coming at you fast, midnight

[cosmiccon]

Comments

[maleficum]

I already set up the boat rental down here.

[He taps a small inlet that's a bit closer to civilization.]

I'll open a door to the rental shop, and then we'll go from there. Once we get to the reliquary and get what we need, I can use the door there to get us back here. Hopefully we will be in and out because I have a dinner date.

[Sam glances over to Allison to make sure she's good to move forward. Most of the things he mentioned are easy enough to just avoid. Bromeliads are stationary plants, lindworms are more scared of you than you are of them, and swamp hags ... well the swamp hags might be a problem.

Either way, the vampires are the biggest of those problems, so hopefully David's right, and they can avoid.]

[matriarchate]

Okay. And then, we're square.

( Favor done. She needed to get to New Orleans. She almost died for it.

It feels full circle that David is taking her into the swamps of Florida. While she can handle herself, she's happy Sam is there with her. Because this feels like more than a two person job. )

Is there anything that might block your magic once we get there?

[maleficum]

My magic specifically? No. I know my way around the wards well enough, I just can't do it from afar.

["So no anti-witch charms as part of the package?"

David laughs.]

No. And most people have forgotten this place exists, so it has that going for it too.

[matriarchate]

Just trying to get an idea of what we have on our side.

( There's defending the defenseless and there's defending someone who is capable of defending themselves. If anything happens, he has their back. Mutually assured protection is what she's after, especially now that Sam has joined. )

[maleficum]

[Oh, yes, he's not looking to have a dead head of the Argent family on her hands. He's going to do his best to get all three of them out alive.]

Then yeah. Me magic, you two brute force. Together, we'll hopefully get out of there with minimal blood spilt.

So ...

[He steps back and reaches for the door.]

Shall we?

[matriarchate]

( With one last look at Sam, Allison holds the strap to her bag, ready for what's in store. Or, as ready as she'll ever be. She's not looking forward to bloodthirsty mindless vampires. )

Open the door.

[maleficum]

[David nods, and does as requested. Instead of opening the general store, he opens it to the view of a dock and the brackish water of the swamp, as well as the hint of boats bobbing just out of view.]

After you. Literally, the door's going to close once I go through it.

[Sam shrugs, before moving to follow behind Allison.]

[matriarchate]

( Allison goes first, attempting her perception check (2), but the step through throws her off and she doesn't know where she should be looking. She's also concerned with Sam and David following her, so she looks back instead of giving her surroundings the once-over. Join her, won't you. )

[maleficum]

[Yep, Sam's right behind her, stepping through to sweep his eyes over the dock and make sure there isn't any sign of trouble. And David is not long after him, coming to a stop and shutting the door behind him and their entrance becomes a normal rental shop door.]

I'm going to go grab the boat. I'll be right back.

[And as David heads into the rental shop, Sam turns back to her. "Good so far?"]

[matriarchate]

Yes. Good. Ask me two seconds into our favor.

( Swamps are gross, but she's a professional. )

Are you good?

[imnot_likeyou]

[He nods, slowly.]

Bromeliads are pretty stationary, so as long as we stay out of reach they won't eat us, and lindworms are more scared of us than we are of them, they just happen to be big. So honestly, the worst we'll have to worry about out there is the vamps and a potential swamp hag.

[matriarchate]

I was going to pretend I knew what those were but I was definitely in a shoot first, educate myself later place.

( That's just between her and Sam. )

Are they plants?

[imnot_likeyou]

Bromeliads are, yeah. Have you seen Little Shop of Horrors?

[Sam is not a musical guy but he knows enough to recognize Audrey Two on sight.]

Kind of like that, but they don't talk and they have a sap that knocks you unconscious so it can pull you in and slowly digest you.

[matriarchate]

The one with Rick Moranis?

( Yes. Thank Aunt Kate's sadistic streak. )

... Got it. So, we've entered Jumanji. Robin Williams, not the Rock.

[imnot_likeyou]

[He nods because yeah - that's accurate enough.]

Lindworms are like big snakes with spikes. They also usually come in pairs - they mate for life. It's kind of sweet.

[Nerd. You've staked your claim on a nerd, Allison, the narration hopes you realize.]

[matriarchate]

You like the penguin exhibits too, don't you? Lobsters?

( Happy, sixtieth anniversary couples? She takes everything in, though, ready for their journey to begin. )

[imnot_likeyou]

[His head ducks sheepishly, before glancing away.]

Maybe.

[But that's all she'll be able to get out of him before David returns, swinging a set of keys in his hand. "Alright. Let's get wet and wild." He'll lead the way to the boat, climbing into the bed of the boat before reaching back to help the next person down.]

[matriarchate]

( David is his own flavor of something. Allison takes the rear, accepting David's hand last as she balances on the edge of the boat and steps down. )

[maleficum]

[He lives for being weird. And once Allison is safely on board, he leaves room for Sam to do the same. Once they settle into the boat, they turn on the engine and off they head into the swamp.

Despite being late September at this point, there's still an uncomfortable itch of humidity that comes with hurricane season in Florida. David swats at mosquitos as they drive, and glances back over his shoulder.]

Probably should have saved this trip for after hurricane season. It would have been slightly more pleasant.

[It's still Florida.]

[matriarchate]

I thought this trip was time-sensitive.

( She understands 'best circumstances,' but she doesn't think any of them have the luxury of choosing this trip at a better time of year. )

[maleficum]

It is.

[A beat.]

Well, how sensitive depends a lot on an eighteen year-old kid with an axe to grind, but I figured it was better to err on the side of caution.

[matriarchate]

So, this is more a dangerous contingency plan. A favor's a favor.

( She unzips her bag to ready herself for whatever she might need as she perches on the edge of the small boat. )

Do you know what the eighteen year-old kid is going to decide?

[maleficum]

Nope. But he knows the risks, so I'm hoping he'll make the right choice.

[And that Sierra doesn't get too much in his way.]

But all of this has cost him his family, so I certainly wouldn't blame him if he decided he wanted to stay off the board.

[matriarchate]

In this world, casualties are unavoidable. I was almost one.

( Twice, now.

Preoccupying herself, she brings up one of her scopes to spot as they head down the river (13). )

Hopefully, he makes the best decision for himself, and not for you or for his coven.

[maleficum]

That's the plan.

[David told him as much, but he doesn't expect Allison to just take him at his word on that.

The water ripples in the distance, but when it comes up it gives the appearance of a crocodile, tail rippling through the water. It bumps the side of the boat, asserting dominance as one of the apex predators.]

He's a good kid. He'll figure it out.