Fantasy Original Monsters

[sidmaxification]

((@RhiaRaye ))


Tennessee checked his watch before sliding the helmet over his head. There were roughly two and half hours before he had to be back. He judged that to be plenty of time to satisfy Victoria in her mission to behave normally and to somehow make him social. Hopefully no one took any interest in him besides her. She never poked too far in his private life, so escaping shouldn’t be a problem unless something happened. He shook his head in attempt to get rid of some of the negativity. It only made the adrenaline rise higher.


After starting the bike, he took a deep breath to calm himself down and then took off down the hill toward town. Out of habit, he nearly made a left to go towards the clinic and ended up squealing the back tire slightly as he turned the other way more forcefully than intended. That’s the way to keep from going unnoticed.


It wasn’t difficult to find the new place. The town only changed once every few years and everyone usually made a big deal out of it. There were always too many balloons with about twenty or so slowly floating into the sky. Most were let go buy children that discovered something far more interesting than helium filled rubber.


He parked near the side of the new supermarket so it would be out of the way and had less of a chance of being run into by any intoxicated future customers. Placing the kickstand in its place, he pulled off his helmet and took a better look around. He didn’t see Victoria, so he picked a somewhat secluded spot to wait for her. Only a few hours.

 

[Elle Joyner]

"Ever since I was little, it's just been this dream of mine... Elliot calls it an obsession, but I don't necessarily see that as a bad thing. And I'll tell you what, someday when I make it happen, I'll definitely be calling on you to come set up anything electronic. Otherwise I'm likely to send the entire thing crashing into the dirt before I open the doors."


As they neared the market, Hattie picked up her pace a bit, the excitement building in her chest at the sight of the streams and balloons, floating above the store and hung in slowed animation, little pinpricks in the sky. Music flooded from the opened double doors and she could hear someone announcing prizes over a loud speaker somewhere in the crowded parking lot. It was a little silly, but seeing it all she couldn't help but think that some day, it might be her business, announcing it's grand opening through their sleepy town...


"Come on!" She said, waving Victoria on through the crowd, making a path through the chattering townsfolk to the entrance. Once inside, she reached into her purse and dug out her cell, pressing speed dial before holding the phone to her ear, waiting for Elliot to pick up the other end.


((@RhiaRaye ))

 

[JoshQ]

((@RhiaRaye ))


Elizabeth quirked en eyebrow, another one, she thought to herself. It seems like every day she can't go without bumping into somebody with a 'shady past' or 'weird profession', not that she doesn't mind, it keeps life interesting, but it's still strange nonetheless. She gives Elliot a polite smile and nods. Realizing that whatever it is he's hiding should probably stay there.


"That's an interesting job" she said taking a sip from her bottle "I always have respect for artists, such a unstable field, yet rewarding to everyone around them. I hope he appreciates your work."

 

[RhiaRaye]

Victoria followed Hattie’s lead and sped up as much as she dared. She definitely didn’t want to get her heart rate up too much. There were more people here than she expected, and Victoria was starting to wonder if it was such a good idea after all. Well, too late to back out now, she thought.


Carefully sticking close to Hattie, Victoria scanned the area, looking for Tennessee. For a moment, she thought she caught a glimpse of his bike, but there were too many people in the way for her to be sure. As inconspicuous as possible, she adjusted her shirt and hair, getting each strand and piece of fabric where it should be. There were bound to be a lot of prying eyes about the place.


It was so loud as well. She really wasn’t used to this much noise. It was enough to make her wish one of her ears would stop working, just for a little bit. As Hattie made the call on her phone, Victoria glanced at the people in the crowd around her, bordering on paranoia.


---


“He does,” Elliot answered the woman’s question. “He really, really does.”


Electronic music floated from Elliot’s pocket, a sound he immediately recognized as his ringtone. He set his bottle of beer down on the table, and glanced at the caller ID. Hattie. Finally.


He looked up apologetically at Elizabeth. “Sorry, I’ve got to take this,” he said, pressing a button on the keypad and lifting the phone to his ear.


“Hattie!” he smiled into the phone. “It’s about time! Where are you?”

 

[sidmaxification]

((@RhiaRaye ))


There was a moment when he thought he might attempt to acquire food. The only meal he had today was breakfast and that consisted of about half a bowl of oatmeal. They never tell students in the medical field that they actually end up risking their health to study. A little boy walked by him with a cheeseburger that made his stomach turn in two different ways. He knew he was hungry, but he had never felt a craving for meat. That was the other side’s forte.


For a moment he considered leaving. This was no place for him to be, especially today. After another deep breath, he scanned the crowd again looking for Victoria from his spot near the front of the store. A few people passed through the entrance that he recognized from the clinic. None of them seem to notice him and he was relieved for it.


