Galgallin

Holy Terror
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Black Magic & Golden Hearts
  • The Story
    In the quiet river town of Aldenburg, magical creatures secretly live alongside humans. The masquerade has been successfully held for several years now, especially with a declining belief in the supernatural.

    However, a new force appears that threatens this quiet peace. An evil witch has set up an antique store in town and is selling cursed items to unsuspecting humans.

    It’s up to the townspeople to decide if they want to chase her out and protect their lifestyle, allow humans to learn about the secrets of magic, or harness these dark forces for themselves and remove all humans to create a magical paradise.
  • Setting
    Once upon a time, fairytales and myths were all perfectly real. However, human greed is a universal constant, and magical beings were forced into hiding as human civilization became more brutal and bloodthirsty through their technology.

    This brings us to modern day - specifically a certain, quiet riverside town where nothing much seems to happen, where no one seems to leave, and no one seems to get in.
    Aldenburg
    Green and hilly in the summer, and a snowy murderous death trap in the winter. Aldenburg is usually a pretty uneventful place, its most notable feature is a big river bisecting the town – and the silent majority of non-human citizens. But shhhh, people aren’t supposed to know about that. After all, if everyone knows, then it's not a secret anymore! And then we'd have to kill you.
    Downtown
    The financial and shopping district of Aldenburg. It reeks of forced development, subpar construction, and the desperate attempts of suburbia trying to be hip and cool. That might just be the essential oils, though. On the bright side, it has Starbucks. And Chipotle. Bringing avocados to the impoverished masses is important, right?
    High River
    The one and only High River, that splits Aldenburg in two. It runs roughly north-south, resulting in the richer West Aldenburg, where downtown is, and the poorer, more residential East Aldenburg.
    Miss Black's Antiques
    A strange little shop that opened overnight on the east bank of the river, in what used to be an abandoned storefront. It’s owned and operated by Miss Black and her horde of cats. Although she mostly sells antiques, she also apparently dabbles in the occult. Strange things happen to people who go to her store.
    Church of Saint Dimas
    An old Catholic church in East Aldenburg. It's a house of the Lord, named for the Good Thief and patron saint of undertakers, but it also seems to be its own bubble of inexplicable events. The building always smells strongly of incense, and sometimes something…. Danker.
    Saint Dimas' Cemetery
    Behind the church is a small cemetery, protected by a stone wall and iron gates and filled with lush grass and artistic tombstones. Almost every ghost story from Aldenburg involves Saint Dimas's cemetery. Almost every zombie story, too.
    Harmony High School
    The only public high school in Aldenburg, it was built in the 70s to "bring together" the two halves of the town. Yes, it saved money. No, it did not magically stop people from bickering about who is from the "right" or the "wrong" side of the river. No, no one takes its name seriously. The high school mascot used to be an angel until the 90s, when it was changed to a dove to be more religiously inclusive. It's unfortunate that there's a lot of hawks in the surrounding woods.
    Oakley Park
    A very pleasant and shaded park, full of old trees and wildflowers. It's a very popular place for long walks under the moonlight, if you catch the drift. Superstition says sharing your first kiss here will result in a long and happy relationship. Superstition also says that if you dump your girlfriend here, a nymph will rise out of the sewer grate and try to drown you, and also that said nymph is extremely fond of the third oak tree from the left of the municipal boat ramp.
    Aldenburg University
    A tiny liberal arts school where everyone has dated everyone else’s ex. It has a surprisingly wonderful computer lab, but that might be because the head of the IT department has a gaming addiction and never leaves the school basement. Unrelated, the pharmacy makes a killing in Vitamin D supplements.​
  • Creatures
    Below is a (very small and not at all comprehensive) selection of races you can choose for your characters. I don’t need any sort of specific ratio, so don’t worry about an even cast! All I ask is that if you’re the kind of person to play multiple characters, to please consider making a human at some point. I have a suspicion they will be vastly outnumbered by the monsters!
    Humans
    Totally normal inhabitants of Earth, mostly. Some humans can sense magic energies, and an even smaller number can manipulate this, earning titles over history such as Witch, Shaman, Sorceress, Mage, etc. Some people believe that those who have magical abilities have supernatural breeding. That’s quite silly though, who even believes in this stuff?
    Monsters
    The monsters and creatures of lore that you grew up with are real – and chances are, if they aren’t romping around on Earth, they are probably... actually still romping around on Earth, just with a bit more stealth. Can't have those hunters wiping out the last branches of the family, after all. Commonly thought-of “monsters” include fairies, werewolves, and sirens.
    Magic-Eaters
    These eerie blank-eyed shadow-like creatures do exactly as their name says – they appear in areas with high concentrations of magical energy and feed on it. While (mostly) harmless to normal humans, they can be a huge nuisance to magical beings by draining entire areas of energy. No one is entirely sure where they come from – some theorize that they’re the will of some sort of universal regulator, keeping the magic and the mundane in balance. Others think that they’re mutant chimeras or something, which honestly sounds way cooler.​
  • Factions
    Need an idea of what your character's motive is? There's not really official factions, but here's some fine and upstanding people your character might want to consider aligning with.
    Citizens of Aldenburg
    Nothing strange happening over here! At least, not out in the open. These folks are just trying to live their lives in peace and quiet.
    Hunters
    Witch hunters, monster hunters, demon hunters... The humans have a long standing tradition of seeing magic and deciding it is Bad, and Needs to Go. These people get hired to kill supernatural beings for a myriad of reasons, and it's not totally unheard of for someone to disappear in the night because some faraway businessman heard about some magical medicine to help keep his dick up.
    International Regulatory Board of Magic
    Picture the United Nations, but even more ineffectual. That's IRBM. These guys are supposed to be an international agency that helps protect supernatural beings from each other. Individual agents are fine, but the official boardroom is known as a pathetic proxy war between ancient pantheons. Last year's open forum is now known as simply "The Revenge of Carthage". Investigations are ongoing.
    Undead Union
    Look, the dead want to rest in peace. But noooo, these whippersnappers gotta go and stir the pot, mess with ancestral burial grounds, disrespect the dead - it's sacrilege! Simply put, UU is a club of undead beings who host conventions all over the globe on Halloween and complain about kids these days and how no one really respects death like they used to. They are unsure of what to make of atheists.​
  • Rules
    Be excellent to each other.

    Message Caracal with any questions.

    Post your profile in the Sign-Up thread, and I'll give you a shout when I approve your profile.

    Try to post about once a week, a paragraph or two per post.

