[IC] Chicago After Hours

[KazAlkemi]

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Caden

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Location: Caden’s Home – Chicago, IL
Skills: Notice;

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I sit back up and set my water on the table. ”Not nowadays, but in the early 2000s, yes it would have been. You see, the government of Chicago pulled leaders from the supernatural communities to make a treaty. The crime rate in Chicago used to be extensive, and it still isn’t perfect, but there aren’t as many supernatural deaths anymore now because of the treaty. But that treaty didn’t come into play until 2011. So, for you to be undetected and as an immigrant family, is impressive. It saddens me that after the treaty, you had to experience this pain. Although, the Chimera is not native to America, and the one we fought is not even of this world.” I stand and pour myself a gin n’ tonic.

[Donut Look Now]

Nic Wu

Location: Caden’s Mansion - Chicago, IL
Skills:

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I scramble to grab my notebook and pen, rushing to take notes of what Caden is saying. When he stands and I finish, I look up. ”Is it okay if I take notes?” I ask him. I feel like I’m missing a piece of this elaborate puzzle as I mull over Caden’s observations. Some childhood memories of conversations with my parents come to mind. “I can remember my parents mentioning how much violence there was in the city when they first moved here. They always said it was a scary time to be here.” I bite my lip and furrow my brow as I try to remember any other details.

[KazAlkemi]

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Caden

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Location: Caden’s Home – Chicago, IL
Skills: Notice;

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”You may, just make sure you leave them in a place no one else will find. Not every human knows of our existence. A team on the police force deals directly with us, the entire government, and a few other humans here and there, but most of the human faction does not know of our existence. You cannot tell your father, Nic. No one at work, no one on the bus. Do you understand?” I won’t go on answering his questions if he doesn’t agree to these terms. Guarding my world is an important task I and all supernatural creatures in Chicago uphold.

I knew it would be difficult to keep it from his father, considering all that the man had been through, but it was our duty to protect him as well.

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Caden’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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I shift uncomfortably in my seat. I know Caden isn’t talking to me, but there was a commanding note in his voice that made me want to obey him — even though I was part of the supernatural community. I sip my whiskey, staring at the coffee table, waiting for Nic to answer.

I know he’ll say yes. He wants to know these things, help apparently, but I didn’t think he really understood what he was getting himself into. Maybe now he would. It wasn’t too late to bow out and return to a normal life for him. We could help him and his dad with that.

[Donut Look Now]

Nic Wu

Location: Caden’s Mansion - Chicago, IL
Skills:

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I crinkle an eyebrow - I might sometimes be naive and believe in the best of people, but I’m not a child. Leaning forward, I look Caden in the eyes. “I’m not a gossip and even if I were, that would be pretty stupid of me. On one hand, it would be completely disrespecting both of you, two of the…” I’m not sure how to refer to them, so I awkwardly move on. “People to save my only family left. Plus, based on everything you have both said already, I’d be signing my own death warrant as well as my father’s.” I clear my throat. “So yes, I understand.” I say while trying to keep my tone free of ‘Duh’. ”No offense.” I mumble the last part.

[KazAlkemi]

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Caden

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Location: Caden’s Home – Chicago, IL
Skills: Notice;

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”None taken, but you understand why I had to say it. Now, what is your next question?” I take a sip of my drink before glancing at Cassiopeia’s to see if she needs another. She shakes her head at me and I nod before refocusing on Nic.

[Donut Look Now]

Nic Wu

Location: Caden’s Mansion - Chicago, IL
Skills:

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I nod in response before I ask my next question. “I guess the first question would be about the… ‘Factions’? I’m unsure of how to phrase the question and even more unsure what to actually call each species. ”I know there are, uh, witches, demons, and…” I stop myself short. ”How do I ask, er, what you are exactly without coming across as offensive?”

[KazAlkemi]

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Caden

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Location: Caden’s Home – Chicago, IL
Skills: Notice; Shapeshifting

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”Ah, yes. My favourite part,” I grin and look at Cassi. She rolls her eyes at me but she's smiling. Within seconds there is another Cassiopeia in the room smiling back at her.

I look at Nic. ”I can change my form. In America, we're called skinwalkers, but there is a different name for us all around the world,” I say, sounding eerily like Cassi. I shift back into my handsome self and give Nic a minute if he needs.

