[center][h3][color=#556b2f]Everly Srisati[/color] and [color=#00ffff]Nicole Hanson[/COLOR] with [color=#7b906c]Riley Sheridan[/color][/h3]
[sup][color=silver][i]A Collaborative Post with [@chukklehed] and [@Dusksong][/i][/color][/sup][/center]
[color=slategray][indent][sub][B]Location[/B] [COLOR=SILVER][I]Outside the Woven Roast[/I] - [I]Valley Edge, Santa Celia[/I][/COLOR][/sub][/indent][/color][hr]
[INDENT][INDENT][color=#00ffff]"Busy enough to keep the store open,"[/color] Nicole replied to Riley, a small grin crossing her face as she spoke. 

[color=#00ffff]"Most of what I sell people consider luxuries though, and with the city the way it's been..."[/color] Riley lifted his head to look at the girl as her voice trailed off, nodding his own head as turned the laptop screen towards her.

[color=#7b906c]“Oh, trust me, I know what the city’s been like.”[/color] Riley replied as he motioned towards the screen beside him. [color=#7b906c]“I used to work for the city’s police department, specifically forensics until I got too close to the truth, the [i]real truth[/i].”[/color]  He continued, the images on the screen depicted the recent string of murders along with what scans he had managed to retain from the book before it had been stolen.

[color=#7b906c]“There are forces at work in this city that are being covered up daily by our elected leaders and those sworn to protect the streets.”[/color] Riley explained before pausing as he looked at Nicole. 

[color=#7b906c]“Heh, Sorry,”[/color] He muttered quickly, [color=#7b906c]“I sometimes forget that not everyone is used to the more gruesome side of life.”[/color] He apologized before scrolling down to his notes. 

[color=#7b906c]“Anyways, not to bore you but I’ve been looking into the possibility that maybe these murders aren’t the work of a human-”[/color] His voice trailed off as another woman suddenly entered the coffee shop. Her head turned in their direction, as she addressed Nicole while Riley quietly buried his face back in his computer. As she finished her order, he heard the woman address him specifically as he looked up again.

[color=#556b2f]“And feel free to continue your conversation. I’ll probably head out soon.” [/color]

[color=#7b906c]“Oh,”[/color] Riley replied as he turned his head to respond. [color=#7b906c]“Don’t rush on my account, this isn’t private or anything like that. Just ranting about the city and how it seems to sit on a Hellmouth some days.”[/color] He said with a short laugh.

[color=DarkOliveGreen]“Right.”[/color] Everly paused. [color=DarkOliveGreen]“Well, I’m Everly. Nice to meet you… ”[/color]

[color=#7b906c]“Riley,”[/color] The male responded, [color=#7b906c]“Riley Sheridan.”[/color]

[color=DarkOliveGreen]“Riley. So, what about the city in particular were you two talking about?”[/color] Everly had her own thoughts about what those particulars might be, but she never had much to complain about in her daylight hours. Schoolwork and mundane things, perhaps, and she hoped that would be enough to carry her through this conversation. Usually, her time at the Woven Roast had been given to either studying or hearing out Nicole.

[color=#7b906c]“Just how there’s an awful lot of things that happen in this city that shouldn’t be able to be explained by mundane logic. For example,” [/color]He paused, turning his laptop towards Everly, pausing slightly, 

[color=#7b906c]“I hope you’re not too squeamish,”[/color] Riley warned with a small grin before scrolling the page back up.

[color=#7b906c]“This recent spree of murders, the police are adamant that they’re looking for a person. But these bodies had their throats ripped out, then were drained of blood.”[/color] Riley stated as he reached into his bag producing a folder of copied documents. [color=#7b906c]“The autopsy however was forged to say the throats were slashed, the exsanguination left completely out of the official reports.”[/color] 

Coming around the counter with Everly’s drink in hand, Nicole clicked her tongue. [Color=cyan]”I can’t say I know a lot about running a city, but I’ve seen one or two strange happenings around myself. Nothing like that, though.”[/color] She placed the insulated cup down near the other girl, then turned to walk back to the counter.

