Shin Ghost Note

Recollections: The Compendium

AEGIS.PIERCER
| The Unyielding Crossbow | "The past protects the present." ORIGINS & CREATIONS: | The Aegis Piercers were crafted by the skilled artisans of the Amazon tribe, utilizing both natural materials and ancient magical practices. These weapons were designed to defend Themyscira, their enchanted island home, against external threats. The Amazons imbued each Aegis Piercer with dimensional properties, allowing it to function as an extraordinary weapon in their efforts to maintain peace and safety. | TYPE: | Marbal Crossbow | LOCATION: | Most Aegis Piercers remain safeguarded on Themyscira, which the Amazons use to protect their island. However, a few have been smuggled off the island and sold on the black market. These stolen weapons have found their way into the hands of various unsavory individuals and organizations, making them highly sought-after artifacts across the globe. | NOTABLE OWNERS: | Over the years, various Aegis Piercers have been used by members of the Amazon tribe, but specific notable owners remain undocumented due to the secretive nature of their society. Some of these artifacts have fallen into the hands of unknown wielders who possess great skill. | ABSTRACTION-GRANTING: | No. |	The Aegis Piercer is a formidable crossbow constructed from enchanting stone marble, giving it an elegant yet robust appearance. At first glance, it appears too heavy to wield effectively; however, the weapon's design allows for effortless use, even by those who might seem physically inadequate. This versatility is one reason Aegis Piercers are a standard issue for the Amazons, as warriors of all shapes and sizes can utilize them. One of the most remarkable features of the Aegis Piercer is its seemingly limitless supply of arrows. An arrow materializes with a simple trigger pull and is fired at the intended target. This functionality gives the wielder a distinct advantage in combat situations, ensuring they are never at a loss for ammunition. The arrows can bypass defenses, allowing them to reach targets even through solid barriers. This capability makes Aegis Piercers versatile in ranged attacks, as they can effectively neutralize threats behind walls or obstacles. The arrows are imbued with a dimensional traveling ability, allowing them to phase momentarily between different dimensions. This power enables the arrows to ignore conventional laws of physics and logic, allowing them to penetrate armor or even strike multiple targets in a single shot. The user can send an arrow through a barrier or target an enemy hiding behind another. Despite their formidable capabilities, the arrows of the Aegis Piercer are functionally regular. They are supernaturally armor-piercing but lack additional magical properties. This distinction means that while the arrows can bypass defenses, they must still strike their target to be effective. Users of the Aegis Piercer must possess skill and accuracy to maximize the weapon's potential, ensuring that each shot counts in the face of danger. Over the years, the Amazons have relied heavily on Aegis Piercers as standard weapons for defending their island. ...........................................................................................

Recollections: The Compendium

Yūkōno.Toki
| The Frozen Blade of Time | "All shall be held in place in the stillness of time." ORIGINS & CREATIONS: | Yūkōno Toki was crafted centuries ago by a renowned Onmyoji, a master of spiritual and supernatural arts, who sought to create a weapon to protect the world from the encroaching darkness of demons and evil spirits. The Onmyoji poured their spiritual energy and profound knowledge of the ethereal realm into the blade, imbuing it with the unique ability to manipulate time for whatever it strikes. This weapon was designed to serve the Oni-Kariudo, ensuring their most potent adversaries could be contained and thwarted. | TYPE: | | LOCATION: | Yūkōno Toki remains on Akira's person. Constantly. | NOTABLE OWNERS: | Throughout history, the blade has been wielded by several different Oni-Kariudo. Notably, Haruki Shinjo was a member of the Yokai Extermination Brigade, an imperial Japanese unit that utilized magic to combat supernatural threats. While the brigade aimed to protect the populace, it also committed numerous war crimes during World War II. Following him, the next wielder of the blade is Akira Shinjo, who now employs it as part of the Spirit Wardens, working alongside the Paranormal Response Authority (PRA) by extension. | ABSTRACTION-GRANTING: | No. |	Yūkōno Toki is a blade of exquisite craftsmanship, meticulously forged and adorned with intricate symbols that glow faintly when activated. Made from a unique metal that resonates with magical properties, the weapon feels balanced in the wielder's hand, embodying a connection to the forces that grant it power. This blade is not merely a tool; it is an extension of the wielder's will, designed to serve in the most critical moments of battle against supernatural threats. The primary ability of Yūkōno Toki is its power to freeze anything it strikes in time, rendering the target an immutable fixture for a duration ranging from thirty seconds to thirty minutes. The ability to neutralize threats temporarily allows for creative maneuvering in combat scenarios, transforming the tide of battle by immobilizing powerful adversaries or key objects that may pose a risk. One of the most significant aspects of Yūkōno Toki is its unique capacity to bypass Emotional-Fields and other measures that might typically shield an opponent from harm. This makes it a formidable tool against even the most resilient foes, as traditional defenses become ineffective against the blade’s time-stopping power. Despite its formidable abilities, Yūkōno Toki does have limitations that require the wielder to exercise caution and precision. The freezing effect can only be applied to one target at a time; if another object or enemy is struck, the previous target will be released from its frozen state. The weapon is intuitively connected to its bearer, ensuring it will only freeze objects when there is a conscious intention. This connection fosters a deep bond between the wielder and the blade, allowing for effective use of Yūkōno Toki. In addition to its time-freezing abilities, Yūkōno Toki can also be wielded as a traditional katana. The blade's sharp edge can easily cut through various materials, and its touch burns Yokai, inflicting both physical and magical damage upon these supernatural beings. .......................................................................................

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

I was working on reworking some abstractions (of mainly Adepts) and ended up reworking entire NPC sheets lol

Kashmira.Sarai
18 | Kashmira Sarai | She/Her "I have seen things that are proof that Shiva is a blesser."	Description: Often affectionately referred to as Kash, Mira, or, in a light-hearted twist, Doctor Sarai, Kashmira Sarai is a cheerful and spirited young woman hailing from Ahmedabad, India. She moved to America as a young girl, and the transition was a significant culture shock. However, Kashmira treasures her Indian roots and remains deeply connected to her heritage. A devoted follower of Shaivism, a form of Hinduism, she celebrates the vibrant holidays of her childhood with enthusiasm and reverence. Growing up alongside her twin sister, Rashmika, Kashmira was raised in a loving environment emphasizing kindness, compassion, and the importance of making the world a better place—a principle rooted in Dharma. Her warm personality and quirky eccentricities make her approachable, but she often grapples with her idealism, stubbornness, and occasional close-mindedness. Standing at just four feet ten inches, Kashmira is slim and curvy due to her healthy diet and active lifestyle. Kashmira comes from a long line of Green Adepts, a lineage divided by their sects of Hinduism, each believing themselves to be blessed by their chosen deities. This rich heritage, however, comes with its challenges; the Sarai family has made numerous enemies in India and throughout Asia due to past conflicts. A turning point in Kashmira’s life occurred one fateful night when an Apparition, seeking revenge for an unfulfilled pact made by her grandmother, Hanumanta Patel, attacked her and Rashmika. This traumatic encounter led both sisters to undergo their Kindling Event, awakening their connection to Green Lux. Although their mother intervened to save them, the incident prompted the family to leave India, as the growing number of adversaries proved too dangerous to ignore. The Sarai family eventually settled in St. Portwell, where Kashmira secretly honed her abilities with her Green Lux. She discovered that her Affinity lay in healing wounds and augmenting biological functions, allowing her to help those in need. Initially struggling to adapt to the American school system, she persevered and, through sheer determination, became a top student. While sometimes feeling out of place among her peers, she found camaraderie with fellow Indian students. She became a familiar face at local Indian restaurants, where she relished the comfort of familiar flavors and traditions. Now in her final year of high school, Kashmira aspires to become a doctor, driven by her desire to heal and protect life. Recently, through a budding friendship with Pearl, she became the newest member of the Greenwood Coven, drawn to their mission of maintaining balance in the world and safeguarding the sanctity of life. Having joined only a few weeks ago, she proudly holds the title of Green Shaman, a role that aligns perfectly with her ideals and aspirations. Abstraction: Adept - Green Lux. Channeler: Grandmother's Jewel Necklace. Healing: Kashmira gently places her hands over a wound, channeling her Green Lux to accelerate the healing process. This spell can close cuts, mend broken bones, and alleviate pain—the more severe the injury, the more energy it requires from her. Healing-Field: The Healing Field is a specialized spell that creates a broad area, extending up to thirty meters, where Kashmira can channel her Green Lux to promote healing among multiple individuals simultaneously. Within its confines, all individuals experience a gradual healing effect; however, injuries mend more slowly than with their primary healing spell, making it more effective for minor injuries rather than critical conditions. To maintain the Healing Field, Kashmira must remain stationary and sing a song in her native tongue, allowing her to focus her energy. This process demands a steady flow of energy from her, limiting her time to sustain it before exhaustion sets in. Due to its slower healing process, she typically reserves its use for exceptionally safe or controlled situations. Dermal-Boost: A specialized ability that allows Kashmira to enhance the durability of an individual’s skin and bones while maintaining physical contact. This spell fortifies the body, enabling the recipient to withstand and shrug off the effects of most small arms, offering a protective barrier against bodily harm. However, it’s important to note that while the increased durability helps absorb and deflect external threats, it does not negate the force of the impact itself; recipients will still experience pain from any blows received. Life Bloom: Kashmira channels her Green Lux into the earth by singing, unleashing an explosive surge of plant growth in a designated area. This spell causes vegetation to sprout rapidly, instantly creating a vibrant, lush landscape. Vine-Bind: Vine Bind is a spell that allows Kashmira to summon plants to trap and immobilize her foes. When cast, vines and roots surge from the ground, wrapping around the target's limbs and restricting their movement. This spell is particularly effective in natural environments, where the abundance of flora amplifies its potency. While it can effectively bind multiple enemies simultaneously, Kashmira must concentrate on maintaining the spell, requiring a steady flow of her Green Lux to keep the vines active. Nature's Barrier: Nature's Barrier is a defensive spell that enables Kashmira to create a protective wall or dome of intertwined plants and foliage. Depending on her needs, she can shape this barrier in various forms - a solid wall, a protective dome, or even a maze - to cover her allies. The barrier’s strength and duration depend on the amount of Green Lux Kashmira channels into it, making it essential for her to remain focused and dedicated during its creation. Pathmaker: Pathmaker is a spell that allows Kashmira to summon massive tree trunks, roots, or vines that extend upward or across great distances, creating pathways for her. When activated, towering trunks and thick roots burst forth from the ground, forming a sturdy and flexible bridge or staircase she can climb or walk upon. This spell not only provides her with access to elevated areas but can also be used to connect distant points. The pathways are imbued with her Green Lux, granting them a degree of resilience against external forces. However, maintaining these structures requires her total concentration, and their stability is contingent on the energy she invests in the spell.
Jade.Blackmore
26 | Jade Patricia Blackmore | She/Her "Want mamma Jade to kiss it and make it better? Ha!"	Description: Née West. Jade West was a bright and spirited girl growing up in Columbia, South Carolina. The daughter of a close-knit family, she spent her early years immersed in Southern culture, where Sunday dinners and church gatherings were staples of her upbringing. Jade was known for her infectious laughter and boundless curiosity, often spending her weekends exploring her hometown's lush parks and vibrant neighborhoods. She enjoyed childhood freedom, riding her bike through sun-drenched streets, climbing trees with friends, and dreaming of the future while gazing at the sprawling Carolina skies. However, her idyllic childhood was tinged with uncertainty as her father’s job opportunity loomed on the horizon. The impending move filled her with excitement and trepidation as she grappled with the fear of leaving behind the only home she had ever known, unaware of the life-altering events awaiting her in St. Portwell. This abrupt change introduced her to an entirely different environment, filled with new faces and customs that felt foreign. As a young girl navigating the complexities of adolescence in a new city, Jade was already facing the challenges of fitting in and finding her identity when disaster struck. St. Portwell was caught in the chaos of the Stygian Snake’s rampage, an Apparition that wreaked havoc and terror throughout the city. It was during this tumultuous time that her life would forever change as the Stygian Snake came dangerously close to ending her life. Drake Blackmore emerged as her savior during this harrowing experience. This act forged a bond between them and set Jade on a path she had never anticipated. The near-death experience awakened something within her—Green Lux. She then joined the Sycamore Tree Coven, a group of children dedicated to combating the Stygian Snake, where her Green Lux was crucial in their efforts, and she has saved dozens of lives. After the Stygian Snake was ultimately defeated, Jade’s journey took another turn. While she had found a family in the Coven, the environment began to shift, becoming toxic and divisive. She decided to leave, recognizing its effects on her spirit and relationship with Drake. Their romance blossomed into a deep, loving partnership with Drake by her side. Their shared experiences fortified their bond, and Jade’s dreams of becoming a doctor took shape as she enrolled in medical school. Jade envisioned a life dedicated to caring for others, embodying the same selflessness that had driven her during the Stygian Snake’s assault. Jade and Drake built a life together and shared aspirations. However, it all fell apart instantly when tragedy struck during a vacation trip to New Orleans. In a cruel twist of fate, Jade was murdered by Father World, leaving Drake devastated and lost in a sea of grief. Her sudden absence sent shockwaves through his life and the lives of those who knew her. In the wake of her death, the impact of Jade’s life and loss reverberated throughout St. Portwell and beyond. Friends, colleagues, and even former Coven members mourned her passing, each remembering her as a beacon of hope and passion. Jade was a skinny African-American woman who always wore her hair naturally and always wore sunglasses. Abstraction: Adept - Green Lux. Channeler: Her Wedding Ring. Healing: Jade channels her Green Lux to infuse healing energy into an injured individual, significantly accelerating their natural healing processes. This potent spell can heal wounds, mend broken bones, and alleviate illnesses, making it particularly effective in life-threatening situations. This spell also restored someone's stamina, which was crucial in the fight against the Stygian Snake. Biological-Scan: Biological Scan is a powerful spell that allows Jade to examine an individual's biological makeup through physical contact. When she touches someone, her Green Lux activates, creating a unique connection that enables her to perceive the intricate details of their anatomy, cellular structure, and overall health. This spell reveals critical information, such as injuries, diseases, or underlying medical conditions that may not be immediately visible. Jade's ability to read these biological signals has been a game-changer in life-or-death situations, allowing her to provide timely interventions or emergency treatments that save lives. Cleansing Wave: In this spell, Jade emits a surge of Green Lux, creating a vital wave that purges toxins, venom, and harmful substances from individuals and their surroundings. When activated, this spell radiates a green light that envelops those affected by poisons or diseases, neutralizing the toxic effects. The wave not only targets physical ailments but also works to purify the environment, making it safe for those nearby. Adrenaline Spike: This spell activates Jade's innate abilities during stress or danger, heightening her physical prowess. When activated, she experiences a surge of adrenaline that enhances her speed, strength, and reflexes to superhuman levels for a short duration. The spell can be triggered instinctively or consciously, enabling her to react quickly in emergencies or combat. Titan Arms: Jade can allow her arms to become incredibly muscular and durable, allowing her to perform feats of strength far beyond her standard capabilities. This spell is useful for combat, lifting heavy objects, or performing physical tasks that require exceptional strength. It lasts as long as she maintains concentration. Enhanced Senses: Jade sharpens one of her senses (smell, sight, or hearing) to superhuman levels depending on the situation. When activated, this spell sharpens her chosen sense to extraordinary levels, allowing her to detect even the faintest scents, perceive minute details in her surroundings, or hear sounds that would typically be inaudible to the average person.

Recollections: The Compendium

WITCHES.BROOM
| (A Ghost Note: Brain no work rn, will come up later) | "Swift and simple." ORIGINS & CREATIONS: | The Witches Broom was mass-produced by a coven of witches in Ravenscroft, Massachusetts. Created with a blend of mundane materials and simple flight enchantments, the broom was originally intended for the Coven's members to use for transport during rituals and gatherings. Over time, the design was simplified, allowing for the mass production of enchanted brooms distributed throughout the Paranormal underground as a practical method of supernatural travel. | TYPE: | Artifact (Broom) | LOCATION: | The last known batch of Witches Brooms was sold at a market in Miami, Florida, though many are now scattered across various Paranormal communities. Some are even rumored to be in the hands of unaware humans, passed down as mere antiques. | NOTABLE OWNERS: | N/A. | ABSTRACTION-GRANTING: | No. | .............................................................................	The Witches Broom is a seemingly ordinary broom crafted from wood and straw, enchanted with a simple but effective spell that allows its user to fly. While lacking in complexity or grandeur, the Witches Broom became wildly popular due to its accessibility and ease of use. Unlike more sophisticated flight artifacts, it requires no deep understanding of magic; the user needs only focus their will on the broom, which will obey, lifting them into the air and carrying them swiftly to their destination. The user’s intent controls the broom’s flight capabilities, making it simple to maneuver and maintain balance, even for those with little experience in magic. It can reach impressive speeds, but its main appeal lies in its reliable and straightforward design. While flying, the broom produces an aura of faint magical energy, protecting the user from high winds and minor atmospheric disturbances but offering little defense. The Witches Broom is typically favored by Paranormals who need quick transportation. Still, over time, it has found its way into the hands of thieves, adventurers, and even curious humans who stumble upon the enchanted item. While not designed for combat, its practical utility has become a staple among Paranormal travelers for centuries. Some individuals have crafted custom versions of the Witches Broom, enhancing its speed and durability or adding unique magical features, though these remain rare compared to the standard design.

