Morose

Abandoned Hope - Concluded

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The Ghost of John Moses

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Location: Altsoba Methodist Hospital
Interacting With: Danica @Lady Amalthea, Elizabeth @Sohtem

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John smiles at Danica eerily, before vanishing. The strange grip that had Danica placed on the wall vanishes, allowing her to fall to the ground. However, the lights in the hospital continue to flicker and an icy wind brings the room to a chill. Nurse Mary, having the good sense to be terrified, is transfixed, muttering prayers to any deity that may listen.

John appears again, and this time, he grabs Elizabeth. Dragging her through the sunlight, he narrowly manages to hold her there, watching her burn as he cackles, unable to summon the energy to speak. It isn't every day that one wakes up as a ghost, after all. Unfortunately for him, his strength fails, allowing Elizabeth to get free. This time, when he vanishes, he doesn't rematerialize immediately.

"What the....What the hell is going on?" Nurse Mary whispers, looking at Danica and Elizabeth with frightened eyes. She begins to choke, falling to the ground as she grabs at her neck, a strange grey smoke engulfing her. She rises to her feet, her posture entirely changed, gazing down at her hands as if they're brand new.

John Moses has possessed her. "I don't have much time," he said hoarsley. The homicidal tendencies of a vengeful spirit were threatening to take over at any moment, like a violent itch he just had to scratch. He wouldn't be able to control himself for more than a simple phrase, before he knew he'd begin to attack once more. "You need to find the book..."

He never finished that sentence. The insanity claimed him once more, and he lunged at Danica, once more on the attack.

---

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The Beautiful "Woman"

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Location: Town Center
Interacting With: Amy @Lady Amalthea, Joel @hagroden, Katsumi @BlueSky44

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---

The man smiled at Amy. "There's more of these at my place," he promised, extending a hand to her. Miraculously, a bottle of Amy's favorite wine--the very best vintage of it--appeared in his hand. The tall surgeon winked at her, placing a hand on her each time she attempted to evade him. He could hear the frustrated groans of the EMTs, the pain of the patients. As if Amy's ideal man couldn't get any better, he stepped up to the patients and got to work.

It was like watching Mozart or Beethoven live, a master in his craft. He played a symphony somehow with the patients, tending to the injuries of each and every one of them with a medically sterilized grace. In a textbook, it wouldn't have been referred to as bedside manner--it would have been bedside seduction. After finishing with the last and giving clear instructions to the EMTs on how to handle anyone else, the man returned to Amy, his eyes staring into hers as he removed his gloves.

"Shall we?" he offered. "The morons can handle themselves now, don't you think?"

If all had gone according to plan, he imagined that Amy would already be a puddle of goo in his hands.

---

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Dr. Chase Barnes

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Location: Town Center
Interacting With: Scarlet @Sohtem

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---

Dr. Barnes gave a jolt, nearly dropping the box as the dog rushed over at him. Backing away, he held one hand towards Rex, completely distracted from his previous observations of Amy and the others. He gulped, biting his lip, as he could have sworn the dog just snarled at him. Shuddering at the dog rubbed up against him, Dr. Barnes wished he could have been anywhere else.

"Your dog was trying to kill me!" Dr. Barnes exclaimed, as the owner finally retrieved the mangy mutt. He let out a sigh of relief as the dog appeared to obey commands, sitting next to its gorgeous owner. Composing himself, Dr. Barnes threw another desperate glance over towards Amy and the others, hoping that all of his plans would proceed accordingly.

Head Of Thoracic Surgery was supposed to be his job. Not some woman he'd never heard of before. He'd researched her online, seeing articles about how she was handed a full ride to medical school. Dr. Barnes had had to suffer and work for it--he didn't get anything handed to him, certainly! She'd pay for that, she had to pay. No one crossed Chase Barnes the Third and got away with it!

Realizing the woman was still there, he let out a disappointed sigh. He supposed he could waste some of his time with her, mentally rescheduling Amy's death. "I'm Dr. Chase Barnes," he offered, not extending his hand. He didn't dare let go of the box. "I work as a surgeon at Altsoba Methodist."

