Goodneighbor [Open]

[RavenWolf1010]

You feel a tap on your shoulder and someone reaching into your pocket. By the time you turn to see who it was, they're gone. As you check your pocket, you find a small folded notes that reads:

 

Feel out of place? Can read minds? Or just very out of the ordinary?

Boy do I have the place for you!

 

Goodneighbor.

A place for the unordinary.

 

 

 

Goodneighbor is a (rarely) quiet, rural town centered in a mountain-hugged valley surrounded by forest. It's safe haven for those who can't find a place to call home. Those specifically being inhuman creatures. While some humans do call Goodneighbor home, most are unaware of their inhuman neighbors.

 

This is an open-world type roleplay. Virtually any kind of OC is welcome.

 

 

For those characters who would be unable to pass for human/ do not have a human form: it's optional that when needed, they can utilize magic to either shroud themselves or pass for human (either changing forms or a "Glamour" to hide their true forms).

 

 

Rules

1. All DC forum rules apply.

2. Keep it PG-13.

3. No godmodding (unless pre-approved and is reasonable).

4. No killing characters without permission.

5. The rest should be common sense.

 

 

 

Forms

You can have as many characters as you can manage (ok no more than maybe five).

Please post in the OOC forum.

[B]Username:[/B]
[B]Name:[/B]
[B]Gender:[/B]
[B]Age:[/B]
[B]Appearance:[/B]
[B]Species/Powers/Ect.:[/B]
[B]Personality:[/B] (optional)
[B]History:[/B]
[B]Other:[/B]

Edited March 22, 2018 by RavenWolf1010

[RavenWolf1010]

Characters

 

Username: RavenWolf1010

Name: John 'Hancock' Schnider (sh-ny-der)

Gender: Male

Age: Mid-30s

Appearance: Here. He's 6'3" with a lanky but muscly build. Often wears a black canvas trench coat, jeans, and boots.

Species/Powers/Ect.: Chemist of sorts. Works with magic and spells. Has a limited sense of premonition.

Personality: Hancock is a very charismatic and easygoing guy. He is generally diplomatic and acts as the town mediator and unofficial leader. In times of strife, he's the guy to crack an awful joke to try and lighten the mood. Under his jovial exterior though is a very intelligent man who, when the time comes, can be serious. On occasion, he might find his way to the bottom of a liquor bottle at which point either EVERYONE is his friend, or he seals himself in his house and struggles with old memories.

History: His history is usually shrouded in mystery, and he never even mentions it unless there's liquor in him. The most that is known is that he had a very rough childhood.

Other: He has a thing for ancient swords (Gabriel brings him them). Also is the town's local deputy.

 

Username: RavenWolf1010

Name: Raven

Gender: Female

Age: Early 20s

Appearance: Like this. Also like this.

Species/Powers/Ect.: Wolf Shifter. Her werewolf abilities allow for self-healing (quicker during the full moon), increased strength/ senses in human form, and susceptibility to silver/wolfsbane (wounds inflicted will take longer to heal, silver that is lodged in her skin will prevent her from healing). 

Personality: RP'd

History: Raven comes from a secret government facility that was originally experimenting with genetically modifying the human genome in order to create the 'perfect soldier'. Taking acquired werewolf DNA, they fabricated their own artificial shifter that is (mostly) unaffected by lunar cycles, and able to shift at anytime. After escaping, she sought solace with werewolf packs however, because she was created by humans, she was cast out and shunned. She was eighteen when she stumbled onto Goodneighbor and with the help of Hancock, has since taken up residence in the forest at the base of the mountain outside of town.

Other: She suffers from a few mental illnesses including BPD and PTSD. Often she's plagued by nightmares and flashbacks, all exacerbated by drinking.

 

Username: RavenWolf1010

Name: Gabriel

Gender: Female

Age: Very old

Appearance: Like this, but with much larger wings. Wing size reference/ "Straight out of Heaven"

Species/Powers/Ect.: Archcangel. Her powers include:

- Healing (Reviving the dead is forbidden, but she can coax souls back into their bodies).

- Resurrection (Her mortal form can be injured/ killed, but her Essence would remain. However it's possible with the right weapon for that to be destroyed as well.)

- Manifesting armor/ her weapon

- Dimension walking/ spirit walking

- Manipulation of perceived reality (Limited and rarely used)

Personality: RP'd

History: Gabriel has been around for thousands of years. She's fought Holy Wars, demons, and the likes, making her a well rounded combatant and fairly level headed. In her recent history she had a nasty encounter with a group of demons. Using weapons specially forged to kill angels, she was gravely injured and forced into retreat. That's when she stumbled half-dead into Goodneighbor. There, she was nursed back to health by Hancock and Raven, whom she bonded tightly with. However, as soon as she was well she was called back to Heaven for another mission. Between missions or in times of great turmoil, she returns to Goodneighbor.

Other: Her text is gray.

 

Username: RW

Name: Garrett

Gender: Male

Age: Late 30s

Appearance: WIP

Species/ Power/ Etc.: Human

Personality: Rp'd

History: Secret.

Other: Coming soon.

 

 

Username: RW

Name: ????

Gender: Female

Age: Early 40s

Appearance: WIP

Species/ Power/ Etc.: Human

Personality: Rp'd

History: Secret.

Other: Coming soon.

 

--------------------

 

Username: Felixr2

Name: Fotein Psychi

Gender: Female

Age: 36

Appearance: A 1,86 meters tall, pale woman with natural golden highlights in her long, brown, waving hair. She has capturing hazel eyes set in a beautiful, round face. Her long, delicate white dress has detailed patterns of various flowers on the chest area and sleeves. On her neck is a golden necklace with a set of smooth, shiny white stones ordened to depict a lotus.

Species/Powers/Ect.: She can brighten souls, making a person less eager to act in selfish ways. The stronger the willpower of the brightened person, the shorter and less notable the effect is. She can also use more extreme measurements and burn one's soul away, most likely killing them, but she will only go that far when she loses control over herself. Doing this will also make her lose most of her energy and she'll turn back to her normal self. When struck with great kindness, her own soul brightens, releasing a faint glow and a bit of extra warmth from her body.

Personality: She is very loving and will never seek to do harm to anyone. Her ideology is a world where everybody can live together in peace and she believes that that's something that can be achieved. Her strong faith in this belief is what she considers her most important possession. If someone manages to make her lose this faith - momentarily - she will get infuriated and lose control over herself, most likely getting rid of the burst of energy by burning the unfortunate soul that pushed her over the line of sanity. She is fully aware that this can happen to her and frightened by it, although she will only think about it when someone is actively disagreeing with her beliefs. She will then immediately continue to warn people.

History: She was born in a quite normal family in a religious town. In her teens she went to serve in the town's church, where she found out about the corrupt business going on there. This was the first time she lost control. Some of her classmates saw her loudly screaming with a furious glare in her eyes while the pastor, screaming in agony, crumbled down towards the floor. The story spread and in less than a day time she went from loved to feared and she had to run away from home. The town where she settled had a church that was a lot nicer than the one in her hometown. The pastor there gave her the dress and necklace she's still wearing today. For many years it all seemed nice and well, but when she was 30, the town got assaulted. When a bandit killed the pastor in front of her eyes, she lost control again. Once again, she ran. Time and time again, she ran to another town, stayed for a while, lost control, and ran again. When she started to notice the pattern in this herself, she tried to counteract it. That went better than she had expected. In time, she noticed how she could affect other people's behavior, though she still doesn't quite understand how it works. In all this time, she never lost faith in her belief that it could all become right, that it could all become peaceful, that there would be a time that she'd never have to make any victims again...

 

Username: Felixr2

Name: Dagny Brinjardottir

Gender: Female

Age: 17

Appearance: Standing at 163 cm, she's quite short for her age. The brown rags she wears clash with her long, ashblonde hair and her marine blue eyes. Despite her small size, her sturdy build still gives the impression she can handle her own, although that may not always be true. On the skin of her throat there's a depiction of Thuris, better known as Thor's rune.

Species/Powers/Ect.: Her father, Brinjar Bjornson, is a descendant of Thor and Sif, while her mother, Hella Alvadottir, is a descendant of Od and Freyja. They're both from long lost and forgotten bloodlines that seemed to have lost their magic, but their daughter, Dagny, was born with a runemark on her throat. Besides the usual rune usage of the Norse gods - be it that her power is a bit less and she certainly doesn't have a lot of experience - she can also mentally communicate with Odin, Thor's father, who has immortallized himself as an oracle way back in the past.

Personality: She can be quite mischeivous, lazy, snarky, annoying, etc., but she'll be serious when she has to.

History: Poke her to find out for yourself.

Other: Reference for the runes she'll be able to use and what they represent: here. She's mainly based on Runemarks/Runelight lore, so I'm going with that system. In the doc I put screenshots of two pages of the e-book version of Runelight that anyone can watch for free in the preview on Google Books.

 

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Username: AroaraAngelwolf

Name:  Asheron Cruze

Gender: male

Age: 24

Appearance: Here he is 5'4" 137 lbs. Often wears grungy, punk style clothes and has dark shades or a skull face eye patch to cover his eye. He is very pale, easily sunburned and his hair is naturally white with black tips, he just adds the purple in his hair. 

Species/powers/ect.: is 25% Vampire 25% Demon 50% Fox(kitsune). He can control a small violet flame called Fox fire, that can float away from him five feet before fading out. Excellent hearing and flexibility. Only one eye can see in inferred, in complete darkness, however it's sensitive to light. Is able to jump his body height. 