A young woman caught his attention as she pushed through some of the crowd trying to get through. There’s one way of doing it. He sort of laughed to himself then straightened when he recognized the familiar look of panic. It was the same expression Victoria had when they first met.


Tennessee moved through the crowd as easily has he could toward her. He ended up tripping over something or someone along the way, but fortunately did not end up on the ground. Once he recovered, he placed himself in her path and shook his head at her when she looked his way. “This still seem like a good idea?”

 

[Elle Joyner]

While on the phone, it didn't escape Hattie's attention that Victoria had fallen extremely quite, the nervous energy nearly palpable, coming off the woman in waves. As the phone rang, she covered the mouth peace, using her free hand to give her new friend a gentle pat on the arm, "Don't worry..." She chuckled, softly, "I'm not gonna run off and leave you alone-- Oh! Sorry...Hang on..."


Elliot's voice filled her ear and Hattie smirked, shaking her head at his inquiry, rolling her eyes at his accusatory intonation, "I was working. But then, you probably don't remember what that's like, do you, Slacker? I'm over by the entrance. I brought a new friend with me, come say 'hello'."


As she terminated the call, she turned back to Victoria, surprised to see they had been joined by a third party who seemed familiar with her petrified new acquaintance. Smiling tensely, she extended a hand to the newcomer, "Oh... Hey. I'm Hattie. You... I'm going to wager... are the gentleman Victoria's been texting?"


((@RhiaRaye @sidmaxification ))

 

[RhiaRaye]

((@Elle Joyner @sidmaxification @JoshQ ))


She was a little ashamed, but Victoria was grateful for Hattie’s reassurance. The thought had crossed her mind that Hattie might forget about her presence after meeting up with Elliot.


“Of course it does,” Victoria told Tennessee while Hattie finished her call. “Why wouldn’t it?”


There was something very comforting to Victoria about Tennessee’s presence tonight. Maybe it was the familiarity between, even though she thought she got on his nerves sometimes. Maybe she was just happy that she knew two people in the building. Or maybe, and Victoria felt like this was the true reason, it was because that when Tennessee came up with a reason to go home, she might be able to get away if she wanted to, as well.


Victoria turned back to Hattie when she realized she was no longer on the phone. “Right. Hattie, this is Tennessee. Tennessee, this is Hattie.”


---


“Slacker?” asked Elliot. “That’s a little harsh. I’ll be right over.”


Elliot closed his phone and shoved it back into his pocket. He looked at Elizabeth, who had busied herself with her beer as he spoke to Hattie.


“I’m going to meet up with a friend of mine,” said Elliot, tossing the empty hot dog wrapper into a garbage can and picking up his half-empty bottle. “Do you, uh, want to come?”


Why had he invited her along? She didn’t look like she would really fit in with the two of them, and whoever Hattie had brought along. She really didn’t look like she was all that much fun. What Elizabeth did look like was a tired and lonely person. That’s why he invited her along. He would feel like a really terrible person if he didn’t.

 

[sidmaxification]

((@RhiaRaye @Elle Joyner ))


“Lots of people, loud noises, almost everything we both don’t like.” It was obvious and he knew it, but actually saying made him feel better. The crowd was beginning to make him feel anxious and he looked around for a spot that had less people or even no people. His hope of moving was diminished when the woman he saw before came back.


Tennessee smiled politely has he was introduced to Hattie. “And you’re the lady that invited Victoria to this event.” He took her outstretched hand and shook it gently. “It’s nice to finally meet you.” There was just enough sarcasm in his tone. Something his other half didn’t know how to limit.


He tried to take a deep breath without being obvious. There was a slight rise in his heart rate. Nothing to be afraid of, but he was in a crowd. Anytime he switched in a large crowd something bad happened or at least unfortunate. Tonight was the arranged time and he didn’t want to give him an extra hour to harass anyone.

 

[JoshQ]

Elizabeth looked about while Elliot was taking his phone call, noting all the different people in the newly opened store. Everyone seemed so normal here, children were gleefully cheering, loving couples were holding hands, and the gaggle of teenagers were walking about taking pictures of the most mundane things. Elizabeth smiled inwardly, but then frowned. How many of these people weren't what they seemed? How many have gone through the issues she's seen, and heard, since working at the University.


She shook her head breaking her train of thought at Elliott's voice.


"Hmm? Oh! Well..." Elizabeth thought back to her apartment and her shambles of a novel that she had to still write. "You know what?" She said taking another swig of bear and tossing it, neatly, into the nearest trash can. "Why the hell not." Aside from the awkward young people to older person social interaction, meeting potentially new students might help her in her class. Not to mention it could be fun... Strange word that, fun.

