Fantasy Veiled City

[Razvi-sama]

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Mizuki | Francis

Location: Washington Square Park​

Spoiler: Outfits

Mizuki's Outfit: | Francis' Outfit:

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Francis was never one to be punctual. As Queen Clarisse Renaldi so eloquently put it: "The Queen is never late, everybody else is simply early". See? He could be hip and relatable, despite his age. Now, of course, he didn't fancy himself a Queen, but he did hold himself in high esteem.

When one was as old as Francis, time was fleeting and insignificant. He liked a slow morning, he liked to take his time getting dressed and enjoying a cup of fresh coffee as he overlooked the city from his apartment. The Council had set him up in a luxurious apartment near Times Square, and the view was stunning. He was currently stationed in New York due to some investigations he was currently overseeing. Plus, he personally wanted to be present for the current situation wracking their community. Though, it wasn't necessarily something he was grateful for...as it was the least they could do after the horrors he had witnessed over the years. After the backbreaking hours they forced him to serve. But, alas, he digressed. He swallowed back his bitter hate, downed his coffee, and turned towards the bathroom to finish lathering his hair with argan oil. He's come a long way since his time as a baker, hasn't he?

Francis twirled about his umbrella with one hand, whistling down 6th Avenue. It was only a forty minute walk from where he lived, and given the time he was probably only going to be a few minutes late.

In the meantime, Francis thought over his busy week. Upon arriving home after such an eventful evening, he couldn't help but allow his body to sag while he stared down at a tiny photo booth picture of himself and Samantha he had stored in his wallet. A weakened smile graced his lips as he softly wondered what he was about to involve himself into. If Samantha knew her little puppy was running around rogue, she'd be livid. The vampire stretched out his body before he undressed, tossing his stained clothes into the nearby hamper before taking a much needed shower. He had been negotiating Samantha's terms, trying to get the Guild of Sorcerers to back him up, but it had only ended in him being laughed out of a room and wine thrown to his face. The gall! He had then spent the rest of his morning negotiating with the Council, and managed—along with a few trusted colleagues—to extend her trial date to one month from now. They were met with a lot of resistance, but in the end they had no excuse as to why they couldn't give Samantha a fair trial. Thus, they conceded.

The rest of the week was pretty busy working on Samantha's trial, assisting the Vieru anonymously, and gathering all information he had on Necromancers who could potentially decipher the symbols scribbled over the documents they had gathered from the Archives. He had a few promising candidates, and he didn't mind tagging along as it would push forward his investigation.

Francis had also spent the week...finding himself enjoying his little interactions with the individuals in the group chat. He continued to send out little playful quips just to tease his newly acquired friends, and they basically responded back with groans. It always left him with gales of laughter. But, when he wasn't annoying them, he assured them he could meet up with them any day, as he was in charge of his own schedule. Terra took it upon herself to align everyone's schedule and their itinerary for the day, basically. They all readily agreed on a date, time, and meet-up location and were pleased in the order in which they would approach their day. Despite the spat they had when they all parted ways, it seemed they were all rather amicable. He did feel a little embarrassed for his outburst, but these...children had no idea what they were doing. Plus, Caelum still made him a little nervous, if he had to be honest...

Francis stopped before the Washington Square Arch, marveling at its intricate details before he stepped through it. Almost as if he was stepping through the threshold towards their new adventure. His sharp gaze roved over the plaza. The sky was cloudy and the air felt crisp, yet refreshing. He could even feel flickers of water splash over him from the fountain with every gust of wind that came his way. The park was buzzing with activity, but he was more interested in finding his companions—Ah! There they were!

It was rather hard to miss them, really. They each gave off their own...special aura. Naturally, Caelum was the most overwhelming of the other two, but a vampire could sniff out a fairy a mile away, and Theodore...well—Theodore was kin and he had been tailing him for some time now. Not that he would ever reveal that little detail to the vampire. It was Samantha's orders, after all.

Francis sauntered over towards the bunch, overhearing a bit of their conversation as Terra barked at Caelum for drinking what seemed to be an iced coffee in this rather chilly weather. He hardly batted an eyelash towards her, though, and it served to be an overall rather amusing sight. Not long after, Francis heard a chime from his phone and when he looked down to find a message from Terra in their group chat with the location. Other than that, they all seemed to aimlessly stare up at the sky and that only managed to make Francis laugh...admiring the three a little longer as they looked so...at peace in each other's presence. They were a special little bunch and Francis was excited to learn more about them.

With a kick to his step, Francis approached the trio with a dazzling smile, the tips of his fangs barely peeking through. He waved them down, his energy a little more upbeat than he had left them previously. Once he was just a few feet away, he bowed with an elegant flair before the three only to then straighten himself out and place his umbrella before him like a cane. One foot crossed over the other. He couldn't help a little wink towards Terra, a blown kiss towards Theodore, and a bright smile for Caelum, "My children! All gathered up beautifully and patiently waiting for moi. A charming scene, sorry for the long wait. This—", he gestured towards himself, "—...does not just roll out of bed", he chortled softly, somehow finding his tardiness amusing.

"Excited to have a brush with 'the gloomy shade of death'—? Oh. Actually...", he hummed as he scanned over the plaza, before he returned his attention down to the three and began to count them, "We're still missing someone, right—?".

"Hey, guys!"

A voice called out eagerly from behind him, causing Francis to take a step back and shift his attention behind him. Right! Theodore's little companion, Mizuki.

Mizuki rushed towards them, seemingly a little out of breath. Her pace was slow, by vampire standards, as she probably didn't want to alarm any surrounding humans. However, having to actively hold yourself back could be rather exhausting for any supernatural with heightened physical abilities as it causes a tight strain on the muscles.

Francis' smile was kind as she moved towards them, only to come to a quick halt—practically skidding to a stop. Francis blinked his surprise as he watched her now maneuver backwards, crouch down onto the ground to settle her belongings. What was she doing? He cocked his head to the side curiously, flickering his eyes to the other three to see if they were also witnessing what he was. But, just as he returned his attention towards her...she had taken out a camera and lowered one knee onto the ground as she seemed to be taking a picture towards the fountain. And, what was behind the fountain? A little girl, who's balloon had just slipped from her grip. She was crying, and Mizuki documented it. She even took one final picture as the balloon floated upwards onto the cloudy and gloomy sky. Huh.

With that, Mizuki picked herself back up, gathered her cup of tea and her bag, and continued her rush as if she hadn't just taken a minute or two to capture a fleeting and mundane moment. She quickly approached the four, stopping before them to let out an exhausted breath. She seemed a little flustered as she stuffed her camera into her bag, "I'm so sorry I'm late", she said between breaths, "I'm usually a lot more punctual, I promise! Charlotte—uh—one of my leaders...she had me do a bunch of random chores when she found out I was going out, and it was just really tedious and dumb", she huffed, brushing her hair back, "And, it was cold, so I wanted tea", she presented her cup towards the four rather innocently, almost afraid they'd believe her a liar, "I'll be earlier next time, I promise", she sighed, defeated.

"Woah, woah—it's okay!", Francis laughed, "It's only—", he looked down to his watch, "Ten past nine o'clock. You're good. What kind of chores, though?".

Mizuki rolled her eyes, even going as far as to pout at the memory, "Just—A lot of unnecessary paperwork. I had a bit of an argument with her a week ago, and I think she's still pretty ticked, so this is her petty way of getting back at me", she stated, "But, it's fine. I told her I was going to a museum and then meeting with a client, so my alibi is cleared for the day", she offered cheerfully. She did pause, though...and regarded Theodore a little more personally. She offered the man a tiny wave 'hello', before sheepishly shifted her attention to the side. Francis noticed.

Francis nodded along with her, seeing she seemed a lot more chipper than she did the last time they met. It seems she has come to terms with whatever weighed her down last week. She seemed well rested, well fed, and generally ready to move forward with their adventure.

In reality, Mizuki had been really looking forward to this meeting, but more due to the fact that she just wanted an excuse to get out of the house...share her thoughts on an issue she couldn't really talk about with anyone else. She did message back and forth between Theodore, generally asking him how he was, and was saddened to hear Layla seemed stressed due to everything going on. They kept their conversations vague, though...in case someone decided to check her phone while she was asleep. She was always present with conversations within the group chat, also ensuring she could meet up any day or time, because the reality of the situation was that...She was somewhat under house arrest. It wasn't that she wasn't allowed to go out, but Charlotte made her feel uncomfortable whenever she tried. So, she was left to stew in her room, picking away at her fingers until her sheets were stained red. It had been a rather long week for her, so she was happy to be around the others. Happy to be outside, and feeling her motivation to take pictures blooming within her.

Mizuki did admittedly feel a little nervous about Theodore. The way they parted ways was a little more emotional than she would have liked. She must have looked so foolish before him! But...he did insist that he viewed her as an equal partner, and that's all she could really ask for. He was kind to her, and he was receptive. Yet, there was one little...thorn, so to say. Every time she looked at him, she was reminded of that picture Katarina had sent her. She's been trying to make sense as to why Katarina would send that to begin with, and she wanted a...female perspective. She didn't want to bother Gabriella, as she might need to add context to the situation...So, she was wondering if maybe Terra might have some opinions on the matter.

Mizuki smiled sweetly for Terra—excited to see her—, though still a little wary around Caelum so she shifted her gaze nervously back to Francis, "I guess we're all here, where is our first stop?", she asked.

 

[Pepsionne]

Theodore couldn’t help the fact that Francis’ arrival physically tensed his body into a uncomfortably aggravated state. Thoughts of the man biting out words towards him about Samantha, speaking of her in such a way as if he’d known her for years, Theodore hated it. He wasn’t naive, he knew Samantha was thousands of years older than he was, had lived countless lives as countless people. He knew that. But to have it thrust in his face so smugly, to have someone talk down to him as a result of it, he just couldn’t stomach it. At least not yet.

Theodore could feel Caelum’s curious glance in his direction. It seemed like the angel was decently attuned to shifts in supernatural creatures, Theodore being no exception. He didn’t really think he could explain this reaction to anyone without getting chastised in the process. It was wounded pride at best, a tantrum at worst. Theodore would have to apologize to Francis for his past actions eventually, but not yet. He just couldn’t do it yet.

Terra smiled at Francis’ theatrical display before them all, listening to him pardoning his tardiness with an apology that didn’t really sound too genuine. There was a certain pride and pompousness to him that told her he had pretty much wanted to be the last one there, to make them all wait just a couple minutes longer so he could make his grand entrance. She couldn’t help but internally roll her eyes at the thought. Mizuki had no idea, but she just robbed Francis of his grand, royal entrance. Hilarious.

“No, I’m quite sure it doesn’t,” Terra smiled, crinkling her nose teasingly in retort to Francis’ comment of rolling out of bed. She heard Caelum struggle to hold back a chortle beside her, casually disguising it as a cough instead.

Terra stood after, nodding in acknowledgement to Francis in a more formal greeting. She didn’t have anything against the man, not really, but his tendencies towards the dramatics reminded her too much of how cocky gamblers treated her when they underestimated her ability. Her reactions were unavoidable then, she guessed.

Theodore’s expression soured when Francis began counting the group, the feelings of feral agitation rising up bitterly in his chest once more. Surely he remembered about Mizuki and could sense that she wasn’t present. Was a count really all that necessary? Theodore stood up, his pupils having narrowed slightly in his agitation towards Francis. He was about to bite out a snarky comment towards the man, when as if on cue, Mizuki’s voice rang loud and clear through the park. Theodore’s pupils relaxed into dark pools immediately at the sound of her voice.

“Uh,” Terra uttered, an audible show of her confusion at Mizuki’s sudden and strange actions. She watched the woman set down her stuff with gentle movements, so as to not damage any of the contents. Even with a slowed pace, however, the woman’s movements still carried haste throughout them, and the smooth action was done in a fraction of a second. If Terra had blinked, she would have missed it altogether. She laughed, the sound soft and playful, once she realized what Mizuki was doing. Was a photograph really that important to risk embarrassment in a group of people that were hardly acquaintances? For Mizuki, probably so. Terra couldn’t help the smile that stayed plastered on her face even after Mizuki finally joined them. The vampire was actually starting to grow on her.

Theodore watched Mizuki with wide eyes as the woman breathlessly ran through her past week and reason for tardiness. A sharp stab of guilt carved through his lungs when he heard of Mizuki’s punishment for going out. Not just going out—but going out with him. She had always brushed the events off like they weren’t that much of an inconvenience, or that bearing the risk of her clan wasn’t something to fear. Theodore now began to wonder how much she was really risking to be here right now. To be with him. Layla’s caution from earlier flashed in his mind. No vampire outside the inner circle Vieru believed his innocence. Most were astounded that he was still a free man, rumors sparking in the community for his arrest and punishment. Mizuki associating with him was a risk. He smiled when she regarded him personally, sending out a small wave with her bandaged fingers. But then again, hadn’t it been a risk for her from the start?

Terra’s eyes brightened at the prompt for her to roll out her itinerary for their day. She pulled up her phone, turning it towards the group like a kindergarten teacher during show and tell. She pointed to a bold red line that cut through the flattened city grid. “We’ll start at this building,” she began, hovering her finger over what served as the beginning. “Then we’ll make our way block by block to the others. Some of them are a bit far, to reasonably reach them in time using uh—human friendly means, we’ll have to taxi or take the subway. But it’s feasible to hit all of these in one day.”

Terra pointed back through the large arch at the entrance of the park. “The first address will be that way,” she stated, proud of her time spent planning out their route.

Caelum stood, his eyes glancing around them. He had begun noticing a small gathering of animals that had shifted closer to them curiously, their focal point seeming to be Theodore. Birds had gathered in the trees above them, their jovial chirps drawing attention from pedestrians passing through. A few squirrels played around in the grass behind them, the more bold ones inching closer to the bench they stood around. Caelum looked back at Theodore, who seemed largely unaware of the phenomenon. Must be his power or something, but he didn’t like the attention it was drawing their way.

“Well let’s get started then,” Caelum said with a shrug. He gestured for Terra to lead the way, as he was sure she would shift to the front regardless. His eyes traced after her figure as she smiled to Mizuki and waved amiably, an invitation to walk together. Caelum moved to follow after them, throwing his now empty coffee cup into a trash can nearby. He noticed Theodore fall into step beside him, the man’s gaze trained longingly on the two women before them. Hadn’t he and Mizuki been close before? Seemed odd that he’d not be up there with the two of them, catching up.

Caelum shrugged with a sigh. At the same time, it wasn’t his business and he didn’t really care. He only cared that they stayed as a group, shouldering the work off from him so that he could reap in those sweet hours of unencumbered free time without the order breathing down his neck. He glanced behind quickly to ensure Francis was following along, the man serving as an integral piece in achieving the least work possible for Caelum. Once confirming he was in fact tailing along, Caelum put his hands in his pockets as he walked, figure slumped, letting Terra lead them towards their first destination of the day.

 

[Razvi-sama]

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Mizuki | Francis

Location: Washington Square Park​

When Francis stood before the group of three, he was met with vastly different reactions.

Francis was an acutely observant man, and it was rather rare that the vampire be deceived or caught falling for a lie. He might not have Caelum's sharp instincts, but he prided himself for having an adept and analytical gaze. He was the type of man to silently observe his surroundings, picking up little shifts in body language and facial expressions others might not notice, and overall liked to consider himself excellent at reading people. He might look like a romantic, flamboyant baboon most of the time, but he was actually quite serious if he wanted to be.

Thus, Francis noticed the aggressive shift from Theodore within his peripheral vision, yet chose to focus his attention over the beautiful flower that seemed to only grace him with her thorns. Maybe one day he'd be worthy of her soft petals. She was smiling up at him—the smile seemingly amused, seemingly a little tight—That was to be expected, he supposed. He was aware that his rose-tinted flair wasn't entirely everyone's cup of tea, but it has been what has worked for him for many centuries thus he never really saw himself changing it any time soon.

Francis' lips spread in a playful little smile, his hand shooting up to his chest as he gasped dramatically in mock offense, "This is the part where you are supposed to act shocked", he huffed and pouted down to the fairy, before his silly façade eventually broke and made the vampire fall into a few bits of laughter. She was a lot of fun to be around, keen sense of humor, and a silver tongue that was ready to whip anyone that crossed its path. What could he say...? He liked a challenge.

Francis took in the delighted responses from Caelum and Terra, but Theodore was rigid...especially when Francis made a play of forgetting their fifth member. He thought it was a charming little bit! But, clearly Theodore didn't want to see the humor in it, or rather...he was incapable of seeing it. Maybe he still felt a little bitter given the way they ended things last week. A hum escaped the vampire. Francis was many things, but he was not a very prideful man. At least, not where it mattered most.

Francis was about to address Theodore, offer him some sort of truce, when he heard the soft chime from Mizuki's voice ringing behind him...and when he turned around, he witnessed a rather unusual sight. Mizuki was running towards them, breathless and flustered...and Theodore looked as if he had practically melted at her very image. Francis' brows rose in surprise, shifting his attention towards Terra who seemed sucked into Mizuki's adorable theatrics. Probably one of the few vampires who didn't seem to nitpick at her image very much. The little scene was childish and innocent, bursting with the excitement from a single, mundane picture. Mizuki looked into the camera's preview, her eyes alit with fascination and...love for her craft. It left a good feeling bubbling within Francis' chest as the Mizuki now jogged towards them like a twister filled with excuses.

Francis tried calming the frantic vampire, and eventually got her to breath in a gulp of air before ultimately settling down and even sharing a small moment with her original companion and...friend. While Mizuki explained that Charlotte had her do a few useless chores and paperwork here and there, Francis held a mental image of the woman in his mind...and hummed knowingly. Maximus and Charlotte, a powerful duo. Charlotte practically worshipped the ground he walked upon, and it was evident that the woman rather die than ever disappoint Maximus. Many feared them, but...seemingly not Mizuki. Who did seem to be shrouded in some sort of negative emotion...was Theodore who shifted uncomfortably in his seat as Mizuki retold her week. Interesting.

Mizuki quickly moved on, though, turning to the group and asking where their first stop was. Terra seemed to practically come to life, pulling her phone out to present to them the orderly itinerary she had so dutifully put together for them. Mizuki's eyes lit up with wonder as she dragged her eyes over the slash of red that cut through New York's city grid. She nodded along to Terra's explanation, ensuring the fairy she was paying close attention to her hard, and thoughtful work while Francis silently mused over their scheduled stops for the day.

"Subway or taxis is fine, it's not like we all shift into bats and fly around in broad daylight where every human in New York City can witness our greatness", Francis teased his little minx, offering her a small wink before taking a step back to offer the women some space, "Overall, it seems you have really given this a lot of thought, and I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say thank you for organizing all of this", he stated, "I hope it wasn't too much of a bother, next time you can call me and we can organize it together—or you can come over my place and we can sort out the details over a glass of wine", he winked to her. Flirtatious and playful as always.

Mizuki rolled her eyes and laughed to herself, patting Terra's shoulder as if to assure her she could just ignore the sultry vampire. She followed her eyes along with Terra's gesture towards the park's intricate archway, smiling towards it with the hope that this would be a smoother, safer adventure compared to last week. While optimistic thoughts swirled within her, she witnessed as everyone began to stand and gather their belongings, stretching out necessary limbs while taking in their general surroundings. Mizuki looked around to find the crowds bustling with young, mortal life...the flora and fauna blooming all around them—especially the fauna. Mizuki witnessed as the usual critters that surrounded these areas seemed a little restless and...bustling with life. Hm. She paid it no mind, though, not thinking much of it especially as she soon grew distracted by...Terra calling her over.

Mizuki's eyes grew bright with glee as she didn't even think twice about accepting Terra's little invitation. She rushed on over towards the fairy, only to gradually fall to a casual and calm pace beside her. She smiled cheerfully for the fairy, only looking over her shoulder to sneak a glance back towards Theodore to find him side-by-side with Caelum. She offered him a light, apologetic look before she returned her attention back to Terra, "I hope you had a relatively calm week", she offered Terra as they made their way out of the park and down the many twist and turns New York had to offer them, "And, that we didn't cause too much of a problem between you and your boss—given how we last left your establishment with a few broken glasses and a succubus on the loose", she laughed airily, having made her peace with the fact that this was now her life...

"I was actually really excited to get to see everyone, again. It's like we're a part of some bigger than us...and only you guys could possibly understand how I feel", she offered, a little sheepishly. Mizuki took a sip from her tea before she lowered the cup down in front of her, nervously playing with the rim of the cup, "I was also specifically excited to see you again...I wanted your opinion on something that I have been sleeping on for a while, now", she admitted with a heavy sigh, "I'm not really sure how to approach the situation and it could really put me in an awkward situation. I can't really rely on anyone else without having to provide them context of...well—this", she stated, looking to Terra a little hopefully.

While the women were in front, talking amongst another in hushed tones, Francis had followed after the only other two men in the group and was...bold enough to even bring himself to walk alongside Theodore. The men walked in stiff silence for a little while longer, until...Francis couldn't really hold it in, really. Ah, Francis was truly a lover, not a fighter, "You know", he began gently, shifting his gaze to the two men, "Before we continue on this little journey of life we have currently found ourselves in...I wanted to start off on the right foot and apologize—to the two of you", he said, his voice sincere, "Caelum, I was genuinely pretty worried due to your involvement with The Order. I couldn't get in any more trouble with the Council, as it would cost me my life. But, it doesn't excuse my estranged behavior towards you", he admitted, "As for Theodore, I acted rather nastily and said some pretty harsh things. It was wrong of me and I have been waiting to stand before the two of you to properly apologize, as an apology over text seems in poor taste. In my opinion, that is", he laughed softly, amused with himself, "I hope the two of you can forgive me, and overall? I'm looking forward to work with the two of you", he stated kindly, his voice soft.

 

[Pepsionne]

Theodore | Terra | Caelum
Location: Washington Square Park, NYC streets​

Terra didn’t know exactly what she expected from the group once hearing her well thought out plan. She liked spending time on complicated tasks, especially ones that involved ironing out every little detail until they all lined up perfectly and precisely. This time was no exception. Milling through the addresses that Francis had provided and mapping them out in a seamless trip was a good distraction from her nagging worry about Cecil. It helped quell the aching silence that burned in her chest and made her feel somewhat normal.

She smiled sharply in retort to Francis’ insinuating offers, the gleam in it coated with the same cold reflection of a knife. He seemed bolder than he was when she first met him a week ago, more upfront about his intentions. She wasn’t exactly taken off guard from being hit on, after all she did work in a bar, but what escaped her ability to comprehend was the fact that he was doing it at all. It wasn’t very often that Vampires had romantic or sexual interests outside their own species, certainly not for a fairy. She wasn’t sure if his teasing was for show, or if there were tangible feelings of desire or lust behind it. For the sake of ease, Terra assumed it was the former. She smiled gratefully when Mizuki patted her shoulder, the gesture itself reassuring Terra that Francis’ antics were to be ignored.

Terra listened to Mizuki attentively, offering the occasional smile and bright eyed nod to show the woman that she had her active attention. Terra brought a hand to her chin, eyes turned upwards at the grey sky as she thought. “It was too calm of a week I’m afraid,” She laughed nervously. “It felt odd, after the night we had, to go back to my regular schedule. Everything in my life was the same, but I felt like I was looking at it all differently, with the knowledge that I have now,” She sighed. Her gaze fell into a haze, the clarity of them mere moments before having faded into the background, like someone had slipped a thin veil between her and the world. The fairy only snapped back to her senses after Mizuki mentioned Jax and the bar.

“Oh--” She started, still fumbling over her thoughts as she regained her connection to the situation at hand. “That wasn’t your fault at all! If it was anyone’s fault, it’d be Jax’s. He is in charge of security and the safety of the patrons after all. Consider the broken glass a--a wake up call for him,” Terra winked at Mizuki playfully.

Terra’s brown eyes lit up with sparkling excitement. She related exactly to what Mizuki was saying, and was glad to know she was not the only one. She nodded fervently as a way to display to Mizuki that she was not alone in her thoughts. A light blush swept across her cheeks once she heard that Mizuki had been anticipating seeing her again, the blooming feeling of friendship striking her chest. It was nice to know that she was needed, that someone had wanted to talk to her in a moment of uncertainty.

She hummed while absorbing in the context that Mizuki had offered her. Judging by the woman’s face, which was normally set into an aloof tranquility, Terra could tell that whatever she wanted to discuss had been something eating away at her without the woman knowing entirely why. The look on her face was frustrated yet confused, as if her true feelings were battling to be seen and understood by her logic.

“Of course,” Terra nodded, her features gently set into a look of reassurance. “Go ahead, shoot,” She said with a smile.

Theodore managed to stave off his urge to catch up and walk beside the two women before them, the two looking to be engaged in a deep conversation that clearly did not have or want room for a third. Besides, he actually kind of liked walking beside Caelum. As chaotic the energy around the angel made him feel, the man’s own demeanor created a refreshing contrast to the staticky power he couldn’t keep himself from emitting. Caelum had a way of picking up his feet in the most minimal fashion possible, the soles of his shoes just barely clearing the rough surface of the concrete below. Any less effort and he would have been quite literally dragging his feet. The angel walked with a slumped posture, head tilted downwards on the concrete. The only thing visible from that angle were milling legs and the aging sidewalk below them. Theodore wondered what went through the angel’s mind at times like this, when he seemed to just float through existence with barely any presence to indicate he was a participant in their world. Caelum never seemed to show tells of just what it was that he was thinking about. Theodore had trouble imagining what kind of topic could hold the interest of someone who has seen centuries worth of events, lived hundreds of lifetimes.

The quiet peace that Theodore revelled in when walking beside a placid Caelum was dispelled by the wafting presence of Francis saddling up beside him. Theodore refrained from letting out an audible groan, immediately feeling the guilt of a chastised child after having such a thought. He didn’t really have a concrete reason as to why he was holding onto his grudge against Francis. If he could even call it a grudge. He had acted out in a similar anger towards the man, so using the man’s aggressive display against Mizuki and himself would only cause him to condemn his own behaviors.

Theodore blinked several times once Francis began speaking to the two of them. His mind was blank, listening to the words the man said but unable to truly process them for a couple of seconds. Was he really--apologizing to them right now? To both of them?

Caelum shrugged in response to Francis’ apology, his expression remaining unchanged. He dragged his eyes over to the man when he responded to him. There were starkly cut lines of dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep. “It’s a reasonable conclusion,” He said slowly, voice unchanging in its pitch. “How were you supposed to know my commitment to the order? After all, angels are for the most part--” He trailed off in thought before a sly smile made his features appear devious. “Kiss asses.” Caelum laughed, the surprisingly light and animated sound drawing Theodore into a light, albeit confused, chuckle as well.

Theodore’s laughter subsided into stoic concentration once Francis addressed him as well. He had brushed off the man’s apology to Caelum mere moments before, but now hearing a similar one addressed to him, addressed to the thorns that still pricked and drew blood from his pride, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of selfish relief. The elevated feeling of calm that stemmed from the recognition of an apology was short lived, having been quickly followed by hot shame at his unwillingness earlier to do the same.

“I also acted rather childishly,” Theodore started, his eyes moving around their environment, too sheepish to stare Francis in the face. “I let my anger and feelings towards the council cloud my judgement on you. I wasn’t thinking clearly when we last interacted,” He said. As sheepish as he was, Theodore’s voice was clear, resolute.

“I’m looking forward to working with you too,” He said, finally able to lift his gaze towards the man beside him. It was a relief to not carry around the weight of his grudge. He didn’t have any room for it right now, not with the twisting agony of emotions that filled in the space Samantha had left behind.

Finally looking over at Francis, Theodore could feel a sense of recognition towards the man. The way he carried himself, the way he spoke and the gestures that would overtake his hands. It was all very--similar to his own. They both carried themselves with the suave pride of a well awarded actor, both had a way of speaking that drew in whoever was unfortunate enough to listen. Theodore turned his gaze back to the street before them, a soft smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. He had never met someone so similar in personality to his own before, and frustrating as it was, there was a certain kind of humor to it as well.

--

Terra stopped at a brick house before them, age having much more of a considerable impact on it compared to the other buildings it was sandwiched between. The glass in each of the windows was dirtied with both lack of maintenance and age itself, giving the building an eerie chill. The red brick was dirtied into a muddy brown. It seemed as though even the daylight around them had become washed out and old the closer it got to the building, like it served as some kind of blight on the earth.

She looked back at the others after peering up at the ominous looking building before them, her hopes already pretty shattered for what was in store. “Well--” She said, her voice faltering in uncertainty. “This is it, first stop.”

Caelum scanned the building, leaning back to take in the full sight of the silhouette against the milling clouds in the sky. He whistled lowly. “Well if that isn’t a fitting residence for a doctor of death,” he joked.

Terra shot him a dirty look before she moved forward on her own, up the crumbling concrete steps that led to the door. She knocked lightly, the sound of her knuckles against the door resulting in a more hollow sound than she had anticipated. Her gaze narrowed in confusion.

“No one is answering yet,” She said. “Do you think--” Terra started a question for the group, but her curious instincts had taken over from her rationality, her hand already settled over the door knob. Before someone could stop her, Terra turned the handle and pushed inwards. She gasped at the rush of light, hollow air that suddenly enveloped her. It was--dark inside, but even through the dim lighting she could sense the hollow ache of the room around her.

There was absolutely nothing inside the building but collected dust and occasional litter from squatters. She turned back towards the group behind her, her gaze filled with bewilderment. What was going on here? Was this a fake lead?

Caelum was unfazed, his expression never changing from its base resting appearance even after Terra’s visible shock. Theodore on the other hand, was a bit more reactive. He rushed up the steps after Terra, her reaction too ominous for him to bear not knowing. He squeezed in around Terra who still had her hand on the door, only to pause several steps inside. He looked around the crumbling building, feeling the worrying churn of desperation begin to wash over his chest. Abandoned. A dead end.

He looked back at the group who stood around awkwardly. "Well let's not get too disappointed," He smiled, trying to keep the mood upbeat. "We couldn't have expected every address on that list to be an actionable choice right? Supernaturals and those involved in our world have to move quite often, I'm sure this was just an unfortunate first choice."

 

[Razvi-sama]

Mizuki | Francis

Location: New York City Streets​

Francis kept his smile for the little fae as her own seemed tight and her gaze curious...almost as if trying to decipher his intentions. The vampire's smile was sweet and inviting, followed by a wink and a casual wave as if to give the illusion he was harmless. Well. He really was harmless, he actually wasn't expecting Terra to reciprocate his teasing. He did like to gather a reaction out of people, though. It kept things fun, after all.

Soon enough, Francis saw Mizuki patting Terra's shoulder in an act of comradery and a silent reminder to ignore him. He let out an airy laugh to himself, amused with his own antics before he redirected it back towards the men of the group and visibly sagged a little. Ah, he knew he probably wasn't entirely popular in this group. Caelum seemed indifferent towards him, Terra seemed like she was still trying to figure him out, and Theodore was actively avoiding him or glaring at him without him realizing. Mizuki...Mizuki seemed okay with him, despite their little spat. She still smiled and was willing to address him, but maybe he should also pull her aside and apologize. Ah. He wondered how long he would be apologizing for such an inelegant moment. It had been a stressful evening filled with disappointments, and Caelum's appearance was the cherry on top. Francis stayed behind, hands in his pockets as he watched the group couple together and walk off. He tilted his head back while he took in a small breath of the cool, crisp morning air...cherishing the day. What lay dormant before them for today? What beast were they about to awaken?

Francis sauntered after the boys, looking up to find the women were engrossed in a sweet conversation. He witnessed as the two women looked to one another with bright delight to be in each other's presences, talking casually about their week. And, most interesting of all...Terra seemed to look at ease beside the vampire. A rare phenomenon.

Mizuki smiled leisurely over to the fairy as she recounted her week for her, "Well, I'm happy to hear it was a calm week, better calm than anything stressful", she offered. She nodded along to Terra's words, understanding how their reality all seemed to change over the span of one night. How fate brought them together on this little adventure with no end in sight. Though, she did offer Terra a more sympathetic gaze, remembering how the knowledge involving her friend had really distraught her, "...have you been able to take some time to process everything, then?", she asked weakly, turning her attention up to regard the woman...only to find the fairy's gaze to be a little unfocused...distant.

Mizuki hesitantly rose a hand up to brush her knuckles against Terra's to call her attention, finding the fairy snapping her eyes back over to her. There she was. She smiled kindly for her, before she apologized for the mess they left at her establishment. Terra was quick to assure that it wasn't their fault, even offering a cute little wink! If anything, it was Jax's. Mizuki offered a nervous little laugh, "...well, I do hope they tighten security. For your sake and the patrons' sake, of course", she stated.

