[hr][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/FaCzAxe.png[/img]     [img]https://i.imgur.com/1Hvat1r.png[/img]
[h1]& Bianca Manalo[/h1] [img]https://i.imgur.com/M9y8V0W.png[/img][/center]
[right][code]Wednesday, October 25th. 4pm. 
The Anchor Diner[/code][/right][hr]
For the second day in a row, Linqian ended up in the Anchor Diner. 

She could have chosen somewhere nicer, or just gone somewhere new. Hell, it could've been in her workplace. It was Bianca she was meeting, and they’d hung out at Andre’s bar with his kids plenty of time before. It would’ve been strange, but that was fine. It would make things less tight, too, seeing as she was here right before work.

Yet here she was, sipping a slightly overpriced diet coke while mindlessly swiping on a hookup app, feeling like shit. She wasn’t as badly hungover as she’d expected to be, but the combined with the lack of sleep and physical exhaustion made it feel like she was. She just wanted to crawl right back into bed and skip work completely. But she couldn’t. She’d already skipped out of the morning shift, citing police brutality leading to physical exhaustion… Both were true, but unconnected. Andre had grumbled about her poor work ethic but had covered for her anyway. She’d just need to ask for extra shifts next week to make up for the loss in money.

Or hopefully, get more from Edict after this. Exhausted as she was today, she didn’t regret last night. It had been very good… especially after what Evelynn had said, and what happened in the bar following. A fun night, and one she wouldn’t mind repeating if the opportunity arose. It had helped her completely forget about everything for a night.

Which she’d desperately needed.

"Heh, this sure does bring back memories."

Linqian looked up from her phone as Bianca slid into the booth opposite her. It practically matched up with her memories - a younger Bianca overlapping the older one, with her hair falling well past her shoulders and eyes shining with a joyful light Linqian had loved. The image only lasted moments before only the current Bianca was left, regarding Linqian with an aloof coolness. 

"It's been a while, Linqian," Bianca smiled lightly. "I'm sorry about Jinhai."

[color=CD5C5C]"It's alright,"[/color] Linqian shrugged - because what else could you say to condolences? Of course it wasn't alright, but people's sorrys wouldn't change that or bring him back. What else could she do, unload all her troubles? Maybe ten years ago, but now? Sadly not. 

Bianca inclined her head, waving over a waiter and ordering a lemonade and some fries. The sleeve of her sweater slid down, revealing her wrist and the green nautical bracelet around it. Linqian's eyes narrowed. Memories played across her mind. Her and Bianca walking through Coastal Harbour Mall on a rainy day, hand in hand. They went from shop to shop, trying on ridiculous clothing and laughing over strange books. Then they’d come across a small shop, mostly selling sailing gear. Linqian had wanted to walk past but Bianca pulled her in. There, they’d bought each other subtly matching bracelets - Bianca’s green to Linqian’s red. 

Linqian was surprised to see it... She'd considered throwing out her own right after they broke up, then in the years that followed, but never could. It was locked away in the depths of the drawers just like her feelings. But Bianca was the one to end things, why hadn't she thrown it out?

[color=CD5C5C]"You still have it,"[/color]  Linqian intoned quietly, indicating the nautical rope bracelet around Bianca's wrist.

"It's my channeller," Bianca shrugged.

[color=CD5C5C]"You need an emotional attachment to your-"[/color] 

"An attachment doesn't mean there's still feelings," Bianca cut her off coolly. "It's important to me, but there's nothing more to it. Too much effort to move to another one."

Linqian couldn't argue with that. She didn't want to either. It would make her look like she was still hung up on her feelings for Bianca... Which she was, somewhat. But maybe that was just longing for the time she'd felt like she'd had somewhere she'd belonged, and had someone who loved her. Nothing had been as good since then. She didn't know. There was still that bundle of love deep down inside of her that she'd refused to deal with so she could move on. Maybe she'd always hoped, just a little bit, that she could bring those feelings back to the surface one day.

And that only made her resent Bianca more.

"Why did you want to see me?"

