[hr][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/onHsgyw.jpeg[/img][h1]The Greenwood Coven.[/h1] [img]https://images-ext-2.discordapp.net/external/9VNc0PShCsBZTPLizLytdKicOWm18zBLbjSaekXYQmc/https/i.imgur.com/8FMvh2h.png?format=webp[/img][/center][right][b]Interactions:[/b] Their arch-nemesis.[/right][right][b][code]The Halloween Festival. Cracker Island. Outside the chaos.[/code][/b][/right][hr][hr] The plan had gone off smoothly, and all Naomi had to do was go and give the Chalice back to Sully and make [i]sure[/i] he didn’t lose it again! She almost made it to the rooftop's edge, which meant all she had to do was make it, then she could hop to the other side… … Someone grabbed her. No, [i]something.[/i] It began to yank her back, and Naomi quickly stuck out her hands. The glowing webs emerged from the ground and affixed her to the rooftop by her free hand. Try as he might, Jack would be having difficulty breaking these webs - he’d probably tear Naomi’s jacket first. She glanced over her shoulder as she couldn’t get a good look at him, though she could hear him [i]juuuuuust[/i] fine. [quote=Jack(ass)][color=6644ff]"That does [i]not[/i] belong to you."[/color] [/quote] “... Yeah, I know,” Naomi rolled her eyes. “I’m trying to get it back to my homeboy; now let go of me before you fuck up my costume.” [color=6644ff]”I don’t believe you.”[/color] He asked. [color=6644ff]”Do you think I'll let you leave that easily? What is his name?”[/color] Jack didn’t trust this thief to just conveniently want to return it to Sully, especially when he didn’t recognize her. “Sullivan McPherson. A member of the Greenwood Coven,” Naomi answered as she tugged against the arm, as if it was a test of its strength. “I was keeping an eye on the little toga party in case that wacko does something.” The arm holding her had a grip like a bear trap, but it let go when she mentioned Sully. [color=6644ff]”Like stealing from a drunken fool parading around like a child? And almost setting someone on fire for stopping her?”[/color] “Thank you,” Naomi said, as she twisted around to see if there was any damage. “Taking the Chalice… Ion mean to be a dick, but what business those two got ain’t none of mine.” No damage. Jack stopped his Night Terror spell, and the shadows that obscured him vanished. [color=6644ff]”Ken is one of us, I’m sure he just happened to have the same idea as you. [i]How[/i] did Emily steal the Chalice from him? He can be an idiot from time to time, but I didn’t think he would let it out of his sight long enough for [i]that.”[/i][/color] “No clue,” Naomi shrugged as she held the Chalice in both hands. “I just saw Emily walking off with it… Wait, when you say ‘one of us’ you mean…” Naomi paused. “... You’re Sycamore, aren’t you?” He nodded. [color=6644ff]”Yes, I am. My name is Jack Hawthorne, do we know each other?”[/color] “No, we do not,” Naomi began. “I’m friends with Sully, though… And I met quite a few members of your Coven last week.” She began to laugh. “I hope you have more sense than that crazy bitch with th-” James flew on the rooftop surrounded by fire like a fireball, and he pounded the rooftop, creating a burst of fire. He stood straight up as the fire dissipated… … He aimed the axe at Jack. [hr] James ran up to the scene, stroller in hand, and someone had already confronted Emily. He had [i]zero[/i] idea who this mothafucka’ was, but he was something straight out of a Japanese Anime! Though, given that its [i]Emily,[/i] it was probably someone she pissed off, but far as he could tell, this had nothing to do with the Greenwood Coven. So, he saw no option other than staying out of this. Pearl, Amelia, and Autumn ran up to him… and at this point, Naomi had swiped the Chalice out of Emily’s hand. “Booyah!” James said, sticking his hand up for a high-five, only to get left hanging. “Aw…” Autumn’s eyes went up to the rooftop, however… “... There’s a Purple and Red Adept up there,” Autumn noted. “Wait… Did Naomi get off?!” James asked as his heart skipped a beat. “I’m not sure,” Autumn answered. “Fuck discretion,” James said as he immediately reached