[center][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/217175409903534080/310915267373039616/coollogo_com-32460972.png[/img] [/center] [center]---[/center] [b]Time: Late Afternoon - Present Day Location: Berenice’s Nest - Carver (Outside Lost Haven)[/b] Charlie tied up the worst of her wounds with makeshift bandages, cleaned them with alcohol she pulled out of the whisky she had on hand. The deeper gashes stung worse than a mean wasp. For the most part she cleaned herself up, then decided as much as she would have liked to be here for Berry’s lessons Charlie herself was running on fumes. Hungry (in spite of Berry’s hospitality), extremely tired, now wrapping up unexpected hits she took from a shitty little necromancer’s familiar. It was time to head home. She sighed at the phone screen, calling home. The conversation was short, her mom had picked up relieved to hear from Charlie directly. Jules left Lost Haven for a forty minute drive out to Carver Cliffs, the hiking trail drop off lot. Charlie knew the drive home was going to be a long one after Jules got one look at her. She considered the old phone and decided to leave it behind for Berry. When Charlie popped back inside Berry began shuffling awkwardly, as if she was trying to hide something out of embarrassment. The alchemist assumed Berry held no shame for obvious reasons. She squinted then shrugged, placing her phone on string hanging from one of her treasure lines. Instructing her, slowly, repetitively, to only answer the phone when her name was on it. Modifying the call display to appear as Car-lee. The battery on that old phone would last a few days idle. It took a few tries to teach Berry how to answer the phone, Berenice complained of the awful noise it made when it rang but eventually with some convincing she promised to answer it when it rang. She hoped if Berenice couldn’t answer it at least Salamander could. She feared he’d be worse off than the 3 week old siren. With some line of communication established she said her goodbye with a promise to be back in a couple days with some help and more information. Her hope was to return with some leads of where to find Sebastien, the disgraced apprentice of Salamander and monster presumably lurking through Lost Haven’s underbelly in search of his next victim. In Charlie’s mind she painted him an ugly creature. [center]---[/center] [b]Time: 1 hour later, Present Day Location: Carver Cliffs, Outside Lost Haven[/b] Fireworks brightened the sky at the hiking trail drop off, blues, reds and greens fizzled away much to Jules’ frustration. When she pulled up in her old lemon of a [url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Volkswagen_Jetta_I_Trumpington_Road.JPG/250px-Volkswagen_Jetta_I_Trumpington_Road.JPG]car[/url] the fireworks died away with one last cherry bomb. Every chance Charlie had to signal her mother, she used fireworks. It was without a doubt the one thing Jules regretted teaching Charlie how to make. As she pulled up, she caught a glimpse of Charlie battered and bandaged in the headlights. Walking stiffly, Jules’ face hardened. Crows feet wrinkled at the sides of her light brown eyes, her long ashy blonde hair pulled into a messy bun. Still in her work casuals of jeans and purple t shirt, a unique [url=https://i.pinimg.com/736x/a9/a0/6b/a9a06b850863818feb790207cb99b968--natural-emerald-rings-emerald-gemstone.jpg]emerald ring[/url] winked as she drummed her fingers across the steering wheel. Charlie pulled the passenger side door open and plopped down after setting her staff and backpack in the back seat. Her hood was removed, Jules saw the scratches along her face then cast her eyes down to her arms and legs. It sent her mind in whirlwind of imagination. She hadn’t seen Charlie since the night before, Jules was well aware of the trouble her daughter got into. She saw she was alright now but it never really quieted the worry. The radio news quietly played in the background of the rumbling engine. “[color=honeydew]Hey Mom, thanks for picking me up.[/color]” Charlie said watching her, as Jules inspected her. Without missing a beat, “What happened.” Jules demanded. Charlie sighed sinking into the seat, “[color=honeydew]I was gonna save this for when Gramps and Harry could listen too.[/color]” Jules pursed her lips, tight lipped she replied, “[i]Charlene Gretchen Croll.[/i]” Charlie winced. “[color=honeydew]Okay, alright calm down. Jesus, don’t need to break out the full name. I know this looks bad but it’s for something you’re not going to like.[/color]” “What a relief.” She pulled out of the parking lot heading back on the road into the city. “[color=honeydew]When I went out the other night with Carrie we found something this morning and you’re not going to believe me Mom.[/color]” Charlie licked her lips, “[color=honeydew]We found a siren in the park. A girl with wings and bird torso.[/color]” She said. Jules snuck a look at her then had her eyes back on the road, “You have got to be kidding me, Char. You got yourself wrapped up in some real magic crap?” “[color=honeydew]It… gets worse.[/color]” Jules sighed witheringly. “[color=honeydew]Carrie and I helped her get back to her nest in Carver, her name is Berenice. Berry. She’s like… three weeks old and the result of some crazy necromancer’s human experimentation.