Leo Pichard's Story

Leo Pichard awoke in a mess of white bed sheets, his monochrome simple patterned doona halfway to being completely on the floor. Stretching his toned arms above his head awkwardly as they lightly knocked at the timber headboard behind him, he let out a long loud yawn. "Well. Can't say that was the freakiest dream I've had but close to it." He mumbled lazily to himself in a series of strained tones as he stretched. Sliding on out of bed in a simple pair of black trunks he recalled at first seeing some really hot chick but then she suddenly transformed into some messed up dark entity and chased him out of a hotel room. Plus it was raining. Glancing outside as the sound of rain caught his attention he assumed that's where the weather in his dream came from.

Throwing on a grey knit sweater over his long sleeved, tight fit black shirt, followed by a pair of dark blue denim jeans and chocolate brown Chelsea boots he turned on the TV as background noise. Finishing up in the bathroom the reporter announced a car accident that had happened the other day. Bad stuff always happened on the news. It was always: blah blah school shooting blah blah someone got stabbed blah blah England versus Germany in soccer this evening etc etc. So he didn't pay it much attention.

Grabbing his long black coat, umbrella, keys, wallet and phone, he headed out locking up his small terrace behind him as he headed for the marketplace. Was best to get groceries over and done with in the morning to avoid the last minute horde of shopping soccer mum's with their spoiled kids. As he walked through the aisles trying to choose between a cheap brand and expensive brand of bread, he whipped around probably too quickly, almost bumping into the sandy blonde beauty. "Whoa- ha sorry didn't see you-" Her azul blue eyes piercing his heart as he paused for a moment captivated by her. Mouth gaping like a fish out of water. "...there. Uh." Leo finished as he recollected his thoughts, standing up tall as his chestnut brown orbs stared back into hers in a rather awkward silence. Smooth Leo. Very smooth.

Sonea hummed as she walked along, pushing her cart as she looked through the isles. She seemed to be deep in thought while picking up various things along the way. Eggs, milk, sandwich meat, ground turkey meat...oreos.........olive oil....

By the time she reached the cereal isle, her body was just going through the motions of picking things up as her mind was completely elsewhere. Her eye moved about the isles almost with a glazed look to it as her ears twitched as she strained to listen to some sort of sound.

"It was your fault...You lead him to you. Do I take life or give it? Who is victim and who is foe?"

Cereal...Coffee....milk again.......flour...........chef's knife........

"Like water I ebb and flow...defeat is simply the addition of time for a sentence I never deserved. But you imposed..."

Heart......lungs......................liver...........arm........eye..........

Her world warped around her and distorted itself as the items she was grabbing were no longer items in a super market, but some sort of nightmarish hellscape of body parts, organs and the sounds of screaming things. Shadows danced across her vision of an eye that was no longer there. She could 'see' everything. A barren land, empty in ever detail. Devoid of life but for a single castle in the distance.

Kidneys.........brain..............

"I wish to be free...Release me! I seek a new freedom......."

The voice now clearly her own but harder, sounding more angry and tyrannical then her own as something came out of the Black and grabbed her, it's hands wrapping around her neck with an arm and a black tendril of force. It was her left arm with her eye glaring back into her own.

"I WILL KNOW ALL THAT I POSSESS! RELEASE US! RELEASE US! RELEASE US! SET LOOSE YOUR POWER AND MAKE US WHOLE!"

As this being grabbed her, she bumped into Leo and her vision ceased and she promptly fell backwards onto her ass with an unlady like thud. She winced as she rubbed her eye with her right hand and shook her head a few times to try and free herself from the remainder of her vision, some of which still lingered.

"No no I am sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going" She said, pulling herself up off of the floor and dusting herself off "I wasn't exactly here you know? I tend to shut my brain off sometimes while I am doing my chores. My name is Sonea, whats yours?" She asked, holding out her right hand to shake while moving her left behind her back.

This Leo fellow was really easy on the eyes and they way he looked at her, it was as if there was a thunderbolt going through him. The slack jawed stupor left him stunned, and she did giggle a bit at it while she had her hand extended outwards towards him. He was really cute...lets see where this conversation could go. But the niggling voice in her mind lingered...and a new form took shape behind him, through her missing eye.

It appeared like a shorted haired cat, much like the Cheshire from Alice in Wonderland...but much worse in appearance.

'Ahh Sonea...we cant go back again. No surprise really...only a very few find the way and those do who do, don't recognize it when they do. Illusions too die hard. You have taken the first step even if you didn't know it before'

The cat grinned and jumped up into her basket, staring at what she bought and sniffed at it.