Sᴛᴇʀʟɪɴɢ Hᴇɪɢʜᴛs Sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛs

@MissCapnCrunch I'm still here, just haven't been able to post again in the IC, as I did so last

🧚🏻‍♀️ The Walking Dead - Year 6 Part 1

@Charnobylisk If you love the cabbage that much, sure. :P

🧚🏻‍♀️ The Walking Dead - Year 6 Part 1

Édouard Riviere

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Édouard Riviere

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Character Summary

Name: Édouard Gautier Riviere
Aliases: Éd, Panier Percé [Spendthrift], Joli Garçon [Pretty Boy], Le Chou [The Cabbage]
Age: 23
Birthday: January 17th
Ethnicity: French
Birth Place: Grenoble, France
Location: World of Coca-Cola Museum, Atlanta, Georgia
Gender: Male
Major/Minor: Business
Occupation: Trust Fund Baby
Languages: French (native), Italian (fluent), English (beginner)

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Appearance

Height: 5'11"
Weight: 168 pounds
Build: Muscular and lean
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Dark brown
Skin Tone: Lightly tanned
Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: French Flag Tattoo on his right upper arm encircled by the words Vive La France, Ship tattoo on his left upper arm, three piercings on his left ear

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Psychology

Adventurous * Lazy * Endearing * Naive

Sexuality: Heterosexual (Bicurious)
Relationship Status: Single
Personality: While some may describe Édouard as being a French Paris Hilton with mafia connections, that doesn't do him justice. Certainly, he has the vanity and needs of one who grew up accustomed to riches, and the worth ethic of a person who never had to work. From the moment he was born, everything was handed to Édouard on a silver platter, and while this did cause him to become a bit pretentious, it also sheltered him. There's an innocence about him that some may find charming, as while he's an adult, he still has a bit of the mentality of a child. He's old, but he hasn't really grown.

This causes him to be a bit reckless, always wanting to go out and do something interesting. Édouard is constantly reevaluating himself and where he is, hoping to find something to take away the boredom. Anything that he deems to be work is thrown out, but if he thinks of it as an experience or an adventure, his attitude changes. Too innocent and kind to run the mafia, Édouard has been forced to grow up and mature from the apocalypse, as he's survived without a household full of servants to take care of his every need. In a way, he's like a Trust Fund Baby leaving home for the first time, and interacting with the real world.

Habits: Whining, Fidgeting when seated
Hobbies: Thrill Seeking, Cards
Fears:

• Abandonment
• Never finding a sense of direction in his life
• Being unable to communicate in this post apocalyptic world

Likes:

• Sword Fighting
• Wandering Aimlessly
• Sleeping In
• Raves
• Cliff diving
• Indoor sky diving
• Tim Burton
• Luxury

Dislikes:

• Authority
• The English Language
• American Politics
• Work
• Academia
• Pressure
• Patience/Waiting Around

---

---

Cards On The Table

Pre Outbreak Skills:

• Rapier
• Cutlass
• Mafia Operations
• Business
• Driving (Car)

Post Outbreak Skills:

• Foraging and Scavenging
• Basic Survival
• Shelter Construction (Poor)
• First Aid (Mediocre)
• Traps (Very Basic)

Current Supplies:

• Current Clothing - Wearing a pair of brown hiking shoes he nicked from the REI, he also wears thick woolen socks. His dark washed jeans are grass stained and worse for wear, partnered with a white undershirt and a black button-up shirt. On top, he has a leather jacket with a wide collar, and a black belt. Of course, he also has the needed undergarments.
• Cutlass
• Rapier
• 3 in 1 Survival Whistle with Compass and Thermometer
• Backpack -- Wearing Thin
• Dented tin cans of pears, peas, and mush (baby food)
• Chipped metal water bottle, half full
• Keys to the poor, poor car that Édouard somehow managed to total and walk away from
• Thick, wool blanket
• French-English dictionary, with half of the pages missing or illegible

---

---

History

Your First Walker Encounter: Édouard was at the World of Coca-Cola Museum, enjoying himself and struggling to read the signs. He had been trying to get someone to translate for him, not realizing he had been bothering other tourists and not employees. Eventually, someone did him the kindness to come over to him, but he noticed there was something...wrong...with the man. The man lunged at Édouard, attempting to bite him, only for Édouard's bodyguard to shove at the walker. The walker fell over the safety rails and landed in a large vat of Coca-Cola syrup.

