Roe and Fallows Butchers (And Hartley family abode)

[Perry Hartley]

Roe and Fallows has been in New Salem for almost a century. They have and always will pride themselves of locally sourced, quality meats (Though NEVER venison) , along with great customer service.

The owner, Fawna Hartley inherited the business from her father and she or one of her staff is always on hand to offer advice to customers spoiled for choice or unsure what to cook for a special occasion.

The Hartley family live above the store.  

[Perry Hartley]

“I hate turkeys… I really… hate… turkeys.” Perry complained as he began plucking the umpteenth bird that afternoon
.
Ayla giggled and collected up the feathers Perry was scattering around him.
“you’re making a mess!” she scolded, he glared.

“Why don’t YOU ever have to do this?”

“Because I’m small and weak, and I always mess them up” She grinned, for such a young ghoul she was startlingly crafty.

“You get away with far too much, you know that?”

The little girl giggled again. “You’re so grumpy. Why are you always so grumpy?”

“Because I’m stuck plucking turkeys while everyone else is probably out enjoying their afternoon. You know... NOT plucking dead birds. My hands hurt.” He moaned.

“Where’s Nathair? Isn’t he supposed to come help?”

“yeah, he IS. He said he’d be late. He better have a good excuse or I’m chucking this at him” Perry held up a bag of giblets.

Ayla made a face. “That’s so gross.”

“Well it’d teach him not to be late.”

“Relax, I’m here!” A familiar voice called. The naga boy slithered across the courtyard, watching Perry a little warily. “please dinnae throw anythin’ at me! This is a new shirt!”

Perry rolled his eyes and tossed an apron in the boo’s direction.
“So what was the crisis that delayed you?”

“Family. Mehil’s boofriend dumped her an she’s kinda goin on a wee bit a a rampage. “ Nathair’s younger sister had a flair for the overdramatic and overreactions of the epic meltdown sort were her speciality.

]“Huh.. I thought I heard thunder earlier.”

“Aye… just ye wait.. she’s gonna bring on a tornado if she keeps carryin’ on the way she is. Mam took her out shoppin’ tae try tae calm her down, ye know.. save the town from destruction.”

“Your mother is a hero.” Perry spoke flatly.

“Aye. But tha’s why I’m late. Gotta find the guy later an’ warn him. A few new frocks ‘ll only distract her so long. Then she’ll be back on the warpath.”

“poor guy, no offence but Mehil’s nuts.”

“Aye, I know. I’m surprised they lasted as long as they did. “

“Probably because she’s terrifying.”

Nathair chuckled and coiled his tail around himself, settling down as he tied the apron around his neck.

“So, did nay manage tae rope anyone else intae this chore then?”

“Nah, no such luck I’m afraid. I just couldn’t sell turkey plucking as the next cool fad. “

“A shame, ye coul’ make it a regular party.” Nathair snickered and Ayla grinned at him.

“Oh yeah, what a grand old time that’d be.” Perry picked up a new turkey and handed it to his friend. “Let’s just get this over and done with. “

“How many we got tae do?”

“Uh… about 30 more?” Perry sighed, this was going to take all night. “I hate turkeys.”

“You already said that!” Ayla called.  

[Perry Hartley]

“So…” Nathair was starting to share Perry’s sentiment regarding turkeys. Five in and all four of his hands were starting to hurt.
“Wha’s goin on wid ye an Lovecraft?” he asked as casually as he could.

Perry frowned. “what do you mean?”

“I dunno, ye’re spending a lot a time wit her these days, inviting her tae fangsgiving. Ye sure ye’re nay givin’ everyone the wrong impression?”

“I couldn’t care less what other people think. She’s cool and we resolved the whole… misunderstanding at tombcoming. We’re good.”

“So ye’re nay jus usin’ her tae stop monsters talkin?”

“Are monsters talking?” Perry paused, looking at his friend incredulously.

“well… nay yet… but well. I still dinnae see why ye don’ just tell everyone.”

“Why should I? It’s none of their business.”

“An ye parents?”

Perry sighed. “They know. I’m sure they know. “

“hmm.”

