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Kiora smiles, more at the compliment that you could be attracted to her than anything else. Or so you hope. You wash up and sigh, wondering where the hell you're going to purchase a slinky dress. You certainly don't own any.

Once finished with drying yourself and wrapping your hair up, you walk over to your desk, looking down at the shimmering jewel. Even the act of walking across the room changes the colors of the diamond, the reds slipping to red-violet or purple, and crawling through the crystal. Picking it up, you turn it back and forth, watching the play of color. There are some inclusions; small, dark places inside the gem. So it isn't perfect, but it's large and incredibly well cut. A mystery, given by a mysterious woman. You have some time before your preternatural biology class....

[] You have a friend who is taking gemology. He would probably be cheaper than taking it to a jeweler.
[] Coffee shop. You need to wake up and think for a bit, and work on your Book of Shadows.
[] Early to class might not be a bad idea. Lynette might have some ideas about clothing for you.
[] Write in?

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Twitter: @XsQuestmistress
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>>2314406
>[x] You have a friend who is taking gemology. He would probably be cheaper than taking it to a jeweler.
Wasn't expecting a thread!

>>2314406
>[] You have a friend who is taking gemology. He would probably be cheaper than taking it to a jeweler.
Friends are always fun.
And yes I too am pleasantly surprised to see this quest.

>>2314406
>[] You have a friend who is taking gemology. He would probably be cheaper than taking it to a jeweler.

>>2314422
>>2314427
I did post that I would run the other day on twitter.

>>2314412
You know, this is probably just a nice picture to use for ambiance, but it kinda looks like the MC in a retro dress. Nice wavy red hair and all, missing the freckles though.

>>2314430
I can't find anything about it at least! Luckily I was bored and browsing anyway.

>>2314406
>[] Coffee shop. You need to wake up and think for a bit, and work on your Book of Shadows.

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>>2314430
Yeah it's not showing up for me either. Probably twitter doing something weird.

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[X] You have a friend who is taking gemology. He would probably be cheaper than taking it to a jeweler.

Digging in your junk drawer - also known as the Drawer of Holding because you've got more crap packed in it than it should possibly be able to hold - you find a small velvet bag to tuck the gem into. After that it's brushing your hair and getting dressed, and plans for breakfast. "Coffee shop?" A shake of Kiora's tiny head. "Bernadette's?" The bakery does not receive an approval. "Something I make?" The solemn nod makes you smile. "Eggs and toast, strawberry jam, and maybe a little sausage?" Much more enthusiasm.

Raiding you closet for something colorful, soft, and a little warmer than usual, you add a sporran-style pouch and a thick, colorful belt. Your athame goes into your pocket of course, and a magnifying glass-key about your neck, the gold plating shimmering brightly. Kiora takes a perch on your shoulder as you toe on shoes and head downstairs.

Breakfast is quick but thorough, with the promised toast and jam and a few pieces of sausage assuaging your familiar's appetite. You tried going vegetarian, but quickly discovered your metabolism isn't built for it, much less vegan. The blood-type diet works wonders though, surprisingly, and keeps you trim. Kiora, of course, is not merely omnivorous, but can sustain herself off of less ephemeral things that honey and sausage....

The walk to Berkeley Campus is short, and you to stop at a few places on the way, mostly window shopping. You take note of some music to pick up, as well as staring longingly art the art supplies, and wishing you could actually manage painting. Sketching will have to do for now. Then you're wandering among the throngs of students, and heading towards the physical sciences building. You nearly get lost in the damn place; it's huge and complicated, but you still have lots of time before class.

Edward is there, fortunately,. one of the few in his class, and you slide into the seat next to him. He looks up, startled, and smiles. "Hey Cat. What brings you here?" Edward, like a lot of the people in his class, betrays the bookish and nerdy stereotype, being somewhat heavyset, yet well dressed and not entirely un-handsome.

"I acquired a pretty rock, and I'd like you to appraise it for me. It's a little weird for me to take it to a jeweler, and I trust you more then them with something like this." Pulling out the velvet pouch you hand it to him.

"Well, jewelers have to maintain a good reputation, so you can probably trust them with just about...." He tumbles the diamond into his hand and blinks at it. "Uh....where did you get this?"

[] I can't say really; I'll ask if I can say.
[] A friend gave it to me. Anonymous friend.
[] Why, is it unusual? I mean, beyond the obvious!
[] Witchy things, Eddie, witchy things!
[] Write in?

>>2314452
>[] Witchy things, Eddie, witchy things!
Be Coy! and cute, but mostly coy

>>2314452
>[x] A friend gave it to me. Anonymous friend.
Nothing suspicious at all!

>>2314452
>[] A friend gave it to me. Anonymous friend.
I feel like there probably isn't backlash to saying it was freely given, which might be his concern right now.

>>2314452
>[] A friend gave it to me. Anonymous friend.

>>2314452
>[x] A friend gave it to me. Anonymous friend.

>>2314458
>noted

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[X] A friend gave it to me. Anonymous friend.
[X] Write in? Cute, maybe a little coy?

"I got it from a friend of mine, actually. She means well, but she's a private sort of person, you know." You smile and wink. Eddie looks at you doubtfully, glancing at the fluttering thing over your head. You don't know what Kiora is pretending to look like, because the downside of being unable to see glamour is that you can't see glamour. "You're more my type than she is." that gets you a faint and brief smile, and you start getting concerned.

"Well, I'll tell you this, if it's the real thing, then this is the biggest red diamond in the world." It's your turn to look doubtful. "No joke. The largest one to date is five carats. This thing is huge." He looks at you seriously as he studies it under the flourescent light. The colors are muted here, not even close to the rich colors it was displaying in your room. "These lights are terrible for looking at it, but the fact I can see any colors means it's vibrant." Carefully replacing it in the pouch, he glances at you. "The one I mentioned before? It sold for twenty million."

You choke, and he pats you on the back, worried. "Hey, you okay?"

"You told me I might have been given a diamond worth millions of dollars as a gift and you're asking me if I'm okay?!" You were a little worried before, but now you haven't a clue as to what to think. Taking a couple of deep breaths, you shake your head. "The inclusions would make it worth less, right?"

"Yeah, but not by much. These are the rarest and most valuable diamonds, if it's the real thing." He's got a point there, it can't possibly be real. Then again, you seriously doubt Karen was making up how old she was, either. Questions, so many questions. "I'll look at it later, but I wouldn't talk about this too much. It's pretty weird, and if you got it from a mysterious person, that just makes it worse."

"Yeah. Thanks Eddie." You give him a hug and he grins. "Just remember, I got the evil eye, so you better be a good boy!" Giving him a glare with your blue eye and closing your brown eye nets you chortling laughter. You're not really worried - he's been your friend since grade school. Well, you're not worried about him absconding with it. Worried....maybe.

[] Early to class will give you some reading or writing time. About an hour.
[] Library, maybe some research on Charon. Or if the book you ordered came in.
[] Campus cafeteria has a nice cafe, and some outdoor seating; Kiora prefers outdoors.
[] Write in?

>>2314493
>[x] Campus cafeteria has a nice cafe, and some outdoor seating; Kiora prefers outdoors.
Hopefully Karen won't mind us leaving the diamond with someone else for a bit.

>>2314493
>[] Library, maybe some research on Charon. Or if the book you ordered came in.

>>2314493
>[x] Library, maybe some research on Charon. Or if the book you ordered came in.
Maybe not Charon itself so much, what she is was something else, right?

>>2314493
>[] Library, maybe some research on Charon. Or if the book you ordered came in.

>>2314493
>[] Library, maybe some research on Charon. Or if the book you ordered came in.
new books can be about as good as new characters

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[X] Library, maybe some research on Charon. Or if the book you ordered came in.

You head over to the library which is across the campus, but you have lots of time and it's a nice day. Kiora gets a lot of remarks and glances, as always, half because she's following you and half because apparently she's an unusually large and blue colored swallowtail. They're a more northern species, so seeing on in San Francisco is a little remarkable. "Show off," you murmur affectionately, and are treated to piping laughter.

The library doors open for you, and you glance around the brightly lit, two story room with interest. Kiora lands on the desk as you approach, looking up defiantly at Mrs. Bernadette Finch, the head librarian. Mrs. Finch doesn't react, not seeing the pixie for what she is, though she does know about Kiora. Mrs. Finch does react to you as you walk up to the desk, smiling warmly. She reaches under the counter and brings out not one, but six books, all green covered and thick, the broad stripe of photographic pages in the middle of each one telling you that at least one is what you asked her to order.

"Hi Mrs. Finch. what have you got for me?" You lean over the counter and she puts the books on display for you.

"Well, your book came in, but the Society updated all their other books, so I thought I'd get the library up to date. Wild mushrooms, trees, arachnids and arthopods, insects, and demifey." She smiles as you take the one about demifey and the one about mushrooms, flipping through the pages top the photos. "Trying to learn more about your fairy friend, honey?"

"She's a pixie, and more about her relatives," you answer, trying not to grin as Kiora shoots Mrs. Finch the bird. "Little fairies and pixies are rivals and enemies, so you shouldn't call her that, even if she is a faerie." She doesn't catch the slight change in pronunciation, but you're used to that. Kiora nods and crosses her arms, glaring up at the head librarian. "I'll take the one about mushrooms, though; how much for my book?"