Though, Mizuki softly admitted she was excited to meet with everyone, to be a part of something bigger than themselves and being able to connect with people who understood her complicated emotions and the situation itself. She was especially excited to meet with Terra, again...the only other female in their group. She seemed sheepish upon admitting this, playing with the rim of her cup and wondering if the fairy felt the same. Mizuki...didn't make friends easily, especially not within her community given how optimistic and idealistic her point of view was compared to her kin. And, why would a fairy be excited to see her, again—? But, Terra's expression gave it away, and Mizuki couldn't help her chest from feeling light. The vampire saw the way Terra's cheeks were beautifully colored with a gentle blush, feeling flattered and wondering if...Terra would be willing to allow her to call the fae her friend.

But, she supposed that was a conversation for later. Right now, she wanted Terra's advice, thinking she'd have some pretty strong opinions over the matter. Maybe something that would definitively help her on how to approach the situation. It was something that plagued Mizuki in the dead of night when her surroundings died from any distractions and the silence deafening. The picture would come to mind and she couldn't help but feel...annoyed.

Mizuki smiled a little more weakly up towards the fairy, seemingly hesitant. She took in her general surroundings, looked over her shoulder towards Theodore to ensure there was some space between them...before she shoved her hand into her coat's pocket and slid out her phone. She tinkered with the screen a little before unlocking the device and showing the fairy the picture that had been haunting her all week. She left the phone in Terra's hold, "So...for context...um—Well, you can see that is Theodore...and it was the woman in the picture who sent me the photo. She—uh. She and Theodore's relationship is none of my business, I think they're friends? Or, more than friends...but, the point is...is that she saw me and Theodore the other day before we went to the Black Market. She caused a scene and I think since then I've been on her bad side. Well, no...that's a lie, I don't think she's ever liked me. But, that's besides the point. I'm really uncomfortable to have been put in this position, and to have someone so blatantly disrespect Theodore's privacy. So, I don't know if I should say something or not...or confront her and ask her to not do it? I could also just block her...", she hummed, "...overall, I've never been involved with this sort of thing before...so I don't know what to do...", she murmured. As awkward as this was to talk about, she was still happy to have this moment with Terra.



As the women found themselves engrossed in their own private conversation, Francis found himself pushed to the back while Theodore and Caelum sauntered along before him. Caelum's body language was relaxed and his steps practically dragged themselves forward, while Theodore held a swagger to his step. A little kick to his walk. Cute.

The two seemed to share in quiet serenity, rather content with each other's presence. There seemed to be no need for conversation and they were comfortable with their silence. Francis thought it the perfect opportunity to address the two before they delved deeper into their little adventure. So? He took a deep breath and picked up his pace to match Theodore's, slowly finding himself settling beside the young vampire. He flashed the young man a smile, only to be met with indifference. Ah, that was to be expected, maybe even deserved. He softened his own expression and began to apologize—to both men. He expressed his own fear towards Caelum, admitting that his involvement with the Order made him nervous, and for Theodore...he paused and admitted he had acted rather unjustly the other night, and he was truly sorry.

There. He said it. He prided himself in knowing when to apologize, and when to humbly ask for forgiveness. A trait not many had, he believed. Francis waited in anticipation for their response. Theodore seemed rather dumbfounded and kept gawking at him strangely, which only managed to curl up Francis' lips in amusement. Caelum, though...sluggishly addressed him in a casual assurance. He dragged his attention over to him, his movements slow and patient. Francis was most nervous for the angel's reaction, still admittedly a little off-put. But, instead of brushing off his apology all together, he even...validated his feeling making Francis feel light from the burden of anxiety. He then went on to describe his colleagues as...kiss asses, and Francis couldn't help an inelegant snort before falling into a few chortles of laughter! He was not expecting that from the angel, of all creatures. The tension from his lines had melted away and he smiled a little better for the man, "I appreciate your understanding. I guess you and I are in the same boat, so to say. Surrounded by kiss asses, never the kisser", he hummed.

Francis returned his attention over towards Theodore, though, as the laughter soon died away...and looked to the young man a little more hopefully. Would he accept his apology? He was soon relieved to find Theodore visibly relaxing before his sincerity and it made the vampire smile a little more hopefully. And, thankfully? Theodore accepted his apology and even shared one of his own. He shook his head and waved his hand dismissively, "...no, no, do not invalidate your feelings in such a way. You weren't acting childish, you're still probably mourning...and I can imagine the topic of Samantha is still a very sensitive one and it wasn't gentlemanly of me to speak so harshly. Your anger towards the Council is absolutely justified, and I think that is something both of us can understand. I'm also terribly angry with the Council, and like our celestial friend here...my loyalties do not lie with the Council...let's just say that", he hummed.

Francis delicately nudged the vampire's side to call for his attention and hope to shake away his bashfulness. And, finally...when he managed to raise his gaze, he offered a gentle: I’m looking forward to working with you, too. Francis grinned down to the young man, "...ah. Words are easy, like the wind; Faithful friends are hard to find...And, I think I found a good pair of friends", he offered sweetly. Soon enough, he was matching their energy and walking with the same leisure, the same swag that the other two held. His hands were in his pockets, sunglasses slid over his eyes as the handsome group of supernaturals made their way across town.

~​

The group stopped before a rundown, brown brick townhome that matched the same rundown aesthetic the rest of the neighborhood held. Wild wines clung to the side of the house, the windows tinted with age and broken from potential vandalism. This part of the neighborhood seemed lonesome and eerie, causing Mizuki to step closer towards Terra, and not because she was afraid.

A silence seemed to fall over them as they all stared up at the ominous, empty building. At least, seemingly—hopefully—empty...Mizuki wasn't too hopeful, though, and judging by Francis' expression...neither was he.

"We have absolutely found ourselves on Elm Street", Francis hummed, looking down both ends of the street to find...nothing and no one. The city ambience echoed off in the distance, as if to emphasize how separated they were from anything else, "However, that is a common misconception over Necromancers. They're very clean people, they have to be, given that they're doctors and everything needs to be sterile", he added, still staring up at the building with no indication of stepping inside. It would be a waste of time. Terra didn't seem to believe so, though...as she pattered up the front steps and even went through the motions of knocking. Oh, her curiosity was adorable. Francis gushed silently where he stood, watching from the corner of his eye as Mizuki seemed to tense the moment Terra stepped away from her. The vampire's instincts called her forward, stepping closer towards the fairy while sharpening her senses. She took the first step, but nothing more...not wanting the fairy to believe she was somehow coddling her. They all heard the hollow call inspired by Terra's knock, causing their hearts to sink to their stomach in disappointment.

But, in one last stitch effort, Terra seemed to tentatively twist the door knob before applying her body weight against the door—pushing it open. Oh. An unlocked, abandoned building. Just...peachy. Totally not sketchy or creepy. Mizuki watched as a few of Terra's locks were brushed back from the gush of air that ghosted her features—having even spooked the fae, momentarily. The vampire found herself rising up to her tiptoes to try and peer inside and get a good look...but it was dark and accentuated with hollow loneliness.

Francis hummed softly to himself as if to asses the situation, slipping his phone out and peeking down through a few files he had saved in his email. This was the right address...quite honestly, though...it didn't surprise him that the home—nay, the area was abandoned. He scanned his attention over the group. Mizuki seemed more preoccupied over Terra's safety, at the moment. Caelum was disinterested, and Theodore—ah! There he went, up the stairs and eagerly popping his head inside. Even he was shrouded in confusion.

But, Theodore soon twisted around and presented himself before the group with hopeful optimism, even smiling for them. Truly adorable, Francis just wanted to pinch his cheek. Though, a look to his side would tell him that he wasn't the only one who found the vampire impressive. Mizuki's gaze grew warm and a smile she had no control over painted itself over her lips. She almost seemed a little drawn to him...enamored...even?

Francis looked away and quirked up a grin towards Theodore, "Theodore is right, but I feel like Necromancers are especially shifty. They have to be, given that the Coven is actively hunting them down...as well as the Council...Which is why I have these addresses to begin with. We are hired by the Coven to seek out Necromancer and bring them in. If they refuse, we kill", he murmured softly, "I don't usually follow orders, though...but it's not like I have had much luck finding many to begin with. So, this is going to be a usual occurrence. If we find one today, I'll actually be surprised", he stated.

Mizuki blinked, "Wait, there's a chance we...really?".

"Really, really", Francis winked her way, "But, I'm confident we'll at least find a lead. Do you all want to go inside the haunted house or do we move on?".

 

[Pepsionne]

Theodore | Terra | Caelum
Location: Streets of New York, Abandoned House​

Terra offered hums of thought to show Mizuki she was following along and understood the situation being explained. She noted how tentative Mizuki seemed about the subject. The way she talked about it was like someone tiptoeing around at night, frightened of making too much noise lest causing another to wake. The woman shot a glance over her shoulder at Theodore, the whites of her eyes bright and dominant from the nervous expression she wore.

Terra watched soundlessly as Mizuki fiddled with her phone, the woman’s normally relaxed posture turning tight, like someone had wound her up with a key. Eventually she slid the device over to the fairy, who took in the image before her slowly. She followed Mizuki's context of the situation, innocent eyes widening in recognition and understanding the more the woman explained to her. By the way Theodore’s face was nestled so comfortably into the crook of the woman’s neck, their arms intertwined in a tangled embrace, it was immediately evident to Terra that their relationship had long since shifted past the boundaries of friendship. These were two people that were comfortable with each other's bodies, comfortable with the way they fit together. She looked up at Mizuki, and noting the veiled discomfort that the woman bit back, decided not to mention it.

It didn’t surprise Terra that the woman seemed protective over Theodore. It wasn’t often that you found someone you could be that vulnerable with, and when you did, you certainly wouldn’t keep slack in that bond. Not to mention, Theodore was a conventionally attractive man. If Terra had been into pretty boys she would easily have fallen for his charismatic charm and casual cocky demeanor. Lucky enough, Theodore didn’t have that certain edge to him that Cecil did.

“Well--” Terra started off, feeling her way through the best route of advice. “It sounds to me like this Kat girl is jealous. If I was in her position, and I saw Cecil with some girl I hated I’d--” Terra paused, furrowing her brow as she studied the picture once more. “Well--I’d actually chew Cecil out more than anything. I wouldn’t involve the other girl. That is--well that is a pretty low blow. Not to mention a breach of privacy like you said,” She glanced back at the men walking behind her, offering a smile to veil her glance as merely checking that they were following. Theodore smiled back at her innocently, offering a small wave. "I doubt he even knows this picture was taken, so he certainly doesn't know or approve of her sending it, don't you think?"

Terra let out a confused sigh. “I’ve never been put in a situation like this before either. I can’t imagine what she’d have to gain from sending you something like this. Maybe it’s a petty way of warning you to back off? Like she’s got some kind of secret influence over him?” Terra shrugged. “Theodore does seem like kind of a ditz when it comes to women. If I were you I think it’d be best to not respond. Maybe warn Theodore about her vaguely. After all, if she’s truly not willing to get along, and he wants you in his life, she’ll just have to deal or get out you know?”

She smiled reassuringly towards Mizuki, knowing how it felt to stand in the crossroads of something. No matter which direction you looked, it all felt the same. Just a blurry, distorted mess of shapes and figures with no clear solution in sight. Each time you manage to come to a decision, it doesn’t take long for that foundation to show cracks and faults that may lead to disaster down the road. A truly awful situation to be thrust into.

Caelum looked over in acknowledgement to Francis’ presence in accompanying him and Theodore. He was confused at first to hear the Vampire begin to apologize to the both of them. Caelum didn’t feel like there was anything to apologize for. Sure, he’d thrown a bit of a fit when it came time to commit to tracking down a Necromancer, but at the end of the day he held up to the promises he had made thus far. Everything else was merely water under the bridge. Still, he knew that anyone willing enough to swallow their pride in order to make an apology liked it to be acknowledged. He held his gaze on Francis slightly longer than usual when the Vampire returned his lighthearted jest about the order with his own relatable quip. Caelum didn’t really keep up with the Vampiric Council all that much, they never did anything wrong so there were never any deals worth making with them. If they were kiss asses like Francis claimed, he was glad he never put in the effort to sniff around there. Would have been a sordid waste of energy.

One thing Caelum was curious about was Theodore’s reaction to Francis’ apology. He had sensed the vampire tense up like he did earlier, a thin layer of anger very readable in the lines of his figure. He couldn’t really understand why the two of them even bothered to get angry in the first place. It was a waste of energy when it came time to making deals, when both or even one party began to get angry, any reasonable thoughts or ideas went right out the window. Unfortunately making deals with cornered black market bosses typically involved some type of anger on one end, leaving Caelum scraping by with way less than he really wanted. Just a pain in the ass. Thankfully Francis’ apology seemed to be enough for the touchy Vampire beside him, as he could feel Theodore’s disposition rapidly change into a figure of resignation and shame. He paid no mind to the rest of their conversation, whatever talk they had really bored him anyways, and turned his eyes back down to the concrete. He traced over the cracks and chips in the pavement as the glided under his feet.

--

Theodore really didn’t like their destination once Terra had announced their arrival. He had noticed the deteriorating facades the longer they had walked, but he had been secretly hoping for a sudden turn into the cleanly New York he had gotten so accustomed to while living in the luxurious lap of the Vieru. He glanced around them in disbelief, thinking that Terra must have gotten the addresses mixed up when she made the itinerary earlier in the week. He turned to voice his suspicion, paling in shock as he saw Terra stride up the steps of the house. It seemed like his fears were shaping up to be true.

Mizuki took a tense step towards Terra, as if drawn by some force to follow the fairy instinctively. Theodore watched Mizuki’s body language curiously, not noticing that he himself had reacted similarly, having taken a step forwards towards her. He thrust the disbelief at such a run down place, exchanging that feeling for determination to bolster his chances at freeing Samantha. That determination is what sent him up the stairs after Terra’s shocked announcement that there was nothing inside, only to find himself enveloped in the hollow emptiness of his disappointment at the abandoned room before him.

Theodore worked his emotions into a different state so as to not send a wave of discouragement over their party before they had even gotten started. He stepped out of the house and back towards them with his announcement, hoping his feigned optimism was enough to keep the energy from sinking down into dried up and dirt ridden grass below their feet.

Francis’ newest announcement of the shifty nature of Necromancers doused the group in shock at their new odds. Theodore wore his naïve surprise on his sleeve at the mention of the systematic hunting and eradication of Necromancers. He didn't think Supernaturals would be so cruel to do that to each other, especially with the threat of the Sorcerer Guild having taken a break for the time being. Samantha really did shelter him from so much of the supernatural world they lived in, the one that thrived in the underbelly of New York. The horrors and disparity their kind went through walked like a shadow behind the glittering lights and parties he had been distracted with for so long.

While Theodore remained naively taken aback, Terra remained an unsurprised realist, having seen too much of the black market to doubt the reality she faced before her. Working in the black market had sobered her up to the reality of what Supernaturals were willing to do to each other to ensure power or survival. Prissy as they were, vampires were no exception.

It seemed as though each person had reacted according to what was expected of them up to this point, each fiercely holding onto the roles they had adopted within their little group. The person who stepped outside the box they had set for others to predict though, was Caelum. He stared at Francis with an uncharacteristically clear look in his eyes, the emotion in them so strong that it almost became readable. Theodore stared at him once he felt the intensity around his person spike. For the first time since he had met him, the feeling that swam around in Caelum's eyes was so close to being recognizable, but it was like a slick fish in a puddle. Every time Theodore thought he'd be able to scoop it up, the look changed and elusively slipped from his grasp.

Theodore wasn't sure what ties Caelum had to the Necromancer kind, but it was clear to him that hearing of their systematic eradication by those in the Underworld was something that struck a chord within him. He looked around at the others who had since balked at the man's sudden change in demeanor, taking it upon himself to walk up to the angel. He placed a hand on Caelum's shoulder. The angel looked over at him, their gazes momentarily locking together. That was when Theodore was able to see the first clear emotion from Caelum. The emotion that had brightened his eyes from their vacant emptiness, it was pain. A long felt, ever present ache that peaked and subsided with the passing of time. Although as quickly as Theodore sensed the feeling from the man beside him, Caelum dropped it, the look in his eyes fading out into a pensive calmness. Although levelling out into a less intense demeanor than he had taken up previously, he hadn’t fallen back into his normal apathetic self yet. There was a pensiveness to his person now, a brooding that swarmed around him and pressured him into silence.

Theodore gave his shoulder a light squeeze, looking up towards Francis with the guise of a leader. “I say we should move on. There’s nothing for us in there. If like you said, they really are shifty, there’s no way a Necromancer would hide out in an empty place like this. I say we should move on,” He repeated.

 

[Razvi-sama]

Mizuki | Francis

Location: New York City Streets​

Mizuki actively mulled over Terra's advice for her as they made their way through the streets of New York. Shoulder to shoulder. Her nerves had been actively picking away at her, but she was relieved to finally...unload the weight that had been resting over her chest for the past week. She felt lighter, and was grateful for Terra. She listened to her, and didn't invalidate her feelings by insisting she was being silly. On the contrary, Terra echoed back the thoughts that had been swimming in her head since she saw that distasteful picture. And...it made the vampire smile in the middle of the disaster. She was happy she approached Terra. It made her chest spread with a familiar warmth. She...made a new friend, hadn't she? She didn't have many, so the ones she did have...she cherished dearly.

Mizuki let down her guard before Terra, visibly showing the fairy how incredibly disturbed she was to be thrust in the middle of this uncomfortable situation. She was unsure of her moral obligation towards Theodore or herself, and sought the woman out for some sort of guidance with a fresh perspective. And...a fresh perspective was what she received.

Terra insisted that Katarina was jealous and Mizuki's eyes could not help but widen in surprise...Katarina—of all people? What would she have to be jealous of? Clearly Katarina already monopolized a lot of Theodore's time and all they were doing—in Katarina's perspective—was sharing a cup of coffee after a really distressing evening. There was nothing to be jealous of. Though, Mizuki was never really involved with someone...romantically, that is. She hadn't really had a taste of the green goblin that was jealousy, so she didn't understand the sting one could feel upon seeing someone you loved, or were involved with, associating themselves with someone you hated.

"I don't know...", Mizuki frowned, still not understanding Katarina's motive, "...Theodore can speak with whoever they wish. And, by doing this...I feel like she's just hurting him more than she's hurting me...", she mumbled, frowning down at the picture that stared back at her mockingly. Her chest ached with a lingering discomfort. She couldn't help but let out a sigh, watching as Terra looked back towards Theodore with a kind, unalarming smile...and Theodore returned it along with a friendly wave. Mizuki weakly rose a hand to match his wave before she looked back towards Terra who implied this picture was taken without his consent or knowing. The vampire had assumed that much herself, and it broke her heart, "I agree...and it only adds a layer of how screwed up this whole situation is", she mumbled.

Mizuki slid the phone back into her pocket as she looked up to Terra expectantly, silently begging for some sort of guidance, "...warning me back off?", she raised a brow towards the fairy. Terra even went as far as to insist that Theodore seemed a little...gullible around women and it made the vampire audibly go 'aw'. He deserved better, in that case, "I'm quite honestly not sure of the relationship he has with Katarina. But, she doesn't have to warn me off. We're just friends, and I wish I could reassure her...but at the same time, I don't want to involve myself with a harpy who would do such a thing to someone she cared about. Let alone a friend of mine", she insisted, the bitterness she felt slipping out momentarily.

In the end, Terra's best advice was to somehow warn Theodore and simply ignore the message. The vampire began to nod, feeling a small pit of anxiety root itself inside her chest...but ultimately she knew the woman was right, "Okay, I...I can do that...I guess I'll just block her and delete the message, and whenever Theodore and I have a moment alone...I'll warn him. Thank you, Terra. This was really eating away at me, and I guess I somehow was worried Theodore might think I initially harassed her and took her side on this...which is fine, I guess. They have known each other longer, but...I just don't want there to be any misunderstandings, is all", she insisted, rubbing the back of her neck a little awkwardly as she mulled over the general situation. Eventually, she allowed her shoulders to drop and looked at the fairy appreciatively, "...anyway, thank you for hearing me out, sorry for the awkward conversation. I'm just happy to finally share this with someone", she smiled.

~​

The rest of the walk seemed genuinely peaceful for both parties. The women shifted into a more pleasant conversation, and Francis felt at ease beside the two men who accompanied him through the small journey. They had shared their apologies, and both men had acknowledged his sincere words before moving on to bouts of casual conversation and even silence. Pleasant...silence...Caelum seemed more interested in growing lost in thought, but that was fine. Francis left the angel to his own devices, happy to give him his privacy. As long as he drifted alongside them and kept them company, then that's all that mattered. Theodore and he would share in plenty of conversation.

Though, upon arriving before the abandoned structure...the sweet chatter that had filled their party had ceased, as if the rest of its members were too busy drinking in the reality of this situation...they had reached a dead end.

Terra stepped towards the home, while Francis double-checked that they had the right street address and house. The house number matched, as well as the street name...everything matched, this was the right address. They had simply stumbled upon a bit of luckless fortune. Mizuki was too busy fretting over Terra as the fairy approached the front door, while Theodore seemed to be steeling himself from feeling further disappointment. Truly, an interesting little bunch. Francis' gaze settled over Caelum who simply stared up at the space curiously, and the vampire silently wondered what was going on in that head of his...

After sprinkling in a bit of Necromancer tidbits, and hearing Theodore trying to pick up the party's morale, Francis then went on to explain that...well, this was to be expected. Which was probably why he didn't seem too disappointed. If they had gotten a hit on the first try, then that would have probably seemed too easy and the vampire would distrust it. This was a common occurrence. He was one of the few vampires in charge of seeking out Necromancers and turning them into the Council on behalf of the Coven's orders. Necromancers were constantly on the move, hiding in the shadows, in fear that they would be caught by a Councilman and dragged into a prison cell...or even worse? Death.

Mizuki naturally seemed horrified by the idea, balking at the sudden news, while Theodore...seemed like this was the first time he was hearing of such a thing. Surprise was written across his features as the two vampires shared in a glance. Francis' casual attitude towards the situation grew somber as he offered a weakened nod towards Theodore...as if to assure the young vampire this was very much the reality of the situation.

"The Council is a disgusting place filled with rats", Francis hissed, venom laced in his tone, "And the massacre they have performed over the Necromancers is one of the many things the Council hides from its people. I'm...sorry, I probably should have warned you all of this reality and kept your expectations in check. But, unfortunately, it won't be easy to find a Necromancer and we could be finding ourselves dragging our feet all day...I do believe we'll find a lead, this report is fairly recent...But, despite instinctively being wary of them...no one deserves to be hunted down in such an inhumane way", Francis murmured, a heavy sigh escaping him while his gaze ghosted over the group...only for it to land over Caelum who held an unreadable expression...

Caelum was staring widely at him, as if he had just announced the death of his family. Francis grew rigid, unnaturally tense as he locked eyes with the angel. Was...this his first time hearing of such acts? Was the Order truly blind to the horrors that happened within the Council, and if that was the case...what hope did any of them have from escaping it? It seemed like Francis and Caelum shared in a silent conversation the rest weren't privy to. Francis felt the shift in Caelum's aura, he recognized the deep pool of...melancholy that seemed to swim in his irises. Francis seemed to be locked in some sort of trance, lost in the angel's gaze. Almost feeling sucked into his own little headspace...

It was when Theodore rested his hand over the man's shoulder that the trance broke...and Francis could have sworn he felt his pain...He took deep, steady breaths once they broke eye contact, resting a hand over his chest as the pain began to subside. And, once he collected his own emotions, he returned his attention back up towards the two...only to find Caelum had returned to his casualness, but there was thought behind those eyes. Francis let out a shaky breath, not thinking it wise to ask Caelum if he was okay...It was best to give him some space.

Francis raised his attention back towards Theodore, who insisted they should move on. The vampire nodded, gaze lingering over Caelum just a little bit longer before he shook himself out of his reverie and smiled before the group, "...ah—Yes! You're right...they're absolutely not hiding in here. The most we'd find is...maybe empty vials. Some DNA, nothing important", he sighed, looking to Mizuki—who looked rather disappointed—and Terra.

"Well, sugar cube, where to next?", Francis hummed.

~​

They followed the general dynamic for the first few houses, following Terra's itinerary. Women in the front, whispering amongst themselves...and the men kept in the back.

The atmosphere changed amongst the party since the first home, now that they all held the knowledge that they were chasing after people who were constantly on the run. These people lived in fear, and here they were actively seeking them out and potentially putting their lives in danger. It was clear that there was a thick fog of disappointment had settled over them, and it only seemed to grow denser and denser the more houses they visited...and the more abandoned spaces they stumbled upon.

After the first house, the second home seemed to have been almost uprooted from the area, leaving an empty, dirty lot. The third home they visited seemed almost promising, as it seemed like the Necromancer had left in a hurry. Piles of dishes were still in the sink, and the sandwich that they made themselves—only holding one single bite—seemed only days old. But, it was still empty, and still no leads.

The fourth house they visited, after searching through the attic, it seemed like the space was left untouched for many months, but the home was clearly rundown—to the point that Mizuki's foot had fallen through some rotting floorboards, causing her to gasp in panic and needing help to unstuck herself, and Francis nearly fell down the second floor due to a loose railing. It was a death trap and they hastily ran out.

They were on their way towards the fifth home, the sun high and bright and shining down upon them...beating the party down with its offensive rays. Francis nearly glowered at the solar mass. It was clear that a lot of them have potentially lost their patience, already expecting the fifth home to be a complete waste of time...

"Maybe after the fifth home, if we find no leads...why don't we stop by and get some lunch, hm? I'm sure we could all use a refreshment", Francis murmured, fanning himself under the blistering sun. He opened a black, elegant parasol he had kept on his person for this very occasion, his old complexion not being able to brave the sun as breezily as before. Even with the ring.

 

[Pepsionne]

Terra thought about Mizuki’s response while they walked from the old abandoned house towards the newest destination. She felt the heavy weight that Mizuki was carrying with her over the situation, felt how her emotions were trapped under it. Terra couldn’t help the feeling that Mizuki was most likely more even tempered than she was. If she was placed in that situation with Cecil--she wouldn’t have sat on the picture for a week on end, reaching out for advice to someone else. No, her temper was much too hot for that, her possessive nature rearing its ugly head out even at the slight thought that someone would do that. Maybe Mizuki was better than her for not getting upset. After all, her and Theo weren’t really anything official. But then again--neither were her and Cecil. Terra never knew what their status was with Cecil’s constant disappearances. Dating? Monogamous? Friends with benefits? Broken up? Most likely--complicated.

Although Mizuki stated that her and Theodore were merely friends, Terra knew a similar situation when she saw one. Certain people are drawn to each other without their knowing, a dark looming feeling that sneaks up into a complicated and sticky feeling of attachment that you could never seem to get rid of. She saw it in the way they instinctively moved towards each other in times of danger, how they hesitated when speaking in search of the approval of the other. It was a matter of time before the two of them realized it as well. For now though, Terra could offer Mizuki advice, but until she recognized that pestering feeling in the most hidden parts of her heart, she would never feel true relief.

She glanced back at the men who trailed behind them, their mood a little gloomy after the newest information unveiled to them by Francis. Caelum’s intensity had scared her, she wasn’t immune or ignorant to the spike in energy around him once Francis dropped the bomb that Necromancers were being hunted. It was as if she could feel his heartbeat through the air, the pounding trance of disbelief and pain. The rawness of it made her skin crawl at the thought of what could have possibly seared that feeling deep within him.

Terra kept her conversation with Mizuki light, catching her up on all the latest bar stories and interesting persons she ran into between the Sorcerer bar with Alfred, and her own bar at the Salamander. Bar stories were always a good way to lighten up the tension in the air, and based off of how their day was going so far, she knew the two of them were going to need it.

Theodore kept his head up and charismatic demeanor on, washing the last few minutes from his mind like nothing had happened. Sure, they were set back, sure they had seen a concerning side to Caelum they had never seen before, but it wasn’t going to stop them. They needed a necromancer fast, and this list was their only chance at finding one.

Caelum walked alongside him with the same pensive solitude circling his person. Although he never explicitly stated it, his general distant expression was a clear sign that he didn’t want to be talked to or bothered. Even after the first couple of houses, all turning up broken down or simply patches of scorched earth littered with weeds and rubble. Theodore’s patience was beginning to run thin, and desperation was growing within him. It fed off of every house that showed up less and less promising, every time Terra turned her head back towards her phone to cross off yet another off the list. At this point, as they approached the fifth house, Theodore was barely able to conceal the impatient desperation that grasped at his chest with sweaty claws.

His eyes traced over to Francis as the man talked, watching him fidget with the daylight ring on his finger in agitation. In the time that they had been travelling, the expanse of misty grey clouds had cleared way for the bright and unrelenting sun, its beams wearing down on them with no remorse. Theodore could feel it on the nape of his neck, the slight burning sensation that reminded him of being out on the beach in college, him and his group of friends too careless or too stupid to bring sunscreen.

Theodore latched onto Francis’ suggestion, hoping it would be enough to stave off his frantic desperation for a little while. “That sounds like a great idea,” he smiled towards the man. He didn’t think it’d be wise for him to add the feral nature of his hunger to the mix of emotions he was feeling now, so feeding sometime soon might be a better idea. His eyes fell on Mizuki’s back as she was walking along. He hoped that she had packed some blood with her like she had the last time he had saw her, otherwise he’d have to resort to other means to get his fill before they continued onwards. Hopefully she wouldn’t think it impolite of him to ask her, she had been acting weird around him ever since this morning. Throughout their adventure through abandoned house after abandoned house even, she had kept a polite distance from him, almost like the space they had closed between them the week before had reset, and they were now mere acquaintances shoved into the same unfortunate circumstances. It disappointed him, but he wouldn’t let it show.

“This is it up here on the right,” Terra pointed out, a spark of hope running through her at the first house that seemed still bustling with life before them. The windows were open, the breeze sucking the curtains out through the open space slightly. There was the sound of music coming in from the inside.

Terra picked up her pace unknowingly, practically running up the sidewalk and up the steps of the townhouse like the person would slip through their fingers if she moved any slower. She knocked on the door, hoping to get a response, but at the sound of her knock, the music turned off abruptly. She heard a loud bang, and with wide eyes, turned back to the group behind her to check if they had noticed the shift as well.

"What the hell are you waiting for?" Theodore bit out more harshly than he had intended. The impatience that had been biding in his chest suddenly exploded at Terra’s hesitance. He ran up the steps quickly, making no effort to restrain his movements lest a human catch his unnatural speed. The front door swung open violently as Theodore made his way through, his blue eyes frantic and searching as he tore through the house room by room. Everything was so fresh, the toothbrush was still wet from the morning, droplets of water clung to the kitchen sink. The bed was warm the smell of human was thick in the air. The trail was right here--the necromancer was right here.

He moved back through into the kitchen and pulled out one of the wooden chairs aggressively, the sound of friction against the tile grating. When Theodore removed his hand from the backrest, the wood had splintered under the pressure of his grip. He had cracked finally, the frustrated desperation something he struggled to choke back from the others.

Theodore sat glowering as Terra walked into the kitchen curiously, the sight of his darkened expression sending a chill up her spine. She couldn’t control the instinctive nature that overtook her upon sensing a vampire so angry--so desperate. It made her blood run cold. She retraced her steps back towards the others in the group, immediately feeling her own anger at having her weak nature thrust in her face. At knowing Theodore’s anger was most likely directed at her for having hesitated at the door, stupidly. Terra cursed under her breath, crossing her arms tight as she waited for the others to enter. She was beginning to break, too.

 

[Razvi-sama]

Mizuki | Francis

Location: New York City Streets; Abandoned House​

As the group shuffled about the city—following the itinerary, they were all very acutely aware of the fact that they should be giving Caelum some space. Francis and Theodore walked side by side, Francis pausing every few steps to ensure the angel was following along and not walking blindly into traffic. He gave the aura that he wasn't entirely interested in conversing with them, looking heavily lost in thought, and it seemed like they all generally respected that notion. He was like an aimless balloon following behind them, and they all took care to ensure they didn't let go of the string, causing him to float away...

There were moments in a few of the houses that Mizuki would even pause by Caelum if she ever noticed the man dragging his feet behind, and would gingerly take a hold of his hand to guide him into a more open space where they could all see him. She'd smile for him a little optimistically, before she walked off to follow after Terra in case they found any clues.

Mizuki spent the remainder of her day walking after the fae, generally looking over at her with a kind smile. The two women walked beside one another in general bliss from house to house, and Mizuki seemed rather invested in the fairy's stories. She'd giggle and gasp at Terra's latest and strangest bar stories, as well as the most interesting figures she had the pleasure—and displeasure—of encountering. Terra's stories were a nice little distraction from the growing tension bubbling within the group from house to house.

