Chiyako

Steak. She knew of that word. Rare? Would she get to try rare creatures? What did medium rare even mean? Was that not average? Or perhaps above average? Whatever the case, steak was a good choice. Her tail started to wag even harder, and the very thought caused her to salivate enough that she had to lick her lips in order to contain it! Potato. Miu also knew what a potato was. They were good, if she was remembering correctly. Beans were fine. Water was important. Milk could be good too! But it was so rare to have that. Would they really have it here? More importantly, did they know how to serve it properly? How did one serve it properly? She would just have to try it. Straw? That was the food of prey beasts. It was also used for bedding. Did people here eat it? Maybe the horned woman ate it. She felt as though she had tried to eat it in the past. And while Miu did not know what a lager was she had heard of wine. It was the drink of nobles, if she remembered correctly! It usually smelled good, but sometimes it could have a very harsh smell. She did not remember trying it. Noble food. I get to eat noble food! Ruby orbs lifted to meet with those of the man sitting next to her. He was staring at her, but she simply smiled and tilted her head. One ear lifted, the other flopping slightly forward. Prolonged eye contact meant something, although in this situation she knew not what. Of course the faint pink lingered still across her cheeks. She could pick up on arousal, especially being so close, although it wasn't really something that she fully understood. Familiar? Slightly. But perhaps it hadn't been important to her in the past. She didn't really know what to do with it. I smell food. This place gives food.

Thirsty. A nod of her head was her immediate answer. It was good to consume water when possible, and this would also give her a clue as to where to go when she needed more! This place did seem right. There were bottles of liquid behind the short wall. Some probably contained water. She also smelled something much stronger. It felt familiar, in a way, or at least like something she had encountered in the past. She could not remember whether or not it had been a good experience. Hungry! Once again she nodded, only this time with a little more enthusiasm! She was fairly hungry. The delicious food she'd been granted earlier had reminded her that she needed food. Hunger definitely felt familiar. Whatever her past, it was undoubtedly filled with plenty of hunger. Perhaps she had failed to find adequate food? Or maybe she just required a lot of it. Whatever the case she needed to figure out how to attain more food here and, preferably, a greater variety! She doubted that the sweet thing that she had eaten was enough. Meat felt important, and it did not taste like meat. Food! Her free hand settled against her flat belly, rubbing in small circles. Mimicing these sorts of things would help a lot with communication! The hand was lifted to her lips in an attempt to mimic Jason's earlier gesture, fingers together in the shape of an 'O'.

Ayors. Jason. Not Mister? No. Jason Ayors. Ayers? The man's true name, probably. Why he hid it from the others she could not determine, nor could she figure out why he had told it to her. It did feel bad not being able to communicate her own name, but she could try! Lips parted, again revealing the sharpened pearly whites. Her tongue twisted about within her mouth and a sharp exhale left her maw. With a defeated frown her lips closed again. It was going to be something of an issue, but it also felt like a familiar one. She made due in the past, probably, and so she could make do here! Red orbs shifted towards the edge of the bar, observing the man's example. Up until this point she had been sitting up, knees lifted up and legs pressed to her body. If one looked they could easily spot her undergarments: a simple sand colored loincloth, much like a fundoshi. She didn't seem to care, or perhaps she didn't notice. Now however she decided to plant her butt upon the seat, lower her legs until they hung off the side, and leaned awkwardly up against the edge of the counter with one elbow raised to meet it! It was as close as she could get, but it seemed to work, her entire body relaxing just a little bit as it was no longer forced to hold balance! This feels right! Miu smiled, tail now wagging freely behind her. Ears perked up from beneath her mane of silver, head tilting slightly to the right. She sniffed at the air. The one named Jason Ayers gave off a slightly strong scent. A faint tinge of pink crossed her pale cheeks. It felt a bit familiar in a way, like the scent of the woman stood behind the short wall.