    Join the OOC Discord server, we have a PVP bot, it's hilarious.
 
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Henrik "Rik" Wolfe
@ the cafe with an ever-changing name

Ah~ It was such a pleasant conversation~ There are very few people that are able to consistently tolerate him at his most talkative, and one of them is the ever wonderful Cindy~ And her delighted expression at his gift made his already great day even better~ And oh my! She even removed her precious and stylish witch hat to wear it! Needless to say, the boy wore a delighted expression on his face during the whole exchange, he was so blissful in fact that he was only really focused on Cindy, his thoughts and the conversation, all while wearing the biggest smile he has had in a while. And it only got bigger as Cindy expressed how much she also liked the gloves and how warm the set was and well, this whole exchange reminded Henrik exactly why the girl was one of his most favorite people ever~

"I'm so happy that you like them so much Cindy~ I worked my butt off for that ya know! And new pastry ideas? Ohhhhh, knowing you there will be a TON of great and interesting ones~ Like last year-"

"Yeah... actually, that IS my boss. He is quite the nice man even if it does not look like it! I mean, he hired ME of all people to work for him, despite not knowing me too much, so he can't be a bad person! And yeah, today is supposed to be my first day, I enter work in about... 2 more hours as a clerk and shopkeeper, should be interesting~ Ok! We'll talk later then~ See you at nighttime~ And have ready some good alcohol!"

After finishing his pleasant chat with the establishment's co-owner, the boy grabbed his order and promptly went to sit at an empty table nearby the counter. After gently placing his food and drink on top of the table, he pulled out an incomplete set of deep blue yarn gloves from his bag and started finishing them while also taking occasional sips of coffee or bites of the lemon pie.


(OOC: Now my boy is ready to do what he originally wanted to do xD And since his attention always wonders, he may notice something going on around the shop~)
@the.complex-of-constellations
 
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"Niles"


Hakk'thur cracked a smile, but the general malformation of his face hid the expression pretty well. Yeah, it's true, Aldenburg sure is a hell of a weird spot, but that made it all the more fun, right? Ordinary humans are entertaining, but he's never had any of them really dig into what the hell he is, because they just... can't, usually. But the other oddities? Like the shapeshifter here, or other magically attuned beings? They're fun. They figure things out fast... which was also a big risk when they held power, but it seemed like Mister Shifter here was a fine fellow.

"Oh, no particular reason. I like to know things that are going on in town. When you've got so many heads, you tend to see more, hear more, than the average person... so I like to make sure that others of my ilk aren't being targeted by anyone but me." Hakk'thur gave his chin a thorough scratch before rephrasing his words. "Well, targeting is a strong word. I like to keep tabs, rather. See who's good news and who's not, keep my eyes and ears out of trouble."

He kept silent for a few moments before locking eyes with the other man. "You might want to be a little more inconspicuous with you business as well. A white bird is something a lot of people remember seeing, and one that flies near a man in a suit is an easy target, should anyone want to look into it."

@Polaris North
 
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Melia 'Melanthias' Mavis
Location: On the way to a shop, passing through some strange people

A small blue bird glided through the clear morning air. Instinct brought it flying to where the food was plentiful, and it landed on a windowsill, joining the rest of the flocks that crowded around heaps of seeds. Through the open window, one could see a young rose-haired woman reached towards the flock of birds; the feeder of the birds, judging from the grains that fell down her open palm as she did so.

"A new visitor?" Slender fingers enclosed around the blue bird's fragile form, and it was snatched out of the group. "Oh you poor precious thing~" Melia cooed at the feathered fellow. "So beautiful and fleeting." Her eyes widened in a delighted fascination. "How long such beauty could last?"

The musculature of her hand turned rigid, blue feathers spilled between the fingers that were a clench away from crushing the bird in her grasp—

Only for the fingers to unfurl, releasing the bird back into the air. "Hopefully for a long time~" Mel spoke in a sing-a-song voice, smiling sweetly. The girl turned on her heels, leaving the flocks alone. She snatched the feathered jacket hanging beside the window, draping it over her shoulder as she walked past an array of flasks containing bubbling liquid with dazzling colors of sickly green, poisonous blue, and corroding purple. Next to the exit was a gilded cage, empty except for a curious golden glow in its center - the glow that dimmed down as she left.

Melia walked down the street with one specific aim in mind. A new formula of medicine she wanted to create required a very particular type of silver goblet, and she was sure said goblet wasn't sold in any convenience store. Her best bet was one of the two niche shops in the town - either the occult shop on the west, or the new antique shop on the east. Now, which one should she visit first?

Wind breezed through her hair, and the ambiance it brought halted her mulling over her choices of shop. Mel stopped right before the entrance of an alley. Her fingers brushed over the stone on the wall, and sensation seeped into her skin. Searing sharp pain carried by splashed blood. The resounding crack of bones slammed to the wall. A dawning horror suffused in the air. All decades old, staining the place like a potent ink. Mel's feet brought her into the alley, entranced with every finding her fingers traced. That's it, until she heard a voice.

"...you business as well. A white bird is something a lot of people remember seeing—"

The sound entered her ears and she felt numbness consumed her senses.

"—and one that flies near a man in a suit is an easy target, should anyone want to look into it."

Her usual peaceful expression gave way to a frown. She carefully made her way to the other end of the alley, taking a peek. There were two people, talking on the street. One of them - the one whose the voice she did not like - was certainly not a human, while the other one...

Mel leaned back into the alley, sharpening her hearing. Whoever they were, she probably could find out through eavesdropping. Afterall, walls could have ears, or possessed a horrific memory of alley robbery.

@Garrabon @Polaris North
 
Jonathan listened well to the warning being given by his fellow supernatural - though he still had no idea which one he was. The mere fact that it seems that he's being monitored put his guard up ever so slightly. "Hm, good point. It is a good idea to... well, keep an eye out for any troublemakers. Wouldn't want to cause panic now would we?" He said in agreement. Though, it did seem that he was more agreeable after finding out that he was going to be watched. But, Jonathan did see the logic behind this man's actions. If the public were to find out about supernaturals, he wasn't sure how they would react. Mass panic, that was for sure. And they'd lose their homes. It would be an unfortunate event for all of the parties involved.

"Duly noted." Jonathan replied, keeping his eyes level with the deformed man. "But humans do try to 'rationalize' events such as a white bird going around and interacting with people in suits. They don't like delving into things they don't understand." The male ran a hand through his hair - letting his fingers scrape his scalp as he looked outwards once more. "But, I shall keep that in mind. I'll try not to get caught next time." He ended it with a rather light hearted chuckle. The shifter knew better than to go against someone who seemed to know who was who in this community, and that meant he probably had people who aided him. It would be dangerous to go against someone like that and Jonathan never liked danger if there wasn't anything in it for him.

