Fandom Supernatural RP - Accepting Applications

[Namazu]

​

Gideon must have looked a little bit like an idiotic deer in the headlights, standing there with his hand still on the door, staring at Mac. He absolutely considered turning around, gathering his things from his room, and checking out right then and there. However… curiosity really was eating him right now. It had been months … no, a year? A year and change since he’d run into other Hunters, and suddenly he’d run into several of them. He had to at least get names. Was it really just curiosity? Boredom? Loneliness? He’d never admit to anyone, let alone himself, but ultimately he decided not to run out.

“Coffee and a menu sounds lovely, thanks.” He offered Mac a wink and a smile, though the smile didn’t reach his eyes.

Sliding into one of the booths, not wanting to risk a local yokel or passing vacationer or trucker overhearing anything sensitive, Gideon laced his fingers together on the table and relaxed back against the booth. To the casual observer he may have looked like he was simply admiring the homely décor, but he was scoping the place out - exits, window locations, fire alarms, and looking for any hints of magic or sigils of any kind.

NanLia Safton Crono Alator​

 

[Safton]

WILLIAM​

William leaned back against the headboard, Skye tucked against his chest as the pair of them dozed peacefully after Mackenzie left to begin breakfast. This was a common practice for them; Skye needed all the sleep she could get and tended to become nigh-murderous when woken up "too early". As such, it wasn't at all uncommon for one of them to nap with the young toddler while the other did what needed to be done around The Mountaineer. However, Will rarely found it easy to slip into any sort of deep sleep these days now that he had the Grace within him. So instead Skye slept -- sprawled across his torso and in the crook of his arm -- while he quietly browsed his phone in his free hand.

This rare moment of peace was soon interrupted, however. He felt it, like an alarm bell ringing. So loud that he wondered how it couldn't possibly be audible to Skye, how she wasn't awake and wailing in his arms right now. But he knew the answer: because the alarm was inside him. A flood of emotions accompanied it: anxiety, aggression, apprehension -- but not his own. He knew the source well. As if to confirm his suspicions in that moment, his cell phone buzzed in his hand and he focused on its screen for a brief moment, steadying his mind as he did.

---

Mac
911. Restaurant. Now.

---

He felt his Grace surging and had to act to clamp it down to prevent himself from manifesting at his wife's side as he had in the past. While he didn't doubt that whatever was going on was serious, the last thing he wanted to do was appear in the middle of it with their daughter in tow. So Will stood briskly, doing his best not to disturb the slumbering child before stalking over to the bassinet and laying her down to rest. The girl thankfully turned over onto her side without opening her eyes, instinctively grasping the form of a nearby stuffed animal, which she deemed as a suitable replacement for her papa before going back to sleep.

With that, Will closed his eyes and channeled his Grace, centering himself as he focused on Mackenzie's wayward emotions. When he opened them, he was there. In the restaurant -- only feet away from Mac. He gazed around with confusion at the almost peaceful scene... peaceful, that is, if not for the mystery man a few feet away, the only one who could cause this level of distress for Mackenzie. His hand gripped the handle of the angel sword as it materialized within his hand -- a trick he had been forced to practice for months before finally getting the hang of. The real angels made it look a lot easier.

"Welcome to The Mountaineer," he remarked, his tone a steady -- vaguely challenging -- drawl, gaze never leaving that of the stranger.

Almost on cue, the door of the restaurant burst open with a chime, admitting others in a hurry.

NanLia Crono Namazu​

 

[Crono]

CHASE​

The sun was shining at just the right brightness in the open fields in the midst of a cool spring morning, the tall grass flying by as the wolf bolted across the landscape. Eyes locked on a deer ahead, the thrill of the hunt. Chase leaped, mouth agape and ready to bring the stag down-- DING! Chase startled softly from his sleep at his phone going off from a text message, opening his eyes to a partially lit motel room. A slurping noise as he woke to a puddle of drool on the pillow below and a trail of it from the corner of his mouth. The man took in a deep breath as he wiped at it whilst turning over in the motel bed, reaching out for his phone on the nightstand lazily. His initial thought was that it was Emile again, checking in or wanting to chat. Instead he saw the text from Mac, and after a second of his brain catching up Chase jumped up, naked, and tried to throw on some pants before running out of his room half-naked and barefoot. Unknown to him was that his pants were on backwards.

