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[center][img]https://imgur.com/FP9tGuV[/img][/center]

[right][code] The Coffee Shop - Art District - Day of the meeting[/code][/right]

It was early in the morning on the first of November, and a small group from the 317 had found themselves a table at the aptly named ‘The Coffee Shop’ and sat in stunned silence.  Their eyes drifted from Aryin, to Jordan, to Alex, to Summer, and then back to Aryin before everyone collectively took a sip from their coffee.  They sat again, eyes slowly falling to the table below, before they shot over to the various artwork that adorned the establishment, and then back to Aryin.  The silence between the four was loud.  Someone would have to be brave and break it, as all four had a lot to say today and yet not one was ready to be the one to be the first.  At least, not for seventeen long minutes of pure, unadulterated, silence.

[color=00BFFF]”I will just say what we’re all thinking,”[/color] Aryin said as she leaned back in her chair and grabbed her coffee as she did, [color=00BFFF]”last night got out of hand really fast,”[/color] 

“It really did,” Jordan said with a hushed tone, as if he hadn’t taken a breath in a minute.

“I can’t believe you two fought 8th street,” Summer said with a smile.

“I’d say it was less us fighting 8th street and more 8th street embarrassing us,” Jordan responded sharply.

“Is Aislin okay?” Alex whispered.

[color=00BFFF]”I almost forget, she launched herself at George.  That had to hurt,”[/color] Aryin said as they raised their eyebrow.  

“Yes, they are fine.  But speaking of injuries,” Jordan said as he looked over at Aryin, “how are you not more hurt?”

“You took a punch from George,” Summer joked.

“Before you were thrown from the Island to the City,” Alex continued.

[color=00BFFF]”Oh shit,”[/color] Aryin said as they looked around.  The Coffee Shop was a rather new spot in town and had yet to draw in a dedicated client base, which was especially true today.  There was one other person in the shop, facing the other direction from Aryin and thus would not be able to see their transformation, and they then looked around the corners of the room and saw that there were no obvious cameras in this part of the shop.  In an instant they transformed down to Aaron and looked at the group.  He pulled up his shirt, revealing a massive fist shaped bruise on his chest.  He turned around and pulled his shirt up revealing an even bigger bruise that dotted his back.  He turned back to the group, pulled his shirt down, and swapped back.  [color=00BFFF]” If it was any one else they’d be dead.  Not even bragging, that shit hurt.  As to why I’m not more hurt, luck I guess?[/color]

“Luck,” Summer chuckled, “luck is like winning a few dollars on a slot machine.”

“You’re lucky to be alive,” Jordan said with a stern look, “I thought I watched you die when George threw you.”

[color=00BFFF]” Honestly I did not know if I would survive it,”[/color] Aryin joked as they took a sip of their coffee.

“We can’t let them get away with that,” Summer said as she put her coffee down, “not just for this, they’ve been a thorn in everyone’s side.  Them, the Nazi’s, and every other group that wants to rule this city.  We need to be doing more to protect ourselves.”

“You sound like you’d want us to be a Coven,” Jordan groaned, “trust me it’s not all it’s all good.”

[color=00BFFF]” It’s not all bad, it was nice to be apart of a crew that saved the world, who can say that?”[/color]

“I can,” Jordan said confidently with a smile, “Boston was a wild time.   It’s not all bad I’ll give you that.”

“With all this coven talk I guess that begs the question,” Summer said as she locked eyes with Aryin.

“You want us to cover for you when you go back?”  Alex finished the question as they leaned back into their chair.  

[hr]

Aryin was late to the meeting.  They had spent entirely too much time at the coffee shop this morning and now, they were pulling up to the group as the revelation was dropped that Kari.   How did the wrong Kari end up in this universe?  Was that something Kari could do?  Did they do the swap themself?  Aryin was too dumb to think this one through, and too sore to even try.  She was confident one of the more gifted thinkers would think through this mess.  Well, this is a productive meeting thus far.  They have a single lead since the reformation.  That’s good, that’s really good.  Totally.  This was not a mistake, risking their livelihood to save the day once again.  Aryin had full confidence in the same leadership that doomed the first coven.  Full confidence in the leadership, and their one singular  fucking lead.  Lyss would need to fucking explain herself and what this fucking meant so that Aryin could keep believing that this fucking coven was actually capable of fucking doing something.

"... Lyss was murdered by Father Wolf during the Halloween Festival."

Fuck.   Aryin felt their stomach turn, their breathe quicken, and their chest tighten.  She was not particularly close to Lyss, but she was a kind person who Aryin enjoyed being around.  And she was the only person who was apparently able to find a lead, and now she was dead.  Great.  Perfect.  [i]Fantastic[/i].  Now how the fuck will they be able to get any more information out of the fake Kari?  God, this coven really had not changed.  Aryin looked around and spotted Drake, holding a bouquet of flowers.  Aryin raised a singular eyebrow at the sight.  Was the coven putting on a fucking prom or was Drake finally ready to move on?  Aryin thought for a second.  The prom scenario was much more likely.  

Aryin felt a silence fall over the group, much smile the silence from earlier.  Once again, they would be the one to break it.

[color=00BFFF]”What are we doing here?  At this house?  Are we going to play detective, rummage through the trash trying to find the next lead we can [i] pin up [/i] on our old fashioned lead board,”[/color] Aryin looked at Auri, then Britney, and then back to Auri, [color=00BFFF]“I’ll still help you look, I just want clarification.[/color]