[hr][center][h1][color=mediumorchid]Lucilla Crawford ~ Ignis Fatuus[/color][/h1][/center][hr]

Close by the stairs, Lucilla hung back from the others as she studied them. While some eased into the conversation with no problem, some seemed as tense and awkward as she felt, although probably for different reasons. They'd never replace the friends she'd lost, but it couldn't hurt to mingle with them - as long nobody let slip her whereabouts to the wrong people, that was.

In a flash of purple, Wisp turned back into a tiny, flying humanoid. [color=plum]"Come on! Enough waiting around!"[/color] she called, darting towards the gathering. [color=plum]"I'll race you there!"[/color]

Running after the pixie, Lucilla couldn't help but laugh. [color=mediumorchid]"Don't you consider that a win,"[/color] she said, shaking her head at Wisp. [color=mediumorchid]"Not with a head start like that."[/color] She sat, helping herself right away to tea and biscuits, past caring if she looked greedy or improper as she munched on a shortbread. Food, something she'd never take for granted again. Like warmth. Gripping a teacup, she revelled in the heat radiating from it.

A smile pulled at her lips as she listened to the others' introductions. [color=mediumorchid]"That's quite some experience,"[/color] she commented. [color=mediumorchid]"I'm Lucilla, and I've been doing this for... eh, about four months now."[/color] As that reflexive wince of caution about showing weakness kicked in, she shrugged and added, [color=mediumorchid]"Good thing it's fairly easy once you get used to it."[/color]

A thud from the door halted the conversation. Right away, Wisp changed back into a ring on Lucilla's finger as children spilled out of the doorway, Sophia in the centre trying to calm the chaos. Lucilla chuckled. Pixies, like transformed magical girls and like Hydes, usually went unnoticed by the general public. However, glimpses in the corner of one's eye did happen, children being particularly receptive, hence the inconspicuous trinket forms pixies spent most of their time in. Fortunately, the children in Sophia's care didn't seem to have spotted anything unusual as they followed the butlers out of the room.

[color=mediumorchid]"It's ok, I don't blame you,"[/color] she said, with a grin and a quick glance at the door. At least that had been a distraction from the question weighing on her mind, but Sophia's announcement meant she couldn't put it off any more - especially after Alicia spoke up.

[color=mediumorchid]"Good question."[/color] Her smile faded as she faced Veronica. [color=mediumorchid]"I mean I've noticed we've been cleaning up more scum than usual lately, but surely things can't be that bad?"[/color] She clenched her fists in her lap. There hadn't been a rise in [i]those[/i] kinds of cases, had there?

[hr][center][h1][color=aquamarine]Veronica Edwards ~ The Portraitist[/color][/h1][/center][hr]

Setting down her tea with a clink, Veronica headed to Sophia's side and bowed to the group. She even gave the smallest hint of a smile. Even with the inevitable tension and uncertainty she noticed in some of the girls, it was still early days. Best to make them as comfortable as possible, although getting to the point was her main priority. [color=aquamarine]"I, too, thank you all for your arrival,"[/color] she said, before her face turned neutral again as she listened to the following questions.

[color=aquamarine]"Miss Sherman. Many if not all of you must be wondering the same thing,"[/color] she replied to the detective. [color=aquamarine]"As well as Miss Wright here having her resources, word spreads among the community of pixies as well as that of witches, and as you'll know, they're excellent scouts."[/color]

Claria glowed with pride, quite literally as she changed into fairy form in a burst of light. [color=paleturquoise]"And considering all that experience, it's safe to say we chose well!"[/color] she said, hopping into Veronica's shoulder. [color=paleturquoise]"I don't want to be the voice of doom in the middle of a meeting, but yes, strong witches will be very much needed tonight, and in future."[/color] Once more, she brightened in more than one sense of the word. [color=paleturquoise]"Not that we'll have any trouble as a team!"[/color]

A solemn look shadowed Veronica's face. [color=aquamarine]"That brings me to answering your first question, Miss Ferdinand. As Miss Crawford pointed out, our enemies have indeed been growing more numerous lately. Demons, doppelgangers, or as the commonly used term is now, Hydes. Even though most of them are easy to defeat, I'm sure many of you will be familar with what happens when one slips past us and continues to grow."[/color]

Visibly shuddering, Lucilla nodded.

[color=aquamarine]"Rather like Miss Sherman here, I too am an investigator, although my domain is that of the occult,"[/color] Veronica explained. [color=aquamarine]"Based on information gathered so far, it appears we're dealing with not just one such developed Hyde, but at least five, leading a pack of lesser ones no less. The reason for our gathering is to look into cases such as this one, and eliminate the threats before they return to their creators and reach their final stage."[/color]

Lucilla clenched her eyelids shut as if reliving a painful memory. [color=mediumorchid]"Can't argue that they need to be dealt with as quickly as possible,"[/color] she replied, [color=mediumorchid]"for that very reason. Why, though? Why so many, despite everything we do?"[/color]

[color=aquamarine]"That,"[/color] Veronica answered, [color=aquamarine]"is exactly what we're to find out. And Miss Ferdinand, as for your second question, no need to let on everything until you're more settled in, although it would help if we knew the basics about each other's skils before we start."[/color]

She shifted her attention from witch to witch. [color=aquamarine]"Also if anyone has any tracking abilities, that would be most useful."[/color]