Monster Hearts IC: Making Friends

[TheAmishPirate]

"You get past it by being patient and doing the ritual, dumbass!" said Sonia, grabbing Cassidy by the arm. "Don't even think about it."

"Oh. We are past thinking about it Shields." Cassidy shot back. She lifted her arm up, forcing Sonia to either get up in her rotten face or get the hell off her. "Banishings and rituals are too good for its bouncy blue a**. It needs a beating. It needs to lose hard. It needs a pounding so righteous, that when Armageddon comes and it draws its stupid sword to fight the angels or whatever, it remembers what happens the last time it thought it was hot sh**, and shudders. Then it gets its head lopped off and we all laugh."

"Don't you tell me you don't feel it too. Don't you dare tell me." Her eyes bored a hole through the witch. "Come on; what would it take to make it hurt?!"

[Anarion]

The genie's eyebrows had started rising and didn't seem in danger of stopping. He just looked at Leon with this thoroughly bemused expression, like a pensioner might after being charged forty dollars for a pack of gum.

Leon sighed. "I'll take that as a no then. So what's the cash and the card get me? Can I get at least one question for $40?"

[Thanqol]

"Oh. We are past thinking about it Shields." Cassidy shot back. She lifted her arm up, forcing Sonia to either get up in her rotten face or get the hell off her. "Banishings and rituals are too good for its bouncy blue a**. It needs a beating. It needs to lose hard. It needs a pounding so righteous, that when Armageddon comes and it draws its stupid sword to fight the angels or whatever, it remembers what happens the last time it thought it was hot sh**, and shudders. Then it gets its head lopped off and we all laugh."

"Don't you tell me you don't feel it too. Don't you dare tell me." Her eyes bored a hole through the witch. "Come on; what would it take to make it hurt?!"

"Are you done?" snapped Shields, looking her right in the eyes. "Or would you like to beat on your chest for a little while? Maybe go and drink some testosterone supplements? Flex your muscles and yell 'Cassidy Strong!'?"

Sonia was matching her gaze evenly, furiously, without fear. It was striking.

Spending a String: Back down and get an XP.

Leon sighed. "I'll take that as a no then. So what's the cash and the card get me? Can I get at least one question for $40?"

"Certainly," said the genie, taking the money and ID and pocketing it.

"Latin because that was the language of Jesuit priests, and Jesuits because they were the invaders from Spain. They came upon this land with white sails and uncompromising deity and bound me within one of their holy books. They undid me, but I became alive in their letters. Speak in the language of stars and symbols, along with a tribute of blood, and I could answer.

"That was the trick," he confided. "Not the book the Shields girl wrote in but the fact that her pen was filled with blood."

[Anarion]

"Huh, wish I'd paid more attention in class. Well, if you don't mind, I'm gonna go take her up to the tower." He gestures to Therese this time. "It probably wouldn't be good for her fantasy if she wakes up with a bunch of blood and corpses around, y'know? Point me in the right direction to some place with a bed?"

[TheAmishPirate]

"Are you done?" snapped Shields, looking her right in the eyes. "Or would you like to beat on your chest for a little while? Maybe go and drink some testosterone supplements? Flex your muscles and yell 'Cassidy Strong!'?"

Sonia was matching her gaze evenly, furiously, without fear. It was striking.

Spending a String: Back down and get an XP.

Props to Sonia; not many could roll with Cassidy like this. But it was much, much too late.

"This ain't about me." She retorted. "It's about doing right by Iris, and anybody else that bastard gets its teeth into. I'm just the only one who can make it happen."

"...so, no. No I'm not done."

[Rolling to Manipulate: (2d6+1)[7]]

[Thanqol]

"Huh, wish I'd paid more attention in class. Well, if you don't mind, I'm gonna go take her up to the tower." He gestures to Therese this time. "It probably wouldn't be good for her fantasy if she wakes up with a bunch of blood and corpses around, y'know? Point me in the right direction to some place with a bed?"

"A good point, I shall clean this place back to a crystal sheen," said the genie. It pointed at the nearby staircase for Leon to climb.

Props to Sonia; not many could roll with Cassidy like this. But it was much, much too late.