Paragraphs: Agents of Death [FernStone & Shin Ghost Note]

---

---

Lisa’s eyes were fixed on the massive, floating landmass above her, and she looked on in awe. The sheer size of the place made her feel impossibly small. Lisa strained her eyes; she could see the faint outlines of buildings - towers maybe - dotting the top. Though she turned to Yoko and said,

”That’s the Kingdom?” Lisa pointed, laughing. ”It’s not what I expected at all.”

Yoko’s sigh brought Lisa back to reality, as she said, ”Yes, Turner, that is the Kingdom.”

”Why didn’t you tell us it’s floating in the sky?!” Lisa said.

Yoko didn’t respond.

”... Why didn’t you tell us it was in the sky!?”

The silence stretched uncomfortably until Yoko sighed.

”... Because I didn’t know it’d be floating, Turner,” Yoko crossed her arms. ”The Pit is home to some extraordinary things…”

”Then how do we know its our Kingdom? It could be some other Kingdom for all we know!” Lisa said.

Yoko pivoted towards Lisa, and pointed up towards the Kingdom.

”One, I was tracking Autoknight movements for ages now, it all comes from and leads to this direction,” Then Yoko pointed at the Autoknight airships coming from the Kingdom, and returning. ”And two… aren’t those the Autoknight airships.”

"If Yoko says it's the kingdom, I believe it is! And those are Autoknight ships!" Ella said cheerfully.

Saskia had finally stood up, silently backing up Lisa in her questioning by standing behind her. "... I suppose it looks right. But how do we get up there without getting caught? A giant flying spider isn't exactly inconspicuous."

”We could try bouncing off…” Lisa tried to joke, glancing at Ella’s rear, but she ended up choking. She sighed… as she wasn’t in the mood after what they had done earlier. The screams of those children as Saskia put them out of their misery. It was for the greater good, Lisa said. It was to help them, Lisa said. Because death is a better alternative to living in the Pit and getting eaten by a monster… yet, the doubts clung to Lisa. The guilt clung to her.

Would she ever escape it?

”... Never mind,” Lisa said, turning away, and Yoko just nodded.

”We have four options,” Yoko said, before she raised one finger. ”One; we use Turner’s spiders to fly up there… I’m certain if we tried, we’d get riddled with holes before we made landfall.”

Then raised another finger.

”Two, we climb up the chains; some of them are close enough to the surface that maybe we can climb from there.”

Then raised a third finger.

”Three; we either hijack or stowaway on one of their airships… Which seems easier said than done because we don’t know where they land.”

Then Yoko paused for a moment and then sighed.

”And I know my decisions have put you three in danger two times already…” Yoko raised a fourth finger before she said, ”... We let ourselves get captured and brought into the Kindom.”

Lisa glanced up at the Kingdom for a few more moments as she considered Yoko’s words and then at Yoko herself. Something about Yoko's demeanor cut through the exhaustion Lisa felt. Then Lisa spoke in a low tone…

”... Is that really our best option, Yoko?” Lisa asked, tilting her head. ”Just hand our asses over to them on a silver platter?”

Saskia nodded in agreement with what Lisa was saying, standing right behind her and watching Yoko with narrowed eyes.

”Turner…” Yoko rolled her eyes, and sighed. ”Just why are you acting like I’m suggesting we just surrender? Like I don’t have a plan?”

Yoko's tone and the way she rolled her eyes all felt too dismissive for her liking. It reminded her of the way some members of the Old Coven spoke to her.

She didn’t like that.

”Because, Yoko, ‘Let’s get captured’ and ‘Surrender’ sound the exact fucking same to me,” As Lisa spoke, her gaze went upwards towards the Kingdom, before her eyes met Yoko’s. ”Say we agree to your plan… well, what exactly is it?”

Yoko met Lisa’s gaze, and for a brief moment, they were intensely staring at each other before Yoko turned away and took a few steps. Then, she explained her plan, ”It all revolves around a spell of mine… Compact. I can teach it to the Disc- Brooks, if needed. As the name suggests, it allows you to compact an item with Orange Lux for more accessible transport. From my testing, channelers do still work as long as you are aware it’s your channeler.”

Then Yoko glanced over her shoulder at Lisa, ”So, we compact our channelers and whatever artifacts we need. Let them bring us up there, and then we catch them off guard and break free.”

Lisa’s eyes remained fixed on Yoko, absorbing the details of her plan. She wasn’t entirely sold, but at least Yoko seemed to be thinking ahead.

Then Yoko shrugged before turning back to face Lisa fully.

”But, that’s only if we all agree on it,” Yoko began, taking a few steps forward towards Lisa, and once she was close, she put a hand on her shoulder. ”Because we’re in this together, Turner. If you, Brooks, or Otten are not on board, we’ll just have to find another way.” She smiled at Lisa, and Lisa smiled back.

”... Your breath smells terrible, by the way,” Lisa noted.

”... And I’m sure it does.” Yoko answered, deadpan.

Both Ella and Saskia were silent for a moment, seeming to think. Even Ella seemed hesitant about the idea.

"I think… It's the best plan. If I learn the spell, we can probably bring all our artifacts…" Ella said eventually.

Saskia was still silent. They stepped forward, hooking their arm around Lisa’s and dragging her away from the other two. They pulled her enough away that they were still in sight of Yoko and Ella, but out of earshot.

"I don’t trust her," Saskia said quietly.

”I mean… it seems a little bit reckless… she seems reckless…” Lisa said… before the static-y voice appeared, opening with a very sarcastic snort.

...?...?...?...-pot…?...?...?...?...black.

”... I mean, what other option do we have?” Lisa just shrugged. ”I don’t trust her either - well, not completely - but I don’t have any better ideas right now. But, if you have a problem, just say something.”

"I don’t have any better ideas but…" Saskia frowned, folding her arms. "I want to make sure we’re on the same page. We do this plan, but she does anything out of line, we kill her."

Lisa was silent momentarily as the weight of Saskia’s words set in… On one hand, she was Ella’s friend and she couldn’t bring herself to hurt her. On the other, the Mother Will’s words were still fresh on her mind… Yoko didn’t care about her. Yoko didn’t care about any of them until they started being beneficial to her. She probably wouldn’t care if she was in the above world.

The Mother Will rose from the ground, yet only Lisa could perceive her - she laid her chilling hands on her shoulders and gave her a seductive whisper, “... Hatanaka is a fool. Only concerned about her family legacy.”

Lisa stood there.

“She sees the Pit, its offerings, as a proving ground. She wants to prove to not just the world but herself, that she is worthy. That she holds strength,” The Mother Will laughed. “Bah! She is using you like the others were… She only sees you as nothing more as a merit to prove herself.”

The Mother Will laughed lowly before saying,

“... You should show her what it means to have power.”

Then she disappeared.

It appeared as if Lisa was standing there saying nothing for about a minute.

”... Yes.” Lisa nodded at Saskia. Yet, there was something about that… it just didn’t sit right with her. Lisa tapped her fingertips together, ”Maybe we should talk to Yoko and the others about this.”

"... about us planning to kill her?" Saskia tilted their head, looking confused.
Took her glasses off.

Lisa facepalmed.

”Yes, let’s go full dicks out and tell Yoko we’re planning to eat her,” Lisa said, completely monotone. ”Did you have an Ella moment?”

"It's the blood loss," Saskia intoned, also completely monotone. "Fine, let's talk to her- them. Maybe she'll show her true colours, or do better. You do the talking, though."

The static-y voice appeared in their heads yet again.

… ?...?...?...means well…?...?... She wants-...?...?...?...you all.

Lisa slid her glasses back on. ”Who does- actually, I’m not in the mood right now weird voice.”

…?...?...?...Yoko. Yoko. Yoko-...?...?...?...How can…?...?... hurt her…?...?...?... biggest tiddies…?...?...?...see.

”Wait, what?” Lisa turned her head to the sky. ”Who does?”

…?...?...?... Yoko…?...?...?...-ko…?...?..?...Yoko.

”... Maybe hurting Yoko isn’t the right choice.”

Saskia tilted their head. "Yoko has the biggest tiddies? Bigger than Ella's? And she's hidden them this whole time? That's not very trustworthy…"

Saskia's gaze turned to Yoko. Then very obviously down to her chest. Then, they grabbed Lisa's hand. "Let's ask."

…?...?...? No, please-

The voice tried to plead as Saskia dragged Lisa right back over, not even waiting a beat before bluntly asking, "Yoko, are you hiding a pair of tits bigger than Ella's?"

…?...?... What have I started?

Yoko raised an eyebrow - though it was on Lisa’s mind.

Then Yoko sighed.

”... One, that is incredibly inappropriate, Otten,” Yoko started. ”Two, how can you two go from thinly veiled animosity to asking such a question?”

Yoko took a deep breath, raising a finger.

”And if it keeps you two focused, yes, I am. Wilson teased me all the time about them. Next question.”

Saskia looked at Lisa, then back at Yoko. ”It's important for trust. You-"

"They're bigger than mine?!" Ella interrupted with a shout. "Whoa- that's like, super weapons!"

”Elaborate, Disciple,” Yoko stared at Ella like she had grown a second head.

"We managed to defeat a dragon thanks to me taking my top off!" Ella elaborated.

"It's true, Ella's tits got him so excited he exploded," Saskia said, almost solemnly.

Yoko was utterly silent for a moment, tilting her head at Ella.

”... As a Hatanaka Disciple, you will be showing more dignity and respect to yourself here on in?” Yoko began. ”Yes?”

”I mean,” Lisa looked off to the side. ”It worked. That’s got to count for something, Yoko.”

”But, Ella now has a standard to uphold,” Yoko nodded her head.

However, the static-y voice spoke clearly.

...?...?...In the Pit?!

"I’m sorry, Sensei… but I can’t make any promises," Ella said solemnly, ignoring the voice. "If my friends are in danger and it’s the only way to save them… I’ll have to do it."

Yoko smiled unnaturally wide, slowly turning her head.

”... I’m honestly at a loss for words here,” Yoko started before she looked at everyone one at a time. ”Were you three always like this? Or did your resurrection… change you?”

”I mean,” Lisa shrugged. ”You all were alive for those ten years!”

"Right. Put yourself in our shoes, coming back to life ten years older," Saskia intoned. "Remembering your death. Not going through young adulthood. Really, we’re sixteen year olds in adult bodies."

"Ten years of anime I missed!" Ella wailed.

”... And the Hound threw you all straight into the Pit,” Yoko said with a sigh. ”No trainin- wait, you three had a different task, right?”

”Yeah, defeat Morningstar,” Lisa shrugged.

Yoko’s jaw dropped.

”... Was this dragon you mentioned earlier named Ignatius by chance?” Yoko asked.

"I think so? He kinda had a habit of going on and on, so I stopped listening to anything he said," Ella said, tilting her head and rubbing her chin.

"That was him." Saskia nodded. "We had to kill him twice. It was a pain in the ass."

”Hmph, small world,” Yoko laughed. ”Wilson, when she decided to save Bray from his own recklessness, ended up there and got into a huge fight with Moringstar’s Society. I saved her from getting killed by the Dragon, but we fled.”

”... Who’s Bray?” Lisa tilted her head.

”Don’t worry about it,”

"Sounds unimportant," Saskia shrugged. "But the Society’s gone now. We got rid of it."

"Yeah we killed that evil bastard and his seven slightly less evil bastard minions!" Ella declared dramatically. "Then we were thrown in here!"

”You did good,” Yoko said, ”Though, did you eliminate just Mornin-” Yoko cut herself off, before looking up at the Kingdom.

”How about we decide on a plan to get up there?” Yoko said with a sigh. ”The matters of the surface world are simply irrelevant right now.”

Then she paused momentarily, looking at Ella, Saskia, and Lisa.

”... And so is my chest.”

"... for now…" Saskia muttered ominously. She continued more loudly. "We’ll go with your plan. But I want to make it clear, outside of hiding your massive chest, we don’t trust you."

"I trust her!" Ella interjected.

"You trust anyone, Ella. Your opinion is invalid."

”... Then how do you expect for all four of us to make it through this, then?” Yoko asked Saskia, raising her chin as she maintained eye contact. ”We only have each other, Otten. Half the beings you will encounter here are monsters trying to eat you. The other half are psychopaths or people too scared to think straight.”

Yoko spoke, taking a few steps forward.

”... We only have each other.”

"Incorrect." Saskia responded. They gestured to themselves, Ella and Lisa. "We have each other. That’s all we need. So stop treating us like we don’t understand the dangers, at the very least. We’re equals here. Trust is earned."

"That’s not fair, Saskia, she’s helped us a lot," Ella said.

Yoko narrowed her eyes at Saskia.

”Then tell me…” Yoko said, ”... What exactly was your plan before I came along? Wander around and hope you find the All-Blade?”

Then turned to Ella.

”... And that is a question for Otten, and only Otten,” Yoko said as she took a few steps forward towards Saskia. ”You moan about how much you don’t trust me, Otten, yet you seemed to be perfectly fine with my plan up until now.”

Saskia's eyes narrowed slightly, but they didn't back down. "We didn't have a solid plan. But we would have figured it out- torturing residents, investigation. I gave you the benefit of the doubt - Ella likes you, and your plan sounded sensible. But then you put them in danger. You care about yourself and your brother more."

Saskia took another step forward to close the gap between them, voice lowering to a hissed whisper. ”Do you trust us? Our capabilities? Because I think you just see us as extra bodies you can order around and sacrifice."

Yoko was silent, narrowing her eyes… Yet her lips curled into a grin.

”... If I was only concerned with my brother and myself, I wouldn’t have spent the time training Ella,” Yoko spat back in a barely muted whisper. ”And yes, I do trust you all… But, you clearly have the wrong idea about me, Otten.”

Yoko paused, looking at Lisa then Ella, ”Maybe Baksh, Devola, Reed, and Stone’s band of cheerleader fuckups were like that, but not I. I legitimately care about you all and I cannot, in good conscience, simply toss you all away the second you stopped being useful like they would.”

Yoko sighed.

”Look, we can all leave with what we came for, Otten. I am willing to do anything to regain your trust.”

Saskia just stared at Yoko for a few moments, eyes narrowed.

"Saskia, come on, at least give her a chance, even if you don't trust her!" Ella pleaded, reaching out to take Saskia's hand.

Saskia looked at Ella, down at their hands, then back at Yoko with a sigh. "Fine. Take this plan as you regaining that trust. It has to work, we all make it out. With what we all want."

Yoko took a step forward and narrowed her eyes as she said,

”... If any of you don’t make it out, I don’t make it out,”

Saskia stared back for a moment before nodding. "Fine. I can accept that."

Ella cheered, throwing her hands up in the air. "Alright, alright, now teach me the shrinking objects spell!"

”What’s the rush? So you can carry more sex toys?” Yoko grinned at Ella, ”How about we find somewhere safe, take a rest, and then I can teach you that spell.”

Then Yoko paused as she said,

”... And other spells you can use to protect yourself from your uncle.”

Ella opened her mouth, then closed it and hung her head. The excitement she’d shown just moments ago was completely gone and she gave a muted nod.

Saskia raised an eyebrow. "Trying to get closer to us by making sexual jokes? Very smart. Ella brought along the dildos for Lisa more than herself, though."

”Well, we can use them for sealing,” Yoko shrugged. ”And only sealing. Nothing else. Definitely not their intended function.” Yoko rolled her eyes.

"They were very useful for sealing! Otherwise I would’ve had to use something useful!" Ella said cheerfully.

Saskia snorted, rolling their eyes. "I don’t know why you took Lisa saying to bring them seriously."

”Turner is… wait, what’s wrong with Turner?” Yoko asked, turning to Lisa.

While this conversation went on… it got increasingly muted as Lisa felt an icy chill up her spine. Her gaze was drawn to the distance, to the side of a mountain. A gigantic and nightmarish spider, an ethereal being, was looming over them. Its white, wispy limbs and glowing red eyes were fixated on her. There was something about it, but it made Lisa’s heart skip a beat. She took a few steps back, grabbed Ella’s shirt, gave it a few tugs, and then pointed at it.

Yoko’s gaze went in that direction of, then narrowed her eyes before looking at Lisa,

”Turner,” Yoko paused. ”... What’s wrong?”

”There’s an Apparition right there,” Lisa said, ”Hit it with your swooooord….”

Yoko looked in the direction again before she said,

”... There’s nothing there, Turner,”

"Are you going mad?" Saskia intoned.

Ella looked around with wide, panicked eyes. She automatically wrapped an arm around Lisa, pulling her into a tight hug against her side. "I don’t see anything? Are you alright?! Maybe- maybe something’s haunting you!"
”I… swear! Can’t you all see it?!” Lisa shouted.

...?...?...?... I…?...?...either….?...?...deep brea-...?...?... Relax….?...?... Find…?...?...?...rest. The voice began. ... Maybe…?...?...Something….?...?... I believe you.

"We can’t…" Saskia frowned, looking around.

"I believe you, Lisa!" Ella declared. She then pulled Lisa closer in, pressing her face into her… chest. "Close your eyes, everyone, maybe this will help."

Then she lifted up her free hand and it glowed brightly until it was a blinding light illuminating the area.

The spider didn’t so much as flinch…. Yoko grabbed the Yokai Killer with both hands and then unsheathed it. The Yokai Killer was utterly dim. She narrowed her eyes. ”... There are no Yokai nearby.” Yoko said it with the inflection of a robot.

