Encounterlogs
Williams Odd Encounter Sr Illyana 241216
In the cold embrace of a morn veiled in darkness, William and Lenore found themselves enmeshed in a tale that tugged at the very fabric of their beings. Their encounter with a lost soul, discarded by a mistress vile and craving only to return, unfolded amidst Haven's shrouded streets. Lenore's empathy and William's pragmatism clashed and melded as they navigated the intricate dance of desire and duty, their path intersecting with a creature of the woods—a snow leopard embodying both the fierce and the whimsical. As the spectral vestiges of pain and hunger sought refuge and release, the leopard's journey through the forest's whispers unraveled a narrative of revenge and retribution, striking a bargain with the very essence of unfulfilled desires.
The thread of chaos wove through Sam's reckoning with forces beyond the mortal coil. His invocation of Apep, a deity of darkness and disorder, was a testament to the lengths one might journey to wield power or perhaps to belong to something greater, even if malevolent. As physical manifestation met spiritual ambition, Sam's ritual was a harrowing dance on the edge of existence, inviting into his essence an entity that promised strength but demanded a vessel. In his quest for vengeance against the perceived order, Sam's narrative intertwined with the essence of primordial chaos, challenging the very nature of his existence and the world around him.
These stories, marked by encounters with the mystical and the malevolent, echo the timeless dance of light and shadow, of individuals seeking to assert their will upon the tapestries of their fates. Whether through the wilds of a forest that knows no master or the confines of a room that becomes a gateway to the abyss, their tales unravel the complexities of desire, power, and the consequences of inviting the darkness in.
(William's odd encounter(SRIllyana):SRIllyana)
[Sun Dec 15 2024]
On Beech Street
It is morning, about 22F(-5C) degrees, and the sky is covered by dark grey stormclouds.
(Your target and their allies encounter the former thrall of a vampire who has been discarded by their previous owner, likely mind controlled into complete devotion the thrall wants nothing more than to return. It is up to the characters to either help them return, or stop them from doing so.
)
Currently, William is talking to Lenore in the middle of Beech Street, right between the Meditation Center and the Starlight Lounge, their voices a bit hushed, since, for a while now, they have been talking about White Oak. Having met only about an hour ago, someone was looking for a way to find the Goblin Market, mislead by the belief that a bone compass would lead her there. William encountered her, and after confirming they both were Aware, he explained her mistake and offered to both show her the way and make her a key, though, they remain in Beech Street, since, for a second time in a week span, William has had an accident with his car for driving with too much mist
Currently, William is talking to Lenore in the middle of Beech Street, right between the Meditation Center and the Starlight Lounge, their voices a bit hushed, since, for a while now, they have been talking about White Oak. Having met only about an hour ago, Lenore was looking for a way to find the Goblin Market, mislead by the belief that a bone compass would lead her there. William encountered her, and after confirming they both were Aware, he explained her mistake and offered to both show her the way and make her a key, though, they remain in Beech Street, since, for a second time in a week span, William has had an accident with his car for driving with too much mist
Lenore is standing close to William speaking in a hushed tone as they discuss supernatural matters early in the morning. She smirks at William and leans with a hand on her hip, "You could've told me you had a key this whole time. Talk about burying the lede." She snorts a laugh. She is being less careful than he is in this moment and far less aware of her surroundings.
Up until now Lenore has been wandering aimlessly in the streets, staring down at a spinning bone compass and not a clue where she was going.
"I could have yes, but... You know, the objective here is that you can go back anytime by yourself... And my key is going to stay with me and all- I can open the doors to show you, but you still need to get one, yes?" William isn't really asking the question, it's more like a clarification that you'd find in- Probably a lecture, it's mostly rhetorical "That's why I was telling you about making you one and all- But I suppose I can still show you around using mine"
Lenore shivers and wraps her arms around herself in reflex. "Fair! And *brrr* thoughtful! R-reasonable," She pockets her bone compass and slips her hands into her pockets, "Is it me or is it getting colder all the time?" Her own single-minded focus on the key now interrupted by the chill.
"It's cold!" William confirms, not looking so swayed by the temperature himself, despite the fact that he was only wearing a shirt himself, not even a jacket on top of that, he doesn't even seem to be shivering or anything "I guess it's to be expected- Pretty up north here, and it's December after all"
Lenore blinks as she just now notices William's outfit and lack of any necessary bundling, "I know I'm a sunny west coast transplant but..." She sniffs her blushed nose, "I-I guess I'm not used to it?" She speaks with her steam breath wafting in front of her face, her disguised southern drawl coming loose, "This town sure is somethin! And weird!"
This early in the day, it is unsurprising that the mist rises in Haven; It can rise anywhere-- Any when, and from it can come wonders, horrors, or anything between. It can birth the lost, monsters-- And those things that escape the nightmare to harrow the citizens-- Aware and unaware alike. But even the aware know to fear it, for the most deleterious aspect of Haven's supernatural mist is that it always, without fail, announces the coming of /something/. The day begins, the mist rises, and the veil is made thin; The gates are close, and to such ends, power and mystery will inevitably escape, flooding into the lives of the Haven township's citizenry. As Lenore and William stand between two hubs of supernatural activity then: One of which, the Runing Water's meditation center (Owned by a Temple demigod) and the Starlight Lounge (Owned by an X-Hand angel hybrid), they find themselves at a literal crossroads. A crossroads of magic and mystery. A nexus of activity, with landmarks to either side of them. And such dichotomy Lenore and William find themselves in; Humanity on one side, and a former haven for the vampires of Haven's nights on the other. And with such divergence at the outset, this sleepy morning finds itself unfolding. It's a town, certainly. But Haven is a sleepy little place (for the unaware). So as the traffic passes, and the God-fearing make their ways to morning services, the dog walkers miander, and the werewolves make their ways home after their second knight of lunicy thanks to the waning full moon, William and Lenore find themselves subject to something most curious; They feel loss, and a desire to find /someone/. It's innate: The half-felt feeling, but it's powerful. And that's when William notices the lost looking figure heading into the Starlight. It's a woman; She's not dressed for the weather. That's not unusual for Haven. Her hair is dirty blond, her eyes are green, though there are those signs about her that many would miss. Those eyes are red-rimmed. Her motions are stuttering-- She moves like an adict, though she doesn't have the tracks one might expect. Her nose isn't damaged, and there's noting around the nostrals. This is obvious; She's only wearing short shorts and a croptop, her neck covered by a choker (I wonder why?). She's muttering to herself and looking down at what looks like a burner phone. Where Lenore and William are, a full conversation cant be caught, but William can see her shiver, her eyes dart.
William takes a little look at his phone as it vibrates, but is quick to put it back into his pocket, shaking his head slowly. His eyes moving to the strange lady moving into his friend's establishment, tilting his head ever so slightly, there was something odd about her, then again, there was something odd about half of Haven. "I'm british..." He tells Lenore as if this explained the whole temperature situation in and out of itself, but his eyes keep on scanning at the seemingly drug addict, uncertain, it was already nine in the morning, maybe the poor woman only wanted a coffee, but his mind couldn't help but wonder in another direction- After all, in Haven, erratic behavior meant one of three things. Either someone was attacked, was facing withdrawal from some substance far stronger than usual drugs, or the were being subjected to compulsions of any kind. But he needs a second opinion, nudging his head to Lenore in the direction of the woman "What do you think?"
Lenore's eyes flutter as her mind attunes to the sense of loss, of desire coming from behind her. She shivers again but not from the cold this time, "D-deja vu...?" she says and blinks at William before turning around. She peers at the shaky woman, eying the choker, the outfit, the red-rimmed eyes. She's seen many like them before. Lenore's body straightens as a sense of empathy and boldness fills her, "You alright darlin?" she calls out, "You look a little... Lost?" She steps aside and aligns herself with William.
The woman, in spite of her state is somewhat attractive; Too attractive, in only that way that fleshforming can achieve. Her lips work, her eyes dart-- Phone, up and down the street, Starlight-- Again and again and again: She's nervous. "Mistress." she can be heard saying. "Novel." Her head shakes, she shifts, she pauses in a very unnatural way. She slips to her knees-- And this being Haven, she's ignored: She's just some adict or freak, or weird student of White Oak. She's just some escaped psychopath from the Webster clinic. Why should anyone stop her? Orderlies or deputies will come get her before too long, after all-- But William and Lenore know far different. There is much more to this woman and her behaviour. "Novel ran away from home." she mutters to herself, head shaking. "Novel got away from mistress. But mistress will be so mad... I cant..." She still stares between the Starlight and the street and her phone though. That is when William sees it; Her head shaking dislodges her hair from her shoulder, and aside from even more goose flesh, the two note that there's a brand on the blond's shoulderblade. It's a stylised letter 'S' set over a ruby red teardrop symbol. Heraldry-- ownership-- A brand. To most, just a strange tattoo, but William knows differently, and that, even before the muttering. "Mistress will be so mad..." the poor thing opines. Tears begin to ascribe a track of dampness across her cheek, but those desires never stop. She needs to see /someone/. She needs to return to /Mistress/. She needs help. She's so very very alone. That's obvious to the empathic two. "Novel can help me find Mistress." she addresses the sidewalk. "Novel ran away from home. Mistress..." Those tears begin falling in floods now; The girl sinks to her barely clad rear. Her phone discarded on the sidewalk, she doesn't even seem to notice the cold, but blue lipped and shivering, how could she not? And then Lenore speaks-- She's addressed directly and instead of looking up, she flinches back as if struck. She looks confused, conflicted, but she still tries to make herself look smaller. She mustn't be seen. She must be a good girl-- She mustn't upset mistress. But mistress doesn't want her, does she? She's got no one; She has nothing, and she needs to find /someone/ who can help her. Mistress will forgive her. If only she can find Novel and tell Mistress... Mistress will take her back, right?
There's a brief moment there in which William switches his expression from one of confusion and suspicion, to sporting a little tiny smirk, the desires of the lost girl suddenly maybe aligning with his, it seemed that Novel was in trouble in some way or another, and that was something he liked. Surely he could both help this girl to sate his own growing want to do so, and in the same moment manage to get the disliked man in trouble, two for one, easy peasy. "I know Novel" William simply states to the woman, his eyes lingering on the brand for a couple seconds, then glancing over at her eyes, and then at the choker, it was all coming together little by little, even if it was all a conjecture "He is my neighbor, I can tell you where he lives- He might not be home right now, but surely you can check some other time if he's not currently available" There's a little glance towards Lenore, and then to the rest of the street, not wanting to say anything too loudly or too in the open, but the issue here seemed to have a pretty straight forward solution "It's not far from here, I can show you the place..."
Lenore's heart quickens in her chest as she watches the girl, standing in a torrent of desires and dread that feels oh so familiar to her. She wipes a tear away from her cheek and slowly begins to approach. Trancelike. Not recognizing the brand or the names, just the emotions and the desires. She couldn't ignore the desire radiating from the girl, or her own compulsion to help, "W-we'll help you find M... Who you're looking for. We can help," she says fluttering her eyelids. This new White Oak transfer couldn't fight it, whether it be her angelic nature, her past, or a blend of both. "Shhhh... It'll be alright," she coos and reaches out with a hand, unaware of any danger. "There's a... good girl." It's only when Novel speaks with confidence that she slowly begins to waken up.
