[center][img]https://cdn1.thehunt.com/app/public/system/note_images/13461285/note_view/39ffc5119a45c3733c9526a903cabede.png[/img]
[h2][color=f9ad81]Mary[/color][/h2][/center]

[@murdoc][@Aamaya][@cerozer0]

Mary watched Natalia walk away for a little bit as she contemplated her task. Okay. Well, she thought, why were they walking this whole time if she was just going to tell Mary to walk away once they got halfway down the block? Now she had to walk all the way back and get her bike. Which she was about to do anyway; but then Natalia started walking away...this wasn't nearly as cool as she imagined. Mary wondered if this awkward stuff ever happened to her father. 

With nothing but the rattling song of crickets to keep her company, Mary made her way back to her bike, her footsteps echoing off the suburban walls. She texted her friends that she couldn't make it, and their responses all seemed so terribly boring now. It was like she had entered a dimension, parellel and besides to her own. Where things worked differently. Like, after all this time, she had finally realized some fundamental truth everyone else was missing. 

She reached the garage and began to undo the lock. Lifting it up with a metallic groan, she saw the dusty family car and her bike leaned up against a pile of boxes. The garage was mostly a pile of boxes, if she was being honest.

The front door opened. It around the corner, for the garage stuck out a little farther than the front door.

"Mary?" Her mother's concerned voice called out. "Is that you?"

Crap! What should she do? What if she forbid her from joining the hunters? Mary realized they never really had this talk. Mom continued her training probably as a...obligation to Dad. Mary and June had a trust, Mary actually didn't lie to her about much of anything. This would be a huge break in that trust.

With a growing lump in her throat, Mary said nothing.

"Hello?" Her mother called out again. Please, just shut the door and go back inside, Mary thought. Let this be easy. After a while, there was nothing but the sound of the door shutting, and no further noise. Carefully, quietly, Mary wheeled her bicycle out the garage and quietly lowered it behind her as to not disturb her mother. The guilt was strong, but Mary figured she had to take risks at some point, right? What else was she supposed to do? Grow up, go to college, get a degree, get a job, meet a nice guy, have some kids, grow old and die after her husband? Mary didn't like the idea of already having her whole life planned out in front of her. Unless, of course, she never met anyone nice and instead got hit by a bus and died. 

God had to have more in mind for her, didn't He? Otherwise, her father wouldn't have been a hunter. Otherwise, she would be happy going on trips to impoverished nations and building a church, or going on parades, or things most people do. He wouldn't have placed this opportunities in front of her, for her to just ignore them, right? Maybe mother wouldn't understand. She would be so worried. 

But if Mary got hurt...no. She wouldn't get hurt. Simple as that. She had a job to do.

Finding Ms. Cynthia Nox might be difficult. With her resources (Google) it might be impossible if she wasn't using her real name.

Still, Mary figured it was worth a go. Searching Cythia Nox, a few results came up. First, was Cynthia Nixon, an actress. Not what she was looking for. The teenager followed up with "Cynthia Nox, Salem". Ah, there. She highly doubted it was a coincidence- it was the only name that came up. 

Some people had mentioned her online, and it looked like she was in a ballet show at some point. Pretty, pale, and blonde. Okay, that's what she looked like back then. She might look a little different now. Still, it was better than nothing. What was a little more helpful was a few scattering mentions of her among other people's profiles. Some of her co-workers, maybe? One of them worked at a...Hekate's Crystals and Curiosities?

Well, it was a start. She supposed she would have to try some where, first. Plus, this place fit the list of criteria mentioned by Natalia. It was weird, for sure. Witchy sounding. Crystals and all that crap.

The bike ride was quiet. Mary didn't really see anyone, save for the cars that whirred by as she waited at various intersections. Plenty of time to think. To regret, and to be excited. This was the most emotionally turbulent think to ever happen to her since...well, her dad died. At least the weather was nice.

A little out of breathe, Mary coasted into the parking lot of the Crystal place. Hooking her vehicle up to a bicycle rack, she hesitated at the glass door of the place. Taking a question glance inside. Strange artifacts were all over the place. She spotted an unfortunately dressed woman inside, with a black dress. It didn't look like Cynthia, though. 

The tiny little bell once again rang to announce Mary's arrival. Timidly, she creeped inside. There was a young woman at a desk. Pretty, pale, and blonde...was that her? She wasn't wearing a uniform, so no badge or anything. Mary poorly pretended to consider some of the bits and bobs and creeped closer to the conversation with the strangely dressed customer. Mary would wait for them to be alone, and then inform Cynthia of...what? Would Ms. Cynthia believe her? She had too. They were both hunters. Mary began to feel awkward and uncomfortable. Hopefully this woman would just go away and she could talk to Cynthia...if that was Cynthia. What if it wasn't?

Fear of social encounters wasn't usually Mary's deal, but this situation was extremely tense. The young hunter in training tried to focus and calm down, and went back to looking at the underside of a rock that had some writing on it. Apparently, this one helped a person to have good dreams. Nonetheless, Mary was waiting for a moment for the alleged Ms. Cynthia to be alone.