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Hidden 5 days ago Post by Expendable
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Expendable The Certifiable

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Qaymu


Bldg 2, Qaymu's Apt.



It's grown.

Qaymu froze, turning to face the figure currently standing in front of his Memories wall. He had heard nothing, but it had chosen to make itself known to him.

"Yes, a friend died today...."
Will die today, the figure shrugged. My sympathies. You do understand, it's nothing personal.

"Yes..." Qaymu drawls. "How... how did you get in?"
Is that what you want to ask of me? One could almost see the grin. I am everywhere. What you call reality is merely a shadow of existence.

"So, why are you here?" Qaymu asks, sweating. "Is it...?"
Spoilers. Although I do wonder when it's your time, who will put your remembrance on the shelf? Perhaps, if you don't mind, I can do that for you. When the time comes.
"Thank...you?"

Oh no, the figure said, turning so he could see the light of eternity glowing through the eye socket. Thank you. That would be a simple courtesy, one professional to another. May I have a cup of tea?

"Tea? Oh yes, certainly...!" Qaymu said, turning towards the kitchen.

Oh dear, I need to run. Another time, perhaps?

Qaymu turned, but the apparition had already vanished.

"Another time," he replied, hollowly.
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Hidden 4 days ago Post by Silver Carrot
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Silver Carrot Wow I've been here a while

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Eilidh Chiron



Location: Building 2, Courtyard
Interactions: @Morgannis, @Xaltwind
Mentions: @BunniesOfDoom



"It's good to hear you're doin' well!" the centaur responded cheerfully in her broad Highlands accent. Eilidh had a manner of smiling with her whole face. It wouldn't feel out of place for her tail to be wagging while she talked. Fir the first few weeks, Eilidh had been homesick but once this modern way of living clicked, Eilidh couldn't remember the last time she didn't wear her zest for this life on her sleeve. She was like walking sunshine.

"I haven't actually had breakfast yet, as I don't like to run on a full stomach. But I know, right? There isn't a better start to the morning than exercise on a nice day! Wha-"

Whatever she was about to ask died in her throat as her stomach rumbled and she blushed in mortified embarrasment. She sheepishly tried to laugh it off.

"...I think that's a sign I should go and get breakfast now, hahaha..."

As she trot past him towards the cafeteria, she wished the ground would swallow her up. She hadn't realised how hungry she was. On the way back, she saw a werewolf sit down next to a tree in the distance and demolish and entire steak before transforming into a human and lying down for a nap. Bacon. Eilidh suddenly had a strong appetite for her breakfast to include bacon in it somewhere.

As Eilidh got closer to the Building One entrance where the cafeteria she frequented was located, she saw an unfamiliar fox lady. Eilidh wasmore familiar with her neighbors on the ground floor of Building 2, so most of the residents of the other two buildings were relative strangers. Eilidh always arrived at the cafeteria after the early risers and before the late risers so it was usually on the emptier side by the time she got there.

She wasn't going tosay anything to the fox lady as she was sitting on a bench with her eyes closed, not exactly inviting strangers to talk to her. But, she hadn't noticed that her...very loose robe was riding dangerously low in public. Eilidh didn't swing that way but this lady's impressive cleavage was like a black hole that stole away Eilidh's gaze and focus. Eilidh's chest was not particularly small but she began to feel a little...overshadowed.

"Um, excuse me, miss. Your kimono's slipping a little."
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Hidden 4 days ago Post by Red Wizard
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Red Wizard Crimson Conjurer

Member Seen 3 hrs ago


Locations: Bldg 1, Restaurant Interactions: @CitrusArms

Ryū picked up the strawberry, holding it between thumb and forefinger as she observed it with a sceptical gaze. It felt firm but tender to her touch, and she notized her skin got smudged with red juice as she tried squeezing it a little. Not unlike blood. She had no taste for the sanguine substance, of course, preferring her food charred and hot, but it got her wondering if there was such a thing as a berry barbecue. No matter - there was a first for everything, and she supposed this strawberry could be her first step on the journey to discovering fruits and vegetables. Popping the small delight into her mouth, she bit down and was immediately shocked at the flavor. Sweet! Incredibly sweet! Almost too much so. Her human form seemed to enjoy the taste, salivating as she chewed the strawberry, but she was not used to it. None of her usual food tasted sweet. To an observer, Ryūs expression would've seemed bothered or concentrated, her brows locked in a frown as she ate the berry with slow and ponderous movements of her jaw. She swallowed it down in the end, unsure of what she thought about it. Had she hated it? No. But had she enjoyed it? Questionable.

