[center][img]http://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/b3RmLjk2LjczNWU1ZS5RaTVDSUZkdmJHWSwuMAAAAAAA/brushaff.regular.png[/img][/center] [center][b]Location: Outside Nevermore Central Park #7 [/b][/center] [center][b]Mentions: [@Crosswire] [@Utrax] [/b][/center] [hr] Dough being pounded beneath the force of heavy thuds, shined steel splitting tender avian muscle, hot pops and fatty crackles of meat cooking clean through, and the vibrant hums and lyrics of strange yet joyous music consumes B.B’s sword sharp senses. It was all the women could do to keep from rocking on her feet and swaying back and forth to the duo’s combined song. Chupa’s singing, the Washboard Ab-ed Mailbox Sitter’s humming, they went so well together that it felt magical. The idea of something as mundane as off beat music seeming ‘magical’ to a wolf in the shape of a young girl seemed silly, but that’s how she felt. The world around her began to dim, the wolf’s senses focused solely on to what she could her. However the thud and almost immediate slurping of the Mothman snapped her back to her senses. B.B turned her head and caught a glimpse of the last ounces of the drain cleaner blue drink disappearing into the fire hose thick neck of the Mothman. [color=778899][i]“What was that? Ice cream? A slushie? Or something else? Whatever it was he must really, really like it.”[/i][/color] B.B’s wandering train of thought was completely derailed with Chupa’s re-apperance and the smell of hot food. The grey haired girl’s head turned back to the window of the truck. Her eyes immediately locked onto the food and then back into the intense, threatening eyes of Chupa. [color=778899]“T-t-thank you for the f-food.”[/color] B.B breathed shakily, nodding her head and forcing an awkward smile as she reached out for the warm tacos. [color=778899]“T-they smell delicious. You’re a r-really good cook Chupa.”[/color] It was by no means faint praise but B.B's shaking voice and eager hands made the sincerity difficult to properly hear. As soon as her hand wrapped around one of the tacos B.B thrust it towards her mouth. Like a machine her jaws moved, pulverizing the warm shell and rending the hot cooked meat. B.B used the palm of her head to force the taco forward as her mouth did all the work. In seconds the taco was gone, only for one of it's brothers to be shoved towards the wolf awaiting jaws. One, two, three, four. The tacos were gone with the only trace they had ever existed being the grease stained paper they had been served on and the flecks of meat clinging to the sides of B.B's cheeks. [hr] [center][img]http://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjk2LmJlMTMxMy5VbVZrSUZKcFpHbHVaeUJJYjI5ay4w/freakshow.regular.png[/img][/center] [center][img]http://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjIxOC5lMGU2ZjAuVkdobElGQmhiR1VnVVhWbFpXNCwuMAAA/vtks-focus.regular.png[/img][/center] [center][b]Location: Little Red's Goodie Shop [/b][/center] [center][b]Mentions: [@Crosswire] [@Oddsbod] [/b][/center] [hr] Eissen blinked slowly at Red's words. Excitable thing, wasn't she? "That'd be lovely, thanks. But really, free of charge? I'd prefer to pay, really, it's no trouble." [color=red] "Well I mean you'll still have to pay for the food, but it won't cost you anything extra if you want to request something specific."[/color] Red explained, gesturing to the little kitchen only barely visible from the front of the shop through the doorway behind the service counter. "Hm." Struck by a sudden surge of daring, Eissen said, "I'll take you up on that. Make something exciting, Red. Whatever seems fun." Quietly, Eissen applauded her personal bravery within the rather uncertain terrain of the bakery. The interior of Red's shop was rather small. Entering through the front door one would find themselves in a small eating area which had a total of three tables and a handful of chairs. A large glass display counter showing off the many colorful confectioneries Red made acted as a kind of divider. Behind the counter was enough floor space to move around behind the counter itself and a single open door. Through the opening part of an oven and some counter space could be scene. It was difficult to see just what exactly was back there but the smell was potent of sugar, flower, and a variety of sweet flavors from the snap of cinnamon, to the twinge of vanilla. Upon hearing her offer taken up Red's smile grew wider yet and she stood on her toes briefly, holding her hands to her face. [color=red] "Oh thank you so much! It's rare I get to make a surprise for a customer. You stay right here and I'll get it started!" [/color] Turning around Red pranced into the kitchen, her crimson hood waving behind her like a little flag as she disappeared from sight. Soon the bakery was filled with the brief sounds of scuffling. Metal bowls clattering against counter tops, eggs cracking open, milk pouring, dough being beaten into submission. The noise ended with the click of an electric stove and the shutting of a metal door. As Red pranced her way back out of the kitchen and up to the counter the bakery began to fill with a strong, fruity smell. Though what fruit the smell exactly was seemed unusually difficult to pin down. [color=red] "I won't tell you what I have in the oven, you'll just have to wait and see when it's done. In the mean time we can talk if you'd like, Ma'am."