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Twitter: @XsQuestmistress
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>>2352764
[] Get Kiora completely cleaned up and wash and iron her ribbon for her; it will help you relax.
I'm sure she loves getting pampered

>>2352764
>[] Get Kiora completely cleaned up and wash and iron her ribbon for her; it will help you relax.
>[] Check your email for anything noteworthy, especially the class notes Lynne is supposed to send.

>>2352764
>[] Get Kiora completely cleaned up and wash and iron her ribbon for her; it will help you relax.

[X] Get Kiora completely cleaned up and wash and iron her ribbon for her; it will help you relax.

First things first, your still slightly sticky familiar needs washing, and that ribbon definitely need washing. You're not quite sure how she consumed all the honey, but you're pretty sure traces of it are all over her, and you can see the stains on her new ribbon. Besides, you need something to calm yourself, and washing Kiora will help.

She follows you to your room, following in a more sedate manner, and you drop off your book bag on your bed. Placing the stopper in the sink, you fill it with steaming water, as she 'undresses', piling the ribbon about her feet as you make sure the water isn't too terribly hot. You also grab the baby shampoo-plus-conditioner from your shower, a habit you picked up the first time you opened your eyes to see a shadow standing on the other side of the glass door to your shower.

It was easily exorcised, and was actually in the glass, but you don't close your eyes in the shower for any longer than absolutely necessary. Your parents did not appreciate the alarming wake up.

Kiora slides into the basin, and sighs softly as the warm water covers her slender figure. With a smile you have her sit up, and carefully, gently wash her body, taking your time and being very careful of her wings. While she can heal from most injury, she doesn't like wing injuries, and she's not above slicing your fingertips open if you injure them. Or get soap in her eyes, which is why the baby shampoo rather than something more interestingly scented. Washing her hair is a delicate task, taking all your concentration, for much the same reason as washing her wings. She sits still for you, smiling as you work your magic and then slowly rinse her hair, turning her bath into an impromptu bubble-bath.

Once done, she is relaxed and you're feeling better as well. "Did you want to dress in your ribbon again or shall I put it with the others, sweetheart?" She considers, then points to your bed. You curtsy - which she acknowledges with a solemn nod - and then tie it in a bow with the two dozen other ribbons and bits of lace she has collected. You also check on your email, and see that Lynne has indeed delivered on her promise to send notes from class to you. Then it's back into the bathroom, to towel off kiora with a dry, especially soft washcloth you bought a set of for this specific purpose. A touch of lavender oil on her wrists, waist and wings, and she's clean, dry, and looking perfect as ever.

[] Change into something more casual than your usual bohemian style, before meeting Jack.
[] This is fine; it's the real you, after all, and he's going to have to accept that.
[] Ask Kiora her opinion on dressing to meet Jack.
[] Write in?

>Busy night - they closed the mountain pass.

>>2352795
>[] Change into something more casual than your usual bohemian style, before meeting Jack.
No point in not looking cute

>>2352795
>[] Change into something more casual than your usual bohemian style, before meeting Jack.
cute pixies are cute

>>2352795
>[] Ask Kiora her opinion on dressing to meet Jack.
Should be good for a laugh, if nothing else

>>2352795
>[] Change into something more casual than your usual bohemian style, before meeting Jack.

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[X] Change into something more casual than your usual bohemian style, before meeting Jack.

You grab a few things from your closet, as Kiora settles on your lampshade. She apparently likes perching there, because there's plenty of other, softer, higher, or more secluded places for a six inch tall person to settle. She watches as you lay out the more sedate sweater, skirt, and blouse to wear to the pizza parlor. "This should be fine, right?" you ask Kiora absently.

She lifts both hands and makes a parallel downward motion with her palms facing one another. You flush at the mild accusation. Well, it's not a date, and I don't want to give the wrong impression! Besides, it's going to be cool by the time we leave the pizza place." Her accusation that the clothing will make you look shapeless stings a little, to be honest. The worst part is she's not entirely wrong; the sweater is a bit large. She watches you impassively as you sigh and return the over-sized sweater for one that is slightly smaller, and would give you recognizable curves. "Happy?"

She nods solemnly, and watches you change. Her gaze is rather heated as you undress, and you know she enjoys the show; the first time you undressed in front of her, she told you - aloud - that you were a lithe beauty, whose skin was so pale it could be moon-touched like that of the Aos Si. You've put on some weight and curves since then, and her admiration is not lust, but appreciation. Any faerie would do the same, and you could - and should - consider it an insult if they don't.

Packing for the ritual doesn't take long. You have the materials for the Waking on hand, specifically for nights like these. The Cat's Paw rite is a little more difficult, and you're glad Lynne has the glasses for that one.

Your phone buzzes softly, and Kiora flits over to it, picking it up and flying to you so she can drop it on the bed next to you while you finish tying your shoelaces. You glance at the number....and don't recognize it at all.

Damn.

[] Answer it - it's most likely Max the Werewolf.
[] Ignore it and let them leave a voicemail - you'll check the voicemail right away if they leave one.
[] Ignore it for now; you don't need more stuff to worry about when you have a boy to meet.
[] Write in?

>>2352815
>[] Answer it - it's most likely Max the Werewolf.
Surprisingly solid advice from Kiora.

>>2352815
>[] Answer it - it's most likely Max the Werewolf.

>>2352815
>[] Answer it - it's most likely Max the Werewolf.

>>2352815
>[] Answer it - it's most likely Max the Werewolf.

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[X] Answer it - it's most likely Max the Werewolf.

You unlock your phone and answer it. "Hello?"

"Caitrin?" It does indeed sound like Max.

"Speaking...."

"We'd like your help." We. Okay, that's fine, you can just deal with Max. But it's not just him that is worried, and that's worrisome. Ha ha. "I have some of her hair from her hairbrush. Would that be enough?"

"Yes, that's fine. If you have a small piece of cloth of hers, like a handkerchief or something-" You ignore Kiora mouthing the word 'panties' and miming taking off a pair and holding them up for you (though she's not wrong, honestly). "-then that would be ideal. You can bring them to me at class on Thursday." You wrack your brains and then grab a notepad and pen off the desk, putting him on speakerphone. "You want me to determine if she's charmed or enchanted and by whom?"

"Yes."

"That would be three hundred dollars. If you want me to remove it, that's going to be at least five hundred, and I'm going to need to get help if she's a werewolf, so it may cost more. If there's a witch involved, I won't charge more, but if there is a faerie or a sorcerer involved, my rate will double or triple depending on what I have to do to help her." You hope that scares him off a little.

"We'll pay you a thousand dollars up front, and you can do whatever you need to do to help her, and discuss further payment after." Shit, shit, shit! You don't know if that's just a werewolf thing or if you've just been duped into something a lot more dangerous than you're ready for.