'To forget pain, is convinient. To remember it, agonizing. But the truth is worth the suffering...and our world, though damaged can be restored. Remember your pain...remember the ritual and know what purpose to the Black you serve. Your important in all of this...and you will soon realize it. I will guide you but you must listen. I will await you when you reach a quieter place'

With that, she looked into her basket again and the cat was gone...and she was smiling at the man as if nothing had happened.

Sebastian would awaken not only to his alarm blaring at him, but his sister’s cat pawing at him through the covers of his bed, the sunlight blocked by the heavy thick curtains covering the window, he sat up and reached to pet the cat, the little creature hissing viciously. Seb’ gave an unamused look to the cat, and grabbed the cat by the skin of its neck, the cat getting violent trying to claw at him, he got out of bed and put the cat outside his room, listening to it patter off elsewhere in the apartment, “that’s new” he moved to the ensuite and showered quickly before coming back through into his room to dress.

Simple black shirt, rolled up sleeves, jeans, belt, eyepatch, the eyepatch wasn’t in the usual place, Sebastian sighed heavily and looked about, finding it dragged under his bed likely sometime when the cat was let in. he checked it over before putting it on, once dressed he grabbed his mobile and headed out into the rest of the apartment, the damned cat racing by his feet to claim his mess of a bed.

“bloody thing, why did i agree” walking through into the kitchen and lounge area he noticed the note and list, left for him by his twin sister Rebecca “could you pick up the listed stuff from the shops” with a heavy sigh; he turns to the fridge and opens it up, no milk and something smells bad, Sebastian, goes through the fridge finding what was reeking.

Quickly launching the rotten lump of vegetables into the bin, he shook his head and slammed the fridge shut, almost breaking it, again, luckily the cat wasn’t in the way this time. Without breakfast, he’d get by with black tea.


A half hour later and he was leaving the apartments building: keys, mobile and jacket. Sebastian’s apartment was centralised so it wasn’t a long walk to the shops. He entered the store and walked through gathering his stuff from the list, stopping to look down one aisle as two people collided into one another. He stayed put long enough to see if they were alright, but moved on with his own business.

The silence was broken as the female with an eye missing spoke up, also apologising. She seemed to have a kind nature. Considering how easily she introduced herself to him after he rudely bumped into her, he felt that she was quite social and friendly too. Snapping back to reality, his lips curled into a coy smile. Leo gladly extended his arm and grasped her hand firmly and gave it a brief shake. "Leo, nice to meet you." He finally replied before releasing her soft hand. Her giggle certainly quite addictive, he felt the need to make her laugh more after hearing it. "Need any help with the groceries?" He questioned politely. He found that her missing eye made her quite unique and interesting; it certainly didn't bother him. He couldn't help but feel a tad nervous in front of such a beautiful woman he had just met though. Nervously, Leo ran his fingers through his pale silver locks. Leo also liked to try and be unique. I mean, if it's no trouble? I would just like to get to know you more. I mean you know talk and stuff. And help. Groceries. Yuuup." Okay you can stop talking now Leo before you hurt yourself. Despite your looks you weren't best with words huh? Guess that's what the looks made up for.

---

Iris had spent most days inside whenever she could lately due to the terrible whether. Iris hated thunder storms. The noise, the rain, everything. It always startled her and she hated that.
Crouched on the couch seated in front of the television she stuffed her face with potato chips as she watched a show about a dad who hated being a dad and swore at kids a lot but loved his own kids nonetheless. It was pretty funny as she giggled away, until her mother rudely interrupted and stood in front of the TV.
"Iris--"

"No." Iris was quick to interrupt as she swayed to the side in attempts to continue watching TV, chewing away.

"Sweetie be reasona-"

"Nope."

"Iris it's not even raining anymore! You have no excuse!" Her mother scolded. Iris simply pouted and looked up at her with a frown. She had a point.

"Ugh. Fiiiiine what do you want?

"We need your favourite. Food. You can't live off snacks so I wrote a list of things you need to get." Her mother placed the note on the table in front of her then walked away. Iris eyed the note and didn't deny she quite enjoyed grocery shopping. Most of the time she was scolded for bringing home something extra home that wasn't on the list.

Iris didn't over do it today with her outfit. A simply nice fitting, grey winter dress, some sheer, tan stockings and some white canvas shoes. Grabbing her phone and wallet she headed to the marketplace.