[color=CD5C5C]"I was back in town and..."[/color]  Linqian frowned. She wanted information out of Bianca, with the promise of so much money from Edict for it, but maybe that was just an excuse to reconnect. She needed that reason to clamp down on the anger she still felt even after all these years... But it was primarily for the money. That was what she needed most right now. Definitely for the money. It was easier to tell herself that, rather than think about why she'd want to see Bianca again around all the resentment she'd held onto for years. [color=CD5C5C]"You reached out a couple of times before, but I wasn't in the place to respond."[/color] 

"And you are now?" Bianca tilted her head, concern flashing across her eyes - before disappearing as if it had never been there in the first place. "Aren't things worse now? Honestly, I'm surprised you even turned up after yesterday-"

[color=CD5C5C]"Don't talk about that,"[/color]  Linqian cut her off, holding up a hand. Worst ex reunion ever. If the PRA raid last night hadn't confirmed that Bianca could be an information source then she wouldn't even be here. She hesitated, face twisting into various frustrated expressions before settling on a more neutral one. [color=CD5C5C]"I'm sorry. For what I said. I was coming down from a Greyson induced calm, then the tear gas, it all hit-"[/color]  Linqian cut herself off, letting out an exasperated groan. [color=CD5C5C]"I didn't mean it."[/color] 

"It's alright," Bianca laughed, lips twitching up into a genuine smile. "I know what you're like... Never thought I'd get an apology from you. Wow, imagine if I told everyone, they wouldn't believe me."

[color=CD5C5C]"I don't think any would be willing to talk to you,"[/color]  Linqian retorted.

"Fair," Bianca laughed, holding up her hands... Before frowning and going back to something else Linqian had said. "Wait, you let Devola inside your head?"

[color=CD5C5C]"There's a lot going on right now,"[/color]  Linqian shrugged. It was enough of an answer. It wasn't like she had to explain herself to Bianca - or anyone, anymore. She wasn't here for small talk, anyway, or even just catching up... As much as she wanted it to be that. She wanted it to be more- fuck, no. Here for the money. [color=CD5C5C]”Anyway, you’re-”[/color]

“Hey, no,” Bianca interrupted, leaning forward with a slight smile. “You can’t just avoid talking about it. You seriously let Devola into your brain and, what, mind fuck your problems away?”

Linqian nearly spat out her drink. Fuck, that was a [i]little[/i] too close to reality. Not so much mind fucking, but actual fucking? They’d done a lot of that last night. Guilt crept into her heart at the thought… but it wasn’t like she had anything to feel guilty over. She and Bianca broke up ten years ago. It was completely over. Just because she still had that twisted ball of feelings buried inside didn’t mean she should feel any guilt over a hookup, even if it was someone they both knew. It was completely ridiculous, but the feeling gnawed at her. [color=CD5C5C]”No. He just got rid of some of my issues for a while… And why not? I’ve lost Jinhai and everything’s absolute shit right now, so I think I deserve a break for it. I just didn’t expect the crash to be so fucking bad.”[/color]

“Right,” Bianca raised an eyebrow, eyes flashing with a teasing light. “So you would’ve been delighted to see me if it weren’t for that?”

[color=CD5C5C]“... I might not’ve thrown a bible at you.”[/color] Linqian looked away. Yeah, she still would’ve been incredibly pissed to see Bianca, just perhaps less reckless. But it was [i]much[/i] easier to blame it on Edict getting in her mind than admitting it was just her. 

“Yeah, that was pretty reckless.” Bianca tapped her fingers on the table, seeming to be thinking about something. “Speaking of reckless… I can’t believe Devola burned down the church to try and get away. Well, I can, because if anyone needs to run it's him…”

[color=CD5C5C]”How did you know it was him?”[/color] Linqian narrowed her eyes.

“Apart from it being obvious that it’d be him? He played the whole thing in my mind. Must’ve been in a rush and projected it to everyone familiar… Which included me.”

Shit. Linqian’s jaw tensed, fingers going to play with the wedding rings she wore. They’d said they’d leave them alone, but what if they decided to come after him for burning down the church? Or report him to normal authorities? Sure, he could probably get out of it, but what if he didn’t? That was her main money source! She fucking needed him out of jail. 

“Don’t worry, I didn’t tell anyone.”

[color=CD5C5C]”I wasn’t worrying,”[/color] Linqian snapped. She thought she’d hidden it well. [color=CD5C5C]”I couldn’t care less.”[/color]

“You haven’t changed much.” The corner of Bianca’s lips twitched up, and she gestured towards Linqian’s hands. “You’d always play with your ring when you were nervous.”

Linqian couldn’t deny that. Of course Bianca would know her tells… But why did she still remember it after ten years? Surely you’d naturally forget such small details, or choose to after an explosive breakup like there’s. She tried to suppress the hope flaring in her chest. 

“Why are you worried about me telling my boss about [i]Devola[/i] burning down the church? I know you were always friendly with him, but seriously, Linqian, why?”

[color=CD5C5C]”Because it’ll be a pain in the ass if he gets arrested.”[/color] Technically true, and she wasn’t going into anymore details. She [i]was[/i] going to make sure to tell Edict to be more careful about who he projected information to. If the PRA had a former member in it, other groups could too.

“Hmm, sure,” Bianca raised an eyebrow. She clearly didn’t quite believe it, but she didn’t push. There was a hint of concern in her gaze again, gone as soon as it appeared. 