“What? Come on man, don’t be like this. “

“It’s jus… I worry about ye alright? Ye’re me best friend an I care about ye. I’m jus’ nay sure ye’re really thinkin’ things through. Ye assume everyone jus’ knows and I dinnae think they really do. After tombcomin… well, ye’re lucky Vinnie took it as well as she did. Someone like Mehil? She’d a destroyed ye.”

“Well it’s a good thing I have better taste in women than Mehil’s ex huh?”

Nathair smiled. “Aye. An’ at leas’ ye can gossip tae her abou’ boos. “ He snickered.

“Shut up. I don’t gossip about boos. What about you and your mooning over random ghouls huh? The amount of times I’ve had to endure oh she’s so bootiful, look at those soulful eyes, we're destined to be, soulmates and blah blah gag. “

Nathair laughed. “I dinnae sound like that!”

“you do! You totally do!“ Perry chuckled. “Hey at least I don’t have to put up with it now you’ve got a ghoul. Speaking of... When’s she gonna stop freaking out around me anyway?”

“She’ll come round, ye dinnae exactly make the best firs impression. “

“I was extremely polite!”

“Aye, an then ye gave her a lecture abou’ why Peryton technically weren’t bird monsters and decided tae demonstrate by grabbin’ the nearest Harpy.”

“yeah.. in hindsight.. not my smartest move. That Harpy ghoul had a mean right hook.”

“Give her time tae… get over the force a ye personality. She’ll be suggestin’ we double date in no time“

“Yeah sure… that’d involve me having a date though wouldn’t it.”

“Ye’ll get there I’m sure. “

“Yeah.. cheers man. “

“how many a these turkeys we got left?”

“uh… too many.” Perry sighed.

“Aye, I’m startin’ tae understand why ye hate fangsgivin’ so much.”  

[Perry Hartley]

Perry was absolutely certain all his school mates were going to be busy doing clawsome stuff today. Fanging out, shopping, enjoying their day off from school. And yet here he was,stuck working behind the counter of the family butcher chop.

The day before fangsgiving was always crazy, loads of monsters seemed to leave it till the last minute to find a turkey, plus they had countless preorders being picked up.

Perry sighed as he served yet another customer.
"Here's your order."
To his right he heard his mother cough meaningfully.
He grimaced.
"And have a great fangsgiving." He managed flatly.

"You really are in a terrible mood today aren't you? What's the matter?" His mother snapped.

"well clearly getting me to pluck like a billion turkeys wasn't enough, you had to make me work today as well." He moaned.

Now it was his mother's turn to roll her eyes.
"You know this is one of the busiest times of the year, we need all the help we can get. And it wasn't a billion turkeys, no wonder you're flunking math if you can't even count fowl"

Perry gritted his teeth. "i'm NOT failing."

"I'd call an average D grade failing, wouldn't you?"

"At least it's not an F." Perry muttered.

"You need to pay more attention in class. Focus. Look, I know you don't much enjoy school."

"I don't mind school at all" Perry protested, but his mother wasn't listening.

"But if you want to do anything with your life, you can't flunk high school."

"Plenty of successful monsters flunked high school."

"Name ONE"

"uh... "

"Exactly. You better buck up or you'll be stuck working here the rest of your unlife, you know neither of us want that."

Perry sighed. "Sure Mom... whatever."

"Don't you give me that attitude. Why don't you go out back and help load the truck if you're gonna be such a misery."

Home deliveries, that was even worse than working behind the counter. Customers would try to engage you in conversation, tedious boring conversation about the weather or whatever. Perry loathed it.

"Ok ok! I'm fine, see?" He forced a smile. "Happy happy, yes, fangsgiving is the beast."

His mother narrowed her eyes a little, but said nothing, turning her attention back to the customers still clamouring for service.

It was going to be a LONG day.  

[Draconia St George]

Thursday, Fangsgiving Morning.


Early.

Draconia fluttered a bit as she came in for a landing in front of Roe & Fallows. She had intended to come as early as possible to pick up her family's turkey. She was certain the Hartley family would want to be able to close up as soon as possible for their own Fangsgiving.

