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 Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2016 12:29 pm
Following his recentish introduction to one of his more interesting peers, Chester had vowed to be less forthcoming with the magical stuff, even after the deadly ball. It was a shame that the magical stuff chose to continue making itself known regardless of his wishes, pushing forward into his path at the strangest times.
It was just after noon when he found the book, a pristine, hand written, slightly glowing tome sitting against the trunk of a tree in the park. Despite the rain, it was completely dry, but Chester still thought he should get it away from the squishy ground and rapidly forming puddles. He brought it to the police station, knowing that at least one of the officers there was aware of the odd things that plagued this town, and when he arrived, he approached the front desk like he had done something wrong, holding out the book to the girl behind it.
"Sorry to bother you, but I found this. I would have left it, but it doesn't seem quite... normal."
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2016 12:55 pm
Preacher looked up and at the book he was holding. She didn't immediately take the book. Instead, she slid over a clipboard. After a moment, she tapped it and dropped a pen on the pad. "Gotta sign in first, okay?" Preacher wasn't touching s**t until she had a record of who it came from.
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2016 3:18 pm
"Yes. Of course. Sorry."
He propped his umbrella against the desk, placed the book gingerly next to the clipboard, and wrote his name and the time neatly where indicated. Under REASON FOR VISIT he wrote glowing book.
"It's glowing. Very Ghostbusters. And I don't see any LEDs or anything that might be causing it."
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Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2016 6:32 pm
Preacher didn't touch the book, not yet, but eyed it warily before flipping the notepad back around to her. "So where did you find this... um, book, Chester?" There was a special emphasis on the word where. Honestly, it didn't look like a normal book at all. "Ghostbusters?" She snorted. "Like it's got a ghost contained in it. I'm Preacher, by the by."
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Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2016 6:40 pm
"Nice to meet you," he said reflexively, adding a thoughtful, "Preacher," when he registered what she had said. What a weird name. Had they been in the library or on line at Starbucks he might have asked its origin, but this didn't seem like the place.
"I found it in the park. And, no, I don't think it has an actual ghost in it. It's just... like a ghost. Ghostly. Luminescent. And it was getting dripped on, but the pages are dry and the ink isn't smeared. I might have left it there if it had only had one of those qualities, but all of them mashed together in one book seemed more like a police matter. Especially after the earthquake."
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Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2016 11:25 am
"S'my name, don't wear it out in ya mouth." Tentatively, she nudged the book towards herself. Using a pen, she flipped open the first cover. "Did you see anybody odd around there when you picked it up?" It was raining when he found it... oh, wait, it was raining here, too.
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Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2016 8:50 pm
"No. It was just sitting under a tree all by itself. Preacher." He didn't know why he said it again, or why he felt a smile coming on as he did. She was a foot shorter than he was and he could still picture her kicking his a**. And anyway, he wanted her help. Now was not the time for sass.
"Sorry."
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Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2016 5:28 am
Preacher narrowed her eyes. "You got a problem with my name?"
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Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2016 7:06 pm
"N.. no. No! Not a problem. It's just unique. Like Judge Reinhold. Or Prince. A title." He rocked back on the heel of one foot, poised to turn tail and run at the slightest antagonistic advance. "It just caught my ear. Sorry. Again."
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Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2016 6:47 pm
"Well, okay, Chesterfield. If you feel like chortlin' some more, my last name's Maria." Preacher Maria. She was reasonably sure it was the last bit of her biological parents she had, but she wasn't sure. After so many different fosters and homes, Preacher couldn't remember if her 'parents' had been at the beginning or never there at all. It didn't matter, and this was a ********' heavy thought, so she cast it off. Pulling the book even closer, she flipped through it. She watched and the ink shimmered and began to disappear. Preacher frowned and closed the book. Magic ******** s**t. "You sure... you sure you were in this Ashdown?"She looked him up and down slowly. The hat, the clothes, the pale, wan face. Hipster wannebe?
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Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2016 5:32 pm
Chesterfield. Wasn't that a cigarette? He supposed he deserved that, and he was rather thankful she hadn't called him Pasty or Nerd or Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum or any of the other monikers he'd earned over the years. Preacher Maria, though. It was still way more interesting than it should have been. "I'm not laughing. Sorry." The last was muttered as he looked down, as though he knew he shouldn't have been saying it again, but couldn't help it. Chester didn't look down for long.
"You know about..."
All right, so it really wasn't that surprising that she knew the difference in Ashdowns. This was the police station. It was unlikely that everyone here was as clueless as the officers that had been at Blackfriars.
"It's conceivable that I wasn't, but I didn't notice anything changing prior to finding it and I didn't walk through any doors." As far as he knew, that was the only way to get to the other side. "I was thinking someone else might have brought it through and misplaced it by accident, but I am not equipped to serve as the lost and found for the other side."
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Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2016 9:50 pm
"Well, yeah. But this ain't the best pace for such discussions, y'know." However, Chester was immediately marked down as a person to go bother. She tapped her pen against the paper. "I tell you what. We'll keep the book, see if anyone comes n' claims it and, in a month, if no one has - you can have it. Got a phone number?"
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 7:32 pm
He hadn't even considered he would be allowed to keep it.
"Yes." Chester tried to refrain from geeking out. "That sounds like an excellent compromise." Instead of using any of the paper already on the desk, he reached into his bag and pulled out a 3x5 card, the initials CNP printed across the top. He wrote his name and number on it and placed it on the book, flicking the edge as he let go so it snapped against the cover.
"I look forward to hearing from you."
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 7:39 pm
Preacher looked blankly at him. He really, for serious had a business card? She took it from him and stuck it in her pocket, an awkward movement, considering she was sitting. "Alright, certified nurse practitioner, I'll give ya a call later." That was what the initials meant, right.
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Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 7:58 pm
Certified... okay. He didn't miss the look, and his eyebrows raised ever so faintly in response. It was a personalized note card, thank you very much.
"Sure. I appreciate your help."
Chester backed away a few steps, then turned to leave, his duty as a responsible visitor to the otherworld completed for today.
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