Fantasy Magic Brew Cafè (CLOSED)

[DestinyRed]

"Unless you want a terrifying monster named Merle to grab disinfectant wipes and scrub your face silly, I suggest you wash your face." she said with a giggle. Then took Ollie's hand and pulled herself to her feet.


"You make coming to a costume store sound like going to candyland." she murmured then pointed at Jun, "Trust me, he can tell you it's nothing special, it's just our little costume store, that's all." to most people it seemed cool, but she basically grew up there, it got a little boring from time to time, "Your only allowed to come if Jun agrees to wear bunny ears the whole time." she said rather loudly, then looked over at Jun.

 

[Cryobionic]

Oliver hurried into the bathroom, leaving the door open this time, and grabbed some paper towels from the dispenser, "I thought you lived with humans!" He exclaimed as he wet the towels and began rubbing the bloodstains off his face, taking her threat of the 'terrifying monster' very seriously, "And I've never been to a costume store before, I'll have you know. I made my Halloween costume from Buckley's curtains."


The now brownish red paper towel was discarded into the trashcan as the imp's tail curled itself around another one, "And the arrows I got from the Mr. Shatterbelt, after he'd dipped them in wax so they wouldn't be 'overly dangerous'." The other paper towel was soon thrown away, and Oliver emerged from the bathrooms again, his face looking decidedly more clean, if a little red stained still.

 

[thistle]

Jun's relief to see Raya mostly recovered was short lived as he heard the specificity of her terms, Oliver dashing back into the bathroom. "I...Wait, what?" he said meekly, giving Raya wide eyes. It wasn't worth having her regress back, seeing as her spirits were just now returning. Besides humiliation was sometimes worth it, bunny ears and all. "If you can find them, I'll wear the ears," Jun relented, sighing.

 

[Elfia Nightwing]

Ellie frowned, excusing herself from Spooks as she walked back out to the living area, looking around to find Vinny. When she finally found the familiar head of blue hair, sitting on the couch reading a book, she crept up behind him, her feet padding lightly on the wood flooring as she wrapped her arms around his shoulder. "Sorry," she murmured burying her face in his hair, inhaling his scent. It was comforting, and after that trip down memory lane, all she wanted was to feel comfort.

 

[DestinyRed]

This time Raya full out laughed, her usual jolly sounding ones to, "Oh gosh Ollie! You crack me up!" she squeaked then doubled over in laughter, "It's just my aunt! She's a bit of a Germaphobe, that's all." after gaining her ability to breath again she straightened and smiled at Jun.


"I may or may not have the bunny ears I forced you to wear at the halloween party hiding somewhere in my room." she admitted with a laugh, they were sitting somewhere in one of her boxes. She had already started packing up her room and she had a feeling the faulty bunny ears were hiding with her billion other trinkets in the box labeled 'Merle, you touch, you die'.

 

[Cryobionic]

"Germaphobe?" Oliver repeated under his breath, not really sure what that meant, exactly. For all he knew, that could be the name of her species, but he wouldn't ask, at the risk of looking ridiculous. So, instead, he stepped forward with a smile, and closed the bathroom door behind him. "Are we ready to go then?"


...


The jump caused by her sudden appearance was not something the demon would willingly admit to, but as he tilted his head back to look up at the witch, all thoughts of preserving his masculinity fled his mind at the sight of her slightly red rimmed eyes.


"Hey," He murmured softly, placing the book down in his lap with a small, worried frown, "Have you been crying?"

 

[Elfia Nightwing]

"I just, remembered something I didn't want to remember," Ellie murmured."I lived in a human district of London growing up." she finally began. "I went to school with a bunch of humans, having bright blue hair doesn't exactly make me the most popular kid in my class," Ellie laughed, burying her face deeper into Vinny's neck. "I've been push down, threatened, ignored, one girl even told me to go kill myself," Ellie frowned."Sometimes, I wish I was just born a human, that I was just...Normal and forgettable," she whined.

