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Post by The Paladog on Oct 24, 2013 17:13:57 GMT
Exhaustion was a good word for it. After all the time they had spent hunting, she felt like she should really be more used to the short hours of sleep and the constant travel, but it never stopped taking a toll on her. Her anxiety medication was now taken at its highest prescription level, while her counselor sent her e-mails inquiring why she kept missing appointments and showing increasing concern over her sudden guarded behavior during the sessions she did attend. There was no way to tell her therapist that she had taken up a life hunting literal monsters, but the sessions had to continue for her to remain on her medication, and it was one of the only things that got her through the night sometimes.
Well, not the only thing. She cast a grateful glance at Bradley, who was reading the menu at the restaurant but paused long enough in this to give her a smile and a kiss on her forehead. There was no need for Jessie to say anything, because he assured her from her glance. "We'll find Mary, and the other TDFers are on their way here. We're going to take care of this."
She couldn't stop her lips from turning downwards in a frown of concern. "I know we'll take care of it. We always take care of it. It gets fixed somehow. I'm just more concerned about what might get injured in the process." Zephyr, curled against her feet in his lanky dingo form, pressed his warm against her jeans in comfort as he lifted his head to sit it on the booth beside her. She extended a grateful hand to run it along his snout; if there was one single benefit in this entire process, it was the addition of her heart's soul manifesting in her life. Five years of incorporeal conversations, and now it was as simple as looking down into golden brown eyes. This coupled with the press of Bradley's body on her left side was enough to slow her heartbeat, even if just slightly. She had no idea where Mary was, and that was terrifying, but if anybody would be able to sniff it out, it'd be this Scooby Gang that was gathering at the restaurant.
"I'm sure I could've at least tried to track her more," Zephyr was still feeling dejected that they hadn't been able to hang around the neighborhood more without arousing suspicion from Mary's family. They had made the decision together, but it was still difficult for them knowing that in order to allow her family any amount of relaxation, they wouldn't be able to do the tracking themselves. An agreement had already been made between the little group that they would ask one of the oncoming TDFers to scout out the area, since a random passerby would rouse considerably less concern than Jessie and Bradley loitering for extra time on the sidewalk. Going back at night would also help, but it was painful, because Jessie had always considered Mary's family her own, and they had always returned the feeling. Having to keep them in the dark, especially with Mary's absence, was causing her a struggle. It was luck that Brad was able to be slightly more objective about the situation and keep her from taking care of Mary's family or, worse, immediately rushing off into the dark to find the demon that had invaded her friend.
Bradley had lapsed into silence at my words, likely contemplating the task that lay before us, if she knew him at all. She wanted to reassure him, but he knew anything she had to say, so it was pointless to waste the words. Boop, his daemon, was stretched out beside Zephyr, ferret formed at the moment, though Jessie knew she would return to her more stable cedar waxwing when we were moving again. She could sense from Zephyr that her presence comforted him, and also that he was looking forward to seeing fellow daemons after so much time apart from them. Boop and Zephyr were lucky to have each other, but seeing their fellows always gave them both joy, even in a time of concern like this. Zephyr was just as worried as she was, of course, and his mind kept pushing forward an image of Sailor, Mary's black pharaoh hound daemon. He seemed confused about how Sailor would've let Mary be possessed; the daemon was known for her sharpness and aggression when it came to keeping her person safe.
These thoughts weren't helping her to calm at all. Better to focus on the menu, since they all deserved a good meal before going out on the hunt. "I hope they have some vegan things for Molly," Jessie murmured, thinking of the small Hufflepuff. "But I was thinking about ordering a pizza, and anyone who wants some can grab a slice. What do you think?"
"I'm fine with that, babydoll," Brad responded, laying the menu on the table about the same time that the waitress conveniently shuffled up. He ordered a large pepperoni and feta pizza, while Jessie stirred her drink absently with a straw. As soon as the waitress walked away, he looked back at her. "How much longer before they're here?"
She checked her phone - a new Snapchat from Aasyla had arrived, showcasing a picture of the bridge that was in sight out the restaurant window. "Aasyla, TJ, and Molly are almost here, it looks like." Jessie showed him the picture, and he nodded - she could see in the way his expression set into place that he was mentally preparing for the long evening ahead. She couldn't stop a pang of guilt; after all, if she'd never introduced him to daemons, she never would've dragged him into this in the first place, and she occasionally felt guilty for his involvement, while knowing that he was bound to scold her if she expressed any concern that he wasn't meant to be doing this. So instead she ducked her head and kept her concerns to herself, comforted by a light whine in Zephyr's throat.
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TJ
New Member
Posts: 27 
Class: Daemian/Hunter
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Post by TJ on Oct 24, 2013 22:33:59 GMT
"It was the Quay Restaurant and Bar, right?" TJ doesn't really direct the question to anyone in particular, since many voices could potentially answer her question. She was pretty sure the people who designed her Mercury Trio didn't account for daemons when they said it seats five comfortably. For the sake of space, Laefe takes the form of a thick-billed prion, which TJ found out is pretty much a fancy name for a small seagull. Laefe regretted this decision once he figured out how difficult it is to perch with webbed feet. He settled in her lap instead, against TJ's better judgement. Whenever TJ shifted her legs to brake, Laefe needed to raise his wings and flap a bit to reposition himself. Talk about a driving hazard.