History Before Outbreak: Édouard enjoyed a relatively comfortable life in Southeastern France, living not too far from Italy. His parents were involved in la mafia française, trafficking all sorts of illicit goods. The youngest in the family with two older sisters, Édouard enjoyed all of the riches from the trade. He was given his own bodyguard and was taken care of by a household of servants and staff. The lifestyle he enjoyed earned him the nickname Joli Garçon, meaning Pretty Boy.

Édouard wasn't truly cut out for organized crime. Preferring parties and fine clothing to threats and underground networking, his parents groomed his sisters for running the business, and doted on leur petit prince. After protesting being taken to school, his parents gave in and allowed him to have private tutors. These tutors hardly stood up for themselves, only teaching Édouard subjects that he was interested in. Consequently, while he became fluent in Italian, he never learned to speak English.

His diva phase shifted into a bit of a rebellious one by the time he was 17, with Édouard getting multiple tattoos and piercings. He shunned the more flamboyant pleasures and began to dress comme un gothique. Hoping that they would be able to redirect his attention towards the family business, his parents began to make arrangements to send him to college to learn business. Those skills, they hoped, would help him eventually take over, much to his sisters' annoyance.

And while he did attend college, he mostly went there for experiences. He attempted to drop out on several occasions, only to be found learning how to "swashbuckle" in Cyprus. Frustrating his parents to no end, Édouard threw away a small fortune on unneeded items, such as buying a car, only to "lose it" the next day. From this, he became leur panier percé, known in English as a spendthrift.

At age twenty, Édouard told his parents he was going to America to find himself that summer. They gave a very weak protest, but he went off anyways. On his tour, he picked up very basic English, such as: "Toilet. Girl. Hungry. Where? Fuck off. Those few words and more helped him get around the country, along with his bodyguard and a guide book, written in French. Eventually, Édouard found himself in Georgia, and decided to spend his day at the World of Coca-Cola Museum in Atlanta.

History Since Outbreak: Félix, his bodyguard, is the only reason Édouard has managed to survive. Félix had taken a romantic interest in the boy, safeguarding him from harm as much as he could. For a while, Édouard explored a relationship with him, eventually ending it when he realized that he was not, in fact, gay. However, every so often, his experimental mood comes over him once again. When he was traveling with Félix, this became a special sort of hell for his bodyguard.

The pair of them fled the Coca-Cola Museum after the encounter, running to the penthouse suite that Édouard had rented. Félix wanted to run, but Édouard had become accustomed to a certain standard of living, and turned his nose up at the idea of leaving the suite. He insisted that anything they needed to survive could be found at the very top, and instructed Félix to barricade all of the entrances. For a few months, this method seemed to be working--until Édouard let a walker into the apartment, assuming it was the cleaning lady.

Needless to say, after escaping that situation miraculously, Félix managed to convince Édouard to leave the penthouse. The pair of them packed up everything they had and went inside of Édouard convertible, always having the roof up, much to Édouard's dismay. The pair of them lived in that car for the next three years, with Félix taking them to small towns and teaching (with some success) Édouard how to survive without a butler. Édouard picked up some various skills, gradually becoming more independent, and learning to fend for himself.

The pair were in Georgia when Félix and Édouard attempted to raid a REI type of store for more supplies. While inside, walkers surrounded Félix, and Édouard ran in cowardice, leaving Félix to die. Ever since, Édouard has been struggling to survive without his bodyguard, lamenting his fate and all of the so-called "wrongs" that have been done to him. Fortunately, he remembered the basics of how to get by--though Édouard recognizes that if he doesn't find other people soon, he'd likely end up dead within a few more months.