To her surprise, someone was already seated on the concrete sidewalk in front of the store, waiting for it to open.

"Robecca?" Draconia recognized the shine of copper from the rising sun. "Robecca Steam?"

Robecca looked up, her steam-powered eyelids blinking a couple of times at Draconia's silhouette.

"Oh, dearie me! How long have I been sitting here?!" She hexclaimed, lurching to her feet. "I was so worried about arriving here on time that I left early, but I think it was too early, because nomonster has been here for quite a while!"

Draconia didn't know Robecca very well...they were in Geogre-phy together, (Robecca was always either late or early to class) but that was about it. Her friend Dashner Hawke was a huge fan of Robecca's SKRM work, though. He was always quoting her stats or talking about her greatest victories.

"I don't know how long you've been there, but they're due to open in just a few minutes." Draconia replied, to Robecca's relief. "Are you here to pick up a turkey as well?"

"About thirteen turkeys, actually!" Robecca pointed to the large grocery bag sitting next to her. "I volunfeared to Ms. Kindergruber to pick up the turkeys for the campus Fangsgiving feast. Lots of students are staying in the doomitory over the howliday break, so there's going to be a dinner put on for us."

"Oh, that's a lovely idea!" Draconia nodded. Some students had parents who lived quite far away and it only made sense that some of them wouldn't be able to leave campus just for the five-day break. And of course, others didn't have families at all... "This is my family's first Fangsgiving, so we're trying to learn all of the traditions to really make it a cracker."

"Aw, that's the bees knees." Robecca smiled. "I remember my first Fangsiving with my father..."

She trailed off, perhaps lost in a memory programmed in her cogs and wires. Draconia didn't press the issue. It was well-known around the school, the story of the disappearance of Hexiciah Steam over a hundred years ago down in the Catacombs. They really were a rather dangerous and mysterious place.

Draconia turned and peered into the shoppe. It looked like someone was turning lights on inside.

"It looks like they're about ready to open!" Draconia informed Robecca, who gave a little bit of a jump.

"Oh, dearie me! I hope they hurry! I'd hate to get back to Ms. Kindergruber late!"  

[Perry Hartley]

The crack of dawn was, as far as Perry was concerned, an utterly inconsiderate time of day to be awake. Yet here he was, being ushered out of bed by his father and told to hurry up and get the shop opened.

His parents were clearly stressed. His mother was prepping the last of the turkey orders for those last minute customers while his father was already setting about starting their own fangsgiving meal.

Buck, Perry's elder brother staggered bleary eyed into the bathroom ahead of him.

"Hey! Who said you get first dibs?" the younger Peryton protested but was met with a slammed door in the face as way of response.

"Daaaaad!"

"Fight your own battles, i'm up to my elbows in turkey right now!"

Perry shuddered, what a mental image THAT was.

He hopped from foot to foot impatiently, his brother had always taken stupendously long showers and today was clearly no exception.

Perry pounded on the door.

"other monsters have places to be!"

He got no response so he pounded harder.

Finally the door opened and Buck Hartley's grinning face appeared.

"Chill out shortstuff, i'm done."

Perry glared. "Are you helping out this morning?"

"Sure sure, Mom's got me loading the trucks or something. I hear she's got your pretty face up front huh? Try not to scare away the customers huh?"

"Get out of my way." Perry barged past his irritating sibling and slammed the door behind him.


A short while later, hair still damp, Perry was scrambling into an apron and fumbling with the door.
The bell above the door gave a merry chime as he pushed it open, a sound far too cheerful for this time of morning as far as he was concerned.

The entire family had been pulled into the last minute scramble, even Perry's aged grandmother was bustling about behind the counter while his younger sister was helping their mother bag up orders in neatly tied parcels.

Perry blinked against the sunlight, wishing he was still in bed. Why were there even customers? Who left it till fangsgiving morning to pick up a turkey?

Yet there they were, Draconia and Robecca, a ghoul he barely knew and a ghoul he'd only ever known as Manny's ghoul. Though if rumours were true...

"Come on then, we're open."

"Manners!" Fawna's voice rang out across the shop.

