[hr][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/FaCzAxe.png[/img]     [img]https://i.imgur.com/1Hvat1r.png[/img][/center]
[right][code]The Han Household (Maybe?)[/code][/right][hr]
Soft light spilled through Linqian's windows, waking her up. With a slight mumble she rolled out of her single bed, traipsing over to her wardrobe. As she got dressed, the soft sounds of talking and the smell of home cooking filled her small room. Smiling slightly, she looked in her bedroom mirror to make sure she looked presentable. A teenage her smiled back, face soft and coily hair falling past her shoulders.

Strange. 

Slightly miffed, Linqian left her room and walked down the narrow stairways to the ground floor of their home. The talking got louder as she neared the kitchen dining room, and she poked her head in curiously. Her dad's strong back faced her where he stood at the stove, cooking for them just like he always did in her memories. Huanyi, her younger brother, sat at the table while chatting excitedly - his large eyes and round, chubby cheeks far cuter than the annoying words coming out of his mouth. He was only ten, though, so Linqian could just about forgive him.

"Ah, Qian-er, you're up." Her dad spotted her lurking in the doorway, turning to face her with a slight smile that he'd only showed her this early in the day - before she did something wrong and got in trouble. Her eyes widened at the bloodstain on his brown wool jumper, shock jolting through her. Had he been hurt, why-

Ah, she remembered. He'd fought with her mum, but it had been alright in the end. 

"Do you want breakfast?"

Linqian shook her head. She wasn't hungry. [color=CD5C5C]"Where's Jinhai?"[/color]

"He went outside for a morning walk."

"I'm going to go find him, then."

Linqian knew a morning walk was just an excuse - after all, it was one they both used often. She didn't bother grabbing a coat on the way out, shivering slightly in the brisque October air. It didn't take long for her to find Jinhai, relaxing in an alleyway a few streets along from their house, leaning against the wall with a cheap cigarette hanging from his lips. The place was familiar yet strange, small details there she hadn't noticed before - graffiti of wolves that made her shudder, and a distinct unnatural feeling to the air. The walls around her seemed to move as she walked up to her brother.

[color=CD5C5C]"I thought you were trying to break the habit,"[/color] Linqian rolled her eyes as she approached, reaching out to snatch the cigarette right out of Jinhai's mouth. She took a long drag of it, before exhaling the warm smoke with a sigh. 

"Morning, Qian-er," Jinhai chuckled, not trying to take the cigarette back. "I'm weaning myself off. Unlike you, I have enough self control to do that myself."

Linqian scowled, stepping on his foot and shoving him away. [color=CD5C5C]"Shut up, before I rat you out to dad."[/color]

"You won't be safe either if you do that," Jinhai retorted, lips curving into an indulgent smile that had Linqian kicking at his leg again. She paused as she noticed the light bloodstain there, eyes moving up to the others dotted all over his body... As if he'd been stabbed all over. But he was alive and well, so she must be seeing wrong. "What are you looking at? I know I got all the looks of the two of us, but no need to-"

[color=CD5C5C]"Shut up!"[/color] Linqian cut him off with a glare and another kick, which he easily stepped out of the way of. [color=CD5C5C]"Ugh, you're so annoying. I came out here for some peace and quiet, not this."[/color]

"You came out here for that," Jinhai pointed to the cigarette between Linqian's fingers, laughing. "Be a little nicer to your cigarette provider, yeah?"

Linqian rolled her eyes, not even bothering to respond. She smoked in silence for a while, Jinhai not saying anything either. It was a comfortable silence that she'd missed, unlike the uncomfortable one when she woke up without hearing voices in her house. But why was that? With five people in the house, it was rarely quiet. She couldn't quite put her finger on why the thought bothered her so much.

"Remember we're going out later."

[color=CD5C5C]"Yeah, yeah, I'm not an idiot,"[/color] Linqian snorted, dropping the butt of the cigarette onto the ground and crushing it beneath her feet. [color=CD5C5C]"Not that I want to. Why do I need to go to your stupid study group again?"[/color]

"So you can improve your grades," Jinhai replied, in a more serious tone that irritated Linqian - but also saddened her. Like she knew that was pointless. She was going to drop out anyway... But why? There was no need. "Unless you want to be stuck here without me, knowing I'm having a much better time at college parties."

[color=CD5C5C]"As if. I'd follow you anyway, you really think-"[/color]

[i]BEEP[/I]

Linqian frowned, head tilting. [color=CD5C5C]"Huh, did you hear that?"[/color]

"Hear what?" Jinhai smiled gently. It didn't reach his eyes, which were dull and lifeless. "There's nothing else here."

[color=CD5C5C]"Huh, but we're-"[/color]

[i]BEEP[/i]

Everything around her was growing fuzzy. Even Jinhai was beginning to fade, his features smoothing out until he was barely recognisable. Linqian desperately tried to fight against whatever was dragging her away - away from familiarity, away from her brother, annoying as he was. He was still there, just out of reach. If she just closed her eyes and-

[i]BEEP, BEEP, BEEP[/i]
[hr][center][hider=it was a dream][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8sXMcg9JoM&ab_channel=ThePineappleThief-Topic[/youtube][/hider][/center][hr]
Linqian woke with a start, breath caught in her throat.