It stopped. Should be okay. Very slowly the wolf's tail uncurled from the stool, extending back in an effort to keep her balance. Fingers groped against the seat for a few moments, trailing downwards until she found where it was solid. With a careful tug she turned the seat, doing so slowly until finally she was left facing the one named Mister Ayors. It worked! He spoke to her. A greeting. His hand extended and, on reflex, she tensed and leaned back just a slight bit. However this time she was able to recover quicker, to relax after a moment of hesitation. While one hand remained gripping at the seat the other rose, fingers gently taking hold of the man's fingers. With a soft grip she offered a smile, tail wagging softly behind her, albeit still with enough power that it caused the seat to shift from side to side ever so slightly, wheeling although not with enough strength to throw off her balance. Safe. Miu only held his hand long enough to be just a little awkward before it retreated back to the seat, assisting the other with balancing. Again the man spoke, only it wasn't a greeting, and it felt just a little more familiar to her. Not completely, but it did sound closer to what she thought she might have been used to. In any case she didn't quite know if his answer was truthful or not. This place was strange. She did not know if it was evening or if it was morning. And so she ultimatedly decided to answer him with a simple shrug of her shoulders.

Hungry. Food. Need food. Miu had access to shelter and water. Those two were the most important for survival. Both could be found in one place, although a second source of water was probably necessary. Food was all that she had left to find. Of course the woman behind the short wall had given her food. It was possible that she could return for more, but like water she would have liked to find more sources. Meat. Meat is good. With stomach grumbling the wolf-like creature had crept quietly through the halls, using whatever she could for cover. Occasionally she stopped to sniff at the air. A smell vaguely familiar had cropped up. It belonged to a drink that others consumed. She knew that much. But there was another scent too, one which had only become recently familiar to her. The top of her head crept into view within the doorway, followed swiftly by a pair of red eyes. Ears lay flat against her head, disappeared into her messy mane in order to keep hidden. It was as she had suspected: the man from before, the one named Mister Ayors, was here. He stood within a room of polished wood, settled next to another short wall. He did not appear to be threatening before. In fact he appeared to be a kind person, at least as a first impression. He also seemed to be fairly confident, as though he knew what this place was. He and the one called Mother both would act as good guides, although the woman who had gifted her food probably was a better choice. It seemed she was the one who lived here, after all! Seats? I think? He does not sit. Maybe not seats? Something told her they were seats. Still, he did not sit. It confused her but also did make her somewhat curious. Perhaps he had a reason for this? Whatever the case those seats were a fair bit taller than anything she remembered feeling familiar with. They would act as good spots for anyone wishing to attain some extra height advantage, important for keeping an eye out or pouncing upon some prey creature. And so after a minute of observation Miu made her way inside, quickly but silently stepping forward and over to one of the seats located near the man. Hands clasped against the seat and with a pull she dragged herself up! What!? Eyes widened as it started to turn, to spin, prompting her to hold onto the seat with enough force that leather threatened to tear and wood creaked softly! As she adjusted her position and pulled her feet up the chair continued to slowly turn. Her tail, puffed up quite some bit, curled around the seat in order to halt its movement, and there she remained as still as a statue, awkwardly facing away from the counter and the man, feet pressed against the leather seat and fingers digging into it, body aimed at the moment towards the door. Moving seat!?