"This ain't about me." She retorted. "It's about doing right by Iris, and anybody else that bastard gets its teeth into. I'm just the only one who can make it happen."

"...so, no. No I'm not done."

[Rolling to Manipulate: [roll0]]

I'm assuming you want Sonia to back you up. She's not going to because she thinks your plan is objectively suicide (remember she doesn't know you're a werewolf). If you want her to go into that room and roll initiative against that demon you've got to offer her something more valuable than life and I can't think of anything that fits that criteria right now.

[TheAmishPirate]

I'm assuming you want Sonia to back you up. She's not going to because she thinks your plan is objectively suicide (remember she doesn't know you're a werewolf). If you want her to go into that room and roll initiative against that demon you've got to offer her something more valuable than life and I can't think of anything that fits that criteria right now.

Woah now. You know what they say about assumptions?

...no, I'm serious, do you? I always hear people say that, and they never finish the stupid line. Ugh. Anyway, let me explain a little more clearly on what she's after here, 'cause I didn't do a good enough job here.

For one, Cassidy isn't about to go in and throw down with the genie. She's not entirely sure if it can be killed, so they kinda need that whole ritual thing, and to do that they've gotten go to Therese's house. So that's where she and Sonia are headed. They're just talking while Cassidy tracks the scent. For two, Cassidy doesn't want Sonia's help. Not directly, anyway. She figures that the witch knows some way to counter the genie's tricks, or at least make it so that she can punch the guy reliably. Y'know, make it a fair, proper fight.

Ultimately? If Cassidy had her way, she'd be beating the genie into submission as the ritual is going on. That's what she wants to make happen, and she figures she needs Sonia's support or spells or whatever, otherwise how can she fight a guy she can't hit?

[Thanqol]

Woah now. You know what they say about assumptions?

...no, I'm serious, do you? I always hear people say that, and they never finish the stupid line. Ugh. Anyway, let me explain a little more clearly on what she's after here, 'cause I didn't do a good enough job here.

When you assume you make an ass out of u and me. That's how it goes.

For one, Cassidy isn't about to go in and throw down with the genie. She's not entirely sure if it can be killed, so they kinda need that whole ritual thing, and to do that they've gotten go to Therese's house. So that's where she and Sonia are headed. They're just talking while Cassidy tracks the scent. For two, Cassidy doesn't want Sonia's help. Not directly, anyway. She figures that the witch knows some way to counter the genie's tricks, or at least make it so that she can punch the guy reliably. Y'know, make it a fair, proper fight.

Ultimately? If Cassidy had her way, she'd be beating the genie into submission as the ritual is going on. That's what she wants to make happen, and she figures she needs Sonia's support or spells or whatever, otherwise how can she fight a guy she can't hit?

So you plan to follow Sonia's instructions to do the ritual properly, maybe taking on the distraction role yourself. Okay, that seems to me like what you were already doing. What is the manipulation roll to get Sonia to do that she wasn't going to do already?

[TheAmishPirate]

So you plan to follow Sonia's instructions to do the ritual properly, maybe taking on the distraction role yourself. Okay, that seems to me like what you were already doing. What is the manipulation roll to get Sonia to do that she wasn't going to do already?

She seems pretty intent on stopping Cassidy from fighting this thing. If she has any magical help to give - to get rid of this curse, deal with her injuries, prevent the genie from cursing her further, etc. - or even just plain intel, Cassidy wants that too.

[Anarion]

Leon lifted Therese in his arms and carried her up the staircase. The bed was, of course, a grand four poster right out of Beauty and the Beast draped in silk and lace and Leon put Therese down on top of it, her headed rested on the softest down pillow he's ever seen.

He closed his eyes as he waited for her, taking in the smell of the room, the feel of the fabric of his fine suit. He admitted, he enjoyed this. He and Therese had the same sense of wanting their world to be magical. And probably the same love of Disney. If she just hadn't ripped the school apart and cursed people (and if she weren't dead at the end of the day), he probably wouldn't even be trying to undo this.

Therese started to stir and he opened his eyes and steeled himself to try and talk her out of this.

"Good day, sweet princess," he said as she started to wake up. "How are you feeling?"