She reached out a hand, fumbling for her phone and turning off the blaring alarm. She dropped it beside her pillow and threw an arm over her reddening eyes. 

Fuck.

Of course she'd dreamed about Jinhai again. Being back in the place they'd grown up, around the people they'd fought with, just made his absence more obvious. She'd been dreaming of him since he'd died, but most of them were nightmares - violent, graphic and filled with her watching him die in front of her again and again. This one was different. So normal that she was struggling to tell what was reality and what wasn't. 

It was almost worse because it had been so mundane. It felt real, and waking up to the knowledge that it wasn't hurt more than the nightmares where she watched him die over and over again. Linqian gritted her teeth, pushing down the tears welling in her eyes. She wasn't going to cry. She suppressed the heavy sorrow roiling in her chest, quickening her breathing. She wasn't going to get sad. [color=CD5C5C]He's not actually gone. It's not real.[/color] There was a strange feeling hovering over her, an inability to differentiate what was reality and what wasn't. She knew what was real, but the dream had been too realistic and it hung over her like a heavy cloud, tinging her emotions. [color=CD5C5C]Let's go back to sleep. Then Jinhai will be alive.[/color] No. She had too much to do. 

It had been so long since she dreamed about either of her parents, too.

Loud buzzing interrupted her turbulent thoughts. With a groan she rolled over, grabbing her phone.

[code]弟弟[/code] [i](younger brother)[/i]

[color=CD5C5C][i]"What do you want?"[/i][/color] she snapped in Chinese, pressing the phone to her ear. While she spoke English more often now, Chinese was still more comfortable for her and what she'd always used with her family. It was her first language, and the one she could most easily express herself in. 

"Jie [i](older sister)[/i], you finally picked up!" Her younger brother, sounding far too energetic for this early in the morning, replied in English. Unlike her and Jinhai, English was his preferred language - he barely remember where they'd lived before America. He understood Chinese and spoke it well, but normally didn't bother. "I've been calling for ages!"

[color=CD5C5C][i]"I was out late last night."[/i][/color] And got shot. [color=CD5C5C][i]"What is it, get to the point."[/i][/color]

"Ah, you're being so cold. Uhm, well, you see, Jiejie..." 

Linqian frowned as her younger brother paused. He rarely called her Jiejie rather than Jie (or her name when he was feeling particularly disrespectful), not unless he wanted something - normally money or alcohol. Neither were things she had spare. 

"I want to drop out of college."

What? 

"I just can't do it. After Ge [i](older brother)[/i] died I've been struggling... I just can't handle it. I know it's hard for you to support me, Jie. If I drop out I can get a job and-"

[color=CD5C5C][i]"Absolutely not."[/i][/color]

"But Jie, I-"

[color=CD5C5C][i]"No buts. I'm not letting you throw your life away. Don't even think about it, Han Huanyi, or so help me, you'll regret it."[/i][/color]

There was silence on the other end of the line for a few moments. 

"You sound just like dad." She could hear the slight tremor in his voice, could practically see the crestfallen look on his face. 

Shit, Huanyi was right, she was acting like their dad had. She could still remember, still feel, his disappointed gaze burning into her when she said she didn't want to go to college. All the times she'd been grounded for getting bad grades, all the times she was compared to her brother. They'd tried to force her to be something she didn't want to be, without care for the stress it put her under, and now she was doing the same for Huanyi. She loved her dad, but she didn't want to be like him.

[color=CD5C5C][i]"Ok, fine, I understand. But don't drop out, Yi-er. Take a semester or a year off, then decide after that. You shouldn't make rash decisions right now."[/i][/color] As if she hadn't herself. But that was different. Her life didn't matter as much. [color=CD5C5C][i]"I'll keep paying for your accommodation, or you can move back in with me."[/i][/color]

Though she hoped he'd stay there, at least for a while. Last night had proved that the magical scene in St Portwell was incredibly chaotic and she didn't want him caught in the crossfire. Her younger brother was still blind, by some miracle, and blissfully unaware of the paranormal. She'd like to keep it that way. 

"Okay, I'll think about it."

[color=CD5C5C][i]"Good,"[/i][/color] Linqian cut in before he could say anything else. [color=CD5C5C][i]"I have to go now, I have a work meeting. Text me if you need anything and I'll call again when I have time."[/i][/color]

"Okay. Bye, Jie."

[color=CD5C5C][I]"Bye."[/I][/color] Linqian hung up and dropped her phone on her back with a frustrated groan. She raked a hand through her curls, pulling it back into a loose bun and getting out of bed. 

Just what she needed to deal with on top of everything else. Her younger brother considering throwing away his entire future, something she and Jinhai had worked so hard to provide. What was the point in everything she'd done if Huanyi just ended up like her? Fuck. 