The Werewolf scrambled down the walkways and parking lot towards the restaurant, one hand keeping his pants up. As he neared the front entrance he skidded to a slower pace to avoid actually breaking the door, pushing it open and the bell chiming as he did. Chase's eyes quickly searching the room, "What's the emergency!?" He asked in his disheveled state, spotting Mac, and Will, who was eyeing up one of the guests. It was then that the smell of the cologne hit him, the same smell that had been mixed in with the blood from the night before in the forest. Stalking closer his eyes centered on the hunter and possible witch, glancing Mac's way a moment since she'd been the one to pull the alarm. The fact that the man was here now was either one big stupid coincidence or he'd tailed them somehow. Immediately Chase's thoughts were thrown to the fact that this man had decided to hunt Chase himself, after seeing the Werewolf the night before. Which only served to piss Chase off for the fact that it would mean his friends were potentially caught up in the crossfire if that was the case. "Trouble?" Was all he could manage out for the moment.

​

NanLia Safton Namazu​

 

[Namazu]

Far from staring off into space at nothing in particular, Gideon was in the midst of studying the opposite wall of the restaurant for hidden sigils when suddenly Will materialized, in the most literal sense, damn near right in front of him. For all his attempted charm and suave demeanor, Gideon could not help but jump a bit in his seat as the man appeared. With a sword, no less.

“Jesus Christ,” Gideon sucked in a breath as he jumped, leaning away slightly and into the wall. He put his left hand up, palm out. It was less of a calming motion, and more of an indication he was prepared to do something to stop the man if he made any hostile movement.

“Once again, weapons are not necessary, just like I’ve told your friend over there before. I am here for breakfast. I’m just looking to eat, that’s all.” He explained slowly, emphasis on breakfast. He didn’t exactly say it in a tone that suggested Will was an idiot, but close.

Gideon grimaced hearing that bell jingle. It was hard to decide what he hoped more was coming through: some random traveler whose presence might diffuse the situation due to everyone wanting to keep things on the down-low, or another person who seemed “in the know” about how things really were so that nobody got scared of anything weird they might see. Especially if these people turned violent on him.

Blinking at the scruffy man that skidded into the restaurant, with his pants on backwards, Gideon didn’t know what to immediately make of him… and he couldn’t help but laugh a little. It was hard not to stare.

“There’s no emergency here. Is it a crime to crave coffee and waffles in the morning?” Gideon’s eyes darted from Will, to Will’s sword, to Chase, to Chase’s backwards pants, then he glanced towards Mac’s direction. If there was any recognition that Chase was the wolf from yesterday, it was not evident on Gideon’s face at all. His gaze settled back on Will.

“What the hell is this place, really? And what the hell are you?”

NanLia Safton Crono​

 

[NanLia]

MACKENZIE​

Mackenzie knew she didn’t have to wait long to know that William had received her message. She could feel their connection flare seconds before he appeared at her side, at the ready. She didn’t like using his Grace in such a way but in this situation, she wasn’t sure about the witch’s intent. She was ready to confront the man when Chase burst through the door, half-dressed. She was surprised by the sight, pausing to stare for a moment but very thankful he’d responded with urgency - knowing that he was here made her feel at ease, not for her own safety but that of her kids.

“No crime in breakfast.” She turned towards the man seated in the booth her hand touching along her side where the bronze blade was safely tucked behind her back. “No crime in coming to a motel for rest on a trip.” She headed back around the bar with a menu and coffee, moving back towards the table to speak with him directly. She set both down for the man to review.

“Extremely suspicious that the same alleged hunter that I caught in the woods the night before happens to show up on my doorstep asking for breakfast. I’m not a fan of coincidences and I can honestly tell you, in my experience, none of it has ever been a coincidence in the past but downright planned. So, let’s start with your name - not the shit your credit card says, but your real name.

“And a heads up, if I think you’re lying I’ll ask again but with far fewer pleasantries and more along the lines of how you treated your hunt last night.”

Safton Crono Alator Namazu​

 

[Namazu]

GIDEON​

“I am not trying to be suspicious. Have you noticed there is almost nothing around here? It might be more suspicious if I picked this motel out of a dozen better options and it was the furthest out of my way, but the options are quite literally this or… I don’t know, sleep in my car. Not that I haven’t done that before. I just try to avoid it. It's bad for my beauty sleep.” Gideon glanced down at the cup of coffee and menu placed in front of him, briefly, but did not move to touch either of them yet.

“I am a hunter - nothing planned about it - and I come here in peace. Really. Just that simple. You can throw all the holy water, salt, silver, whatever at me that you want if it makes you happy.” Gideon looked back and forth between Will and Mac, seeing as how they seemed like the greatest threats here - armed and able to dress themselves, at least.

He hesitated a moment when asked for his real name. When was the last time he gave that out to anybody? It felt like an oddly intimate question. His jaw worked silently for a second and he seemed to struggle with the option to be truthful or not.

“Gideon. Gideon Fitzgerald. If you’re worried about the money, I can assure you that the credit card is not going to get declined, come back stolen, or wind up connected to some dead man. Absolutely no reason to contact the local authorities about it.” He gave Will another up-and-down glance.