"Sixteen fifty, honey, and I'll check the other one out for you." She ordered a copy for the library; yours is still in it's packager, and you pay her readily enough. Kiora alights on your shoulder, and sits there as you open the package, watching curiously. when she sees the book, she points and you nod silently, opening it to the photographs. The delicate creature 'oohs' softly as you show her the photos of her fellow diminutive fae, which includes brownies, kilmoulis, boggarts, and other strange little creatures.

"Thank you Mrs. Finch, this is perfect. I'll probably go mushroom hunting next fall up north, too." You take the books and deposit the trash in the recycling bin, before heading into the stacks in search of clues.

[] Greek mythology of course; she claimed it's where she originated.
[] Maybe something sideways; apparitions and haunts might make a better start.
[] A bit of dowsing might lead you in the correct direction.
[] Write in?

>>2314566
>[x] A bit of dowsing might lead you in the correct direction.
I'm betting on Greek, but this sounds fun.

>>2314566
>[] Greek mythology of course; she claimed it's where she originated.

>>2314566
>[] A bit of dowsing might lead you in the correct direction.

>>2314566
>[] A bit of dowsing might lead you in the correct direction.
There's no stakes to find out right away, and this sounds like the most fun.

>>2314566
>[X] A bit of dowsing might lead you in the correct direction.

>>2314566
>[] A bit of dowsing might lead you in the correct direction.

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[X] A bit of dowsing might lead you in the correct direction; it's a simple enough spell.

You reach into your handbag and pull out another small bag, this one of Chinese style silk, buttoned and zipped closed. Opening it you pull out the length of silver chain with the heavy crystal at the end. It's rutilated quartz, and rather pretty, but it's not naturally shaped. That's all right in this instance; perfect crystals are fine for most spells and workings, but a dowsing pendulum needs to be more regular in shape.

Kiora flies several quick circles around you, isolating you from the world and protecting your spell from outside influences, before hovering before you, looking down at the pendulum you hold up high. You focus your mind, and concentrate on the desire to locate a clue to the nature of the mysterious creature calling herself Charon. you concentrate on what you desire for a full thirty breaths before you speak the incantation. It's a simple couplet, one you have to adjust to the situation, but you think this one will work fine.

"Sway, sway, to and fro, hither and yon, back and forth;
Sway, sway, I bid you troth: lead me to a book of worth."

Most people are involved in other things, but doing such minor things in public doesn't bother you much. At worst you get a funny look, at best some genuine curiosity. Today you receive neither, which is fine because the pendulum starts swinging almost immediately. Kiora darts ahead, and you follow, the steady swinging of the pendulum more like that of piece of iron affected by a magnet, too sudden and too intense to be mistaken for anything natural. This is one of the spells you don't do for other people in public, because being accused of trickery is annoying in addition to insulting. But for yourself, or in private, it's a very effective little spell.

Although it's hard not to have doubts when it leads you to the fiction section.

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The pixie darts to a bookcase and alights on a shelf, walking along the edge of the shelf and gazing at the books which she must consider massive. Unsurprisingly the pendulum becomes heavy as you walk down the aisle. You lower it until it becomes lighter, and then follow as it swings faster. The swinging changes direction slightly, and you slow down, until the pendulum comes to a complete stop. Kiora leaps to the air and swoops down as you crouch, and lands at the book indicated. She looks at you dubiously and traces the black lettering on the silver cover of the old, slightly ratty novel.

"Ghost Story, by Peter Straub," you tell her and she glances back at the book, frowning mightily at it's temerity. "Well, it's supposed to be a clue, not an answer, sweetheart, so we'll take it for what it's worth, okay?" She shakes her head in consternation rather than negation and then hops up onto your wrist and hangs onto the book at you lift it from it's resting place. When you bring your arm in close she collapses against your breast and snuggles into place, and you grin at her as she seems to doze off immediately in the cradle of your arm. At least you assume Kiora is sleeping; she might not be, but she uses a lot of energy in flight.

[] Check it out and head to class for now.
[] Reading time at the cafeteria!
[] You can take a bit and read it here, see if it's anything like what you need.
[] Write in?

>>2314615
>[] Check it out and head to class for now.

>>2314615
>[] Check it out and head to class for now.

>>2314615
>[] Check it out and head to class for now.
Interesting, Charon doesn't really seem to be much like a Darkling, or whatever Hekah was, in that Charon seems pretty mobile and feeds on different stuff, and yet both seem tied to this book?

>>2314615
>[X] Check it out and head to class for now.

>>2314615
>[x] Check it out and head to class for now.
Moving oooon!

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[X] Check it out and head to class for now.

Taking the book to the erstwhile Mrs. Finch, you have her check it out for you and tuck it into your handbag. Since you only have preternatural biology today it'll be a relatively short day. Or it would be if the class wasn't three hours long. Sure you get a break, but three hours is still a long class.

You're always surprised at how heavy your pixie is; about double the weight of a kitten her size. You're fairly sure that half of her flight is magical in nature, but those wings move fast and they're good sized as well. She sleeps peacefully until you get to the classroom proper, in the Life Sciences building, when the bright light and the metal and concrete structure wakes her. While the demifey can do magic almost anywhere that isn't entirely encased in metal or concrete, Kiora at least still feels the change from natural surroundings to artificial ones.

Still a little early, you walk in and set your handbag down before rummaging through it one handed. You pull out your dissertation and then head down to the desk where Professor Tanner is sitting and paging through his notes. The whiteboard is currently clean - though he sometimes has stuff hidden behind the sliding sections - and he glances at you when you place your paper in his basket. He does a double-take when he sees you holding Kiora, who looks back at him mildly enough.

"I suspect that isn't really a cat, is it, Caitrin?" he asks with mild interest.

[] ....not really, no. But she's shy, like most faerie-kind.
[] Couldn't tell you, sir. No, really, I can't say.
[] If it makes you feel better you can consider her a cat in every other way.
[] Write in?

>>2314649
>[] ....not really, no. But she's shy, like most faerie-kind.

>>2314649
>[] If it makes you feel better you can consider her a cat in every other way.

>>2314649
>[x] Couldn't tell you, sir. No, really, I can't say.
>[x] If it makes you feel better you can consider her a cat in every other way.
As cute as a cat though!

>>2314649
>[x] Couldn't tell you, sir. No, really, I can't say.
>[x] If it makes you feel better you can consider her a cat in every other way.

>>2314649
>[] ....not really, no. But she's shy, like most faerie-kind.

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[x] ....not really, no. But she's shy, like most faerie-kind.
[x] Couldn't tell you, sir. No, really, I can't say.
[X] If it makes you feel better you can consider her a cat in every other way.

There's no onus for telling anyone that Kiora is a faerie, of course, or even saying she's your familiar. On the other hand, Kiora doesn't have to use glamour to hide her nature, and the fact that she chooses to is something you like to take into consideration. While Professor Tanner knows you're a witch, and he's smart enough to suspect that you have a familiar, Kiora hasn't revealed herself to him. And that, ultimately, is why you take the safe route.

"A bit shy, and I can't exactly say, but not particularly dangerous or wild." Kiora looks up at you with one minuscule eyebrow raised. You smile and run a finger along her back gently, and she stretches, even making a noise not unlike a purr. "But she may as well be a cat for all intents and purposes. She's definitely not a pet though."

"All right. Please don't let her disrupt the class, and I'll happily...." The faintest shake of your head prompts him to change from the word he was about to use. "Enjoy her presence in my classroom." You relax; ignoring her would have been a terrible, terrible mistake. He notes your relaxation and smiles, undoubtedly guessing what she is. He is the preternatural biology teacher, after all.

"I appreciate it, Professor."

You make your way back to the seat you've chose, halfway up the auditorium, and Kiora hops out of your arms and onto the table, pacing around your handbag. You pull a small embroidered pillow out of it and she clasps her hands and looks adorably entranced by it. When you set it down for her she immediately flops onto it, kicking her legs idly as she watches you pull your book and notes out of your bag.

Lynette comes up behind you and gently hip-bumps you. "How's my main babe?" she quips, before giving you a one armed hug. "Hey shadow-chick." Your shadow makes a rude gesture, but Lynette ignores it as always. She's the only person who gives your shadow it's own greeting. you look up at the tall girl as she settles into the seat next to you. "How's my girlfriend?" she asks Kiora, who rolls over and poses rather sexily for Lynette, making you blush and Lynette grin.

"You know that she can and will take you seriously if you're not careful, right?" you caution Lynette. "She might be my familiar, but that doesn't mean she isn't a free agent otherwise."

"That's cool," she says as she digs in her overfull backpack, blowing her long bangs out of her face. Lynette is a tall, tall blonde, with short hair, and dressed in her usual casual way. Today's t-shirt says something in what you think is Romanian, and has a picture of some mustachioed noble and a couple of flags. "Ah, here it is." Pulling out a length of satin, she holds it up, showing Kiora each side; one is a rich sapphire color, the other glossy black, and it's about two feet long. "How's this?"