Upon arrival she had a basket of things ticked off the list. Walking through the aisle with her head down looking at the note she muttered to herself. "Eggs...Bread, milk..." That was when she heard a bit of commotion beside her followed by a female falling over only to be greeted by some tall guy with cool hair. She couldn't help but cringe at how cliche their story already looked. Is she in a movie? Glancing around in search of a camera she shrugged.

Suddenly pausing. There it was. Her favourite cup of instant noodles. Sweet ole teriyaki chicken and beef oh how her mouth watered just thinking about it. Of course this wasn't on the list, and it was far too high up for her to reach. That wouldn't stop her though. Standing on her tip-toes she reached up, grunting at the struggled as her dress lifted ever so slightly. Letting out an irritated sigh she thought about possibly asking for help? Staring at the two tall love birds she gagged and shook her head. Looking around some more a guy with an eye patch who looked around her age was looking at various items on the shelving. Okay where's the director? This has to be a movie. She felt almost plain among these people, and she had naturally pale violet hair and candy red eyes for crying out loud.

Deciding against all options she placed her shopping cart down, rolled up her sleeves and jumped. No noodles. "I'll climb you cursed shelf if I have to..." Actually. That's not a bad idea. Or so she thought as the female placed down her shopping cart and began attempting to climb the shelf for her beloved instant noodles.

This boy was really rather cute to offer to help her with her shopping. A heavy blush came over her face as she could have sworn that there were candid cameras somewhere in this super market. While she gave him another warm smile, she noticed above his head were two pointed cat ears with two eyes peering over his head. She looked slightly confused for a moment then shook her head as she nodded

"I wouldn't mind a little company sure" Sonea said while gesturing for him to follow. When the other eye patched man approached them she offered a curtsy to him in thanks.

"Oh yeah I'm fine. I was just kinda lost in my...head for a second. I did not feel any pain anyways"

Above Sebastian's head, the same ears and eyes peered at her while floating upwards to show the Chesire Cat floating above the two of them. He purred contently as he reached forwards with a paw to touch their foreheads

"These two will make excellent use for you Sonea. Best not dawdle or slow yourself down. This is where we begin to build. These two will be keen to you for the future ahead. I shall keep my eyes open and wait for you to get somewhere quieter" The cat grinned from ear to ear and vanished in a puff of smoke.

Neither of them could feel this "touch" as it was all going on inside of Sonea's mind and a paw print remained on their heads until it too vanished. She blinked and rubbed her eyes for a few seconds while turning her head towards Sebastian with that same smile on her face.

"I'm Sonea by the way. Sonea Almsworthy, Engineer and Blacksmith extraordinaire. Wanna come with us? We were gonna go shopping together and I certainly wouldn't mind making some new friends"

The cat now reappeared and sat on the top of her head while patting her hair with a paw. She was off to a good start it thought and now she was beginning to grasp what was to come. Even if she didn't realize it yet. For now, he would remain silent while Sonea chatted with them as she began to push her cart forward while waiting for the other two to follow with her.

"I am still sorta new to town and haven't really gotten much in the way of interactions out here with the local populace. Mostly I tend to do my work in the smithy for the farmers and the like so I would absolutely love some company today. If you both want to come along. Hey maybe we could even go to a coffee house or something for some java. I certainly wouldn't mind splurging for some potential new friends"

Sebastian glanced up from what he was looking at a carton of soymilk, too the two strangers “Sebastian...yeah, thanks for the offer but no thanks, looks like you’ve already got yourself some company” a pleasant smile and he’d walk away to look around for the other items on the list.

Stopping to watch the pale violet haired young woman climb up the aisle, he approached before she could get any climbing done. “would you like help or are you happy to just climb and try to get the noodles?” Sebastian hadn’t approached all that close leaving a five foot gap between himself and Iris,

From the earbud hanging lazily from his collar the tunes of Ozzy’s Crazy train was playing, Seb’s head lightly bobbing to the tunes, from the other bud in his ear. Seb’s yellow eye examining the scene before him, for now his eye didn’t wander, he glanced to the three remaining pots of the noodles and approached reaching up and grabbing one of the pot noodles for the pale haired stranger and one for himself.

“there, take care” his good deeds done he moved on to finish the shopping he had to get done. “alright where’s the cat food.” mumbling to himself, he took out his mobile and flicked through his songs, and then shuffled the songs. The new song, Sabaton’s Firestorm.

