undergrounds | stop! ghost time (open post)

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stop! ghost time (open post)

JULY 21; COFFEERS' SHOP (LATE AFTERNOON)

Clara doesn't always snoop around the city and sometimes her work isn't always needed in the school. Sometimes she likes to stay in the shop. Sometimes she enjoys listening to idle conversation of the customers, not really listening in on them, that'll be rude, but nonetheless enjoying the buzz of activity the shop has during their busiest hours.

And sometimes that isn't enough. That's when she goes over and pokes around the lost and found box, seeing what's there and if anything is something that belongs to a current patron she can give back to without them looking. It's there that she finds a pair of marigold gloves during her search and about them draws her to them... Naturally she reaches out to and concentrates a bit to have a goodish grasp of it to see if there's a nametag anywhere when she notices a peculiar thing:

It feels... solid under her touch, real and tangible without the strange numbness to her fingertips she's become accustomed to at this rate. It takes her a second to realise what this means. She can touch them! She can hold them! She can do it with ease, most importantly of all.

Oh, what an exciting day for her as she mutters one little apology under her breath and zips off to the back of the shop with her new item. Already she has a little million ideas for them popping into mind, the excitement of the discovery along with the possibilities just enough to drown out her guilt for taking something out of the lost and found box that isn't hers.

JULY 25; AROUND THE CITY (ALL DAY)

After the last few days of activity, Clara decides it's time to be both proactive and to use her gloves to her advantage.

She'll now be found in areas that she usually doesn't snoop around in her attempts to glean information: The darker parts of the city, the seedier alleyways of the town, and etc. She'll peek through windows and go through walls, doing her best to stay invisible and quiet as a mouse while going through things with a newfound ease thanks to her gloves. (When she can bear the itching for long as she can, of course. Goodness do they chafe her skin.)

From Haringey to Hackney to Waltham Forest and then some, she'll be exploring and peeping into a lot of people today if she can. It's risky but she does her best. If she's to be a good observer of information, she needs to dig deep and hope she finds some things out, see what's going on in the heart of the city.

[ OOC: Or make your own scenario in your comment! Prose and brackets welcomed! A note, though, is that only one person can step in to help Clara get rid of the medium that she'll run into on July 25.]

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There's a sigh of relief but she doesn't come out just yet. She's only going to leave when she knows the medium has left.

"No! Of course I don't know their full name." It doesn't occur to her why such a strangely specific question would be brought up. "I was minding my own business when they came out of nowhere, throwing spells at me like it's going out of style. I know they're a Midnight witch. The magic is dark."

That is a rather ominous looking pentacle. Since she has no knowledge of witchcraft or the like, she can't make heads or tails of what it's supposed to be for.

This needs further investigation.

Emboldened by her luck so far, she decides to head into the room itself to look around and poke at its contents more to see what's going on. Seems like he's up to something but what? What's he trying to?

Specially made? That's something for Maera to consider, as she comes to one of the same conclusions that Clara has. If a fae could make these... well, then Maera could make more items of the same type! It's something to test out later, certainly.

"Of course I know what this means," she says with a laugh, her nose wrinkling in delight. "This means you can totally take advantage of your ghostiness and pull pranks on humans now. You really haven't been living up to your potential so far, you know."

Faolan startles slightly. He hadn't expected anyone to approach him, especially not a pretty young woman who is obviously looking for more than a seat. He's not quite certain how much of a conversationalist he's going to end up being, not with how he's been feeling lately, what with all these strange urges to go after flies or squirrels, or the particularly intense way he's been focused on his night hunts lately. But he's not going to turn her down. Turning her away from the seat would look more suspicious than anything. Even if he's pretty sure that she doesn't really need to sit with him, and that she could find another spot, if she really wanted.

"What? Oh, uh. No, go ahead." Well, it's not the greatest, but it's not nothing, he supposes. At least he hasn't been rude. Yet.

The alarm, an experimental spell that Faust had been working on in his spare time, was what alerted Faust to Clara's presence. He opened the door, eyes lighting upon Clara at once.

"Ah, the madam from before. I was wondering if I had developed a mouse problem."

What you doin' in his house, Clara? Clinic. Same difference. He practically lived here, anyway.