"That's right," Katie answers her first. She will always ride shotgun, and Toby is back in his black-winged kite form, perched confidently on her shoulder. TJ glances into the rearview mirror to make sure Molly is still faring well in the back seat. Though it had taken a bit longer than she'd expected, TJ successfully found Molly's place, and after a brief reunion, they were on their way to meet Jessie. TJ finds herself tempted to take a picture of the miles her car has accumulated. Who's the inexperienced driver now? she smirks at the thought. TJ turns into the correct parking lot with Katie's affirmation, and has to circle around a few times before a spot finally opens. "Must be a happenin' place..." Laefe grumbles from against the car door.
As soon as they park, Laefe flaps his wings in order to move and TJ snatches him up and holds him securely in her arms. TJ has always thought it was strange strange how daemons feel warm, but don't carry much weight or substance to really generate heat. The physics never made much sense. They all exit the car without words. They had been unable to sustain any light conversation. The hunt had been on each of their minds. As soon as her door is open, TJ more or less throws Laefe outside. He barely catches himself on a wind thermal and glides above the car. "That was uncalled for. I am far from being adept at flying, you know. I would be if you let me try it out more often."
"Are you kidding? You almost caused me to crash a few times back there! You deserved it," she quips, "now get back into a dog form, because I don't plan on holding an imaginary gull the entire time we're in the restaurant." He seems to shutter in midair, dramatically falling and exploding into a puddle of light which reforms into a familiar, albeit grumpy, maremma sheepdog.
"If there were thermals in the restaurant..." he muttered, sitting his rump on the sidewalk.
"Be a good boy and at least smell Zephyr or something?" she asked silently, watching Molly and Katie collect their things out of the trunk of the car. "You are the most antisocial daemon I've ever seen, and you always make things awkward."
"Peasants, the lot of them. Except Toby of course, he's a lord in my court." TJ doesn't benefit him with a response. She lets the rest of them go on ahead of her as she locks up her car, patting it affectionately. "You're holding up real well, Maggie," TJ smiles at her old lady of a car. Once all the doors are locked, she follows the other two into the restaurant.
Jessie had picked a larger table off to the side. It probably would have been difficult to make her out in the dark restaurant if Zephyr hadn't been standing beside her in all his bright, daemon-y glory. TJ couldn't help but smile at Jessie, Katie, and Molly who were all greeting each other. When TJ was close enough make out her expression, she could recognize the same weariness in Jessie's eyes that all hunters seemed to have. "Nice to see you again, Jessie." She doesn't remember the man standing next to her, but she assumes that he's her boyfriend. Katie had mentioned he would be with her. She holds her hand out in greeting. "I don't think we've met... I'm TJ and this is Laefe," she aims her left thumb at the large white dog standing beside her. "Sorry you have to remember all these names so quickly," she grins at him sheepishly, but then notices a ferret beside Zephyr. So he was a daemian? He must have been there too... right? There were so many of them fighting hellhounds... he very well could have been there. TJ immediately feels the heat of embarrassment down her neck. If they had met, she can't quite seem to remember him, and she's always been terrible with names.
"And that is exactly why I stay quiet," TJ could feel Laefe's smirk.
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Post by Elsie on Oct 25, 2013 22:08:09 GMT
“Psh-psh, wake up, we’re about to land.” Elsie jerks awake by the voice in her ear. She opens her eyes to see Perry, standing in his possum form on her shoulder.
She growls at him, rubbing her temples. “How could you wake me up, aren’t you supposed to sleep when I do?”
“Yes. But I think I wake up when you return into those first stages of sleep. I’m not sure, there hasn’t been enough research done on daemons and sleeping.” The tiny marsupial climbs out of her scarf and move swiftly to the window beside her. Standing on his hind legs, he presses his little pink nose to the glass.
The fear that had been gnawing in the back of Elsie’s mind before she fell asleep seemed to be stilled for the moment. It had been reminding her that they were flying into danger, to uncertainty and strangers and death. But now she is busy observing her daemon’s breath condensing on the glass. Can other people see it? The little white spot that grow and shrink at the pace of their breathing?
He boops his nose three times in the condensation, making it into a surprised face. His proud giggle makes her smile.
The plane touches down and rolls towards the gate. With a trained movement Elsie scoops up her daemon and put him on her shoulder; to others she appears to simply be reaching to brush the hair out of her face. The couple had adjusted to their semi-corporeality quickly, their movements are now in almost perfect sync. But then again, she had had four years of practice, back when she used to pretend to carry her daemon around.
“Wi-Fi. Updates.” Perry says softly as soon as the plane comes to a halt.
“Right.” Elsie pulls out her Ipad, connects to the airport Wi-Fi and scrolls through TDF. No new updates on the hunt, which probably means that TJ, Aasyla and Molly have reached the meeting place safely and the group have abandoned the digital means of conversation. Good news, but bad for her. After a moment’s hesitation she edits her latest post to let them know she has landed. It is better to keep them updated, even if knowing her current position is pretty much irrelevant to them.
