[hr][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/K8f1fGj.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/7Zopqau.png[/img][img]https://txt.1001fonts.net/img/txt/b3RmLjE0Mi4yNDkwZjIuUTJ4aGVYUnZiaUJVWlhKeWVRLjA/grosball.regular.webp[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/aHWHQEs.png[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/PU6ahVs.png[/img][/center][right][b]Interactions:[/b] Ophrenia ([@silvermist1116]), & Zeltzin ([@Bartimaeus]).[/right][right][b][code]The Webb Family Coffee House[/code][/b][/right][hr]

[color=Mediumorchid]"Papi!"[/color]

That seemed to jar the man from whatever train of thought he was in, [b]"Yeah?"[/b] Clay squinted, his expression briefly crinkling as he caught a whiff of the distinct herbal remedy Lily had inbibed ahead of their redoubt.`

[color=Mediumorchid]“What did you think of Mr. Ghouls and Goblins back there!?”[/color] Lily chuckled, then playfully jabbed her shoulder into Clayton’s side.

Stiffly, he glanced her way, then relented with a smirk.

[b]"What, the part where people just disappear, or the whole... werewolf, alligator thing the doctor was talking about?"[/b]

Clay huffed a little and shook his head. "You'd be surprised how 'normal' folks can really buy into that shit."

[color=Mediumorchid]“The weird dude, Papi... Think his name is Erik? Talked about ghosts before I walked the fuck out, Papi.”[/color] Followed by awkward laughter as people DO buy into that shit. This was around the time Mami came over!

“Do you, uh, have that jar with you? I don’t believe any of that magic shit, but maybe it’s some kinda super swamp disease cure… Whatever it is, it’s better than nothing.”

[color=Mediumorchid]“Oh yeah!”[/color] Lily said as she dropped her cutesy Hello Kitty backpack, unzipped it, and pulled out the jar…. Glowing green, that only [i]Lily[/i] could perceive. [color=Mediumorchid]“It's glowing and shit… You two can see it. [i]Right?[/i]”[/color]

[b]"Uh..."[/b] 'Carl' leaned closer, his brow furrowed, [b]"Looks like water to me."[/b]

Charlie squinted her eyes at the very dull, herb-filled and not glowing jar. "Uh, no… it ain't glowing.” 

[b]"You sure you ain't uh, y'know..."[/b] Clay sniffed, then shrugged towards Lilly.

[color=Mediumorchid]“[i]… You can come out and say it, Papi,”[/i][/color] Lily answered, [color=Mediumorchid]“Ya’ll think I’m a [i]crazy[/i] bitch.”[/color] She looked at it and then back at the two…

… Then she shoved it into Charlie’s hands and walked away, rubbing her eyes.

“Wait!” Charlie ran after Lily, awkwardly holding the jar under one arm, and reached out to grab her wrist before she got too far away. “For the record, I don’t think you’re crazy.” Weird, maybe, but most of the group was. “Maybe it's the light or something… Or you can see something we don’t…” Charlie trailed off, laughing awkwardly. 

Lily’s foot hit the ground, and she turned on her heel as she stopped stumbling around. She faced Charlie as she looked at the jar again. Then she shook her head, placing both hands on her cheeks as she said,  [color=Mediumorchid]”It’s a fuckin’ glowing jar; there’s no mistaking it.”[/color] In the most monotone fashion she could. [color=Mediumorchid]”Ay, mami...”[/color]

[b]"Or,"[/b] Clay sucked in his teeth,[b]"You can smell the herb a mile away."[/b] He shrugged. [b]"Look, I ain' gonna judge, I'm just saying."[/b]

Lily was dead quiet before she said,

[color=Mediumorchid]”It’s [i]weed[/i], Papi,”[/color] She started, [color=Mediumorchid]“[i]Weed[/i] doesn’t make you see shit, Papi… unless….”[/color] 

'Carl' shrugged at that.

"Unless it was spiked with whatever that weird girl yesterday was high on?" Charlie suggested half joking. "Maybe she snuck some in while you weren't looking. A glowing jar is nothing compared to all that magic shit she talked about."

[color=Mediumorchid]”Maaaaami, there ain’t no drug in the world that can…”[/color] Lily stopped herself because there was no [i]way[/i] that spooky bitch could have done so. [color=Mediumorchid]”... Know what? You’re right, Mami. Let’s drop it.”[/color]

"Alright," Charlie shrugged, before holding out the jar like some kind of peace offering. "You want to take the jar, or will I hang onto it?" 