[Donut Look Now]

Nic Wu

Location: Caden’s Mansion - Chicago, IL
Skills:

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I blink a couple of times to give myself time to process this before I say, ”Right, so immortal god, got it.” I nod to myself. It was a little unnerving to have two Cassiopeia’s in the room but I didn’t want to come off as offensive, so I resorted to joking instead.

”So, what other, er, species are there” I’m using shorthand for my notes, making it a little harder for anyone to read them as anything but nonsense.

[KazAlkemi]

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Caden

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Location: Caden’s Home – Chicago, IL
Skills: Notice;

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"Let's start with the factions of Chicago. If I were to give you every supernatural species, we would be here until the morning. There is the human faction, the vampire faction, the werewolf faction, the witch faction ---."

"Not me," Cassi chimed in. I smirked at her.

"Not Cassi as she is a sorcerer, and the skinwalker faction, also not me as I am not from the Chicago bloodline. If it helps, you can think of the factions as mob families. The head of each faction signed this treaty back in 2011 agreeing not to harm humans and to help aid in the protection of humans, as well as other supernatural creatures native to Chicago. Now, it isn't always easy. Everyone is fighting for rights and territories, but they get along on paper. You also know there are demons, which means there are angels. However, angels and demons stick to their own. They are nuciances really," I inform Nic.

"I'm telling Nero you think they are a nuisance," Cassi declared.

I chuckled and leaned back once more. "By all means."

[Donut Look Now]

Nic Wu

Location: Caden’s Mansion - Chicago, IL
Skills:

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My hand works quickly to write this all down. I feel a little guilty at the mention of Nero. ”So, why is Nero here then? If demons stick to themselves, I mean.” These two are talking about them like they’re still around. I look around like they might magically appear and perform their weird little antics.

[KazAlkemi]

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Caden

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Location: Caden’s Home – Chicago, IL
Skills: Notice;

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"That would be because the creature that killed your mom is from hell. It escaped. Nero was sent to take care of it," I explain. I sip my drink and glance at Cassiopeia who has become unhelpfully silent. I knew she had her problems with demons, but I was hoping for some backup with Nero. They did help slay the beast after all. They never mentioned Crowley's reaction, but I'm sure the king of hell wasn't pleased, and whoever made the creature would likely want to take a chunk out of Nero upon their return. All the more reason for them to stay topside. With me.

[Donut Look Now]

Nic Wu

Location: Caden’s Mansion - Chicago, IL
Skills:

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I digest this information, trying not to spend too much of my thoughts at the mention of my mother. “So then, heaven and hell are actual places?” It’s more of a rhetorical question than anything else. I glance down at my notes and remember the information I had researched yesterday. I flip the notebook to those pages and ask, ”I don’t know if this is helpful or not, but I spoke with the other trauma hospitals in the city about these attacks and gathered my own information.” I clear my throat, not wanting to mention the fact that I had originally putting my little report together to uncover the truth.

[KazAlkemi]

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Caden

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Location: Caden’s Home – Chicago, IL
Skills: Notice;

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Cassi and I exchange glances at this news. I look at Nic and lean forward once more. "I hope you understand how dangerous that was, Nic. Nero is not like other demons, they have a growing appreciation for humans. If another demon was sent to clean up the mess and we didn't solve the problem in time, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"Incredibly stupid. Reckless. Too smart for your own good," Cassi mutters. She finishes the rest of her whiskey in one swallow, getting up to pour herself another.

"We understand why you did what you did, but I implore you not to go looking for trouble, alright? It is one thing for people like me and Cassi to, but another for you. You are not invincible," I tell Nic seriously.

[Donut Look Now]

Nic Wu

Location: Caden’s Mansion - Chicago, IL
Skills:

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Staring at the floor, I clench my jaw. Knowing what I do now, it was incredibly stupid of me to stick my nose in all of this. ”You’re right.” Then the other part of what Caden says hits me and I look back up. ”Wait, but Nero said they were going to kill me in the morgue - why haven’t they?” I glance between Caden and Cass.

[KazAlkemi]

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Caden

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Location: Caden’s Home – Chicago, IL
Skills: Notice;

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Cassiopeia visibly relaxes when Nic admits to being wrong. She curls back up onto the couch, eating another sushi roll. The majority of it is gone now. I made sure the staff didn't make too much. Sushi did not last well into the next day.