[Thanqol]

She seems pretty intent on stopping Cassidy from fighting this thing. If she has any magical help to give - to get rid of this curse, deal with her injuries, prevent the genie from cursing her further, etc. - or even just plain intel, Cassidy wants that too.

Ah, I got you.

"Your plan is stupid and you are stupid," Sonia summarised. "You are a teenage girl and it is a centuries old demon. If you really want to fight it effectively your best bet is probably a lifetime of piety and restraint. Let's go."

Leon lifted Therese in his arms and carried her up the staircase. The bed was, of course, a grand four poster right out of Beauty and the Beast draped in silk and lace and Leon put Therese down on top of it, her headed rested on the softest down pillow he's ever seen.

He closed his eyes as he waited for her, taking in the smell of the room, the feel of the fabric of his fine suit. He admitted, he enjoyed this. He and Therese had the same sense of wanting their world to be magical. And probably the same love of Disney. If she just hadn't ripped the school apart and cursed people (and if she weren't dead at the end of the day), he probably wouldn't even be trying to undo this.

Therese started to stir and he opened his eyes and steeled himself to try and talk her out of this.

"Good day, sweet princess," he said as she started to wake up. "How are you feeling?"

"Five more minutes," she murmured, rolling over and wrapping herself in blankets.

[Anarion]

"Five more minutes," she murmured, rolling over and wrapping herself in blankets.

Blankets that Leon promptly ripped off of her and flung across the room. He knew that trick well enough, and taking away all of someone's covers leaving them in the cold was the second best way to wake them (the best was a bucket of ice water, but that tended to have repercussions).

"Rise and shine your highness, your kingdom needs you. No time for lallygagging about." Yeah, he was probably getting into this a little too much.

[TheAmishPirate]

Ah, I got you.

"Your plan is stupid and you are stupid," Sonia summarised. "You are a teenage girl and it is a centuries old demon. If you really want to fight it effectively your best bet is probably a lifetime of piety and restraint. Let's go."

"Man, whatever." Cassidy rolled her eyes and headed out. She didn't need Sonia; she could have her kick-awesome gladiatorial trial-by-combat by herself.

In any case, she led Sonia through the joys of public transportation, and onward to the Pretty Pretty Princess' house.

[Thanqol]

Iris woke up in the morgue - not that it looked like it at first glance.

There was a workbench alongside her covered with food. There was a lukewarm steak - medium rare - a lovely salad, a bowl of cereal and milk, and an intact human brain, all laid out next to each other on silver platters. There was a pitcher of water, a bottle of blood and a carton of orange juice. A little bit further back there were a variety of clothes hanging from racks - a lot of old lady clothes, or stuff with well scrubbed bloodstains.

Her head was back on her neck, and if she touched the wound she'd find some fine stitching.

"I didn't know what you liked," said the mortician - the young one she'd startled last time. He was washing his hands thoroughly, and his apron was covered in bloodstains.

Blankets that Leon promptly ripped off of her and flung across the room. He knew that trick well enough, and taking away all of someone's covers leaving them in the cold was the second best way to wake them (the best was a bucket of ice water, but that tended to have repercussions).

"Rise and shine your highness, your kingdom needs you. No time for lallygagging about." Yeah, he was probably getting into this a little too much.

"Ah! Jerk!" Therese said, throwing her pillow at him. "Fine! I'm up!", she sat up, yawned, and rubbed her eyes. She didn't seem to remember anything bad happening. "I want mochas," she declared.

"Man, whatever." Cassidy rolled her eyes and headed out. She didn't need Sonia; she could have her kick-awesome gladiatorial trial-by-combat by herself.

In any case, she led Sonia through the joys of public transportation, and onward to the Pretty Pretty Princess' house.

"Oh hey," said Moe Bunk, the bus driver, when they got aboard. "Little dudettes! What's happening?"

"You know the bus stop where this one got on board? Go there," said Sonia commandingly.

"Alright, alright, but I gotta warn you I might be more than a little toasted right now," said Moe, looking up at the magical castle. "So, you know, if I'm veering across lanes or whatever feel free to lean across and pull the wheel straight or whatever you gotta do. Groovy?"

Without waiting for a reply he put the pedal to the metal and screamed off down the road.

[Anarion]

"I haven't the foggiest idea where to get a mocha dear princess. Can't you just magic one up?"