[color=CD5C5C]”Whatever,”[/color] Linqian rolled her eyes. [color=CD5C5C]"So you’re a fucking fed now? With the... What was it, PRA?"[/color] 

"FBI," Bianca said, though it was a clear lie. Whatever. "Surprised? I always thought I fitted in with the sexy cop aesthetic."

[color=CD5C5C]"That isn't a thing,"[/color]  Linqian snorted. Sure, being handcuffed by Bianca and then- no. Absolutely not. She was [i]not[/i] thinking about something like that. [color=CD5C5C]"Yeah, I am surprised. You were always so against the rules... Fuck, you fought Leon so much when he tried to force us all into line."[/color] 

"I seem to remember [i]you[/i] being the one fighting him while I boosted you."

[color=CD5C5C]"Same thing... He was basically the closest to a cop we had back then! Well. Maybe more like a club bouncer."[/color] 

"People change," Bianca smiled. "Well, most do. Are you still working in bars?"

[color=CD5C5C]"Yeah. I'd hoped to finally change things up, since Jinhai had passed the bar exam... Course that was fucked up. It's not bad, shitty customers aside."[/color]  Linqian rolled her eyes. [color=CD5C5C]"At least I ain't teargassing innocents."[/color] 

"C'mon, you said you didn't want to talk about that."

[color=CD5C5C]"I don't,"[/color]  Linqian held up her hands. [color=CD5C5C]"It was fucking shitty. Your boss is a right bitch, you know. I thought I'd deal with all the shitty people I could in service, but she's another level."[/color] 

"Hey, she's not that bad... When she's not pissed off." Bianca's lips twitched up into a teasing smile. "Just like someone else I know, who does all sorts of crazy shit when mad."

[color=CD5C5C]"I didn't taser a bunch of people when Jinhai died,"[/color]  Linqian rolled her eyes. Sure, she sometimes tried to burn people who pissed her off, but that wasn't the same scale. She could only do one person at a time, maybe two. There was no power abuse in that! [color=CD5C5C]"Damn, how often do you get to taser people? Like daily? How much magical crime even is there?"[/color] 

"More than you'd think," Bianca laughed lightly. "But no, I don't tase people daily. I do paperwork daily."

[color=CD5C5C]"Oh, so there's more to being a magical cop than unnecessary violence? What're you even doing here... That was a big force for somewhere like St Portwell."[/color] 

"I've worked here for years... And it's just like any other police force! We're always here, there isn't any special reason for it."

Sure. Of course there was always a large number of magical cops in St Portwell, ready to drop down on whatever coven pissed them off. Even if they were just here, they had to have a goal. Their boss had made it clear that she viewed the city as hers. Maybe they wanted to neutralise all the covens... Or reduce the magical population of St Portwell. Whatever feds enjoyed doing. They probably weren't 'just there.'

But how did she get that information out of Bianca? She hadn't tried very hard yet but... It wasn't like they had a close relationship anymore. This wasn't someone who'd tell her any of her secrets anymore. Maybe she could get her to slip up but... She wasn't sure how. Jinhai would've known how to do it. He would've masterfully manipulated her into telling him everything he needed to know without even realising she had.

But she wasn't Jinhai. And she wouldn't even be here if he was alive. 

She'd just have to gain Bianca's trust again. This information wasn't her only source of income - there were other things she could find out for Edict. This could be taken slowly... It would have to be. If she jumped the gun she'd have no chance.

Especially when she already had to reign in her temper.

[color=CD5C5C]”Oh, so that boss of yours has been trying to run the city for years?”[/color]

“Oh, no, she-” Bianca paused when the waiter came back, putting down her fries and lemonade. She handed over enough to cover both her and Linqian’s orders before continuing. Linqian narrowed her eyes, but held her tongue about Bianca paying for her. Try to be nice. Keep calm. Don’t lose her temper. “She took over recently. With a new boss comes a bit of personnel change, most haven’t been here as long as me. But we’ve always been here.”

[color=CD5C5C]”Are you in every city?”[/color]

Bianca shrugged on shoulder. Alright, she didn’t want to answer that. Well, it wasn’t particularly important information anyway. 

[color=CD5C5C]”Did your boss seriously only order an attack on us because Everleigh punched you and whatshisface was found dead?”[/color]

“Just about,” Bianca’s lips quirked upwards. “Look, the situation at Veni was a shitshow. Everleigh punching me just really pushed things over the edge. All I was doing was texting! You shouldn’t punch anyone for texting!”

[color=CD5C5C]”Maybe you’ve just got this extra punchable, definitely a cop look to you.”[/color]

“Oh yeah, the typical undercover cop at a seedy stripclub.”