Kiora is literally sparkling, and you cover your mouth to hide the grin as she rolls onto her knees and holds up her arms. Lynette carefully folds the ribbon a couple of times and lays it over the pixie's slender arms. "Nothing but the best for my babe's girl," she declares solemnly, and Kiora marvels at the shimmering fabric, slowly unfolding it and examining it with awe.

"Well, as long as you don't expect a thank you, I'm sure she appreciates it a lot, Lynne. But you're really going to have to stop spoiling her like that." You know she won't; ever since you and Kiora decided to reveal her true nature to the lanky volleyball player, she's adored Kiora as much as she has you.

Your best friend grins and settles into her seat uncomfortably; she's six and a half feet tall, and makes you feel even shorter than you actually are. "Maybe I should bring a pillow to class too, huh?" she says with a grimace.

"Your butt is way too bony even for that." She snorts laughter as you sit down. Kiora is gathering the ribbon in her arms, clearly planning something. "Hey, where would you go to buy a slinky sort of dress that doesn't could a couple hundred bucks?" She looks surprised and you feel your cheeks start to burn. "It's not a date, if that's what you're thinking. Much as she'd like it to be," you grumble.

Lynne laughs. "A she, no less. Huh....I'd honestly try Macy's or Daugherty's. Not too expensive but still nice. Is it classy or cool?"

"Uh, cool, I think. Probably a club...." A thought occurs to you.

[] Invite Lynnette along; it can't hurt to have a friend along.
[] Better not drag her into another weird situation; you're not sure it won't be one.
[] Explain your problem; maybe she'll have a suggestion or two, and she won't judge you at least.
[] Write in?

Last vote of the night.

>>2314698
>[] Explain your problem; maybe she'll have a suggestion or two, and she won't judge you at least.

>>2314698
>[] Better not drag her into another weird situation; you're not sure it won't be one.

>>2314698
>[] Explain your problem; maybe she'll have a suggestion or two, and she won't judge you at least.

>>2314698
>[X] Better not drag her into another weird situation; you're not sure it won't be one.

>>2314698
>[x] Explain your problem; maybe she'll have a suggestion or two, and she won't judge you at least.
As long as there's nothing confidential we're sharing anyway.

>>2314698
>[] Better not drag her into another weird situation; you're not sure it won't be one.
>[] Explain your problem; maybe she'll have a suggestion or two, and she won't judge you at least.
She seems cool

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[X] Explain your problem; maybe she'll have a suggestion or two, and she won't judge you at least.
[x] Better not drag her into another weird situation; you're not sure it won't be one.

She watches you with amusement, and then glances at Kiora who is wrapping the ribbon around her tiny waist with some concentration. "Does she know she bites her lip when she's worrying about something?" You immediately stop, of course, but Kiora looks up at Lynnette and nods sagely before turning her attention back to the satin ribbon and her tiny, tiny waistline.

"Well, I have....um, an admirer that wants to take me dancing this Friday. I know she likes fetish clubs and stuff, but she said she won't....well, I told her I won't go to a leather-and-latex sort of place, and she said she wouldn't expect me to drink or go to a hotel with her...." Lynne is looking at you with a bit of bemusement. "It's not a date," you insist, and she shakes her head.

"Well, yeah, but you're not really asking me a question or anything." Oh. Well, that is true.

"I don't dance, at all, and I'm not really sure what the point is, that's all. I've never gone to a club for any reason, much less with someone who actually likes me like that. She's not even human. She doesn't eat humans, but I don't know what is on her menu, except there might be kind-of-people on it. Not faeries, though." You smile down at Kiora, who is standing up, wearing the satin ribbon around her waist and somehow tied in a largish bow at her back, with two trailing ribbons a little shorter than she is tall. "And not me either, but I don't know if that excludes all witches, or just me. Said I'd give her indigestion."

Lynnette has her phone out and is filming a pirouetting Kiora as she displays her new....well, outfit, because it doesn't really cover anything except her waist. "Sounds to me like you're more worried about her eating you another way." Your expression must be something impressive because she sets down the phone and leans on the desk, looking at you with a wry half-smile. "Stop worrying about it. It sounds like you made yourself perfectly clear to her, and she really just wants to spend time with you in her environment rather than yours." Kiora settles onto her pillow and you watch her as she sways back and forth, humming to herself and playing with the tails of her bow happily. "You are kind of a shut in at times, Cait."

"I'm just really busy," you murmur, trying to compose yourself. "I guess you're right. She's not a bad person, I don't think, just strange."

"Talking dog situation?"

That makes you smile. "Yeah, pretty much." You don't mention the diamond; you're not sure what it meant, and Karen called it a clue, more than a gift. Of course she called it as gift too, but it wasn't a piece of jewelry, just a jewel. A really, really expensive jewel.

Professor Tanner taps on his microphone, and people start settling into their seats. "Thanks, Beanpole."

"No problem, babe. If you need a wing-man, just give me a call. I got nothing on Friday or Saturday. Practice on Thursday though, so you're out of luck if you want me then." You nod as you open up your book and flip over the pages of your notepad, while she drags out her laptop. You vaguely notice someone sitting a seat down on the opposite side of Lynnette, but then the Professor starts talking.

"We talked about myths and legends, and about Vlad Dracula. I know you've turned in your papers, but let make satisfy the curiosity before we start: according to DNA testing, Vladimir Dracula was a typical human for his day and age." He smiles at the variety of groans and triumphant responses, before continuing. "But the research is important. You can never be too sure that a myth isn't real. Such as," he proclaims, as he slides one of the panel to reveal a listing of traits and symptoms, "werewolves. Elongated fingers, hairy palms, overgrown canines...." He starts a comparison of real to mythological werewolf traits.

Oddly, Kiora is listening rather intently as she kneels on her cushion, and then glances to the side several timers. Giving her a curious look prompts her to look up at you, and she points. You carefully do not turn your head to look at the person she is pointing at, keeping your gaze on her. "It's rude, to point, sweetheart," you murmur softly.

The mellifluous voice that comes from the person one seat to your left is amused, rather than annoyed. "Well, she isn't wrong, though," he says softly, and you look at him. Lean, a little on the tall side - though not nearly Lynne's towering height - and dressed in the metro-sexual black jeans and button-down black shirt, he at least has the good sense not to dye his already dark brown hair black. "Sorry, I don't mean to bother you, but I need a little of your time."

You glance at his hands - lean, long fingered, and yes, his index and middle fingers match in length. "You are, really?" He nods and Lynnette looks over at you. "And you need my help?" He nods again, looking embarrassed. You sigh, and Lynnette looks over, scooting her chair back so she can get a look at him. Kiora glances up at you and shrugs; while your shadow is laughing uproariously at you in absolute silence. "It's a talking dog situation," you tell your best friend and she looks suspiciously at the young man next to you.

"Ah, she replies in understanding, while he self-proclaimed werewolf looks at you in confusion and Kiora shakes her head at you in commiseration.

>To Be Continued....

We'll continue tomorrow at or around midnight once again.

Thanks for running XS

>>2314845
Thanks for running!
Lynnette is definitely great.

Thanks for running
Wonder what kind of help he needs

We will be using the same thread.

>>2314838
Sexy werewolf boy huh, nice

I'm surprised that our secrets are as open as they are. Not what I expected, but I think it makes interactions more interesting.

>>2315428
Some secrets are. Witches aren't unknown, and there are documented psychics. Likewise, lycanthropy is known - obviously. But that doesn't mean there aren't incidents of persecution or fear, as will be discovered tonight.

There are stranger, less known things, of course....such as Karen.

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"Sooo," the young man starts, looking confused, "what exactly is a 'talking dog situation'?" You don't particularly blame him; it's not a term most people would be familiar with.

As you try and figure out a polite way to explain it, Lynnette jumps in with the most basic of explanations. "It's a theoretical situation that was posed by a famous author by one of his characters. 'If the only talking dog in the world needs help, who does he go to?'" She presents you with both hands as your cheeks start to burn. You know you look terrible with you blush, so your embarrassed expression at Lynne's outrageous - if factual - explanation makes an impact on her when you glare at her. Your shadow is 'laughing' uproariously, though he doesn't seem to have noticed yet. Kiora looks up at Lynnette with an impressed expression that seems to be approval more than condemnation.

She seems to realize her faux pas as the young man smiles wryly at her, and she blurts out an apology. "Oh, shit, sorry, I didn't mean it that way!" Lynne runs her hand sheepishly through her short hair, looking thoroughly embarrassed as well.

"Sorry about that," you murmur, "we don't let her off the volleyball court that much. Or maybe ever again," you add with another glare. Your best friend does have the good grace to look even more embarrassed at least, so you're willing to forgive her. Not that you won'rt get days, maybe weeks of teasing out of this.

"Actually, it's okay, really. It's kind of nice to be treated as a normal person." He seems to be taking it in good grace, which is a God's Send. Apparently he's pretty temperate for a werewolf.

"So....how badly do you need my help? Can it wait another hour and a half or so? We can talk at break." You really can't afford to miss classes, even if you could watch it again online. There's something to be said for being there to ask questions, rather than hoping yours gets asked or waiting for an answer online.