inside the stroller and pulled out his axe. “Wait, James, don’t go up there!” Amelia shouted. “Wait, James!” Pearl said. “James, no!” Amelia said. And it all fell on deaf ears as he flew up to the rooftop. Autumn summoned the Apparition of Geneva Benard, and she was able to float up to the rooftop. “Hold on,” Amelia said, wrapping her arms around Pearl and floating up to the rooftop… Autumn could still see his aura, and as long as he was in her range, Jack wouldn’t be able to hide from her. [hr] James aimed the axe at Jack. The right side of his body was surrounded by electricity, and the left side ignited like a torch! He grinned as he stared Jack down. “Hey, Robert Pattinson,” James said, “Take a big step back and explain the fuck were you thinking trying to jump my girl!?” Jack calmly turned around and looked in the direction of the burning, sparking man with an axe. [color=6644ff]”...Who?”[/color] He didn’t seem to give much of a fuck that he was holding [i]Shango’s[/i] axe. “... James, no!” Pearl shouted as she was hoisted onto the rooftop by Amelia, and Autumn landed on the rooftop. Amelia released her, and she ran by his side (well, far enough away so she didn’t get electrocuted/burned). “We are not having another repeat of the situation with Alizee…” She shook her head. His head snapped around, and looked at Amelia like she just grew a second head. She took a step forward, then asked. “What’s going on here? Did anyone get hurt?” [color=6644ff]”No. No one was hurt,”[/color] he answered. [color=6644ff]”I saw someone running away with the Chalice, and apparently we are both friends with its owner. So this was a misunderstanding. [/color] “Yeah, he’s one of Sully’s friends,” Naomi said. “We good.” “James,” Pearl turned to him, “Power down.” James rolled his eyes as the fire was extinguished, and the electric dissipated. He crossed his arms as he looked at Jack. Then he walked over to him, “Sorry for the misunderstanding, bro!” James shouted, before he stuck his hand out. “Dab me up!” Jack had absolutely no idea what the fuck that meant. But he assumed it was some sort of handshake-advancer thing. So he rolled with it, and stuck his hand out in return, and got the most awkward dab in existence. “… You don’t know how to dab, do you?” James raised an eyebrow. “Clearly he don’t, dickhead!” Naomi laughed, grabbing her stomach. “Yes, I apologize for the misunderstanding, Sully is one of us and Emily…?” Pearl began, “She’s our sworn enemy, but allow us to introduce ourselves, I’m Pearl.” “Naomi!” “James,” “Amelia…” “Autumn,” [color=6644ff]”Jack,”[/color] he repeated, introducing himself to the rest of them. [color=6644ff]”Sully is one of us, as well- The Sycamore coven. What’s left of it, at least. If you are friends with him, I don’t see any reason to be suspicious of you. I apologize for almost attacking you,”[/color] he said to Naomi. “Shit, I thought he was w-“ James tried to say before Naomi ran over to him and put a finger to his lips and whispered something into his ear. Then turned to Jack, “It’s no problem, don’t worry about it!” [color=6644ff]”Good. Now, I have a question for all of you. What do you know about Alizee’s murder?”[/color] All Jack knew was that she was killed by bikers. They all looked in between each other. “… You want the short version or the long version?” Naomi asked. “Let me do the talking,” Pearl shook her head. “Do the talking then, boss!” James laughed. Jack crossed his arms. He didn’t have anywhere to be right now. [color=6644ff]”The long version, if you wouldn’t mind.”[/color] “Hmmm…We were at Veni Vedi Veni on our own mission to kill Judas Bennet,” Pearl began her explanation. “We had one of our friends, Jessica Rosefey, be in the club itself as a lookout. She was just at the bar.” Pearl then shook her head, “I heard all of this second-hand, but she began acting unhinged, and when she was about to get thrown out, she walked out with Jess.” “She probably thought Jess waa bad and was aching to-“ James joked until Naomi jabbed him with her elbow. “That was when we stepped in, Naomi, Autumn, Amelia, and Kashmira - who you haven’t met - and myself went to confront her. The former three went first as they were far more agile than myself and Kashmira… but by the time I got there, they were already fighting,” Pearl explained. “That’s because she was acting batshit crazy!” Naomi said. “She squeezed Jess like a chewtoy, so I did what I had to.” Her eyes landed on Jack. [color=6644ff][i]”You[/i] shot her?”