MH - S01 E12

<Darkling> The girls have managed to get Billy patched up, and she's got a decent amount of clean bandages around her torso now with only a small amount of blood showing through. Elisa is sitting on the ground of the trailer staring at the bloody heart in the tupperware. "So.. this is weird." She comments.
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Pretty sure we passed weird a long time ago."
<Darkling> "Yeah, but this is also weird. It's still beating."
<Avaline> "I guess at least one of us is that hot."
<Darkling> "Not to mention, you are actually a werewolf, and that freaks me out. A lot."
<Billy_Blackfeather> "No way, really?" Billy was over in a flash, kneeling down to take a look.
<Billy_Blackfeather> "That just makes me the most badass bitch you know, feel honored." She gave a big toothy grin that may have been a bit predatory.
<Darkling> Sure enough, every ten seconds or so, the giant heart thumps.
<@Mr_Rage> Izumi belts out a giggle, sitting on the bed. "Hmm. One down, three to go."
<Avaline> "I just had a creepy thought."
Tina_ watched the others, twirling her hair. She turned to Ava.  "Oh yeah?  What?"
<Avaline> "What if whatever Billy got that from is still alive, and it's sitting in a dark corner writing poetry about the girl who tore its heart out?"
<@Mr_Rage> "Snkhhahahaha!"
<Darkling> It thumps again. "Ew. I don't think animals write poetry though."
<Tina_> "Let's hope not.  If I had my heart ripped out, I'd be pretty pissed."
<Billy_Blackfeather> "I once had a garden filled with flowers that grew only on dark thoughts." She stood up to stretch, wincing. "But they need constant attention and one day I decided I had better things to do."
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Like that?"
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Oh!" Billy lights up, briefly, and runs inside the trailer.
<Avaline> "I guess that was a good first effort."
<Tina_> "It didn't even rhyme though."
<Avaline> "I'm just glad it didn't involve Nantucket."
<Billy_Blackfeather> She comes back out with a jar and goes out into the yard, working to fill it with dirt.
<Tina_> "We're gonna do the thing now?  You're still hurt."
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Psh, just a scratch."
<Darkling> "So, we have two things."
<Avaline> "Two out of four, wasn't it?"
<@Mr_Rage> "Mhm. Fourth one is out of our hands, third we give them then and there."
<Darkling> "We need to find where to go. Do you still have those papers from Tina's dad?"
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Oh yeah, in my room."
<Darkling> "You want me to go get it so you can sit?"
<Billy_Blackfeather> "I'm fine, don't worry so much." She's a little slower to get up this time and disappears back inside.
<Darkling> Once she's out of the room. "I'm worried about that cut. It didn't look good. Should we take her to a doctor?"
<@Mr_Rage> "Think we could even get her there? Not like I can lead her with meat," Izumi grabs her own ass.
<Avaline> "I don't think she'd go for it."
<Tina_> "And I doubt we could drag her there."
<Darkling> "We should try at least."
<Billy_Blackfeather> Billy reappears with the manilla folder, waving it around. "Who wants it?
<Billy_Blackfeather> "
<Darkling> Elisa reaches out. Of course the bookworm wanted it.
<Avaline> "I nominate Elisa as our official secretary."
<Billy_Blackfeather> "All yours," she says as she puts it in the girl's hands. "Secretary? She's the brains. I'm the brawl and good looks."
<Billy_Blackfeather> brawn*
<Darkling> "I've got the brains, you've got the looks. Let's make lots of money." She takes the folder and starts flipping through it.
<@Mr_Rage> "Hmf~"
<Billy_Blackfeather> As if to try and prove the point she tied her shirt bottom to show her abs and shook out her hair after running her fingers through it.
<Darkling> Elisa clears her throat, adjusting the way she's sitting and keeps flipping through papers.
Tina_ giggles looking at Billy and then away.
<Avaline> "Dammit Billy this is why you have to go to the doctor and get that cut looked at! It could get infected and get gangrene or something. IS GANGRENE ATTRACTIVE? IT'S..." Avaline stops herself. "Sorry.
<@Mr_Rage> Izumi simply griiiins.