She didn't have time to dwell on this. She was meeting with Greyson this morning and had to get dressed nicely enough to look like everything was alright, while also getting a bus on time. Her brother's call had completely thrown off her planned schedule. 

It was fine. 

It had to be.
[hr][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/FaCzAxe.png[/img]     [img]https://i.imgur.com/1Hvat1r.png[/img]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/6Yi4gad.png[/img][/center][h1][color=f49ac2]Edict[/color][/h1]
[/center]
[right][code]The Anchor Diner, Downtown St Portwell[/code][/right][hr]
The Anchor Diner was a small place in downtown St Portwell that had somehow survived the past ten years of paranormal attacks and chain restaurants like Dairy Queen trying to take over. It was aided by its great student discounts, for highschoolers and college students alike, and its slightly nicer atmosphere. It was brightly lit and nautical themed like so many places in the city were, with bright blue seated booths with higher backs than normal that offered some privacy. Most of the food was mediocre but cheap, and the fish was just a bit better than mediocre. 

Linqian sat in one of the booths, slowly drinking a far too bitter coffee. She wasn't particularly dressed for the colder weather outside - wearing a white, off the shoulder top and maroon a-line skirt that reached mid thigh, showing off her long legs. It wasn’t as much of an issue when you could adjust your own body temperature.

After a lot of deliberation, Linqian had organised to meet Greyson here. It was one of the few places still around that she knew and felt comfortable in. She'd frequented it during highschool, using the booths privacy to make out with her girlfriend at the time. It was far from fancy, but the only other place she really knew was her own workplace - which she didn't want Greyson knowing the location of. She was sure he could find out the information if he really wanted it, but she wasn't just going to hand that over. Plus the owner she'd gotten the job through in the first place had known her parents and she wasn't prepared to deal with [i]that[/i].

Linqian sighed, mindlessly scrolling down a used car website. She was a bit less worried about it with Britney's offer to help fix her car (that was likely unfixable), but the sooner she got a replacement the easier it would be. Her lips twisted down into a frown as a message from her younger brother popped up, saying that he’d thought more about it and he wanted to move back in with her for a while. She ignored the message and locked her phone, leaning back with a groan. 

Hopefully if she got a bit more money out of this meeting, she’d be able to pay for his plane tickets.

With Edict, the mornings were always the mellow times. The longer and longer the day rolled out, the more energy he had to give to things, ever expanding until sleep finally took him. But he knew how to stay on the bounce with cat naps: The life of a Boss means that one needs to be mobile and available anytime anywhere. It meant that despite having a whole fourteen hours between the events of the meeting and now, he had still yet to make it back to his apartment in the bay district.

He had, at the very least, shaved and showered before swapping out his priest’s attire for something a bit more form-fitting to the environment. Dark grey jeans clung loosely to his hips, a thick black belt keeping them on his waist while the white tank top first layer slipped in between neatly. He had a cherry red flannel covering that, which he further bundled up under a black sweater. 
Linqian’s call last night was a bit strange, mostly because she sounded somewhat shaken up. Definitely not like someone who had been drinking and dancing all night. He was ready to expect anything then, including disappointment. So, he came alone and prepared for [i]something.[/i] His boot holster was rubbing against his ankle as his foot lifted off and pressed against the clutch pedal. He was slowing down on approach to the Anchor’s parking lot, the Merc’s engine rumbling beneath him until it finally came to a stop in a space not far from the door. He looked like half a punk walking out of his Dad’s car, but with his level of confidence, one rarely worried about those kinds of perceptions. 

Edict stepped through the door and already his essence was prodding around the restaurant. It wasn’t the knocking, rather the most subtle form of his ability: Just a Peek. It spread like a gentle mist to tingle only the outer reaches of Linqian’s Field. He didn’t need to see her to feel where he had to turn, and as he got closer he shifted it slowly until he was standing in front of her. 
When he looked at her, he smiled and nodded gently. Any scratching that was being done ended there, and for the first time maybe ever, Greyson Devola was [i]dark.[/i]

[color=FFC1CC]“Linqian, Linqian… How’re you feeling, huh?”[/color]
His goatee was well maintained, and his hair was gently slicked back like usual. All he was missing was the beanie hat to be a stereotypical hipster douche in image… But the rosary tattoo in his palm running up his arm gave a slightly different impression. He slipped into the booth across from her.
[color=FFC1CC]“I wasn’t sure you were here yet, I didn’t see your car last night so I wasn’t sure what I was looking for.”[/color]

[color=CD5C5C]”Not feeling as hungover as I hoped to,”[/color] Linqian laughed lightly, though there wasn’t much happiness behind it. She looked over at Edict, dark eyebrow raising at his rather extreme change of dress - from priest to hipster… she wasn’t sure which she liked less. At least this was a little more normal, she supposed. The most pleasant surprise, though, was the lack of prodding at her mind. Fuck, maybe his sob story about seeing a shrink really was true… Not that she cared either way. [color=CD5C5C]”You’d have been outside all day if you’d been waiting for my car, anyway. I took a bus, my car got damaged last night.”[/color] 