---

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Extras

Character Quote:
"Maman! Papa! Ce n'est pas une phase!"
"Vous voulez sortir avec moi, n'est-ce pas?"
"Comment dit-on 'walker' en français? Ben....Merde!"
"In a French-ass restaurant hurry up with my damn croissants. I am a God."
Theme Song: The Headless Waltz - Voltaire
How Many Walkers Have You Killed: Two
How Many People Have You Killed: One
Why: Due to his cowardice, he essentially killed Félix by leaving him to the walkers.
Anything Else: Jack and Tati

_{*By submitting this CS in its completion I am stating I have read all the rules for this Rp and am agreeing to follow them to the fullest with respect and courtesy.}

Abandoned Hope - Concluded

<Snipped quote by Morose>

*Very Intense and Worried Screams*

@Witch Cat

🧚🏻‍♀️ The Walking Dead - Year 6 Part 1

@Lady Amalthea @Sigil

Char advised me to make another character, so here he is. :) I hope everything's okay with him!

Édouard Riviere

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Édouard Riviere

---

---

Character Summary

Name: Édouard Gautier Riviere
Aliases: Éd, Panier Percé [Spendthrift], Joli Garçon [Pretty Boy], Le Chou [The Cabbage]
Age: 23
Birthday: January 17th
Ethnicity: French
Birth Place: Grenoble, France
Location: World of Coca-Cola Museum, Atlanta, Georgia
Gender: Male
Major/Minor: Business
Occupation: Trust Fund Baby
Languages: French (native), Italian (fluent), English (beginner)

---

---

Appearance

Height: 5'11"
Weight: 168 pounds
Build: Muscular and lean
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Dark brown
Skin Tone: Lightly tanned
Tattoos/Scars/Piercings: French Flag Tattoo on his right upper arm encircled by the words Vive La France, Ship tattoo on his left upper arm, three piercings on his left ear

---

---

Psychology

Adventurous * Lazy * Endearing * Naive

Sexuality: Heterosexual (Bicurious)
Relationship Status: Single
Personality: While some may describe Édouard as being a French Paris Hilton with mafia connections, that doesn't do him justice. Certainly, he has the vanity and needs of one who grew up accustomed to riches, and the worth ethic of a person who never had to work. From the moment he was born, everything was handed to Édouard on a silver platter, and while this did cause him to become a bit pretentious, it also sheltered him. There's an innocence about him that some may find charming, as while he's an adult, he still has a bit of the mentality of a child. He's old, but he hasn't really grown.

This causes him to be a bit reckless, always wanting to go out and do something interesting. Édouard is constantly reevaluating himself and where he is, hoping to find something to take away the boredom. Anything that he deems to be work is thrown out, but if he thinks of it as an experience or an adventure, his attitude changes. Too innocent and kind to run the mafia, Édouard has been forced to grow up and mature from the apocalypse, as he's survived without a household full of servants to take care of his every need. In a way, he's like a Trust Fund Baby leaving home for the first time, and interacting with the real world.

Habits: Whining, Fidgeting when seated
Hobbies: Thrill Seeking, Cards
Fears:

• Abandonment
• Never finding a sense of direction in his life
• Being unable to communicate in this post apocalyptic world

Likes:

• Sword Fighting
• Wandering Aimlessly
• Sleeping In
• Raves
• Cliff diving
• Indoor sky diving
• Tim Burton
• Luxury

Dislikes:

• Authority
• The English Language
• American Politics
• Work
• Academia
• Pressure
• Patience/Waiting Around

---

---

Cards On The Table

Pre Outbreak Skills:

• Rapier
• Cutlass
• Mafia Operations
• Business
• Driving (Car)

Post Outbreak Skills:

• Foraging and Scavenging
• Basic Survival
• Shelter Construction (Poor)
• First Aid (Mediocre)
• Traps (Very Basic)