Fortunately he seems pretty mellow about that as well. "A few hours aren't going to make much of a difference, really. I'll wait outside the cafeteria, if that's okay?" You nod mutely and he smiles - a really nice smile, actually - and stands up, quietly leaving the class. Kiora waves goodbye from her pillow, then rolls over and lies on her belly, looking up at you with bright, intent eyes and kicking her feet as she cradles her chin in both hands.

Lynne waves at him with a smile, and then leans over and whispers excitably, "Are you crazy? If he's actually a werewolf, it's dangerous, Cait! And we don't know that he isn't a crazy, an furry, or worse, both!"

[] Well, yeah, but you remember what happened the last time I ignored a Talking Dog situation?!
[] Pay attention, we might learn something useful in this class to help with the situation.
[] It certainly isn't coincidence that he showed up on Tanner's werewolf class, I bet.
[] Write in?

>>2317857
>[x] Pay attention, we might learn something useful in this class to help with the situation.

>>2317857
>[] Pay attention, we might learn something useful in this class to help with the situation.

>>2317857
>[] Well, yeah, but you remember what happened the last time I ignored a Talking Dog situation?!
>[] Pay attention, we might learn something useful in this class to help with the situation.

>>2317857
>[x] Well, yeah, but you remember what happened the last time I ignored a Talking Dog situation?!
>[x] Pay attention, we might learn something useful in this class to help with the situation.

>>2317857
>[] It certainly isn't coincidence that he showed up on Tanner's werewolf class, I bet.

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[X] Pay attention, we might learn something useful in this class to help with the situation.

"Well, maybe since Professor Tanner is discussing werewolves right now, we should listen to an expert and learn something," you suggest mildly, your cheeks still aflame from Lynne's explanation. She sighs huffily but turns her attention back to the class. Kiora looks faintly disappointed at the lack of drama, but is quickly mollified by a sliver of peppermint candy, the rest of which you pop in your own mouth.

The first forty minutes is more review than actually new information, but you dutifully take notes and make commentary in your notebook despite that. Werewolves number in the dozens per million humans, so they aren't exactly rare, but they'r rare enough. Modern times have made them only slightly more social with other humans, and many become involved in preservation and ecological campaigning. This is partly due to their much higher metabolism, which not only powers their inhuman strength but also raises their temperature by several degrees. They are voracious eaters and rarely run to fat as a result, but the downside is that changing takes a huge amount of energy, and a recently changed werewolf is always hungry.

You really don't like the 'this is a bad idea' look Lynnette gives you.

When they can they form small packs, both for support and safety, becoming very attached to one another. there is always an alpha male and an alpha female, and anyone else is subservient to them until they can overthrow or take control of the pack. Despite this, lone werewolves aren't uncommon, and they often live in the wilds or alone, and werewolf territories can be quite large. Because of their increased dietary needs werewolves need a great deal of money, and often take under-the-table work or illegal means to make ends meet. The other problem is that the varied states have various laws concerning them; California treats them as humans with a deadly disease, while federal law is still struggling. Arizona and Texas considers them dangerous and killing a proven werewolf results in no charges brought up.

That ends the first part of the class, but you know a few other things that he didn't touch on. The fact that werewolves have no lunar cycle is critical, and that they are genetically incompatible with humans is another. They are infectious through blood or saliva (but not claws), but the resulting disease is more often fatal to the human rather than resulting in a werewolf. Only one in fifty or sixty humans can survive the ravages of a retrovirus infection, and there isn't a cure, only drugs to slow onset or assist in surviving the process. Even in California, infecting someone is considered murder, regardless of whether or not the infected human survives.

The law is very strict; werewolves, like most preternatural creatures, do not get a trial if they start killing people. They get a warrant of execution signed by a judge and then hunted down by police or federal agents. Obviously, werewolves and most other preternatural critters avoid police entanglement.

"Okay, so, are we going to talk about this before we meet Mr. Werewolf, or are we going to go meet Mr. Werewolf and find out what he needs from a witch that he can't get from a private investigator?" Lynne is pretty worried, but you know she'll stick with you no matter what you decide. As best she can, of course. You sigh put Kiora's pillow away as she takes flight and floats around your head.

[] Talk on the way, and hopefully get it sorted in five minutes.
[] Ask Professor Tanner if he knows of any local werewolves....like a certain metro-sexual pretty boy.
[] Talk with him first, then talk about the situation later. But definitely no snap decisions.
[] Write in?

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>>2318018
>[] Ask Professor Tanner if he knows of any local werewolves....like a certain metro-sexual pretty boy.

>>2318018
>[] Talk on the way, and hopefully get it sorted in five minutes.

>>2318018
>[x] Ask Professor Tanner if he knows of any local werewolves....like a certain metro-sexual pretty boy.

Also, I presume werewolves can breed true with one another?

>>2318018
>[] Talk on the way, and hopefully get it sorted in five minutes.

>>2318034
That is correct.

>>2318018
>[] Talk on the way, and hopefully get it sorted in five minutes.

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[X] Ask Professor Tanner if he knows of any local werewolves....like a certain metro-sexual pretty boy.
[X] Talk on the way, and hopefully get it sorted in five minutes.

You tuck your notebook and books away and shoulder your handbag. "Look, I know it's weird, but I'm not going into this blindly, even if he is kind of cute." Kiora lands on your shoulder and wraps an arm in your hair to steady herself as she sits down. "He seems polite and he's going out of his way to make me feel safe, so that's a good start. Let's just go see what he wants. It might not be anything special or important, you know. We're just assuming it's a talking dog." Kiora snickers in your ear. "Yeah, that's gonna sound weird from now own," you mutter, wrinkling your nose.

Lynnette grins sheepishly. "Yeah, sorry about that. I just kind of said it."

"You sure did," you agree readily, "so you can buy me some coffee to make up for embarrassing the heck out of me." You slip past her and stick out your tongue slightly, whil she rolls her eyes and packs up her laptop and books. You head down the steps and then walk over to Professor Tanner's desk, rather than immediately out the door. "Excuse me professor."

He looks up, and glances at your shoulder, then to you. He has no problem meeting your eyes, unlike a lot of other people. "Yes, Caitrin?"

"Do you happen to know any werewolves yourself?" It's just the day for being blunt, but you're kind of in a hurry.

"Yes, I do. I invited one to class tomorrow." He seems unsurprising by your question which is hopeful. "She's going to demonstrate some of her abilities for us." Whoops.

Lynne catches up to you, and glances around the class, while you try again. "So not a young guy, little older than me, brown hair, dressed in black?"

Tanner seems nonplussed, an even worse sign. "No, and I don't know the fellow you're talking about. I know he's not in this class. Is he bothering you?" He's not on alert yet, and the school requirements for teachers being aware of potentially dangerous situations makes his response a little more politically correct than actually worried. Of course, you're a witch, so there is that.

"No, it's fine. I was just wondering if you knew him. He claims to be a werewolf, that's all."

His reaction is to frown slightly. "Be very careful if he is. Silver is a very potent and dangerous allergen, but they're still very strong and very fast. If he is a werewolf, he could easily subdue you if you're not careful."

"Don't worry Prof, I've got her back." he smiles faintly at Lynne's claim, but you quickly excuse yourself. "Well, shit, there goes that idea," she comments miserably.

[] Meet him anyways, since you said you would.
[] A little more backup might be a good idea.
[] Have Kiora scout the area for other weirdness before you actually get there.
[] Write in?

>>2318065
>[x] Meet him anyways, since you said you would.

How would we consider our chances of we threw down with a werewolf, using our available powers?

>>2318072
Using just the available powers? If it's within ten feet Caitrin is dead. If it's fifteen feet away and she has her athame out, she might be able to hex it long enough to run and hide. If she has a day to prepare, she can probably manage some very nasty things thart would make survival much easier, but being up close and personal will still get her killed.

She's a witch, not a sorceress (the distinction being she's not possessed by otherworldly entities).

>>2318065
>[] A little more backup might be a good idea.

>>2318065
>[] Meet him anyways, since you said you would.
>[] Have Kiora scout the area for other weirdness before you actually get there.

>>2318065
>[] Have Kiora scout the area for other weirdness before you actually get there.

>>2318065
>[] Meet him anyways, since you said you would.
[] Have Kiora scout the area for other weirdness before you actually get there.

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[X] Have Kiora scout the area for other weirdness before you actually get there.
[X] Meet him anyways, since you said you would.

You reach up to Kiora and lightly rub her feet; she presses both of them against your fingertip, with surprising force. Her soft cooing tells you that she likes it though. "Sweetheart, why don't you go look around the cafeteria for me. See if there's anything that I should be worried about, aside from the werewolf."

Disentangling herself from your hair she leaps off and takes flight, her wings a soft and vibrant hum that melts into the distance.

"You've never told me why I shouldn't thank her," Lynnette murmurs. "Why is that?"