[color=cyan]”You’re welcome to stay in as long as you want, but I’m afraid I won’t be great company today. I have a couple of special orders I need to finish up.”[/color] Picking up the belt again, she resumed the process of trying to convince it to keep its shape without making the entire piece rigid. It needed to prefer one form strongly enough that it would hold up a set of pants, without constricting too tightly if something solid pushed against it.

[color=DarkOliveGreen]“That’s alright. Don’t stop on my account,”[/color] Everly said, thanking Nicole for the coffee before turning back to the documents Riley had handed her. So he was a reporter, or someone involved in law enforcement in some way. Either one spelled bad news for her, but thankfully Riley seemed to be focused on blood rather than currency. 

[color=DarkOliveGreen]“Sounds like someone wants to keep it under wraps.”[/color] Everly shuffled the papers, handing them back. [color=DarkOliveGreen]“So, what are you planning on doing about it?”[/color]

[color=#7b906c]“Nothing until I can prove anything,”[/color] Riley respond,[color=#7b906c] “But to do that I’m going to need to find my book, the book had proof that these things, these creatures exist. It was full of documented first hand encounters.”[/color] He explained before pausing as he tapped the side of his head.

[color=#7b906c]“But I just can’t remember anything, it’s like my memory was taken from me.”[/color] He said. [color=#7b906c]“I went to see someone about it, but he wasn’t able to do anything.”[/color] Riley continued before holding up a hand. [color=#7b906c]“Gave me this pretty baller ring though.”[/color]
[color=#7b906c]“I can’t explain it, but it just feels… good.”[/color]

Everly nodded. So Riley was a superstitious amnesiac—or was he? He might very well be telling the truth about everything and just be the unfortunate individual bearing the brunt of someone else’s ire, but in that case Everly wanted very little to do with him. Dealing with someone who could alter memories, or someone who seemed to thrive off blood and murder, wasn’t part of her modus operandi. Her powers allowed her movement and observation, and while she could probably help in some way or the other, her powers hardly gave her the ability to fend off someone capable of what Riley had described, much less take them down. 

Then there was the matter of whether or not Riley was gifted in the way she was. From the way he so casually and openly discussed the strange things happening around him, Everly figured he was just normal person. She herself lived in caution, constantly checking her actions and making sure nothing was revealed, and she couldn’t imagine anyone failing to do the same. 

[color=DarkOliveGreen]“‘Good’ is good, but a bit strange.”[/color] Might as well test him a little, Everly figured. [color=DarkOliveGreen]“It’s not like the ring is magical, right?”[/color]

[color=#7b906c]“Could be.”[/color] Riley chuckled, [color=#7b906c]“Wouldn’t surprise me any if it was, the guy who gave it to me, Mayhew, one name, like Madonna, anyways, he’s got a whole shop full of oddities. Between the ring and the book, I’d bet at least one thing in there is haunted, cursed or at the very least enchanted.”[/color]

He took a long deep swig of his coffee, tasting the various earthy textures before speaking again. [color=#7b906c]“I mean, this is all of course saying you believe in the arcane or unexplained.”[/color] Riley noted, finishing his cup before placing it down. [color=#7b906c]“I know not everyone rightly does, but soon I think this whole city is going to have their eyes opened.”[/color] 

Suddenly a strange sensation emanated from the ring as Riley closed his eyes briefly his eyelids fluttering for a few seconds before opening again. A nagging sensation tugged at the back of his head as Riley felt compelled to leave. Looking at the time in the corner of his laptop screen, Riley pulled a couple of crumbled singles out of his pocket, placing them under his mug quickly as he nodded his appreciation towards Nicole.

[color=#7b906c]“Great as always, Nic!”[/color] Riley stated as he extended a hand to Everly, [color=#7b906c]“And it was a pleasure to meet you, hopefully I didn’t bore you too much but I really should be off.”[/color]

[color=DarkOliveGreen]“Not at all, and it was nice meeting you as well,”[/color] Everly said, shaking Riley’s hand. [color=DarkOliveGreen]“I’ll probably head out too then. Leave Nicole to focus on her work.”[/color] She glanced at Nicole. [color=DarkOliveGreen]“Thanks, loved the brew, Nicole.”[/color]

Nicole looked up from her work and beamed a smile at both of them, waving lightly. [color=cyan]”Bye! Come again any time, I tend to get lonely sitting here by myself.”[/color][/INDENT][/INDENT]