Location: Coven Household
Aurora Newman with
Catherine Heirich.Special Appearance by the Mad Alchemist
Tristan Pearson Collab With@SouffleGirl123
After Victor had dropped them both back at the coven house Catherine went back to her mother’s house to shower and change back into her dress. She’d stopped her shuttering and shaking at some point, she’d figured it was on the ride to the coven house but somehow even she was not sure. If only the dead weren’t accompanied by their own style of dread, or maybe if only Catherine was less timid. She figured she’d be more successful in quelling the voices if that were the case. She couldn’t help but sigh at her thoughts, pushing them down. She had a party to go to. Rowdy house parties were never really Catherine’s forte but it would be a good chance to get to know her fellow covenmates better at least. At worst, she was sure there’d be at least someone willing to bounce to get icecream or something.
Catherine arrived at the manor at about 6:30, she almost went to knock at the door when she remembered Carlisle’s earlier statement and let herself in. She resisted the urge to get completely swept away by the house once more as she entered the main room. It seemed to be the most orderly party she’d ever seen with little bowls of perfectly counted snacks and alphabetically placed bottles. A small chuckle escaped her, she knew this wouldn’t last.
For the rest of the day, Aurora’s mind was still swimming with the information overload. Carlisle’s curse, the attempted breach in the magical barrier, the werewolves that were responsible. It was enough to give her a headache. Knowing full well, that the more she’d worry; that nothing would solve itself. But she didn’t want Lili to accidentally tap into her thoughts and cause the girl more problems. Besides, it wasn’t up to her to tell Lilith about it all. It was Carlisle’s. Aurora was not one to break a secret, between the pair of them.Aurora never broke any secrets, she had with anyone. She wasn’t about to start now. No matter how tense it might make her feel.
After everyone got back from the woods; Aurora herself went home herself. Trying to destress. The rest of the day seemed to have gotten away from her, as she got herself ready. Wearing a simple blue party dress and some high heels. Never liking to go over the top, with her outfits. Simple was much better in her opinion. Arriving shortly before 7pm, she could hear the chatter of her coven members and music playing throughout the house. With a few waves and smiles, she headed towards the snacks table to fix herself a drink. Seeing that she wasn’t the only one there.
“Hi, it’s Catherine right?” Greeting the brunette that was at the table. Recognising her from the meeting this morning. But not sure if she put the right name to the face in front of her.
“I am Aurora, I don’t think we had much time for introductions earlier.” Holding her hand out towards the female.
Catherine was pouring herself a drink when the blonde woman introduced herself. Before she said her name Catherine recognised her as Aurora. Catherine took Aurora’s hand and shook it with a smile.
”That would be me, nice to meet you properly, Aurora,”. Although Catherine knew of Aurora in her limited time in Tanner the pair never really got the chance to know each other being in different places and life stages until now.
“It’s nice to officially meet you too.” As the pair shook hands, Aurora then let her hand fall back to her side.
“How are you finding being back at Tanner?” Making small conversation, whilst she reached for one of the party cups. Filling it with some rum and coke. Aurora’s mind was a bit hazy when it came to Catherine, but the little she knew about the girl, is that she wasn’t entirely new to Tanner. They had always run in different circles back then, not even sure where Catherine had gone as the girls didn’t stay in touch.
”Oh, you know, it’s good to be back I guess. Have to say, I’d didn’t expect the first day to be so eventful but I suppose I need to get used to that being the new normal, hey?” Catherine replies, taking a sip of her drink before holding the cup close to her chest, a habit she had formed in college that has just stuck since. Catherine racked her brain for the little information she knew of Aurora, and it was exactly that, little.
”Did you recently return too?” she asks.
As Aurora took a sip of her drink, she fully took note of the layout and its perfection. Knowing Carlisle probably spent ages on it, just to have it this neat. Not that it’d stay like this forever, with everyone helping themselves to stuff.
“That’s Serena for you.” She said with a light laugh.
“She’s a bit of a handful. Don’t let that scare you off. We’re not all..so…chaotic.” Assuring her that there were more mellow times within the coven household. But all in all, it was like a big crazy family. Shaking her head at Catherine’s question.