Nic's next question makes me chuckle. "Because Nero is a prankster and a shit disturber. They won't kill you," I assure Nic. "But that's not to say others won't want to. You are a part of this world now. That makes you a target."

"How do you feel about tattoos?" Cassi asks after swallowing her roll. At least she swallowed. I've known her to just talk with her mouth full.

[Donut Look Now]

Nic Wu

Location: Caden’s Mansion - Chicago, IL
Skills:

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That explanation doesn’t make me feel much better, but Caden seems sure that the tiny thing won’t kill me. I wince a little when I remember how hard that ‘tiny thing’ had pushed me last night. Yeah, Nero could have definitely killed me already if they wanted to. I turn to look at Cass when she asks a question. ”Uh, neutral I guess? Why?” Before she answers I look at Caden to say, ”Can you teach me ways to defend myself then if I’ma target?”

[KazAlkemi]

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Caden

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Location: Caden’s Home – Chicago, IL
Skills: Notice;

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I smile happily, encouraged by Nic's initiative and nod. "Certainly. You can train with Avery and I, if you wish. He's my training coach. And the tattoo is because we can give you an anti-possession tattoo."

"Demons can possess any body they want, dead or alive, but anti-possession tattoos prevent them from being able to inhabit that body. Angels have to ask for permission before they can enter a host body," Cassi explains. I remain quiet, letting that fun fact take its time being absorbed.

[Donut Look Now]

Nic Wu

Location: Caden’s Mansion - Chicago, IL
Skills:

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I take a quick note of that while nodding and mulling that over. Looks like I’m getting a tattoo. ”So, do you guys have an artist you recommend or…? I scrunch my brow as I read my last note. ”Wait, does that mean Nero is like… holding someone’s body hostage then?” I would also need to try and convince my dad to get a tattoo too, but that might be hard to do given his generation’s hatred for tattoos.

[KazAlkemi]

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Cassiopeia Claire Alistair

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Location: Caden’s House – Chicago, IL
Skills:

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"Me, actually," I say. I didn't do mine, of course, but I had done Caden's and several others. It was after I had looked up other ways to keep people save from possession, disease, and other supernatural things. I found if I used ruins and set an intention, I could ward people from all sorts of things. The only thing was they only worked if the sorcerer cast them, so I took up the art of tattooing. After that it became a bit of an obsession.

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Caden

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Location: Caden’s Home – Chicago, IL
Skills: Notice;

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"Fortunately no. The soul in Nero's body has long since left this world," I say, answering Nic's other questions. "And before you ask, I am not going into the scientifics of how that possibly works with a dead body. I have spent too many sleepless nights awake debating that with many people. Besides, that subject of conversation has nothing to do with why we are here today."

Henry walks into the room and nods to me. "Supper is served, sir."

"Excellent. The rest of you have eaten?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. I have nothing pressing, Henry. You may dismiss the staff for the evening. They can use the pool if they wish or take some cars into town."

"Are you sure, sir?"

"Yes, the three of us can bring out the dessert after, and I can manage the dishes."

Henry visibly brightens at the idea of having an early night off.

"Thank you, sir." He bows his head before hurrying from the room to let the others know.

"Shall we?" I look to Cassi and Nic. Cassi stands and leads the way into the dining room.

[Donut Look Now]

Nic Wu

Location: Caden’s Mansion - Chicago, IL
Skills:

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My eyebrows raise in surprise and amazement at Cass’s revelation before I turn to Caden as he speaks. Why is he defending Nero? I thought he said demons were a nuisance. Before I have time to reply to either of them, a staff member walks in to speak with Caden. I try my best not to just stare and eavesdrop on their conversation, but it’s kind of mesmerizing how well Caden takes care of his staff. Even though it’s clear that Henry is excited to take the night off, he isn’t visibly surprised by Caden’s offer.

Standing up, I stride over to stand near Cassi as she leads the way. ”You know, if you’re doing the tattoo, my dad might actually let you do it. I was just worrying about how to convince him to…” My mouth falls slightly open when we enter the dining room, my sentence trailing off before I can finish it. ”Caden, your house is gorgeous.” I say, mesmerized by the design. I almost want to ask him if he can hire me as part of his staff too.