Turning her attention back to Yumeiko, Ryū plopped down on the chair opposite her, leaning in over the table. The spirit fox had said something about patrons being able to pet her, which instantly got the dragon curious. What was a patron, and could she become one? She would have to explore the subject further. So, no hoards, then, she said, eyes locked with Yumeiko, But a... shrine? Like a temple? I had a temple once! Or, well, humans built a temple in my cave once. They did a lot of funky mumbo jumbo there, dressing in silly costumes like make-believe dragons while singing and dancing to strange chants. Maybe they thought dragons like that kind of stuff. Some of them came asking for stuff, trying to sweet talk me into helping them with their problems - mostly destroying their enemies or burning down some city or other. I mostly slept through it. Then one day I woke up while they were trying to attach a big steel collar to my neck. Very rude. So I ate some and turned the rest to ash. No more temple for them, heehee!~

She had gotten herself lost in her memory, staring into space while grinning madly. Seeing the spirit foxes expression, she quickly snapped out of it and tried getting back to the matter at hand. So, you guys get... patrons? she asked, What does a patron, like, do? How do people become patrons, and, she wet her lips as she came to the point, When do they get to touch the tails?
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Hidden 4 days ago Post by Dragonydas
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Dragonydas Game Designer

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Theria


Location: Building 1: 205 -> Ground floor, Reception
Interactions: @Lugubrious, @Massasauga, @LupusIntus


Theria blinked, looking down at the card that Rebecca slid across the desk, then back up at her, a hint of confusion crossing her face. Isela, the curious one, followed the card as Theria grabbed it and inspected it. She knew that some monsters lived outside of the complex and would often direct other monsters to Umbra Rose, but Theria didn’t know many yet, and this one in particular, she did not recognize. Maybe an acquaintance of Arborox?

"Oh… right, uh, off the grid and covert…" she said, glancing between the card and Rebecca with a polite but slightly lost expression. "We definitely have some quieter units available like corner apartments and such… Good for, um… privacy?" She offered a hopeful smile. "But I’m not sure if we have any that are specifically off the grid… I mean, the whole apartment complex is off the grid, but our apartments themselves are pretty standard when it comes to that…"

Her gaze flickered to the snake peeking out from Rebecca’s jacket, and Theria smiled nervously. Pippin also appeared to have noticed the snake and was now trying to pull itself towards it before Theria gently grabbed Pippin and gave her a little scratch under the chin, trying to calm down the very affectionate snake.

"Well, I’ll still be happy to help however I can! We still have some units available," she added quickly. "And for, um, eating, there's a restaurant in every single building. Just need to go over the entrance process first."

She turned around to grab the form for a new resident while Max walked in, giving her an apologetic smile. She just nodded. She knew that the whole incident during the morning had probably messed up his delivery schedule.

As Max picked up the files that had just been printed and handed them to Khalid, Theria extended the form to Rebecca as well as a pen.. “If you would be so kind as to fill in this form… It’s pretty standard. Just your name, age, species and any room requirements that we may be able to provide.”

She turned to Max as he glanced at her and asked if Rebecca was a new resident. “Indeed. Miss… “ She looked towards Rebecca, a gentle redness forming on her cheeks. “Oh, I’m terribly sorry. I forgot to introduce myself.” Theria extended her hand to greet Rebecca, Xena, the protector snake, playing close attention to the new resident. “My name is Elephtheria Lasthena. Do call me Theria. I’m the assistant manager here. May I have your name?”
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Hidden 4 days ago Post by Massasauga
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Massasauga Special Forums Operational Detachment - Delta

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Rebecca Holloway
Building 1 Lobby


“Good morning.” Max said brightly, a slight tilt to his head. “Are you a… new resident?”


