Realistic or Modern Summoning Trouble [Closed]

[Fable]

Tarmagon
("And yes, Esme's got the idea of magic his magic right" Confuses me a bit.)

"No...consequences... You...me...distance...no effect."

Liz jumped off the bed as Kyle struggled to speak. Esme's body jolted a bit since she had thought he was completely out and wondered how much of their conversation he had heard. It wasn't as though she'd really said anything really bad about him. She looked down at the tired demon and cocked her head to one side as she registered what he had said. Well, at least there wasn't some stupid rule she had to be within a set distance of him. She'd had that stupid handcuff prank happen to her once during a party and it had been a very unpleasant experience.

"H-he's awake?" Liz harshly whispered, causing Esme to roll her eyes.

"Obviously."

Esme noted he seemed incapable of really moving wonder if magic really was such a drain on him. It brought up the question of how draining such a thing would be on her if she had the freedom to use it.

"I'm sorry Esme. I seem to have exhausted myself yet again. But, I have managed to fabricate an ID for myself. If you can postpone your trip out for an hour or so, I should be recovered physically, but magically...I am spent.
And, may I please have a glass of water? I would get one myself, but... And, thank you. Thank you both, for putting me here after I collapsed."

Esme's eyes flicked over to where Kyle was weakly pointing to and took notice of a new ID that looked similar to her own. She wondered what information he had put on there for himself regarding his address and such. Hopefully while he was here he didn't get a jury summons. She couldn't imagine how they would deal with that.

"Why are you apologizing? Honestly, while it is frustrating how you always seem to overdo it, I'm not gonna rant at you for something that you probably don't like happening yourself. You can have a few hours rest if you need it, I don't have to be at work until 5 p.m. anyway. And water? Uh, sure."

Esme got up and both she and Liz exited the room, leaving Kyle alone on Esme's bed in his weakened state. Esme went into the kitchen and grabbed one of mixed-matched plastic cups they had and filled it with water. Liz crossed her arms over her chest, leaned slightly to see if Kyle had moved, and then approached Esme.

"You're taking him to work now? Are you insane?" Liz asked concerned.

"It'll be a place he can just sit and watch people... drunk people, "she sighed, "But I clearly can't leave you two alone together. He'll probably hate every minute of it, but I have to go in anyway to ask for time off because of my mom's weird call."

"What if he gets drunk? He could end up doing something really stupid!"

"I highly doubt he'll want to drink. He made it pretty clear his priority is to avoid exposure, so if drinking would risk that, I don't think he'd do it. Liz, I know you're worried, and right now I just sort of need some slack from you on this. I'm going to do what I can to keep myself and him out of trouble, okay?"

Liz sighed, but nodded. Esme returned to her room with the cup of water. She looked at Kyle's position and pursed her lips slightly, "I have the feeling you're going to tell me you need help to sit up to drink."

She set to cup down on the floor for a moment and moved to help Kyle sit up, using pillows to help prop him up. Once she was sure he was stable, she picked up the cup of water and offered it to him.

"So, what life did you create for yourself here?"

 

[Tarmagon]

Kyle took the proffered cup, nodding his thanks to Esme. Sipping carefully, he reviewed the choices he had made when constructing his new identity. Handing the cup back to Esme, he waited until she had set it aside before holding out his hand.

"Kyle," he said. "Kyle Smith. I'm 26, and hail from a small town in south western Pennsylvania called Rouserville. "

Emre raised an eyebrow at this, but remained silent, gesturing for him to continue.

"I was home schooled, and nothing really piqued my interest in careers, so I apprenticed to the local blacksmith. I've been a modestly successful smith and farrier, but I'm taking a break from work to spend some time seeing what city life is like."

He chuckled slightly at Esme''s expression, then continued.

"Calls to search the records will find that there was a fire in the archives. There really was by the way, I saw a news article in my searches, so only electronic records still exist. 'My' blacksmith's shop is currently closed while I'm away. It was actually part of an estate that went unclaimed, but now has my name on it. I have a year to pay the taxes or it will revert to the estate trustees. I don't trust banks, preferring to use cash or prepaid debit cards. And before you ask, yes I actually do know how to forge, so while I imagine some things have changed, the basics remain the same. Think Kyle Smith will pass muster? "

Fable
(Sorry. I just meant to say Esme guessed right about what went on in the bubble. )

 

[Fable]

Tarmagon
(Ah okay. This is probably gonna be short, super tired. T_T Also, the joke at the end was "50 shades" series, hahahaha.)

She listened to Kyle explain the background story he had created for himself. She wasn't going to ask how he had managed to do all of that, and just accept that he had. Any explanation would have probably gone completely over her head. She found it an odd profession to proclaim himself as - a blacksmith - but seeing as he said it was something he actually knew how to do, if someone pestered him for proof of his skills, he'd be able to pass that test. Now, they just needed to figure out how to explain how they knew each other.

"Well, that is a pretty decent cover story. However, there is a bit of a detail we need to go over, since you're having to rest anyway. Our own connection and relationship. Just claiming we are friends isn't going to go very far to those who actually know me better than you do. Such as my co-workers and boss. They are suddenly going to want to know why I have a new friend named Kyle Smith from Pennsylvania. It would have to be something fairly recent, of course, to explain your appearance. You've never been to the bar where I work. Using Liz as a connecting factor wouldn't work either."

She sighed as she sat down at her computer desk, tapping her index finger on it as she pondered on this issue.

"You also had to go and make yourself look like some rich asshole too. Which I still don't completely get where you got those clothes from, but after watching you a few times now I think I am getting the idea. Maybe you can borrow some of Liz's ex-boyfriend's clothes since you can't conjure any yourself at the moment."

Esme still hadn't the slightest idea of how to explain Kyle and why he was tagging along with her.

"Wait. Maybe I'm thinking of this the wrong way. We clearly don't get along, the only person I claimed you were a friend to was my mother. Perhaps there is another angle to look at this from. Why would a rich-looking guy hang out with a common college student?"

She sputtered and her cheeks flushed as the most idiotic thing popped into her mind and she moved her hands in a way as though it would make the thought vanish, "Oh that was an insane way for my brain to go. I am never letting Liz talk me into reading stuff like that ever again."

 

[Tarmagon]

Kyle looked at his clothing, wondering what was wrong with it. The material of the shirt was soft and supple, but nothing compared to a good silk shirt. The pants were functional, the cloth unfamiliar to him, but woven tightly. Perhaps the shoes? The jacket he had left in the other room?

"I'm sorry Esme," he said finally. "You seemed most, perturbed, by my lack of clothing last night, so I produced the first thing I saw. As to where I got them, you do notice that my hair is much shorter now, and your blanket is nowhere to be found? I used the mass of your blanket to form this outfit, and used my own hair to make up the difference in mass. This outfit is comfortable, but the quality doesn't seem to warrant the title of 'rich asshole'."

Kyle broke off as Esme turned an interesting shade of crimson.

"Oh that was an insane way for my brain to go. I am never letting Liz talk me into reading stuff like that ever again."

"Stuff like that?" Kyle asked, arching one eyebrow. "You shall have to educate me as to your literary pursuits other than reading unknown spells from someone else's grimoire. To the problem at hand however. Do your friends here know all of your acquaintances from your youth? Could I not be a friend of a friend from your earlier days, come to the city and in need of a guide?"

