NOVEL NEXT Trail 67: Asking For Help
Trail 67: Asking For Help
--- Jon Whitaker ---
"Any idea where Fe is?" He asked his Ma as they climbed up the side of a building. "It's been a couple days since I've seen her."
"Think she has some kind of after school thing or something." The older Whitaker answered, kicking off the windowsill she stood on to grasp the ledge of the next one. "Don't forget that just because she's been hanging around here a lot she's still got her own life."
"Right… I know that…" (I also know that's not why she's avoiding me…)
"Watch your step!" His Ma called as he continued his own climb. "You know those window units pop right out if you put any weight on them."
"Sorry!" He grimaced, before shaking his head and making the small hop to the nearby fire escape. "My head's just out of it today I guess…"
His Ma let out a sigh before climbing onto the outer part of the escape. "Nothing to be sorry about, Jon. If your head 's not in it, your head 's not in it. Taking a day off isn't going to hurt you."
Despite his mood he couldn't help but narrow his eyes at his mother. "That… feels a little hypocritical coming from you."
"I'm the parent, I'm allowed to be a hypocrite." His Ma shrugged.
Scene Consequences
-Jon only gained 1XP to Mobility, as in spite of Ma's help he's too focused on other issues.
---
"So what exactly is it you need me to help with?" Val asked, crossing her arms and leaning against some lockers once he'd caught up to her at school.
"Right, so a lot of Demons have a sort of environmental Domain." He began after a quick check to make sure the hall was decently empty.
"Yeah, that's why everyone gets scared so easily around Espanta." Val nodded, already knowing about that due to her own Demon. Something that was underlined as the other teen's shadow twitched into a demonic shape.
"It's supposed to scare people?" He blinked, before shaking his head as a faint shrieking could be heard. "Doesn't matter. Anyway, we're trying to piggyback off of the Horror's version of that to create a sort of artificial domain. And given how the Scarecrow has a domain and you both have [Fear] affinities we're hoping you'll be able to help us control the whole thing."
"Sounds neat… Unless this is meant to be my cut of the arm?" Val frowned, before knocking her knuckles against the lockers the Scarecrow was projecting a shadow across. "Because it's kind of redundant with me."
"Uh, no. This one is mine, we've already finished your cut." He assured the other teen. "Artemis wants to hold off on presenting everything until we've got it all done. Think she's trying to prove a point with Audrey or something."
"Yeah, that sounds like mi Duende." Val huffed with a faint grin. "Alright, we'll help you sort out this Domain thing you're trying to figure out, but you're going to owe me one."
He gave her a wry grin. "I'm guessing making your cut doesn't count here?"
Val seemed to consider it for a moment as she pushed away from the lockers. "Mm, nop."
"No idea why I thought it would." He admitted.
"That was weird of you." Val agreed as her shadow began to cackle.
Scene Consequences
-Val's help is secured for the project.
-Jon now owes her a small favor.
---
On his way back home he remembered something else he'd discussed with Artemis, before taking a detour to one of the city's parks and summoning Wolf.
His canine companion took a look around as she formed out of the mystical lights, before trotting over to him with a curious tilt to her head.
Crouching down he began to pet her. "Hey, girl. Nothing major going on this time, I just wanted to check in with you about something coming up."
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Wolf let out a little yip to prod him into continuing.
"Right, well I've been working on this big project with… my friend Artemis. And while I know you've been helping me out with my stuff, and sparring with everyone else, I wanted to make sure you were okay adding your magic into the mix?" Given how personal magic seemed to be for everyone who used it, it didn't feel right for him to not ask Wolf when he'd asked Val if she was okay helping.
His canine companion's face twisted a bit as she seemed to be considering something before raising a paw and batting his talisman.
"Uh, what about my talisman?" He frowned.
Wolf rolled her eyes before faintly glowing and generating one of her copies, which she nudged before generating another one and batting his talisman again.
It took a minute before remembering, "Right, you wanted my help figuring out your own magic with the clones and stuff… and now I'm asking for help with a magic thing completely unrelated to that."
His canine companion nodded.