He let the silence hang for a moment, looking up to the sky. It would be nice to fly again soon. He didn't know any further discussion that would be brought up since the man seemed to just want to warn him about his dealings - or, the way he goes about his dealings. Jonathan wondered if this man knew anything about the local mysteries that people are trying to uncover. Mysterious murders and thefts that they gave to private investigators like his clients. If he really did know almost anything that happens in Aldenburg...

A scent finally poked at his nose. It had been lingering for far too long for someone who just passed by. And it smelled rather magical one could say. However, Jonathan didn't know who carried that kind of scent. Usually, it was that of a witch, wizard... sorcerers and magicians. He tilted his head to the side, following the scent. "Seems we have a guest?" Jonathan asked out loud. If the eavesdropper were to get scared and escape, Jonathan didn't really feel the need to run and catch them. If they were to come out honestly, then he didn't mind that either. He wondered if the man with him had noticed the presence as well even before he had spoken. But in the end, he stayed silent after that as he kept his eyes on the alley entrace where the scent was strongest.

@Garrabon @Advena
 
Maria started to take a few bites of her cheesecake, when another patron took a seat at the table next to her. Normally, she wouldn't have paid him any mind, but when he started knitting, she raised an eyebrow. "You know, most men don't think too much of arts and crafts. It's nice to see a man with a softer side," the little fairy commented. "What exactly are you working on, and would you be willing to make some wing covers for me? I can pay you, if you'd like."

@BipboopRiri
 
"Niles"


Hakk'thur scratched his chin yet again, his solid black nails doing an insufficient job at getting some of the dirt out of the cracks of his skin. He pulled up his shirt a bit more, doing the same with the extremely short scarf he was wearing. He kept it tucked neatly into his collar. He was pretty confident that this encounter would count as a positive interaction, so he considered it a success. And even if it wasn't the greatest, he hadn't made a new enemy, so that was all good. Still, he felt that he carried a certain... air about him that he didn't mean to. Maybe he needed to change his wording a bit more? English wasn't his first language, that's for sure. Granted, he's had plenty of time to learn, so that was a poor excuse. Was he being a little authoritative on purpose? Mm, probably. That sounded up his alley.

Speaking of alleys, almost as soon as he had finished speaking, Hakk'thur felt something not far behind the duo. A brief flare of emotion, not too strong, nothing like outright hatred, but definitely negative. Uncomfortable, maybe. Something. It bugged him, and it took away from his focus as the shapeshifter spoke. He ended up only catching the last two sentences of what he said, and that frustrated Niles. As the two stood in silence for a moment, the shifter seemingly content, the eldritch being clenched his fists and held back an unsatisfied grumble. The shifter then noticed the guest as well, and called them out, indirectly. They both turned to face the alley at roughly the same time.

Still upset that he didn't catch all of what the shifter said, Hakk'thur accidentally spoke in unintelligible Eldritch for a moment. ",%{ yrf1 /rang}". Now even more annoyed, he practically spat the English out of his mouth. "Come on out, show yourself. We're all friends for the moment." He made sure to amplify his Influence as he spoke, hoping to mentally force whoever to come out.


@Polaris North @Advena
 
Henrik "Rik" Wolfe
@ the cafe with an ever-changing name

Henrik was just minding his own business, eating bites of his lemon pie, sipping his latte from time to time and having fun knitting. Then suddenly another patron from a neighboring table talked to him. "Ah, thank you! I also know it's not the manliest of things, but it helped me improve my hand to eye coordination, and I ended up really liking it~" The boy ended up answering with a bright and slightly embarrassed smile towards the lady that had just spoken to him

"Oh? This? I'm working on a scarf at the moment, it's almost finished too! Oh, I would more than happy to do-"
With a slight twitch of his brow, the boy was a bit... startled "Wing covers? WING COVERS?! Em... they... are probably for a costume or something, Yeah! Something like that... Did I hear that right? I should probably ask again. JUST in case..."

"Em... You said a... wing cover, right? Well... regardless of what you want me to do, I will need specific measurements for the thing. I'll do it for free too! I love knitting stuff for others~"


(OOC: Have fun with your answer, I wonder what you will do~)
@daird
 
Mr Cale
"Six of Ravens,
Seven times call,
Allow Paymon's gaze,
To reveal it all,
Let Murmur's whispers,
Stroke my ear.
Shattered rib,
Gift me form.
Let damned womb,
Spawn the Imago.
Allow me to behold,
All that I desire"

The ruins of the Church bowed to his words. Blades of light piercing through shattered glass dimmed before the room was wrenched into darkness.

He hadn’t used his magic in so long, and using it now made the blood in this fickle body pump even harder. It reminded him of his place in this world.
A King amongst peasants.
Reassuring in a way but damning in others.
The next few weeks would need to be dealt with cautiously. If things came apart by the seams, what would become of him? Watchers would take notice. The fools crowned with stars would pull him apart, mind and soul. Spears dipped in all-consuming sunlight yet colder than any winter that beset this planet. They’d snatch his power away. Damning him. Another thousand years in perdition. Where the darkness receded and the light distorted. An endless eternity and a suffocating abyss all at once. The petty form breathed harder at the thought, skin feeling colder and muscles going tense.
“No,”he said. The words hollow, echoing through the darkness.
He felt small, hearing it. Pathetic and lowly.
Lucifuge reached for the memories of times long past. He felt the flutter in his chest at the images. The warm hug of confidence. Humans, wrapped in their rags, covered in muck blanketed by flies. Holding nothing but terror in their hearts. Prostrating before him. Godhood was once-no. It was his. Rightfully his. He was still a god. The only thing he lacked was a firmament. A throne.

Darkness became light. It flooded the room and threatened to spill, lighting up the Church in a way reminiscent of when it was first burnt down. It dimmed once again, like a star that had spent its all, but it didn’t fade. Instead, vague lines of light twisted together, forming a three dimensional image of Aldenberg. Clouds of dust formed the sky and shattered wood made up the floor. Glass came together to form buildings and dirtied needles bent to make the people. A perfect image of a quaint little town, ready to be made his. All he needed to do was reach out.
Yet he refrained, stilling his hand before it touched the light. A plan was required. Pawns needed to be acquired so they could be sacrificed. Knowledge accumulated and power held. Patience.