Rebecca looked at Max a little quizzically. It was a weird expression, considering how tired she was. In her inattention, there was a thud onto the desk. She looked down and saw that Slick took advantage of her lapse in attention and escaped her jacket. Slick was a Mountain Pit Viper from Southeast Asia. Venomous, but lazy unless provoked. She stared at him. He stared...somewhere off into the rest of the building.

"You tryna make introductions, boy? Get back here." Rebecca said, picking the snake up and laying it around her arm and shoulders.

"Oh… right, uh, off the grid and covert…" she said, glancing between the card and Rebecca with a polite but slightly lost expression. "We definitely have some quieter units available like corner apartments and such… Good for, um… privacy?" She offered a hopeful smile. "But I’m not sure if we have any that are specifically off the grid… I mean, the whole apartment complex is off the grid, but our apartments themselves are pretty standard when it comes to that…"

She turned to Max as he glanced at her and asked if Rebecca was a new resident. “Indeed. Miss… “ She looked towards Rebecca, a gentle redness forming on her cheeks. “Oh, I’m terribly sorry. I forgot to introduce myself.” Theria extended her hand to greet Rebecca, Xena, the protector snake, playing close attention to the new resident. “My name is Elephtheria Lasthena. Do call me Theria. I’m the assistant manager here. May I have your name?”


It was exactly how it was described to her. A place for people in the same situation as her. People who couldn't coexist with the real world because they were monsters and creatures of the night. But for such a place, it seemed they took great lengths to make it appear more normal. Casual. Safe. Rebecca didn't like it. It made people complacent. But she bit her tongue and said nothing. After all, who was she to have a say in how things were run and how people should behave? It didn't shake the feeling in the pit of her stomach that
such carefree attitudes might end up coming back to bite them.

She put it out of her mind and started to fill out the form. Her age was...very spotty, so she left it blank. She was a walking anachronism, though. The Vietnam veteran, looking like they just came home from deployment like it was 1972. Under the species she wrote "Eldritch abomination" and had filled everything else out. She slid the paper back and looked to Max and then to Theria.

"No, but I can tell you who I am. Holloway, Rebecca. Fifth SFG. RT Boa." She replied, almost robotically, when she started going through the other information. She produced a small card and placed it on the desk. "I don't have a current driver's license, so this will have to do for ID."
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Hidden 4 days ago Post by Xaltwind
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Xaltwind Disgruntled Dragonfly

Member Seen 6 hrs ago

Miyuki no Suzuyami

Lcationn: Umbra Rose Condos, Between Bldg #1 and #2, Courtyards
Time of Day: Early Morning
Relevant Cast: @Silver Carrot Eilidh, @Morgannis Alphonse, @BunniesOfDoom Iris


Miyuki's mood had been slowly improving. Being out in the - relatively - fresh air, soaking up some sunlight and having gotten to take out some of her frustration on that skittish doughy clerk, things were stating to look up a bit. If only that slightly annoying, saw-like noise would go away... Seriously, who sawed logs out in the morning this early? And why did it sound like they were using a faulty tool? Plus they also made weird 'hnngh' and smacking noises every now and then. Ridiculous! Bah, that was the price you had to pay when living in a populated area, supposedly. She still much prefered the old days. What was the name of that one shrine maiden who always brushed her hair? She was such a precious girl... Ah, the old days...

But her trip down memory lane was suddenly disturbed, as a gentle clippity-clop sound caused her ears to perk up. She felt the presence of another nearby, though thankfully they hadn't interposed themselves between Miyuki and the sunlight, so they had some decency, that was a first for this place. Then they spoke. A soft and pleasant voice, though with a hint of an accent that was very unfamiliar to the fox spirit. IT was cute though, charming even. Slowly opening her eyes in a lazy, unhurried fashion, the black-haird woman took a lazy look at the one whod' just apporach to warn her about her impending wardrobe failure.