Personality:  he's overall a kind guy, although he tries to act tough. Mostly watchful. Jokes and diverts attention from himself or his past.

History: he doesn't really speak about it. He gets a haunted look whenever someone mentions certain things. 

Other: he doesn't need blood, just lightly cooked meat. 

 

Username: AroaraAngelwolf

Name: Jasper Adams

Gender: male

Age: 26

Appearance: Here he's very tall and slender, around 6'9" and 170lbs. Deeply tanned with white freckles all over and pale sun bleached blond hair often up in a ponytail. As a deer he's a large white tail 24 point stag. 

Species/powers/ect.: Cervide: a humanoid deer shifter. 

Personality: skittish and jumpy he's quite shy and doesn't speak much. He never met another cervide and would like to. He is very careful when running around as a deer, tying a bright neon pink ribbon on his horn before shifting to avoid being hunted by the wolves or other human/predator shifters. 

History: he was orphaned, found by a Hunter in the middle of the woods as a toddler who had a broken leg. He was given to foster care, where he had an array of households in which he stayed, mostly good, some not so much. When he hit high school age he was with a very nice family who wanted to adopt him then his horns started to appear. Up until this point, he hid his tail in his pants, and wore a hat or beenie until his antlers got too big in sophomore year. He painfully cut his antlers until he graduated and that night fled from the home he loved so much fearing their ridicule. He has no idea the family found him and moved to this place to bring him back into the family.

Other: he's strictly vegetarian. He'd tolerate meat being eaten in front of him as long as it isn't veal. 

 

 

Username: AroaraAngelwolf

Name:  Mononoke aka Monoke ( just shortened Mon-no-Kay) she prefers the shortest version. 

Gender: female

Age: 25

Appearance: Human  and Wolf 5'4" muscular and makes her own clothing from the animals she kills. Nothing is to be waisted in her community. 

Species/powers/ect.:  A Faoladh- an Irish werewolf that's considered good. They are protectors of children, wounded men, and lost people. They can shift at will.

Monoke's saliva as a wolf heals wounds (if there's debris in said wound it would push it out as it heals.) Amount of saliva will depend on how much the wound would heal (if major it would not heal entirely) enhanced strength and senses. She has enhanced healing and immunity to silver, nightshade is her weakness. dangerously allergic to it. and moon flowers.

Personality:  very protective, kind and generous, she's a typical Irish hot head, with a temper higher than her stature. She doesn't like bullies, people who are blatantly rude or oblivious and those who harm children, the disabled and animals. She's proud of her scars, they were from performing her duties as a guardian. Her accent is quite thick at times when angry, don't tease her for it, she tries to make her speech audible so people can understand her most of the time. Oh, and don't say cow to her, it's a horrible insult to an Irish woman. 

History: She was born as a Faoladh in a small community in Ireland. When a pair of brothers came to their little hallow, tracking their ancestry they were told of the legends in these parts by the Elder. One of them, the younger one laughed at one of the stories and upset the Elder. She knows now, he never ment any disrespect he just found it amusing. There's no way to remove the curse and she volunteered to keep an eye on the lad so he doesn't freak out and expose the Faoladh to the.... not so supernatural friendly community. Considers Joseph a little brother. 

Other: she has a wolf dog named Grey also with her in the picture.  

 

 

Username: AroaraAngelwolf

Name: Joseph Isador Church

Gender: male

Age: 20

Appearance: Human and wolf form 6'5 black hair dye fading from his blonde hair and scars from farm equipment. Light blue almost aqua looking eyes. 

Species/powers/ect.: Faoladh- he was cursed by a old Irish witch for mocking the old stories. Because he was cursed, he doesn't have the gift of healing. He has strength and senses. he heals only slightly faster than a normal person.

Personality: He has what some call Aspie. It's a form of autism. It makes simple conversations difficult and maintaining eye contact challenging. He has developed social anxiety and stress induced panic attacks which could leave him frozen in fear or make him flee. He is often spotted with a coloring book, his dog Esther that is his therapy dog to help him in social situations, or in a small tight spot that he finds comfortable. If you engage with a conversation, talk about one of his focuses that are; farming tools and equipment, flowers and their uses/ Victorian meaning/ language, stone meanings/uses/where they are found, Catholic church things(saints, bible verses and meanings), and anything mythology related from Greek to Roman and Egyptian. These will be more comfortable for him to talk about. Otherwise he's very sweet, sometimes blunt but honest to a fault.

History: he used to be a farmer until he was cursed. Now his brother Eli runs the family farm. He has a beautiful husky golden mix he lovingly calls Esther Ruth Church. He's terrified about being teased by other people and is socially awkward. He doesn't communicate well. 

Other: among his tattoos there's a mark in the runes W-o-l-f marking him as cursed. They overlap each other looking like This. They are located on his lower arm he keeps wrapped up to hide it.  This is Esther

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Username: Padfoot
Name: Jaja Kouy
Gender: male
Age: 33
Appearance: Jaja
Species/Powers/Ect.: Adze. Has three forms:
Swarm: When injured or hunting, Adze can dissolve into a swarm of blue fireflies.
Human: During the day the spirit of the adze will lie in wait in the body of it's host (usually human) in this form the Adze can be killed by means of a normal human. Most hosts are unable to access the spirit of the adze while in this form
Adze: When the spirit of the adze awakens, the host's tissue undergoes a rapid transformation that leaves them a humanoid insect monster. In this form, the adze posses enhanced speed and durability as well as the ability of flight with the aid of six papery black wings. In this form, the adze needs to feed on mammalian blood using a massive proboscis that can be fired from his mandibles at incredible speed. 
Personality: His human personality will be apparent once I begin rping
History: Added as revealed
Other:

 

 

Username:padfoot

Name: Robert sideway

Gender: male

Age: 25

Appearance: Sideway

Species/Powers/Ect.: Incubus
As an incubus, Sideway requires affection and physical contact in order to feed. While he can kill humans by feeding too much at once, fae and other non-humans only get a hangover and fatigue. If continuous feeding occurs, the subject will fall into a state of obedience and the need to protect Sideway.

Personality: will be apparent

History: Lately, Sideway has a pretty good handle on what he is and how his lifestyle has had to change but at first, his life was a nightmare. Once he hit puberty is when his powers manifested. At 19, when he lost his virginity, he killed his girlfriend in the back of her car. He didn't know what to do. His parents had kicked him out a year before and there was no way he would be able to get off murder charges on his own so he did the only thing he could. He ran
The next few years he wandered around the USA and Canada. Killing people in his strange way every month or so. It wasn't around his twenty third birthday he arrived in Goodneighbor. There he met a man claiming to be a doctor of the usual. After his physical, The man told him what he was and what he needed to survive. With the help of his new friends and neighbors, he has been able to survive happy and healthy.

Other:

 

 

Username: padfoot

Name: Poppy

Gender: Female

Age: 27

Appearance: Poppy

Species/ Power/ Etc.: Modified Human. Smoke Physiology; Poppy can evaporate her body into particles of black smoke. Can accumulate external smoke for stronger attacks.  

Personality:  Poppy is a freelancer so naturally she only likes having a boss when she says so. Preferably one that pays well for her...specific job. She isn't loyal to anyone and takes pride in that fact. She takes pride in her work and has yet to meet a job she couldn't complete.

History: TBR

Other:

 

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Username: SarkhanVol

Name: Zhang 'Wujin' Yu

Gender: Male

Age: Early-Mid 20s

Appearance: Zhang is noted for his rather unusual appearance. Standing at roughly 6'0" with a rather lithe frame, light skin, piercing red eyes, a mop of shoulder length dark grey hair, and an overall handsome face he has an almost inhuman attractiveness to him that seems to rather than charm people, set them on edge from just looking or speaking to him for overtly extended periods of time. Often times he is seen wearing a long dark green coat which reaches his ankles with a grey undershirt, his hands seemingly never in the sleeves of the coat and rather wearing it lazily on his shoulders, dark blue jeans, and a pair of Eastern styled clogs. This however is merely his preferred form and appearance, his true form however is much more grotesque, seeming like little more than a large mass of flesh and eyes resembling what most would think of when reading the depiction of a Shoggoth. Regular/ preferred form

Species/Powers/Ect.: Mimic/Doppelganger (True)

Shapeshifting: As a (True) Doppelganger/Mimic Yu has the ability to change his physical appearance at whim, unlike most other subspecies of Doppelgangers and Mimics, this doesn't simply extend to pure appearance but if the form is 'borrowed' or copied from an individual that Yu has previously met or encountered he can even replicate their voices and behaviorism. As for their skills, powers, and even memories, even if he had only observed them for a short time he is able to replicate their skills, powers, and memories from upwards to 80% of the original.

Replication: As stated above as a (True) Doppelganger/Mimic in addition to appearance and voice, Yu is capable of imitating a targets powers, abilities, skills, and memories from upwards of 80% of the original, which while makes them marginally inferior to the original is offset by the sheer versatility of his own capabilities. 

Regeneration: Because of the natural formlessness of a Doppelganger and their lack of a 'distinct' physical appearance and their ability to alter their bodies at will, inflicting lasting injury on a True Doppelganger is considered extremely difficult in a physical sense. 