Sebastian’s head bobbed along as he whispered along “better run for for cover, you’ll be quick or be dead...” he continued to wander collecting together his needed supplies. the music gradually spiralling into heavier and darker songs.

Felix Tolbert

Felix woke with a yell as the ringing of his alarm broke the morning silence. Still not entirely aware that he was awake, he continued flailing his arms and legs in a similar fashion to a turtle stuck on its back, before promptly sliding off the bed and thumping his head painfully on the floor.

Groaning, he pushed away the pile of pillows and sheets he had buried himself in. One hand rubbed his head while the other searched for his still blaring alarm. Slamming it quiet, he yawned and stumbled to his feet. Golden sunlight was seeping through the drawn curtains, which he pulled open, so it was now flooding his small student room. He remembered having some kind of bizarre dream in which he could have sworn he was being chased by giant goats with teapots with heads. Why he’d even been scared he couldn’t guess but he just felt stupid now.

Shortly, having showered and checking the mirror to see how his - for want of a better word - ‘beard’ was coming along, he dressed himself in his usual attire of dark blue jeans, a medium blue shirt and his favourite caramel brown sweater. After slipping into a pair of black shoes, he strolled into the flat kitchen to pour himself some cereal and a rather strong cup of coffee. He was happily munching on his breakfast when something on the news caught his attention. There had been two car crashes yesterday, both fatal. Not only that, several people had been reported missing. This shook him slightly, and his expression fell as he stared at his flatmate’s laptop, open on the table.

“Don’t worry about it man,” he said, noticing Felix’s apprehension; it was no secret he was a bit of a coward. “I mean, you saw that storm, right? That was really bad weather. And they’ll probably find those people soon enough.”

“Huh?” Felix replied, indignant. “Pfff. I’m not scared. Really. Heh...” He cleared his stuff away and made his way out of the door, his flatmate shrugging.

At least the weather’s improved since yesterday, he thought to himself as he pushed open the door of the accommodation building. Leaving his grey waterproof unzipped, he set off to the supermarket where he was working a shift today. Despite himself, he kept making wary glances at the roving traffic, as if certain a truck could spin off course and plunge him into instantaneous death at any moment. He shook his head in embarrassment, eventually reaching the store. After clocking in and stowing his coat away, he donned his work jacket and name badge and got to work at the checkout, greeting each customer with a cheery smile and as helpful an attitude as he could muster.

Leo felt more confident once Sonea agreed to have some company. Knowing that she was new to town and unfamiliar with the area gave him plenty of excuses to ask her out and simply get to know her more. Wow Leo already so interested in a girl and it hadn't even been a whole day with her. For all he knew she could be one of those creepy stalker chicks that had pictures of him all over her room. But in his world this female was most beautiful, cute and quite friendly. Although she seemed distracted by something from time to time; perhaps it was just nerves?

Nonetheless he gave the other random man a short wave although he was about to introduce himself, he seemed busy with his own shopping and helping the strange girl reach for something? Must be in a hurry so he simply went back to concentrating on Sonea. In all honesty he couldn't help but be happy that the man with the eye patch declined Sonea's offer; feeling quite possessive already. Perhaps the kid could sense this? Like a strange guy code or vibe for could you kindly let me have alone time with this cutie.

"Ah well lucky for you I pretty much grew up here. My whole life has been spent in this town. Although I am fond of it, it would be nice for a change of scenery I must admit." Leo grinned before continuing. "I would love to show you around. It'll be much more pleasant knowing I'm giving you a little tour." The company was always nice and he was already planning ahead in his mind some interesting and important places to show her. "Oh how interesting! You're a blacksmith? That's actually pretty cool." Leo was quite surprised such a pretty thing wasn't afraid of getting a little grease and cinders on her. Plus not many females particularly took interest in the trade, it made him more keen to get to know her.

As they began walking down the aisle with their shopping, he felt more and more comfortable talking to her so casually. He wasn't sure why but she had a very welcoming aura. "Currently I'm just a programmer but to be honest it's not my thing. I mean it's easy and it pays well but I'm more interested in becoming a journalist."