Finding her bag at the baggage claim carousel is easy, and Elsie is relieved to find it untouched. Before the journey she had carefully disassembled her weapons and wrapped the pieces separately in clothes, hoping they would avoid detection. She has a licence, but it is a Swedish licence, and she is not entirely sure it will help her here. Fortunately there didn’t seem to have been any problems.
“Now…”
“A cab?”
She sighs, looking at the stream of people pushing past her, out of the airport, definitely beating her to the cabs. "Yeah."
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TJ
New Member
Posts: 27
Class: Daemian/Hunter
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Post by TJ on Oct 26, 2013 6:20:12 GMT
TJ sat in her parked car at the airport terminal, warming her hands fervently in front of the vent. "See any daemons yet?" TJ calls to Laefe, whose paws are braced against the passenger's side door. The airport was beautiful, but it was also quite large. TJ had to guess which side of the building Elsie would eventually come out of... she was Swedish right? TJ sent a silent prayer, hoping she was parked in front of the correct international terminal.
"Elsie should see me if I don't see her first," Laefe reminds her, pushing his dog body out the window as far as he could. "Is she even aware that we're here?"
"I'm trying to log back into TDF now..." TJ mutters, poking at her iPhone with frozen fingers. "I forgot what my username was. I thought it was just 'TJ'..." Laefe rolls his eyes and sighs. "She might have caught a cab already... Oh, Katie just texted me."
Mindtwin:
"Okay, she should be coming out soon... I wish I had brought a sign or something..." TJ hadn't stayed in Vancouver for too long before she was back on the road. As soon as she heard that Elsie was landing at the nearby airport, she volunteered to pick her up. Taxis were a pain, and they cost too much money for what they were. Besides, TJ had flown into quite a few airports in the past. It was pretty sad when no one was there to pick you up, especially if you weren't familiar with the city.
"What kind of daemon am I looking for?" Laefe's tail hit her face to get her attention.
She gave up with TDF and undid her seatbelt. "Don't you remember?" she pushes his tail away. "I think Perry takes a domestic cat form..." Laefe growls, his teeth suddenly bared. "Oh give it up, Laefe," TJ sighs, "aim those at demons, not daemons."
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Post by Elsie on Oct 26, 2013 20:32:51 GMT
Right outside the terminal, Perry stops. As soon as he was away from the crowd inside the airport he changed back into his cat form, so that he could walk on the ground, one step ahead of Elsie. So when he stops, she almost walks into him.
“Look over there,” he says before she can ask.
Elsie wraps her coat closer around her as she steps out of the way from the door, and looks in the direction he pointed. A parked car, blue and ordinary looking, with a brown-haired woman at the wheel. But she understands that that is not what her daemon reacted to. No, that would be the large, white, glowing dog leaning out of the passenger window.
“A daemian? Here? Why?”
“Maybe they’re here to pick you up? You should go and say hello.”
“Should I?”
Perry sighs. “Yes.” But when she stays put, trying to come up with a reason why approaching isn’t a good idea, he sighs even deeper and moves ahead of her. “I’m glowing too you know, it’s not like they haven’t seen us already.”
Elsie follows, going over the possible daemians it could be. Big white dog makes her think of Poseidon of Paisley, but she hasn’t heard from them for two years. “Didn’t TJ’s Laefe take dog form? They might have seen my post and known when I was coming. Yeah, it’s probably them. TJ of Laefe… Leafie? Lay-f? See, this is why communicating through writing is so much better.”
Perry shakes his head at her anxious gibber, sending her a comforting thought. He walks up to the car and bows his head towards the dog politely. Elsie catches up but stays behind him, uncertain of what to say. "Wow, I really hope this is TJ."
“Hello? TJ?”
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Post by Aasyla on Oct 26, 2013 22:21:02 GMT
She can't help it - noticing how Laefe was thrown unceremoniously out of TJ's arms, Katie quirked a smile, lips pressed together to keep from laughing. Toby glided effortlessly off of her shoulder, diving the short distance to gain speed and then angling himself upwards, turning in mid-flight to soar over the car and ride the breeze, circling around them until everyone was ready to go. Katie had always held onto her habits of making sure everyone was okay and ready to go before she moved - now that she had an extra set of eyes to help out, it was easy. Stretching from side to side, she grabbed her bag from where her feet were a second ago, flipping the passenger door lock as she shut the door. Giving TJ a quick look, she noticed her Mindtwin taking a moment with the car, and winked, trying to raise her mood a bit. Giving a smile towards Molly, she tilted her head towards the restaurant, walking towards the door and slipping aside, holding it open long enough for daemons and humans alike to file through.
Noticing the bright daemon before anything else, Katie swept a glance around the place to be on the safe side, she made sure no one was paying them much attention before giving Jessie and Brad a small wave, walking towards them. "Glad to finally meet you both." She said. Taking on the role of introducing everyone, Katie went around the assembled group. "I'm Katie, or you can call me Aasyla, Ace, whatever. Daemon's Toby. That's TJ of Laefe, and this is Molly of Farley." Turning to TJ and Molly, Katie finished introducing Jessie of Zephyr and Bradley of Boop, Toby finishing his sweep of the place before settling on her left shoulder, as the girl extended her right arm to shake with Jessie and Brad. It wasn't hard to read the mood as relatively somber, but fought against her own feeling as much as she could. Sliding herself into the seat across from Jessie and Bradley, she offered them a smile before speaking up again. "Last I heard, Elsie was flying over - I'm just going to check in to make sure everything's well so far."