"Fine. Where was she last seen, what's her name, and when was she born." You start jotting down some other notes as well. You're going to want some of Airmed's Balm and maybe another potion or two. At the very least one to stave off lycanthropy infection. Magic trumps biology almost every time. You can have Lynne make some too, that will help.

"Her name is Belinda," and you blink, because who the heck names their werewolf daughter 'Belinda'? "She was born February twelfth in 2002-"

"Wait, she's sixteen? Has she had her menses?"

"Uh, yeah, I think so...." He sounds a little flustered and confused.

You relax and continue writing. "Okay, because it's a lot more dangerous to work with innocents for a lot of reasons. And no, it doesn't matter if she had sex, that's different."

"Well, she was last seen at the Luminous Arc club in midtown." Your heart sinks. "She's been there a few times."

"You realize that's a twenty-one and over club, right? I'm going to have a hard time getting in. How'd she get in?"

"Werewolves mature rapidly, she'll look like she's in her twenties. I can text you a picture...."

"Yes please. Does she have a last name?"

"If she is using one, it will be Lipscomb." You get the spelling for it. "Thanks for this," he adds, and you sigh.

"Don't thank me yet, I haven't done anything. Anything else? All right. 'Bye." You hang up when he indicates negative and then you flop back on the bed. "Maybe I'll get to talk to Prof's pet werewolf before I do this," you mention idly to Kiora, and she shrugs mildly before flying back to her perch on the lampshade.

[] Add some potion making stuff to the bag you're taking to Lynne's, even if you can't do any tonight.
[] Call Lynne and ask her if she wants to go to a BDSM club on Friday. That'll go over well.
[] Take out that diamond and see if you can use it to contact Karen somehow. You might have a spell for that....
[] Write in?

>>2352833
>[] Add some potion making stuff to the bag you're taking to Lynne's, even if you can't do any tonight.

>>2352833
>[] Add some potion making stuff to the bag you're taking to Lynne's, even if you can't do any tonight.

>>2352833
>[] Add some potion making stuff to the bag you're taking to Lynne's, even if you can't do any tonight.

>>2352833
Wonder if that is the same club Karen invited us to? Eh, there will probably be time to figure that out later.

>>2352848
It is not. It's the kind of club that Caitrin told her she was specifically NOT going to go to with Karen.

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[X] Add some potion making stuff to the bag you're taking to Lynne's, even if you can't do any tonight.

With a sigh you go to your closet and slide open the other side, and look at the shelves there. Herbs, beads, buttons, ribbon, swatches, paint, dye, pond water, filtered water, crystals, candles of all sorts and sizes and colors, rocks, stones, sticks, string, leather in a variety of shapes, pieces of steel, several jars of honey, and a few locked boxes. You take a small case from under the shelves and start packing it full, taking things that have a particular use as well as those you may not need. And honey of course.

Kiora flutters over, then selects several other items, which you wordlessly and without hesitation add to the small rolling suitcase. If she thinks you'll need them, you'd rather be wrong than her be right and not have them. By the time you're done, it's dangerously close to time to meet Jack at the Pizza Place, and you still need to pack clothing for the Rites. Lynne has her own robes, a Solstice gift, but you'll need something to wear after. It might even be worthwhile to spend the night at her house - the rite isn't that long, but you could do some potion work as well, and not be bothered by anyone.

Throwing together another outfit and stuffing it in your book bag after removing your school books, you think you have everything together. You do keep the novel you picked up at the library. If you do stay the night you want to have something to read. Then you cart all the stuff down the stairs and to your car.

Your car is a beat up looking, dark blue VW bug, but it's an automatic and it's in good condition under the hood. More importantly, it's compact and easy to maneuver, which is vital in San Francisco. Stuffing everything into the front of the bug, you glance at Kiora. "Coming with, or following, darling?" She looks dubiously at the car, and then slowly floats her way into it, settling on the dashboard, and pointing to the passenger window. You obediently roll it down for her, and yours as well; while the pizzeria isn't far, the older steel body of the car bothers your little friend quite a bit. Having the windows down helps; you've seen her get carsick before, and it's a tragic sight.

It doesn't take long at all to get there, and you pull in with a sputtering growl, the powerful little engine showing off for you. Kiora isn't too sick, fortunately, but the instant the car stops she's gone, darting into some nearby honeysuckle jasmine to chase the slow moving bees and sip nectar. You smile and leave her to it, grabbing your handbag and heading in. You don't see Jack, and a glance at the clock tells you you're actually ten minutes early.

[] Just wait, maybe meditate, pray, or do some simple potion formulas.
[] Call Lynnette, tell her what you're getting her into.
[] Study Karen's present, see if you can glean anythign from it at all.
[] Write in?

>Last vote.

>>2352856
>[] Study Karen's present, see if you can glean anythign from it at all.

>>2352856
>[] Call Lynnette, tell her what you're getting her into.

>>2352856
>[] Study Karen's present, see if you can glean anythign from it at all.
We'll be seeing Lynn soon enough

>>2352856
>[] Study Karen's present, see if you can glean anything from it at all.

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[X] Study Karen's present, see if you can glean anything from it at all.

Though you're going to see Lynne in a few hours, the idea of calling her to calm your nerves isn't unappealing. On the other hand, you're not sure you can handle too much teasing either, so you set your phone and hand-bag aside.

....Aaand then you pick it up again and pull out the small velvet pouch inside of it. Opening it carefully you tumble the heavy stone into your palm.

The Pizza Place - so named because on a street full of cafes, Chinese and Thai restaurants, and whole/natural foods shops, it is the only pizza place - is one of your favorite haunts for a number of reasons. First, the high backed wooden benches are alt-style and curved and not too uncomfortable while also providing a lot of privacy. Second, they keep the place badly lit, with dim bulbs and dark tones for the walls and carpet, along with the dim lighting. That means your shadow doesn't cause you too much trouble, and people have a harder time seeing you from outside. Finally, while it may not be New York style, they don't skimp on the toppings and the veggies are fresh. All in all a cozy place.

You now discover something else about the lighting. Where the lights in your room were subdued and shaded, giving the red diamond some color, and the fluorescent lights nearly washed all the color out, here in the dim yellow lighting the color is so rich it looks like blood. It shifts and changes as you turn the diamond over carefully, the sparkle of the diamond no less intense despite the poor lighting. Even with the inclusions, it has a look and color that can't be mistaken for anything else. Idly you make the O.K. sign over the diamond and you feel it grow warm in your hand for a few seconds as you look through it. The diamond seems to flash emerald green for a second, rather than bloody red, and you nearly drop it.

When your heart calms down, the effect of the counter-curse fading, you wonder if the diamond was as much a gift as you thought it was. Was it actually a way for Karen to keep tabs on you? The O.K. sign is meant to counter the Evil Eye almost specifically, and given that it's not only one of your Power Signs but that you're an atropopaist,whatever happened was definitely real and suspicious.