[/color]” Charlie explained fiddling with some loose string in her skirt. “[color=honeydew]I saw his notes. The necromancer’s mentor, Sebastien’s mentor is Salamander. He is this old weird, probably bird, wizard that showed up to offer to help teach Berry to use her magic and he wants to kill Sebastien. Since he’s still alive in Lost Haven somewhere.[/color]” Silence stretched between the two, Charlie tacked on rather lamely after a few seconds. “[color=honeydew]I wrestled with Sebastien’s familiar and sent it packing back to its master. That’s where I got the cuts. The fucker had some claws.[/color]” Jules drummed her fingers across the steering wheel. “This is coming from you, Charlie, who wants to stay on the downlow because of the Hounds of Humanity. What have I told you-” “[color=honeydew]Keep my head down and my nose out of other people’s business. Like three times last week, twice the other day-[/color]” “Attitude, young lady!” Jules snapped. “[color=honeydew]Oh right and you think I can just abandon someone when they’re lost. Abandon them after finding out they were just born three weeks ago, he used someone [i]local[/i] snatched some poor girl and mashed her body up with a bird and a shitload of magic.[/color]” Charlie fired back. “It’s clear nobody in this family listens to a damn word I have to say! You asked your sister to keep this a secret and she was so tight lipped about where you had been that all I got from her was some dry sarcasm.” Jules said exasperated, “You don’t listen to me when I say stay away from trouble. She sees us butting heads and she thinks she can argue with me too!” Charlie pinched the bridge of her nose, then took a deep breath in through her nose. “[color=honeydew]She listens to you during lessons.[/color]” Charlie said. Jules cast a doubtful eye at her daughter. “[color=honeydew]I’m serious. Harry listens during lessons, she’s tried to cheat around certain things by asking me for the answer and I’ve told her the answers are always in the lessons. That was the week she tried to bleach all my scavenging clothes before Gramps caught her. She was mad that I didn’t help her but then she started to pay attention during the lessons.[/color]” She said sincerely, green eyes holding her mother’s. “[color=honeydew]Harry isn’t stupid, she knows what we’re arguing about.[/color]” “I have never said [i]anything[/i] about Harry being stupid-!” Over the radio a breaking news broadcast began, another attack by Hounds of Humanity in Las Vegas. Burning more witches at the stake destroying an old and powerful family with new anti-magic weaponry, horrified the pair of alchemists stared ahead at the road while they listened. Jules remembering, imagining every witch she ever met, made friends with being burned. The horrific descriptions lent well to her imagination. Similar thoughts bounced around in Charlie’s mind. Jules quietly turned the radio back down, “That isn’t our city.” As if the distance could provide comfort. “[color=honeydew]They’re in Lost Haven too. Hounds of Humanity is hunting us down and that’s what Harry is scared of. She doesn’t see the divide like you do, Mom. Neither do the Hounds, they’re painting us all with the same brush. She’s scared that our family is next on the hit list.[/color]” Charlie said, then admitted quietly. “[color=honeydew]I’m afraid too.[/color]” Jules seemed pained, “Then what do you expect me to do Charlie? Go in guns blazing? Die in a glorious ball of flame?” “[color=honeydew]No! Mom, please. Just, talk to Harry. Include her when we’re talking about shit that concerns the family’s safety instead of shooing her into another room where she can hear every fucking thing. For once,[/color]” Charlie’s tone hardened, “[color=honeydew]Just for fucking once take this shit seriously. Talk to our neighbours, I’m going to deal with Sebastien.[/color]” Jules opened her mouth to reply then bit back the words, settling in for a long quiet ride back home. When they arrived back home, pulling into the back alleyway dirt parking lot up behind another vehicle on cinderblocks. Both women wearing a nearly identical scowl. Charlie grabbed her things slamming the car door. Jules stood up from the driver’s side before Charlie ran off inside she tugged her into a tight hug, standing a little taller than Charlie herself. Jules’ expression softened considerably. “I’m sorry, Char. I love you and Harry so much.” She said, with a sigh Charlie hugged Jules back. “[color=honeydew]Love you too, Mom. Sorry.[/color]” She mumbled into her shoulder. After a few beats, Jules held Charlie out at arm’s length, “We’ll have a family meeting, everyone including Harry. We’ll decide what to do to protect ourselves and what we can do for our neighbourhood. For now though, you’re right about that necromancer. He’ll bring hell down on our heads with getting the attention of the Hounds. You and I are going to look for him.” Charlie brightened at being taken seriously but felt a pang of guilt at her offer, this wasn’t her mom’s problem. She casted her eyes away, “[color=honeydew]I can handle looking for him on my own, you focus on the shop. I’m helping Sallyman- I mean Salamander. He wants Sebastien dead.[/color]” “The Wizard Bird.” Jules commented. “[color=honeydew]For lack of a better word, sure.