Perry cringed. "Yes yes. Good MORNING" He forced a smile that looked more like a grimace. "Happy fangsgiving, come on in." He moved aside to allow the two ghouls to pass.  

[Draconia St George]

"Good morning!" Robecca replied brightly as she dragged her large grocery sack in. Draconia followed her and also smiled warmly at the boo who unlocked the door and headed behind the counter.

"Thank you ever so much for being open today! It means so much to my family to be able to hexperience a true Fangsgiving together."

"Dearie me!" Robecca yelped, looking around the shop. "The walls here are practically bare! Don't tell me that you're all out of turkeys!"

"Oh, no worries about that." The proprietress, a smiling Peryton with the nametag 'Fawna' on her splattered apron, informed Robecca as she HACKed off another turkey head. "The walls just seem a bit bare because of how much's loaded into the van. Trust me, we have plenty of turkey left. In fact, if you wanted some fresh, I'm sure Perry could skin a couple for you."

Robecca was cheerfully ignorant of the boy's death glare towards his mother, but Draconia caught it.

"Oh, I'm certain that's not necessary." Draconia budged in to the conversation. "Didn't you say you were picking up a pre-order, Robecca?"

"Oh! Of course!" The steam-powered ghoul reached into her pocket and pulled out a checklist. "Ms. Kindergruber sent me because of my rocket boots. She figured I would be the fastest monster available to do her pickups for her. All of these items should be reserved for us."

"Mm hm. Mm hm. I remember speaking to her." Fawna jerked her head towards the boo with the name "Perry" emblazoned on his apron. Robecca turned and handed the list to him. "Perry will take care of you both."

Draconia dutifully queued behind Robecca. She seemed to have the most urgency, what with having to help feed dozens of students at the school. From the back of the shop, Draconia heard a door slam and a van take off. It suddenly clicked what the van, full of the meat that should have been hanging on the walls, must have been for.

"Blimey, you're doing deliveries today, too?" Draconia gave Perry a sympathetic look. True, she'd be helping out at the Looking Glass tomorrow for Bleak Friday, but working ON the howliday? That was rough.  

[Perry Hartley]

"Customer service has always been our priority, just a little behind providing unrivalled organic produce" Fawna smiled as she reeled off the company spiel.
Perry rolled his eyes and lead the two ghouls to the other side of the shop where he began to prepare Robecca's order.

"Only days we're sure to get off are Creepsmas and Boo years day. Thankfully not many people want meat on bleak friday" He sighed, it was going to be a welcome relief to get away from family. He intended to sneak down into the catacombs where it was quiet and snap some photos. No way was he braving the maul.

"This is a big order, how many you planning on feeding!?" He remarked with surprise, carefully packing turkeys and various accoutriments into the bag Robecca provided. "You sure you can carry all this?"  

[Dashner Hawke]

"Quite the amount indeed! There are many students who will be attending the dinner, including myslef, and-"

Robecca was interrupted by the door opening and closing again. Dashner came in, shaking off his umbrella from hwere he had held it as he flew. Not the smartest idea, but it's the most he could do to keep from getting soaked before having to pick up Sally the following afternoon. In his other hand was another sack Ms. Kindergruber had sent just in case they needed more.

"Sorry to interrupt," Dashner scratched his head behind the beanie his sister had given him for the winter, "Robecca, Kindergruber sent me in case you'd need help carrying anything. It's a lot of stuff to cary."

Robecca nodded slightly. He looked at the others, smiling at Draconia. "Hey Drake, happy Fangsgiving! And to you too Perry."  

[Draconia St George]

"Dashner!" Draconia hexclaimed. "Yes, happy Fangsgiving to you as well!"

Now more monsters were starting to file into the shop. It dawned on Draconia that some of them weren't planning on cooking the turkeys they were picking up. No wonder they waited until the last minute to order them! Draconia recognized Clawd Wolf walking in. Knowing how large the Wolf clan was, she was certain that was going to be another large order.

Feeling a little fangxious, despite Mrs. Hartley's assurance they had enough turkeys to go around, Draconia made sure she was right in line behind Robecca and Dashner.

"You're going to the school Fangsgiving, Dash?" Draconia asked her friend. "I thought perhaps with your mum in town..."