He stood there, letting the light seep into blackened skin, listening and watching insects go about their lives. Human and inhuman. Other. Various kinds, yet none who threatened him. Not an Angel nor an Evangelical come to purify another tract of land lost to the dark.
All beneath him.
“Show me those who hold the gift in their heart,”he whispered. The lights changed. Lines of it came free, turning purple before wrapping itself a few of the needles. Those who held magic would be the most immediately useful, but he kept in mind the powerless. So easily twisted. Manipulated. Bent to his will. He’d promise them the world, for a nominal fee.

Their mind.
Their body.
Their soul.

Resources, untapped and ready to be harvested for a King willing to build his throne atop their mangled corpses. Lucifuge couldn’t help but smile at the image. He let himself bask in the glory of his own mind before guiding his hand through the image. Fraying the light and sending needles scattering across the broken floor. Reaching for the lone soul that stood apart from the others. Alone. This one would do.

“Wings of the Hawk
Bind my form.
Claws of Seir,
Cast me thro.”

The lights of the image came to pieces, shooting through the air before they came together once again. Knotted and bound, they formed a claw that struck the air, carving the skin of reality twain before dispersing into the air. It was a wound that yawned open and as it did so, it pulled Lucifuge to his destination, closing behind him.

Cold morning wind bit through skin as rays of light carved their way into his eyes, making it hard to see where exactly he was.

He’d forgotten how the human body, useless and weak in every form, lacked the ability to adapt to new environments right away. Another reminder of how fragile he was. Had he the power, he’d snuff the sun out. The humans would beg before him, screeching and screaming, begging for the light that allowed life to thrive to be spared. Yet it’d all be for naught. A world of darkness would be what they’d be cast into. Where only the most loyal to him would be given the embers of flame that was once the pathetic star that hung in the sky.
Rubbing at his eyes, the clarity of vision slowly returned, letting him gaze at a rather empty street occupied only by a small wretch, a child they called it, gawking like a peasant should when a King makes his presence known.

“Run along, little spawn and speak not of what you’ve seen. Consider the gift of being able to look upon my visage with your undeserving eyes a blessing of the highest order. When I crush this world beneath my heel, I’ll let you sit upon the armrest of my throne. Given the honor of watching this rock burn and for you to become the last of your pitiable kind. So long as you say not a word to your progenitors and the liars who call themselves allies. Understand?”

The little thing stood there, jaw still open, eyes wide.
It hadn’t understood a word he said.
“Begone!”he proclaimed, waving his arm to the side as the pavement tore asunder, concrete becoming weeping flesh that burst to unleash maggots with human faces, contorted in pain and wailing.

It understood this time. Little feet sending the insect skittering along as it shrieked.
Lucifuge cast the illusion aside, allowing another to escape from his grasp and coil itself around him. Blackened skin took on a more human quality, a darker brown, with his eyes following suit. Glamour of his own kind.

Turning a corner to his destination, he opened the door to the shop, a quaint little place called Ojancana's Eye that styled itself as an Occult shop. For fools, anyways. He let his eyes scan the products, the interior of the shop, and he saw rather little if anything at all that was truly real in it’s magical ability. A fluke. Not that it mattered, he wasn’t here for implements of power. A god had no need of such petty instruments.

What he needed was knowledge despite his already vast intelligence. Researching this place on his own would be a waste of a time. It was far more amusing to assert his power over the cretins that inhabited it by finding things out through them instead.

Slowly he sorted through the items, feigning interest as he picked at the faux Occult. None of which he needed. All he needed was patience.
@Hastur
 

Melia 'Melanthias' Mavis
Location: In the shady alleyway, shadily listening to the shady conversation of shady folks


Behind the wall, Mel was being a good eavesdropper and caught every single word the others said - though not the context behind them. Keep an eye out of troublemakers... and a white bird? Mel listened attentively. These things were definitely connected to the man who spoke, judging from his promise to not get caught next time. How very interesting. She need to find out more-

"Seems we have a guest?"

The acknowledgement silenced the rhyme of her breath. Melanthias took a step back, hand flew over her mouth in what should be a gesture of shock - yet those fingers concealed a spreading grin. She had been found out. She had been found out. That realization dawned on her with a strange giddiness that conflicted with her other thought - curse these supernatural beings and their uncannily sharp senses.

Slowly, she distanced herself from the end of the alley, the sole of her heels absorbed the sound of her steps just like how her skin absorbed the silent scream that stained the pavement for decades. The grin subdued into a calm smile. She was curious, how much unnecessary worries and pain she could have caused them if she just turned around and run? Would they care?

She really hoped they would, because it's exactly what she planned to do. The young woman turned on her heel, about to walk away-

",%{ yrf1 /rang} — Come on out, show yourself. We're all friends for the moment."

-and she found her legs swerved around against her will, delivering her into the view of the other two.

Mel froze in spot. What just happened? "Oh- oops~" She covered her mouth, glancing aside in a guilty way of a kid that get caught stealing an extra cookie from a jar. Now that she was at a closer distance, her presence carried an earthy scent of forest and burning leaves to ordinary people. But those who possessed alleviated senses would smell more - scorching heat and cooling breezes, prickling needles and soothing balm; ache and comfort, hurt and healing, rolling waves that negate each other.

"I'm so, so, sorry, I didn't mean to intrude on you two." She clasped her hands before her face in an apology. Her gaze flickered between the two - at Jonathan curiously, and at Niles with wary. "I truly hope I won't cause any trouble by knowing about your activities." Her widened eyes conveyed the hopeful look, but what she truly hoped for might not be what the others wanted.

@Garrabon @Polaris North
 
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Edward 'Eddie' Navarro
▶ OJANCANA'S EYE


The collector moved quickly about the shop before opening the doors, finishing up this and that, a routine that was so second nature now that he hardly noticed he was doing it. Moving on auto-pilot was just fine by him though, giving him time to think as he prepared for another day.​

Setting up the various stations was easy. Teas for the oldies that came in regularly, swearing by them for medicinal properties; various books and components for the more involved of customers he rarely had; crystals and knick-knacks for the fad-followers and curious that graced the place. There really was something for everyone, even if nearly all of it was bullshit. There were a few traces here and there, sure, but nothing serious. No… the collector kept that all for himself and in much, much harder to reach places. Much more guarded.​

Pushing the idle thoughts away, he moved to unlock the door before continuing to sort through a collection of stones and set them up carefully in a spinning, open display, the clacking of the smooth rocks against one another sending small sharp noises through his head. But they weren’t as bad as before. Either the hangover was starting to dull, or he was getting used to it. No matter which, it was fine by him. He could get more done when his brain wasn’t pulsing angrily against his skull.​

When there was a lull in preparation, and after clicking the old register closed one more time, he made for his phone as he walked back into his office, thumb-tapping out a text to his new employee.​

9 o’clock for your first day of work? I’ve got a few things to show you here and there and should be quiet once the regulars clear out.