Oh, it was the saga-taurus girl! The one who'd been speaking to the buttefly man some several feet or meters away. IT appeared their conversation had ended though and now she was, apparently, going to the building Miyuki had just left. Either that, or she was so concerned about the foxy vixen's attire-situation that she just had to come over to say something. How adorable. A playful smile spread across the kimono-wearing woman's lips and her many tails started to rustle and gently wag behind her on and against the bench.

"Thank you, dear, but no need to worry." Miyuki said, relaxed and unconcerned about the warning. "It won't come undone unless I, or someone else, takes it off." She smiled and raised her eyebrows slowly in a you get the int?-sort of implication. She then spent a moment looking over the little pony-girl. She was a darling creature. A cute little face, soft hair, a healthy coat... Her clothes were a bit... Uhm... Well... She was probably just a modest girl who let her mother do her clothes-shopping for her, yes, that was probably it... Her thoughts wandered momentarily, before returning her to reality. She blinked once, then stood up, having realized she was perhaps being a bit rude for staring.

"Ah, and forgive me. I havne't greeted you yet. Hello, I'm known as Miyuki, Suzuyami no Miyuki, and I'm a kyuubi from the very far east." She gave Elli a polite and proper greeting, even inlcuding a bow - which caused her assets to be on even more of a display as they bounced and jiggled from the shift in posture and weight-allocation. Luckily, she rose to a straight standing stance quickly enough. "A pleasure to meet you, young lady." Miyuki said in a friendly way, with one of those smiles that could make people fall in love on sight. Totally unlike the one she'd given that poor Flax - or whatever his aname was - earlier. "Have you lived here long?" She added, tilting her head slightly to the side while her ears twitched slightly in curiosity.





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Hidden 4 days ago 3 days ago Post by CitrusArms
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CitrusArms Space Spatula

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Yumeiko no Akame no Kami

Location: Building #1; Ground Floor; Breakfast
Interactions: @Red Wizard Ryū

Ryū seemed perturbed by the strawberry. Not that she disliked it, but the exact reaction was hard to gauge. Confused, even. Yumeiko lifted her milkshake to hide a smile behind the glass with a sip through the straw. A creature so old had never tried berries, but, from the sounds of it, maybe there wasn’t a berry big enough for her to even taste in her natural form? When the dragon that had been seated began to describe the worship she had undergone, the fox spirit’s attention had been caught. It sounded like they thought she was, perhaps, a servant like herself, or perhaps an avatar, but Yumi found out how sorely mistaken they were.

When their falsely mistaken-for-a-god dragon awoke to a collar, she was rightly peeved. It did not please her to hear that she’d killed them all, but attempting to chain a god with a collar, false or no, was a huge mistake. “You ate them..?” Her bacon and eggs came just then. Yumeiko picked a piece of bacon and nibbled at it slowly before starting on her eggs. She’d requested sunny side up, which she understood was more publicly acceptable than, well, raw. “I suppose that’s what they get. Worship you then try to chain you?” She crumbled one of the bacon slices in her hand and sprinkled it over her eggs before cutting in with her fork and knife.

“‘Patron’ is, perhaps, not the correct word.” The sacred youkai took a bite and thought as she chewed, “hmmm..” she swallowed, “the shrine is.. was.. part of a community. Anyone could come by and leave a bit of money, ring the bell, say a prayer. Maybe buy a fortune slip.” All things that would not happen, now. Unless, of course, she somehow managed to attract a community, with members like Ryū. “The seasonal festivals were always very fun for the spirits and gods and people alike. There were festival games and people in fox masks, I could even walk among them with all my tails, if I was careful. The people were always so willing to assume it was a costume.” Though the dragon had said she slept through much of her cult’s worship and demands, perhaps she would be more attracted to actual festivities?