“Though I doubt you’re the type to contact the local authorities for anything.” He cleared his throat, slowly wrapping his hand around the coffee cup, testing to see how hot it was.

“Do whatever kind of digging you need to do. I don’t do social media. Haven’t since I was in college. I’m just a simple full-time hunter, and if what you saw last night was at all disturbing to you, well, I’m sorry. I am under the assumption you've done similar things in the name of the job, but maybe I'm wrong.”

NanLia Safton Crono​

 

[Safton]

WILLIAM​

William tensed at the sound of the door rapidly opening, its bell chiming to admit another soul -- though he quickly relaxed as he realized it wasn't some other interloper, come to "rescue" their comrade in the restaurant, but rather Chase. Elijah would have some... choice comments about the wolf's appearance (in particular his state of dress, or lack thereof) were he present, but Will for his part merely turned back to the mystery man who was now questioning where he was and what William was.

"No one of consequence," Will answered, his voice a gravelly drawl as he kept his eyes fixed and unblinking on their visitor. "Though I was going to ask you the same thing." As it happened, however, his wife had other ideas for the man and before long she was subjecting him to her own unique idea of Mountaineer hospitality. Every muscle in his body was coiled like a spring as Mackenzie moved closer still to the man... though he knew his concern was likely misplaced. Mac was more than capable of protecting herself and, well, frankly the knife clutched behind her back didn't hurt, either. Still, something about the visitor bugged him to no end. He didn't have Chase's nose or Adelaide's ability to read a person's very thoughts, but his Grace allowed him to sense... auras, he supposed be the best word for it. Anything with a soul or something similar had one.

This guy had a soul, alright... but he also had something else to him. It was a vibe that sent a very human shiver up Will's spine and made him wonder if this man in the fancy shoes was actually tracking mud in their home. William cocked his head as his conversation with Mac revealed the exact source of tension between the two: he was the man she had seen the night before. Mac had given him a basic explanation about what they had witnessed at the Park after she returned.

It wasn't impossible that the same suspicious hunter they ran into in the darkness would arrive at the Inn soon after... but Will stopped hedging his bets on chance after watching a dragon burn down their last home.

The bell rang again.

NanLia Crono Namazu​

 

[Safton]

ELIJAH​

Elijah's footfalls pounded against the sidewalk, the sheathed katana clutched in one hand. As soon as he received the text from Mackenzie, he had instructed Ashley-May to take Liam and lock the door to their room behind him before departing in a rush. As he reached the front door of the restaurant, Eli skidded to a halt upon seeing a slightly-winded Adelaide already there -- posted up just outside -- her hand raised to him as she shook her head before focusing as if listening to a recording on invisible headphones.

"Will and Chase are already in there. I don't think there's any danger... yet. Your stranger from last night by the sounds of it. I'll try and get what I can from out here."

Eli nodded, composing himself before strolling inside. His eyes went immediately to the seated figure who was practically hemmed in by Mackenzie and William, who looked every bit the predatory power couple in that moment. Like a lion and lioness who had cornered some hapless gazelle and were savoring their hunt together. Except this was no gazelle. Eli stepped further into the restaurant, getting a better view of the man's face to confirm his suspicions. This was, indeed, their mystery hunter from the night before.

Coincidence? Conceivably. Suspicious in their paranoia-fueled line of work and way of life? Almost certainly.

Eli listened as Mackenzie spoke to the stranger, managing to catch the tail end of their conversation as he walked around the counter, leaning the sword against the desk before kneeling down behind the register and opening one of the sliding doors on the bottom. Behind it (and some cleaning supplies) was a safe... engraved with a Devil's Trap. He punched in the combination, opening it up to reveal the contents: a few fake IDs, some cash, and a few more choice items. He ignored that, instead retrieving a wooden box. Their "test kit".

Eli pulled it out, blowing off the sheen of dust that had settled upon the top of the container. Satisfied, Eli tucked it under his arm, collecting his sword and moving to stand a few feet away from the booth. "Hullo again. I think I'll take you up on your previous offer once you two are quite done... call it an appetizer for your breakfast," he said with the same polite tone he had offered the man the night before.

NanLia Crono Namazu
​

 

[Crono]

CHASE​

"I call bullshit." Was Chase's initial thought to the man saying he was just here for breakfast. That this was all just a coincidence. Like hell it was. In a moment of their speaking and being more aware and awake he started to realize that his pants were on completely backwards, not that it bothered him at the moment. He was staying focused on the issue at hand. When the bell went off Chase briefly glanced over his shoulder to see Eli enter, the man grabbing the test kit with the full intent on using it. Chase doubted any of the tests were going to set off any alarm bells, as far as he could tell this guy was indeed human. Even after the display from the night before he didn't get much of any clues otherwise.