Current Supplies:

• Current Clothing - Wearing a pair of brown hiking shoes he nicked from the REI, he also wears thick woolen socks. His dark washed jeans are grass stained and worse for wear, partnered with a white undershirt and a black button-up shirt. On top, he has a leather jacket with a wide collar, and a black belt. Of course, he also has the needed undergarments.
• Cutlass
• Rapier
• 3 in 1 Survival Whistle with Compass and Thermometer
• Backpack -- Wearing Thin
• Dented tin cans of pears, peas, and mush (baby food)
• Chipped metal water bottle, half full
• Keys to the poor, poor car that Édouard somehow managed to total and walk away from
• Thick, wool blanket
• French-English dictionary, with half of the pages missing or illegible

---

---

History

Your First Walker Encounter: Édouard was at the World of Coca-Cola Museum, enjoying himself and struggling to read the signs. He had been trying to get someone to translate for him, not realizing he had been bothering other tourists and not employees. Eventually, someone did him the kindness to come over to him, but he noticed there was something...wrong...with the man. The man lunged at Édouard, attempting to bite him, only for Édouard's bodyguard to shove at the walker. The walker fell over the safety rails and landed in a large vat of Coca-Cola syrup.

History Before Outbreak: Édouard enjoyed a relatively comfortable life in Southeastern France, living not too far from Italy. His parents were involved in la mafia française, trafficking all sorts of illicit goods. The youngest in the family with two older sisters, Édouard enjoyed all of the riches from the trade. He was given his own bodyguard and was taken care of by a household of servants and staff. The lifestyle he enjoyed earned him the nickname Joli Garçon, meaning Pretty Boy.

Édouard wasn't truly cut out for organized crime. Preferring parties and fine clothing to threats and underground networking, his parents groomed his sisters for running the business, and doted on leur petit prince. After protesting being taken to school, his parents gave in and allowed him to have private tutors. These tutors hardly stood up for themselves, only teaching Édouard subjects that he was interested in. Consequently, while he became fluent in Italian, he never learned to speak English.

His diva phase shifted into a bit of a rebellious one by the time he was 17, with Édouard getting multiple tattoos and piercings. He shunned the more flamboyant pleasures and began to dress comme un gothique. Hoping that they would be able to redirect his attention towards the family business, his parents began to make arrangements to send him to college to learn business. Those skills, they hoped, would help him eventually take over, much to his sisters' annoyance.

And while he did attend college, he mostly went there for experiences. He attempted to drop out on several occasions, only to be found learning how to "swashbuckle" in Cyprus. Frustrating his parents to no end, Édouard threw away a small fortune on unneeded items, such as buying a car, only to "lose it" the next day. From this, he became leur panier percé, known in English as a spendthrift.

At age twenty, Édouard told his parents he was going to America to find himself that summer. They gave a very weak protest, but he went off anyways. On his tour, he picked up very basic English, such as: "Toilet. Girl. Hungry. Where? Fuck off. Those few words and more helped him get around the country, along with his bodyguard and a guide book, written in French. Eventually, Édouard found himself in Georgia, and decided to spend his day at the World of Coca-Cola Museum in Atlanta.

History Since Outbreak: Félix, his bodyguard, is the only reason Édouard has managed to survive. Félix had taken a romantic interest in the boy, safeguarding him from harm as much as he could. For a while, Édouard explored a relationship with him, eventually ending it when he realized that he was not, in fact, gay. However, every so often, his experimental mood comes over him once again. When he was traveling with Félix, this became a special sort of hell for his bodyguard.

The pair of them fled the Coca-Cola Museum after the encounter, running to the penthouse suite that Édouard had rented. Félix wanted to run, but Édouard had become accustomed to a certain standard of living, and turned his nose up at the idea of leaving the suite. He insisted that anything they needed to survive could be found at the very top, and instructed Félix to barricade all of the entrances. For a few months, this method seemed to be working--until Édouard let a walker into the apartment, assuming it was the cleaning lady.