.."or two. Can you magic two up, come to think of it?"

[PhoeKun]

Iris woke up in the morgue - not that it looked like it at first glance.

There was a workbench alongside her covered with food. There was a lukewarm steak - medium rare - a lovely salad, a bowl of cereal and milk, and an intact human brain, all laid out next to each other on silver platters. There was a pitcher of water, a bottle of blood and a carton of orange juice. A little bit further back there were a variety of clothes hanging from racks - a lot of old lady clothes, or stuff with well scrubbed bloodstains.

Her head was back on her neck, and if she touched the wound she'd find some fine stitching.

"I didn't know what you liked," said the mortician - the young one she'd startled last time. He was washing his hands thoroughly, and his apron was covered in bloodstains.

Iris was a bit slow to sit up, and when she did it was with a tiny moan and a hand pressed against her temple. She massaged her forehead for a second as though nursing a hangover, then slowly ran her hand down to touch her rather re-attached neck. That part in itself wasn't so surprising, but the stitches were an unexpected touch. She ran a finger along the line, then experimentally stretched her neck. It held.

"Ugh... what the? You again? Who the hell keeps bringing me here?"

It was right about then that she noticed the food, and realized she hadn't actually eaten anything the entire day. Pointedly ignoring the fact that the creep had plated a brain like it was supposed to be food (what a moron), she snatched up the steak and devoured it with frankly very indecent and unladylike ferocity. She allowed herself a tiny smile while blood ran down her lips, then shot a hand out to grab the carton of OJ.

"...I thought I told you I didn't want to make this a habit."

[TheAmishPirate]

"Oh hey," said Moe Bunk, the bus driver, when they got aboard. "Little dudettes! What's happening?"

"You know the bus stop where this one got on board? Go there," said Sonia commandingly.

"Alright, alright, but I gotta warn you I might be more than a little toasted right now," said Moe, looking up at the magical castle. "So, you know, if I'm veering across lanes or whatever feel free to lean across and pull the wheel straight or whatever you gotta do. Groovy?"

Without waiting for a reply he put the pedal to the metal and screamed off down the road.

"Oh, Moe. May you survive the worst of the budget cuts. And the next five minutes, that'd be cool too." Cassidy sighed wistfully, gripping one of the poles so hard she swore the metal bent.

[Thanqol]

"I haven't the foggiest idea where to get a mocha dear princess. Can't you just magic one up?"

.."or two. Can you magic two up, come to think of it?"

Leon found himself almost immediately holding two hot mochas, thick with marshmallows. Therese took one and sipped it. "Nice. Good work," she said.

She sighed and got out of bed, smoothing her dress down with her free hand. "This is just... nice. Isn't it nice?" she said happily.

Iris was a bit slow to sit up, and when she did it was with a tiny moan and a hand pressed against her temple. She massaged her forehead for a second as though nursing a hangover, then slowly ran her hand down to touch her rather re-attached neck. That part in itself wasn't so surprising, but the stitches were an unexpected touch. She ran a finger along the line, then experimentally stretched her neck. It held.

"Ugh... what the? You again? Who the hell keeps bringing me here?"

It was right about then that she noticed the food, and realized she hadn't actually eaten anything the entire day. Pointedly ignoring the fact that the creep had plated a brain like it was supposed to be food (what a moron), she snatched up the steak and devoured it with frankly very indecent and unladylike ferocity. She allowed herself a tiny smile while blood ran down her lips, then shot a hand out to grab the carton of OJ.

"...I thought I told you I didn't want to make this a habit."

The mortician gave a nerdish giggle that used his entire face. "You're my first repeat customer!" he said. "I was worried I was leaving people cold."

He flipped a little notepad out of his pocket and wrote down what she was eating. "That's just beef," he said, "I can get you human next time if that's what you eat. I've got plenty of it just lying around after all."

"Oh, Moe. May you survive the worst of the budget cuts. And the next five minutes, that'd be cool too." Cassidy sighed wistfully, gripping one of the poles so hard she swore the metal bent.

The next five minutes were pretty rough. Particularly dire when Moe started yelling "Woah! Woah boy!" at the bus instead of braking. But he managed to crazy taxi them over to the right place and then curled up for a nap on the disabled seats.