Longevity: Doppelgangers are not only distinctly known for their shapeshifting but being long-lived and TECHNICALLY speaking, biologically immortal. That isn't to say they are an invulnerable species but rather that without the interference of outside circumstances such as murder or self-termination their bodies do not suffer from 'biological aging' nor are they susceptible to disease, poisons, or other 'natural' influences that would otherwise kill most of beings thus making them 'biologically immortal'. In addition they do not 'require' food to sustain themselves or sleep or rest making them ideal worker castes in the distant past, though current day True Doppelgangers prefer to use their natural longevity for less 'crude' existences. 
Personality: (optional): RP'd

History: Zhang Yu (Styled name: Wujin, combining the Chinese character for 'Wu' for strategy, intellect, and insight with 'Jin' which is the character for 'Rigid, forbidden, or unyielding' to imply a strict adherence to thinking before acting without recklessness) hails from a very long line of Doppelgangers from the Far East. A natural born Doppelganger he lived a lifestyle where in much of his youth he was unable to determine how he wanted his 'default' appearance to be set as which is a sort of requirement among the Doppelganger culture to be considered an 'adult' is to have chosen a form they personally fine aesthetically pleasing before deciding on his current physical appearance in his Coming-of-Age. As of current he is considered prodigious by nature, and even in his 20's he is considered extremely young by True Doppelganger standards.

Edited March 28, 2018 by RavenWolf1010

[RavenWolf1010]

((I'm going to go ahead and start now since I have the time. That way as more people join they can jump in.))

 

Hancock. Goodneighbor Cafe. 8:30 A.M.

 

It was a dreary morning. Clouds blanketed the sky, an angry purplish-grey that promised storms in the afternoon with an occasional rumble of thunder for emphasis. Fog filled the streets. Hancock sat sipping his morning coffee in the town's little cafe as he awaited for his order. A few locals sat at the counter, drinking coffee and quietly chatting. The diner was otherwise empty except for him. "Can I get you a refill, John?" Donna, the cafe's waitress asked with the hint of a southern drawl. "That'd be lovely, thank you." He set the paper down and folded his hands under his chin, watching as she poured. "Who was it this time?" She asked, gesturing to the paper between them as she set down the coffee pot. The front page read in big bold letters:

 

BIGFOOT. IS HE AMONG US?

 

followed by a grainy black and white picture of an upright form hidden in foliage. Hancock sighed defeatedly. "Raven again, eh?"

"I keep telling her she needs to be more careful but she won't listen." He shook his head. "She claimed it to be apart of her 'healing process'." Donna chuckled. "At least she isn't drinking every night now. It's an improvement."

"I suppose." He pushed the paper away and took up his coffee. "Your order should be up in just a minute." She said with a smile before picking the coffee pot back up and walking back to the kitchen. A shadow moving down the main street caught his eye before disappearing behind him out of sight. The bell on the door of the cafe then tinkled, announcing the new arrival. "Speak of the devil." Hancock muttered over the rim of his coffee.

 

 

 

Raven. Somewhere outside of Goodneighbor. 8:00 A.M.

It felt good to run.

A dark shape flowed through the forest like water. Each leap and bound it made seemed like it was just floating. An obsidian wolf was at a dead run through the trees. It then suddenly skidded to a stop and cocked its head. For a few seconds it was motionless and then it sprung to the side. A scream broke the silence of the forest as a rabbit scurried from it's hiding place, the wolf on its heels. They moved in tandem through the foliage until the wolf put a small spring into its step and closed in on the rabbit. The death was swift as she slammed a paw down at the base of its neck, snapping it. Panting, the wolf stood a few moments catching its breath before it began to devour the rabbit. It didn't take long and once it was satisfied, it turned and headed for the town.

 

8:30 A.M.

Upon reaching the edge of the town, the wolf stopped and shook the dew from its fur. The change came easy to her today. Fur gave way to clothes, nails shrunk and turned from black back to a translucent pink, a snout turned back to a nose and mouth. A shiver ran through her and the young woman pulled the hood up around her face. Her eyes darted around nervously but eventually she decided to move on. She hadn't been too far outside of town and it wasn't long before she was at the door of the town's single diner. As she pushed open the door, the bell tingled. "Ah, Raven." She heard a familiar voice call her name and dropped her hood before turning to see no other than Hancock. "Howdy."

"Have a nice run this morning?" Her face was smeared with dirt and blood, as was her hands. "You have something a little... all over." Hancock pointed to his face. Raven cocked a brow and self-consciously pulled her hood tighter around herself before standing and ducking into the bathroom. She came back out a few minutes later looking more like a normal girl before sitting down across from Hancock just as Donna came with Hancock's order. "I got an Eggs Benedict here for ya with biscuits and gravy on the side just like you like it." She set the order down before Hancock along with silverware. "Thanks, Donna."

"Sure thing, hon. What about you, Raven? You want anything?"

"I'm good. I already ate, thanks." Donna nodded and gave them a farewell before she went off to serve other customers.

"So care to explain this?" Hancock slid the paper over towards her. Raven didn't make eye contact and only shrugged. "You can't keep doing this. There's more than just you living here. Humans may be ignorant, but they aren't stupid, Raven." She only shrugged again. "You really have to be more careful."

"Sure."

"Raven, I mean it. You can't keep joking around like this. If this 'evidence' keeps coming up, it's going to put us on the map. If we get put on the map, we are going to start being investigated. You know what happens if they dig too deep? They show up and-"

"I know, ok!" She snarled, curling her lip back in a very wolf-like way. A few of the people at the counter turned their heads for a few seconds but didn't pay much attention otherwise. "We all have to be more careful." Hancock said calmly, watching with hidden concern as Raven seethed across from him. "Something's coming soon."

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Asheron Goodneighbor café 8:32 A.M.

 

Almost as soon as that cryptic phrase left Hancock's mouth the door was shoved open making the bell ring again, only this time with significant force. Ash had another nightmare again. His mood was sour and he clearly wasn't a morning person. He appeared to have slept in the clothing he had on, a shoe was untied and his fading purple/white hair with black tips was unkempt. He plopped down on a stool at the dinner's long counter, leaning forward allowing his head to drop and hit the faux wood with a dull thump. He scratched under his snake bite piercings and adjusting the black choker that  magically hid his ears and tail. "Can I get a stake, as rare as you can make it and a chocolate malt with no whip cream please?" He asked, his voice full of marbles. He didn't even lift his head. It was too much effort. 

 

He closed his one eye, the other hidden behind an eye patch, going very still.... like he was trying to catch a few extra Z's. 

 

((Nah, throw them all in! ))

----

 

 

Joseph. The Goodneighbor Bouquet. 8:40a.m.

 

He unlocked the flower shop once again thankful to the owner and to Monoke for finding something to keep his mind from the anxiety he had over moving here and the curse and not being able to help on the farm and- a whine and a soft head bump to his leg jolted him back to reality, not even realizing that he had froze up with the door halfway open in his moment of panic. He reached down, letting his comfort support press her soft head into his palm as he mentally walked through the steps to take to calm down. Five things he feels are Esther's soft golden-husk fur, the brisk air in his hair, the cool metal bar of the door under his right hand, the keys he painfully clenched in his few free fingers and the tickle of a leaf on his cheek. Four things he hears: thunder growing closer, Esther's panting, feet on concrete, cars passing by. Three things he smells: various flowers, ozone of oncoming rain, diesel. He coughed curling his lip like a dog would in distaste. 

 

He allowed Esther to go in first before stepping inside the shop, pulling the chain to the neon sign and flipping the board on the door to open before setting into his daily routine of watering the plants, checking freshness, arranging flowers and various other chores around the shop. Esther would help out by holding the dust pan, trying to sweep with her wagging tail or bringing the blooms her master asked for (although she often got the colors wrong). Joseph enjoyed the work. Not many people came, and on special occasions like Valentine's day or when prom rolls around the manager was always in the front handling the people when he was in the back. A couple people he could handle, but when it's four or five every half hour (and overly dramatic teenage girls) he was very happy the manager understood his hesitance to such situations. 

 

 

---

 

Jasper. The Neighborhood library, 8:30 a.m.

 

He sat at a table doing his morning crosswords in the paper. Spokesman review, Goodneighbor News, Wall street journal, any English newspaper were scattered across the oval table all were broken into sections representing sports, Classifides, comics, economy, national headlines and local headlines. One of the closest ones had a bolded headline about Bigfoot. Once finished with the crosswords of each paper he picked up the local news, the one about Bigfoot and read the article. Jasper heaved a sigh. Someone was careless and nearly got caught. He lowered his head shaking it when a sudden ripping sound made him jump in his seat. In the secluded area he had taken off the bracelet that hid his antlers and ears, although if anyone asked he'd say it was for cosplay or a mythology class play he was putting on at the elementary school he sometimes subbed in. His exposed antlers had snagged on a paper and tore a page, leaving it dangling off a prong. "Drat! " He drawled in a heavy Alabamin accent. "Didn' read that one either.." He started the process of extracting the newsprint from the long bone that protruded from his head with minor whispered curses and frustrated snorts. 

 

---

 

((Monoke is on hold until I can think of an introduction befitting of the Irish lass. ))

Edited March 15, 2018 by AroaraAngelwolf

[padfoot]

The mid-morning sun filtered through the canopy of leaves overhead, the patterns danced across the pine needles and sticks on the forest floor. A serene pond sparkled as the gently waves lapped the pebbly beach and slowly soaked into a discarded loafer that rested just at the water line. Resting peacefully near the treeline was a dark haired man sprawled spread eagle. He was wearing a crumpled, damp dinner suit, the white shirt sat half unbuttoned, unveiling the thin scars zig-zagging across his chest. In his hand was clutched a mostly empty bottle of scotch. A raven landed in the grass next to his head and croaked a wake up call.