[color=CD5C5C]“... Does that mean you were there before the gunfight?”[/color] Linqian narrowed her eyes, leaning forward. [color=CD5C5C]”Did you get to see the strippers?”[/color]

“Of course. Why else would I be at a stripclub?”

[color=CD5C5C]”Fuck!”[/color] Linqian scowled. So Bianca got to see the strippers and drink, but all Linqian got was shot?! And then tear gassed and tased because Bianca had been there looking at strippers and Everleigh decided to start a fight with her? Shit wasn’t fair. [color=CD5C5C]”We didn’t even get past the parking lot. I was hoping for a fun night filled with drinks and strippers, then I got shot.”[/color]

“That’s funny, cause so was I,” Bianca laughed, grabbing a fry and stuffing it in her mouth. She indicated for Linqian to help herself. “Do you know how hard it is for me to get a day off? And then I got beaten up and shot and ended up on duty… Fuck, worst day.”

[color=CD5C5C]”Tell me about it.”[/color] Linqian rolled her eyes. 

They both looked at each other, before bursting out in laughter. Shit. In some ways, it felt like nothing had changed. They were back ten years ago when they’d moan and chat shit. 

But everything had changed, and the realisation that she still liked Bianca’s company hurt. It would’ve been better if she’d become boring or awful. Then she could throw away the feelings and keep the hate, and seeing her would only be a job. Instead she couldn’t get rid of either of the feelings, and they tangled into an ugly mess inside her chest. Fuck. 

“Here’s to us both getting to enjoy the strip club next time,” Bianca smiled, eyes gently creasing. She raised her lemonade towards Linqian.

[color=CD5C5C]”I better,”[/color] Linqian snorted, slightly raising her coke, before finishing it. Her phone lit up with a reminder, telling her she had to get to work in fifteen minutes. It was just down the road, but she needed to grab various things from her car first. It was better to be early than late when she’d basically already skipped her morning shift. With a sigh, she stood up. [color=CD5C5C]”I have to go. Work calls.”[/color]

“Alright,” Bianca nodded, standing up too. She smiled - a seemingly genuine one that had Linqian’s heart fluttering. “It was nice to see you again. We should meet up again, when we’re both off.”

[color=CD5C5C]”I’d like that.”[/color] Linqian smiled slightly in return, pushing down the feeling of guilt that crept up on her. There was no need to feel guilty about having ulterior motives for meeting her. Bianca had hurt her, no matter the lingering feelings she had and the comfort in her company. She was only able to get over the seething resentment because of the promise of money she wouldn’t even get after this meeting. [color=CD5C5C]”Well, see you another time.”[/color]

Linqian turned around and walked away, shoving down all the feelings the meeting had brought up. She hadn’t gotten any information out of it, but she couldn’t help but feel slightly better coming out of it.
[hr][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/FaCzAxe.png[/img]     [img]https://i.imgur.com/1Hvat1r.png[/img]
[img]https://images-ext-2.discordapp.net/external/9VNc0PShCsBZTPLizLytdKicOWm18zBLbjSaekXYQmc/https/i.imgur.com/8FMvh2h.png?format=webp[/img] [img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/710908524602851461/1177007458569424977/rumburak.png?ex=6570f09d&is=655e7b9d&hm=c11b4f1ccfb409d103f805b6d508371d626f69a375d515170c7c3f7453133268&=&format=webp[/img]
In collaboration with [@Blizz]
[hider=Background Music][youtube]https://youtu.be/IhqqZN0H7CI?si=9_aoO9LVdsU4_w90[/youtube][/hider][/center]
[right][code]Thursday, October 26th. 12:53am. 
Le Tournesol[/code][/right][hr]
It had been a long day.

Linqian was the only one closing at the bar - the other person working till late had left half an hour earlier. She couldn't really complain (well she could) since she was the one who'd called out of work last minute the day before. Thankfully, there'd only been a customer or two left to kick out. She turned her attention to the pile of dirty glasses that needed washed with a sigh.

At least it had been quiet, and she’d been able to tidy up as she went. There wasn’t much to be done. Best to just get on with it… Half zoning out, Linqian got to work cleaning up the place. Dishes were washed, tables were wiped, and caps were put back on all the open bottles. By the time she was done it was nearing 1am. She turned off most of the lights, just leaving a few near the bar on for now.

She really wanted a drink before she left.

She should really go home and get some sleep, seeing as she'd agreed to go to a funeral tomorrow with Andre… but the thought of going back to that empty house, devoid of all the people that had made it home, was much worse than that of not getting any sleep. How likely was she to get a good night's rest anyway? Even as physically exhausted as she was, there was too much on her mind to easily fall asleep. 

One drink wouldn't hurt. 