”When our guests would come and ring the donation bell, I would often come to greet them, if I was present. They usually seemed to come back the next day, when I did. Not all were bold enough to try and pet me, but those that dared could find themselves blessed with good luck. So they said.” Those that touched Miyuki could find themselves with bad luck. Yumeiko ate the last of her quickly-devoured egg with a dip in the maple and butter from her french toast and picked up the last piece of her bacon, ”the shrine is upstairs, in our room, at present. Though, I do need to find somewhere more, ah, available for it. Miyuki and I do not open our space for the public.” She nibbled up her last bacon, enjoying the savory flavor as her tails flicked.

"I suppose we can have a, eh.. fox viewing, elsewhere. Shall we get some fresh air, and let the sun illuminate my coat?" The spirit fox gulped down the rest of her milkshake and stood. Her tails coiled around her as she did, and her form began to shrink under her clothes, resulting in a mass of cloth that lit up in lavender flame. It burned down to a collar around the golden fox that stood in her place, patterned with little black boots. She looked back at Ryū as she turned to go, waggling her tails as though to entice the dragon.
Hidden 4 days ago Post by Morgannis
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Morgannis Emet-Selch did nothing wrong!

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Location: Courtyard || Interactions: None



”It was a pleasure to speak with you, Eilidh. I hope that you enjoy your breakfast,” he meant every word of what he said, giving her a light smile as all twenty of his fingertips pressed together. His eyes never strayed from her from under the blindfold, the mothman watching as she made her way towards building 1, before stopping to speak with a figure on a bench.

Alphonse was too far away to make out their conversation, and even if he could, he was far too interested in this new resident to pay any sort of attention. Slowly, his arms wrapped around his back, hands clasping together as he just watched the scene unfold. A bow? The non-horse woman was formal, it seemed, and more than likely not from the surrounding area. When she straightened, he could see the ears atop her head, and her many black tails. “Fascinating,” he breathed out the word to himself, his antennae twitching as the wind blew towards him. Something smelled delicious.

Finally pulling his eyes away from the two women, Alphonse let out a drained sigh. How long had he been outside for, now? The sun was starting to rise higher in the sky, the dim morning light beginning to become overwhelming, even with the blindfold for protection. It would do him good for more conversation, though, but…Almost glancing upwards to try to tell exactly how high the sun had moved, he stopped himself, lest he lose his eyesight completely. It was then he made his decision. Alphonse could feel his bed calling to him, the weight of his body suddenly feeling heavy as he remembered it.

Not far from the door to his building, it didn’t take Alphonse long to ascend the many stairs to the fifth floor, his door opening without any need for a key. Stepping inside, the only thing that was removed from him were his shoes and blindfold, before he gently sunk himself into the plush royal purple and black bed that was pressed into a corner. The blackout curtains keeping the sun at bay made the room pitch black, no candles lit to keep the darkness at bay. As he sunk into sleep, he replayed the morning's events in his head, glad that he had been able to converse at least a little bit with Eilidh, and vowed that the next time he had seen that black eared woman again, he would at least ask her her name.

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Hidden 3 days ago Post by Carlyle
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Carlyle 𝕷𝖆 𝖛𝖎𝖈𝖙𝖔𝖎𝖗𝖊 𝖊𝖘𝖙 𝖆̀ 𝖓𝖔𝖚𝖘

Member Seen 0-24 hrs ago

x






Location: Velvet's Condo -> ???, Umbra Rose
Timeframe: Early Morning

Interaction(s): Velvet @Lemons, Theria @Dragonydas
Previously: Click Here

The air had become tense, aided by the cold front Suzy radiated. Her willingness to share her story had held the entire room in a chokehold. It left Suzy uncomfortable, even more so than she already had been from speaking of her untimely death. Even with her death being so long ago, she had struggled to come to terms with it—a fact often made countless times worse by annoying, nosy paranormal investigators digging into the case of the "murdered Krause girl".

For once, Suzy was grateful that hardly anyone was able to see her. She was akin to a timid mouse, afraid to progress. So, when the knife to cut the tension suddenly burst into the room, Suzy took the opportunity to flee for her own sake.

Phasing through the condo door without the slightest care in the world, Suzy disappeared down the hallway. The hallway's ceiling lights flickered as she "float-sprinted" down the corridor; an unintended side effect of her current mental state. Suzy hadn't known or seen where she was running off to, just that she needed to get away. To be somewhere alone—for now.