 

"What! Who's-!" The man cried out, sitting bolt upright and looking around. The startled raven took wing and cawed off into the clear sky. The man looked around his surroundings bewildered, trying to figure out where he was. He wasn't planning on going out that night, why the hell was he out? He pat himself down and looked at his chest in confusion. He pulled the collar of the dark blue suit jacket to get a good look. "What the hell....?" he muttered, looking at his fancy attire in confusion.  The last thing he remembered was pouring a drink before bed. 

 

This was Robert Sideway, Goodneighbor's resident incubus and harlot, and he was incredibly confused. Why was he in the middle of the woods dressed like he was going to a political ball? Sideway rose to his feet and retrieved his wet shoe. "Great..." he muttered as he squished water out of the side of his shoe, "Where even am I?"

 

It took a little bit of walking but he eventually found the V shaped rock formation along the mountain crest that cradled the town in the forest. That was his bearings. He knew that formation sat over the east side of town almost right above his apartment. He was planning on getting home and changing into something dry. He was defiantly going to need to buy new dinner wear but first he had to figure out what happened. He has never been one to sleepwalk and since he got home late from work so he wasn't planning on going out. On top of that, he was wearing his uniform from work, not this geddup. He needed to get into town and find Hancock. Maybe he knows whats going on.

 

It didn't take long for his soggy shoes to hit the cobblestone streets of Goodneighbor. He originally planned on running home first to change cloths but he was much closer to Hancock's place. A short while later he was making his way down the driveway through the woods that lead to Hancock's cabin. Sideway stomped up the steps to the front porch and knocked on the door. He counted to sixty before knocking again. Sideway's mouth twisted into a pout, "Guess he's out" he muttered. Sideway pat his pants to locate a pen. The pen he found but his little leather notebook was no where to be found. He hoped it didn't vanish in the night, there was a lot of valuable information in that book he needed for his job. He checked the breast pocket of his jacket and found a wad of wet paper which he carefully unwound. It was one of his business cards from his job. During the day, Sideway managed the Goodneighbor newspaper (((Name?))) and had a lot of fun doing so. The information on the card was distorted but legible and Sideway scribbled: Call Me. <3 Sideway on the back of the card and draped the wet card over his door knob so Hancock had to see it. Hancock wasn't a really a doctor but he was close enough. Sideway turned on his heel and left to go home. He needed to change cloths before he caught a cold or something.

 

It was when he reached his front door did he realize that his keys were not in his pocket. A surge of fear coursed though his veins. He didn't want to talk to the owner of the building, not since the....nevermind. For personal reasons, he could not see his landlord to get a new key. For a second he got a crazy idea, "No way..." he muttered, turning the knob and pushing the door open, " Seriously?" Sideway really messed up last night if he left without his keys and left his front door unlocked. He stepped into his house and locked the door behind him.  

 

"Oh Good, There you are" He said, finding his journal, keys and timetable exactly where he left them the night before. Sideway peeled off the dirty and wet clothing from his body and pulled on a pair of jeans and a loose v-neck. He looked himself over in the mirror and ran his hand through his hair. He needed to figure out what happened last night. 

[Felixr2]

Fotein had just arrived in Goodneighbor. Her hopes for this place were high. For the first time since her teens, she thought to have found a place where she'd be able to stay for the rest of her life. The first thing she looked for was a church, and she was glad to find one. Most pastors were good people. It seemed like a good idea to go there first. After all, she knew nothing of this place. At least churches were familiar to her.

 

Approaching the door, she noticed it was open. As she entered the building, one man was in there, lighting a candle.

 

"Hello, my sweet lady. What brings you here at this time of day?" The man kindly asked.

 

"Oh, uhm..." Fotein mumbled, surprised, though comforted, by the spontaneous greetings. "I have just arrived in this town, wishing to live my life in peace here. I hope you do not mind my presence."

 

"But of course not!" the man responded. "The house of God is open to any who seek refuge. You can stay here as long as need be."

 

"Thank you sincerely", Fotein said to the man. "Your gesture of kindness is deeply appreciated."

 

"I merely fulfill my Christian duty. That is no cause to thank me for."

 

The man then noticed a faint glow coming from the lady... confirming his suspicion that she had come here because she truly had no other place on earth to go to. Not for who she was, but for what she was. Further details he knew not, nor did he care. It was the lady's right to tell if and when she wanted to.

 

"Would you mind to tell me your name?", the man asked the lady.

 

"No, of course not. The name's Fotein. Fotein Psychi."

 

"Ah, Fotein Psychi. Bright soul. Such a lovely name, and fitting, too. Warmest of welcomes to your new residence for the time being. I am the pastor of this place. I vow to help you find a place to call your own in this town. Until then, you can spend the night here."

 

The pastor then showed Fotein to the room she would stay in. It was charming in a minimalistic way. No luxuries, but Fotein didn't care for those anyway. Everything she needed was there: a bed, a table with a wooden chair, a sideboard with a furnace and a crane, a shower, a closet for her clothes and a toilet.

 

"Thank you very much for letting me stay here." Fotein said. "In return, I will serve as an acolyte as long as I stay here."

 

"Well, there is no need for-

 

"I insist."

 

"... very well. As soon as you're ready, you can start cleaning the pews. I couldn't find time for that since Sunday two weeks ago. In respect of God, I would prefer them to be cleaned before it gets bad. I would appreciate it if you would fulfill that task, so that I can continue my regular business."

 

"I will." Fotein said, compliant. She followed the pastor to the broom closet. There she took the dustpan and tin and started cleaning the pews. So far the town had not disappointed her in the slightest.