"Well, spilling her secrets while she's around is rude, for one thing. But to answer your question, it would be like thanking a dog for being a dog, or the ground for being the ground. Kind of pointless and sort of demeaning." She looks confused and you don't really blame her. "A faerie - or a pixie for that matter - is exactly what it is, and it does what it does because it is what it is. I'm a witch. I am a witch. I cast spells, I learn secrets, I dance naked outside. You can thank me for helping you, sure, but you don't thank me for being a witch, really."

"Okay, but what would she do if I did thank her?"

You glance at Lynne seriously. "Cut you up and hate you until she got over it, which might take decades, maybe centuries. Apologizing could make it worse, not better. You apologize or ask for forgiveness for things that you do, but apologizing for thanking them makes it worse, because you're then showing ingratitude. It's not offensive to be grateful, just to thank them." Lynne shudders. She's seen what Kiora can do to unprotected flesh before. The owner of the dog that attacked you got off lucky.

"Okay, yeah, never doing that." You smile and rest your hand on her arm reassuringly. "More importantly, why are you risking your life with this werewolf? If he is a werewolf at all, I mean."

"We can find that out easily enough," you murmur, dropping your hand down to your pocket and pulling out your athame. "Sterling silver with a pure silver coating. It's enchanted, so if he's a faerie we can find that out too. He's not though; I would have seen through any glamour." She nods but isn't any happier. "Look, it doesn't do any harm to listen to him. and if he's bad news, we can report him to the authorities. I haven't done anything to anyone that would be worth an elaborate trap. Rebecca and her friends aren't smart enough to manage it."

The cafeteria isn't too far ahead. "All right, but if this guy does anything hinky, I'm getting him kicked off campus whether you like it or not. I don't trust him, and not just because he says he's a werewolf."

"You're adorable when you're protective, you know that?" She actually blushes and you grin. "Does Kiora have competition?" She punches you in the arm and you stagger sideways. "Ow!"

Kiora flits over and shrugs expressively, then takes up several slow clockwise circles around your head before assaulting some nearby camellias for pollen. You relax, feeling her protectiveness over you as a warm, soft blanket draped over your body. "Well, she thinks it's safe, so we're probably okay. There he is."

The young man is sitting at a table outside, and Lynne heads inside to get your coffees, and probably some honey for Kiora. You walk up to the table and hug your book bag in both arms, your athame in your right hand. He looks up, notices your athame and immeidately sits up attentively. Apparently he has a pretty good clue, or he's met other witches. You're not even remotely the only one in town, after all.

[] My friend's going to report you to the campus police if you are trying to mess with me, just so you know.
[] So. What does a werewolf need a witch for? Specifically, why do you need me?
[] Sit down settle yourself, introduce yourself, and wait for Lynne to get back before talking shop.
[] Write in?

>>2318182
>[] Sit down settle yourself, introduce yourself, and wait for Lynne to get back before talking shop.

>>2318182
>[] So. What does a werewolf need a witch for? Specifically, why do you need me?

>>2318182
>[] So. What does a werewolf need a witch for? Specifically, why do you need me?

>>2318182
>[x] My friend's going to report you to the campus police if you are trying to mess with me, just so you know.
>[x] So. What does a werewolf need a witch for? Specifically, why do you need me?
At least I woke up in time for one vote!

>>2318182
>[] So. What does a werewolf need a witch for? Specifically, why do you need me?

[X] So. What does a werewolf need a witch for? Specifically, why do you need me?

You study him for a moment, and he only manages to look into your eyes for a few seconds at a time. ordinary in that way, at least. "Why did you come and find me?" Obviously he knows who you are, telling him your name seems kind of pointless. If he doesn't know it, then he might be as much of a problem as Lynne seems to think he is. "Why do you need me? And if you spout some Twilight nonsense, I will make you impotent." It's not an idle threat, but it does make him smile.

"No, nothing like that. That movie is totally bunk." He sighs and looks at the table. "Adele said you might be able to help me."

Adele Greenwich, an older student who found herself on the wrong end of a particularly nasty haunting. not a Christian, so no exorcism, but there are other Gods and goddesses with friendlier worshipers like yourself. "What did Adele say about me?" It's a trick question.

"She didn't say anything, but she wrote me a note saying you might be willing to help." You tense when he reaches into his pocket, even though you're in a very public place and Lynne is on her way over. He pulls out a piece of pink notepaper, and unfolds it,. showing you the lovely looping scrawl Adele writes in. You lean over, glancing at him, and then read the note carefully. It looks genuine, and exactly as he says, it says your name, and that you have mismatched eyes, and might be able to help him with his sister.

Kiora floats over, rubbing her face with the back of her hand and just smearing the pollen worse. She alights on the pink note and leans over it, studying the writing carefully, though it's pretty obvious she doesn't understand a word of it. Or just doesn't care. Lynne sets your coffee down and sets out a paper plate with some cookies, and sits down, grimacing at the creak of the plastic chair. "I hate these things....oh, is that from Adele?" She leans over to look and Kiora nods sagely.

"Looks like it might not be a talking dog after all," you murmur and Lynne looks relieved. "Okay, but you didn't answer my question," you point out to the dark haired man.

"I think my sister is enchanted, or bewitched. Some kind of spell or something." You make a noise to prompt him for more, and he reluctantly continues. "She's been seeing a man recently, a human man, and she's been avoiding our pack, and trying to act like she's human. It's not a good idea, and she's avoiding me - all of us."

"Okay, but why don't you go to the police?" Lynnette asks the question before you do.

He grimaces. "Because they're likely to lock her in a detention facility 'for her own good'. They don't let you out of those places. Rather, they don't let us out of those places. And it's not normal for a werewolf to avoid her pack, even if she's moving into another pack. This guy is human, so....he's got some kind of hold on her, something that isn't normal. Not natural." He looks at you. "At the very least you might be able to help me find her, because she's vanished and hasn't taken any calls or left me any drops at any of the places she'd know to leave a message at."

[] So you have enough information for me to start....why aren't you investigating this yourself?
[] I'm not a detective, you know. I can probably find her, see if she's under an enchantment or spell....but not much more than that.
[] What's her name? For that matter, what's your name? And what's the boyfriend's name?

Last vote for the evening. Morning. Whatever.

>>2318249
>[] I'm not a detective, you know. I can probably find her, see if she's under an enchantment or spell....but not much more than that.
>[] What's her name? For that matter, what's your name? And what's the boyfriend's name?

>>2318249
>[] I'm not a detective, you know. I can probably find her, see if she's under an enchantment or spell....but not much more than that.

>>2318249
>[x] I'm not a detective, you know. I can probably find her, see if she's under an enchantment or spell....but not much more than that.
We haven't put any points into Hide OR Move Silently!

>>2318249
>[] So you have enough information for me to start....why aren't you investigating this yourself?
>[] I'm not a detective, you know. I can probably find her, see if she's under an enchantment or spell....but not much more than that.

>>2318255
Caitrin actually has a ritual for just that.

>>2318267
Damn spellcasters, stealing honest sneaky work...however, quite useful for this.

>>2318249
>There wouldn't happen to be a non-threatening way to prove you're a werewolf, would there?
I believe he did hire us to find a female werewolf, maybe even a female werewolf who's been spending a lot of time with a human, but I'm not certain of the rest.

[X] I'm not a detective, you know. I can probably find her, see if she's under an enchantment or spell....but not much more than that.

You take a deep breath, while Lynne breaks off a piece of her cookie and offers it to Kiora, who takes the piece of cookie that's about the size of her own head and nibbles delicately on the edge. "You understand I'm not really a detective? I can probably find her - if you have something personal of hers, or some hair or blood or fingernails - and I can figure out if she's charmed, enchanted, or possessed, but I really can't do much more than that. And then there's the matter of payment."

He looks startled, actually, as if the thought hadn't crossed his mind. "Payment?"

"Yes, payment. You're asking me to risk life and limb. Especially if it's another witch, or worse, a sorcerer or something inhuman that just looks and smells human." You run your finger along Kiora's satin bow, and she smiles up at you with cheeks full of cookie and pollen all over her face. "Kiora could befuddle you and make you walk off a cliff. You see her as she is because she lets you. If you think you can smell through her glamour, you're wrong; she hides from things with a better sense of smell than any dog." You look at the young man seriously. "She could kill you, if she was of a mind to. And she's my familiar. One of the sidhe could out curse me, transform me, or do anything it really wanted with impunity. A coven of witches could do almost the same." Okay, you're exaggerating, but not by much. "You're asking me to risk a lot. That means you have to pay for it."

He frowns, not having expected that. "So, yes, I can find her, yes I can see if she's enchanted or bespelled. But even that is taking a risk. The more you ask, the more you have to pay." You look him in the eye and then take out a pen and write your cell number on the back of the paper that Adele gave him. "It doesn't have to be money, but it has to be worth my time and effort, and the risk I take. Schooling costs a lot of money, but money isn't everything either."

He nods slowly, looking at your number then tucking it into his pocket.

Lynnette smiles faintly, relaxing, and stirs her coffee. "She only looks naive and harmless," she informs the werewolf. "I thought so too, at first, but then she showed me what it's like, and I'll tell you....you do not want to mess around with a witch. So make sure you're sure, before you ask her to do anything dangerous."

"I'll remember that," he murmurs softly.