If only ghosts could cry.
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Hidden 3 days ago Post by Yankee
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Yankee God of Typos

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⤛ Varlam ⤜


Early Morning.
Location: Courtyards
Interactions: None directly
/ Alphonse, Eilidh, and Miyuki mentioned

A shadow passed over the condominium grounds, broad and swift. No sound accompanied it, at least until the being that cast it alighted on the roof of the area's middle building. Large hooked talons scrapped against the building's concrete lip, followed shortly by a drawn out yawn.

It wasn't that often that Varlam left the condo's magic bubble, but sometimes the feeling of being too cooped up grew and grew until he needed to stretch his wings and just fly. Get away from everyone and everything for a bit and feel the wind caress his face and weave through his feathers. At times like that he left in middle of the night and only returned hours later, when the sun starting rising again. A precaution against being spotted by any humans, a situation which he definitely didn't want a repeat of. Regardless, he was back home now. Tired, but always unable to go right to sleep after getting back from a long flight.

Luckily, there were people out and about even during that early hour. Being around so many people all of the time contributed to the build up of that stifling feel, but it was also part of the reason living in the city was so fun. Watching the other monsters was a... pastime of sorts for Varlam, so when he heard the sounds of conversation from below he turned so that he could easily peer down at the open space between buildings, perched and leaning over like a dark gargoyle.

He took notice of three people initially. The first was the mothman, which was unusual. He didn't recall ever seeing that one while the sun was out before. Then again, after the first time meeting him led to a scolding by the property's manager due Varlam trying to touch the man's mesmerizing wings (claws should not be used in situations like that he was told), the sirin hadn't seen much of him at all. Beside said mothman was the centaur woman, whom Varlam did often see making laps around the area. They even chatted sometimes - Eilidh was very open and sociable, and from what she'd said of her early life it was similar to Varlam's own up until recently. The third person was... wait, who was that?

Varlam cocked his head to one side, bright yellow eyes staring at the fox woman seated on a bench. Was this a new resident, or had he just not run into this person before? He normally made it a point to know who all was living in the complex, more out of curiosity than anything else, so the fact that hers was seemingly a new face intrigued him.

He continued blatantly spying on the three of them, watching Alphonse head indoors and Eilidh go speak to the fox-person. Varlam was nearly as still as a statue up there on the roof, only the soft breeze ruffling his feathers while he soaked in the morning sun. He hardly even blinked.
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Hidden 3 days ago 3 days ago Post by BunniesOfDoom
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BunniesOfDoom Just a bunch of bunnies in a trench coat

Member Seen 35 min ago


Iris Madril



Location: Building 1, Courtyard
Interactions: @Xaltwind, @Silver Carrot, @Yankee



What does Werewolves dream about? One might say they must dream about hunting prey and simply being free to run and one may be correct at most times, at least as long as the wolf was aware. However, the transition from wolf to human usually enlisted a change of mentality and whenever Iris found herself changing back to human, there was usually dark emotions and feelings that came with that transition.

With the scent and taste of blood and fresh meat still lingering in their senses, the Wolf’s dream was a very detailed and vivid dream of the hunt but as Iris took control once more, there was a dramatic and dark shift in the atmosphere. Gone was the thrill of the hint and joy of the fresh kill. Now a young Iris was on her knees, kneeling next to a friend who was bloody and unmoving on the ground. That night had been like any other. Meet up in the park, enjoy some shots of liquor and each other's company. The moon was big and bright in the sky so they didn't even need to bring flashlights.

They had barely cracked open the bottle when they heard howls. They figured it was some other group of teens goofing around so they just decided to ignore it and continue their nightly routine, that was until the howls grew closer. Iris took a moment to look around. They were in the middle of the city. Wolves aren't in the city but she didn't want those kids causing them any trouble. She slowly slid off the picnic table and peered over at her friend who just watched her.