Similar to Eli, Chase also opted to take the man up on is offer. With phone in hand Chase moved around so he could see Gideon from the front. Shoving his phone towards Gideon's face a moment, "Say cheese." Chase said flatly, the moment the camera noise went off. Then immediately set about texting Ash the photo. Dig up what you can and look into a Gideon Fitzgerald ASAP. The picture was for added confirmation, there were probably a number of 'Gideon Fitzgerald's' to be found as well, and without anything but a face to go on. But he knew if any of them could do it it was Ash.

​

NanLia Safton Namazu​

 

[Crono]

MAXWELL​

Maxwell had woken up early as he did everyday, leaving his motel room, the conveniently closest one to the garage shop. He'd unlocked the shop, walked around to do a few of the menial chores inside before opening up the large bay door to the garage for the day. That's about the time he noticed something was wrong. His eyes catching sight of a half naked Chase sprinting towards the office, odd, but not an immediate cause for alarm. However the sight of Adelaide and Elijah soon following suite in a more dressed fashion told him all he needed to know. He quickly set a pace towards the back office of the shop, heading straight for the safe and punching in the code before reaching inside to pull out a holstered handgun.

Maxwell wasn't a big fan of guns if he was honest, and he wasn't a particularly good shot either. But living at Vitae and working security on occasion meant that at the very least you knew how to shoot. And since coming to the motel in the wake of losing the colony, he'd asked Mac to give him a lesson. Still, this had been months ago and he hadn't touched a gun since. Clipping the holster onto his pants, Maxwell went back to the bay door entrance to the garage watching from afar only Adelaide in view looking as though she was listening through the door or something. It wasn't until he put out a hand to lean against the wall that he realized his hands were shaking. "Shit." He mumbled, trying to take a breath and calm his nerves. His thoughts roaming back to the night at Vitae, to the terror, the loss, the screams. Get it together Max. He told himself.

Grabbing the gun was just a precaution for him, he didn't plan to use it or get involved, but he'd learned the hard way what happens when you aren't prepared. Maxwell clasped his hands together softly as he focused back on the present. Hopefully there was no real danger today.
​

NanLia Safton Namazu​

 

[Namazu]

GIDEON​

“You appeared out of nowhere, standing in front of me with a sword. I think you’re probably somebody of consequence.” Gideon retorted to William. He’d seen plenty of demons appear out of nowhere like that before, but the man didn’t seem like a demon. He didn’t have that smell to him, that vibe, for lack of a better word. And if the strange man with a sword and a scowl wasn’t about to share what he was, well then, why would Gideon be so willing to spill the beans for a bunch of strangers?

He spotted Eli as the man entered - not that another familiar face made any of this less tense. Quite the opposite, really. Gideon was firmly outnumbered. Not that he hadn’t fought - and won - against a group before, but it was not while penned in a booth by people who he didn’t have a read on what approximately to expect from any of them.

Eyeballing Eli as he approached with the wooden box, he frowned slightly. “I’m willing to bet that’s not an offer for drinks.” He nodded towards the box. Sighing, he rubbed the back of his neck with one hand and reached for a sip of his coffee with the other. It went down hot and bitter, to his sensitive tastes, but he wasn’t about to comment on it now. He’d much rather prefer one of those little coffee house brews right now. Hell, he’d even take Starbucks, as corporate as it is.

As soon as he turned back to say something, there was a cell phone being shoved into his face, followed by the telltale click-click of a photo being taken. He grimaced.

“That’s positively an awful picture, I just know it. I could have taken something better for you.” Still, there was business to be done, yet. He started carefully rolling up his sleeves, revealing well-toned arms free of any significant looking scars or marks.

“I would prefer if whatever you did didn’t draw blood.” He requested politely, as if he had any say in the matter. Still, he braced himself for whatever was inside the box.

NanLia Safton Crono​

 

[NanLia]

MACKENZIE​

If what you saw last night was disturbing, well, I’m sorry. Mackenzie very nearly laughed at this statement, mostly because she hadn’t noticed the scene - at least not the gory intensity - until Erik had reacted to it in a very human, very new to hunting sort of way. In fact, it hadn’t even touched the tip of worrisome in her brain until he was speaking out about it in the car on their way back. She was beyond desensitized by it all, she could have given him tips on how to better execute his prey in the future. How to avoid the blood splatter and mess for an easier cleanup and getaway.

No, the man didn’t frighten her in the least, what he represented did. Complacency. They’d been complacent at Vitae and she’d watched her home burn … again. She wasn’t about to let it happen a third time. Never again.

She appreciated her family working like a well-oiled machine, even if a few of them dashed in here bedraggled. Even if they were unprepared for the hunter they’d caught out the night before to arrive on their doorstep, at least they looked like they had their shit together. Mac stepped aside as Chase and Elijah stepped in to take part in the interrogation, feeling no need to direct, only supervise as he passed their tests.