Yoko slowly sheathed the Yokai Killer with a click. ”... Perhaps you just need some sleep. It’s been a lot lately.”

"That’s probably it," Saskia agreed.

"Lisa isn’t the type to make something like that up!" Ella said. She then looked down at Lisa. "... but if it’ll make you feel safer I’ll spoon you when you sleep!"

Yoko sighed as she turned away from the spider, keeping the Yokai Killer clenched tightly in her hands, ”From here on out, we’re going to be facing Autoknights from here in.”

Lisa didn’t take her eyes off the spider for a moment,

"We can handle them," Saskia said grimly, pulling out her knife.

Ella nodded. "Let's go…"

---

The red sky loomed overhead… as the four traveled from the desert mines to a new area. The dry and hot air was spontaneously replaced by the opposite, humid and cool. The area was dense with a white fog… the landscape seemed to twist and warp, with no sense of direction or logic. Towering ruins of what might have once been buildings loomed in the distance, their skeletal remains barely standing, covered in dark, twisting vines. The spider was still on Lisa’s mind as Yoko led the charge, her hand grasping the Yokai Killer, occasionally unsheathing it to examine its glow - but fortunately, it was always dim. But now and then, Lisa glanced over her shoulder to see if that spider was there.

After hours of wandering, Yoko suddenly stopped; a jagged and crumbling building stood ahead of them. The building looked simple, worn from time but sturdy, like an old outpost made of brick and metal. Its windows were cracked, and its roof was slightly sagging. Yoko walked over for a moment before unsheathing the Yokai Killer, and after seeing that it was dim, she sheathed it again with a click.

”That’ll do,” Yoko said, ”We can rest here until a monster comes to interrupt us.”

Ella nodded, pushing into the building first - she still had her hands in front of her ready to cast. Lisa was right behind her.

"I'll take first watch today," Saskia said, looking over at Yoko. "We need to share that burden."

”Very well,” Yoko said with a nod of her head, she quickly hopped on top of the building and knelt in the seiza posture. ”I will be meditating if you need me.”

The building's interior felt like a time capsule, illuminated by dim light filtering through cracked windows. Weathered brick walls were dotted with lichen, while uneven wooden planks creaked underfoot. Scattered remnants of rusted furniture and a dilapidated cabinet added to the sense of ruin. It felt like a forgotten realm, a haven amid The Pit's chaos, yet the spider's unsettling memories loomed in the back of Lisa's mind… Lisa sighed as there was nothing to sleep on.

”Let’s just…” Lisa said, ”Sleep on the floor, I guess.”

Lisa took her backpack off and then flopped down.

Ella put her backpack down too, and lay down beside Lisa, asking almost hesitantly, "want to hug while sleeping?"

---

Lisa awoke again… this time at the lair of the Old Coven. Well, it’s burned down remnants that remained there long after the Coven disbanded. Lisa looked around, confused, as she stood in the yard behind the building… a field of beautiful flowers that led up to a tree. Something was compelling Lisa over to it. She saw some strange letters, like a code on the side of it; she was perplexed by it.

“... LT GGA.” The Mother Will appeared out of thin air, her hand drifting to the mentioned code. “Does that ring a bell at all…?” The Mother Will trailed off.

Lisa knew Mother Will was a liar, but everything she said sounded right. She knew exactly what to say to push those buttons Lisa never thought would be gone. However, Lisa shook her head as a silent answer.

“That’s your name in their memorial…” The Mother Will said. “It was merely an empty gesture to ‘honor’ the toys that they disposed of.” The Mother Will laughed, tilting her head.

“You gave them EVERYTHING, and all you get in return is five letters…?”

Lisa blinked, and Mother Will was right behind her… She placed her hands on her shoulders. The being’s touch was cold, unfeeling, and unnerving, yet Lisa welcomed it like her mother’s.

“Someone like you deserves far more than that, yes?” The Mother Will began. “For a woman of your potential. Your power. Your contributions…. You deserve to be more than just a passing thought.”

Lisa played with her fingers before she asked, ”... What do I deserve to be, then?”

The Mother Will’s grip tightened on Lisa’s shoulder.

“You deserve to be remembered,” the Mother Will began. “Not as a mere footnote in their history, but as a force that shapes it. They should have feared you. Respected you… worshipped you.”

Lisa’s heart pounded in her chest as the Mother Will’s hands drifted down her shoulders onto her arms. “They never saw your potential, but we know better. You were never meant to be the pawn but the queen on the chessboard. You were meant to be so much more.”

Lisa had always believed she was meant for more, but those thoughts had been buried beneath layers of doubt and pain. Now… those thoughts were clawing their way back to the surface.

“You deserved to be the one that determined how the story ends. The one who leaves a mark on the world,” The Mother Will began. “Ashley Stone. Daisy Hunter. Auri Auclair? They’re all frauds. They took all the credit for all the hard work you put in.”

The Mother Will appeared in front of Lisa as she said, “They held onto what little power they could until they just couldn’t - and burned everything behind them.”

Lisa’s breath quickened as the Mother Will’s words dug deep into her core, like tendrils wrapping around her soul. The old wounds, the bitterness she had tried to bury, began to resurface. The familiar names—Ashley, Daisy, Auri—echoed in her head, now tainted with a growing resentment. She had once admired them, worked alongside them, and even sacrificed for them.

“... They took everything from you.” the Mother Will whispere. “Your loyalty, your devotion, your love, your energy, your passion, your kindness, your power… it meant nothing to them. They left you with scraps, convincing you it was all you were worth.”

Lisa clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms until they nearly drew blood...

“They used you, Lisa,” the Mother Will murmured, her hand brushed against Lisa’s cheek, the touch chilling. “You sacrificed for them. And for what? So they could walk away from the ashes and leave you here? Reduced to nothing more than a meaningless code carved into the bark of a rotting tree...?”

Lisa’s heart raced, and that anger she tried to suppress was dug up as she began shaking her fists. “Imagine what it would be like to take back that power? Be the one who decides who stays… and who goes?”

A dark thrill coursed through Lisa at the thought. Her heart pounded harder, her breaths coming faster. She could feel the pull, the temptation to give in to the thoughts she had once feared. The desire to make them pay, to reclaim everything they had taken from her. Still..

”I don’t kno-” Lisa tried to say before the Mother Will placed a finger to her lips.

“Shhhh…” The Mother Will said, “You don’t have to be afraid of your power anymore, Lisa. Let yourself feel it. Let yourself enjoy it. You’re not weak like them. You don’t need to control yourself for anyone’s sake..”

The Mother Will laughed.

“... It’s time, Lisa,” ”The Mother Will said. “Let go. You deserve to be remembered. You deserved to be feared. You deserve to be whatever you want here in the Pit.”

The Mother Will chuckled softly, “After all… We laud power down here. And with power, you can do whatever you want. Be whatever you want because the Pit is more than just a location. It represents the primal desire of the human soul… freedom through strength.”

The Mother Will paused.

"̵R̵e̷m̷e̵m̷b̶e̴r̸ ̷t̷h̵a̴t̵,̷ ̵L̵i̷s̵a̴ ̶T̵u̸r̸n̸e̴r̴.̴"̸

The Mother Will sunk into the ground… and Lisa was left with anger. She focused on the code—LT GGA—her hand hovering over the rough bark of the tree as her heart hammered in her chest. She closed her eyes briefly; her body trembled with the weight of her decision as she could finally feel the pull to let go. She closed her eyes briefly, and something had changed when she opened them again. The uncertainty was gone, replaced by something darker. Something fiercer.

Lisa screamed at the top of her lungs.

She slammed her hand into a fist and slammed her fist into her “name” on the tree.

The dream ended.

---

Lisa stirred, and a chill crept through her as she opened her eyes. Her heart raced as her eyes snapped open to the dim light of the building. As she adjusted to her surroundings, her gaze landed on a figure looming above her…

… It was the spider from earlier.

Lisa immediately opened her mouth and shrieked as the spider quickly backpedaled and mounted onto the wall right by the door - which was kicked open by Yoko Hatanaka, one hand on the hilt of the Yokai Killer and the other on the sheath.

”Turner?!” Yoko barked, ”Are you okay?!”

The spider quickly slinked out, and Lisa pointed at it.

”It’s right there! It’s right fucking there!”

Yoko hopped in the air, hand on the Yokai Killer, and turned around. She pulled the Yokai Killer somewhat out of its sheath, glanced down at it, and slid it back in place. She shook her head as she said,

”... Turner, please go back to sleep,” Yoko said with a straight face.

"... There was nothing there," Saskia intoned, pulling blood back into their palm - they'd reacted immediately, with blood armour and blades. "I've been keeping watch the whole time."

”Would you feel safer if we all kept watch?" Ella mumbled, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

”Disciple…” Yoko trailed off, before gesturing at Saskia, ”We still need to sleep. Turner can’t keep watch by herself. But, I will remain in here if necessary.”

"That’s true." Ella yawned, looking at Saskia. "Should we swap? You hug Lisa, I’ll keep watch."

Saskia shook their head. "I’m fine for another while. You both sleep for now."

Ella didn’t argue, lying back down and pulling Lisa down.

How could they not see it? How could it not be there? She felt Ella’s arms wrap around her again, pulling her back to the ground, but Lisa couldn't relax. Her eyes darted to each corner of the room…

”... It was right there,” Lisa whispered. ”How could it not be right there…?”

She could feel the weight of everyone’s exhaustion around her, the doubt hanging in the air, but that didn’t change what she saw. She closed her eyes, but sleep was far from her. All she could do was lie there… and wait for it to return.

|thriller|horror| comedy|?

interested

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

Rip Be, Todd and Auri...

@Estylwen

they wuz the best of us

Recollections: The Compendium

ANCIENT.RING
| The Gate to Eternity | "Be careful, the end may not be what you desire." ORIGINS & CREATIONS: | The Ancient Ring was not crafted by mortal hands but emerged through the collective consciousness of the first Adepts. Legends tell of its creation when the Ancients infused part of their essence into the world and the people within it. Over time, their presence became a myth, but their power remained latent in objects of great significance. The ring was one such artifact, said to be formed by the melding of powerful beliefs in the Ancients’ wisdom and wrath. | TYPE: | Ring | LOCATION: | TBD | NOTABLE OWNERS: | TBD | ABSTRACTION-GRANTING: | No. | .............................................................................	The Ancient Ring is a legendary artifact tied deeply to the lore of the All-Verse. Its power lies in calling forth one of the ten Ancients. Through the Ancient Ring, the bearer can summon these beings and attempt to bargain with them. The summoned Ancient may complete a task for the ring bear, share wisdom long lost to the ages, or even amplify the bearer’s magical power. However, the relationship between the ring bearer and the Ancient is far from straightforward. The Ancients are known to be fickle, some benevolent and others malicious, and the outcome of each summoning is unpredictable. The user must be careful, as each negotiation tests wit, wisdom, and resolve. The ring is made of almost indestructible metal, with a large, glowing gem at its center that shifts colors based on the Ancient to which it is currently tuned to. The intricate carvings around the gem depict scenes from long-forgotten battles between the Ancients and cosmic entities from the Void. When activated, the gem pulses with an otherworldly light, casting strange shadows and making the air hum with ancient energy. To use the Ancient Ring, the bearer must focus intently on the gem, invoking the name of the Ancient they wish to summon. This requires a deep understanding of the Ancients' lore, as calling the wrong name can result in disastrous consequences. One of the most dangerous aspects of the Ancient Ring is the unpredictability of the bargains. Some Ancients demand tribute in the form of memories, emotions, or even fragments of the user's soul. Others might ask for material offerings, like artifacts, or demand actions to be performed on their behalf in the mortal realm. In rare cases, they may curse the bearer instead of offering aid, leaving the ring's user worse off than before. Despite the risks, the Ancient Ring is a coveted artifact due to the sheer power it grants. In the hands of someone who can master its intricacies, it is a tool of great potential. But many have fallen victim to the Ancients’ capricious nature, trapped in eternal servitude or destroyed by the very beings they sought assistance from.

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

---

Edict

Sabrina Vanburen.

^{And other MFs.}

Interactions: None.

La Bellezza.

---

Sabrina wasn’t going to give up.

Even though Sabrina had zero faith in the Sycamore Tree Coven (she could see why her sister and her friends wanted nothing to do with them), she wouldn’t give up that easily. She needed to lower her scope… and work with what she knew rather than hoping the rest of the Coven would be like Britney, Greyson, and Linqian… So, after inviting them, Sabrina sat at the head of the table at the exclusive and upscale La Bellezza restaurant. This exclusive room was draped in rich fabrics with a singular grand table underneath a chandelier - and most importantly, it was away from prying eyes with its unique staff. She hoped that this would work out better than last night…

”Whoa, this is amazing!” The first one to walk in wasn't a coven member - instead it was the younger brother of one. Henri walked into the private room with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. ”Jie, there's a chandelier!”

”I got eyes,” Linqian retorted, rolling them. She ushered Henri into the look, shooting Sabrina an apologetic look. Then she threw a thumb behind her at Greyson, who'd also come with them… since they'd all come from the same place. ”I know coven business, but someone got my brother involved in that shit, so he's part of it now too. Sorta. Nice to see you again, Bean.”

“It’s great to see you again, too, and it’s no issue to me long as he’s apart of the Coven,” Sabrina said with a nod of her head.

Greyson had, at the very least, provided the Han siblings with some half-decent clothing to wear to a semi-formal dinner at a nice place… It was mostly so he didn’t look so out-of-place showing up dressed to the nines, as was his pleasure.
”Hey, I asked… Sabrina, always nice to see you Hon; how’s the house now that the Bee Matron is gone?” he casually asked, leaning down to administer La Bise by kissing her cheeks gently on either side.

Having come separately from Britney, Greyson was a little nervous that his main squeeze would be MIA for some reason, and that their night would turn into a fiasco that they’d have to solve… Or worse.

“It’s been a lil’ bit lonely; I kind of miss the bees; you know they added a little charm to the household, I’m not going to lie,” Sabrina said lightly before she leaned in and steepled her fingers. “Order something. Whatever you like, it’s on me tonight. It’s just my way of saying thank you for seeing me on such short notice. Britney is on her way… She said she didn’t mind if we got started without her.”

”Whoa, you’re the best, Bean!” Henri said cheerfully, sitting down beside Sabrina and grabbing the menu immediately.

”I’m surprised the charm of the bees outweighs Trisha’s… whole personality,” Linqian snorted, taking a seat beside her brother. She grimaced, legs crossing in a much more ladylike posture than she was used to - because the somewhat fancy dress she’d ended up with was longer than she was used to and pretty tight. While Henri was engrossed in what he could eat, she was more actually interested in what they were talking about. Food was really second. ”What did you want to talk about? Oh, wait, there’s someone else coming too… Aaron. They're part of our… subgroup, I guess.”

“I think I’m one of the nicer parts of this subgroup,” Aaron said as he walked into the room. Aaron wore a perfectly tailored black suit, courtesy of Faith at the 317, with a white button up shirt underneath. The shirt itself had the last few buttons unbuttoned, revealing an expensive looking gold chain underneath. It wasn’t one hundred percent real, mind you, but to a quick glance it would pass as fancy. Their watch was a black banded smart watch, and their shoes matched the suit with a black color.

“I’m also the most humble.”

Linqian rolled her eyes.

“And most attractive.”

Linqian rolled her eyes again.

Sabrina couldn’t help but smile, “... And lively, I can tell.” She chuckled.

“But, I wanted to discuss the meeting, well, my offer to the Coven, that is, I know I got immediately brushed to the side, but I’m not giving up,” Sabrina began, nodding. “Unfortunately, well… I will be honest here and say that I don’t want to deal with the greater Coven.”

Sabrina shrugged, then continued, “I don’t mean to be rude, but that meeting was easily the second most dysfunctional event I ever had the displeasure of attending.” Sabrina was not a liar; she had tact but couldn’t sugarcoat this.

“However, I guess I have a more positive opinion of you three… five now. So, I believe that maybe this can work better if I worked with you all”

”Rude? You’re being pretty fucking nice, the coven’s an absolute shitshow,” Linqian laughed bitterly. Especially that last meeting. She really didn’t want to think about or remember it, if she was honest. ”I’m curious about what event was worse- you’ll have to tell us about that later. But yeah. The greater coven fucking sucks. We’ve actually kind of decided to work in smaller groups anyway so… that’d work. Not that I’m the decision maker.”

”You make plenty of decisions at home,” Henri commented, staring intently at the menu.

”Cause I’m fucking in charge there,” Linqian muttered back.

“You’re just saying what a lot of us think,” Aaron sighed as he rubbed his temple, “I may have a renewed desire to fix what is broken but this is going to be an uphill battle,” Aaron paused as he looked at Linqian, “this smaller group idea may be what allows us to put behind our differences and actually function. The other night at the 317 showed me we have to. If our coven was attacked like that I don’t think we’d be around to talk about it.”

“Unlike the Greenwood leader, I know it’s not my place to say it,” Sabrina nodded, placing a hand on her chest. “But, I got off track… I know you weren’t there to hear it, but I’m willing to supply you with resources or… my influence in the city.”

She sighed, “I didn’t get a chance to say it, but I can get you all in touch with the local information broker, Issac Kane.”