A few minutes later saw TJ off to pick up Elsie at the airport. Katie would've offered to go with her, but she stayed behind, thinking it better to start the planning process than have everyone running off. Toby had stayed on her shoulder, keeping one eye on the door for security. For a moment, she wondered if anyone would want to make some small talk, but figuring it was too dire for that sort of thing right now. Crossing her arms and leaning on the table, Katie's gaze rested on the table for a moment before she finally made eye contact with Jessie. "So, did you guys get anything from the house? Where do you think we should start?"
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TJ
New Member
Posts: 27
Class: Daemian/Hunter
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Post by TJ on Oct 27, 2013 22:07:55 GMT
"I think she's headed this way," Laefe pulls his head out of the window and settles into the back seat, antisocial as usual. Sure enough, TJ sees a girl breaking away from the crowd. She seems about her age, her hair stops just above her shoulder and beneath it, a green scarf coils around her neck. TJ immediately remembers all the scarves she's left at her apartment in California and wonders why she hadn't brought one along. Layers of clothes, glittery daemon walking beside her, yep... definitely a hunter.
Her voice has a slight accent to it, and TJ is immediately tries to memorize the way her nickname sounded in her voice. TJ pulls the parking brake and opens the door with a bit too much enthusiasm, her eyes crinkle in half-moons as she steps out of the car. "El-see! Am I saying that right?... I don't think I ever asked you how it's pronounced." TJ's easy smile immediately turns into a grimace. "I'm so sorry I couldn't reply on TDF to let you know that we were here. I can't remember my username on TDF. Silly, huh?"
"Hon, you're babbling," Laefe merely nods at the two of them from the back seat.
"Sorry." TJ was actually very excited to finally meet Elsie. She was a wonderful presence on TDF, someone who she'd always admired. She felt like that time she met that psychologist she really liked, a bit jittery and hoping to make a good impression. TJ bent back into her car to open the trunk. "I'm just so glad we saw each other, because I would hate for you to have to take a cab. Is the passenger door open?" She pushes the rest of her body into her car and pulls the lever that unlocks the passenger door. "Laefe (I pronounce it Layf) will scoot over if you need him to, but hopefully he'll just stay in the backseat." TJ walks along to the other side of her car and immediately offers to help Elsie with her bags.
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Post by Lazalu on Oct 31, 2013 0:47:45 GMT
As soon as the car was safely parked, Farley, in yellow wagtail form, flew off of Molly's shoulder, transforming into a tasmanian tiger upon landing. "Whew, it's been so long since we've seen Jessie! Sucks that it has to be under these circumstances, though. I really hope they have fried pickles here." He stretched out each of his legs while Molly grabbed her backpack out of the trunk. It wasn't too heavy - for this trip she had only packed the essentials; fresh underwear, toothbrush, deodorant, a few t-shirts, flannels, jacket, holy water, skinning knife, and season 4 of RuPaul's Drag Race on dvd. She hoisted the backpack onto her shoulders and turned to Katie, who had already retrieved her things from the trunk of the car. After a quick nod, the two file into the restaurant.
It's dimly lit, but it only takes them a second to spot Zephyr, glowing like a beacon, on the far end of the room. Katie introduces everybody, and Molly gives a quick hug to Jessie (albeit a bit awkward, as she was standing and Jessie sitting down - she ended up settling for just throwing her arms around Jessie's neck and resting her cheek on the top of her head) and shakes Brad's hand with a "Nice to meet you." Brad's dæmon, currently a ferret, pokes her bright face out from under the table to take in the new guests. After a moment's silence, everybody takes a seat - Molly ending up having to steal a chair from a nearby table, squeezing it in between Jessie and Katie. They've only gotten through appetizers by the time TJ has to leave to pick Elsie up from the airport. Molly dips another slice of fried pickle ("FRICKLES. FRICKLES. THEY HAVE FRICKLES." Farley, perched on her shoulder back in yellow wagtail form, had yelled into her ear as soon as he had spotted them on the menu) in dipping sauce and pops it in her mouth. The group is somber. Molly considered trying to start some small talk to lighten the mood, but all she could think of was the weather, which was grey and disgusting and, from the look of those clouds, probably going to rain soon. It's finally Katie who speaks first, bringing up the elephant in the room. Molly can't help but sigh a little in relief that it didn't have to be her. "I noticed a little corner mart nearby on the drive here," she suggested, wiping the last bits of sauce onto another slice of fried pickle. "Buying a local newspaper might be the place to start?"
