December

In Grimm Times (December x Wick)

@Wick

Elias

---

Elias locked eyes with Sophie before speaking his words in a quiet voice. "Just help me get to her."

Without another word, he left, immediately heading for his room. After suiting up, he emerged from his room wearing a thin cloak that obscured the heavy weaponry he now wielded, meeting up with the other two at the stables. In less than a minute, the three were making their way at a breakneck pace into the woods, Elias at the front with a Wesen on each side.

Hundar's legs pounded powerfully into the earth, throwing up clods of dirt and gouging the ground. The horse bore Elias towards the grove where they had battled the Hexenbiest, figuring Alexis would start there.

Before he reached her, Elias heard a shout from Elias. "Let me lead the way, Grimm."

Elias opened his mouth to inform the Wesen to piss off, but the look Sophie was giving Wayne silenced him. It was clear the pair had done recon missions like this dozens of times, and Wayne appeared to be in control.

Dismounting, he prowled forward, moving stealthily through the underbrush with Sophie directly behind him. Wayne's eyes flicked wildly about, taking in every detail, while Sophie's nose twitched with fervor, processing the scents of the area.

Elias struggled to keep pace, his heavy form disrupting the woods. After a short period of time, Wayne motioned for Elias to stop, nodding to Sophie as the two Wesen continued. Cursing under his breath, Elias ignored the two hunters and moved forwards after them, earning him a disdainful glare from Wayne.

The bushes made way into a gentle clearing, showing a wearied Alexis slumped against a tree. Wayne took up a sentinel position and kept a lookout while Sophie and Elias rushed forward.

The Grimm pulled her gently into his lap, cupping her face as he looked up to meet Sophie's eyes. "How's she doing?"

In Grimm Times (December x Wick)

@Wick

Elias

---

Elias quickly slipped through the door, shutting it behind him. Moving forward, Elias vaguely gestured for Sophie to approach him as he spoke.

"Sophie, have you spoken with Wayne since they returned last night?" The Grimm's voice was hushed and urgent, beckoning Sophie to hurry her answer. "I fear something terrible has come to pass and I need Wayne to..."

Elias voice trailed off as he noticed the gruff man lurking in the corner, unseen by the Grimm. He was perched lightly on the edge of a chair, with his golden eyes trained directly on Elias.

"Oh, Wayne, you're here." Elias stuttered, disgruntled that he hadn't become sooner aware of the Wesen's presence. Glancing at Sophie, he continued. "What happened while you were gone? Who did Alexis see? What happened to her?"

Wayne silently observed the pair for a moment before exhaling through his nose, turning to Sophie. "I had hoped to speak with you privately on this matter first, but it appears I am out of time. What did you see, Elias?"

The pair briefly stared each other down, each unwilling to give forth information that they weren't certain the other person was already aware of. After a long pause, Elias spat out a single word. "Magic."

Wayne's face darkened as he took in the new information. "Her transformation's taking place far quicker than I had hoped it would. Sophie, get ready, we must go."

Moving towards the door, Wayne locked it to ensure that there would be no unwanted visitors entering. "While we were down in the Undercity, we spoke with a powerful Wesen. He, among other things, was able to discern Alexis' magical capabilities. He set us on a path that led to us encountering an individual claiming to be Alexis' birth mother, who spun a wild tale about her becoming infected by a Hexenbiest during the pregnancy. We weren't able to stay for long, but Alexis did cast a spell while we were still underground. I'm assuming her newfound revelation has sparked her Wogedon, the full transition into an adult Wesen. We have to find her immediately, before anyone else gets to her."

In Grimm Times (December x Wick)

(I'll find a face claim soon)

@Wick

Elias

---

Elias was barely able to get a word in edgewise before Alexis bolted, slipping through the doorway and down the hall without a trace. His mind was reeling, and he sat still for a moment, attempting to process the large amount of information running through his brain.

After a long pause, Elias stood, grabbing the knife from the floor and exiting the room, moving down through the servants quarters. A few female slaves bowed their heads in respect, but Elias ignored them, moving through the rooms until he reached what he recalled to be Sophie's residence.