After a slow, deep breath you study the diamond again. No different than when you first started looking at it, but it doesn't react at a second O.K. sign either. Noticing Jack headed towards the doorway you calmly (well, outwardly so anyways!) put the diamond back int he pouch, and pouch in hand bag. You almost put it in your pocket, but that could be asking for trouble.

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Kiora slips inside with Jack and makes it to the table long before he does. She solemnly places a long black feather - much longer than a blackbird's would be, and much more shimmery - on the bench next to you when she lands. You wonder if she expects you to add it to the trio of blue jay feathers you TOTALLY FORGOT are hanging next to your right ear from your hair, but she doesn't seem so inclined, or even concerned with it. She does, however, crawl across your lap and into the hand-warming pocket of your sweater, where she curls up to most likely take a nap.

Not thanking her, as appropriate, you take the feather and set it on the table next to your small, colorful hand bag. A crow feather, the Morríghan's sign. Could be ominous, could be fine. You look up as Jack approaches the table, smiling a little nervously. He looks fantastic, in a simple and tight black t-shirt with some Chinese or Japanese writing on it, and slightly loose jeans. "Hey!"

"Hey, Caitrin. Is Caitrin okay, or do you prefer Cait or Cat?" He smiles as he sits down, having to finagle his position a little because he's somewhat tall. Lynne hates the booths, and you refrain from cursing yourself for not remembering.

"Any of them are fine," you reply. "Most people prefer Cat, it's easier to pronounce."

"Cat it is then. Have you ordered?" he asks curiously.

You shake your head. "Nope. Didn't know your food preferences. As long as it doesn't have anchovies or really hot peppers, I can eat it."

He grins. "I thought you'd be a vegetarian at least," he says casually. "Aren't most witches?"

"Eh, most Wiccans, yeah, but it depends. There's even Christian witches, so you can never tell." He looks mildly surprised and you notice the waitress on her way over. "Rosicrucian actively recruit witches, and while one of the Popes excommunicated all witches, the Protestants welcome them with open arms, because, well, the Pope." He actually laughs - laughs! - at that. You smile shyly, surprised he's so easy going, when the waitress arrives and takes your orders - a small Supreme for him, and a sausage, tomato and cheese calzone for you. Bottled water for you both, though. "I've got this - it's the least I can....do."

The hesitation is because you see Rebecca, Christina, and their usual hanger-on Patrice coming in through the doorway and looking around. It's not a casual look around, they're looking for someone, and you have no doubt it's you. You pick up the feather, which he notices and looks interested in, but it is when you ask him a peculiar question that he looks concerned. "What do you know about The Rule of Vexation?" you ask the martial artist, with a resigned smile.

Sure enough, Rebecca sees you, and her expression turns hard, as she stalks towards the table you share with Jack.

>To Be Continued....

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Thank you for reading and playing.

We most likely continue again tomorrow night, though once more I am expecting a busy evening.

>>2352941
Thanks for running

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"The Rule of Vexation?" Jack's confusion is perfectly understandable. The abrupt subject change has thrown him, but it has a purpose. You fidget with your water glass, and you feel Kiora stir on your lap, where she is hidden inside your sweater's hand-warming pocket. Laying a hand gently over her to let her know she should be still you glance at Christina, who has accompanied Rebecca and their typical third member Patrice into a confrontation with you.

If you were more paranoid than you already are - and you do have fairly good reasons to be moderately paranoid - you would suspect Jack of setting this up. Despite that, you don't really think he did. Though if he did....there will be some unholy heck to pay.

Rebecca is a tall, statuesque brunette, wearing the latest fashion trends - both local and on television if she can help it - and flaunting a lot of moderately expensive jewelry. Swarovski type stuff and a lot of gold. She's also limping slightly, and has her ankle ace-bandaged; not a surprise since you jinxed her with a bit more oomph than you might typically be capable of for merely flipping you off. Christina, of course, the paranoid blonde who is terrified of Kiora (which you sincerely do not blame her for, considering the extensive surgery that was required to get her leg back together after she insulted Kiora), is keeping an eye out for the demifey and has one hand clenched tightly in a fist. The black powder on her knuckles tells you enough: iron filings, which would be horribly painful and possibly fatal to the pixie. It also protects her against faerie magic.

But not yours.

Patrice - who is actually Patricia, but wanted to sound more ostentatious - isn't as adversarial, but is definitely disdainful. Dressed even more fashionably than Rebecca, the permed platinum blonde doesn't care one way or another about your existence, but she can be goaded into treating you like shit by Rebecca. Generally speaking they don't usually bother you much unless you can't avoid them, but Rebecca pushed you just a little too far earlier. Which brings up the Rule of Vexation.

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Ignoring them for a moment more, but waiting until they're in earshot, you explain for Jack's benefit. "The Rule of Vexation isn't a well known rule. It's like a faerie tale rule, one of the unspoken ones that you pick up by osmosis if you read enough of them. Basically," you say with a sidelong glance at Rebecca, "it goes like this: if you vex a witch or a faery, then you must accept that they will vex you back. It's not instant karma, but it's....oh hi, Rebecca. How is your ankle?" You look her in the eye as you ask, and Jack glances at her leg. He doesn't seem too pleased that she's here either.

"Becky, what are you doing here?" You glance at Jack, who is more than displeased; he almost looks angry.

"This little witch," she snaps, the emphasis on 'witch' implying a much different word, "Tripped me and nearly broke my leg!" She leans on the table and looks at you with murder in her eyes. "And I'm going to make sure she burns for it!"

[] They don't burn witches anymore, you know, they just shoot them on sight.
[] I wasn't anywhere near you, you know; be very difficult for me to trip you.
[] Is that a threat, Rebecca? Are you sure you want to threaten me after what happened when you insulted my deity?
[] Write in?

>>2354877
>[] They don't burn witches anymore, you know, they just shoot them on sight.
Flippancy will piss her off more than threats

>>2354877
>[] They don't burn witches anymore, you know, they just shoot them on sight.

>>2354877
>[X] I wasn't anywhere near you, you know; be very difficult for me to trip you.

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[X] They don't burn witches anymore, you know, they just shoot them on sight.

Giving Rebecca a bland look, you reply readily enough. "They don't burn witches at the stake anymore. If they're convicted of anything harmful they just shoot them, usually with a sniper rifle, after they get a warrant from a judge for execution." Jack looks startled and even Rebecca is a bit taken aback by your forthright comment. "Ever since a sorcerer summoned up a demon and slaughtered ahlf the inmates and police in a prison in Texas, they're pretty much treated the same way crazed lycanthropes are."

"Brutal," comments Jack, looking a little more relaxed. "So you basically wouldn't want to do anything that would get you accused of using witchcraft against someone, then." Rebecca seethes at the implication.

"Proof of stuff like that is hard to come by, so it usually pays to be extra careful. Still, witchcraft is an authorized religion in a lot of cases, and most witches get permits to carry concealed weapons in case some extremist religious nut decides to try and murder them for no reason whatsoever." That wakes Patrice out of her daydream, and Christina fidgets even more. "So, is there something I can do for you Rebecca? Maybe a balm for your leg, or a charm to help you get a life?" Jack actually has to try and hide a grin at that one.