[color=Mediumorchid]“… Ehhhhh, how about [i]YOU[/i] keep it?”[/color] Lily shook her hands from left to right. [color=Mediumorchid]“It’s better in your hands, Mami.”[/color]

Charlie then glanced over where the rest of the group seemed to be gathering. "We should probably go see what that's all about."

“Ye-yeah,”

[b]"I mean, you wanna hang onto the homeopathic stuff, be my guest-.... oh, you [i]gotta[/i] be fuckin' wit' me."[/b] Clay's personable demeanor stalled midway through the conversation into an uncharacteristically [i]sharp[/i] tone, his brow cocked at an acute angle, pointed towards Zeltzin and Ophrenia, [b]"Jesus, man - I hope they know those ain' fuckin' toys..."[/b]

[color=Mediumorchid]“Yeah, if you two [i]psychobitches[/i]-”[/color] And Lily meant that playfully. [color=Mediumorchid]“-decide to cut loose with those jawns, make [i]sure[/i] I’m behind you!”[/color] She laughed.

[hr][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/f9bqQL2.png[/img][h1]Jennifer Caspin[/h1][/center][right][b]Interactions:[/b] Neko ([@Atrophy]).[/right][right][b][code]Summit Motel Parking Lot.[/code][/b][/right][hr]


Erik probed Jennifer, and there was that creeping thought to tell them what was out in the swamp. Jen didn't know what [i]exactly[/i] was out there, but she knew it was crawling with Apparitions and Abominable. However, they would not believe her even though she had a feeling that they were beginning to catch on that this was no ordinary town. Fortunately, Neko cut in and gave Jennifer just a moment to gather her thoughts, and she replied,

"There, um... [i]should[/i] only be alligators and the sort out there - but, uh... um, keep your eye out for [i]anything[/i] else." And hopefully, that "anything else" would keep their distance and safely allow them passage through the swamp. After the two spoke, Erik was oddly quiet, and Jennifer nodded. 

"Um... I... think? I think all we decided on the longer route, yes?" Jennifer spoke. "I, um, reeeeeented a... van all of us can ride in - if you want to - but the trip is [i]veeeeeeeeeeeeeery[/i] short, like, uh, fifteen minutes to, you know, um, [i]get there.[/i]" 

She looked among the group; some were armed, "Tiiiiiiiiiiime... we get a move on, ummmm... I'm going to grab the van, stay put..." Jennifer walked away, hoping her merry band wouldn't do anything [i]too[/i] crazy out there.

[right][b][code]Road To The Old Black Manor.[/code][/b][/right][hr]

Rain pounded against the hood of Jennifer's [url=https://i.imgur.com/n7bQaJJ.png]rented van,[/url] it was expensive, but fortunately, that Esports stuff was paying off. What was weird was that Quintin was suddenly barraged in a raging storm... that was [i]not[/i] on the forecast for today. Or for the rest of the week. There was [i]definitely[/i] something going on here that she wasn't prepared to tell the group about. She had limited knowledge of the world of magic, but she wouldn't be surprised if rain heralded [i]something.[/i] Jennifer glanced at the mirror and saw the group that came with her in her van - all doing their own thing. She was hoping that she, at the very least, prepared for some inclement weather.

Jennifer drove through the empty roads of Quintin, which were ominous and flanked at all sides by woods or swamps. However, now and then, she saw a particular deer just [i]staring[/i] at them as they drove by. When Jennifer thought she had passed it, it would just appear again... staring at them. There was that gut feeling that something was wrong, but maybe if they just passed through [i] as fast[/i] as possible, there would be no trouble.

"In 300 feet; turn right." The GPS interrupted her reverie, and Jennifer spun the wheel in the instructed direction... Only to see that a metal gate (that was [i]heavily[/i] chained) blocked the rest of the road - and there was a [i]massive[/i] pool of rainwater on the other side of the gate. Now, Jennifer would have loved to keep driving; the best option was just to walk. Jennifer turned around, looking over her shoulder the best she could with a seatbelt on.

"Okay, ummmmmmmmmmm - grab your things, weeeeeeeee're... just going to walk the rest of the way..." Jennifer started before her eye landed on Ophrenia, "... and for the [i]love of God[/i]... we're [i]not[/i] supposed to be here. Do [i]not[/i] do anything stupid like, ummm... shooting the lock."