Lightly rapping three times on the door, Elias leaned in close to listen. "Sophie? Are you in there? We need to talk."

Wayne

---

The breaking dawn brought consciousness to Wayne's weary eyes, causing his body to stir as a groan escaped his lips. He had not gotten near the amount of sleep he wished, yet he was still fully operational, used to the energy-intensive lifestyle of renegades. Forcing himself into a sitting position, he looked around the insides of the clock tower, pulling his cloak off his bare shoulders to let the cool morning air seep over his hot skin.

Within minutes, he was dressed and ready for the day, moving through the cogs and down the spiral staircase that led to the first floor, quickly leaving the building and going out into the bustling morning streets.

Vendors, sellers, merchants, and more filled the streets, providing every form of stimuli possible, yet Wayne disregarded everything, quickly making his way to the manor the Grimms were residing in. Sneaking through a low window, Wayne stole his way into Sophie's room through an odd passageway that connected to the cellar, arriving just as he heard a sharp rap on the door.

In Grimm Times (December x Wick)

@Wick

Elias

---

Waking slowly, Elias attempted to roll over, seeking cooler covers in the nighttime heat of the summer. As his body turned, he encountered another form passed out beside him. For a brief moment, a flash of guilt shot through his body as he couldn't even remember who he had taken to bed, however, as his sleep-drunk mind awoke, he recognized the fully clothed form of Alexis. Relief washed over Elias as he shifted slightly closer to her, glad that she was safe in his arms. His concern had grown over the day, worried that she was in trouble. He had vowed that if she wasn't back by dawn, he would go out searching for her.

---

The first light shone through Elias' window as his tired eyes blinked open, looking around the room. The sunlight slanted in, illuminating the ceiling and part of the wall, stopping just above the door frame. Elias stirred gently and allowed himself to be at peace with Alexis, their breathing patterns syncing together.

By the time he chose to get out of bed, the sunlight had reached the foot of the bed, illuminating his covered legs. Extracting himself slowly, he quickly dressed, glancing over his shoulder to ensure that Alexis was still asleep, unable to see his uncovered form. Once he has pulled on a pair of soft trousers and a loose tunic, he quietly slipped out of the room, making sure to lock it on his way out. With the gossipy nature of the entire manor, Elias was concerned any servant entering his room would see her and make assumptions, ruining her chances of a suitor.

The prospect of Alexis marrying a stranger was becoming less and less appealing to Elias as each day passed, making him wonder about his own relationship with her, or lack thereof.

An hour later, Elias had eaten and strolled about the manor, searching for any hint of danger or magic. Once he was certain his daily security check was satisfactory, the Grimm returned to his room to see faint illuminations peeking under the door. A danger note went off immediately in his head as he hurriedly unlocked the door, extracting a knife from the waistband of his trousers. He slipped through the door warily, ready for combat, but not the sight that met his eyes.

Alexis' was sprawled across the bed, thrashing uncomfortably in her sleep. The hunter's breathing was harsh and erratic, betraying distress as her eyes flicked about wildly from underneath her eyelids. Grasping the sheets tightly, Alexis' fists twisted the fabrics as her nightmare continued, however, despite his concern, Elias was unable to move as he noticed the source of light.

Sparks and other vague illuminations curled brilliantly into the air, expelling from Alexis' hands and forearms. The magical lights danced wildly about, casting all sorts of odd shadows on the walls, despite the presence of direct sunlight.

Elias slowly let the dagger drop to his side as he watched, confused, concerned, and cautious all at once as he slowly approached his partner, allowing himself to perch at the foot of the bed.

He sat there for quite some time, watching the magic spiral out of her arms without inhibition. Was she Wesen? Was this perhaps some form of undiscovered Grimm ability? But Alexis wasn't a Grimm by blood, but by name alone. What was her heritage? Perhaps the encounter with the Hexenbiest had sparked this in her. But Hexenbiests couldn't give an individual magical powers, could they?