She went back behind the bar, opening a half full bottle of rum and pouring herself a sizable amount, filling the rest of the glass up with coke. Her boss wouldn’t notice a few shots missing from any of the spirits… and if he did, he could just take it out of her paycheck. No big deal. 

Linqian went back around to the outside of the bar, slipping onto one of the stools and pulling her drink over. She slowly slipped it, eyes half closing. She’d leave once she was done.

[color=6644ff]”A long day?”[/color]

Neither a sight, nor a sound announced Jack’s arrival. One moment, Linqian was alone. The next, Jack was simply there, behind the counter, fixing himself a drink. He seemed a bit more put together than when the church was burning down.

Where the fuck did he come from?

[color=CD5C5C]”What the fuck?!”[/color] Linqian shot onto her feet, temperature plummeting and sending spirals of frost across the bar. She raised it back to normal when she realised it was just Jack, letting out a sigh of relief before sitting down again. 

[color=CD5C5C]”Can you get a fucking alarm for your arrival or something,”[/color] Linqian complained. [color=CD5C5C]”Or I don’t know, come through the front door?”[/color] Oh yeah, that was locked. She gestured to the drink he was fixing himself. [color=CD5C5C]”If my boss notices any alcohol missing, you're paying for it.”[/color] 

Jack was unbothered, in part because he expected this from Linqian when he appeared and just [i]happened[/i] to notice her presence, and partly because he was still dressed in the warm clothes he had on before getting shot. 

He took a contemplative sip from his drink, a 50-50 mix of Black Seal rum and Ron Zacapa ‘23. [color=6644ff]”I’ll take that as a yes,”[/color] he mused, walking around and taking a seat by her. [color=6644ff]”If I knew you were here, I would have walked through the front and let myself in.”[/color] That was his way of apologising for scaring the shit out of her.

[color=CD5C5C]"What, you were just going to rob my workplace of all its alcohol?”[/color] Linqian rolled her eyes - but the fact she didn't try kick Jack's seat from under him showed that she was actually alright with him being there. Though she wouldn't admit it, she really needed the company. She glanced at his drink with a light laugh. [color=CD5C5C]"Or just the dark rum, I suppose… fitting.”[/color]

She took another sip of her now ice cold drink, shifting to face Jack more. [color=CD5C5C]"That last meeting was an absolute shitshow, right? I can't believe we got raided by what was it… the PRA? And fuck, Bianca's part of them too.”[/color] Just the thought of that made her want to knock back her whole drink and have another. [color=CD5C5C]"It's been years, but I thought we were all solidly anti government."[/color]

[color=6644ff]”The Paranormal Response Authority,”[/color] Jack answered. [color=6644ff]”A branch of the federal government that has existed for a very long time. They prefer secrecy, and prevent most of the world from learning of the existence of magic. They often shoot to kill, or use underhanded tactics to arrest “dangerous” paranormal people when they can, if they deem it necessary.”[/color]

[color=6644ff]”I never imagined someone so easygoing as Bianca would work for them. They are, ultimately, paranormal police- Underfunded, and too comfortable in their position. It was tempting to get rid of them all for what they did at the church.”[/color] 

[color=CD5C5C]”I see.”[/color] Linqian frowned, tapping her fingers against the bar. The name did ring a bell now that Jack explained it… Perhaps Jinhai had mentioned it before and she’d ignored him, as she often had when he went on about smart sounding things that she probably wouldn’t understand. [color=CD5C5C]”No wonder they attacked us first before asking any questions… Y’know, when I met Bianca during my lunch break today- we organised it before she fucking raided the coven yesterday, anyway- I pointed that out. She said that people change. Seriously? Most people don’t change so much they become feds.”[/color] 

She rolled her eyes. [color=CD5C5C]”I, for one, wouldn’t have blamed you if you had got rid of them.”[/color] 

[color=6644ff]”Mm, they aren’t typically a threat unless someone disturbs the hornet’s nest. Sloane told me they believed we were responsible for Kali’s death, and resorted to an overreach to prove a [i]point.[/i] That the city belongs to them.”[/color] The words came out of Jack’s mouth, and he almost couldn’t believe it was true. For a moment, he seemed genuinely [i]amused,[/i] as if he were about to laugh.

And then, to avoid cackling at their foolishness, he took another sip of his drink. 

[color=6644ff]”My understanding of their methods is that, ordinarily, they would never do something that foolish. They [i]chose[/i] to handle it with a raid in broad daylight, to charge in like a wild beast. If they value their lives, then they’ll make themselves as harmless as possible the next time they cross paths with any of us.”[/color] Jack was many things, and humble was not one of them. He would not hesitate to banish every last one of them straight into the maw of an eldritch horror if they dared try something like that when he was around.