<Billy_Blackfeather> "D-doctor? Why would I need a doctor?"
<Darkling> "You have a hole in your side?"
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Psh, just a scratch to a Werewolf. C'mon."
<Billy_Blackfeather> Billy's nose twitches and she looks away, looking a bit pouty. "Fine," she mutters. "I'll go see a doctor, but we're finishing this tomorrow."
<Billy_Blackfeather> "It does hurt. Quite a bit." She admits the last bit quietly.
<@Mr_Rage> "Thank you~"
<Darkling> "That'll give me time to sort through all this information."
<Avaline> "Good. No distractions."
<Tina_> "Oh thank God.  I didn't even know if I could find tranquilizer let alone figure out what kind of dosage you'd need."
<Darkling> "Enough to knock out a horse probably."
<Darkling> "Oh, here's something!"
<Billy_Blackfeather> "What's up?"
<Darkling> She points to a spot on a map that is colour coded for toxins. "This is a really large spot compared to the others. I'll have to see if it's been cleaned up or not though. But it's a start!"
<Billy_Blackfeather> A pat on the head for Elise.
<Billy_Blackfeather> Elisa)
<Avaline> "Toxic. Great." Avaline sighs.
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Guess we call it a day?"
<@Mr_Rage> "Sound good. Want me to walk you?"
<Billy_Blackfeather> Crap. "Ugh, yeah, alright."
<Darkling> Elisa gets up from the floor. "I'll read some more when we're waiting in the doctor's office for you."
<Darkling> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<Darkling> As they leave the doctor's office it's gotten noticeably later. "Anyone up for some food?"
<Billy_Blackfeather> "I could eat," she muttered sullenly, rubbing the site of the shot she'd been given.
<Tina_> "Ooh! I know a great place that has all organic food."
<Avaline> "Lead on!"
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Do they have meat?"
<Tina_> "Maybe.  Probably."
<Billy_Blackfeather> "They better," she says with a rumble in her chest.
<Darkling> "Let's go then."
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Why do tetanus shots have to hurt so much?" She whines a little in Izumi's direction. She seemed prone to offering sympathy to the swarthy girl after all.
<@Mr_Rage> The top-heavy girl giggles, leaning over to kiss the bandage. "Same reason cough syrup taste bad~"
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Why is that?"
<@Mr_Rage> "Because people expect it to! Medicine that easy or painless make people feel uneasy, make them think it not really working," she nods sagely, certain of her wisdom.
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Oh..."
<Avaline> "Masochists, I guess."
Tina_ leads them for a ways, making a few turns and doubling back a couple times before they get to a small restaurant that's almost a food stand.  The sign reads Just Falafs and there is a man at a counter with a curly beard, oversized black rimmed glasses and a flannel scarf.
<Avaline> Avaline stares blankly.
<Billy_Blackfeather> "The hell's a Falaf?"
<Darkling> "I.. don't know..."
<Tina_> "It's falafels.  They're good."
<Billy_Blackfeather> "What is it?" Billy sniffs.
<@Mr_Rage> "Geez, you girls no culture at all," Izumi teases like she didn't walk straight out of Gyaru Weekly.
<Tina_> "They're like deep fried vegetable balls in a pita.  You can get meat with them. "
<Billy_Blackfeather> "What if I want just the meat?" She's looking at the dude with the scarf now.
<Darkling> "You want falafel?" He says.
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Meat."
<Darkling> "Falafel."
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Meat."
<@Mr_Rage> "Okay this gonna take a while; just get her one with lotsa' chicken."
<Darkling> "Falafel?"
<Billy_Blackfeather> "If those vegetable balls touch my food I'll bite someone."
<Avaline> "I'll have some falafel."
<Darkling> "Ah, falafel." He smiles and goes about preparing something in his little food booth.
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Tina."
<Tina_> "Yes?"
<Billy_Blackfeather> "You don't get to pick anymore."
<Tina_> "Who doesn't like deep fried stuff?"
<Tina_> "I'm getting a falafel too."
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Isn't it bad for skin or something? Besides, it's not meat."
<Tina_> "Like meat's good for your skin?"