"So," said Sonia as they started out, "is it true that you're gay?"

(Incidentally the XP reward from earlier was invalid as an offer so she's still got her strings on you)

[Anarion]

Leon found himself almost immediately holding two hot mochas, thick with marshmallows. Therese took one and sipped it. "Nice. Good work," she said.

She sighed and got out of bed, smoothing her dress down with her free hand. "This is just... nice. Isn't it nice?" she said happily.

Leon took a sip of his too, along with one of the tiny marshmallows. He gave Therese a warm smile. "It is nice. It really is." Another sip. It was warm and refreshing and he felt the heat sink deep into him, running from his throat to his belly and down through his thighs, spreading out and relaxing him to the very tips of his toes.

"How'd you do it, Therese? How'd you get all this power? How'd you get that genie to obey you?"

[TheAmishPirate]

The next five minutes were pretty rough. Particularly dire when Moe started yelling "Woah! Woah boy!" at the bus instead of braking. But he managed to crazy taxi them over to the right place and then curled up for a nap on the disabled seats.

"So," said Sonia as they started out, "is it true that you're gay?"

(Incidentally the XP reward from earlier was invalid as an offer so she's still got her strings on you)

"D*mn, girl!" Cassidy cackled. "Already with the hardball questions, yeah? One life-or-death ride not enough for you?" She might have kept on laughing, were it not for the increasingly organized protests from her ribcage. "Whoo. Man. But seriously, no. Not a chance."

"Now where'd you hear something like that?" She asked back, completely and totally innocuousahaha I can't even finish saying it. Of course somebody's getting their name on the beating list.

[Thanqol]

Leon took a sip of his too, along with one of the tiny marshmallows. He gave Therese a warm smile. "It is nice. It really is." Another sip. It was warm and refreshing and he felt the heat sink deep into him, running from his throat to his belly and down through his thighs, spreading out and relaxing him to the very tips of his toes.

"How'd you do it, Therese? How'd you get all this power? How'd you get that genie to obey you?"

"It was the book you gave me," she said. "I was going through the translation like you asked for and it just started making sense. It wanted to be used, I think."

"Anyway! What do you want to do? We can do anything!" she said, turning to face him with a smile.

"D*mn, girl!" Cassidy cackled. "Already with the hardball questions, yeah? One life-or-death ride not enough for you?" She might have kept on laughing, were it not for the increasingly organized protests from her ribcage. "Whoo. Man. But seriously, no. Not a chance."

"Now where'd you hear something like that?" She asked back, completely and totally innocuousahaha I can't even finish saying it. Of course somebody's getting their name on the beating list.

"Well, you did make out with Iris in public on your very first day of school," said Sonia. "And not to mention you've never had a boyfriend, ever. And you're butch as hell. Honestly, whenever anyone talks about you that's what they're saying."

[Anarion]

"It was the book you gave me," she said. "I was going through the translation like you asked for and it just started making sense. It wanted to be used, I think."

"Anyway! What do you want to do? We can do anything!" she said, turning to face him with a smile.

"Well, I dunno. Is this like a princess for a day thing, or can we take our time? If we get to relax, I'd love to help you decorate, but if we're rushed, I think you and I both know that we need to get a unicorn, ASAP."

[TheAmishPirate]

"Well, you did make out with Iris in public on your very first day of school," said Sonia. "And not to mention you've never had a boyfriend, ever. And you're butch as hell. Honestly, whenever anyone talks about you that's what they're saying."

Translation: "It was me. I'm the one saying it because I can't help but tell horrible lies. Please, only the impartial wisdom of violence can cure me."

In due time, little Witch. In due time.

"Tell anyone they need their eyes replaced. Not to diss the dead or anything, but darkie jumped me right the f*ck out of nowhere and ran off. What's up with that?" She snorted, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, I tore her apart or something for it. Think that got the message through."

"As for the guys here? Please." Cassidy chuckled, keeping it a little quieter this time. "I've got standards. Ain't my fault none of them measure up. And let's be honest; the very existence of Leon somehow brings, like, all of them down he's that bad. Just the worst." She shook her head. What a pity.

"So! Is it true you were gonna curse darkie? What was that about?" She suddenly asked her.