She took another sip of her coffee, frowning. Just thinking about it and what had followed made her angry - especially that fucking cult. [color=CD5C5C]”Smart decision not coming last night, it was a [i]real[/i] shit show. Didn’t even make it to the fucking bar! I got shot, twice, Britney got shot, Alizee got shot dead… It was a fucking disaster.”[/color] 

Edict nodded his head in response taking in what she was saying. Thinking about it, one of his Uncle’s guys mentioned there was a shootout somewhere around there, but never mentioned specifics. Not like he told anyone to look out for the club, so of course the details wouldn’t make it back to him until now. Typical lapse in foresight, Edict thought. Everyone makes little mistakes all the time, balancing the world out and preventing the steamrolling effect from being too widespread.
[color=FFC1CC]”Yo, yo… Brit? I mean, she’s alright, right!?”[/color]

An impulse burst knocked at Linqian’s E-Field, but Edict realised it immediately and held up his hands.
[color=FFC1CC]“Woah, hey, sorry. That’s not… I wasn’t… Just, Brit getting hurt like that, in… In a fuckin’ shootout?”[/color]
Edict shook his head, a scowl crossing his face.
[color=FFC1CC]“Who was it?”[/color] his voice got dead serious, quieting down and leaning in slightly toward Linqian. 

[color=CD5C5C]"She's fine. It is as more of a magical shootout anyway."[/color] Linqian didn't even bother getting annoyed about his knock on her mind, cause it was gone as soon as it started. Huh. He seemed to be really trying to not get into her head. [color=CD5C5C]"Pretty sure whoever it was is dead. There were three shooting, and two died, but I wasn't really paying attention cause, yknow, I was getting fucking shot at. Alizée's creepy apparition killed one, and the other…"[/color]

Linqian frowned. She didn't know how he'd died, actually, she'd just seen his body… which had been horrible. The whole thing had been a shitshow. [color=CD5C5C]"The ones shooting were Wolfpack… but seriously, she's fine. We all got healed by someone from another cult- Coven. She even gave me a lift out of there."[/color] And out of Leon's creepy cult too, but that information could be saved for a bit later. It wasn't quite as important. Linqian tapped the rim of her mug[color=CD5C5C]"It was a serious cluster fuck, three different groups- wait, four. There was also a magical police man. Maybe Kali wasn't lying about being with the feds afterall."[/color]

Edict shook his head at Linqian gently, laughing a bit.
[color=FFC1CC]“Jesus Christ… Alright so;-”[/color]
He paused for a moment as the waiter arrived to check on them. Edict ordered a coke on a different bill with the swiftness of a practised people dodger, practically deflecting the man with his words like a buckler turns a dagger.
[color=FFC1CC]“-Wolfpack. Right. And you said you didn’t even get into the bar? Probably some remnants scattered around town. Our friends from the old days and new blood circulating through St. Portwell. I’ll be honest, my Uncle’s guys ain’t exactly equipped to be huntin’ info on people like us. They’re just not, y’know? S’why I need people like you around; some people won’t be keen at all on hearing from me.”[/color]

[color=CD5C5C]"What, people who need money and know bout para-"[/color]

“Anything to eat!?” 
The waiter reappeared like magic itself. Near scared the shit out of Edict who jumped in his seat.
[color=FFC1CC]“Jesus fuck, man! Put a bell on or somethin’, God damn! Basket of fries!”[/color]
He’d already been through this similar routine with Linqian, and resolved that neither were here for the food or the drink. He quietly wrote the order on the check and slipped away.
[color=FFC1CC]“Fuckin’ good help… The one time you wanna be ignored, you get good fucking service.”[/color] he intoned, shaking his head and taking a deep breath.
[color=FFC1CC]“So we’ll chalk last night up as bad luck. Full Moon or some bullshit. Now, as far as a Magical Cop, what? Like a beat detective? Or was he a Fed like Kali too?”[/color]
Edict hated the name, spat on it in his head, and regretted having to feel that way every single second it occupied his brain.

Linqian's eyes narrowed at how Edict talked to the waiter, and she barely managed to hold her tongue about the fact that [i]she[/i] was technically "help" too in her primary job. It was fine, he probably didn't know that. And he was paying her… it was thanks to years working in service that she was able to not snap about it. Her lips twitched up into a slight, forced smile that she'd perfected in ten years of working service.

[color=CD5C5C]"Guess you could blame a full moon, there was a werewolf… the cop had an SPPD uniform on, but I really doubt SPPD has a fucking phoenix unless I missed something while I was away. An armoured vehicle also went past us while we were driving away, so it's hard to tell."[/color] Linqian shrugged, drinking more coffee - and realising she was almost done. She hardly felt more awake too, how annoying. [color=CD5C5C]"My guess would be fed, but that's just a guess. Maybe SPPD got a magical upgrade in the past few years."[/color]

[color=FFC1CC]”Werewolf? Ain’t no Dens left in the area, so it’s gotta be Leon… You said that freaky Altiere girl died? They were close enough, but I didn’t see him at the meeting so why was he over at that strip club?”[/color]
Edict shook his head thinking about Leon Richoux. They knew each other well enough; Leon had softened to Edict over time and distance; or maybe it was Edict padding the victory pools of Leon’s fights. Who could blame someone for doing a little gambling when the victory was guaranteed? A few nights in Vegas, a few bottles of booze and some decent prodding, and the suggestion had been successfully planted: Only fight the best.
The odds fell, the money climbed, and all of a sudden Leon had a vehicle to profit even further from his own fights. Since then, they've been quiet business partners who recognize that the work goes far beyond any sort of mundane Mafia. 


