Arcane Meeting (Pt. 3)

--- Jon ---

After a moment of awkwardly standing there and remembering that making friends with other people -(or humans at least)- was hard he decided to instead stall out that bit by instead making his way towards the truck where the Sanctuary spokesman looked to be handing out files on the invading Creeps.

(Well, Ma always did say information is the first resource of war.) He figured. (Better than hunting the Corrupted without even knowing what they are at least.)

Of course this plan was almost immediately derailed as he was accosted by a pair of Sanctuary agents. One of whom was making the Beast in his head growl as the scent of Malice and Madness wafted off of him.

--- Artemis ---

“We came to network and make a statement.” Audrey told them as the Sanctuary Agent left them all to their own devices. “So what’s the game plan?”

“First thing we should establish with everyone that we’re no longer with the Delacroixs.” She pointed out. “We’ve all spent the last few years under their banner at one point or another, so telling people we aren’t anymore is the best way to begin securing our own reputation.”

“That’s all well and good, but it’s not going to keep people from trying to put us at the kiddie table.” Val reminded them, baseball bat over her shoulders. “Most people think the shit we’ve pulled off is thanks to Sam and the old lady backing us. If we want these putas to respect us then we’ve got to earn it.”

“Which is best done by hunting more of these Creeps than anyone else.” She nodded in agreement. After all that was the whole reason they were putting themselves under such a harsh schedule of all nighters over the next few weeks.

“That’d be all well and good if we were dealing with the usual guys but there are a bunch of brujas here I don’t recognize.” The street witch argued, while gesturing towards a trio of new faces as well as the new Sanctuary and Covenant representatives. “If we have to argue a kill with one of these guys I don’t see it going in our favor unless we do something to scare these putas off now.”

“Alright, so if you think we need respect now, how do you plan on getting it?” Audrey asked, flipping one of her ‘herbal smokes’ between her fingers.

Val pointed across the clearing at a man any ture magic user in the city could recognize. “Tru Grit is always up for a fight.”

--- Jon ---

“Um, can I help you?” He asked the pair his fingers itching for one of his knives.

“Perhaps you can.” The taller of the two told him, his voice dripping with an elegance that would disarm most. Too bad for the man it just reminded him of DeSade, (someone you never drop your guard around.)

Even with the agent wearing a mask notably different than Sanctuary’s usual helmets, he could still feel the man’s eyes running over him before stopping on-

“It’s rare to see a fairy in the city.”

“She’s my contract, didn’t figure it was that weird.” He shrugged, shifting his footing in a way that just looked anxious to others despite readying him to attack the agent if it came down to it. “I mean it’s an Arcane meeting so I didn’t think anyone would care about me having her out.”

“Oh, having a Contact summoned isn’t too much trouble as long as they’re calm.” The agent assured him. “No, what drew my attention isn’t your contract so much as the fact that you haven’t summoned it.”

--- Artemis ---

“Are you insane?!” She felt the need to ask when Audrey seemed to merely consider Alejo’s idea.

“No more than anyone else in this city.” The street witch shrugged. “Besides we both know I can take him.”

“If you bring out the Scarecrow.” She hissed as quietly as she could. “And if you do that in front of either the Guild or Sanctuary, you’ll be put on every watchlist in the city.”

“Fucking hell.” Alejo rolled her eyes before glaring. “I’m not the first or last person in the city to contract a demon. And I’m sure as fuck that Sanctuary and the Guild each have at least one pendejo who’s contracted one themselves.”

“That’s a valid point.” Meadows cut in before she could argue that. “What’s more, if we're going to be hunting the number of Creeps we’re looking to, then we’re going to be using the Scarecrow more often than not. If that’s going to be a problem with either of them then we might as well deal with it now instead of at the sight of Bleed.”

She bit her lip before sighing as she nodded. “Fine. I won’t stop you.”

Alejo grew a cocky grin and laughed. “As if you could, duende.”

And with that the wildcard of their party left her with their technical ‘leader’, and her eyes couldn’t help but drift- “Ahem.”

Her spine stiffened as she glanced at Audrey giving her a… look.

“Don’t say anything.” She groaned, running a hand down her face.

“Wasn’t going to.” Meadows lied. “Was going to ask what you think ‘s going on over there.”

She frowned before following Audrey’s gaze and immediately paling.

