August Catch All

[entitles]

[Bexley]

Balem was absolutely one to wallow in his victories for a long, long time. He sat alone on a bench in a park, his cloak glamored to look like a regular business suit. He held a small bag of popcorn, and appeared to be trying really hard not to burst out laughing.

If one sat beside him, they could see various people wandering through the park, only to disappear for a brief moment and reappear somewhere else in the park. Some of them walked right into trees. They all looked around confused.

Balem may be fifty-thousand years old but he wasn’t above playing silly tricks on humans, it would seem.

[Other Realm - Observatory]

Balem rarely ever went long stretches of time without his collar – his magic was much more difficult to control without it and he couldn’t disguise himself as well – but it was the night of the Perseid meteor shower, and on nights like this he preferred to just relax and revel in the beauty of the cosmos.

So he lounged about in front of the observatory, clothed in flowing white fabric and appearing in what might be called his ‘true’ form. His skin ranged from light blue to bright white (where his freckles were), and his hair was dark navy. He emitted a soft, warm glow all over, strongest in his eyes and his chest. The atmosphere around him was noticeably warmer, and sparks of white-hot fire danced across him every now and then. It was a good thing his clothing was enchanted to be fireproof.

Having just recently been crowned Lord of Autumn and devoured a soul, his power was strong and his spirits were high. He had a glass of deep red wine with gold flakes swirling around in it like tiny galaxies, and welcomed any visitors.

[Anywhere in London] - Open to first responder only

Unfortunately, all of his magic was harder to control, including his basic fae abilities, so as he strolled around outside his observatory he managed to slip out of the Other Realm and into London proper.

He turned sharply, realizing that he had been spotted. Fae rules were…well, complicated, and if a human saw him in his true form he’d owe them a favor (within reason, of course). If they ran away and didn’t claim their favor, he’d have the misfortune of being summoned to their side the next time they vaguely wished for something, and he certainly didn’t want that.

“Who’s there? Stay where you are!” he said, hoping it was a stray animal or something equally harmless.

[Wildcard]

[Write your own prompt!]

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Other Realm - Observatory

[detectiveofthewest]

Heiji came in in a small flurry of spring blossoms, all excitement. "It's time! I thought I could come watch the Perseids in the best observatory in Faery."

It was a new moon, too, which was all the better. Nothing to drown out the light of the meteor shower, no buildings or streetlamps to worry about. "Oh. Did I interrupt something?"

[entitles]

"No, no, sometimes I merely wish to be...closer to events like this," he said, because while he wasn't actually physically closer he could feel things like this more in his natural state.

Usually that was annoying and made him moodier than usual, but when something like this happened it put him in an almost giddy state, and he enjoyed that.

"Come, we should go inside before it starts."

[detectiveofthewest]

"Yes, let's!" He held out a bottle of outrageously expensive rosé to Balem before following his lead.

Meteor showers were fun, but this particular instance was one of his favorites. Bright enough to be seen even by amateurs, though obviously the best place to watch was away from the sounds of traffic and the crush of the crowd.

[entitles]

He grabbed the bottle and went inside, walking as if he were on the moon or some other low-gravity environment. All in all he seemed to have less weight in this form, like someone could just pick him up and run away with him.

The observatory was, on the inside, completely dark except for the clear dome where the stars shined through. Balem radiated his own light, but it seemed to blend in with the starlight rather than distract from it.

"Any minute now. Would you like to sit, or is standing fine?"

[detectiveofthewest]

As Heiji followed along, little petals floated to the floor here and there (but that was what servants were for, right). "You do seem to be akin to that starlight. Standing's fine for me."

He looked up at the clear dome, picking out individual constellations in the shining night sky. The light felt soothing on his face.

He resisted the urge to ask Balem if he could moonwalk.

[ ANYWHERE IN LONDON / HACKNEY ]

[warmheartedly]

She's only passing by here to see if Cooper is doing well, hoping to check up on him since their last encounter on the beach, and that's that. The most she's expecting is being unable to find him due to it being a bit too early for the vampires to come out yet.

Last thing she thought would happen is, well, this. For a good reason since she feels like this is going to invite only trouble. Clara tries to leave before anything happens and she possibly gets in trouble but. There's something familiar about that voice that makes her stop in her tracks or stop her from popping right back in the shop.

"Oh..." Her brows furrowed, trying to recall the last she heard that voice. It was at the beach party for sure. Meaning-- "Is that you?"

[entitles]

"Yes, it's me, girl," he hissed, sparks of flame between his lips as he spoke, "What do you want?"

He was hoping she'd back down and say something like 'I just want to go home' in which case, poof, she'd be home and that would be his favor fulfilled.

[warmheartedly]

Sadly, it won't be that easy.

"I-- Huh?" Her brow is furrowed, keeping a respectful (and careful) distance from him but she's no longer trying to get away. "What do you mean what do I want?"

She's only trying to pass by. Honest. Is. Is this fae territory now or?

[entitles]

"I mean, what do you want?" he said with a sigh, "You saw me like this. So tell me what you want."

He didn't say 'I owe you a favor' or 'I'll grant a wish' because that might make her too ambitious. But that was the gist of it.

[warmheartedly]

"I saw you… ?" Oh! It clicks in her head. Possibly. Is this a fae law of some sort?

She wonders if this applies to all the fae or only specific types. Better to be safe than sorry and find out what the restrictions here are. "Anything I want? I have a feeling there are limits to what that means, of course."

