Thread: Strange Town, Stranger Mystery (Chichi Cheetah and Freckled_Beauty)

His thumbs smoothed the last of the lines on the face of the sculpt he was working on, and he picked it up, turning it one way and another after turning the music down. That seem about right to you? Kristoff Thomas asked absently, even though the office was empty... though, he knew he was hardly alone. He never was. I had a lazy eye. But... I never thought I'd see my own face again. The voice was soft, quiet, a young woman's. The voice of the poor deceased one whose head he now held in his hands. Kris smiled a bit and gently rested the clay-covered skull back on its stand, leaning back in his rolling seat. It's what I do. He turned and looked at the rest of his office though, at the empty morgue slabs and the locked coolers across the room. His smile and slight pride faded as he stood up, walking away from the Jane Doe skull and over to the coolers. Who's talking? he asked. The faint whisper he thought he'd heard didn't repeat and he wrinkled his nose, leaning in and resting his ear against the one that contained poor Marceline - the most recently deceased victim of the strange killings. Marcy? He tapped on the door, frowning. Nothing. He sighed and pushed away, rubbing his face and grimacing at the bits of clay that rubbed from his fingers to his cheeks, and he grabbed a few paper towels from his desk to clean the mess with. I need to eat something, I've been here all night, he sighed. He grabbed his keys and wallet from a desk drawer and hung up his lab coat, grabbing his sweater instead. Cool autumn had come just in time in Sanford and he was relieved - local cities were in the midst of a heat wave there, but thankfully the local witches kept the weather here perfect year-round. Once in a while, they let the air get just a little too hot, but after the Hot Summer of 87, they were loathe to let the hot sun bake town too long. His car was parked outside and he climbed into the driver's seat, getting comfortable and letting his eyes close for a moment after locking the doors. He hadn't started the engine yet the car was still in Park. For that one peaceful moment, he just let his mind drift... and then he fell right asleep in his car, quietly snoring in the early morning sunlight as it peeked through the trees. ----- Tybalt Carver walked along the road leading to Cathy's, a warm jacket zipped up around him and a scarf around his neck as he braced against the cold morning air. He was not a fan of cooler weather, but this was his home. He'd make due, as he always had, for all these long years. At the moment, his car was in the shop - well, at Toni's place, anyway, Toni was good at fixing almost anything in a vehicle bar the engine itself being in pieces. The old shapeshifter stopped to take a brief break on his walk, watching a buck keeping an eye on him from across the asphalt. Easy there, young man, Ty chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck under his scarf, I'm not gonna steal your girl over there. The male deer lowered his antlers briefly, still staring at Ty, before a noise from the bushes scared him off. The man raised an eyebrow as the deer fled, and he kept walking on his way to get his usual breakfast. Cathy Hollin was just pulling in as Tybalt approached from the street and she waved to him as she got out, shutting her car door and locking it with a sigh. You wouldn't believe the night I had, she said. Kept hearing animals screaming all night. Reckon a mountain lion got 'hold of something but I've never heard anything like it in my life. She shook her head as the two walked up to the door and she unlocked it with her key, leaning down to unlock the bottom door lock and pushing the door in. Well, I'm glad you're safe. He gave her a soft hug with an arm before sitting in his usual seat. Not like you to be late, though. Slept through my alarm. Cathy shrugged. Not like you to be here as soon as I open, either. Toni still have your car? Tybalt nodded and unwrapped his scarf, folding it and setting it down in front of him. Guess one of the belts went out. Still waiting for it to be delivered to Toni's place, then we're back in business. The walks aren't so bad though. Until your bones start hurting. She pushed a finger against his forehead. If you need a ride somewhere, you can always text me, Ty. I know how you get when it's cold. He made a face at her and gently pushed her hand away. Sure, Cathy. He looked out the diner window behind him then back at the cook as she fired up the grills and stoves and ovens. You don't think it was the thing attacking people near your place, was it? She shuddered and held a hand over her heart, exhaling. I damn well hope not. I've been here my whole life, Ty, so was my mother, and her mother before her. If that thing sees me as an outsider, we have a deeper problem. You're as much a part of Sanford as I am, Cath. No worries. He smiled at her a bit and took the offered coffee gratefully, letting it warm his hands as he watched her get to work. He'd learned years ago not to offer to help - Cathy the Fifth, she was, was very particular about how she ran her kitchen and his relaxed way of cooking drove her up a wall. Did you need me to pick up anything from Jacoby's place? I'm going to need more of those wonderful cookies of hers! Cathy laughed and leaned on the counter with her own mug of coffee. I managed to eat the last batch last night, watching the new American Horror Story episode. They're just perfect for anxiety munching! I'm swinging by there later today, I'll make sure to drop some off for you on my way home. Tybalt chuckled. Cathy was one of the few people here that could get the grouchy old 'shifter to relax. ----- Dale Seraf parked his car in front of Borland Teas and looked at Emilia Borland herself in the passenger seat. You're lucky was I driving by when I was. I'm surprised you bother with driving, you can just poof yourself about, the witch