“Oh no, I’ve been here in Tanner all my life.” Never feeling adventurous to leave her home town behind; like a few of her fellow coven members.
“Whereabouts did you go before returning to Tanner?” Curious of her travels. Most went to New York.
”Portland, um Portland Maine so a bit of a hike from here, I suppose. I just finished college this year," Catherine replies, taking another sip of her drink.
Portland. That was new.
“Just a bit.” Laughing lightly at her joke about hiking there.
“I’ve always been curious how it’s like in Portland, and a few other places. Guess, I am just a Tanner…through and through, that I never traveled anywhere.” Lightly shrugging her shoulders, as she took a swig off her drink. Grabbing a few crisps from one of the bowls.
“What subject did you…” Her words getting cut off by the sound of a large boom.
Feeling the floor shaking slightly beneath their feet.
Not looking too phased, as she glanced towards the direction the sound had came from.
Catherine was obviously caught more off-guard by the explosive sound,it seemed very few people noticed or at least cared. Her eyes shot up to where the sound came from.
”Should we… uh… check that out?" she offers, placing her half-finished drink on the table, she'll start fresh with a new drink later.
Over the years, everyone had gotten used to the chaos that went on around here. By now, Aurora wasn’t even surprised when she’d hear an explosion coming from the alchemy lab. Knowing full well, whom it probably was. Seeing it had startled Catherine a little bit.
“You’ll get accustomed to the chaos that goes on around here.” Assuring her, between a munch of a crisp. But nodded.
“Are you sure, you want to meet our crazy alchemist?” Aurora joked, as she started to walk with Catherine towards the Alchemy lab.
Light smoke was coming from underneath the alchemy door.
Tristan Pearson, had spent the majority of the day in the Alchemy Lab. It seemed like no one had been around to fill him in on what he had missed that morning. Or if someone was around. They were certainly good at hiding. So as per usual, he took himself down to the alchemy lab. His favorite place in the coven house. Tinkering away, mixing new potions to his heart’s content. At least, till one blew up in his face, causing a bit of chaos.
Being knocked on his ass; he coughed. Waving his hand through the smoky puff of air that surrounded him. Lucky, he didn’t blow another hole in the wall…or knock down a piece of the ceiling.
“Thank God, no one heard that.” He muttered to himself. Or at least, he could hope no one heard that.
”Crazy alchemist?" Catherine muses in reply, it sounded exactly like someone she knew. Catherine pushed the door open, finding her suspicions were right as Tristan Pearson sat before her, muttering to himself.
”Are you so sure of that?" she questions his mutterings with a half smile. Despite Tristan not being in Tanner in Catherine's high school days she knew the man somewhat. When she returned to Tanner for her first college Summer break her uncle, being close to Tristan's dad, had eagerly introduced them and since then they'd made a point to see each other a few times when Catherine visited.
Looking towards Catherine, she smiled.
“It’s not as scary as it sounds.” Knowing Tristan was really a puppy.
“But wouldn’t be a Coven party, without our very own Tristan trying to blow a hole in the wall.” She jested. Aurora made a point of not helping him on his lab missions. The one time she did; it didn’t end too well for her blonde hair. So she made a point of avoiding the alchemy lab, whenever she was here. Unless she was actually needed there for some reason, or another.
The sight before the two girls was rather amusing. Aurora tried not to giggle at Tristan’s very Einstein-like hair-do, from the explosion. But it was hard not to.
Not realizing, he wasn’t alone. Tristan let out a slight shriek of surprise. Jumping to his feet when he heard the sound of a female voice. A voice he recognised all too well. Turning around, his eyes slightly wide in surprise. Before shifting his weight sheepishly.
“Catherine. What a surprise.” Smiling warmly, at the sight of the brunette. But seeing Aurora’s amused face was enough for him to blush, in embarrassment.
“Guess you heard that huh?” Rubbing the back of his neck. His face covered in soot, from the commotion.
“I am surprised the dead didn't hear it.” Aurora teased.
“Loving the Einstein hair-do.” Mocking him playfully. The two knew each other long enough, to poke fun at each other.