Again, when addressed, the girl flinches. She's been noticed again. Good girls arn't seen. They're just there when mistress needs them. "Novel ran away from home." the woman speaks quietly. "If I can find him, maybe she'll take me back." -- She's not registering everything William is saying, but the name caught her attention. Briefly, she looks over to William, then her gaze flicks back to the sidewalk; She's not allowed to look at people. Mistress said no looking at people. She starts to rock. When someone steps closer, the girl shrinks away from the touch; She's good. She's good. She's good. She's good. She's good-- Bad. She's bad. Mistress discarded her. Mistress told her to go, but if she can just make Mistress happy again, she can go home; All she wants is to go home. All she wants is to make Mistress happy. She doesn't look up-- To the contrary, she shrinks further into herself. "Novel works at Starlight..." she whispers. "Novel's a cook. Mistress doesn't know that, but I found him. And if I can bring him home, maybe Mistress Hilaina will let me come home, too?" Looking up, she blinks tear-filled eyes at Lenore before addressing the woman's feet. "You want to help me find Novel? Will..." She breathes in a shuddering breath, chest rising and falling, her air escaping in a chill puff, blue-tinted lips almost twitching into a smile before she looks down again-- Good girls don't show emotion. Mistress wants her snacks to be good, and not be seen. Mistress's snacks must not get in the way. "You can help me find Mistress again?" she asks, voice tiny, as though not quite understanding the offers of help. She shakes again; There's something oh-so conflicted about her. She's fighting herself, here. William can see the signs; There are conflicting compulsions that are, without question locked in. Compulsions to make her loyal, to make her sedate, to make her complient, but also, one that's conflicting with that; She was discarded. "Can... Can we find Novel? Can we... Can we go and find him so I can go home and make my Mistress happy?" Then she says the one thing that likely expresses the extent of her utter lack of self-awareness. It's innocent enough, her words are calm, innocent, but oh so determined. "You can have me if you can help me. Mistress wont mind. You can do anything you want, but please, Master, Mistress. I'll be good. Please let me be good so I can go back home?"
Again, when addressed, the girl flinches. She's been noticed again. Good girls arn't seen. They're just there when mistress needs them. "Novel ran away from home." the woman speaks quietly. "If I can find him, maybe she'll take me back." -- She's not registering everything William is saying, but the name caught her attention. Briefly, she looks over to William, then her gaze flicks back to the sidewalk; She's not allowed to look at people. Mistress said no looking at people. She starts to rock. When Lenore steps closer, the girl shrinks away from the touch; She's good. She's good. She's good. She's good. She's good-- Bad. She's bad. Mistress discarded her. Mistress told her to go, but if she can just make Mistress happy again, she can go home; All she wants is to go home. All she wants is to make Mistress happy. She doesn't look up-- To the contrary, she shrinks further into herself. "Novel works at Starlight..." she whispers. "Novel's a cook. Mistress doesn't know that, but I found him. And if I can bring him home, maybe Mistress Hilaina will let me come home, too?" Looking up, she blinks tear-filled eyes at Lenore before addressing the woman's feet. "You want to help me find Novel? Will..." She breathes in a shuddering breath, chest rising and falling, her air escaping in a chill puff, blue-tinted lips almost twitching into a smile before she looks down again-- Good girls don't show emotion. Mistress wants her snacks to be good, and not be seen. Mistress's snacks must not get in the way. "You can help me find Mistress again?" she asks, voice tiny, as though not quite understanding the offers of help. She shakes again; There's something oh-so conflicted about her. She's fighting herself, here. William can see the signs; There are conflicting compulsions that are, without question locked in. Compulsions to make her loyal, to make her sedate, to make her complient, but also, one that's conflicting with that; She was discarded. "Can... Can we find Novel? Can we... Can we go and find him so I can go home and make my Mistress happy?" Then she says the one thing that likely expresses the extent of her utter lack of self-awareness. It's innocent enough, her words are calm, innocent, but oh so determined. "You can have me if you can help me. Mistress wont mind. You can do anything you want, but please, Master, Mistress. I'll be good. Please let me be good so I can go back home?"
As Ritsuka(snow leopard) arives on Beech Street, she finds William and Lenore talking with a scantily clad blond woman with red-rimmed eyes outside Starlight Lounge. The woman is in floods of tears, has a brand of a red ruby with a stylised letter 'S' on her shoulderblade, and she is in the fetal pose, rocking back and forth with a discarded burner cell phone beside her.
Ritsuka(snow leopard) prances into the area and makes a very loud yowling MEOW! And of course, what is the worst thing a cat could do seeing humans? That is right, prance on over and then attempt to lie on the fetal pose lady pouring loudly and trying to rub its cheek against her side.
The problem then is that a snow leopard-- A predator that is very abnormal is walking down Beech street. The HSD have likely been called already, people are pointing at the creature, recording it on their phones. Lenore and William, even in spite of Haven's strangeness are unused to such things. Monsters, yes. Wild animals, no. But more sign there's something wrong is that the woman doesn't even respond.
William huhs a little bit at that last statement, taking a deep breath before shaking his head "That won't be nec- Yes, we can go find him, just follow me... I'll take you there" He answers, releasing a bit of a sigh, he certainly wanted to help this woman but sometimes it was so tiring when everything was so... Obtuse. He doesn't even notice the leopard that seems to be walking around town at first, surely it won't take too long before people start doing so themselves, after all, it's early enough in the morning for the streets to be transit-able, and surely a team would arrive soon enough if they were notified of such animal walking around- That is until the feline makes some noise and approaches the woman. He was already starting to move towards the north, ready to lead the woman to the apartments, but he freezes in place at the pressence of the animal
Lenore's eyes flutter as tears streak down her face, she's frozen, staring down at the woman beneath her. Her gazes lifts up and looks over at William. Her hand reaches for something in her coat and grips it tightly, mostly for comfort, a small revolver concealed there. It surprisingly keeps her afloat, just above the compulsion to help this girl find her clearly Monstrous Mistress. "I-I've never seen... Felt someone this broken..." She's about to say more, but her eyes dart toward the leopard and she snaps awake, pointing at it, "WHOA!" she takes a few steps back and pulls her revolver out of her parka pocket.
"Master will help?" the woman asks again, voice halting. She doesn't stand, yet. But if asked, it's likely that she would. "I just want to go home." She doesn't even seem to notice the leopard, which is strange in and of itself. Leopards are dangerous animals. "Novel works here. I should stay here?" Looking at William's feet rather than anything else, she looks conflicted. "Novel's neighbour?" Finally registering, something seems to shift; She's still lost, in floods of tears and shivering with cold, but she's focusing on William now. The thing though is, she doesn't even note the hail as it pelts her. Though the weather stings Ritsuka(snow leopard), William and Lenore, she doesn't even blink. "Mistress will help me too?" she asks Lenore. "We can find Novel? I can take him home to Mistress and she'll let me come home?"
Indeed, it is such a crime that this predator seems to be snuggling the woman and demanding attention, but the weather is cold, and its attention retains on the lady, up until Ritsuka(snow leopard) tries to get the lady to stand, trying to push into her lower back, but there's also just this sweet touch that then turns into rubbing its cheek against the woman's waist and a lick of its rough tongue. Then it sits, and looks first to Lenore and then to William, looking into his eyes before raising a paw to lick it.
There's another sigh coming from William as he watches the scene of something that was seemingly so easy, soon become into such apparent mess, and to top it all off, hail starts raining on them, just lovely. He takes a moment to take a couple deep breaths, and then says, with a surprising apathetic tone, considering he was too experiencing to some degree the wants of this mysterious girl "You'll get used to it..." to Lenore, reaching slowly towards his own finger to slowly pull of his golden ring from the finger, keeping it on his hand, secure, but off. He eyes Ritsuka(snow leopard) for a moment, it doesn't seem too aggressive, and given the kind of animal it is, it's probably just someone messing around he assumes, someone not careful enough to present themselves as a dangerous animal in the middle of the street in plain daylight "Yes, neighbor, just come with me, I'll take you to his house... I can drop you by the door and from there it's all you..." He sighs out to the woman
Lenore keeps her revolver pointed down at the ground but remains ready. She wipes her tears with her parka sleeve, dumbfounded, "Yeah! L-let's have you stand up! Mistress Lenore says follow Bill!" she gestures to William. She desperately wants to help as best she can, as her nature compels her to, but she also finds herself at a loss as she fully leans on William's leadership. "Will I get used to it though?" She then locks eyes with the leopard, "Good kitty...?" she says meekly.
Ritsuka(snow leopard) glances to Lenore and makes a meow at her, though taking someone to... Novel out of all people draws its attention to William, and then stare... judgingly.
"No, no shooting" William tells Lenore, almost grouchy now, shaking his head "And put it away, the police department is probably already coming for the kitty, we don't need to take someone under arrest for wielding a weapon in public either..." He points out at Lenore, starting to move towards the apartments on the north, not even checking if Ritsuka(snow leopard) or the mysterious woman are following "I am just going to show her the place- If Novel isn't at home she can just wait for him there, if he is, we are lucky- No one to shoot... And I just get to rest at home because I am awfully tired despite sickness being gone"
As Ritsuka(snow leopard) attempts to snuggle and shift the woman, she doesn't move how she should; She just flops to the cold sidewalk, apparently not even noticing when she scratches her knee, her slight form splaying out. Now, the people around are noticing William, Lenore and Ritsuka(snow leopard), and they are being filmed as they stand around the crazy woman who likely escaped the clinic. "I can come to Novel's door and take him back to Mistress." the girl nods. She's taken that much in, at least. Looking to William and Lenore, she nods to the sidewalk; She doesn't even stand. She crawls. Not all is right here. That's more than obvious. "I can be good. I can go home..." she seems to tell herself. She obviously doesn't believe it, but she tries, that much is clear to the empathic Lenore and to Ritsuka(snow leopard) who hears the wish-- The desire to find /someone. To please mistress. To go home. Thankfully, Lenore instructs her to stand, else she likely would have crawled and slithered through the hale all the way to the apartments. Ritsuka(snow leopard) is there though, and the girl slowly stands, using the leopard to reach her knees-- to crouch-- Then to stand slowly. She's shivering, on the virge of frostbite. Her cheeks and nose are bright red, her lips are blue. "We can find Novel." she nods, telling herself. The burner phone remains discarded-- The girl doesn't seem to care. "Follow Master and Mistress." she repeats. "Go to find Novel."
Lenore quickly pockets the gun, despite having unveiled it to any bystander nearby, "Okay okay!" walking in William's direction. "I-I've been practicing hypnotism. I'm not great at it but if a deputy shows up I can probably jingle some keys in their face long enough to not notice the big cat!" She whisper shouts as she beckons the leopard and the girl to follow along, "Quick as you can please!"
Ritsuka(snow leopard) does not possess any items, but it does try to communicate something to William. Spinning around in a circle and then sitting down looking to the northeast, before her head looks back to William. She meows to try and draw his attention, and fortunately for everyone, this large and dangerous kitten really does not seem to be hungry at all today. Must be a weird look for everyone that is recording this whole scene and how much attention its gotten by now.
"The big cat is probably better than you at it..." William sighs out to Lenore, taking a couple quick glances around to the bystanders, there was too many to do a quick cleanup by glancing at them, that, would be something the deputies that will eventually arrive will have to take care of, not him "Look, just calm down, the girl wants Novel to be able to go back to her... Yeah, it's either that or leaving her on the street for her to eventually do something dumb" He is mostly explaining this to the other companions, not to the woman itself, leading them up slowly north, then west a bit and then north once more slowly walking into an alley as he points an accusatory finger at Ritsuka(snow leopard) "And you... Cannot take her in, you cannot pick up everyone like a lost puppy and hope that it'll work out... The deputies cannot hold her for long and she's probably in the worst Vee withdrawal of her life, not to mention whatever must be on her head..."
