[hr][center][img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjgwLjJlNmJiMi5VMmhoYm1VZ1ZtRnVZblZ5Wlc0LC4w/enigma.enigma.png[[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/nX3quKN.png[/img][/center][right][code]East Araminta - Gino's Pizzeria[/code][/right][hr]

Shane watched from the window, the bored young, acne riddled young adult behind the counter scrolling on his phone. It didn't instill him with much confidence that this kid would be of any help but sometimes you had to really shake a tree to knock something loose... Whatever that means.

He breathed in, the cold still attacking his face. Better get started. He looked at his reflection in the window, thankfully his face showed no scarring from the attack at the manor but his knuckles were still cut up from the fight so he was going to have to keep them in the pockets of Sabrina's coat for the whole affair. Shane then ran a hand through his hair and began brushing it back, trying to neaten it as much as possible before doing the same to his beard. He shut his eyes and exhaled, standing for one more moment out in the cold before entering the store with a ding from the bell.

[colour=CadetBlue]"Hey, friend."[/colour] Shane said with a smile. [colour=CadetBlue]"Had some... Timing problems with work today, missed lunch. You sell any single slices?"[/colour]

The kid looked up from his phone at Shane and mumbled that they did. Undeterred, Shane kept up his friendly tone.

[colour=CadetBlue]"Perfect. Just a plain cheese, pal."[/colour] He watched the kid stand up and move over to the side. Taking out a ready made margherita and cutting out a single slice before turning around and putting it in the oven.

[colour=SteelBlue][i]'Lovely...'[/i][/colour]

The kid seemed content to wait in silence much to Shane's chagrin. This was going nowhere fast and even by his standards he wasn't going to leave here with nothing to show but a slice of reheated pizza.

[colour=CadetBlue]"Yeah, I... I woulda had a full hour for lunch but some of the kids around here were screwing around in the middle of the road. Had to take another route because they wouldn't move their ass."[/colour] Shane mused casually, looking back out the window.

At this, the kid behind the counter actually seemed taken in, looking up at Shane more closely.

"Was it those weird kids from the woods?" He asked, his tone carrying a hint of curiousness that Shane took to mean he was on to something.

Shane shrugged. [colour=CadetBlue]"That where they're coming from? See 'em around sometimes on my way to work, it was that loud redhead and a few others I think."[/colour]

The cashier nodded and put his phone down. "That'll be Morgana. Her and her friends come round here a lot. Always yelling about this or that."

[colour=CadetBlue]"Never used to see any of 'em round here. Not exactly sure what they'd even be doing this far on the east side."[/colour] Shane said, keeping his hands in his pockets as he looked back at the kid.

"Yeah, if it were me and my buds we'd be at a bar or something... Not the one here though, somewhere nicer." The cashier said with a friendlier tone, eliciting a polite chuckle from Shane in response.

[colour=CadetBlue]"So, wh-"[/colour] Shane was cut off as the oven dinged. The cashier stood up to go and grab Shane's slice.

[colour=SteelBlue][i]'Fuck.'[/i][/colour]

"Here's your order, sir." The cashier said placing Shane's slice on a paper plate and putting it on the desk.

Shane smiled and put a dollar with some change next to it. He leaned forwards a bit, now or never.

[colour=CadetBlue]"Do you know whereabouts from the forest they're coming from? Would save me some time if I could just avoid 'em in future.[/colour]

The cashier stood for a moment and thought to himself. "Sorry, sir, not specifically. I know they're hanging around in the forest somewhere though. Probably in one of those abandoned spots, seems like where kids like that'd lay their heads. I did see 'em following the footpaths into the forest though so it can't be that out of the way."

Shane raised an eyebrow and took his plate. Making sure to obscure his hand as much as possible. [colour=CadetBlue]"Nice talking to you, thanks for the food."[/colour] He said with one last smile and nod before making for the door.

[colour=SteelBlue][i]'Foothpath into the forest. Somewhere abandoned...'[/i][/colour] It wasn't as specific as he would've liked but it put them in the right direction. They'd already narrowed it down from the whole of Araminta and lunch wasn't even over yet,

As he stepped back outside, Shane's face immediately reverted back to a neutral frown. Internally thankful he was pretty close to sober or else the charade might have been too exhausting to hold up.

He walked down the pavement a little until he was next to the bar. Taking a bite out of his pizza - surprisingly not bad, he was a little surprised his siblings weren't already out to meet him.

[colour=SteelBlue]"All they've gotta do is just slip the bartender a tip."[/colour] He mumbled quizzically to himself before taking another bite.