[color=CD5C5C]”They did, their boss was real pissed off about that. Supposedly Eve punched Bianca while a whole bunch of us were getting shot at, so I think they were pissed about that too,”[/color] Linqian snorted. She wasn’t so sure that they could actually destroy the PRA, not when the one who’d pulled her away from Lynn hadn’t been affected by her high temperature at all… But Jack was a lot stronger than her (and more confident). Maybe he was right that in an actual fight, without them being tear gassed to shit, they’d win. [color=CD5C5C]”Hopefully we never see them again. I’m [i]still[/i] getting the tear gas out of my jacket. Fucking sucked. I would’ve appreciated it if they went with their normal methods.”[/color] 

Annoyed just thinking about it, and what had happened with Lynn, Linqian downed her drink and headed behind the bar to get another one. As she poured herself another rum and coke, she shot Jack a questioning look. [color=CD5C5C]”What were you doing that meant you got to avoid that whole shitshow? Sure would’ve been nice to have a teleporter when the whole place went up in flames.”[/color] 

[color=6644ff]”Sealing Alizee’s pitiful excuse for a companion in the Void with Auri, Britney and Stormy,”[/color] he answered, without missing a beat. 

[color=6644ff]”The plan was simple. I gained his and Layla’s trust, by taking them somewhere that no one in their right mind would dare to go. Unfortunately for them, I spent roughly a decade there. I hid the others there while they laid traps to seal him. But the Temple sent very specific people to follow my portal, so I was shot, and Auri suffered a concussion. The others went with the Temple to “politely” deal with the sealing together.”[/color] 

[color=CD5C5C]”Good fucking riddance,”[/color] Linqian’s lips twitched up into what was almost a smile at the thought of never having to see the void again. She hadn’t particularly liked Alizee, but she’d been a lot more tolerable in the early days of the coven… before his influence got worse. [color=CD5C5C]”Wait, the temple like Leon’s fucking cult? They go after people, with guns, now too?”[/color] 

Linqian grimaced, deciding to just knock back the drink she’d poured herself and getting another. She’d been rude as shit when she visited the temple… Hopefully she didn’t wake up with a gun to her head. [color=CD5C5C]”I thought it was just a bunch of weirdos wearing robes and preaching about a fake religion. I didn’t know they had a teleporting hit squad. Fuck. They tried to get me and Britney to sign up after Alizee died… I may have had a few choice words for them. If they can even shoot you…”[/color] 

She pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling slightly tipsy, and moving back round to sit next to Jack with her third drink. 

[color=CD5C5C]”How the fuck did it go from shooting to polite joint sealing?”[/color] 

[color=6644ff]”Apparently, the Void Heart was a member of their cult. For a group that worships apparitions, they certainly had no trouble laying into him. They spoke like he had an obligation to them, after he surrendered during the fight. We did not trust it for a moment, but the Temple wanted to witness the sealing, for their own… Ceremonious reasons, I believe. They’re a cult, that’s how cults function.”[/color] He took another drink from his glass, getting halfway through it.

[color=6644ff]”They are very fortunate that they could show themselves out. I would have left them there so their minds could wither away for eternity. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to repair broken windows in a place where time doesn’t exist? And the [i]walls.[/i] I’ll be digging bullets out for a month.”[/color]

[color=CD5C5C]”Of course he was… That really doesn’t surprise me. Fucking cult needing to make a big show of everything. Maybe he didn’t pay his dues in time, so they’re extra pissed at him,”[/color] Linqian laughed scathingly. She’d made up with Leon now after the whole car incident, but the Temple was just fucking creepy. She didn’t want to think about it too much. She then tried to wrap her head around whatever the fuck Jack was talking about house wise… Was his house in the void? Could there be houses there? What little she knew about it pointed towards no. But she really didn’t want to ask, but she couldn’t handle a ton of void information being dumped on her. [color=CD5C5C]”Maybe the bullets can be a bit of extra decoration, a badge of honour from fighting cults. Hopefully they don’t come visiting any other houses… can they do that? Can they just teleport wherever they fucking like, silently, like you?”[/color] 

[color=6644ff]”Someone else likely could, but that one in particular? No, she can only follow where other adepts teleport to. She was the [i]perfect[/i] member in their ranks to send after me.”[/color]

Linqian let out a sigh of relief. Her house was safe, at least. Her workplace not so much. Half teasing, she said, [color=CD5C5C]”well I’ll know who to blame if she turns up here.”[/color] 

[color=CD5C5C]”Well, thank fuck they didn’t succeed in killing the few tolerable members left. Fuck, everything’s a shitshow.”[/color] She took another, large gulp of her drink, lips twisting into a sneer - directed partly at herself. Tipsy as it was, it was enough to get her to be a bit more honest, especially after the last three days she’d had. [color=CD5C5C]”I know I’m part of the problem but fuck, they don’t get how hard it is to lose your brother and your whole future at the same time.”[/color]

