....but Fallon trusted Sebastian. Who wouldn't.

Fallon continued to try and speed up. He was moving so fast. As if he was chasing something, or perhaps running away. For a brief moment Fallon considered not following, but her curiosity got the better of her and she continued. Fallon was unaware of anything. The only thing on her mind was finding Sebastain, whose head she could still see. "Sebastian!" She called again, but again it seemed to fall on deaf ears.

Her funnel cake was long forgotten. Abnd briefly Fallon wondered where Shayne was. All the sudden her phone rang with the text message sound. Fallon pulled it out and saw Si texted her. She read the text and quickly texted back as she was walking. "Mirror Maze." Was all Fallon texted, since Si knew she was at the carnival. Fallon had texted that she was going earlier that morning.

Fallon ran into the maze following Sebastian. She weaved in and out, hitting afew mirrors with her reflection. This maze was creepy. Yet she kept going, making a few wrong turns. Then finally she reach her destination, unaware of the trouble she stepped into. Fallon now stood between the creepy guy and Sebastian. She was in the middle of them. Fallon looked from the crepp to Sebastian, "Sebastian you okay? Do you know this guy?" She asked a little shaky.

[Raphael D'Aubert]

Tall, dark, and handsome, Raphael D'Aubert shot daggers of hate into the couple standing before him, and circled around the circular chamber so that he could focus the brunt of his disdain towards Sebastian. His 5' 10" frame had the build of a well-trained kickboxer, and an almost unsettingly handsome face seemed to go beyond his eighteen years of life.

"Ah..." spoke Raphael, noticing Fallon's lithe form. "You've done very well for yourself, Bootkins... Or is it Cornflower? You'll have to excuse me, as the years have made my memory a bit fuzzy."

He nodded slightly towards the girl, keeping his gaze on the visibly disturbed Sebastian. Like a wolf, Raphael eyed his prey with pure hate, the fires of passion burning unchecked in his eyes.

"Cute girlfriend.. Have you told her about us yet, Cornflower?"

Sebastian bit down hard on his lip, visibly shaking at Raphael's cruel taunts. Sensing that he had struck a chord, Raphael continued on..

"Do you think that I've forgotten about you, Cornflower?" sneered the man, a dangerous tone audible in his voice. "I haven't.. After all, who could forget 'pretty little Cornflower, the priests' favorite?"

"This little shitbag used to actually go to Francois, Pierre, and Elias at night... and beg on his knees not to be too rough! He took it like a bitch, and probably enjoyed it too!"

A trickle of blood fell onto the ground, falling from the tip of Sebastian's lip like a single drop of crimson rain. The boy shook even more violently now, and let out a few gasping sobs as a stream of teams ruptured unexpectedly from his own gray eyes.

"Do you know why they called him 'Cornflower', Miss?" quipped Raphael, clearly enjoying watching Sebastian suffer.

"It's 'cause he was so pretty, soft, and tasty..."

"Just like a Cornflower..."

[Sidra Cotton]

Stalking towards the Mirror Maze, people shifted out of the gothic girl's way, some stared, and one small child pointed and asked their mother why that clown looked so different from the others. The Mirror Maze was one of those places that Sidra had memorized so she could freak her friends, and siblings out, when she went ahead of them. So many people got turned around, hell she'd gotten turned around again and again until she'd memorized it's layout.

With a scowl she went in and began to follow the maze. Left. Left. Right. Left. Right.

"FAL!" She called out.

Then again, louder. Though it didn't actually happen, Si liked to think she rattled a few of the mirrors. "Name your coordinates Cotton!" The authority, anger, and down right big-sister tone she had was exacting.

Right. Straight ahead passing two turns. Left.

How could Fal do that? Even knowing that her sister had stayed with the French boy in that huge (and she meant HUGE) house irked her. If he'd done anything, ANYTHING to Fallon. Obviously her warnings hadn't been enough. Obviously she needed to step up her game and her scaring.

Obviously there was much work to be done.

Hearing Fallon's answer, Si picked up the pace and put on her worst glare.

"You KNOW better than to-" taking note of the other boy there, Sidra's words cut off and she held out a hand for her sister.

[Fallon Cotton]

Fallon did not like this guy. She inched closer to Sebastian and slipped her hand into his free one. She let this over grown idiot talk. Now Fallon hated to get angry. It reminded her too much of being bipolar, but this guy was messing with Sebastian. Just by looking at the Sebastian, she knew this kid was being mean. Fallon was worried. The guy was scary. Then she heard Si's voice. Thank god for that. She called out her coordinates to her sister and then looked at the older man.

"Who the hell do you think you are? Messing with him like that. Its wrong. You are being cruel for no reason. So back off. he does not need y to taunt him. I won't let you...so go away..." Fallon said sternly to the guy with the grey eyes.

She squeezed Sebastian's hand and looked at him. "Don't listen to this guy okay...he is being a jackass..." Fallon barely cussed but she was getting angry as this guy taunted Sebastian.

She looked back as the idiot explained about the cauliflower,"Who cares...its over..and in the pas.,..why even bring it up...you are reminding him of something that should be left untalked about...you over grown oaf...now shut up and leave him alone....I will scream...and trust me..you don't want my sister to see you here messing with me...she is on her way....so shoo..you are nothing more then a boy dressed as a teenager..." Fallon sneered.

She pulled Sebastian close to her. Sure Fallon was scared but this guy was pissing her off. "You think I care what you have to say? I don't. I don't care about the past...only the future...and I wont let an idiot like you bring Sebastian back to that place...no...so go away you jerk..."

All the sudden her sister showed up and Fallon was thankful. "Si, this guy is bothering me..." She told her sister pointing to Raphael.

[Sidra Cotton]

The other guy, the stranger was bothering her little sister? Not Sebastian? Shooting Sebastian a look, Si took note of how cowed he look. How small.

Strange she thought, I'd think someone who'd spent a night with my sister would be happier. But it was probably that guy. The one looming over both Fal and Sebastian. The one who was bothering her kid sister.

Peeling her lips into an angry, violent, predatory grin, Sidra showed her fangs. Custom made. Well cared for. And very much a part of the vampire persona she wrapped around her like a shield. A shield from the mundane. It had always been her job to look out for Fal and Thad. For different reasons of course, but still it was her job and she took it very seriously.

No one messed with her sibs. No.One.

"Oh look. Fresh meat." The words were cold and while they held a fantasy quality to them but there was the core of truth. Not quite mama bear, but a girl who knew what she was capable of, no matter how thin. The joys of being obsessed with vampires (real vampires not those sparkly twits) was that she'd picked up a few damage points on the human body. Nothing like what someone trained in martial arts would know, but enough to get dirty in a fight, and maybe win.