William, Lenore and Ritsuka(snow leopard) somehow make it through Beech, onto Paine and into the alley behind the Elm Street Apartments without too much issue. Oh- They're of course noticed. The pretty young blond woman, the man and the giant hunting cat, and the possible prostitute? The escaped Webster clinic escapee? That's still in question for anyone without context. The entire way though, the blond cries. Tears roll down her cheeks and she continues to mutter to herself about finding Novel. She says repeatedly that Mistress Hilaina wont let her go back. That Mistress told her to leave-- That she must please mistress. If only she can bring Novel to Mistress...
The story itself can end very quickly here. So to find out what the conclusion will be, the SR will let Ritsuka(snow leopard), William and Lenore roleplay it out.
William leads the way inside the apartments once they are on the alley, his usual entryway, stopping at the third door from that entrance, apartment 107, pointing a finger to the door as he gets slightly away from it, taking a couple steps back as if to leave room for those following "This is Novel's place... If he isn't here now, he will be here at some point today..."
Lenore blinks at William, "I beg your pardon?" she gawks as he then begins to speak to the animal and then blinks as it seems to understand, "I haven't been upstaged by a big cat act like this since I was in Vegas..." she bops her forehead and follows along, standing at the girl's side is she needs any assistance walking.
William looks dumbfounded at Lenore reaction "Seriously? It's a snow leopard... A species from Asia... One cannot simply walk around Boston and find one of them- Even if it had fled from a zoo, they are so rare and so few that it would have been caught within half an hour..." He doesn't seem to understand not everyone might know as much about animals as he does, to him, seeing Ritsuka(snow leopard) was clearly a sign that it was someone, not just an animal, it seemed so obvious that he had assumed based on the interaction that everyone knew
It is now very close to the forest anyway, but Ritsuka(snow leopard) does sit and stares at William judgingly again- and this time, it keeps to the judging stare on William. It however does not move itself between, it is an animal - and there is suddenly a little rat skittering along somewhere three doors down... and how could it resist it? It wiggles its butt and then pounces at the poor little rat- which squeaks and just manages to escape her somewhere it cannot put its paw into.
"Don't give me that look" William complains, pointing a finger to the big cat. Then he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, eyes setting on the mysterious woman once more, pointing back towards the door of the apartment "Novel's home..." He tries to explain again just in case, before slowly retreating towards the next door, which, considering he said the neighbors thing, is presumably his "Now... Is everything finally in order?"
As far as Lenore was concerned this was a very well choreographed Vegas act. She watches at the leopard tries to play with a rat, "It does seem... Less aggressive," she snorts a laugh at their discussion, "Okay actually it's adorable. I want to keep it."
The girl, upon being delivered smiles; It's not a normal smile. It's the smile of someone who's reached a point of all-or-nothing. Almost robotically, she steps forward. She doesn't seem to even notice Ritsuka(snow leopard), Lenore and William bickering. She just sees the door- Novel is here. She can get Novel and take him to Mistress. Then she can go home. William, Lenore and Ritsuka(snow leopard) are completely forgotten. From her bra, she pulls out what looks like a lock pick. There's a manic grin as she flicks at the door, unlocking it in seconds. Not even closing it behind her, she steps into apartment one hundred and seven, and she just seems to stand there, waiting. Someone external to the group who noticed was supernatural-- You can tell, on account of the lack of HSD at the apartment building, and the coms reporting that cleanup crews are on the way. On its own, the apartment door closes, and William, Ritsuka(snow leopard) ad Lenore are left alone in the hall. What will unfold after this point is in question; This is Haven, and Novel is dangerous. What does come out though over the next few days is that this woman has completely vanished from Haven. Did her mistress take her back? Did Novel do something to her? Did something else happen? She very well could have been taken by wolves in the night, or any number of supernatural forces.
(Your target is possessed by an angry spirit that is forcing them to act out and putting themselves and/or others at risk. They must either defeat it or find a way to calm it down.
)
Ritsuka(snow leopard) is really just prowling through the forest, there was something going on not long ago, and the leopard is just in the middle of its way off to somewhere out of the city, though there is a moment where it settles down into the snow and just rolls around into it to cover itself up and then rest.
There is something about the forest that is different tonight. As Ritsuka(snow leopard) rolls around in the snow, it is quiet, as if the very woods themselves are holding their breath.
No animal is stirring, no leave is rustling. There is something increadibly lonely... and uneasy about the overall energy of the place. Primal instincts might kick in: Something is amiss.
Well, is that not like it is every day in Haven, and had she not just come out of a situation just like that, where something was quite amiss? Though Ritsuka(snow leopard) lacks all the context, an impression was left, but there is no need for that, here, she is just a very dangerous and predatory kitten out in the woods, getting to enjoy a little bit of time in the snow. Humans were just humans and she was nothing like that here, there was naught but sanctuary to hold back on predating as a wild animal would, if she felt like it.
And that, too, means that she begins to sniff and sniff again... and then pees against one of the trees to continue marking her territory from all the smaller city kittens. They will not escape her claim over parts of the forest, never will! The tyranny of poor and innocent kittens shall never end!
A rustle then, in the treelines. Something is stalking the large cat in return. A groan. Heavy footsteps, indenting in the snow. Something was moving. Something heavy.
Beyond the ashen veil of death, someone can descern a heavyset man, in a faded, red jacket. Scraggly white fur is on it, and he has a wretched, clearly malnourished face, with reddish eyes. His form is covered with tens, perhaps hundreds of lists, from long, scrawled scroll-like things, to small, itty-bitty notes. This specter, clearly a ghost, seems to be mouthing one word repeatedly, extending an emanciated hand forward. But the cat can not really focus on this form, as it's form seems to be fading in and out of reality... it's in pain, though, that much is certain.
A rustle then, in the treelines. Something is stalking the large cat in return. A groan. Heavy footsteps, indenting in the snow. Something was moving. Something heavy.
Beyond the ashen veil of death, Ritsuka(snow leopard) can descern a heavyset man, in a faded, red jacket. Scraggly white fur is on it, and he has a wretched, clearly malnourished face, with reddish eyes. His form is covered with tens, perhaps hundreds of lists, from long, scrawled scroll-like things, to small, itty-bitty notes. This specter, clearly a ghost, seems to be mouthing one word repeatedly, extending an emanciated hand forward. But the cat can not really focus on this form, as it's form seems to be fading in and out of reality... it's in pain, though, that much is certain.
Ritsuka(snow leopard) waggles its butt a little bit, ohhh there is the sense of pain! And she gets to feed on it, or, well, in realistic terms, attempt to feed onto it, though whether its ever worked on the deceased or not... well, someone probably had the same idea and then changed something to reality to try it? Who knows. The waggling stops, and then she settles down behind a tree that covers most of her form to stare at the shifting specter, see what it will do. There is a whole place to set up, butt clearly, today, this is a little more important. Who does not like to occasionally watch a ghost? Most cannot see them after all.
As Ritsuka(snow leopard) attempts to feed on that pain, a rush is felt. Where normally such a feat might not be possible, the spectre reaches out a hand. It twists and turns, a shadowy tendril reaching out... trying to push against that veil between worlds. A ripple, then, and a touch, ethereal in nature, is made to Ritsuka(snow leopard)'s mind. "FEED! Feed! FeEd!" It wails, not into reality, but into the leopard's head directly, trying to worm it's way into her mind, into her thoughts. "Feedfeedfeedfeeed" It wails and wails.
And why would Ritsuka(snow leopard) resist it? It has become part of her inherent nature, though being an animal, that desire ties more to something far more primal- And that means wanting to hunt, and so... she gives into that want. There is awareness that she cannot really hunt any of dem stupid humans, but there is plenty of prey in the forest. Squirrels and there is even unicorns that have stalked her before, maybe she could find one of those wretched virgin stalking abominations? They could be tasty...
And as soon as Ritsuka(snow leopard) accepts that desire, something shifts. Something turns. She feels that specter, upon the lack of resistance, take the chance it needed. "FEEDFEEDFEEDFEED!" Angry words, desperate as her entire being gets filled with one deep, immutable truth: It is never enough. It always needs more. Hunger overwhelming assaults her entire psyche, and the thought of a unihorn is latched onto. Yes, yes, the visitor within her body agreed. Let's CONSUME
It would be easier to find such a thing with placing a virgin somewhere out into the forest, but finding one, that's far too much work and effort, especially for a leopard- but it does not keep Ritsuka(snow leopard) from starting to prowl. Her body lowers and she starts to make her way through the forest- Right now she was north of the forest but - WAIT. IS THAT AN INNOCENT LITTLE KITTEN? Oh you little creature are not getting into my turf, and so she turns around, steps into sight and stares at it. How dare you innocent smaller kitten! This is my turf.
The kitten hisses at the leopard, hair standing on end, and tail a poofy thing. Something seemed to scare it. Inside of the leopard, a cacaphony of anger and need and desire whirls, clearly not her own, though really, how much of one's feelings are separate when a thing is shouting them from within your mind? It is hard to discern any particular word, until he looks at the angry kitten. "THREAT THREAT! Kill! Kill! DEVOUR!" The visitor screams, voice like nails on a blackboard.
Ritsuka(snow leopard) pounces at the poor kitten and just ends up throwing it around, there is a bite and a chunk of flesh is taken from the cat - not enough to be lethal, but the desire to devour pulses in her every breathe, and with a last big swat, she throws the kitten off and away into a distance, where it may yet manage to flee back into its own safe space. Something in her own keeps her from pushing forward, though it is difficult. Her eyes narrow at the kitten as she subconsciously nibbles on the small chunk of flesh she has taken, and then turns away- and rushes off into the forest, nearing a street north of the elm street apartments...
As Ritsuka(snow leopard) runs, the spirit within her screams. Did they not make a deal? Did they not... A pause, and suddenly, it's tune changes. A begging, pleading voice, that of a small child... no, that of a little girl, echoes in her head. "P-please... I'm so hungry... please... don't leave... please..." The voice quivers, though within the sobbing tunes is a lower, barely percievable undertone of something old and ancient.
Ritsuka(snow leopard) comes to a stop. Maybe it is a vehicle that drives by, maybe it is a that she just does or sees too much vehicular activity, and she lies down into the snow again. She cannot speak, but that does not mean that her thoughts are incoherent or animalistic. They are largely a different language, of course, but there is a little stutter and she tries to cleanly think it out in English, something that does feel inherently foreign to her.
"A Deer? Yes please, please... PLEASE! DeVoUr! " The child-like voice pitches again, and a surge of hunger goes through Ritsuka(snow leopard). Like something within her stirs. Suddenly, a scent-trail is there. Definately super-natural, but quite like a deer, or something of that animal family.
Ritsuka(snow leopard) sniffs it- Ah just what she is looking for, and that is, of course, the route she must now follow. Somewhere there is still a desire to bite a unicorn into the butt to show those creepy stalkers! But that isn't what is important here... A deer would make fantastic prey! And be dinner for a good long while out here in the winter months. She slinks through the snow and between the trees, doing her best to keep out of sight as she trails after it.