Just as he sent the message and finished the last sip of his coffee, the silence was broken by the chiming of bell.​

The door.​

“Ugh, already...” the man grumbled to himself, pushing off of his desk and slowly making his way out into the shop, the wooden floor hardly making a noise as he stepped across each familiar board. Sharp eyes squinted and brows pinched together a little as he looked upon his first customer of the day, and realized it wasn’t a regular at all.​

No, this was someone new.​
And something told Eddie he wasn’t here for tea.​

“Looking for something specific?” he questioned, awful as far as greetings went, but it saved time. The words weren’t sour though, nor were they terribly curious. They were just there, out into the air and straight to the point. “We’ve got something for all sorts here at the Eye.”​


@BipboopRiri
@Athrwys
 
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Jonathan gave his companion a sideways glance when he spoke in a language the shifter could not understand. He tried to think about it. Perhaps he could recognize it if he thought long and hard enough. But as the second ticked by, he decided to give up and shook his head and then looked back at the alley, turning his full attention to their visitor. His companion had switched to English - and there was some form of compulsion that he could feel. It wasn't directed at him though, so he didn't feel the need to do anything. To be forced to do anything.

And it was successful. The woman looked as surprised as you would expect from someone who did something they didn't even want to do. She had exposed herself with a bit of a push from this man beside him - and she attempted to act innocent. Her scent grew stronger and he could smell the earth on her - nature. He tilted his head at her. He had expected more of potions and poisons - but he was met with an entirely different smell. "Hm..." He let out a hum as he shifted his weight to his side.

"Personally, I don't mind." The shifter placed a hand on top of his chest. He took in another deep breath - of course, the man's scent was stronger but her scent started to intermingle with his. It now danced between nature and decay, life and death; Jonathan's eyes flickered between his earlier companion and the pink haired woman. Their differences were plain to Jonathan and he wondered if there was something even deeper that would conflict between them. "I know you know better than to speak of our kind." He let his tongue loose easily, having been put at ease by the singular fact that she was part of their community. It would be stupid to unearth it and show it to the normies.

He then swept his arm sidewards - towards his companion whose name he doesn't know yet nor his species - and continued. "I'm not so sure about my friend over here." Jonathan bit back a joke pertaining to their earlier interaction. He decided against saying it mostly because he was pretty sure that his companion would growl at him for making a joke. "He's pretty strict on the secret." The middle aged shifter paused after he had said that before realizing that he had actually said it out loud. He kept a relaxed form, however, as he seemed to not pay too much attention to his last phrase that wasn't supposed to be spoken.

@Garrabon @Advena
 
"Niles"


"Well, well, who do we have here?" Niles stared at the young girl intensely. Granted, he couldn't really decipher any features besides that she had a face at this distance, due to his poor vision. It was a pointless task to try, so he leaned back a bit, standing straight and tall, hands behind his back. His expression quickly shifted to a smile. "I wouldn't say that I'm strict..." He looked up for a moment, scratching his chin with considerable force. "It's more like, I don't want any basics to cause me any unnecessary trouble." He looked back down, casting a quick glance to the shifter, and then a longer glace to the girl. Then he performed a quick scan of the surroundings.

"In fact..." Niles held both his hands to his sides, palms inwards, practically at his knees. A heavy outflow of magic emanated around him, an uncomfortably cold and heavy feeling. He spoke quietly, but it seemed to originate in the back of the mind. "Anyone not in my direct company should keep away from this area." He broadcasted 120 meters outward, to ensure maximum privacy, and also to show off a bit. He returned to his regular, slightly hunched pose, and held his hands behind his back.

"Now then, we should be able to talk at an above average volume, if we so choose. I'd rather keep it on the quieter side, just to be sure. You never know when a bigger fish is lurking in the shadows." He chuckled, his smile creeping just the tiniest bit wider. He took a few lanky steps forward, placing himself between the shifter and the pink-haired girl. Up close, she was a bit easier on the eyes. But a definite troublemaker. "I'll be straight with you, shorty, your feigned innocence is a bit uncomfortable. Now that you've decided to stick around instead of trying to dart off again, smart move by the way, what are your intentions? He was careful to infuse the least amount of magic possible into his speaking, but the final word carried a different type of weight, the type that weighs down on you before someone judges your response. A peculiar feeling, to be sure, and one Niles enjoyed putting on others.


@Polaris North @Advena
 
Aine O’Brien
~ Caffeynated ~
•alone again•

”Yeah...” Ioana glanced back at the floor, eyeing the growing morning crowd wearily. “You’re welcome to stay, but I better get back before Cindy notices.”

She stood, Aine nodding sympathetically. She ought to leave herself. Maybe in a bit; better finish the coffee. The coffee!

“Ioana! I forgot! Did you make the coffee? It’s very good.” It wouldn’t do to forget again. But Ioana smiled sweetly.

“Yep! Glad you like it. See you around!”

Setting the chair back against the table, she turned and left, jumping behind the counter to fill the first of several backlogged orders. Returning the gesture, Aine looked back at her coffee. The steam was gone; it was lukewarm, as a sip revealed. Still good, but not carrying the same oomf as it did some few minutes ago.

The lack of companionship allowed her mind to shift back to where it had been when she’d first arrived. The tears were graciously gone, but the tired grief remained. One hand still holding her drink loosely, Aine laid her head down in the crook of the other arm. What was meant to be a brief moment of relaxation to gather the strength to return home drew out, the weight of her sadness dragging her exhausted mind too easily into sleep. Soon the Irish girl’s frame went limp, fingers cradling the cup in a kind of anchor to a small moment of happiness.
 

Lucille Argent
Caffeynated






Her feet stepped briskly through the morning air with a sort of determination to get to an unknown destination, or was it to get away from an unseen annoyance? Leaves rustled lightly on the gentle wind, whispering their messages to those who would listen. The odd person beginning their day stooped by with bleary eyes lost in thoughts of work and deadlines, paying no attention to the denim jacket clad teen making a quick pace along the sidewalk.

"sssss.... sssssmells delicious. Something sssssmells delicious..."