 

~~~~~~

 

Dagny was wandering through the forest, feeling lost. With a bit of luck, and a lot of advice from Odin, she was able to effectively use logr as a sort of compass, allowing her to navigate properly. But she hadn't been sure if she could recreate it, so she kept it active for days on end, until she was completely worn out from not sleeping. She dispelled the rune that was levitating above her hand, but not before drawing a copy of it in the ground, pointing the same direction, so she'd at least know where to start walking to when she woke up.

 

The next morning (or was it afternoon?), Dagny woke up, starting to walk in the direction the rune she had drawn on the ground was pointing. She had tried to use logr as a compass several times again, but she had failed miserably. She just kept walking straight ahead.

 

She was getting hungry. It didn't take long before she heard some rustling in the bushes. She tried to get a view of the source of the sound. It was a man. Or at least, looked like a man. Given where she was headed, and how long she had been on her way, she couldn't help but have her suspicions. She formed bjarkán with her fingers. The rune of truesight, the first rune odin had taught her to use. And the only one she had really gotten the hang of so far - in this specific way of using it, that is.

 

She looked through her fingers forming the rune towards the man. This was no human. It was some sort of demon.

 

"He's an incubus." Dagny heard a voice in her head say. Odin, she knew. "A creature that feeds on affection of others. For regular humans, infatuation can be lethal, but as a descendant from the gods, you shouldn't have to worry much. Now, can you also see his name through the rune?"

 

Name... she hadn't even tried looking for that yet.

 

"I think... Friday? Sidewalk? Slideway?"

 

"Hmm. Impressive, you're improving. That's very close."

 

"So what is it."

 

"Ohohoh. It wouldn't be fun if I told you that, now would it? You gotta find out for yourself."

 

"Ugh, fine."

 

She knew that Odin couldn't be reasoned with if he acted like that. Sometimes she wondered if he actually cared about helping her, or if he was just amusing himself. Either way, his tips did help her. A lot. So she just let him have his fun. And he probably knew that.

 

Dagny saw no reason to approach the man. He might not be the most dangerous type of demon, but he was still a demon. And in all the stories Odin had told her so far, no demon had ever done a good thing to anyone, and many had done bad things. So she waited until the incubus, whom she started to mentally call Friday, since it was the least ridiculous of the names she had considered, had gone out of sight.

 

Walking just a bit further, she reached the edge of town. So there it was. Goodneighbor. She used fé to create some gold coins in her hand and entered a restaurant. Finally time for some food.

 

The coins were just a glamour, but the waitress couldn't possibly know, right?

[RavenWolf1010]

The bell tinkled aggressively, drawing Raven’s nervous eyes to the door. A man walked in and headed to the counter and sat down, asking for a steak. Her nose twitched and she turned back to Hancock who hadn’t even lifted his eyes from the paper. He was immersed in an article that had been written by Sideway on some interesting artifacts that had been recovered by the nearby town. “Fascinating.” 

“Hm?” Raven turned to him, head cocked. The bell rang again and her head snapped to the door. Her eyes went from the face of the girl entering to the mark on her throat. Something in her stirred and she couldn’t stop a low growl from erupting in her throat. It was now that Hancock looked up, first to Raven and then to the girl that she had locked onto. While he perceived no threat, Raven certainly seemed to be unsettled by her entrance. 

 

Donna emerged from the kitchen and set down the steak and malt before the oddly still man. She had learned to not ask questions by now, but it didn’t stop them from ocassionally coming up in her head. The strange inhabitants did not frighten her, but she did worry with the ocassinal one. “Here you go, hon.” The waitress then turned and started to refill the coffee of other humans at the bar. They were all but ignorant of the out-of-place dinees. A girl entered, no more strange to her than Hancock or Raven. “Mornin’. What can I get you?” The lights of the diner glinted off the coins in her hand and she raised a brow but didnt say anything. 

 

“What’s wrong, Rave?” The young woman didn’t move and instead muttered something. “What?”

”Fenrir.”

His brow furrowed at the foreign name. Before he could inquire further, the shifter stood up and abruptly headed to the back exit. Hancock sighed heavily and rubbed his brow. The coffee he had been drinking suddenly lost its appeal. What was he to do? He wished there was a way he could better help her but her refusal and noncompliance with most of his suggestions made it impossible. Sighing he waved hello to the girl who had entered and then stood up and carried his plate and coffee to the counter for Donna before sitting down. “I don’t know how to help help her.” He said aloud defeatedly. “I wish Gabriel was back.” Maybe it was just a ‘chick thing’ but Gabriel was the only one who could ever get through to Raven. 

 

 

Raven stomped out behind the diner shaking her head. She had heard stories of the legendary Fenrir and his sons Hati and Sköll from the werewolf packs she’d once been apart of. They were bad news. The girl from the diner’s marks related her in some way to them. She wasn’t sure how exactly, but surely she couldn’t be good. The shifter was quick to pass judgement simply based on association. It’s how she survived. Doctors and scientists, cops and the governemnt, hospitals and torture. Maybe it was a little far fetched to the normal person, but to her it made perfect sense. She growled again, this time in frustration. An idea came to her; maybe she was the ‘something’ that was coming. Maybe she was going to bring Them to Goodneighbor and- she couldn’t bear to think further on it. It was then she decided that she would stop her before she could do any damage. Not at the diner though. No, she would wait until the girl came back out. Shifting to her wolf form, the canine headed around the side of the building and laid in wait. 

 

 

((I picture Raven being kind of a tin hat conspiracy therorist sometimes.

I might go back and edit this when I get home, I feel like I missed some stuff. Still not what I wanted but I won’t have time to reply for a little while so it’ll have to do. I still have to bring in Gabriel too. Hmm.)) 

Edited March 19, 2018 by RavenWolf1010

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Asheron lifted his head when the plate was set down. His mouth instantly watered and he politely said his thanks, tucked a napkin in his shirt caller and cut into the stake eagerly. He tilted his head at the newcomer. Short like he was, kinda cute with a rune on her neck. Something about her screamed power, and her blood had that sickly sweet smell to it that said she possessed magic. A metallic glint in her hand caught him off guard and he snorted a laugh. "We don't use those kinds of coins here miss, I'll spot you breakfast, Donna, please add her order to my check please. " He said waving the girl over. 

 

--

 

Monoke approached the church. She already helped Joseph settle into the two bedroom apartment, and find a job but his last request wasn't fulfilled just yet. She wasn't a fan of the religious, given that her people were Celtic druids of sorts and have fought many battles against the push against paganism in Ireland however she held no grudge of what happened in the past. Not all religions were the same as were the diverse people whom believed in various things. Joseph's faith was unshakable, and he had many panic attacks along their travels to this sanctuary when they couldn't locate a church for him to attend a Saturday night mass or an early Sunday mass in. Given Easter was around the corner, he fretted even more muttering about 'days of obligation' pacing a rut into their wooden floors. 

 

So, she thought while he was at work, she'd check to see if any local churches held specific mass times or celebrated certain terms she heard the lad mutter in his anxiety she had scribbled down. The patch work of animal skins made her feel out of place on the steps leading into the church but she pursed her lips and pushed open the door anyway. 

 

"Ah... hellu? I saw this church in my wonderin's I'd like to ask a few questions...." she called letting her eyes adjust from the cloudy overcast to the bright interior of the church lit by a mix of candles and electric lights. 

Edited March 19, 2018 by AroaraAngelwolf

[Felixr2]

As Dagny entered the building, the first thing she noticed was a woman looking at her, seemingly displeased, murmuring something and leaving. Dagny couldn't read lips, so she didn't know what the woman had whispered to the man in front of her, but it did get her curious.

 

She was then first approached by the waitress and after that quickly called to by a man at the counter, making a remark about the coins. But... how? How did he know?

 

"Why, thank you!" She said to the man, while walking over to the man and sliding her hand into her pocket, dropping the coins there to fade into thin air in a few hours. "I'd like a sandwich with ham and cheese, if that isn't a problem."

 

Part of her wanted to use bjarkán to see what this man actually was, that he could so easily see that her coins were counterfeit, but she didn't want to make herself suspicious by using runes in such a busy café. Even though it didn't really look special in any way - all she had to do was bend her fingers in a certain way and look through them, there wasn't even any light coming off or anything - she would look incredibly stupid to anyone who didn't have any clue about what she was doing. So she decided to let it slide.

 

"I didn't know about the coins. I've just arrived here, so I didn't know. I used them a lot on my way here, so I thought it wouldn't be a problem. Thanks for letting me know." She said to the man who offered to pay for her. He had used a roundabout way of letting her know he noticed the glamour, so she played a fool and prenteded to not get the hint.

 

"I'm Dagny, by the way. What's your name?"

 

((On a side note, Odin and Thor were both killed by Fenrir during Ragnarok, according to Norse mythology. Also, Fenrir is the son of Loki, and Thor and Loki consider themselves blood brothers, so that counts for something. Thor and Loki are actually not related by blood. Thor is Odin's son, while Loki was found as a baby by Odin - after Odin had killed Loki's giant father. Odin never really adopted Loki.))

Edited March 19, 2018 by Felixr2

[AroaraAngelwolf]

((I edited in Monoke walking into the church))

 

"Asheron. No surprise when they let you, gold coins would pay for just about anything these days but if you want to live here, you have to use the currency here. That unfortunately means you have to find work too. Nordic rune?" He asked tapping his neck indicating her mark. "I prefer Japanese characters myself, mom was from Japan dad was.... partly from Transylvania and other part from...everywhere I guess." He was partly telling her his race or species without directly saying it in case of eavesdropers after seeing the curious look on her face. "A very weird mixture but my genes say I'll live for a long time so can't argue with that. What brings you here to this tiny secluded town? " He asked then took a sip of his milkshake. "You don't have to answer that. Sorry if I'm talking a ton, I'm trying to stay awake.  You can order a drink too. You must be hungry. " 

[RavenWolf1010]

((Raven wouldn't know it that extensively, she just is making faulty connections and finding someone to blame. This is really her right now. I knew only about Loki from the MCU after creating a character based of Skoll.  I didn't know Fenrir actually killed them in Ragnarok.))

 

Hancock was deep in thought and really craving a drink. "I'll see you later, Donna." He pulled out a wad of cash (how Hancock made his money no one really knew, Raven always claims he is a male gigilo but in reality he buys/sells swords on eBay) and left money for the food and a generous tip. "Heyo kids, stay outta trouble." The man said as he walked by the two chatting on his way out. Even if they didn't know him, they surely would soon enough. Everyone eventually came to him for one thing or another. Usually it was after they stumble into town half dead, scared, and trying to hide. The other reason that was fairly common was they were having issues controlling their powers and a mix of the first. Such was the case of his friend Robert Sideway, of whom he met after he wandered into town when he was only twenty-three. It had been some time since he had heard from Sideway and as Hancock headed home he made a mental note to call him up and check up on him. His articles were still appearing in "The Weekly Goodneighbor" so surely he couldn't have been too bad off. 

Opting to drive given his lack of superhuman amenities, John climbed into his almost bare, red, 1990 YJ and started her up. Or at least tried... The Jeep was reliable, but it did not start on the first try. Or the second. Or the third. "I really need to stop putting off getting that new carburetor." After a few more tries, he finally got it to start and not die on him. Once she got running, she stayed running thankfully. Even if it didn't, John loved that Jeep to a fault and would poor countless hours and money to keep her up and running. "There we go." He said as he rubbed the dash. "I knew you weren't going to let me down." It was just as he put it in gear and started to drive away did it begin to rain.

 

Raven watched Hancock leave. Despite the seriousness of her 'stakeout' she could not help but laugh some at Hancock's efforts to start his POS Jeep. He left the air smelling of gas and the distinct smell of which he referred to as 'the Jeep smell'. She knew the smell of that damn Jeep anywhere. Turning back to the diner door, she set her chin down on her paws and sighed. The rain began to fall, soaking her fur and washing away the smells that had permeated the air. Her mind began to wander. Memories came and went before finally settling on a fairly older one. It was the first time she met Gabriel.

 

It had been just like any other day the way she remembered it. Hancock had been on her case about therapy when she stormed out into the forest for hours on end. While she had been out there, the whole atmosphere of the town seemed to have shifted. All of a sudden everything was heavy, dark, and almost outright evil. Frightened by the sudden and overwhelming change, Raven headed back to Hancock's house anger abandoned. As she approached the steps she saw the most beautiful and gentle glow being emitted from blotches smeared on the patio, the door, and around the house outside. It smelled unlike anything she ever smelled before. Moving forward and through the open front door to Hancock's cabin she found the source of the mysterious blotches. There, on Hancock's couch was a sight never before beheld by anyone. An angel lay on the brink of death. the golden substance was her blood. Her eyes tore from the bloody sight up to Hancock who for the first time in a long time was dumbfounded on what to do. The nervousness had pulled his face tight and the usual joking demeanor had given way to a frightening seriousness. Books and papers had been scattered around the living room, all smeared with the same golden blood. Luminescent, silver armor littered the floor looking as if someone had taken a can opener to them. The metal had been torn and frayed by something that had to be frighteningly more powerful than an angel's armor. "I don't know what to do." Raven turned back to Hancock. She changed to her human form and went beside him, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Sure you do. Stop the bleeding." 