The trail leads to a small hill, and there, in the light of the waning moon, it stands. A large, white-furred stag, like one out of the legends stands there, sniffing the air. The hill it stands on is serene, bathed only in the light of the moon, and the snow around it is virgin, and un-sullied. The specter inside is silent, as though a quiver of anticipation has stilled it's shouting, for now.
Hmm, odd, on a hill, all ready already to be preyed upon, but a leopard is more careful. She watches it, then circles around it, look if there is anything else Ritsuka(snow leopard) needs to see or know, and her slitted eyes scarcely ever leave the stag. Between the circling, she also tries to get a look at its eyes, to see if they show to be intelligent. It could be another shifter... it would be protected by sanctuary then. But this preying also comes with looking to see if it possesses any weakness.
Something is special about this beast. No mere stag, it seems. Though Ritsuka(snow leopard) can't quite discern what it is, it's certain that it does not seem like it's a shifter.
It's position is vulnerable. One could easily stalk, and pounce it. Nothing around, only serenity. Like maybe the very forest itself was calming itself around this majestic beast.
Ritsuka(snow leopard) circles around to its back. She cannot sense a weakness in it, and it is a mythical creature. It might be too powerful for her to prey down and she might need to withdraw, but that does not mean she cannot try. On the other hand... the voice so far has not returned, the forest itself calms around it... so has the ghost, too?
She sits, and licks her paw for just a moment before silently starting to approach the white stag, steps lightly made onto the snow.
As Ritsuka(snow leopard) appears, the spirit inside trembles. It seems to be holding it's breath, as if even the slightest sound, ethereal or not, might startle this beast. The stag, meanwhile, remains un-moving, it's ears perking though it does not seem to have noticed the leopard. Snow camoflage, after all....
Ritsuka(snow leopard) tries to come close, and perhaps unfortunately for the ghost, or fortunately- or maybe the other way in inverse... there is a sudden sparkle of something funny that bleeds up in the current leophard's hard. She was still fae, and there was this sudden flower that blood in her mind about how funny it could be to suddenly scare the stag. And what does that mean? Trying to get close, raise a paw... and SMACK it clawlessly RIGHT ON THE BUTT!
Of course, it was not just for an inner laugh, but it will tell her a multitude of things, too. How dangerous it may be, what the ghost may want from it, and if it will rile anything else up.
A bray from the creature, and it starts to bound off. Immediately, the forest around it stirs to life, the trees creaking and previously absent brambles forming behind it, perhaps to close it's path! "NONONONONO DEVOUR!" The specter wails, angry now, as this action seems to have weakened it's hold on the leopard's mind. It tries to assume direct control, trying hard, hard to take over. But the leopard had successfully let whimsy into it's mind, and now the specter and leopard were battling, leaving the feline in full control.
The stag, meanwhile, is bounding off. Ritsuka(snow leopard) is faced with a choice: chase, or give up.
Being whimsical is far more fun however, and so Ritsuka(snow leopard) rolls on into the snow and now takes up its place on the hill... and of course pees to mark her territory here! There is deific pride in it, too. She won over more turf just by being a little whimsical, oh how much she is going to cherish the day when her ability to shapeshift will grow more and more... But there is also a small and little tantrum she must express and throw. Yes, those stupid brambles must be smashed and utterly destroyed! How dare they take up some of her new turf! And thats where she starts to furiously bite on and claw hard against them, doing all her form can to smash it all to little pieces!
There is an angry wail, and as whimsy takes over, there is again, a tug. This time, the specter seems to be trying to leave. It seems confused, the wretched being seemingly not able to comprehend the mild insanity of the Other. Instead, it tries to flee, perhaps to give chase to the White Stag. As the Stag leaves, the brambles are easily dealt with, and the forest returns to it's normal state, that specter trying to leave, unless Ritsuka(snow leopard) keeps it sealed....
Whaaat, why would Ritsuka(snow leopard) ever let it go? It could be funny to let it stick there and whine and complain- oh and to deal with the imprints laying on her, too. She throws a bunch of brambles off the hill with her fangs, and then lies down... and just rolls along the snow down the hill... The audacity! Yeah, this specter is now hers, maybe she will try and stuff it into a little meat puppet... or take all that he is, and consume it into yet another power... or maybe, just maybe... this little specter will be part of a pretty little bargain?
"Bargain..." The specter speaks in the leopard's mind. It seems to be listening, hunger and desire flashing up in it. "What do you want...what's on your list?" It seems genuinely interested, in a dark, nasty, greedy sort of way.
It all comes in a flash, there are no words here. Inherently, there is no desire for anything like power, that is completely absent, so that strikes off the list. There is the desire in Ritsuka(snow leopard) to do right, both inherent and demanded by something divine within her, to keep her parents proud, to fulfill her duty, and a memory there ties to the recent raids in Haven, though they have largely been drawn to an end, those that thief, are still thieving their way through with no one that had organized a step to bring that to an end. There are plans of building something grand, and there are food chains that would be a part of it, for people to visit and devour food at...
The specter seems to grow within Ritsuka(snow leopard). It seems to meander through her thoughts, and then, suddenly, it latches onto the recent raids, the thieving. The specter lets out a happy hiss, and seems to have chosen one. "Devour... steal... end..." It pauses, then, a few heartbeats. "Punish! Punish! PUNISH!" A shudder goes through it, and in Ritsuka(snow leopard)'s mind's eye, a red-jacketed figure adds some names to a list, marked 'naughty'. It seems to be offering a revenge, of some sort. Then, a hand is extended, towards a paw of the feline. As if it is offering a bargain. Punishment for freedom....
Ritsuka(snow leopard) rolls around to stand up and straight and then raises the paw and lays it against the spectral's own, as much as one may. She makes a loud, agreeable meow, though her size does not make it be one of a cute kitten, but a deeper, louder one. The bargain is acceptable, those people can suffer. They must suffer, and maybe that will finally put an end to the thefts that had been affecting everyone in Haven-city. Hopefully they will, but as so many things, that is most difficult to ever find out or tell. If it may just be enough.
A dark chuckle echoes through the woods, then. The sky turns crimson, for just a few moments, and the presence leaves the leopard. A crack of thunder echoes through the woods, then, as soon as it came, goes quiet. "PUNISH!"
Over the coming days, Ritsuka(snow leopard) might have wild, strange, hyper-realistic dreams. Men, abusers and those who would hurt women, they get chased. By something invisible. Each of them meets their ends, in various, nasty, hurtful, and drawn out ways. After each night, a hand strikes out a name on a list. How long? Who knows.... But a deal is struck, and a price has been paid.
Justice?
Ritsuka(snow leopard) is not a murderer, and this still keeps true... It is always a touch funny perhaps, because a monster, is still a monster, even when she does not draw the blood herself. There was a time before this city had gotten to her, where she would have thought it abominable, but she did find that it was easy to just... let it be... When her teams kill a frog that was hiding from the other, when some of her own contacts in the underworld 'take care' about something. It was when she had questions, if the only way to deliver a message is to do so in waves of violence. But she understood, that as long as she and everyone else, human and Yokai alike, lives, that their own ideals will turn rivers crimson with blood, that murder is done in the idea of what is thought of to be right and cruelty becomes heroic.
Each morning she wakes, remembering, but there is no sorrow. For every hope is built on another's sorrow. And this is only justice. The only justice this cruel city and the world could ever understand.
(Your target is possessed by an angry spirit that is forcing them to act out and putting themselves and/or others at risk. They must either defeat it or find a way to calm it down.
)
Pulling off his jacket and shirt, Sam folds them up, and places them in his wardrobe, before turning to face the western wall. He bows, and slices his palm open with a bright steel knife, letting the blood fall onto that familiar shape against the wall.
Forming a triangle of blood on the floor, the jock then kneels, and starts incanting. "By my Blood..." He places that bloodied palm against the floor. "By your Will..." He places his head against the floor, prostrating himself before the western wall and the serpent there. "I thee invoke! APEP!"
Black, oily smoke seems to seep into the room. It's wrong: it's clearly wrong, something evil and dark, like a skim on the surface of reality, and as Sam begins his invocation it seems to choke out life and light. He can breathe, but when he does he tastes it, as there is some weakness here, some place between worlds that is unsettling and dark.
"By Blood, Will, and Devotion... " Sam breathes in that oily smoke deeply, shuddering lightly, though he perseveres.
"By Shadow and Death..." He smiles. "By Chaos and Darkness..." He lifts his head, looking forward. "Serpent of Duat, Master of Isfet..." He straightens, remaining kneeled. "Blood of my Blood..."
Now the oily smoke seems to concentrate -- it begins to approach Sam, it begins to form in some awful, black cloud. It is like some mass of tentacles with no body, with no eyes, with no form at all -- the form of Apep. Some primordial snake, perhaps, but truly some primordial, awful, slithering mass. One tentacle seems to be trying to break through the thin veil between reality and reality's antagonist, and Sam can almost feel it, sliding greasily across his face as he prays.
Shuddering lightly, Sam speaks. "Cairo was the beginning. The seal has been weakened." A hiss emits from his mouth, and he glares into the darkness, and speaks clearly. "I invoke thee, Serpent of Isfet. No Chaos, not even emptiness, can take hold on your might!" He speaks, the jock straightening up some more. "I draw forth from the prison, created by your former siblings, and draw forth the divine!" Sam shudders, the arcanist reaching for the finger-bone on a silver-chain, arcane runes glowing on it. "Through my work, come forth, and by your Will, and our devotion, reach into the light!" He shudders, steeling himself somewhat.
Now that tentacle, that probing tentacle, finds Sam's lips -- and he can feel it. Feel it as some reality, feel it not as some spiritual intrusion but as something physical, shimmying in oily fashion against his flesh. The tip of it presses at his mouth, as if probing.
Slowly parting his lips, Sam speaks out. "Let us be your Vessel, as we work to open the Gate..." He clasps that arcane focus. "Seem into me, and let Isfet rise." A low hiss shudders through his body as his eyes gleam, dark magic swirling around him, reinforcing his body, or at least, attempting to.
The tentacle enters Sam -- it slithers between his lips, invading his mouth, and then it begins to force itself down his throat. If this is Apep's power entering the young man, there is something awful about it: it is choking him out. His mortal body wants to reject this intrusion, even if his soul craves some sick communion.
Steeling himself, Sam moves his hands to the floor again, that tentacle silencing his prayer as he takes his knife again, drawing a cut across his arm, letting his blood add to the power of the ritual, the Jock shivering and trembling heavily. "Hrn....."
When Sam cuts himself, his blood seems to boil -- it is as if steam hisses from droplets on the floor of his ritual circle, and when he raises the knife, it, too, is boiling black with blood. The tentacle forces itself deeper, deeper into Sam's mouth, into his throat, and then -- then it is gone. He can breathe again, for all that he suffers, but he can -feel- something in the pit of his gut. It's hard not to imagine some tiny larvae of a tentacled thing, curled up in his belly.
Speaking softly, Sam hisses out, gasping in a breath of air. "Let us be one, and let my actions Herald in the Chaos..." He looks down at the knife, slowly drawing his hands around it, barely able to remain upright through the pain: His boxing experience comes in usefully now. A shudder and a twist of his face is then felt as he presses his hands onto the blade. "Let metal be warped, and through your will, let reality be rended...." He smiles, then speaks clearly. "Let the House of Ra feel your vengeance, through me, the instrument of your will!"