“You two know each other?” Aurora asked, glancing between Catherine and Tristan. Seeing how his cheeks flushed a bit pink around Cat. Possibly, because of his very girly shriek a few seconds ago.
”I should've known it was you," Catherine says with a light chuckle. She looked over the man in front of her, trying to hold back a proper laugh at his soot-covered face and mad professor-esque hair. He turned red as a beet, likely out of embarrassment, Catherine figured.
At Aurora's comment on the being lucky the dead couldn't hear Catherine gave another chuckle,
”I can confirm, luckily," When she asked about knowing each other Catherine nodded.
”His dad and my uncle are close. It's good to see you again, by the way, Trist,"Aurora was pleasantly surprised that the pair knew each other. At least, she didn’t have to introduce them. But this made for an amusing reunion for sure.
“Ah, I see.” Smiling.
“But I should warn you, don’t try helping him in the lab. Your hair won’t handle it very well.” Feeling it was fair, to warn her now before Tristan would try and get Catherine to help him in the future.
Looking towards Tristan, as she took in the mess around them.
“You might want to clean this mess up, before Lil or Carlisle sees, and have you scrub the toilets.” Giving him a pat on the shoulder.
A slight annoyed groan left Tristan’s lips, as Aurora warned Cat not to help him down in the Alchemy labs.
“Really Rora? It was one incident.” Huffing. He swore, the blonde would hold it over his head, till he was on his death-bed. In his opinion it wasn’t that bad. Or so he thought. But in Aurora’s words; she had looked something like a mixture of a walking seaweed/mermaid with the greeny-blue hair, he ended up giving her.
“It’s nice seeing you too Cat.” His smile more beaming. God, he felt like Aurora was crimping his style a bit. Though most of it, being his fault with his…appearance.
“I didn’t even realize you were back at Tanner.” It wasn’t exactly how he thought he’d be reunited with the girl he had a crush on, over their summer visits. If anything, it was nerve-wracking. Tristan was usually more composed than this.
“I won’t be scrubbing toilets.” Assuring Aurora. Luckily the Lab didn’t look too bad. Granted, he made bigger messes in the past; than this. So that was lucky.
Catherine couldn't help but chuckle as the pair before her bantered between themselves
"I guess lucky for me, coloured hair is all the rage these days," At Tristen's statement if not knowing Catherine was back she gave him a small smile.
"I only got in last night, would've swung by the diner if I had time." The brunette's eyes couldn't help but scan the soot-covered room.
"Need a hand with clean up?" she asks
“The word would be unlucky.” Correcting her with a giggle.
“Unless you like the idea of sporting blue-green hair for the next few months.” Who knows, it could be her style. Aurora wasn’t so sure though; they had just properly met. Shaking her head in amusement, as Tristan seemed all the more convinced that he wouldn’t get punished for making a mess down here. Granted, this was nothing compared to some past incidents. So he might get off light.
“I’ll grab some cleaning stuff.” Excusing herself, as she headed back out into the hallway, to a cupboard nearby that had a stock of cleaning supplies. Just in case something messy happened here in the lab.
Rolling his eyes at Aurora. She always did like to hold things over his head. It was annoying to say the least. But he knew she meant well.
“Ah, well welcome back home.” He chuckled, as he smiled at Catherine.
“I am sure once my parents get word you’re back home, they’d want you over for dinner.” No doubt, even his siblings; mainly his little sister would wanna play catch up with Catherine. Always did.
“Sure, will make cleaning up a bit quicker.” Not minding that she wanted to help. In case he might miss anything, he had another 2 sets of eyes helping.
Catherine couldn’t help but smile at Tristan’s half-offer for dinner.
"Of course, I’d be delighted to see them again, your brothers too. And Lydia, of course. How are they all doing these days?” In Catherine’s few Summers in Tanner Lydia herself had become like a younger sister to her, she’d even spent a week with Cat in Maine some time back. It was nice to almost have a sister, likely for Lydia too.
"So, what were you trying to make this time?” she asks, crossing her arms as she leans on the doorframe and observing the scene around her.
Tristan mentally slapped himself. Get it together dude. He thought to himself. It wasn’t the smoothest of offers; but it was there.