More's the pity. But she doesn't say that. After all, there are still ways to deal with mortals who dabble in things they don't understand. Azula says nothing as the medium passes her by. Perhaps it's a good hiding place or perhaps the woman can't see her at all.

Azula steps out, then, and falls into pace behind her before lashing out her hand. The touch -- right at the base of the spine -- sends a jolt of electricity through the medium, and she collapses. Most spells can't hold if the witch is unconscious.

"That ought to do it."

"Pranks?"

Not what she had in mind but the idea intrigues her. It's been a while since she's been involved in a prank and it's been never since she actually lead a prank, more willing to follow people along with their silly schemes to make people smile or laugh. (Read: Follow her sons along with their silly schemes to make people smile or laugh.)

"I'm not sure if I'll ever be good at that," she admits, feeling a bit shy in doing something like that. "I mean-- I never done it before. You know that out of everyone, Maera."

The young woman smiles at him and is more than happy to take a seat along with him, unable to stop herself from catching Clara's gaze when she spots the familiar ghost who approaches her to see what this is all about. She smiles at Clara's direction and looks back at him.

"Sorry if this seems sudden and all," she laughs, rubbing the back of her neck. The witch is a social butterfly, always eager to meet people no matter what the occasion or who the person. Sometimes it works out and... sometimes it doesn't. Let's hope this is the case of the former. "It's pretty busy at this time of the afternoon."

"I don't think I've ever seen you here before. And I'm a regular, so!" She takes a sip of her drink, something heavy in sugar and creams that makes Clara nearby comment on with some disapproval. ("That," the ghost mutters dryly, "doesn't really help you stay awake, you know!.) "Trying something new, huh?"

... Is it a good light in his eye or a bad light in his eye?

Either way, Clara is going to be caught in the act of looking around with curiosity of the room and she looks very guilty/shocked/terrified of being discovered. The thought of going invisible comes to mind but she feels too guilty to summon the strength to do so. It takes a lot of energy as it is to travel around.

"H-Hello! Such a surprise to bump into you because I, um, I... I got lost?" That is a legitimate excuse. Because ghosts are easily scatterbrained at time and she's already shown the ability to move around.

Is it too late to go invisible late or.

"Goodness gracious!"

Clara doesn't see what's going on, thanks to hiding in the wall and all, but she hears cry of the person before it's cut short, followed by a heavy thump. Then silence that lasts only for a second but it's a second too long in her opinion.

She doesn't waste in any time rushing out of the wall, eyes wide and focused on the slumped form of the person who, seconds ago, was quite determined to catch her. There's a feeling of utter relief to see them down for the count along with guilt for feeling said relief because the person is out cold and probably for a good while too.

If they're out cold. "I-- You-- They-- The medium! Are they--"

There's almost a fear to describe it: Alive? Unconscious? Okay?

"They're handled, just like you asked."

Azula smiles as she says it. A calculated expression that is also extremely satisfied. It's a bit of a shame she couldn't kill the medium, yes, but that would be a little too messy and too complicated for the matter at hand. They wouldn't be a problem for this ghost.

Speaking of which. She hadn't recognised the voice, but the look is perfectly clear.

"You're a long way from the school, aren't you?"

Hard to tell. Faust smiled.

"Usually, I ask my patients to come in through the door. But you don't look as though you have much need of my services. May I ask what you were looking for?"

His tone darkened -- only slightly, but enough to be noticeable. "And what you have seen?"

"What, is that not what you were thinking of?" Maera teases, eyes bright. She loves humans - of course she does - but that doesn't mean she isn't inclined to mess with them on occasion. "You can totally mess with people now that you can move objects around. If you ever wanted to do that sort of thing, that is."

That voice. Since it's no longer being muffled by the walls, Clara recognises the voice now and her confused suspicions are confirmed upon seeing who it is.

"--You." It's not said as a question but, rather, in a statement because Clara maybe old but she likes to think that she has a good memory for face. "You did this."

Clearly she's shocked, surprised that this is happening. She tries to keep her attention on the medium, unhappy with them still but she'll never wish for something like this to happen to the poor thing.