"She had to leave right away after the conferences, unfortunately." Dashner frowned a bit. "But Fal and I will see her again really soon! Maybe even before Cryptmas break!"

"Fangtastic!" Draconia was glad that her friend's reconnecting with his birth mother seemed to be moving along. Draconia couldn't imagine life without her own mum, even if she did like meddling in Draconia's love life. "Well, I do hope that the feast at school goes well."

"Oh, I'm sure it's going to! Falconnie and I, we're both volunfearing with the preparations. Falconnie's making booberry muffins and I...well, I'm on fetching duty. I've already picked up plates and napkins, so I stopped by here to give Robecca a helping claw."

Draconia noticed the hexcitement in Dashner's eyes being so close to his SKRM fanboo favourite. She wondered how many clawtographs Robecca had signed for Dash.

"How many students are going to be at the Fangsgiving Feast?" She asked Robecca and Dashner. Perry had already begun to heap wrapped packages of meat on the counter for them.

"Dozens? Maybe a hundred?" Robecca shrugged. "It's hard to get a proper count. Students are going to be filtering in and out all day, I think."

"Yeah, you should stop by!" Dashner grinned. He turned to Perry. "Any student's welcome!"

"I don't know if I'll have time." Draconia replied to Dashner, regretfully. "What with my family having it's own Fangsgiving planned. We could get together in the evening, maybe? Do you have any other plans?"  

[Perry Hartley]

Perry was working as fast as he could, as was everyone, trying to get orders filled as quickly and efficiently as possible.

He nodded to Dashner.

"Yeah yeah, happy fangsgiving." He didn't sound at all enthusiastic but he brightened a little at Dashner's suggestion. "Yeah maybe Vinnie and I will sneak out while everyone's distracted. "

Actually, that didn't sound like a bad idea.

"Here you go." He handed Robecca her order, having split it into a couple of bags. He handed two to Dashner with a faint smirk. He had the sneaking suspicion Dashner hasn't been asked to help, more that he'd leapt at the chance to spend time with Robecca. His crush on the robotic ghoul was no secret to anyone, except perhaps Robecca herself.


"Have a great day!" Fawna glanced up, waving with her meat cleaver.

Perry shook his head and turned his attention to Draconia. "Right then, what can I do you for?"  

[Dashner Hawke]

Dashner shook his head, "Nope, nothing really to do in the evening. Except hanging out with a few friends that will be there! If you'd like to come, I'd be very happy to see you there, he smiled, as they got to the front of the line.

Robecca put her backs in her bigger sack and Dashner did as well, throwing it over his shoulder. "Thanks bro."

He turned to Draconia as he and Robecca began walking out of the store. "I'll see you tonight, possibly," he manasged to say before Robecca pulled him out of the building. Once outside, they both took off (Robecca with her rocket boots and Dashner with his wings) and started to head back towards Monster High.  

[Draconia St George]

"Tootle boo!" Draconia waved as Dashner and Robecca launched off. She turned back to Perry with a shy smile.

"I'm here to pick up the order for the St. Georges, if you please. It may be under the name 'Looking Glass.' One very large tukey, I believe about thirty pounds?"

"Uh huh." Perry gave Draconia a once-over that made her fidget a bit. Just how many people were gossiping about her and Manny?! As he reached behind the counter to grab her order, she glanced around the store again. Clawd and another werewolf were chatting, and she could swear that they both kept glancing her way. It didn't even occur to her that it might be because she was at the head of the line.

Her cheeks started feeling like they were burning. Then suddenly-

"Hey-hey! If it isn't THE most frighteous Draconia!" The horsey-sounding voice of Chase Q broke through Draconia's fangxiety. "And Powerful Perry! What'sup, brah!"

"Chase! Happy Fangsgiving!" Draconia greeted her friend as he reached over the counter for a high-claw from his football teammate. At the front of the store, Draconia spied his sister Whinnie, looking impatient. "Why are you two here at the butchers? I thought you were all vegetarians?"