While Esme pondered this, Kyle turned his attention to another need. Money. He had none, and was too spent to duplicate any existing notes Esme might have. That route would not suffice in the long term even if he had the strength, for it seemed that this land kept close track of its banknotes, and he did not want to attract attention by circulating notes with the same serial numbers. Running a hand through his hair in frustration, his attention was captured by something brushing against his wrist. Hmm. Would they have any value in this world?

"Esme," he said, detaching the earth-blood drop from his ear and holding it up for her inspection. "Do things like this have value on your world? If so, is there a place where we could convert this to your local currency?"

Fable
(Lol. I'll never get a 50 shades joke. I'm not a big fan of the unhealthy relationship the author portrays. The earth-blood drop is a ruby, about half a carat, and set in a rose gold setting. It'd probably retail for about a thousand, so if they find a reputable buyer, they might get 4-500 for it.)

 

[Fable]

Tarmagon
(I ended up reading that book series because I worked at a bookstore and people keep pestering me to stop judging it till I read it. >_> Glad I wasn't there around the time the movie released. The fangirls tended to want to discuss uncomfortable things.)

"Stuff like that? You shall have to educate me as to your literary pursuits other than reading unknown spells from someone else's grimoire. To the problem at hand however. Do your friends here know all of your acquaintances from your youth? Could I not be a friend of a friend from your earlier days, come to the city and in need of a guide?"

Kyle's question only caused Esme to sputter for a moment before bursting out in laughter at the absurd idea of handing over the books that had come up in her mind. If there was one thing he'd probably feel some sort of horror about in their world, it would be certain books. Though she could be wrong, since for all she knew that could be popular where he is from. In any case, she would only give him those books when she felt particularly mean and wanted to prank him.

"We'll, uh, come back to that subject at another time. As far as my 'literary pursuits' I actually do read a lot, though I can only really afford to borrow books from the library. I have a box of books in the closet you can read, though they are mostly fantasy, a few old reference material books, and other stuff I can't remember. Just don't destroy them. As far as being a childhood acquaintance, the problem with that means you'd actually have to know about my life while I lived in my hometown. You don't know that part of my life, I don't want to go through my life history with you, and it would create a web of lies we'd both get tangled up in. You ever hear that when you lie you need to stick as close to the truth as you can? Kind of contradictory, but the less you make up the less likely you'll screw up your story."

The problem was that because she really didn't go out of her way to make friends, and Liz was pretty much her only friend here, that she found it hard to come up with a story for his sudden appearance. She ran multiple scenarios in her mind trying to come up with at least a plausible idea.

"I suck at making stuff up," she sighed. "Let me just put it this way, I don't have any childhood friends that I still talk to. You could say I was a pretty big loner in high school because I didn't like the drama. You'd have a better chance of telling people you're some extended relative of mine."

Esme was drawn from her thoughts when Kyle said her name and was holding out what appeared to be an earring. She looked at it and wondered if it was real. She wasn't an appraiser so she couldn't even guess its value if it was.

"Well, if it's genuine, probably a nice sum. Are you sure you would want to sell it though? It isn't some family heirloom or anything? As far as a place, probably a pawn shop would be best, they'll take almost anything."

 

[Tarmagon]

"I should hope that it is considered genuine, since it was mined from our land, and crafted by my own hand," Kyle replied. "When last I was here, the monetary system was quite different, and though people seem to value gems and gold throughout history, I did not wish to assume that this would have any value today. When this was crafted..."

Kyle's voice trailed off as a memory struck him full on. De'lindara, the one he had originally crafted the earrings for, laughing delightedly when she had caught him laboring on them. De'lindara, broken and lifeless, tossed at the keep gate like a rag doll, a warning. A message. Kyle shook himself violently, throwing off the memory like a smothering blanket. It had been centuries ago as the humans measured time. Enough was enough. He hoped that the momentary flash of pain had escaped Esme's notice, and he continued briskly.

"If you think we can exchange these for enough money to tide me over until I can procure a regular source of income," he said, reaching up and detaching the mate to the first earring, "Then let us do so once I have recovered some more of my strength."

He pondered the problem of what to tell people about his presence for a moment as he waited for Esme's reply, then a thought struck him.

"Stick close to the truth, you said? Well, in my world I collect books, so... You called me using information you discovered in a book your roommate showed you. I can add contact information to the grimoire. I came at your call to investigate the book. We, you, me, and Liz are now in protracted negotiations concerning the book, how it came into Liz's possession, and what a fair reward/payment would be for the safe return of the book to my collection, since she acquired it in good faith from whomever she got it from. All honest truth, since I wish to take the book into my keeping, and since you called me here using information contained within the book."

Fable
(Sorry it's shortish, but he's a bit shaken by his memory. As to the 50 books. No problem with the material, just the unhealthy way it was presented.)

 

[Fable]

Tarmagon
(Honestly, the book had so many commas it was like William Shatner was narrating it. But yeah, I get that unhealthy aspect as well. Also, just sorta googled for a museum name. >_>; )

"I should hope that it is considered genuine, since it was mined from our land, and crafted by my own hand. When last I was here, the monetary system was quite different, and though people seem to value gems and gold throughout history, I did not wish to assume that this would have any value today. When this was crafted..."

Esme's head titled to the side slightly as she watched Kyle trail off as he spoke. Though she didn't know him very well - less than 24 hours - it seemed a bit out of character for him to get lost in thought suddenly. She didn't think much of it until he moved in a strange manner. She quirked a brow, but didn't inquire as it seemed to be something that was bothering him. She had a policy to not make things her business unless she was either involved or they were an important person to her. Kyle didn't fit within that and she honestly was respectful when people didn't want to share things.

"If you think we can exchange these for enough money to tide me over until I can procure a regular source of income. Then let us do so once I have recovered some more of my strength."

"If you're really sure about selling them, but pawn shops do have an option where you can always try to go and buy them back. Sort of like them using it for collateral in exchange for cash. You just have to make payments on what you gave them or you lose it. I just don't want you to sell something that's important."

She went silent as she tried to think of a job that he could do. More than likely someplace where he didn't have to interact with people, so retail was out of the question. If he could work and at the same time learn about everything, that would definitely be helpful. However, she couldn't think of much that would offer that. He could work at a library and have access to the books and read them, but there was still the issue of having to deal with other people, and he didn't seem the 'customer service' type. There was perhaps something he could do at a museum or archive of some kind.

"Stick close to the truth, you said? Well, in my world I collect books, so... You called me using information you discovered in a book your roommate showed you. I can add contact information to the grimoire. I came at your call to investigate the book. We, you, me, and Liz are now in protracted negotiations concerning the book, how it came into Liz's possession, and what a fair reward/payment would be for the safe return of the book to my collection, since she acquired it in good faith from whomever she got it from. All honest truth, since I wish to take the book into my keeping, and since you called me here using information contained within the book."

Esme perked up at his line of thought. It could work and also in regards to setting him up with a suitable job.

"That is absolutely perfect," she exclaimed. "You'll need to do some magic when you can probably for this, since if you only put yourself as a blacksmith it wouldn't work. There is a museum here, The National Archives Museum. You would be given access to the books there and the jobs are fairly secluded, so you won't have to worry about having to talk to too many people except for co-workers and the people in charge of the museum. You might have to just state you are familiar with books from before the last time you were here. Unless you have no interests or don't have the knowledge, or are unable to bullshit like you do. As far as you taking the grimoire, that's fine by me. Since witches and magic are real things, that thing could probably do a whole lot of damage in the wrong hands."