[color=FFC1CC]”I’ll get in touch with him to get his take. Now, I guess we’re safe to assume you didn’t meet the uh… The strippers I told you about.”[/color]
He sighed slightly, thinking about how the fuck he was going to pay this out. He didn’t want her thinking it was okay to basically come away with nothing. [i]Well, not nothing.[/i] She said there was a fucking armored vehicle rolling through St. Portwell, which… Well, nothing was normal these days, but he knew for a fact that local task forces needed to call up to Salem or Portland to get that kind of support. So, either there was someone who could summon that thing, or the Feds had moved into some place quiet and out of the way. 

No matter what, she was gonna need transportation to keep working effectively. He took a deep breath and shook his head. The french fries hit the table, and before the waiter could leave, he was stopped. Edict popped out a roll of cash and pulled off a few twenties.
[color=FFC1CC]”Thank you, my man. That’s for the tab and whatever’s left is yours.”[/color]
As he walked away, Edict kept the wad of cash open.
[color=FFC1CC]“Would you… Would you rather a downpayment and a car bill later, or are you cool with a potentially not-so-legitimate replacement car for no money at all?”[/color] Edict grinned, laughing at the thought that he just made that offer.

[color=CD5C5C]”I wish I’d met the strippers… It wasn’t for lack of trying,”[/color] Linqian rolled her eyes, thinking about the wonderful night she’d missed out on [i]plus[/i] the money she would’ve gotten with any information gathered. [color=CD5C5C]”By the time I got there it was already an all out paranormal fight…”[/color] 
She trailed off, realising this was just excuses - and she didn’t like making excuses. Fuck, maybe her shame had been shot last night too, to have her acting like this. 

Putting aside the failed information gathering for now, she leaned forward and stole a fry, eyeing the cash with a hint of suspicion. As she nibbled the single fry bit by bit, as if that would somehow make it more filling, she considered the offer. A car down payment would be a big help, but there would still be monthly payments to worry about. A not-so-legitimate car came with the obvious downsides of being… not actually legitimate, and possibly other strings attached. But she couldn’t really afford to be fussy (literally). [color=CD5C5C]”I’ll take the not-so-legitimate car. Anything’s better than the piece of crap I was driving, anyway.”[/color]

Then she frowned, talk of the replacement car reminding her of why she needed one in the first place. [color=CD5C5C]”Wait, you knew Leon was a werewolf now? Does that mean you know about his incredibly creepy cult too?”[/color]

Edict laughed when Linqian called the Temple creepy.
[color=FFC1CC]“Ey, listen… I spend the occasional winter down in the Caribbean. You’d be surprised how not creepy some cults can be, y’know? Like, when my Mumma introduced me to her family, I thought I was gonna wake up and they’d be roasting me like a pig on a spit. Turns out most of them just wanted to know if I knew John Gotti… So, if anything, to me the Temple is pretty normal. They’re basically a Mafia without the crime.”[/color]
He nodded again, smiling.
“But, yeah. Occasionally I go to his fights. Sometimes I make a lot of money for the both of us. We’ve got a good working relationship since he’s gotten that stick taken out of his ass.”

But then he paused as he thought about what she asked.
[color=FFC1CC]“Wait… You were there last night? Like, you were with him after?”[/color]

[color=CD5C5C]”Yeah, I was,”[/color] Linqian tilted her head, trying not to appear too confused. Was that important, somehow? It wasn’t like much had happened. [color=CD5C5C]”Sure didn’t seem like he got that stick out his ass with how he acted… Didn’t have much of a choice, since he directed Britney to his cult, and she was my ride outta that shitshow. Met his mom and everything… Who was also fucking creepy.”[/color] And hot, but she wasn’t going to mention that. 

[color=CD5C5C]”I [i]really[/i] don’t think meeting the Caribbean side of your family is the same- you know what, sure, it's not creepy if you’re in the mafia. But it is when your family’s [i]normal.[/i]”[/color] Linqian paused, forcing herself to take a deep breath. And stealing another fry. No need to get so worked up over the claim that a totally creepy cult wasn’t. [color=CD5C5C]”Maybe I saw it wrong, after the getting shot and finding out Leon’s a werewolf now after he destroyed my car. Which…”[/color] Linqian paused again, considering her words. Not that carefully, though. [color=CD5C5C]”I was pretty pissed off about. So yeah, I was there, but I would’ve rather not been.”[/color]

[color=FFC1CC]“Yeah, the werewolf thing was a surprise. One day I noticed when I gave a good knock and nearly got my face caved in. He ended up telling me everything, shit’s kinda sad. I guess his Mom actually put him up to it or something. We got drunk, he said he regretted it, we made up. Life goes on.”[/color]
He nodded, finally putting the cash away and pulling out a small notebook with an equally small pen. Edict’s fingers began to scribble away.

