‡ Vespers ‡ [ O/A ] Wardens Needed

[NlETZSCHE]

ɪktinos Ӎeili Ɇlias Ⱥlberts
Please call me Dr. Alberts

["There's nothing to fear, but fear itself."]

["I cannot say that I fear myself."]

["That must mean I fear nothing."]

▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂

The morning was met by music, which carried itself on the breeze and through the trees. The piercing yet poetic operatic voices from the Chorus in Fidelio an Opera by Beethoven vibrated the harmoniously through the air. Humans were such interesting creatures. Their music was quite stunning, too. Especially the older stuff, which they took for granted. Right now, however, no one was taking the beautiful music of Fidelio for granted. It could be heard exceptionally well from, one house on states street. It was a beautiful home, with it's white stone facing, and it's stained glass window over the front door which greeted passerbys. It had huge windows, which, even from the outside, made the place feel huge, even though it was only a little larger than average.

Moving inside, one could see, a very bright white interior with a lot of stainless steel fixtures. A very open space with not a whole lot of things cluttering it up. There was a large couch in the living space facing the tv, a table in the dining area with maybe a total of three chairs, and a kitchen fully stocked with goods on the first floor. A floating stair case led to the 2nd floor, where there was an office space, and a large bedroom. The bathroom was huge, and housed a large bathtub. It really was a nice place, even though it barely felt lived in. Everything was so anally contained and organized. There weren't any messes, anywhere. Everything was in it's place. Everything was pristine. There weren't even any photographs staining the presence of the beautiful architecture. No smiling faces to greet you anywhere on the halls or in the living space. It was so business like it was hard to imagine a house like that being called home.

However, to Dr. Alberts, it was a wonderful home. The music he played could be heard in every inch of the house. The kitchen, the living room, the bedroom. That was a plus to having a house with barely any doors or walls. In fact, what separated most of the rooms from each other were a couple of support beams, raised floors, windowed walls and occasional the change in tiling of the floor. The bathroom was the only place in the house that was pretty well closed off to everything. Well, the Bathroom and the basement. The basement led out of the kitchen via a single door that led to steps which lowered down to the garage/basement (which was another door off from the garage space). The garage was also very neatly kept, as all the tools and yard-ware were kept in their own respective places. There was a large metal cabinet which stood out from all the white, being red, that sat against the wall on the far end of the garage. The large cabinet, however old and unmatched didn't seem too much attention.

However, that Cabinet got quite a lot of attention from Alberts. The cabinet was so heavy, that no one could move it from it's spot. Must have been the tools. Or maybe it was the fact that it was actually attached to the wall (though that was a secret Alberts would carry to the grave with himself). Why? Because it wasn't attached the wall-alone. No, it was attached to a door, of the sound proof variety. The door led to another basement, some 20 feet underground. If one knew the secret to the cabinet, then they could easily go down and find him. He spent quite a lot of his time down there. In fact, when the music played, you could almost be certain that, that was where you could find him...if you knew about the cabinet that is. It wasn't common knowledge. On the contrary, the only one who knew about it was the man, Alberts himself.

Down the steps to the hidden basement, more music could be heard. The melodic sounds of the opera echoed across the room, which were married by the euphoric laughter of one Alberts, and the screams of some poor fool.

A pool of blood spread across the floor, some of it old, and some of it new, mixing together on the concrete. On one side of the room there were a couple of people, 2 at least, chained to the wall. Each of them shared the same tired and painful expressions. Each of them were covered in their fair share of blood, and each had their own fair share of stitches and burns and other such things. On the other were a pair of small tv's displaying what was going on at the front and back doors of the house. The one on the left kept switching between the two doors. They were there, just in case someone came knocking or ringing his doorbell. The one on the right, switched to many different angles from cameras set up all over the house, guarding windows and other places from curious neighbors and the like. Next to them sat a speaker which was playing the music for the whole room to hear.

Just below the speaker stood Alberts, a drill in one hand, and a drill bit in the other. He was wearing a pair of blood stained goggles, and a white lab coat which rested over his scrubs. He hummed to the music, as the man on his table squirmed and screamed. They attempted to pull their wrists and ankles free of the leather belts that bound them to the stretcher. Tears stained their cheeks as they stared, wide-eyed up at Alberts, who had the hugest smile lighting up his pale face. His eyes were the most glorious shade of blue, that almost matched ice. At the moment, in the dark light of the single lamp that lit the space, they were blue. Bluer than they ever seemed to be any other time of day. It could have been the red that stained his mask, or perhaps the red that splattered his goggles that enhanced the colour.

'WHIR~ WHIR!' Sounded the drill as he pressed the button to make the fresh new bit spin and looked down at the man on his table, "Fixed it!" He said in an almost squeal. He could almost not contain his joy.

"OH now, my dear friend. Don't give me that somber look! I'm not going to kill you." he smiled in such a fatherly and caring way, it was hard to believe that he wasn't an angel sent from heaven. "Shh, shh. Enjoy the music! Enjoy the symphony~ The romance. The Magic~" He gently brushed the terrified lad's long brown hair out of his face with the end of the drill bit.

The poor young man let out another scream, shuddering against the cold metal of the drill. He tried to inch away, tried to tip the table, but alas, it was bolted to the floor (unlike a normal stretcher).

"OH! It's so delicious! Your fresh screams! Be careful with those! I really do hate when they go away. It gets so boring hearing that ever so familiar rasp that your lovely screams become." he grinned, "And not nearly as tasty, oh no." He pointed to another gentleman who lay sprawled out on the floor by the steps, motionless. "The flavour gets so boring and unoriginal." He chuckled, "He was yummy..." He said with a long thoughtful sigh, "While he lasted. Alas, nothing lasts forever, and life is so fragile." He let out an uncontrollable titter.

The man on the table let out another terrified scream, ripping at the arm restrains, and kicking his feet at the leg restraints. His eyes didn't stray from the dead body, even though he could barely see him through the darkness especially with his eyes filled with tears.

'WHIR!WHIR!WHIIIIIIIIIIIRRR!' He fired up the drill and blood began to fly.

"1ALLE ANDEREN! O Himmel! Rettung! Welch ein Glück! O Freiheit! Kehrst du zurück?" Sang Alberts aloud to the music that filled the room.

"Beautiful! Just Beautiful!" He said in a soft whisper in the man's ear as if admiring art.
---------

The music stopped suddenly, as the door to the garage clicked shut behind Alberts. In his hands was a remote, which obviously controlled the sound system that was set up all throughout the house, even the basement and the hidden basement.

He rested his back against the silver door and let out a deep sigh. He wasn't wearing scrubs or a lab coat, but instead a black turtleneck and black pants. He was dressed pretty much fully in black, even his hair was black. All was black except for his skin and his eyes, which against all the black he wore, stood out like a beacon in the night.