 

[DestinyRed]

"I'm ready." She exlaimed, she was just the slightest bit worried her nightmare was real but considering the circumstances she decided that the odds were in her favor, "Are you ready Jun?" She asked, looking over to the shade with a small smile, "I'm sure your excited to be reunited with your ears." She joked.

 

[thistle]

Expecting Raya to have the costume ornament on hand, Jun visibly relaxed when she announced it was somewhere back at the shop. In this frigid weather, how was one to explain bunny ears to another in passing, especially with Halloween having passed almost a week ago? There would have been no escaping the embarrassment, for around this time of the year the sun remained all but hidden by the clouds.


Jun nodded, though the confirmation was only intended for the first question. "Sure, let's get going."

 

[DestinyRed]

Raya smiled at the two then walked through the café and opened the door with a bow, "Ladies first!" She joked, shivering a little as the cool air spilled in from the door, "And zip up your sweaters or you'll freeze to death." She added, grabbing her coat then pulling out her beanie from the pocket and placing it snugly on her head, leaving her wild curls sticking out from the edges. The beanie also gave the added bonus of hiding the new addition to her collection of bruises.

 

[Cryobionic]

"Let's go!" The imp let out a giggle, thrusting his fist into the air in what was intended to be an excited display of enthusiasm. The rainbow clad arm only got halfway up, however, before, with a yelp of shock, Oliver clutched it to his chest as a sharp jab of pain shot through his shoulder. "Okay," He muttered, his tone a little sheepish, slightly shaking fingers reaching up to massage the sore area around his newly fixed joint, "Let's go a little more carefully, huh?"


Before any of them could comment on his blatant display of forgetfulness, he rushed out of the hallway and out into the cafe, the bell above the door chiming an instant later as Oliver stepped out into the cold November air.


....


"It is within human nature to fear that which they cannot understand," Vincent murmured, his fingers twirling a strand of her cerulean hair as a small, wry smile overtook his lips, "That which is memorable, and special." The demon placed two fingers underneath the witch's chin, gently tilting her head back to look at him, "I'll bet'cha those kids are boring people now, living ordinary boring lives, droning on from day to day with no other goal than to just exist because they shun everything that could have made their lives special."

 

[Elfia Nightwing]

Ellie frowned, casting her eyes down. "They also don't have to deal with a evil demoness trying to kill them!!" she cried out, feeling tears down her cheeks again. "I want to live a normal life! I want to be with you and laugh and dream, and not fear for my life every single moment of every day! I haven't even been able to garden because I've been under so much stress!" Ellie cried. She pulled up her hair to reveal a small strip of hair that was pale silver, barely noticeable against her already light hair. "My hair is going gray I've been under so much stress Vincent!!" she cried.

 

[Cryobionic]

The demon sighed, tucking the lighter strand of hair behind her ear as he leaned back in his seat, surveying her with a contemplating crimson stare. She was basically falling apart, her entire life had been turned up side down the moment she had been taken by the hunters, and he had no idea what do to turn it the right side up again. He wasn't even sure he was capable of doing so.


His support, it seemed, was no-where near enough, and he very much doubted books would be able to help her calm down this time. "There isn't a wonderful, mysterious spell, or a magic brew I can give you to magically fix everything," He told her honestly, his voice barely above a whisper as he tried to come to grips with the situation, "You have been beaten and ridiculed, harassed and broken down..."


Vincent reached out, brushing his thumb against her cheek to wipe away some of her tears, "Lost battles perhaps meant to be won," Crimson eyes connected with shimmering blue as his hand cupped her cheek, "It's not fair, and it's certainly not right by any stretch of the imagination. By every one of us, our friends, have gone through situations not much different from yours. Not exactly the same, no, but similar. You're not alone in this battle, Ellie, and I think you have to realize that."

 

[Elfia Nightwing]

Ellie looked down, as if she was ashamed of herself. " I don't want to seem selfish," she murmured quietly." Everyone has so much and putting myself above them all seems, horrible," she murmured.

 

[DestinyRed]

"Jeez Ollie, slow down." She murmured with a laugh, waving Jun over, "And you're slow as a turtle Jun, speed up!" She called with a laugh then looked outside, "Why is it so cold?! It's not even december." She squeaked with a frown, it's was either freakishily cold outside or she was getting a cold. It was quite easy to tell she hoped for the first because she hated being sick. Absolutely positively hated it.