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Post by The Paladog on Nov 6, 2013 22:04:59 GMT
The door to the restaurant had a little bell on it - not an electronic bell, like their old job back home, but a traditional bell that let out a soft tingle when the group entered the room. The amassment of daemons lit up the front of the somewhat dim restaurant, individual beacons of hope crouching with their individual hunters. The sight of them did not banish the anxious feeling in Jessie's stomach, but it did begin to transform it into something more productive. Here were the ones who were going to help her solve this problem, here were the pack that arrived when the wolf had fallen. She gave Bradley's hand a quick squeeze before smiling at the new arrivals, never one to struggle with pleasantries in bleak situations. No point in not showing how genuinely happy she was to see them.
There was a press of someone on her head before she could act; a glance upwards told her that Molly had attached herself. Jessie grinned and wrapped her arms upwards, putting the small Hufflepuff in something close to an affectionate headlock. Brad was busy shaking hands with all of the hunters he'd not previously met. "Sorry you have to remember all these names so quickly," TJ said as the introductions died down, but Brad waved her off. "It's okay. I recognize most of you from what Jessie's told me."
As everyone was settling down, Aasyla spoke up. "Last I heard, Elsie was flying over - I'm just going to check in to make sure everything's well so far." Within a few minutes, TJ had headed out the door to retrieve her, and everyone else was pursuing the menu. As soon as they were sure Molly was going to have something to eat, Jessie brought up her earlier suggestion of a pizza for the group to share. "We can order another when TJ and Elsie get back, if everyone is still hungry," she said.
When the waitress had left and everyone had their drinks to sip at, the group lapsed into silence. It would've been companionable, if they hadn't all been gathered for such a serious circumstance. Although her heart hammered in her chest with worry for Mary, she was also acutely aware that these friends would now be in danger too. Zephyr, feeling left out under the table with all the smaller daemons up top, had transformed into a fairly realistic appearing pikachu and was crouched in her lap, twitching his nose in the direction of the other daemons' bird forms.
"So, did you guys get anything from the house? Where do you think we should start?"
"I noticed a little corner mart nearby on the drive here. Buying a local newspaper might be the place to start?"
Now that the topic was brought up, Jessie scratched at the corner of her face, more out of habit and anxiety than anything. "Well, it's like I said on the forum, we're definitely thinking a demon. We found sulfur in her bedroom." A demon wasn't good news for anyone. No one liked them, and the hunt would mean a giant pain in the ass - not to mention the potential level of emotional manipulation that could come with her best friend being the one who was possessed. But the thing we need to keep in mind is that Mary used to be a hunter, and she's got a strong mental center, especially when it comes to her family."
"Not to mention, a daemon to help defend her." Zephyr spoke up from her lap. She knew he was feeling very keenly about Mary being possessed in spite of Sailor. "Her daemon is aggressive and intensely protective. The fact that a demon still managed to possess her person in spite of that suggests a fairly strong demon on our hands."
Brad's face was grim. Jessie's wasn't much better. Boop crossed over to Jessie's lap to wrap around Zephyr, who had began to quiver, with little sparks flashing around his cheeks.
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Post by Elsie on Nov 12, 2013 19:22:29 GMT
It was her! Elsie was relieved when TJ started talking right away. What she had feared most, save being killed by a demon, about coming here and meeting the TDFers was that she would not know what to say, but the way TJ kept talking reassured her that they would be able to avoid most awkward silences. And the cheery, slightly rambling way she spoke made Elsie smile.
“Yeah, El-see is right. Or, well, I don’t know, I barely ever use it in speech. It’s probably right.”
“You're lucky, she seems just as anxious as you. You’ll get along great.” Perry was unnecessarily amused.
Elsie was not surprised that TJ seemed just as sweet offline as she did on TDF. The nervousness over meeting another TDFer was directly calmed by it being her, of everyone, who would come and meet her.
“It was very kind of you to come pick me up. I thought you were all at the restaurant by now,” she said as she dragged her two bags to the trunk of the car. She accepted TJ’s help with loading the bags, and finished by stroking them both as if reassuring them she would not abandon them. She had done the same before checking them in before the flight. It was a habit she couldn’t seem to break; to let the inanimate object know she would not abandon it made her feel more certain she would not end up losing it. She shook her head at herself. Then she returned to the front of the car to sit down in the passenger seat with Perry in her lap.
Her daemon was focused on Laefe. After the whole adventure with the Trickster had been completed, and the duo had been safely returned to Sweden, he had not gotten the chance to meet any other corporeal daemons. While he would not admit it, he had missed having anyone else than Elsie to talk to. But now, when he finally got to meet someone else, he did not try to talk to him, settling instead on observing the other daemon at a distance. Elsie scratched his head gently to remind him that he is staring.
“I know,” he said, as he finally tore his gaze away and scuffled over her lap to look out through the window instead.
“So, do we know anything more about the missing daemian…Mary? I really hope this isn’t the demons trying to get their hands on all our daemons again.”
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TJ
New Member
Posts: 27
Class: Daemian/Hunter
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Post by TJ on Nov 15, 2013 20:38:46 GMT
TJ was secretly relieved that Elsie's kind responses reflected her intelligent and peaceful presence on TDF. She smiled at Perry, though she had to say she wasn't exactly sure what the custom was to greet daemons when your own daemon refused to be social.