He patted his tummy, a gentle smile on his face, as he looked at all the food in his kitchen that was there for appearances alone. He'd never eat it. He had no use for it, none at all. He could eat it, oh yes, but it gave him terrible indigestion, and it was never very appetizing.

He stepped forward, setting the small remote on a counter as he went on by. "Nothing beats a good breakfast." he laughed, and then laughed and laughed some more.

▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂

________________________________
1 roughly translates to "ALL THE OTHERS! Oh Heaven! Salvation! Happiness! Oh Freedom! Will you be given us?"

[Alyss-n-Wonderland]

❀XXLᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ: Crosswalk
❀XXCᴏᴍᴘᴀɴʏ: Winter Knight
❀XXMᴏᴏᴅ: slightly panicked
❀XXIɴ ᴍʏ ᴘᴏssᴇssɪᴏɴ: Not Your Average Fairytale
❀XXOoc: (( _____ ))
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X

_______________________________________________________"Not your average fairytale..."______

It was crowded. That was one of the things that Arianna hated most about this city, or any big city in general, really. There were too many people here. Too many people with too many things to do or places to go and each one as confoundedly consumed in their cell phones or their new i-whatsits to give a damn about anyone or anything else on their way. Arianna stood on the street corner waiting for the walking light to change and watched them all converge. It was always the same people at every light - different faces wearing different clothes, but always just the same; the clean cut business man with his nice suit and his bluetooth device permanently attached to one ear, the racial minority trying to drown out the world around them with their latest music machine, the overworked mother noisily chatting on her phone while their A. D. D. child stared blank-faced, consumed in their hand held video game - just average looking citizens who probably lead very average lives. And for a brief moment, as the young Seelie stood there and passively watched them, the tilted her head and wondered whether or not it was nice to live like they did. She tried to remember the days when she had wandered around just as aimlessly oblivious to the workings of the unseen world all around her and she pondered on whether or not that old saying that ignorance was bliss had any truth to it what-so-ever, but try as she might, she could not recall. She had left what she had considered to be her human life so long ago that those memories were nothing but a blur to her now...a blur of distorted faces and distant voices that were all swallowed up by the hot licking flames of fire...And then she came back to reality.

As much as she disapproved, she supposed she should be grateful for the way society had turned out. She could still remember a time when the country was still young and strict religions made victims of beings like hers. There had been no television to exaggerate human's concepts of them, no cell phones or i-doodles to keep them so pleasantly distracted. There had been Catholicism and people like the Puritans who had believed that anyone different from them was possessed by Satan himself and had to be punished for their "wickedness". Back then, all those who were born of magic were under strict laws which prevented them from doing so many things that only came naturally to them because the risk of getting caught could be detrimental to the entire population. It was like a magical prohibition...Shape-shifters were not allowed to shift, Fae and witches and wizards were not allowed to practice magic, vampires had to limit their feedings to livestock and other animals, the whole magical community was upside-down. Of course, there were a few mishaps here and there...The Salem Witch Trials being the prime example, when a couple of magic-users made the mistake of letting one of their spells go awry and cast suspicion on several unsuspecting (and entirely innocent) citizens of the superstitious town. But eventually science began to rival religious superstition and people began to try to find reasonable and logical reasons that could be factually proven to explain the peculiar things that they were seeing or experiencing. Soon the whole world became less wary of witches or vampires or things that went bump in the night and became concerned with things like...gasoline prices and global warming or the stock market or wars with foreign countries....a bloody waste of their time if anyone asked Arianna. But humans were so naive now that she could practically get away with anything. If she made a door slam across the room...It must have been the wind. If she pulled a chair out from under a sleazy man hitting on her in bar...he must have had one too many drinks. If someone caught the change of color in her big Fae eyes...it must be an unusual genetic mutation. And the list went on and on. Though of course there were still laws she had to follow both in the human and magical world, living was much easier now-a-days...If only just a little more monotonous.

With a flash of the light, the walking sign changed, now displaying that bright white figure of the walking man and people from both sides of the street began to cross. Arianna stepped off the side walk and reached down to her side where a white, thin-strapped purse hung from her shoulder. Somewhere within was her cell phone which kept a calendar of important meetings she was supposed to be having this week. She was sure the one at the last coffee shop was the only one she had scheduled for this day in particular, but she wanted to be sure. It would have been awfully embarrassing for her "business" if she had scheduled something and never showed up. Unbuttoning the bag, she brought it closer up towards her eyes as one hand rummaged around within. "Tch...I know I put it in here before I left." she murmured, slightly frustrated, to herself upon not immediately finding it amongst the other possessions within. Squinting, she frowned and was just about to give up her search when thwap! She didn't know why she didn't sense it. Normally, she was so coordinated and aware of her environment, but before she could react, she crashed into something surprisingly forcefully, knocking her and her petite frame back a step or two, not enough to land her flat on her butt, but enough to make her slip on that one lose asphalt rock and lose her balance. She suddenly found herself plummeting, down - down - down... thunk. A dull pain shot right through her back as she hit the ground, knocking the breath out of her lungs. Her head spun for a moment and her ears rang. If she had been a normal girl, she might not have fallen like that, but because she was a fae, she was physically built to be small and light. This was great when she wanted to spread her wings and do some flying, but not so fantastic when she crashed into things. With a pathetic whimper, Arianna blinked and rolled onto her side. "What the hell? I was walking, a**-hat. Why don't you watch where you're....." she began, but as soon as she sat up and opened her eyes, she stopped.

Oh...my....Titania... There, right in front of her was a face that she recognized at once. She had never seen him before, but the aura that emanated from his entire being was unmistakable. "Unseelie!" she gasped wide eyed before scrambling to her feet, snatching up her little purse. Unfortunately, she wasn't paying attention and she picked it up upside-down, spilling out all her contents all over the asphalt. "Sh-" she began to curse and hesitated. To stop and pick up her things or to try to get away. What was the Winter Knight doing here? Had he followed her? What did he want. Arianna glanced at the walk light which had already begun its count down. She would have to pick up her things anyway, so without another word, she dropped down to her knees and scrambled to pick up what she had spilled.

[Maderu]

¸¸.·´¯`·.¸·..>>--» "They Say Money Isn't Everything, I Just Tend To Disagree."«--<<..·.¸¸·´¯`·.¸

──────────────────────────────────────
♦‘So the priest can worry.’ Thought Cato as that golden hue was tinged with specks of muddied down green. Just small crease lines of worry, but that brief second of humanity was all Cato needed to relax. Still the alchemist should be less concerned with trivial things of that nature and worry instead about what Hunt knew. Without even having to be told, the name came from a whisper of breath; it was then that something peculiar happened… and if not for his abilities Cato would have missed it entirely. That wretched sword’s aura had flared as if responding to the calling of its name. Was this thing intelligent? Had a mind of its own maybe? Cato snorted at the thought… then again it did have its own aura, surely that meant something. ‘Holy sword Cato… holy sword.’ He gently reminded himself, dismissing his inquiries and actually trying to listen to what Hunt was saying.