This place. It is off. As someone used to surviving in the wilderness Miu was more than capable of understanding just how far she'd traveled, even without the assistance of landmarks. This structure that she had entered was too big. The floor was hard. Cold. Clean and devoid of any life. It was all very unnatural. She had been in buildings before. That she remembered. None had ever come close to the size of this one. There were too many doorways, and so far every single one appeared to be locked. She had checked each as she passed. After what felt like an hour the scent on her key led her to a specific doorway. It appeared to look like every other one, the only difference being the number. Such a thing was foreign to her, and yet for some reason she understood it. It meant two and, more importantly, was made of the same material her key was made of. After sniffing the key she leaned in closer to the door, sniffing along the seams. It matched. She tried the door and found it locked. After a few moments of considering a way in she raised the key and set it into a hole located just above the knob. A slow turn led to a click near the door knob. When she tried it again Miu discovered that it was open. Key. It is called a key. Fur rose along the length of her tail and body tensed as the door swung inwards to reveal something which should not have been here: a cave. Not some filthy damp thing devoid of any signs of life, rather it was something which felt familiar. Warm. Soft dirt floors covered with various prey hides, enough that a person could comfortably walk around without ever having to step foot upon the natural floor. Looted crates and barrels were stacked on one side near a flattened block of stone. A preparation station for food. On the other side sat a crackling fire set partially into the ground, around which were situated wood and hide seats. The room itself was lit by torches stuck into crevices. Despite the multiple fires there appeared not to be any lingering smoke, at least not enough that it choked the throat. This shouldn't be here. What is this place? She turned towards the door expecting to see an exit to the cave, only to find the other side of the doorway covered with a stone much like that found within the walls and ceiling, the only difference being a silver doorknob and a key hole. After shutting the door she returned her gaze inwards and ventured deeper past the room and into a thinner passage, one which looped around in a cresant shape. Here the torches became more sporadic, softly glowing shrooms trailing along the bottom edges of the tunnel in order to light up the darker regions. While she moved through it cautiously it would have taken only a few seconds to pass through if she weren't on guard. The next chamber was even larger. There were more crates and barrels, even a chest and a pilfered desk with a small mirror. In the center of the room was a massive circular bed. Stone kept it elevated off the ground. On that was a bed of straw, then feathers, and then finally a stitched together hide covering which was tied into notches made in the stone. This kept everything contained and offered more comfort. Atop this were thrown multiple hides and furs for extra warmth, or just a more comfortable surfaces during the warmer seasons. For winter there were slots cut into the bottom of the stone platform, and in these slots small fires were set in order to heat the stone. Like the previous room much of the floor was covered in an array of animal hides. Bed. Stuff. My stuff? As she made her way over to check out the contents of a barrel Miu found her attention stolen away by a painting on the wall. It had been made using someone's fingers and what she had guessed were the juices of some sort of plant, perhaps a berry, mixed with ash. She peered in closer at the face upon the wall, only to recoil in terror when a more vivid picture of the face flashed within her mind. They were in pain. Wounded. Dying, even. And they were smiling. Who?!? What? Miu stepped away and closed her eyes, hands moving up to rub against her face. It was something she should have remembered, and yet she couldn't. Perhaps she didn't want to. Thankfully as she moved her hands away and opened her eyes again the little wolf spotted another passageway. There was more to explore. That would keep her mind off painful things, and so she made her way forth through yet another passage. This one was far shorter and instead of curving in a cresant shape it was more akin to a snake's winding body. There was no dirt floor, only hard clean stone. Before she reached the next chamber she understood what it was. Bath! Water! Steam and heat washed over her as she continued forward into the bathing chamber. While a couple of torches sat near the entrance to the chamber the rest of it was lit up by a rounded wall and ceiling covered by softly glowing blue-green moss and vibrant glowing pink mushrooms. The moss continued into the large open springs itself, lighting up the interior. Flatter rocks along the edges acted as seats, with longer moss covered slabs of stone offering something closer to a sofa or a bench, and higher stone slabs useful for setting out clothes. The pool itself was large enough that a series of small boulders offered a smaller more private section. Making her way over, Miu settled down on hands and knees, sniffing at the water. A hand dipped in to scoop some out, and after another sniff test she took a sip. It was clean, probably thanks to the moss. She couldn't exactly hunt here but she could at least bathe and, if need be, drink from the springs. Of course one could simply relax here too, something she was actually quite familiar with. This home is not bad. My home. Standing to her feet Miu shook her hands and then rubbed them upon her tunic, hoping to dry them off as best she could. As much as she'd like to stay and take a dip Miu understood that scouting out her surroundings was always important. She could return here when she so desired. After adding her key onto the necklace of bones she returned to the first chamber and exited from her den, making certain to lock it behind herself.