Elias was jerked back to the real world as Alexis scrambled backwards away from him, pressing up against the headset of the bed. After a brief moment, she suddenly lurched forwards, embracing his violently.

The knife fell from his hands and clattered to the floor as Elias caught her sobbing form, worry and concern racing through his expression. His embrace was weak and hesitant as her words filled his thoughts, revealing dark secrets kept in the night.

"You... But..." Elias paused, swallowing hard before continuing. "Hexenbiest?"

The revelation was exotic and disorienting, stagnating his train of thought for a moment.

"Um..." Elias stood and strode away from the bed, running his hands through his hair as he spun on his heel and walked past Alexis, to the window as he paced in a repetitive pattern, trying to understand the situation. "Your mother... You met her. She's alive."

The entire puzzle clicked into place when he saw her on the corner of the bed, sobbing uncontrollably, alone and uncomforted. Alexis was half Hexenbiest. Alexis was a Grimm. Alexis could use magic. Alexis' mother was still alive. Alexis was in pain. Alexis needed him. Alexis felt rejected. Alexis felt abnormal. Alexis felt like she was an abomination.

Inhaling deeply, Elias slowly walked over to her. He understood what it was like to feel unnatural, even if it wasn't to such an extreme as being half of a magical race you had spent your life hunting. Growing up being destined to fight in a magical war against non-human creatures simply because of one's blood felt alienating enough, and to add to that the horrific moment when Taric had discovered that many of Elias' nightly exploits never involved any women... Taric had been there for him when he found out, and Elias couldn't have been more grateful. He needed to be there for Alexis like Taric was for him.

Gently wrapping his arms around Alexis, Elias pulled her form into himself, slowly sinking to the ground next to the bed as his larger body enveloped her. Leaning his shoulder against the side of the bed, Elias softly rested Alexis in his lap and curled around her, completely surrounding her with his warmth.

"I don't love you any less."

In Grimm Times (December x Wick)

@Wick

Wayne

---

As Johann's tentacle receded from the bridge, a flood of telepathic images, thoughts, sounds, and smells poured into Wayne's mind, transferring memories of Johann's scrying to the lesser Wesen's mind. The telepathic message completely consumed his senses until-

Wayne staggered backwards, shaking his head as he assessed his surroundings. Alexis' voice was echoing faintly in the background, however, her words made no sense. Johann's tentacle was gone, and Wayne was unable to sense his mental presence permeating the air. After a long moment, Wayne shook his head, troubled by the visions he had received, and left without a word.

The journey back was silent, and by the time they had departed from the underground, night was upon them. As they emerged from the earth, exhaustion hit Wayne like a Manticore, seeping into his bones and tearing at muscles, urging him to sleep.

After delivering Alexis to her homestead, Wayne blended into the night, quickly traversing the city to a large tower. The old structure was made of burnt red bricks and dulled iron, towering over the city like a beacon. After slipping in through a hidden entrance, Wayne wound his way up the spiral staircase and reached the pinnacle of the tower. It was quite peculiar to Wayne the scientific advancements the city had made in particular areas, such as clocks larger than mansions that sat atop towers.

The gigantic metal cogs slowly turned on, causing the clock's hand to tick as the time changed. Turning to the gears, Wayne nimbly shifted among them, reaching the top of a metallic cylinder that rotated ever so slightly every hour. Curling into a ball, he nestled into the blankets set atop the gear, burrowing into the warmth they provided before he let sleep overtake him.

In Grimm Times (December x Wick)

@Wick

Wayne

---

The odd care and affection for Wayne passed from Johann's presence as the Wesen turned his focus to Alexis.

"Your abilities were quite useful. I'm glad to see your mother found you in time."

The telepathic communication let the slight amusement of Johann seep into the two smaller Wesens' minds, hinting that he found her excitement slightly adorable.

"A word of warning, Alexis: Magic always comes with a price. Today, perhaps you've gotten off without anything noticeable. But magic left untaught is fuel waiting to be ignited."