She didn’t question who Chase was sending that picture to, there was only one person who would know what to do with it and that was Ash. With Eli here, she knew Ash was up and waiting for answers and Addy was probably in the backroom, mixing some kind of concoction to get him to spill the truth.

Safton Crono Alator Namazu​

 

[Safton]

ELIJAH​

Elijah arched an eyebrow at the man's request. He tried to run possibilities through his head about what it might indicate. Was it possible that the man was trying to conceal something? He scoured his brain for a potential creature whose "tells" would be a dead giveaway upon having their blood spilled. There were a few, maybe, but none particularly matched the "profile" Eli had been building on the stranger in his head. So... a personal aversion, then? Everyone had their "thing" in this business. Even hunters.

Eli nodded slowly. "Fair enough. No blood," he said quietly. With that, he repeated the gesture toward Will -- effectively waving the Nephilim off -- before sitting down across from the man, placing the box on the table before opening the creaky lid. The first thing he wordlessly removed was a silver coin, wrapped in a bundle of cloth and clutched in his hand. "Hold out your hand, palm-up." After the stranger consented, he dropped the heavy metal coin into his palm with a thud before watching several seconds. The man seemed unfazed, simply staring at Davenport. Satisfied, the Brit removed the coin and glanced at the skin beneath. No redness, no signs of irritation. Eli bundled the coin back up before placing it back in the box.

He repeated the tests again: sprinkling droplets of holy water onto the mystery hunter from a flask, having him clutch a bronze necklace in his hands, and later doing the same with a section with a section of wrought iron pipe which seemingly posed a greater threat of tetanus than it did of exposing any latent demonic threat. Eli pursed his lips, packing away the last of the items. "Well, then. You're either telling the truth or you're something very exotic. I look forward to seeing which is the case," he remarked with a wicked smirk, moving to slide out of the booth. "Enjoy your breakfast."

NanLia Crono Namazu
​

 

[Crono]

CHASE​

Chase watched with a piqued interest as the tests went by. Though when the silver coin came into play, the Werewolf certainly got goosebumps. After they were done and the stranger was presumed human, Chase had finally caught onto how out of sorts he was with his pants and lack of clothing. "I'm going to get dressed and check with Ash. Call me if you need me." He said, looking at the three others before ducking out via the front door he'd entered. Even with possible magic involved, he knew the three didn't need him hovering around. And if by chance the hunter was looking for the Werewolf, he did ponder if it would be better to remove himself. Once outside he spotted Adelaide, who seemed to be keeping her distance while remaining close. Chase tipped his nonexistent hat to her in passing before walking back across the lot to his room to get dressed.

​

NanLia Safton Namazu​

 

[Namazu]

GIDEON
​

Gideon could not help but have this smug grin on his face as he passed the hunter’s tests. The silver coin placed in his hand was twirled around his fingers, deftly and expertly, before depositing it back into his palm and holding it out to Eli again. The same real silver coin, too - that wasn’t just a sleight of hand trick to swap it out with something else. The holy water and bronze similarly did nothing but make him comment about the refreshing nature of the water on a hot day, and idly wondering where they obtained such a nice bronze necklace in last century’s style.

The wrought iron pipe made him wrinkle his nose. As he wrapped his hand around it, he could feel himself start to… fizzle out was the only word he could think of. The term whiskey dick came to mind as well. But this one he could play off easily.

“Where on Earth did this come from? Did you rip it out of an abandoned building?” He made a face at it as he handed it back off to Eli, the only outwardly-visible impact being his mild disgust. Once he’d let go of it, he picked up a nearby napkin and wiped his hands off repeatedly. It didn’t leave any marks behind, but he felt unclean.

“Right, right. See? No secret demons or vampires or other monsters. I am not here to murder anyone in their sleep or eat their brains through a tube or anything.” He tapped his fingers against the table, then grinned. “I might empty your vending machine of Snickers bars, though.”

He watched Eli slide out of the booth - maybe watching a little too intently - before his eyes flicked back up to Chase. He offered the disheveled disaster of a man a quiet chuckle as he exited, still amused at The Pants Incident.

“I’m glad we’ve come to the conclusion I am not the boogeyman. You’re still welcome to join me for a drink sometime. Maybe we can discuss very exotic things.” He offered Eli a wink, lifting his cup of coffee to his lips for another sip.

Safton NanLia Crono

 

[NanLia]

MACKENZIE​

Mackenzie watched Elijah briefly as he set into his investigation of what flavour their guest was. She knew, without running any tests, that he was undoubtedly human. She could sense that he was, or rather, that he wasn’t anything beyond human. That certainly didn’t make him any less dangerous. She and Will had encountered plenty of vanilla-flavoured monsters after leaving Vitae. In fact, a shift had happened in the past years where more often than not, the unusual and exceedingly dark reportings in the newspaper were just humans being terrible to other humans.