However, there were moments she couldn't help but cast her gaze over towards Theodore's back as he seemed to hold a small kick to his step, a kick that only seemed to dwindle with each disappointment that shrouded their group from each vacant space they ran into. Homes that looked stable and structured, only to be completely demolished the moment they opened the door. Homes that seemed to be under renovation, and homes that seemed to be completely stripped from any indication of life or ownership. There was really nothing much to tell from each little visit, seeing as they couldn't find a clue, not even a corpse! Simply traces of magic and tiny, burned in sigils found in basements and attics. Proof that there was once the presence of a Necromancer, but nothing more.

Mizuki eyed the vampire a little wearily, watching as his outline grew stiffer with each vacant lot. She knew he needed a win right now, but given what Francis had told them and Caelum's reaction...this was going to take time. She was thankful for Francis, though. The vampire seemed like he was doing his best to try and distract the young vampire, probably even noting the same stress pouring out of Theodore that she had witnessed. His bright charismatic facade was breaking, and he actively looked as if he was withering...He was impatient, he held a tiny tick as he fidgeted with his ring and there was a slight bite to his words, at this point. Francis kept trying to make conversation, even inviting Theodore under his parasol in hopes to keep the sun's ardent rays away from him. In hopes to help cool him down. He even mentioned taking a break after the fifth house, and it generally seemed like the group took a collective breath of relief at the suggestion.

Even Theodore seemed to readily agree, smiling even. Mizuki nodded, stretching out her arms above her head, "I also think it's a good idea. If the fifth house turns up empty, I think we should recalculate our next move. We can't just be bouncing from house to house all day, so maybe some lunch could really help clear up any fog that might have built up within the day", she certainly felt a little disoriented and dizzy from all their walking. The sun's warmth didn't help either. She swallowed thickly, feeling a little thirsty herself. Thankfully, she had stuffed in three bags of blood in her bag. One for each vampire, in case they didn't think of bringing their own. She shifted her gaze from Francis, only for her to notice...Theodore looked at her. He held a curious little look, and she couldn't help but smile for him, even raising a hand to wave—...only for her hand to falter down at her side at the reminder that she had to pull Theodore apart to speak to him about something rather uncomfortable.

Mizuki grew lost in thought beside Terra, as she began to build a dialogue in her mind as to what she wanted to communicate to Theodore, only to ultimately find herself stopping short when Terra announced they had...arrived. Mizuki shot her attention up to the house, her chest tightening with blind optimism when she found the windows were open and a pleasant sound of jazz slid out from the residence. The smell from inside was inviting and warm, as if someone had just recently baked some muffins. Mizuki even found herself leaning towards the source, the home seeming so...alluring.

Before Mizuki could react though, in a startle she watched Terra run down the sidewalk and up the small steps that led towards the townhouse with a small hint of desperation. Their first lead! Mizuki nearly felt the air knocked out of her from the excitement, yet her feet were cemented on the ground from the anticipation. Were they really going to find themselves face-to-face with an actual Necromancer? Would they even grace them with their time? Or, will they run the moment they notice that Francis was actively working with the Council?

Mizuki's eyes widened, her hands wringing tightly to the strap of her purse. Terra knocked, but the moment her knock echoed throughout the home...the music stopped. Abruptly, and with an added sort of screech. Oh, that wasn't good—"What the hell are you waiting for?".

Mizuki and Francis both whipped their heads towards Theodore as he bit out, a little too harshly, towards the fairy. What?

Francis had been patiently watching alongside Theodore, finding the premise of music and the general smell of living within the home to be good news. Terra ran up eagerly, her knock causing a reverberation to ring through his very core as he eagerly eyed the following sequence of events unfolding before him...into something a little more undesirable. The moment the music stopped, was the moment Francis knew they lost their chance. Before he could call Terra back towards them...it seemed like Theodore...cracked.

...and before Francis could even think of grabbing Theodore, the vampire had launched forward with inhuman speed towards the front door and...a-and barged right in! "Theodore!", Francis hissed out, looking over their surroundings to make sure a passersby didn't just catch them breaking-and-entering a stranger's home, let alone running at a speed that was very much unnatural! He practically shoved Terra aside and forced his way in! Francis ran after Theodore, a little more restrained, and excused himself under his breath before he stepped into the home to chase after the young, desperate little vampire.

Meanwhile, Mizuki looked at the scene with absolute horror. At first, she seemed frozen where she stood only to quickly realize that they were invading someone's home. She growled under her breath, and eagerly guided Caelum up the steps and into the townhouse along with Terra. She was holding Caelum's hand, as if she was guiding a kindergartener inside an unknown space, and followed after Terra inside the townhouse...only to find a few things seemingly out of place thanks to Theodore or thanks to the Necromancer's quick escape. She didn't know which it was, but both were equally disturbing in their own right.

Mizuki ensured to close the front door before she made her way towards the kitchen where they all found Theodore...and a wooden chair that seemed to crack under Theodore's unnatural strength. He looked...angry, aggravated. Mizuki let go of Caelum and allowed him to stand by the entryway as she took a step into the kitchen where she soon found Francis rushing into the kitchen, bumping shoulders with her on accident. His breathing was a little labored, and it seemed he had even given up on chasing after Theodore and had decided to aid the young vampire...only to come up empty handed.

"...nothing", Francis grumbled out in a whisper beside her and she nodded.

Mizuki took a small moment to look over her surroundings while everyone seemed to catch their breath and drink in the reality that they had...failed, once more. She took in the pastel details from the kitchen in contrast with the deep mahogany from the furniture. There was a feminine touch to the home, and her original assumption of muffins had been correct. Fresh out of the oven. The home was enveloped in a lovely atmosphere of cozy homeliness, and Mizuki couldn't help a pit from forming within her chest. They had just disrupted someone's life. A vague scent of death wadded through the air, coming from below the floorboards...guessing the Necromancer's morgue was right underneath their feet.

A heavy, deafening silence seemed to finally settle over the group. Theodore was...pissed, Terra was off-put and upset, Francis seemed frazzled, and Caelum was distant. And, Mizuki? She didn't know what she was feeling, but it was clearly conflicting.

So, Mizuki took a deep breath, flicking her attention to Terra as she cursed under her breath. She didn't dare step into the kitchen, not yet. Francis stood beside Mizuki and Mizuki...supposed she was the only one brave enough to step towards Theodore...because she did just that.

Mizuki's brows knitted with slight disappointment and concern as she made her way towards Theodore...raising a hand up to rest over the tight grip that seemed to suffocate the poor, splintered chair beneath, "Theodore", she cooed softly, looking up from underneath her eyelashes, "...stop, please. What you're doing is counterproductive", she insisted, "...you...You can't just barge into someone's home like that, just because their existence fits into your itinerary, doesn't mean we fit theirs—You yelled at Terra", she insisted, frowning.

Mizuki rubbed her thumb over the vampire's knuckles, "...why don't we all take a breath and a break? We're all clearly in a very bad mood, and I'm sure this is frustrating, but Francis warned us this was going to be hard. He warned us that they were scared. But, think on the bright side. This is the first lived-in space we have encountered. There is a better possibility of finding a clue. We already barged in, might as well look for clues", she stated, looking back towards the others...only to be met with more silence.

Mizuki sighed, shoulders drooping, "...fine. I'll look for clues, you all...take a breath", she grumbled, "Theodore, you stay here, and Terra, go to the living room. The rest can do whatever you want. And, once you have collected yourselves, you can then apologize. We're better than this", she stated. She shoved her hand into her bag and then handed Theodore a bag of blood, "Drink". With that, the vampire swiveled around to leave.

Francis sighed and leaned into the doorway's frame, folding his arms, "...this is pointless", he muttered under his breath, the general negativity seeping into him.

 

[Pepsionne]

Theodore | Terra | Caelum
Location: Abandoned Necromancer's House, NYC Deli​

Theodore ignored Mizuki when she first approached him, the only one out of the group who was willing. It’s not like he could blame them, this childish desperation was not something many people liked dealing with, especially when the cause behind that desperation was formed by something deep. The cut of Samantha’s sudden arrest and pending execution was cavernous. What filled it were only feelings of panic, desperation and fear. The same fear that had pushed him into the underbelly of the black market, into the hands of a shady sorcerer, into the binding contract with a crooked angel.

Theodore steeled at Mizuki’s soft touch. He didn’t want to be calmed down right now. He didn’t want to be lectured and scolded about what he should and shouldn’t be doing. What he could and couldn’t do. When he brought his eyes up to meet her face, the blue was iced over with an unrelenting sense of agitation that was unrecognizable from any time he had looked at her before. Despite the chaotic clashing of nerves in his body, his pupils were not fully slit into blind rage. Instead, the large oval pool was sharply pointed at the ends, like a cat hissing in warning. Mizuki’s touch over his fingers didn’t even register within Theodore’s mind. His chest felt tight. Each breath in and out was a struggle, one that threatened to burst into a scream--or maybe a sob. He didn’t really know for sure.

Terra was still standing in the living room, her arms crossed and her gaze set out into the street that was visible beyond the mesh of the screen door. Theodore’s brash actions really pissed her off, but what pissed her off more was that he was right. She shouldn’t have hesitated. The frustration and passion that was oozing from his body, the feeling of it thick and heavy in the air, she was envious of it. Shouldn’t she be having the same feelings towards finding Cecil? He had left her so many times before, maybe it was her body’s natural reaction to become complacent. To wait for him to find her. To wake up in the middle of the night only to feel the familiar pressure of him beside her in bed. Was she spoiled? Already a week into her efforts of going after him and she was feeling the nagging itch of frustrated defeat growing within her.

Her eyes drifted over Caelum’s figure as he made his way into the living room and over to the couch. He had been practically dragged along this far by Mizuki, but he seemed mostly unresponsive to the formerly wary vampire’s reassuring touch upon him. As he sat on the couch, it felt like his presence was weaker somehow, like he had withdrawn into himself in pursuit of something. Terra didn’t know much about angels, but she knew enough to know that he was no ordinary vassal of The Order. Something had happened to him, something big enough to alter the life of someone with seemingly endless years.

Terra brought her eyes up at the sound of Francis muttering under his breath. It seemed like everyone’s cheerful mood had been slashed at the knees the moment they stepped foot into the house and realized how close they had been. That was counting on the fact that the Necromancer would have even wanted to talk to them in the first place.

Even when Mizuki began speaking sternly to him, Theodore still held onto his initial agitation. Who was she to lecture him on his behavior when she had been avoiding him all day? He thought they were supposed to be equals in this, yet she seemed so distanced from him. Why should he have to listen to what she said? He took the blood she offered him with a gruff grunt in acknowledgement. Apologize. As if he’d do that.

Theodore waited for Mizuki to turn around and walk towards the basement before he ripped the top of the blood pack off with his teeth, spitting it out across the table. His nails instinctively sharpened at the heavy taste of the blood on his tongue, puncturing through the wooden table he had been unconsciously digging them into. Rabbit’s blood, the smell mixed faintly with Mizuki’s scent. The hairs on the back of his neck stood at the strength of the feral response within him. He held himself back from gorging on the blood sloppily, closing his throat to restrain from swallowing the contents of the bag whole. A deep vermillion stripe escaped out of the corner of his mouth and ran down his chin. A gathering of thick droplets spattered on the table below.

When the bag was empty, Theodore let out a trapped breath. His chest deflated slowly, and as it did, so did his body. He slumped forward, letting his forehead smack into the table in front of him with a dull thump. His wavy hair flattened against the table. The anger he was holding onto could only last for so long before it gave way to the disappointment that surged behind it, in wait. The blood had served like a bucket of water, dousing out the flames and turning them into a pathetic steaming hiss.

Theodore stared down at the grain of the wood mere centimeters away from his vision. His thoughts churned slowly. It felt like someone was teasing him with opportunities, teasing him with the childish thought that he’d be able to easily save Samantha after that night. It had seemed so easy on paper and now--now he was staring down at the reality of it. Saving Samantha was a feat that was barely possible. The odds were stacked against him, and at the end of the day, what he really should be doing is preparing himself for the inevitability of losing her. But he wasn’t ready for that, not yet. So instead he reignited the sparking agitation of losing out on a close lead, because it was easier to manage.

Terra grimaced when Mizuki began suggesting, pretty futilely, that they rummage through the house in order to find any leads. The idea of searching through this tangle of stuff formed a pit of disgust in her throat. She could smell the chilled rot of death beneath their feet. The last thing in the world she wanted to do was rifle through a Necromancer’s house. They were witches after all, and she had learned her lesson many times over from accidentally touching magically enchanted items. So when Mizuki walked off with a sigh to search on her own, Terra was secretly relieved. It seemed like Francis felt the same. He hadn’t talked much after the dramatic entry inside the house, nor took time to comment on Theodore’s behavior. Her eyes traveled over the profile of his face, which was turned away from her as he grumbled under his breath about the futile nature of their situation. A half smile formed on her face at his words. Yeah--no kidding. He didn’t have to tell her that.

Terra moved over to the couch next to Caelum and plopped next to him. He glanced her way briefly, the look in his eyes much more similar to the vacant pool she was used to meeting. So he had begun to regain his bearings?

“Why don’t you come join us,” Terra waved a hand at Francis, whose sculpted frame still pressed elegantly into the frame of the door. How could he even manage to slump elegantly? “If you’re not going to join her in searching you might as well get some rest while you can. We’ve been walking all day.” She smelled the metallic scent of blood wafting heavily from the kitchen, and knew that Theodore had opened a blood pack. “You could even--feed if you want,” She ventured, her voice catching on the word feed.

It felt like hours since Mizuki had left to look for clues. Theodore left his head planted on the table, half because he was tired, half because he didn’t want to come face to face with the others in the group. So when he finally raised his neck to meet Mizuki’s arrival back into the kitchen, there was a red mark that burned hotly on his forehead. He stared at her absently while rubbing away the pressured mark, waiting for her to speak first. This time, there was no hostility in his eyes--just a look of listlessness.

Terra stood from the couch, her eyes widened in curiosity to see the small coupon Mizuki held in hand. It was a crisp piece of paper, the creases sharp and the colors bold. “A fortune teller?” She asked, craning her neck to look at the paper pinched between Mizuki’s thumb and forefinger. “Wait--I know where this is, it’s in the black market.” She looked back at Francis and Caelum to see their reactions. Was this an avenue worth going down? “I mean--judging by the state of this coupon, this is recent. I mean--look,” She pointed to the fine print at the bottom. “It’s not even expired yet. We could go there right now if you want--”

“Let’s go after lunch.”

Terra jumped at the sudden sound of Caelum’s voice cutting her off. She looked back, catching his movement to stand. His limbs were lanky and awkward, nowhere near as naturally graceful as Francis and even Theodore. He stared at her blankly, his posture once upright proceeding to melt into his standard apathetic slouch.

Caelum shrugged, running a hand through his decently neat looking curls, messing them up and causing a small wake of unkempt hair to follow his hand. “What? I’m hungry, I could go for like a sandwich or something.”

Before Terra could fully process his proposed change in tract, Caelum was moving through the living room and out the door. Judging by the firmness in his motions, he wasn’t asking if everyone was going to lunch. He was telling them, meaning whether or not they joined him was beyond his capacity to care. It would be nice to have this chance to shake him, but the thought of his hidden presence weighing over them with the reminder of what they owed him was worse.

Terra locked eyes with Mizuki. “Thank you for searching the house, I think you found something really useful. We’ll head back to the black market after lunch I guess,” She said with a light roll of her eyes before turning to follow Caelum out of the front door. She took a deep breath of the outside air, happy to have something other than the heavy smell of death and blood swirling around in her mind.

Theodore stood when he saw Caelum and Terra walk out of the house. The wooden legs of the chair groaned loudly against the tile. He moved stiffly to follow them, pausing by Mizuki’s side for a second in order to let her walk out before him. He placed his hands in his pockets, feeling the empty blood bag that he had crushed in there. He didn’t like it, but he still felt the familiar itch of hunger in his veins. The rabbit’s blood hadn’t been enough for him, but he didn’t feel as though he could tell her. After the display of desperation Theodore just put on, he didn’t want her to think he really was the monster that the vampire world was touting him to be. When they walked outside, Theodore fell back from Mizuki’s pace slowly and steadily, instead falling into step beside Francis as they made their way to lunch.

--

Spoiler: Deli

Surprisingly enough, Caelum was the one who had taken the lead back into the more populated and bustling streets of the city. It seemed he had somewhere specific in mind, but he also threw off the aura that he was going where he wanted, no other suggestions were worth even thinking about. Terra shifted her position in the cold metal seat beneath her. They had ended up at some hipster deli/sandwich shop combination, a choice Caelum must not have thought through. Sure, lunch with three vampires sounded great in a deli surrounded by raw, bloody meat. She could have kicked him, really.

Theodore sat hunched over the table, face slumped into a hand he propped up on the table by his elbow. They were doing nothing but wasting time here, but really, he couldn’t show too much frustration about it. Caelum had chose it after all, and he had just gotten out of the weird slump he had shifted into earlier. They needed his help, they needed any help they could get at this point.

His eyes drifted up to Mizuki, who was seated opposite the table from him. Terra had sat next to her before he had even arrived at the table. “I feel like I’m going insane in here, it’s like some kind of cruel torture,” He muttered under his breath to Francis, face turned to look at the gleaming cuts of meat in the distance.

 

[Razvi-sama]

Mizuki | Francis

Location: Abandoned Necromancer's House, NYC Deli​

Mizuki realized she was probably crossing some sort of line. Who was she to lecture Theodore? He probably didn't even consider her a friend, just another soul unfortunate enough to be dragged into this mess. But, no one else was stepping forward and honestly...this wasn't appropriate behavior and she wasn't the type to keep silent in matters such as these. Thankfully, the house was empty and the Necromancer managed to escape. Thankfully, the Necromancer didn't think to fight back.

Before stepping into the kitchen, Mizuki took a small breath...feeling the weight of the room leaving her interior as she did so. She steeled her resolve and marched towards Theodore, and noticing...a man who had a lot to lose. Theodore was someone she had looked up to for many years. He even seemed unreachable to her sometimes, someone to idolize. Someone she wanted as her muse. And, he had been for many years. She had sketchbooks utterly filled to the brim with his image. He was as polished as his writing was—as poised, as well-spoken. He was...a breath of fresh air to her, a sweet summer's breeze. She would live in the shadows in every event and party the Lasombra was invited to, whisking herself away through hallways and twirling around pillars dreamily while enjoying her own presence as large crowds overwhelmed her. And, from the sidelines...her gaze would wander and fall upon Theodore. Laughing, sharing a glass of champagne with a colleague. Sometimes found in a heated debate about...something—anything. He would laugh, and most of the time that laughter was shared with Samantha or Layla. It was a sweet little sight. He seemed so relaxed and carefree in their presence. Mizuki would smile to herself and found herself sketching away in her tiny moleskin. And, it was usually when she saw him leave with a...companion that she would lose interest in the event and leave with Gabriella.

...and yet, that same carefree...intellectual little vampire was nowhere to be found. Someone she used to believe was so pristine, so—...without faults...simply disappeared into the ball of desperation and anger she saw before her now. He even seemed...human. And, somehow? That made her feel closer to him, despite the indifference in his gaze as he looked down upon her as she approached him and reprimanded him for his misbehavior. He was actively ignoring her, and that was okay for now. That didn't cause Mizuki to falter at first, she would be heard one way or another. But, the reason why she didn't force her words upon him was because she recognized he was in pain and had the right to his frustrations. That didn't excuse his behavior, but she wasn't about to kick someone when they were down.

Mizuki had hoped that a gentle touch would soften the blow, but it seemed to have only made the situation worse. He was...annoyed by her, and she couldn't help but feel the stab of rejection that pierced through her chest. He didn't even spare her a word, he didn't even bother giving her some sort of response. She would have preferred he verbally lash out than him icing her out completely. It made her pause momentarily, nearly making her silence all together. While her pupils didn't narrow into slits, she looked visibly displeased with her interaction with Theodore and as much as she understood his outburst, she didn't appreciate that he was taking it out on her for wanting to keep the peace. His own pupils said it all as she found herself swimming in the vast, cool nothingness that lay within...swallowed up and spat back out. Unwelcomed, unwanted. He wanted to be left alone. She wasn't dense, she wasn't stupid...but she still would have appreciated some sort of communication from him.

So, Mizuki's hand brushed away from his as it fell to her side pathetically. She balled it into a fist, eventually casting her gaze aside as she couldn't handle the way he was looking at her. She slid the bag of blood out of her purse and shoved it into his hand, hoping he wouldn't pop the plastic from his agitation. Hoping it would somehow cool him down. She asked him to apologize, but he nearly sneered at her suggestion—scoffing—and at this point...she was at a loss. She flicked her hands up in defeat, almost exasperated. She swiveled about, her voice still soft and even as she addressed the rest of the group in hopes someone would join her in the search...she found she was alone. Her shoulders slumped in disappointment. The vampire nodded to herself, slipping her bag a little more securely before she walked out of the room and brushing past Francis and Terra with a heavy breath of a sigh.

Francis allowed his gaze to follow after Mizuki and noted the lines of agitation that etched her figure as she walked out of the room. He listened as her footsteps receded down the hall, his gaze lowered to a corner in focused attention before he flickered his eyes back up towards Theodore in curiosity...drinking him in. Francis was slumped against the kitchen's entryway, one foot propped over the other, and his arms folded neatly over his chest. His golden locks fell over the sides of his face, framing his complexion. He held an analytical stare as he gave the vampire a slow one-up. Samantha's puppy was cracking under the pressure and was about to wet the floor if one didn't properly potty train him. He sighed, knowing this was not what she wanted and would rip out his throat if she found out he wasn't doing it part to ensure that Theodore not break. He cursed under his breath, thinking the whole situation to be a little hopeless.

He didn't really know why he felt disappointed to begin with, though. Francis knew this was a hopeless quest and it was going to probably take them several days, maybe even a week before they found what they were looking for, and yet these group of odd individuals made him want to root for them. He was no longer following Samantha's orders, no longer doing her a mere favor...he was growing invested. Ah, but could anyone blame him from becoming rather enamored with these little rejects? His eyes fell down to his feet with a shake to his head in visible disappointment with the situation that unfolded around Theodore while he mumbled out hissed curses under his breath. What he hadn't expected—given he had been rather sucked into his own little world—...was to find Terra beside him...smiling at him. A half-hearted smile, but a smile no less. He fixed his eyes upon the fairy's from under his fallen locks, offering her a kind smile in return. Even a bit of a shrug, as he wasn't sure how to move forward after such a tense back and forth between the group's Romeo and Juliet.

Mizuki had gone off, and Francis almost felt regretful that he didn't speak up and offered to help. She seemed to be the only one left determined to get this done. Adorable little optimist, but even her charm wasn't enough to pop Theodore's cloud of negativity. Hm. Though, it seemed like he wasn't the only one a little off-put with looking through a Necromancer's lively—deadly—home. Even Terra seemed to grimace, not hiding her own disgust and he felt some sort of camaraderie in the silent moment they seemed to share...

Francis allowed his stare to linger even after Terra turned and moved to the couch Caelum seemed to have planted himself on after having followed Mizuki like an aimless little kitten. It was nice to see the vampire set aside her reservations, knowing he should be doing the same given he was equally wary of his existence.

Francis seemed to aimlessly downcast his attention now that they weren't anchored over the fae, lost in thought momentarily as his ears pricked upwards at the rustling sound of Theodore tearing through the blood pack Mizuki had given him before leaving—white noise to him. Smart. He was aware of Theodore's age, he was barely a century old...so he wondered if the youngling possibly suffered from a bit of blood lust. He wondered how well Samantha trained him, if she even trained him at all. The clans weren't known to being the most informative, clearly. They frowned upon an uncontrollable blood lust, they shunned ferals. Even those who were previously known as ferals were tainted from ever joining a clan. Drinking human blood wasn't entirely taboo, especially if the act was consensual or if the blood was obtained through legal means. But, the actual killing of a human? The Council wasn't known for its mercy, so to say. And, when one was feral...well, you simply do not have control over your actions. You walk through a hazy red fog for an endless amount of time until someone saved you or you...perished. A sad reality. What did Marianne always tell him? Ferals are misunderstood creatures, all they need is a hug and some love.

Francis found himself blinking at the memory of her gentle words, finding himself watching Theodore as the man hungrily inhaled the crimson witch that had bewitched them all. He seemed to actively restrain himself. From what? Francis wasn't sure, but it peaked his curiosity and wondered if he should offer some tips. His deep azure eyes trailed after the trickle of blood that dribbled down Theodore's chin messily and seemed to smile knowingly. What a tortured soul he was. And, Francis felt this deep desire to help him. After having sucked the contents dry, it seemed like Theodore had finally allowed the tension in his body to escape, leaving him sagged like a sad little puppet. He seemed like he needed a friend—.

"Why don't you come join us?". Oh?

Francis shifted where he stood as if to give indication to Terra that he was listening. His movements were slow and calculated. She continued: “If you’re not going to join her in searching you might as well get some rest while you can. We’ve been walking all day. You could even—feed if you want".

"Ah, mon petit chou à la crème...", Francis nearly purred in French, steadily shifting his attention over his shoulder and sliding his dilated gaze over to her...his pupils swallowing her up, "Be careful what you say to a vampire, my dear. Thankfully, I'm a gentleman...but if you say that to someone else—...Well. Let's just say they would take that as an invitation...and I don't like the idea of two little bite marks on your neck, my sweet", he chortled out, knowing what she meant but wanting to tease her no less, "...thank you for the invitation, honeybun. But, I have something I need to share with Theodore. I will join you shortly, though. I do appreciate your concern, no less", he offered a little more seriously, twisting where he stood to offer the fairy a wink and a smile before he turned and padded into the kitchen.

Francis walked in, finding the kitchen to be adorable—painted in its pastels and copper utensils. It was filled to the brim with floating potted plants and succulents, the smell of blueberry muffins nearly masking the scent of rot that came from beneath. Ah, but he wasn't here to admire the irony in the contrast in the Necromancer's choice in hobby and sense of style. No, he was here to offer a shoulder. Whether or not his shoulder was to be accepted was another thing.

Francis tied his hair back in a low ponytail with a black ribbon he wrapped around his wrist, always. He grabbed a seat—the furniture nearly crying as he dragged it back towards Theodore's side. He planted himself beside the young vampire, stretching out his body rather lazily until his back was tightly pressed into the chair's backrest. He eventually slacked, crossing one ankle over the other and raising a gentle hand on top of Theodore's back. It wasn't to call his attention, it wasn't to ask him anything. He simply...soothingly rubbed circles over the young man's back. He didn't speak to him, he didn't try to be comforting. Something told him Theodore wasn't really in the mood to begin with, so he wanted to offer him some space while reminding him he wasn't alone. He looked out the window and watched a few leaves rustling through the wind with a delicate sigh.

Mizuki found herself aimlessly stomping through the home, eventually having gone downstairs where she believed the Necromancer's morgue to be. She was...simply frustrated and possibly annoyed with herself. She had replayed Theodore's rejection in her mind over and over and over again...That only seemed to open a floodgate of other painful interactions she has shared with him, making her visibly cringe. She was such an idiot. She sighed, knowing she didn't regret this interaction, though. He was allowed his reaction, and so was she. This was the price in learning how to deal with other...beings apart from yourself. That didn't mean it didn't make her feel vulnerable and anxious.

Mizuki dragged and picked her nails against her bandages, stepping into the Necromancer's morgue. She rummaged through her belongings in hopes to find some sort of clues, only to find what kind of person she was. She even had a little reading nook in her space. A book, dog-eared three-quarters into the tome. She smiled a little sadly, a little regrettably that they had frightened the witch to the extent that she felt the need to run away. She shifted towards the nook curiously, picking up the book and turning it over to read over its title. But, just as she did—she clumsily dropped it. Damn. She frowned, hoping she didn't wrinkle it. Mizuki knelt down and picked up the book, only to find a tiny purple slip flutter out from the pages. What was this? She read through the gold typography that enchanted the business card—Psychic Reading by Joanna Rosewater. Walk amongst the stars. She hummed, wondering what a witch—a Necromancer—would want with a fortune-teller. It seemed recent, it wasn't even close to being expired...Maybe this Joanna would have answers for them on how to find this Necromancer, to at least apologize for scaring her.

Mizuki pocketed the coupon and picked up a nearby pen and paper: "I'm sorry, I wish you a peaceful life full of happiness. Your blueberry muffins smell amazing". With that, she rested the paper down over the book before she stepped out, not entirely loving the smell of death. She aimlessly wandered throughout the rest of the home, but found nothing else of interest. Just a few handful of other hobbies and knick-knacks.

Mizuki stepped down into the living room, not even bothering looking into the kitchen. A pit of dread seemed to consume her at the very thought...she might even cry, so she wanted to steel herself. What? She was still embarrassed. She went straight towards Terra, "I didn't find much", she announced, "She lives an ordinary life, she works as a mortician at a funeral home and she seems to live a very colorful life. She even has a fiancé", she's come to learn, "Anyway, I did find this coupon, though", she stated, handing it over towards the fairy in hopes she would know what to do. And, it seemed like her hunch was correct! Mizuki gasped, nearly lighting up with enthusiasm in hopes she did a good job. Possibly making up for having ruined whatever friendship she had built with Theodore. But, at the mention of the Black Market...the vampire visibly wilted. Oh, they would have to return..."I see", she hummed, leaning forward as Terra pointed out the date, "Yeah, I saw that, too. Okay, then that means we can—", their conversation was cut short. It seemed like Caelum was very...hungry.

Mizuki shifted her attention up to the angel, seeing he had regained some of his devil-may-care attitude. She offered the celestial creature a small smile, "That's a good point, Caelum", she giggled a little weakly, "We had agreed on lunch, anyhow. I'm sure we could all use a bit of a break, especially if we're going to go back to the Market. Thank you for reminding us", she offered, looking at Terra with a smile. Terra seemed as if she had just lost a fight with a tiny whirlwind, and supposed that wasn't too far from the truth. Caelum was their whirlwind, in many aspects. He simply got up, and determinedly walked off to...well, she wasn't sure where, but he seemed to be in a better mood than before and she wasn't about to ruin it. She watched as the lanky, disheveled angel padded off, and from the corner of her gaze...she saw Francis getting up. It seemed he had kept Theodore company and she was silently thankful for that.

Before Mizuki could follow after Caelum, she paused to look up to Terra who seemed to be...thanking her. Oh. Mizuki looked up, grateful to the fairy, "...I...appreciate you taking the time to tell me that. I kind of needed to hear that", she admitted a little weakly, smiling a little better and even laughing as the fairy rolled her eyes and quickly fluttered off to follow after Caelum. She sighed, truly happy to have met someone as understanding and kind as Terra. Women had to stick together, after all.

Mizuki rubbed at the back of her neck as if to rub away at a sore muscle. She made sure she had everything in her bag, not wanting to leave anything behind...only to tense when she noticed Theodore was coming her way. The chair nearly announced his general existence, and his footsteps were...unmistakable to her, at this point. He breath nearly caught in her throat, looking upwards to catch a small glimpse of the vampire. He simply paused beside her, seemingly waiting for her to walk in front of him. So, that's how it was.

Okay.

Mizuki bowed her head politely to the man before she turned and made her way out of the home, softly offering a whispered "thank you" to the space, as if it was the home itself that led her to the discovery of the coupon. She didn't bother looking back to Theodore and Francis, she didn't bother catching up to Terra and Caelum. She walked in the middle by herself, happy for the time alone to collect her thoughts. She even took out her camera and began to take a few pictures here and there of nothing. Just empty pictures capturing fleeting moments. High in exposure and motion blur.

Francis had joined Theodore's side afterwards, just in time to catch Mizuki's back turned to them. The vampire shifted his attention to Theodore, who seemed content enough to walk by his side for the time being, and Francis? Well, Francis welcomed him and his brooding silence.

~​

What Francis didn't expect though...was for Caelum to bring them to a Deli of all places. A cute little space, decorated with modern finishes. The angel seemed to take determined strides forward, so no one questioned him on his sudden burst of confidence in a leadership position guiding a herd of stupefied sheep. The thing is, though...Francis wasn't sure how comfortable Theodore was going to feel being surrounded by raw cuts of meat of all kinds of grazed animals. Seeing how dissatisfied he seemed after downing a whole packet of what smelled like rabbit's blood, this was only going to agitate him further. Francis knew from experience.

Well, there was no arguing with Caelum, he supposed. And, Francis believed this was the perfect space to test Theodore's bloodlust and maybe even come up with a plan on how to help him. So, they all shuffled through the space. While he kept an eye on Theodore, he also made sure to flick his attention up towards Mizuki occasionally and overall? She seemed relatively calm. He ensured to sit beside Theodore, seeing it was his only option, with the absolute pleasure of sitting in front of Terra! He flashed her a grin, while absolutely aware of the fact that that meant that it was Mizuki who was sitting across from Theodore and these tables weren't exactly...large. Mizuki shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her eyes cast down over her hands that were neatly folded in front of her. And, Caelum? Ah, well he looked so pretty at the head of the table.