Darkness begins to close around Sam -- darkness, occluding his eyes, his view, his sense of everything, and then, for a moment, it seems as if he is transported entirely from his bedroom. Instead, he floats in some void. No -- in The Void, bodiless. He still feels that thing in the pit of his stomach, but in front of him is some larger, awful mass of tentacles. Is this Apep? Is there the form of a man, somewhere distantly in outline in those unending tentacles? Or is that just Sam's imagination?
The thread of chaos wove through Sam's reckoning with forces beyond the mortal coil. His invocation of Apep, a deity of darkness and disorder, was a testament to the lengths one might journey to wield power or perhaps to belong to something greater, even if malevolent. As physical manifestation met spiritual ambition, Sam's ritual was a harrowing dance on the edge of existence, inviting into his essence an entity that promised strength but demanded a vessel. In his quest for vengeance against the perceived order, Sam's narrative intertwined with the essence of primordial chaos, challenging the very nature of his existence and the world around him.
These stories, marked by encounters with the mystical and the malevolent, echo the timeless dance of light and shadow, of individuals seeking to assert their will upon the tapestries of their fates. Whether through the wilds of a forest that knows no master or the confines of a room that becomes a gateway to the abyss, their tales unravel the complexities of desire, power, and the consequences of inviting the darkness in.
(William's odd encounter(SRIllyana):SRIllyana)
[Sun Dec 15 2024]
On Beech Street
It is morning, about 22F(-5C) degrees, and the sky is covered by dark grey stormclouds.
(Your target and their allies encounter the former thrall of a vampire who has been discarded by their previous owner, likely mind controlled into complete devotion the thrall wants nothing more than to return. It is up to the characters to either help them return, or stop them from doing so.
)
Currently, William is talking to Lenore in the middle of Beech Street, right between the Meditation Center and the Starlight Lounge, their voices a bit hushed, since, for a while now, they have been talking about White Oak. Having met only about an hour ago, someone was looking for a way to find the Goblin Market, mislead by the belief that a bone compass would lead her there. William encountered her, and after confirming they both were Aware, he explained her mistake and offered to both show her the way and make her a key, though, they remain in Beech Street, since, for a second time in a week span, William has had an accident with his car for driving with too much mist
Currently, William is talking to Lenore in the middle of Beech Street, right between the Meditation Center and the Starlight Lounge, their voices a bit hushed, since, for a while now, they have been talking about White Oak. Having met only about an hour ago, Lenore was looking for a way to find the Goblin Market, mislead by the belief that a bone compass would lead her there. William encountered her, and after confirming they both were Aware, he explained her mistake and offered to both show her the way and make her a key, though, they remain in Beech Street, since, for a second time in a week span, William has had an accident with his car for driving with too much mist
Lenore is standing close to William speaking in a hushed tone as they discuss supernatural matters early in the morning. She smirks at William and leans with a hand on her hip, "You could've told me you had a key this whole time. Talk about burying the lede." She snorts a laugh. She is being less careful than he is in this moment and far less aware of her surroundings.
Up until now Lenore has been wandering aimlessly in the streets, staring down at a spinning bone compass and not a clue where she was going.
"I could have yes, but... You know, the objective here is that you can go back anytime by yourself... And my key is going to stay with me and all- I can open the doors to show you, but you still need to get one, yes?" William isn't really asking the question, it's more like a clarification that you'd find in- Probably a lecture, it's mostly rhetorical "That's why I was telling you about making you one and all- But I suppose I can still show you around using mine"
Lenore shivers and wraps her arms around herself in reflex. "Fair! And *brrr* thoughtful! R-reasonable," She pockets her bone compass and slips her hands into her pockets, "Is it me or is it getting colder all the time?" Her own single-minded focus on the key now interrupted by the chill.
"It's cold!" William confirms, not looking so swayed by the temperature himself, despite the fact that he was only wearing a shirt himself, not even a jacket on top of that, he doesn't even seem to be shivering or anything "I guess it's to be expected- Pretty up north here, and it's December after all"
Lenore blinks as she just now notices William's outfit and lack of any necessary bundling, "I know I'm a sunny west coast transplant but..." She sniffs her blushed nose, "I-I guess I'm not used to it?" She speaks with her steam breath wafting in front of her face, her disguised southern drawl coming loose, "This town sure is somethin! And weird!"
This early in the day, it is unsurprising that the mist rises in Haven; It can rise anywhere-- Any when, and from it can come wonders, horrors, or anything between. It can birth the lost, monsters-- And those things that escape the nightmare to harrow the citizens-- Aware and unaware alike. But even the aware know to fear it, for the most deleterious aspect of Haven's supernatural mist is that it always, without fail, announces the coming of /something/. The day begins, the mist rises, and the veil is made thin; The gates are close, and to such ends, power and mystery will inevitably escape, flooding into the lives of the Haven township's citizenry. As Lenore and William stand between two hubs of supernatural activity then: One of which, the Runing Water's meditation center (Owned by a Temple demigod) and the Starlight Lounge (Owned by an X-Hand angel hybrid), they find themselves at a literal crossroads. A crossroads of magic and mystery. A nexus of activity, with landmarks to either side of them. And such dichotomy Lenore and William find themselves in; Humanity on one side, and a former haven for the vampires of Haven's nights on the other. And with such divergence at the outset, this sleepy morning finds itself unfolding. It's a town, certainly. But Haven is a sleepy little place (for the unaware). So as the traffic passes, and the God-fearing make their ways to morning services, the dog walkers miander, and the werewolves make their ways home after their second knight of lunicy thanks to the waning full moon, William and Lenore find themselves subject to something most curious; They feel loss, and a desire to find /someone/. It's innate: The half-felt feeling, but it's powerful. And that's when William notices the lost looking figure heading into the Starlight. It's a woman; She's not dressed for the weather. That's not unusual for Haven. Her hair is dirty blond, her eyes are green, though there are those signs about her that many would miss. Those eyes are red-rimmed. Her motions are stuttering-- She moves like an adict, though she doesn't have the tracks one might expect. Her nose isn't damaged, and there's noting around the nostrals. This is obvious; She's only wearing short shorts and a croptop, her neck covered by a choker (I wonder why?). She's muttering to herself and looking down at what looks like a burner phone. Where Lenore and William are, a full conversation cant be caught, but William can see her shiver, her eyes dart.
William takes a little look at his phone as it vibrates, but is quick to put it back into his pocket, shaking his head slowly. His eyes moving to the strange lady moving into his friend's establishment, tilting his head ever so slightly, there was something odd about her, then again, there was something odd about half of Haven. "I'm british..." He tells Lenore as if this explained the whole temperature situation in and out of itself, but his eyes keep on scanning at the seemingly drug addict, uncertain, it was already nine in the morning, maybe the poor woman only wanted a coffee, but his mind couldn't help but wonder in another direction- After all, in Haven, erratic behavior meant one of three things. Either someone was attacked, was facing withdrawal from some substance far stronger than usual drugs, or the were being subjected to compulsions of any kind. But he needs a second opinion, nudging his head to Lenore in the direction of the woman "What do you think?"
Lenore's eyes flutter as her mind attunes to the sense of loss, of desire coming from behind her. She shivers again but not from the cold this time, "D-deja vu...?" she says and blinks at William before turning around. She peers at the shaky woman, eying the choker, the outfit, the red-rimmed eyes. She's seen many like them before. Lenore's body straightens as a sense of empathy and boldness fills her, "You alright darlin?" she calls out, "You look a little... Lost?" She steps aside and aligns herself with William.
The woman, in spite of her state is somewhat attractive; Too attractive, in only that way that fleshforming can achieve. Her lips work, her eyes dart-- Phone, up and down the street, Starlight-- Again and again and again: She's nervous. "Mistress." she can be heard saying. "Novel." Her head shakes, she shifts, she pauses in a very unnatural way. She slips to her knees-- And this being Haven, she's ignored: She's just some adict or freak, or weird student of White Oak. She's just some escaped psychopath from the Webster clinic. Why should anyone stop her? Orderlies or deputies will come get her before too long, after all-- But William and Lenore know far different. There is much more to this woman and her behaviour. "Novel ran away from home." she mutters to herself, head shaking. "Novel got away from mistress. But mistress will be so mad... I cant..." She still stares between the Starlight and the street and her phone though. That is when William sees it; Her head shaking dislodges her hair from her shoulder, and aside from even more goose flesh, the two note that there's a brand on the blond's shoulderblade. It's a stylised letter 'S' set over a ruby red teardrop symbol. Heraldry-- ownership-- A brand. To most, just a strange tattoo, but William knows differently, and that, even before the muttering. "Mistress will be so mad..." the poor thing opines. Tears begin to ascribe a track of dampness across her cheek, but those desires never stop. She needs to see /someone/. She needs to return to /Mistress/. She needs help. She's so very very alone. That's obvious to the empathic two. "Novel can help me find Mistress." she addresses the sidewalk. "Novel ran away from home. Mistress..." Those tears begin falling in floods now; The girl sinks to her barely clad rear. Her phone discarded on the sidewalk, she doesn't even seem to notice the cold, but blue lipped and shivering, how could she not? And then Lenore speaks-- She's addressed directly and instead of looking up, she flinches back as if struck. She looks confused, conflicted, but she still tries to make herself look smaller. She mustn't be seen. She must be a good girl-- She mustn't upset mistress. But mistress doesn't want her, does she? She's got no one; She has nothing, and she needs to find /someone/ who can help her. Mistress will forgive her. If only she can find Novel and tell Mistress... Mistress will take her back, right?
There's a brief moment there in which William switches his expression from one of confusion and suspicion, to sporting a little tiny smirk, the desires of the lost girl suddenly maybe aligning with his, it seemed that Novel was in trouble in some way or another, and that was something he liked. Surely he could both help this girl to sate his own growing want to do so, and in the same moment manage to get the disliked man in trouble, two for one, easy peasy. "I know Novel" William simply states to the woman, his eyes lingering on the brand for a couple seconds, then glancing over at her eyes, and then at the choker, it was all coming together little by little, even if it was all a conjecture "He is my neighbor, I can tell you where he lives- He might not be home right now, but surely you can check some other time if he's not currently available" There's a little glance towards Lenore, and then to the rest of the street, not wanting to say anything too loudly or too in the open, but the issue here seemed to have a pretty straight forward solution "It's not far from here, I can show you the place..."
Lenore's heart quickens in her chest as she watches the girl, standing in a torrent of desires and dread that feels oh so familiar to her. She wipes a tear away from her cheek and slowly begins to approach. Trancelike. Not recognizing the brand or the names, just the emotions and the desires. She couldn't ignore the desire radiating from the girl, or her own compulsion to help, "W-we'll help you find M... Who you're looking for. We can help," she says fluttering her eyelids. This new White Oak transfer couldn't fight it, whether it be her angelic nature, her past, or a blend of both. "Shhhh... It'll be alright," she coos and reaches out with a hand, unaware of any danger. "There's a... good girl." It's only when Novel speaks with confidence that she slowly begins to waken up.