Eyes narrowed and gaze set once more upon the horned woman. She was approaching even closer! There was no hesitation. Miu couldn't back up anymore than she was in the moment. Their face appeared to be flushed as well. A similar thing was detected upon them, the same thing detected coming from behind the short wall. It was the sort of thing that made her own body grow warmer and filled her with confusing feelings. Uncomfortable feelings, if only because she didn't fully understand them, but they also didn't feel completely foreign to her. She had experienced it before, although she couldn't place when or where or why. Her body tensed again as it pressed back against the short wall. Limbs were drawn closer. It was like a spring coiling in preparation for something explosive. So focused was she upon the woman that Miu didn't even notice the hand from behind, at least not until it settled atop her head. Eyes widened and her entire body jumped, pressing her further into the kitsune's palm! It was however one of her weak spots. As the headpats were inflicted upon her Miu's body relaxed and her heart slowed. Fingers nervously fiddled with the sides of her tunic while her focus upon the prey creature faltered, glances cast between her and the one known as 'Mother'. It will be okay? With her focus relaxed she finally took notice of the tall woman's extended hand. Something in the back of her mind urged her to take it, and so both of her hands extended up to take hold. Despite appearances the wolf's touch was soft, at least for the flesh that wasn't scarred. She was careful too, gentle in her grip so as to avoid any possibility of hurting the woman, regardless of whether or not she actually could. The one behind the wall, the one who had settled her down with a pat atop her head, informed her that she could not be hurt here. That meant the others probably couldn't be hurt. Being hurt felt familiar, but not the sort that she was comfortable with. Leaving that behind was acceptable. She knows my name? When the one known as 'Mother' planted a kiss upon the back of her hand Miu's face gained a healthy flash of pink. She didn't fully understand why. It made her feel warm. Miu decided that she didn't mind it, however something in the back of her mind told her that holding the woman's hand for too long was considered strange, and so she released her grip. Just in time too as the scent of something sweet cut through the heavy fog of flowery pheromones! Her attention was pulled towards the woman behind the short wall, head tilting slightly at the sight of the large circular object. It smelled quite good, although it was not anything she was used to. Even so in the moment she was reminded of her hunger, something which was nearly constant for her. Food? She stared at the object for a few moments, making certain that it would be okay for her to take it. It felt natural, felt as though simply taking it might lead to punishment, that it might have happened before. Only when it appeared as though the object wasn't being pulled away did she finally reach out to accept it, drawing it quickly to her lips for a sniff test. It smelled even more delicious up close, but she could not allow that to distort her safety check. Safe. With nothing off detected with the cookie Miu drew it closer still, nibbling carefully against the crunchy morsel. Her entire body seemed to relax, tail even returning to gentle wagging motions. It was just as delicious as it smelled! Careful nibbles were soon replaced by small bites and the occasional lap of her tongue in order to catch stray pieces which might have broken off as crumbs. Red orbs darted to the side, aimed towards the horned woman. A faint pink remained lingering across her face as both she and the one behind the wall exuded the strange enticing scents, the ones which heated up her own body. The sudden tightness of the horned one's lower garments drew her gaze down, head tilting while she continued to work through the cookie. It is safe. They are safe. Miu's attention was pulled again towards the nice lady who had given her food. Now she was being presented with a new item! It appeared to be made of some sort of bone. Somehow it felt familiar to her. The thing in the back of her mind informed her of what it was, of what purpose it served. It would grant her access to her new home. One hand removed itself from the cookie, reaching out to carefully accept the item, and once she had Miu pulled it in close to herself. With a single understanding nod she turned to look towards the tall woman. She decided to copy the wave of her hand, waving the key holding hand in response! Only once she departed did Miu return her attention to the other two, the remainder of the cookie swiftly polished off. Home. I should see home. One hand newly freed Miu raised it up, offered both women a similar wave, and then turned to sniff at the key. A few more sniffs at the air informed her of where to go, and so she began to cautiously make her way out. Each step was silent, and as she neared a corner Miu was careful to peek around it, making herself as small and unnoticeable as possible while doing so. The floor here was completely devoid of debris. That didn't feel familiar to her, but it certainly made it easier for her to step without making noises! When she was comfortable with what lay beyond the corner Miu lowered herself further and crept out!