Raya reached out and poked Ollie giving a good shot of her healing powers to his arm, "That should feel better... I think...?" As soon as the power showed its self it dissapeared again.

 

[Cryobionic]

Oliver let out a happy laugh, and slowed down, turning to grin at the protector. "I wanna see what a costume shop looks like on the inside!" He explained excitedly, nodding his quickly up and down as if agreeing with his own words, "Is it really big? Is it brightly colored? I don't know that, and I wanna."


As Raya placed her hand on his shoulder, his eyes widened with surprise as he felt her energy begin to reach out, encasing his wounded shoulder in warmth. "H-Hey," He exclaimed, a bit awed, "That feels nice."

 

[DestinyRed]

Raya smiled at Oliver's enthusiam, "Well, on the outside there's a big Electric green sign and a bunch of costumes and masks that basically make it look like a haunted house." She made a concentrated face as she recited the inside, "The inside has light greeny/white walls and the roof is painted like the night sky -curtesy of me." She smiled when she mentioned her painting then popped up her hand and listed off everything with her fingers, "There's five sections plus some random stuff lying here and there, there's the mix and match section, which houses the hats and was the home of that sweater your wearing. There's the fictional characters section, mythology/supernatural section, Fairytails and a 'make a mask' area in the back." She crossed her arms and looked up at the roof in thought, "There's also Pops and Merle, the owners and my relatives. I'll be dragging you two up the stairs into the actual living space were you'll sit in the kitchen and help yourself to Merle's Sugar cookies, unless you want to see my mess of a room. It's a jungle of boxes." At the moment Jungle of boxes was a pretty good description.


She smiled at Ollie when he seemed to feel better, "I'm sure it does, I wouldn't know cause it doesn't work on me." She said with a shrug, then raised an eyebrow in curiousity, "What exactly did it do?"

 

[Cryobionic]

"Huh!" Oliver nodded at her description, looking quite excited at the prospect of seeing everything for himself, "I wonder if you have any magma slug costumes. I hope not, 'cause those little buggers are really annoying." He joked lightheartedly, rubbing his shoulder.


"I'm not sure what you did," Oliver admitted with a small shrug, marveling a bit at the fact that it didn't hurt to do so, "But it feels a lot better, and it's kinda warm."

 

[thistle]

Just a few yards ahead Jun noticed Raya swivel on a heel to face his direction, encouraging to step faster as her voice reached him faintly. He started to gesture that they could go on ahead but she was already whirling back to Oliver, animation in her movements, and Jun gave a patient sigh, shuffling forward. Having left the cafe at the same time, waving briefly to Luke and Akira as they passed, it wasn't as if he had intended to be separated from the pair. No, it had simply been bad timing on behalf of Jun's curiosity as the shade had halted in his tracks to give the decorated display case the attention it deserved. Washes of amber silk and gold dusted leaves had surrounded crystal figurines, preening beneath the ceiling lights as they glimmered on their stands.


By the time Jun had finished and glanced up, it was to find Raya and Oliver already a block away. Though he had started with haste, chances of catching up were further detained when Jun had stumbled upon a passing flock of children that had decided to join him on the sidewalk then. Based on the number of them and the fact that each of their backs was adorned by a pack of some sort, the shade had concluded he had accidentally stumbled on a class field trip of some sort. Quick strides had been swiftly reduced to a slow, ambling shuffle. On top of that Jun had managed to pause at every intersection, the red palm of denial mocking him from the other side. Meanwhile Raya and Oliver had continued to skip merrily away, figures growing more and more distant.


He spotted them cross the street further down, making their way inside the familiar shop, and it was then that Lady luck decided to be generous with him as the wave of children suddenly surged to the side, distracted by the sweets that lay enticingly in the window. Naturally, Jun started to look as well, then checked himself, and hurried on to finally catch up. A mild glare at the cross walk sign had the walking man flashing on the black screen, and the shade flew up the steps, finally successful.