Again, when addressed, the girl flinches. She's been noticed again. Good girls arn't seen. They're just there when mistress needs them. "Novel ran away from home." the woman speaks quietly. "If I can find him, maybe she'll take me back." -- She's not registering everything William is saying, but the name caught her attention. Briefly, she looks over to William, then her gaze flicks back to the sidewalk; She's not allowed to look at people. Mistress said no looking at people. She starts to rock. When someone steps closer, the girl shrinks away from the touch; She's good. She's good. She's good. She's good. She's good-- Bad. She's bad. Mistress discarded her. Mistress told her to go, but if she can just make Mistress happy again, she can go home; All she wants is to go home. All she wants is to make Mistress happy. She doesn't look up-- To the contrary, she shrinks further into herself. "Novel works at Starlight..." she whispers. "Novel's a cook. Mistress doesn't know that, but I found him. And if I can bring him home, maybe Mistress Hilaina will let me come home, too?" Looking up, she blinks tear-filled eyes at Lenore before addressing the woman's feet. "You want to help me find Novel? Will..." She breathes in a shuddering breath, chest rising and falling, her air escaping in a chill puff, blue-tinted lips almost twitching into a smile before she looks down again-- Good girls don't show emotion. Mistress wants her snacks to be good, and not be seen. Mistress's snacks must not get in the way. "You can help me find Mistress again?" she asks, voice tiny, as though not quite understanding the offers of help. She shakes again; There's something oh-so conflicted about her. She's fighting herself, here. William can see the signs; There are conflicting compulsions that are, without question locked in. Compulsions to make her loyal, to make her sedate, to make her complient, but also, one that's conflicting with that; She was discarded. "Can... Can we find Novel? Can we... Can we go and find him so I can go home and make my Mistress happy?" Then she says the one thing that likely expresses the extent of her utter lack of self-awareness. It's innocent enough, her words are calm, innocent, but oh so determined. "You can have me if you can help me. Mistress wont mind. You can do anything you want, but please, Master, Mistress. I'll be good. Please let me be good so I can go back home?"
Again, when addressed, the girl flinches. She's been noticed again. Good girls arn't seen. They're just there when mistress needs them. "Novel ran away from home." the woman speaks quietly. "If I can find him, maybe she'll take me back." -- She's not registering everything William is saying, but the name caught her attention. Briefly, she looks over to William, then her gaze flicks back to the sidewalk; She's not allowed to look at people. Mistress said no looking at people. She starts to rock. When Lenore steps closer, the girl shrinks away from the touch; She's good. She's good. She's good. She's good. She's good-- Bad. She's bad. Mistress discarded her. Mistress told her to go, but if she can just make Mistress happy again, she can go home; All she wants is to go home. All she wants is to make Mistress happy. She doesn't look up-- To the contrary, she shrinks further into herself. "Novel works at Starlight..." she whispers. "Novel's a cook. Mistress doesn't know that, but I found him. And if I can bring him home, maybe Mistress Hilaina will let me come home, too?" Looking up, she blinks tear-filled eyes at Lenore before addressing the woman's feet. "You want to help me find Novel? Will..." She breathes in a shuddering breath, chest rising and falling, her air escaping in a chill puff, blue-tinted lips almost twitching into a smile before she looks down again-- Good girls don't show emotion. Mistress wants her snacks to be good, and not be seen. Mistress's snacks must not get in the way. "You can help me find Mistress again?" she asks, voice tiny, as though not quite understanding the offers of help. She shakes again; There's something oh-so conflicted about her. She's fighting herself, here. William can see the signs; There are conflicting compulsions that are, without question locked in. Compulsions to make her loyal, to make her sedate, to make her complient, but also, one that's conflicting with that; She was discarded. "Can... Can we find Novel? Can we... Can we go and find him so I can go home and make my Mistress happy?" Then she says the one thing that likely expresses the extent of her utter lack of self-awareness. It's innocent enough, her words are calm, innocent, but oh so determined. "You can have me if you can help me. Mistress wont mind. You can do anything you want, but please, Master, Mistress. I'll be good. Please let me be good so I can go back home?"
As Ritsuka(snow leopard) arives on Beech Street, she finds William and Lenore talking with a scantily clad blond woman with red-rimmed eyes outside Starlight Lounge. The woman is in floods of tears, has a brand of a red ruby with a stylised letter 'S' on her shoulderblade, and she is in the fetal pose, rocking back and forth with a discarded burner cell phone beside her.
Ritsuka(snow leopard) prances into the area and makes a very loud yowling MEOW! And of course, what is the worst thing a cat could do seeing humans? That is right, prance on over and then attempt to lie on the fetal pose lady pouring loudly and trying to rub its cheek against her side.
The problem then is that a snow leopard-- A predator that is very abnormal is walking down Beech street. The HSD have likely been called already, people are pointing at the creature, recording it on their phones. Lenore and William, even in spite of Haven's strangeness are unused to such things. Monsters, yes. Wild animals, no. But more sign there's something wrong is that the woman doesn't even respond.
William huhs a little bit at that last statement, taking a deep breath before shaking his head "That won't be nec- Yes, we can go find him, just follow me... I'll take you there" He answers, releasing a bit of a sigh, he certainly wanted to help this woman but sometimes it was so tiring when everything was so... Obtuse. He doesn't even notice the leopard that seems to be walking around town at first, surely it won't take too long before people start doing so themselves, after all, it's early enough in the morning for the streets to be transit-able, and surely a team would arrive soon enough if they were notified of such animal walking around- That is until the feline makes some noise and approaches the woman. He was already starting to move towards the north, ready to lead the woman to the apartments, but he freezes in place at the pressence of the animal
Lenore's eyes flutter as tears streak down her face, she's frozen, staring down at the woman beneath her. Her gazes lifts up and looks over at William. Her hand reaches for something in her coat and grips it tightly, mostly for comfort, a small revolver concealed there. It surprisingly keeps her afloat, just above the compulsion to help this girl find her clearly Monstrous Mistress. "I-I've never seen... Felt someone this broken..." She's about to say more, but her eyes dart toward the leopard and she snaps awake, pointing at it, "WHOA!" she takes a few steps back and pulls her revolver out of her parka pocket.
"Master will help?" the woman asks again, voice halting. She doesn't stand, yet. But if asked, it's likely that she would. "I just want to go home." She doesn't even seem to notice the leopard, which is strange in and of itself. Leopards are dangerous animals. "Novel works here. I should stay here?" Looking at William's feet rather than anything else, she looks conflicted. "Novel's neighbour?" Finally registering, something seems to shift; She's still lost, in floods of tears and shivering with cold, but she's focusing on William now. The thing though is, she doesn't even note the hail as it pelts her. Though the weather stings Ritsuka(snow leopard), William and Lenore, she doesn't even blink. "Mistress will help me too?" she asks Lenore. "We can find Novel? I can take him home to Mistress and she'll let me come home?"
Indeed, it is such a crime that this predator seems to be snuggling the woman and demanding attention, but the weather is cold, and its attention retains on the lady, up until Ritsuka(snow leopard) tries to get the lady to stand, trying to push into her lower back, but there's also just this sweet touch that then turns into rubbing its cheek against the woman's waist and a lick of its rough tongue. Then it sits, and looks first to Lenore and then to William, looking into his eyes before raising a paw to lick it.
There's another sigh coming from William as he watches the scene of something that was seemingly so easy, soon become into such apparent mess, and to top it all off, hail starts raining on them, just lovely. He takes a moment to take a couple deep breaths, and then says, with a surprising apathetic tone, considering he was too experiencing to some degree the wants of this mysterious girl "You'll get used to it..." to Lenore, reaching slowly towards his own finger to slowly pull of his golden ring from the finger, keeping it on his hand, secure, but off. He eyes Ritsuka(snow leopard) for a moment, it doesn't seem too aggressive, and given the kind of animal it is, it's probably just someone messing around he assumes, someone not careful enough to present themselves as a dangerous animal in the middle of the street in plain daylight "Yes, neighbor, just come with me, I'll take you to his house... I can drop you by the door and from there it's all you..." He sighs out to the woman
Lenore keeps her revolver pointed down at the ground but remains ready. She wipes her tears with her parka sleeve, dumbfounded, "Yeah! L-let's have you stand up! Mistress Lenore says follow Bill!" she gestures to William. She desperately wants to help as best she can, as her nature compels her to, but she also finds herself at a loss as she fully leans on William's leadership. "Will I get used to it though?" She then locks eyes with the leopard, "Good kitty...?" she says meekly.
Ritsuka(snow leopard) glances to Lenore and makes a meow at her, though taking someone to... Novel out of all people draws its attention to William, and then stare... judgingly.
"No, no shooting" William tells Lenore, almost grouchy now, shaking his head "And put it away, the police department is probably already coming for the kitty, we don't need to take someone under arrest for wielding a weapon in public either..." He points out at Lenore, starting to move towards the apartments on the north, not even checking if Ritsuka(snow leopard) or the mysterious woman are following "I am just going to show her the place- If Novel isn't at home she can just wait for him there, if he is, we are lucky- No one to shoot... And I just get to rest at home because I am awfully tired despite sickness being gone"
As Ritsuka(snow leopard) attempts to snuggle and shift the woman, she doesn't move how she should; She just flops to the cold sidewalk, apparently not even noticing when she scratches her knee, her slight form splaying out. Now, the people around are noticing William, Lenore and Ritsuka(snow leopard), and they are being filmed as they stand around the crazy woman who likely escaped the clinic. "I can come to Novel's door and take him back to Mistress." the girl nods. She's taken that much in, at least. Looking to William and Lenore, she nods to the sidewalk; She doesn't even stand. She crawls. Not all is right here. That's more than obvious. "I can be good. I can go home..." she seems to tell herself. She obviously doesn't believe it, but she tries, that much is clear to the empathic Lenore and to Ritsuka(snow leopard) who hears the wish-- The desire to find /someone. To please mistress. To go home. Thankfully, Lenore instructs her to stand, else she likely would have crawled and slithered through the hale all the way to the apartments. Ritsuka(snow leopard) is there though, and the girl slowly stands, using the leopard to reach her knees-- to crouch-- Then to stand slowly. She's shivering, on the virge of frostbite. Her cheeks and nose are bright red, her lips are blue. "We can find Novel." she nods, telling herself. The burner phone remains discarded-- The girl doesn't seem to care. "Follow Master and Mistress." she repeats. "Go to find Novel."
Lenore quickly pockets the gun, despite having unveiled it to any bystander nearby, "Okay okay!" walking in William's direction. "I-I've been practicing hypnotism. I'm not great at it but if a deputy shows up I can probably jingle some keys in their face long enough to not notice the big cat!" She whisper shouts as she beckons the leopard and the girl to follow along, "Quick as you can please!"
Ritsuka(snow leopard) does not possess any items, but it does try to communicate something to William. Spinning around in a circle and then sitting down looking to the northeast, before her head looks back to William. She meows to try and draw his attention, and fortunately for everyone, this large and dangerous kitten really does not seem to be hungry at all today. Must be a weird look for everyone that is recording this whole scene and how much attention its gotten by now.
"The big cat is probably better than you at it..." William sighs out to Lenore, taking a couple quick glances around to the bystanders, there was too many to do a quick cleanup by glancing at them, that, would be something the deputies that will eventually arrive will have to take care of, not him "Look, just calm down, the girl wants Novel to be able to go back to her... Yeah, it's either that or leaving her on the street for her to eventually do something dumb" He is mostly explaining this to the other companions, not to the woman itself, leading them up slowly north, then west a bit and then north once more slowly walking into an alley as he points an accusatory finger at Ritsuka(snow leopard) "And you... Cannot take her in, you cannot pick up everyone like a lost puppy and hope that it'll work out... The deputies cannot hold her for long and she's probably in the worst Vee withdrawal of her life, not to mention whatever must be on her head..."