Greyson’s lips pursed together, having given Aaron a fistbump for the fit-of-the-day. Issac Kane was a well-regarded busybody who, in Greyson’s foggy memory of him, was all about keeping things even. Which, at this point, was great for the Coven. If the man’s modus operandi hadn’t changed drastically over the few years since he last heard the name, he was confident this was a good thing…

But he could never be one-hundred percent sure. All he could do was trust Sabrina because Britney trusted her, and in turn do his own legwork to satisfy his curiosity.
”That’s certainly a name to drop… I guess it’s still a reach-down for a Vanburen, but I won’t turn my nose up at the offer. What are the conditions?” he asked casually, doing his best to signal wait staff for an order.

“Simple, solve this Father Wolf nonsense,” Sabrina immediately answered. “That’s all I want. I don’t want to see anyone get hurt - not you, Britney, or Linqian… Nobody.”

”That’s really it?” Linqian asked, trying not to sound too suspicious. So far, Sabrina hadn’t proven herself to be anything but trustworthy… but Linqian just didn’t trust that someone would do something out of the goodness of their heart. Not that she had any idea who Issac Kane was but if Greyson thought it was a good offer… ”Well, fuck.”

”That’s really nice of you, Bean! I don’t know who this Issac Kane person is, since I haven’t been in the city for years and years, but if he can help that’s great! I really want the Father Wolf stuff solved too.” Henri smiled brightly at Sabrina, before twisting around to also try to get some wait staff’s attention with some overly large waves.

“That simple,” Aaron spoke with a smirk, “I don’t recall that name, but I can check the grapevine to see what others have said,” Aaron paused as he looked towards the waitstaff, “the question remains how will we find them to stop them? Our best connection to the murders is dead, Lynn is suggesting we go to the Pit, and no one is coming up with a solution or trying outside of a select few. I don’t suppose you have any fancy devices not locked in the Pit that could help?”

”Woah, woah… Don’t go getting greedy, cowpoke. We’ve got another group working on stuff like that; let’s take what we can get at our angles for right now… And I’ll vouch for Kane’s usefulness here. If I didn’t think he had other shit to do, I probably would’ve gotten in touch with him myself at some point. Even my Father and the Unions up North call on his expertise from time to time…” Greyson offered.

“Nora’s working on something,” Sabrina answered Aaron with a nod, and she was silent before she added, “... I’m curious about who this Kari person is, though. From your meeting, she seemed…”

The doors opened, and Britney Williams opened them… wearing a fancy black dress, loafers, and a smile. ”Aaron, Linqian, Greyson, Henri… Bean!” She walked over to Sabrina and hugged her, before taking a seat. ”Sorry I’m late; I had to make sure I looked cute.” She stuck her tongue out.

”Brit, you look fucking great,” Linqian raised a hand in a half wave, before smirking over at Greyson. ”She said my name before yours.”

”What did I miss?” She asked.

“I wanted to ask about this Kari person who got brought up a lot in the meeting and what makes her so important in all of this,” Sabrina leaned back. “You know, the burning questions on my mind...”

“I didn’t know her as well,” Aaron paused as he looked over to Britney and waved,, “from what I remember she was instrumental to our victory back then.

”White Lux Adepts are always doing shit… Surveillance and Intelligence is the name of the game, and Kari’s probably one of the best there is. From what I remember, she pretty much pinpointed every single artifact we had to use during the War, and coordinated a fuck-ton of countermeasures during the latter days.”

Finally, the waiter arrived, and Greyson smiled.
”Ah, perfect… I’ll take a separate check if that’s possible- I don’t love eating on other people’s dimes. A bottle of Pinot, and can we get a plate of salad? Like, do you guys do family style stuff here?” he asked, practically exiting the previous conversation to focus on sustenance.

”Well Bean, what Greyson said,” Britney said with a shrug, leaning back in her seat. ”She was a White-Lux Adept, she found a bunch of artifacts for us… Shit, this is hard to explain in a nutshell.”

She awkwardly laughed.

“We have all day,” Sabrina shrugged. “Messiah has a babysitter up until midnight.”

”Well, she’s White-Lux, and because of some weird shit we think that she has something to do with the murders,” Britney began. ” Either she’s helping or the murderer herself! But that’s a whole ‘nother discussion; according to Greyson and Tsukino, she was working for Blake Schmidt. He has her notes which….”

Britney shrugged, throwing her hands in the air.

”... Are important for some reason!” Britney said, ”Personally, I think we should be chasing other leads than that, but - surprise - we don’t have any!”

“Ah, I remember that part,” Sabrina nodded her head. “I didn’t get a chance to say… I can get you all at the notes, if necessary.”

”Oh, and I did talk to Lynn yesterday morning?-” Greyson added, finishing up the order for now.
”-And I’ve got her memories… She was kind enough to let me boost the negatives out of her brain, so I’ve seen her futures. The ones she mentioned, about Kari being responsible and shit… But, I’m thinking she’s in hiding.”

”If she is, she probably did it to save her own ass,” Britney shrugged.

”That wouldn’t fucking surprise me,” Linqian frowned, hand scrunching up the fancy cloth napkin in front of her. The thought of Kari fucking off and saving herself immediately made her tense. Jinhai hadn’t had that luxury. ”Didn’t think to fucking warn anyone.”

“What did you see in her memories, Greyson,” Aaron asked as he leaned back in his chair. He was also curious about the negatives being taken from the brain but important stuff first.

”Lots of bullshit, mostly. Stuff that just doesn’t make sense, which made my job easier. She asked me if I could help her figure out which futures may’ve had more of a chance than others, and… Yeah, that’s what I got. Two options that seem pretty grim, and one where… Well… You guys have had the same Recollections I have: I found that it seems pretty likely Kari’s after that little girl. Raven Jones…” he finished, his voice hanging in the air at the mention of Raven Jones.

”After her liiiiiike?” Britney said, tilting her head. ”It sounds like there’s nothing that can presently help us, right?”

“Well,” Aaron paused as he looked towards Greyson, then Britney, then back to Greyson, “is it possible that this Raven Jones is father wolf?”

Greyson shrugged his shoulders.
”That… That I don’t know. It’s a tough call to make; like I told Lynn, it’s like looking through the shower door glass when you’re observing shit like the future. It’s not really real, so everything’s got a foggy glass in front of it. I did what I could with what I could intuit, but ultimately it’s still fuckin’ future without reality. It’s all…”
Struggling with his hands, he finally let them both interpret the fleeting nature with fingers turned up toward the sky.
”Ugatz…” (Bullshit…)

”This shit’s above my paygrade,” Linqian groaned, holding her head. She really didn’t like hearing about Lynn, and especially not when it came with thinking about future bullshit. ”The dreams are warning about Raven so… maybe she is Father Wolf? But that seems a bit too fucking obvious.”

”Well, do we have anything on her?” Britney shrugged. ”There’s a lot on Sunshine, but nobody even knew she had a kid!” Britney laughed.

”Well, I’d like to think maybe Kane can help us with that step. At the very least, it’s another lead. Maybe there’s value in letting the shitheads who want to throw themselves into the Pit actually do it?” he offered the thought.

Sabrina was oddly silent the whole time, looking uncomfortable.

”You know all that’s going to happen is that they’re just going to end up being crash test dummies,” Britney darkly laughed.

“We’d be down at least one problem,” Aaron's eyes were on Linqian, knowing that Lynn said she’d lead the away team, “but can we really afford to lose anyone else though? Can we look at our friends on the mural and tell them that letting them go there was the only thing we could do,” Aaron asked the table as a whole. After the fight at the 317, and the night out with Jack, Aaron was becoming less willing to deal in lives.

“The 317 was attacked the other night, and that showed me that things might be getting really scary really fast. We should tell them.”. Aaron of course referred to bringing up Scott Reese.

Linqian frowned, before nodding. Yeah. She didn’t want to tell the rest of the coven, but Britney? That was fine. ”I don’t want to tell the whole fucking coven, because they’ll just make shit worse, but… we fought Scott Reese the other night. Fucker’s alive.”

“And just as strong. The full strength of the 317 was not enough to stop him.” Aaron paused as he looked towards Britney. ”Is there any chance, with Scott being back, that Stiggy is orchestrating our murders?

Britney’s jaw dropped.

”... Bullshit,” Britney awkwardly laughed. ”Adora yeeted him into the ocean during the final battle; when Stiggy was sealed, he probably drowned, and that was that.”

She laughed some more, ”... If he is alive, why in the world is so much shit from ten years ago popping up now?”

“... Is everyone from the 317 okay?” Sabrina finally spoke up.

“I’m telling you it was him,” Aaron’s hand started to shake, “aged up, but you never forgot a monster like that. That’s why we brought him up.” The stress from actually bringing it up forced a quick swap to Aryin and back, which caused his shirt to ride up and look unkempt. “We lived, thanks to Greenwood, Linqian, and the PRA, but the 317 was nearly destroyed. Thank you for asking, everyone is shaken up but that was the first time that most of them saw a fight like that.”

”Yeah, that fuck you mean if, Brit?” Linqian turned her head to narrow her eyes at Britney. Wasn’t quite her being actually pissed, but she was certainly annoyed about it. ”He was exactly the fucking same. I didn’t get nearly killed for it to be questioned.”

”Oh yeah they both were really badly injured yesterday!” Henri piped up.

”Fuck knows why he’s back now. But it makes sense, if we’re all fucking back, right?”

”Scott gets his power straight from Stiggy,” Britney put her hands together, ”Stiggy is sealed; therefore there should be zero conceivable way for him to get that power unless...”

She trailed off.

”... The Stygian Snake is already free.”

“Linqian and I both saw him. I am not smart enough to speculate but if Stiggy is free, or has influence outside that container, wouldn’t that be prime suspect number one for our murders,” Aaron asked inquisitively.

”Wouldn’t we know if he was free?” Linqian frowned. ”He wiped out the most of the fucking city last time, we’d all be dead if it was him… right?”

”Not necessarily,” Britney shrugged, ”It could be playing the long game now. Or, just busy destroying other universes.”

Britney paused.

”... There is that complete solar eclipse next year.”

“Scott is on the loose, the Snake may very well not be imprisoned, the only people who stopped him are being killed, and there’s a complete solar eclipse next year?”. Aaron held up both hands as he took a deep breath. “The only person who could check the other universes is also, coincidentally, missing.”

Britney awkwardly laughed,

”... Shit’s sounding real scuffed right about now, ain’t it?”

”Sure is,” Linqian said, leaning her chin on one hand and frowning. ”Maybe we're already all fucked and we just don't know it…”

”Can’t you find someone else who can look at other universes?” Henri asked obliviously.

Britney’s eyes shot open as if a bulb went off in her head, and she smiled. ”... Henri, you’re a genius!” Britney started. ”Well, no… What about instead of someone, we find something?” She grinned.

”There are tons of artifacts that can see into other universes… and I bet your sweet ass there’s at least two in St. Portwell.”

“What are they?”

”... I literally said there are tons of them, boy,” Britney laughed. ”I’ll be here all day explaining them all.”

She playfully laughed, rolling her eyes before she continued, ”Off the top of my head there’s the Nemean Eye… It lets you see into other dimensions but usually the people who use it end up going missing.”

“I thought you said there were two of them in St. Portwell,” Aaron whispered as he cursed his listening skills. “And I’d rather not end up missing. But we can look for other artifacts.”

”I agree with Aaron, going missing isn’t on my fucking bucket list… what’s the other one in the city?” Linqian asked, looking over at Henri, who was absolutely beaming at being called a genius.

Greyson liked to think he was capable of chilling out for a night, figuring he'd be able to just enjoy a dinner with some kind and gentle folk. People who could soften him, make him forget about the peril…
But as they discussed what potential artifacts lay in wait throughout the city, the wine and salad arrived. A big bowl of salad that the waiter tossed table side, breaking up the conversation. Long enough that Greyson's long stare at Sabrina could be extended.

She was, is, Britney's dear friend. And she was offering her assistance to the Coven for practically nothing… So, why had she given no emphatic response when it came to the Recollections? Observant, clever, yet she had no questions to ask about the girl called Raven Jones, and certainly no encouragement to seek those answers out. It sat poorly with Columbo Junior, and in his infinite wisdom, he decided he'd push the button again.

”See, that's why success in the Pit is necessary… Wayfinders? Potentially more than before? Yoko could be the key here, and we wouldn't know. I mean, I don't think it's a coincidence that all of our Recollections have had to do with Raven Jones and the Pit… And Sunshine, obviously…” he had the wine bottle, and was pouring each person a glass while he spoke.

His face turned to look at Sabrina fully, a smile curling up at the edge of his mouth.
”Has Brit actually talked to you about the whole… Y'know, Coven sharing Recollections? Pretty ominous, y'know, having a whole group of people getting the same nightmare about the same damn little girl.”

“I’ve heard about it,” Sabrina said as she shifted in her seat, and her hand went to her wine glass. Her eyes went to Britney for a moment before returning to Greyson, “Britney and Trisha mentioned it to me a few times, but I need a bigger picture of it before I can say if it’s something I can help with. Maybe Raven Jones is the key to everything. Maybe not. But, she has to tie into it, somehow, yes?”

“Would you want the whole picture? I mean one of us can share the recollections with you. I know we haven’t been the best company but,” Aaron paused as he looked towards Britney, “you’re one of us now, yeah?”

“... ‘One of us’, is this what being in a cult is like?” Sabrina laughed. “Well, hit me.”

Doing his best to hide a grimace, Greyson was in between this being a good and bad idea. Ultimately, he wasn't going to stop it, as he was too curious about what she may have to say.
”Maybe Brit? You guys are closest after all…”

“No, no it’s not a cult at all. But now that you mentioned it did we remember to order the koolaid tonight?. Aaron smiled as he looked towards Greyson.
“I don’t think I could do it anyway, I don’t have a strong magical background. Greyson is right, the ball is in your court Britney.”

”Well, if we’re a cult, we’re the most lit cult there is!!” Britney joked, sticking her tongue out. ”But, I got you, Bean.”

Britney stuck her hand out, and after a pause, Sabrina extended her own shaky hand. Then Sabrina saw everything, shown through a Recollection… And at the very end, her heart was pounding, as her jaw dropped. She averted her gaze as she was silent…

As Greyson watched the process unfold, he closely observed Sabrina’s face. Her reaction as things unfolded before her eyes, culminating in the fear and panic of the frankly disturbing visions. He didn’t blame her for finding that fear was an overwhelming sensation; but he couldn’t just drop his suspicion… Not with such an animated impression left on the table.

He cleared his throat to bring attention back to the topic at hand.
”All I was initially curious about was what you thought Kane would be able to tell us… But you’re one of the few magical Vanburens, right? Now I’m… Well, I can’t lie to you; I’d be curious about anything… Well, y’know, I’m sure James left plenty behind, right? So, anything we can check out that may be useful. Respectfully…”

Sabrina shrugged, “One, everything my father had belongs to my older brother and… We’re not on the best terms. And two, there’s nothing in there anyway, except old artifacts and his journal.”

”And I don’t suppose you’d let me… Y’know… Poke around in that head? Latent memories are a sonofabitch: They can hide from you for years, maybe…-”
He was stretching a bit as far as trying to hook her, baiting slightly for a reaction that may prove hostile or otherwise suspicious. But deescalation was a better choice, and he threw his hands up noncommittally before another sip of wine cleared his lips.
”Or, hey, even a meeting with Big Brother? Rich folk have the biggest ears, after all…” he playfully flapped his hands behind his ears like an elephant.

“... I could try with my older brother; he’ll blow me off more likely than not, but I will try,” Sabrina mused out loud, fiddling her thumbs. However, she turned towards Greyson, and stared him dead-on as she said, “But, what do you think you’re going to get from my mind?”

Sabrina let her words hang in the air as she said, “Paranoia is healthy for someone in your situation, but I don't know anything.” She shrugged.

He shrugged similarly, tossing a shoulder up.
”Britney doesn’t keep dumb company. You’re quiet, you keep to yourself… You take care of your youngest brother? I mean you’re here helping us get our shit together, entirely out of the good of your heart presumptively.”
He looked at Britney with an ounce of shame, but couldn’t help himself.
”It’s just… I don’t know, that’s a lot of money. A lot of unaccounted for potential that I… Well, back in the day Trisha used to get too defensive, so I couldn’t ask questions. I thought maybe you’d be willing to follow up on some unchecked threads I left behind.”

Sabrina listened to Greyson, her expression unreadable at first. She tilted slightly, considering his words before responding, “... I’m not in the habit of digging up the past. Some things are better left buried, especially when they involve him.”

Sabrina leaned back, crossing her arms, “But I get where you’re coming from. You have loose ends and believe that maybe I can tie some of them up. But the thing is: even if I had answers, I’m not sure they’re the ones you’re looking for.”

Her gaze narrowed as she said, “So, what exactly do you expect to find? What exactly are you really after?”

Greyson let the moment hang, trying to figure out what to say that wasn’t ’A connection to Raven Jones’.
”What’s a clam diver expect to find inside the shells? Meat. A little shit. Sometimes, Sabrina, they find pearls. Does the clam know it’s carrying a pearl? Probably not, it just develops inside, it’s a byproduct of natural processes. The clam doesn’t even think the pearl is special when it sees it… But the diver does.”
He took another sip of wine, finally scooping some salad onto his plate.

”Now, you’re obviously a woman, not a clam. But I hope you can accept that analogy, and go off of your faith in your good friend that I as her associate would never intentionally put you in any kind of poor situation.”

Sabrina stood straight up, hands on the table. Eyes fierce and sharp, “... Greyson,” Sabrina damn near hissed his name. “Enough with the metaphors, enough with the games.”