 

[Tarmagon]

"If you're really sure about selling them, but pawn shops do have an option where you can always try to go and buy them back. Sort of like them using it for collateral in exchange for cash. You just have to make payments on what you gave them or you lose it. I just don't want you to sell something that's important."

"No, they're not important," Kyle said decisively. "They are from period of my life that is...hmm, around six of your centuries past. When you are a long lived as my people, you tend to hang onto things far, far longer than you should. It will be good for me to finally be rid of them."

Kyle listened to Esme's idea for him to find employment with a museum. The idea itself had considerable merit, but putting himself forward as an archivist. No, that would not do. However...

"I'm not certain that such a course of action would be wise," he said slowly. "I think that a higher education than I provided for myself would be required, and I believe that positions like Archivist are government jobs. My created past would not stand up under the kind of scrutiny your government would bring to bear."

"However," he said as Esme's face fell, "Your idea of working at a museum is a good one. Certain locations have large displays of ancient weaponry and armor, yes? Who better to restore, maintain, and repair such items as one who learned the techniques from those who originally crafted the items? That would also fit in with my created history as a smith, requiring no further modifications, and not requiring the fabrication of educational records I am not fully certain I could accomplish."

Kyle attempted to adjust his position, and was gratified to be able to swing his legs over the edge of the bed, and sit up unsupported by the pile of pillows Esme had placed behind him.

"A bit longer, and I will be able to stand," he said happily. "Though I think it will yet be some time before I dare attempt any prolonged exertions, such as walking to your pawn shop. And, while I believe you are being very wise in placing the grimoire into my care, I am afraid that it is not yours to give. You said it belonged to Liz, and so it is she who must agree to give it to me. If you would be willing to act as a mediator between us I think that it would be most comfortable for Liz. I rather doubt that she's going to be willing to talk directly to me for quite some time yet, and I wish to get that grimoire under warding as quickly as possible."

Fable
(Just out of curiosity, did we ever establish exactly which city this little adventure is starting in?)

 

[Fable]

Tarmagon
(I don't think we did. I was thinking of like Seattle or something.)

"No, they're not important. They are from period of my life that is...hmm, around six of your centuries past. When you are a long lived as my people, you tend to hang onto things far, far longer than you should. It will be good for me to finally be rid of them."

Esme gave him a skeptical look as he told her with determination that he was fine with selling them. She wouldn't try to talk him out of it as she had no knowledge of why they seemed to hold importance. She only hoped he wouldn't come to regret this decision later on. Once he went back to his realm, there'd be little chance he'd get to come back and try to reclaim them.

"However. Your idea of working at a museum is a good one. Certain locations have large displays of ancient weaponry and armor, yes? Who better to restore, maintain, and repair such items as one who learned the techniques from those who originally crafted the items? That would also fit in with my created history as a smith, requiring no further modifications, and not requiring the fabrication of educational records I am not fully certain I could accomplish."

Esme was happy they were able to pull together a somewhat stable plan. They were ticking off things on her mental to-do list in order to both survive this shared ordeal. She could only hope they could keep up this pace and resolve the entirety of the Pact problem quickly. The sooner they did that the better, for both of them and Liz as well.

"Perfect. So you exist as a citizen in the system, we have a plan to get some immediate funds until you secure a job, and now we know what job you could try for. I'll probably have to help you write a resume, though honestly you'd probably do better just magicking one up. I've only ever had to provide a work history for the jobs I've had."

She watched him as she moved his body, showing signs of improvement and hopefully he would be able to get up and move around soon. They could then go to a pawn shop and get him some funds, but first she really did need to get him some different clothes. However, her plans were destroyed by his next words.

"A bit longer, and I will be able to stand. Though I think it will yet be some time before I dare attempt any prolonged exertions, such as walking to your pawn shop. And, while I believe you are being very wise in placing the grimoire into my care, I am afraid that it is not yours to give. You said it belonged to Liz, and so it is she who must agree to give it to me. If you would be willing to act as a mediator between us I think that it would be most comfortable for Liz. I rather doubt that she's going to be willing to talk directly to me for quite some time yet, and I wish to get that grimoire under warding as quickly as possible."

Esme sighed, then groaned as he said that Liz would have to be the one to hand over the grimoire. That was going to probably be a problem. Liz had just learned that magic was real and that the book had real spells. She had even suggested trying to find one to send Kyle back. Chances are, Liz wouldn't really want to hand over something like that. She wasn't how she would handle that situation, but she would have to try.

"It'll take some time to talk to her about that. She's basically found what she's been dreaming of, and even though she is scared of you, she obviously wants to try and cast a spell. I mean, she's probably... already... SHIT!"

Esme jumped up and ran out of the room and into the living room. Liz had been left alone with the grimoire in question, unattended. And there Liz was, phone out, book open, and clearly had the intent to try something. Esme slammed the book shut and snatched it away, causing Liz to shout out in protest for the interruption.

"What the hell Esme?" Liz yelled.

"Are you mad? I summon a freaking demon with this damn book and you still try to use it?"

"That was your mistake in summing him, not mine."

"You choose that spell!"

"You cast it! Look, I found a few teeny-tiny spells that are in no way dangerous, okay?"

"A few? Oh please don't tell me... you didn't."

There was a long pause before Liz admitted to having already tried to cast a few spells, but nothing had happened.

"None of them worked?" Esme asked.

"Yeah, so I've been trying to find one that does. I don't get why some of these work and some don't. I choose ones that seemed super simple too, just some words and items we have."

Esme recalled what Kyle had said, that being a witch was an inherited trait. If Liz was unable to cast any spells, then that meant that she wasn't an actual witch. Esme almost let out a sigh of relief. She set the book down and wondered if she needed to explain the reason why the spells didn't work. Kyle would probably explain it better than Esme, but Liz might not believe him.

"If the spells in that book aren't working for you, then that means you aren't an actual witch. Don't get upset," she added defensively as Liz looked like she was about ready to yell at her. "It's how it was explained to me, that being a witch had to do with it being a family trait. As much as I know you wish you could cast spells, we don't know anything about that book, the spells, its history. This book is dangerous and not like the ones you've gotten from that new age shop. This thing is real."

"So, you - the person who hates magic - gets to be the one who can actually use it. Talk about cruel irony. That just leaves me as your mundane sidekick. I can't even ask you the favor of casting something for me either because someone put some seal on you. Though you've made it clear you don't seem to ever plan to cast anything ever again anyway. Y'know what? Screw this."

Liz grabbed her phone, keys, purse, and slid on her flip flops before she stormed out the door, clearly very upset. Esme sighed and took the book back to her room where she had left Kyle.

"Well, the good new is I don't think Liz is a witch. The bad news is she is severely pissed off at me right now. It may take her a bit of time to cool off before I can even approach the subject of her giving you the grimoire."

She took the book over to the closet. She'd discovered a loose board when she had moved in and had used it to hide her more precious items. It took her a few minutes, but she managed to pull the loose plank up - after shoving the box on top of it to the side - and shoved the grimoire into the small space. She put the plank back and then slid the heavy box over it.

"Not even Liz knows about that, so it should be safe in there for the time being."

 

[Tarmagon]

"That seems, secure." Kyle said. "I am sorry that Liz is pissed? at you because of my presence. I have to be honest though, I am not quite so sorry that I frightened her if this is her attitude. It is also quite a good thing that she does not have the gift of Power, since it appears she lacks the self control to stay under the radar?"

Kyle stood, and took a few, tenative steps to try and guage his recovery. He was much steadier than he expected which came as a pleasant suprise. As long as this pawn shop wasn't too far away, and they didn't go too fast, he should be fine.