Francis was enjoying this little dynamic, seemingly tickled, when Theodore spoke up in a hushed tone beside him. “I feel like I’m going insane in here, it’s like some kind of cruel torture".

There it was. Francis kept his tone casual, his lips curled up in a soft tease, "What? The fact that you can't sit next to your girlfriend—", he winked at the man", —or the fact that there is a bloodied steak displayed beautifully over there? Look at that marble", Francis grinned teasingly, affectionately curling an arm around the man's shoulders and practically draping himself into his side. He ensured to keep his tone just above a whisper, "...come now, something tells me you don't expose yourself to this type of environment often, and that is your first mistake. Something also tells me that you're hungry, if you weren't, this wouldn't be bothering you", he hummed, his tone soft and understanding.

"Here", Francis used his free hand to shove into the messenger bag he dangled over his seat's backrest. He rummaged through the contents before he slid out what seemed to be an inconspicuous tin bottle, "...Alfred has a little project involving the creation of "fake-blood"...so to say. It's to help vampires find a cleaner source of blood, a cheaper source, and one that doesn't involve plastic pouches. With alchemy, he is able to scientifically bring together the components that make up a human's blood. I've been acting as some sort of taste-tester and let me tell you...it's very good. I might have added a bit of wine, as I find a good Cabernet Sauvignon really enhances the flavor and helps with stress. It's just a small amount", he promised, "...try it. I know this whole adventure must be very irritating for you right now, and I hope to at least bring you some relief with this. You can have it all, and if you like it, I can bring you more. If you're still hungry, I'll get you some blood-sausage from the butcher. You English call it...black pudding, no?", he scrunched his nose up and offered a soft little laugh.

Mizuki seemed to relax upon hearing Francis laugh. The boys were whispering amongst one another, and she hoped Francis would be able to cheer Theodore up a lot better than she did. She sincerely meant it. In the meantime, she didn't bother looking at the menu and simply looked to both Caelum and Terra, "What will you two be ordering—? I didn't think angels or fairies ate meat, though...to be honest. Correct me if I'm wrong", she laughed a little nervously, seemingly apologetic due to her ignorance.

 

[Pepsionne]

Terra’s expression perked up into an interested curiosity at seeing the change that swept over Francis’ figure like a tide. He began speaking in French, his voice a low, sensuous rumble. It made Terra’s expression stutter, and plain confusion crept out from her previously innocent expression. The words that followed after, however, sent her eyes wide. She was sure from the heat that rocketed up through her throat that her cheeks had flushed into a furious red. She opened her mouth, unsure of what to say, but no words came out. Her mind flashed an image of his body hovering over her, his lips pressed against her neck where his fangs stung with a piercing ache. The image only served to make her face redder, and she pushed the thought from her mind. What he said had been a warning, a warning of something that every fairy had nightmares about. So why did it come across so suggestively?

She eventually mustered out a meek “Oh--yeah no problem,” In response to his decision to sit by Theodore instead. Caelum looked over at her, a brow raised in her direction. She rolled her eyes at him and shrugged, playing the interaction off nonchalantly. She couldn’t help but feel as though she had lost somehow, let him get the upper hand over her. And there was nothing more that Terra hated than someone getting the upper hand. Her competitive nature wouldn’t let her rest until she felt as though she won in some capacity. Terra eyed the vacant space he had once filled. Oh she would get back at him at some point, she would make damn sure of it.

Theodore didn’t notice Francis for the first several seconds of his arrival. He was stuck drowning in the swirling tide of his thoughts, feeling them pull him in circles around the cavernous dread that carved a hole in the middle of his chest. He only recognized the other man’s presence when Francis ran a hand over his back. Theodore practically melted at the touch, already having been softened by the disappointment that rode on the coattails of his anger. He didn’t say anything to Francis, who also felt the need for silence. Theodore simply just--sat, letting himself be supported silently by someone offering the help.

Time felt like it was dragging through thick sluggish mud as Terra waited in the living room for Mizuki to announce she had stopped searching. She could hear the gentle sounds of her poking and prodding around, but it wasn’t enough to save her from the screaming silence of sitting next to Caelum, who had said nothing to her since she sat down. She knew he had picked up on her flustering encounter with Francis, which only made the competitive bull rear its horns harder. Mizuki's return and announcement that her search had concluded was a welcome breath of fresh air to save her from her clamoring thoughts.

She nodded once by Mizuki’s side, hearing the woman explain her take on the person’s life they had just barged into. Terra’s chest dropped at hearing that the woman who lived here had a fiancé. She really had been just trying to live a life as normal, and they had disrupted it for selfish reasons. Mizuki’s disappointment at hearing they would be returning to the black market was impossible not to notice. Terra understood after the encounter she had had with the Succubus, but she didn’t have the heart to tell her that this would be far from her last visit to the black market. It was the blood of the underworld, where the supernatural creatures that lived secretly within the population of the city could finally get a chance to breathe and live their lives as they wished. It was the only place they would be able to find solid leads on a lot of the information they would be searching for.

Caelum nodded at Mizuki, acknowledging her effort to back up his announcement but not really caring. He was going to lunch with or without them, but he supposed it was less effort if they tagged along so he wouldn’t have to search for them once he finished eating. Even though he hadn’t said much at all on their journey in the beginning, he decided to walk ahead of everyone else to continue avoiding any interaction. The feelings that were dredged up from Francis’ news had since faded, and he felt--normal again. Or rather--felt what he was used to feeling. It didn’t surprise him really, that The Order was overlooking a systemic genocide within the underworld. Anything to keep the peace and their power he supposed. Hell, even if they were actively participating in the executions, with his position within the hierarchy of The Order, there was piss all he could do to stop it. There was no point in being angry over something he had no control over. It was just a waste. So instead of worrying, he did as he usually did, and pondered what sandwich he was going to get when they finally reached their destination.

--

Theodore appreciated the efforts Francis was making to ensure the glue that bound their group together didn’t crumble and fall apart at the smallest instances of tension. His latest comment though, insinuating playfully at the relationship between him and Mizuki, was not as helpful to his mood as he was sure the vampire imagined it to be. So he ignored the comment, letting his body be pulled into Francis’ more muscular figure as he taunted Theodore about the meats.

The sensitive hairs on his neck stood at the feeling of Francis’ hushed, low breath cascade against it as he whispered to him privately. Theodore kept his eyes burning straight ahead at an unspecified point in the restaurant while he soaked in what Francis was saying to him. The taste of blood was still heavy in his mouth. Even the most fleeting thought to how it felt sliding down his throat was enough to send his mouth watering, fangs poking gently against his bottom lip.

He listened openly to Francis’ solution to the problem at hand, his gaze clouding curiously when he mentioned Alfred’s project of engineering blood. Theodore swallowed hard at the mention of it being human blood, of all things. They didn’t drink it often, Samantha had only given him a taste of it two or three times in the span of his life with her. Of those times, not a single one ever amounted to anything remotely considered “civil” in vampire society. The taste of it, cold or not, never failed to send him back to that bloody motel room. Back to a moment that even decades did piss all to erase.

Theodore stared at Francis while he continued to talk to him, taking on an almost mentor-like tone. He surprised himself with the amused smile that snuck into his face when Francis brought up the British dish, black pudding. “My grandmother used to love making that. And she was proud of it, too. Used to enter contests for her recipes all the time. I was always a picky eater as a child, so something like that wouldn’t even be an option to me.” He turned the tin bottle Franncis had given him over in his hand, the sound of his skin smooth as it passed over the surface. “But my grandmother was clever, she tricked me with the name of it, said it was something akin to a sweet sausage. After, when she told me what I really ate, I was appalled. I accused her of being a vampire, for liking something so disgusting. I tried convincing my parents, I’d sneak garlic in my pockets every time we went over to visit,” he chuckled lightly. “I think she’d get a laugh out of seeing what I’ve become. At the irony of it all.”

Theodore smiled at Francis, the emotion only faintly reaching his eyes. There was a deeper look within his irises that sunk low and flat, a sadness that had grown stale with age.

“Hmm,” Terra hummed in thought to Mizuki’s question as she poured over the menu in her hand. “You’re right, I don’t eat meat. But this seasonal harvest salad they have sounds pretty good,” She looked over at Mizuki with a beaming smile. Her anxieties from the Necromancer’s house had faded away. Being back in the bustling city, full of life and youth, replenished her optimistic outlook from earlier. Francis had also eased her worry by tackling the brooding storm that overcame Theodore. Terra was left in a brief state of shock to have seen Mizuki’s efforts not only end up fruitless, but actually leaving Theodore in a worse mood than she had found him. Maybe Terra had misjudged their relationship. She had heard rumors all the time that Vampires were complicated and overdramatic. Theodore and Francis thoroughly proved the dramatic aspect of those rumors to be true, but it seemed that all three of them were chalking up to be much more complicated than she could reasonably comprehend.

Her eyes turned up to a young waitress who approached them tentatively, the notebook in her hand clenched tight. “Um--have you all decided on something to eat?” She asked, her voice struggling against the low rumble of ambient conversation around them.

Caelum looked up at the girl with his vacant, expressionless eyes and said in a droning voice, “I’ll take the italian sub with toasted bread. Everything on it is fine.”

Terra shared a glance with Mizuki before turning to the girl and smiling sweetly. “I’ll take the seasonal salad please. Thank you.” She smiled.

“Theodore looked over the menu before them languidly in his hand. He looked up at the waitress from under his lashes, his face still trained on the menu as he thought about what to order. “I’ll take a hamburger, as rare as you’re allowed to serve it to me.”

The waitress blushed slightly, turning her gaze quickly to her notebook to scribble down his order along with Terra and Caelum’s. After taking Mizuki and Francis’ orders as well, she scurried off to the back of the restaurant. Terra watched her rush off, feeling a bit sorry for the girl. As much as supernaturals tried to blend in, there would always be a different feel to them, a nagging feeling of discomfort that was impossible to understand.

Theodore opened the tin container Francis had handed him, twisting off the cap slowly. He stared down into the black hole of the container uncertainly. He brought the bottle up slowly, swishing the liquid around inside to get a better hint of the smell. At the first instant the scent registered in his mind, his pupils immediately shrank into predatory slits, and his fangs throbbed. Theodore returned the lid to the bottle with shaking hands. Maybe it was best if he stuck to animal blood in public.

 

[Razvi-sama]

Mizuki | Francis

Location: NYC Deli, Black Market​

Ah, he didn't bite. Francis believed he might have gone too far, and upon realizing this, he didn't push the matter further. He was still learning Theodore's boundaries, after all. Francis kept his smile no less—it was a compassionate and friendly smile.

Francis decided to focus on what was actually irritating Theodore. It was more than the simple disappointment in losing one of the only leads to helping Samantha. It didn't help that their current surroundings were actively taunting Theodore, and Francis couldn't help but shift his attention towards Caelum who seemed to emptily stare into space. Was the angel doing this on purpose or was he aware of the potential harm that this could have brought to the majority in the group? He sighed. He was going to have to sit down and explain to the rest that certain vampires were more...sensitive than others when it came to the presence of blood. So, instead of feeling judgement or off-put by Theodore's grumble...he felt empathetic.

Francis' brows puckered together in gentle understanding, leaning into Theodore's side and smothering away any space between the two. He kept his voice soft for only the vampire to hear, not wanting the others to believe there was a problem—because there wasn't. His gaze traced over Theodore's defined profile, noticing the man's gaze seemed distant and unfocused, but he was confident the vampire was listening. He told Theodore of a substance Alfred was currently spending the Guild's funding on his research with artificial blood. This could potentially help the feral crisis they had on their hands, and there would never be a short supply of blood. It would be accesible and clean for any and vampires, and he was hoping it would somehow mend the years of tension between Sorcerers and vampires. Alfred was a man with a big heart, and simply wanted to do some good within their society.

Given how often Francis visited Alfred—thanks to having to mediate for the Council multiple times—the vampire was honored when Alfred approached him with his project, asking if he could serve as some sort of taste-tester. The premise was silly, yet heavily amusing, so he happily obliged. He had to admit that the first couple of trials were...hard to swallow, but he was proud to announce that Alfred had been working tirelessly to get this done. Maybe then, the clans could find a compromise on the distribution of blood, and leave humans out of the equation. See them more as equals, less like...cattle.

Francis mentioned that the blood held a striking similarity to human's blood, as that was the point. Alfred wanted to create a product that would be favorable for...all clans, so to say. But, as he mentioned the blood's inclination towards human blood, he watched as Theodore practically stiffened where he sat, his gaze even growing hardened by...something outside of Francis' reach. He handed the vampire the tin bottle, stating it was his to keep—if needed. He even went on to tease the young vampire with the premise of getting him a sandwich stuffed with blood sausage—and if his memory served him, the British called it "black pudding", no?

...and to his pleasant surprise, that seemed to have opened Theodore a little to him. It wasn't much, but it was a start. Francis leaned into the table before them, propping his elbow against the wooden surface and resting his chin against the palm of his hand. He watched the vampire with a softened expression, his smile stretched out in warm admiration, "You seem like you were a picky eater as a kid", he joked back, a gentle laugh enveloping him and rumbling deep within his chest. Clearly amused with the sweet tale he was being privy to. He nodded here and there to assure the vampire he was listening, only to snort inelegantly when his grandmother's betrayal was revealed! And, Theodore even accused her of being a vampire! Theodore mentioned it himself, the irony of it was...well, sure it had to be some sick play from the gods. The two shared in the laugh, Francis happily imagining a tiny Theodore with garlic stuffed in his pockets to out his poor grandmother. He was sure she had a good laugh, as well, "She sounded like a wonderfully conniving woman", he complimented.

Francis didn't press further on Theodore's family, and their whereabouts. They weren't close enough for that, and...for many vampires, family was a hard topic to swallow. Instead, he added one of his own, "...I had three children in my lifetime. Before I was...turned, obviously", he hummed, "And, my son was also an incredibly picky eater. You'd think that during times of hardship, children would eat anything they could, but not Pélage", he chuckled at the memory, "That boy saw a piece of cabbage, and he would rather eat a rock than grace a cabbage with his fine tongue", he rolled his eyes jovially. He sighed contentedly, leaning back into his seat while he brushed back a lock of his hair, "His mother and I had to get very creative in hiding the vile vegetable from him", he stated, lost in his own nostalgia. When he came to, he found Theodore smiling, and while that probably didn't cure whatever ailed him at his core...it was a start.

Mizuki was happy to learn about another creature's quirks, and hoped she could learn enough to be able to aid Terra in anything she needed. It was refreshing, talking about something that didn't revolve around clans, vampires, or the Council. She didn't know much about fairies. In her mind, they were tiny and dainty—just as perceived in media. When Terra mentioned the harvest salad, Mizuki peeked down at the menu and read the description as to what went into the harvest salad:

This salad combines so many great textures and autumn flavors: roasted butternut squash, crunchy pecans and pumpkin seeds, crumbled feta cheese, sweet cranberries, crispy apples, nutty quinoa, and hearty kale. All tossed together with a tangy apple cider vinaigrette.

That did sound pretty good! Mizuki was simply happy to find Terra seemed a lot more at ease now that they left the Necromancer's home. She was smiling at her with a beautiful and bright grin, and Mizuki couldn't help but return it. What could she say? Terra was wonderfully infectious. She was also happy to hear...Francis laughing, and when she looked up...she even found Theodore smiling. She visibly relaxed at the sight, content that someone was able to help him in the way he needed to be helped. Mizuki found herself in a slight daze, lost in thought as she drank in his image with hooded eyes—"Um—have you all decided on something to eat?".

A-Ah! Right. Mizuki shook out of her mindless thoughts and practically stuffed her face into her menu. She hadn't looked at any of the selections! The vampire silently fretted as the people around her made their orders. She peeked up to find the waitress grow flustered in their presence, and even more so when Theodore addressed her. He seemed to have that effect on people, she silently thought to herself with a playful grin tugging at her lips. She shifted her attention to share a glance with Terra before she peeked back down to her menu.

"I'll have the same as my friend here. As rare as you are legally allowed", Francis ordered after Theodore, patting the vampire's shoulder in solidarity, "And, an espresso", he added, settling his menu down as they now turned to Mizuki who was the last to order.

"A-Ah, I'll have a raspberry iced tea", Mizuki ordered meekly, "A large. If you could serve it in a to-go cup, I'd appreciate it. And, only serve it half-way...if possible", she stated, "...that's it", she assured in a low mumble.

As the waitress rushed away, Francis looked to Mizuki in amusement, "What kind of lunch order is that?", he laughed.

Mizuki smiled jovially, rolling her eyes at Francis, "I'm not really interested in eating anything solid right now", she stated, "I have two packets of rabbit's blood I should put to good use lest they go bad, but I only need one. I actually brought extra for the two of you, just in case...", she murmured a little sheepishly, playing with the edges of her bandages.

Francis softened for the vampire, "That's very kind and I appreciate it, but I always bring my own", he assured. His eyes gravitated towards Terra momentarily, remembering the delicious little reaction he had gotten out of her earlier, "But! If you want, you can give my portion to Theodore", he offered, "I wouldn't want good rabbit's blood to go to waste", he hummed.

"S-Sure...", Mizuki softly agreed, not finding any issues with it. As she rummage through her bag, Francis watched from the corner of his eye as Theodore untwisted the cap on the thermos, and his reaction...wasn't the best. Something else to keep in mind. He didn't make a fuss about it, either, not wanting the others to catch on. This wasn't something they needed to worry about, and the more they fretted? The worse Theodore would feel. Thus, Francis shifted to rest a hand on top of Theodore's shaking ones, "How about I hold onto this for you? I don't want you lugging around a heavy tin bottle", he smiled kindly.

Francis was just slipping his bottle back into his bag when Mizuki slid out a brown paper bag. Inside, held the plastic pack of rabbit's blood. She...slid it across the table towards Theodore, not really able to meet his gaze.

Their meal was relatively quiet. A few bit of small talk between them here and there, but they focused on their meal and the next part of the mission. Mizuki even tried to include Caelum in the conversation, asking how his sandwich was.

Just as Francis was finishing the last of his burger, taking a small sip of his espresso before he turned to the rest, "So, where are we going next? I had assumed you all—Or rather, Mizuki found a clue. I did want to say sorry we didn't help you look and thank you. It's been a long day, after all", he stated.

Mizuki shook her head, having gotten over it a while ago, "It's fine, I assure you", she said kindly, offering the vampire a smile as she took a sip of her bloody iced tea, "I was telling Terra earlier, that I had found a coupon for a fortune teller. Terra said it seemed recent and it wasn't even expired, and that she even knows where to find said fortune teller. So, we thought we'd give it a shot".

"I see", Francis hummed, "That's actually very smart. You see, fortune tellers work very closely with Necromancers. Sometimes. Think of it as freelance work. Necromancers can reach the beyond and talk to the dead, which brings business to the fortune teller who promised they can reunite loved ones. And, so on", he stated, "Can I see the coupon?".

Mizuki was relieved to hear she found an actual lead, actually feeling a little proud. She nodded to Francis and slid it out of her pocket, carefully unfolding it and handing it over to the vampire. Francis thanked her and took the piece of violet paper, looking it over and...even recognizing the name, "...oh", he mumbled, "I know her. She's located deep in the bowls of the Black Market", he stated, eyeing the rest of the group, "The area might be a little dangerous, are we sure we want to go?", he asked.

Mizuki sighed, "Well, we didn't start any of this because we thought it'd be easy", she murmured, earning a small laugh from Francis.

"Touché".

After paying for their own bills, the group gathered together and it was now Francis' turn to lead the group alongside Terra. He was happy to stand in front with her, though also curious what would happen with the awkward little vampires that trailed after them. He kept an eye on Caelum to make sure he was following, but mainly was content on the fact that he and Terra were walking together. The walk wasn't far from the Deli, so no need for subways or cabs. The Brooklyn Bridge was in full view, and seeing that they were already well known to the Black Market's troll, he was sure they wouldn't have any issues with entry, "So, mon chou à la crème...how long have you lived down in the Black Market?", he asked, "Don't you ever miss being on the surface, where the sun is shining down? I hear fairies have elaborate dances to celebrate the sun's awakening", he hummed, peeking down at her from underneath his parasol.

Meanwhile...Mizuki was actually happy that Francis had gone up with Terra, because whether she liked it or not...she felt like she needed to check in on Theodore. She wasn't going to push him, but she at least wanted to say that she tried. Mizuki found herself falling into Theodore's step bit by bit, until eventually their pace had matched. Her eyes were cast downwards, to the side, and her hands were shifting nervously behind her. She couldn't already smell the river's rushing water up ahead, "Hey, um—I wanted to say sorry if I crossed a line with you...it wasn't my intention, really. And, if you need to talk, I'm happy to listen. If you need space, that's also valid and you can tell me to leave you alone. But, I just wanted to see if there was anything I could do for you, now", she stated, finally gather the courage to look up at the vampire.

 

[Pepsionne]

Theodore | Terra | Caelum
Location: NYC Deli, Black Market/Fortune Teller's Shop​

Caelum soaked in the groups' separated conversations as they talked lowly amongst themselves at the table. Everyone seemed more relaxed than they had been leaving the Necromancer’s house earlier. The tension and emotion emitting from their bodies had been nearly suffocating for him to endure. He had kept his eye a little closer on Theodore than the others, anticipating having to interject himself in the vampire’s way had he let his emotions overtake him. Just the thought of having to exert the effort for that exhausted him. This group was supposed to be low maintenance, but based on several of their most recent scats, it seemed like it was chalking up to be more work than he signed up for. He could let the procurement of the documents slide in favor of skipping out on his end in this deal. He’d give them a bit more time before he cut his ties and promises, but if the search for a necromancer came up empty handed, it’d be the signal he needed to bow out. He’d just have to find a way to finesse enough deals out of the black market bosses to cough up something of substance to the Order. The one thing in the world he hated more than doing work was getting lectured by the Archangels.

Theodore didn’t know why it caught him off guard, but witnessing Francis reciprocate the tale from his childhood with the man’s own reminiscing caused him to stutter. He realized that he hadn’t stopped to think about the fact that Francis had a time where he too was human, no matter how long ago that might have been. Hearing the endearing tone as the vampire talked about his family helped to clear some of the darker feelings swirling around in his chest. He smiled as he listened to Francis talk, a tinge of amusement coating his words as he said, “Well it seems that Pélage and I would have gotten along marvelously. I detest cabbage even till this day.” He winked playfully at Francis before his attention was stolen back to the tin container settled with a heavy weight in his hands, and the playfulness from his expression fizzled out into a stoic concentration.

Terra was happy to have a moment alone with Mizuki, Caelum in his own world and Francis successfully talking Theodore out of his brooding episode. Although not actually alone with her to talk as freely as she wished, it was good enough. She smiled at Mizuki’s innocent interest in her diet. If Mizuki was anything like Theodore seemed to be, she was probably just as sheltered from the habits and lifestyles of supernaturals other than vampires. It was actually refreshing for once, to have someone with such a blank slate of what they expected a fairy to look and act like. Her whole life had been a constant battle of failing to live up with what people expected of her. The weight of their stupefied stares was a pressure she was never able to get used to.

Her eyes flit over to where she saw Mizuki drifting off in thought, the object of her admiration being--Theodore. A ghost smile traced across Terra’s lips as she saw Mizuki become lost in thought, looking at the man as his own gaze was traced elsewhere, oblivious.

She watched as the waitress grew more flustered than usual under Theodore’s unknowing stare, her face flushing pink as she attempted to bury her face behind the small notebook clutched in her hands. Terra caught Mizuki’s eye as the other woman noticed the encounter, and she stifled a laugh. It surely was ironic that of all the supernatural creatures Theodore managed to assimilate into, it was Vampires. Their kind already had a dizzying effect on humans, and his looks surely didn’t help in that matter. Unwillingly, Terra’s mind wandered into a darker thought. She was sure if he really wanted to, Theodore could become just as effective as the beautiful vampires depicted in tales such as Dracula. Beautiful, poetic--dangerous.

Theodore felt his gaze solidify into that of worry once Francis teased Mizuki for her lunch order. She was the only one who hadn’t ordered anything solid, not like she needed it. His human instincts still gripped his body, telling him to worry for her health needlessly. He looked down at his hands on the table with a sense of guilt as she brought up the extra rabbit’s blood that was packed for their sake. He took this opportunity to change tract and test out the blood that Francis had offered him, which was instantly a mistake. He nodded solemnly as he felt the pressure of Francis’ hands resting atop his own, gently ushering the bottle out of his grip.

He accepted the blood Mizuki slid over to him, unable to fully recognize her body language in the heat of the moment. Theodore was still coming down from the spike of adrenaline the scent of human blood had shot through his system, but he still managed to accept the blood pack nonetheless.

Terra glanced around awkwardly once their food had arrived and everyone settled into their own mindset over the meal. Caelum was silent as he plowed through the sandwich methodically, offering Mizuki a mere nod of his head in response to her question. Theodore had stiff movements as he slowly ate his burger, offering small observations to Francis now and then as he ate. Terra picked over her salad rather unenthusiastically. It was as great as she was expecting it to be, although her nerves made it difficult to eat. The presence of their food meant the little hiatus of their mealtime was soon coming to a close, and they would be plunged back into the high stress situation of finding a necromancer. Terra couldn’t quite put a finger on it, but a foreboding feeling had begun to swirl in the pit of her chest.

Once he had finished off the last of his burger, Theodore felt the shaking adrenaline from earlier fully exit his system. He felt--normal again, the normal he had adjusted to since Samantha’s arrest. He listened to Francis and Mizuki discuss the Fortune Teller openly. He hadn’t even realized they had found a clue to go off of back in the house--oops. He must have been too entrenched in the fire of his anger and doubt to even process their next steps after this meal.

Terra nodded at Mizuki’s mention of the Fortune Teller. “‘I’ve heard talk about her through the Black Market and passed by a couple times, but I’ve never personally been myself,” She added quickly.

Theodore leaned forward to look at the coupon Mizuki handed Francis, reading the sharply printed words emblazoned across the front. He stiffened at Francis’ mention of the danger of the trip, but then again, what was more dangerous than breaking into one of the most secure institutions in the supernatural world? He looked up at Mizuki’s low mutter, and a smile ghosted across his lips. She was right, they knew this wasn’t going to be easy from the very first step. Why would that stop them now?

Caelum craned his neck to look at the brightly colored violet paper pinched between Francis’ fingers. His eyes slid lazily across the text. “I know her too,” He drawled lowly, wiping his hands on a paper napkin. He slid his attention back to his phone, signaling that was the most he had planned on contributing to their conversation.

--
The wrapping up of the meal seemed to have passed Terra by in a blur, possibly caused by her unwillingness to traverse further in their journey. It felt like mere seconds had passed, but nonetheless, Terra found herself walking instep with Francis. His voice purred as he addressed her in French, the smooth sound of it sending an odd feeling down the middle of her spine. She glanced up at his following question, surprised that he had taken the effort to learn anything about fairies at all. Well--he was a council member, he must know more than she gave him credit for. Terra brought a hand to her chin in thought. “I’ve never quite felt the same type of fulfillment as other fairies when it comes to rituals,” She admitted. “I feel more at home in the black market, where my life is unpredictable and each day is different.” She looked up at Francis once more and shrugged, unsure of how to align her feelings into something easy to describe. “What about you? I don’t hear of many Vampires in the black market. How do you like it compared to the city?”

Theodore’s eyes rested on the backs of Terra and Francis in front of them, his gaze soaking in their movements while they conversed. He walked in silence alongside Mizuki, finding her quiet presence beside him comfortable rather than awkward.The same couldn’t be said for her, however. Theodore’s gaze was stolen from the two in front, down to Mizuki beside him. She fidgeted around awkwardly with her hands for several seconds, before she eventually began speaking to him. Theodore listened respectfully while she spoke, soaking in the words she pushed into the space between them. He only moved his gaze away from her when her own gaze drifted up to look at him. Theodore thought about the words she said to him, his expression unchanging. Throughout his childish antics and dramatic upheaval of their group dynamic, Mizuki was still coming to him first to apologize. That thought made his chest pinch in frustration. He appreciated her forgiving nature and relative patience, but when it pushed him to feel guilty for his own decisions, it was a painful quality. After a beat he said, still looking forward at the path before them, “I think I owe you an apology,” His voice was soft as it spread to fill the air between them. He ignored her previous comments, unsure of how to respond to them. Why was she still being so nice to him? After everything he had put her through? “I shouldn’t have behaved that way, and you’re right. I did barge into someone’s life with selfish intentions. I shouldn’t have done that. I certainly shouldn’t have brushed you off so coldly when you were only trying to help. I was being stubborn because you had seemed so distant earlier in the day, and when we finally did have a conversation it felt like you were just lecturing me. I don’t know--I didn’t like the way it felt in the moment. You weren’t the one in the wrong though,” He stated matter of factly, finally looking down to meet her gaze. “You didn’t cross any lines. If you did they were ones I shouldn’t have been drawing in the first place.” Theodore let out a sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. He tilted his gaze up at the sky above them, which was now a clear, rich blue that seemed to stretch endlessly. The color was so bold it felt as though he could taste it.

“I’m not really sure what I need anymore,” He admitted, bringing his gaze back to the two leading their small group. “But I do know that this is nice,” He smiled. “Walking beside you like this.”

He tilted his head down to his feet as he walked. “You know, I’ve read Dracula cover to cover many times over, especially since I’ve been turned. I always liked how poetic it was, how complex they made Dracula as a character, despite being the main villain in the story,” Theodore offered her a small smile. “But there’s always one line that stands out to me, when Van Helsing addresses Mina. He tells her, ‘There are darknesses in life and there are lights. You are one of the lights.’ ” He paused and placed his hands in the pockets of his jacket. “I think about that quote a lot when I’m around you. It feels--fitting.” A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. The look within his eyes looked relaxed, calm, much different from the angry storm that had clouded them earlier in the day. There was still a lingering sense of agony behind his expression though, a burning sense of frustration that he no longer had the energy to entertain further.

Thankfully, Francis had no problem locating the door to the Black Market, ushering them all inside quickly. At this point, Theodore had come to expect the suffocating tunnel that led them down to the main courtyard of the market below them. He was able to somewhat control his breathing as he stepped further down into the Earth, but it didn’t really feel like it was making that much of a difference.

Terra looked to Francis once everyone had made it into the main courtyard of the Black Market. She felt a slight calm wash over her being in a well known area once more, but it did little to ease the foreboding dread that had grown in size the further they trekked on. “Would you like to lead the way?” She asked innocently, batting her lashes for added effect.

--

Spoiler: Fortune Teller's Shop

The Fortune Teller’s shop looked rather unimpressive as Theodore stood before it. It looked almost exactly as he’d seen on the streets of New York only this one was--well, underground. The purple neon lights shone brilliantly through the shadowy dark alleyway. This part of the black market somehow managed to make two in the afternoon feel like three in the morning. There was a hollow chill to the air around them, a constant reminder of how empty and abandoned the environment around them was. He blinked in surprise when the door opened before them, a woman walking out silently. She glanced in their direction curiously, a slight raise in her heavy brows as she slipped from the door. His muscles tightened instinctively, unsure of what the woman's intentions were. She gave them all a once over before turning on her heel, down into the deeper shadows behind them. Oh--so she had been a customer then? There was a low hiss coming from her person, and to Theodore's surprise, he caught the gleam of an eye peeking from a scaly head. She had a snake curled comfortably around her neck, which peered up at their group with narrowed eyes. He swallowed hard in confusion, but pushed the thought from his mind. What a weird coincidence.

He hesitated to walk in through the door, letting the others take the initiative before he followed along. The scent of the incense burning within attacked his senses, and he scrunched his nose. The scent was thick and heavy in the air. Theodore choked back a feeling of awe as he looked around the small shop. What took him aback almost immediately was just how much--stuff the Fortune Teller had been able to cram into the space. There was a room with a cracked door off the the right, and a staircase built into the wall directly opposite of where they had entered. Theodore eyed the almost cozy looking interior awash with an oozing honey colored glow. He looked to the others for guidance, unsure of what to do now that they had reached their destination.

 

[Razvi-sama]

Mizuki | Francis | Naomi

Location: Black Market - The Third Eye​

As they walked out of the deli, Francis was feeling good about his blooming friendship with Theodore. He had shared something a little personal with the vampire, and the young man reciprocated with a cute little quip that had the vampire laughing. It was actually a detail from his life he hadn't shared with many people, he didn't think it was necessary and most vampires had their heads so far up their asses...that a space to even share such details was non-existent.