[/color] Red added, holding her hands behind her back. [color=red] [i]"Come one and open up. I don't need to hear your secrets now but I need to know what you can do. There has to be a way to make what you have mine..."[/i][/color] Eissen had watched the flurry of Red's work with interest. The girl was an energetic blur of focused red intent. Eissen felt a little bit of envy. She'd always considered her tinkering and jewelry-making an enjoyable hobby, but couldn't imagine working on her gold trinkets the way Red worked on her baking. "Well, I was just enjoying the night. Nothing special. I hadn't really been planning on going out at all, but it just seemed so nice. A good kind of night, y'know?" [color=red] "Yeah! A lot of people are afraid to go out at night, but to be honest I prefer the night to the day."[/color] Red said with an enthusiastic nod. [color=red] "During the day the sun is out, the birds are singing, but there's so much noise and too many people running around to enjoy anything. At night though it's different. It's quiet, the streets are empty, and there are some places you can stand and barely hear anything at all. Overcast skies and rain a kind of the same way. The sun goes away, things get a little darker, and people clear off the streets. The night and the rain are one of the few times the world is transformed." [/color] Eissen smiled, her mind swimming backwards and forwards. It was pretty lovely, wasn't it? Red's words brought her back to cool and starry fairy-nights in her old kingdom, before she allowed it to fall apart to the ravages of demons and fae. And it brought her here, now, to this happy and careless evening, where the air was fresh and unbothered. Yes. That was exactly right, just like Red said. Fresh air, quiet, room for thoughts. Glancing back at the cartoon-ish duck clock hanging up on the wall Red made note of how long her treat had been in the oven before looking back to Eissen. [color=red] "Just be careful when going out at night. Lots of mean old people like to prowl around, like that wolf. But I'm sure you could handle them, right?" [/color] "Haven't had much need to handle anyone since we all got here. It's been quite nice, actually. It's a different kind of life, these weird, messy things the humans live out on this side of the veil. But maybe it's what our lot needed." Eissen frowned, then. "I think I've run into her, actually. The Wolf. She seemed polite enough. Why, has something happened?" [color=red] "Well..."[/color] Red pretended to hesitate, glancing sideways and then down at her shoes before looking back into the older women's eyes. [color=red] "I hate gossip and I always try to figure out if something is true before I say it, but I heard the Big Bad Wolf recently killed someone. A whole apartment stained red with blood and covered in disgusting canine fur. Crier's probably out trying to find them right now."[/color] "Crier?" Eissen said slowly. She knew, vaguely, who the Boy Who Cried Wolf was, but she needed a moment to marshal her thoughts, on death, on murder, on old memories too. [color=red] "Yeah the Crier! He's working as a detective now. Catches all the bad Tales doing bad things here in Taletown."[/color] Red said with a perfectly feigned tone of respect towards the cowardly little shouter. [color=red] "I don't know [i]who[/i] was murdered but I know it was a tale and I know it was in the terrible apartment on the north side of town."[/color] "Hmm." Eissen fell into thought, half-forgetting Red was present, until, realizing enough silence had passed for the current situation to be considered 'awkward,' said, "Sounds like a real mess. Can't imagine the council is happy. Is that who the Crier works for, then? The big bosses?" [color=red] "No, I'm pretty sure the Crier works for himself or private clients. He's just doing his best to keep things safe however he can. The council really doesn't have much power or authority really. Sure they can get upset, complain, and try to pass decrees but they don't really have anyone to enforce what they discuss."[/color] Little Red Riding hood felt like spitting up inside her own precious cloak having to describe the Crier as anything but a sniveling, incompetent tattle-tale but she nodded her head maturely and flashed a prim and proper smile. [color=red] "Honestly things would be so much better if we had some kind of leader. Like a mayor or something like that. I'd try to run, but I'm still seen as just a little kid. I doubt anyone would want me in charge..."