Pulling her jacket in tighter, she scowled towards her feet and continued along the street, passing by alley after alley. Shadows twitched just out of view, rats fighting over scraps, leafs collecting in corners jostling together, eyes peering at those who could see.

"hhhhh.... hhhhhungry... So hhhhhungry. Smells delicious..."

Despite the fairly bright morning light darkshapes danced in the corner of her eyes. Just out of view, staying hidden just enough. The teenager's scowl deepened as the wind sighed through buildings and trees, she looked up from the pavement as she neared Ojancana's Eye, feeling the wind creep through her jacket with each step. Her dark auburn hair blew aimlessly against the wind as she passed the shop, her breath quickening as she kept up her impressive pace.

"...sssssmells... sssssmells... Delicious! "

A wet drip rolled off the shadows tongue and landed on her shoulder, seeping into the fabric of her jacket as the teenager spun around in anger.

"Stop!" she shouted to the wind, staring into the nothing that was no longer following her. a few passers by to eyed her with confusion before she once more took off at speed down the street.



She panted lightly entering the coffee shop, her cheeks flush from the brisk air and her equally as brisk pace. The girl stopped for a second, letting a sigh out and looking over her shoulder.

"alone at last..." she muttered under her breath before approaching the counter.




@Red Thunder
 
Henrik "Rik" Wolfe
@ the cafe with an ever-changing name

The boy was very close to freaking out at the request even though he... didn't think consciously know why... Henrik just... was. And it all was the fault of the wing cover statement, even if the parties involved haven't realized it yet. And such risk was only going to get worse until his thoughts were interrupted by a single bip noise coming from this phone "Oh! a message? I wonder what it is about, no-one ever really messages me lately..."
"I'm sorry miss, please give me a moment!" Pushing some less than nice thoughts away and letting the lady know, the boy checks out his phone.

9 o’clock for your first day of work? I’ve got a few things to show you here and there and should be quiet once the regulars clear out.
"Oh! So that's what it was!" The young man promptly sent a reply back to his boss.

Gotcha! Will be there on time sir! I will do my best!!! "Aaaand sent! Oh, how I look forward to my first day at work~"
While Typing the message he realized he still has some time left before he has to go, so the boy let his sight wander around the shop in a subconscious attempt to not talk with the 'wing cover' lady, a process during which his sight landed on another table where a lone woman was... "She seems to be sleeping... on the pit of her elbow... while gripping a cup of coffee? Oh no, that's a terrible idea! I should... probs do something..."

"I'm so sorry lady but I have something I gotta do now... So I'll be seeing you another time! If you need anything, I'm a regular at here and should be around the cafe often! ok then see ya! Quickly bailing out of the weird exchange, the boy packed his things, quickly ingested what was left of his order and went to the table with the sleeping girl. Once there Henrik carefully placed his stuff on the floor, and even more carefully removed the cup of coffee from the sleeping beauty's hand, noticing thankfully that it was lukewarm and not boiling hot, which could have led to something terrible. Once it was out of her arm's reach, the black-haired boy gently nudged her arm and called out to her in a quiet voice

"Em... excuse me miss? This isn't a good place to fall asleep, even less so with a cup of coffee on your hand! He spoke in a quiet, gentle yet still slightly playful tone, making sure to keep a bit of distance to not make the girl uncomfortable.
"But jokes aside... are you doing alright there lady?"


(OOC: Sorry if it drags on a bit, had to make sure to address everything and make the end of that first interaction smooth ^^;)
@Red Thunder @daird
 
  • Love
Reactions: Loveless
He's a human?! Oh, fuck. Did... did I just out the whole supernatural community? Maria was in full damage control mode. Come on, Maria, you need to think of something! Halloween's coming up soon, right? All you need to do is come up with a costume that needs wings.

"Yeah, it's for a Halloween costume contest. They all have to be home made, and I'm going as a butterfly. Thing is, the wings are made out of tissue paper, so if they get wet, I'm screwed."

The fairy sat back in her chair a little bit, letting out a small sigh of relief. Crisis averted... although if she'd been using her brain, there wouldn't have been a crisis in the first place. Smooth, Maria. Real smooth. If there were any telepaths around, the sarcasm in her train of thought would be evident.
 

Aine O’Brien


~ Caffeynated ~
•new company•

...For in the morrow,
in the morrow,
gone ye still shall be.
So ‘pon thy barrow,
‘pon thy barrow,
I soon shall meet with thee.


A grip on my arm like a vise, strangely gentle but irresistible, drawing me toward the grave. And my heart yearning to yield. My time, yes. My time, my grave, and my rest. At last, my rest. With a final exhale, I lay down upon the soft loam, sinking into eternal sleep.

Aine woke with an incredible start, yanking her arm away from Henrik’s gentle prodding with the panic of confusion. Mouth agape, she stared at him for a pregnant moment before gathering herself. Sitting down. Cindy’s coffee shop. Mr. Gordon.

Reality.

She looked up, as if finally seeing Henrik standing beside her. Suddenly she stood, hands taking gentle hold of his shoulders before pulling him into a tight embrace.

“Omigosh I am so sorry! I hope I didn’t startle you! Are you okay? Please tell me that you’re okay!”

Aine looked him straight in the eye, worried that somehow she’d managed to frighten the poor boy as she’d been thrust from her dream. Her golden irises, normal shadowed into a light brown by her difference in height from others, showed plainly and almost seemed to shine in her concern.

@BipboopRiri and also @Comets if you wanna be kept aware
 
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Henrik_font.png
And
Aine O’Brien
The sleepy nurse
@ the cafe with an ever-changing name

The young man was a bit... startled at the sudden outburst of the woman, and just a bit shocked and embarrassed at the sudden embrace, but Henrik composed himself quickly and spoke in a gentle tone "Em... No no no don't be sorry! I was the one that disturbed you in the first place!
"...She has very pretty eyes... but more importantly she seems very worried... I should try to calm her down" The boy showed him an earnest friendly smile and spoke once again "I'm actually more worried about you, you fell asleep with coffee on your hand, are you doing alright? also... could you let me go, please? This embrace is nice and all but... also a bit awkward... hahaha~"


“Oh!“ Aine stepped back, releasing his shoulders in a hurry. “I’m so sorry! I- uh, I just wanted tae be sure I hadnae whacked you when I woke up!”
Right; the coffee. This was embarrassing. Heat crept into her cheeks, and her head lowered, diverting her eyes.
“But- yeah, no, I’m good! Just- it’s been a long night, and a hard night. And- I dunno. The coffee wasn’t really helping at all.” She smiled sheepishly. “Guess I shoulda gotten a few extra shots.”