She paused, “I’m trying to help you from the goodness of my heart… Just come out and say what you mean. Plainly. Or I’m leaving.”

Then paused, “... And I’m leaving you with the bill.”

Greyson grinned. He loved the bill.
”Why’d you clam up when I brought up Raven Jones, Sabrina? That’s what I’m curious about, and about why we’re getting these visions and what she has to do with the Stygian Snake, or what she has to do with us here and now… I suggested Kane could help us, you didn’t react. You didn’t encourage the line, you didn’t offer to relay the first message: You just stopped, waited for a different subject. I’m not here to hurt you, or judge you or anything… I’m just a curious guy having dinner and noticing things I probably shouldn’t.”
He let both his hands climb, holding them up as if to display his own innocence.

“... And I can’t just listen?” Sabrina said, tilting her head. “You said it yourself, I’m quiet because I observe and try not to stick my nose where it doesn't belong. Sorry if you found that suspicious.”

His eyes still stared up at her, his grin unfading as he shoveled a bit of salad into his mouth. Chew, chew, chew… Swallow. He waved his hand dismissively.
”Well… You know me, right? Total opposite. I love sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong; gets me into constant trouble. So, I’ve gotten good at apologizing.”

His head nodded at her calmly before he finally shrugged.
”I’m sorry. Forgive me as you wish, forget I’m here… I humbly accept and appreciate whatever help you’re willing to give us.”

Sabrina sighed, “... Let's focus on what’s in front of us, and forget about this? Okay?”

”Mmmm, right. Sit, please… Enjoy the salad and the wine. Let the pocketbook rest tonight.” he chided playfully, his eyes turning to Britney for a moment.

“I can get you all an appointment with Isaac Kane today,” Sabrina began. “He’s probably going to want to meet you all in Mirrorland, however.”

”As in tonight? We should keep it small: You and I, Brit?” he asked.

”Why do you guys get to do all the fun things?” Henri piped up, after literally stuffing his face with salad and watching the exchange with wide eyes. Linqian reached over and smacked him round the back of the head.

”It’s not fucking fun, it's shit to help keep us alive,” she chided, putting down the wine glass that she'd been continuously drinking from.
”Keeping it small makes sense, I have no problem with going along. Got shit to do.”

”I don't have any shit to do, I still want to go,” Henri said, folding his arms and leaning back as if he actually had any say in this group.

“Is it smart to go as just a pair,” Aaron took a sip of his wine before he put the glass on the table, “I am really good muscle. Not saying I expect anything to go south but with everything that’s happened this week I don’t want to put you two at risk.”

”I’m good muscle too! I’ll just snatch all the sound and carry everyone away from danger, easy!” Henri interjected, before flexing… which didn't have much effect when he was dressed in a nice shirt that wasn't tight enough to show off any muscles. Linqian knocked back the rest of her wine, before going to pour herself more. She needed it.

”I mean, I don’t see why it would hurt?” Britney said with a shrug. ”Chaos and crazy shit seems to follow us where ever we go, so the more help the better?” She asked.

“I was planning for all of us to go,” Sabrina quietly added.

“Alright then,” Aaron smirked as he took another bite from the salad. “Is there anything those of us who…don’t walk in these circles should know about this place?”

”Yeah anything my brother shouldn’t say so he won’t get fucking stabbed?” Linqian commented, a good way into her second glass of wine.

”Jieeee, I’m not that stupid!” Henri pouted.

“Isaac Kane is among some of the more reasonable people in St. Portwell’s underground,” Sabrina shrugged. “And Mirrorland isn’t some shady venue, either. So, long as we use discretion, it’ll be okay.”

”Then we shouldn’t bring Yi-er,” Linqian joked, smirking over her wine glass. Henri continued to pout, gently shoving his shoulder against his older sister. She just looked at him, and laughed, before looking at everyone else again. She was fairly relaxed even at the prospect of completely changing her plans for the rest of the night, lips pulled into a playful smile as she continued to joke. ”And I’ll need a lot more to drink.”

Mirrorland.

---

The jewel of St. Portwell’s west district, Mirrorland, was bustling at this time of night… Though, it wasn’t as active as it would be on the weekend. Britney’s GMC Yukon pulled up in the parking lot to the left of the building, and there was already a line to the place. Several of Britney’s comrades stepped out, and Sabrina quickly took the lead as she gestured for everyone to come along and marched past the line (which caused them to grieve) right to the VIP line… She whispered something in the ears of one of the bouncers, and he nodded his head.

“Alright, all of you come here,” The large man said, “No firearms are allowed on the premises, you’re going have to get patted down before you come in.”

”Oh, you can pat me down all you want,” Linqian winked. Henri groaned, covering his eyes. Those four glasses of wine she'd ended up downing over dinner really had her inhibitions (only existent in his presence) lowering.

”Yeah, you said no firearms, but she’s got the artillllllllllllllllllery!” Britney laughed.

”Ohhhh yeah, you're gonna have to check all over, but ain't any way to disarm this,” Linqian grinned, leaning towards Britney and putting a hand on her hip. Henri sidled over to Aaron and Greyson, giving them both a pleading look.

“You’re lucky I’m not the other me right now. I’d be right over there with them,” Aaron shoulder checked Henri with a smirk.

”Thank fuck you’re not,” Henri whispered, looking over at his sister and Britney in despair.

Sabrina just facepalmed through all of this.

Unlike the others being so jovial about their lack of firearms, it was a much different experience for Greyson.
Typical.
Holding his hands up, scowl on his face, he looked at Sabrina with a side-eye before turning them to security.

”Be gentle with it.”
Slowly, surely, he slipped his overcoat and night jacket off to reveal his shoulder holster before pulling it off and passing it to security. Of course, they gave him another pat down and took the knife he had in his back pocket. But amazingly, he wasn't given a hard time over it- They simply passed him through, giving his jacket back and a ticket for his property later.

”Lucky, you got the proper pat down, ass and all,” Linqian joked as she got let through after a pretty brief pat down - weren’t exactly many places to hide weapons under an already skintight dress.

After everyone got patted down, Sabrina led the group through the various lounges in Mirrorland… up until they reached the Cigar Lounge. Before Sabrina opened the doors, everyone was hit with the aroma of the finest cigars...

---

Neck & Wrist - Pusha T

---

They walked through the doors, and the atmosphere changed instantly… the smell of leather mixed with the aroma of the heavy smoke of fine cigars. The low hum of conversation filled the room, underscored by the occasional clink of crystal glasses. At the heart of the room, a small, raised platform housed a seating area that commanded attention. Plush, velvet couches wrapped around the space in a semicircle. They were arranged like a throne, intentionally facing anyone entering the room, making it impossible to ignore the man who sat at its center.

Isaac Allen Kane, the enigmatic Information Broker, relaxed as if he owned the room and the world. His posture was casual, one arm draped over the back of the couch while the other held a glass of something dark. He cut an imposing figure in the smoky haze, wearing a well-tailored charcoal-colored suit, the ever-present cigar hanging from his lips like an extension of his personality. In front of Isaac was a small, exquisite black table with a full cigar box and an ashtray carved from fine marble.

On either side of him stood his bodyguards, two towering figures dressed in black suits that were a little too snug over their muscular frames. They were silent, statuesque, immovable.

When Isaac saw them, he leaned back in his chair and gestured for them to enter the platform with an enticing finger. Sabrina was the first to come over and sit down, and she gently tapped the empty seat beside her. Isaac took a deep puff of his cigar, pausing momentarily to savor it, then blew it all out. He then leaned forward and said,

“... So you’re all looking for something,” Isaac began, placing his cigar on the ashtray. “You wouldn’t have come to me otherwise, but before we get to business…”

He grabbed the cigar box and opened it in a smooth motion. Inside was a selection of the finest cigars anyone could ask for. “These,” Isaac said, “Are special. Imported directly from a little island that knows how to take its time…”

He gently slid it across the table towards the group as a silent offer.

Linqian glanced over at Greyson, before leaning forward and taking one of the cigars. She pulled her own lighter out of her jacket pocket to light it, taking a long drag of it. As she exhaled, she spoke through the cloud of smoke. With the alcohol and getting to indulge in shit she'd been craving since going for dinner, she was maybe a little too relaxed. Her lips pulled up into a playful smile. ”This shit's fucking good - maybe it's all we’re looking for.”

“Thank you,” Aaron said towards Isaac, grabbing one of the cigars and smelled it. Isaac Kane pulled out a fancy silver butane cigar lighter.

“... You’re supposed to smoke it,” Isaac said with an amused grin, extending the lighter and pressing down on the button. It emitted a blue flame…

“I like to give it a quick smell first,” Aaron said with a smile as he let it be lit by Isaac. He pulled in the smoke, let it linger for just a moment to get the full flavor, before he let it out. Aryin leaned his head back, his face betraying the ‘not bad’ feelings. “Gives me an idea of what to expect.”

Greyson was a fan of utility, and felt out of sorts getting handed a cigar without his knife. The end served as a fine snipper, but he found the butts pre-snipped. Pulling his lighter, he gave the tip an even dose of flame and tugged the thick smoke into his mouth.

Don't talk about your tobacco farm, don't talk about your tobacco farm, don't t-
”These?-” Greyson grinned widely, holding the cigar between his fingers and gently raising it to direct.
”-I love these.”

He cleared his throat, gaze passing between the toughs.
”Do we get to shake your hand? Or if I reach too far, do my arms get ripped off?” he grinned and giggled to himself, the cherry red tip of the cigar passing between the bodyguards as he pointed. Still, he started to make a motion that slowly reached past the cigars, ever closer toward Kane.

”Devola, Greyson… I've seen you a couple times, but we've never been formally introduced.”

“Oh, don’t worry about them,” Isaac said as he glanced at them, a smile creeping across his face as he firmly took Edict’s hand and shook it. “They’re just here if you act a fool.”
”You set the stage just for us… fancy,” Britney said with a light tone, and reached for a cigar and unwrapped it. ”Never smoked one of these before, but… First time for everything, am I right?” She smiled at Isaac.

“Be careful with that,” Isaac began. “Don’t inhale it, just suck it like a lil’ straw and keep it in your cheeks.” He extended his lighter.

”... Advice you give a lot?” Britney asked, leaning forward and sucking in as the lighter’s flame hit the tip. However, she let out a few coughs.

“Whoa, there, be careful,” Isaac laughed, leaning back.

”I’m fine, lord,” Britney said, laughing.

Isaac puffed his cigar and looked at every group member, “You all need information on something? You all wouldn’t have come to me otherwise.”

”Of course,” Britney answered.

“... And you know information ain’t cheap?” Isaac added.

“Money isn’t a concern here,” Sabrina added with a shrug. “I’ll be covering your donation for tonight.”

“In that case, Ms. Vanburen…” Isaac laughed, taking another puff of his cigar, before shrugging. “What can I do for you all?”

”Give us all the information you have on Father Wolf,” Linqian said outright, in between enjoying the cigar she'd taken. But she leaned forward, elbow on her knee and head tilting. ”Any fucking idea who he is?”

Isaac steepled his fingers.

“Unfortunately, I do not,” He answered.

”... Of course, you don’t,” Britney rolled her eyes.

“Now, now,” Isaac chuckled, “I said I don’t know exactly who he is... but that doesn’t mean I’m not keeping tabs on him. Father Wolf’s been slipping through the cracks for a while now, but I’ve got eyes everywhere.”

He took a slow puff of his cigar. “... Serial killers are terrible for business. I’ll let you know when I find something tangible about him, okay?”

Britney nodded, puffing the cigar and then coughing, pressing a fist to her lips. ”Well, we have other burning questions on our mind, and we were hoping you could help us out.”

“Shoot.”

”What can you tell me about the Elite?”

Isaac began laughing.

“... They’re something, alright,” He chuckled, taking another puff of his cigar, then pausing. “So, it all started with Blake Schmidt one day stumbling upon the truth: magic is real. Naturally, he wanted in on that action. After hitting up a few factions and coming up empty-handed, he decided to make his own.”

He shrugged, taking a puff of his cigar. “Think of it less of a legitimate magical organization and more of a country club for rich assholes with magic.” He laughed.

”And how’s that working out for them?” Britney asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Not as great as they like,” Isaac shrugged again, looking at his cigar as its embers burned. “They got resources. They got influence. Yet, they don’t got their act together. They’re too busy running around like a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off and beefing with each other rather than getting anything done.”

Britney awkwardly laughed, her eyes drifting towards Linqian and the others. ”Sounds a lil’ familiar, don’t it?”

Isaac smirked, “Nobody knows who’s really in charge - they say Blake is, but he gets by on the seat on his damn pants. His authority constantly gets challenged… it’s like one big soap opera with magic.” He laughed again before he continued,

“The Elite is made up of several wealthy families. The Schmidts are in charge of Paragon United Tech Solutions. The Valos family is in the mix, running hotels, casinos, and clubs all over the West Coast. Then you’ve got the Liu family with their Liu Pharmaceutical empire; let’s not forget the old-money Pimms, whose businesses litter St. Portwell and Seattle, then…”

Sabrina awkwardly looked off to the side as Isaac looked her dead on.

“... You can say it,” Sabrina sighed.

“... Then there’s the Vanburen family.”

Linqian turned to look at Sabrina, raising an eyebrow. ”You aren’t part of the fucking Elite are you, Sabrina?”

Sabrina sighed, resting her hands into her face.

“No, I am not,” Sabrina began. “My brother and my sisters are. They tried to rope me in, but I… I couldn’t participate in the oppression of this city.”

She sighed again.

“I build, I don’t destroy.”

”Thank fuck- but which sisters? Trisha?” Then Linqian looked back over at Isaac. Looking for a threat they knew, or some kind of in, rather than one they didn’t know at all. ”In fact, are any former Sycamore members in the Elite?”

“... Yes, she’s with them, but please leave her alone,” Sabrina groaned.

“There are,” Isaac started, “There’s Linda Liu… But I heard they’re going to induct a few of them into the Elite this week. Jake, Gabriela, and Jaska Valos, and Sage Pimm.”

”Gabe? That pussy Jake?” Britney laughed. ”Hey, that dumbass will probably destroy the Elite for us!”

”Bet we can get shit from them too, easy,” Linqian looked at Britney with a smirk, then back over at Sabrina. ”Don’t worry, Bean, I’m not dealing with that fucking giant cult boyfriend she got. Someone like Jake’s much fucking easier to get to. I owe Gabe a burnt fucking face too.”

“I’d be careful,” Isaac laughed. “Heard that one of the big names out on the East Coast came all the way here to protect them from Father Wolf.”

”Big name what?” Britney tilted her head.

“Paranormal mercenaries… Johnny Valos,” Isaac said, tilting his head. “He calls himself ‘The Revolver,’ but he gets shit done for the right price.”

He paused for a moment.

“He rolled with some of the big names in Miami for a bit.”

”That guy sounds like bad news, Jie!” Henri suddenly piped up, having otherwise silently observed. He’d been munching on some chips he’d somehow pulled out of his jacket pocket… ”Let’s maybe leave him alone.”

Linqian rolled her eyes. ”We don’t have to threaten them. A friendly chat, old coven member to old coven member.”

“... I know Johnny,” Sabrina turned towards Linqian. “Well, I know all the Valos. Gabe and Johnny are completely out of the picture if you're looking for that. Jake and Jaska…? You might be able to get a conversation out of them, but they’re all… you know.” As a gesture, Sabrina interlocked her fingers.

”Believe me, I know,” Linqian rolled her eyes. ”And Gabe’s a fucking bitch.”

“If we can’t avoid confrontation, do you have any information as to what magic he wields? I say we play it carefully but we should be ready if it comes our way,” Aaron added with another puff of smoke.

“He’s got two main tricks up his sleeve, he’s got a lot of spells related to guns. He can make bullets bounce off walls, go through barriers, and use magic to reload his guns.” Isaac explained.

“His other trick is using poker cards to teleport and explode… But I’d be more worried about the guns.”

”Look, I don't think we should bark up that tree anyhow,” Britney said, taking the teeniest puff of her cigar. ”I get that you are excited for your rematch with Gabe, but I think shaking down the Elite kids for information is not going to end well.”

Britney shrugged, ”At least, not right now.”

“They got their asses handed to them the other night by 8th St,” Isaac chuckled. “Right outside Christiansands… Jiao-Long and Jason are pissed.”

”I’ll hold back, so long as her punchable face is nowhere near me,” Linqian held up her hands. At the mention of Christiansands she looked at Britney and Greyson with a smirk. ”Aw, did they have to use daddy’s money to cover it up?”

“I’ll have your back as always. I’ll keep the others off you so you can do your thing,” Aaron winked towards Linqian. Aaron turned his attention towards Issac. “While we’re asking questions, any idea who attacked the 317 last night?”

“Hmmm…” Isaac rubbed his chin for a moment. “... I’m not sure who exactly. I know there’s a new faction in St. Portwell. They’ve been going around mugging people of their artifacts… But, word on the street says they work for the Elite.” Isaac chuckled.

“Would be real funny, wouldn’t it?”

“Were these the same people who robbed Sloane Faris of her artifacts? This is starting to feel like one big joke that they will need to answer for.”

“Not sure, but give me some time, and I’ll look into it,” Isaac took a puff of his cigar. He laughed, “I’ll find you.”

”Well, what can you tell us about a man named Jason Valos?” Britney asked. ”Is he with the Elite?”

“A lot, and yes,” Isaac laughed, taking another slow drag of his cigar. “Word on the street-”

”... You say that a lot.” Britney rolled her eyes.