[/color] “No,” Naomi said. “But, if she didn’t back down… I would’ve had to do something.” “Irrelevant,” Pearl said to Naomi before she spoke to Jack. They attacked her, attempting to free our friend. After we exchanged blows, we managed to get her to back down and release Jess.” “Don’t forget the Wolfman!” James said. “… And there was a Wolfman,” Pearl added. [color=6644ff]”That would be Leon,”[/color] Jack offered. He hadn’t spoken to Leon since he came home. Maybe he should. [color=6644ff]”Alizee was… Sick, to put it lightly. She was adjoined to something that fed off of humans to sustain itself. And it did so through her,”[/color] he explained. [color=6644ff]”That parasite of hers had a tendency to drive her mad, occasionally. She wouldn’t have attacked someone unless there was a reason for it, or unless she didn’t have a choice.”[/color] “We are aware an Apparition was influencing her actions,” Pearl flatly answered. “Well, I know Jess, and I know she wouldn’t have given Alizee a reason,” Naomi shrugged. “Wasn’t she asking ya’ll about the Wolfpack?” James asked. “Oh yeah!” Naomi pipped up. “Almost forgot.” “She said that she would let Jess go if we told her what we had to do with the Wolfpack,” Amelia noted. “Well, I had no clue who she was, and going around telling wackos that you’re trying to ice one of the city’s biggest crime lords’ is…” Naomi trailed off. “... Okay, dumb as fuck. But I stand by my decision to jump her.” Jack thought about something, before speaking again. [color=6644ff]”Someone called Father Wolf has been hunting us down, and murdering us. We [i]thought[/i] it was the same Father Wolf leading the Wolfpack. Alizee must have been there because of that.”[/color] [color=6644ff]”Unfortunately, we were wrong.”[/color] “Hey, it happens, bro!” James said with a wide-smile. “Ruby thought one of the pet Nazis Judas has under his wing had something we wanted! So…” He laughed. “I mean,” Naomi shrugged. “It’s a fair guess because Judas occasionally does something… weird.” [color=6644ff]”What?”[/color] “Like, he usually just sells fet and smack to the baseheads around town, but occasionally they like rob a place or attack someone,” Naomi began. “... And I don’t mean like a convenience store or someone that owes them money, but like randomly roll up to Seattle and rob some artifact collector of their supply. Or attack someone who, otherwise, had nothing to do with the Wolfpack.” “Maaaaaaaan, you’re putting too much thought into it,“ James laughed. “Judas was just some fuckin’ loser that watched too many movies. Nothing more… nothing less.” [color=6644ff]”He was paranormal, that alone makes almost anyone a credible threat… Do you know what artifacts he went after? Any specific ones?”[/color] Naomi shrugged. “I’m not sure, but whatever he got, he didn’t keep,” She began. “Which was extraaaaaaaa weird, if you ask me. Because wouldn’t someone like him be [i]keeping[/i] them to use or give to his biker buddies?” [color=6644ff]”Or to someone who would consider him useful if he was passing along artifacts.”[/color] Interesting information, but not terribly useful since Judas was confirmed to be dead. Allegedly thanks to the PRA. Plenty of people would be more than glad to put up with drug-peddling bikers if they could deal in artifacts. He’d have to talk to the others about that. [color=6644ff]”People like Judas make many enemies. He could’ve had someone else funding the Wolfpack in exchange for artifacts. They might be powerful, but the Blind understand money more than magic.”