 

[Elle Joyner]

Hattie grinned, dropping her hand to her side after Tennessee had released it. Where there had been a bite of sarcasm in his tone, there was nothing but kindness in her own with only the barest measure of humor, "That would be me, yeah. Mostly though, I just go by Hattie. It's nice to meet you, and I'm glad you both decided to come. I know it's a ton of people, but everyone in this town is so nice, I think you'll have a good time."


Looking up, she spotted Elliot coming through the crowd and waved him over, catching sight of the older woman he was walking with. The more the merrier, she supposed.


"Hey, El! There you are..." Gesturing to her own tagalongs, she smiled, "Elliot, Tennessee and Victoria, guys, Elliot!"


(( @RhiaRaye, @JoshQ, @sidmaxification ))

 

[RhiaRaye]

((@sidmaxification @JoshQ @Elle Joyner ))


Elliot smiled at gave a small shrug in Hattie’s direction. He was sure she’d understand why he’d brought Elizabeth along. Hattie was nice, after all. Much nicer than he was. Gods. She must be rubbing off on me.


Elliot smiled at Victoria, offering her his hand. “Hello there. Victoria was it? Nice to meet you.” He offered her what he believed to be his most charming smile.


Victoria accepted Elliot’s handshake, watching her sleeve the whole time. Luckily, she hadn’t stretched enough for it to ride up her arm. She offered the man a weak, awkward smile. “Hi,” she said meekly.


Once Victoria had extricated her hand from his, Elliot glanced in Tennessee’s direction. “Nice to meet you, mate.” Elliot then gestured to the woman behind him. “This is Elizabeth. She’s a professor at the university. She’s in need of a little fun; I thought we’d help her out.”

 

[sidmaxification]

Tennessee could feel himself inwardly groan. At first it was Victoria and the person who had invited her out. Now there were three times as many people as he expected to meet. His mind was already starting to formulate an excuse and thought a glare at Victoria. She wouldn't know, but it made him feel a bit better.


He smiled politely and nodded his head in acknowledgement of Elliot. There was nothing he could say that would be honest. Absolutely terrible to meet you, mate. He would never say that, of course, unless the stress began to get to him and to get people to leave him alone. It was something that happened at the clinic often and he always apologized. It wasn't their fault that he couldn't handle stress well, but never failed to take it out on them. He knew it was the lesser of two evils. Either he was rude to people or they would be forced to cope with someone else.

 

[JoshQ]

Elizabeth followed Elliot to a small gathering of people, all young, but all seemingly freshly introduced. There wasn't the usual hanging off of each other that old friends have, nor did they look as if they told a dirty joke and had to hide their laughter because somebody "elderly" was coming. It's happened before, of course. Students always think that the teacher has no idea about current trends in lingo, jokes, or the newest form of technology. They don't even think we know dirty jokes. After four divorces, you tend to let a little crude humor sully your life quick nicely. Teacher or not.


She smiled at the gathering. "Hello, pleasure to meet you all." She cringed inwardly. That's exactly what an old person would say. Hell, too late to take it back now.


The gathering itself seemed... off. It seemed like everyone wanted to be there, but not. A paradox of sorts which, to Elizabeth, is quite odd in young people. Well, 'normal' young people anyways.

 

[Elle Joyner]

It was nice, their little group. No one seemed entirely comfortable, but there was a level of base human decency that kept any of them from completely ignoring each other or walking away, and that, in and of itself, had provided something in common, which they could all cling to. Of course, Hattie was easily eons above Victoria, and possible Tennessee, when it came to socialization, so there was a good chance she was entirely oblivious to their discomfort...


Grinning at the quartet of new friends, she gestured deeper into the stores, where the food and drink had been set up, "Should we get something to eat? I know I'm just about starving..."


Looking to Elliot, Hattie chuckled softly, "And I know you'd eat your arm, if you could get it tender enough..."

 

[RhiaRaye]

((@sidmaxification @JoshQ @Elle Joyner ))


Victoria faltered. She hadn't considered the implications of eating around other people. But if they didn't do something, they would all end up standing in a nervous group for the rest of the night.


"I'm not sure I'm really hungry," she finally said. "but I guess it wouldn't hurt to see what they have."


It was the best she could do. She needed an excuse in place in case there was nothing she could eat. And she seriously doubted that there would be. She could always start telling people she was vegan...


As their group of misfits made their way to the food, Victoria took the opportunity to speak to Tennessee. “See? It’s not so bad!”


Her thought process was interrupted by a laugh from Elliot. "Hey, don't insult me just because I'm a connoisseur of fine food!"


Hattie was right, though. Elliot was almost hungry, and there were very few things he would not eat. The foods that belonged in that category were mostly weird little sea creatures they eat in Asia. Those were creepy.


As they made their way through the crowd of people, Victoria took it upon herself to make some small talk. She had seen people do it several times, and it didn't look too difficult.


"So, Hattie, how did you meet Elliot?"