“-is that Jason Valos wasn’t always known as Jason Valos,” Isaac began. “Rumors suggest he was this mercenary named Goldtooth that used to roll on the East Coast. He pulled off heists and jobs that not even the craziest bastard would touch. Once he got filthy stinkin’ rich, he disappeared without a trace…”

Isaac laughed.

“... A few years later Jason Valos comes out the blue with loads of money.”

”Maaaaaaaaaaybe I should have been more specific because I don’t want this guy’s life story!” Britney said, ”I want to know about present-day Jason Valos. More about what he’s doing in the Elite.”

“Noted, my bad,” Isaac laughed.

”No, you’re good,” Britney laughed.

“’Present-day’ Jason Valos is a different animal,” Isaac explained. “He’s one of the key members of the Elite, in fact, one of the founding members. Jason? He’s all about his money.”

Isaac laughed as he twirled his cigar playfully, “He’s got his hands in nightclubs, casinos, you name it. Cutthroat. I would be careful when playing with him because if he is Goldtooth, he has much experience behind him. Possibly some powerful magic, too.”

Britney nodded, glancing at Linqian when she said, ”I heard he has a hobby of collecting artifacts, too.”

“Yeah, he’s a hoarder,” Isaac laughed. “He either buys them off 8th St and everyone else or…”

”... Lemme guess: he takes them.”

Isaac nodded.

”Well, there are two artifacts that I need that I believe that he or Blake Schmidt has,” Britney began.

“Well, I can’t help you if you don’t tell me.”

”The Mirror on the Wall and the Map of the Drunken Sailor.” Britney succinctly replied. ”o you know ”

Isaac rubbed his chin. “... I know 8th St found the Mirror on the Wall when they attacked some Elite prospects named the Pendletons last month. They sold it to the Elite. Last I heard it’s being kept on Elysium Island.”

”And the Map of the Drunken Sailor?”

“Jason has that one, but the word on the street is that it’s kept someone in the Emperor,” Isaac replied.

Britney nodded her head with a smile.

”Excellent,”

“I feel like a plan is coming together,” Aaron said with a smile, “without the need to go to the pit.”

Greyson had let them go on and on, taking mental notes as he sucked down the cigar and scotch. Mostly, he enjoyed watching Brit and the others take charge. It was almost a shame to be the person who had to bring up something that people didn’t like. That he had to get straight for his own head. But Aaron gave him a nice, warm little way to slink his question in.

”Speaking of the Pit… Something to tickle your brain about, Issac… What do you know about Sunshine and Raven Jones? We’ve been… Having some visions, and they seem to play a key part. I figured if anyone’s heard anything about someone like Sunshine, for whoever she is, it’d be you.”

“Sunshine…” Isaac rubbed his chin. “Don’t have too much on her, but to be fair most of what she did were in other universes.” His hand drifted from his chin and went to his cigar as he took another puff.

“She’s either still in the Pit, or escaped and is out and living the best life as some farmer in Montana,” Isaac laughed. “As for Raven Jones…?”

Sabrina briefly glanced at Greyson, before her eyes landed on Isaac.
“I don’t got anything on her. Are the two supposed to be related?”

Greyson shrugged, taking a deep breath. It was only fair, he figured.
”I certainly get the vibe, yeah. It’s all pretty vivid for me; I’m used to looking at dreams and memories. They’re Recollections, so if you’re not attuned it’s just like a movie. Some people think they can read the bones…”

“I can do some digging,”

”Broooooooo,” Britney laughed. ”You’re going to ‘do some digging’ on like twenty different things at this point.”

”Oh, I gotta question,” Linqian said, single braincell kicking into action. ”Do you know where Kari’s notes are… or anything on her? Like, if she’s still fucking alive, for example?”

“Far as I’m concerned, she’s dead,” Isaac said with a shrug. “But… I know exactly where her notes are. Or where they are going to be.”

”Do tell, Isaac.” Britney said. ”We know Blake Schmidt and his rich crones have them. And we also know that Blake needs them decoded.”

”They on Elysium Island.”

”Figures,” Britney said with a shrug.

“But, they ain’t gonna be coded for long,” Isaac laughed.

Britney raised an eyebrow.

“The House of Cards gave Blake an offer he couldn’t refuse,” Isaac explained. “So, they’re going to be the ones to decode the notes on Elysium Island tomorrow. They had a big meeting where they hashed out all the details yesterday.”

Britney grasped both sides of her head.

”... I swear to God! That stupid mafia is the biggest pain in the ass!” Britney complained. ”They’re not even a pain in the ass anymore! They’ve gone past the ass straight into the rectum! They’re a pain in the rectum!”

Looking at her grimly, Greyson shook his head.
”Then I need to be in Seattle tonight. I’m not gonna make a move on them without the blessing of my Father, but it’s too far. We need to hand their asses back to them for what they’ve done, Family be damned. My Uncle’s not gonna like it, but they’re all gonna understand when I get done with them.” he cracked his neck slightly.

”House of Cards as in Luna's shitty mob? The one she tried to recruit a bunch of us into when we were fucking teens? They're still around?” Linqian asked, looking between Britney and Greyson with a bit of confusion.

”Yeah, they are… And Luna’s like a fucking cousin to me, and I’m… Gonna have to do something I don’t want to do to her. Or to Val…” he said with a great deal of regret in his voice.

”...Maybe we don't need to do anything” Britney mused out loud, looking between Edict and Linqian. ”All we all to do is tell Jack and Kenshiro this and they are going to nut themselves.”

Greyson’s grin practically consumed his face.
”You know how much I love you?” he said with a dreamy voice.

”I know, babe,” Britney said as she gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

”Awwwwww, that’s so cute! Henri obnoxiously said from the side.

”It gets really fucking old real quickly,” Linqian rolled her eyes, casting a disgusted sideeye at Greyson. But she did then grin at Britney. ”I like that plan, let the fucking teleporters do that hard work.”

”Let’s, pack it up and regroup at Sabrina’s house,” Britney said with a nod. ”We can discuss a plan there… No offense, Mr. Kane, but I don’t want you selling our plans to an enemy!” Britney said as she put out the cigar on the ash-tray.

Isaac shrugged.

“... None taken.”

Britney stood up, ”Alright, let’s-”

The door opened and a group of people meandered in…

”... Speak of the devil.”

---

Sometime later, a large group of people attempted to enter the cigar lounge subtly. The group size and appearance made that problematic, as frustrating as that was. It was the “rich clique,” as they were colloquially called, led by Johnny Valos, wearing a brown overcoat, with a well-fitted brown pinstriped suit and black dress shoes… And his iconic wide-brimmed hat. Behind him was the rest of the clique. Jake was dressed similarly to Johnny, but black instead of brown. Lin and Mika were dressed wearing fancy white dresses and black loafers; the only difference was Lin's arrowhead necklace around her neck… Sage was wearing green sweatpants and a hoodie with white sneakers. Jaska wore jeans, a t-shirt, and a leather jacket with the backs ripped open so his wings could fit through.

Gabe tailed behind Jake and Jaska with her arms crossed… wearing a brown leather jacket, snug blue jeans, combat boots, and a t-shirt. She walked up before she paused the moment she saw the platform and damn near lunged forward and grabbed Jake by the sleeve of his jacket, and pulled him back.

Johnny looked over his shoulder as everyone looked at her.

Gabe pointed at the platform.

“... Do you recognize them?”

“Gabe, stop fucking pointing!” Johnny whispered through his teeth.

Jake looked at the platform before his eyes shot open, “... Is that who I think it is?”

“Yes,” Lin nodded her head. “Britney Williams, Greyson Devola, Linqian Han, and Aaron Thorne…”

“Who?” Johnny tilted his head.

“Members of the old Coven,” Lin answered.

“Those goons?” Johnny laughed. “The fuck is Sabrina rolling with them for?”

Gabe’s hands began glowing as she walked over…

Before Johnny yanked her by the collar.

“Hey, hey, hey!” Johnny said in a low tone, “The fuck are you doing?!”

“I’m about to get some answers about the other day,” Gabe said.

Johnny yanked her harder.

“God damn, you’re stupid sometimes,” Johnny rolled his eyes. “If you do that, all they’re going to do is play dumb and change strats.”

Johnny hissed through his teeth before laughing.

“... Do you, on God, think you can just walk up and get them to start yappin’?” Johnny said, tilting his head.

“They know something about Lin and Mika,” Gabe said, “I’m just not sitting here on my ass while they plot on us.”

“... And what if they decide to flip the script on us and change the whole ass game?” Johnny asked, “Use your goddamn head, or we’re all fucked.”

Lin stepped in, placing a hand on Gabe’s arm. "Johnny’s right. If we make a scene now, we lose any leverage we might have later. They expect someone to make a move, but they don’t know when. Let’s keep it that way."

“Play the long game. Let them feel safe,” Johnny said as he straightened his hat. “Let them fuck up.”

The glow around Gabe’s hands faded as she sighed, “Fine, but if they try something, it’s on and popping.”

“I’m going to see if I can, um, ’hear’ anything,” Lin said with a shrug as she slinked closer to the platform. Johnny nodded as Jake followed her.

Aaron stood up as he exhaled out more smoke. He stretched out as he took in the club. He had never really been in a fancy spot like this before, and despite everything he was actually enjoying the night out. His two brain cells were starting to get tired, however, so he had started to check out of the conversation. As such he began to take in the rest of the club from the raised platform. He looked at the decorations, the lights, the dancers, Gabe, the bar space, the ambiance, back to Gabe, lingering on Gabe, fixated on Gabe. Aaron swapped forms in that moment as they leaned over the railings and smirked.

It was only a matter of time before Linqian noticed, or these fucks did something to get Linqian’s attention, and Aryin was going to savor watching the chaos unfold when it did happen. They took another hit of the cigar and blew the song out in the direction of Gabe and mouthed a ”tick-tock” towards them as their smile spread even further.

While Linqian was trying her best to stay with the conversation, she was also starting to zone out as it got to shit she just did not give a fuck about. Then Aaron turned away, and naturally Linqian started getting twitchy. Then he swapped, and Linqian was hit with the irresistible urge to punch her.

”The fuck’s so interesting, bitch- is that who I fucking think it is?!” Linqian's fist froze midway to punching Aryin's shoulder. Sage, Lin, Jake, Jaska… Gabe. The last time she'd seen Gabe they'd gotten into a fight so bad even Jinhai almost couldn't calm Linqian down… and she'd said some shit that Linqian couldn't remember now but she knew had been fucked. But she did remember what she'd said.

”Oy, asshole,” Linqian shot up, not quite shouting but speaking loud enough for the rich clique to hear. She pointed right at Gabe, finger starting to glow. ”I told you do I ever fucking saw your ugly face again I'd burn it off.”

Johnny looked at Gabe, then Linqian. Then back at Gabe.

“... Bitch, go fuck your brother!” Gabe shouted, sneering as she looked at Linqian. “We ain’t even come here for your ass, so shut the fuck up!”

“Heeeeeeeeeeey!” Johnny shouted as he put a hand in front of Gabe, stepping in front of her with a wide, unnerving smile. “It’s great to meet you! I’m Johnny Valos…”

Jake, Lin, Sage, and Jaska were pretty much pulling Gabe away while Mika reached into her purse… only to pause and shake her head.

“Like my sister said! We didn’t come here for a fight! Just came here for a good time!” Johnny looked over his shoulder, and everyone was barely holding her back. “So, stay away from us; we’ll stay away from you.” He shot her the finger guns.

“Fuck that-”

“Shut up, dumbass!” Johnny whispered, “You’re gonna blow it!”

”Oh fuck all the way off Gabe,” Aryin said in an almost hushed tone. Their bemused expression had fallen from their face. A dull glow began to emanate from Aryin’s muscles. ”Is your healer any good? Like does your healer have a lot of practice? Are they good in a pinch,” Aryin paused as they gripped the railing tighter, ”because I’m going rip your jaw from your face and I want you to apologize after I’m done.”

Britney immediately ran as fast as - then tripped and fell flat on her face, then climbed back up - she physically could. Where? She put herself between the rich clique and Linqian and the others. She threw her hands up, awkwardly looking to the left and right. ”HEY! Chill the fuck out!” Britney shouted. ”Ignore these assholes! We got bigger fish to fry!” She turned towards Linqian and Aryin.

”... Please, don’t let them control you!”

”Oh shit,” Henri whispered, physically flinching at the brother comment.

Linqian was not going to chill the fuck out. Her hands and arms started to glow, physically melting through the railing so she could direct the most direct fucking route down. The moment Gabe mentioned Jinhai, it was over. ”My brother is fucking dead, you fucking bitch. Just because even your fucking family doesn't give a fuck about you- keep him out of your fucking mouth.”

She moved to try and get around Britney, managing to keep the metal burning heat to just her arms and away from her friend. ”Move the fuck away, Brit, I'm not fucking ignoring this shit. Not when she's fucking shit talking my dead brother.”

”Look, Linqian! She’s a just miserable nobody!” Britney got in Linqian’s way again and blocked her view of game. ”She wants you to get mad and beat the beat the shit out her! She wants to feel like she controls you.”

“... Oh lord!” Johnny said, facepalming. He stuck his hand out, and in the blink of an eye, a Thompson submachine gun appeared in his hand. He aimed it at Linqian. “... And you’re going to join that ninja on the other side if you take so much as one more step, ya’ dumb bitch.”

He grinned ear to ear as he said, “I’ll riddle you, your giant ass friend, and everyone behind you with holes. Try me, bitch.” He laughed.

“Oh my word!” Mika shouted as she took cover, then turned towards the rest of the group. “Get her the hell out of here! Can’t we go anywhere without something crazy happening!?”

They were physically pulling Gabe out.

“Hey! Hey! Hey!” Isaac shouted as he ran over without a hint of fear. “... Not in here!” He pointed at the door.

“Tell the bitch to back the fuck off, and I’ll walk away,” Johnny replied to Isaac.

Britney froze, staring at the gun.

Linqian didn't move, but she also didn't back down. There wasn't a hint of fear in her gaze, because in that moment of intense angry, and the everpresent grief, she truly did not give a fuck if she died. She just stared down Johnny, before only her eyes moved over to Gabe. ”You need you’re fucking big brother to defend you now? Looks like you've turned into a fucking coward- we'd take it outside if she wasn't such a fucking pussy.”

As Linqian spoke, a bunch of the lights in the back suddenly went out, before eventually flickering back to life.

”Run away Gabe. It’s all you’re ever good at,” Aryin said as they put the cigar back in their mouth as they eyed up the gun. Guns beat magic, her magic beats guns, but she did not know if her spell beats magic guns.

“Use… Your eyes dumbass!” Gabe said as the group damn near yanked her out the room. “... How about you losers come outside then!”

“Please,” Johnny rolled his eyes, “Play these childish games with ya’ homegirl Emily G. Reed. Not us.”

”Oh I’ll fucking come outside, if your asshole brother won’t shoot me the moment I fucking move!” Linqian shouted after Gabe, before looking back at Johnny. ”The fuck you keep bringing up that bitch? I’m just paying back a fucking debt!”

Her temperature continued to rise, spreading up her hands and arms and threatening to burn off the dress she was wearing.

“Because she’s a retard who calls herself a witch, you’re a retard who calls herself a witch,” Johnny laughed. “You’re all basically the same person!”

”Do not compare us to that transphobic cunt,” Aryin said as she pointed a finger towards Johnny, ”I never thought I’d be happy that she won a fight but I’m kinda glad they kicked your sorry asses.” Aryin kept the finger pointed towards Johnny as they considered swapping forms. They channeled their magic into their hand.

”Fuck off you fucking mafia imitating psycho,” Linqian suddenly dropped to the ground, slamming a hand into it. Their arm turned into a vine, which spread across towards Johnny… except the vines immediately set on fire.

”Wait, Linqian-” Britney tried to say.

“Well, it’s your funeral!” Johnny shouted before he pulled the trigger and the Thompson sprayed everything in front of him. Even though he was shooting an actual weapon, it didn’t so much as recoil in Johnny’s hand. Britney screamed as a bullet hit her in the stomach, and another hit her in the shoulder and she fell backwards and hit the ground.

Another bullet hit Isaac in the neck… but he didn’t so much as flinch. Only looked annoyed.

There had been a bit of a familiar itch that drove its way vaguely across the Emotional Fields of the Sycamore members present. Feeling it was like a slimy hug from a person you didn’t want one from. The hunting, prodding pink roots of the Lotus driving headlong through the crowd at their most subtle, each one searching for a break or an entry into the mind of a less-than-defended individual.

They didn’t make a distinction, latching into the first open mind they found. Sage. Two power words: Rush, and Push. The undefended person would feel themself surge forward almost outside of their own power, rushing toward Johnny’s position to shove him hard, hoping to stop the gunfire.
Behind them, Greyson was sprinting too, a fork in his hand as he made way for an unsuspecting nearby target.

Linqian had curled inwards, protecting her head as multiple bullets hit her. Her shoulder, her side, her legs brought up to protect her stomach. Another hit the right side of her chest. It hurt like hell and she doubled over in agony as her temperature shot up to as hot as she could get, her dress completely burning away. The blood spilling from the wounds started to congeal and the bullets were shoved out as her survival instinct kicked in, self heal spell developed enough to start working. But the pain that came with it was worse than getting shot in the first place, so excruciating she curled up into a ball on the floor, suppressing a scream in her burning hot, bare legs. Bullets shoved out of her skin and clattered to the ground as wounds were agonizingly burned closed.