[/color] “Who in the world would be working with them, though?” Naomi asked. “You probably ain’t have to seen or interact with them, but they’re not…” “They’re a buncha dumbasses!” James laughed. “... A ‘buncha dumbasses’ that gained some remarkably powerful Abstractions,” Pearl also added. “Yeah, that too!” Naomi noted. “They don’t fall out of the sky you know!” “... Didn’t [i]yo[/i] Apparition literally just pick you out of the blue?” James asked with a raised eyebrow. Naomi was silent. “... That’s [i]besides[/i] the point.” [color=6644ff]”Perhaps someone who was clever enough to manipulate Judas. Keep him in line, make sure he didn’t do or say something that went against [i]their[/i] wishes,”[/color] he mused. [color=6644ff]”If Judas was as stupid as you think he is, someone else may be pulling the strings.”[/color] “I didn’t say he was stupid [i]per se[/i]…” Naomi shrugged. “Most of his followers are, though.” “That’s what happens when you surround yourself in baseheads!” James shouted. “... Though, I have to admit that Shayton sticks out like a sore thumb,” Pearl noted. “Though, I think we’ve gotten off topic… you wanted to know what exactly happened to your friend, correct?” [color=6644ff]”Correct.”[/color] “Okay,” Pearl said. “Where was I?” “You’re forgetting that weird-ass kid that just walked in the middle of the fight and went “I’m lost”!” Naomi laughed. “It was kinda crazy at first, but now that I think about it, it was funny as fuuuuuuuck!” Then laughed, then James rolled his eyes. “Okay… after Alizee backed down and released Jess, Kashmira began healing her, and then more members of your group showed up, I didn’t quite get names…” Pearl said. “Sully was one of them - we all know Sully - we also know Britney showed up,” Naomi said. “Then there was that one bitch that was with 8th Street. Then there was that tall MF with the beard and the hero complex!” Naomi laughed again. “Yes… Sully helped heal Jess, while Britney asked for an explanation and…” Pearl’s eyes landed on Naomi. “.... Then Stormy and Naomi ganged up on Alizee, and she flew off the handle and attacked both of them.” “Hey now!” Naomi shouted, “I was only hard on her because she pissed me off with that! I mean! If I had known the Apparition was pulling the strings….” “... It's not important anymore; what’s done is done,” Pearl shook her head. “She attacked Stormy and then [i]attempted[/i] to attack Naomi, but Sully pushed her out of the way and took the attack for her while Britney was trying to talk her down.” “Broooooo! I had to keep Ruby from going down there!” James shouted with a grin, “She was ready to shove her staff directly up Alizee’s ass!” “As much as I would love to see that… the Wolfpack then showed up,” Pearl noted. [color=6644ff]”You only tried to stop her, then. I see,”[/color] He’d have to ask Britney about how true this all was, some other time. [color=6644ff]”Was there a specific reason for the Wolfpack to arrive? Were they responding to the situation?”[/color] “I mean, there was a huge ass fight in their turf, at one of the businesses under their “protection,” that [i]also[/i] so happened to be their favorite club,” Naomi shrugged. “I’m not sure, but when they arrived, they asked about who killed a member of their gang named Joe Skinner [i]and[/i] one of them asked for Alizee specifically,” Pearl explained. “The Viking-Nazi, boul,” Naomi laughed. “... The Viking-Nazi,” Pearl explained. “Far as I can tell, none of us killed Joe Skinner. So it was either Alizee, or someone else. The point was that they thought that [i]someone[/i] there killed him. And they wouldn’t let anyone leave until they got an answer.” “... Then they capped a kid and all hell broke loose,” Naomi said. [color=6644ff]”They- [i]Wait.[/i] There was a child there… Did he seem aggressive? Unwilling to let anyone talk to him for more than a few minutes? Was he paranormal?” [/color] Could it be the same kid that was at the church? “I’m not sure. I didn’t pay much attention to him, but some other girl there talked to him for a moment,” Pearl said. “The Orange-Adept,” Autumn said. “She helped us out a bit in the fight.” “The kid seemed a little goofy,” Naomi rolled her eyes. “But, I dunno, the one chick that was there just up and blasted him. Then that was when man’s with the beard made a shield.” “... Then got teleported away!” James laughed. “Then got teleported away…” Naomi rolled her eyes. “Honestly, we would have left if they didn’t grab Sully.” “That was when Wolfman went Super Saiyan and ran off with Alizee,” James added. [color=6644ff]”If they left, who was it that [i]shot her?”