"Sorry, it's been… a hectic couple of months." He sighed, before slowly drawing out a blue script with his moonlight ring. "I did figure out how to make a temporary copy of myself and other stuff but…" The floating spell circuit sparked before creating his copy. "Not sure how useful this method is to someone without opposable thumbs though…"
Wolf let out what could've been the canine equivalent of a chuckle before walking a couple circles around him and nodding.
"Right…" He gave her a wry grin as he scratched between her ears. "Thanks for agreeing to help. I'll try to figure out something to help you soon."
Scene Consequences
-Wolf is willing to help… but would like it if Jon helped her like he promised a couple months back.
---
When he got home that night he found Felicia in his bed reading one of his books. More specifically one of his magic books with a look of concentration.
"You need a better place to hide these." She told him without any prompt. "The empty looking bag is hella suspicious not being tucked somewhere with how OCD you are."
"I'm not that OCD." He frowned, peeking to see what exactly she was looking at because while he left his magic bag at home most of the time, you still needed to know what you were looking for to get the bag to give it to you. (It probably just spat out a random magic book when she was looking for one.)
"You regularly pull out every dish in the cabinet to make sure they're all arranged by color and type." Felicia reminded him.
"I don't do that…" He couldn't quite meet her eyes as he added, "anymore."
"Yeah…" Fe looked him in the eye and told him that, "I put the dishes up while I was waiting."
"Oh, that's… nice of you…" He smiled, tapping his fingers against his thumbs.
"Sure was." Felicia smiled back.
They both sat there for a moment before his cousin let out a sigh as she ran a hand through her hair. "Sorry about… freaking out with that DeSade creep."
"Yeah… he is a creep." He agreed with a nod. "Sorry you had to meet him."
"Me too but…" Felicia took a breath before giving him a determined look. "This thing with the Horror… I want more details."
"Right…" That was something he'd been expecting, which is why he had a rough idea of how to explain that. "The Halloween Horror is a Demon that was sealed in three parts across Santa Luna, Luna Rosa, and Santa Rosa. Every year around Halloween its minions invade to try and free it, with everyone in the know trying to manage the situation. A bunch of these things attacked the station while me and Ma were there. She was bit by one of the venomous Creeps involved and put in a coma."
(His smile twitched ever so briefly…
Tucking his phone in his pocket with a smile on his face, he took a deep breath as he gazed up at the full moon shining down on him, while faintly recalling that this particular full moon was known as the 'Hunter's Moon' due to being in October.
His entire face twitched and spasmed…
(Fitting.) He thought with some amusement as he continued to stare at it.
His hand struck his head repeatedly…
He nodded to himself.
A scream ripped from his snarling maw…
And he gave into his insanity completely and utterly.)
"I… did not respond well to that…" He admitted.
Felicia hugged her knees. "I don't think I would've either…"
He took a deep breath before letting it out. "During that spiral I tracked down the Horror as it was beginning to escape and with the help of a few… new friends we forced it back into its seal… Where it's still alive."
"And might get out again." Felicia frowned.
He nodded with a frown of his own. "And even if it doesn't, its minions will still invade every year."
"So you got this DeSade guy to help you kill it in exchange for… what? He really does not look like the kind of guy to do anything for free." His cousin pointed out.
"He's not." He agreed with a shrug. "If we kill it, he gets the corpse for… Dark Lord purposes… As long as it's dead and ma is safe I really don't care."
Felicia let out an amused huff. "You know what, I don't think I do either."
They were both quiet for a moment then, both of them processing the situation and what it made them feel at their own paces.
"You know I want in, right?" Felicia spoke up after a moment.
"I know, and if I hadn't fought you I might've told you no." He admitted, causing the other Whitaker's eyes to flash hellfire red. "Now I'm just relieved you'll be helping."
Felicia let out a scoff. "Yeah, you need anything getting ready to kill this fuck, just let me know and I'll do whatever I can. After all, you don't fuck with our family."
Scene Consequences
-Felicia is all in on helping with the Horror. Jon must bring her with him to that fight.
-For the time being you can apply a -[]-Felicia Assist to any action that may help with the horror.