Needless to say, after escaping that situation miraculously, Félix managed to convince Édouard to leave the penthouse. The pair of them packed up everything they had and went inside of Édouard convertible, always having the roof up, much to Édouard's dismay. The pair of them lived in that car for the next three years, with Félix taking them to small towns and teaching (with some success) Édouard how to survive without a butler. Édouard picked up some various skills, gradually becoming more independent, and learning to fend for himself.

The pair were in Georgia when Félix and Édouard attempted to raid a REI type of store for more supplies. While inside, walkers surrounded Félix, and Édouard ran in cowardice, leaving Félix to die. Ever since, Édouard has been struggling to survive without his bodyguard, lamenting his fate and all of the so-called "wrongs" that have been done to him. Fortunately, he remembered the basics of how to get by--though Édouard recognizes that if he doesn't find other people soon, he'd likely end up dead within a few more months.

---

---

Extras

Character Quote:
"Maman! Papa! Ce n'est pas une phase!"
"Vous voulez sortir avec moi, n'est-ce pas?"
"Comment dit-on 'walker' en français? Ben....Merde!"
Theme Song: The Headless Waltz - Voltaire
How Many Walkers Have You Killed: Two
How Many People Have You Killed: One
Why: Due to his cowardice, he essentially killed Félix by leaving him to the walkers.
Anything Else: Jack and Tati

_{*By submitting this CS in its completion I am stating I have read all the rules for this Rp and am agreeing to follow them to the fullest with respect and courtesy.}

Abandoned Hope - Concluded

"This book was written to instruct on killing and hunting witches," Howard mused. "What could you possibly want with this?"

@Witch Cat

Feeling nervous? :P Check out the NPC bio for Adriana.

🧚🏻‍♀️ The Walking Dead - Year 6 Part 1

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Jack Hudson

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Location: Main Inner Wall Gate Post

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---

"See? Guns lowahed," Jack encouraged, smiling at Tatiana. It hardly seemed to work, as she continued to tremble fiercely against him. He kissed the top of her head, hoping to calm her down as best as he could, without concealing his hands. Giving anyone a reason to shoot would only lead to more tragedy and disaster--something he very much wanted to avoid. Tatiana had been through enough. She didn't need snipers to shoot at her.

Jack whispered softly to Tatiana, attempting to soothe her. He kept a tight grip on her, a bit worried that Tatiana might slump to the ground. Reflecting on it though, he realized he shouldn't have been too surprised. The first time he met her, she barricaded herself in the upstairs bedroom, and made him sleep on the couch. It was the first time he'd been sent to the couch before the relationship even started.

"We've uh....We've had a rough time," Jack explained sheepishly, looking towards Zoie. He'd seen bad people before, he'd been at the end of their guns. She didn't seem to be the type to kill and hurt people. As far as he was aware, no one would have been able to build what he saw as a paradise without being a sensible person. He took in her explanation, partially wondering whether or not this was all a dream. There'd been rumors of settlements almost, large groups able to survive and weather the three year long storm. He blinked a bit, just as Tatiana put herself like a shield in front of him.

"It's, uh, it's the guns," Jack explained again. He grinned when Zoie lifted her hands, nodding a bit in thanks. Newnan seemed to be their best bet at survival--and at finding Tatiana's friend. He kissed the top of Tatiana's head again, hoping to coax her out of the shyness and nervousness that had consumed her. Seeing her not respond, he looked back up at Zoie. Had Tatiana not encircled him, he would have reached out to shake her hand.

"I'm Jack, Chicago PD," Jack answered, smiling at Zoie. "And this is Tatiana...Best danceah in the States."

Sword Art Online Resurgence - Accepting

@sMoKe Looking forward to your post!

Abandoned Hope - Concluded

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Jade Cornish

---

Location: Town Center
Interacting With: Zachary Carpenter @BlueSky44, Darren Andrews @Pundii

---

---

Jade laughed. "I can see why they sent you on a goose chase with voter fraud if that's what you call professional," she quipped. "Let me guess--union prevented them from sacking your arse?"