[color=6644ff]”They’ve [i]forgotten[/i] how it feels to watch people die,”[/color] he corrected. [color=6644ff]”Ten years ago, death was our reality. Searching for survivors, afraid to grow attached to people newly exposed to the paranormal who might die the next day, being the [i]only[/i] living things on Shimmer capable of stopping the Stygian Snake. We survived because we [i]refused[/i] to let our differences drive us apart. It was life or death.”[/color]

In one motion, he inhaled the remaining half of his drink, setting the glass down with a sad look on his face. [color=6644ff]”We could point all of our magic, our weapons, and our apparitions are the origin of it all. The demigod that threatened to destroy everything we ever knew. The danger was [i]tangible.[/i] But nothing lasts forever. [i]Nothing,”[/i] he looked out the windows across the floor, into the darkness that reminded him of where he had foolishly wasted years of life. He wasn’t as deep in the alcohol as Linqian was, yet he was still getting into it.

In the corners of the bar, the shadows started to dance, flickering and stretching slightly longer when they shouldn’t have.

[color=6644ff]”Time wanders on, lives join together. Families are formed, people decide the paranormal isn’t in their future, and they change. Kali was a federal agent, Bianca [i]is[/i] a federal agent. Adora is a shadow of her former self- We’re [i]nothing[/i] like the Sycamore Tree Coven anymore. The coven died with the Snake.”[/color] 

The lights above the bar were getting dimmer.

[color=6644ff]”In the Void, time doesn’t move. When someone re-enters Shimmer from there, a day turns out to be several… I remember everything that happened… [i]so much[/i] clearer than everyone else as a result. I remember how we clung together by [i]sheer will.[/i] How nothing on this godforsaken plane of reality could tear us apart because we were [i]stronger than that. ”[/i]We need that now, if we want to corner Father Wolf, drag him into a demise from which there is no return, and tear him [i]limb from limb.”[/i][/color]

With each passing word, Jack’s tone grew more and more tense until he practically growled out their killer’s name. He let go of a breath he didn’t know he had, and everything subtly went back to normal.

[color=6644ff]”...It’s frustrating,”[/color] he finished. It made him feel so tired, thinking about it all. 

Jack was right, about all of it. Just like many of the former coven members, Linqian had moved on. She put her paranormal abilities to the side - something useful when fighting the Stygian Snake, but not so much when trying to make ends meet. Jinhai always kept it up, developing new spells, but she didn’t have the time. It hadn’t been the priority. And she had forgotten what it was like to live each day worried it might be your last. But she’d always thought it would be [i]her[/i] that died, right up until she found Jinhai’s body. 

[color=CD5C5C]”It is frustrating,”[/color] Linqian grit her teeth. She was glad that the lights were dimming, so Jack couldn’t see the tears she was forcefully holding back. The alcohol’s fault. [color=CD5C5C]”Sometimes I miss those days. Maybe because it was so long ago for me, but I remember the good just as much as the bad. We were all fighting for our lives but we fucking did it together. Sure, I hated so many of them, but there were so many more I didn’t. We lived each day like it could be our last- and fuck, it was a support system I haven’t had since. We were so much fucking stronger.”[/color] 

But there was also no way to go back to that. Jinhai wasn’t there to be a buffer for her, and her emotions were more uncontrollable than ever. She didn’t even really care about her survival. 

[color=CD5C5C]”I just want that fucker dead. That’s why I came back, to make sure he feels all the pain he’s made us suffer. Even if I have to do it myself.”[/color] 

[color=6644ff]”We all want him dead. I know we do, because we all came home to see it through,”[/color] Linqian wasn’t the only one struggling to contain the grief that came with this nonsense, and she was the drunk one. [color=6644ff]”I should have come home sooner. If I had been in Shimmer more often, Auri could’ve found me before now.”[/color]

[color=6644ff]”I could have done something to make this right. I never forgot about all of you,”[/color] he said as he stepped around the bar to fix up another rum mix. [color=6644ff]”I never forgot how I finally found somewhere that I could call home. The coven, and everyone in it, was family to me. I thought things could be different now that we’ve moved on from fighting for our lives. I thought we’d all be happy to see one another for the first time in [i]years.”[/i][/color]

He sat back down and immediately went through a third of his glass. [color=6644ff]”And instead, we hate each other. We want nothing to do with each other, and every time I try to see my old friends in them, all I can see are memories. Bygone, intangible memories.”[/color] It weighed on Jack’s spirit [i]so much[/i] that coming home was easier for him than most of the coven. He couldn’t help but smile when he first appeared in Auri’s shop.