<Avaline> "Deep fried balls and meat." Avaline says under her breath to the other girls, amused.
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Of course it is."
<Billy_Blackfeather> Her expression darkens.
<Darkling> In less time than it should take to make food, he has food ready for Avaline.
<Billy_Blackfeather> "I want meat one way or another. Who am I going to have to eat?" She licks her lips eying the four girls.
<Avaline> "Thanks!" Avaline collects her food and pays for it.
<Tina_> "Just try it.  Besides we're too stringy to eat.  Cept maybe Izumi."
<Billy_Blackfeather> Billy sighs and hangs her head.
<Darkling> "Oh look." Elisa points at the menu trying to ignore Billy. "Gyros."
<@Mr_Rage> Izumi scritches her wolfgirl gently.
<Darkling> Another quickly prepared, deep fried meal is passed to Tina.
<Avaline> Avaline digs in. Omnomnom.
<Billy_Blackfeather> "The hell is a-- nevermind, I'll read it." She grunts at Izumi's attention, looking up at the menu.
<Darkling> "I'll have a gyro." Elisa says, and the cook goes about making one.
<Tina_> A big grin as she passes some cash over and goes to eat with Ava.  Mmmmmm
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Two gyros with extra meat."
<Avaline> "How'd you find this place, Tina?"
<Darkling> He passes a gyro to Elisa and starts making Billy's.
<Billy_Blackfeather> "They met trying to buy the same scarf."
<Tina_> "Actually a friend of my mom's showed her this place a few years ago. I really liked it so I come out here every now and then."
<Darkling> He hands some larger gyros to Billy.
<Darkling> He looks at Izumi. "Falafel?"
<Avaline> "Truly a hidden gem."
Tina_ grins.  "I know, right?"
<@Mr_Rage> "Ah! Sure~"
<Billy_Blackfeather> A flash of white teeth as Billy digs into one of the gyros. Still chewing with bulging cheeks she takes some crumpled bills and puts them out. She points at the money, her food and then Izumi.
<Darkling> He finally hands Izumi food and nods quite happily and energetically to the girls.
<@Mr_Rage> Omnomnom~
<Darkling> "Well, I'm going to head home and figure some of this stuff out." She waves the folder.
<@Mr_Rage> "G'luck!"
<Avaline> "Bye!"
<Tina> “See you later!”
<Darkling> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<Darkling> The next day of school is about to start. The girls all seem to have arrived early and congregated outside the school under a tree in the shade.
<Darkling> "So," Elisa starts as she pulls out all the paperwork she has been going over. "Guess what I found."
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Gold."
Tina_ cocks her head to the side, leaning up against the tree.  "Something important?"
<Darkling> "Yes!"
<Billy_Blackfeather> She had her hand up her shirt picking at her wound.
<Tina_> "Wait so it *was* gold?"
<Darkling> "No, it was important."
<Avaline> "You found out the color and style of your crush's underwear?"
<Tina_> "She said it was important though."
<Darkling> "No, I always knew that."
<Darkling> She gives a wink, at no one in particular.
<Avaline> "So who's your crush?"
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Focus."
<Darkling> "So!" She lays out the map ignoring Avaline. She's circled a lot and written all over it.
<Darkling> "This." She points at a super circled location on the map. "Is where I think the problem is."
<Billy_Blackfeather> Billy leans in to eyeball the map.
<@Mr_Rage> "Reasoning?" Izumi leans over as well, casting a shadow.
<Darkling> "The company won't go here anymore, and apparently there have been several incidents that are unexplainable. A bulldozer just sunk into the ground and another one fell apart and rusted, at least according to the workers.
<Avaline> "That's promising. The rust thing makes me think of that poem."
<Billy_Blackfeather> "That sounds metal, too bad I missed it."
<Tina_> "That sounds more like something Billy would do than a monster.  I mean...Wouldn't a monster who likes decay want the company to cut down more trees?"
<Darkling> "I think it might want to just decay everything."
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Yeah, probably doesn't care what."
<Tina_> "Oh.   I never really thought of it like that."
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Good job Elisa."
<Darkling> "Thanks!" She looks up beaming.