 

[Elfia Nightwing]

Ellie frowned, wiping the remaining tears from her face when something caught her eye in the corner of the room. It was a violin, covered in dust and left to side but Ellie could see from the marks that it had been with Vinny for a very long time, and was obviously well loved. "That's right, I forgot," she murmured softly, keeping her gaze on the instrument. "You play don't you? I took lessons as a child but I wasn't very good," she said, a bit of nostalgia in her voice. Ellie stood up, walking over to the violin. She cleaned off the dust, lifting it up carefully as she brought it over to the demon, holding it out for him to take. "Can you play for me?" she asked, smiling softly up at the demon.


@Cryobionic

 

[Cryobionic]

"Used to play," The demon corrected, accepting the instrument from her, his eyebrows rising in slight surprise that she remembered that particular fact. Placing it in his lap, a small smile came over his features as he ran a finger over the tail piece, leaving behind a spotless streak on the otherwise dust-covered surface. "When the cafe started gaining popularity, I couldn't find the time to indulge in it anymore, and for the record, I was never particularly good." He chuckled, flicking the strings playfully with his fingernail before looking up, considering her request.


With a small nod, he took the bow from her, and positioned the violin under his jaw, finding, to his slight surprise, that the movement still felt as natural to him as it had a couple of years ago. Resting the bow against the strings, he thought about what to play, his fingers tapping gently against the neck of the instrument, before finally deciding on a rather slow piece by Tchaikovsky that, while usually accompanied by piano, was one of his personal favorites.

 

[Elfia Nightwing]

Ellie smiled, closing her eyes as let herself be absorbed by the comforting melody. It sounded melancholy, but also somehow filled her chest with a sort of nostalgia filled peace of mind. Like ehen she was little, and would curl under the covers with her parents in a thunderstorm.


Suddenly a certain memory flashed in her mind, quick as lightning. A little boy, no more than 8 months old smiling up at her, his blue eyes filled with happiness. The same blue eyes Ellie had. Her eyes flung open, filled with surprise and confusion, looking as if she had just been shocked.

 

[Happy Red Mage]

Spooks stared at the ceiling blankly. However internally she was holding back tears and wailing. She had been listening through the door with a heavy heart. "...I'm given...a second chance at life..." She whispered sadly as she decided to stop listening to them. "Honestly...I don't even remember anything before my ghost days...now I'm an Archdemon, I have a new family, my friends...new name..." She closed her eyes. "But I'm numb inside..." She whispered sadly. "Then why don't you take what you want?" She heard a voice...her voice say. She opened her eyes and saw her own face close to hers, but the difference was it's eyes were red. She opened her mouth to shout but was quickly shushed by a hand covering her mouth. Her copy was smiling mischievously.


"Everyone goes on and on about love, life, friendship purity...makes me wonder whether these things are just empty words that have lost their meaning over time." She kept talking as her other hand was raised and started sparkling with electricity. "Why don't I just kill them so no one stands in your way..." She started to smile maliciously. "Why don't I just kill everyone so no one will ever stand in your way?" Her hand started aiming towards the door. Spook suddenly screamed and kicked her away and backed into the corner of the empty room, no evidence of the copy anywhere.

 

[Elfia Nightwing]

Ellie snapped out of daze when she heard the sudden scream, looking over at the closed door that lead to her and Vinny's bedroom. "Spooks is in there!" she gasped, rushing up from her position on the floor, she flung open the door. " Spooky!!" she cried, looking at the girl curled up the corner shaking like a leaf. "Spooky?" she asked softly, walking over the girl kneeling in front of her. "Spooks...What happened?" she murmured, placing her hands lightly on her shoulder.


@Metaphysics

 

[Happy Red Mage]

"STAY BACK!" Spooks shouted as she shifted away from Ellie. "T-there's someone else here!" She warned as she looked wildly around. She started to sob as she buried her head into her arms. "T-there was another me..." She sobbed out. "She wanted to hurt you and Vince..." She continued. The event had scared her more than anyone would think. Someone like her threatening to kill her friends...and she was afraid that that someone like her...might be her.