When he looked back at Hunt, Cato could see that connection of dots. ‘Oh so you’re the new sword wielder are you? What a sorry excuse of a man… or are you even a man? Disgusting, perhaps I’ll just take the sword for myself and use it to fight the hellish monsters who wish to devour the souls of the poor mundane humans. In fact, I should use my powers over justice to slay you! Prepare yourself!’ The priest seized Esperacchius and the sword’s aura flared to life, consuming them both in a glorious inferno of golden flame. There was a flash of steel as the ageless legend was finally unsheathed; it’s glorious form ready for the taste of tainted blood. It was futile to fight any longer, and Cato had been waiting to leave this plane of existence since many centuries past. Hunt’s expression soothed into mercy as the metal was plunged-

The day dream came to an unsatisfying end as Hunt inquired the identity of the forlorn hero. (His day dreams are still a bit mixed with his thoughts.) Usually Cato gave a random fake title, names held great power after all… but giving a fake name to Hunt seemed unsettling for various reasons. Hesitantly Cato looked toward the ceiling – half expecting an angel to smite him on the spot for even considering not being completely truthful in a church. “Cato.” He murmured, eyes still set directly above him. When he finally looked back at Hunt his eyes were set in a strange determination. He’d do this dirty work, be used and abused by the winged bastards – he’d do anything if it meant he could finally, finally rest in peace. “My name is Cato, call that if you will. Last names seem hardly important in this situation, all you need to know is my name and that I have this.” Cato gestured to the radiating sword that he still wished had been plunged into his chest. “Now tell me how to use it and what to kill with it. I hardly believe that this blade was meant to vanquish all evil, because frankly that isn’t about to happen.” There were some ‘evil’ that he quite enjoyed the company of and they were really only a little evil, there were obviously far worse things than them. Besides for the most part Cato thought of humans as much viler than many of monsters that preyed off them – hell the beasts were just controlling the population growth. “And one last question… do I get paid for this?”

[M a n i a c a l Giggle]

________

The musk yet refreshing scent of the forest filled the breeze. The chirping of birds of all kinds blended smoothly with the sound of the cool wind blowing through the leaves filled the air. Though, another sound was present. Soft melodious whispers floated and danced through the air neatly arranged by note in a musical scale to create a haunting yet captivating song. The octave in which the melody was sung could best be described as airy and soothing. The beautiful sound carried through the crisp air of the forest and seemed to create the illusion of repetition due to the faint echo created. The source of this angelic voice was none other than Titania. The fae sat comfortably on the stump of a tree, surrounded by various woodlands creatures, while she gently smoothed the pure white rabbit cuddled in the softness of her lap. Her uniquely colored irises locked on the soft white fur of the animal as her slender finger combed through it. She was deep in thought and although she looked present and aware the woman was in her own world. Her head slowly titled to the side, causing her twisted locks to cascade over her shoulder in a brown waterfall. Her rose tinted lips closed tightly bringing an abrupt stop to the words she sang and began the soft hum that replaced it. She slowly began to return to the reality around her as her eyelids closed, only to reopen in that same second. She small dainty hands curled around the body of the rabbit, causing him to stir, and lifted him to her line of vision. His piercing red eyes stared back into hers and a tight smile curved the contours of her oval shaped face.

She cradled the rabbit in her arms before she came to a stand and brushed her fluffed mane over her shoulder. Her forefinger came behind the ear of the rabbit as she moved it back and forth in a scratching motion. As the rabbit leaned towards her finger she giggled softly before she pulled her hand away. Bending at the waist, her hand wrapped around its body, she placed the rabbit on the lush forest ground before she released. She watched on as the little fellow scampered over to who she assumed to be his mother. A soft, faint grin was clearly visible of her face before she turned her back to the small gathering and took flight. As her wings pushed against the air current, they were kissed by the rays of the rising sun causing a glittering effect. Her former grin widened into a smile and she twirled repeatedly before coming to a stop. Her childish laugh soon followed and the faint blush in her cheekbones deepened. Once her laughter subsided, or even before it completely stopped she flew in the direction of the Summer Court. Below her the various sceneries of Nevernever rolled across, each equally mesmerizing it its own way and form or at least that was what she though. Her flight was short, or she just flew at a great speed, since she approached the structure she called home.

Gracefully descending onto a large balcony a soft hum slipped through her tightly closed lips as she observed the few potted plants she had arranged into a miniature garden. Short strides lead her towards them and her slender fingers glided across the leaves and over the multicolored petals. She smiled with a smile as warm as the sun while her fingers changed its object of interest to the brown strands of her hair. She neatly tucked them behind her ear before she walked into the double doors and into her grand bedroom. Her enhanced hazel gaze fixated on one of the oak doors that decorated the peach walls of the room. Her hand wrapped around the cool metal, giving it a now warm feeling as she turned the knob and pulled on the door. She slipped into the room and her hand flicked the switch bringing light to the dark room. Her irises contracted in the sudden brightness to the size of a pin point before the dilated and adjusted. She filled through the hanging clothing until her nimble fingers feel on a nude dress. She tip toed and pulled it off the rack before she held it up against the light, inspecting it of some sort. Her smile showed her approval because after the small scan she hung it over her bent arm. She then continued her search for a pair of shoes and a belt to tie in the dress at her waist. Once her outfit was situated she left the room and returned to the main room, which was the sleeping area.

Soft thumps against the hardwood flooring of her room could be heard as she walked across it, towards her bed where she laid out her outfit. Her hands came to her hips in an akimbo, while her head glanced around her room as she absent mindedly chewed on her bottom lip. A thieving half smirk pulled one corner of her lip before she pulled her hand from her hip and swished it in the air. In that instant the door to her balcony shut and the bronze curtain pulled across. Her smirk broadened to a smile and she nodded her head, for no reason at all. Both her hands began at her clothing, stripping her body of the thin fabric before she dressed in the outfit she laid out. This was the type of clothing she wore either in the mortal world or here. As the dress slide down her curved body her hands followed to smooth the delicate fabric. She then took up the light brown leather belt and wrapped it around her waist before she sat on the bed and slipped on her soft pink ballet flats. Titania then pressed her hands on either sides of the bed and pushed herself to a stand. She then walked over to her vanity where she chose and assortment of accessories. A pair of diamond studs and pastel and pearl bangles. Look completed and a satisfied royal she headed for the mortal realm.

