shantytown-haint

[shantytown-haint]

“I wanted to see the world, and then I changed my mind.”

→ PUNISHER / STRANGER IN THE ALPS.

Julian hums, looking up from the stack of documents he’d brought. Nothing added up, in any sane world, but it’s not as if theirs is one of those. He has his theory. He can’t imagine that Mallory will like it the least. But he’s done his work, gone to library archives and business offices, and... Well, he has this headline from a two-decade-old newspaper:

Port Royale Ship Sinks Near Shadow Isles

As for less... legally obtained... documents, he has some from Port Royale itself:

The Haght’anak: Lost. Crew deceased, cargo unsalvageable.

Captain McKennon: Deceased.

He sighs. What had she said? “Changed your mind... Well, Bilgewater has plenty of its own sights. No need to cross the water for that.”

It’s a long way from the Isles to Bilgewater. But it isn’t twenty years long, even as a body adrift at sea. And a journey like that would age her far more than she has been, even with drugs and drink and burns.

But he shouldn’t tell her his whole theory. It’s still madness, even if it’s rapidly becoming the only explanation. “Have you ever considered that you might be cursed?”

[shantytown-haint]

"HYEEELLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO? HELLO!"

“WHAT! WHAT? QUIT YOUR FUCKIN’ YELLIN’, WHAT?”

[shantytown-haint]

cont. from xx

@cautelous

There was a hard narrowing of Mal’s eyes, a mask to hide the thinking processes that rushed in her mind. The resemblance was, with enough edits to the imagination, uncanny. An estranged familiarity.

One that she seemed much too quick to try to brush away. 

“There’s lots of old, red headed bitches on this damn island. And if’n I got any frame of reference when it comes to gettin’ them damn paintings done, I’d prob’ly recall havinna sit down for so fuckin’ long t’get some shit like this done,” she stated dismissively. “most I can reckon is maybe a distant relative, an’ that’s it.”

But there was still the familiar ringing of that name… Apkarian. Apkarian? “Might’ve heard it here and there before, but I can’t put no specifics to it.”

[shantytown-haint]

❛ What I really wanted was for us to be friends. And you kind of broke my heart. .. Also my knees.❜

“Bucko, that there is what we call a classic ‘you problem’. I reckon y’like to stick your hand in boilin’ pots of water, too? Maybe glass ‘n salt?”

[shantytown-haint]

* (  THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT/  SENTENCE PROMPTS.

These may have been edited for clarity or length or to better apply for roleplaying.

❛ For crying out loud, what you still doing in bed? ❜

❛ You’re gonna miss breakfast. ❜

❛ You’re making me nervous. ❜

❛ Where are you going? ❜

❛ I seem to have caught a cold. ❜

❛ Are you sure you wanna do this? ❜

❛ Is something wrong? ❜

❛ It’s foolish to run the risk of going mad for vanity’s sake. ❜

❛ Anger’s a potent spice. A pinch wakes you up. Too much dulls your senses. ❜

❛ I’m sorry. ❜

❛ Is that whiskey? ❜

❛ The strongest person is the person who isn’t scared to be alone. ❜

❛ Before you know it you’re pouring your life out in search of something other people told you to go look for. ❜

❛ You need to figure out how to take care of yourself. ❜

❛ I wanted to give condolences. ❜

❛ You think I’m a prima donna, don’t you? ❜

❛ You’re stubborn, so you get mad. When that happens, you can only see what’s in front of you. ❜

❛ I have taught you everything I know. ❜

❛ Be careful. ❜

❛ I felt like a fool. ❜

❛ Are you trying to psych me out? ❜

❛ You always drink this much? ❜

❛ If you keep doing this, you’re gonna end up washed up by the time you’re 21. ❜

❛ I like your hair. ❜

❛ Are you serious? ❜

❛ I should probably sleep. ❜

❛ You make me sick. ❜

❛ You are very beautiful. ❜

❛ Have you ever been in love? ❜

❛ I need to be alone. ❜

❛ You shouldn’t be by yourself. You know what happens. ❜

❛ I don’t know what I’m doing. ❜

❛ Pathetic, well… I’m looking at pathetic. ❜

❛ How are you? ❜

❛ Are you okay? ❜

❛ I’m worried about you. ❜

❛ Well, what are you doing here? ❜

❛ I told you to leave me alone! ❜

❛ Who the hell are you? ❜

❛ If you weren’t here, I’d probably have a bottle of wine now. ❜

❛ You’ve been the best at what you do for so long, you don’t even know what it’s like for the rest of us. ❜