She glares at you, and if her looks could kill, you'd be deader than a door-nail. "This isn't over, you fucking bitch," she hisses angrily. Rebecca storms off, and Kiora crawls out of your pocket, watching Christina and Patrice leave from under the table and out of sight.

With a shaky sigh, you lean back in the booth. "Well, that was cliche," you murmur, and Jack smiles.

"Well, the best drama is usually based on real life. Did you really make her trip and fall, or was she just freaking out over nothing?" He asks fairly quietly, though, and unfortunately you can't outright lie to him. Kiora looks up at you and shrugs unhelpfully.

[] I only jinxed her - what happened was pretty random, so yes, but no.
[] The Rule of Vexation is a hard and fast rule, Jack - if they don't threaten me, I can't do anything like that to them.
[] After telling you they shoot witches for that sort of thing, you expect a straight answer Jack? That's cute!
[] Write in?

>>2354936
>[] After telling you they shoot witches for that sort of thing, you expect a straight answer Jack? That's cute!

>>2354936
>[] The Rule of Vexation is a hard and fast rule, Jack - if they don't threaten me, I can't do anything like that to them.
>[] I only jinxed her - what happened was pretty random, so yes, but no.

>>2354936
>[] I only jinxed her - what happened was pretty random, so yes, but no.
>[] The Rule of Vexation is a hard and fast rule, Jack - if they don't threaten me, I can't do anything like that to them.

>>2354936
>[] I only jinxed her - what happened was pretty random, so yes, but no.
>[] After telling you they shoot witches for that sort of thing, you expect a straight answer Jack? That's cute!

Make it coy

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[X] After telling you they shoot witches for that sort of thing, you expect a straight answer Jack? That's cute!
[X] The Rule of Vexation is a hard and fast rule, Jack - if they don't threaten me, I can't do anything like that to them.
[XX] I only jinxed her - what happened was pretty random, so yes, but no.

You give him an ingenuous look. "You expect a straight answer after me telling you they shoot witches for stuff like that? for shame, Jack!" He grins a little at your over the top delivery, but only a little. "Not gonna cut it, huh? Well...."

You fidget a little, but Kiora pats your leg under the table, trying to reassure you. Taking comfort in the pixie's effort, you smile faintly. "The Rule of Vexation is pretty hard and fast, Jack. If they don't do anything to me, I can't do anything like a jinx or a little curse on them. so, if I did jinx them and made her trip, they would have had to do something actually threatening or really insulting to me first." You slump back in the seat even further. "If you're asking me if I jinxed her....yes, but I don't determine how it works. It's pretty random, but immediate - and very much non-lethal. so no, I didn't make her trip. It's something that could have happened anyways, entirely without me doing a single thing."

He looks thoughtful, and you can't help but add one more thing. "Of course, she was flipping me off while walking down the bleacher steps, and those things are dangerous anyways. I might have the evil eye, but it doesn't take the evil eye to make someone take a fall down those bleachers if they're not paying attention." You smile sadly. "If you want to call off the date, I won't do anything horrible to you, Jack, really. I'm not that kind of witch."

Jack suddenly grins. "Son you really do call it your evil eye, like in the animes? Got an eye patch?"

And just like that it's all right again - much to your surprise. "Oh, come on! You did not just say that!" Kiora nods sagely, and makes a fluttering hop onto your thigh, where she sits patiently. "It runs in the family, actually, just a double recessive sort of thing. Just basic biology. It's not really all that rare, honestly. Happens in cats all the time."

"Do you have a cat? Like a familiar or something?" he asks curiously as the waitress brings out your calzone and his pizza. "And what's a familiar for, anyways?"

"No cat, and a familiar is for helping out with some things, and friendship, and sometimes teaching or helping with rituals during religious observances."

"Friendship, huh?" he asks thoughtfully. "I guess you run into people like my sister all the time.

You stare at him. "Your sister?" Jack smiles wanly. "I guess you don't get along all that well."

"Not really, no," he admits. "I guess that makes it really cliche though!"

"Yeah, I guess....but no, I don't run into people like that all the time. There'a always bullies and mean girls in any school. I guess she just hasn't gotten out of her high school attitude." Your calzone is hot and slightly spicy, and the cheese is melted and gooey without being lava. Perfect, as always. "She stole my boyfriend in high school, I got her caught at cheating in biology, so on and so forth. Purely high school drama. I kind of had to cut back on drama when I became a witch though. I have better stuff to do."

He bites into his pizza, and makes an agreeable noise as you take another bite of your calzone. Kiora looks up at you curiously, and you resist glancing down at her.

[] Go ahead and have her join you at the table; she'd probably like the calzone.
[] You can sneak her a bite or two pretty easily, Jack's eating like he's starved, which he might be.
[] Leave it up to her - you're being pretty open already, so she can let him know if she likes.
[] Write in?

>>2354980
>[] Leave it up to her - you're being pretty open already, so she can let him know if she likes.

>>2354980
>[] You can sneak her a bite or two pretty easily, Jack's eating like he's starved, which he might be.

>>2354980
>[] Leave it up to her - you're being pretty open already, so she can let him know if she likes.

>>2354980
>[] Leave it up to her - you're being pretty open already, so she can let him know if she likes.

[X] Leave it up to her - you're being pretty open already, so she can let him know if she likes.

You shrug mildly, and she looks thoughtful. She's not stupid at all; her choice not to speak is just that, a choice. She flits up to the table and sits on the edge, and holds out her hands. Jack notices the movement and blinks, then shakes his head, and blinks a few more times. You're not quite sure what he's seeing of course, because she may be appearing entirely different to him.

Spearing apiece of sausage and making sure it's wrapped in some cheese, you blow on it carefully, but not enough to make it cold. Then you offer it to Kiora at the end of your fork. She takes the (to her) hunk of meat in both hands and starts taking dainty bites out of the cheese and meat, licking sauce from her delicate lips.

"A fairy," he says with disbelief. Kiora's eyes flick to the side, but she doesn't take offense at his tone, at least. She rarely does, unless it's deliberately offensive.

"Pixie, actually," you correct mildly. "Kiora, Jack. Jack, Kiora." She lifts a hand and waves at him without turning around.

"She's, uh-"

"Very lovely, isn't she?" you interject before he can say something unfortunate. Being called naked or nude isn't really offensive, but better safe than sorry. "You should say something nice about her since this is your first time seeing her nude."

He looks a little startled, but your expression warns him that you're being absolutely serious. It takes the poor man a few seconds to compose himself, but he rallies pretty well. "Hi Kiora. You have the most lovely wings I have ever seen, honestly."