"Thank you hahaha~ And don't worry, it was a valid concern, but I'm ok!" The boy tried to calm the girl's worries while also distracting himself from his slight embarrassment caused by the situation.
" Hm... you do seem pretty tired... but are you sure you are doing alright? You seem... a bit drained more than just sleepy." He picks up the cup of coffee, sits down on the table and offers the drink and a seat to the woman.
" You said it was a hard night, do you need to talk about it? I got time now and I would be glad to help!" He flashed a bright friendly smile towards the girl and waited for her response.


“No, it’s fine! I just-“
Aine sighed, sliding back into her seat thoughtlessly. The kid’s concern was appreciated, certainly, and had she rest in her, then maybe a pleasant little conversation might have been in order. It was- well, nice, to have two successive people kindly ask about her welfare and show concern. Odd, perhaps, certainly on this boy’s part, but nice nonetheless.
“Ah! Erm, I don’t know your name! I’m Aine O’Brien.” She extended her hand for a handshake. “Though I guess the name tag gives that away. Just got off work at the old folk’s home. Hence the coffee. And the need for sleep.
“What’s your name? I’ve been in Aldenberg my whole life, but I don’t recognize you at all!”


The boy smiled at the girl and shook her hand, he was happy she actually took his offer to sit down and talk!
"Ok, first... have your coffee back, you seem to need it with how tired you are. So Aine... nice name... and you got a pretty tiring job it seems. AAh! right! Sorry, I forgot to mention my own name hahaha~ It's Henrik! Henrik Wolfe, and no, I actually moved to this town... 2 years ago? I'm fairly new here, but Aldenburg has been very nice to me~
His voice was upbeat and cheerful, his good mood had just come back in full swing after forgetting about the wings incident, and was ready to accompany Aine with all this enthusiasm.


It was a nice town; Henrik was very right about that. Aine smiled at his assessment, nodding in affirmation; the boy might not have been in town very long, but he was a good example of that niceness. She took a sip of her coffee; it was rapidly becoming cold.
“It’s a small town, for sure, but that kinda works in its favor, ya know? Big enough for anonymity, but small enough tae keep up with people if ya wanna.” She grinned sleepily. “Sorry I haven’t seen ya before now; I dinnae have much in the way of a social life. Guessing you’re here a lot; you were chatting Cindy up real friendly.”


He earnestly nodded at her assessment of the town.
" Mhm mhm! Small enough to be cozy! Big enough that if you make an embarrassing mistake you can avoid people!" Letting out a small chuckle at his jest, the boy continued.
"Hey, no worries! sometimes jobs can really keep you busy! But... you should try to have some friends around that you can rely on... good friends can make even a grim life shine bright~ And yeah! We are pretty good friends I believe, she was the one to welcome me to town with a welcome party and we have talked ever since. She is very nice~"
The boy spoke earnestly and with a genuine smile on his face, his conversation partner seemed nice and the topic itself had him very cheerful.


“Yeah, she certainly i-“
Her jaw widened in an arresting yawn, interrupting her agreement. Exhausted, with caffeine doing little, and pushing the brain to engage in pleasant small talk, Aine was having trouble keeping focused. Her vision crossed a moment before she shook her head to clear the gathering cobwebs.
“Goodness; excuse me. Anyway, she does seem like it. She looked really grateful tae accept your gift."
“Which looked beautiful, by the way. Ya do the knitting yourself?”


"Hm... she seems very tired...Maybe I should get her another coffee later..." He pondered in his thoughts while the girl yawned, but quickly was brought back to the conversation by Aine's words
" Oh, the gift? Thank you~ Yep! made by none other than myself! I've been knitting for a while now, picked it up to improve some hand-to-eye coordination but it ended up becoming my hobby! I'm happy that you thought it was beautiful~ Thank you~"
The boy beamed a delighted expression. He didn't consider himself that good of a knitter, so everytime someone praised him it truly made him happy. His hard work had been worth it!
Then his mind moved to an interesting topic.
"Talking about hobbies... do you have any, in particular, miss Aine~? He was legitimately curious now that the topic popped up.


“Hah! Hobbies. Those require time, something I have precious little of.” Aine smiled despite the sarcasm, leaning forward against the table to rest her elbow on it. Chin cradled in her hand, she continued.
“I do a bit of sewing myself: mostly repair work on clothes tae save on cash. Not as good as me mum, sure, but good enough. The homeless appreciate it, so that’s something."
“I, uh-“ Her cheeks took on a pinkish hue as her voice lost volume, and she looked down and to the side. “I also like tae sing, for myself.”


The boy's face changed into a slight frown for a moment when he heard the sarcastic self-deprecating humor of the girl but quickly changed back to his friendly smile as he kept listening.
"Ohhh! You are a nice person Aine, not everyone is willing to help the homeless, even less so on stuff like that."
Then his curiosity was piqued the moment Aine started shying away, so he listened carefully and attentively to her voice.
"Sing... I think she said sing..." "Oh! You can sing? I envy ya! And with how nice your normal voice already sounds, I can only imagine how nice your singing voice is~"


“It’s not that great...”
She trailed off, utterly embarrassed at having even brought it up in the first place. Why did she volunteer it? Sure, Ioana had maybe heard it, given the immediacy with which the waitress had arrived after her song, but there wasn’t any reason to just provide Henrik the information. Better to draw attention away from it entirely.
“Anyway, you know what I do for work: the nursing thing. What about you?” Her eyes shifted back up to focus on her company, and he smiled honestly, if with effort, in encouragement. “What’s your job?”


The boy was amused by the girl's rushed attempt to change the topic from her singing. "She must be really embarrassed about it... I wonder why, with how pretty her voice is... whatever, she must have her reasons~" So, the boy played along with her not very good attempt at derailing, giving her an earnest smile and answering her question.
"Oh! I work part-time at the curiosity shop! I used to work at a store but... it closed down recently... but I was lucky to quickly get a new job after! otherwise, I would have maybe even had to move out of town! I definitely would miss Aldenburg~!"


“It’s such a good town,” Aine agreed, nodding in affirmation. Or perhaps it was exhaustion. Stifling yet another yawn, she drained her coffee before standing.
“I’m sorry, Henrik, but I’ve got tae get some shuteye; I’m like tae nod off sitting here otherwise.” Pushing her chair beneath the table, she smiled and proffered her hand. “It was so nice to meet you! I’ll try to come by the Curiosity Shop sometime to see you!”