Once TJ had skirted around her car and re-entered the front seat, she pulled the parking brake and checked her mirrors. "Seatbelts?" she asked, in the same sing-song voice her mom used to use when she and her brother were kids. That small thought tugged at her heartstrings and Laefe raised his head. TJ noticed the movement in the rearview mirror and mouthed "I'm fine," back at him. Laefe wasn't the cuddly type of daemon, but when TJ's usually optimistic attitude turned grim, Laefe immediately became protective.
"Oh, no worries," she responded to Elsie's gratitude the same way most NorCal kids her age would. Laefe rolled his eyes and whispered something about that Disney movie with the lions. "I just dropped Molly of Farley and Katie of Toby off with Jessie of Zephyr and Brad of..." TJ paused. "Uh... shoot. I don't-"
"I believe Katie said it was Boop," Laefe reminded her, suddenly catching Perry's eye as he rolled from the force of a turn.
"Thanks Laefe," TJ gave him a cursory smile through the rearview mirror. When Elsie mentioned the hunt, TJ's tone became much more serious. "I haven't heard anything new about the case. All I know is that Jessie suspected we're dealing with a demon, and a strong one at that. We're all grateful you came all this way to help," TJ didn't have to force a grin, even though it may have looked a bit tired.
Laefe had watched quite a few daemons in his time, so he had come up with three proper classifications for his own purposes. The first type were the ones who bounced off the walls changing forms like channels on a Sunday morning. He called these the 'unsettled sugar daemons'. There were also daemons who rarely left their people's sides. He called these 'dangerously codependent daemons'. They didn't have a mind of their own, and if Laefe had tried to converse with them, he's sure he wouldn't get very far. Then there were those who joked a lot, the 'comedic relief daemons'. Laefe couldn't stand anyone who wasn't serious, as such, he almost never spoke on that imagination thread on TDF in the past. He never understood the concept of teasing, Laefe was always serious.
Laefe watched Perry with a wary eye for the entire car ride, foregoing TJ's social niceties rules. The grey tabby seemed rather calm, and didn't change forms the entire way there, so Laefe ruled the 'unsettled sugar daemon' category out for Perry of Elsie. TJ's daemon knew he shouldn't judge Perry by his form, after all, Laefe himself was a decidedly winged-thing trapped in a dog body for convenience. He also hadn't said too much, besides the silent word or two to Elsie during the car-ride. Since Perry hadn't actually started conversation with him, Laefe figured he could take him out of the 'comic relief daemon' category. This left either "dangerously codependent daemon" or... that odd category Toby had fallen into, that wasn't really a category at all. So far Laefe hadn't met another daemon he could place in there... he figured he had to name this place Toby had claimed, but he wasn't sure what to call it: 'daemon with a mind of their own' or 'daemon I can stand speaking to for more than a minute' or 'daemon who doesn't bore me'. He liked the sound of that last one.
The journey back to the restaurant was faster, probably because of the lack of traffic this late at night. TJ figured Elsie could just leave her things in Maggie's trunk. "If you want, we can pull out a cot for you in the motel room Katie and I reserved. Unless you want your own room... I just figured sharing would be a lot cheaper." Not only that, but TJ decidedly liked Elsie a lot more now that they'd met in person. She'd love to spend some more time with her as a friend rather than keeping her at the usual distance of ally hunter.
Laefe hopped out of the car on the same side Perry and Elsie were coming out and decided to approach this daemon, determined to figure out what category to place him in. "How was your trip?" he asked Perry, feigning boredom. "I could imagine the enclosed airspace could be a tad... confining..." He then decidedly ripped his attention away from the daemon and stared at the restaurant window.
"Wow, awkward daemon is awkward. I apologize for him in advance, Perry," TJ smiled as she opened the restaurant door for all three of them. She didn't have to point out the table, everyone's daemon lit the dark corner of the restaurant up like a Christmas tree.
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Post by Aasyla on Nov 16, 2013 3:52:09 GMT
After watching TJ take off with Laefe to pick up Elsie and Perry, Katie kept mostly quiet, letting the others take the reins on the conversation for a while. She offered a smile to the assorted group from time to time, but as an introverted strategist, it was more her style to remain quiet and listen. For now, Katie had decided to wait on TJ and Elsie's return to order some food, instead opting for a ginger ale for the time being.
Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Katie's face grew a little tighter at the mention of a demon. She didn't doubt Jessie - if she said there was sulfur and enough to be sure of the idea that it was a demon, the Canadian would believe it, but it wasn't like she was overly eager to be dealing with another demon. Toby took the opportunity to hop down onto her shoulder, and his subtle weight was reassuring as his talons squeezed her gently, but she gave no other indication of her nerves. Still, it was hard to not smile at Zephyr as a Pikachu.
It didn't take a genius to pick up on the effect that the case was having on Jessie and Brad; she didn't even know Mary, and already she could feel the pressure of the time that had elapsed since Mary and Sailor had gone missing. Lost in her thoughts for a moment, something drew her back, and she turned her head to her daemon, who had started to preen a part of her hair. She raised her eyebrow, given that it was something he rarely ever did, but she didn't need to communicate anything. They both knew that they were nervous about facing another demon, especially after what had happened with the Trickster. But it was a friend and a daemian that needed their help, and if they had the power to do so right now... well, of course they couldn't walk away.