The pixie looks up at you and you slide your plate over so she can set her sausage onto it. She licks her hands clean, and then uses a napkin to daintily wipe her mouth in the most paradoxical example of cleanliness you have seen in a while. Then she stands, and does a sharp turn on her heel, before looking up at the now blushing Jack and bowing deeply over one arm in the most elegant and classical manner possible. She then turns around and sits back down by fluttering her wings and landing bottom-first on the table. She then picks up her meal and begins eating once more.

You smile at the astonishment on Jack's face, and he looks at you. "Was that particularly weird or is that normal for her?"

[] She's being extremely polite and courteous, actually; most people aren't allowed to see her on my first....um....meeting!
[] Well, the out of the ordinary part is that you got a bow instead of a curtsy, really.
[] It's a little unusual, but I think she likes you, which is makes it unusual.
[] Write in?

[] It's a little unusual, but I think she likes you, which is what makes it unusual.

>>2355001
>[] It's a little unusual, but I think she likes you, which is what makes it unusual.

>>2355001
>[] It's a little unusual, but I think she likes you, which is what makes it unusual.

>>2355001
>[] It's a little unusual, but I think she likes you, which is makes it unusual.
Damn, I thought this session was cancelled so I fell asleep. My bad.

>>2355001
>[] Well, the out of the ordinary part is that you got a bow instead of a curtsy, really.

>>2355001
>>2355012
>Make sure he doesn't thank her.
It's probably a given, but I forget if we can just say that out loud when Kiora can hear us, or if we have to use nonverbal signals or text him.

>>2355021
Kiora doesn't mind you educating people about faeries; she doesn't like it when you outright tell people not to insult her by saying "don't insult her". It's a fine and somewhat blurry line by turns, as Kiora is somewhat unpredictable even to Cait.

>>2355023
Does explaining why, from a fairy perspective, you shouldn't do those things generally go over better or worse?

>>2355025
Wait nevermind, that would fall under education, my bad.

>>2355001
>[x] It's a little unusual, but I think she likes you, which is makes it unusual.

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[X] It's a little unusual, but I think she likes you, which is what makes it unusual.
[X] Write in? Don't say thank you to her, by the by.

You glance at Kiora, who studiously ignores you in favor of dinner, and then look to the befuddled young man across form you. "Well, she likes you, which is pretty unusual for someone she's just met. Normally it takes a few meetings or even months before she lets someone see her as she truly is. So that's normal for her, but not so quickly." Favoring him with a smile, you add, "Also, don't ever thank her or say you appreciate her actions. You can appreciate her but not what she does. It's incredibly insulting."

"What would she do?" he asks curiously.

"....well, technically she could challenge you to a duel and kill you for it, or she could just hurt you really badly." The disbelief is instant and total. "She once walked someone into oncoming traffic for calling her a bug, Jack. Seriously, she's over two hundred years old, speaks at least two languages, and she's got magic. Please, don't challenge my friend to a fight, because she might take you up on it." You don't add that she might cheat, because there's not much that a faerie counts as 'cheating'.

He nods slowly, looking at Kiora with new respect. "No problem, Cat. It would be rude, right?" Kiora cranes her head and looks back at him, non-plussed.

"Well, I guess so. Mostly it's just dangerous." You take a deep breath. "So, about Sunday....Cam's art exhibition?" He looks interested, and pushes his two-thirds gone pizza aside. "Do you have anything special you're doing before hand? It'as a pretty big exposition, and there's lots to see...."

Jack grins. "I'm all yours, Cat. You want to eat before, or after? My treat though."

It takes a little finagling but you manage to work out a nice plan between the two of you. He flatters you by telling you he's not surprised Cam wants to paint you, but he understands your reluctance when you explain she wants to paint on you, while you're nude. you're not a prude, but that's a little nerve-wracking. Kiora finishes her meal and washes up by draping herself over your half full water glass and reaching in to wash her hands and face, prompting you to drink from the bottle. There is a near miss when the waitress sees what apparently is a large butterfly on your table, but you forestall any violence on her part. Jack's expression when he watched Kiora looking at the threatening waitress is telling; he recognizes someone who is willing to get into a fight. Fortunately she's aiming for a catch and release, and you dissuade her fairly easily.

"Yeah, that happens a lot," you explain, and he nods. "So, meet up Sunday at about three?" He agrees, with the caveat that you give each other at least an hour's heads up if you won't make it or might be late. You're not planning on it, but you can never tell - in your case, all to often. Three is a few hours after the exhibition opens and it gives you time to prepare adequately for whatever might happen.

He stands up and offers you his hand to help you up. Kiora is already zipping out the door as someone else leaves.

[] Let him help you up, gentleman that he is....that's all it is, really. Right? Right.
[] Ask him if he's offering to hold hands illicitly; his sister would never approve.
[] Let him help you up and then thank him, not just for coming to dinner, but for accepting your invite at all.
[] Write in?

>Last vote.

>>2355032
>[] Let him help you up and then thank him, not just for coming to dinner, but for accepting your invite at all.

>>2355032
>[] Let him help you up, gentleman that he is....that's all it is, really. Right? Right.

>>2355032
>>[] Let him help you up, gentleman that he is....that's all it is, really. Right? Right.

>>2355032
>[X] Let him help you up and then thank him, not just for coming to dinner, but for accepting your invite at all.

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[X] Let him help you up, gentleman that he is....that's all it is, really. Right? Right.
[X] Let him help you up and then thank him, not just for coming to dinner, but for accepting your invite at all.

There is a distinct and unhappy conflict when Jack offers you his hand. His fingers are slightly callused and you can see deep grease or metal stains in a couple of places, probably from working on an engine or in a machine shop. There is a deeply ingrained sense of self-support, or maybe even selfish independence in you, and it wars with the shy admiration of the courtesy he's showing you. Fortunately the battle is brief, if intense, and ends in you taking his hand and actually using his support. Kiora watches from the window, darting aside when someone notices her and ducks away.

You want it to be a little more than just courtesy, but that's wishful thinking on your part, you're pretty sure. Yet a little bit of you nags that it's more than that, that he's actually interested, and that it isn't just the expected courtesy. Pretty nice that you can't see your shadow, that might freak him out and betray your feelings.

Bitch that she is.

"Thanks, I had fun," he tells you as you stand up, and you find yourself starting to blush. Why was this easier when you were sitting down?

Hiding your blush you turn around and grab your hand bag and the black feather, which you place inside your phone's flip-cover, before turning back to him with a little more composure. "I did too," you reply earnestly, and you hesitate. "And Jack....thank you."

He looks charmingly surprised, which makes you smile; that makes him smile. "For what?" he inquires, bemused. You think he really is confused by your thank-you.

"For all this. For accepting an invitation to a freaky art show with a weird chick who hangs out with cute pixies. For being nice, and not just dismissing me out of hand." He grins, which doesn't surprise you and shakes his head. You drop your hand, embarrassed. "For not being angry that I jinxed your sister."