“We need to go,” she said as she looked about for any sign of the other people. She saw nothing but did notice that the area had grown deathly quiet. The nocturnal birds had gone silent. Even the insects had stopped chirping. “I don't like this.” She said as she reached out to grab her friend and pull her off the tabletop. “We need to go.” Her friend swatted her hand away with a groan.

“You're being a little chicken shit! We do this every night. Who's going to catch us? Our parents? They don't care. Come on Iris. Just chill. You're killing my vibe.” Iris would have rebutted such a claim on her courage but her eyes were locked on a movement off in the bush behind her friend. She wasn't sure what she saw but there was definitely something large back there. Her friend turned to peer behind her, “What? Is there something there?”

The wolf jumped out then, launching itself with insane speeds at the girl on the table. Iris only had time to scream before the wolf, with her friend's head in its jaws, slammed into her and knocked her harshly to the ground. The wolf tumbled over the bench of the picnic table and fumbled as it rolled along on the ground for a few feet from the momentum of its attack. Iris slowly scrambled to her knees and peered down at her friend. The girl's head was twisted in an odd way and her eyes gazed out in the distance in a death stare. Iris screamed and tried to get to her feet to run but the wolf was upon her before she had a chance to even get up.

Iris's eyes snapped open and she sat up with a start, grasping at her sweatpants for the bite marks the wolf would have left behind. Her heart was racing and there was a cold sweat beading along her brow. When she found no wounds or blood from the attack, her mind slowly began to catch up to reality. She peered around to find herself in the courtyard. The wolf must have gone to sleep out there instead of just retreating to her bedroom. She recognized the fox from the hall earlier and her neighbor, Eilidh. She didn't think she was asleep for very long. The sun was still high in the sky and she was still incredibly exhausted.

She groaned lightly as she rubbed at her face, her hands getting caught on the loose collar of the sweatpants as they came down. She gazed down at her outfit, pulling on it lightly to adjust it so it sat correctly on her body. The wolf really stretched this thing out. She noticed some spots of blood splatter and she frowned deeply at it. She really hoped she didn't hurt the vampire too much. She should have done better at controlling the wolf, she chastised herself. She knew better. She should have done better.

Iris stood, having to grab the sweatpants and hold them up so they wouldn't fall down to her ankles. She got to work pulling the strings and tightening the pants so she wouldn't have to hold them up all the way to her bedroom. When she felt that was done to her satisfaction, she peered at the front door. Eilidh and that fox lady were at a bench directly in front of the door. If Iris wanted to go inside, she would have to strut her sorry excuse of a self past those two to get inside. She was just going to push past them and hope they don't interact with her. She was just so exhausted. She wasn't sure she could be cordial.

So with her mind made up, she tried to hurry past the two without rushing too much. If she could get by without drawing attention to herself and get inside, all the better. Controlled and steady wins the race, or something like that.
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Hidden 2 days ago 2 days ago Post by Lugubrious
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Lugubrious Player on the other side

Member Seen 1 hr ago

As the conversation between Rebecca and Theria continued at the front desk, Khalid waited for his Shoggoth Therapy materials to finish printing with a patiently feigned indifference. Despite his undeniable curiosity about the newcomer, he tempered his expectations about overhearing any juicy details. Based on her behavior so far, this aloof army woman did not strike him as the type to overshare; rather, she seemed more likely to jealously guard her secrets behind a stolid wall of dispassion. Who knew how much classified military intelligence she kept locked up tight in that mental strongbox of hers?

He certainly wasn’t going to edge any closer and risk an obvious invasion of privacy by peeking at her application form like some shameless schoolboy at test time. All Khalid could truly say for certain was that he and Ms. Holloway here hailed from very different walks of life, and judging by her exchange with the bespectacled receptionist, that went for Theria as well. Their conversation stalled as they began to talk at cross-purposes, the gorgon a little too earnest and innocent for her own good. It made Khalid want to roll his eyes, but he settled for politely averting his gaze.