❛ You are out of your fucking mind. ❜

❛ You’re like my guardian angel. ❜

❛ I’m not here to save you. Hell, I can barely save me. ❜

❛ I’m here because you need me to be here. ❜

❛ What I really wanted was for us to be friends. And you kind of broke my heart. ❜

[shantytown-haint]

Gustave Doré, illustrations for Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner

[shantytown-haint]

A sealed envelope slips under the door, marked by grey wax. Within, lies terms of employment, and a particularly hefty promised reward (M!A): Mallory is contracted by the mages to punish horny this coming Sunday. Traps, plans, and schemes to attack the lustful are encouraged. Embarrassment and shame is the objective, but injuries may be applied as necessary. If 3 targets are successfully shamed, Mal will earn a wish from the Magi. Lasts until Sunday ends.

“...Damn, all I gotta do is make fun of horny fuckers? Shit, this goin’ be easy.”

[shantytown-haint]

mal @ @shaco-s-laughter​

[shantytown-haint]

“You--...Y’know what, don’t worry ‘bout it. Jus’ go back to either complimenting me or tell me what you want from me.”

He stares at her. He just stares.

She stares back.

“Y’know, the longer you do that, th’more it’s gonna cost ya later.”

[shantytown-haint]

perfect-fourth​:

“…I’M A BURN VICTIM Y’ASSHOLE.”

“Oh. I see. Did I offend you? That wasn’t my intention. I thought you may be in need of assistance. If it’s any consolation, you’re very beautiful.”

“Oooh, buddy, if you backpedaled any harder I’d call you a fuckin’ ferryman.”

He stares at her. He just stares.

She stares back.

“Y’know, the longer you do that, th’more it’s gonna cost ya later.”

[shantytown-haint]

🍌

Mal is... capable, of helping others out of moral obligation. As rare as it is. She is typically the sort to demand payment for anything she does, after all, it is her job. Hitman, scouter, scavver, whore, etc. Hell, she’ll even fucking watch your dog and kids and water your plants for the weekend if you pay her to do it.\

She typically sticks with payment for things because it’s easy to keep someone to a contract of any sort. And it’s easy to punish if said contract is broken in any way she deems unsatisfactory. Long and short, it keeps her in control, whether the other person knows it or not.

But there have been few cases where the idea of taking payment for certain things just didn’t rightfully sit well with her. But that’s something deeply rooted that not even she can fully explain. It’s risky, but it’s right.

[shantytown-haint]

"Excuse me! Miss!" He scurries up to her and quickly picks something tiny off the ground in front of her feet and holds it up to her. "Is this a piece of your face?"

IS THAT A PIECE OF HER BOOT GOING INTO HIS KNEES?

[shantytown-haint]

"Mallory CackMelon."

“Yeah?”

Wait.

“Waiaminnit...”

[shantytown-haint]

Detail: Portrait of Don José de Jáudenes y Nebot, by Gilbert Stuart, 1794

[shantytown-haint]

🥝

For a woman who says she’s never been sailing in her life, she knows a ridiculous amount about the anatomy of ships and various forms of navigation. And though most of her fighting habits tend to lean on the more...dirty and brutal side of things, she is a rather extravagant fencer and swordsman, though she can’t place why.

[shantytown-haint]

🍒 : how much does my muse value companionship? do they constantly keep people around them, or do they prefer to be alone often? do they have or desire to have many friends? do they see every meeting as an opportunity to make a new friend?

Mal has a deep rooted and buried anxiety about having many people around her, let alone trying to have people be close to her. Even the few considered 'friends' she has barely speak to her on a consistent basis and wouldn't exactly go as far as to say she trusts them. She doesn't trust anyone, really. But she'd rather meet new people than deal with anything resembling a consistent relationship. Keeps the memory fleeting, after all.