"Oh, that? I'd do it myself if I could." You refrain from giving him a speculative look. There's no way he'd go that far. That's possibly as intimate, maybe more intimate than sex. "Don't worry, you're no green skinned old hag, that's for sure." Again, you refrain from suggesting he not insult faeries or their kin. But despite the left handed nature of the compliment, which you're pretty sure he meant as a compliment, it's kind of reassuring. Especially when he adds, "That....really didn't sound good, did it?"

"No, but you're safe, since my guardian angel is waiting for me outside." He walks you to the door and even opens it for you, which makes you smile and faux-curtsy for him which makes him laugh. Kiora darts over to you and settles on your left shoulder. "See you later Jack." You can't help but hope to see him Thursday at school; you don't know his schedule though. He starts towards his car and you realize something. Darting to catch up you jostle Kiora, who lightly taps your ear for the inconvenience. "Hey, Jack....here. My number."

You hand him one of your cards and he looks surprised. He starts to thank you but notices Kiora, who is watching him calmly. Jack stops himself from thanking you and then smiles, simply tucking it in his pocket. That makes you smile feel nice all over again. When he gets to his car he opens the door and then call to you, making you turn around to see him half in his car. "By the way....I like the feathers. They suit you." You touch the trio of blue jay feathers, and feel a warmth bloom in your cheeks and maybe a little lower.

As he drives off in his shiny pickup, you murmur to Kiora. "I think we'll stop for some mint chocolate chip ice cream....and whipping cream....and maybe a jar of maraschino cherries." You can feel her excitement at the words 'ice cream', scaling up to nearly vibrating on your shoulder at 'cherries'. "Some milkshakes after the rites tonight would hit the spot, wouldn't they?" she nods excitedly and actually flit to the car ahead of you, despite how sick it's going to make her to drive across town.

You might not be able to thank Kiora, but there's nothing at all that prevents you from rewarding her at all.

>To Be Continued....

Thank you for reading, playing, and your patience. We should continue tonight at midnight.

>>2355088
Thanks for running, that was a very cute thread, and Jack has been cool so far.

Though I'm kind of curious as to what Rebecca was planning on doing last thread when it seemed like she was going to approach Jack before us, given she's his sister and they don't seem to like each other that much. Just generally bad mouth us?

>>2355093
That is a very good question.

>>2355088
...damn you exhaustion and your inflicting of redundancy, fucking exhaustion.

>>2355088
Thanks for running XS, hope all goes well with the skin removal.

>>2355113
Still have to set up the surgery. Oncologist was pretty insistent on 'soon' though.

>>2352937
>and while one of the Popes excommunicated all witches, the Protestants welcome them with open arms, because, well, the Pope."
Am Protestant, can confirm - we absolutely would do this if for no other reason to say “fuck you” to the pope.

>>2355788
As a Catholic I'd probably say the newest pope would undo that excommunication if he could, he's a swell dude

>>2355788
>we absolutely would do this if for no other reason to say “fuck you” to the pope
Anglicans, maybe Lutherans, and almost certainly Calvinists would blanket-ban witchcraft as well.

I can't imagine the Orthodox, Copts, or (other) Oriental Churches having high opinions on witches either.

>>2357858
>>2357858
Lutherans are pretty accepting of everyone. They were one of the first to allow female pastors iirc

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>To Be Continued....

Even with the stopover at a shopping center, Kiora is incredibly ill when you arrive at Lynne's. Leaving the insulated bag with Ice cream, whipping cream, and the promised cherries in the back seat, you carry the dizzied pixie to one of Lynnette's planters and set her on the soft, bark-covered loam to recuperate. She kneels in place, head bowed and running her hands back and forth through the thicker bark, relaxing when she reaches the rick, dark loam beneath.

Lynnette comes out to help with the luggage, after giving you a one armed hug and checking on Kiora herself. She agrees; milkshakes are the perfect thing, and chocolate mint milkshakes make everything better. You can't help but smile at her energetic efforts to get everything in the three story townhouse on the hillside; she's barely containing her desire to interrogate you about how things went with Jack. They went well, rather surprisingly, despite the interruption by his sister Rebecca - a fact you were as shocked as anything to discover. you would figure that knowing someone with whom you share a mutual hate would have ended up discovering something like that eventually, but no, you got to discover that while on a sort-of-date with the handsome young martial artist.

Lynne owns the townhouse she lives in, and the one to the left of it. The townhouse was part of an inheritance, and she rented rooms for a while, quickly earning enough to purchase the neighboring property. With careful choices in tenants and eventually managing to lease to a family, she's made herself fairly independent. While she is on good terms with her father, she and her mother don't like one another at all, which you find sad, but understandable, given that her mother is extremely uptight. You're kind of surprised her dad puts up with the woman.

"You'll be all right?" you ask Kiora, who nods, but doesn't cease reconnecting her ties to the earth and wind. Part if it is the steel body of the VW Bug you drive, but it's also a matter of suddenly being moved across the city, instead of moving herself. "We'll leave a window open for you, all right?" Lynnette looks concerned but you wave her off, and she relaxes a bit.

"Welcome to my humble home," Lynne announces unnecessarily, and it's not really all that humble to be honest. It's cozy, though, with small hallways and a number of smaller rooms. She has a maid service come in weekly as well, both for her house and the tenants next door. Carting your bag of ritual tools while she takes care of the larger case -n the two of you having already taken the smaller case and the food in - you look around critically.

"I don't like the LED lights. Too bright."

"Yeah, but they're a write off. Can't be too stingy in this town." She's sadly right; even owning two buildings she's still got grants and loans to deal with for college. "So, how'd it go?" The excitement in her voice makes you smile.

[] Eh, it was ookaaaaayyyyy....
[] It went really well, I think it might be good.
[] Well, aside from the fact that he's Rebecca's brother, you mean?
[] Write in?

>>2358727
>[] Well, aside from the fact that he's Rebecca's brother, you mean?
>[] It went really well, I think it might be good.

>>2358727
>[] Well, aside from the fact that he's Rebecca's brother, you mean?
>[] It went really well, I think it might be good.

>>2358727
>[] It went really well, I think it might be good.
>[] Well, aside from the fact that he's Rebecca's brother, you mean?

>>2358727
>[] Eh, it was ookaaaaayyyyy....

>>2358727
>[x] Well, aside from the fact that he's Rebecca's brother, you mean?
>[x] It went really well, I think it might be good
>[x}Maybe consider a permanent fix Kiora. Something made of wood on the roof lined with lace that she can sit in during trips.

[X] Well, aside from the fact that he's Rebecca's brother, you mean?
[X] It went really well, I think it might be good.

"I think it went really well; he's nice, friendly, non-judgmental, and Kiora likes him. Aside from the fact that he's Rebecca's brother-" Lynne goes into a spontaneous coughing fit. "-it all seems on track."