"Esme," he said, "It appears that my strength is returning faster than I expected. As long as this pawn shop isn't too far, I should be strong enough to make the trip. I'm still not clear on why my clothing is not appropriate, but I shall be guided by you in this. I assume that we should get enough for my earrings to acquire clothing you feel is more suited to, well, wherever you plan on taking me this evening."

While Esme considered his words, yet another problem surfaced in Kyle's mind. Until he was fully recovered, and fully established on this world, he was at Esme's mercy for a safe place to rest. Add in the conflict that seemed to be brewing with Liz over Esme actually being a witch, nevermind the fact that she was bound away from her Power, and things had the potential to turn ugly at a moments notice. Then there was the whole thing with Esme's mother. He was certain that she had something to do with the Sealing upon Esme. How else would she have known the instant the damned thing? But for now, he would keep his own coucil on the matter. And prepare.

"I will ward that space tomorrow if you will allow it," he told Esme. "It will act as camoflage for the aura of Power that the book radiates. I... don't have any idea how long you will need to keep it there, but I do know you need to keep it out of Liz's hands. There are some spells that she could actually perform, even without internal Power. Those tend to have, unfortunate effects, both on the victim, and the caster."

Fable
(Well, it looks like Kyle is actually going to see the big, bad world.)

 

[Fable]

Tarmagon
(Kyle will probably want to 'nope' right out of the human world once he is fully exposed to things like... twerking.)

"That seems, secure. I am sorry that Liz is pissed? at you because of my presence. I have to be honest though, I am not quite so sorry that I frightened her if this is her attitude. It is also quite a good thing that she does not have the gift of Power, since it appears she lacks the self control to stay under the radar?"

Esme sighed. Liz was dramatic at times, and that was putting it politely. She was more of a do-first-think-later type of personality, whereas Esme tended to be the opposite of that... usually. She hoped that once Liz had calmed down she could actually pause and try to understand what Esme had been trying to explain to her. How long that would take could be a few hours to a few weeks depending on how personal Liz was taking this whole thing, and it seemed fairly clear she was taking it pretty personally.

"Yeah, she doesn't have the best impulse control, I'll admit. When she decides to come home and sulk, expect to be given the 'silent treatment.' Trying to talk to her when she's like is pointless, so just sort of ignore her and stay out of her way."

She watched as Kyle cautiously stood up and took a few feeble steps. Even though he said he would be willing to go to the pawnshop, looking at him now she doubted he'd make the trip. However, the sooner they took care of this errand the better. She debated for a moment about transportation options, she didn't own a car, so she couldn't personally drive them around. A taxi would be too expensive. She sure as hell wasn't going to try and ride with him sitting on her bike awkwardly. That just left the bus.

"Your clothing doesn't fit in this neighborhood. This area is mostly college students like myself. Your clothes make you stand out rather than blend in. Honestly, you staying here in our apartment sort of ruins the whole background story for you. Why would a wealthy-looking blacksmith - who is seeking to buy an old book of value - stay in the apartment of the girls who currently have possession of said book? Ugh, this is why I hate fabricating stories, I think of every stupid little thing sometimes and over analyze."

Esme groaned and pressed her hands onto her face as she tried to stop nit-picking their story regarding Kyle's existence. It was a work in progress and hopefully no one around them could be bothered to ask or think more deeply on the matter.

"As far as warding the book, go for it. I'd rather not come home to find out some has stolen it and is going on a spell-casting rampage. And of course there are spells in there that she could cast, because why the hell not? Look, don't mention that little fact to Liz, ever. She'll only hear the first part of there being spells that she could actually perform and completely tune out the rest of what you say. Now, just sit down and give me a few minutes to find you something to wear."

Esme left and went into Liz's bedroom to dig through what was known as the 'boyfriend drawer' of the dresser in the room. Liz's now ex-boyfriend had a few things he had left for the times he would stay the night. They might be a little tight on Kyle, but she made sure to grab things she knew were stretchy material. She returned with some dark grey sweat pants and a worn college t-shirt. She didn't have any socks or shoes to give him, so she could only hope that people wouldn't be bothered to notice his magically procured shoes.

"Try these on. If they fit decently enough, then we can head out and get on the bus to head over to the pawn shop."

 

[Tarmagon]

Kyle accepted the bundle of cloth dubiously. He was going to have to assume that Esme knew what she spoke of, but this seemed a bit, extreme. Admittedly it was not going to beggar's rags from silk, but it did seem quite close.

"Here," he said, dropping the pair of earrings into Esme's hand. "If I am to dress down to your desired level, there is no good way to explain me having these. You will have to be the one to exchange them. A gift from a past paramour perhaps? Sorry, gift from an ex I suppose I should have said. Damn. It will be a while before I can think in this modern English. Don't be surprised if my speech seems a bit formal sometimes."

Kyle thought about just changing into the new outfit immediately, but then he remembered Esme's reaction to his lack of clothing the evening before. Odd, but this society seemed to have quite an odd attitude towards body shyness. Shrugging internally, Kyle headed back to the small bathroom to change. He folded his outfit into a neat stack, and before dressing once more availed himself of the facilities. It certainly beat a chamber pot he decided as he pulled the new clothing on, his first foray into the world of modern plumbing a success. The baggy pants fit well enough he supposed, but the shirt. Ugh. It was too tight, clinging to every curve of his upper body. He was afraid that the tight fabric was going to split if he took too deep a breath, but it remained intact as he put his shoes back on and headed back to Esme.

"I don't suppose we have the option of another shirt?" he asked hopefully. "This one seems a trifle small. I can alter my clothing once I have recovered my strength, but for now, it is either the clothing I conjured, or this. Either way, I suppose that I am as ready to proceed as I shall ever be."

Kyle picked up his new ID and tucked it into the pocket of the pants, and he used the term very, very loosely.

"I shall need to get something... what was the word? Oh. A wallet. That is what your males carry their identification and money in, correct?"

Fable
(And now he's in a shirt so tight it looks painted on. He's no body builder, but a lifetime of hard work has given him very well defined muscles.)

 

[Fable]

Tarmagon
(And thus, Esme's plan of not standing out has swapped from one problem to another.~)

"Here. If I am to dress down to your desired level, there is no good way to explain me having these. You will have to be the one to exchange them. A gift from a past paramour perhaps? Sorry, gift from an ex I suppose I should have said. Damn. It will be a while before I can think in this modern English. Don't be surprised if my speech seems a bit formal sometimes."

Esme took the earrings, feeling a bit awkward holding something that tiny and expensive. She worried she'd end up losing them. She pondered where the best place to keep them would be and all she could come up with was either wearing them or using a ziplock bag, and she sure as hell wasn't going to wear them.

"You'll unfortunately get the hang of the language eventually. Though some women would love to be spoken to like they were the main love interest of some Shakespearean play."

As Kyle was getting changed, Esme went into the kitchen and dug out a small ziplock bag. She carefully dropped the earrings in and then sealed the bag, double checking to make sure the it was securely closed. She then went back to her own room to quickly changed clothes. She pretty much just grabbed what was clean out of her dresser without much thought into coordinating an actual outfit. So she ended up wearing a very old and worn pair of skinny jeans, and a band t-shirt that was so faded it looked like it was just solid black unless you got a really close look at the nearly washed-away design.

"I don't suppose we have the option of another shirt? This one seems a trifle small. I can alter my clothing once I have recovered my strength, but for now, it is either the clothing I conjured, or this. Either way, I suppose that I am as ready to proceed as I shall ever be."