[PhoeKun]

The mortician gave a nerdish giggle that used his entire face. "You're my first repeat customer!" he said. "I was worried I was leaving people cold."

He flipped a little notepad out of his pocket and wrote down what she was eating. "That's just beef," he said, "I can get you human next time if that's what you eat. I've got plenty of it just lying around after all."

"Oh great, a comedian. I don't have enough of those in my life."

Iris shook her head and hopped off of the autopsy table and onto her feet. She walked across the room to the rack of clothes, which was another thing so out of place she could only assume it was meant to be an offering for her, too. Her eyes narrowed the longer she looked at what he had on display.

"I deal with somebody like you all the time," she said, turning her head slightly, "And the only reason I haven't skewered him like a pig is because he's occasionally useful. If you like not knowing about the afterlife, give me something other than your creepy monster fetish."

[Thanqol]

"Well, I dunno. Is this like a princess for a day thing, or can we take our time? If we get to relax, I'd love to help you decorate, but if we're rushed, I think you and I both know that we need to get a unicorn, ASAP."

Therese straightened up imperiously. "Yes. The only rational response to this situation is unicorns."

Translation: "It was me. I'm the one saying it because I can't help but tell horrible lies. Please, only the impartial wisdom of violence can cure me."

In due time, little Witch. In due time.

"Tell anyone they need their eyes replaced. Not to diss the dead or anything, but darkie jumped me right the f*ck out of nowhere and ran off. What's up with that?" She snorted, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, I tore her apart or something for it. Think that got the message through."

"As for the guys here? Please." Cassidy chuckled, keeping it a little quieter this time. "I've got standards. Ain't my fault none of them measure up. And let's be honest; the very existence of Leon somehow brings, like, all of them down he's that bad. Just the worst." She shook her head. What a pity.

"Yeah, fair point about Leon," said Sonia. As they reached Therese's house she tried the doorhandle - locked - and then immediately took a step and started looking at the big glass windows meaningfully, as if she was contemplating tossing something heavy through them.

"So! Is it true you were gonna curse darkie? What was that about?" She suddenly asked her.

"I was mostly just messing with Leon," said Sonia. "It would have been much more fun if he went for it - and we wouldn't be here."

"Oh great, a comedian. I don't have enough of those in my life."

Iris shook her head and hopped off of the autopsy table and onto her feet. She walked across the room to the rack of clothes, which was another thing so out of place she could only assume it was meant to be an offering for her, too. Her eyes narrowed the longer she looked at what he had on display.

"I deal with somebody like you all the time," she said, turning her head slightly, "And the only reason I haven't skewered him like a pig is because he's occasionally useful. If you like not knowing about the afterlife, give me something other than your creepy monster fetish."

Alex - it was on his name badge - gave a really big smile that might have been a cover for nerves or might have just been because he wasn't right in the head.

"I can tell you about the other girl who came through here!" he said brightly. "She hasn't come back yet."

[PhoeKun]

Alex - it was on his name badge - gave a really big smile that might have been a cover for nerves or might have just been because he wasn't right in the head.

"I can tell you about the other girl who came through here!" he said brightly. "She hasn't come back yet."

Full stop. Her hand was at his throat before she really knew what she was doing. Her eyes were unnervingly dead, even for her.

"...What."

[TheAmishPirate]

"Yeah, fair point about Leon," said Sonia. As they reached Therese's house she tried the doorhandle - locked - and then immediately took a step and started looking at the big glass windows meaningfully, as if she was contemplating tossing something heavy through them.

Cassidy put a hand on her shoulder and pushed her aside. "Please; allow me."

She grabbed the doorhandle, turned it until the tumblers shattered, and pushed the deadbolt right through the doorframe. All as easily as if it had been unlocked. And as a true gesture of her highbrow manners, she didn't even close the door in Sonia's face. "Everybody notices a busted window; nobody blinks at an unlocked door." she explained.

"I was mostly just messing with Leon," said Sonia. "It would have been much more fun if he went for it - and we wouldn't be here."

Okay, she had to laugh at that, busted-up guts be d*mned. "It's like he invents new ways to be awful. If only he turned his talents toward, y'know, not being awful."