<Darkling> "Plus, from their older maps, it has grown in size. It look like every month it doubles. It's growing exponentially."
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Not for much longer."
<Darkling> "So, that's about it really. I don't know where to go from here."
<Billy_Blackfeather> "We take what we've got and get the seed. Then we go and kill it." She poked at the circled area when she mentioned killing the demon-thing.
<Tina_> "Okay so...Where's the seed?"
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Gotta go get it from that forest spirit."
<Darkling> “Any idea how to contact it?”
<Tina_> "Gramps?"
<Billy_Blackfeather> "I managed to last time, with help from Izumi. I don't wanna bother Gramps with this, it's my problem. My task."
<Darkling> "When do you want to do it?" As if a sign, the school bell rings.
Tina_ looks at Izumi. "Oh? I-"  She's cut off by the bell.
<Billy_Blackfeather> Billy frowns and stands up straight.
<Tina_> "I can't remember the last time we went to class."
<Billy_Blackfeather> "I should just go back home, sure I've failed all my classes now."
<Darkling> "That can't be true. It's only the start of the year."
<Billy_Blackfeather> "What do I care? I'll be stuck in this town forever."
<Tina_> "And...I mean...Well, monsters are real.  I kinda just can't take school seriously anymore."
<@Mr_Rage> Izumi pinches Billy's cheek.
<Billy_Blackfeather> "What that for?"
<@Mr_Rage> "Fufu~ When someone know future, it mean a goblin telling them. I pulling it off~"
<Billy_Blackfeather> "I... what?"
<@Mr_Rage> Off she goes~
<Darkling> Elisa starts gathering the papers up. "You want to check this out after school? Or try to contact this spirit thing?"
Tina_ watches her run off, mouth agape. "Wha?"
<Billy_Blackfeather> "We'll see the spirit first. I wanna get this done."
<Darkling> "Alright." She stuffs her bag full and starts heading to the school.
<Billy_Blackfeather> Billy follows last, so close to running back into the woods she had to run inside to stop herself.
<Darkling> School passes by quick enough, and they're soon let out for the day.
<Billy_Blackfeather> Billy is just as quick to run outside and lay in the grass as she waits for the other girls.
<Tina_> Tina comes out with her camera out, taking pictures of the school and the students.  She snaps one of Billy on the grass.  "You stayed the whole day!  Proud of you!"
<Darkling> Elisa comes out after. "Someone looks happy to be free of bricks and glass."
<Billy_Blackfeather> "It's a prison."
<@Mr_Rage> "Hnhn!"
<Darkling> "I can see that."
<Billy_Blackfeather> "What's taking Avaline?" Billy sits up, looking around.
<Avaline> "Oh, sorry. I'm here. I was just daydreaming."
<Darkling> "Should we go then?"
<Tina_> "Let's!"
<Billy_Blackfeather> Billy hops up. "Gonna be a long walk."
<Darkling> "I'm sure it's not that bad."
<Darkling> After a good hour and a bit of walking, Billy has lead the girls to a clearing in the woods.
<Tina_> "So...Where are we?"
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Center of the forest, or as close as it gets."
<Tina_> "Oh so like...is it magic?"
<Darkling> Elisa shivers, rubbing her arms.
<@Mr_Rage> "Hearts of things always magic," Izumi smiles coyly.
Tina_ looks around, visibly relaxing.  "It *is* really nice out here.  So what are we gonna do?"
<Billy_Blackfeather> Billy sighed and looked around as she wiped her hands off on her pants. "Try and contact the spirit." Billy shuffled around a bit, trying to remember how they did it last time.
<@Mr_Rage> "Need you girls to sit in circle, I put you in trance together."
<Darkling> "Alright." Elisa seems clearly uncomfortable for some reason, but she comes and sits near Izumi.
<Tina_> "Sounds like you wanna play duck duck goose."  Tina says with a giggle, sitting down next to Elisa.
<Billy_Blackfeather> Billy plops down next, a hand on Avaline's wrist pulling her down too.
<Avaline> Down she goes!