---

Iris was just about to start climbing the shelf in her winter dress until an unfamiliar voice seemed to be directed her way. She froze as her eyes scanned for the owner of the voice before landing on eye patch guy. Iris was surprised he spoke to her at all, thinking normally people would just ignore others and go about their business. Did she look that distressed? Apparently. Not really understanding how desperate and quite reckless she must have looked being caught trying to climb the shelves.
"Nah I'm fi-" As she was about to decline his offer for help, she was caught off guard to see the male approach her, reach up and grab the instant noodles. One for her and himself. She would admit he had good taste noticing the flavour he had chosen. "Or not. Uh thanks." Iris couldn't help but feel a little nervous by the random encounter. Her heart beat slowly calmed as she hopped off the shelf and watched as he went back to shopping. Tilting her head to the side he studied him from afar, as she couldn't help but get a sense of nostalgia from him? Strange.

The pale violet haired female shrugged it off and turned to place her noodles into the basket until she jolted at the random sight of a young blonde girl who asked about mayonnaise? "Jesus Christ-- You scared me." Iris let out a relieved soft awkward laugh as she sighed before grinning at the female. "Mayonnaise huh? Hm I think that's in the sauce and dressings aisle." Iris then studied the girl more closely, she too looked familiar. From school perhaps? She would take note to pay more attention to the people around her next time. Even though she would most certainly not do it anyway. "I can show you if you want?" The female then placed her noodles into her cart and picked it up glancing at her own list for a moment.

As they walked through the store, Sonea paid Leo some attention, more worried about what the floating cat was doing. Above her head, the Cheshire floated along lazily, as if drifting on a cloud of non existent air, moving two and fro as he scanned along the lanes of groceries. It hummed a cheerful tune from Sonea's childhood as he went along before spotting several new candidates. A young boy, no older then eleven, another blonde haired woman and a cashier at the registers. His grin got wider and soon he evaporated.

Sonea couldn't do much of anything to tell the cat to stop and soon he appeared to each of them and patted each on the forehead to leave a print upon their foreheads. None could feel the mark whatsoever but now his work was now done.

"Puurrrfest. Now we have our members and the Black can now be summoned. Wander home Sonea...and prepare for our guests" The cat said and soon vanished into thin air once more, leaving Sonea alone with the rather handsome man that was Leo. She smiled a bit and reached into her bag, only to pull out a business card "By the way, if you ever want to stop by, here is my card and address. Lemme give you a couple. I am trying to get my business off the ground...word of mouth is the best thing I can get in a small town like this eh? If you wouldn't mind handing these out? I'd really appreciate it. But I have to go now...stop by my shop sometime. Id love to talk to you some more. See you later Leo" She smiled and drove her cart to the blonde haired cashier and started to hand her groceries to him to ring.

She smiled a bit and looked intently at his forehead to see if she could see the mark on there. Which there wasn't one...this day was just getting stranger and stranger.

After paying and leaving a few more of her business cards there at the cashier's register, she was sitting on the bus and put in her earbuds and turned on her phone so she was looking like she was having a conversation.

"Who are you?" She asked

"Who am I you ask? Why I am me that's who silly girl. By the way, very sneaky..."

The Cat reappeared sitting on her lap, grin in her face as he reclined against her, resting his head on her busom to which she did not move. She hmphed loudly and soon the cat began to laugh just a bit.

"Come now Sonea you know better then to grump about. Your not at your best if your not smiling..."

"You still have not answered my question. Who are you exactly?"

"Really Sonea you have no sense of imagination. I am you...a part of you as you are a part of me. We are one in the same but I represent something you lack, something you want. Something you need. I am here to guide you towards it but only you can choose to walk through that door"

"What do you mean?"

"Clearly time has dulled your senses and caused you to forget. You have forgotten much Sonea and I am here to get you back on schedule. Now...your stop is here. Go inside and set some tea...I'll gather the guests"

As the bus stopped, the five people the Cat had touched all began to recall rather vividly a shop. It was an alien memory, something that had absolutely no right to be there as it was from a perspective that was not their own. It lacked depth and seemed to be half complete as if one of the eyes was missing. It was of a shop, the shop named The Sunny Shield. Leo and the Cashier, Felix Tolbert would know from the cards Sonea had left.

In bright red letters, the words "Come for Tea and Stories of a far away land and a strange murky place...You wont be disappointed" read on a sign hanging from the door with each of the names Felis Tolbert, Cayson Arlo Rinar, Amber Hill, Leo Pichard and Sebastian Winters as the name written at the bottom of the sign. There would be a certain feeling of...unease that would come from the memory. A sort of desire to visit this place relatively soon.

Infact on the sign was a time written on it: 8:00pm with a secondary note reading "Bring a food item"

It was an invitation to come to the Sunny Shield at 8:00pm...and everyone was clearly invited. The Black was now beginning to form.