She arrived at the mortal world in good time without bringing attention to herself. She was on a personal mission to find her Lady of Summer. Knowing the fae all too well, Titania knew exactly where to start her search. Her eyes closed, momentarily, as she strolled in the direction towards the coffee shop while she hummed to herself. She weaned through the few people that littered the sidewalks and occasionally stopping to peer into the glass showcases to some of her favorite boutiques. Fashion was one of her loves and shopping her favorite pass time, of course once all her duties and needs as the Queen of Summer have been met. Her joyous humming stopped when out of the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of a familiar face and her ears perked to the sound of the voice. She smiled to herself and moved towards that direction before she giggled to herself as the woman scrambled to the floor to pick up the belongings she dropped. Her laughter ceased when her gaze fell on the Winter Knight. She quickly moved towards her friend and stared at the man for what seemed an eternity before she bent down to assist the girl. “Why are you in the presence of an enemy with such a clumsy appearance,” she whispered to the girl before she smiled warmly.

If you seek me search here: At a crosswalk
I may be in the company of: Lady Of Summer and Winter Knight
Feeling a bit:
While dolled up in: A Summer's Kiss

Out.Of.Cadavers: First post!~

[Maderu]

Ⓗɪяѳșӈɪ

i know Not where the wind takes me;
Only that i must Go to Meet it

A candle was lit and a silent prayer was made. This morning practice had gone unhindered since he had heard the dying words - words that held the same meaning even all these years later. Quietly the past was left far behind as the young male left the room and closed the door behind him. Even if the burden would return again the next morning and every one after that, it was still lifted from his shoulders and Hiro let out a breath of relief. The house around him was quiet, usually Cato would have woken him up with the rising of the sun, but he’s been off lately. Hiroshi shrugged it off and decided that future him could handle that problem while present him got ready for the day.

It was a minor annoyance that his alarm clock hadn’t gone off his morning and when Hiroshi took a look at the chore list that awaited him on the fridge he was tempted to climb back into bed and call it a day. Just looking at it was exhausting. “No Cato, it’s not as if I’m a living being or anything, I live to serve – it’s my one purpose in life.” Hiroshi openly mocked, free to do so in his temporarily unoccupied dwelling. There was still enough time to get on his suit and comb out his black hair before forgoing the usual designated transport and arriving there in a quarter of the time. Usually he was forced (Yes forced) to take the bus - that dismal vehicle where the land of hot women was but a fervid dream, because you see ever since he had been moved to Seattle, there had been no sighting of anything but the slowly perishing elderly and males. The only reason that Cato could offer as to why he had to partake in the ritual was because teleporting randomly into the shop might scare away customers. Well when you don’t wake him up in time what was a Kistune supposed to do? ‘Heaven forbid he be late for his dearest master.’ Hiroshi thought with a smirk, and there you had it; the only thing to do was teleport and write it off as completely necessary.

The whole process of teleportation took little over ten seconds; five seconds of concentration and another five to end up standing directly in front of Cato’s desk approximately ten miles away from his previous location. Hiroshi let the residue of magic pass and took a good look at his surroundings, only then did he realize that the shop was still closed. Cato wasn’t making money? Was the world ending today? Did he miss a memo? Hiro frowned and put his left hand on the desk for support, feeling the familiar sensation of paper underneath his palm. Well look at that, he had missed a memo.

Whenever Cato did leave a message it was always sarcastic and vague; this one was no different. ‘Dear Hiro, went to go find religion. Watch the shop, and then do your chores.’ A black eyebrow was raised at the thought of Cato finding religion; it’d be hilarious to think of the man attending church. Hiro was sure he’d burn when he first stepped in, the evil b*****d – oh well time to start the day. Crumpling up and tossing the note, Hiroshi proceeded to open up the shop which more or less only involved him unlocking and opening the door. Outside in the downtown area people bustled here and there, Hiro watched them from the doorway; picking out the easy targets and trying to gauge those who might try and step inside. Hopefully he’d get lucky and steal a portion of the profits.

[Fuushin]

_____________________________________________________G ♥ U ♥ Y

→ kiss me, kill mexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
just don't touch mexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxxxx

The contents of the bag appeared to be correct, from what little Guy actually got to see of it. He knew it would be, he'd eaten there enough times to really not even need to look. However, people did make mistakes, and nobody would get hurt if he checked to make sure, just in case. He stuck his hand in, moving food over to check for condiments and found everything he requested in there. He was doing a great job at avoiding the people with whom he was walking thus far, blissfully unaware that he needed to worry about the flow of pedestrians coming from the opposite direction, too. A common sense mistake, the kind he was best at.

The collision wasn't especially painful or jolting, he only took a small step back to steady himself, head snapping up to see what had happened. For a split second, he looked around, utterly confused. Then he saw her fall, saw her turn to look at him, heard her begin to curse him, but nothing sans one fact registered in his mind: she.

The reaction was immediate. His hands grasped the plastic bag of food so tight that his nails, stubby and man-like as they were, were digging into his palm. The minor sting of being pinched by them didn't even connect. His knuckles turned white and he opened his mouth and looked at her, not sure if he wanted to scream or not. It wasn't as if he could help it. His mind kept repeating the same word in his head: run, run, RUN! He saw her try to pick up her purse and gather the things inside of it, but still he couldn't make a move. He was frozen, unable to move or say anything, until a chill ran up him. It started from his feet and went all the way up his spine, causing the hair on his arms and the back of his neck to stand straight up. He got goosebumps right before the entire situation punched him in the face and he fell over, stunned. All he could do was look at her in horror. He panicked, actually forcing himself to scoot backward, away from her. Guy felt like his chest was about to explode from breathing so hard.

When he had successfully fled a few feet back from her, nearly ripping a hole in the butt of his jeans from sliding on the street, he shook his head rapidly a few times and stood up, huffing and puffing. "I'm so, so sorry!" he yelled, voice cracking. Now he also felt emasculated. Not only did he sound like he'd just hit puberty, but people were staring. The things they were saying weren't as bad as knowing that he was terrified of contact with women.

One or two of her possessions were rolling away from her, and he managed to edge forward, one baby step at a time, and reach out for them. As he did so, he looked up to see who it was he had run into, and stopped mid-grab, staring at her. "Don't I know you from somewhere?" He couldn't get closer to inspect her, he'd be within striking range, but he was sure that she looked familiar. No sooner had the words left his mouth then his second-worst fear came true: two females. Guy actually yelled, having not noticed the second woman come up, and fell on his butt again, looking totally shocked and even more confused than when he started. Thankfully, this one hadn't touched him, and he didn't have to recover from much. With a quick look to see if more of them were going to come crawing out of the woodwork, he looked up at the second woman. "Queen Titania?" he asked, leaving his mouth hanging open at the end. When he caught her gaze he thought he was going to melt. She stared for so long he was pretty sure she'd just seen everything inside him, soul, organs and all. He then pointed at the girl he'd knocked over, mouth still open. That would make her at the very least a Seelie, which would explain why she looked familiar. Not only were they women, they were sidhe women.