"Her brother? No shit?" You nod solemnly. "That's five kinds of messed up, Cait! Wait, they don't get along, do they?" She asks suspiciously.

"No, but it doesn't seem like a revenge thing. More like they move in different circles entirely. Which isn't really a big surprise, considering he's into martial arts and cars and she's into fashion and threatening witches."

Lynnette gets sets a glass that's maybe a third full of amber liquid in front of you and you sniff it suspiciously; apricot brandy. You can live with that, and take a cautious sip. It's fairly strong, but it's only a couple of fingers worth. "You know I'm still not sleeping with you even if you do try and get me drunk, right?"

"A girl can dream," she shoots back mildly, not meaning a word of it. At least, you hope she doesn't mean it, that would be kind of weird. Maybe. "Oh hey, there's the most beautiful pixie in San Francisco! Can I get you drunk so you'd sleep with me?"

Kiora slowly flies into the kitchen, and heads towards your shoulder, but lands on the counter instead as she smells the fruit based alcohol. She leans over your glass, then looks up at you with interest. "No, she's not trying to get me drunk." You're not quite sure how to take her 'too bad' expression, and you tilt the glass so she can dip her tiny hands into the rich nectar and slowly drink from them. Sitting cross-legged on the counter Kiora licks her hands clean slowly, and Lynne stares at her for a moment before shaking her head to clear it.

"Cars? What makes you think he's into cars?"

You consider. "Well, he had grease ground into his hands in a couple of places, and since he just came from a meet, it's been there a while. You can only get it that ground in if you do a lot of machine shop or work with cars. Maybe he can make something to put on the top of the car for Kiora to ride in, unless you know someone." She shakes her head apologetically. "But he's really - surprisingly - nice. I only got really flustered a couple of times."

She sips her own brandy - not enough to get drunk either, but a little more than she gave you. "Only a couple of times, huh? Still going to the art show?"

You nod slowly. "Yeah. Sunday night."

[] Cam wants me to meet her muse; i think she's got a special kind of muse, but I'm not sure.
[] Oh, we're getting paid for the werewolf thing. I think I may have fucked up.
[] You want a ticket to the show to? I bet Cam would love to see you....
[] Write in?

>>2358802
>[] Oh, we're getting paid for the werewolf thing. I think I may have fucked up.

>>2358802
>[] Cam wants me to meet her muse; i think she's got a special kind of muse, but I'm not sure.
>[] Oh, we're getting paid for the werewolf thing. I think I may have fucked up.
When someone gives you more than twice as much cash than what you asked for a service it's time to turn up the paranoia.

>>2358802
>[] Oh, we're getting paid for the werewolf thing. I think I may have fucked up.

>>2358802
>[X] Cam wants me to meet her muse; i think she's got a special kind of muse, but I'm not sure.
>[X] Oh, we're getting paid for the werewolf thing. I think I may have fucked up.

>>2358802
>] Oh, we're getting paid for the werewolf thing. I think I may have fucked up.
>[] You want a ticket to the show to? I bet Cam would love to see you....

>writing - interrupted by bathroom door lock failure and having to dismantle it.

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[x] Cam wants me to meet her muse; I think she's got a special kind of muse, but I'm not sure.
[X] Oh, we're getting paid for the werewolf thing. I think I may have fucked up.

Taking a deep breath, you work your way into the current bout of weirdness that is in your life. Aside from the potential boyfriend thing, which is probably the third weirdest thing in your life. "I think Cam's muse might be an actual muse, not someone she takes inspiration from. I mean," you interrupt before Lynne points out the obvious, "that it's a tutelary deity or a spirit of inspiration, not someone that inspires her."

Lynne looks curious, and Kiora flutters up to your glass and carefully sits on the edge of it, stirring your remaining brandy with one set of toes, which is weirdly erotic. You watch as she does so, letting her see you blush, which prompts Lynne to look, and it is very clear that the sight affects her also. "You mean, uh, like a Greek muse? That sort of thing?" Yeah, she's definitely affected by Kiora's strangely casual eroticism, and Kiora looks up at you from her downcast face, her expression knowing, less coy than outright sultry.

Swallowing, you nod absently. "Um....yes, like that. There's lots of different types. Some are good, some are bad, but they're all fairly potent even nowadays." Kiora smiles in a most satisfied manner, and crosses her leg over her opposite knee, looking up at you with a smug grin. You mime fanning yourself and her coy smile becomes even more coy, as she looks back down at the shimmering brandy. Definitely saving that for a potion. "Oh, we're getting paid to do that werewolf thing too."

"Yeah? How much?" Lynne drains the rest of her own brandy, looking more than just a little flushed.

"A thousand, up front, with expenses and further payment depending on what we find out." You can't keep the unhappy note out of your voice.

Lowering her glass, Lynnette looks at you with wide eyes. "That's more than triple your usual price for this sort of thing."

"Yeah. They want to know who, what, and how. I have a lead." She perks up. "The Luminous Arc Club."

Her expression falls flat and she gives you a seriously annoyed look. "That's not good, babe."

"She's sixteen and looks like she's in her twenties." The expletive she uses makes Kiora ball backwards off the edge of your glass, but she catches herself by making it a back-flip and hovering above the table. "She's supposedly had her first menstruation, so that's okay," you add.

"Why would that make a difference?" Lynne asks with genuine curiosity.

"Because even if she's had sex, a girl who hasn't had her period counts as a maiden and any witchcraft I used on her could be turned against me later." Kiora gives you a dubious look. "All right, would be turned against me at some point. It's one of those weird magical effects that I have to deal with. I don't know if it's all witches or just me."

"We really need to find you someone to compare notes with." You nod solemnly. "Well....what about taking that woman-friend of yours that you were going to introduce me to? Karen, right?"

[] Uh....No.
[] Because she's been trying to get me into those places for months now?
[] It's....not a bad idea, I just don't that it's a good idea.
[] I'm kind of hesitant to involve something like her in this sort of thing....
[] Write in?

>>2358891
>[] It's....not a bad idea, I just don't that it's a good idea.
>[] I'm kind of hesitant to involve something like her in this sort of thing....

>>2358891
>[] I'm kind of hesitant to involve something like her in this sort of thing....

>>2358891
>[X] It's....not a bad idea, I just don't that it's a good idea.

>>2358891
>[] It's....not a bad idea, I just don't that it's a good idea.

>>2358891
When Karen mentioned lycanthropes, was that just in terms of trends in supernatural species in her lifetime, or was it specifically in the context of food?

I feel like if witches and fairies aren't really on the menu, I'm not sure why werewolves would be either, but then again there might be some things I don't know about lycanthropes in this setting.

>>2358912
She seemed to indicate both lycanthropes and ghouls were food.

>>2358915
Yeah that's what I was afraid of.

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[X] It's....not a bad idea, I just don't think that it's a good idea.
[x] I'm kind of hesitant to involve something like her in this sort of thing....