"What's your name?" you prompt him. "You know mine." You make a point of not offering Lynnette's.

"Max." He grins ruefully.

"....really? Your parents named you 'Max'?" He nods as he gets up and you step away from the table. He notices you still holding your athame, and doesn't offer to shake your hand.

"And I thought your parents were weird," Lynne tells you mildly. "Nice to meet you Max."

"You too," he replies, before walking away, looking thoughtful, and not a little worried.

"You think he'll be back?" asks Lynne.

You look down at Kiora, who is eyeing the honey packet Lynne is idly and unthinkingly playing with. "Yeah. He'll be back. With money in hand, too." You can't really say you have a bad feeling about this; you don't have those kind of hunches. But what really worries you is that your shadow is silent and still, sitting at your feet as though cross legged on the ground....watching you.

>To Be Continued....

Thank you for Reading and Playing. We should continue tomorrow night, if all goes well.

>>2318310
Thanks for running! Nice to see that Caitrin has some steel in her.

>>2318310
Thanks for writing!
What kind of money is Caitrin earning from her witchy escapades anyway? Seems like she's pretty open to taking jobs of various sorts. Granted Karen and this guy are most of what we know, but that's still a scary weird woman and a dangerous werewolf and she didn't reject either.

I mean, I guess rejecting big bad supernatural creatures when they want you to do something isn't necessarily the safest thing either, but still.

>>2318322
Not a lot overall, but enough to keep her comfortable without relying on her parents too much. Depending on the job, one to three hundred is average, with obviously dangeorus jobs commanding ahigher price. She takes favors in trade as well - Adele, for instance, is translating a book from Braille to written English for her, in addition to making smaller monthly payments.

Caitrin isn't unreasonable, and there are time she does pro bono work, especially if she can learn from it. But somethign like this? A pint of werewolf blood isn't out of the question (and is terribly illegal as well), or five or six hundred dollars since she has so little information wouldn't be amiss. She's very leery of accidentally crossing another witch's path, or accidentally stumbling into a sorcerer or powerful faerie.

>>2318354
Would supernatural creatures really willingly trade away something of their bodies like blood? Seems like it'd give the wrong person a lot of power over them.

Are witches very territorial?

>>2318357
Willingly? No. But he sought her out, and there are things witches can do that others can't - create rituals from whole cloth, and reliably contact actual otherworldly beings or gods and goddesses for example. There are also ways to protect the blood from being used against yourself - preservatives, or forcing oaths or promises (Caitrin's promises are especially binding).

It's not a matter of territorial as much as it's a matter of one-upmanship or ego. Caitrin knows she's not a very experienced witch, so an established coven with some experienced guidance could make her life hell if she annoyed some of them. Normal humans can make her life hell, as will be seen later. On the other hand, they could teach her a lot too, but she would really need to find some whose outlook at least meshes with hers. The fact that she can treat with fae makes her formidable and vulnerable at the same time.

>>2318369
Are there people who go around hunting supernatural creatures, regardless of the law?

>>2318576
Yes, and many are considered crazy or even sociopath or psychopath by everyone, largely because they're not that discriminate about what constitutes a 'monster'.

>>2320262
Do they use anything magic or otherwise powerful as well?

Like the relics of Saint Helena in Hellsing, I guess.

>>2320555
Hunters from Supernatural probably

>>2320555
>>2321244
Almost never. Silver or iron are often enough, and it's rare that something can't be harmed by something commonly considered a mythical weapon or tool against them.

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Having given the werewolf something difficult to think about, not to mention reminding him that cute and tiny things can be terribly dangerous, you finally sit down and drink your coffee outside the campus cafeteria before the next part of your preternatural biology class. Lynnette seems fairly relaxed about the situation since Max the Metrosexual Werewolf hesitated a whole lot before trying to get you to find his wayward werewolfen sister.

You're not entirely sure that's a word.

Lynnette is opening up the honey packet, and you watch her start to drizzle it onto the plate. "Oh, I wouldn't....never mind." Lynnette is a bit taken aback by the sight of Kiora stepping under the thin streamer of honey and slowly spinning, lifting her arms and practically bathing in the stuff. "Don't stop, you might annoy her." Lynnette, recently reminded herself that Kiora is an ancient and dangerous creature to be respected and possibly feared, and not simply a cute little fairy, continues to drizzle the honey over the six inch tall, dragonfly winged pixie. The lavender and strawberry pink eyes that Lynne is favored with are definitely bedroom eyes and she shifts uncomfortably in her seat.

"Is it like normal for her to....uh...." Lynnette stares as the packet finishes draining, and Kiora sets down in the thick golden liquid, and slowly brings a handful to her mouth and lets the dollop fall onto her extended tongue. "Okay, this is getting-"

"Erotic," you finish for her, and she looks at you, about to correct you. You look at her seriously, and continue. "She's beautiful, isn't she? Turning you on, despite everything you think you should feel?" Kiora slowly licks her arm, the honey vanishing into her tiny mouth. Her tongue is purplish.

Having spent enough time around you and Kiora to realize that you're not just teasing her, she nods slowly. "Yeah. Yeah, it is. She's beautiful." Kiora smiles wantonly at your best friend and slowly commences licking her arms and hands clean as she sits in the spreading pool of honey. Lynnette tears her eyes away from Kiora with a little effort, and you smile. "Jeeze, how can you stand that kind of show?"

"She likes it, and it affects me just like it does you....or almost anyone with a pulse. All faeries are like that. Goblins are worse in some ways - they're ugly, but they are exhibitionists too. Won't even think twice about fucking in public if that's what they think is appropriate." You smile and hold out your finger to Kiora, who looks up at you and paints your fingertip in a tiny smear of honey. You taste it; sharp and sweet, clover. Kiora's little show probably hit Lynnette a lot harder, since she's attracted to both sides of the street.

[] Head back to class for now; you need to learn everything you can as quickly as you can.
[] Head over to the geology building, see if Eddie has something for you.
[] Ask Lynnette if she would like to help you out in a more direct manner if you take the 'job' this time.
[] Write in?

>>2321345
>[] Head over to the geology building, see if Eddie has something for you.

>>2321345
>[] Ask Lynnette if she would like to help you out in a more direct manner if you take the 'job' this time.

>>2321345
>[] Ask Lynnette if she would like to help you out in a more direct manner if you take the 'job' this time.

>>2321345
>[] Head back to class for now; you need to learn everything you can as quickly as you can.
>[] Ask Lynnette if she would like to help you out in a more direct manner if you take the 'job' this time.
Sorry for getting here late

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[XX] Ask Lynnette if she would like to help you out in a more direct manner if you take the 'job' this time.
[X] Head over to the geology building, see if Eddie has something for you.
[x] Head back to class for now; you need to learn everything you can as quickly as you can.

You stir your coffee slowly, thoughtful and not particularly happy about this particular - if not entirely unusual - incident in your life. "Lynnette....would you be at all interested in giving me a hand this time around?" The tall blonde looks at you dubiously. "I can probably handle it on my own, and I'm not really worried about anything he's said so far....it's probably just infatuation or running away from a stifling home situation. But...."

"But you're worried something will go wrong in the middle of it all." She shrugs. "Sure, I can give you a hand. I'm not the best at this investigation type stuff, but if you need some muscle, I can help you out there."

"I have a ritual to help with that. Two, if you want to be a witch again for a week or so." Lynne is all smiles at that. "Someday I'll find a cute guy and we can make a coven. Oh, stop it, it's a lot less stress than doing that ritual over and over again."

"You just like seeing me naked," she teases, and you blush, flipping her the bird. She stands back up. "Time to head back."

"Actually, I have to check on something. I'll probably want to borrow your notes. Would you mind emailing them to me if i miss too much class?" She nods readily enough. "Thanks. I'll head over there if I get this taken care of quickly enough."

The volleyball player shrugs mildly as she gets up and starts clearing the table. You can't help but grin when she's surprised at the fact that Kiora has somehow managed to clean herself up and eat most of the honey. "Where the hell do you hide all that food you just ate!?" Kiora preens at the implied compliment and then lifts off, landing on your shoulder and standing there, one arm wrapped in a lock of your hair. "Okay, my babes, I will see you later!" she saunters off, dumping the trash for you and herself, then heading back towards class.

Kiora waves and then leans against your head, her other hand stroking the edge of your ear lightly as she sighs wistfully. "You're absolutely shameless," you inform her as you pick up your book bag.

[] Tell her that she's allowed and could; Lynne might even say yes.
[] Explain that Lynne is always a flirt, and she shouldn't read too much into it.
[] Your best friend is off limits! That would be awkward and kind of weird!
[] Write in?

>>2321404
>[] Tell her that she's allowed and could; Lynne might even say yes.

>>2321404
>[] Explain that Lynne is always a flirt, and she shouldn't read too much into it.

>>2321404
>[] Explain that Lynne is always a flirt, and she shouldn't read too much into it.

>>2321404
>[] Explain that Lynne is always a flirt, and she shouldn't read too much into it.
This is tricky, I don't really have any problems on paper with Kiora and Lynne getting more physical, but at the same time I feel like it could be potentially dangerous for Lynne, even if I don't really wanna speak for her. Also it's tricky to politely reject someone without apologizing.