Glancing over at Zachary, Jade sighed a bit. Maybe this tosser was for real--after all, strangers things had happened. Resolving to keep a close eye on him, Jade cut the sarcasm for a moment. "If this turns out to be a load of codswallop, I'll lock you up myself," Jade spat, the anger in her eyes softening when she recalled a small detail: she'd forgotten to take her medication that morning. Maybe I'm overreacting a bit... she mused, remembering the adverse effects of going off her meds.

However, her thoughts -- and the confrontation with Agent Winchester -- were cut short when Cecily Ashworth trotted over, carrying an overwhelming amount of files. "Who knew people were dying to leave Altsoba, eh?" Cecily joked, handing the files over.

Cornish rolled her eyes. "Always positive, Sea Salt!" Jade snickered, watching as Cecily went back to the station, prepared to deal with the increasing chaos and decay. Flipping through them, Jade saw numerous familiar faces. Jake, the owner of the creatively named Jake's was among them, as well as their beloved mayor. Families with small children suffered the same fate. Grimacing, Jade handed the files over to Zachary, allowing him to take a look.

"Looks like we've got a serial killer," Jade sighed. "Or there's something really awful in the water that rivals Flint."

From what she had witnessed, all of it could be explained. Vials of acid had been thrown at the Reverend's kid, strung out on drugs and having been the victim to some nasty attacks. The Latin shouted was a distraction tactic, and after all, the girl had been stabbed. That killed her--the same thing that would have killed anyone else. It was just another case, some maniac using the apocalypse as cover for their deeds.

"Got any leads, Mr. FBI?" Jade asked pointedly. "Or are you only equipped to handle voter fraud?"

---

---

Howard Brighton

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Location: Forgotten Relics - The Shopping District
Interacting With: Miss 'Probably a Satanist'

---

---

Howard carefully thumbed through his newest find, a copy of Götter, Könige und Tiere In Ägypten. It was as pristine as it could possibly be, though he had plans to do some mild restorative work on it soon. The frayed spine needed attending to, and while the pages had long since yellowed, they could still be better preserved than they were. After all, it was one of the most elusive texts on paganism in Egypt--how could he possibly not attempt to save it?

He glanced up, hearing the dreaded signal of intrusion. Scowling slightly, Howard shut the tome and removed his gloves, setting them both on the desk. Sweeping towards the front of the shop, Howard raised an eyebrow at the girl, her face expressing only one thing: desperation.

"I'm sorry, there are no extensions on assignments," Howard explained, waving his hand dismissively at her. "I don't care if your gran died or if the world is ending--the term paper is due when it's due."

"I'm not a student," the girl scoffed, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm here for a book--I've been told you're the one to go to for things you wouldn't find in the public library."

Howard's eyes flashed dangerously, turning again to face the girl. He chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "What exactly are you looking for, Miss...?"

"Adriana Byrd," she finished, tugging a bit on one of her gauges. Howard tried to avoid staring at it--he always found those things positively ghastly. "Malleus Maleficarum. You got that?"

Bowing his head, Howard walked off without a word, returning with an aged parchment book. The cover had long since vanished, with him only being able to retain the pages and the binding that held it all together. He frowned a bit, pondering what on Earth this Adriana Byrd could want with it.

"This book was written to instruct on killing and hunting witches," Howard mused. "What could you possibly want with this?"

The girl's eyes flashed dangerously, and Howard arched an eyebrow. No one in Altsoba had ever asked for some of his more priceless pieces--and strictly speaking, he had made certain to price them out of anyone's ability to purchase. He had the Book of the Damned and countless other wonders. Only a fool would sell them. "The same reason they used it back then, Mr. Brighton," the girl answered.

"Right," he smirked, setting the pages doing gingerly. "I'm 'fraid it's not for sale, but I can sell you copies of it. I have a few already prepared."

Adriana nodded, a smirk on her face. "That'll work."