The day couldn't get much worse. He'd bet his sandwich.



you'll be the death of mexxxxxxxxxx
☠ ♥♥ xxx

[Nox Mortia]

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

“My Queen, please, just listen and do not continue with your plan. Have mercy on those humans…”

“You, of all people…” She sang, holding out her hand for the man whom her hear was devoted to. “Should know that I take orders from no one, not even from you my dear. Be grateful and do not bring this subject up again.”

“Yes.” Came the tired response, his heavy steps dragging his exhausted body in the opposite direction, as if planning to escape the ruler that no longer resembled the woman he had fallen in love with in the beginning. She was as cruel as she was passionate, enraged as she was calm and as sadistic, he later learned, as she was devoted to her people. There was no chance he could compete with her and her desire to rule more than she was allowed do, he knew, but that did not stop him from continuously trying to persuade her into giving up her intentions. Love made funny things to people’s mind, especially to one who had unluckily given his heart to an ice queen as Mab.

That night they spent together was the last one, at least for him. His urge to have her exquisitely for him mirrored in how his hands slid over her fragile frame like a thousand tentacles, willing to imprison her eternally in their warm embrace. So much fire within him frightened Mab, whose own inner passion devoured the man in an instant as their dance continued. And to think it only took a kiss for all of his organs to froze, as well as his circulatory system and flesh. Mab stared at his emerald shaded irises and covered them with her palm, moving his frail lids over the eyes as she laid another kiss upon his dead lips.

“No one…” She murmured and rose to her towering height, not spending more time with the body of a love she was convinced she would forever remember. He defied her, his emotions betrayed her and so he had proven worthy of his fate. The question was, could her heart be more frozen than it was right now?

--------------------------

“My queen. You should prepare to travel to the mortals’ realm soon. Do you wish for me to assist you?” Mab, brutally snapped out of a memory she enjoyed replaying inside her mind, cast her gaze towards the source of the feminine voice that had derailed her train of thoughts. It was Lana, the same Fae she had sent to check on the winter knight. Though no other word was spoken by the subordinate, Mab was aware that there must be a reason she was being politely urged to leave the kingdom for Seattle. She complied, standing up.

“You need to help me with the dress. Come.”

The process in itself was not difficult, though it was beyond Mab why women preferred to decorate themselves with so many useless accessories that so rudely hid the skin, the grace of a feminine wrist from the outside world. Truth to be said, it disgusted her. Not to mention the pathetic amount of make up, concealer and lipstick the female population applied in order to impress the opposite gender. She had no use of them, she considered herself beautiful with everything Mother Nature had endowed her.

Her bare body slipped inside of a black dress which, despite not being sustained by braces, so conveniently arranged itself upon her cleavage, masking the bust completely. Lana then rushed to the hair, her elegant fingers combing through it to form looser, more languorous curls that cascaded like an agitated river down the queen’s back as their color visibly assumed a lighter nuance. From the roots to the end, her hair was as white as the feather of a pure pigeon.

“Thank you.” Mab sashayed past her servant and in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection while she sneaked her feet inside a pair of high heels. The skin of her legs was visible up to her knees. It came as no surprise to her to observe how nothing ruined the appearance of her complexion. On the contrary, in contrast with the dark colored dress she wore, her aspect was almost ghostly, impression terribly intensified by the passionate crimson that adorned her lips. Unlike other women, she needed to use nothing on her lips to give them such a rare nuance, the shade of pure blood. It came naturally. She smiled at the thought, that brief motion of the corners of her mouth revealing an alignment of perfectly white teeth as her irises caught a volcanic swirl within them which soon transformed the grey into a pale, cerulean blue.

After everything came to an end, Mab, or Laelia how she wished to be called in the human world, soon made an appearance in the center of Seattle. She was given a few confused glances from the passerby’s, but nobody dared to enter a conversation with her. Unconsciously, they avoided her, walking at least a meter away from the widowed figure of a silver maiden who appeared to scream trouble. Mab pitied these pathetic mortals, indulged in the same dull activity every day. They woke up in the morning, had breakfast in a horrendous rush, got quickly dressed up and drove to their working place where they wasted more than eight hours of their precious time just to return home, more exhausted than normal, and be greeted by the high pitched yells of their children who , obviously, wanted to eat something well cooked.

Where was the life in all of this? When were they taking a few seconds just to enjoy their home and be happy?

A strong sensation in the center of her chest forced her to return back to reality. She had come here with a purpose, not to daydream about how her existence was better than of those inhabiting Seattle. After all, there were people happy with little and she was not in a position to judge.

Stirring her steps, Laelia weaved through the crowd, avoiding making any sort of physical contact with any of them. It was the strangeness in the air that lured her towards where her knight was located. Apparently, she was not the only one who decided to pay a visit, and upon sighting Titania with Guy and probably one of her ladies, Mab’s brows twitched for a second in distress. Slowly coming behind her knight, she patted his shoulder with her forefinger, whispering in his ear.

“I hope you are aware that the light will soon change to red, aren’t you? Being crossed over by a car is not among your attributions.”

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━


✲ "How can you find a heaven in this hell?" ✲

[- Lord_Francois -]

>>>>>And now these three remain:
>>>>>>>>Faith, Hope and Love.
>>>>>>>>>>But the greatest of these is Love.


“Welcome to Saint James, Cato.” he commented faintly as he stated his name, he didn’t push him for a last name. If he chose not to give it that was his choice. He looked back at the sword for a moment and then back at him. “How you use it?” He echoed curiously for a moment. He stared at the man carefully for several minutes. How to answer a question like that…

He stopped, staring at the man and then he did a probably surprising thing. He laughed.

He asked if he got paid for this and he laughed. Shaking his head slightly, Father Hunt smiled softly as he got himself under control and looked back at Cato carefully. “Were you told you would be paid…? It doesn’t work like that I’m afraid. What you do is a service, a calling, a chance to help and protect others. I cannot easily explain to you what you kill with it. Hopefully nothing ideally.”

He took the last few steps toward the desk and put a hand on the case that the sword was in. “This… and its brothers…are tools. In the right hands, they are guided to those that need your and our help. They are for defense of the innocent first and foremost. Never… never, should they be used for the wrong purposes or toward selfish means. To be trusted with such a tool, is a blessing not to be taken lightly, Cato.” Again he looked back at the sword for a moment.