Francis remembered the day Samantha called him and asked him to help her with Theodore's papers. She never went into detail as to how she found him, never went into detail about his Turning. She simply insisted that Theodore was now her responsibility and she wanted him to join the Vieru where she could keep a close eye on him. Hell, he supposed he had been watching over Theodore for a lot longer than he realized. As years would pass by, Samantha would go on to express to Francis that every day she was learning something new about Theodore, and how she has come to adore his company. He was like a son to her, she said. He was witty and smart, and held a healthy sense of justice. She would share with Francis a few of his articles, and even the vampire had to admit his interest was peeked. And, in the end...all he could think about was that everything Samantha had told him about Theodore was true. However, now he was learning a few other things Samantha never told him about. Like, his temper...and his inability to handle his blood lust. Samantha adored him so much, that she kept him sheltered. And, he was going to change that.

Francis looked over his shoulder to find Mizuki and Theodore walking side-by-side one another, with Caelum tailing behind the two. He noted how attentive Mizuki was of him, ensuring he was following and doing her best to include him on their conversation and decision making. His little inputs were rather amusing to Francis, as he thought back on Mizuki's smile when Caelum piped up that he also knew of the illustrious Fortune Teller they were about to visit. She seemed more at ease with Caelum's presence, especially now seeing that he had no interest in turning them in. He was a passive little man who trailed after them silently, like a balloon tied to a child's wrist.

Francis returned back to his conversation with Terra, having asked her if she enjoyed living in the Black Market, a space where the sun had been completely snuffed out. He had always assumed a fairy needed the sun's nurturing touch in order to survive. From what he heard, they practically worshipped the ardent mass with dances and songs. He had always wanted to have the honor to watch the sun peek over the horizon with fairies dancing over its luminous rays. Terra thought over his question, eventually muttering out that she...well, she felt more at home in the Black Market. Such rituals and routines never really sparked much joy for her, so to be a part of such a unique community like the Black Market's...well, she was happy. Francis smiled for her, "I see. Sorry if that seemed like a rather intrusive, I'm happy you have found your space", he said kindly, "I never imagined people actually enjoyed the Black Market, seeing how dangerous it is, but...I can see how that can be thrilling", he assured with a smile. He shrugged when the question was reciprocated back to him, looking ahead to the Brooklyn Bridge. His hands were stuffed inside his pockets, taking in a breath of the cool, crisp afternoon air, "I just go for business, in all honesty. I'm the Council's middle-man, so to say", he hummed, "It's actually all the same to me, but I suppose I still get a little entranced from the Market's oddities here and there...", he hummed, flicking his eyes back down to her, "...still feel enamored", he nearly purred to her before he smiled a teasing little number and looked before him once more, "I do enjoy the quiet, though. I have a space in the heart of New York. You're free to visit, I'll show you my favorite spots in the city...and you can show me your favorite spots in the Market. What do you think?".

Mizuki wasn't one to leave things unsaid. And, while she didn't believe she had done anything particularly wrong, she did believe she owed Theodore an apology. She clearly had done something to upset him, and he was in his right to feel that way after all. Plus, she...couldn't handle people being mad at her. Especially not someone who meant as much to her as Theodore did. So, she apologized and asked if there was anything she could do to help him. He allowed her the space to talk, and when she said her piece...she respected his own silence. She couldn't really decipher his expression, not knowing if she made the situation between them worse by speaking up. She frowned, her hand raising to rub at the back of her neck awkwardly. She was about to simply assure him to forget this and move on...maybe even slide beside Caelum and reprimand herself in peace. But, then...he said the most foreign thing. I think I owe you an apology.

Mizuki blinked a little owlishly, staring up at the vampire with complete bewilderment. He then went into detail as to why he was apologizing, and...Mizuki looked relieved. Her shoulders slacking while the tension slid out of her body with each reassurance that came from Theodore. He went on to explain that he was being stubborn, stating that it was because she seemed distant. And, then...it dawned on her. Oh. That...made sense. She was staring up at Theodore with wide-eyed and crinkled brows, showing her concern while her hands found themselves twisting nervously at her bag's strap, "I'm...happy to hear that I didn't cross any lines, but you are in your right to draw whatever boundaries you deem necessary for yourself. That's not something you have to apologize for. You had a very human reaction, and now seeing your side of things...my apology still stands", she assured, watching as his eyes found themselves staring up at the endless sky. She found herself—a little hesitantly—doing the same. Mizuki's head tilted back to regard the never-ending stretch of blue that accompanied her her whole life. The same sky she was born under, the same sky she now shared with Theodore. She grew a little lost in her daze, her mind wandering like an aimless cloud.

"I didn't think I was being distant, and if that's what you perceived, I'm sorry. I wasn't doing it on purpose, if that helps?", Mizuki hummed after a small pause, flicking her attention back to Theodore, "...I actually have to talk to you about something, but later once we finish our little hunt", she stated, smiling for him, "But, this morning? I was just being a little spacey, and getting to know Terra. She the only other girl in this group, and I found you were having a nice time with Francis and Caelum...I didn't want to disturb", she admitted.

After another bout of silence, Mizuki returned her eyes to the sky, seemingly a little lost in thought until Theodore spoke up, again. He was still probably mourning, and Mizuki wished she knew how to help. Not even Theodore knew what he needed. But, she promised herself she would keep trying. She was already holding a determined little pout when...Theodore had caught her off guard, once again. She nearly choked, feeling a rush of fluttering butterflies in her stomach...and if she had a working heart, it would skip a beat. What..."Really?", she asked a little dumbly, "...I...", his smile was infectious, as her own slid out to view, "...it is nice", she stated eventually in a soft tune, feeling her body melt at ease beside him. She was no longer picking, or tense.

Mizuki's cheeks felt warm and turned her attention to Theodore as he mentioned Dracula. The intricacies, the complexity behind the tale and the character himself. The novel itself influenced today's pop culture, literature, and the modern vampire. It was fascinating as a vampire, almost deemed as a bible of sorts by few. She nodded along to Theodore, having read Dracula herself. It was one of the books Elenora made her read, after all. She remembered the novel fondly, and to hear Theodore had obsessively read Dracula time and time again made sense for who he was as a person. Articulate, poetic...a little melodramatic here and there. But, it enchanted her...She didn't really know where he was going with this, especially when he quoted one of Van Helsing's many compliments to Mina, only for Theodore to redirect the quote to...her.

"...the light of all lights...", Mizuki finished the quote to herself, looking up to Theodore to feel a tightening in her chest. A warmth in her cheeks. Her eyes felt heavy with wonder, drinking in his image as he seemed...relaxed and at calm. She was happy, and it showed in her smile, "No one has ever said something so beautiful to me before. You really have a way with words, Theodore Griffith", she hummed. She felt her knuckles brush delicately against his own, a reminder that she was right beside him. These were words that she was to keep in her heart for many years to come, in times of doubt and pain. Words that would forever guide her path. "...thank you. And, next time I ever seem distant? You can approach me, but I promise you...I could never stay away from you for very long. You've been my sole inspiration for many years, and I couldn't imagine doing this with anyone else", she stated, light bumping her side into his in a playful show of camaraderie.

~​

They continue forward with Francis leading the way. He found the hidden behind the shadows as it usually did, this time no troll to tease them. They were no longer strangers to the Market. They made their way down, and Mizuki was there to remind Theodore that he was not alone. To take deep, and steady breaths while their fingers were curled together in solidarity.

As they exited out the other end, Mizuki was reminded how overwhelming the Market could be...with its lights, its patrons, its charm. She stood there, taking it all in for a second time while Francis seemed unfazed by it. Terra was able to gather a reaction out of the vampire a little more effectively, as she sweetly asked if he could lead the way with a charming little bat to her lashes fluttering up at him. Oh, she must think she had him wrapped around her little finger, hm? He grinned, "Only if you let me hold your hand the whole way there...I'm a bit of a wuss", he hummed in return, winking down at the little fae while he offered his hand to her. He gave her hand a small squeeze in return before he led the way forward, ensuring to keep her by his side.

The walk to the Fortune Teller's shop was a long one and the further they walked, the darker the atmosphere around them grew like a thick fog. Mizuki would nervously peek around, keeping her body tense with anticipation as she could smell the bitter scent of sulfur in the air. Demons. She weakly looked over her shoulder to ensure Caelum kept close, wondering what his presence might do against such vile creatures. She breathed out a little shakily, mentally noting to herself that they were a little further down from Terra's bar.

"Don't stop", Francis eventually called back, tugging Terra to his side, "Never stop moving in these areas. The moment the patrons around these parts notice you're lost, they will take advantage of that fact", he added, "We're thankfully not entirely near the sector, but it's is a little hot spot where demons like to gather. Some pool out here and there, even though they're not supposed to. It's their own little pocket of torture where they sell all sorts of illegal stuff. Like, fairy wings or vampire's blood", he stated, "They don't dare hunt outside of their domain, a truce made between the two leaders who rule the Black Market. It's rumored one of the leaders lives within the demon's sector. So, just keep a lookout", he stated.

Mizuki nodded to Francis' warning, "And, how do you know all this?".

"Council business. Had to slip in a few times myself in hopes to meet with Amon, one of the Black Market's leader. No such luck as of late, and quite honestly? I'm glad", Francis hummed. "But, they have a thing for vampires right now, as it's rare to find our kind down here. The rarer the species, the higher the price", he stated.

Mizuki frowned, weakly looking up to Theodore...was that why that succubus was trying to lure Theodore outside of the bar?

As they approached the Fortune Teller's shop down a dark and cramped alleyway, they noted it was your average little store that held the same stereotypical trinkets every teller might have. The sign outside read: "The Third Eye". Bright signs to coax their patrons inside with their innocent curiosity. They stopped before the rundown shop, Francis only pausing to assess whether or not the Teller was open for business at the moment. She was, and it was evident due to the woman that slithered out before them, eyeing them down curiously before she continued forward. Francis gathered she was a client.

Francis didn't pay the strange woman too much attention, while Mizuki let out a soft little "oh!" at seeing the reptile's head slip out from under the woman's cloak. She had certainly peeked her interest, as the vampire was aching to draw her distinct features. But, alas...they had a job to do. She waited until Francis stepped forward, coaxing Terra in with him while she was about to step after the two...only to pause when she felt Theodore tense beside her. He seemed uncertain.

Mizuki smiled for him reassuringly and offered her hand to him before she motioned to step inside while the warm, dim lights of the space washed over them. The incense that burned thickly within the room had surrounded them, and Mizuki could have sworn it was pulling them inside...the smoke dancing around the figures playfully. Surely, her mind was playing tricks on her, no? Before she could ask Francis where they could find the Teller, it seemed she had found them.

An echo, past a pair of curtains to the opposite of them, called out to them, "Welcome, I have been expecting you weary travelers. I don't bite, come inside...come inside...".

Francis looked to the rest before he shrugged, motioning forward, "She's been expecting us, let's not keep her waiting", he hummed with a teasing little chortle, stepping forward and ensuring everyone followed. When Francis walked in, he was delighted to find a small and cozy space aligned with tarps, carpets, blankets, and pillows of all sorts of colors, designs, and shapes. In the very center was a woman with a strange aesthetic, and her most striking feature was a third eye that opened over her forehead the moment the group spilled inside. When she opened her eyes, they were completely white and fogy, and Francis knew that if he hadn't had previous experience within the Market...he would have been frightened.

"Sorry to intrude, ma'am, but we're hoping to—".

"Yes, I know, you wish to dance with Death", she answered. The Teller sat on the floor, a small round table placed before her and in the center? A crystal ball as was customary of her kind. Her wrists and fingers were heavy with jewelry, and she wore loose, comfortable clothing. She was tattooed to the neck down, her hair made up in a messy bun. Mizuki found her wonderful. The vampire stepped inside and she was immediately transported into this world of wonder and oddities. She took in her surroundings with child-like delight.

"Come, sit, my children. We have much to discuss", the Teller smiled.

Everyone seemed a little hesitant, but not Mizuki. She eagerly stepped forward and sat down as the Teller instructed them to do so, turning back to Theodore and excitedly patting the pillow beside her for him to sit and another for Terra to her other side. Francis couldn't help but laugh as he helped Terra down to sit to his right and ensured Caelum sat to his left. All of them together, one by one, sat before this ethereal and mysterious woman.

"Hello, and welcome. My name is Naomi. I have spent many centuries of my life learning the art of prophecy. I have been gifted by the gods to see all past, present, and future...and I have been told that a group of strangers will come to me in search of one of Death's children. I see—...", she peeked down to her crystal ball, tapping her long, clawed fingers onto the spherical glass, "...—that you raided my dear friend's home. Poppy, is her name...she is a kind soul and I ask that you seek her no further. Her destiny is not linked with yours, so it be silly if you sought for her further. I warned her of you all, and I see she made a quick escape with her fiancé. She is with child, and she needs to do what is necessary to escape...your unfortunate situation, let's call it".

Mizuki blinked, feeling embarrassed and amazed that Naomi knew so much...she must be the real deal, "We're sorry, we didn't mean to intrude, we just need answers and guidance from a Necromancer".

"And, you will...and I am more than happy to guide you to one. But, for my assistance, I require payment...I'll even throw in reading for you all, as you seem to desperately need it. I see before me five strangers who came together due to the gods amusement, and my...a Creature of Light from The Order. What an honor. Does your god know you're here?", Naomi cackled before she sighed. She was simply teasing. She feared no god as they all loved her. Naomi reached for her pipe of tobacco, took in a deep drag, before she blew out a colorful puff of smoke, "...anyway, what do you say? Are you all okay with my terms?", she asked.

Mizuki looked to Francis and the rest, as Francis simply shrugged, "I'm okay with it. I can also pay", Francis assured with a smile, "I have never had a reading before, either", he grinned.

 

[Pepsionne]

Theodore | Terra | Caelum
Location: Black Market, The Third Eye​

Terra’s eyes searched Francis’ features after she finished her explanation, one that seemed almost rehearsed in her mind. It was a question she got often from anyone she came across at The Dead Salamander. No one expected to see a fairy in a place so dangerous and grimy. Her way of life had always been a thing of scrutiny, no matter how she had lived it ever since coming into the world of humans and other super naturals. She could never guess what is was that they saw as so as so unusual and surprising. What would be considered a normal thing for her to do? Just sit pretty on top of a flower or something? Shine in the light and drink nectar all day? She felt guilty for the sudden feeling of bitterness that rose like acid in her throat. It wasn’t Francis’ fault, he was just making conversation. She softened her features at his apology for intruding, offering a curt shake of her head to dismiss the idea. Terra began to fiddle with the hem of her turtleneck while Francis talked. The fabric had begun to grow suffocating in the unrelenting beam of the sun and the exercise taken to get to the black market from the deli. She had dressed according to the gloomy, winter like weather they had this morning, but it seemed like Fall wasn’t willing to give into the cold chills of the later season just yet.

She offered a curious hum at Francis’ response. Indifferent huh? She guessed that made sense, the Black Market was a space that grew less exciting the more time you spent there. Magical gadgets just became--useless gadgets you knew were just for gullible tourists, drinking contests were an obnoxious distraction. Terra’s eyes widened in confusion to see a tantalizing smile directed towards her. He really could be startlingly forward sometimes. The competitive streak always lying low under the surface of her thoughts took no hesitation to burst out at the memory of how caught off guard she had been earlier. Two could play at this game, and she never was much of a loser.

Terra moved closer to Francis, placing her hand on his arm in order to press her body, more specifically her chest, into the side of it. She looked up at him with innocent doe eyes, a wide smile faintly betraying her intentions painted across her face. “I would be more than willing to do that, though I think my spots in the Market may be a bit more exciting than whatever you do for “fun” up here,” She smirked teasingly, letting go of his arm and looking back in front of her. “What can I say, humans just can’t hang like super naturals.”

Theodore blinked slowly, taking in what Mizuki said before he continued onward in his apology to her. She had something to talk to him about? Something that wasn’t well suited for their current surroundings? He stole a glance back at Caelum, who walked behind them listlessly. He couldn’t really tell where the Angel’s gaze was trained, but the image of him trailing along like a little kid behind everyone made him smile faintly. The amusement could only survive for so long, the tentative concern he harbored at not knowing what it was that Mizuki had to discuss with him taking center stage. He nodded a bit vacantly at Mizuki’s explanation of her behavior earlier. As much as he wanted to draw a thin line from her behavior earlier to something else she wasn’t admitting quite yet to him, the blooming relationship between the two women was not something he could deny. They had become much closer in the span of the day, something he was sure Francis and even Caelum could confirm as well. He supposed her distance contributed to his own mended relationship with Francis. Whatever had happened last week, the anger that he had stored away for the man, had long since washed out to sea in the most recent hours. Tensions were high last week and a lot was at stake. Now, they were all equally tied together, implicated in the same crimes. Talking with the vampire more and hearing his opinions on various parts of their journey had helped to open Theodore’s mind more to his point of view.

He let a chunk of silence push between them before he said his next words to her, hardly allowing them to pass over with thought before they were spilling out openly. He was content now, he was content with her. It didn’t dawn on him that the words could be translated with a heavier coating than he had intended until Mizuki’s eyes grew wide. She looked around, fumbling over her words sheepishly before she agreed with him. Theodore chuckled lowly to himself at her floundering. It was nice to see her similar to how she used to be before this all started, speaking broken or rushed sentences whenever he would approach her. He had always thought it was cute, which is why he then admitted to her the quote that she always reminded him of, wanting to see more of this side of her.

Theodore’s eyes lit up in a bright spark of amusement to hear Mizuki finish the quote. He had been a bit sheepish to finish it, as following his previous statement of enjoying her company, it felt like he was laying it on a bit--thick. Suffocating maybe? He met her eyes, they were full and glossy. He swallowed heavily, feeling a rush in his chest at the sight. He cracked a sarcastic smile at her compliment. “Well--I’d sure hope I do, considering I have about a 30 year long career of writing to show off, after all.” He listened to her confession to him after that, a bit taken aback at the gravity of what she was admitting. Sure, he acted cocky enough for it, but he never thought he could actually be a source of inspiration for anyone, let alone someone who has seen as much as Mizuki. He smiled, deciding to nod deeply in response instead, returning her bump into his side with a gentle one of his own.

---

Terra’s lashes fluttered as she took in Francis’ sly smirk directed towards her. She gave him a mocking smile back, narrowing her eyes briefly. “If it gets too scary, just give me three squeezes and I’ll guide you so you can close your eyes,” She smirked before turning her gaze back before her, allowing him to begin leading them towards the Fortune Teller.

Terra rolled her eyes when Francis tugged her closer after reaching a certain part of the market, warning them of the dangers that lurked in the area. As if she didn’t live in the Black Market for years. Theodore, however, looked at their surroundings with widened eyes. He had no idea such evils existed in the Black Market. Even the night they had experienced the week prior had not been enough to fully drive home how dog eat dog the Underworld could be. In that sense, he was for the first time in his life, glad to be a Vampire. At least they showed a level of solidarity towards their own kind.

Caelum had remained mostly silent on the way from the deli and through the Black Market. He was beginning to get bored of this whole excursion. A whole day chalked up to, what? A waste of his energy and no excitement, no resolution or clue he was getting closer to his sought after goal. Relaxing for a good month without the order pressing him for reports. It was like a dream. He stared at the purple sign that bled its oozing glow into the darkness around them, giving everything a murky, hazy feel. The others had a slight edge to them after reaching a certain point in the Market, which he had assumed was smart considering their vulnerability. Any demon with half a brain could sense the presence he gave off, no matter how much effort he put into suppressing it. However, that still gave other, less intuitive super naturals the chance of striking without them knowing. Thankfully, the group all settled inside the Fortune Teller’s doors without issue. He had tensed momentarily at the exit of another from the door before them, but luckily she turned out to be simply another customer, albeit a decently shady one. Caelum didn’t think he’d be able to mentally recover from the effort he would have had to exert had some kind of danger popped up.

Theodore’s shoulders nearly rocketed to his ears at the echoing, wispy sound of a voice slither around him. It’s origin filled his brain, coming from everywhere and nowhere all at once; it’s like he was immersed in a deep pool of its presence. He allowed himself to be sucked in even further into the Fortune Teller’s space, following the momentum of the group. The scent of incense was impossibly heavy in his lungs. He felt dizzy, weightless almost, like they had crossed through the boundary to some other world. Theodore swallowed thickly when the Fortune Teller appeared before them. He was unable to tear his gaze away from the third eye that stared blankly out at their group.

He swallowed hard when the woman eventually opened their eyes to further address their group, shocked to see them a pure, milky white. Thankfully, his time in the Vieru serving as a diplomat came in handy during this moment, allowing him to mask the borderline rude fear with a soft, thankful gleam. Mizuki’s unbridled glee at the environment and woman before them was impressive. How was she not even a little intimidated by the Fortune Teller? He accepted her excited invitation to the cushion beside her and seated himself effortlessly. Although he was able to hide the stiffened fear from his expression and posture, his hands trembled a bit as he placed them within his lap.

Terra tried not to ogle once they were fully within the Fortune Teller’s shop. It was comfortable and charming, full of trinkets that glinted golden light in the flickering gleam of candles. A haze flowed around the room from the burning incense and smoke from the candles, enveloping all of them in a warm blanket of clouded air. She smiled delightfully to see Mizuki just as intrigued as she was. She didn’t have a lot of experience with Fortune Teller’s but the amount of interesting pieces collected in the interior alone were enough for her to regret not becoming involved sooner. There was something so--alluring about everything. She rolled her eyes at Francis’ extended hand towards her but accepted it nonetheless, using his steady balance to lower herself easily onto the cushion. She gave Mizuki’s arm a light squeeze, as if to say, are you seeing all this?

Theodore swallowed thickly at the mention of the Necromancer from earlier. “Poppy” He thought to himself. A renewed stab of guilt pierced through him like a javelin, he could barely breathe when the Fortune Teller disclosed the woman’s full life in more detail. What he was willing to do for Samantha, the lengths he would undoubtedly go to for her without a second thought, it still scared him.

Caleum’s expression was flat when Naomi addressed him, inquiring whether his whereabouts were known to those she considered “god”. He stifled back an unusually bitter feeling in the back of his throat at the tentative thought that the archangels could be considered godly. They were about as much a god as a spirit was human. The thought of a reading, however, managed to spark a flame of interest within him. Caelum had never been able to participate in readings before. Most fortune tellers were too skittish to even offer to him, fearing the implications of the order and his involvement with them. The woman before them was different, though. She showed no signs of fear when it came to his origins, rather, she seemed amused. He leaned forward as she talked, his hands clasped loosely in his lap. He wanted to know what she had to say.

“Don't worry about it Francis, I'll pay,” Theodore announced. He glanced past Mizuki and Terra's forms, locking eyes with the man to silently plead with him to allow it. Paying would be a way for him to correct his actions from earlier, to show the group that he was willing to be a team player, even though it wasn’t something he could guarantee himself. He glanced at the Fortune Teller expectantly. He wasn’t too thrilled at the thought of a reading. He always feared hearing something he didn’t want to know, something that once knowing he could never erase from his memories. With Samantha’s predicament too, it didn’t sound like the greatest idea, but he’d put up with it for the sake of not offending the Fortune Teller further. He swallowed hard once more, steeling himself for what information the woman had to offer them.

 

[Razvi-sama]

​

Mizuki | Francis | Naomi

Location: Black Market - The Third Eye​

Naomi eyed the group of supernaturals that slithered into her shop with her third-eye, her milky gleam locked over her crystal ball. She held a faint little smile while her hands were neatly folded before her as each member in the group settled down on the pillows she set out in front of her. Exactly five pillows. She received vastly different reactions from the five strangers as they each filed in one after the other. First, there was the vampire to her far-left that tailed after the vampiress like a lost puppy. He seemed rigid, and Naomi could practically smell the fear oozing off of him as he sat down in front of her, practically feeling the shake in his bones. Adorable, truly. The spirits from the beyond whispered his name, singing it like a soft lullaby. Theodore. Then, there was the vampiress herself, who seemed to be buzzing with excitement and child-like wonderment. She gazed about the room, her eyes reflecting the golden orbs that floated effortlessly about the room...her hand aching towards the bag she held to her side. When the sat, she shared a sweet little moment with the fae beside her, falling into giggles as she leaned into the fairy's side. The spirits from the beyond hummed her name with soft coos of affection. Mizuki.

Beside the vampiress, was a fairy. She held the same wonder as Mizuki, trying to seem reserved as her eyes ghosted over her space. The hovering candles, the trinkets that sang their little songs in their own special way. The insense that burned and clouded their surroundings with their thick aroma. The hymns and haws that seemingly came out of nowhere and everywhere at the same time. The shadows and spirits that danced from a distance, gathering around them to sneak a peek at the band of misfits that found their way to the space they called "home". She soon smiled, content to see her friend just as thrilled, and it was a smile that practically lit up her shop. Naomi felt a fire burn from within the fairy, watching as she tried to act as if she wasn't flattered by the vampire's attention. The spirits from the beyond giggled and gasped her name as if they were introducing an old friend. Terra. But, this Terra...oh—this Terra had a shadow looming over her. Not diabolically. No. This shadow fretted over the fairy in his own charming little way, it was a quiet worry. He had fallen in her honey-trap, seemingly a little dazed whenever his attention fell over the woman. This little ball of nerves held a gentlemanly facade, doing what he imagined every woman would swoon over...but he couldn't be more wrong. Watching the two of them dance their little tango nearly made Naomi fall into gales of laughter as Francis extended a hand to her and a welcoming smile, taking her hand with the utmost care and helping her down to the pillow to his right, knowing Mizuki would want the fairy beside her. The spirits from the beyond sighed at his name dreamily, lovingly. Francis.

And, then...there was the silent presence that loomed over them all. He didn't say a word, his expression was practically deadpan. She was dealing with the corpse of an empty man who's dreams and aspirations were stifled centuries ago. Naomis' chest ached for him. There wasn't much she could read from him, as whenever her third-eye tried focusing on his interior...it would suck her conscious in like a black void and static would ring in her ears. She let out a soft breath, as the spirits from the beyond weeped at his name like an old break up song. Caelum.

Once they all settled, Naomi began to inform them that she was already expecting them and knew why they had come to her tiny abode. Yes, yes, it was cliché, but this involved the gods' meddling. And, she? Was just their puppet. A simple exchange for her powers. She told the group of the Necromancer they had infiltrated, and she began to feel the bitter taste of guilt seep into her body. Especially from the vampire to her left. Her smile began to spread, warning them to keep away from "Poppy", and equally assured them that their search has come to an end. She was more than happy to aid them in their search! For a price, of course. But, because she was so giving, she would throw in a tarot reading. To stir the pot, a little. Naomi shifted her attention onto the angel specifically and smiled her cheshire smile, asking him if his god knew where he was. She began to feel a hint of disgust from the man, a...delicious little reaction. Whatever he was thinking, was probably not what she was referring to...but hey, the gods work in mysterious ways, after all. One day he would come face-to-face with his Maker. Today was not the day. The one thing she did manage to get out of him...was a spark of interest at a reading. Actually, they all seemed interested and that made her feel flattered, especially now that she managed to get Caelum's attention. Good, good...

At the mention of payment, Francis was already beginning to slip his wallet out when Theodore suddenly announced that he would be the one to pay. Oh? Naomi's third-eye flicked towards Theodore as Francis tensed from the sudden offer that came from his comrade. He hesitated, before he eventually gave his friend a curt nod and slid his wallet back into his pocket, "Well, you heard the man...we will be more than happy to pay for your services, then", he stated softly.

Naomi let out a dry little chuckle while she cracked her knuckles, "I don't really care who pays, but thanks for the reassurance", she grinned, while she flicked two fingers upwards, the golden bands around her wrists chiming out a beautiful hum of an echo. In the blink of an eye, Mizuki found herself surrounded by...galaxies and stars, completely transported into another verse. She gasped, gaping at her surroundings as they seemingly now sat over...nothing. Was this an illusion? Naomi allowed her guests to become acquainted with their surroundings, watching as the vampiress extended her hand out to accept a tiny little orb that hovered before her. She poked it with the pad of her fingers, giggling as the orb bounced away.

The stars winked at the five strangers. Francis' hands found themselves gripping onto the edge of the table as if to stabilize himself as he was seemingly stuffed into an infinite space. He turned to his right to ensure Terra and the rest were okay, while Naomi acted as if nothing had changed, "Um, Miss Naomi—".

Naomi snapped her fingers, an army of tarot card encircling the group. They levitated and danced, spinning round and round before they each delicately laid over one another onto a neat little deck of cards right in front of their mistress. She divided the cards into five deck of cards, the amount of cards on each deck never diminishing from the original. As if more cards magically reappeared for each deck, "I will be using something called the Celtic Cross, but a shorter variation of it. My variation. It's my most famous and my favorite spread to use for a tarot reading. The Celtic Cross can give a wealth of information about a particular situation, but it also lends well to general outlooks or closing spreads, which is why I think it’s particularly brilliant. The Celtic Cross is comprised of ten cards, six of which are laid out in a cross formation while the other four are in a vertical row on the right side of the cross. Meaning, you will be selecting a total of ten cards for yourself and I will organize them in a way that pleases the universe", she stated, "I only do five, though".

"Before you, you will see a deck of cards. They each have the same amount of cards, so it will be equally fair for each. I want you all to grab your deck and hold it against your chest. Take a few deep breaths, empty your spirit...and pour it into the cards. Then, you may shuffle your deck any way you like and lay your deck down", Naomi instructed, waiting for her group of strangers to do exactly as she told them to. They each varied in speed and reaction, and the most eager of the bunch at the moment seemed to be the vampiress. A curious little child, she was. Her spirit was full with hope and faith, her child-like spirit hasn't been broken...yet. Francis was hesitant, seemingly following after Terra's and Theodore's example. He even went as far as to close his eyes to "pour his spirit into his cards", so at least he was willing to play along.

Once they all took a moment with their respective decks, shuffling them, and settling back down...Naomi took a small breath of her own, "Please, each take out five cards and lay them down in front of you. You may take the five from the bottom, the middle, or the top. Really, you can take out the five from wherever. Whatever feels right for you...", she instructed next, and waited for them to do as she instructed. When they finished, Naomi smiled, her eye curiously gazing over each, personalized little deck, "Great, let me organize them in the appropriate spread and I will be more than happy to interpret for each. I will also explain what each position of the card means, so no worries", she assured as she tilted her body towards Caelum, "Let's start with you", she grinned.

Naomi slithered her hand across the table and picked up the first card, "Each card will go in order. The first card is to represent the situation you presently find yourself in. The second indicates any potential challenges that may come your way, whether good or bad, that's up to you to decide. The third card will be about your past. The fourth will speak about your near future. And, the fifth card...is your potential future", she instructed.

~ Caelum ~​

Naomi laid down Caelum's first card, "Temperance. Reversed. Temperance upright is typically a card of harmony and balance, but when reversed, we see that harmony give way to conflict and tension. Increase stress levels contribute to a feeling of being out of sync with oneself and others. There may be excess, also leading to excess tension and inner conflict. You are currently feeling...exhausted and dare I say...overwhelmed? You bit off more than you thought you could chew...", she grinned.

She pulled out the second card, "Eight of Swords. Upright. The Eight of Swords reveals that you feel trapped and restricted by your circumstances. You believe your options are limited with no clear path out. You. You are your biggest challenge, as you are the one creating negative-patterns. There is a cynicism and apathy to you that just feels...empty and sad", she insisted softly, "I invite you to let go of whatever is holding you back, be it from your past or your present circumstances. Instead gaze ahead to your future and choose the way most in alignment with your Highest Good and long-term potential. You will need to make tough decisions and compromises along the way; see it as a rite of passage. That is what you need to focus on", she stated, pulling out the third card, and frowned, "...The Nine of Swords. Upright. Also known as the "nightmare card"...", she murmured weakly, "...an indicator of trauma in your past. You are gripped by despair and shame from your past. Just as the nine swords are stacked upon each other on the wall, so too are your negative thoughts...it made you into who you are now", she said softly.

Naomi pulled out the fourth, "...The Three of Cups. Upright. The Three of Cups is a card of celebration, friendship, and creative collaborations. Your friends are here to support you and lift you up to even higher levels of success. Whether you know it or not. Or, like it...", she laughed, "Celebrate with them and enjoy their camaraderie", she said, swirling her finger around to indicate to the other four in the room.

Naomi pulled out the fifth and final card, and once again she frowned. She sighed, "The Knight of Swords. Reversed. The Knight of Swords can mean that the Grim Reaper is going to appear quick and suddenly. A warning of physical death, but the Knight of Swords is also unpredictable. This could also simply mean you come in contact with the Necromancer. Basically, you decide your own fate, but you must be careful...the spirits wish you well. As do I", she stated, feeling the growing concern from the others in the room. They didn't think such a serious premonition would come out of this. The group tensed, swallowing thickly.