Esme choked on her own laughter as she looked over at Kyle once he had returned. She hadn't expected the shirt to be that tight. She'd pretty much just traded the reason for why Kyle would stand out. Before he would have just been out of place, now he was just going to have all the college girls... and guys, trying to get his contact information. Honestly, she found that idea to be hilarious. She finished putting on her sneakers before going over to grab her small purse, shoving the ziplock back inside of it for safekeeping.

"Once we get the money at the pawn shop, I'll take you someplace where you can buy some clothes that fit. We can also get you a wallet if you want one. Some guys just use a money clip. Anyway, lets go, we don't have much time to get to the bus stop before we miss the next one and have to wait 30 minutes for it."

She moved to the front door of the apartment, opening the door and waiting for Kyle to exit. Once they were both in the hallway, she pulled the door closed and locked it with her keys. The hallway of the building showed multiple doors of the other occupied apartments. She went to the stairwell and headed down the two flights to the ground floor.

"We're in apartment number 203 of the Waverly Apartments. If you get lost or somehow separated from me, you can hopefully find your way back with that information. Since it's just one building, you won't have to wander through an entire apartment complex. We'll be taking the bus, which is public transportation, so there are going to be other people riding it as well. It's not going to smell great and people will probably stare at you, just act like you don't notice, don't make any eye contact, and perhaps we can get through the bus ride without having to actually talk to anyone. If you do get bothered and don't want to talk, just... speak in another language or something. The bus ride requires money, so I'll be paying for both of us, so let me get on first."

The walk to the bus stop wasn't too far, only a few minutes walk really, though she'd had them leave early compared to when the next bus would come since she wasn't sure how slow he needed the pace to be.

 

[Tarmagon]

"We're in apartment number 203 of the Waverly Apartments. If you get lost or somehow separated from me, you can hopefully find your way back with that information. Since it's just one building, you won't have to wander through an entire apartment complex. We'll be taking the bus, which is public transportation, so there are going to be other people riding it as well. It's not going to smell great and people will probably stare at you, just act like you don't notice, don't make any eye contact, and perhaps we can get through the bus ride without having to actually talk to anyone. If you do get bothered and don't want to talk, just... speak in another language or something. The bus ride requires money, so I'll be paying for both of us, so let me get on first."

"I shall endeavor to survive the experience," Kyle said drily, even as he tucked the information about where Esme resided safely away in his mind.. He briefly wondered what Esme would make of the fact that he had to actively choose to forget things rather than try to remember them. It wasn't an ability all of his kind shared, and like him, most of those afflicted with it considered it more of a burden than a gift. Only magically Known information seemed to vanish from his mind without effort...

His musings were cut off as he and Esme went through a somewhat larger door and emerged into, chaos. For a fraction of a second shock held him motionless as the noise of people and vehicles assaulted his senses. So many, so varied. When he had last visited this realm, he had thought London was crowded. This, this was madness.

"How very busy," he managed to say, mostly calmly. "I can see this will be a challenge of unusual difficulty."

Esme didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary, and seemed more concerned about his ability to make the upcoming journey than anything going on around them. Very well. There was a way to deal with this.

"You are at Court," he told himself. "Conduct yourself accordingly."

Shoulders which had hunched slightly when he had first stepped outside straightened, eyes which had widened in shock turning cool, nearly disinterested. This wasn't magic, this was the centuries of dealing with beings who took advantage of any perceived weakness coming to the fore. Kyle stood tall, watching his surroundings with alertness, but no noticeable interest. It was just there. People moving about were noticed, acknowledged as part of the normal, then moved on from. It wasn't arrogance, it was acceptance. He was part of this, he belonged. He was no more or less important than any of the people moving about. He was just another body to be avoided if he didn't move out of the way fast enough. He was part of the environment. He wasn't sure how long he would be able to maintain this mindset, so best to get where they were going quickly.

"Shall we go?" he asked brightly, gesturing for Esme to lead the way.

Fable
(He's got control for now. No promises how long he can maintain it.)

 

[Fable]

Tarmagon
(He is probably regretting the choice of saying he was ready to leave, lol.)

"I shall endeavor to survive the experience."

Esme rolled her eyes at Kyle's reply. She had slightly hoped he would have been too tired for sass, apparently she had been wrong. The sooner this was done, the sooner they could get back and she could hide the demon back inside the apartment. Based off what he was muttering about as soon as he was exposed to the outside world, she began to feel anxious. He didn't seem like he had been prepared for this. He sudden change in demeanor didn't help ease her worries either. She could only hope they'd get through this without someone trying to actually talk to Kyle, though she already felt like she knew that was going to be inevitable.

"Shall we go?"

Esme took a deep breath and then set off in the direction of the bus stop. She could already see a few curious glances from some bystanders focusing on Kyle. Some of those around were people she recognized as those who frequented the area. She had spoken to a few of them maybe a handful of times and that meant they might assume they could get introduced to Kyle by this weak association. Her expression was one of determination, which sometimes translated to the casual observer as 'fuck off I'm busy.' She walked with a brisk pace adding to the aura that she did not want to be bothered.

Within five minutes they had reached their destination of the bus stop. There were a few other people already waiting and Esme cursed under her breath. She stopped and turned to look at Kyle, putting about six feet between them and the actual area for the bus stop. She pulled out her phone from her purse and looked at the time, they had about five more minutes or so to wait before the bus would arrive.

"As much of an asshole aura you're putting out there, just remember what I said. Once we get on the bus and if you feel like you want to get off, just tap my shoulder or something and we can get off. The last thing I want to deal with is if you transform or something because you hit a breaking point. The pawn shop is about a fifteen minute ride and then another short walk."

She turned to look back towards the road in the direction that the bus would come from. Just as she did so, the large metal vehicle noisily turned the corner and began to make its way towards the bus stop. She pulled out her wallet and dug out a couple of dollars, grabbing Kyle's hand and shoving the cash into it.

"Just watch what I do and copy it, okay?"

The bus's brakes screeched as the bus halted at the stop, the doors sliding open to allow passengers to get on and off. Esme went to the back of the line of passengers waiting to get on and when it was time for them to get on next, she deliberately was a bit slower in paying, trying to give Kyle the best chance to watch. Once she was done paying she stepped further into the bus and sat down where there was a pair of open seats so that they could both sit.

 

[Tarmagon]

Kyle followed behind Esme as she set of with a determined pace. A few curious, and a few more appraising looks came his way as they proceeded. When he noticed someone noticing him, he simply responded with a half-smile and a polite nod, acknowledging the attention neutrally. The appraising looks he returned with the same, showing neither interest or disinterest, merely an assessment of the person. As he and Esme arrived at the bus stop she examined her phone for some kind of information, then spoke quietly to him.

"As much of an asshole aura you're putting out there, just remember what I said. Once we get on the bus and if you feel like you want to get off, just tap my shoulder or something and we can get off. The last thing I want to deal with is if you transform or something because you hit a breaking point. The pawn shop is about a fifteen minute ride and then another short walk."

Kyle found himself staring at the back of Esme's head as she turned to look down the road, which meant she missed the bemused grin and quiet chuckle that he couldn't quite suppress. Asshole aura? Lord and Lady, but she had absolutely no idea what his 'asshole aura' was really like. He schooled his face to neutrality as Esme turned back, shoving a couple of greenish paper slips, cash, his new language informed him.

"Just watch what I do and copy it, okay?"