She’d started to doubt herself, after the fourth or fifth encounter of some fucked up hillbilly desires. She wondered if humans weren’t the monsters that should be eradicated. She shook the thought from her head, turning from the table to leave the restaurant proper to the kitchen. No matter what the results of the tests were, he was staying and had, in fact, paid to be here. Meals included.

Mackenzie typically offered an a la carte smattering of food at breakfast - it was easier to feed the wolves who often created protein-heavy meals alongside the calorie counters - Ash and Will - and those that could eat nothing but garbage and survive, like herself and Elijah. As much as she should have offered the same to Gideon as a guest, her mind still raced with other possibilities of how he ended up here, other than being the nearest out-of-the-way place to his last hunt.

She assembled a variety plate of steamed eggs, bacon, sausage, fried potatoes and a side of toast, returning to the table as Elijah finished up his testing and Gideon swiftly propositioned him. She set the plate on the table before him with a loud clank, dark eyes focused on his. “You’ll be staying a few days.” A statement, not a question. “We’ll have our mechanic look over your ride in the meantime.”

Safton Crono Alator Namazu​

 

[NanLia]

ASHLEY-MAY​

Ashley-May frowned at her phone as she received a text with a name, and swiftly followed by an image of a person she did not know. She assumed this person was the cause of the 9-1-1 text from Mackenzie just minutes before.

After Elijah had left she'd taken Liam and slipped into the Hendrix's room to watch over Skye, who was still sleeping in her bed without a care in the world. She set Liam in with her and within a few seconds, he was cuddled and sleeping.

She brought her phone over to the kitchen table where Mac’s laptop was idling and started her search. She found next to nothing about the man on social media in nearly a decade, through the education system she could discern he allegedly had a master’s degree. She found this odd considering the vast majority of hunters had little in the way of education.

Not even a single parking ticket with his name on it. It all felt too clean … She frowned and typed a text back to Chase. [Nothing to report on this guy. Been wiped.] It wasn’t a comfort to find nothing at all. She sipped at her coffee - a gift that was no doubt left from Mackenzie for William when he got up when the computer pinged again and a message popped up. She’s befriended a local sheriff’s clerk when they’d first moved into the area. On the guise she was a true crime writer, she often found this friend sent her tips of their area.

Ashley-May quickly typed out a message to the group chat. [Local sheriff’s office found two more bodies in the park last night. Looking for suspects, no descriptions.]

Safton Crono Alator Namazu​

 

[NanLia]

CHRISTOPHER​

Christopher exhaled slowly, eyes closed, fists gripped around the steering wheel of his hatchback sedan - a far cry from his beloved jeep but it was what he could afford for the time being; after all, he had been ‘dead’ and all of his possessions destroyed with Vitae.

He knew he was being foolish, feeling anxious about approaching the motel, about finding the last hunters still out hunting from his colony. He knew that this move made sense; he couldn’t sit in Borseti and ‘retire’, he needed to be on the road - or at the very least - be out and helping solve the problem.

Hypolyes still roamed, The Children of Adam and Adam himself were still free to reign their terror over the world, something that had become terrifying to witness at a distance. He wanted to hunt. He needed to hunt. He needed to help those who needed it. He needed to stop the monsters before they had the opportunity to take more lives than they already had and he knew he couldn’t go it alone.

It made perfectly logical sense to try and find hunts with other hunters but what didn’t make sense was why it felt like he was going to throw up.

Chris leaned his head back against the headrest of his car, watching Chase jog back, still half-dressed, toward what he assumed was his own room. Something was happening, otherwise, he was certain the wolf would have spotted him already. It wasn’t like he was hiding.

With a deep breath, he opened the door of his car and closed it behind him, stepping up to the main door of the restaurant and motel lobby before setting in.

He paused as all eyes turned his way, save for the man sitting in a booth facing away from him. “Oh, hey guys.”

Safton Crono Alator Namazu​

 

[Safton]

ELIJAH​

Elijah wasn't sure whether to laugh lightheartedly or scoff at the stranger's rather blatant proposition -- or even tactfully ignore it all together. However, the truth was he had to objectively respect the smoothness with which the heavy-handed line was delivered. Eli had recognized something in the way the man spoke, in his easygoing demeanor. In the way he moved the silver coin skillfully across his fingers in the same way Eli had countless times whilst bored or distracted.

He had seen a kindred spirit. He had seen himself.