Companiony? While she appeared to understand the words of those around her Miu still couldn't quite place some of the meanings. It sounded like companion in her language. The man was with others. He intended upon seeing to them. Departing to them. She winced as an image cross her mind. A face. More faces. Happy. Distressed. Sad. Angry. Confused. Pained. They felt familiar, and yet she could not remember the details, could not place who they were to her. All she really knew was that they mostly brought her a sense of happiness, immediately followed by grief. What is this place? Ears lowered back. She was trying not to show fear but it was creeping up into her mind. None of this was right, was it? Before she was here what had she been doing? Something was blocking that memory. It hurt slightly to think about it. She was distracted from this task when the prey creature rose a hand. They were focused upon her now, and in response Miu's body tensed again, tail raising and fur bristling outwards. This however was where any signs of aggression stopped. Besides her own struggle to retain any confidence in her situation, Miu also couldn't detect any hints of aggression from the short horned creature. She had no intentions of starting a fight, and so with a meek nod she backed herself further until, at last, she was pressed with her back against the short wall. It's not right. I don't belong here. With heart hammering within her chest and focus set upon those who had arrived after her Miu didn't manage to track the conversations occuring just beside and behind her. However the Mother person's words, directed towards her from so close, did manage to catch her attention. Red orbs darted quickly to meet the woman's gaze. A hand lifted, and Miu found herself unconsciously leaning away from it, ears folding back against the top of her head. For a moment her tail went still and her body tensed, however both relaxed when she realized that the woman was not attempting to strike her. If anything she exuded a welcoming aura. Speak. Speak? Can I speak? Lips parted, revealing sharpened teeth and pronounced canines. A breath emerged, and then another, albeit harsher. She had felt it when she arrived. Speaking was not something that she did before, nor did it appear to be something that she did now. It felt familiar. Her mouth closed and head shook. At least the gestures felt comfortable. Were they universal? Or was this place messing with her? Feeding her knowledge that wasn't hers'.

Unless you want each of us to roll for each category and then take the average between what was rolled?

Mother. Meishing? It felt like a name. Not her name. She knew her own name was Miu. It belonged to the tall woman stood before her. The man who spoke the name took notice of her, immediately setting the wolf girl's body into a tensed state. Ears rose and tail went still, the fur puffing up slightly. It took her a few moments to realize that he wasn't a threat. At least, he wasn't threatening in the moment. Also he appeared to be addressing her. With a timid nod of her head the wolf girl's body relaxed, tail loosing just a hint of its fluffiness as it returned to slow, gentle wags. This person was to be acknowledge. It was the polite thing, and the safe thing. He would know that she knew of his presence, and that she knew he wasn't being aggressive. There was no need for her to pick fights, or at least she hoped not. This didn't feel like the wild. In any case the one who gave off the enthralling scent started to move, retrieving an item first for the man who addressed her, and then one for the very tall lady. Mister. Ayors? This was the name of the man. The woman was again addressed as mother, despite not appearing to be the mother of the one behind the wall, nor the mother of the man. They didn't smell alike, and they certainly didn't look it. However she couldn't really dwell too long upon this. It was clear that she was being called up to the front. Or, rather, assistance was being offered. In this moment Miu could use assistance! Before she started to move another voice behind her drew her attention, ears raising and gaze snapping back towards the newly arrived person. A creature which resembled in part something she might hunt. This one spoke, however. Nor did they flee from her in panic, as their kind should have. Instead they were approaching, and so wary of this confident prey creature Miu took a few steps away and over to the short wall. A brief glance was cast towards the multi-tailed woman stood behind it, however it soon returned to the new arrival. She didn't fully trust something that didn't run when it should have run.

I rolled a 4!

Only a little disappointed!

A smile was cast down upon the little witch, and from it Selene felt warmth rise to her cheeks. Her attempts were appreciated, at least! She hadn't made a mistake! Well, not one big enough to hurt things between them, anyhow. That heat within her face only grew more vibrant however when Dylan mentioned the idea that the clothes might have been for her. Not that they were bad clothes at all, but the idea of trying them on for some reason embarrassed her, perhaps because she pictured doing so for Dylan. If Dylan was a girl then it wasn't as big of a deal, but if he was a boy? Well that was simply too much to imagine! Gosh. The snapping of a photo caused Selene to jump slightly, tense for a moment, and then relax when she noticed that the girl in front of them had taken it. She wanted to correct her, to say that she wasn't wearing pants, but decided not to. It was a figure of speech, she knew that. Correcting her might have been some way to restore some of her own confidence, but in the moment it might have made things worse. She didn't really need to do that, because the girl behind the counter was doing it for her. Pink shifted to red across her face as the girl spoke of Dylan slipping her a pill and, even more embarrassingly, being inside of her! Having sex with her! Without her consent, no less! Not that sex was a terrible thing, of course. At least it probably wasn't. She hadn't tried it. It was probably great! Everyone said it was great! Even her books said it was great! But sex wasn't why she was here, right? Besides, Dylan probably would not have agreed to such a thing! Sure, she had considered the idea, and not just with Dylan, not even just with a boy, but still! Now this was on her mind! Selene blinked a few times, lids fluttering in her attempt to clear her mind, to rid her of the brief flashes of imagination, the idea of doing things with Dylan, perhaps in the changing room, maybe even with the girl too. There were more important things to worry about right now, like for instance Dylan's challenge with the pill! Her gaze lifted up towards it, embarrassment only carried forward with the boy's question. She understood what a roofie was. Her books had disclosed that information to her. His words seemed to suggest something, something which the girl ended up somehow angling towards with her own whispered words. "H-huh? Oh. Oh gosh." Hands nervously closed together in front of her, fingers playing with the cup of water. Was Dylan not just making things worse!? But then she was curious, both about the pill and about Dylan. "W-what kind of pill is it? Her attempt at a distraction, and her attempt to sate her curiosity.

