Fantasy Willowwood Conduits

[Keeperoftheghosts]

Ivory smiled waving off the compliment as she went to unlock the shop and flip the sign around.
"Ah, it's nothing, just standard store brand mint...if Halloween hadn't come to the U.S as a celebration yet then frankly she's closer to....oh this gets tricky. Originally it was known as Sawhain, and celebrated by the Celts and many witches...at least of the Wiccan kind and those who see upon the veil today, but was Christianized under the authority of Pope Gregory in the 7th century if I recall correctly under All Saints and All Souls day....she...can't be that old right?" She asked crossing back from the door ignoring Chester's mocking hand movements.

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

“I'm not sure. I could see if someone could ask her. I know she’s been around since the eighteen hundreds at least.” He listened to her as she ranted taking in every little bit of information she gave. “Is Halloween kinda like the day of the dead? Thorn celebrates that. Honoring his ancestors and all.” Shade went to finish he cup and slightly batted Chester scoldingly.

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

Chester stuck our his tongue
"Hah, I might be the same age then." He celebrated doing a little jig around the shop with an exaggerated grin ignoring Pepe's bat.
"Day of the Dead? Dia de Los Muertos right? And typically no, modern day Halloween has been mostly commercialized into a day of fun and mischief for the vast majority of the public. Dia de Los Muertos has more in common with the Catholic holidays All Saints and All Souls Day in regards to honoring those that have passed. I think at least." She said somewhat uncertainly.

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

He chuckled watching Chester before glancing at Ivory. “Ah yeah! Dia De Los Muertos! Day of the dead. And that makes sense I suppose. Halloween sounds kinda busy... Though busy means that we can blend in better with the public.”

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

"It is quite busy typically from the few times I've witnessed it myself. " she agreed crossing back to the coffee pot she had behind the counter to run a new pot, keeping an eye out for customers in case she needed to shoo Chester away as she did so.
"...You're planning to go along with their plan then?" She asked.

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

“Well… as long as I don't have any work I don't see why not. It'll be great to just be normal for a little while. Even if it's only for a day.” He smiled and set the mug on the counter gently. “And Eel may be… questionable, but he does have the best interests of his friends at heart. I don't think he would knowingly throw me in a situation that he can't handle if it gets out of hand.”

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

Ivory tilted her head a moment pressing start on the pot and stepping back grabbing a broom she had stashed in a shaded corner starting to sweep behind the counter.
"Seeee no need to be such a worry wart we'll be perfectly behaved and make sure Shade will be safe." Chester chimed in throwing an arm around his shoulder for emphasis.
"...Alright...I'll trust your word on it. Plus one's first Halloween is a magical experience. I'll be at my shop passing out candy up until 10 though so if you need anything stop by."

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

He giggled and nodded. “Okay perfect! What’s your favorite part of Halloween?” He asked Ivory as he ducked from under Chester’s arm sticking out his tongue. Getting more playful now that he had gotten more comfortable with them. Taking the mug she had let him borrow and trying to find a place to clean it for her.

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

Ivory rubbed the back of her neck.
"I...umm have only properly celebrated it once...I'm typically pretty busy... and ah, you don't need to worry about that, I can handle it." She smiled pausing sweeping to gesture that he could just set it on the counter.
Chester rolled his eyes at her response.
"Scaring people obviously, it can't be trick or treat without a trick. " He grinned

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

Shade set the mug down facing Chester. “You’ve celebrated Halloween a lot then?” He was genuinely excited about it. His smile wide and bright. “What’s it like? Do you have a lot of fun during it? Is there anything I should be prepared for?” He spouts question after question eagerly.

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

Chester grinned flicking his forehead
"It's a fucking blast, and yeah even if it was just as the one day a year a can turn corporal away from my bond. Let's see there's sooooo much candy, and there's this tradition called trick or treating where all the kids get dressed up and go door to door asking for candy. I personally like to scare them so they drop it. There's costume parties for adults typically later on in the night. Oh and horror movies! There's typically reruns at movie theatre's or sometimes even in parks and there's always a ton of new ones that come out around now so I like to go and make fun of the bad ones. Apple cider is a must, and bobbing for apples is probably an old forgotten tradition by now. " He went on easily matching the hyper pave of questions.

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

Shade grinned and bounced excitedly. “That sounds awesome!! I can't wait!!” He beamed and spun around gently. “Plus I can hang out with Ivory if you and Eel wanna do anything I don't want to.” He smiled gently.

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

Chester flicked his tail at him.
"Fuck yeah it'll be blast." Ivory glanced over up from sweeping.
"You're of course welcome to stay at the shop but I'll be out after 10 until sunrise. I can leave the door unlocked however. " She offered with a smile very careful to avoid saying why she'll be out without necessarily lying about it.