[Bexley]

[constantprisoner]

Sirius had just been passing through the park, no particular destination in mind except for the one he was somewhat avoiding (and it was on the other side of the city so that worked for him). Everything had seemed normal when he entered it.

At least until he started noticing people disappearing and reappearing, and almost walked into a tree himself. Sensing that this was no ordinary prank, Sirius looked around for who might be behind it and recognizes the man from the alley. He's not that hard to spot really.

"Alright," he asks, wandering up, "How are you doing it?"

[entitles]

"Oh, just some carefully placed doors and exits," he said, stifling a laugh, "Harmless fun, I assure you."

Unless you were running and smashed into a tree really hard. Or got caught in a loop and kept going through door after door, but Balem would let them out eventually. After he got bored.

[constantprisoner]

"Nothing wrong with that as far as I'm concerned," Sirius replies. "You certainly seem to be enjoying yourself."

He's a fan of harmless fun himself (and sometimes not so harmless, but that's led to trouble more than once). And the expressions of bafflement on some of the people is pretty funny.

[entitles]

"It belongs to me, anyways. This place," he said, although technically it belonged to all of the fae he considered it his in particular, "I can do as I please, and I do enjoy that very much."

The idea of owning vast swaths of London was appealing to him more and more. He had kept to Faery for so long that he'd forgotten the rush of a good conquering.

[constantprisoner]

Sirius nodded, making a mental note not to cause too much trouble in this area. No need to stir up extra conflict (for the moment at least. Being a born troublemaker Sirius couldn't exactly make promises that something wouldn't happen.)

"Recent acquisition I'm guessing?"

[rules_winter]

"Such a lovely picture you make, Lord Balem." Mab's voice came from his side. "Your new position suits you." She watches a flare of starfire slip across him as she stops next to him. She rarely hides her true form in the Other realm aside from the glow of her power which she generally veiled for the protection of others but was reflected in the swirling aurora of her own home.

"I understand tonight is to be spectacular." She is primarily more concerned with the events of the world she is in than that of outer space but the heavens have their effects on their world and she is not oblivious to the events of the stars. Especially as they greatly effect the changing of the seasons and that is something that effects her. "You are in high spirits I see."

[entitles]

"Lovely, you say? Do go on," he said, in a joking tone but he did always welcome compliments. Especially in his true form, he loved being admired: the fae part of him may be bloodthirsty and ambitious, but the star part of him really just wanted to lay back and be admired once in a while.

"Spectacular, indeed. My power has grown; I'll be able to feel them stronger than ever," he said, referring to his new position which he was also quite proud of.

[rules_winter]

"Mmm, why do you hide?" She smiled a little at his only half teasing tone, lifting a finger slowly enough that he can step back if her touch isn't acceptable before moving to trail it along another flare on his right breast, her own cool power insulating her from any real harm though her finger flared like a sparkler for a moment.

"Yes, I can feel it." The look she gave him held pleased interest. "What wonderful timing in that case." He preened like a boy given a gold star but she seemed to enjoy it. The power was not insignificant at all.

[entitles]

"My power is...difficult to control, when I'm like this," he said, as evidenced by the fires that swept over him every now and then.

He let her touch him without flinching or drawing back, "It's been a long, long time since I've shown the true power of my House. I think most have forgotten, by now. I'll have to remind them."

[rules_winter]

"That is inconvenient." And really it was, one must be able to contain one's powers if for no other reason that to keep from incinerating people that they do not wish to incinerate. "I suppose the most beautiful things are generally double edged swords." They should know, they were fae.

Her fingers had rested high on his chest as she spoke and she finally pulled them away. "Speaking of showing power, if you find you need an outlet, I stumbled upon several lone wolves who were too dangerous for the local packs in Lewisham. I had planned on ... subduing them this evening if you have time."

Bexley

[emotioneater]

Cooper had gone into the park to hunt. Almost immediately, he'd found himself on the opposite side, dazed and confused about what had just happened. Shaking himself off, he'd tried again, only to get the same results. The third time deposited him nearby where Balem was.

Putting two and two together, he carefully made his way over to the fae, looking less than amused at the situation. "If you did this, I am going t'have to form a great feeling of resentment against you." He then swiped a small handful of popcorn away and into his mouth.

[entitles]

"Who else would have done this, really?" he said with a grin, "It's just a bit of harmless fun. Surely you're tough enough to handle that."

[emotioneater]

"Ah, you're probably right. I'm just cranky from lack of food." He plopped down on the bench next to Balem, taking another handful of popcorn as he went. He winced sympathetically as a woman ran into a tree.

" 'sides, my old mother always said t'only hold grudges against people who actually deserve 'em, like the English." He already had enough people with whom he was on the outs without adding a fae to that list.

[entitles]

"Lack of food? I'd think this place would be a veritable buffet," he said, "Your kind were around in the more agricultural times, too, when everything was rural and far apart - they had it rough."

The eldest among the vampires tended to be the most impressive, both because of age and because it took a great deal to survive back when there was nothing but farms and small settlements.

"The others aren't stealing your lunch money, are they?"

[emotioneater]

That particular sentence combined with the image he had in his mind of picturing the Islington Nest as some bizarre secondary school caused a chuckle or two.

"Hardly. I've just had a rough month. There was some business with a fae hunter 'n things got outta control. The food situation got a little...complicated." He was doing much better now. The last time he'd been around fae, he'd ended up fighting Heiji and nearly become Mab's servant. He could have cringed thinking of how he had acted.