As the tentacle of the Tintenfische retracted fully into the pool, Wayne braced himself on his knee and rose to his full height, nodding at Alexis in approval. It was rare, if not unprecedented, that Johann would choose to negotiate with anything short of a Konig Wesen (Means King Wesen. Some species of Wesen are inherently more powerful than others, kinda like royalty but not as set in stone. Wayne is a Konig Wesen, as in Johann, while typically Hexenbiests are a tier under them, known as Hohes Wesen [High Wesen]). Yet something seemed to pique his interest regarding Alexis.

Please be careful...

In Grimm Times (December x Wick)

@Wick

Wayne

---

Wayne watched with a small smirk as Alexis dispelled the magical defenses on the pearls. Spellcasters were so incredibly rare, and they were almost entirely devoted to the Hexenbiest order. To have one on his side... That opened up an entire new host of possibilities.

"Well done." Wayne took the pearls from her and eyed the woman up and down. Compliments weren't his forte, and if Sophie were to hear that he had given one to someone he had met that day, well, she just might have a stroke.

As far as Wayne could tell, the pearls were enchanted, however, they weren't setting off any alarms. Once they had returned to Johann's cave, Wayne motioned for Alexis to remain outside before entering the room, striding to the second platform in the room, careful not to approach the central stone ring on the bridge.

Without his enhanced vision, the Wesen wouldn't have been able to discern anything in the darkness. Johann's presence was... Absent. In previous encounters, Wayne had always been able to detect the Tintenfische's mind poking at his own, subtly intruding on his thoughts. Yet this time, the cavern was devoid of any life.

Frowning, Wayne cleared his throat. "Johann? Are you there?"

Silence greeted his question, echoing faintly on the stone walls of the cistern. The mystery tugged at the edges of his mind, pushing him to take a hesitant step forward. If Johann wasn't here, he might finally have a chance to look down into the cistern and see the Johann's lair.

Taking a deep breath, Wayne quickly strode forward, closing the gap between himself and the edge of the bridge. When he came to the end of it, he was standing directly above the center of the water, gazing down into the black abyss beneath him. Even with his glowing eyes, Wayne's gaze was unable to pierce the depths.

Frowning once more, Wayne turned to return to Alexis, but instead of seeing the exit, he was met with a looming wall of water before him. In his curiosity, he had neglected to hear the soft sounds of running water as the liquid surged upward from the cistern and blocked his escape path. Before he could even shout to Alexis' for help, the water surged forward, pushing him off of his feet.

Landing back first on the bridge, Wayne sputtered water out of his mouth before inhaling deeply, coughing out the water he had inhaled. Struggling to his feet, Wayne looked around the room, his heart dropping into his chest when he realized the water had climbed the walls and ceiling, surrounding the entire the room in a bubble of water.

In eerie unison, the water shifted forwards and threw forth aquatic tentacles from every angle, seizing Wayne and hoisting him into the air.

Through the haze, Wayne saw Alexis' struggling to get in, but the water filled the passageway and repulsed her, magically preventing entrance to the cistern.

An unearthly wail echoed from the water around him as the tentacles snaked forwards, attempting to seize the pearls from Wayne's grasp. Fighting desperately against the liquid, Wayne fully Woged and screeched at the water, causing a visible ripple to run through the liquid as his magical cry repulsed the ocean's grasp.

The water released his form and dropped him onto the bridge, knocking the wind from his lungs. Shifting around their injured prey, the aquatic tentacles began to prepare for a second attack. The instant before they reached the Wesen, a deep, powerful blue light filled the room, banishing the ocean's spell in an instant. The water surged back into the cistern, wailing as it went.

Silence filled the room as Wayne struggled to breathe, leaving him alone in the soft lighting. Wayne looked to the exit to locate Alexis, but a gentle voice interrupted him.

"Give me the pearls, Wayne."

For the first time, Wayne witnessed part of Johann's body as an enormous, black tentacle snaked upwards out of the water and pulled Wayne to his feet, leaving itself open to receive the pearls.