For all the eruditionist’s attempts at discretion, he’d been paying enough attention to the others’ affairs that he failed to notice Max the moment his fellow human walked in. By the time he looked over, the hefty handyman was already behind the desk and nearing the printer, so while Khalid meant to take his own papers it looked like that ship had already sailed. Of course, he knew he needn’t be so secretive, especially around Max. Though the presence of an ordinary man here in a hidden monster enclave was something of an enigma to begin with, there were no secrets when it came to Max. He wore his heart on his sleeve, suspected nothing, and never thought to question. He also served as a litmus test for how the residents reacted to humans, and a much more obvious target than himself should a monstrous tenant seek to take out certain frustrations. Indeed, while the poor man seemed well-liked around here, he just couldn’t help himself when it came to monster-related misfortune, no matter how careful his fears prompted him to be. A person often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it, Khalid thought as he reached out to accept Max’s offering.

“Thank you, Erickson,” Khalid replied. While to most his words would still sound pretty formal, his omission of the typical honorific was a (dubious) honor few around here could claim. Not many monsters around here would ascribe superior standing to a human, so Khalid couldn’t afford to, either. That aside, he did not particularly like the way Max tended to look at him. Naturally he reasoned that the clerk’s trepidation treatment stemmed from his perception of Khalid as a monster, made all the more subtly menacing by his uncanny knack for disguising his true nature. But in his day Khalid had met plenty of humans who looked at him in much the same way. Not as a fellow, but as a possible threat. An ‘other’. At Umbra Rose Condos, at least, dehumanizing treatment was proof positive that his deception was working. On the most gullible and least threatening guy around, at least.

When Khalid looked over at the ladies, Rebecca seemed to be finishing up her form, so after a moment he returned his attention to Max. “You seem ill at ease…my friend,” he told the man, giving his low voice a dramatic and conspiratorial drawl. “It’s understandable, of course. Given all that you’ve seen, that was never meant for the human eye.” He held up the poster he’d printed out for Max to see. “As you no doubt noticed, I am offering a new service. Shoggoth Therapy, where monsters and mental health meet. You are no monster of course, but are we really so different?” Khalid affected a broad smile, all the more menacing for its lack of conventional menace. “If you ever wish you could simply sit and speak of what ails you, please feel free to visit for a nice chat.”

With that, Khalid turned his attention to the corkboard. Tacking his newly-printed poster to it took only seconds, but neatly folding and separating the business cards would take a little longer. Just long enough for Ms Holloway to finish her application, as it happened. When Max headed her way to pay the newcomer much more overt attention, the mysterious creature hidden within Rebecca’s clothes reared its head once more. In fact, it plopped down on the desk with a noise that more than justified a curious glance, and when Khalid looked over he witnessed the beast in all its scaly glory. It was…a normal snake? It was a decent size, its scales intricately patterned in impressive colors, but it seemed completely within the bounds of mundane biology as far as Khalid could tell. Not that normal animals -however exotic- were his forte. He continued watching, a little confused, as Rebecca draped her pet over her shoulders. So it was an independent entity after all, and while it could conceivably be some other kind of shapeshifter, Khalid knew better than anyone that Slick was no Shoggoth. With this discovery, the guessing game was back to square one.

As Rebecca began to wrap up her registration, Khalid pursed his lips and made a decision. He finished with his business cards, slipped them into his pocket, and strolled over. With the inception of Shoggoth Therapy, his time of detached observation in the background was officially coming to an end. It was time to step into the limelight.

“Since introductions are in order, please allow me to do so as well,” he began, his tone affable. He kept a respectful distance from Holloway as he sidled up to the counter, not approaching her from behind. “Welcome to our humble hideaway. I am Khalid Alhazred, the resident Shoggoth. As it happens, I am just now launching a program called Shoggoth Therapy. For now I am but an understudy, but it would be my pleasure to chat with each and every member of our colorful community. Which now, of course, includes you. So please stop by room 3-106 any time.”

With that, Khalid carefully laid two business cards on the reception desk, stacked so that the top one hid the bottom. Even if Rebecca declined to take one, there would be one apiece for both Max and Theria, either to keep or to pass on to whomever they wished. It wasn’t by accident that he was discussing Shoggoth Therapy with some of the most well-known individuals around.
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