“I’m not sure what you are asking me to do. I am not suited in teaching you the skills of sword play.” The smile hardly ever left his face, only shifted in intensity. He looked down at the cane in his hand. “Not as quick on my feet as I used to be. I would be a very poor teacher I’m afraid. But if you need direction or advice… I’ll do what I can.”

[PuddleInk]

•To my sick soul, as sin's true nature is,•
INDENTATIONINDENTATION•Each toy seems prologue to some great amiss:•
INDENTATIONINDENTATIONINDENTATIONINDENTATION•So full of artless jealousy is guilt,•
INDENTATIONINDENTATIONINDENTATIONINDENTATIONINDENTATIONINDENTATION•It spills itself in fearing to be spilt.•

≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎

⊲Humanoid ⊳ ⊲North of Downtown Seattle ⊳ ⊲You're a Lizard, Harry!...Wait, I mean Wizard. ⊳ ⊲I'm hungry. Mmm... yeti, the other white meat~ ⊳

≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎≎

Speak in: #333366
It was bright and cheerful beneath those flouresent lights above that cast a merry shade of yellow over all with their flickering kiss of ever constant headache. How he managed not to put the entire radio station out by just standing at the front desk was amazing; even more so when he was allowed to pass behind the gatekeeper's walls to the depths of the labrynth to deliver the latest FedEx envelope -- no doubts filled with useless information that would be obsolete in two seconds after it was bestowed upon the required person. None of it mattered to Zylthandroxus, Warden of the White Council, and bike messenger when he needed to find leads to fulfill his duties to the kind upholders of Order. Today was no different.

" Oh hey, Zy'than!"

That spun his head around. He stared out into the cerulean haze his sunglasses brought to light and to what had to be the being in charge. In a way it was. It was the lord of the mailroom, and personal assistant and sound board guy to some of the radio shows. It didn't matter what the man's name was as Zy'than smiled brightly, perhaps a bit too brightly from the slight flinch the other had. "Oh, hello. he began as he reached behind him. It was a swift gesture. The guy didn't know what hit him. The large folder of white filled with papers flopped into the man's outstreched hands with a dull thud that only a brick of paper could bring. "I bring you good tidings, and updated W-3 forms. " His own smile widened as the other's faltered and fell under the grand reveal.

There was that itching feeling he was forgetting something. He stood there for a moment while his hands slowly creeped into his dusty hunter green hoodie pockets. What was it that he was also supposed to deliver, the dragon wondered? Ah! That's right! "Almost forgot, and you ain't going to like this one, friend." There was no bravado, no nonsense, no nothing this time. Deadpan, and eyes gazing up at some promotional poster signed by no-name bands, he dug with one arm into his large yellow messenger bag that doubled as a reflector during darker and brighter days. Another envelope came out, legal sized, and --judging from the amount of stickers on it-- attourny drafted. Eesh... he didn't want to be in the poor human's shoes at this point.

Reaching over, he gave the shocked man a reassuring pat and saw himself out of the building, pausing just a few moments to grab a mint from the front desk to suck on while he decided on continuing his month long fast or to fancy a bite to eat. It was a long withstanding fact that as a reptile ( truely, despite his rather friendly appearance of a six-foot tall, daredevil on two wheels that traveled from point A to point B in two minutes despite how far apart they reall were), Zylthandoxus didn't have to be full for months at a time. Perhaps even years were he a bit older by a couple centuries or so. As he wheeled his bike from the lobby's rack and carried it down the stairs, there was a tug on his soul. The tug forced the dragon to pause and to listen.

Rich amber eyes closed beneath those tinted shades, blocking out the needlessly noisy colors that bombarded him constantly. Something was awake again... Something he had to see. He could almost hear a scream of panic somewhere nearby. It was muffled. Quiet. Perhaps no more than a breath away from materializing into the world around them. It also appeared to be echoing and centering from two different origins. How curious, he thought to himself as he walked southernly along the walkway towards the mighty buildings of Downtown. Either way, he thought to himself, I need to head that way.

With an almost menacing grin, he almost laughed, "Let's go see the Wizard, shall we? " Spoken to no one but himself it may have came off as crazy. Yet, even with the craziness that talking to ones self often brought, this was the larger city. People now had bluetooth devices that plugged into their ears and allowed people to talk hands free. It was indesposable in his line of work. He just hadn't the heart to tell his clients that the technology was rubbish and years behind whatever magical beings could come up with. Still, the dragon had taken the time to learn how to use technology. Internet. 'nuff said --and enough of the small tangent. "Or the witch boy. "

Both folks were something Zy'than was keeping a very close eye on. Apprentices tended to ' I accidentally oopsed ' quite a bit to the point that there were pentalties for oopsing so much you oopsed your teacher dead. It hadn't happened in a while, but one couldn't be too sure when a wizard was toying around with witching magic.

But Rowan was a special case.

An odd case, but a special one.

And Zylthandroxus had yet to formally introduce himself to the lads yet. After all, he was going to be very much a apart of this town. One had to make sure the rabble rousers knew whom to call. That and he had heard that the wizard sold old books. Darn his weakness for old books. May they be obtained legally so he couldn't hoard them.

It would take not a few moments to reach the particular shop, but it would be a few moments of bliss just walking along side his bike instead of weaving in and out of the traffic. Oh, sure, he could have taken a cab or a bus. The bus didn't go in the right direction for another three hours...and he wouldn't set one claw on a taxi cab. Cars just weren't his thing. Busses were a stretch. Walking and riding his bike were pretty much it.

And as he noted, it would take him a few moments to get there.

[H3p4tic4]

xxxxx xxxxx
☣ █████▐▐ xWont You Come See About Me
xxxxx xxxxx xxxx.. ↳ Will you recognize me, Call my Name or walk on by
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

DONT YOU FORGET ABOUT MEx DONT YOU FORGET ABOUT ME
DONT YOU FORGET ABOUT MExDONT YOU FORGET ABOUT ME

Xavier balanced on his bike in front of the little shop looking it up and down trying to pinpoint the exact reason he was to nervous to enter through the shops glass doors.He’d felt it almost before he came upon it, like a tingle of electrical energy down his spine that made the fine hairs on the back of his neck and arms stand on end with a speckle of goosebumps. He wanted to go if, if only to see what was inside, thats how he’d found his first two books, poking around in the going out of business sale on failing bookstores and garage sale’s, and he’d gotten the same feeling on a lower level with those books as he was now getting off this store a thousand fold. It frightened him on a subconscious level and made his body freeze, preventing him from moving forward. Whatever was in there was something he’d never encountered before.

The seductive pull of the undiscovered was just the push he need to carry on.Securing his bicycle on a rack with chain and lock he dusted off his black vest, his barista uniform at one of the many coffeehouses that littered the downtown area and entered the shop.