You bite your lip, and flits over to Lynne and settles on top of the bottle of brandy, straddling the stem of the bottle and wrapping her tiny legs around it as she rests both elbows on the cap and her head on her tiny hands. Lynnette grins at Kiora and jerks her head on your direction as you mull the idea over in your head. "Wanna bet she's secretly bi?" Kiora crosses her forearms in an 'X', and Lynne giggles. "Whatcha mean? No bet?" Kiora nods vigorously as you glare at both of them with your cheeks burning.

"If you two are done discussing my....fairly straight sexuality," which earns you yet another of those dubious glances from your familiar and a smug grin from your best friend, "I just don't think it's a really good idea. It's not a bad one, but I think it wouldn't be a good idea. She's not human, which isn't the issue." You take a deep breath. "I think, and I'm not positive but i'm pretty sure, I think she eats non-human creatures. Not faeries, but definitely ghouls, and i think lycanthropes as well." Lynne stares at you. "She told me she wouldn't eat witches or faeries. Something about our magic isn't palatable. I think she specifically eats supernatural or preternatural things."

You've sure been getting a lot of staring from Lynnette today. "....What the hell kind of metabolism would require her to eat werewolves, Cait? I mean, they eat each other sure, but their biology is different enough that they're poisonous to most normal critters outside of very basic decomposers."

"Yeah, I know. But I think....I think she really does. So, taking her to find a werewolf might not be a great idea. At the same time, that's exactly the kind of thing you want to have help hunting a werewolf." You bite your lip nervously and Kiora makes a soft 'tsking' sound, and you stop immediately. "Besides....while she's made it clear she wouldn't mind sex with me, I don't think that's why she keeps inviting me to go to weird clubs with her. I don't know why she's fascinated by me, but it's pretty obvious she likes me for a reason beyond friendship. I just don't know what that reason is!"

Lynnette tries to say this in the most bland voice possible. "Well, what about Jack then?"

You gape at her. "Huh?"

Sadly her look is all too serious. "I mean it. Jack's smart, he's fast and he's strong if he's in Jujitsu. He might be cool with it."

You fidget with the crystal glass that has the remains of your faerie touched brandy. "You're asking me to invite a guy I barely know to a BDSM club while we look for an underage werewolf girl in a situation that could go south any number of ways."

"Well, you keep saying we need a third for a coven," she points out, and that just wrecks your composure.

"WHAT!?"

Lynne shrugs. "It's true." Kiora is nodding sagely.

[] NO FUCKING WAY.
[] ....I'll think about it. And that's all. No, shut up. And you, be quiet too!
[] Maybe I'll bring it up to him, but only with full disclosure.
[] Write in?

>Last vote.

>>2358926
>Maybe I'll bring it up to him, but only with full disclosure.

>>2358926
>[] Maybe I'll bring it up to him, but only with full disclosure.

>>2358926
>[] ....I'll think about it. And that's all. No, shut up. And you, be quiet too!

>>2358926
>[] Maybe I'll bring it up to him, but only with full disclosure.
>I didn't notice any red flags except for probably pissing Rebecca off a lot more, which is also sort of a bonus, but isn't this kind of fast?

>>2358926
>[] NO FUCKING WAY.

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[X] Maybe I'll bring it up to him, but only with full disclosure.
[X] Write in? Okay, while pissing Rebecca off might be fun, and he seems okay, this is a little fast, right?

There's a point at which enough is enough, and you think that you're well beyond that point. "Okay, first, you're asking me to kiss a guy I barely know, on the lips, during a hug, while naked - which you will also have to do." Lynnette actually blushes at that; she doesn't think as much of it with you because she's used to it. She clearly wasn't aware that she would have to do the same. Jack would probably enjoy it, you imagine and before you get caught up in that train of thought you quickly move on. "Second, I wouldn't even imagine doing such a thing without telling him everything - about the shadows, about the dangers of lies, and about how he can't cuss, swear, or threaten people because he might jinx them, or worse, hex them. I'll also have to tell him about my curse, because he'll inevitably get caught up in that, while right now it's not really a threat to him. Third, there is no way we could form a coven without knowing almost everything about someone! It's like marriage, for better or worse, and unlike most marriages, we'd actually have a God and goddess looking in on ours!"

Kiora watches your diatribe with great fascination, your emotional outburst and burning cheeks a feast for her faerie sensibilities. Lynne looks a bit abashed....but only a bit. "Okay, yeah, your right, but I still think it's a really good idea to get some help." She leans on the counter with both hands and gives you a hard look. "They're giving you a thousand dollars and offering more for something you probably told them you would do for three hundred. You're looking for a werewolf who might be magically mind controlled, and that means she could be ordered to attack us." Sadly, she's not entirely wrong.

"That's why we're going to make some potions, and something you haven't done before - Airmed's Balm, which isn't a potion, but a spell in potion form. It should prevent us from becoming infected with lycanthropy, and definitely cure it if we do get infected."

She shakes her head. "That's not the real problem. We're not fighters. I'm fast and pretty strong, but I'm still not a trained fighter. If we get into trouble, we're going to be head deep fast. Your magic is great stuff, and you can hex like nobody's business, but if it's a sorcerer or another witch - or witches! - you're still learning and they'd clearly have an advantage." You rub your eyes and wish she would stop being right. "We need backup, Caitrin, seriously."

You bite your lip, hard, and Kiora watches you with the intensity of a man dying of thirst while you have a glass of water to your lips. Lynnette isn't wrong, but you really, really don't want to trust your life to a near stranger no matter how handsome (or, if you're being honest, scare him away) or an alien being you don't even understand entirely, regardless of how friendly she is when she isn't scaring you half to death or playing enigmatic games. You need help, and you don't have any easy sources....well....it's a long shot, but....

Kiora tilts her head and runs a hand through her dark locks, and then flutters away from the bottle, to stand on top of it and watch you curiously. Lynne sees your expression and looks wary. "What?" she asks suspiciously.

"Professor Tanner is having a guest speaker on Thursday," you inform her. Her expression is confused, while Kiora stares at you with wide, pretty eyes. "What if we could ask an expert on werewolves how to cope with the situation if it turns bad?"

"What kind of expert? Another professor, or a SWAT member?" Special Weapons And Tactics had to adjust the tactics part when lycanthropes became citizens.

You smile sweetly. "Another werewolf," you quip, enjoying the shock on Lynne's face. Okay, so maybe Karen has a point about scaring people being fun.

>To Be Continued....

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Thank you for reading and playing. Hope that it has been enjoyable so far.

We will continue next week with a new thread.

>>2358964
Thanks for running, I definitely had fun, though I think I might be having trouble finding the line on how cautious is -too- cautious.

>>2358970
Having the spell book done will help a bit i think. it;s my 'weekend' project.

>>2358964
definitely enjoyable XS

>>2358270
It was still initially very hostile to other belief systems.

>>2358964
Thanks for running XS, sorry I keep missing it but you have a weird schedule.