--- Jon ---

“What do you mean?” He asked with all the false curiosity he could muster, while marking the agent as a threat both from knowing he hadn’t summoned Pix and the fact that they’d called her an ‘it’.

“I mean Earth-born fairies are such an oddity that I couldn’t help but be curious.” The Agent explained. “Especially taking into account the amount of localized Anima necessary for one of them to grow.”

“Localized what?” He frowned, faking ignorance as he marked the easiest way to stab the man and run. (Probably going to have to stab his partner too.) It wasn’t ideal but it was doable.

“Tell me, wherever did you find your… little fairy friend?” The Agent’s eyes glowed through their mask and he felt something foreign brushing against his mind before the Agent clutched at their head and gasped.

(Rip his throat out while he’s open.)

“I found her in Blackwell.” He answered with a glare. “If you haven’t heard of it it’s this lovely little town full of Magic, Malice, and Madness.”

“You don’t say.” The Agent ground out, straightening themselves out. “I’ve read some papers by a very interesting man in that town. I don’t suppose you’ve ever heard of a man named DeSade, have you?”

“Everyone in Blackwell knows DeSade.” He admitted, before leaning just a bit closer. “And everyone in Blackwell knows not to mess with DeSade or his.”

--- Artemis ---

“What the fuck is he doing here?!”

“Who?” Audrey frowned, a faint green glow showing that she’s picked up on her stress and was ready to fight if Artemis wanted. Something she really did appreciate.

“You see that guy there, the one our age with brown hair.” She pointed. “He goes to school with us, but the thing is… the shadow he’s got from magic it’s… it’s not something I want to be around.”

“What do you mean?” Audrey asked, eyeing the young man as he stood his ground against a Sanctuary agent. “He looks like he’s got some spine, but I’m not picking up anything bad about him.”

“His shadow looks like something out of a horror movie.” She grimaced, scared to use her Spell Sight in case she saw that thing again.

The other Arcane gave the teen another once over. “He a Slasher, maybe?”

“No, Malice… I’ve seen Malice users before. This, this is something else.” She tried to explain. “Whatever is going on with his shadow… He’s done something big and something scary as far as magic is concerned. And whatever it could be it scares the ever loving shit out of me.”

--- Jon ---

“I see…” The Agent told him, regarding him with a gaze that he couldn’t see through the man’s helmet but could still feel. “I’ll keep that in mind…”

“Hey, what’s this here about?” A feminine voice cut in.

The agent’s eyes snapped to the blonde speaker before noticing the man next to her and the even larger man next to him.

“Just a discussion on fairies.” The Agent lied as his eyes returned to Jon’s for a moment, before turning to leave. “Come Kestrel, we’re done here.”

“Fucking asshole.” The blonde spat, before turning her attention to him with a bit of concern. “You okay kid?”

“Um, yeah… I’m fine.” He nodded, unable to keep from letting his attention drift back to the agent.

“Don’t let him get you down.” The smaller man told him. “Some agents of Sanctuary are… less than polite. Especially when they’re a magic user as well.”

“Fuckers believe magic should be restricted to them and theirs.” The woman scoffed with a shake of her head. “Still, no point in letting them bring us down.” She gave him a once over and a curious frown. “You don’t look familiar, you new to town?”

“Uh, yeah. Me and my ma moved out this way last year.” He answered, rubbing at the back of his neck.

“And you arrived with Sam, right?” The man asked.

“Yeah, she’s the only reason I’m here right now.” He admitted. “Wouldn’t have even known about this meeting otherwise.”

“So I guess you're the old raven’s new apprentice then?” The blonde said before glancing at a nearby pair. “Figures she’d take a new student as soon as the old one graduates.”

--- Artemis ---

“Damn it Stoker…” She couldn’t help but curse as the (monster) met her gaze for a moment.

“Look, if he’s really setting you off like this then we just need to stay away from him.” Audrey told her. “With the truce in place as long as he doesn’t start something we can’t really do anything to him. Flipside if he does try anything everyone here will stomp him.”

“I know but…” She ran a hand through her hair. “Him being here can’t be anything good.”

“I don’t know.” Audrey frowned. “He showed up with Sam, so that means she’s either got a leash on him or at the very least trusts him.”

She grimaced. “Is it bad that the fact we’re all on that list, makes me doubt her as a judge of character?”

Audrey laughed. “You can’t help it if it’s true.”

--- Jon ---

“Uh, no.” He frowned. “I only really see my teacher…s during the summer.”