Kyle followed Esme onto the metallic behemoth that reeked of burning pitch and other, less-identifiable odors and mirrored her actions of feeding the cash into a strange looking lockbox set upon a pedestal by the bus driver. Apparently both the box and the driver were satisfied with his offering, since there was no protest as he moved down the aisle and seated himself beside Esme. After settling himself, he leaned over to murmur a question into her ear.

"What in particular makes my demeanor 'assholish' now? I am starting to believe that no matter what I do to try and make this survivable for me and bearable for you, there will be something amiss in your mind."

Fable
(Rut roh. Someone's starting to get under Kyle's skin.)

 

[Fable]

Tarmagon
(Goes both ways, lel. Sorry it's short. T_T)

"What in particular makes my demeanor 'assholish' now? I am starting to believe that no matter what I do to try and make this survivable for me and bearable for you, there will be something amiss in your mind."

Esme gave Kyle a sideways glance as he asked her to be specific about her remarks. She sighed as the bus began to slowly lurch forward towards its next stop. She turned to look at him directly for a moment, motioning to pretty much all of him with one of her hands.

"Pretty much everything? To me, you seem possible of being two-faced. One moment you're capable of being kind and the next moment you're terrifying my roommate. You also tend exude atmosphere of a person who regards themselves as self-important. So yes, to me, you have some asshole qualities, just as I have some bitch qualities. As far as there being something 'amiss in my mind' uhm, pretty obvious that you're what is 'amiss.'"

There were a few wandering glances, but thankfully no one bothered to try join their conversation, or forcefully introduce themselves. Esme always found it very awkward when strangers would try and strike up a conversation. Normally she would be listening to music, which was pretty much the understood sign of a person not wanting to be bothered. The bus reached the next stop and took on a few more passengers before continuing on its mission to transport people. A trio of college-aged girls had moved to sit behind them and were whispering amongst themselves. Esme rolled her eyes, knowing what was coming next.

"Hey, I don't think I've seen you on campus before," a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl said as she leaned slightly forward in her seat to grab Kyle's attention. "Did you just transfer?"

 

[Tarmagon]

Kyle snorted internally, being careful to keep his face neutral. At least in his world you knew that anyone of lower class was scheming to rise and anyone of high station was scheming to keep you down. It made life simple, if a bit lonely. For a moment he considered departing, giving Esme exactly what she wanted, which seemed to be his absence. Only the odd nature of the Binding kept him in place. While distance was not limiting on them, if something happened to her because he left of his own accord... who knew what repercussions might befall them both.

"Hey, I don't think I've seen you on campus before," a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl said. "Did you just transfer?"

Kyle thought about showing Esme what his 'asshole mode' really looked like, but the girl had done nothing to deserve such treatment. Esme would probably think it 'two faced' of him, but his survival wasn't at stake so screw what she thought.

"I rather doubt that you've seen me about, " he replied with a lopsided smile. "Since I just arrived last evening. And while I am certain that there is much I could learn at this fine institution, I fear that this is a bit of a business trip for me."

"You're not dressed like a businessman, " one of the girls companions said, this one sporting hair with several shades of green, none of which seemed natural. "You look more like a grad student after a night of hard partying."

"Well, my arrival here was spur of the moment." Kyle replied, turning his attention to the new speaker, much to the irritation of the blonde. "You could say I arrived with just the clothes on my back, and they weren't suitable to wear out this morning. My friend is assisting me with that problem. "

"So, where're you from? " the first girl asked.

For the next several minutes Kyle recounted his entirely fictitious life to the curious trio. In return he discovered that the blonde was Michelle, her green haired friend was Kelli, and the third girl was Susan. Polite inquiries about their studies kept the three from getting more than his name before they exited the bus, clearly disappointed that they hadn't managed to get more than that. Once they were gone, Kyle raised one eyebrow at Esme.

"Better? " he asked.

Fable
(For him it's all about survival, not being a jerk or two faced.)

 

[Fable]

Tarmagon

Esme sighed to herself when the girl began to talk to Kyle. She honestly wasn't surprised, she had simply hoped there would have been just at least one more stop before it happened. Her eyes slid to look out the window, but she listened in on the conversation to ensure that the conversation didn't go in the direction of exchanging social media information. Though with him giving his name, they could try and look up any accounts he might have. Oh how disappointed they will be once they discover that he doesn't have any social media accounts. Maybe she should make him set up a few, it probably would seem strange for a person in this day and age to not have at least one.

When the girls had to leave because they had reached their stop, Esme relaxed the tension she didn't even realized has built up in her muscles. It wouldn't be too much longer until they would reach their own stop. Her phone chimed with an alert that meant she had received a text message. She pulled her phone out of her purse and swiped her finger over the smooth glass screen until she opened the new message from her mother.

"Better?"

Esme pressed the power button to turn turn the phone screen off, choosing to not reply to the message and instead glanced back at Kyle, "Well, they didn't think you were lying, so you get a passing grade."

She obviously was bothered and wanted to ask something, her lips parted for a moment only for them to close as she changed her mind.

"Since we're going to be out, did you want to look at anything else? I don't have to be at work until 7:30 tonight, so if we can get more things done today the better. That way when I go to see my mom you'll be more comfortable if you need to go somewhere."

 

[Tarmagon]

"Well, they didn't think you were lying, so you get a passing grade."

Something seemed to be nagging at Esme, but Kyle didn't know what it was. It seemed for a moment that she might speak, but then her lips pressed together as she obviously rethought what she was going to say.

"Since we're going to be out, did you want to look at anything else? I don't have to be at work until 7:30 tonight, so if we can get more things done today the better. That way when I go to see my mom you'll be more comfortable if you need to go somewhere."

Kyle thought that meeting Esme's mother ranked very high on his 'to do' list, since he was certain that she would know about the Sealing, if indeed she hadn't applied it herself. Esme was never going to agree to him going with her to meet her mother however, which was going to force him to be circumspect.

"I think that perhaps something else is bothering you," he said quietly. "However, that is your choice to ask or to share, and I shall not pursue the matter. As to things I need, well... I lack one of your portable timepieces, a watch you call them? so I can't tell you how long until you must be at work. I also lack a means of communication should we become separated. There are phones that can be used by pre-paying? for their use? Perhaps we should see if that is a viable option. All of this after we finish our business at our first destination of course."

Taking a moment to evaluate himself internally, Kyle found that his first rush of disquiet hadn't completely abated, but the encounter with the co-eds had gone a long way towards alleviating the danger of him reacting poorly. He still wasn't sure what would happen if he was threatened, but he was growing more confident that he would be able to keep his responses, human seeming.

"I am feeling better about my ability to deal with things," he said quietly. "That doesn't mean I'm comfortable, but I think you perhaps don't need to worry about me hulking-out if someone gets in my face?"

He was rather proud of his use of the modern sayings, so why did Esme's face look so strange?

Fable
(Always time for a little humor, though his sense of humor might take some getting used to.)

 

[Fable]

Tarmagon
(Lol, at least he isn't telling dad jokes.)

Esme forced herself to focus on Kyle when he spoke, mostly because her own thoughts were pulling her attention elsewhere right now. His list of items to get was understandable, but it changed her idea of just going to a thrift shop to get him clothes to a general merchandise store, such as Target or Walmart. It'd save on them from having to take multiple bus rides to go to different stores to get the things he needed or wanted.

"I'm fine," she replied, though she wasn't really. It was just a common thing most people did to stop a discussion before it even began.