>>2321427
Like I don't know, I assume Kiora can understand "don't get your hopes up", but I'm not sure if Lynne is properly prepared if she says yes or no, and I'm not sure how to convey that in vote form.

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[X] Explain that Lynne is always a flirt, and she shouldn't read too much into it.

You shiver a little as she continues stroking your ear. "You really can't read that much into it, sweetheart. Lynne is as much of a flirt as you are, and she flirts with everybody." Kiora makes a tiny affirmative noise. It's impossible for her to stop being sensual - faerie, after all - but she probably won't presume anything either. The idea doesn't really bother you, but Professor Tanner hasn't covered faeries, and Lynnette's ignorance could get her hurt even with you to guide her.

As you cross campus - again - you notice a trio of distinctive young woman. Kiora's wings start to move, but instead of as soft hum, they create an angry and dangerous sounding buzz. She doesn't leave your shoulder, though, which is good. "I see them, Kiora. Stay calm, sweetheart. You know that Chris has iron filings or pellets in her pocket."

Rebecca notices you first and sniggers, while mentioning your existence to the other two young women with her. They're dressed expensively, as always; designer bags and clothing, and expensive jewelry though most likely from a department store in two cases. The brunette sneers at you and when she lifts her hand, so does one of the other girls with her. They both flip you off, having read somewhere that it's a warding sign against witches, but it's meaningless to you even in context of how they use it. You have no issues with the God, so a man's prick isn't all that intimidating.

Christine, on the other hand, is watching you fearfully, and has one hand deep in her coat pocket. She made the mistake of calling Kiora a bug after Kiora revealed herself without glamour, and as a result got herself pixie-led into traffic. There is an impressive amount of scarring on her left leg, hidden under stockings and hosiery, from where a car clipped her and broke her leg in about six places. Since then she's been terrified of Kiora as well as you, and you're absolutely certain she carries iron on her. Even now she has her coat inside out, and Kiora hisses angrily at her, unable to bespell or fool her with glamour because of it.

Allowing them to cross your path instead of risking them getting any closer to you, or more importantly, Kiora, you wait patiently some distance away. You simply ignore them, and despite their disdain and dislike, they don't do anything that could be called insulting or threatening. Kiora watches them like a hawk, and Christina returns the favor, becoming increasingly nervous the closer she gets. Kiora's wings slow and you can almost feel heat coming from her body as she watches the trio walk away, Chris' fear satisfying something primal and dangerous within the pixie.

"Another day, my sweet," you murmur and she settles onto your shoulder, sliding her body along your hair as she sits. You make it to the geology lab quickly enough, and it doesn't take long to find Eddie, who is ensconced in the lab, looking at something through the microscope.

[] Tap him on the shoulder; it might startle him, but that's okay.
[] Wait for him to finish what he's doing, and look around a bit.
[] Make some small noise or another and let him know he's not alone.
[] Write in?

>>2321464
>[] Make some small noise or another and let him know he's not alone.
We're in a little bit of a hurry, I think.

>>2321464
>[] Make some small noise or another and let him know he's not alone.

>>2321464
>[] Make some small noise or another and let him know he's not alone.

>>2321464
>[] Wait for him to finish what he's doing, and look around a bit.

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[X] Make some small noise or another and let him know he's not alone.

You set your book bag down with a soft thump, and he turns around, used to that particular noise and therefore not startled by it. "Oh, you're here. Hey, is this some kind of joke or something?" He sounds more confused than annoyed, which is a good thing, perhaps? Kind of a toss-up.

"That's kind of why I asked you about it, Ed. Why, is it a fake after all?" Rather than getting a nod or a negative, he looks annoyed.

"You know how diamonds are made, right?"

With a shrug you tell him, "I know it takes a lot of pressure and a lot of heat, but that's as far as it goes. Ask me which creatures watch over them or which deity they're the tears of and I can do better."

"That's good enough. Come take a look at this." He scoots his stool away from the microscope and gives you some room.

You oblige, and look into the twin eyepieces. It's the diamond, obviously, but specifically the inclusions which are oddly rectangular and regular looking, almost a lattice of blackish and metallic shapes. "Okay, that looks kind of weird, but I don't understand." They shift faintly, and the clear mineral shifts slightly, a shimmer of redness flowing across your view. "Hey, they moved."

He taps something on the counter and lifts it up for you to see: a silvery disk with tiny black grains stuck to the edge. "Neodymium, also called a rare earth magnet." Kiora surreptitiously slides behind your neck, and to the other side, away from the powerful magnet. "Now, like you said, a diamond is made with pressure, a lot of it, and even more heat. Magnetite and hematite and such, they can't form in the same type of heat, because heat destroys magnetism. So you can't have diamonds with any real magnetic fields. Even the ones that have iron in them, the iron is usually part of another mineral, rather than its own inclusion."

You glare at him and he sighs. "Okay, layman's terms, right. Because diamonds form with intense heat, you can't have a diamond with a magnetic inclusion in nature. It doesn't happen." You nod slowly. "And because there is intense pressure, you can't have a diamond with an inclusion that can be affected by an outside force....like the magnet that I just put near that diamond which made it move."

"Okay, so it's fake."

He shakes his head. "Watch this." He takes the red diamond out of the microscope and sets it on the black velvet back, then gets a small, handheld blacklight. He places it over the diamond, which glows an unearthly pale green-white. "See, many diamonds fluoresce, and red diamonds especially. If a diamond fluoresces that usually drops the price, but red diamonds always fluoresce, and it doesn't affect the price. More importantly, man-made red diamonds don't fluoresce at all.

You stare at him. "So it's real."

He stares back. "It's impossible. It's a real red diamond with magnetic inclusions that can move inside the material of the diamond."

[] ....THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!
[] Okay....so...what?
[] 'Kay. Impossible diamond. So what else can you tell me?
[] Write in?

>>2321522
>[] ....THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!

>>2321522
>[] Clearly it's a supernatural diamond. Then it doesn't have to follow the rules.

>>2321522
>[] 'Kay. Impossible diamond. So what else can you tell me?

>>2321522
>[] 'Kay. Impossible diamond. So what else can you tell me?
>So you're saying that it wasn't made by someone taking the right material and just squeezing it really really hard, Superman style?

>>2321522
>[] 'Kay. Impossible diamond. So what else can you tell me?

>>2321522
>[x] 'Kay. Impossible diamond. So what else can you tell me?
Well, at least we know more now!

>>2321536
Hopefully he's not driven insane or wants to keep it for himself or anything like that.

>>2321538
>he's the only one who truly understands the precious

This gem was forged in mount doom huh

>>2321538
I doubt Karen would give us something that dangerous.

>>2321542
I believe she wouldn't give us anything that we'd find dangerous, but I'm not sure if she'd consider what would be dangerous to normal people.

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[X] 'Kay. Impossible diamond. So what else can you tell me?
[X] Write in? Well, if it's a supernatural diamond it doesn't have to obey the rules, you know. So it wasn't like, Supermanned out of a lump of coal, right?

"Well, I deal with impossible things on occasion, so that doesn't mean it's not a real thing. So someone couldn't have just....like compressed some magnets and coal into a diamond by main strength, right?" You pick up the diamond and hold it up to look through it, the fluorescent lights chasing the color away but still shattering into rainbows inside the diamond.

"It would take about three truckloads of coal to make a diamond much smaller than this one, so no, that's not very likely, and the magnets would have super-heated and turned into metallic vapor anyways if someone tried that." He frowns. "Even then, it doesn't make sense for the diamond to shift at any level, much less the macro-molecular one if you simply put a magnet next to the other magnetic material. It should just move the whole thing."

"Don't magnets have kind of a structure they have to follow because of the magnetic field?" You ask as Kiora peers at the diamond from around your head, still hiding from the magnet on the table. Ed looks impressed and you try and fight the rising blush. "i did pay attention in science classes, you know!"

"Well, yeah, which this doesn't seem to do."

You smile faintly. "Maybe it's a supernatural diamond, and it disobeys the laws of physics." He frowns harder, thinking about it. "That was supposed to be a joke, Eddie."

"Well, that's just it. It follows some of the laws of physics. I mean, the magnetic stuff does obey some physical laws. It might be a ferromagnetic fluid, but it seems awfully regular. It almost seems like a computer core in structure, except it moves the diamond around." He sighs and folds his arms. "Realistically, it's impossible, but I suppose-"

"Wait wait wait. Go back. You said it moves and it's like a computer core? Does that mean it's alive?" You hold the diamond away from you between your thumb and forefinger, while Kiora lays down across your shoulder, looking even more interested.

He looks amused. "Well, not really, I mean, this one would have the computing power of...say a Pentium five or something. If it were five times the size it might be worthwhile...."

It's a secret, Karen says with a smile as she looks at you with emerald eyes. Your voice is soft, almost quavering as you ask him, "What about a hundred and seventy, hundred and eighty pounds?" Your heart is beating fast and you feel light headed. "Could it....could it change the shape of the diamond better?" Could it shape shift, is what your asking. Kiora pushes herself up on her arms, coming to the same conclusion as you did.