“Oh you know, slacking as always.” His siblings never did take to magic, well.
“Lydia’s putting in more effort, but maybe they’ll listen to someone else moaning at them, than me constantly bugging them about it.” He shrugged. His siblings did not want to hear the big brother talk. Often shutting him out. But in Tristan’s view, they were a bit too spoiled with the family funds provided by their parents.
“Plus, you’ll get to meet Destiny. That’s if you don’t mind an adorable fluff ball attacking you every 5 seconds for attention.” As she asked what he was trying to achieve, he chuckled.
“Oh you know, just a bunch of invisibility and strength enhancement potions.” Not all in one mixture though. But he wanted to try and tinker around, see what he could achieve. But the strength potion went a bit wonky-donkey.
It was then that Aurora came back into the lab room; with a bucket full of water. Some cleaning mops, cleaning cloths and a dust-pan and brush. Looking up towards the ceiling. There was no way, she could reach that high; even with a mop. Touching the mop; her fingers glowing almost a sparkly silver color. The object seemed to come alive under her touch. Swirling itself in the bucket of warm water, before it seemed to dance through the air. Cleaning the ceiling.
Tristan chuckled as he saw Aurora’s magic animate the mop.
“Show off.” He shook his head.
At Tristan’s mention of his siblings maybe listening to an external person Catherine shrugged
"I’m probably not the best choice there considering I’m a lot newer to magic than any of them,” she replies. Cat had always felt odd on her standing as a magic user but more so as a coven member. As someone who only knew of her heritage and powers 7 or so years ago let alone starting training she was sure people like Victor’s siblings were likely more suitable on the council.
At Tristan's answer to his latest potion endeavour Cat nods, unable to reply before Aurora comes in with cleaning supplies. As Aurora animates the mop to clean the ceiling Catherine grabs a rag, dips it in the water and starts wiping down the benches and beakers.
"I guess you’re on floor, Trist. I’m not really dressed for floor scrubbing,” “I think you underestimate how much Lydia looks up to you.” He told her with a soft smile. If any of his siblings would likely listen to Catherine; it was his baby sister. Knowing Catherine often thought herself less worthy, because she was new to magic. It was then that he properly noticed what the girls were wearing. Before having been a bit too surprised by Catherine’s arrival; to notice he looked the odd one out, with his outfit.
“I feel like I missed something, with you girls looking so fancy.” Chuckling, as he grabbed one of the cleaning cloths. Dipped it in warm water and started cleaning up the floor, where most of the spillage was. The rest, he managed to sweep away with a dust-pan and brush. As there was a small breakage with one of the beakers.
Aurora shook her head.
“If you would have turned up at the meeting this morning, you would have known there was a party tonight.” She spoke, as she sweeped the other side of the room, with the bigger brush.
“I had a plan…okay.” Tristan huffed. It wasn't entirely his fault that the clock at work got stuck.
Catherine silently worked on cleaning, listening in to Aurora and Tristan banter as she wiped down the beakers, leaving them in a little group on the side of the bench. She could have hid in this little room in the company of Aurora and Tristan for as long as the party raged for all she cared.
"I mean, it’s just a coven party, I don’t think they’re gonna care what you’re wearing,” Catherine interjects before placing another cleaned beaker into the grouping.
Looking at his soot covered shirt and jeans, he wasn’t sure it was wise to rock up looking like he’d been dragged through mud. Making a mental note to clean himself up and change, once they were done cleaning up his mess.
“Did I miss anything interesting this morning? Or was it just the standard?” He questioned, looking between the girls.
“Thanks for helping me by the way, I owe you one.” To both of them, he was thankful. Tristan carried on scrubbing the floor in the room. With the girls helping him, it was going much quicker than anticipated.
“Don’t mention it.” Aurora was always happy to help him out. At the mention of this morning, she sighed. The stress of earlier, returning back to her memories.
"You’re fine, I’m sure your mum’s cooking will be payment enough,” Catherine half-jokes, rewetting her cloth with the mop water that was slowly becoming a more grotesque-looking shade of grey. She did always love Emma Pearson’s cooking, just thinking about it almost made her mouth water.