<@Mr_Rage> The Japanese girl joins the circle, interlocking her hands with one from the girl on either side, indicating for them to do the same in kind. "Eyes closed." Once she had compliance, she let her voice shift, a droning, quiet tone that tricked the brain into listening closer without quite snapping it to awareness, like a fey-light made of sound. "Forest all around you, turning slow and steady, around and around..."
<@Mr_Rage> The trick was hypnotizing herself, too.
<Avaline> Avaline closes her eyes.
<Darkling> Elisa followed the instructions and listened with her eyes closed as well.
<Billy_Blackfeather> The swarthy girl closes her eyes and tries to relax.
<Tina_> Tina closed her eyes, listening to Izumi.
<Darkling> It's been a few minutes, and nothing really seems to have happened.
<Tina_> "So...Uh. Am I supposed to see something?"
<@Mr_Rage> "..." Izumi opens an eye, blinking. "Hrmhf."
<Billy_Blackfeather> Billy growls, a rumble in her chest.
<Avaline> Avaline keeps her eyes closed. "Keep trying. Sometimes this stuff takes a while."
<Darkling> Elisa blinks her eyes open, looking around. "Are you sure this is the spot? It doesn't feel very nature happy."
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Same spot as last time." Billy finally pops and eye open to look around and confirm.
Tina_ looks around too.  "Did you get the spell wrong Izumi?"
<Darkling> "Oh, that's weird." Elisa points to a leaf that was blowing through the air over top of them, but it appears to just be hovering in place.
<@Mr_Rage> "It not a spell--hn?" Izumi looks up.
Billy_Blackfeather looks up and squints at the leaf. "Well...something is different anyway."
<Tina_> "Oh?"  Tina looks up.
<Darkling> "I'd say something worked."
<Darkling> She gets up from the circle and proceeds to pick it out of the air.
<Billy_Blackfeather> "So?" Billy gets up, looking for anything else out of the ordinary.
<Darkling> There's quite a few leaves and bugs frozen mid-air, even a bird up above them.
<Tina_> "Wait..." Tina stands up. "Why's everything all frozen?"
<Billy_Blackfeather> Billy grumbles, not a fan of all these games. "We're here for the seed! We have everything else!"
<Avaline> "Let's just take in the cold. Maybe it's supposed to protect us." Avaline says as she gets up, taking in a few deep breaths.
<Darkling> "This is weird. Did this happen last time?"
<Billy_Blackfeather> "No. This is really different."
<Darkling> "Maybe they are just playing games."
Billy_Blackfeather grunts at looks to Tina. "Do something."
Tina_ looks around.  "Me? Why?  How?"
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Yes. You know why. I don't know."
<Tina_> "Um..."  Tina looks up.  "We'd like the seed please...So we can fulfill the oath?"
<@Mr_Rage> Izumi tiiilts her head, a playful grin on her face.
<Darkling> Nothing new happens.
<Darkling> "Maybe there was something we are forgetting or need to do?"
<Tina_> "What like...the blood and dirt and heart?"
<Darkling> "I don't know.." She plucks a butterfly out of the air, placing it on her hair like a decoration.
<Billy_Blackfeather> Billy sits back down with a heavy frown and closes her eyes, arms crossed over her chest.
<Darkling> "Well." Elisa gets the jars of dirt and heart out of her bag and sets them down.
<Darkling> "This should be proof at least."
<Tina_> "Worth a shot, right?"
Tina_ stares at the heart, silent for a moment.
<Tina_> After a few seconds she looks up.  "You did it Izumi.  We're not awake."
<Darkling> Elisa pulls out a mirror to examine herself in it, and makes an eep noise dropping it.
<@Mr_Rage> "--oh? Spirits feeling cheeky then."
<Darkling> She puts the mirror away. "So, they're here?"
<Billy_Blackfeather> "They like annoying me," Billy complains.
<Tina_> "They're just waiting for us to do something, I think."
<Billy_Blackfeather> "Like what?"
<@Mr_Rage> "Blood, maybe?"
<Darkling> "An offering?"
<Billy_Blackfeather> "I thought we did all that out near the thing."
<Tina_> "Well this wouldn't really be our blood, would it?  We're dreaming this or something.
<Billy_Blackfeather> "A hint would be great right about now."