"Yes. I'm far from Redbright. I was... I was exploring is all. Didn't know it was such a crime with others here."

She can't lie to save herself so there's only one thing she can do:

Tell the truth. More or less.

"I… I saw you earlier," she starts, "and I thought to check up on you. So I followed along and got here. I didn't see much. Just got in here."

That isn't a lie. It's what happened, basically. There's no mention of her intentions but it isn't a lie when she doesn't speak of it at all.

"I was thinking of maybe using it to improve my writing and English in general," she says, "but-- I admit, it is tempting to have a bit of fun."

It wouldn't hurt anyone, would it? To have a bit of a laugh by placing a whoope cushion on their chair or something among those lines. "I bet you have a lot of ideas of what to do with these if you were a ghost, I bet. I see that light in your eyes."

"I have a few talents, yes," Azula murmurs, flexing her fingers so lightning crackles between them. Just little sparks, more like static than anything. "That's one of them."

It's almost a shame she did just knock the medium out. It's always fun to watch the light go out of someone's eyes. To know that complete and utter triumph. But. Ah. Back to the point.

"Clearly, you attracted attention."

It maybe only a 'little' static to her but it's enough to make Clara gasp, eyes wide with some fear, as she moves around to try and shield the medium from anymore possible harm.

Not that it'll do much but it's the thought that counts.

"I didn't think walking down a sidewalk would warrant such a reaction." She needs to be more careful next time. It's a stroke of luck for her that someone else happens to be here. She looks back down at the unconscious person, nervous and tense at the sight of their almost too still form. "Will they be fine?"

"Oh, you could do that too. Being a student and a prankster isn't mutually exclusive. It's probably the opposite, actually." Maera makes a mental note to check the next bookshop she goes to for English workbooks.

"Of course I have plenty ideas. Don't you know me?" She laughs lightly, shaking her head. "At the very least, you need to rest your hand on some people's shoulders. They'll freak out. It'll be hilarious."

"I put a few safeguards in place in case I had an unexpected visitor," said Faust. A mundane security alarm, in addition to the salt, which Clara had managed to not set off. (Maybe it needed recalibrating...?)

"You must have been very concerned about me to make your way around them like that."

"Because I learn things along the way?" That's one way to look at it, she thinks as she takes stock of the gloves on her hand and, really, it's hard to deny her joy over owning these gloves now since they opened a lot of doors for her.

More than figuratively too. "I'll probably do that when the store isn't as jampacked today. I would hate to cause an accident since that wouldn't be fun." Last thing she wants to do is be a burden for the poor employees here who have to contend with the strange happenings of her being there with them. "You think it'll be safe to use them around the city? I want to show certain other people but..."

She'll like to avoid bringing attention on herself. That could cause her a lot of trouble.

Clara can be neaky ghost when she wants to be in the face of technology and gizmos and gadgets. It's just she isn't sneaky enough and now she finds herself trying to explain her presence. Easier said than done when she's rather scared for her life.

"I--I am!" Clara says with enough confidence to sound convincing, voice cracking presumably from shyness of being caught like this. "Can't I be worried for someone when I see them in this part of the city? I didn't know you were sta-- li-- you were here."

Unsure of what exactly this clinic is to him -- is it merely a workplace or a home of sorts? -- she opts to try and keep her words neutral as possible until she learned more about.

Faust gave her a hard smile. "No, of course not. I don't believe I gave you my card. If, as you say, you're simply here out of concern for me, then you shouldn't mind accompanying me to my office. Yes?"

He was keeping an eye on you, Clara.

"Because kids in school are troublemakers. At least, that's how it was back when I went to school. And dinosaurs roamed the earth." Maera laughs a little, crossing her arms over her chest as she looks at the gloves curiously.

"I don't think they'll be unsafe. You'll just have to be careful not to bump into people - but I'm sure you'd do that without me telling you."

Would it be too late for her to call a friend to help her out with this?

Possible, probably, definitely. Not wanting to arouse anymore suspicions on her, she nods and tries to give her best smile to show she isn't afraid or nervous at all because what's happening here. "Not at all! I would love to see more of your clinic here. It's so, um, tidy."

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stop! ghost time (open post)

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