[/color]” “What’s he like?” “[color=honeydew]I don’t trust him but he’s alright.[/color]” She replied lightly then led the way inside through the back door. She was greeted by the warm display of polished wood floors and glass displays of [i]Croll Corner[/i]. Their footsteps creaked across the floor, Nathaniel sat at the till counting his float for the night. He sat tall and lean in the stool for a man nearly seventy years old, a little bit of belly poking out over the belt of his shorts. He squinted at the calculator waving at the pair as they came in through. He wore his grey beard short trimmed, brows bushy, hair long in a pony tail. The shelves were decorated with hand crafted knick knacks, stone baubles and terrariums. A little from each Croll. Unique bubble gardens of various herbs, flowers and moss species. Dried feathers and shell collections pasted (with some steady handed help) to papyrus textured paper in frames hung from the walls, artistically frayed edges. While behind display cases were stones, crystals and gems cut raw then polished as bookends and paperweights. Charlie’s own work displayed alongside Nathaniel’s, recycled metal work refurbished, brushed clean and functioning desktop toys like Newton’s Cradles. While they sold handcrafted giftware, decorative items they offered repair services for jewellery, antiques, woodwork, and mechanical repair. Miraculous Repair was their slogan. Promising their customers no matter how old or how broken, they could fix it. [i]Croll Corner[/i] had been established as a family business when Nathaniel opened it’s doors back in the early 1970’s, every child of his own contributed and worked for the shop at one point in their lives. Now under the continuing management of Julianne Croll and Nathaniel’s grandchildren, with a few staff hired outside the family to help run the shop. The building itself was three stories with a basement workshop where the majority of repair and storage was for the shop. While above is where the Croll’s lived. It was home. Charlie kissed her grandpa on the forehead as she passed, he caught her by the scruff, his incredible nose sniffed her head. “You’ve been messing with some wicked creatures today. The hell you been kid?” Nathaniel said. She broke his grip with a huff, stepping out of her boots. “[color=honeydew]Got into a fight with a necromancer’s familiar. Don’t worry about it, gramps.[/color]” He reluctantly shut the cashier drawer. Worry in his green eyes. “Let’s see to those scratches. I’ve got just the thing.” He said edging off the stool and standing up straight he patted her back upstairs. He turned to share a look with Jules, she nodded. “I can close the shop Dad, see to Char.” Was all she said turning away. Nathaniel followed Charlie up the creaky stairs, commenting as always, how he was going to get to fixing that. In reality it was one of the few detectors in the house that let him and Jules know where the kids were, whether they were four or twenty-four. In their bathroom off from Nathaniel and Jules’ room, he kept some good salves for such occasions. When they came up to the landing socked feet padded across the wood floor, greeting them was the final member, Harriet Croll. At fifteen she was sprouting as fast as her sister, nearly five foot ten growing out of pants every week it seemed like. Her dirty blonde hair was streaked with pink and in a ponytail. She wore jeans with holes in the knees, and an old hand-me-down hoodie. She had her mother’s big brown eyes. “Charlie!” Harry hugged her then pushed away holding her nose, “You reek like fish.” “[color=honeydew]Thanks for keeping a lid on it.[/color]” Charlie said as she passed, Harry followed behind Nathaniel. Harry stood at the doorway when Nathaniel began humming through his cabinet, Charlie took a seat on the edge of the bathtub, she turned around rolling up her leggings removing the bandages and plopping them into the wastebin. “So spill the beans, kiddo. What have you been up to the past couple of days?” Nathaniel asked. So she did, she went into a bit more detail now that she wasn’t afraid of being reprimanded by her angry mother. Nathaniel had a fair share of tsk’s and looks of disappointment for her though. Harry listened throwing the odd question, when Charlie caught them up. “So… you didn’t get me a feather?” Harry asked. “From neither the bird wizard or the siren?” Charlie sighed having completely forgot. “[i]Jerk[/i].” Harry said icily, then stalked away. Nathaniel chuckled, “It’s alright you’ll make it up to her, you said you’re going to go back?” Charlie nodded. Standing up from the bath tub, ducking under the shower curtain rod. “[color=honeydew]I need a couple days to catch up, get Carrie’s second opinion on it all. I still have no idea how to find Sebastien.[/color]” “We’ll figure something out, don’t worry Charlie.” Nathaniel reassured her with a gentle pat on the back. “You always do.” “[color=honeydew]Thanks, gramps.[/color]” Charlie shuffled out of the bathroom, stripped down in her bedroom then into some peejays [i]finally[/i] collapsing into her bed. Harry sat sulking on the other side of the room back against the wall her phone in her hands. She drifted off immediately, dreaming of birds in flight.