[/color] "No, probably not. People get very picky when you start giving them commands." Eissen thought then on the Crier. She had never met him personally (nor, for that matter, most of the other Tales who'd emigrated alongside her). "That's good though," she told Red. "Doing your best. Keeping people safe. Not the most common actions in the world." [color=red] "Yeah! I wish I could be more like the Crier to be honest. Keeping people safe, stopping all the bad Tales like the [b] Wolf [/b], and making things better! But...I'm not very strong and I don't really have any special powers. If I was stronger I could probably do a lot more but..."[/color] Red frowned and solemnly looked away, even going so far is to get her eyes wet in the hopes of luring the hag into maybe opening herself up just a little. A taste of that power, the potential for having it, Red had to try... "Power's overrated. Take it from me. And it's not like heroes are well known for their happy endings. Find something that makes you happy and try not to break anything, that's all hard enough on it's own." Eissen didn't know how to peg Red, not exactly. She wasn't a young Tale, that was for sure, but she still acted with a kind of naivety that Eissen figured another, less sympathetic figure would've taken advantage of long before now. The human world was many things, some of them good, some of them great, but forgiving to naivety was not one of its qualities. "I'll have to keep an eye out for your Wolf. Maybe ask her what she thinks of all this." [color=red] "Well I always figured heroes never got happy endings because nothing ever ends. You don't get a happy end, just a happy life if you work hard."[/color] Red looked back to Eissen, rubbing her eyes as she hid her disappointment from the women's response. It seemed strange for a (supposedly) powerful individual to regard power itself so apathetically. Had her power come at some kind of cost or was she just trying to chase off any potential competition? Red couldn't be sure. A genuine frown flashed across the crimson hooded girl's face and she eagerly shook her head. [color=red] "I wouldn't do that if I were you. The Big Bad Wolf is dangerous. She used to swallow up older ladies like yourself all the time back in the Homeland. Everything and anything that comes out of her mouth is some form of lie, or something to benefit her. I won't stop you from going to see her if you really want to but just be careful and don't let yourself be fooled."[/color] There was sudden sharp [b]DING[/b] from the back room and Red clapped her hands. [color=red] "Your goodies are done!"[/color] Red turned and quickly pranced away. [i]Older ladies?[/i] A twinge of the old vanity, and Eissen watched Red prance away with a frown pulling at her otherwise noncommittal lips. "I still have it," she said, watching herself carefully in the reflection she cast on the darkened store-front windows. Stepping out of the back room Red carried a small Styrofoam container up to the glass counter. Setting it in front of Eissen with a small degree of showmen shipshe opened it up to reveal four fat, plump apple tarts. The looked almost like miniature apple pies with flaky, golden crust like exteriors and apple cinnamon fillings revealed through the X-shaped breathing cuts slashed into the top of the pastries. As big around as a proper apple and piping hot the tarts looked and smelled potent. [color=red] "So, what do you think?"[/color] Red asked with bated breath. "It looks wonderful, thank you," said Eissen. The smell of apple and cinnamon was the kind of thing that could've stopped a murderer in their tracks. Eissen stretched her pale fingers over the styrofoam box and pulled it shut, trapping in the coils of steam and the heady smell of pastries. "How much is it?" [color=red] "For you, just three dollars!"[/color] Red exclaimed. "Oh, thanks Red." Eissen smiled, then hesitated for a moment. Lopsided deals—the thought brought a trill of alarm and suspicion to her. Perhaps she had spent too much time with fairy-folk, sticklers for infinitely complicated and carefully balanced bargains. With as large a smile has her stiff, cool face could manage, Eissen finally slid two dollars and a neat little stack of quarters across to Red. Stowing the pastries in her bag, she turned for the door. "Thanks for the chat," she said over her shoulder. [color=red] "No thank you, really."[/color] Red said waving as Eissen began to walk away. [color=red] "And if you ever want to come back, or just talk, please don't hesitate. I'm always looking to make new friends. Don't talk to any wolves on your way home!" [/color] [i][color=red] "I guess it'll take more time to get you to open up. And even if you don't I will have your power. I'll have everyone's power and everyone will be exactly as I want them to be..." [/color][/i] As the Pale Queen turned her back Little Red Riding Hood's the girl's smile became far too real. It peaked at the corners of her lips and took on a twisted, chilling elation. When Red looked at the Queen she didn't see a women, she didn't even see a person. All she saw was a means to an end. Her end. Her way. And she'd get it just like she always had...