Katie mostly remained silent, waiting until Jessie could shed some light on the situation before speaking again. They needed more information - for instance, why a demon would possibly want to possess a daemian, and why they were here in the first place, watching Jessie and then Brad for a reply. As the bell behind her rang, Toby took flight in a flurry of feathers as Katie whipped her head around to see who it was, and was relieved to see TJ, Laefe, and who she could only guess was Elsie with Periander. Toby flew over to greet them, circling once over their heads before flying back to his human. Waiting until TJ and Elsie approached to greet them, Katie pushed over a little more to allow for everyone to sit down before introducing herself.
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Post by Elsie on Nov 17, 2013 15:39:31 GMT
“Sharing would be great,” Elsie said in answer to TJ’s suggestion. “If Katie is okay with it, I mean.” She was thankful for the offer. Without thinking too much about it, she had worried about finding a room where she would not have to spend all her money within the first few days. She had gotten financial support by her family, but she wanted to make it last as long as possible, and to always have enough for her to stay safe. In the shirt pocket, close to her heart, she had an envelope with enough cash to pay for a cab and flight home. Just in case.
And as much as she valued solitude, living all alone when in a brand new place, let alone a new continent, was not something she would have looked forward to. TJ seemed just as sweet as she had hoped, and she would not mind being around her more. And if Katie was even half of the lovely person she seemed to be online - which she certainly would be - Elsie would be happy to get to know her too.
When they arrived at the restaurant she quickly stepped out of the car and looked around in the new setting. Her daemon left her to it, tilting his head to side in curiosity when Laefe approached him. As the part of Elsie’s thought process that actually had some social skills, he was mildly amused by the daemon’s attempted start of conversation, and he expressed his version of a smile in response to TJ. "Wow, awkward daemon is awkward. I apologize for him in advance, Perry,"
“I could say the same about my human.” he said.
Elsie hummed, pretending she had not heard him. Perry raised his head to try, at least sort of, get to eye level with the large dog daemon. His slim shape glittered in the lights from the restaurant, and his tail moved casually from side to side.
“The flight was okay, really. We sat next to the window, so it was not too confining. And I like flying, either with bird wings or metal ones. It’s nice to get that… what’s the word… full view? To be able to see all that happens. Don’t you agree?”
Going ahead of her daemon, Elsie stepped through the door and spotted the group of the daemians. It was not hard, of course, with their glowing souls moving around them, creating an artwork of shadows and light only they could see. For the second time since landing on American ground, Elsie had to hover a few seconds before approaching the fellow daemians. Perry repeated the names TJ had told them before in their shared mind, so that she would not make a mistake. They had also paid attention to her pronunciation of each name, and Elsie repeated them silently to try and get it right. Although being comfortable enough with the English language to get by without problem, Elsie still had a distinct accent to her speech, and no matter how she practiced she never managed to get rid of it. And she was ever so conscious about it, especially when having to talk to people she wasn’t entirely familiar with.
A glowing bird of prey – a Black-Winged Kite, she remembered from drawing one a while back – swooped down from the table and circled them before returning to their human. Toby, Katie’s daemon, she figured. Perry had concluded his conversation with Laefe and returned to her, jumping from a chair to a table to her shoulder in a single, flowing movement.
“Now go,” he said, and she walked up to the table and greeted the group.
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TJ
New Member
Posts: 27
Class: Daemian/Hunter
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Post by TJ on Jan 4, 2014 21:06:20 GMT
"It would be best to ask her before I offer, huh?" TJ gave Elsie a sheepish look, her eyes crinkling in embarrassment. She caught the sight of Laefe once she composed her expression. The maremma sheepdog twisted his neck and angled his squared head over his shoulder, tail raised just so. Unlike most dogs, Laefe's tongue didn't loll out and he never wagged his tail. It made him seem like a dog you wouldn't let your kid pet. TJ turned back to Elsie, "Honestly, I'd be surprised if she didn't say yes. If not, we'll help you find a room in the same motel."
As TJ waved off the hostess with a point to the crowded booth in the back, Laefe was concluding a conversation with Perry. He liked Perry. Perry had proved to Laefe that he had an independent brain with plenty of objective thought crammed between those catty blue eyes. Laefe could work alongside a daemon like this. "I agree. Flying is a lot like taking a step back and taking a more objective perspective. It's probably why I don't usually converse with daemons in settings like these. I like to watch them interact with their environment from afar. But it was pleasant to meet with you, we'll have to speak again... that is, when you aren't the center of attention." Laefe had already noticed the other daemons from their little group took one fleeting glance at him before drawing their attention to the novel cat-shaped Perry beside him. Laefe decided to stand by TJ again just as Toby circled over them. He gave Toby an amused smirk.
"Hi again," TJ began the conversation easily after sensing Elsie's hesitation, "it looks like we're all here now. You all remember Elsie of Perry?" she introduced. "And if not, she's just as wonderful in person as she is on forum- no need to worry." As everyone greeted Elsie and Perry, TJ smiled at Katie and scooted in beside her on the booth. "Is it alright if she bunks with us?" TJ asked her in a low voice as she adjusted on the plastic seat of the booth. After she got her answer, TJ refused an offered menu and opted instead for a glass of water.