William, Lenore and Ritsuka(snow leopard) somehow make it through Beech, onto Paine and into the alley behind the Elm Street Apartments without too much issue. Oh- They're of course noticed. The pretty young blond woman, the man and the giant hunting cat, and the possible prostitute? The escaped Webster clinic escapee? That's still in question for anyone without context. The entire way though, the blond cries. Tears roll down her cheeks and she continues to mutter to herself about finding Novel. She says repeatedly that Mistress Hilaina wont let her go back. That Mistress told her to leave-- That she must please mistress. If only she can bring Novel to Mistress...
The story itself can end very quickly here. So to find out what the conclusion will be, the SR will let Ritsuka(snow leopard), William and Lenore roleplay it out.
William leads the way inside the apartments once they are on the alley, his usual entryway, stopping at the third door from that entrance, apartment 107, pointing a finger to the door as he gets slightly away from it, taking a couple steps back as if to leave room for those following "This is Novel's place... If he isn't here now, he will be here at some point today..."
Lenore blinks at William, "I beg your pardon?" she gawks as he then begins to speak to the animal and then blinks as it seems to understand, "I haven't been upstaged by a big cat act like this since I was in Vegas..." she bops her forehead and follows along, standing at the girl's side is she needs any assistance walking.
William looks dumbfounded at Lenore reaction "Seriously? It's a snow leopard... A species from Asia... One cannot simply walk around Boston and find one of them- Even if it had fled from a zoo, they are so rare and so few that it would have been caught within half an hour..." He doesn't seem to understand not everyone might know as much about animals as he does, to him, seeing Ritsuka(snow leopard) was clearly a sign that it was someone, not just an animal, it seemed so obvious that he had assumed based on the interaction that everyone knew
It is now very close to the forest anyway, but Ritsuka(snow leopard) does sit and stares at William judgingly again- and this time, it keeps to the judging stare on William. It however does not move itself between, it is an animal - and there is suddenly a little rat skittering along somewhere three doors down... and how could it resist it? It wiggles its butt and then pounces at the poor little rat- which squeaks and just manages to escape her somewhere it cannot put its paw into.
"Don't give me that look" William complains, pointing a finger to the big cat. Then he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, eyes setting on the mysterious woman once more, pointing back towards the door of the apartment "Novel's home..." He tries to explain again just in case, before slowly retreating towards the next door, which, considering he said the neighbors thing, is presumably his "Now... Is everything finally in order?"
As far as Lenore was concerned this was a very well choreographed Vegas act. She watches at the leopard tries to play with a rat, "It does seem... Less aggressive," she snorts a laugh at their discussion, "Okay actually it's adorable. I want to keep it."
The girl, upon being delivered smiles; It's not a normal smile. It's the smile of someone who's reached a point of all-or-nothing. Almost robotically, she steps forward. She doesn't seem to even notice Ritsuka(snow leopard), Lenore and William bickering. She just sees the door- Novel is here. She can get Novel and take him to Mistress. Then she can go home. William, Lenore and Ritsuka(snow leopard) are completely forgotten. From her bra, she pulls out what looks like a lock pick. There's a manic grin as she flicks at the door, unlocking it in seconds. Not even closing it behind her, she steps into apartment one hundred and seven, and she just seems to stand there, waiting. Someone external to the group who noticed was supernatural-- You can tell, on account of the lack of HSD at the apartment building, and the coms reporting that cleanup crews are on the way. On its own, the apartment door closes, and William, Ritsuka(snow leopard) ad Lenore are left alone in the hall. What will unfold after this point is in question; This is Haven, and Novel is dangerous. What does come out though over the next few days is that this woman has completely vanished from Haven. Did her mistress take her back? Did Novel do something to her? Did something else happen? She very well could have been taken by wolves in the night, or any number of supernatural forces.
(Your target is possessed by an angry spirit that is forcing them to act out and putting themselves and/or others at risk. They must either defeat it or find a way to calm it down.
)
Ritsuka(snow leopard) is really just prowling through the forest, there was something going on not long ago, and the leopard is just in the middle of its way off to somewhere out of the city, though there is a moment where it settles down into the snow and just rolls around into it to cover itself up and then rest.
There is something about the forest that is different tonight. As Ritsuka(snow leopard) rolls around in the snow, it is quiet, as if the very woods themselves are holding their breath.
No animal is stirring, no leave is rustling. There is something increadibly lonely... and uneasy about the overall energy of the place. Primal instincts might kick in: Something is amiss.
Well, is that not like it is every day in Haven, and had she not just come out of a situation just like that, where something was quite amiss? Though Ritsuka(snow leopard) lacks all the context, an impression was left, but there is no need for that, here, she is just a very dangerous and predatory kitten out in the woods, getting to enjoy a little bit of time in the snow. Humans were just humans and she was nothing like that here, there was naught but sanctuary to hold back on predating as a wild animal would, if she felt like it.
And that, too, means that she begins to sniff and sniff again... and then pees against one of the trees to continue marking her territory from all the smaller city kittens. They will not escape her claim over parts of the forest, never will! The tyranny of poor and innocent kittens shall never end!
A rustle then, in the treelines. Something is stalking the large cat in return. A groan. Heavy footsteps, indenting in the snow. Something was moving. Something heavy.
Beyond the ashen veil of death, someone can descern a heavyset man, in a faded, red jacket. Scraggly white fur is on it, and he has a wretched, clearly malnourished face, with reddish eyes. His form is covered with tens, perhaps hundreds of lists, from long, scrawled scroll-like things, to small, itty-bitty notes. This specter, clearly a ghost, seems to be mouthing one word repeatedly, extending an emanciated hand forward. But the cat can not really focus on this form, as it's form seems to be fading in and out of reality... it's in pain, though, that much is certain.
A rustle then, in the treelines. Something is stalking the large cat in return. A groan. Heavy footsteps, indenting in the snow. Something was moving. Something heavy.
Beyond the ashen veil of death, Ritsuka(snow leopard) can descern a heavyset man, in a faded, red jacket. Scraggly white fur is on it, and he has a wretched, clearly malnourished face, with reddish eyes. His form is covered with tens, perhaps hundreds of lists, from long, scrawled scroll-like things, to small, itty-bitty notes. This specter, clearly a ghost, seems to be mouthing one word repeatedly, extending an emanciated hand forward. But the cat can not really focus on this form, as it's form seems to be fading in and out of reality... it's in pain, though, that much is certain.
Ritsuka(snow leopard) waggles its butt a little bit, ohhh there is the sense of pain! And she gets to feed on it, or, well, in realistic terms, attempt to feed onto it, though whether its ever worked on the deceased or not... well, someone probably had the same idea and then changed something to reality to try it? Who knows. The waggling stops, and then she settles down behind a tree that covers most of her form to stare at the shifting specter, see what it will do. There is a whole place to set up, butt clearly, today, this is a little more important. Who does not like to occasionally watch a ghost? Most cannot see them after all.
As Ritsuka(snow leopard) attempts to feed on that pain, a rush is felt. Where normally such a feat might not be possible, the spectre reaches out a hand. It twists and turns, a shadowy tendril reaching out... trying to push against that veil between worlds. A ripple, then, and a touch, ethereal in nature, is made to Ritsuka(snow leopard)'s mind. "FEED! Feed! FeEd!" It wails, not into reality, but into the leopard's head directly, trying to worm it's way into her mind, into her thoughts. "Feedfeedfeedfeeed" It wails and wails.
And why would Ritsuka(snow leopard) resist it? It has become part of her inherent nature, though being an animal, that desire ties more to something far more primal- And that means wanting to hunt, and so... she gives into that want. There is awareness that she cannot really hunt any of dem stupid humans, but there is plenty of prey in the forest. Squirrels and there is even unicorns that have stalked her before, maybe she could find one of those wretched virgin stalking abominations? They could be tasty...
And as soon as Ritsuka(snow leopard) accepts that desire, something shifts. Something turns. She feels that specter, upon the lack of resistance, take the chance it needed. "FEEDFEEDFEEDFEED!" Angry words, desperate as her entire being gets filled with one deep, immutable truth: It is never enough. It always needs more. Hunger overwhelming assaults her entire psyche, and the thought of a unihorn is latched onto. Yes, yes, the visitor within her body agreed. Let's CONSUME
It would be easier to find such a thing with placing a virgin somewhere out into the forest, but finding one, that's far too much work and effort, especially for a leopard- but it does not keep Ritsuka(snow leopard) from starting to prowl. Her body lowers and she starts to make her way through the forest- Right now she was north of the forest but - WAIT. IS THAT AN INNOCENT LITTLE KITTEN? Oh you little creature are not getting into my turf, and so she turns around, steps into sight and stares at it. How dare you innocent smaller kitten! This is my turf.
The kitten hisses at the leopard, hair standing on end, and tail a poofy thing. Something seemed to scare it. Inside of the leopard, a cacaphony of anger and need and desire whirls, clearly not her own, though really, how much of one's feelings are separate when a thing is shouting them from within your mind? It is hard to discern any particular word, until he looks at the angry kitten. "THREAT THREAT! Kill! Kill! DEVOUR!" The visitor screams, voice like nails on a blackboard.
Ritsuka(snow leopard) pounces at the poor kitten and just ends up throwing it around, there is a bite and a chunk of flesh is taken from the cat - not enough to be lethal, but the desire to devour pulses in her every breathe, and with a last big swat, she throws the kitten off and away into a distance, where it may yet manage to flee back into its own safe space. Something in her own keeps her from pushing forward, though it is difficult. Her eyes narrow at the kitten as she subconsciously nibbles on the small chunk of flesh she has taken, and then turns away- and rushes off into the forest, nearing a street north of the elm street apartments...
As Ritsuka(snow leopard) runs, the spirit within her screams. Did they not make a deal? Did they not... A pause, and suddenly, it's tune changes. A begging, pleading voice, that of a small child... no, that of a little girl, echoes in her head. "P-please... I'm so hungry... please... don't leave... please..." The voice quivers, though within the sobbing tunes is a lower, barely percievable undertone of something old and ancient.
Ritsuka(snow leopard) comes to a stop. Maybe it is a vehicle that drives by, maybe it is a that she just does or sees too much vehicular activity, and she lies down into the snow again. She cannot speak, but that does not mean that her thoughts are incoherent or animalistic. They are largely a different language, of course, but there is a little stutter and she tries to cleanly think it out in English, something that does feel inherently foreign to her.
"A Deer? Yes please, please... PLEASE! DeVoUr! " The child-like voice pitches again, and a surge of hunger goes through Ritsuka(snow leopard). Like something within her stirs. Suddenly, a scent-trail is there. Definately super-natural, but quite like a deer, or something of that animal family.
Ritsuka(snow leopard) sniffs it- Ah just what she is looking for, and that is, of course, the route she must now follow. Somewhere there is still a desire to bite a unicorn into the butt to show those creepy stalkers! But that isn't what is important here... A deer would make fantastic prey! And be dinner for a good long while out here in the winter months. She slinks through the snow and between the trees, doing her best to keep out of sight as she trails after it.
The trail leads to a small hill, and there, in the light of the waning moon, it stands. A large, white-furred stag, like one out of the legends stands there, sniffing the air. The hill it stands on is serene, bathed only in the light of the moon, and the snow around it is virgin, and un-sullied. The specter inside is silent, as though a quiver of anticipation has stilled it's shouting, for now.