A hushed creak of wood preceded the gentle metallic chime of a bell. Without even realizing it a small creature entered into a world of luxury far beyond anything she'd remembered experiencing before. Tired red eyes darted about, blinking away the shift in lighting, adjusting quickly to her new surroundings. What this place was exactly was foreign to her, but something in the back of her mind had informed her that she was here to rest. To enjoy herself, enjoy life. A gift? Or perhaps a curse? Everything was new to her, but perhaps this place would be more kind to her than the last. Her gaze lowered, scanning over her own form. Pale flesh. Scars which didn't seem to bother her. They felt familiar somehow. Worn leather gloves. A long tunic made of felt and hide, created from some furry creature, which hung to just above her knees. Hide moccasins. A necklace of bones, or teeth, or claws. It felt as though it held some significance, although she couldn't place what that was. She was clean, devoid of blood or newer injuries, and smelled faintly of wildflowers and berries. A familiar, comfortable scent. Fluffy wolf-like ears perked up from her messy mane of similarly silver hair, nose wrinkling for a moment as other scents were drawn in. Flowery scents hanging off a woman not far from where she stood, one settled behind some sort of short wall. They were nice, but also reminded her of something foreign, or perhaps someone foreign. It was a scent she probably smelled before but, in the moment, could not recall the origin of. However it was what was mixed within that actually worried her. A scent not foreign, but not one she was well experienced with. One which drew blood to her cheeks, a gentle pink fluster held across her face while heat rose within her petite frame. Ears lowered back, however her fluffy tail started to wag softly behind her. With some hesitation she made her way forward, stepping silently toward those people gathered ahead, only to stop a comfortable distance behind the man and the tall woman. Observing them would clue her into what she was supposed to be doing. Despite the strange knowledge she had of this place Miu was still utterly confused.

As clothes were picked from racks Selene's full attention returned to her new friend, or at least the person she hoped might become a friend. The green and black beach wrap earned a nod of approval, as did the tank top. They would look good together! Probably! The bikini bottoms were a strange touch, but who was she to judge? Heck, for all she knew Dylan was actually a girl! It had been a curiosity she'd wished desperately to sate, however not one she knew how to in any sort of comfortable way. All of her ideas seemed a bit too forward, and she wasn't about to ruin a perfectly good friendship in the making just for that! I think Dylan could pull off either, in all honesty! Following along beside Dylan the little witch offered the girl behind the counter a friendly, albeit faintly nervous smile. Upon hearing that Dylan was short on money Selene readied herself to snap to the rescue, only to see the boy whip out what appeared to be some sort of pill! Eyes widened a bit, a mixture of confusion and curiosity and surprise spread across her face. Was Dylan someone who dealt in drugs!? I did not see that coming! Oh gosh. Am I going to get into trouble? It was the girl's reaction which caused her attention to shift and her expression to change more to one of confusion. Her smile disappeared, replaced by a slightly disappointed frown. A hand raised, settling upon Dylan's arm, offering a brief squeeze of encouragement. She couldn't do much about the pill, as she didn't even know what it was, but she did decide that she could try to assist with everything else! "A-are you trying to say that Dylan isn't a girl?" Unfortunately her attempts at defending Dylan didn't come out quite as confidently as she'd hoped they would. To be fair she didn't really know either, but still! The attempt itself was noble, right?