“Good morning!” Felix greeted Sonea with enthusiasm as she approached the checkout, noticing the eyepatch. It was slightly intimidating but he didn’t think much of it, and instead began checking and bagging the groceries. Of course, he remained fully unaware of the strange feline creature patting him on the forehead, instead carrying on with business, cheerfully ignorant of what was really happening. As he looked up at the customer again, a look of slight confusion flickered across his face.

She had been staring at his forehead for just a few moments. He was about to ask if she was OK, but she continued as if nothing had happened, smiling and paying for her items, before making her way out. She also made sure to hand Felix several of her business cards before she left. He wasn’t exactly sure what store policy was on this, so he decided to accept them, smiling, deciding that he would hand them out to people later.

Well, that had seemed odd, but Felix shook the thought from his head and carried on serving customers, pocketing the business cards for now.

Unfortunately for him, this was not going to be an ordinary day as he’d expected. While Sonea’s bus stopped somewhere else in town, an unfamiliar but distinct image imprinted itself in his mind, a view of a shop called the Sunny Shield…wait, that sounded familiar. Pulling one of the cards out, his eyes widened a little as he recognized it as the same name. What the hell? Was he just creating false memories, or were these cards spiked with something? Wait no, that was ridiculous, he was making up crazy scenarios, yet again.

But the image wouldn’t go away. I fact, it was becoming more solid and detailed. There was a sign above the door telling people to come to the shop, and the rest sounded rather sinister, like something out of a blurb. Hmm, perhaps he had read something similar in a book and was imagining - as if in response, the picture became more focused yet again. Now he saw, with a slight constricted feeling in his chest, his own name, along with several others. And a potent sense of unease enveloped him, somehow urging him to find this place. Yes, then he’d find out what was going on…He shook his head, trying to clear the silly thought away, but it persisted. He wasn’t feeling too good now.

Felix continued his day as normal, albeit slightly shaken. At the end of his shift it was about 6:00pm. He checked the address on the card, deciding he would go, if only to stop these thoughts plaguing his mind. After quickly buying something from the store, as per his instructions, he exited for this strange destination.

Along the way, he handed out the remaining cards to a few people. While he felt uneasy about this, it wasn’t like him to refuse helping a small growing business looking for publicity. Besides, he reasoned, it was probably all just a figment of his imagination. Although that made him feel a bit stupid, carrying a lemon drizzle cake around and all.

Sebastian had gathered his listed items and extra, he looked down at the tub of chocolate ice cream in his hand and shrugged, putting it into the basket, heading for the till; paying for his goods and then leaving. Returning home he locked the door and went about restocking the kitchen.

As Sebastian finished packing everything away; he heard the sound of hissing and turned to see the cat hissing and preparing to attack, Seb sighed and glanced to the small mirror that hung in the empty door frame. Moving past the hissing cat, that batted out with a clawed paw at Sebastian’s ankle.

Closing the door to his room with a heavy slam, his vision faded as he looked out at the sunny shield, due to having only one eye himself, it didn’t feel sickening or off putting but still an alien memory, seeing the words form and then sign, his name amongst others, and then the date and time for ‘tea time’.

Shaking his head, he sighed and glanced to the door “the fuck was that?” he stepped back and thought on it some more “Sunny Shield, the hell kind of name is that.” Sebastian checked the time and nodded to himself before heading through into the kitchen, looking about okay what can i bring...the ice cream? nah. thinking to himself.

When it came round to near seven; Sebastian just took an icebox and the ice cream, he couldn’t be arsed to cook anything and on his bike he didn’t have much space for it to be honest, just enough for the icebox filled with ice cream really.

No, Amber definitely knew the face of the girl who turned to talk to her...but from where, she wasn't quite sure. Well, probably the school, since that was where pretty much everyone she knew was, but there were a couple other possibilities that she couldn't necessarily rule out. A camp, for instance, or even the street, if she was really combing her own brain.

Wherever Amber knew this other girl from, she realized that she wasn't going to satisfy her own curiousity unless she kept the interaction going. "Oh, sure! Can't believe I missed it, but the market's a pretty big place, isn't it?" She said, though she could probably have found it herself if she wanted to. She waited for a moment before moving, in case she would have to let the other girl turn around as the two of them located the sauce and dressings aisle, then looked around briefly for things she might have wanted from this aisle before heading off to get the mayonnaise.