"But so, for reals, you wouldn't have kept something up your sleeve, just in case you needed a curse later?" She asked, seeming legitimately curious.

[Anarion]

Therese straightened up imperiously. "Yes. The only rational response to this situation is unicorns."

"Well, let's do it then. If we've only got princess for a day, we should take a ride and survey the Kingdom. Conjure the unicorn, you can ride in front, of course."

Leon was getting really concerned at this point. Therese wasn't acting like herself. Some of that he could chalk up to giddiness at her newfound power, but she had avoided any focus he'd tried to put on the genie, how long her deal lasted, or what would come after.

He planned to keep pushing her, but he also felt the kitchen knife still hanging from his belt. Iris had been killed and it was clear this was serious, so he needed a plan B.

[Thanqol]

Full stop. Her hand was at his throat before she really knew what she was doing. Her eyes were unnervingly dead, even for her.

"...What."

"Oh yes!" he said, speaking really fast, definitely using his smile as a cover for panic now. "A about a year back. Comes in, just like you, but without the maimings. Just a pretty dead girl about your age. Sits up, grabs my boss, and drinks all his blood like that. He even crumples a bit, you know, like an orange box if you depressurise it? Then she takes his sunglasses of all things and staggers outside into the sun. If you also want blood there's a big bottle of it there on the table, you don't need to kill me!"

In case I didn't mention already, Iris was actually cured, healthy and pretty again. It seems like the curse hadn't survived her death.

Cassidy put a hand on her shoulder and pushed her aside. "Please; allow me."

She grabbed the doorhandle, turned it until the tumblers shattered, and pushed the deadbolt right through the doorframe. All as easily as if it had been unlocked. And as a true gesture of her highbrow manners, she didn't even close the door in Sonia's face. "Everybody notices a busted window; nobody blinks at an unlocked door." she explained.

And as an equally civilised gesture, Sonia didn't make a crack about this being a skill Cassidy could make a career out of.

The house was nice. Old people-y. Sonia grabbed a garbage bag from the kitchen and headed up the stairs.

Okay, she had to laugh at that, busted-up guts be d*mned. "It's like he invents new ways to be awful. If only he turned his talents toward, y'know, not being awful."

"But so, for reals, you wouldn't have kept something up your sleeve, just in case you needed a curse later?" She asked, seeming legitimately curious.

"If I wanted someone cursed I wouldn't need their diary to do it," said Sonia.

She opened some random upstairs doors until she found Therese's room. "This is it," she said. There was a kitchen pot over a bunsen burner filled with congealed blood. Sonia rolled her eyes, "f*cking novices," she muttered. "If you're cool with having blood all over your face I can cure the hex with this,"

"Well, let's do it then. If we've only got princess for a day, we should take a ride and survey the Kingdom. Conjure the unicorn, you can ride in front, of course."

Leon was getting really concerned at this point. Therese wasn't acting like herself. Some of that he could chalk up to giddiness at her newfound power, but she had avoided any focus he'd tried to put on the genie, how long her deal lasted, or what would come after.

He planned to keep pushing her, but he also felt the kitchen knife still hanging from his belt. Iris had been killed and it was clear this was serious, so he needed a plan B.

Therese started down the stairs towards the stables. Sure enough, there were plenty of unicorns in an array of pastel colours. Therese turned and looked at Leon hesitantly, as if she was thinking about asking something, and then turned back and resolved to enjoy her stable full of unicorns while she still had it.

She climbed the convenient unicorn stepladder and mounted nervously, smoothing down her dress habitually. "They're bigger than I expected," she said.

[TheAmishPirate]

And as an equally civilised gesture, Sonia didn't make a crack about this being a skill Cassidy could make a career out of.

See? A little girl time, and they were practically almost friends.

"If I wanted someone cursed I wouldn't need their diary to do it," said Sonia.

You don't say? Handy to know.

She opened some random upstairs doors until she found Therese's room. "This is it," she said. There was a kitchen pot over a bunsen burner filled with congealed blood. Sonia rolled her eyes, "f*cking novices," she muttered. "If you're cool with having blood all over your face I can cure the hex with this."

"Having blood on my face is easily better than having not a face on my face." Cassidy sat down on the bed to give Sonia a better angle for her work. "Let's make it happen."