“What some kind of magic summer camp?” The blonde laughed.

“Uh, yeah. Pretty much.” He nodded.

The woman blinked. “Oh… that’s a thing now apparently.”

The smaller of the men laughed, “I just realized we haven’t introduced ourselves. I’m Alan Wells, this is Sarah Stoker, and my large friend here is Guy.” The larger man nodded, but didn’t say anything else. “If you don’t mind me asking, you are?”

“Oh, uh, Jon. Jon Whitaker.” He answered. “And uh, thanks for running that guy off.” (Before I had to rip his throat out.)

The big guy seemed to shift a bit for some reason.

“I assure you it’s no trouble at all.” Alan smiled, before gesturing to the two missing from their respective parties. “Truthfully, we saw him bothering you while our partners were talking and couldn’t help but step in.”

“I guess they’re ‘s a fair bit to talk about with this halloween demon thing.” He figured.

The blonde -Sarah- snorted at that. “Yeah, no this doesn’t even register on their radar since this is just part of the job. The two of them are actually talking about this new dessert Daisy heard about, where some French man decided to mix magic into the cooking process.”

“How’d he do that?” He wondered, feeling the intrinsic need to involve himself in the pair’s conversation. “Was it simply adding potions, or an actual application of magic to the cooking process?”

“Uh, no idea…” Sarah admitted, seemingly taken aback by something.

“Oh…”

Alan laughed at something. “I get the feeling you and Travis would get along surprisingly well.”

“Yeah, that’s a bad idea.” Sarah grimaced, as Pix leapt off of his shoulder. “I can’t actually imagine him with a kid.”

“I don’t know, he and that Valentina girl get along surprisingly well.” Alan argued.

“Only when they’re comparing the best way to smash something’s skull open.” The blonde agreed dryly.

“Well, she’s still a child he gets along with well enough.” Alan shrugged, as Pix made a trilling sound before shooting off.

--- Artemis ---

“And the duel is set.” Val told them as she returned to them. “Grit is just giving Sanctuary and the Guild a heads up and then we’re going to duke it out.”

“I still think this is a bad idea.” She felt the need to point out once more.

“Maybe, but if she does let the Scarecrow loose that might scare off anyone meaning to stir up trouble with us.” Audrey reminded her, with a glance towards the (monstrous) boy from before.

“Exactly.” The street witch nodded, missing what their leader really meant by that. “And if we’re lucky this’ll also remind people we’re not little ninas anymore and should be taken seriously.”

“I suppose you have a point.” She admitted, before watching as the Sanctuary spokesperson and Tru Grit mad their way to the center of the clearing. “Either way, it looks like you’re up.”

--- Jon ---

“Wonder where she’s going?” Sarah frowned.

“Sorry, I really should make sure she doesn’t cause any trouble.” He told them.

“It’s no trouble.” Sarah waved him off before smirking at something nearby. “Though it does look like Tru is starting up his brand of trouble.”

“Lovely.” Alan sighed, as Jon decided it was time to take his leave while giving Guy a nod of farewell.

Chasing after Pix, he idly noted the Sanctuary spokesperson and the Mad Dogs’ boisterous leader nearing the center of the area before telling everyone that there was going to be an Arcane duel of some kind.

Figuring that he had other priorities at the moment, he instead turned back to his wayward little fairy and found her buzzing around a little girl of maybe ten or eleven, who was staring at Pix in awe.

“Sorry about her.” He apologized, before glancing towards a nearby masked teen whose attention was split between them and whatever was going on with that Arcane duel.

A quick glance over his shoulder revealed that that was currently the Mad Dog leader screaming ‘True Grit!’ before punching the ground near his opponent hard enough to send up a cloud of dust and shake the earth ever so slightly.

“Is this your partner?” The girl asked him, leading him to give what he assumed was her guardian a curious look.

After a moment, the masked teen gave him a nod before pointing at her eyes and him.

He nodded to both the teen and the girl. “Yeah, her name is Pix.”

--- Artemis ---

“So, how well do you think she’ll do before she summons the Scarecrow?” She asked as Tru hit a button on his phone and music began to play from a nearby speaker as he and Val stood across from each other.

“Well, given how she’s tricked that bat out with about seven different spells I’d say she’ll at least make him take her seriously.” Audrey answered, lighting one one of her smokes.