And yet, the first thing his childhood friend did as he arrived was point a weapon at him.

[color=CD5C5C]”That’s where we haven’t changed,”[/color] Linqian laughed bitterly. [color=CD5C5C]”We all said we moved on, but clearly none of us let go of our issues with each other. I mean, we didn’t fucking talk it through like adults in the first place… But you’re right, those good times are all memories. But I don’t think we all hate each other.”[/color] Linqian smiled just slightly, finishing her drink. [color=CD5C5C]”Sure I hate plenty - like fucking Sloane, Anya and Lynn… But everyone else? Nah. I don’t hate them. I don't hate you, either… I wouldn’t blame yourself for what happened. Hell, they still got Jinhai even when we spent most of our time together.”[/color]

[color=6644ff]”I could never hate any of you. Even Drake was tolerable, when he wanted to be,”[/color] Jack said, with a tired smile on his face. 

[color=6644ff]”Still, they’re the people that are left, after everything we went through together. We risked everything we had for each other,”[/color] Jack lifted up his shadowy arm that he created after the Stygian Snake took the real one. [color=6644ff]”Personally, I don’t care if they’ve changed. I owe it to us all, and I will not leave until I know for a fact that we are all safe.”[/color]

[color=CD5C5C]”Mm, I’m not leaving till that murderous piece of shit’s dead, and we’re not dying anymore,”[/color] Linqian half smile, raising up her glass to that. [color=CD5C5C]”I’ve already moved back here, might as well stay a while… And y’know, I do feel safer knowing you’re back. As much as everything’s an absolute shitshow, we’ll pull through again.”[/color] 

She finished off her drink, and decided not to pour another. She still had work the next day. [color=CD5C5C]”Jinhai did always say that we’d all made sacrifices for each other, and he was sure we’d all do it again if we needed to. Hopefully he was right.”[/color] 

[color=6644ff]”Anything is possible.”[/color] Jack flipped his glass up and finished it off quickly, setting it down and leaving it there. [color=6644ff]”I’m going to make a plan to keep my eyes on some of you. That means appearing when you may not expect me, possibly without announcing my presence in case someone isn’t alone. I said this at the church before I left, but I’m going to use magic for everyone’s benefit, so they can have an easy way of being moved around and checked on if they need to.”[/color]

Minimizing their isolation from one another minimized the window Father Wolf had to kill them. It also exposed them to one another more, which would hopefully open an opportunity for trust to grow.

[color=CD5C5C]”Alright,”[/color] Linqian nodded, agreeing to that. She was alright with Jack being the one to check up on her to make sure she was still alive… and it was preferable to Auri’s suggested ‘buddy system.’ That’d massively disrupt her life. She then flashed him a teasing smile. [color=CD5C5C]”Just don’t teleport into my house while I’m showering, yeah? I don’t think either of us would enjoy that.”[/color] 

[color=6644ff]”That isn’t [i]entirely[/i] possible, fortunately.”[/color] The smile was returned, [color=6644ff]”I’ve wrote down a few names already, with a different time for each of them, so I don’t [i]completely[/i] catch them off guard. I’ve made a habit of doing that lately, after all.”[/color] Jack literally pulled open a hole in reality to arrive at Auri’s shop, so he had already scared many of them shitless.

[color=6644ff]”I’ll try to be discreet, if you’re ever [i]not[/i] alone when I come.”[/color]

[color=CD5C5C]”Yeah, like tonight,”[/color] Linqian snorted. [color=CD5C5C]”Discreet is good, thanks. My little brother’s coming home this week, and he’s blind so… Would rather not have to explain how a random guy just appeared in our house.”[/color] 

[color=6644ff]”That would certainly be a terrifying way to be exposed to the paranormal. I’ll keep that in mind.”[/color]

Then silence fell over the bar, how late was it getting?
Linqian nodded. She stood up with a sigh. [color=CD5C5C]”You mind giving me a ‘lift’ home? I’ve drunk too much to drive.”[/color] 

[color=6644ff]”Certainly. It’s almost unfair, just how much easier purple Lux makes things.”[/color] Jack placed a hand on the counter and pulled out his phone… Which he hadn’t plugged a charger into in roughly 3 years, but still had about 47% of its battery intact. It didn’t even have a fucking case. Why would he need one in the Void where gravity didn’t exist?

He remembered where Linqian and Jinhai lived, having been there a time or two. He looked up the address on Google Maps to make sure, and stood up as he put the phone away. 

And then, he held his hand out for Linqian.

Linqian flashed Jack a slight smile, and took his hand.

And then, they were gone. Left behind on the counter was a $20 for the drinks.