~ Francis ~​

Naomi shifted her attention to Francis, and smiled for the nervous looking vampire. She pulled out his first card, and a soft hum escaped her, "Ten of Wands. Reversed. Similar to Caelum and everyone, and this is pretty obvious but I must say it, you found yourself thrust into a strange and new situation. Now, in your current life, when the Ten of Wands reversed appears in a Tarot reading, it is often a sign that you are trying to do too much by yourself. In your effort to be everything to everyone, you have found yourself struggling under the weight of it all. Similarly, the Ten of Wands reversed suggests that you are carrying a heavy weight on your shoulders, but you are keeping this private and are unwilling to share your burden with others. You may be grappling with emotional trauma, carrying a dark secret, or dealing with increased responsibilities", she stated, and Francis grew visibly tense and uncomfortable. Naomi continued.

Naomi pulled out the second card, "The Devil. Reversed. The reversed Devil calls on you to confront your inner fears and anxieties to free yourself from the chains that bind you to your limiting beliefs and unhealthy attachments. Eliminate those things you know are harmful to you and your inner psyche. The spirits are echoing about the Council as your greatest fear...Your biggest challenge? Is facing your fears and what is actively harming you today. You need to free yourself, Francis. Whatever is holding you back, whatever is keeping you up at night? Let it go...move on", she offered softly, kindly.

Naomi pulled out the third card, "Three of Swords. Upright. You have...lost a lot and you suffered a lot of pain in your past. You've experienced a lot of death in your past...Whether that be physical loss, or something...within. Someone took something from you, and it still hurts. When you have suffered a major setback or loss, now is an excellent time to have a good cry. Expressing your sadness is part of the cleansing process and letting it all out will help you move on to better times. Allow yourself the opportunity to experience these emotions, no matter how painful. Cry, shout, or scream at the top of your lungs", she offered, and the expression she received from Francis was...he looked hurt. Tearful, even. She saw lots of hands over his body. Blood. Tear stains. She let out a breath and shook away her vision.

Naomi pulled the fourth card and smiled, "...all is not lost. Four of Wands. Upright. The Four of Wands is a card of joyful celebration, blissful happiness and appreciation for the good things in life. When this card appears in a Tarot reading, it is the perfect time to celebrate with those you love most. In numerology, four symbolizes stability and firm foundations, and with the Four of Wands, you will be enjoying a period of happiness and security. This also speaks of community, so this group? Is good for you and your healing process".

And, when she pulled out the fifth and final card, Naomi nearly blushed in delight, "...the universe will find balance for you, for all that you have lost, Francis. The Lovers. Upright. In its purest form, the Lovers card represents conscious connections and meaningful relationships. The arrival of this card in a Tarot reading shows that you will find a beautiful, soul-honoring connection with a loved one. On a more personal level, the Lovers card represents getting clear about your values and beliefs. You are figuring out what you stand for and your philosophy. You will once again feel whole again, one way or another. Whether it be through romance or self-reflection, that is up to you", she stated.

~ Terra ~​

Naomi turned to Terra now, leaving Francis with a flutter of butterflies as he stared down at the Lovers Card. She pulled out the first card, "The Queen of Wands. Upright. That is a beautiful card for a beautiful soul. You are currently being influenced by the people around you and you have found some strong connections, already. You are optimistic and full of ideas to share with others. You know what you want and how to get it, and are masterful at engaging with others to achieve your goals. Stay fiercely determined and focused on your goals while being friendly and optimistic with those around you. The Queen of Wands asks you to be bold in your undertakings and actions", she stated.

Naomi slid out the second card, "The Hermit. Reversed. Temptation will be your greatest challenge, as you need to remember to put yourself and your heart first. The reversed Hermit can go one of two ways: you are not taking enough time for personal reflection, or you are taking too much. In this case, I think you need to take more time. If you struggle to connect with your spiritual self, the Hermit reversed encourages you to create more space to meditate and reflect. It is time to go deeper into your inner being and rediscover your greater purpose on this earth. You may have been so busy dealing with the day-to-day issues that you have forgotten to listen to your inner voice. Remind yourself that you deserve better", she stated, humming almost...knowingly.

Naomi slid out the third card, her past, "Once more, remember what I said about the Hermit, as you might not be remembering things correctly...or might be remembering your past with rose-colored glasses. Ace of Swords. Reversed. This card reeks of chaos. The Ace of Swords points to an issue in a past relationship. I see a man, the spirit have manifested him to me and he doesn't seem kind. It usually suggests a new beginning is needed, Terra. To move on. The Ace of Swords reversed can also suggest clouded judgement and lack of mental clarity around a specific situation. You are missing relevant information or evidence that will help you decide, so invest your time and energy into seeking out the truth rather than just taking things at face value. You must have enjoyed the thrill that chaos brought into your life, whether that manifested as a person in your past or actions you have done yourself. The spirits are screaming the word "thief" over and over...only you will know what that means. Overall, review your past with yourself, and reflect if that is something you wish to relive", she stated, noticing Francis looking down towards Terra with great concern. “If it gets too scary, just give me three squeezes". He delicately reached for her hand, and gave it three squeezes...

Naomi slid out the fourth card, "The Hermit is insisting you keep it in mind for your near future. A decision needs to be made and you need to spend a lot of time self-reflecting. Five of Cups. Upright. You will suffer a lot of grief and heartbreak in your near future. You will have to make a very difficult choice, and it will send you down a very pessimistic road. The Five of Cups shows you that, even though things aren’t going your way, new opportunities and possibilities are waiting for you—but only when you are ready. Thankfully, you now have a strong community to lean on...", she smiled. Mizuki looked to Terra, delicately squeezing her forearm as if to remind her she wasn't alone. She smiled to the fairy, even winking.

Naomi slid out the fifth card and began to grin, "Knight of Cups. Upright. The Knight of Cups is the classic romantic of the Tarot deck. He is in touch with his intuition and emotions, and he uses them masterfully to charm and attract others. He shows compassion and understanding towards others because he has learned to understand his own feelings and emotions. The Knight is kind, caring and very in touch with his feminine side. He might be found writing a romantic poem to his lover, creating art inspired by his innermost feelings or appreciating a vibrant sunset with a glass of champagne in his hand. His heart is wide open, and he wears it on his sleeve. He shares his love freely with others, without constraint or worry; he is in love with love itself. You will have your own Knight of Cups...I am even tempted to say he is already present. So, keep your heart open", she hummed.

~ Mizuki ~​

Naomi paused before she took the first card, turning to the bright eyed vampiress. She sighed, taking the first card, "There's a shadow that looms over your cards, so it might not be an accurate reading. You have...a lot, on your mind. I hope this reading helps clear some things up for you", she hummed softly, setting the first card down, "The Two of Cups...is undecided. Upright and reversed", she stated, "If the Ace of Cups represents the flow of love from within, the Two of Cups is the flow of love between two people. With this card, you are creating deep connections and partnerships, based on shared values, compassion, and unconditional love. You have found someone you deeply admire, and it makes you a better person every day...and yet...", the card soon reversed itself, "...this is your second reading. This will be your second card".

"The Two of Cups, reversed. Your biggest challenge...is that you do not love yourself. At its essence, the reversed Two of Cups is about self-love. Love, in any form, starts with love for yourself. When you love yourself unconditionally, you accept and appreciate who you are, and you respect and honor the most authentic version of yourself. Work on your confidence, sweetie", she assured, earning a hesitant nod from Mizuki. That was...a lot for one card.

Naomi pulled out the third card, her eyes widening, "...your card is covered in blood", she stated softly, "It's hard to read", she added, watching as Mizuki narrowed her eyes over the card...because Mizuki didn't see any blood. Naomi smiled reassuringly, swiping her thumb over it, "Three of Swords. Upright. You suffered a lot of grief, and personally witnessed the death of loved ones. Because of that grief, you began to hurt others. I'm sorry for the pain you endured. However...without pain, you would never experience the challenges you need to grow and develop as a person. Every hardship creates discomfort, which inevitably turns into an opportunity to become stronger, learn from your mistakes, and change the course of your life for the better. While the pain may cloud your vision for a time, it will eventually bring clarity and enable you to put the past behind you. Keep that in mind, and again...remember to love yourself. Through loving yourself, also comes forgiveness", she assured. Mizuki bowed her head in shame, not thinking she could face anyone after hearing that...she was just thankful it was vague, but she knew what the fortune teller meant to say...

Naomi slid out the fourth, nearly...She frowned, and slid out the fifth...seemingly confused. The spirits were saying one thing, and yet..."The Ten of Swords. Upright. The Ten of Swords marks a painful yet inevitable ending. It is as if this ending has come out of the blue and rocked your world. You could have never expected it, but now it has happened, cutting to the core and leaving you feeling as if the world has crumbled in around you. When the Ten of Swords appears in a Tarot reading, you may be the victim of another person’s betrayal or deceit. You feel as if you have been stabbed in the back and are reeling from someone else’s actions. Not only that, I am also reading...physical death. Like Caelum, I warn you to be careful. But, this is within your near future, so be wary of those you do not immediately trust. It could mean the end of you", she stated, and noticing the wide-eyed stare Mizuki gave her. Mizuki's hands began to shake...death?

"But...", Naomi smiled, tapping over the fifth card, "...The Ace of Cups. Upright. With the Ace of Cups, Divine love and compassion are pouring through you. You are a vessel for deep, spiritual love from the Universe, and you can’t help but let that love flow through you and into the world. Now is the perfect time for you to open your heart and experience the rich flow of emotion available to you right now. You are more receptive to creative opportunities, loving connections, and deep compassion for other living beings. The Ace of Cups often represents a new relationship, be it a friendship, a new family connection or blossoming romance. Keep an open heart to those currently around you", she winked, as Mizuki couldn't help but feel the warmth in her cheeks.

~ Theodore ~​

Naomi's attention fell over Theodore, smiling for him, "...last but not least...", she stated. She slid out the first card, "Three of Pentacles. Reversed. When the Three of Pentacles turns up in a Tarot reading, take it as a sign to collaborate with others, creating synergies to achieve big results. You are currently filled with a lot of dread and conflict, and you need to let go, because whatever you're doing can only be done as a group. The Three of Pentacles suggests you may be grappling with a lack of harmony with fellow team members, making it difficult to complete a project. You’re not on the same page as one another, or you’re not listening or valuing one another’s opinions and ideas. This will also be your second card. There is something holding you back from properly harmonizing with others outside of your social group, and whatever it is? You need to let it go. It's unhealthy, for yourself and everyone involved".

Naomi slid out his third card, "I also see blood...", she murmured, flicking her attention up to Theodore. She swiped her blood over the card to get a good read, "...Six of Swords. Reversed. This reeks of resistant to change and unfinished business. You have a very violent past you are trying to run away from, and whatever has kept you grounded so far, is gone. You're...scared. This is an intensely personal and private journey, and you are working in isolation to make it happen. At times, the Six of Swords reversed indicates that you know you need to make a change or transition in your life but are reluctant to do so. You may hope that the issue will go away on its own and you won’t need to wrangle with this difficult decision. Or, you may try to fool yourself into thinking you can put up with it, even when you know deep in your heart it is time to move on. It is natural to want to avoid discomfort, but sometimes you must push beyond your comfort zone so you can evolve as a person. That discomfort can be a positive sign that growth is happening, so feel into that energy and let it encourage you to keep moving forward and expanding yourself. You need to come to terms with the creature you have become, and forgive yourself...This is a pattern I see a lot in vampires. A lot of self-loathing...doubt", she hummed, looking to all three vampires as they stared back at her warily.

Naomi slid out his fourth card, a soft breath of a laugh leaving her, "...Eight of Wands. Upright. You will find your way, my child. This Eight is a dynamic card, containing a high level of energy that propels you forward to reach your goals at a much faster pace than ever before. You can expect to be very busy, but this is one of those ‘good busy’ periods during which you are enthusiastic about the progress you are making. This card mostly indicates travel. You will be leaving home, and I see...something in regards to the Market. You might be finding yourself building a new home soon, so be ready...", she hummed.

Naomi slid out the fifth and final reading of the day, smiling for Theodore, "...The Ace of Cups. Upright. Just like Mizuki. Actually, these two cards?", she pointed at them, "Are linked. You two are linked to one another, and I feel a growing attachment blooming from your card specifically, Theodore. You two are good for one another, and she is the friend you will need. Trust and communication will go a long way for the two of you...Light of lights...hm?", she echoed in a gentle voice.

~​

((Hello to any readers out there~! Just making a quick OOC announcement to tell y'all that we have made a OOC channel for those you are interested in seeing Spotify playlists of our babes, mood boards, and possibly even a Q&A if you guys (if you're there ;w: ) would be interested! You're also welcome to react to our posts or anything! We don't bite, we promise haha. Hope you guys are enjoying the story so far!)) ​

 

[Pepsionne]

Theodore | Terra | Caelum​

Theodore’s eyes glistened when Naomi’s bracelets began to sing a soft hum in the cozy atmosphere around them. He watched, intrigued, momentarily forgetting the fear that had overcome him by the unfamiliar surroundings they had drowned themselves within. She flicked two fingers upwards and suddenly they were no longer in the space they had entered. His entire body stiffened when the change in scenery finally registered in his mind. Theodore inhaled sharply in fear, immediately reaching a hand out to find Mizuki’s soft arm beside him. Although the instinctive reaction was rushed and panicked, Theodore’s hand encircled her wrist rather tentatively, remembering her adverse reaction to his panicked grasp when had reached out to her in the café the day after Samantha’s arrest.

Terra let out a small chuckle to see their new surroundings. An endless black void of glittering stars and twisting milky galaxies were more fitting for Naomi’s style, it seemed. She watched the woman’s deft hands handle the decks of tarot cards that appeared around them in an obedient stream. The fairy nodded along to what the Fortune Teller explained to them about her readings. Most of the words went over her head, unfamiliar with the niche terms that related to tarot. Terra glanced over at the others while they picked up their cards and did as Naomi instructed. Pour their spirits into it. Terra giggled to herself as she pressed them into her chest. She glanced over to see Francis take the woman’s instructions seriously as he regarded the cards placed before him. She held back another laugh at seeing how seriously he seemed to be trying to channel his spirit. Caelum, on the other hand, seemed to simply go through the motions. He picked the deck of cards up and pressed them to his chest for a fraction of a second before placing them down haphazardly. The deck skidded a bit, the corners coming askew from their clean rectangular shape from before. Theodore’s expression reeked of doubt and hesitation as he began handling the cards. Terra was surprised at the overwhelming apprehension she saw in him ever since they entered the fortune teller’s domain. Maybe he had a bad experience with a reading in his past at some point. Terra shrugged the thought away and placed her cards neatly down in front of her.

Caelum nodded silently once Naomi addressed him. He was glad that he was going first out of everyone. Listening to everyone else’s fortunes in anticipation for his own sounded like such a bore. He scoffed in response to the first reading of the card Naomi had pulled. Exhausted and overwhelmed, that was putting it lightly. His commitment to this group had far surpassed many of the deals he made previously. He wasn’t sure what had dragged him even to this point with them; he hardly went to this length even for something he really wanted. Caelum was beginning to wonder if the amount of free time was really worth all of this effort. Mentally he’d already given them until after tonight to find the necromancer and secure their next step forward. After that, he’d part ways with the little group before they began digging too much into areas he didn’t feel like going. It was beginning to become a bore.

Naomi moved onwards to his next card, which he didn’t quite agree with as much. As he listened to the woman talk, it began to dawn on him that he felt foolish for thinking a reading would actually amount to anything worth listening to. For getting his hopes up only to have them dashed. The woman talked a big game in regards to his status as an Angel, but she was just like the rest. A waste of his time. Speaking about things like letting go, his only challenge was himself. A bunch of nothingness spun to create the illusion that it carried weight. She then went on to explain that his negative thoughts turned him into who he was. Shame, trauma. Remnants of what those felt like flashed in him briefly. It was the breaking point for him. Caelum was no longer interested in the reading. His eyes fell back into their flat vapidness like someone switching off a light. Theodore stiffened at the feeling of life seemingly leaving Caelum altogether. The angel looked down at the cards but his attention was miles away, somewhere in a different world altogether.

Theodore swallowed hard at Naomi’s interpretation of the next card that was pulled from Caelum’s deck. Physical--death? Theodore cast a wide eyed glance in the Angel’s direction, but the news didn’t even seem to register. Could Angels even be killed? If that was the case, what creature out there could be possibly strong enough to commit that feat? His hands began to tremble again, and he clasped them firmly in his lap. Theodore now began to dread his reading.

Naomi then moved onwards to Francis. Terra looked over at the man instinctively. She tried to judge his reactions as Naomi talked to him, her eyes tracing across his sharp side profile. Her gaze softened to see his face twist into a look of hurt. He had lost something important to him. Someone had taken it from him. It took her aback to see him display such an emotion. Terra seemed to forget how long vampires lived. More importantly, she forgot that they used to be human. Their entrance into the world of the supernatural was never a peaceful one. Most of them have suffered severely in their lives. Time only served to emphasize that pain, or make them numb to anything at all. She smiled when she saw the sparkle of joy in his eyes at his final two cards.

Terra turned her attention away from Francis when Naomi shifted her attention towards her. She nodded nervously towards the woman, preparing herself for what she was about to hear. She couldn’t stop the nervous buzzing in her chest when Naomi flipped the first card over, hearing the crisp snap of the paper as the card rested flat on the table. She nodded along to what Naomi said about The Queen of Wands, unable to hide the smile that formed when hearing what the card meant for her. She was right to feel this way around the small group she had become a part of, she was right for the path she was headed down. It was enough to quell the nervous energy that had been nagging her in the back of her mind.

The small bit of joy that began bubbling in her chest ran flat in an instant as Naomi began to read the rest of her cards. Naomi spoke first about the hermit, which Terra nodded along to, listening fervently. She guessed there was some reflecting she could do about things. Think about what she wanted personally, stop worrying about others. It was doable. She could handle that. Then came the Ace of Swords. Terra inhaled sharply when Naomi mentioned a man, a past relationship. It could only be Cecil. As Naomi talked further, advising her things such as ‘move on’ ‘new beginning’ and ‘lack of judgement’, Terra withdrew further into herself. No, no that couldn’t be right. The woman had just spoken about how she was on the right path, that she should reflect on what she wanted. What Terra wanted was Cecil. She wanted to curl up by his side at night again, listening to the soft vibration of his voice as he talked to her about the spells he was working on. What she wanted was to love him openly and have that love be reciprocated back.

Terra couldn’t help the tears that bubbled in her eyes, threatening to break and spill down her cheeks. The endless void around them suddenly felt as small as a box. It sucked all of her air out from her lungs, left her body to be doused in a nervous, panicked sweat. The rest of Naomi’s explanation sounded like she was speaking underwater. Terra could hear what she was saying, the sounds and the syllables were there, but it was all cluttered gibberish. She only snapped out of her haze when a soft pressure squeezed her hand. Terra’s eyes, blurred with tears, looked over to Francis beside her. She gave a squeeze back, but it was weak, her energy unable to muster itself. Once Naomi moved on to her next cards, Terra inhaled sharply again, wishing Francis had let her stay in the dazed state of shock she had just been engulfed by. The reading just kept getting worse. Grief and heartbreak. Her body deflated, unable to register the rest of the reading. Dread coated her lungs and made it impossible to breathe properly. A lone tear ran down her cheek, accompanied by the burning sting of the sob she held firmly in her chest. The meaning of the last reading flowed through her like water. Terra was unable to hold anymore information Naomi offered her, her body already overwhelmed with dread for what their future held for them.

Theodore winced to witness Terra’s reading. It was exactly what he feared. Being warned of the one small doubt that you pushed into the darkest parts of your mind, begging for it to not be true. He clenched his nails together within his lap, ignoring how his nails had sharpened slightly. Naomi moved onto Mizuki next. He blinked empitly at the fortune teller, who read the first two cards to Mizuki. He looked down at the vampiress next to him, a coating of worry across his eyes. It pained him to think that she didn’t love herself. It pained him more to know he had never noticed it. Theodore turned his attention back to Naomi while he swallowed hard.

His eyes widened while Mizuki’s narrowed at Naomi’s next statement. Covered in--blood? What did that mean? His eyes maintained their shocked expression. Francis earlier had reminded him of the pain that others older than him had endured. Pain that he couldn’t possibly understand, still being too young to. Why would Mizuki be any different? Of course she had pain in her life, of course she had suffered loss. Theodore began to feel guilty for letting the pain in his life burden everyone else in the group. After all, weren’t they all here because of him? Because of his desire to help Samantha? His pain and loss weren’t special, yet here he was treating it like it was. He cleared his throat hard, averting his eyes down to his lap whilst his face burned hot with shame.

Theodore let out a panicked gasp at Naomi’s next words. He felt Terra’s eyes whip over to him at the sound, Caelum’s eventually turning to him as well. Both of them seemed like they were looking at him through a screen. While Caelum’s gaze was distant with apathy, Terra’s was distant because of pain. The words ‘physical death’ echoed in Theodore’s mind. No, no. He couldn’t lose Mizuki, not after losing Samantha. If Mizuki died because of his actions, his choices. He would never be able to forgive himself. He tensed his jaw. Theodore knew this reading was a mistake. A small tremor took over Mizuki’s hands, the movement catching out of the corner of his eye. Theodore reached over and enveloped them with a gentle hand. He wiped the panic from his eyes when he looked down at her, hoping to reassure her that no matter what, he wouldn’t let Naomi’s reading become true. Terra also placed a hand on the woman’s shoulder, offering her a light reassuring squeeze.

Then it was Theodore’s turn. He glanced around them, having half a mind to cut out early and skip his reading altogether. The glittering vapid universe around them said differently. He had nowhere to run to. He held his breath in while Naomi turned over the first card. He only let it out when the reading turned out to be light advice about his lack of collaboration. Although true, it was something he needed to work on, the card barely registered in his mind. He was more worried about the other dreadful readings handed to the others.

His features shifted into a grimace when Naomi lectured him about his resistance to change and discomfort. It was not the best news he needed to hear, while in the midst of trying to escape a situation that brought him discomfort and hinted at change. Right now, his comfort zone sounded like bliss.

To Theodore’s relief, his last two cards were positive. His heart lifted to hear that he would achieve his goals. The only goal in his mind was to save Samantha, to be reunited with her once more. He paused, his gaze flicking down to Mizuki. No, that wasn’t true anymore was it? In the short period they had been sitting here he had unknowingly added two more goals. To ensure Mizuki met no harm, and to help her learn to love herself. A small smile managed to push through around the mountains of dread that filled him.

The smile on his face widened when Naomi brought up the quote he had recited to Mizuki on their journey to the market. A gentle chuckle rolled out of him, having been caught red handed. It was a nice relief to the pent up dreadful feelings he had been holding in since his reading began. Somehow, the fears that he dreaded would be confirmed, were nowhere in his reading. If anything, his hopes of seeing his way through this nightmare was all but confirmed by Naomi. It was a good contrast to the impatient, blind anger from earlier.

The five of them sat after Naomi finished Theodore’s reading, the air between them all stagnant and dry. There was--a lot for them all to take in. Much more than they had anticipated when walking into Naomi’s shop. They had all gained insight into the darkest parts of each other, and learned the secret doubts that even the person themselves were unaware of. The dynamic between them had undeniably shifted. Whether it was better or for worse, Theodore wasn’t sure.

 

[Razvi-sama]

Mizuki | Francis | Naomi

Location: Black Market - The Third Eye​

Mizuki had fallen into a haze of wonder when she found herself surrounded by the milky way's gentle glow. Her head was tilted back to drink in this new reality, orbs of light surrounding and caressing each and every single one of them. Their touch was warm, like a mother's hug...Mizuki found her eyes falling to a close as if she was cherishing this moment. The galaxy was swallowing her whole and she was allowing it. Her body felt weightless and she felt a buzz of excitement and optimism she hadn't felt in more than a week. She craved that relief. Maybe the gods were finally smiling down at them, just like the stars. Assuring her that this was their moment to breath—...Mizuki paused. She felt a cool touch surround her wrist and she was brought back down from the heavens. It was a gentle touch. Almost timid. It didn't jerk her back down from the skies, it was more like...a welcoming coax that she happily followed after. She opened her eyes, her gaze rolling down the side to find...Theodore holding her. He sought after her like a security blanket, and it felt...good to be needed. She blinked lazily at the man, her smile carefree and casual. She rested her hand and draped it over his own in a reassuring caress. She gave it a squeeze before she returned her attention to Naomi.

Francis wasn't as relaxed. He was naturally a very stressed person and didn't trust his immediate surroundings very often. He was naturally...a coward. At least, that's what others in the Council called him. Despite the charm, the theatrics, the confidence...it was all a mere façade. He felt like a fraud amongst the group of strangers that seemed to have adopted him and confided in him, to a certain extent. He was being swallowed by his own thoughts, when he caught movement from the corner of his eye. It was Terra, seemingly shifting with excitement where she sat. She was surrounded by gold orbs and swirling galaxies, utterly radiant under it all. He couldn't help the small smile that curled upon his lips, her energy soothing his buzzing nerves. Many supernaturals led with the idea that if a fairy seemed comfortable in an environment, then it was safe. If a space lacked fairies in any way...run. But, this little fairy was glistening. Her giggles like bell chimes. He had to force himself to look at the fortune teller as she began to explain her method, and the steps they needed to take in order for this to work properly. Francis held a determined little frown as he picked up the deck of cards that so effortlessly stacked itself before him. He grabbed the pile of cards and hesitantly held it against his chest, pouring his essence into the thick stack in hopes to get some sort of guidance. Was he on the right path? Was he doing his best in regards to Samantha, his one and only friend? When he pulled the deck of cards away from him, he was delicate when he settled the cards back down. Afraid to hurt them, as if they had their own soul. As he looked down to regard Terra, finally opening his eyes, he noticed the sloppy manner that Caelum carelessly sat his own deck down. He nervously shot a glance towards Naomi who seemed impassive as she silently watched her patrons. Theodore was a bundle of nerves, and Mizuki was simply happy to play along. Francis let out a breath, turning to Caelum when Namoi first addressed him. Okay, good. He didn't want to go first.

Francis listened attentively as he was curious about the process, and since he was sitting right beside Caelum, he saw the whole thing. Each card that was flipped, each intricate illustration. Naomi's dexterity was fluid and entrancing, she moved effortlessly and Francis almost forgot that she was a talented being with the incredible gift of foresight. There was such a thing as phony psychics, even within the supernatural community...but she seemed so attuned with the universe that Francis didn't have a choice but be impressed by her. Excited and equally nervous about her reading. She began her reading for Caelum by describing his present mentality, which seemed to be...exhausted and overwhelmed. Caelum didn't seem impressed by her initial reading, but Francis...was feeling guilty and actually? A little hurt. They haven't met Caelum for very long and he was already exhausted by them. When he looked back towards the others, he noticed Mizuki's little frown as she seemed disappointed to learn that they were nothing but a burden for the angel. After all the agony he put them through with his mere existence and shady deals...he was...tired of them? Mizuki thought she was capable of befriending the angel, having thought the man seemed lonely. She supposed his intention was never to acquaint himself with them. Even now, he didn't spare them a glance.

When Naomi moved on to the next card, Mizuki was shocked to hear that something in his past had resulted in a traumatic experience, which then led to him becoming a cold, apathetic version of himself who needed to learn to grow and forgive himself, accept whatever his past was so that he could move on. Mizuki found it to be a hopeful and healthy bit of advice, but the more she watched? The more it seemed like Caelum was retreating within himself and generally shutting out the experience. He was no longer receptive, having escaped to the void that lived inside of him. The faint glimmer of light that shone in his gaze had been snuffed out, and Mizuki generally felt disappointed in Caelum. Though, she supposed everyone progressed and learned at their own pace. Even eternal beings of light like Caelum. This seemed to be the same train of thought Naomi had fallen into as she rested the fifth and final card before the angel. The psychic's smile remained gentle and kind, even as she warned Caelum that physical death was a possibility for him and wished him the best. She knew he was no longer listening, but as long as she was able to plant a little seed of hope and wisdom? Then, she was happy. One day...he would be back. One day, he would be ready to heal. Today was not that day, and that was okay.

Naomi moved on to Francis, while the vampire and the vampiress trained their worried gaze over Caelum who was currently lost within himself. Their concern was for his future, wondering how a powerful being such as himself could be in danger of losing his life. Mizuki believed him to be an immortal being, though supposed if Caelum's life was somehow at risk...what did that mean for the rest of them? She nervously picked at her bandages, brows puckered together as they now all turned to Francis.

This reading had only served to remind Mizuki that she truly didn't know anything about the group of strangers she theoretically welcomed into her life, people who essentially held her life in their hands. People she was forced to trust blindly. To hear that Francis held an incredible weight over his shoulders was very sad. He usually seemed so upbeat and bubbly, it wasn't something she could have even begun to fathom. Thankfully, it seemed like their appearance in his life was a positive one, yet that didn't heal the wounds he had experienced in his past. Naomi even went on to say that the Council was to blame...that...That he was afraid of the Council. Mizuki silently wondered if he had only agreed to help them to spite the Council, though supposed that was a question for later. Right now? Francis seemed to be on the verge of tears at the very uttering of his past. Naomi was right. He had lost a lot, and he was still suffering the consequences of such a heavy loss. His self-worth, his self-love. His will to continue on was dwindling more and more every single day. This group...was the first time in a very long time that he actually began to look forward to a better tomorrow. He'd wake up and would send messages to the group chat to happily receive annoyed and amused responses from each and every single one of them. He'd spend the first half-hour of his day in bed, grinning at his phone like an idiot. He shared a wonderful afternoon with Theodore, and a sweet moment with Terra. So, upon hearing that there was an end to all of the pain he had experienced, he had grown choked up for an entirely different reason. He would even experience love again, in some shape. Francis was left staring down at his card, his gaze glassy with tears...

Upon moving onto Terra's cards, her first reading seemed positive, at first. Francis rubbed at his eyes, brushing away the few stray tears. He thought the reading was going to be a fun, quirky little thing that would help them all bond. It turned out to be a mirror into each of their insecurities. For Caelum, it literally caused him to shut down. For Francis, it caused his heart to break at the reminder of the long, pathetic life he ended up living. He silently wondered what it would be for Terra and the rest. He hoped it was a more positive reading for the fairy. At first, she smiled. The Queen of Wands sounded like a confident and beautiful card. Just like her. Though, the reading quickly spiraled into something a lot more chaotic. Visions of stealing, of a torrid love affair. The Hermit continuously loomed over her reading, insisting to Terra that she would remember him. There was a man, a past relationship Francis didn't have the faintest idea who it was referring to. Of course he didn't, though. He barely knew her, and she barely knew him. Naomi was insistent that Terra had to move on, and that didn't seem like something the fairy was open to coming to terms with. Like Caelum, she seemed to simply wither into herself. She seemed to be reliving a distant memory, a memory she clung onto desperately. A memory Naomi insisted was tainted by her rose-colored tint. That she probably wasn't remembering details of her relationship or past in the most objective manner. That only served to concern the vampire, and even more so...when he smelled the salt in her tears.

Francis was the first to react when he noticed the hot streak of tears that ran down the fairy's cheek. He had never seen a more heartbreaking sight. Naomi kept talking, but Terra had gone somewhere Francis couldn't follow...who...was this man and what was this hold he held over her? Whatever or whoever they were...Francis just wanted to hold her and he wished he could sincerely promise that everything was going to be okay. That she would heal, that she would be able to do as the Hermit insisted she do. Instead, he settled for reaching his hand down to her own...and gave it three squeezes. And, to his absolute delight? She returned them. Francis' eyes were still a little puffy from his own little bout, but he still managed a sincere smile for the fairy when she squeezed his hand in return. Francis kept his hand in hers, holding it reassuringly as Naomi moved onto the next card...which only seemed to predict further heartache for the fairy. Naomi never specified what the heartache would consist of, but that didn't matter. Terra was distraught and Francis' heart bled for her. Her sob nearly tore his heart in two as he swiftly leaned down to meet the fairy at eye-level—hunched over the fairy like the diabolical shadow he was to her...before he reached a delicate hand up to brush away her tear, "...we'll figure it out, together", he whispered for her, settling back beside her and allowing the fae to lean into his side if need be. He watched from the corner of his eye as Mizuki reached a hand over towards Terra, delicately squeezing her forearm in a show that the fairy wasn't alone. Mizuki smiled for the fairy, though was saddened to hear her new friend would suffer so much. She hoped the two would continue to blossom in their friendship, and she hoped she would be given the opportunity to be a supportive one for Terra.

Mizuki sucked in a soft breath and returned her attention to Naomi, a little nervous given the other readings were all a little painful, though she remained hopeful...only for it to quickly turn into the reading Mizuki had dreaded. The vampiress sat before Naomi, tense and in disbelief. She didn't love herself? Surely, that couldn't be true. She could feel Theodore's gaze over her like two, burning holes and she simply wanted the ground to swallow her whole. She felt humiliated. She kept her eyes trained over Naomi, her palms digging into her knees as she suddenly felt small and vulnerable, but Mizuki accepted the advice no less. She had to learn to love herself, and she supposed the first step was accepting such...a sad fact about herself.