Alright! I made a post! Going to sleep now but if it doesn't fit I can try and fix things in the morning before running errands! Selene is not great at haggling.

Gerald's shop was always a treat to explore. One could find so many interesting things here, even occasionally personal effects strong enough to count for her hexing rituals! In fact short of garage sales or directly pilfering homes this was the best place to look. One could try the dump, but then one was sorting through literal trash, and it was always less pleasant to keep such things at home. It was also considered far stranger, and if someone had caught her out in the dump then it would have completely torpedoed any chances of her living a normal, friend filled college life! Perhaps the greatest thing she'd discovered in this place had been a rare, and very old, book on the occult! It ended up offering a plethora of useful information, and had granted her some important knowledge which had increased the efficiency and power of her rituals. However acquiring some items, that book especially, was difficult. It was not sold through one of the teens working part time at the shop. No, that she had purchased directly through Gerald, and not for any coin. Where as most people might simply pawn the tome off as some oddity It almost appeared as though he had known the true value of the book. No, for that book she had offered a lock of her hair alongside a promise to owe the old hermit, to assist him if need be, and the knowledge that a person's hair was a powerful tool in the occult. He hadn't quite accepted the offer, and so she threw in an old bicycle which needed only a few touchups, along with a set of frilly pink underwear that she had been wearing at the time. It had been a sad loss, as she had quite enjoyed the undergarments, but it had been worth it. Normally such an item wouldn't go for much, but she knew from her extensive reading habits that some people actually did pay good money for used and, more importantly, unwashed underwear. Most of what was donated or pawned here came prewashed. Was it weird and lewd and embarrassing and kind of gross? Yes. But he knew how to extract value from things. A glance was cast in the direction of the girl working behind the counter. Older and yet with a similar figure. The bobcut fit well, she decided, although she did prefer her longer hair. It was just comforting to her. However the purple highlights did earn a huge thumbs up from the witch! At least things don't seem to be busy!

@roll to seduce Shall I just do a quick response to that? Or give Dylan a chance to respond first? I'll probably end up sleeping here soon and in the morning I do have some errands to run. Also how open can my answer be to that?

Not only had her attempts at a flirtatious request worked, but it had worked well enough to deliver instantaneous and clear evidence of its success! In fact it had worked a little too well. Her smile weakened, guilt raced across her mind as the person she was trying to befriend ended up toppling right over! Of course it might not have been the fault of her looks, or her inexperienced attempts at seduction. No, it was entirely possible that the poor boy simply didn't wish to get dirtied by her treat! Or it was just a bit too out of left field. Deep down she knew that it had worked, and used that to consciously reinforce within her mind that she was, in fact, not terrible to look at! Sorry! So sorry! A couple of steps were taken forward, and for a moment she extended the hand which held her corndog. Briefly embarrassment muddled her expression, the delicacy retracted as she remembered that both hands were full. It did at least give her the chance to watch Dylan's recovery, a movement which was somehow a little more awe inspiring than she'd anticipated. He had a level of grace far beyond her own! Regardless with a wave of Dylan's hand towards their destination Selene turned to follow behind the boy, hurrying occasionally in her steps in order to keep up. "I was hoping to look for Charlotte. Robin's sister" she explained between quick bites of her food. They were going into a clothing store. It seemed inappropriate to bring in her snack, but she didn't dare waste any of it either. Selene was already fairly petite. She had well shaped hips, sure, but she was lacking in other areas! Like her chest! Not that it seemed to fare too poorly moments ago. Perhaps I am overthinking it? Probably not. When they reached the doors Selene stopped for a few moments in order to polish off the rest of her corndog. After dabbing at her lips with the accompanying napkin and tossing the cleaned stick into a trash bin the witch hurried along inside, aiming to keep close to her new potential friend! "She went missing. I'm sure she would appreciate your assistance too! I'll definitely let her know that you helped!" Of course she wasn't ignoring her part of the bargain here. As she spoke Selene glanced through racks of used clothes, looking not only for something that might look good on Dylan, but also things which would fit properly. Alas, the question from before also came into play: was Dylan a boy or a girl? Or both? It was possible, albeit very unlikely. She used Dylan's suggested items to get a better read on the situation. "You're-" she began, pausing for a moment in order to steel herself as her nerves started to falter. "You're very attractive. I think most things will work. Brighter colors might work, but not anything that clashes." She read that sort of thing in a book once, and while Selene didn't fully understand it she hoped that Dylan might, or at least that the two might figure it out! "E-especially your eyes. They are a pretty green. I think leaning into something similar might look really neat!"