Shuddering, Wayne gently placed the pearls onto the flesh of the titan. "W-what was that?"

After receiving the pearls, Johann retracted his tentacle into the water, taking with it the sense of impending danger.

"The pearls belong to the sea, and they have been separated for many years. They were anxious to be reunited."

Instead of the typical prowess and prestige that Johann possessed, Wayne detected a sympathetic, gentle tone, as if the larger Wesen was grateful and caring. Shaking his head, Wayne looked over his shoulder, searching for the woman. [color-teal]"Alexis?"

In Grimm Times (December x Wick)

@Wick I'm working late tonight but I'll post after I get off!

In Grimm Times (December x Wick)

@Wick

Wayne

---

The moment before Alexis crossed the threshold of the room, Wayne's arm shot out and grasped her forearm, freezing her before her foot could touch the ground. His eyes flicked between Alexis' face and the floor, gently easing her backwards out of the room.

Wayne gently pressed his lips to Alexis' ear and spoke in voice softer than a whisper, tickling her skin with his breath. "Wards." Pulling back, the Wesen lifted a finger to his lips to demonstrate that she should speak as quietly as he was. Leaning back in, he continued.

"These pearls belong to some kind of spell caster," Wayne said, eyeing the prize. "I don't know how many there are, or what they do, but my guess is, if you speak to loud, touch the ground, or try to move the pearls without disabling them, you'll be roasted like an armored knight in a lightning storm."

After staring on for a moment, Wayne bit his lip and turned, looking Alexis up and down with curiosity in his eyes. After briefly considering how stable she was, he leaned in once more, whispering in her ear. "Almost every ward erected by a magician for personal use is fairly easy to dismantle. Direct manipulation of magical energies is incredibly rare, and almost no species outside of Hexenbiests are capable of casting at will. Therefore, if one were to be... Magically inclined, it wouldn't be too hard to dismantle them on her first try."

In Grimm Times (December x Wick)

@Wick

Wayne

---

Alexis' internalized racism grated across Wayne's nerves, causing a small scowl to form on his lips before he intentionally dispelled it; Hexenbiests were among the most hated by the Grimm, as their magic and cruelty were both powerful and unprecedented. No other populous race had such an affinity for combat magic. However, it still irritated the Wesen as she rambled on about hatred based on heritage alone.

"Unfortunately, Hexenbiests aren't entirely gratuitous when it comes to sharing information about themselves," Wayne commented, glanced down at the woman beside him. "I'm uncertain of when your mother was turned, or if that had any effect on your heritage. My guess is that the fact that you have been previously unaware of your heritage has impacted your ability to Woge or access your abilities. Typically, one only Woges during any feat of physical, mental, or magical exertion, as well as during emotionally charged moments. Grimm's can see through our human disguises... Elias has either been blinded to your true identity, or for some reason, he is incapable of viewing your true form."

Unless he has been aware of your true identity this entire time... The thought troubled Wayne, however, he kept it to himself. Such a situation would be highly improbable.

"As for your headaches whenever magic is used on you, there's two explanations- Agh!" Wayne continued, grunting in frustration as a rather large Bauerschwein jostled into him, resulting in the larger Wesen to turn to Wayne with a sneer.

Before he could speak a word in his garbled English, the Bauerschwein locked eyes with the Avian Wesen. Instantly, he dropped his gaze, mumbling a soft, congested apology before moving away, disappearing into the drift of traffic. His large form was easily discernible through the crowd, however, Wayne took no interest in him, returning his gaze to Alexis and continuing their conversation without skipping a beat.

"Either you were being assaulted by a young, unlearned Hexenbiest, which I find highly unlikely, as they aren't typically allowed to roam beyond their Coven's walls until they are highly competent," Wayne said. "Or you have an affinity for resisting magic. Unless you are Grimm, a Hexenbiest can often probe your mind undetected. Only skilled hunters, other magic-capable beings, and Grimms are capable of detecting them. Whether you are fully Hexenbiest, fully human, or some form of hybrid, you have developed an affinity for magic."

Bauerschwein