Her vine arm was still reached out, on fire, still trying to grasp Johnny.

”Jie- Britney!” Henri shouted, appearing in a burst of light absorbed speed. He went to Britney first, kneeling beside her panickedly. ”I’ve- I’ve got you!” A bright light emanated from his hands as he started to heal her… thank fuck he trained loads after what happened yesterday!

Aryin moved at a supernatural speed once the vine shot out, knowing that her friends were in actual danger. She was too slow to stop the first of the bullets but soon enough Britney and Linqian would find a wall stood in between them and the bullets. Flattened bullets clanged to the ground after they collided with her back, each hit drawing a momentary gasp of pain.

“What the fuck?!” Johnny shouted as Sage tackled him to the ground, the rich clique had all but entirely yanked Gabe out the room. The bullets stopped.

“... It’s Greyson!” Lin shouted, arms around Gabe’s arm. “He’s controlling them.”

Aryin chuckled at the revelation by Lin. “Our coven's little devil strikes again.”

A poker card flew out of Johnny’s sleeve off to the side, and in an instant he and the poker card switched places. Instead of spraying the Coven with more bullets, he turned towards Sage as they got up and nailed them with the bullstock of his Tommygun. Sage hit the ground followed by a sickening crack of their nose.

“Johnny!” Jake shouted.

“Jake! Behind you!” Lin shouted, and Jake whipped around to see Greyson coming at him with a… fork? He grabbed the hand coming at him with both hands and was tackled to the ground.

“... Why the fuck are you coming at me?!” Jake shouted. “We’re trying to leave!”

“Slyvia! Make a portal!” Johnny commanded as he backstepped towards his people, holding the Tommygun with both hands. Mika quickly got from behind the counter and ran towards Johnny.

“Aye, aye, boss!” Sylvia let go of Gabe’s waist as she pulled out the guitar, and then swiped her hands on the guitar string and played a sick note. Behind her a shimmering portal made out of various music notes appeared out of thin air. However, Sylvia grinned as she looked at Edict.

“Don’t blink, papi!” Sylvia said as she threw her guitar at Edict.

Of course it’d be a battle of unconventional melee weapons. He’d long ago numbed himself, taking the impact of the guitar causing his body to twist itself slightly as the force pushed him around. But the legs didn’t stop moving, and he screamed like an animal as he surged forward to throw his body on top of Jake. The fork raised, and came down wildly.

The guitar flew back into Sylvia’s hands.

Lin screamed. Jake screamed.

The fork went right into Jake’s throat as he coughed up blood.

“Jake!” Lin screamed.

“Oh, fuck this!” Gabe fought herself free, then pointed an open hand at Edict and shot a laser beam directly at him.

With the chaos Aryin swapped forms and channeled his magic into his hands. He raised up both fists, one aiming towards Johnny, and one aimed towards Gabe, and with a jab like motion Aaron began to launch Ki Blasts towards the two targets. It flew towards Gabe and hit her in the back and knocked her over. The one that flew towards Johnny? Went directly for his chest.

Mika stuck her hand out in front of him. The ki blast hit her in the hand, and did nothing. No impact, no flash, nothing.

However, Aaron would receive the effects of the ki-blast in his hand as if it hit him.

With Britney at least stabilised, Henri used the last bit of light he’d absorbed to enhance his speed and put himself between Greyson and the laser beam. He held up his hands, absorbing the majority of the beam into his body. Some of it was sprayed back and hit his shoulders, burning them.

”I’m so sorry about all this!” Henri shouted, spinning around and shoving Greyson off Jake - because he was going to kill him! He then immediately channeled some of the light he’d absorbed into healing the wound in Jake’s neck.

Aaron cursed at the Ki Blast exploded in his hand, damaging it beyond use. He swapped forms and looked at the ruined hand before looking at Mika. “Neat trick.”

“... Can you all just stop?!” Sabrina shouted, taking cover on the other side of the platform as her voice cracked. “This is stupid! You all have more important things to do!”

”I agree with her!” Henri shouted as he continued to heal Jake. He removed his hands when the wound on his neck was healed enough to not kill him.

“The police are definitely on the way!” Sabrina added.

“If he puts the gun away I’ll consider stopping.”

“You motherfuckers lit the fuse and you want us to back off?!” Johnny incredulously said, tilting his head as he stepped back. Mika was by his side. “Suck my dick!”

”No, my idiot sister started it, and she’s on the floor dying, so you’ve done enough, surely?!” Henri shouted.

”I’m not dying,” Linqian groaned in between the slow and excruciating pain of healing herself from multiple bullet wounds by superheating them.

“Tell your people to back off, then!” Johnny shouted at Henri. “Bullets ain’t cheap!!”

Greyson only needed to hear police for his instincts to go from attack to flee. Blurry eyes looked for his group. Still covered in blood, gripping the fork with a death hold, he started to try and corral them.
”Come on! Let’s fucking go!”

Johnny looked over his shoulder and grinned as a poker card flew from his sleeve at Edict… Mid-air, it was coated in electricity, enough to give him one hell of a shock to whoever it touched. “... If going to the fucking hospital is what you mean by ‘let’s fucking go‘, then have at it!” Johnny said, keeping his gun aimed at Aryin.

Getting hit with the heavy stun of electricity, those in radius would be able to feel Greyson’s magic scream across them. For him specifically, with all his numbing spells gone, he felt every bruise and pain he could possibly feel. The shock dumped him to his knees.

“That’s what you get, dickhead!” Sylvia laughed.

“Shut up and just get in the portal!” Lin said, before she turned towards Sage’s unconscious body. She raised a hand and then they were telekinetically soared through the air into the portal. Jake stepped into the portal, aiming a glowing finger at whoever. Sylvia did the same, holding her guitar with both hands.

“Thanks for healing my bro… bro,” Sylvia said to Henri, winking at him. “Til’ next time, papi!” She said before hopping through. Gabe hopped through.

Johnny kept backpedaling as Mika just bolted for the portal and hopped in. Johnny grinned right before he got in.

“Let this be a lesson,” Johnny laughed. “Don’t fuck with the don’!”

He shouted before he hopped backwards and the portal closed.

Sabrina sighed, poking her head out.

“... Is it finally over?”

”Yup!” Henri said, running over to Greyson. He started healing him from the electrocution and grimacing. He looked around. ”Anyone else need healing?!”

”I got myself,” Linqian groaned, finally uncurling from her fetal position on the floor. Her temperature cooled down as all of the bullet wounds were completely healed. She was slightly busy from the pain… and naked. Again.

Aryin swapped forms as he unbuttoned his shirt, handing the shirt and jacket out to Linqian. His muscular chest, and body, neatly glistened in the club lighting. He held up his damaged hand and sighed

”Thanks bro,” Linqian grunted, taking them and pulling them on.

”Could use a little bit of healing here!” Britney shouted from the floor. ”Still losing some of that red stuff…”

”Got it! You should be good-” Henri patted Greyson on the shoulder after healing him faster than normal thanks to the laser beam he’d sucked in. He then ran over towards Britney, and also started healing her. The wounds healed, and Britney helped herself to her feet.

She smiled at Henri.

”... You’re so sweet,” Britney smiled. ”I’m sorry you got wrapped up in all this.”

Meanwhile, Sabrina quickly ran over to Linqian and put her hands on her shoulders, “... I got you!” Then Linqian was surrounded with a very basically black hoodie and sweatpants combo (with some sneakers).

”Why’re you apologising?! There’s only one person at fault!” Henri said to Britney, turning around and pointing at Linqian. He was shockingly angry, suddenly. ”Why the fuck did you do that?! Are you fucking stupid?!”

”我要淹死你 (I’m going to drown you).” Linqian glared at her brother.

”Don’t pull that shit again!” Henri narrowed his eyes.

Still gritting his teeth tightly as he stood.
”I’m gonna KILL that fake Gangster Fuck!”

“Enough,” Aaron said as he looked over the group, “time and a place, yeah? There’s a time and a place to discuss what just happened. It’s not here. Isaac, I’m sorry that we bright chaos upon you and your night. I doubt there’s anything I can do to smooth things over but on the off chance there is, please let me know. But we should leave.”

Isaac laughed, holding that cigar in his hand.

“... They were right, you know,” He started, “Where ever you all go; chaos sure has a way of following.” He laughed.

“I’d say you get used to it,” he paused as he looked at his hand, “but you don’t.”

“I would blacklist you all from my services…” Isaac said, taking a very long and slow puff of his cigar. He stared off into the distance, before his eyes landed on Sabrina. “... Money is money, game is game.”

He shrugged. “We’re just going to be meeting in your spaces next time we do business.”

Looking down at himself, Greyson found his entire upper body covered in blood.
”Oh, Jesus Fuck! We need to fucking go!” he exclaimed in a panic.

”Yeah, um!” Britney looked around. ”Let’s get the FUCK outta here!” Britney said as she bolted for the door.

”Agreed! Anyone need a hand, I can carry people!” Henri said.

As if by coincidence, Linqian had stood up and was starting to sidle towards the exit. Subtly. Or at least, with attempted subtlety. Less so subtle was her attempt to sidle around everyone as if trying to bolt away from them.

As Sabrina ran towards the door, she paused for a moment, and looked back at Isaac.

Isaac grinned.

“... I’ll send you the bill.”

Sabrina’s House.

---

“... Well that escalated quickly.”

Sabrina said with a shrug. The group was back at Sabrina’s house, and she sat on the sofa with a red wine in a clear whiskey glass.

”It… happens,” Britney laughed.

“It happens a lot with you all,” Sabrina answered, “Never a dull moment.”

”I mean it comes with magic!” Britney laughed, before she faced the rest of the group. She sat down, placing her hands in her lap. She was freshly showered, and switched to a black romper with a shower cap on. She took in a deep breath, and said,

”... I have a plan,” Britney started. ”I was cooking something up before all hell broke loose.”

Then Britney turned towards Sabrina.
”First thing’s first; we are not going to tell anyone from the Coven that the Vanburens are in the Elite,” Britney started off, ”Only because we have some real trigger happy headcases in there like Amara. I don’t want anyone coming after Sabrina.”

“Thank you,” Sabrina began. “I mean, Lila seemed nice.”

“What’s up with Lila, anyway? I remember the crows but she seems a bit…different than I remember,” Aaron responded as he looked towards Britney, “I agree though. Like Sabrina, you have been nothing but amazing. I do not want you to have any added danger for helping us.”

”Agreed,” Linqian nodded, sitting a bit off from the group… which was easy with the massive sofa. Having had to sit through Henri absolutely getting on her ass for the time others got changed, she was tired. ”Wouldn’t do shit for us, anyway, the other Vanburen we know is stuck in Leon’s hot mom’s creepy cult- and Sabrina doesn’t deserve shit just cause of her family.”

“Thank you, it means a lot to me,” Sabrina said.

”You know we look out for each other!” Britney laughed. ”Not everyone in this Coven does, but we do.”

Then Britney sighed, ”Now, I’m not as concerned about Kari’s Notes as the ‘Cult of Kari’ is, but we need to get to the Map of the Drunken Sailor and the Mirror on the Wall.”

“The fuck are those?”

”Two tracking artifacts, Lynn told me about them,” Britney said. ”Lynn wants to use them to find her boo, but I think we can use them to find Father Wolf and make some actual headway. The only problem is that Jason has one, and Blake has the other.”

Britney rolled her eyes. ”So, I had the idea… Now, I know for a fact that Jack and Kenshiro are going to basically break their necks to get Kari’s Notes back the second I tell them about the whole situation with the House of Cards. Probably going to end up taking a group there. So, I was thinking that I subtly push the group into going to the island.”

To accentuate her point, Britney slowly thrusted her palm out. ”Because - going off our track record - it will go completely tits up and cause a huge fuss. And that’s where you all come in. You all will use the distraction on Elysium Island to snatch the Map of the Drunken Sailor from the Emperor. I’m not sure if we’ll be able to get the Mirror on the Wall from Elysium Island, but I’d rather we come out with one thing than coming out emptyhanded.”
Britney smiled at the group.

”Then, we use them to find Father Wolf, kill his - or her - ass, hand it over to the Cult of Kari so they can find their girl, then go our separate ways” Britney nodded. ”I know it’s shady, but desperate times calls for desperate measures, and I’m just tired of leaving every meeting empty handed and with more questions than answers.”

“And if the snake is somehow involved we gain two powerful artifacts that can once again help us find ways to defeat it,” Aaron paused as he looked towards Britney, “I may disagree with them but I’d want to be where the greater risk is. I’m a protector, first and foremost, and if the island is a bigger threat I’d want to go with the rest there.”

”I’ll do whatever and go wherever,” Linqian shrugged. ”I trust your plan, Brit, don't give a fuck if it's shady. I want to find and kill that fucker more than anything… so I'll go rob a rich fuck rather than going to the island.”

”Oh, that reminds me…” Britney placed her hand on Greyson’s, and then looked him in the eye as she said, ”... I’m going to go with the group to Elysium Island, though.”

Greyson had simply been listening until it started to sound more and more like he was going to be moving units alongside the Han dynasty. He didn't mind either, his only concern being that he wasn't going to be able to protect Britney.
For a long moment, he held her hand and gripped it tightly, his eyes turning up to look at her. She'd probably seen the patriarchal look of disapproval a thousand times from his toxic ass, but something different happened this time.

There was no argument. There was no fuss or fight. He bent down slightly, brought her hand up to his lips, and kissed it gently.
”I believe in you… We'll be safe with one another again after.”
His head turned slightly to look at Linqian and Henri.
”You two will keep me alive, won't you?” he grinned.

”I’ll consider it… what do I get out of it?” Linqian replied playfully, lips curving up into a smirk as her eyes narrowed almost contentedly. ”I’m normally an aggressor, not a defender, so it ain't free.”

”Jie wouldn't actually let you die- and I definitely won't, don't worry! Even if you get shot a million times and are lying on the ground bleeding out, or if you're electrocuted and passed out, I'll heal you!” Henri said rather dramatically, holding a hand against his chest. ”Oh, actually- can I get a gun?!”

”… And I trust you’ll handle our white-haired mafioso friend?” Britney smiled. ”I know she jumped up and down about how she wants to be one of us… but I want to see her keep that same energy when her pockets get threatened.”

“For that reason I’d want you guys to get one more person. Someone level headed, and able to assist if shit hits the fan,” Aaron added while looking at Linqian before swapping, ”I know you think you can handle business you bitch but you’re so fucking dumb,” Aryin paused as they swapped back, “I just don’t want you guys to get blindsided by something that ends up being too much.”

”You’re fucking dumber,” Linqian retorted, rolling her eyes.

Sabrina waved her hands, then pointed both of her thumbs at herself.

“… I can get you all into the Emperor,” Sabrina shrugged, grasping her cup. “Maybe Elysium Island but I would rather step foot on that island.”

Greyson thought for a good moment about Luna. A good, long moment. He remembered being children. Not teens, not adolescents… Memories of being tiny, chasing one another along the pier while the adults held court inside the abandoned buildings along the harbor’s edge. Memories that would’ve been ancient history for anyone else was an easily accessible picture show to the master of Pink Lux. And each little bit of it was filled with a childish love of freedom. A different time.

”Right… Handle her. Sure.” he nodded slowly, thumb rubbing across Britney’s hand a moment longer.
”I guess I’ll make that phone call…” his throat cleared, and he stood up before pointing at Henri.
”And as for a fucking gun, don’t hold your breath. If you want a gun, we’re spending the next sixteen hours inside my head going over firing drills, ‘cuz I’m not letting you shoot me in the back… Fuckin’ cowboy… And don’t think I don’t remember you healed that prick at the club either. We’re gonna talk about that-”

Greyson’s face immediately turned to Linqian, sternly but not aggressively staring.
”-respectfully. Later. So that I can explain why I think that could’ve been a poor judgement call… Without any sort of malice or anger. Obviously.”
Then he spun and started down the hall toward the same room he’d used the night of the Halloween festival.

”I’m not saying you kill her or something!” Britney waved her hands in front of her as she forced a smile. ”I’m just saying make sure that she doesn’t, like, run off to her bosses.”

”I don't know why he thinks I'm gonna rip his fucking head off over every little thing,” Linqian rolled her eyes at Greyson's back as if he wasn't still in earshot.

”To be fair, Jie, you did try to last night,” Henri commented. He was still perfectly chill, not seeming bothered at all by the finger pointing or promised lecture later. After all, he'd been basically raised by Linqian and Jinhai, he was used to stern talking tos with varying degrees of anger in them.
”We can talk about that and the gun anytime later!” Henri called after Greyson.

Greyson’s thumping footsteps brought him back into the living room, torso peering around the corner of the wall.
”And y’all should decide who's gonna represent us at the Coven meetings from now on. It ain’t gonna be all of us so pick one: I’ll leave my vote with Brit unless y’all don’t conclude before I get back.”
Then he was gone again.

”It’s pretty obvious who, ain't it,” Linqian raised an eyebrow at Greyson's back, before looking between Britney and Aaron. ”Should be you, Brit… Honestly I think it should be both of you. One person doesn't feel safe, and you guys got the balance. You're smart, Aaron is well liked. Nobody will fucking listen to me, and everyone sees Greyson as a sleezebag.”

”... I mean, some of them don’t see me as any better,” Britney laughed. ”But, I get what you’re saying… We can be the dynamic duo, me and you.” She smiled at Aaron.