"Well, there is a store where we can get all those things, and whatever else that pops up into your mind. It'll be another bus ride to get there though, and thinking about it... we might want to avoid the Walmart. It's cheaper, but it'll make you question the human species based on some of the people that shop there. And so far, you're dealing with things well enough, as long as you don't...y'know, do that thing we might just survive this outing."

Esme noticed their stop was coming up and stood up to press a red button one one of the poles to indicate they needed to get off. The brakes of the bus squealed loudly and there was a pop and hiss of air as the bus finally came to a full stop. She pointed to one of the doors that slid open and told Kyle to exit that way, following behind him as the only other person getting off at this stop. Once they had both gotten off, the doors of the bus slid closed and it continued on without them.

"The pawn shop is this way," she said, pointing to a sign in the distance that read 'Pawn Shop, We Buy Gold.' She began to walk in the direction of the shop through the bustle of other pedestrians, but paused for a moment after seeing how crowded the sidewalk was. She turned for a moment and paused as she glanced at Kyle's hand. She debated for a few seconds and then grabbed one of Kyle's hands and then turned back to weave through the other people with expertise. Only two people bumped into her resulting in mutually bland apologies as they continued on their way. In less than five minutes they had entered the shop and Esme released her grasp on Kyle's hand.

"How good are you at haggling?"

 

[Tarmagon]

"I do well enough," Kyle replied. "Though since the earrings are nominally yours, you are going to have to open the negotiations."

Esme grimaced at his words, but nodded as they entered the shop. Kyle immediately moved up to examine the long glass cases where the merchant displayed his items of jewelry, ignoring the plethora of objects vying for his attention on the shelves and hanging from hooks on the wall. His eyes roved quickly over the contents of the case, attaching names to stones and settings.

"That is odd," he thought to himself. He was peripherally aware of Esme approaching a short man who sat behind one of the counters, but he continued his examination, bending over to look more closely. "He has labelled several stones as different things. If they call this one ruby, how can he call the one beside it a ruby as well? It is clearly one of the garnets he has in the other case, at a much, much lower price. The same with the aquamarines and the blue topaz. How strange."

His attention was pulled from the case as something the short man said to Esme, and he turned his attention towards them, even as his eyes stayed on the case.

"I'm trying to profit off a break-up, you buy jewelry right?" Esme asked, pulling out the ziplock bag with the earrings, and then setting it atop the glass counter.

"Hmm, sorry doll, these ain't ruby. They're garnet, common problem, guys lyin' 'bout the actual gem. It's prolly gold plated too. I can say, give you a hundred for 'em."

Esme crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes at the pawn shop owner, clearly not agreeing with his opinion. She wasn't about to take his word on what the earrings actually were.

Kyle grimaced, but controlled his temper. Those were rubies, and from his perusal of the case, he now knew that the humans called the fittings he had set them in rose gold. Moving up behind Esme, he tapped her gently on the shoulder.

"Allow me," he said quietly, and turned his attention to the man looking suspiciously up at him from behind the counter. "Would you care to revise your opinion and offer sir?"

"Ain't gonna do no such thing," the man replied. "This is my shop, and I decide what's worth what. You don't like the offer, beat feet."

"Of course," Kyle said reasonably. "After all, if you can't tell the difference between rubies in rose gold versus garnets in gold plate, like the one you have in that case over there, labelled and priced as rubies, then we should find a more reputable establishment."

"What kinda crap're you spouting?" the man shouted, coming to his feet. "Get the fuck outta my store. You can't say crap like that without proof."

"Oh, I can prove it." Kyle said, still in a reasonable voice. "You should know that rubies never, ever have orange or earthy tones inside, yet at least four of the stones you have labelled and priced as rubies have just those tones. As for calling these garnets," he gestured at the bag containing the earrings, "Observe."

Taking one of the earrings out of the bag, he held it up to a beam of light coming in through the storefront. Turning the stone until it cast a brilliant rainbow on the counter, he gestured with his free hand.

"Do you see any green or yellow there?" he asked. "No, of course you don't. Ruby doesn't refract green or yellow, it absorbs them. Shall we take one of your stones from the case and conduct the same experiment?"

The storekeeper was staring at Kyle like he had grown an extra head but he wasn't finished.

"You have also labelled and priced blue topaz as aquamarine," he said matter of factually. "I noticed that quite a few of your 'aquamarines' actually display double refraction lines. We both know that aquamarine doesn't have a double refraction line, but blue topaz, a far cheaper gem, does. And don't get me started about the stones you have labelled as diamonds."

The shop's owner was turning paler and paler as Kyle counted off the discrepancies in his stock, pointing unerringly to each misnamed stone, so Kyle decided to deliver the final blow.

"I think that we should take our business elsewhere," he said to Esme. "And I am quite certain that the proprietor of the next place we visit, not to mention the Better Business Bureau, would love to know why we chose not to do business here."

"You can't!" the owner shouted. "That's defamation! I'll sue your ass!"

"It is only defamation if it is not true," Kyle said coldly. "But since we're going there. Esme, I will remain here. You go get a policeman. I will make my accusations in front of him and present my proof. That should be enough to warrant an investigation of this place."

Esme's hand lifted to cover the smirk that she couldn't contain as the pawn shop owner got flustered in his dealings with Kyle, who clearly knew his gemstones. It was pretty hilarious to see the con get caught. She cleared her throat as she tried to cover a small laugh, she needed to look a bit serious about this exchange because otherwise the owner might not buy the earrings. She was impressed with Kyle's knowledge and also glad for it since it meant he wouldn't get screwed over with a bad deal. She wasn't thrilled with the idea of involving the police however, but the shop owner had had enough it seemed.

"Whadda ya want?" he asked resignedly.

"A fair assessment of the earrings would be a nice start," Kyle replied. "I, personally, would consider being more honest in my dealings, but that is your choice. If you are fair with us, I see no reason to involve outsiders."

The owner glared at Kyle, but he picked up the earrings, this time examining them closely, even going so far as to get out a loupe and examine each gem. After a few minutes inspection he looked up with a grunt.

"Okay," he said. "They're ruby, high purity and set in rose gold. If I sell the gems and gold separately I'll get fifteen hundred or so. I'll give you a grand for them."

Kyle thought about taking another go at the shop owner, but then something... called out to him.

"Fair enough," he said, distracted by the call. "Esme, I believe this gentleman is ready to finish up with you."

As Esme stepped back up to the counter to complete the transaction, Kyle knelt down, searching for the source of the.. there. In the rear of the cabinet, on the bottom shelf sat a largish box, liberally covered in dust. The lid was slightly cracked, and he could see several pieces of jewelry set into a velvet nest. They looked as old and dusty as the box, but when he Looked at them, he could see that they were ablaze with Power. A necklace, two earrings, and a ring glowed like miniature suns to his Sight. They didn't want to languish here, and were resonating with his own Power, spent though it was.

Esme was receiving a stack of cash from the store owner, and Kyle made a snap decision.

"This box," he said, pointing to it. "How much?"

"Eh, that piece of crap?" the owner said. "It was there when I bought this shop. I'll give you the damned thing if it gets you out of my shop."

"No," Kyle replied firmly. "It will be paid for. What is your price?"

The owner looked at him, then shrugged.

"Gimme twenty bucks and it's yours."

"Please pay the gentleman," he said to Esme. She seemed to want to protest, so he added. "Please. It is important."

Her brows furrowed as she returned one of the bills to the owner.

"Wasn't the whole reason we came here to get him money to spend on things he needed?" she thought. "Why is he buying more jewelry?"