[/i][/color] He asked. That was the part he was most concerned with. “I’m not fully aware of what happened,” Pearl said. “... They came back,” James rolled his eyes. “Well, Alizee went after the bitch that held Sully hostage, and she rag-dolled him and then went after her.” “That was Elodie,” Pearl noted. “I’m not sure what [i]exactly[/i] happened because we were fighting for our lives there. But eventually… Cyril Noctis of the Wolfpack shot her dead.” “I saw it at the corner of my eye,” Naomi said. “She was trying to save that spooky testicle for some reason and walked out in the open. That was when Cyril capped her.” Jack sighed, she died in the most disappointing way imaginable. Trying to save something that would just manifest again, she should’ve known better. [color=6644ff]”They will be held responsible for what they’ve done,”[/color] he said. It was more of a promise to himself than to these strangers. [color=6644ff]”As you said, what’s done is done. I hope no one else in your group was injured badly,”[/color] he assumed they were some sort of paranormal group. They all seemed to have Abstractions, after all. [color=6644ff]”Regardless,”[/color] he continued. [color=6644ff]”I don’t blame any of you for defending yourselves against her. Even [i]if[/i] she wasn’t fully aware of what she was doing, which she likely was not, I would’ve done the same thing in your position.”[/color] “She wasn’t giving us a lot of choices, sadly,” Pearl said. “I would have loved to avoid that whole situation.” “I think we all would have!” Naomi awkwardly laughed. “Say, there’s nobody else in Sycamore that likes to kidnap people, right? [i]Right?[/i]” It pained Jack to have to genuinely think about that question for a moment. [color=6644ff]”Not to my knowledge, there isn’t.”[/color] “Then I think, from here on, there shouldn’t be any problems,” Naomi laughed. “Yeah, we chill… well…” James looked to the side. “... Except for our [i]fearless leader.[/i] But, she’s more goofy than anything for-real, for-real.” He laughed. “It’s mostly the other assholes we got problems with,” Naomi said. “I would like to touch ground with Sycamore so we can avoid anymore incidents like [i]that,[/i]” Pearl said. “I know Ruby does too.” [color=6644ff]”I cannot speak for the others, but I am open to that, personally. We are not as unified as you might think,”[/color] Jack admitted. “Sully was like [i]‘Sycamore[/i] kinda [i]reformed’[/i] and Ruby was all [i]‘either you’re a Coven, or you’re not’![/i]” Naomi said, making her best impression of both Sully and Ruby. “Something I agree on, but it ain’t my place to say anything.” “You all reformed to solve the murders, yes?” Pearl asked. [color=6644ff]”In a way, yes. I wouldn’t call the coven “reformed,” given the state that we are in, but that [i]is[/i] why most of us have returned.”[/color] “Perhaps we can help each other,” Pearl suggested. “We can share information and work together, as we do not want to lose Sully no less than you do.” “And we can party!” James shouted. “Only if you lose the 8th Street broad!” Naomi added with a laugh. [color=6644ff]”Emily? She is [i]not[/i] one of us,”[/color] he assured. [color=6644ff]”We removed her from the old coven for a reason.”[/color] “Oh no,” Naomi said, “Eve. You know, the dusty bitch with the blonde hair. She’s one of Emily’s lapdogs.” [color=6644ff]”You mean the other shadow magic user, aside from me, who the PRA arrested last week? Are we thinking of the same Eve? I… Was not aware that she was working for 8th Street.”[/color] “Well, the Eve in the strip club parking lot,” Naomi said. “She used shadow magic, and other shit.” “I believe we are referring to the same Eve,” Pearl said. “Weren’t a couple of former members of Sycamore in 8th?” James raised an eyebrow, asking Jack. [color=6644ff]”Yes. Emily is one of them. I have never had many negative things to say about anyone in Sycamore, but Emily always had been, and always will be an exception to that,”[/color] he answered. [color=6644ff]”Paige Auclair, Vasthi Nour, Lynette Dominguez… There were quite a few who broke off from us after we fell apart.”