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

“How late do they plan on staying out? I don't want to bother you too much. Plus I would have to be home by midnight.” He smiled gently not at all pushing or asking what she would be doing. Better in that sense of not prying as his brother had when Ivory had first met him. Even Eel had asked a few more questions about her personal life than Shade had.

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

Ivory glanced over to Chester raising an eyebrow. Thankful that he didn't seem as inquisitive especially considering she'd really rather none of them- especially not Eel- knew that she was a conduit at all.
Chester grinned stetching out lazily.
"All night as well of course, I get a day to be completely untethered and still corporal? You bet your bottom dollar that I'm gonna fucking use it...I suppose Eel and I can drop you off though...most of the festivities that I'm guessing you would be interested in would be done by then. Unless you want to crash an adult only party. Oooooh that could be fun. " He grinned answering for her batting his tail around carelessly.

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

“Don’t those have drunk people and stuff?” He frowned slightly and then smiled. “Maybe I could convince my brother… if not then you guys have a lot of fun alright? I kinda got to get home now. Before Receiver has to hunt me down for work.”

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

"Aww man, and dude you can do it regardless of what he wants or not, you're an adult, it's a marvelous little thing about it." Chester grinned ruffling his hair.
Ivory looked up from sweeping and set her broom aside going to open the door for him.
"Oh! Goodbye then, get home safe Alright? Feel free to stop by any time. " she smiled at him.

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

Shade beamed. “Yeah okay, thanks Ivory!” He fixed his hair stepping out the door. Waving to her and Chester with a big grin and heading his way to leave town. Being kind to anyone he saw with a friendly wave as he passed. Soon turning the corner out of sight from the two of them.

After a few moments Bolt came sprinting down the sidewalk and threw open the shop door a grocery bag filled on one arm and a book from the library in his hand. “Miss Ivory! Apologies for bursting in here, I had some unwanted visitors but no worries I handled it now.” He crossed over and opened the bag pulling out a few nicely wrapped coffee cakes offering her one.

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

Chester at that point had turned incorporeal after waving goodbye to Pepe. He turned towards Bolt looking surprised.
Ivory immediately put the broom aside quickly moving to lock the door behind him, and turned towards him furrowing her brow in concern.
"Wait, what do you mean unwanted visitors what happened! " she asked darting over to her tarot table and grabbing a cushioned chair from it dragging it over so he could sit before accepting the coffee cake.
"And are you okay? Wait where's Jay?"

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

“Jay’s making sure they aren't following. It's some newer kids under Everett so they don't have a hold of the whole ghost thing yet. They knew I was a conduit but they couldn't tell the difference between a ghost and a living person.” He glanced at the door a moment before back to her. “I made sure they wouldn't find here. I'd never put your store and home in danger like that.”

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

Ivory grimaced rubbing the back of her neck.
"I appreciate the thought but I'm not quite sure if here is a safe place for you now...Ink, Shade, and Eel all know where this is and who I am now...but I'm safe no need to worry...is Jay going to be okay? If they figure out he's a ghost they might try capturing him to lure you." Ivory pointed out furrowing her brow in concern

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

Bolt smiled waving her off. “We do this all the time. Jay will be fine.” He thought a moment. “I'm glad to see you're not plastered dead somewhere though… I'm not sure who Shade is but if you got involved with Eel and Ink that can't be good.” He moved and pulled out his notebook pausing to tilt his head as if listening to something. “He’s in the clear. He’ll head down here in a bit.”

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

Ivory let out a sigh of relief splitting her coffee cake in half and putting aside one part for Chester.
"I'm glad to hear he's alright...and it seems so long as Chester is around it's unlikely they'll come after me. Eel apparently grew quote fond of him quickly and now they're going trick-or-treating however. " She explained crossing behind her counter and pouring a cup of coffee carrying it back over to him as an offer.

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

“Trick or treating? Isn't that next weekend? The whole Halloween thing anyway.” Bolt smiled as his dead lover floated through the wall and landed near him passing a little coffee cake to him. “Thanks for the coffee.” He smiled gratefully accepting the mug into his hands.

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

"Welcome in, I'm glad you're okay. And yes. It is. I'm probably going to have Vanilla go along just to make sure they don't cause too much trouble...ah, and you're welcome, would like some cream or sugar with that?" She asked glancing outside swiftly just to be on the safe side.
"Pfft, good luck with that, Vanilla loves me." Chester butted in floating over inspecting Ivory's offering. She ignored his comment crossing back to go behind the counter and grab them for him.
"And just to clarify they just so happened to run into you right? They didn't break into your place?" She asked as Chester turned corporeal again and quickly ate his half of the cake.