She kept her mouth shut about it, but as soon as they were outside of the shop she was going to ask him about it.

Kyle accepted the box from the shop keeper, then turned to follow Esme out the door. On the threshold he paused, and drew upon some of the stored Power the relics in box held. They gave joyously, happy to be in service once more, and he turned his attention to the owner.

"Reconsider your dealings," he said, his eyes turning black as the Power flowed through him.

The shop owned stared at Kyle, then began to back away.

"Y-y-yeah," he stammered. "Reconsider."

"Good," Kyle said silkily. "Now, forget all but that."

The owners eyes glazed slightly as the spell struck home. Normally Kyle wouldn't have dreamed of editing someone's memories. It was repugnant, but so was this man. It didn't make it right, but it made it acceptable. He could live with it in this case. Turning back to the door he followed Esme into the afternoon sunlight.

Fable
(He found a battery!"

 

[Fable]

Tarmagon
(Battery Powered Demon! Is it rechargeable? Lol.)

Esme waited outside, missing Kyle's later interaction with the pawn shop owner. Once he was outside, she looked at the box he had bought. It hadn't cost much, but still, it was now $20 less than he could have had for other things. She put her hands on her hips for a moment, then with one hand motioned towards the mystery box.

"Did you really have to buy that? You just sold your earrings, so why buy more jewelry? I know I shouldn't tell you how to spend your own money, but I just don't-," she stopped and sighed. "Oh well, you've already bought it and I doubt we'll ever be welcome back into this shop after that whole ordeal."

Esme's phone chimed once again. She fished it out of her purse to look at the new message, the name of the sender was simply 'Jerkoff Jack' and she frowned unhappily at her phone, ignoring the message entirely. She clearly wasn't interested in reading the message nor was she eager to reply. Just as she was about the shove her phone back into her purse, it chimed two more times. The messages were from the same person and now she was scowling at her phone. She expertly slid her finger over the glass screen and skimmed through the messages. As she read them she was clearly becoming more pissed off. She was glaring at her phone with a burning hate as she quickly typed back a long message, making sure to block the number after she was done. She shoved her phone back into her purse and inhaled deeply.

"Let's go to the next store so you can get the things you need."

She headed away from the bus stop they had come from, instead she was now heading to a different one that traveled along a different route. It was a few blocks away and Esme didn't grab Kyle's hand this time to lead him through the crowd. However, it seemed her expression and body language was enough to keep people from bumping into her as she walked with focus to get to the bus stop. There were only a couple of other people waiting at the when they arrived. There wasn't any place to sit, so she stood there with her arms crossed over her chest.

 

[Tarmagon]

"Did you really have to buy that? You just sold your earrings, so why buy more jewelry? I know I shouldn't tell you how to spend your own money, but I just don't-," she stopped and sighed. "Oh well, you've already bought it and I doubt we'll ever be welcome back into this shop after that whole ordeal."

Before Kyle could reply to Esme, her attention was distracted by a chime from her phone. A brief glance at the screen brought a frown to her face, then the phone repeated its chiming before she could return it to her carry bag, purse. He should remember that one from his time here before dammit. With a scowl she scanned the phone's face, then began to do things rapidly upon it. Kyle took advantage of her distraction, removing the jewelry pieces from their nests of velvet.

First to emerge from the case was a silver ring in the shape of a tiny dragon. The dragon's body and tail were connected where the tip of the tail and the two front claws grasped an orb of moonstone. After a moments consideration of the size, and a deeper Look at the Power it contained, Kyle slipped it onto the middle finger of his right hand. Despite the odd shape, it settled comfortably onto his hand, warming quickly to match his body. The earring were next, each a smooth orb, again moonstone, clasped in what appeared to be a dragon's claw. As he set them into his ears, he could feel them reaching out to the ring, meshing the Power they contained with the ring's. The last item in the case was an exquisitely detailed pendant of a sleek dragon's head with eyes of yet more moonstone. The links of silver that had looked so dusty and tarnished in the store now shone as though they were just crafted. Slipping the chain over his head, Kyle tucked the pendant into the tight shirt, hoping that the bulge wouldn't be too obvious.

Immediately he felt the ripple of Power flow over his body, and he recognized it immediately. It was a variant on a Cloaking spell. He examined the Cloak as Esme finished her fiddling with her phone, obviously angry over whatever message or news she had just received. As she shoved the device back into her purse, Kyle realized this spell was crafted to hide the true nature of the Cloaked, and it was generated by the relics he now wore.

"Excellent!" he thought. "That is a spell I will not have to maintain."

"Let's go to the next store so you can get the things you need."

Esme headed off, the set of her shoulders and the expression on her face clearing a path before her as people instinctively avoided her anger. Wrapped in his new anonymity, Kyle followed wordlessly. Something was wrong, but he didn't think it had anything to do with him. Perhaps at some point in the future she would tell him what troubled her. They arrived at the bus stop and Esme stood, arms crossed as they waited for the conveyance to arrive. After a moment, Kyle leaned in and whispered quietly into her ear.

"I shall need money for the fare, yes?" he asked. "I would appreciate if you retained all but what I will need for the journey, since I shall need your help shopping at our destination. In the meantime, is there anything I can do to help with whatever has soured your mood so thoroughly?"

Fable
(He's starting to get worried. Somethings obviously bugging the crap out of Esme, but he's smart enough not to push.)

 

[Fable]

Tarmagon
(Lol, just Esme's life continuing as though she didn't have a demon to deal with.)

"I shall need money for the fare, yes? I would appreciate if you retained all but what I will need for the journey, since I shall need your help shopping at our destination. In the meantime, is there anything I can do to help with whatever has soured your mood so thoroughly?"

"Yes, every time you get on the bus you have to pay otherwise it'll cause problems. Also, I'm only holding your money for you because you need something to carry it in. So once we get you a wallet or money clip, you'll be responsible for your own currency. As far as helping with the cause of me being pissed off, no thanks. Just someone I am in no mood to talk to or discuss about that should have known better than to contact me."

Her phone chimed and Esme took a deep breath as she tried to ignore it. It couldn't have been from the person she had blocked, but she was becoming increasingly frustrated. She ended up giving in and checking her phone. She noted it was from her Boss and wanted to let out a frustrated groan as soon as she read the message. She replied back and sighed before stuffing the phone once again into her purse.

"Today is a shitty day," she commented dryly to herself. "That was my boss asking me to come in early. So when we get to the store, it needs to be quick so I can get back to the apartment and have enough time to get to work."

The bus pulled up to the stop and Esme got on, paying for both herself and Kyle. There wasn't any room to sit down since the bus was packed, so she made her way to the back of the bus and stood, grabbing one of the metal poles to help keep standing passengers steady. All Esme wanted to do right now was go home and either sleep or drink her problems away. The ride wasn't too long and soon enough Esme pressed the button so they would be let off at their stop, which thankfully was right at the shopping center.

She got off and expected Kyle would follow after her, though she did glance back at least once just to double check that he actually did get off the bus. The shopping center had a variety of stores, but because she didn't want to spend time wandering from store to store, she went to the building with white and red accents; Target. He could get everything he needed there, at least she hoped and expected he could. There was a steady stream of people going in and out of the building and the entire shopping center was bustling with activity.

"So, wallet, watch, clothes, probably shoes and socks too. Do you shave or... do you have to shave? Not sure if demons grow facial hair or if you just sort of... magic it away or something. So probably some personal hygiene stuff as well."