sighed, wrapping her scarf around her neck. Don't know why you're so interested in that fortune-teller, either. Hey, I put a lot of love into this car. Of course I'm going to use it. He patted the dashboard with a chuckle. As for her, call it an odd hunch. She's done this before. She'll be back. Emi climbed out of the car and scurried into the shop after shutting the door behind her, and Dale waited a few minutes. Emi came back out not long after with a large to-go cup of tea and he rolled down the window with a smile. Thanks for dropping me off. Emi shook her head. I wish Ari would have told me she was taking Oldboy to the park today. Sorry about that. But, thanks for the tea. He took a sip and hummed happily. Still the only chai I like. Suck-up. Emi chuckled and headed back inside to get back to work. Dale enjoyed his hot tea for a few more minutes before driving away, double-checking the address on his phone as he approached the closed-up shop. He only had a name - Hilda - but something nagged at him. He had to find out what had made her close up shop suddenly. Folks rarely disappeared overnight like that, and this disappearance didn't match the ones around town. He pulled to a stop a few yards away and picked up his tea, taking a sip as he eyed the place. It would be easy to just slip inside, with his brand of magic, but with no knowledge on what kind of person Hilda was, that was risky. Ari said she'd just been a simple fortune-teller, selling trinkets and small things. But what would make just a simple person run off? he wondered, tapping the steering wheel with one hand as he watched the place for a while. ----- Ariella Gottklein watched Oldboy run around the small town park, a smile on her face as the eternally-youthful beagle bounded around as fast as his legs would carry him. The vampire had found a lovely tree with some clinging foliage to relax under, though she still had her umbrella over her head as well to shield her from the sun's painful rays. Come here, boy! Ari called, whistling, and the dog zoomed straight for her and landed in her lap with a hop, curling up happily as his tail whipped wildly back and forth. Good boy, she giggled, playing with his ears with a hand. I know you were all wound up after I was gone for work for ages. Pity Mastodon won't go for walks and that Pepper's too small. She sighed and leaned back against the tree, pulling her phone out and checking her messages. Hadn't Elena come back recently...? She opened that thread of messages and typed, Elena! I miss you! Are you back in town? Mastodon misses his favorite groomer and I miss my buddy. 3 Ari hit 'send' and set her phone down, closing her eyes and feeling glad for this quiet, brief reprieve from the attacks. The strange creature that had been plaguing Sanford for the better part of a year had gone strangely quiet - had it calmed down? Were there no outsiders that it felt threatened by? She hoped that was the case. If Emi's theory was right... Ari shuddered and shook her head. She really hoped her sister was wrong. ----- Toni Carver stretched their arms over their head with a yawn as they stepped out shirtless onto the porch, not minding the fall chill and even sighing happily as they rubbed their arms, feeling the goosebumps on their skin. Mmm, almost perfect weather, they chuckled, smiling to themself as they walked down onto the yard. Today's intent was to investigate two strangers who had come to Sanford - two women, strangers to each other but strangers to the town as well. Ty had been a bit under the weather lately and hadn't yet checked in on who they were, so it fell on Toni to do that. But, for now, they decided to sit and enjoy the morning air, taking a seat on the porch steps and basking in the cold sunlight. Their phone buzzed in a pocket of their jeans and they tugged it out, reading over the text. Am I done being exiled yet? Nope. Not til this thing is dead. You're the last person it attacked and you survived, Chax. Congrats You are The Last Girl. s Except I'm not. Today. I mean, I woke up a guy today. You'll get the hang of it eventually. Toni scratched their cheek and added to the text, When did you start changing shapes? When I was thirty. Kind of awkward after spending all my life as an incubus with a dick and waking up with what is decidedly not a dick. Did Nyx ever have that problem growing up? Great-Aunt Clara does I guess. Or did, then her body settled into whatever it wanted to be. Well, yours will probably do the same then. Something about that was odd though to the shapeshifter, but they didn't say so. Chax had approached the younger of the Carver pair ten years ago, more out of desperation than curiosity, about the odd shapeshifting problem he had. Talking to Ty would have been weird, Chax had said. I guess... just don't want to scare Emi off. I mean, she hasn't been scared off yet, and it isn't like we're exclusive, but... Toni chuckled and texted him back, It's fine, kiddo. You two are making it work the best you can. I gotta get to work, but text me if anything comes up. Thanks, Toni. You're the best uncle... aunt... person, ever. Toni snorted with laughter and fired off a quick 'thanks xP' before standing up, heading back inside to get clothes on. Couldn't walk up to strangers topless, tits akimbo, after all. Once dressed, Toni hopped into their car and drove into town. It didn't take long to find the motel and the shapeshifter eased their car into an alley between two of the motels, checking their phone for the pictures of the two women. Ari hadn't had time to find much on either of them before she'd had to take a break from work after months nonstop, so Toni only had two names - Genesis Erickson and Aliana Johnson. They both seemed... normal. For humans anyway. Genesis might be the biggest problem though - a journalist digging into what was happening here was a bad, bad idea. Toni frowned, glancing up at the motels. Damn it, Ari, why did you burn out just as this info came in?!