The reading quickly escalated when Naomi announced she saw a strange, cryptic vision. Mizuki's eyes widened, her complexion growing pale with horror. Her pupils slid into thin, threatening slits as she stared up at the fortune teller warily, almost as if warning her to not reveal anything too specific. There was only ever one reason why there would be blood over her past, and it was...it was her fault. It wasn't something she had ever shared with another being. And, Theodore was the last person she wanted to find out about her...past. There was great shame that weighed over her shoulders, and Mizuki felt as if she was going to be sick. What if the group found out and shunned her? What if Theodore grew disgusted by her? She wouldn't blame him, really. She was already pretty disgusted with herself. She supposed Naomi's insistence to love herself now made sense. The vampiress began to rub at her eyes that began to sting with the threat of tears, barely registering the fact that Naomi predicted physical death in her near future. She stared emptily down at her card, shakily raising one hand...and dragging the pad of her finger over the waxy film while she heard the echo of a gasp beside her. Theodore...was horrified for her. Was that so? This mission—in the end—truly was going to be the death of her? Mizuki could feel all eyes on her, and she couldn't bring herself to acknowledge them. All she could think of was the cryptic note left in her sketchbook. I see you have chosen death. Had she? Was it all tied in with the fact that she...didn't love herself? Unknowingly, her hands began to shake, and Mizuki didn't know if she should scream and run...or let out a breath of relief and accept her fate.

...that was when she felt Theodore's touch for the second time, that day. Earlier, he reached for her because he needed her. Right now? It was because she needed him. Mizuki looked up to the vampire, finally...He looked down at her, his hands large enough to envelop one of her own completely. It made her feel taken care of. It made her feel seen. She felt comfort under his touch, and even more so when she felt...Terra's warm hand over her shoulder. She turned her attention over to the fairy and smiled a little weakly for her. They were given...some pretty shitty hands, huh? But, she felt confident that they would work through them...together. "Thank you, to both of you", she whispered to the two, peeking up to find Francis nodding reassuringly to her and she bowed her head in respect. The only one who was a little too far away...was Caelum...and Mizuki silently wondered if he was okay. She frowned, before she shifted her attention over towards Theodore as it was now his turn for his reading.

He seemed nervous, and truly...could anyone blame him? Mizuki let out a breath of relief upon seeing the first card. It was simple and relevant advice, which somewhat turned into a scolding. Mizuki peeked over towards Theodore and hoped he was receptive to the advice, not wanting for him to feel attacked or chastised. She wanted him to realize that they weren't working against him, especially not her out of everyone present. She was just as eager to help Samantha, there was just...a certain pace they had to respect. That didn't mean she didn't understand the vampire and his desperation. In fact, she empathized with the man.

Mizuki looked to the vampire curiously as Naomi announced that he wasn't one to accept change easily. That he was actively running away, and Mizuki silently worried over what it may be. She also hoped it was something she could help him with. Not by actually solving his problems for him, but at least...holding his hand when the going got tough, just like he did for her. She wanted to face their discomforts together, and hope they could turn these uncomfortable situations into potential comfort zones. Where they could grow. Naomi mentioned his past, mentioned blood...and Mizuki wasn't shocked by the mention of blood. It was...a right of passage for vampires. But, this only made Mizuki think...maybe the two of them were a lot more similar than she believed. Maybe...Theodore wasn't as perfect as she originally believed, which was...even better for her. Because, that way...they could be equals. Just like earlier. Seeing his little...fit had opened her eyes and helped her realize he was just another imperfect non-human...just like her. Except, now? He would understand her past and not view her as the demon she believed herself to be. Mizuki squeezed his hand, wanting to learn so much more about him...excited to be doing this with him...

Not only that, his goals were to be met, even if that meant a new home. Whatever that meant, Mizuki simply hoped they would be leaving together. She didn't want to be left behind to deal with Maximus on her own. She was ready...She was ready to follow him to the ends of the earth, she realized. No more hesitation, no more fear...she would blindly follow him. Even if it meant her ultimate demise. Not only that, Naomi soon confirmed their futures were linked together, their relationship was to flourish. Of course, to Mizuki...that meant friendship. She had so many potential friendships, she was surrounded by them for the first time in her life! And, now...the one person who always lifted her spirits by entering a room? He was to be there...every step of the way. She smiled, feeling her cheeks grow warm as she heard Naomi recite light of lights to them. She held that girlish smile, and for a moment...all of the more cryptic readings weren't so scary anymore. Whatever came their way, they would figure it out.

Once the reading was over, the group practically sagged and Naomi kept a light smile, "You all...have a long road ahead of you. You have a lot to learn...a lot to heal from", her gaze shifted to Caelum and Terra, "Being stubborn, for any of you, will be your true demise. If you work together, I'm sure you will all be able to accomplish your goals and achieve a future you would all be proud of. You're a sweet bunch, and I'm rooting for you all", she insisted, before she slid out her business card and a pen. She began to write down an address, before she slid it over towards Theodore, "You want to find your next piece of the puzzle? Find your Necromancer. And, please? Be kind to him. He's a nervous little fellow, but he won't run away. I promise he will treat you all...", once more she settled on Caelum, "...very nicely. Okay?", she hummed.

"You don't have to pay me. I think I tortured you all enough, so you can pay me next time. For now, think of it as an on the house special", Naomi grinned.

Francis hesitantly nodded, a small sniffle escaping him, "...well, thank you for your time, no less. Are you sure you don't require payment?", he asked.

"Again, not today...But, I know you will be back. All of you. Whether it be together or individually, that is up to you. No matter what your reading says together, just trust...that you all have great things you are capable of accomplishing. The gods shine down upon each of you, and this is where you all currently belong. You were all meant to find one another, and dare I say...you are fated to be with one another. Your life-lines are so messily locked together, and the adventure you have all currently found yourself in will be your biggest adventure, yet. It will be messy, scary, and painful occasionally...but you will all survive. One way or another", she assured softly. With a flick of her wrist and a chime from her bracelets, the everlasting void was suddenly sucked into her third-eye...returning them back to their original reality.

Naomi grinned as Francis was the first to stand, seemingly thankful to be back on solid ground, "Thank you for your time, then...that was...fun despite the strange readings", he offered, earning her a soft giggle, "Any time, hot stuff", she smirked as the vampire helped Terra up to her feet and began to scurry away. Wanting to leave. She waved to Caelum, and winked for the angel, "You'll be back, I know you will...and when you do, I'll have a hot beverage waiting for you. We'll share a long talk", she assured, "I wish you luck with your Maker. One day, you'll come face-to-face with them...in the meantime, I assure you they are watching over you closely. Whether you believe me or not", she hummed.

Mizuki warily watched the interaction between Caelum and Naomi, and she wanted nothing more than to go to Caelum and ask if he was okay. Would he push her away? Reject her advances? She motioned to stand up, reaching a hand down for Theodore to grab and help the vampire up to his feet, as well. Naomi followed along and also stood up, "I wish the two of you a lot of luck, as do the spirits from the beyond. There's...the two of you are surrounded by a lot of shadows. You both have the same three forces working against you. Theodore, shadows from your past will revisit you and I hope it'll be in a time where you are ready to face them. Sadly, these shadows are looking to get rid of Mizuki, as they find her to be a burden. She's the person that stands between them and you, so watch over her. She's important for your own self-preservation and the success of your goals. While your reading was overwhelmingly positive, that doesn't mean you won't face hardships. You will. But, as long as you trust the process and you trust your partner...", she pointed to Mizuki, "Nothing will stand in your way...okay? Those who you do not immediately trust, I suggest you cut ties with them. The same goes for you, Mizuki", she stated.

Mizuki gave a hesitant nod, quite honestly a little too drained to really process what was being said...but she believed she understood most of it. She let out a soft breath and was about to thank the fortune teller, only to pause when Naomi spoke up first.

"...and Mizuki? They...They forgive you", Naomi said softly, and that seemed to cause the vampiress to nearly lose her breath. Her body grew still with understanding, her gaze a little somber. She looked to the fortune teller with slight disbelief...and an odd mix of relief. She didn't say anything, she simply pulled her hand away from Theodore and folded her hands over her legs before she bowed lowly for the fortune teller. A near perfect ninety degree angle. A sign of gratitude and respect. A way...to hide her tears.

With that, Mizuki stood up, took Theodore's hand...and seemed ready to leave.

Naomi felt like she had done her part in their journey, for now. She waved to the couple as Mizuki delicately guided Theodore away. She kept her smile and kept waving...but knew none of them would be able to escape their past. Especially not Theodore...She sighed before she sat down, awaiting her next guest while she pondered of the thought...why did the spirits insist she write the wrong address? It didn't lead them directly to the Necromancer's home, it lead them to the empty plot of land next door...she wondered...she wondered...She supposed it wasn't her business. Naomi silently watched as the pooled out of her shop, all five of them gathering together to look down at the address Naomi had written down for them before they all trickled away. Ah, the world's fate relied on them and them alone...how cute.

 

[Pepsionne]

Theodore | Terra | Caelum
Location: Black Market- The Third Eye, ???​

Theodore nodded deeply in response to Naomi’s words of caution to them. He was able to breathe freely once the fortune teller reverted the room back to its original state, releasing them from the endless void of stars and light and unwanted truths. Terra and Caelum were mere shells of who they were walking into the reading, he doubted either of them retained much of what Naomi was saying past a certain point. Tears stained Terra’s cheeks in a wet stripe. He didn’t know much about her, but he had a feeling that the person Naomi had talked about was Cecil, the sorcerer who they had been hunting for his connections to Maximus. He remembered how the prickly sorcerer Cassius had called her ‘Cecil’s girl.’

Theodore could relate to how Terra must’ve been feeling in the moment, the remembered feelings of his own pain echoing in his body hollowly. How he felt waking up after Celeste had left him for dead, the pain in his neck, the emptiness in his chest. She had left a hole in him for years. If it wasn’t for Samantha’s guidance, he never would have recovered. If the relationship Terra had with Cecil was anything like his with Celeste, he was sure Naomi’s vision of heartbreak was unavoidable. Selfish people only had enough space in their heart for their desires. He stared down at the card Naomi had slid his way, staring down at the scrawling black ink that tarnished her otherwise clean looking business card. A frown painted across his face at the feelings Celeste dredged up within him. He thought of the cards Naomi had pulled for him. Covered in blood. The maintenance worker he had animalistically murdered came to mind unwillingly. Would he ever be free of that?

Terra sat weakly next to Francis. The remaining conversation reverberated in her mind, but for some reason she couldn’t really make sense of the sounds. No, she was far too focused on the image of Cecil. Her mind was flooded with images of him, memories she could see vividly in her mind, memories she could feel palpably in her chest. It only made the reading tear her apart more. She knew succumbing to the ‘rose tinted glasses’ that Naomi had mentioned would only hurt her down the line, but picturing her favorite moments with Cecil was all that made the pain go away for the time being. Each memory lasted a second in joy before it soured, thoughts of the awaiting pain creeping into the edges of the memory like a vignette, framing it in a dark light.

Caelum looked at Naomi while she addressed him. The words she said didn’t register within him. Be back, come face to face with his maker. If it was the Order of Angels she was mentioning, he had enough face to face with them to last a lifetime already. Not a day went by when he wasn’t reminded of their presence, the everlasting contact in his phone buzzing away to remind him of his quota, to remind him of his responsibilities, to remind him of his purpose. She would need a lot more than a hot beverage and some illusionary tricks to warrant a conversation about his past. After all, he liked to work in deals, and her side of the offer lacked anything he could possibly have wanted enough to hold up his end. He offered her an empty smile and simply replied, "I prefer white teas."

Theodore looked over to Mizuki at the feeling of her hand reaching out to help him up. He took it gratefully, head turning in Naomi’s direction as she gave them their last bit of advice for the night. His gaze became flat in concentration at her words. A shadow from his past. Mizuki, a burden? It seemed unfathomable. He nodded deeply in thanks to her, mind mulling over what her cryptic warning could possibly be entailing. "I'll be sure to keep your words in mind. You've been a great help."

He returned his thoughts after replying, his mind becoming laden with the amount of information Naomi had presented them with. He only pulled himself back to the conversation around them when Mizuki slipped her hand from his. He had briefly heard Naomi mention something about forgiveness, about souls. He could only guess that it had something to do with the bloody cards in her deck. Maybe they were much more alike than he had originally thought. He stared at her bowing before Naomi, her body full of respect and gratitude. If Mizuki could reach forgiveness for her past sins, he could too. But not now. Theodore had a feeling that in order to save Samantha, there would be much more in store that he would need forgiveness for. He smiled gratefully towards Naomi, taking one last look around the small space before allowing himself to be pulled out of the shop by Mizuki’s gentle guidance.

Caelum rested his back against the cold brick of the building. The cool air felt nice out here. Freeing and fresh. He pulled a cigarette out from his pocket and slid the thin white stick between his lips. The brief orange glow from the lighter danced in the depthless pools of his dark eyes. He sucked in a long inhale, tilting his head back to release the smoke that had filled his lungs. The sharp cut of his jaw was tinted a fluorescent violet from the sign advertising Naomi’s shop. His curly hair obscured his eyes from this position, and he let his head stay back like this, gaze trained up at nothing particular in the ceiling of the black market far above them.

The words that Naomi had spoken to him had dredged up feelings he kept suppressed far, far down. Things that had spent centuries unmentioned and unthought about. No matter how long he seemed to leave it sit, though, it never managed to fully disappear. Caelum was both aware and unaware of the effect his past had on him, purposefully so. If Naomi was right, and growth and power required him to fully immerse himself in those memories again, he’d rather fester in stagnation. He had power before, he wouldn’t miss it if it eluded him forever.

He took another drag of the cigarette, his eyes now trained on the group huddled before them. Their demeanors had completely crumbled in resolve after having been through the reading. The air swimming around them all had become soggy with disappointment and despair. He hated that feeling. “Well,” Caelum said through an exhale, smoke curling from his nostrils and mouth as he talked. “Are we heading out or what? We’ve been looking all day for this Necromancer, best not keep them waiting any longer.”

Theodore nodded fervently, the anticipation from their fruitless endeavors earlier injecting back into his system. “Right--yes. Do any of you recognize the way to the address she gave us? I’m uh--not exactly a regular around here.” He held up the white card that he was still holding onto from when Naomi had first slid it his way. The address had triggered nothing within him.

Terra took the card from his hand soundlessly, her glassy eyes reading over the script carefully. “I know where this is,” She said, her voice fragile even in the silent air that swam around them. “It’s not too far from here.”

She handed the card back to Theodore, who accepted it with a gentle nod. Caelum blew out another long stream of curling smoke as he watched the fairy. Her aura was filled with sadness and longing. Out of everyone, her reading seemed to have affected her the most. Passion had a habit of doing that to people. Gauging them out, taking everything and leaving nothing behind. His eyes traveled across her figure as she began leading them back the way they had entered to reach Naomi’s shop. Interestingly enough, he felt no regret in her emotions. Only a longing for more.

The walk to the new location that Naomi had offered them was dominated by a blanketed silence. The air between them all was heavy, everyone mulling over their readings and reflecting back on the advice Naomi had given them. Caelum soundlessly smoked in the back of the group, observing each of them as they processed the most recent events in their own ways. Theodore permeated the silence only briefly to speak to Mizuki, but he spoke low enough that Caelum couldn't make out the words.

"You okay?" Theodore asked Mizuki as they walked, his voice husky in its attempt to stay between the two of them. "The reading--it was more intense than we expected, huh?" He felt a feeling of guilt at having yet again thrust Mizuki into an uncomfortable and heavy situation. It seemed like being with him was constantly pushing her to the limits of her comfort zone. It worried him.

--

Theodore looked around the deserted plot of land Terra walked up to and came to a stop in front of. He swallowed heavily. This couldn’t be it--could it? Terra was even looking around confused, her brow furrowed heavily.

“There used to be a hidden speakeasy here,” she said, gesturing to the open area before them. "It was a popular gambling spot. Spacious, too." The flat ground was sprinkled with dirt, weeds and trash. Shadows from the tall buildings around them bathed the plot of land in a dark pool. She walked forwards, footsteps crunching in the gravelly texture of the unkempt earth beneath her. Theodore was soon to follow, tugging Mizuki along with him. It wasn’t--too out of character for their travels today. It seemed like Necromancers liked empty spaces. Besides--Naomi wouldn’t have set them up. Would she?

Caelum’s expression had twisted into something sour the longer they stood in the empty lot. There was something--off about it. Some dark type of chill that surrounded him, but it was too elusive for him to pinpoint a source or even a location. His eyes traced expertly around the perimeter of the area. He let out a deep sigh. It was tiresome, but not surprising that his luck would run out eventually. If the group wanted to catch a big fish, they’d have to dive into deep waters. And what lurked in the deep waiting for unsuspecting fools to swim through? Sharks.

He held his hand palm down into the air, noting Theodore’s panicked glance in his direction once he felt the electric energy in the air spike. A thin, white gold sword began to slowly from Caelum’s palm, charging the air with a burst of light and a feeling of pure power. Theodore swallowed thickly, eyes glued to the growing sword dripping from the angel’s palm like a bead of water threatening to break free and spill to the earth below.

“Caelum--” Theodore started, but the angel didn’t let him finish.

“Stay close to me and stay out of my way,” he said, unbothered to address the contradicting meaning the words carried. “Something rotten is on its way here. We’ve been set up by that damn fortune teller.”

Caelum gripped the hilt of the sword as it finally emerged, giving the sword a few twirls in the air to ready himself. Judging by the foreboding feeling dredged deep into his core, he knew this was going to be more trouble than it was worth.

Terra stiffened at Caelum’s sudden change in attitude. Her eyes whipped around the empty lot, but all she saw were the dark shadows that had been edged back by the Angel’s weapon. Oddly enough, she felt rather--calm. She supposed there was only so much fear her body could handle at one given time, and right now what she feared more than anything was losing Cecil. She backed up closer to Francis, craving the strong presence of the larger vampire’s body beside her. She looked up to him, trying to gauge his reaction to the situation unfolding before them.

His reaction to her own breakdown during her reading had surprised her. It felt like Naomi’s words had equally wounded him for some reason, like he had been sharing the pain she felt. Even the words he had whispered just to her “we’ll figure it out together’ had left her stunned in silence. What did he owe her, to help her fix a past relationship? In what way could it benefit him? Terra swallowed hard and cast the thoughts from her mind. Right now, in the middle of potential danger wasn’t the time to be thinking of such things.

 

[Razvi-sama]

​

Mizuki | Francis

Location: Black Market - The Third Eye - Empty Lot​

White teas. As Mizuki exited the fortune teller's shop, as a way to distract herself she zeroed in on a very interesting little tidbit from Caelum. Naomi seemed to be teasing and prodding the angel, insisting he was to return to her shop, whether it be out of his own volition or not was yet to be seen. And, as if to mock her...Mizuki remembered him echoing on about white tea. In the week of knowing the angel, she hadn't been able to really get much information out of the holy creature. He mostly responded to her in monosyllabic words, so this was an interesting little fun fact about the man! Especially since she had the perfect blend to possibly cheer him up. Zen Flowering White Tea. She wasn't expecting the angel to share his life story with her, but if it meant cheering him up? Then that was a win in her book. It also helped...distract her from her own overthinking. She didn't want to think about loving herself or forgiveness or her past. She wanted to focus on...tea. Yeah, tea.

Mizuki looked to her right when she excited the shop with Theodore in hand, a soft chime of a bell following after them. As if it was offering them a gentle goodbye. She found Caelum leaning back against the fortune teller's shop, a run down brick building that had molded itself against the Black Market's walls. He was smoking, causing her to instinctively crinkle her nose. The smell of cigarettes was a very potent one for those with nose sensitivity, after all. Thus, she kept her distance. It seemed like it helped him to unload, and though he didn't really say much verbally? The reading had clearly affected him like it had affected all of them.

Caelum was the first to announce that they should head out, bringing them out of the foggy reverie they were each clouded with. Mizuki had to admit she was still a little dazed due to the reading, having almost forgotten their original goal. The Necromancer. She nodded dumbly to the angel's statement, looking to Theodore and then to Terra as the two looked down to the address. If anyone was to recognize a local address underneath the Black Market, it was going to be Terra.

Francis stood beside the fairy and looked over her shoulder as she read the smudged writing carved into the small business card. While he was a regular within the Market, the Black Market was made up of an intricate maze of alleyways and streets that lead to nowhere, most of the time. There were even moments Francis swore the Market's layout would change. As if it were a living, breathing thing that enjoyed confusing its residents. Only someone who had lived in the bustling nightlife of the Market for decades, maybe even centuries, would know its odd little patterns and confusing directions. Francis watched Terra take hold of the card and analyze the address scribbled over the crinkled card, eventually admitting she knew exactly where this way and they all seemed to let out a collective breath. Finally, a lead they could actually work with. Though, even as Terra admitted to knowing where the fortune teller was, she sounded...so small. Francis rested a hand over her back, a delicate reminder he was right beside her.

Once she handed the card back, they all seemed to collect themselves before they eventually shuffled away. The enthusiasm and bright energy they had originally been infected with at the beginning of this adventure had simmered out. They dragged their feet along and shuffled about in deafening silence. At the front, was Terra and right beside her Francis tried to keep up. She seemed lost in her own thoughts. He took in a deep breath before he turned to regard her, "Terra, you don't have to tell me anything about your private life. The last thing I want to do is intrude, but I just hope that you know that whatever happens? Well, you thankfully now have a group of people looking after you. After all of this, I doubt it'd be hard to not get involved with one another", he smiled optimistically for her, "I hope it works out with whoever Naomi mentioned in her reading for you. And, if you ever need anything...don't hesitate to call me. Like I said earlier, I have a space in the heart of New York and you're always welcomed there", he offered.

Mizuki walked beside Theodore with her hands folded before her and her gaze absently trailing over each crystal-powered lamp post. A sigh would occasionally leave her, clearly consumed with her own thoughts about the reading, especially the last statement she just casually threw out. They forgive you. She frowned, wondering if that was true. Thankfully, her train of thought was broken by Theodore's smooth voice, shifting to gesture to the man as he asked if she was okay. That made her smile, "It was", she laughed airily, "To think all of this started with you approaching me at a café, hungover", she grinned, teasing the poor vampire, "...I'm fine, thank you for checking in. And, we'll all be fine. The good thing about the future is that nothing is set in stone and we have control over our own destiny. I'm...a little scared, but I have you and the rest of this odd little group we somehow found, so I know I'll be okay", she assured him with a sweet tone, "And, so will you...and so will Samantha". She felt a burst of bubbling butterflies in her stomach as she looked up to Theodore. This moment they shared felt...light, and whatever had originally weighed her down had lifted.

~​

The group came to an abrupt stop before the empty plot of land, bewildered and lost. Mizuki scanned her gaze over the space. The soil was thin and dry, only a handful of weeds survived the harsh conditions of the terrain. It seemed that someone had been trying to grow a vegetable garden towards the left, but had somehow failed. Their tomatoes looked...very wilted. Just like their hopes.

They looked to terra for some sort of explanation, as she quickly insisted that there was supposed to be some sort of speakeasy where the empty plot of land now replaced it. Vacant and desolate. To each side of the empty lot was a large residential building and a townhouse. It seemed small and quaint. The lights were still on. Mizuki trained her gaze over the townhouse, noting a cherry tomato plant barely alive on the inhabitant's windowsill. Maybe the tomato garden was theirs. "It seems it was shut down, I'm sorry, Terra", she murmured, trying to focus on the...speakeasy and not the fact that the fortune teller had been wrong. Did that mean she was wrong about everything else? She sighed as she looked down to find residual debris from when they probably knocked down the building. How long ago had Terra last visited the speakeasy?

Mizuki watched as Terra stepped into the deserted plot, Francis quickly following after the fairy. The vampiress was a little hesitant herself, but allowed Theodore to gently coax her forward as he seemed to have reached for her to help her follow along. She quickly looked back to Caelum, ensuring the angel was following before she returned her curious gaze over the disorderly space, "Maybe there's a basement somewhere? An underground space we can somehow crawl into?", she added hopefully.

"I doubt it", Francis sighed, tapping his foot against the harsh terrain. No empty pockets, "We just have to accept the fact that either Naomi was a fake or that...the Necromancer somehow caught wind of us and left. I don't know, but whatever happened? I'm ready to give up for the night. We can try again tomorrow, we still have more names on the list", he assured, noting Mizuki's disappointment. He was brushing back his hair, about to convince the others that they could simply leave...maybe even get dinner, share some wine—when he felt a shiver down his spine. His attention immediately rose to find Caelum...doing some strange hand movements, but what really confused him was the sudden change in his aura. It caused Francis to instinctively take a step back, ensuring Terra was right beside him while Theodore and Mizuki both caught onto Caelum's shift in energy.

Mizuki turned in time to witness...a white gold sword manifesting right out of Caelum's hand. For a moment, she was worried he was going to use that sword against them for not holding their end of the deal somehow. She was worried that Naomi's reading had affected him more than they had all believed, and he was somehow going to take it out on them. But, she paused...While Theodore tried calling for Caelum's attention, Mizuki noticed the slight waft of sulfur began to fill the air. The stench nearly burned her nostrils and she quickly raised a hand to cover her nose while Caelum firmly insisted they stay back. He was...protecting them. A strange flurry of delight and dread began to fill her, knowing she wasn't going to let Caelum do this alone. She took a step towards him, instinctively moving her body before Theodore as if to shield him for whatever evil force was coming their way. Behind her, Mizuki ensured Francis and Terra were still within view, noting the way Terra shifted towards Francis and Francis curled an arm around the fairy's waist. Francis' expression looked firm and concentrated, his pupils in slits as he tried to zero in on whatever was threatening them. He too could smell the rotting flesh.

At least Terra would be personally looked after. Mizuki took in a deep breath and closed her eyes, focusing on her immediate surroundings. From the get go, she could feel Terra's pulse...her rapid heartbeat. Like that of a hummingbird. She sucked in a breath as she felt the rush of blood within Caelum's veins, actively being able to picture his circulatory system. It was unlike anything that she had ever witnessed...Yet, soon...she was able to hyper-focus on three steady heartbeats outside of their immediate group. They were abnormally strong and the rhythm felt off. Whoever those hearts belonged to, they were zeroing in on them fast...Mizuki's fangs and claws began to ache with the familiar taste of bloodlust. She felt her own pulse outside of herself, reverberating through her body as she steadied her breath...it becoming practically nonexistent. It echoed about her as she began to expand her the range of her focus, feeling the hearts of those merely 800 meters away from her center.

Mizuki allowed her bag to drop, slowly undoing the bandages around her hands. Her fingers were littered with deep claw-marks and bite-marks inflicted by herself, and normally she would worry about how unsightly they were...but right now she had to use what had been Gifted to her by the Royals. The gauze fell to her feet as dug her heels into the ground, the gravel crunching underneath her as she did. She felt the rush of the three strangers mere feet away from them, but she couldn't actively feel them before them. That was because they weren't above ground, they were—!

Her eyes snapped open, her slitted pupils swimming within a crimson pool of her iris. "Caelum, move!", Mizuki snarled, digging the balls of her feet into the dirt and shoving herself forward as she dug the palm of her hand into his back forcefully. She pushed him towards Theodore and whipped her attention beneath her, watching as a demon was actively ripping himself out from underneath where Caelum had just been standing. Dagger in hand. The demon had swung, but he was a millisecond too late.

Mizuki darted forward and dug her claws into the demon's wrist, pinning down his arm and twisting the blade away from her. There was an active crack to where she forced the demon's hand away, causing him to cry out painfully. Mizuki swiftly moved on top of him, straddling his torso as if to pin their assailant down. He quickly recovered his composure, though, and moved to shove his blackened and grimy claws into her throat. Mizuki quickly swung her right-hand as if to block the devilish thing and without touching the demon, the impish creature was made...immobile.

The muscles in his forearm began to visibly twist and contort while Mizuki's hand began to slowly close into a fist, and the poor demon began to scream and snarl. Snapping his fangs at the vampiress. The more she balled up her hand, the more the demon began to scream. Only problem? The tendons in her forearm began to cramp as painfully as the demon's and it was hard to keep her focus.

Another thing. Mizuki had no idea how to apprehend a demon, and there were two other presences just underneath them! She looked over her shoulder in a panic, still holding their first offender at bay, but not knowing for how long. "Caelum, they're all underground. One at my six o'clock, come right towards you and Theodore, and another to my four o'clock coming for Francis and Terra", she quickly announced.

Francis nodded, quickly wrapping his arms around Terra and holding her close to his chest, "You are coming with me, mon cher", he purred into her ear, and within the blink of an eye...Mizuki watched as Terra and Francis disappeared as if out of thin air. Their scent, their presence...their heartbeat...gone.

Unknown to Mizuki, this was Francis' Gift at play. As long as he kept Terra close, the fairy would be shielded by his cloak of invisibility. In one swift jump, Francis managed to expertly move across the empty lot, keeping himself and Terra shoved to the side of the little townhouse. Away from danger. He kept his hold on Terra tight and intimate, leaning down into her ear for a second time, "Do not make a single sound, and keep your breath to a minimum...we don't want their attention on us...Caelum, Theodore, and Mizuki will figure it out", he whispered, his gaze rising to find a second demon popping out of the ground like some sort of mole-rat, exactly where they had just been standing. The demon snarled her frustration, before bringing her attention up to Theodore and Caelum...her grin contorting sickeningly once she regained her composure.

"Seems we were too slow", the demon hissed as she slithered out of the hole she had created. The demon, Nyx, began to dust herself off, "No matter. I can handle some low-grade angel and his cowardly pet", she laughed, sliding her gun out from her holster. It was a silver-laden gun. Filled with Lucifer's Bullets. She pointed it directly at the pair, "Do you have any idea how much angel wings are going for right now? We would be rich. Making skinsuits out of vampires is now a luxury, hardly see your kind down here...hell, even the fairy could become a cute little plaything. You have ventured too close to our territory, and as per Market's rules, we're allowed to hunt. If I were you, I would just give up", she sniggered.

The moment her lips popped out the word "up", her third demonic partner ripped out from the ground and grabbed a hold of Caelum's ankle. Thanks to the sudden commotion, the pair was distracted and she pointed her gun at Theodore. Just one bullet to the heart should take him down—! Wait...Nyx choked, gasping for air as she felt her airways begin to clog. She gasped, stumbling as she tried to find the source on the pressure around her neck—That bitch of a vampire!

In a panic, Mizuki quickly directed her attention onto Nyx, her hand clenched into a tight ball. Her knuckles were painfully white, claws digging into her palm. Drops of her blood dribbled before her, "Theodore, run—Agh!". The demon beneath her grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her head back. Her concentration was broken as her hands instinctively rose up to peel the demon off of her, only for her to hear the 'click' of Nyx's gun's safety coming off. Aiming at her.

"Fine! I'll start with you!", Nyx growled hoarsely.

Spoiler: Demon Influence

​

 

[Pepsionne]

Theodore | Terra | Caelum
​

Terra made her way to the address that she had seen printed on the card purely through muscle memory, her head swimming in a pool of vacant thoughts. She wasn’t really feeling anything anymore, just echoes of the things she had felt in the reading earlier. She was guessing she had gone into something akin to shock.

Her vacant gaze drifted with a lazy movement over to Francis at the sound of his gentle voice beside her. She watched his face as he talked, the kind look that softened his eyes, the smile that brightened his cheeks. It was comforting in a way, to know that he cared about her, despite her being just barely better acquainted than a stranger. Terra didn’t have much to offer him other than a light smile that just barely managed to ghost across her lips. She didn’t have the energy for anything else. Thinking about opening up to the pain she was feeling and sharing it with someone else was too--too much. She was barely able to process it now, all she wanted was to pretend like the last hour hadn’t happened at all.

Theodore laughed awkwardly, wincing at the memory of the mess he had been the day after Samantha’s arrest. Hungover, desperate, in shock. It was a wonder Mizuki had even spoken to him at all, let alone tagged along with him for a day full of dangerous mishaps. He smiled at her, the action gentle as she looked up at him with her own softened features. There was a lightness to her expression, something internal that seemed to lift her from the heavy throes of Naomi’s words earlier. He nodded twice to himself before turning back to the street in front of them, swallowing back a flush that began to creep up his neck.

Caelum eyed their surroundings the further they trekked from Naomi’s shop. He hadn’t been to this part of the black market in--well--years. Ever since the gambling center Terra had mentioned was shut down, there really wasn’t any business over here that was worth his time. It was mostly filled with shady meetups and dangerous lurkers swimming through the shadows. His eyes followed the group as they stepped forward into the empty plot of land. Empty, abandoned, desolate, just like their chances for finding the Necromancer they sought after. He couldn’t help the bitterness that rose like acid at the back of his throat. That damned fortune teller, setting them up for failure and wasting even more of his time.