"Oh... Yeah, I imagine. You must be really tired with a night shift! Make sure you get a proper shut-eye today!" The boy reciprocated the girl's gesture and shook her hand lightly. He noticed that despite looking fairly frail, she actually had some strength to her grip.
"Oh! that would be super nice! Though... hm... could I have your number or something like that? I know this may seem weird but... I got a history of never talking again with people I meet like this, which makes me sad, so... sorry if it was an odd request hahaha... Haaaaa" The boy... now felt awkward, he just afraid of not being able to talk to a nice person again, but... he may have said too much and made things awkward...


“Oh. Um-“ Guys had asked for her number in the past, if more brashly than Henrik was doing. He’d been pleasant enough, certainly. Aine hoped it really was merely to keep in touch, and not to pester her for a date. She nodded, rattling it off slowly once he’d gotten some method of recording it.
But she definitely had to get to bed. Slipping her bag across her shoulders, Aine waved. “I’ll see ya, Henrik.”
With a last Thank you! to Ioana and Cindy, she slipped out the door and into the early morning.


The boy was so relieved that his slip up didn't mess up the situation that he whispered to himself "Oh thank god"
He picked up the piece of paper Aine had written on and waved back at her enthusiastically, if still a bit awkward. "See ya! Take care Aine!"
Once the girl left, Henrik was on his own once again... he checked his phone and noticed he still had about 10-20 minutes before he had to go to work, so he sat back down on the table and started working on his knitting once again, this time silently. He did his best to focus to get out of his weird mood leftover from accidentally asking for a girl's phone number.


(OOC: A collab a long time in the making that just happened and here we are, I hope whoever reads it enjoys it~)
@Red Thunder
 
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Miss Black
Tipsy mewed loudly as Sean carried him away. Didn’t this damn human walk any faster? Didn’t he understand the urgency here? Tipsy was dying of starvation, dammit! No one had fed him in hours, and that was absolutely unthinkable! What a useless servant!

“It’s the blue bag, Sean!” Miss Black called after her new taxable slave. Hopefully he wouldn’t be frightened by the cardboard box of unsorted animal bones sitting on the center of the table. Or the zweihander leaning against the fridge that she had already used half a bottle of Bar Keeper's Friend on, trying to remove the faint tarnish. It was definitely used in battle at some point...

She turned and smiled cordially at her first customer of the day.
“The one and only Miss Black! How can I help you today? Interior decoration? Pawning?” She winked, but with only one eye, it didn’t achieve quite the same flirtatious effects. Nor was what was left of her heart really in it, as she felt a familiar presence coming from the man. A return, already? Not unheard of, but a bit unusual compared to her customer satisfaction ratings.

She glanced down quickly, and discreetly nudged large vase over a dark stain on the floor.

@Loveless @Zahzi
 
Dominic
Time: 7-8 am
Location: Leaving the Hawthorns home.


Dominic listened to his headphones as his green eyes looked down at his iPad. The charm bracelet laid forgotten on his stone side table. It was odd how he found more comfort at being surrounded by four brick walls rather than an open area. Then again, these walls prevented him from being seen and judged in his natural form. His foot bounced with the rhythm of the heavy metal before Howard bristled beside him.

Confused, two fingers tapped the cordless headphones’ side. Immediately the music stopped allowing him to hear his mother walking down the steps. His hand hit the bookmark then set the iPad on his stone side table. Casually he flipped his feet over the side of his bed, spilling some dirt onto the tile floor.

He quietly cursed at his carelessness when his mother edged closer.

“I’ll remind your father to pick up fresh soil at the store,” she kindly as she gestured to a canister holding his breakfast.
“Are you hungry?”

“Starving,” He answered and reached to receive it.

While he sipped the protein shake, he felt his mother’s figure come to sit beside him. Her fingers gently twist his vine bangs away from his face. It didn’t stay long since he didn’t have ears to hook them about. While he found it distracting, Dominic allowed it without resistance.

“We’re going to have to consider trimming off these dead ends,” she held up the end, showing the withered and dead piece to him.
It seemed the fall had taken another victim again.

He sighed, unable to deny it. Another gulp of the shake went down his throat before he caught Howard’s head tilting to the side. An eager, hungry stare that Dominic knew too well. With another defeated sigh Dominic turned to his companion.

“Open up, you big baby.”

In the only time Howard ever truly obeyed, the little venus fly trap peeled back his top and bottom petals to reveal a bright red inside. With the help of a straw, Dominic poured a generous portion of his breakfast inside. Instantly the plant snapped shut with a greedily slurp. If Howard had a tongue, Dominic would be certain he would be licking his chops. Right on cue, the beady black eyes closed with a soft purr indicating he was done. Unfortunately, his pet finished off his breakfast before Dominic could.

“Thanks mom,” he passed the empty container back to her.

She chuckled, her face wrinkled by her smile, “Of course, you’re looking a bit thin.”

He could sense she wanted to stay and spend time with him, but she knew his desire not to be smothered. After a moment she lifted up from the dirt bed that he slept in and began to retreat back upstairs. In her wake, she then decided to remind him about something he rather forgot.
“Don’t forget to powder down your feet. Can’t have that trunk rot getting worse.”

Dominic groaned as he twisted about and flopped on his bed, sending a new rush of dirt onto the floor.

***

“You got the list?” His mother’s head peered out of the door leading to the kitchen.

Dominic nodded, his fingers adjusting the scarf and tightened it against his throat. He hated this type of weather because it made him feel so tired. Most plants were sleeping during this time and waiting until spring arrived, but being a sentient tree made it harder for him. While it didn’t completely put him to sleep, it made him slower than usual.

When he felt he was bundled up enough, he checked his pocket. Howard’s jaws snapped onto his fingers causing him to jerk back.
“Got damn it, Howard. Stop biting!” He cursed at his plant while he glanced at them, the first one had a small slice. The amber sap leaked through the ‘skin’.

He popped it into his mouth to stopper the sap.

“Let me see,” His mother’s voice sudden popped in beside him.

Reluctantly he allowed her to see it. Her blue eyes looked at his wound with concern before she took a spray bottle and spritz some menthol onto it. The heavy scent reached his nose and he watched the wound rapidly close.

“Thanks,” he grumbled then zipped up his pocket. He double checked the charm bracelet, a little sliver engraved trinket dangling from his wrist, was in place before he left.

“I’ll be back.”

He turned to the door and opened it, rushing his bundled figure out into the brisk fall air.[/hr]