The bell chimed when he pushed the door open, and it was like pushing through the surface of a pull, he was met with an unseen resistance. The strange feeling that had him so nervous was intensified and he darted his eyes across the store like a frightened rabbit. Xavier was suddenly overcome with the idea that he really had no idea what the he knew or didn't know.

Xavier kind of dallied there infront of the door, unsure of what to do now. He looked up to watch the other two inside of the store, a young man who seemed younger than Xavier and the blond man behind the counter.He quickly looked away, before they caught him staring. Xaviers eyes found some books on a shelf nearby and he went to investigate. He’d never met anyone else who could possibly understand his problem, well at least those who forum surfers and chat friends, maybe if he just waited around he could follow the young guy out and ask him. He’d figured the one closer to his own age would connect with him on how own level. Xavier had never really trusted adults , so it was always better to seek like minded individuals if the option presented itself. Lifting a book on herbology from the shelf he thumbed through it idly while still looking up to stare at the two ate the counter. He felt silly, he had no idea how to approach the subject at all.It was one thing to hide behind a screename and a whole other thing to do it in real life.

[Alyss-n-Wonderland]

❀XXLᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ: Back on the street corner
❀XXCᴏᴍᴘᴀɴʏ: Queen Titania, The Winter Knight, and Queen Mab
❀XXMᴏᴏᴅ: a bit peeved
❀XXIɴ ᴍʏ ᴘᴏssᴇssɪᴏɴ: Not Your Average Fairytale
❀XXOoc: (( Blah, sorry it took me so long, but I'm back! biggrin ))
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X

_______________________________________________________"Not your average fairytale..."______

The countdown had begun. 10...9...8... She could practically feel the seconds ticking by as she frantically scrambled to return her spilled trinkets to her purse - a silver tube of lipstick, a few shiny new quarters and nickles, her cellphone, a small notebook, a pen and....Where did it go?! Arianna felt a sudden sinking feeling in her stomach as her big blue eyes darted this way and that, searching for the item she lost. As the worry grew their color swirled from pale blue to a magenta-pink to lilac purple like the soapy film of a bubble. She knew she had put it in her purse just that morning. To normal, mortal eyes it would have appeared to be nothing but a simple handheld, compact mirror adorned with the glossy image of a child fairy surrounded by brightly colored flowers on the front, but to anyone who knew anything about magic, it was clear that the mirror was actually more of a...camera phone...that could allow one to contact others through the almost impenetrable magical veil of the nevernever. She had bought it in a magic shop in the early 40s and had never let go of it since so she was sure it couldn't have gone far...unless.

Arianna's eyes flicked upwards towards the figure she had crashed into. It seemed he had put some distance between them without her realizing it, but that wasn't what she found the most peculiar. It was the look on his face that disturbed her the most. He appeared utterly horrified as if he had just witnessed a full spectral apparition of a spirit or had seen a monster. Now Arianna knew that some didn't exactly consider the Sidhe the most stunningly beautiful creatures in the word, but she knew that they were definitely amongst the top...three, for sure! There wasn't a fae that she knew that most humans didn't find mysteriously stunning...what with their fair skin and bright eyes, their majestic yet spirited nature and their wispy hair. She found it upsettingly unusual that this man, this...Winter Knight as she only knew him, was gawking at her as if she had risen up from the very depths of hell. Her thin, pale blonde brows furrowed at him and return his look of fear with one which almost seemed to speak "What the shiz are you looking at?" but as she did, her eyes caught a glimpse of something in his hand...something that looked awfully like...her mirror! Her eyes faltered in color, a glint of indigo flashing through them as she locked eyes with him, but before she could say two words, she heard a regretfully familiar voice in her ear. “Why are you in the presence of an enemy with such a clumsy appearance,"

Eyes widening slightly, she turned her head to see her very own Queen by her side. "M-my Queen!" she stuttered, stunned that she hadn't seen her approach. She was normally so aware of her surroundings, she supposed being knocked over and in a hurry to collect her things had made her forget to keep up her defenses. "I only just..." she began, but when she looked back at the "enemy" she noticed another figure by his side. Only one name rang through her head. Mab. Swallowing hard, she glared at the icy queen of the unseelie. She didn't know what would have called her out of her precious palace in the nevernever, but she certainly didn't like the idea of her being here. A split second of passive silence passed between them before Mab's voice came in a cool tone to her lackey. “I hope you are aware that the light will soon change to red, aren’t you? Being crossed over by a car is not among your attributions.” Arianna pursed her lips. She certainly didn't the fact, but Mab was right. The countdown was nearly at it's end. 4...3...2... With one last glimpse of the Knight clutching her mirror, she softly placed her hand on Titania's arm. "Please, your majesty." she murmured to her and gently stepped back towards the sidewalk, making sure to keep her dearest Queen within arms reach. It would have been the utmost tragedy for someone as lovely as she to be flattened by something as mundane as a car.

[NlETZSCHE]

ɪktinos Ӎeili Ɇlias Ⱥlberts
Please call me Dr. Alberts

["There's nothing to fear, but fear itself."]

["I cannot say that I fear myself."]

["That must mean I fear nothing."]

▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂

Alberts yawned, stretching a little to crack his back. He gently pulled his long black sleeve away from his wrist to check the time, and gave a long glance over at the calender nailed to the kitchen wall. He didn't work that day, but he was always on call. Surgeons were always on call. He let out a long sigh, and ruffled the back of his hair. He had no idea what to do with all his free time. He'd love to keep playing with his toys, but he was oh so full. If he kept playing with them, he might tire them all out and then they'd be all spoiled for later. He pat his stomach for a moment, pondering what he should do for the rest of the day.

He stepped forward and brushed his hair out of his face, looking out the window and down the very quaint suburban block. There was Mrs. Petrachelli walking her dog, and some of the neighborhood hoodlums scootering and skateboarding around. Alberts made a face of slight disgust. Something about all the dole joy that made him want to wretch. It had nothing to do with the fact that joy tasted awful, but everything to do with the fact that it was just awkward. It was so awkward to see. Of course, for a man surrounded by pain, fear and sadness all day, of course joy would seem foreign. Still, part of his disgust was for the fact that he couldn't feel it. Sure, he came close when he was feeding, but feeling alive wasn't the same as feeling joy. At least, Alberts couldn't imagine that it was. Jealousy was a nasty little thing, tho. Those silly humans didn't know how lucky they were.

He inhaled deeply and held it for a moment before letting out all that captured air. "....I suppose I could go for a walk." he said, shortly, shrugging his shoulders.