Laefe didn't like that. "You should eat something."
"Don't tell me what to do," TJ's expression remained unchanged, despite the malice in her tone. She probably would have been more patient with Laefe if she wasn't already exhausted.
The white dog daemon paused, his eyes darting over TJ. Then, he audibly snarled, pulling back his gums and exposing one row of his teeth. "Don't give me reason to make a scene. Order something."
TJ's gaze finally fell to her dog-shaped daemon. She looked him straight in the eye. "I should have told the Trickster to put you back in my head," she deadpanned.
For a second, Laefe showed her how much that hurt. His tail fell between his legs and his expression melted. Yet, it only took a second for him to compose himself and shift into a northern harrier (with notably less fanfare than his usual form changes necessitated). He crawled up her jean leg using talons and beak to finally perch on her knee. Laefe then gave her a glare only a raptor was capable of. "Then why didn't you?" he asked. Before TJ could retort, Laefe took off and landed just at the edge of their required distance- on the back of a chair towards the center of the restaurant. The pull resulted in a dull ache that TJ couldn't decide if it originated from mutual guilt or the physical separation.
Without a beat, TJ took a sip of her water and focused back on her comrades. "So this demon we're dealing with... do we think our daemons will be effective against it? After all, Mary was a daemian wasn't she?"
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Post by Aasyla on Jan 26, 2014 7:35:19 GMT
Watching as Toby returned to perch behind her, Katie let her gaze travel to meet Elsie's, offering the newcomer a small smile and a waggle of her fingertips in a wave. She was certain that the more extroverted members of their assorted hunting troupe would take care of introductions, but didn't allow her own pleasantries to go amiss as a result. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you." She offered, moving over to allow TJ into the booth beside her.
Raising an eyebrow, Katie gave her mindtwin a look out of the corner of her eye, almost one of disbelief. "Of course. Did you really have to ask?" She returned, her tone barely audible only to her mindtwin, with a playful glint in the corner off her eye as her gaze flicked to Elsie once more, giving her a reassuring smile and a tiny nod. "Thought it was a given." She added to TJ, before shifting her posture once more.
"I'm not sure how much TJ mentioned to you, but we're trying to review what we know and what to do about it." She offered, sweeping her hair as one unit over her right shoulder. In a lower voice, with her tone much darker than previously, Katie picked up her glass to study it for a moment, eyes fixed on the liquid before muttering, "Demon's likely.", and taking a quick sip.
It took a lot for the girl to not bring her gaze over to Laefe. She started minutely at the sudden noise, but kept her gaze fixed on the table, glaring for a moment before resolving to create something else for the group to focus on. "You said Mary was a former hunter, right? How many times had she come across a demon before? If they didn't know how to fight one, it might add an extra dimension to what's going on here." What Katie refused to give hope to was the idea that maybe, just maybe, it wasn't a strong demon as Jessie feared, and perhaps could even be taken care of with minimal involvement. In & out and back on the road, where it was safer. The Trickster had mentioned that demons would be drawn to daemians just by having daemons - she could only imagine how obvious a group of them were right now.
Pressing her lips together as she couldn't help but notice Laefe take off, she didn't have to tell Toby to follow, letting the other daemon brood for a few seconds before taking off in silent flight to where he perched. The pull of separation between them was a little stronger, given that Katie was further tucked into the booth than her mindtwin, but she could still bear it, watching Toby change forms out of the corner of her eye, growing to a much bigger, bronze-and-brown whistling kite, using his new size advantage to begin preening his best friend.
Only the most ideal of the daemians would believe that the daemon-human relationship was strictly easy. Of course, there were so many more variables at play - imagine giving all of your half-finished dreams and thoughts and wants a form, with a voice and a presence. The mind was no longer the only thing that held the key to understanding its weak points - for example, making a scene to be pressured into a decision, or gently coercing to change someone's mind.
Still, there was something always unsettling to them when Katie & Tobaeryn noticed TJ and Laefe disagree. Obviously there was a pang of worry for both parties, and a nagging curiosity on what could be the inciting interest, but overall, she knew it wasn't her business. She could, and would, be there as much as she could be for her mindtwin, but she wouldn't pry if she wasn't wanted.
Nudging her mindtwin's foot gently with her own to give the older American a reminder that she was still here and concerned, Katie folded her hands under her as she leaned on her elbows, shifting position once again as her eyes fixed across the table. "Good point. It also brings up a whole slew of questions regarding what happens to daemons when possessed. Let's take, for instance, that daemons are effective against demons while possessing. What's stopping Sailor from fighting back? Even if he can't physically hurt the demon, he has to know an exorcism at least."
Letting out a breath she hadn't known she was holding, the smallest hunter gathered rubbed at the back of her neck before continuing. "Honestly, we don't have enough information." She said, frowning as she made eye contact with everyone in turn. "We need to know more about what's going on - if it even is a demon, and where they are now. Maybe see if there are other reports of something in the area as a starting point."
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