“If she’s lucky maybe.” A familiar voice countered, drawing their attention to Samantha as she walked up to them. “Don’t forget that Tru is a gang leader for a reason, and makes his living mostly by fighting. Odds are very few people here have seen him really cut loose.”

“A valid point.” She admitted, before sighing. “This whole thing is probably a bad idea.”

“She’s got something to prove.” Meadows shrugged. “Knowing her she’s not going to stop until she proves it.”

“I know…” She groaned, watching as Val slid under one of Tru’s punches, before swinging her bat at one of his legs. Something that only made the man laugh, even when the bat burst into flames grasping for him.

“Hey, I just remembered something.” Audrey told them, before turning to Samantha as Grit stomped the ground causing it to briefly shake. “Who’s that new guy you brought with you?”

“Jon?” The older Arcane blinked. “He’s a customer at the Witches’ Wares. What’s more he’s one of the few people who know what they’re doing despite being mostly new to magic.”

“That’s all?” She couldn’t help but frown. “I didn’t think you’d want to be associated with a relative stranger. Just in case he turns out to be a… troublemaker.”

Samantha shook her head. “Nah, I’m not worried about him. At the very least he’s fairly new to magic as a whole, given how he’s still buying early apprentice books. Only real skills he has are from his old teachers who I guess were an Enchanter and a Potioneer given how those were his highest scores.” The older Arcane seemed to consider something for a moment. “Based on what he’s said, if I had to guess he’s been an apprentice for a little over a year now.”

“His highest scores?” Audrey repeated before giving a laugh both to her revelation and the fact that Val kicked Grit below the belt. “You tricked him into showing you his ring’s spell scores?”

“No, he didn’t have one until he bought it. Which is how you know his teachers were D Rank at best since any teacher worth their salt makes sure that’s the first thing their apprentice gets. And any C Rank Enchanter can pop them out like candy.” Samantha explained.

(That can’t be right. As vivid as his Shadow is he’s got to be at least B Rank when it comes to magic. Hell, Samantha’s Shadow isn’t even as detailed as his.)

She was about to see if she could get anything more out of Sam, before feeling a shift in the magic around them, drawing her attention to Valentina as she raised her free hand into the air before shouting, “Scarecrow Scream!”

--- Jon ---

“Oh, this is my partner, Snowball!” The little girl told him before showing off -what he thought was- a fairly large Flufflepuff wearing a domino mask and cape.

Pix flew a few circles in the air before pointing at the Flufflepuff and chirping rapidly.

“Ah, that’s why she came over here.” He smirked at the little fairy. “Pix love’s the fluffiness of a Flufflepuff.”

“They are fluffy.” The girl agreed, hugging Snowball closer even as Pix reached out to pet the Flufflepuff.

Seeing this, and thinking the girl might enjoy it, he leaned forward and asked her, “Hey, you know what’s fluffier than a Flufflepuff?”

The girl shook her head. “Uh-uh.”

Conducting his magic a bit, he smiled as he answered, “Two Flufflepuffs.” before summoning Melon between them.

The little girl squeed before picking Melon up and squeezing a Flufflepuff in each arm, as they each eyed the other while panting happily.

Smiling at that scene, he hardly thought about it before asking the girl, “And you know what’s even fluffier than two Flufflepuffs?”

The girl looked at him with what he was sure were stars in her eyes, as he began pushing his magic through his connection to Melon.

“Bum-Bum.”

Melon struggled against the girl’s grip for a moment before managing to pop her way out and flopping onto the ground and beginning to march in place.

“Bum-Bum, Bum-Bum, Bum-Bum.”

Surprisingly, Snowball proceeded to climb out of their partner’s grasp before marching in beat with Melon as they both continued to repeat, “Bum-Bum, Bum-Bum, Bum-Bum.”

The world around them began to shake, though barely anyone paid that any mind, thinking it was just more shaking from the duel behind him rather than the actual magic occurring.

“Bum-Bum, Bum-Bum, Bum-Bum.”

The girl gasped as from beneath a nearby shrub a Flufflepuff climbed their way out.

“Bum-Bum, Bum-Bum, Bum-Bum.”

A nearby tree branch began to shake as a number of Flufflepuffs began to march along it.

“Bum-Bum, Bum-Bum, Bum-Bum.”

The nearby teen hero finally noticed something odd was going on as their eyes darted between the various Flufflepuffs before shrieking as one climbed out from under the hood she was wearing.

