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As Taylor broke out in hysterics, Vashti shielded the other side of her face so that she now saw the world framed by a handmade scuba mask as she dove down deeper into the ocean of embarrassment. However, a switch was flipped as Taylor continued to howl and knocked her mostly empty drink over and soon Vashti found herself giggling alongside the girl. So she had made herself look like a dickhead, so what? Vashti grabbed a handful of napkins and began cleaning up Taylor’s mess. She doubted she was the first girl who completely spilled spaghetti in front of Herik. She dropped the soiled napkins into the empty cup as Taylor questioned her about Kimberly.

[color=darkcyan]“Oh are you a fan too? Yeah, she’s…”[/color] Vashti stopped as the mention of Kimberly and Agatha drew the attention of another girl to their table. Her name was Lyss, and she’d given Vashti the time needed to try and figure out how to go about phrasing her relationship with Kimberly. Vashti imagined saying that Kimberly fought her in a swamp would lead to some begging questions that she didn’t feel comfortable answering in front of strangers. Especially after the Leviathan made more than just a blip on the radar of the authorities. Lyss smiled at them and Vashti smiled back, paling ever so slightly as Lyss said, [color=D3D3D3]"Would you mind filling me in on your messages with Agatha and Kimberly as we wait?"[/color]

Taylor spoke up first and Vashti let her have the floor. Her gut told her that something felt off, and it wasn’t just the diabetes-inducing blizzard she’d just inhaled. A bell chimed as the door opened and a hard looking girl let her dog inside. It was an open rebellion of the laws decried by Her Royal Majesty, the Dairy Queen, but none of the employees said anything about the pet violation. Perhaps they were true revolutionaries looking to overthrow their queen’s icy rule. More likely the $8.50 an hour wasn’t enough to make the teen behind the counter confront someone, especially if that person was wearing combat boots. Vashti pulled her feet up as the dog padded over to their table. She liked dogs, but they didn’t like her. Rather, they didn’t like what was inside of her, and that feeling was mutual.   

"We've elected to switch to more... capable management." Clearly the dog owner meant herself. “I don't particularly care how you found us. Sell yourself to me. Who are you, what can you do, and why do you want in? Thirty words or less, please.”

Vashti’s eyes narrowed. Lyss, from where she was standing, might notice that Vashti’s pupils had also narrowed vertically. Sell themselves? Her gut feeling was growing stronger and stronger. From what she had read online, the Coven was an all-inclusive social club slash support group for weirdos and witches. The implication that she got was that they would be there to help her. It never mentioned anywhere that she’d have to do a little elevator pitch to get in. What could she say? [i]If you don’t let me in I might rampage through all of Florida?[/i] Who wanted to hear that? Plus, why didn’t all of the members just arrive together? Were they trying to be intimidating? If so, well done. 

Wait…

[color=darkcyan]“You’re fucking with us, right?”[/color] said Vashti with a nervous laugh. All of this had to be a put on. She glanced over at Lyss and gestured towards her leader. [color=darkcyan]“She’s joking right? Sell yourself? Is this a bit? This is a bit.”[/color] 

Her face told Vashti that it clearly wasn’t a bit.

[color=darkcyan]“Okay…”[/color] Vashti shifted uncomfortably in her chair. She had been expecting a handshake and a complimentary broomstick, not what felt like an interrogation. [color=darkcyan] “None of that counts as my thirty words, okay? I’m Vashti. Nice to meet you?"[/color] Four words wasted. Shit. [color=darkcyan]"Uh, I can tell fortunes and hold my breath good?”[/color] [i]I also turn into a monster sometimes and create hurricanes,[/i] she thought but decided against including it. She didn't want to use up her word count.

Her nervousness turned towards a frustrated annoyance. [color=darkcyan]“I’m sorry, I don’t really get what it is you want to hear? I got cursed by some asshole and he did this.”[/color] She quickly jerked down a sleeve so that the table could see her scaly arm and covered it even faster. [color=darkcyan]“Kimberly said the Coven would help me, and Agatha agreed to meet. I need to get this thing under control. It doesn’t have to be out of the kindness of your hearts. I'm not expecting that and I can pay you all back somehow, but can you?"[/color] She countered their leader's burning stare with watery eyes. [color=darkcyan]"Can you even help me?”[/color]

More than thirty words. Vashti knew she was blowing it. She sounded desperate. She was desperate. She glanced towards the other two candidates, and silently hoped that one of them would bomb even harder.