[color=FFC1CC]“You said you saw his Mom though? Is she still a fucking smokeshow?”[/color] he asked very casually, like he was checking if there was still going to be rain later in the day.
As he finished writing, he ripped the paper off the pad and handed it to her.
[i]2118 Calta St., Port District. 
GDV-0040[/i]
Then he slid it over to her, but kept his fingers on it.
[color=FFC1CC]“I’m gonna give you a call later on. When that happens, you’re gonna be all set. You go to this address, give this note to the man there, and he’ll sign the title and everything over to you. I’m fairly certain this one’s been cleaned well enough that if you get pulled over you shouldn’t have any trouble. Just don’t get into another accident with it; and if you do, you’ve gotta come back to me. Do [i]not[/i] insure this fucking car, you understand?“[/color]

Linqian almost choked on the second fry she’d been eating at the nonchalant tone that Edict used to ask if Leon’s [i]mom[/i] was still hot, quickly swallowing it down before she died in the most embarrassing way. [color=CD5C5C]”Yeah, his mom was hot enough it almost convinced me to sign up. Damn, if she wasn’t a cult leader…”[/color] Yeah, better not to let her thoughts go that way.

She reached out for the slip of paper, fingers resting on it so that they were nearly touching Edict’s. She didn’t try to tug it away or anything - it wasn’t like it was useful without Edict sorting everything out anyway. [color=CD5C5C]”I’m not fucking stupid. I’d rather avoid getting arrested- and it saves me the money. I only got into an accident because Leon almost [i]stepped[/i] on my car as a fucking werewolf. Next time I’ll just run him over.”[/color] 

[color=FFC1CC]“Just checkin’ Sis…”[/color] 
He let his hand lift up off the note and pulled it back to snag a fry and eat it. He smiled as he chewed, shaking his head and going back into his pocket. He rummaged around for a moment before he pulled a few hundred bucks and slid it across too.
[color=FFC1CC]“That’s for the info you got despite everything being a shitshow. The car, consider it because I need you mobile.”[/color] 

He took another few fries and crammed them into his mouth, gnashing down and swallowing them half chewed. Then a few more, and a few more still. The silence became impenetrable as he looked like there was something on his mind. Whatever it was, it gripped him.
Truthfully he was imagining how the fuck he would get an in on the Feds who were there.
[color=FFC1CC]“Do you know anyone in law enforcement that you could get info out of? I don’t like the sound of magic policemen and armoured vehicles running around the streets of Portie. I’m happy to negotiate some extra payola if that’s what it takes.” [/color] 

Linqian took the note, shoving it in the pocket of her coat lying beside her. Then she took the cash too, more carefully pocketing it. It looked like enough to tide her over if she had to call out of work that night… Or more often, with the coven meetings. Not enough to help with her brother flying home… But she would deal with that when he actually committed. Though it was difficult not to dwell on the thought through the heavy silence, till Edict finally broke it again. 

[color=CD5C5C]”I don’t-”[/color] Wait. Linqian scowled, a look of disgust crossing her face as if she’d just smelt something really bad. She did, technically, know someone in law enforcement. Loathe as she was to admit it, she still kept up with her ex-girlfriend’s socials. Bianca was some kind of law enforcement now… But that would mean contacting her ex. Bianca had reached out a few times over the years, and Linqian had always ignored it. Fuck. [color=CD5C5C]”I do. But I won’t do it without that extra cash, cause its my fucking ex, and its going to be a pain in the ass seeing her again. If I manage to get anything outta her, you pay more.”[/color] 

Edict nodded and grinned. Hook, line, tug. Gentle.
[color=FFC1CC]“Right. I understand Linqian. And, honestly, you’re right. Here, even just knowing-”[/color] 
He dipped in again, pulling the seemingly never ending wad back back out. He flipped it in his hands, revealing that the entire thing wasn’t some hollow entity of ones coated in a few twenties. The flip revealed that the other side was [i]hundreds.[/i] Hundreds that he began to slip through until two thousand dollars sat in a pile in Linqian’s hand. [color=FFC1CC]“-knowing that you’re gonna have to do something like dig your past up for me, I’m devastated.”[/color] 
And with the wad being significantly lighter than it had started, he slipped it back into his pocket for the last time.

[color=FFC1CC]“And, honestly I know it’s probably not something you wanna go playing around with, but the way I see it is if I have to use my powers, it should be for the job. So, if you get antsy or something, I can help. I can smooth that brain out whenever there’s a pesky wrinkle. You’d be surprised what I’ve learned to do. Like, hey, you’ve got your whole day ahead of you, right? Why not feel better about it, and tell me how natural it feels?”[/color] 
His hand trailed up to tap on the rim of his sunglasses, the channeler he’d had since they were all teens. He was, of course, referencing his abstraction and its ability to manipulate people to feel better around him. 