Once it was said, it was decided. he grabbed his keys from the key rack by the door, threw on his black peacoat jacket, and stepped out the front door, locking it behind him. Maybe he could go shopping. Or perhaps he could go find a bookstore and read the silly human books. He waved at Mrs. Petrachelli, who was sporting a ridiculously pink jumpsuit and sweat headband. She was most definitely a, oh, what were they called? That's right, soccer mom.

He didn't linger on his street for too long. He headed for the stores in hopes of finding something interesting. He let out a long sigh, his mind suddenly wandering to his basement. For a few small moments, he pondered what he was going to do with the body this time. Last time he put it in a freshly dug grave at the cemetery, just below the dirt. She'd be joining a Mr. Deckly for the remainder of her death. He could use another graveyard, it was one of the safer things to do. However, he was feeling utterly risky, and was voting more for the building site that was soon to be a giant concrete shopping mall.

▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂▂

[Arianna Lithenbourne]

XXXXXRowan Shandreigh Rhiannon
XXXXXXXXXXThe Sεvεnth Sεvεnth...XXX XXX XX XX X
-[In Henry's shop/With Henry and...someone else?/Plotting illegal use of magic for profit's sake]-

Rowan had migrated, unsurprisingly, over to the bookshelves and was poking through the books with interest. He blinked, looking over as Henry came out. He grinned cheekily, eyes flashing with amusement. "Geez, it's a good thing it was just me. Anyone else would be complaining about being left to wait for so long." He set down the book he'd been looking at, leaving the shelf a bit neater than he had found it. Holding the candles he wanted in one hand, he drifted over to the counter once Henry had gotten out the box of crystals. He started poking through them, shuffling through the crystals to the sound of soft clinking.

He paused, glancing up at Henry as the man made a crack about how picky Rowan was. "Hey, these things are supposed to be unbreakable, right? At least through the use of magic. And the spell's what cracked it this time - I didn't drop it on the floor." This time. He grins slyly, biting back a chuckle. "Who knows, maybe you're selling me faulty stuff, just so it'll break and I'll come and spend even more in your store." He already spends most of the paycheck he gets from working at the nearby library here anyways. Leave just enough for rent and food, and the rest he spends on ingredients and books. Mostly books. "I know I'm picky. Unfortunately, I prefer wider crystals...which are not as common as skinny ones, sigh." He literally says sigh, all dramatic like.

Rowan picks up one possible crystal, looking at it intently...but it had a small flaw in the center, which would be fine for a dabbler, but not for Rowan, who's very hard on his stuff. He sets it back down and keeps looking. The red-haired youth pauses at Henry's question, though, hesitating before he answer. "Yes, I did...but..." Think fast, Rowan. "I accidentally...dropped it in...the toilet?" A thoughtful pause. "Yeah. I was washing it in the bathroom sink, because the kitchen one is...um...full." His bookshelves at home are impeccable, but he hates doing dishes, and tends to not do them until the sink is overflowing and he's reduced to eating with chopsticks from pan lids as plates. "And the phone rang, and I jerked, and knocked them in the toilet. I didn't think they'd be usable after that..."

By this point he was leaning on the counter with one arm, poking through the crystals still with his other hand. There's another possibility. He was looking at it closely when the door chimed. Rowan turned slightly, blinking. It was rare for another customer to show up when he was here...other than once in a while tourists coming in for...whatever. He was a bit surprised when it was someone around his age, another young man. He glances over the other, hiding a frown on his lips. He...sensed something about the other male. Not just a tourist, then. Rowan watches the other boy for a moment, then turns his attention back to the crystals. Well, most of his attention. From the corner of his eye, he keeps track of what the other youth was doing at the same time continuing to look through the crystals. He'd pulled out two that might work, he'd have to compare them and see which one is best.

--~--~--~--
He will come to know his destiny...
He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear
his hopes 'bove wisdom, grace, and fear...
--~--~--~--

[Arianna Lithenbourne]

XXXXXXXXKellen ThieronXXXXXXXX

┌─╫┘XXXXXyour Heart's Blood tastes so Sweet to my TongueXXXXX└╫─┐
sɹɐǝ ʎɯ ɹoɟ sǝıuoɥdɯʎS ʇɔǝɟɹǝd sɯɐǝɹɔS pǝzıuoƃɐ ɹnoʎ

Well, that had been pointless. Fifteen minutes spent haggling over prices on the pixy wings, another ten minutes to get someplace 'safe' to talk...and the contact's information had been useless. Pointless, even. Something along the lines of 'There is...one of the coins you seek.........in this city.' ...thanks. Thanks a lot.

It hadn't been a complete waste, though. He'd given in to the urge, since they were in a hidden, private area anyways, and killed the moron. Picked up a few new things to sell - even though he was a changeling-turned-full fae, there was still money that could be made in selling his eyes, heart, tongue, etc on the black market. He'd harvested a couple of things, stuck them in his leather bag (which he'd had enchanted a long time ago to be impenetrable and...much larger on the inside than it appeared. But the best part was that it didn't let anything...drip...), and then left, leaving the mutilated corpse there, not caring who might find it.

He'd heard, as he'd been wandering the black market earlier, that there was a new(ish) shop in town where they bought most anything you brought in. Apparently the owner was rumoured to be a cheapskate who would haggle you to death in the purchase, but if you were as stubborn as he was, you could get a decent enough price on things you couldn't normally sell otherwise.

So Kellen decided to head that way. He could unload some of his...stock...(he got the pixie wings back, too, by the way, so that was a good deal all around. At least for him. The exchangeling probably wouldn't agree...), and maybe get some of the information he needed.

It took a while to track the place down. It was surprisingly difficult to find, at least for him. But maybe that's just because he hadn't been here in forever, and when people tried to give him directions, he didn't know what the hell they were talking about, because all the businesses since he'd been here last had mostly moved or closed.

Eventually he did find the shop, though. Kellen paused, looking up the short couple of stairs at the open doorway...and the man standing in it. The back of his neck prickled, his well-honed hunting sense telling him there was something different about the male. Although, it wouldn't be surprising for the owner of a magic shop, a real one, to be something...'other'. Although what other, he actually couldn't tell. Must be something he hasn't run across yet - he can tell what most creatures are. Very important, to be able to recognize them, so that you can remember how to kill them.

Kellen shrugs slightly, then heads up the stairs. "Hey. You the owner? I got some stock to sell, some rare stuff you might be interested in..." Perhaps, if the other was one of the kind with good sense of smell, he'd scent the lingering odor of fresh blood on Kellen. He'd been very careful when he killed the fae, not to get blood on his clothes, and he'd used a garden hose to wash off all the blood from his hands. Scent lingers longer than the actual thing, though, so who knows...

-[Outside Cato's shop]-
-{Talking to Hiroshi (though he doesn't know it)}-
-(Bringing stuff to sell)-