"Dropping off, not picking up!" Chase hexplained, heaving one of his saddle-bags up on the counter. "Mrs. Hartley ordered a late delivery of some onions and potatoes from Q Farms for their secret-recipe stuffing. Whinnie and I agreed to make the delivery to save mom and pop some time. Hey, did I see Dashner-dude in the air on the way here?"

"Oh, good, the potatoes. Buck, would you?" Fawna directed her older son, in the middle of hauling goods from the freezer to change course and grab Chase's bags. Perry cleared his throat and Draconia turned away from her friend apologetically.

"Oh! I'm so very sorry. How much do I owe you?"

Perry showed Draconia the receipt and she pulled out her purse to pay. Next to her, Chase gave an excited little hop-clop.

"Perry, bro, if you're free on Saturday, you'll stop by the farm, right? Backyard Monster Wrestling! Team Victoreek is going to be taking on those mysterious totally hardcore Los Monstros de Destructos! Wouldn't want to miss that, right, brah? It's going to be MOST frighteous!"

Chase wrapped one beefy arm around Draconia in a mock hug-headlock.

"Drake's already promised to come help us out, it'd be clawesome if you came too and snapped a few pics, ya know?"  

[Perry Hartley]

Buck hefted the potatoes and onions with one arm, ruffling his little brother's hair with his free hand as he passed.

Perry swatted at him. "Gettoff."

Buck just laughed as he strolled off toward the store room.

Perry muttered under his breath a few unsavoury things, his mother barely even looked up as she called

"language!"

Perry grumbled and returned Chase's high claw somewhat unenthusiastically.

"Backyard Monster Wrestling!"

Perry gave Chase an incredulous look, a strange smirk spreading across his face.

"Let me get this straight, you want me to come over and snap photos of you and some guys rolling around in the dirt yeah? So Glen's cool with you grappling other boos huh? " He snickered then shrugged. "But hey I got nothing better to do Saturday." It was true, and from what his parents had said, it appeared Buck was hanging around well into the freakend. Perry would do just about anything to avoid his older brother.
"So sure, why not? "

Perry neither understood wrestling nor had much interest in it, but he knew his mother wouldn't protest too much if he claimed he'd made a promise to a fiend. And he'd been told he needed more diversity in his photography profile. Apparently, least according to his teacher, countless photos of derelict and abandoned spaces wasn't enough. His feathers were still a little ruffled by that.

"Grampa Roe said some of his sheep strayed into your fields a few days ago, got a taste for the turnips? Bummer man, hope they didn't do too much damage. "

Perry's grandparents owned a farm near the Q's, it was where the shop got the majority of their meat from. Sadly it seemed Grampa Roe's livestock wasn't the most obedient and they were prone to straying into neaby fields and causing havoc.

"Eh it's fine, he got em outta there pretty quick. " Chase shrugged his broad shoulders. "So see you Saturday then brah!"

Perry handed Drake her parcel, frowning a little. "you ok? You seem a bit... I dunno, flighty. Not looking forward to a day of family either?"  

[Draconia St George]

"Flighty?" Draconia shrank back a bit. She wasn't being flighty was she?

At that moment, Clawd Wolf broke out into rollicking laughter and Draconia flinched.

Okay, she was being a little flighty.

"Sorry. I guess it's just the...well, the stress of the last few days. Mid-Term hexams, the parents in town, some, er...rumours and such..." Draconia trailed off. This was getting a bit more personal than she'd thought.

"Yeah, I heard that you and Manny Taur were kaput." Perry traced a finger across his throat. Draconia groaned inwardly.

"We haven't been a couple for many months, we really haven't. It's just that we go out these days because we're friends, and it's convenient, and..." Draconia let out a sigh that felt far deeper than she thought it was going to. "You know, like Manny and Chase say, I'm just 'one of the guys'..."

"Hey, can I get my turkey sometime before the end of the day?!" The vampire behind Draconia grumbled loudly. Draconia grabbed her bag from Perry apologetically.

"So terribly sorry! I didn't mean to waste anyone's time. Thank you again!"

She turned around and started wading her way past the lineup of monsters to the front of the store. Once she was free of the mob, she let out a sigh of relief and touched off to fly back to the Looking Glass.