But, what he was offering definitely didn’t sound like the old stuff. Back in the day, hanging out with Edict and letting him prod your mind was like letting someone jab you with a heroin needle. Now it sounded like he was confident he could do better.

[color=CD5C5C]”I’m sure you are devastated,”[/color] Linqian said drily, trying not to look visibly shocked by the amount of cash that had ended up in her hands. Shit, maybe she should’ve turned to this earlier- no, Jinhai would’ve never allowed it. Honestly, Linqian had actually wanted to keep in contact with Edict after they both left the coven, but Jinhai had absolutely hated the idea to the point they’d had a written agreement she wouldn’t (and that he wouldn’t contact Anya, who she hated just as much). Fuck, just thinking about Jinhai hurt. She put the money away, hands clasping together and agitatedly fiddling with the wedding rings on her fingers. 

Normally, Linqian really didn’t like the idea of anyone getting in her head. She still didn’t. Just yesterday she’d told Edict to fuck right off with it… But she also really, really hated how fucking heavy everything felt right now. It was like she could snap at any moment but in a way she didn’t want to - breaking down, rather than getting angry. She knew it was a stupid idea, and could practically hear her brother’s voice telling her not to - but that was just it. She didn’t want to hear that, just for a moment. 

[color=CD5C5C]”Fine. Smooth my brain out a little, or whatever, but don’t fucking try reading into my emotions too much.”[/color] 

Edict too had to hide his expression of victory. There was permission to poke around! And of course, what the fuck would she know about the amount of poking and prodding he had to do? Now it was his business, and all she had done was let him in. But, he didn’t need a Junkie. He needed someone who trusted him poking around in their brain to have other people believe he could be trusted. It was necessary now to have restraint where long ago he may not have had it.

[color=FFC1CC]“Alright, so here’s the business. I’m gonna have to poke a little just to see what your stressors are. Can’t smooth out what I don’t know is rough, y’know? But, you’ve got a couple options. I can do a target buff, which will essentially only target your stress points; but I’ll need to actively know what’s going on for it. Or, I can do a wash and scrub, which will last longer and hit harder, but I don’t suggest going to work after it.”[/color] 

Linqian could already feel Edict’s powers beginning to surround her Emotional Field fully, warm spots forming where he was preparing to dig in like diodes from an EKG machine. 
[color=FFC1CC]“It's your call; The former is about three hours of no thoughts and an empty head, the other is twelve hours of blissful stoned and satisfied life.”[/color] 

Linqian had to curb down her automatic reaction to feeling Edict beginning to prod at her emotional field, biting her lip to stop herself from telling him to fuck off. She [i]really[/i] didn’t like the idea of him knowing her specific issues, but she also needed to work. Being completely high wasn’t something she had time for, nor something she was prepared to do. Surely, her current issues were obvious even without her brain being explored? Her brother had just died, obviously she was fucking struggling. 

[color=CD5C5C]”Do the targeted one.”[/color] She waved her hand as if this wasn’t a big deal, and she wasn’t already regretting saying yes to it. For once her pride was winning out against her fickleness - she couldn’t back out now. [color=CD5C5C]”Pretty easy to figure out what’s going on. Jinhai died, my brother’s trying to drop out of college, and I have to see a whole shit ton of people I dislike again.”[/color] Plus the struggling to make ends meet and having no one to rely on, something she hated to admit to doing in the first place. But she couldn’t vocalise that. 

Before she backed out, Linqian lowered her mental walls - just enough to let Edict in.

The first sensation was entirely familiar from back in the day. It was just as familiar as feeling the knocking sensation that marked his arrival, Edict’s abstraction beginning to coat the brain’s surface like water poured over a cold stone. He felt each and every ripple, even her vague discomfort and reluctance on the tail end. 
Slowly, surely, the world faded away until it was only Linqian and Edict left at that table. Darkness surrounded them, and Edict’s flesh began to light up, following the line of his tattoos as they turned from ink black to hot pink. 

The sensation of him crawling around was unmistakable; but even with it being so much the same, there were many subtle differences that Linqian would be able to notice. For one, it didn’t feel like she was being robbed. Rather, it felt like she’d invited someone into her home for a tour, and the guest respectfully walked about with both hands behind its back. He wasn’t rummaging through drawers and cabinets, he wasn’t leaving the path set for him… 
The truth was he didn’t need to. Being invasive was obvious, and it left people feeling alienated and, to his understanding, somewhat violated. It had been a point of pride to change the way that the ability affected the mind.

His thoughts began to override hers then. He got loud, friendly, distracting; like a phlebotomist would do to a child before the needle entered the skin. The blackness around them changed slowly, a different place bleeding into the world until the diner was gone. The place would be instantly recognizable to Linqian, the scent of ginger filled the air and the sound of scallions being sliced on a board echoed out beneath the din of children playing in a distant room. The fridge, the stove, the table, it all looked just like it did back then.