"You missed a bit. The wards are acting up, looks like a werewolf attack or something. Also Carlisle’s cursed. I’m not exactly sure how but he’s definitely more hostile than I remember so look out for that,” Tristan lightly chuckled at her joke about his mother’s cooking.
“You’ll be happy to know, her cooking has remained the same, then.” As he scrubbed away at the floor. He could feel sweat burning up against his forehead. With the water changing colour; it’d need replacing soon enough. Looking up at the ceiling. Aurora’s animated mop had pretty much cleaned up the ceiling. It was just the floor that still needed finishing off. Listening to Catherine fill him on what he missed, he rose an eyebrow.
“Werewolves? Why?...We haven’t done anything to piss them off.” Or had they? This was news to him. At the mention of Carlisle being cursed, his face changed into that one of concern.
“That’s not good. Is there a way to break it?” It certainly had been an eventful morning, that was for sure.
“That’s what we can’t figure out.” She told Tristan. The Werewolves were up to something, but what caused them to seek out vengeance against the Tanner Coven, was not known to Aurora.
“I don’t know, Trist. I’ll have a look into it later, when I sit down with my grimoires.” For now, Aurora needed to somewhat destress. But Carlisle’s curse was in the back of her mind. Trying to think of what could possibly break the curse.
“Oh and Kolby’s girlfriend joined the coven.” Not that it was the biggest news of the day. But still. With that, Aurora grabbed the bucket of murky water and went to replace it with fresh.
Tristan’s brow furrowed in surprise. Kolby with a girlfriend?
“Yay…more troublemakers.” His voice laced with sarcasm.
It wasn’t long before the Alchemy lab was sparkling clean. Looking like nothing had happened in the first place. All that lingered was the slight smell of smoke. But nothing like airing the room out and some air-freshener couldn’t fix.
“Thanks again.” Tristan spoke as he wiped the sweat off of his brow.
“I should probably clean up myself. But I’ll catch you both in a bit. Save me a drink?” There was no way he was joining in the party, looking like this. Excusing himself. Tristan headed out of the alchemy lab and to the room that he had at the coven house. He had a habit of keeping spare clothes here, in case he was spending time here with the rest of the coven. Grabbing a towel from his wardrobe; he then headed to the bathroom. Running the water, he waited till it was decently warm before shedding his dirty clothes and stepping in. Scrubbing himself clean; he washed the sweat, soot and grime off of himself and from his hair. The water ran grimey for a while, before it was see-through again.
After about 20 minutes; he was finally clean and dry. And dressed in clean clothes. Opting for a dark shirt with a leather jacket, and some jeans. His usual get-up to parties like this. His hair was still a bit damp. But luckily it never took too long to dry off.
In the meantime, the girls had returned back to the main room where the party was taking place. Refilling their drinks when they returned.
Catherine had poured herself a fresh drink into a new solo cup, not certain if the one on the table was hers from earlier. For a time Cat chatted with Aurora and whoever else initiated conversation until Tristan finally returned, looking much more like himself than a soot covered mad professor.
"Welcome back,” she greets him.
Aurora herself grabbed herself a fresh drink. Adding a bit more rum to her second cup than the first. Slightly people watched, as more people seemed to have piled in during their short absence. As the two girls got to know each other, Aurora could easily see why Tristan took such a liking to Catherine. She had a good sense of humour, and was sweet.
“Hey, we got that beer saved for you.” Knowing that it’d be Tristan’s drink. Handing him the bottle, when he was close enough.
Tristan chuckled at the greeting he got from Cat.
“Thanks.” Feeling more like himself, from the refreshing shower. He then grabbed the bottle of beer that Aurora gave him. Popping it open, as he noticed the layout. Chuckling to himself.
“I see Carlisle’s OCD organising took a bit of a hit.” Seeing it wasn’t as neat as it probably should have been.
"That or the partygoers won,” she replied, taking a sip from her cup. Despite having limited knowledge of a lot of the coven she know there were a lot more that slanted toward chaos than order in the group, it would definitely be an interesting time working alongside everyone.