”Maybe we can start by nudging Auri to start a meeting.”

“The dynamic duo. I’ll keep you safe, don't worry. We should call her tonight. This feels like an urgent need, do you think we can get everyone together again in the next couple days?”

”... They’re gonna decipher the notes tomorrow,” Britney looked at Aaron, laughing. ”We gotta get the lead out, especially if those notes are as important as some of them act like!” She laughed, before she pulled out her phone and sent out a few texts to Auri.

A few moments later, her phone buzzed, and Britney looked down at her phone.

”Auri’s at her flower shop with Be and Todd,” Britney rolled her eyes. ”Want to ride with me over there?”

“I’m ready to go when you are,” Aaron paused as they swapped forms, ”I got your back.”

Britney got up and pulled her keys out of her purse, before smiling at Greyson and Linqian. ”We’ll be right back, don’t have too much fun without us!” She jingled her keys at the group as she walked out with Aryin in tow.

Flowers and Canvases.

---

Don’t Look Behind - Black Lagoon Ost

---

It was late at night, so Auri’s Flower Shop was closed, but she typically used it as a social spot. Britney wasn’t excited to see Be again, but this is what it takes to get to the bottom of this Father Wolf nonsense. Britney’s GMC Yukon parked out front, and the door was somewhat ajar, though, as she approached, there was something wrong. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but she swallowed it, as she slowly pushed the door open.

What she saw confirmed all of her feelings.

Britney’s jaw dropped.

It was worse than she imagined.

Blood was everywhere.

Be, Todd, and Auri stabbed to death on the floor, with a wolf statue carved from Sycamore neatly placed next to them.

”... You gotta be fucking kidding me.”

”Jesus, fucking CHRIST,” Aryin shouted as she followed Britney in. Aryin’s first thought was being in groups was not as safe as she thought. ” Britney, what do we do?”

”I dont-I don’t know!” Britney grabbed both sides of her head and paced back and forth.

”No, no, no, please no, Auri, Bo, Todd, please no please not you,”” Aryin responded as she pressed her back into a wall and slid down it.

”Keep it. Together,” Britney sighed, as she pulled out her phone. ”I’m going to call the police.”

”Okay,” Aryin paused as they took a really, long, deep breath in before she took a really, long, exhale out. Aryin looked at Britney and nodded her head. She needed to be composed, she needed to be together, and she needed to be ready for questions that she did not have answers for when the police arrived. ”We were so close. Thank you for getting everyone back together, Auri.”

”… You know what it means right?” Britney asked.

”That there may be more of us murdered by father wolf than those who are still alive?”

”He’s raising the stakes, he’s no longer just going after people by themselves.,”

”Do we need to all live together? Like this…this takes our strategy for staying alive and fucking throws it in the mother fucking trash,” Aryin’s voice raised before she sighed.

”… But maybe this might work out for us,” Britney began, ”Maybe he’s finally getting sloppy.”

”We need those artifacts. If he’s getting sloppy…. We’re going to kill them”

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

"Lily".Santos
32 | Carmen Brianna Santos-Romano | She/Her "This is my life, Papi; nothing can change the past, so that nothing can change me."	Description: Carmen Santos-Romano (Better described as Lily), the eldest of three sisters, has always carried the weight of her family's expectations. Raised in the bustling streets of New York City, her life was marked by responsibility from an early age. Her parents worked tirelessly (her father was a dedicated NYPD officer and her mother a nurse) to provide for their family. Although they offered love and support, Lily often felt more like a second parent than a sibling, taking care of her younger sisters, Yara and Clarita, while trying to navigate her teenage years. This sense of duty shaped her philosophy that everything happens for a reason; she believed the struggles in her life were stepping stones laid out by a higher power, preparing her for future challenges. Despite her creative spirit and passion for art, which served as her emotional outlet, Lily fell victim to the pressures of adulthood. After her father's infidelity led to her parents' divorce, she struggled to find her footing while dealing with the emotional fallout. College, once a beacon of hope, turned into a battlefield of stress, leading her down a dark path marked by a shopping addiction and irresponsible decisions, including opening credit cards in her sister's name. When her sisters pressed charges against her under pressure from their new stepfather, Lily found herself in prison for identity theft. It was during her time at Rikers Island's female unit, Rosies, that she was forced to confront the consequences of her choices and the deep-seated pain she had been avoiding. Surrounded by harsh reality and fellow inmates' struggles, Lily realized that her past decisions had impacted her life and fractured her relationships with those she loved. After two years, Lily emerged determined to rebuild her life. She moved to San Antonio, Texas, distancing herself from her mother and stepfather for a fresh start. There, she found solace in tattoo artistry, channeling her creativity into a new career. Yet, her healing journey was interrupted when she fell in love with Rafael Cruz. Initially enamored, she soon faced the brutal reality of his controlling and abusive nature, forcing her to flee, and she lived with a friend. After fleeing Rafael's abusive grasp, his relentless obsession turned her new life into a waking nightmare as he began stalking her. Then, one evening, Rafael broke into her new home. Faced with the man who had once promised her love but became her nightmare, the confrontation escalated violently, and as Lily fought for her life, she unexpectedly awakened a powerful Abstraction known as Paranormal-Battery. In a desperate moment during the violent conflict with Rafael, she accidentally Overcharged him. The overwhelming energy triggered a catastrophic explosion that devastated her neighborhood, killing him in the process. She had no clue what had happened; the PRA swarmed her neighborhood in their investigation, and panic gripped Lily's heart. Days later, feeling the pressure closing in, Lily's life turned for the worse when she unintentionally Overcharged a friend during a moment of vulnerability. The energy burst erupted in a blinding flash, causing chaos in a nearby park and drawing even more attention from the PRA. Desperate to keep those she cared about safe, she isolated herself, fearing her abilities would hurt someone else. As time passed, Lily had a few more close calls, and each overcharging incident made it clear that she was no longer just a survivor; she had become a target. With her life spiraling out of control and no one to turn to, Lily decided to go on the run. After escaping the chaos of San Antonio, Lily spent months on the run, moving from town to town and state to state. The relentless pursuit of the PRA and factions seeking her abstraction loomed over her like a shadow, forcing her to adopt new identities and live in constant paranoia. Eventually, Lily arrived in St. Portwell, Oregon, just after Faith's call to action following the devastating attack on the 317 by the Elite and Sentinel Solutions. Eager to embrace a new beginning, Lily joined the 317, pouring her energy into tattoo artistry while learning to control her Abstraction. Lily is a full-blooded Puerto Rican woman who speaks with a thick Bronx accent and has a little bit of baby fat that clings to her belly. Abstraction: Afflicted - Paranormal-Battery. Lily’s Abstraction is a unique curse that allows her to enhance the Abstractions of anyone she touches with her bare skin. This ability draws on a deep well of magical energy that flows through her, making her a conduit for amplification. When she contacts another Paranormal-Being, her power boosts their Abstractions, allowing them to access greater strength and control than they ordinarily could. However, this power operates on a balance. Like a vessel containing only a certain amount, those she enhances can quickly be overwhelmed. When someone absorbs too much of Lily’s energy, they risk reaching a critical threshold, leading to what is known as an "Overcharge". In this state, individuals become akin to volatile bombs, filled with raw magical energy they can no longer contain. The consequences of this explosive release are devastating and capable of wreaking havoc on a large scale. The destructive potential of overcharging poses a constant threat to Lily and those around her. While she can enhance abilities, the risk that her touch could push someone past their limits keeps her on edge.
Jasmine.Tsega
29 | Nyala "Jasmine" Tsega | She/Her "I told myself I wouldn't let another like Sophie best me... and look around you."	Description: Born Nyala in Germany to accomplished architects, her childhood was gilded with opportunity yet marked by an insatiable need to prove herself. This drive became even more pronounced during high school when she discovered her passion for soccer. Although she was once the star player, everything changed with the arrival of Sophie Müller, whose natural talent and charm eclipsed Jasmine’s achievements. The fierce competition ignited Jasmine's ambition, yet beneath her rivalry lay a complicated admiration for Sophie that she struggled to acknowledge. Jasmine’s philosophy centers on the belief that greatness requires unyielding dedication and hard work. This belief, however, spiraled into an obsession that overshadowed her mental health. As she pushed herself to the brink, she wrestled with her emotions, particularly regarding Sophie, whom she secretly admired yet could not fully comprehend her feelings. The tipping point came when her desperation to reclaim her former glory during a crucial championship match led to a moment of recklessness: tripping Sophie just as she was about to score the winning goal. The fallout from this frustration resulted in Jasmine’s removal from the team and a tarnished reputation, forcing her to flee to St. Portwell, Oregon, where she reinvented herself. In the vibrant culture of America, Jasmine embraced her new identity, choosing the name Jasmine as a nod to her fresh start. Determined to channel her competitive spirit into a new realm, she immersed herself in fitness, aiming to become a fitness influencer. Her journey was not without struggle as Jasmine battled the lingering shadows of Sophie Müller, the specter of a rival who symbolized the heights she yearned to reach but feared she could never attain. Jasmine was shaken to her core after a harrowing encounter with an Apparition during a late-night jog in St. Portwell. With its haunting resemblance to Sophie, the spectral figure emerged from the shadows and attacked her. In that chilling moment, she realized that this apparition was not just any spirit; it was created from her unresolved feelings toward her long-time rival. This encounter shattered her perception of reality, thrusting her into the supernatural world. Determined to make sense of the mystical experience, Jasmine delved into research, exploring the intricacies of magic and the hidden communities surrounding it. Her search led her to a hidden market where she crossed paths with "certain individuals" specializing in trading rare magical artifacts (and "other" goods). There, she discovered a sealed Apparition called "The Sun God." Intrigued by its potential, Jasmine made the purchase, excited at the new avenues this spirit opened. After Sentinel Solutions (backed by the Elite) launched a surprise attack on the 317 building, Jasmine felt a surge of adrenaline. She spontaneously stepped forward in the chaos, offering to join the faction during Faith’s call to action. She currently acts as security/a footsoldier. Jasmine is a German-Ethiopian woman with a muscular build due to being a fitness influencer and her abstraction, though she has a pear-shaped build. She speaks with a heavy German accent. Abstraction: Agent - The Power of The Sun. Jasmine wields a stone disk from her belt containing the Apparition known as The Sun God, granting her incredible solar-based abilities that make her a formidable adversary. She can absorb solar energy through her skin, storing it for later use, which serves two primary functions. First, she can substitute solar energy for sustenance, providing her with all the power she needs without eating. She consumes food only for pleasure and must still drink water. This ability significantly enhances her endurance, allowing her to stave off fatigue until lactic acid buildup sets in. Maximum Solar Absorption refers to the peak level of solar energy Jasmine can store within her body. In this state, her body temperature can soar to around 550°F, making her touch intensely hot. While she is not immune to heat, her increased resistance allows her to withstand extreme temperatures without harm. At this maximum capacity, she can access her abilities at their most potent, unlocking unparalleled strength and regenerative capabilities. Jasmine’s regenerative factor is equally remarkable. By continuously absorbing sunlight, she can heal rapidly from injuries. In her maximum state, she can recover from severe injuries, like broken bones, in a matter of minutes, while extensive flesh damage can heal in seconds as long as she remains in sunlight. Jasmine’s strength is where her true power lies. She can infuse her muscles with solar energy, greatly enhancing her physical capabilities. Once activated, her muscles swell, transforming her physique into that of a bodybuilder, allowing her to tap into her enhanced strength. Without activation, she possesses double her baseline strength, quickly lifting over 300 pounds. When fully empowered, she can lift upwards of 5,000 pounds, making her a force to be reckoned with. Her body is reinforced to handle this immense strength, ensuring she doesn’t injure herself while exerting such power.
Lucia.Scott
33 | Lucia Danielle Scott | She/Her "I want the stars because nothing’s ever good enough for the likes of me."	Description: Lucia Scott was born into the Inner Circle as the daughter of two devoted members; her childhood was a paradoxical blend of privilege and fear. Her parents' fervent disciples of Sunshine Jones exposed her to the horrific realities of their ambition: human experimentation, ruthless power plays, and a hunger for more. When the Accordance dismantled the organization, her parents decided to flee to Shimmer, believing they could escape the consequences of their past. However, it was in the aftermath of their flight that Lucia’s actual struggles began as she became separated from the only life she had known. Desperate to prepare her for a harsh world and ensure she could defend herself if the Accordance came after them, her parents devised a controversial plan: forcing Lucia to undergo a Kindling Event. They sought the assistance of a remaining member of the Inner Circle, a skilled Pink-Lux Adept who specialized in emotional manipulation. This member, driven by a twisted loyalty to the cult's legacy, agreed to help them in exchange for a promise of protection. On the night of the ritual, the atmosphere was thick with tension and apprehension as Lucia was led into a hidden chamber dimly lit by flickering candles. She had heard whispers of the Blood-Art Technique but was too young to grasp its true implications. As the ritual commenced, her parents urged her to embrace the emotions that the Pink-Lux invoked. The magic warped her feelings into a volatile cocktail of fear, anger, and desperation. As the manipulated emotions surged within her, Lucia felt herself spiraling out of control. Just as the emotional storm reached its peak, she unlocked her Lux. When the ritual concluded, Lucia was left shaken; the power she had unlocked felt like a curse more than anything. As she grappled with her new abilities, she felt conflicting emotions: anger at her parents for forcing her to endure that and a lingering sense of loyalty that kept her bound to their legacy. In the years that followed her Kindling Event, Lucia’s parents became her mentors, training her in the Blood-Art Technique. They taught her rigorously, believing mastery over this dark and forbidden form of magic was essential for her survival in the dangerous world they now inhabited. Yet, she also felt their fanaticism and commitment to the Inner Circle lingering in every lesson. Lucia's parents' dark legacy was a looming threat, filled with whispers of betrayal among the remnants of the Inner Circle. One night, after returning from school, she found their lifeless bodies, their throats slashed. The murderer had been careful, leaving no trace behind. In that instant, the last rope to the Inner Circle - and her previous life - was finally severed. Lucia felt overwhelming grief, rage, and most importantly freedom. Their deaths had granted her a chance to escape the legacy of the Inner Circle. With the weight of her parents' legacy lifted from her shoulders, Lucia sought to reclaim her life and make a difference in the world. She joined the 317 after Sentinel Solutions, acting at the behest of the Elite, attacked the faction, believing that becoming part of a community dedicated to protecting artists and Paranormal beings was her way of fighting back. Lucia is a comically tall and slim woman, standing at six-two, with a dark aesthetic and demeanor. Abstraction: Adept - Green, Purple, & Black Lux. Channeler: Old Grimoire. Crimson Strike: Lucia thrusts her channeler, the Old Grimoire, forward, unleashing razor-sharp tendrils of blood that erupt from the book and shoot toward the opponent directly in front of her. These tendrils whip through the air with lethal precision, slicing through flesh and inflicting deep, bleeding wounds. This spell does not require a symbol to be drawn first. The Crimson Cloud: Lucia rides a cloud of blood, gliding above the ground to traverse distances quickly or evade danger. The symbol for this spell is a billowing cloud, with droplets cascading down like rain. Telekinesis: Lucia manipulates objects from a distance telekinetically, allowing her to hurl debris or even bind enemies with a flick of her wrist. The symbol for this spell is a series of sharp, jagged lines converging toward a central point. Flare: Lucia fires a small orb of concentrated boiling blood, inflicting minor burns on impact. The symbol for this spell is a flickering flame encircled by droplets of blood. Blood Apparition: Lucia temporarily creates an Apparition from her blood, manifesting as a flickering, ghostly silhouette. This Apparition can distract enemies and lash out with tendrils of blood, dealing minor slashing damage. It can absorb a few hits before dissipating in a spray of crimson mist, offering brief protection for Lucia. The symbol for this spell is a ghostly silhouette with flowing blood droplets in a swirl shape. Sanguine Echo: Lucia creates Apparition copies of herself made of blood that can confuse and distract opponents that go down after the first moderate hit. The symbol for this spell is a series of overlapping silhouettes, each dripping blood. The Chains: Lucia conjures chains made of blood that whip out like tendrils, lashing at her enemies precisely. Once they make contact, the chains wrap around and immobilize the target, constricting tighter the more they struggle. This spell is symbolized by a jagged chain motif drawn in blood. Rejuvenation: Lucia channels Green-Lux into her blood and creates tendril-like tubes, which she uses to inject her blood into her target. This process gradually heals wounds and alleviates pain as the infused blood works through the recipient's body. The symbol for this spell is a heart surrounded by flowing blood. Catalyst: Lucia animates a recently deceased body with blood-infused necromancy. The corpse is a temporary servant capable of basic tasks or light combat. The symbol for this spell is a skull crowned by blood droplets. Scalding Rain: Lucia causes droplets of boiling blood to rain down, searing enemies with minor burns. The symbol for this spell is a series of teardrop-like shapes representing each drop of scorching blood. Blood Barrier: Lucia conjures a barrier made of crystallized blood that acts as a protective shield against incoming attacks. The barrier can absorb a certain amount of damage before shattering, and when it does, it releases a spray of sharp, crystal-like shards that can injure nearby enemies. The symbol for this spell is a geometric crystal shape with blood droplets around it. Phantasm Form: Lucia transforms into a glowing red orb, becoming intangible and allowing all attacks to pass through her. In this state, she can swiftly fly through the environment, evading danger and quickly repositioning herself. The symbol for this spell is a circle encircled by a series of swirling, jagged lines.