“Bum-Bum, Bum-Bum, Bum-Bum.”

The young girl was laughing and shaking in place with a smile as she was slowly surrounded by, “A pile o’ fluff.” all marching to the same beat.

Both Melon and Snowball stood on their hind legs and saluted their respective contractors, before as if predicting his intentions the swarm of Flufflepuffs tackled the giggling girl and trapping her in a pile o’ fluff.

Smirking to himself, he turned to the teen hero watching with wide eyes, and opened his mouth to say something only to close it as he felt iNsANiTy in the air.

Turning around slowly, he could only watch as (monster) made from the darkest of nightmares crawled out from the darkness of the night.

--- Artemis ---

Val slammed her hand onto the ground, and a storm of shadows and black feathers wrapped around her before a massive clawed hand made of mangled flesh and bone shot out, slamming into the ground and digging deep grooves into the dirt as a menacing figure grew in the eye of the storm.

The shadowed figure reared back before unleashing an ear splitting scream, and filling the air with an unnatural presence as the storm scattered to reveal its nightmarishly twisted form.

Hunched over at thirteen feet, the Scarecrow stood one arm a mass of twisted flesh and bone in the shape of a clawed human hand, the other a large black wing wrapped in barbed wire held close to its chest. It’s legs were one large bird claw sticking out from the leg of a tattered pair of pants and another leg that was more a short wooden post at the knee. Across its body were a number of small bloodshot red eyes gazing out at the world full of malice, as they peeked through torn holes in a long black duster jacket. All along its back, bits of off white bone pierced through flesh and leather alike as the bone of its spine was visible to all who saw its back.

But most nightmarish of all was its face, a twisted and stitched visage with a glowing red eye looking out from torn skin like a burlap sack held shut by the noose wrapped around its neck, with a black beak full of bloodstained fangs that had torn through both its own flesh and the flesh of those it had devoured.

The scent of blood, rot, and despair filled the air as the stench of death wrapped around all of them, and it took all that she had not to give in and run from the demon before her. Remembering how it once told her it found it (“moRe fUn WhEn mY PreY rUnS.”)

She still couldn’t keep the shiver that ran down her spine as the Scarecrow held nothing back as it made the statement Alejo had so desperately wanted, entraping all who saw it under its terrifying spell.

For a moment her opponent took a step back, even the endless bravado of Tru Grit coming up short for a moment. At least until the gang leader rallied himself with a mad smile and rushed towards the demon, moving far faster than he had with any of his previous attacks. A shockwave of force visible as he met the thing of nightmares head on.

The demon barely moved as its head was tilted to the side before its massive claw swept across the ground before grabbing the gang leader by his leg and slamming him into the ground hard enough to leave an indent.

Never backing down Tru Grit dug one of his hands into the dirt before wrenching his leg free of the Scarecrow’s grasp and using the momentum of the action to swing his arm out with enough force for the gale to be felt by all in the clearing.

The demon was unmoved.

Mad man that he was, Tru Grit’s grin only grew more profound as the gang leader took a stance, his magic visible as lightning danced across his skin, signifying whatever spell he was bring into reality through sheer force of will.

After a moment of this, Tru Grit dashed forward even faster than before the only sign of his passing the trench his movement dug in the ground between one second standing apart from the demon, and the next having his fist buried in its gut. Literally.

Sadly for the gang leader, this was what the demon wanted.

Instead of blood escaping the wound, shadow, bone and wire began to claw their way out and wrap around his arm before pulling him even deeper as the demon pulled back its arm foot long claws ready to rend Tru Grit to shreds.

Seeing this, the gang leader did the smartest thing he could, and grabbed onto the demon with his other hand and used his full strength to rip his arm free as he threw the demon to the otherside of the clearing.

Right where a child was sitting terrified, surrounded by white fluffy creatures.

(Oh, god!)

The Scarecrow hit the ground with a howl before freezing for a horrifying moment as its gaze slowly crept to the cowering child and creatures, so much fear far too appetizing for the demon to simply ignore.

Not trusting the leash Val held over the Scarecrow to hold, she began to quickly run through the strongest and most precise spell she knew in the hopes of distracting the demon long enough for the nearby heroes to rescue their youngest member before she could be devoured.

This proved pointless when a hand grabbed the demon by its beak, dragged it down to eye level, and growled, “Don’t.”