The more generous had might call them charmers. But it was just as likely that they would catch a far less flattering name. Grifters. Scoundrels. Charlatans. Eli had been called all that and more over the years and he imagined the same was true for their visitor. This knowledge did nothing to make him more trustworthy in Elijah's eyes. If anything, Davenport found himself wondering what he would do in the stranger's situation to insert himself into a position of trust amongst a group of wary hunters before making his move... But that was a problem for later. Assuming the man caused issues, that is.

"I'll be sure to check my calendar," Eli replied, his tone cool and betraying the smallest of smirks as Mac set the food down for their paying customer before promptly laying down the law yet again.

The door opened to admit another and Eli glanced up absentmindedly. He froze, unable to control his surprised body language in front of their visitor as every muscle within him tensed and his eyes widened. "Chris," he said, the name uttered under his breath -- equal parts question and statement.

NanLia Crono Namazu
​

 

[Namazu]

GIDEON​

Gideon chose not to complain about the distinct lack of waffles in his breakfast, instead thanking Mac as she slid the plate of eggs (he preferred them scrambled), bacon (too crispy), sausage (not seasoned enough), fried potatoes (too greasy), and toast (too dark) in front of him. It all paired well with his coffee (too bitter). Picking up his fork, he made a tentative poke at some sausage as he raised an eyebrow at Mac.

“My car is fine, thank you.” He shifted uneasily in his seat, pressing his lips together, then took in a breath. He had to ask the question now.

“Do you mean that in a sort of ‘We are keeping you here against your will until we are done with you, and our mechanic will make sure you don’t sneak out unless it's on two legs and under the cover of night’ way, or was there another way I should interpret that statement?”

Gideon was about to scoot the sausage aside for a moment and focus on the bacon first until he heard the door open and a new, unfamiliar voice speak. He picked up on Eli’s change in demeanor immediately, and did his best not to suddenly grin at it. The shift was something palatable. He could damn near taste the tension.

Leaning over in his seat, Gideon peered back to see who or what had just entered - and could not help but stare for a moment at the unfairly handsome man that just walked in.

How very curious.

His eyes darted between Eli and the new arrival, deciding then and there that if this group was going to be a problem for him, he was going to be a problem for them, too. It was only fair.

“There’s always room for more at the table, if you’d like company for breakfast.” He offered to Chris, giving him a little wave with a piece of crispy bacon.

NanLia Safton Crono​

 

[NanLia]

MACKENZIE​

Mackenzie wrinkled her nose and furrowed her brow at the man as he audaciously replied that his car was fine. Evidently, she wasn’t the only one who couldn't read between the lines until he called out exactly what she’d meant by her statement. “No, that’s what I meant. Some people react poorly when you say things too directly.” She shrugged it off. “You’re here for now until we’re sure it’s over and you’re not a problem.”

”Oh, hey guys.” Mackenzie glanced towards the front door to a voice she didn’t recognize … or at least had not expected. She felt a sudden sickening lump form in the pit of her stomach as she laid eyes on someone she was certain was dead. She’s seen his corpse, at the gates, the melted vinyl of his jacket bubbles against the charred flesh of his body.

“There’s always room for more at the table, if you’d like company for breakfast.” She stepped aside, making room for Chris, or whoever this was, to come further into the restaurant and take a seat at the table as Gideon had offered.

Safton Crono Alator Namazu​

 

[NanLia]

CHRISTOPHER​

Christopher paused as all eyes were not turned on him. He felt sick. Terrified. None of them looked particularly happy to see him, save for the stranger who appeared to be being interrogated. Fucking shit timing, Chris. he cursed himself inwardly and honestly thought to turn and run from the restaurant but something in Mac’s gaze made him pause. It would be a dangerous move to run from her; he hadn’t seen this sort of look in her eyes in years, decades even. Not since …

“Sounds good.” He said without any truth behind it. With his heart in his throat, he cautiously headed further into the restaurant and then to the table, carefully passing by Elijah and Mackenzie to drop into the booth across from the stranger. He’d caught sight of the testing kit in Eli’s hands. “Want to use that?” He knew very well what it was - something he’d used at Vitae for every newcomer… at least up until the pack joined their ranks.

Safton Crono Alator Namazu​

 

[Safton]

WILLIAM​

William watched Chris warily, disbelief and distant confusion filling his gaze as the familiar figure filled the threshold of the restaurant's entryway. The tension was so thick in the air that it was almost a smothering presence, far outstripping their confrontation with the stranger moments earlier. Mackenzie, to her credit, hardly missed a beat before inviting "Chris" in to have a seat. Will knew her well enough to see the undercurrent of deep-rooted suspicion within her, belying the seemingly warm welcome. She knew Chris was dead. They all did... didn't they? Either they were wrong and here he was -- in the flesh -- or this wasn't Chris. Not really.

A shapeshifter? A revenant, maybe? But his body had been too scorched for that...