He looks confused. "Well, sure, and if it were that big, you would probably have enough computing power to replicate a dozen human brains. It would probably work better in a complex medium, like some kind of hydrocarbon and ferromagnetic medium. Heck, at that point it would basically be a massive blob of nano-machines."

"Like in Terminator," you say weakly.

"Yeah, like - hey are you okay, Cat?" He stands up and you slowly close your hand over the jewel and turn to look at him. He's concerned, he should be, and you're head is spinning.

[] You're going to forget about this whole thing. You're not going to remember the diamond or what you learned. No, this isn't a suggestion....
[] No, no I'm not okay. Could you get me something cold to drink?
[] I'm fine. Say, you didn't write any of this down or anything, did you? 'Cause, you know, that would be a really bad thing.
[] Write in?

>>2321549
>[] You're going to forget about this whole thing. You're not going to remember the diamond or what you learned. No, this isn't a suggestion....

>>2321549
>[x] I'm fine. Say, you didn't write any of this down or anything, did you? 'Cause, you know, that would be a really bad thing.
>[x] You're going to forget about this whole thing. You're not going to remember the diamond or what you learned. No, this isn't a suggestion....
Ruh roh

>>2321549
So wait, Karen is some kind of alchemical/magical T1000?
Hot. Though I'm not sure if this diamond is like... a part of her if that's the case.

>>2321549
>[] I'm fine. Say, you didn't write any of this down or anything, did you? 'Cause, you know, that would be a really bad thing.

>>2321549
>[] You're going to forget about this whole thing. You're not going to remember the diamond or what you learned. No, this isn't a suggestion....

>>2321549
>[] You're going to forget about this whole thing. You're not going to remember the diamond or what you learned. No, this isn't a suggestion....
Makes me wonder about her origins

>>2321549
I feel like this gives Karen more ties to the Greek Underworld scene, seeing as Hades is also the god of wealth but I'm not really putting the pieces together yet.

>>2321559
I'm telling you guys she may be a fury, that gem is definetly hades related

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[X] I'm fine. Say, you didn't write any of this down or anything, did you? 'Cause, you know, that would be a really bad thing.
[XX] You're going to forget about this whole thing. You're not going to remember the diamond or what you learned. No, this isn't a suggestion....

You smile unsteadily and look at Eddie. He takes a step towards you and places a hand on your arm looking into your eyes with a lot of concern. It's misplaced concern, at this moment, but it is still concern. "You sure you're okay? Maybe you should sit down, huh?" He tries to guide you towards the stool but you slip his grasp with a practiced twist of your hips.

"No, it's okay. Did you make any notes or write down any of your findings, Ed? It might be bad if someone stumbled across them. It could get us into trouble, maybe." You look around, but really, you don't see anything that could be related to the diamond. Aside from the velvet bag, which you pick up. Placing the now sinister seeming diamond within the bag, you place it in the pocket inside your skirt's waistline, where it sits heavy and malevolent.

It's all in your head, but still.

"No, not really. Some notes on specific gravity, weight, clarity and such, but nothing else really. I didn't study it long enough to need anything else written down." He smiles. "You can't even really write down a color index on red diamonds because of how they shift. You get kind of a spread of colors and intensities and translucence."

"In your pocket notebook, I would guess?" you ask absently, as Kiora flits away to sit on your book bag, watching you from afar.

"Yeah, I put all my scribbles in it. Why?" He pulls it out of his breast pocket and pages through it, finding the proper page in a few seconds. "Here it is." He walks over to you, standing next to you as he shows your the page you're interested in.

Barely glancing at it, you look at the floor and the nearby tables. He shouldn't hit anything on the way down....and you duly tell him so. "I am terribly sorry, Eddie. I got you involved in something I shouldn't have. You're going to have to forget all about the diamond, and me showing it to you, and everything you learned about it."

He nods seriously. "Don't worry, I won't tell a soul. This will be between you and me." Such a dear fellow.

"Eddie....that wasn't a suggestion or a request. You'll be fine." You smile sadly at him and he opens his mouth to ask what you mean. That is when you lean close and exhale sharply, your breath filling his lungs. His eyes immediately roll back into his head and he slumps. You mostly catch him, and he bears you down to the floor with him. Might be time to suggest a diet or two, maybe. You lay two fingers against his forehead, closing his Third Eye.

"FORGET.

The enunciation, the intensity, the will you put into the simple word make it more than a word, more than a sound. You focus on the object and interactions that center around the object; between the Word and the Black Breath the memories of those things fade, becoming meaningless daydreams and pointless fugues. "I'm really sorry, Eddie," you murmur again, the insensible student moaning softly as you work your dress out from under him. "And you really do need to lose a little weight."

Kiora zips over to him, and then alights on his forehead, rubbing her toes along his brow in a very specific manner. Her magic reinforces your own, and you're confident he'll safely remember none of it. You tear the page in his notebook out, even taking the tiny leftover scraps that catch in the wire binding. You step to the door and glance around, seeing little more than an empty hall.

Slipping out, you suppress a shudder and Kiora lands on your shoulder, hugging your cheek and nuzzling affectionately. "Yeah, pretty much," you agree, quickly leaving the building and heading towards the other classroom.

>To Be Continued....

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Thank you for reading and playing. We will return next week.

>>2321594
thanks for running XS

do the small faeries and pixies hate cats in this setting? that's a traditional theme

>>2321594
Thanks for running!

>>2321594
Thanks for writing!
The dance looks like it'll be quite an interesting affair.

>>2321594
Thanks for running!
If you're planning on covering this later in a preternatural biology class that's fine, but if not could you talk about the difference between elves and fairies in this setting?
And with elves, are the Aes Sidhe, the Huldrufolk, and the Ljosalfar the same "species" but different races/ethnic groups, or unrelated entities just kind of conflated as being similar?

>>2321616
no Svartalves?

>>2321619
No yeah them too, though I don't really get the different between the Svartalfar and the Dokkalfar. Downside of not having much a written tradition, and what was written down was by people from a different cultural background.

>>2321633
Before Svartalfar were proto dark elves they were dwarves. I think that's it honestly

>>2321598
pixies not so much, but other demifey do; muchof the reason is that cats kill small creatures when they can, and though there is no kinship, small fairies and demifey do feel for their beautiful and not so beautiful companions in the small world.

Cait Sith are the reason pixies ddon't mind cats so much.

>>2321616
Faeries is the overall catch-term in this setting, while fairies are diminutive fae (demifey) of the Irish and Briton bent. Pixies often war with fairies. Elves are the larger fae, ane they are indeed different branches of the same folk - to an extent. the Aes Sidhe are the rulers of the others, the most powerful and dangerous. Oddly, also the most human looking, aside from hair, eye and skin colors. Pointed ears are a trait of the 'lesser' fae.

Mind you I am no expert, but I will delve into different types and cultures of fae as we progress.

>>2321657
When she commanded him to forget, what he exactly forgot is when she wanted him to, correct? She didn't just take out his last year of school, his math skills and a third of his extended family?

>>2321677
No, she only took away memory of the gem and his experiences with it, and her asking him to study it and taking it back. It would take a lot more power and effort to make him amnesiac to that extent. a single word of power and the black breath wouldn't be enough.

I have named all the spells and words of power, and listed the names. I do need to detail them, however.

>>2321692
Scratch that - I have one word of power listed.

I'll find more....

>>2321657
Any real-world stuff is a neat bonus to already really solid world building, so that's cool to hear.
Is there an in setting connection between the Aes Sidhe and the Tuatha de Danaan?

Like I think in other works, the Tuatha de Danaan were a dead pantheon, with the Aes Sidhe being partially composed of diminished survivors?

>>2321707
Unfortunately the cultural heritage is so watered down following the lineage isn't that easy. they have been conflated as well as described as descendant/ascendant, and also completely isolated from one another.

For purposes of this quest, the Tuatha de Danaan were the forerunners and deities that were in control of Faerie beofre they were defeated in battle and by attrition, until the Aes Sidhe became prominent, and to this day there are some Aes Sidhe who were Tuatha, but have become less powerful (of course that still makes them hideously dangerous and powerful). The fact that Tuatha de Danaan do not rule is significant however.

>>2321709
That's pretty cool, I like how you're weaving stuff together.

Are there giants/jotun/fomorians that are still active in this world or are they mostly dead/dormant?

>>2321719
Giants, yes, but they are very rare and very secretive. The Formori are extinct, and everyone is happier for it.

>>2321788
Dragons? Have any tried to run fro president like in that Urban Oni quest that dude ran or shadowrun?

QM, I have a question:

Not knowing Greek, could Kore sounds like Charon/Karen?

>>2323050

Kore's/Persephone's cult is actually older than Hades's and many chtonic deities, and she's the only one beside him that I know of that:

-could have gotten this red diamond
-is a psychopomp

>>2322939
No one has ever seen a true dragon. There are large semi-reptilian dragonlike creatures such as the quetzocoatl and sea serpents, but nothing like the dragons of yore.

>>2323050
>>2323462
There are still too many possibilities in Caitrin's mind; she'll be doing research, and you'll get the benefits of it.