Hmm, odd, on a hill, all ready already to be preyed upon, but a leopard is more careful. She watches it, then circles around it, look if there is anything else Ritsuka(snow leopard) needs to see or know, and her slitted eyes scarcely ever leave the stag. Between the circling, she also tries to get a look at its eyes, to see if they show to be intelligent. It could be another shifter... it would be protected by sanctuary then. But this preying also comes with looking to see if it possesses any weakness.
Something is special about this beast. No mere stag, it seems. Though Ritsuka(snow leopard) can't quite discern what it is, it's certain that it does not seem like it's a shifter.
It's position is vulnerable. One could easily stalk, and pounce it. Nothing around, only serenity. Like maybe the very forest itself was calming itself around this majestic beast.
Ritsuka(snow leopard) circles around to its back. She cannot sense a weakness in it, and it is a mythical creature. It might be too powerful for her to prey down and she might need to withdraw, but that does not mean she cannot try. On the other hand... the voice so far has not returned, the forest itself calms around it... so has the ghost, too?
She sits, and licks her paw for just a moment before silently starting to approach the white stag, steps lightly made onto the snow.
As Ritsuka(snow leopard) appears, the spirit inside trembles. It seems to be holding it's breath, as if even the slightest sound, ethereal or not, might startle this beast. The stag, meanwhile, remains un-moving, it's ears perking though it does not seem to have noticed the leopard. Snow camoflage, after all....
Ritsuka(snow leopard) tries to come close, and perhaps unfortunately for the ghost, or fortunately- or maybe the other way in inverse... there is a sudden sparkle of something funny that bleeds up in the current leophard's hard. She was still fae, and there was this sudden flower that blood in her mind about how funny it could be to suddenly scare the stag. And what does that mean? Trying to get close, raise a paw... and SMACK it clawlessly RIGHT ON THE BUTT!
Of course, it was not just for an inner laugh, but it will tell her a multitude of things, too. How dangerous it may be, what the ghost may want from it, and if it will rile anything else up.
A bray from the creature, and it starts to bound off. Immediately, the forest around it stirs to life, the trees creaking and previously absent brambles forming behind it, perhaps to close it's path! "NONONONONO DEVOUR!" The specter wails, angry now, as this action seems to have weakened it's hold on the leopard's mind. It tries to assume direct control, trying hard, hard to take over. But the leopard had successfully let whimsy into it's mind, and now the specter and leopard were battling, leaving the feline in full control.
The stag, meanwhile, is bounding off. Ritsuka(snow leopard) is faced with a choice: chase, or give up.
Being whimsical is far more fun however, and so Ritsuka(snow leopard) rolls on into the snow and now takes up its place on the hill... and of course pees to mark her territory here! There is deific pride in it, too. She won over more turf just by being a little whimsical, oh how much she is going to cherish the day when her ability to shapeshift will grow more and more... But there is also a small and little tantrum she must express and throw. Yes, those stupid brambles must be smashed and utterly destroyed! How dare they take up some of her new turf! And thats where she starts to furiously bite on and claw hard against them, doing all her form can to smash it all to little pieces!
There is an angry wail, and as whimsy takes over, there is again, a tug. This time, the specter seems to be trying to leave. It seems confused, the wretched being seemingly not able to comprehend the mild insanity of the Other. Instead, it tries to flee, perhaps to give chase to the White Stag. As the Stag leaves, the brambles are easily dealt with, and the forest returns to it's normal state, that specter trying to leave, unless Ritsuka(snow leopard) keeps it sealed....
Whaaat, why would Ritsuka(snow leopard) ever let it go? It could be funny to let it stick there and whine and complain- oh and to deal with the imprints laying on her, too. She throws a bunch of brambles off the hill with her fangs, and then lies down... and just rolls along the snow down the hill... The audacity! Yeah, this specter is now hers, maybe she will try and stuff it into a little meat puppet... or take all that he is, and consume it into yet another power... or maybe, just maybe... this little specter will be part of a pretty little bargain?
"Bargain..." The specter speaks in the leopard's mind. It seems to be listening, hunger and desire flashing up in it. "What do you want...what's on your list?" It seems genuinely interested, in a dark, nasty, greedy sort of way.
It all comes in a flash, there are no words here. Inherently, there is no desire for anything like power, that is completely absent, so that strikes off the list. There is the desire in Ritsuka(snow leopard) to do right, both inherent and demanded by something divine within her, to keep her parents proud, to fulfill her duty, and a memory there ties to the recent raids in Haven, though they have largely been drawn to an end, those that thief, are still thieving their way through with no one that had organized a step to bring that to an end. There are plans of building something grand, and there are food chains that would be a part of it, for people to visit and devour food at...
The specter seems to grow within Ritsuka(snow leopard). It seems to meander through her thoughts, and then, suddenly, it latches onto the recent raids, the thieving. The specter lets out a happy hiss, and seems to have chosen one. "Devour... steal... end..." It pauses, then, a few heartbeats. "Punish! Punish! PUNISH!" A shudder goes through it, and in Ritsuka(snow leopard)'s mind's eye, a red-jacketed figure adds some names to a list, marked 'naughty'. It seems to be offering a revenge, of some sort. Then, a hand is extended, towards a paw of the feline. As if it is offering a bargain. Punishment for freedom....
Ritsuka(snow leopard) rolls around to stand up and straight and then raises the paw and lays it against the spectral's own, as much as one may. She makes a loud, agreeable meow, though her size does not make it be one of a cute kitten, but a deeper, louder one. The bargain is acceptable, those people can suffer. They must suffer, and maybe that will finally put an end to the thefts that had been affecting everyone in Haven-city. Hopefully they will, but as so many things, that is most difficult to ever find out or tell. If it may just be enough.
A dark chuckle echoes through the woods, then. The sky turns crimson, for just a few moments, and the presence leaves the leopard. A crack of thunder echoes through the woods, then, as soon as it came, goes quiet. "PUNISH!"
Over the coming days, Ritsuka(snow leopard) might have wild, strange, hyper-realistic dreams. Men, abusers and those who would hurt women, they get chased. By something invisible. Each of them meets their ends, in various, nasty, hurtful, and drawn out ways. After each night, a hand strikes out a name on a list. How long? Who knows.... But a deal is struck, and a price has been paid.
Justice?
Ritsuka(snow leopard) is not a murderer, and this still keeps true... It is always a touch funny perhaps, because a monster, is still a monster, even when she does not draw the blood herself. There was a time before this city had gotten to her, where she would have thought it abominable, but she did find that it was easy to just... let it be... When her teams kill a frog that was hiding from the other, when some of her own contacts in the underworld 'take care' about something. It was when she had questions, if the only way to deliver a message is to do so in waves of violence. But she understood, that as long as she and everyone else, human and Yokai alike, lives, that their own ideals will turn rivers crimson with blood, that murder is done in the idea of what is thought of to be right and cruelty becomes heroic.
Each morning she wakes, remembering, but there is no sorrow. For every hope is built on another's sorrow. And this is only justice. The only justice this cruel city and the world could ever understand.
(Your target is possessed by an angry spirit that is forcing them to act out and putting themselves and/or others at risk. They must either defeat it or find a way to calm it down.
)
Pulling off his jacket and shirt, Sam folds them up, and places them in his wardrobe, before turning to face the western wall. He bows, and slices his palm open with a bright steel knife, letting the blood fall onto that familiar shape against the wall.
Forming a triangle of blood on the floor, the jock then kneels, and starts incanting. "By my Blood..." He places that bloodied palm against the floor. "By your Will..." He places his head against the floor, prostrating himself before the western wall and the serpent there. "I thee invoke! APEP!"
Black, oily smoke seems to seep into the room. It's wrong: it's clearly wrong, something evil and dark, like a skim on the surface of reality, and as Sam begins his invocation it seems to choke out life and light. He can breathe, but when he does he tastes it, as there is some weakness here, some place between worlds that is unsettling and dark.
"By Blood, Will, and Devotion... " Sam breathes in that oily smoke deeply, shuddering lightly, though he perseveres.
"By Shadow and Death..." He smiles. "By Chaos and Darkness..." He lifts his head, looking forward. "Serpent of Duat, Master of Isfet..." He straightens, remaining kneeled. "Blood of my Blood..."
Now the oily smoke seems to concentrate -- it begins to approach Sam, it begins to form in some awful, black cloud. It is like some mass of tentacles with no body, with no eyes, with no form at all -- the form of Apep. Some primordial snake, perhaps, but truly some primordial, awful, slithering mass. One tentacle seems to be trying to break through the thin veil between reality and reality's antagonist, and Sam can almost feel it, sliding greasily across his face as he prays.
Shuddering lightly, Sam speaks. "Cairo was the beginning. The seal has been weakened." A hiss emits from his mouth, and he glares into the darkness, and speaks clearly. "I invoke thee, Serpent of Isfet. No Chaos, not even emptiness, can take hold on your might!" He speaks, the jock straightening up some more. "I draw forth from the prison, created by your former siblings, and draw forth the divine!" Sam shudders, the arcanist reaching for the finger-bone on a silver-chain, arcane runes glowing on it. "Through my work, come forth, and by your Will, and our devotion, reach into the light!" He shudders, steeling himself somewhat.
Now that tentacle, that probing tentacle, finds Sam's lips -- and he can feel it. Feel it as some reality, feel it not as some spiritual intrusion but as something physical, shimmying in oily fashion against his flesh. The tip of it presses at his mouth, as if probing.
Slowly parting his lips, Sam speaks out. "Let us be your Vessel, as we work to open the Gate..." He clasps that arcane focus. "Seem into me, and let Isfet rise." A low hiss shudders through his body as his eyes gleam, dark magic swirling around him, reinforcing his body, or at least, attempting to.
The tentacle enters Sam -- it slithers between his lips, invading his mouth, and then it begins to force itself down his throat. If this is Apep's power entering the young man, there is something awful about it: it is choking him out. His mortal body wants to reject this intrusion, even if his soul craves some sick communion.
Steeling himself, Sam moves his hands to the floor again, that tentacle silencing his prayer as he takes his knife again, drawing a cut across his arm, letting his blood add to the power of the ritual, the Jock shivering and trembling heavily. "Hrn....."
When Sam cuts himself, his blood seems to boil -- it is as if steam hisses from droplets on the floor of his ritual circle, and when he raises the knife, it, too, is boiling black with blood. The tentacle forces itself deeper, deeper into Sam's mouth, into his throat, and then -- then it is gone. He can breathe again, for all that he suffers, but he can -feel- something in the pit of his gut. It's hard not to imagine some tiny larvae of a tentacled thing, curled up in his belly.
Speaking softly, Sam hisses out, gasping in a breath of air. "Let us be one, and let my actions Herald in the Chaos..." He looks down at the knife, slowly drawing his hands around it, barely able to remain upright through the pain: His boxing experience comes in usefully now. A shudder and a twist of his face is then felt as he presses his hands onto the blade. "Let metal be warped, and through your will, let reality be rended...." He smiles, then speaks clearly. "Let the House of Ra feel your vengeance, through me, the instrument of your will!"
Darkness begins to close around Sam -- darkness, occluding his eyes, his view, his sense of everything, and then, for a moment, it seems as if he is transported entirely from his bedroom. Instead, he floats in some void. No -- in The Void, bodiless. He still feels that thing in the pit of his stomach, but in front of him is some larger, awful mass of tentacles. Is this Apep? Is there the form of a man, somewhere distantly in outline in those unending tentacles? Or is that just Sam's imagination?