[color=FFC1CC]“Comfortable?”[/color]

Edict’s voice was just a hair louder than everything else. He was projected, rather than existing inside the memory with her. His view of the scene was much different. Scanning over the surface of her mind, he went from one thing to the next. Buffing the surface of the mind was actually a lot easier than he made it seem; only needed to cover his own ass in case he found anything interesting to poke through…
Which he did. Or, at least he found some confirmation he was on the right path. She still had her younger brother, and there was basically no money after Jinhai’s death. She seemed like she wanted to just curl up into a ball and rest, but life just wasn’t going to let that happen. 

But at least he had a decent blanket solution. He very quickly scrubbed out the points where she produced stress over the thought of money, as they were loud distractions that were front and centre. Past that, he began to smooth out things surrounding her brother. 
Edict thought for a final moment about what a shame it was that she was going to be left with the feeling of it all rushing back once everything was over… But at least he could give her a few hours of clean thought. No coven, no brother, no money. She was just Linqian, who was going to work because that’s how life works. No concerns, no outer influences. Just her duty.

And in another instant, everything came rushing back. They were there at the diner again, and Edict was slipping his sunglasses back on and eating a few more fries before sliding up from the table.
[color=FFC1CC]“Alright, that should be it.”[/color]

[color=CD5C5C]”Fuck.”[/color] Linqian felt… Strange. Content. She could still see her home, filled with the sounds and smells of her family, in the back of her mind. Just like she’d seen in her dreams last night, but so much more… comforting. Real. She reached up and wiped away the tear that had embarrassingly slid down her face, not feeling quite as annoyed about the show of weakness as she normally would. [color=CD5C5C]”Yeah, that’s it.”[/color] 

Even with the whole brain smoothed out, she was still Linqian, and wasn’t about to thank him for it. But it felt nice to not have all that weight on her shoulders, dragging her down until she could barely carry on. Maybe she’d been wrong all this time, constantly getting aggressive at Edict for just tapping on her mind… No, dangerous thoughts. She’d put those away for later. 

[color=CD5C5C]”Sure does feel a lot quieter up here. Maybe I should’ve let you do this before- ah, wait, Jinhai would’ve decked you for that.”[/color] Linqian shrugged, lips curving into a light smile, for once not particularly sad thinking about her brother. [color=CD5C5C]”Things change, I suppose.”[/color] 

Edict shrugged his shoulders.
[color=FFC1CC]“Well, don’t thank me yet. It’s gonna feel like crap once it all comes flooding back; I said you won’t have any hangover effects but you’re sure as fuck gonna feel the emotions swing back around like a hammer.”[/color] 
He took a deep breath, nodding to himself before he slid the rest of the fries to her.
[color=FFC1CC]“You take it easy. And if you see anyone interesting at work, keep it in mind, huh?”[/color] 

And with that, Edict waltzed back out the door, leaving Linqian where she had been when they started, pockets laden with cash.
[hr][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/FaCzAxe.png[/img]     [img]https://i.imgur.com/1Hvat1r.png[/img][/center]
[right][b]Interactions:[/b] Jack directly [@Blizz], Everyone
[code]Tranquil Haven Park[/code][/right][hr]
Linqian was slightly late in getting to the park where the coven was meeting, thanks to having to get there from the diner where she’d met Edict without a car. She wore a dark grey fleece jacket now that she was outside, but it didn’t help much for her practically bare legs. Who decided to meet outside at this time of year?

Though, she supposed it was reasonable after the damage to Auri’s store the last time.

She slipped into the gazebo in time to hear Auri announce the deaths of three more members. Once there, a faint glow emanated from one of the wedding rings on her fingers and the air temperature ticked up. It covered the whole gazebo, making it feel like a pleasant spring day rather than the chilly autumn one it really was. 

Linqian rolled her eyes when Anya started talking - fucking bitch. Her hatred for her hadn’t cooled over the years, instead it had just festered. But it was slightly easier to ignore her completely without all her normal stress. She could just think of her as annoying background noise, something she could pretend wasn’t there. She wasn’t particularly bothered by the three deaths, either - not so much thanks to Edict’s playing with her mind but rather her lack of care for any of them. Still, that meant they were all at risk, even here. 

[color=CD5C5C]”Father Wolf doesn’t only strike at night,”[/color] Linqian said, looking over at Jack. Her words came out with surprising calmness, considering her brother was one of the previous victims and she was actively revisiting it then. But she didn’t feel particularly emotional about it, right now. It didn’t seem so bothersome. [color=CD5C5C]”I found Jinhai dead at around 10pm, but the police said he’d been dead for at least an hour when they came. It was the evening, but not particularly late. He was alone, but…”[/color] she paused, furrowing her brows as she tried to remember back to something she’d been actively burying. [color=CD5C5C]”Our apartment didn’t have the best soundproofing. We could hear the couple next door having sex [i]all[/i] the time. So if he called for help, someone would have heard it.”[/color] 

She let out a soft sigh. If she’d been in a better, calmer, emotional state like she was now she would have noticed more… And it would be easier to get revenge. [color=CD5C5C]”The only definite was that he was alone.”[/color]