"But how! She's a friggin angel. Are they anything like humans!? I don't-"

"If you don't do anything, she will die." Raven said evenly looking back to the angel. She was stunningly beautiful, just like anyone would ever expect an angel to be. The scars and fresh cuts that crossed the expansion of her skin added a hardness to her soft features. "Hancock," the shifter urged. "You have to do something." Finally, something seemed to click as he went to work silently and efficiently. He gathered supplies and began to pack wounds, or sew them depending on the severity. He worked for hours, unsure if the angel would even make it. Raven stayed be their sides throughout the night. Come morning, the angel woke up with a scream and clutched Raven's arm, startling her awake. The angel's eyes were a piercing silver, filled with confusion, anger, and pain. They almost seemed to bore into her very soul. Then just as suddenly her grip relaxed and she fell back onto the couch. "Who are you?" Raven whispered, still shaken. "My name is... Gabriel."

 

It had been a long past few months. All she wanted to do now was go back to Goodneighbor and center herself. Her first stop would be the church to get some sleep. Though angels did not really need sleep, the exhaustion of not over the last few months had began to take its toll. Her large wings beat the air at regular intervals as she was able to catch some of the thermal drafts and glide. It was not long before the town came into sight, the telltale signs of the glamour surrounding it becoming visible. She felt bad that she would not be visiting Raven and Hancock first thing but she really needed to sit down and catch her breath. The church was closer to the edge of town. She alighted down and looked up at its familiarity. All churches seemed to have the same air of solace, making her feel closer to Him despite the fact she was not in the Kingdom. The archangel tucked her wings to her back and headed through the doors.

Edited March 19, 2018 by RavenWolf1010

[padfoot]

SIdeway wadded up his almost certainly ruined suit and stuffed it into a paper bag. It was too heavy and crumpled to put on a hanger and he was sure Ringo at the dry cleaners  would understand his transgression. He pocketed his notebook, mobile phone and keys  and headed towards the door, pausing for a moment to look at the digital camera hanging off the hook. He smirked and snagged it off the hook by the door. Sideway draped it around his neck, the small camera dangling in front of his navel. Sideway shut the door behind him,  making sure he locked the door behind him. 

 

The incubus made his way down the stairs that lead to the the diner he lived above. When he first moved there the owner was kind enough to give him a temporary job and a place to live. Since he got the job at the newspaper and eventually started running it he could move out but he has come to love the little apartment above the restaurant. Before pushing open the door that lead out the back alley Sideway finally remembered that he never checked his phone after his involuntary adventure last night. He paused with his hand on the door. three new messages. One missed call Sideway frowned and pushed the door open. 

 

He slid his phone back in his pocket, making a mental note to check that out once he finished up at the dry cleaners. It was just down the road after all and the walk to the office would require him to walk across town. The metal door slammed behind him and stopped when he looked down the alley. Lurking in the scarce shadows along the edge of the alley was a black wolf. Sideway assumed it was a wolf since stray dogs are rare in Goodneighbor. The door slamming caused the wolf to bolt upright. "Oh! I'm sorry. Didn't know you were hanging out here" he apologized. Sideway raised the camera to his eye and took a quick photo, "If that's you Raven have a good day!" The man turned and walked in the opposite direction. 

 

 After finishing up the boring task of dropping off his dry cleaning he started on his way to the office of The Weekly Newspaper. As he walked, he pulled out his cell phone and checked his messages first

 

>Unknown Number<

13:08

Hey!  we r at the pit. See u there? xoxo

 

>Unknown Number<

13:55

It was nice to meet you. Hope we can meet up later

 

>Unknown Number<

15:36

You piece of ****!!! I hope that ***** drowns you! What everyone says is true! Have fun being a slug of a person.

 

Sideway Blinked and reread the messages again. Each didn't have a reply, and each were the first messages in their conversations. Makes sense that he didn't answer, his phone was still charging on his kitchen counter when he got home. He was debating calling the numbers and asking what happened the night before. Well, the first two at least. He wasn't sure what was going on with that last one or why it was sent so late but he was willing to let those clues slide. 

 

Next, Sideway checked the voicemail. It was Claudia, the young specter who was a wiz at formatting the newspaper. He pressed the phone to his ear;

One-Message-Eleven-Fourty-Four-P-M....BEEEEEP

Hey, Sideway? There is a woman here for you. She says she knows your work from somewhere. I told her that you already left for the night but she insisted I call you. Well sorry to bother you so late. Goodnight.

*Click*

No-New-Messages-For-More-Optio-

 

Sideway let out a puff of breath and ran his hand through his hair. What the hell is going on? he wondered as he reached the center of town. 

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Monoke looked behind her as a- was that an angel? A freaking Angel?! Walked in behind her. She blinked twice and turned to the woman in front of the church sweeping between the benches. "Ah.... um... I think you have a.. really important visitor...."  she said. It sounded like the start of a bad joke. A Irish werewolf and an angel of heaven walk into a church.... she didn't want to know the punch line of that one. 

[RavenWolf1010]

Hancock pulled up to his cabin, the gravel underneath his tires making a satisfying crunching noise. The cabin itself was a fairly standard place. Upon walking inside there was a small closet to the left. The same wall made up part of the kitchen's which was across from the living room and fire place. To the right, on either side of the fireplace, were two bedrooms. Or rather one spare bedroom and one he used for his office. Across from his office was a hallway that backed up against the kitchen wall and housed the bathroom and at the end, his bedroom. Generally in poor weather, Raven would stay in the spare bedroom (which she believed was her room). Clothes of hers had been strewn across the floor, the bed was unmade, the blinds were broken from her ill attempts at trying to work them, and random trinkets decorated the desk. Mostly the trinkets were 'cool rocks', a few were well intact skulls of animals she had found. Attached to his cabin by a patio cover was his garage. It housed more of the mechanical parts and pieces of swords or armor he had been collecting. Behind the cabin there was a shed which he used for his chemistry and natural sciences. 

John walked up to the door and went to insert his keys when he saw a white pile of seemingly mush. He picked it up gingerly with a face of disgust and studied it. It was hard to read but he could still make out the business card of Robert Sideway. On the back was scribbled 'call me <3 Sideway'. "Huh." Hancock unlocked the door and went inside, tossing the wad of wet paper onto his kitchen table. Now he was really worried about Sideway's well being. Surely if he was in big trouble he would have called sooner. The man went off to find his phone which he had left on his nightstand by his bed. Unlike Raven's room (and the rest of the house) his bedroom was incredibly neat. Finding his phone was not an issue, however, the phone was dead. With a grunt of irritation he plugged the phone in and went back to the living room while it charged. Usually when she was around, Gabriel would clean and tidy up the house. In her absence over time, books and papers had accumulated in random places such as all over the couch, across the coffee table, even around the bathroom sink. With nothing better to do for the time being, Hancock started to organize the mess and move stuff back into his office. "I should hire an interior decorator." He mumbled as he looked around at his very outdated house. The retro curtains had long since passed out of fashion, and no longer matched the ugly shades of green, browns, and dark red of his pillows. The couch itself too needed an update, it having seen so much blood, sweat and tears over the years. At least my walls are cool. Along the walls swords were meticulously hung up, broken up with the occasional standard cabin picture or old map of some sort. Swords and daggers even resided on the few bookcases on various walls in the living room. Hancock did not really have a TV. It was there, one of those now ancient tube TVs with the bunny ear antennae, but he could not even remember the last time it had been turned on. If he needed info, he had his laptop, phone, or books. Raven had begged him to get a flat screen and a blu-ray player but he shot the argument down with the fact she is almost never here anyways. 

Satisfied (read: bored) with his cleaning, the man sat down and looked out the window facing the nearby lake. I should really go fishing one of these days. The rain was coming down now and he wondered if the lake would overfill. Raven will probably come in tonight stinking up the house like wet dog. He figured at this point his phone would have enough juice to make a call so back he went to his bedroom. Hancock picked up the phone and pulled up Robert's number and dialed. 

 

Gabriel seemed somewhat surprised by the presence of another aside from the pastor. "Good morning, Reverend Gould. I didn't realize you have company." The oddest thing was that the young girl seemed to recognize her. The angel sensed now that she was not entirely human, which made sense as to why she could see through her glamour. "Good morning." She dipped her head politely and started to head towards the front of where all the pews were. "If you'll kindly excuse me, I need to rest some. I have had a long journey." As she made her way towards the front row of pews she stopped upon spotting the girl sweeping. This girl had the brightest aura that she had ever seen. Now she was torn between her curiosity and her exhaustion. She will be there when you wake up. The angel told herself. Nonetheless, she was captivated. Gabriel had to drag herself along to a pew to keep herself from asking. She finally sat down and bowed her head. It was not exactly a prayer but rather she let herself slip from her 'mortal form' and float freely in the realm between the Kingdom and the mortal world. In this state, her mortal body would rest itself while her essence roamed freely. At all times she could still hear and sense her body, but for the most part her mortal form was in a catatonic state that seemed like sleep. It was now Gabriel settled down and began to try to recenter herself and ease the tension that had gripped her for so long.

Edited March 20, 2018 by RavenWolf1010

[padfoot]

The small bell over the front door tinkled softly as Sideway let himself in. The man gave a small shiver that shook small droplets from his hair that splashed onto the cheap carpet. The last stretch of his trip to the office was made miserable by a sudden downpour. Sideway theorized that something about the glamour that surrounded the town made seeing incoming storms difficult. This was just great, It was the second time today he was involuntarily drenched The small front lobby of the newspaper headquarters was dark and silent save for the patter of rain on the glass front of the office. Sideway peered through the dark receptionist window, "Hello!" he called out, his voice swallowed by the small, cozy space, "Guess everyone else took the day off"

 

The newspaper only had four employees; Claudia, aforementioned specter who worked as chief editor and general organization of the paper, Hector, a turtle shiftier and Jose, a beautiful valkyrie who work as a journalists and finally himself, as manager and everything else. Luckily, the population of Goodneighbor is more or less a thousand so news was rarely pressing. It makes their job interesting coming up with ways to make headlines such as " Library gets new printer" and "Are the autumn leaves falling too early?" interesting to readers. 

 

Sideway flicked on the light in his office in the back of the building and sat behind his desk. He pushed the power button on his ancient desktop to let it boot up. At that moment, his mobile began to buzz in his pocket. He pulled it out and checked the caller ID.

 

"Hey beautiful." Sideway quipped into the phone.

He listened for a moment.

"No.no.no. I'm fine. Just had a little....well I'm not sure what happened. The irony is not lost on me but I think I need help finding clues on mt night. Maybe I can retrace my steps and figure out what happened"

More listening...

"Well I'm at the office now but the bottom just fell out of the sky so I would hate to bother you."

L I S T E N I N G

"Thanks Hancock. Be safe today, Lovely....Oh! I Almost forgot. I got a weird voicemail from Claudia about some woman looking for me last night. I text Her this morning but she hasn't gotten back with me. Do you think it could be connected"

......

"alright, Take care"

 

Sideway hung up the phone without saying goodbye. Not to be rude, to be safe. To say goodbye implies he will die in a horrific accident and never see that person again. It was a strange superstition but he wasn't going to stop doing it now. Sideway tapped a few times on the screen of his phone and raised it to his ear

 

................ Heeeey this is Claudia. Leave a message at the bla bla bla......BEEEEEEEP......

 

Sideway left a quick message asking her to call him back and hung up. He set his phone down on his desk and stared at it. A strange feeling of dread crept its way into his heart. 

 

[Felixr2]

Fotein looked up when she heard someone talking in the door opening.

 

The girl wanted to ask some questions. She wouldn't be able to answer any of them, nor was she in a position to. The pastor would be the one to help this visitor.

 

Before the girl walked any further, though, she mentioned an important visitor. She sounded quite urgent.

 

Shooting another glance, Fotein saw a beautiful woman enter the church. She couldn't quite see why this woman was so special, though.

 

The fair lady then spoke to the pastor, using his name. Did they know each other? It sure seemed like that, but it wasn't any of her business.

 

The lady sat down to rest on one of the pews Fotein had already cleaned. The pastor seemed to allow it, so she let her be and continued cleaning the benches.

 