Seems to be an interesting setting. Sex systems are amusing! I don't like how random every bit of character creation is, but I'm sure that can be circumvented as the people in the game choose.

Charlotte. Find Charlotte and I make Robin happy. And maybe Charlotte happy. Maybe one of them will invite me? Or do I even need an invitation? It feels like I should have one. I don't think Derek wants me to go. That icy look still sent chills down her spine, enough that even remembering it inflicted a brief moment of shivering upon the poor witch. It hadn't been the first time that someone had scowled at her, but she hadn't been expecting such a visceral reaction from him! Maybe she wasn't part of any cool group, but she didn't think that she was that poorly liked. It really had been a gut punch, but thankfully others, specifically Dylan, had taken the attention away from her despite her grevious misstep, enough so that she could slip away more or less unnoticed. I really should thank him. But I need to find Charlotte, and not just for the party! This is a great way to make a friend! So caught up in her thoughts and the gradual devouring of her corndog was Selene that she hadn't even noticed the jogging approach of the very same boy she had been thinking about. It wasn't until he actually spoke up that the short girl took notice, and in that moment she let out a surprised squeak and visible flinch, her delicious treat nearly fumbled from one hand while the other was splattered with icy cold water from her cup! Amethyst orbs darted up to meet with the boy's gaze, her face flushed with pink while she did her best to recover with a nervous smile. "H-hello! Um, hi!" Did I summon him!? Oh gosh. Oh he is staring at me. Is something wrong? Did I do something wrong? Do I have mustard on my lips!? Wait, favor? She blinked once, and then again for good measure. It was a good way to help snap her out of things which paralyzed her, like resetting a frozen computer, only thankfully much quicker. Her heart still raced within her chest, however now she could at least focus upon his words. Me? "M-me?" The thought and her confused question were simultaneous, a moment of weakness in which her very thoughts had managed to slip free. She allowed her eyes to lower, following the boy's gesturing hands. A boy, or at least someone she thought was a boy, was asking her for assistance with clothes! It honestly would not have been her first choice. Velvet was the social chameleon, at least so far as Selene had observed. She probably knew everything there was about fashion! But this was a person asking for her help. Someone she could help. Perhaps even someone who might be interested in her friendship! And besides, she read a lot of books! That had to help, right? Her smile relaxed, expression still a little flustered and timid but no long filled with the surprise jolt of anxiety. "I can help" she replied softly, eyes lowering again as a thought came to mind. She probably should have made him help her first. Charlotte still needed to be located. She didn't know him well enough, and it was important, and so Selene decided to attempt to ask as nicely as she could for his assistance! It certainly had nothing to do with her feeling a little down after being so thoroughly dejected at the corndog hut! Selene lifted her eyes again, meeting Dylan's. It took a lot of willpower but in the moment she was able to hold it despite her growing nerves, and the increased heat within her cheeks. She leaned in a bit closer, nearly pressed her body against his, only avoiding so in order to prevent smearing the poor boy with mustard from the half-finished corndog held in hand. Slight traces of sweat held her thin sundress close to her body in places, and with the difference in height and her gown's naturally loose material one in Dylan's position could almost see down her top were it not for the fabric clinging to her. The sun behind her hit at just the right angle, allowing a glimpse of her silhouette through the dress. "I don't suppose you could help me too? Afterwards, I mean?"

I haven't yet, but now that it is posted I am starting to look it over.

Suppose I should put in a post to send Selene out on her search for Charlotte. That or just assume she has gone to do so.

Velvet a little scary.

@WritesNaughtyStories I would say following the current thread Selene would most likely be walking and just trying to consider where to start in a possible search for Charlotte, since getting her boss to buy alcohol for her is probably not her greatest idea. So for the moment she would be wandering and keeping an eye out for anything that might help, possibly in the direction of Robin's place as a backup. I imagine Selene doesn't have a phone yet, unless her father got her one.