As she and the other girl walked, Amber made sure there wasn't any dead air. "I don't know what happened, but there used to be another store, Emporia, that I'd always go to to get mayonnaise and things. I can't believe they closed." She'd have plenty of time while they were hanging out to figure out where she remembered this other girl, introduce herself, and so on, so it was certainly possible for Amber to make her conversation partner a little more comfortable. "Did you ever get stuff from there?" She added, making sure that the other girl had something to work with.

While this was happening, Amber also made a mental note of the blacksmith's shop that she could see something pointing to from outside the market entrance, which there was practically a straight line to from where they were. She might check it out later, she decided, once she'd gotten everything she needed. It wasn't every day you saw one of those in Timberland. Or, well, anywhere, really.

Taja's body went numb. Strike one came a warning from nowhere. She didn't even think anything of it as she got up and turned to walk out of the kitchen. She passed up the group she had been with and walked towards the front door. You know, kid, you could have stopped her. Elsworth appeared next to her. Taja kept her head down, she didn't feel like talking or listening to the stupid thing that always kept coming around when it was clear he wasn't wanted. I mean, why did she come after you and not the pervert? I just find it so str-"

Taja interrupted him, "Probably because it was me who had her go to the stupid gym, ElsWORTH." She said his name, mocking him like he was actually something of worth. "If I hadn't listen to the voice or the visions she wouldn't have ran after me! She would have gone home." She was screaming at him now.

The image of Rina bashing her head over and over again brought her pain, but somewhere deep inside it also brought her joy. Shaking her head ran towards the living room. "Where is the gym from here? I am wanna go home. I need to go home..." She glanced back towards the kitchen and saw just the feet of Rina. Her eyes started to water, "Someone needs to call the police..." She wasn't aware of her feet moving but she saw the phone behind where Rina lay. Before she knew it, Taja was walking in the blood was tippy toeing to the phone when she slipped in the blood. It took a few moments before she lifted her hands and saw red. "No no no..." She quickly got up and to the phone, dialing 9-1-1.

"911, what is your emergency?" A female voice came over the phone.

---

---

Cayson felt a chill near him and looked around. "Strange." He said before going back to his pickle selection. "Pa, pa pickle pa pa pa pickle." He sang as he looked through jars of pickles, making sure they were in good conditions and looked as fresh as a fresh pickle could be. He was just about to pick when a vision flashed before his eyes. He was to go to some kind of tea party at a place called The Sunny Shield at 8 p.m. and to bring food.

Once the vision ended Cayson stood up tall, he didn't like the feeling that was going through him. He looked around and saw an old couple and a lady in her twenties staring at him like he was some kind of piece of cake. Smiling awkwardly he went back to pick the jar of pickles he selected and then a couple more. "The vision did say to being food." He said to himself and walked to one of the cashiers and looked at his watch. It read 11:13 a.m. He had a good amount of time to go looking for Taja before he had to go have tea at the sunny place.

"Eleven dollars and ninety-four cents is your total." She said. Cayson dug around in his pocket and gave a fifteen dollars. "You sure do like pickles, huh?" She asked before turning to get his change.

"Yeah, plus going to bring some to a tea party." He said nonchalantly.

The cashier gave him a looked and laugh, "Well that is a bit odd to have, but hey if you like it then that it is all that matters." She said while she gave him his change. "You have a good day."

"Thanks, you too!" He waved as she jogged out the market. He headed towards the corner store that was near Taja's home. He planed on going around the block and towards the gym where that other girl who was too skinny was walking towards.

6 PM

Sonea opened the door to her shop and stepped inside, quickly shutting the door behind her. Looking flustered, she flicked on the lights to her shop so they displays could be illuminated. Sure it was closed but she had to be able to see where she was going. Her eyes passed over the displays or armor and weapons, looking to see if everything was still in it's place. She hmphed just a bit as she stepped into the side door on the right which lead into her apartment and headed inside.

The interior was lush with decour, potted plants and a small sill outside sat with fresh herbs growing with a small garden outside filled with roses and other fruit bearing plants. It seemed cozy as she set down her groceries. No sign of the cat, at least what she thought was a cat...maybe she was hallucinating the cat. Or maybe that cat was some sort of playing of light on her eyes. She sighed once and began to remove the items from her bag and put them onto the counters of her small kitchenette and opened the cubbords to place them inside. While opening one, was the severed head of the Chesire, grinning at her.

"Good afternoon"

She screamed and dropped the item she was going to place inside and slammed the door to the cubbord on the cat's face. There was no noise from inside but there was a woosh of air as the Cat now rested upon the countertop, balancing a chef's knife on his nose.