~~~~~~

 

A job... then what should she do? She had no idea. This Asheron person then mentioned the rune on her throat. She mildly panicked. Seeing through the glamour was one thing, but how could he ever know that- oh. He thought it was a tattoo or something. But... what were Japanese characters? And what was Transylvania? It sounded vaguely familiar. Perhaps it had once crossed in one of Odin's storied, but she couldn't recall any of it.

 

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I have no clue what you're talking about... but yes. This is a Nordic rune. Thúris. It stands for victory, furthermore. I wear it with pride, as it represents my Nordic heritage. Where I come from, people still hold on to the old Nordic traditions. I got to know the culture of this area on my way here, for the most part, I think, but I still cherish the things that tie me to my Nordic roots, like this rune, or my surname. According to Nordic tradition, your surname is derived from your father's first name. My father was called Brinjar, so my last name is Brinjardottir."

 

Telling him her full name was dangerous, she knew. Odin had taught her numerous times that there was power in a name. However, this was only one of her names. She already had quite some others, like Weirdo, Loner, or Outcast, to name some of the milder ones. So she was safe. And as if this person even knew how to use the power behind names.

 

"Ah, right. A drink. Uhm, I'd like some milk. Goat milk, if you have any."

 

((For clarification, Fotein genetically is 100% human, so I assumed the glamours would affect her.))

Edited March 20, 2018 by Felixr2
Dagny!

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"I don't suppose you know of the Dracula story? If not I would say...... I'm partly a Draugr.  As for Japanese characters, they are letters much like the runes. This is the character for kitsune." He pronounced it like key-Ku-neh drawing on a napkin the symbol: 狐. "Thúris. Thor's rune right? I'm a linguistics expert at the museum a couple towns over. I am fluent in ten different languages, five are considered dead,lost or old languages that are, ancient Greek, Latin, Nordic, Celtic and Hebrew. I don't think they have goat's milk.... we have cow milk though..." He said looking at the menu. "Or tea and coffee. As for work... I can use an assistant. I was sent Viking artifacts and some runes are too faded for me to make out with this tired old eye... " He tapped under his aqua colored eye. "It'll have good pay and you'll have a room at my house, rather the entire upper floor to yourself. What do you say?" 

Edited March 20, 2018 by AroaraAngelwolf

[Felixr2]

A Draugr. That sounded more familiar. She remembered Odin telling her the Draugr were some sort of undead. She didn't notice the obnoxious smell that was supposed to come from them, though. Then again he had said he was only part Draugr, so perhaps he had the luck of not bearing the smell.

 

He then went off to explain his job and remarked there probably wasn't any goat milk.

 

"Cow milk is fine", she replied. "And thanks for the offer! I would love to help you with that! It's perfect!"

 

It really was perfect. If she was ever unsure of something, she could ask Odin for help, and that would be the perfect opportunity for him to teach her all about the runes.

 

"Truly perfect. And it wouldn't be too bad to have a place to stay, either. I can assure you that, though I may not look the part, I am highly capable of deciphering runes and determining the purpose of artifacts. Trust me, you'll see."

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Asher laughed. "I don't doubt you! You bare both the Nordic names and those coins I can tell from a glance are Scandinavian in origin. If you ever get stuck on some of the older runes always feel free to ask me. Oh, and my basement is nearly to completely dark but I keep candles and small flashlights at the stairs. I live in the basement, so it'll be good to have some company and someone to watch over things upstairs. You'll have a full kitchen, and I always keep fresh meat and vegetables in the house. If you prefer goat's milk to cow milk, I can always order some for you. I live about five minutes from town. Now, do you require anything else like clothing, books, toiletries, etcetera?" He asked tilting his head in both curiosity and concern as he finished his meal and drank his shake after ordering her milk. 

 

---

 

 

Monoke approached the priest wearily and started asking him questions about the church. She wrote down his answers on a small snake skin covered notebook before thanking him. Before she left she turned back and said. "My friend works at the flower shop, if you want lillies and Easter flowers I'm sure he'll arrange them and deliver them personally. He's the one whom I'm asking these questions for. He's a very religious young man who would love to help out here anytime. His name is Joseph Church, we live at the apartments down three blocks. He was a farmer, so if you need someone to help weed the garden beds or help out in the community garden he's always ready to help... here.. his cell number." She scribbled the number down and handed it to the reverend. "Adjusting is a little difficult for him and I'm trying to help him adjust. This..." she waved to the church. "Isn't my thing being a druid and all but he's like a younger brother to me. So please, if you need anything or volunteers please call him. Well, unless it's Sundays or Saturday night. He's very adamant about attending church service. Like I said, his faith is very strong. I'm kinda shocked he's not a priest or something. " she said with a small smile. 

[RavenWolf1010]

Raven flicked her ear and turned when a door above her shut. She recognized Sideway and wagged her tail in a way of returning his greeting. Time seemed to drag on waiting for this girl. Certainly she had a town to destroy, why was she taking so long? The wolf rose to her feet and huffed in frustration. The rain had soaked her fur and now she was cold. Hancock always poked fun at her unwillingness to commit wholly to living outdoors. While she didn’t like the conefinemnt of a house, she certainly didn’t take well to rain and snow either. Raven made the choice to abandon the stakeout. The girl would be around for her to confront later. 

Raven headed down the street towards the local flower shop. There was a dog there she had met recently and really liked, not to mention all the flowers that ceaced to facinate her. 

 

 

Hancock lowered the phone from his ear, pondering what Sideway had told him. He wondered if this blackout could be related to him not feeding consistently. Or maybe he had been. The Psuedo-doctor did not tend to dabble in others personal lives, but something like this could be a factor. It was something that might be better broached over text to avoid the possible awkwardness given the connotation of the subject. He certainly did not share his own encounters. After sending him a text, and a follow up inviting Sideway over after he finished up at the office, he continued to think on it as he prepared himself a drink. Maybe it was too early for some, but hey it was noon somewhere. One drink turned into two, and two into three. It eased him enough into a nap. 

 

Gabriel after some time finally stirred. She blinked a few times before finally standing up and stretching her wings. Of course no one aside from the pastor or other inhumans could see her, though. The angel made her way back towards the pastor and waited until he finished his conversation. “Thank you,” he said as he took the number gratefully. “I’m sure I will be putting in a call soon enough for our Easter service.” Upon seeing Gabriel up and awake, he politely waved goodbye on her way out. “Always a delight to see you, Reverend. Thank you for opening up your church to me.” 