Theodore looked hopefully at the surrounding buildings for an opening to an underground area like Mizuki suggested. A slight breeze picked up to roll a soft cloud of dirt around at their ankles. He didn’t notice Caelum visibly tense behind him. Francis began to voice doubts about their luck, confessing that Naomi may have been a fake after all. That thought filled Theodore with equal parts of relief and dread. Relief at the horrible news Terra and Mizuki were currently shouldering may not have been real, dread that they may have been set up for failure from the start. He clenched his fists at the thought of giving up for the day as Francis suggested. All of this, was for nothing? The thought stung the back of his eyes with frustration.

Caelum became astutely aware of the group’s reaction to his sudden shift in energy. They all seemed to take one step back from him in fear. It wasn’t something he was unused to, but it had been awhile since he had to actively utilize his powers in front of a crowd. He shifted his gaze away from them, which had turned a solid white gold as he summoned the divine sword from his palm. He couldn’t suppress the flicker of confusion from passing across his face when Mizuki stepped towards him, almost as if she was insisting that she help him in whatever threat they faced. He knew Vampires could be strong, but against demons? The scent was clear enough now that he knew exactly what they’d be facing off against, but the location was still eluding his grasp like an oil slicked fish. He furrowed his brow in frustration, pacing around in a nervous tick while he waited for the approaching demons to finally make their move.

Theodore stood behind Mizuki, not daring to protest her protective stance before him. Something had shifted within her, something he had only caught a brief glance at when she had warded off Kat in the cafe a week ago. There was some type of hidden aggression laying under her aloof appearance, something dark and unexpected. His breathing became shallow watching both Mizuki and Caelum grow tenser as time went on. He could smell the faint waft of something foul in the air, but it was difficult for him to pinpoint what it was. Theodore had never smelled anything like it before. Putrid, smothering--evil.

He let out a soft, inward gasp at Mizuki’s unbandaged hands, eyes glued to the claw marks and gauges across her soft skin. Naomi’s words echoed back in his mind “You do not love yourself.” His expression coiled into a look of empathy and sadness. He had no idea what she went through when she was alone. Would he ever?

“Huh--” Caelum began to ask, but his voice was cut off by the gruff grunt he let out as Mizuki shoved him with a harsh movement, sending his feet into a hurried stumble. He crashed into Theodore, who let out a startled cry and managed to somehow balance them both from tumbling down into the dry ground beneath them. Caelum untangled himself from Theodore’s limbs, his eyes immediately finding the hand that had unearthed from where he had just been standing. The sharp dagger gleamed in what little light this part of the market had to offer.

“Thanks,” Caelim muttered to Mizuki, but he doubted she heard it. The two men watched dumbfounded as Mizuki wrangled the weapon away from the demon skillfully, her reaction swift and to the point. Theodore let out a choked sound at the sight of the demon countering her actions and swinging straight for her throat, but somehow, Mizuki stopped him dead in his tracks. The demon’s arm shook with tension, but it was unable to move further than where it had become stuck. So these were Vampire gifts in action, Caelum thought to himself, watching Mizuki handle the demon on her own. He nodded in understanding to her announcement of the location of the other two demons, noting Francis and Terra’s disappearance into the air around them. Must be Francis’ gift. He didn’t pay it much mind, as the second demon finally made her appearance in front of them and demanded his attention instead. She grinned at them sickly while she lamented her unlucky timing.

Terra had sucked in a breath in surprise, Francis' larger frame nearly engulfing her completely in a protective huddle. His scent was like a tidal wave over her senses, all she could breathe, see and smell was him. His voice came in a low vibration from his chest, whispering lightly to her that she should remain as quiet as possible. She couldn't see anything other than Francis' chest, his muscles somehow visible even beneath the cream sweater he wore. She let out the breath she had been holding in a slow, shaky exhale. Terra could hear the shrieking voices of the demons that had attacked them, she could hear Mizuki's sounds of effort. She had never felt so--useless before. Something to be protected, something that made them down two people. Terra swallowed hard, squeezing her eyes shut to drown out the sounds of the others fighting. If anything happened to any of them, could she forgive herself for being a burden?

Caelum stared blankly at the demon while she cackled at the thought of harvesting their group for their most valuable assets. He glanced down at the hand that had emerged from the ground and now encircled his ankle, the fingers turning into sharp black claws that dug into his skin. A stream of blood began to trickle down from the puncture wounds.

“Angel wings are linked to the amount of power an angel holds. The weaker the angel, the less impressive the wings. You can try and sell mine but you’re right, I’m just some low-grade angel. The real fortune is in archangel wings,” He shrugged, responding to no one in particular as the demon below emerged higher in an attempt to claw up his leg. “But they’re archangels, they’re impossible to touch let wrangle down long enough,” he droned. Theodore was stunned to see the apathetic demeanor Caelum displayed in reference to what the demon had talked about, not to mention his casual demeanor while one of the creatures was actively clawing at his ankle. Just the thought of having his fangs ripped out or his skin stripped was enough to give him nightmares. Was Caelum exposed to this sort of thing a lot?

With a circular twirl of his sword, Caelum sliced off the demon's wrist around his ankle. The wound hissed with an audible searing sound, the demon emerging fully from the ground with a shrill shriek in pain. He stared at the demon writhing around in anger, his pure white gaze unable to be read let alone stared into.

Theodore’s distracted state was snapped immediately to Mizuki once he heard the shrieking cry of the demon woman. Her gaze was pointed at Mizuki, the silver bullet loaded into the chamber potent in smell, like it was already burning a hole through the air and headed towards Mizuki’s body. He panicked, unsure of what to do in the moment.

He let out a cry in desperation, lunging towards Mizuki and the demon in a feeble attempt to stop her from pulling the trigger. With a loud, jarring caw and manic flap of wings, a crow suddenly dove in on the demon woman and began scratching its claws at her face while its large expanse of black wings beat at her face. The demon screamed in pain and frustration, using her gun wielding hand to swat away at the creature. Theodore didn’t hesitate to take his chance, running at the woman and tackling her to the ground to throw her off balance. They landed with a bone jarring thump and a cloud of dirt. Unbeknownst to Theodore, his desperation had translated through his gift, alerting the scavenging crows that lived in the area. Several others flocked over to where he and the demon woman wrestled for control of the gun, their beaks and claws pecking and scratching at the demon’s body.

Caelum ignored the demon whose hand he had sliced off for now, deciding instead to focus on helping Mizuki. He held his index and middle finger straight out together in a straight line while closing the rest of his hand in a fist before slicing the air horizontally. A bright golden line struck across the dry ground in a vibrant glow, running in the same distance he had gestured through the air. The line flared with white licking flames, searing the demon and causing him to lose his grip on Mizuki’s hair. Caelum ran over to her side before the barrier expired, wrapping his hand around her waist and skating with long, backwards strides to add distance between them and the two downed demons. “We need to help Theodore first, then focus on those two when they recover,” Caelum stated flatly, his hand leaving Mizuki’s waist to allow her to regain her balance and focus.

 

[Razvi-sama]

​

Mizuki | Francis | Antonio

Location: Black Market - Empty Lot​

It took all of her concentration to keep the demon at bay. They were locked together, with the demon's claws merely inches away from her jugular. She swallowed thickly, confident that such a wound wouldn't be fatal. Still, she didn't want to give this bastard the satisfaction of spilling her blood. Her hand had nearly clenched into a tight fist, locking his tendons together and keeping him from moving any closer to her. Mizuki was capable of manipulating blood. That was the Gift the Royals had cursed her with. Through strict mental prowess, the most she ever managed to do was lock limbs together or cause tendons to cramp. It was a Gift she was ashamed of due to its gruesome nature. She didn't find it necessary to hone her skills, given that it made her physically nauseous to know she had the ability to...control. Subdue. Overpower.

Due to lack of practice, Mizuki hissed in a low growl as the ligaments in her forearm began to tear from the excessive force, the tendons shifting in waves underneath her forearm. Her arms began to shake from exertion. Mizuki growled in response to the demon's painful moans. The two were practically locked together, and it took all of her energy to keep him down. She had never used her Gift on such a strong opponent. From what she remembered in that crimson haze of hers...was that she would use her Gift on humans before she—...

Mizuki shook away the thought, her gaze straining to look behind her and address both Francis and Caelum. Warning them that there were incoming enemies below. Their heartbeats practically reverberating within her. In the blink of an eye, Francis disappeared which was honestly a shock to witness. She became distracted and the demon nearly overpowered her. His claws inched closer to her throat, watching as she swallowed thickly—nervously. She tightened her fist, cramping his muscles and causing a shriek to escape the sinful creature. She was breathing laboriously, forcing air into her lungs as she tried to keep herself from panicking. In for four seconds, hold for five, out for six. Focus. Focus!

At least it was a relief that Francis and Terra were safe. Wherever they were. It was an impressive Gift. One that kept you and your loved ones hidden and protected. Hers? Was meant to harm. She felt sick to her stomach, she didn't even want to imagine what Theodore must think of her. Yet, Mizuki suppressed it...not allowing her mind to wander too far. Knowing she couldn't afford such useless thoughts. If they were to get out of this situation alive, she had to keep her wits about her. She snarled, baring her fangs ferociously at the demon before lunging forward and finally grabbing the demon by his wrists, sinking her claws into his veins and pinning him down against the ground beneath them. The demon offered her a shaky, snarky little grin, "This is kind of hot, if you think about it", he growled back at her, causing her to visibly cringe.

Don't let it get to you, don't let it get to you. Mizuki loosened the slack around his wrists for a moment, only to quickly slam him back down against the dirt and grime beneath them, causing the demon to lose his breath, "You shut up! You shut the hell up. You're nothing but filth and I will bury you", she threatened in a low hiss, barely registering the threats that were being sent Caelum's and Theodore's way. Something about wings...something about skins...a play thing? The vampiress looked over her shoulder in time to watch a demon sprung out from underneath Caelum, clawing at his ankles and doing its absolute best to drag him down into the manhole he had dug out. He tore through the angel's jeans, his claws dragging over his fair skin. A pool of blood collecting beneath him. Yet, Caelum didn't budge, he didn't react. He barely blinked or gawked at the demon who actively tried to get some sort of reaction out of the angel. He even chewed on his heel...nothing. His blood smelled of static and she naturally cowered away from it, ensuring her strength remained on the demon he continued to hiss cruel, nasty things into her ear. Vulgar.

The curl to Nyx's smile began to stretch as the angel graced her with a response, "You're right", she spat back, "I would do anything to get my hands on those self-righteous assholes! Sadly, and I guess gladly for me, hardly any of them come down to the Black Market and angelic material has run painfully dry. So, well-paying customers will certainly pay a pretty penny for even just one of your feathers. Witches use them to summon familiars all the time! Imagine! We'd be rich!", she snarled, a cackle mingling threateningly with her words, "So, trust me...pretty boy, you'll be enough. I'll pluck you like a chicken and I'll let you watch the life drain painfully slowly out of your friends, and—!", as she spoke, she pointed the gun readily at Theodore, thinking him the easier target. Even if she didn't get the wings, she could get the Night Child and skin him! But. She choked, her air being stifled out of her lungs. Her knees nearly locked together, her golden iris swimming in her inky black sclera desperately searching for the cause of her suffocation!

Her! Nyx pinpointed the cause of her suffering, choking and sputtering as Mizuki tightened her fist before her. Doing everything she could to prevent the demoness from harming her friend—Mizuki yelped as she felt her head yanked back in unison with the howls of the demon who just lost his hand. The clawed appendage remained stuck to the angel's heel. The demon screamed and used his other hand to clutch at the stub that now graced his forearm. Acidic blood began to spray everywhere, melting the surface it touched and hissing upon contact. A sulfuric gas manifesting in its wake. Mizuki peered down to witness the handless demon writhing beside Caelum, her hands having shot up instinctively to take care of her hair. She groaned, bending back and having to make the effort to try and get a look at Caelum...she was met with a pure white gaze, one that nearly sent her into a trance. She hardly registered the demon tugging at her hair or the demoness who pointed a gun at her...she was lost in Caelum's haunting gaze...ready to give up—.

Mizuki gasped in a gulp of air, hearing Theodore's cry rip through. It jerked her out of her trance, now actively beginning to fight back against the demon as she watched...as she watched Theodore lunge forward, running towards the demoness—! "Theodore—!", she choked, feeling the demon's fingers beginning to choke her from behind, his claws sinking into the tender flesh of her neck. She lost all strength in her arms, but she could still fight back! She could still jerk her body, and kick, a-and bite—! She nestled her lips down to the demon's hand, sinking her fangs into his fingers and tugging at the flesh. Once she loosened his grip, she opened her mouth to chomp down on his hand causing the demon to scream. He flailed his hand, trying to get it free but to no avail. She jerked around to his flailing, doubling down like a rabid chihuahua.

As he tried to pull himself free, even going as far as to slam his fist down against her head, Mizuki's attention mildly find its way towards Theodore. She needed to free herself—she needed to help him! She barely registered the crowing that echoed their surroundings, only managing to catch flashes of dark masses pummeling Nyx's face, clawing, pecking at her flesh. She began to freak out, waving her arms frantically! Swatting her weapon at the creatures! Where had these vermin come from!? She yelled her frustration, only for her to grunt to feel a sudden force crash into her abdomen. She lost her balance, falling on her back yet still clutching tightly onto her gun while the stupid kid tried to tear it away from her—including his pets! "Get off me!", she snarled, as the two began to wrestle for control.

The demon beside Caelum continued to yell out his pain, nursing his arm against his chest as he slowly bled out. It would take a while for him to regenerate his hand and the process was generally very painful. The angel barely acknowledged him. Stepped over him as if he was filth! He choked, weakly and pathetically trying to reach a hand towards Caelum to try and grab his other ankle...to try and save face...But, instead...he found himself stopped to watch as...they had to get out of here. He was watching his friend get burned alive with holy flames! He tried to pick himself up. He still had a dagger, though...The angel's back was turned, focused on rescuing his friend...and what was the first rule to any battle? Never turn you back on the enemy.

Mizuki gasped as she felt the demon's grip loosen around her hair and neck, no longer flailing, and now only yelling in a blood-curdling scream she hadn't ever witnessed in her existence. Beneath her, she watched as white flames began to lick away at its prey, the demon doing everything in its power to blow away the fire or to put it out. But, she couldn't really afford to focus too long on the demon now could she? No. Caelum rushed towards her, wrapping his arm around her waist and actively pulling her flush against him. He skidded backwards, using effortless strides to put some distance between himself and the demons. She let out a shaky breath, his voice sounding distant...muted...Theodore? She...Theodore! "On it!", she nodded to the angel, "...thank you", she then offered sincerely before she ran towards the vampire.

Nyx continued to struggle for control, deeming she had enough of the brat! She was going to end this! She curled her leg into herself sharply, kneeing Theodore in the gut! She then elbowed him at his temple, shoving the man off of her! "Shouldn't you buy a girl dinner first before you try to force yourself on her?!", she barked, grabbing one of the crows by the neck and biting its head off with her teeth. She began to claw at the air to disperse the flying rats, quickly noting they were slowly trickling away...too injured to continue serving their purpose. Blood now painted her lips as she turned towards the vampire, pointing her gun at him and ready to shoot—! What now!?

Mizuki darted forward, taking a tight grip of her wrist and shoving the aimed gun upwards! The demoness made her shot, and Mizuki flinched her surprise. She then tried to tear the gun out of the demon's hand—kicking her shins and even going as far as to slam her forehead against the woman's nose! Nyx cried out, sharply raising her foot and kicking Mizuki square in her stomach. She lost her footing, stumbling back and falling beside Theodore. She rested a hand on his shoulder, and shakily raised her other in hopes to summon a bit more energy. If she used her Gift once more...m-maybe...

Nyx kicked dirt their way. Her hair was in a tangled mess, cuts adorned her face. Blood dribbled down her nose. There was dirt that coated a layer of grime over her body. She was heaving, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she used both hands to point a gun at both Theodore and Mizuki, "You...pieces of shit. I will make sure that skinning you is the most gruesome...the most painful experience in your miserable existence! Fuck you! We're just trying to make a living...", she growled, her eyes flickering towards her side as she noticed a flash of movement. Boris, one of her trusted companions, was playing dead this whole time! He managed to pick himself up, dagger in his one good hand and if he just managed to cut the angel's wing then—!
...and then...a sweet melody softly echoed around them. It was everywhere and nowhere all at once. Nyx found herself growing immobile, as did Boris...who was only inches away from tearing through Caelum's back. A flute began to sharply play, and Nyx oddly began to feel as if her muscles were cramping together. A mild, present pain...Boris seemed to feel the same discomfort, and their third companion had been burnt to a crisp. His discomfort had ended.

But, the two demons began to notice how their pain levels began to increase. From a mild ache, to hot searing pain. She couldn't even move to yell! Her mouth didn't budge open. She let out muffled cries as sulfuric tears began to drip down her cheeks. It was seemingly never-ending, it was...it was torture! She wanted to cry for help, to beg for whoever was letting out that haunting sound to stop whatever sorcery they were using! But, alas...she remained frozen as Mizuki stared up at her in horror.

The song came to an end, and so did their pain. Nyx's and Boris' body grew slack and they fell on the ground, sobbing audibly for all to hear. She sniffled, blurrily registering a figure appearing from the shadows and standing at the end of the property. The street lamp casted a warm, overhead light over his figure...cascading over him menacingly. All she could smell from his person...was death. And, even demons didn't like dealing with Necromancers.

"Come on, stand up", said the voice, pointing a silver flute their way, "Stand up and leave this place. You're outside of your territory, I don't care how close you think it is. It's still illegal to hunt these grounds. You are disturbing neighbors—! Ms. Marie has a newborn! You've probably woken her baby", he huffed. He held a mild lisp, his voice laced with an accent, "Now scram, and leave these poor people alone", he murmured, "You're lucky I don't drag you back to Hell where you belong".
Nyx offered a shaky nod, about to stand—"Ah! And, leave the gun. Don't make me take it from you". Nyx flinched...but eventually obeyed. She rested the gun down by her feet before she raised her hands up as if to prove her innocence. Their third companion was...dead, but at least she had Boris. She rushed towards him as the two pathetically hobbled their way past the Necromancer...the witch keeping his posture as they ran away. After hearing a chirp escape his hoodie, he knew they were in the clear! Oh, thank god! He was so scared!

Antonio practically deflated, giving out a carefree smile as he rushed towards the victims, "Oh, heavens. Are you guys okay?", he asked, reaching for the gun that had been left behind and quickly pocketing it behind him. He jogged towards the couple on the ground and extended a hand towards them, "Let me help you up? Anyone else hurt?", he called out.

Mizuki was still...in shock, really. She sat curled up beside Theodore, staring wide-eyed at this man who...stank of death. Was he...? He had a dark complexion and kind eyes. His hair bounced effortlessly with his curls. He had a bit of a five o'clock shadow and was dressed in a hoodie and sweatpants. Bags heavily dressed under his eyes, and the tips of his fingers were inky black...She swallowed thickly...was the fortune teller...right?

 

[Pepsionne]

Theodore | Terra | Caelum​

Theodore wasn’t sure what exactly went through his head in the moments he watched Mizuki struggle with the demon whose claws were mere inches from her throat. He did know the feeling though--and that was panic. It was a clarifying panic, one that sent every meager thought and worry straight from his body and leaving behind one, singular, thought. Help Mizuki.

“That makes two of us,” Caelum muttered under his breath, barely audible in his response to the demon Nyx’s cruel remarks about the archangels. He stared absently at the demon who clawed forwards up his leg, the expression on his face more annoyed at the effort it would take to remove him than anything.

Nyx let out a choked gasp shortly after her tirade. Her eyes shot around wildly before narrowing in on Mizuki, whom she levelled her gun at. Theodore didn’t have to think to launch forward into action. His feet moved for him, senses and thoughts lingering behind, not registering in mind until he had slammed into the demon Nyx. The force knocked them both off balance into a puff of dirt. The jarring impact had knocked all the noise, thoughts and actions that had previously lagged behind. Theodore heard a high pitched, violent scream coming from Caelum’s direction and a string of vulgar nothings spoken in a low, sickly voice coming from Mizuki’s. Most of all, he heard the frustrated screams from Nyx beside him, swatting and clawing away at the crows that grated out angry war cries as they attacked her with their claws. “What am I doing? What have I done? What did I get myself into?” Theodore’s thoughts fired rapidly now that he had catapulted himself into danger. The adrenaline from the fight had turned his eyes into thin slits, and his breathing was deep.

The silver gleam of Nyx’s gun caught in his eye through the cascade of inky black feathers, making Theodore snarl in disgust. A demon using a gun for a dirty advantage, what low blow. He pounced on Nyx along with the crows, struggling to wrestle the gun out of her grasp while she concentrated on the biting and scratching birds swarming her. It only took him a few seconds of struggling before he had a firm grip on the cold steel. Theodore wrapped his hands around the gun and began to pull with all his might. Before he could throw the full force of his weight back, Nyx curled her leg inward and kneed him square in the stomach. Theodore let out a choked cry, losing his strength and falling backwards into the dirt once more. He grasped around on the floor for something, anything to bring him back to balance. He let out a weak, hollow groan, unable to breathe from the force of Nyx’s blow, the muscles in his neck tense. He barely even heard the shot register in the air, too focused on the racing adrenaline screaming at him to breathe, to just fucking breathe already, but he still struggled for any kind of air to refill his lungs.

Caelum was too far away to react to the sudden advantage Nyx had against Mizuki and Theodore. He stared, wide eyed as Mizuki shuffled closer to Theodore and placed her hand on the man’s shoulder, levelling her eyes on Nyx as the woman pointed the gun once again her way. He drew his fingers into the sign to draw a boundary again, hoping maybe the light would serve as long enough distraction for him to make it to the two downed vampires. The demon was a mess, any sense of composure long lost from her body. Her clothes were dirty and torn, blood dripping down from open wounds and hair frazzled and matted with dirt.

He began to move his arm in the motion of projecting the boundary, but his muscles froze in reaction to a sudden presence shifting behind him. Caelum lifted his sword up, bracing to parry the demon’s dagger who had jumped up behind him, but the clash of metal on metal never came. Instead, a smooth, flute melody drifted through the silent air and shadows of the dark environment. He let his arms fall down to his sides, having recognized the melody now piercing the air.

Theodore was now able to regain control of his abdominal muscles, gulping in large chunks of air in relief and panic. He looked over at Mizuki, her features hardened into determination and resilience while she faced down--Theodore propped himself up on his elbows rapidly. He looked wide eyed at Nyx--but she was no longer paying attention to them. Her face was contorted into a silent but clearly insufferable look of agony. There was a soft melody drifting around them, was that the source of their pain? Theodore craned his head around in search of the source of the sound. The scent of death hit his senses not long after. In the distance, emerging from the dark pool of shadows--was a figure. A man. He held a silver flute in his hand, which he pointed the demons’ way before speaking. The melody had stopped since his arrival.

Caelum dissipated the sword in a flurry of golden but short-lived embers. His eyes faded back into their lazy, empty gaze. He threw his hands behind his head letting out a breath in exasperation as the Necromancer warned the demons off. His eyes followed the man’s movements, watching the intimidating guise melt off his body once the demons had scampered off into the shadows once more. Caelum took note of the gun the man swiftly pocketed behind him, his features twitching slightly.

Theodore let out an audible sigh, dropping back down into the dirt once the threat of the demons had fully faded away. His chest heaved up and down with every breath. Mizuki lay curled up beside him. Her eyes were wide in shock, staring at--something that had approached them. He looked up at the figure that loomed over them, the look on his face overwhelmingly lined with concern. So this was the guy that saved them, huh? The scent of death rolled off his body in waves, so strong it was almost overwhelming at times. Theodore clenched his jaw to keep from gagging. He stared up at the inky tipped fingers that reached down towards them. Mizuki hadn’t budged a single muscle since he had arrived in front of them. Theodore hesitated as well, opting to lay and simply stare up silently as well.

Caelum had meandered over slowly, hands still behind his head while the stranger inquired about the group’s wellbeing. He looked down at Theodore, who stared silently back. “I think we’re all alright,” he drawled slowly, looking up from Theodore to lock eyes with the new arrival. He took in his features. This was definitely a Necromancer. Maybe the fortune teller hadn’t lied after all. Though he would’ve appreciated a little heads up at the demons that awaited them. That he’d even have to shed blood in the direct future. The skin on his ankle had already begun scabbing over with dried blood, the wound not anywhere close to something serious--but still. It was the premise of it.

“Francis,” Terra whispered once hearing the sound of another voice approach the group. “Are they done fighting? Is anyone hurt? I heard a gunshot--and there was a lot of screaming. Can we check to make sure everyone’s alright?” She asked, staring up into his eyes. Her hands were constricted tight in front of her, palms pressed flat into his chest. She could feel the even steady beat of his heart, much different from the wild pattering of her own. How was he able to stay so calm in a situation like this? It wasn’t that Terra disliked danger per say--but even she wasn’t immune to the adrenaline that came with it.

 

[Razvi-sama]

Mizuki | Francis | Antonio

Location: Black Market - Empty Lot​

Antonio had just finished a twelve hour shift at the Presbyterian Hospital. He dragged his feet back home, rubbing a hand over his exhausted features. He stepped into the small condominium, going up a small flight of stairs that led into his apartment. He stepped inside, greeted by a cheerful little chirp. He greeted his familiar warmly, promising he would make dinner after a shower and a small power nap. He just needed to get off his feet for a second.

So, Antonio brought a stool into the shower, sitting underneath the warm stream of water and allowing himself to finally take a breath as the hot water melted away any knots he found in his shoulders. He rubbed at his sore muscles, hearing another little chirp coming from outside the bathroom door. He smiled to himself and laughed. It was a reminder he had to make dinner. Okay, okay. He quickly washed through his hair and body, rinsing off quickly and nudging the stool to the side before he tripped. He began to ruffle his hair dry and slid on a pair of sweats and a hoodie before he stepped out of the bathroom where his familiar cozily stuffed himself into his hoodie. His little partner, Enzo, was a handsome fruit bat. He's been with him since he turned eighteen.

Antonio padded into the small kitchenette, his eyes casually fluttering towards the tiny double-hung window to his side. An empty lot nastily glared back at him and he grimaced in return. It was an ugly little sight. He wished he could do more with the land, seeing it was unoccupied. He actually tried planting a tomato garden, but it had ultimately withered and died in his hands. He didn't know if it was due to the fact that he was a Necromancer and his hands were stained with death, or that the soil was too weak and lacked the nutrients to help gray such a garden. Whatever the case, he hated that plot of land. There was trash and broken glass everywhere. Children could get seriously hurt.

Antonio sighed, turning away from the window and focusing on dinner. He had some leftover tamales that he bought in bulk, seeing that Christmas was around the corner so he wanted an excuse to splurge on...well, tamales. They were his comfort food, after all. He chopped up cucumber and watermelon in little cubes for his familiar, mixing them in a bowl with mint leaves. He rested the bowl on the counter while he heated his tamales in a pot of boiling water, and served himself a café de olla. It was a traditional coffee beverage from his home country. It is served piping hot and is perfumed with delicious spices like cinnamon and star anise, as well as brown sugar. As he boiled all four elements in a tiny pot, he took in a deep breath and allowed the warm spices to help relax him. It reminded him of home. He could almost hear the passing waves—.

He heard screams. Antonio opened his eyes and looked to his right to find...three people being terrorized by demons. Well, from his standpoint, he could argue it was the other way around, but they seemed to be losing the upper hand. There was a demon pointing a gun at two people, who were cowering and curling up against one another. Another demon was stalking after a lone male, dagger in hand...and Antonio didn't know what had possessed him at that moment, but his feet moved before he could process what he was doing. Antonio turned off the gas stove with a sharp 'click' before he skidded out of the kitchen and made a sharp turn around the counter. He fumbled to get his flute, rushing out the door and down the small flight of stairs. He brought the instrument up to his lips and let out a desperate melody, which only grew harmonious with each passing note. Each combination of notes was a spell. Every tone, every intent, every tune mattered. And, the spell he focused on most was pain inducement. He wanted to paralyze the enemy, and ensure that they knew that they were unwelcome...

...and thankfully? Many demons didn't dare mess with Necromancers. At least, most of the lower level demons. The imps that gathered dust at the bottom of the food chain. Thanks to his companion, Antonio knew exactly where to strike and for how long. It was Enzo who gave Antonio the clear before he rushed forward to try and assist these innocent pedestrians as best he could. Yet, the closer he got to the couple on the ground...the sooner he began to realize that these were no ordinary supernaturals. He had assumed a fairy at best, a Sorcerer at worst. No. They were vampires. The glint of their fangs, the slit in their pupils, and their piercing claws gave them away. Antonio's gaze found itself dragging over the vampiress' image. Her hair was in disarray, her iris a piercing crimson that was slowly draining away to their natural hazel color. Black, putrid blood coated her lips and claws...and she looked up at him fearfully. Her right arm seemed immobile, and his more medical eye noted the cramps over her flexor muscles over her forearm. That looked nasty, and she might be in a lot of pain. She used her other hand, though...to grab at the male's coat as if he was her safety blanket. She gave no indication that she was going to attack, but she still looked wary and ready to do what she believed would be necessary to take care of herself and her loved one.

The male wasn't any better. He gawked at him just as much as the female. At least, he didn't seem as tense as she did. He breathed a little more laboriously, his jawline a little sharper due to how tightly he was holding it. He looked a little disgusted and Antonio soon realized...ah, they had sensitive noses, didn't they? Antonio offered the two vampires a weak smile, pulling his hand back towards himself as he didn't seem like he was about to get an answer anytime soon, "Well, it looked like a close call. I'm happy I was close by", he said sincerely, though perked up when he finally heard someone direct their word at him. Oh! It was...He wasn't really sure what that young man was. He certainly wasn't a vampire. He had a sword and it had erupted in a beautiful display of golden embers. It was beautiful, but Antonio wasn't sure where that stemmed from. Alchemy?

"I-I see!", Antonio smiled, seemingly a little wobbly from how nervous and exposed he felt. Vampires weren't fond of Necromancers, but Necromancers were terrified of vampires due to the Council and the mandate set out to...well, exterminate them. He should have been more careful. He actually liked his apartment, he didn't want to move again. "I'm glad you're alright", he assured, "Anyway...um...I'll just go back inside, then. You really shouldn't wander into these parts, they can be a little dangerous if unprepared", he insisted, motioning to step away when he suddenly saw two more people materializing right before his eyes! Ah!

During most of the fight, Francis remained immobile, his arms safely curled around Terra as he kept her flush against his chest. He kept a steady eye on the situation in case he had to step in, which he almost had to do multiple times. Other than that, he kept a steady breath with a steady heart. His palm laid flat against her two shoulder blades, another over the small of her back. He could practically feel her heart thrumming like a hummingbird's. He suddenly realized the precious cargo he held in his arms.

"...they're done", Francis whispered, "No one is severely hurt, but all of them had some mild flesh wounds inflicted. They'll heal in no time. The gunshot was a warning shot, and the screaming was out of frustration and adrenaline", he promised, slowly pulling away from Terra...only to release his Gift with a single blink. Thanks to the scent of rotting flesh and formaldehyde...Francis knew that they had been graced with a Necromancer, "Stay close", he mumbled to Terra as he began to pace towards the group.

"Sorry!", Francis called out in a low chortle, seemingly amused with the situation, "I didn't mean to startle you. Not many get the honor of witnessing my Gift, so tonight must be your lucky night", he winked at the man, causing Antonio to grow a little flustered. Um.

"I must thank you for saving my friends there. Without you, I don't know what would have happened—Come on, you two! Get up, and thank the nice man", Francis chastised lightly, which caused Mizuki to shake away her general surprise.

Mizuki realized the position she was in. Curled up against Theodore and covered in grime. She gasped inwardly, excusing herself weakly as she pushed herself away from the vampire. She sat up, her attention on the Necromancer, "S-Sorry, I must have still been in some sort of shock. Thank you so much for your help, it's nice to meet you—", she extended her arm out to shake his hand, only to sharply wince and hiss. She quickly shot her arm back down, practically cradling the limb.

"Ah, you shouldn't be moving your arm. I know...um—vampires heal at a rapid pace, but a cramp of this magnitude...well, there's technically nothing to heal. I have an ice pack in my apartment. You should cool it down, drink some...uh—...water?", he offered weakly, not knowing if vampires could drink water, "You're all welcome to come up? After what you went through, you should have a space to help cool down. I-I don't mind helping?", he asked, "I could tend to all of your wounds, actually", he said, turning towards the young man who earlier had a sword. He still had a nasty looking gash over his heel and ankle.

Mizuki looked to the rest, and from what she gathered of Francis...he was ecstatic! They got a Necromancer to welcome them into his home! They could ask for his help! That's what Mizuki Imagined was going on in that head of his right now. She sighed, supposing an ice pack would feel nice. She weakly turned to Theodore, "...what do you think?".