[/color] “Auclair…” Naomi laughed. “That’s [i]funny,[/i]” James said, laughing himself. “But, we’ll talk about [i]that[/i] another time.” “Regardless of who they are or why they joined 8th Street,” Pearl said, “They have chosen to terrorize St. Portwell under Emily G. Reed’s command. Which makes them our sworn enemy.” Jack’s eyebrows shot up for a moment. [color=6644ff]”Is that so? You consider yourselves responsible for this city? I’m surprised I have not heard of you, then.”[/color] He would’ve imagined Sloane or the PRA mentioning them. Though, the PRA hadn’t been around him much, and Sloane… That wasn’t likely, either. “Sort of,” Naomi said. “They’re just assholes that like to wreck shit.” “Our fearless leader likes to say we-” James laughed as he finger quoted. “-’Protect nature’ but that’s really just bullshit.” “Yeah, she just wants to get high, party, and have little adventures,” Naomi chuckled. “But, hey, I guess the name Greenwood ain’t as big as we thought!” She said as she looked at her friends. [color=6644ff]”In my defense, I only returned to Shimmer last week,”[/color] he said. [color=6644ff]”I have missed more than a few things about my home city. But, trading information and working together would be [i]wonderful.[/i] We don’t have many options [i]or[/i] allies, at the moment.”[/color] “Well, we don’t got any allies right now,” James said. “It’s hard making friends when every other faction in the city is a psychopath or a cult!” “There’s the 317…” Naomi said. “Well, we’re kind of cool,” James shrugged. “I would love to make this alliance formal… however, we must speak to Ruby and the rest of Greenwood - who aren’t here - and I presume you must bring this up to the rest of your Coven?” Pearl said. “Tell ‘im we party hard and smoke weed, hahahaha-” James laughed before Naomi jammed an elbow into his side. [color=6644ff]”Assuming anyone in mine would be willing to discuss this more formally. If not, I’ll see to it myself.”[/color] “I’m certain they will,” Pearl said, before she looked back at Naomi, “We’re going to get this back to Sully before he gets worried… I presume your friend can handle Emily?” [color=6644ff]”He should be fine. I’ll check in on him, just in case. If he hasn’t changed any more than the rest of us, Emily won’t stand a chance. I’m sure we’ll see each other soon.”[/color] “You want my phone number?” Pearl asked. “Awwwww Pearl’s tryna’ get booed up,” James said, putting his shoulder on Naomi’s with a shit eating grin on his face. “Awwww, isn’t that sweet?” Naomi put her hands together as she smiled. Pearl rolled her eyes. “... So we may have a line of communication,” Pearl said. [color=6644ff]”Yes, that would help.”[/color] Jack reached into a pocket and pulled out an iPhone 5 to type the number in. Pearl gave him her number and then nodded her head. “Ruby wants us to lay low, but when the time is right, we can meet and hopefully forget about that dreadful mess at that strip club.” [color=6644ff]”I think we would all appreciate that,”[/color] he said, putting his phone away once he got the number. [color=6644ff]”Until then.”[/color] “Until then…” Pearl nodded her head as she walked over to James, whom wrapped an arm around her, and then the two of them floated off. Amelia and Autumn floated off the rooftop behind them. This left Naomi, who dug into her pocket and pulled out a blunt, “... You want it? Also don’t accept any blunts from Ruby, because she eats ass.” [color=6644ff]”Pass. I have places to be, and that would make me teleport into a wall,”[/color] he said. Naomi shrugged. “Suit yourself,” She said before she took off in a sprint and lept off the rooftop. “... Until next time, Jackaboy!” Jack teleported to the other side of the street, checked on Ken quickly, and then vanished into the night. This festival was a waste of time.