“Likewise, Gabriel. Thank you for continuing to keep us safe and doing the Lord’s work.” The angel headed out into the rain, heading for Hancock’s cabin.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Esther was sitting by the window looking outside. Each time someone rushed passed to get out of the rain, her tail beat the linoleum floor in a welcome although the people never stepped inside. Joseph was arranging the tulips and trumpet lilies in bouquets for an Easter wedding order. "Slow day huh?" He said without looking up from his work. He added a few baby's breath to fill in the spaces and still keep with the color scheme before starting on the pins for the groomsmen and mother's of the couple. 

 

Esther snorted in response to his question before she spotted raven. She started to dance around before darting to the back room and running back to the front dragging a towel with her, dancing on her paws like the floor was hot. Once the wolf was by the window she spun in circles and sprang up dropping the towel on the floor before landing and whining again clearly delighted to see her newfound friend. "Esther Ruth Church what are you carrying on about? If you need to go outside I know you could open the door yourself!" He called with a chuckle still focused on his work. 

 

Edited March 21, 2018 by AroaraAngelwolf

[RavenWolf1010]

((*wraps Esther in arms and snuggles to death* I was going to intro Raven in her wolf form to play with Esther and then eventually shift))

 

The shop was close to the diner so walking did not take long. A rather disgruntled wolf sniffed along the store front to see if the dog was there. Sure enough she could smell her from underneath the door. Her tail began to wag and she let out a deep bark of excitement. Through the window she play-bowed to Esther, her former mood giving way to one of playfulness. Part of her hoped she would come outside and play, the other more human counterpart prayed that she might let her inside. Raven gave little thought of the actual owner of Esther, forgetting that the dog was simply that still: a domestic dog. Perhaps it was her loneliness that attributed to her seeking out a companion. As far as she knew, there were no others like her in town. Certainly even if there was, none of them would share her story. Not to mention either that they might alienate her, just like werewolf packs she tried to join had. Raven barked again, ears up and eyes bright with eagerness.  

 

 

Hancock was dreaming of sipping a pineapple daiquiri on a tropical beach when suddenly he woke with a start. Mere inches from his face was another face. "Ah! Jesus ****ing Christ!" He fell up and over the side of the couch with a dull thud. "You stink like alchol." The angel turned from the man and picked up a half drank bottle of whiskey. "We talked about this, Ra- Gabriel?" He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and blinked a few times. "You're back!" John stood up and went to her, wrapping her in a hug. "Yes, it has been a long time." Remarked Gabriel as she returned his hug. "Is Raven here?" She looked over Hancock's shoulder into her room, of which seemed abandoned. "It is raining outside." 

"You know I haven't seen her since this morning..." The man sheepishly rubbed the back.his neck and dropped his eyes. "What did you do?" He and Raven more often than not butted heads. Mostly it came up when he tried to help her. "It wasn't me this time, Gabe. She said something about Fenrir and walked out."

"Fenrir? Son of Loki, giant wolf Fenrir?" Hancock only shrugged. "I'm not that savvy in Greek mythology."

"It is Norse and I thought you of all people would know."

"I know of some of the 'magic' they use, and I barely know that. That's about it. Hell, I know more about Eastern medicine than mid-western."

"Odd." Gabriel rubbed her chin and started perusing the many books that lined various bookshelves in the house. "What did she see or do when she said it?"

"A girl walked into the diner."

"You are not much help." Hancock took the bottle of whiskey from the table and shrugged again. "My memory is a little fuzzy." The angel sighed and shook her head and went back to searching as Hancock poured himself another drink.

Edited March 21, 2018 by RavenWolf1010

[padfoot]

Sideway rubbed his eyes to take a break from what he was writing on his computer. The storm outside sounded like it was picking up, the onslaught of rain echoing in the high ceiling of his office. He looked back at the flicker of his computer screen with distant disdain. He had been in his office for an hour and a half working on his next piece in this week's paper and none of his coworkers arrived. He didn't blame them with that storm outside. Speaking of the storm, Hancock was waiting on him at his cabin. Better to get it over with. 

 

After searching his office, Sideway located an emergency poncho in his desk drawer and pulled it on. Sideway saved what he was doing and shut down his computer. He stepped out of his office and into the dark warehouse where the printer sat. He knew they could get a plotter to save on space and power but are expensive and hard to get to a magical hidden town in the mountains. This relic would have to do. Sideway used his keys to unlock Jose's office door and slipped inside. She always left things she needed in her office and you would be surprised with how many times snooping around saved him during late nights to meet deadlines. 

 

A short time later, Sideway was locking the front door and standing in the stead rainfall. The small canopy over the doorway was doing little to keep the rain off his borrowed umbrella. On top of a large, black golf umbrella, the incubus found a pair of yellow rainboots that he thought went well with his outfit. Sideway tugged on the door to check if it really locked . Once staisified, Sideway may his way to Hancock's house. 

 

There were not any doctors in Goodneighbor as far as Sideway could tell. There was, however, always a crazy man or woman in town that posed as one. While most residents of the town were immortal in one way or another so actual medical care wasn't rarely needed. Hancock had not always been his "doctor". Whe Sideway first arrived he was helped by a man named Luke Skinner. Don't let him catch you calling him Luke though...Or using the word magic. He hated that. It's Skinner's timetable that he has been basing his feeding schedule on for years. One day he was gone. Possessions, car, house, everything that showed he lived in town had vanished. 

But that's Goodneighbor. 

 

Sideway stomped up the steps to Hancock's cabin and knocked on the front door. 

[AroaraAngelwolf]

((Edited so she mainly spun around seeing her outside. She's adorable I love Esther!  also since Joseph was once human the glamour affects him somewhat. He gets confused because he sees one thing but smells or hears another.))

 

Joseph heard the barking and glanced over his shoulder, seeing Esther by the door giving him a pleading look with her two colored eyes he chuckled and nodded giving her the o.k. to let in her friend. " stay away from the vases, but you two can play in the back. " With a happy yip, she pushed open the door on her hind legs after picking up the towel. She dropped it on the black wolf as she passed by to go inside.  Once cleared of the door she turned around and let it close, dropping down into a play bow her tail making her rear end bounce. 

[RavenWolf1010]

"What are you looking for?"

"More information."

"Aren't you like... an angel-pedia?" Gabriel did not like it when Hancock was drinking. He turned snarky and tended to make a joke out of everything (and they all seemed to be dirty, somehow). Of course that was better than the latter when he would instead isolate himself so she tolerated it. "I have accumulated thousands of years of information, some of it is bound to fall through the cracks at one point or another." She found the book she was looking for just as there was a knock at the door. The angel looked up, muscles tensing. "Were you expecting anyone?" Quietly the angel asked as she set the book down and materialized her sword. "I... uh... was I?" Hancock rubbed the stubble of his face as he tried to remember. However, Gabriel was already at the door. She threw it open with her sword at the ready, pointing it to the center of the visitor's chest. "Oh, it is you." Her sword lowered and the tenseness relaxed as she stepped aside to let Sideway in. "I will warn you that he has found his way to some liquor. How much help he might be to you now is... negateble." Without another word, Gabriel let her sword de-materialize, grabbed the book, and headed into the office before shutting the door to give them some privacy. How rude was it to become intoxicated when expecting company, especially when they were seeking counsel. 

"Ah! Sideway. I forgot you were stopping by. I, uh, treated myself to a few drinks. Would you like one?" He preemptively poured him a glass and left it between them before sitting down at the kitchen table. "You said you were having some trouble with something... oh yeah, remembering last night?"

 

 

The less-than-graceful wolf charged in as Esther opened the door, nearly skidding headlong into a lovely arrangement of flowers. Taking the towel that Esther had so thoughtfully given her, she dried herself off some and then the puddles of water she had created when she came in. She then discarded the towel and turned back to her fellow canine, mirroring her bow. Esther was large, nearly the size of the average wolf, but Raven still had a few extra inches on her. The wolf yipped and then tore off into the back, careful to avoid the delicate flowers that lined the shop and made it smell heavenly. On her way to the back she slowed, finally registering the man at the counter. Her eyes settled on him and looked him over curiously. His scent was... abnormal at most. Then again, this was Goodneighbor, full of abnormal. She shrugged it off and continued on. 

 

---------------------

 

"Look at this!" The man wiped his cheeto-dusted fingers and handed the paper to his friend. "It's a Bigfoot sighting! I told you!" The friend snatched the paper from his hands and adjusted his glasses. "Bigfoot," he read aloud. "Is he among us? Drew this is just some small town's desperate attempt at a story. Look at how poorly it's written. This is nothing." The man tossed the paper over his shoulder which landed on a small pile of other newspapers with similar pictures and titles. "Aw Sam, come on man. The town isn't too far from here, it's on our way! What's the harm in stopping there for a little while and just testing the waters. It's the small towns where the weird stuff always happens and just think if it really is real!" The two were sitting in a van in the parking lot of a convenience store in the larger town over. They had collected local newspapers all in search of the infamous Bigfoot. Another van was parked across from them where three more people ate and searched thing on their computers. Sam sighed and thought to the inconclusive data they had been gathering. The mounting debt he had acquired from buying all of the equipment and vans he had purchased in hopes of a big TV corporation picking them and their travels up loomed over him. They needed as many opportunities as they could get at this point. "Alright fine." Drew clapped his hands together eagerly, dropping his chips and spreading the grimey dust everywhere. "Alright team, in about two hours we will be heading to this little town to the East called Goodneighbor." Drew handed the now-stained-orange-with- fingerprints newspaper to Alex, who then handed it to one of the three other people. "Radar says it's raining." Piped Drew without looking up from his phone. "Ponchos out, people. We are just doing a dry run on this one."