It didn't matter. "Chris", for his part, seemed to understand what was going on and soon after taking the offered seat (probably knowing better than to refuse) he was glancing pointedly at the test kit before asking after it.

Will interjected just as Eli opened his mouth. "I'll handle it," he remarked evenly. Eli turned, giving him a questioning glance. Hendrix simply nodded and Eli acquiesced, holding the kit out to him as William stepped forward to take it. Will had no issues with Eli administering the tests. Quite the opposite, in fact: as a legacy who had grown up studying lore, Davenport had a firmer grasp of supernatural creatures and their "tells" than Will ever would. But William had something Eli didn't: his Grace. He couldn't read minds and perceive deep emotions like Addy, but he was able to get a general sense of a being's soul or essence... he wasn't sure what to call it, really. Being in close proximity while he gave the tests would just make it that much easier to do.

So William cracked open the lid of the wooden box. "Go on," he said to their first visitor. "Enjoy your breakfast." Then he turned his attention back to the second. "Chris, you know the drill on this." He went through the motions with each of the items in the box: the holy water, the silver, the iron, the salt. Chris bore it all in stride... all without ever giving Will's Grace the slightest whiff of anything supernatural. No alarm bells went off inside his head. Will gathered up the items, placed them back inside the box before snapping the box shut and giving Mackenzie a heavy glance followed by an almost imperceptible nod. He turned back to Chris with a small smile. "Good to have you back," he murmured, clapping him lightly on the shoulder. "I'll let you eat and get your strength back... then I imagine you probably have a story to tell."

Will couldn't shake the wariness he felt towards the man even as he spoke the words. With the lives they all led and with what had happened to Vitae... it was easier to distrust. To assume the worst. But even so, he found himself hoping against hope that this Chris was exactly what he appeared to be: the real deal. It would be their first bit of good news in weeks if not months. Not to mention that on a more personal level, he and Chris had formed a solid rapport once Hendrix had taken up the position of Councillor at Vitae, becoming not just coworkers but friends.

NanLia Namazu Crono​

 

[Crono]

CHASE​

Inside of his motel room, Chase was pulling on a shirt when his phone vibrated on the bed. Glancing over he saw it was Ash, though the message caused him to scrunch his nose in annoyance. "Of course not." He grumbled, sitting down on the bed to pull on his socks and shoes. Again the phone vibrated and this time the Werewolf's eyes narrowed at the screen, if nothing else the man had did what he was supposed to last night.

With a frustrated huff Chase stood and left his motel room, texting Ash back a quick. Thanks for the info. Whilst heading back over to the office at a walking pace. Once he neared the doors, Chase opened his mouth to speak to Adelaide rather than just heading in. But he caught a familiar scent that he hadn't smelled in a while. One that didn't make sense because it was the scent of a dead man. His jaw snapped shut in a moment of confusion and pushed back inside, the dinging of the bell going off once again. The sight of Chris was a surprising one, and more especially was Will clapping the man on his back with the test kit in front of him on the table telling him that they'd done the tests. Still, Chase didn't get it.

"It's him?" Chase asked, just for confirmation as he walked over for a closer look and to join back in on the conversation. "The hell happened to you? He said plainly, eyes remaining on Chris dubiously while not fully letting his guard down between Gideon and now Chris. Was it even possible for both of them to show up on their doorstep at the same time as just a coincidence? Still, there was nothing off about Chris's scent, it was just...human and normal. Chase's eyes flicked to the man across from Chris for a moment, "And this guys squeaky clean." He pointed out, relaying Ash's info.

​

NanLia Safton Namazu​

 

[NanLia]

MACKENZIE​

Mackenzie left "Chris" at the hands of Elijah and William, not trusting herself to speak or ask anything of him. It was all beginning to feel like too much. The hunt too close to home. Gideon arriving on their doorstep and now Chris? Every impulse in her being screamed at her to run. Pack her shit and get out while they could. It was feeling all too familiar to how she felt at Vitae after she'd seen it burn in her visions, only this time there was no forewarning to their distruction.

She distracted herself by putting together a plate of food for Chris, the same she'd made for Gideon and then decided to pack food in a takeaway container to bring back to their rooms for the kids, there wasn't a fucking chance in hell that she'd be bringing them out to the restaurant this morning. The risk was far too high.

Mac exited the kitchen and it seemed Will was finished with the tests, confirming that this was in fact Chris, offering him a welcome. It wasn't a comforting thought. She left the takeout containers on the counter and collected the pot of coffee, returning to the table to set the plate before Chris and the coffee pot in the middle of the table.

She turned to Will, stepping away as Chase came in and headed for Chris, speaking softly. "I'm going to take this to the kids, foods’ ready in the back if anyone wants to eat."

She didn't wait, taking up the takeaway containers and heading for the front of the restaurant.

Safton Crono Alator Namazu​