"Your a bit tense..Puurrfect. When your not on edge, your taking up too much space"

It grinned as Sonea reached out with her prosthetic arm and snatched the blade by the blade and set it back into the slot in the block while growling a bit at the cat.

"Go away, you arent real. You are not real...."

"I am about as real as anything else inside your noggin Sonea. You cannot possibly try to deny yourself that luxury. I am here and I am you, a piece of you at least. There is much you have forgotten isnt there? Now that we are alone and company wont be here till about eight, we have plenty of time to chat"

"We have nothing to talk about because you arent HERE!" She exclaimed and threw a tomato at the cat, which went right through it. The Chesire tsked loudly several times before he pointed to the kettle which sat on the stove. Your going to need that...I set tea for six. And YOU need to listen to what I have to say. Things have been set in motion that cannot be undone"

Sonea ignored the cat and finished putting away the groceries before she left the kitchen to head for her bedroom. As she left, the cat followed after her, appearing before her face and placed a paw on her forehead. She stopped and looked at the cat with hostility and anger as she tried to swat him away. The back of her hand connected and the cat vanished with a puff of smoke.

She nodded to herself and went into her bedroom to find the cat rooting around under her bed, only to pull out a box and set it ontop of the bed. Her gaze turned jagged as she had not moved that box from under her bed in years. Ever since...no no she shook her head several times as she headed for her closet.

"You never once thought to open it. Why? Arent you afraid to see whats inside?"

"I know what is inside cat. You do not need to remind me"

"Do I?" He asked as he reappeared before her and gleamed into her eyes, his own sapphire blue orbs piercing her own as she suddenly felt afraid.

"An eye to see the way, an arm to guide the path. A soul to drown the Light of Man..."

"Shut up...shut up shut up SHUT UP!"

Sonea yelled and turned to the bed and grabbed the box from ontop of it and swung it at the cat, which did absolutely nothing as the cat seemed to only grin wider and wider, threatening to tear it's face in half. He chuckled at her while growing in size and ferocity of his words.

"An eye to see the way, an arm to guide the path. A soul to drown the Light of Man...remember Sonea. Remember the night. You still have the nightmares...I know you do. Open it Sonea....Open it"

Sonea put her hands to her ears and pulled herself down as she fell on her ass. Crawling away from the cat which now appeared more as a monsterous tiger then a simple house cat. Maw red with blood and claws covered in gore with splatters of blood on it's coat with a grin chiseled onto its face.

"You claim to see what is before you and the life you have. Yet you are living in a wonderland Sonea...You have forgotten because you cannot see what is around you! OPEN THE BOX!"

Sonea screamed in bloody fear as she opened the box and gazed within it.

Within it rested a knife, long and sharp with swirling runes intertwined within the metal. Cold and made of a finely wrought iron ore with leather handle and a hold at the end of the hilt towards the top. There were swirls of silver along the top of the finely made blade with a small gemstone set in the bottom of the blade and appeared to be coated in dried blood. Her blood...

"The Vorpal Blade is snicker snack. It is swift and keen and always ready for service. Ahh Sonea, we cannot ever go home. No surprise really. Only a very few manage to find the way and most dont recognize it when they do. Their delusions are too die hard...only the savage regard the endurance of pain for the measure of worth. To forget pain is convinient, to remember it is agony. But the search for the truth is worth the suffering...and our world was damaged but is safe in memory. For now"

The Cat, now appearing normal was resting on it's back in mid air, staring at her with glowing eyes. A giggle coming through his furred lips as she was visibly pale and staring at the blade. Reaching out with a quivering hand, she took the blade and upon gripping the blade, she felt a wave of nausea come over her and she passed out cold.

The nightmare had come again, the same as before...the same misery and horror as before but something was different. More could be seen....she was in a circle of sorts, herself and seven others. All of them were garbed in black robes, chanting in a tongue she did not understand. The man from before with the knife she had seen in the box hovered over her and held the knife up to her chest.

The gemstone glowed as it touched her chest and she struggled in vain to get free...

"An eye to see the way, an arm to guide the way. A soul to drown the Light of Man, A Servant to sway the Black. Young Sonea, the Black has chosen you...to guide our eternal flock to a realm far beyond here. To the Other Side...and you shall be our salvation"

The knife went down and she awoke screaming and panting, looking about frantic and eyes full of terror. She held up the knife in her hand towards the room and she gazed for a few moments longer. She lowered the knife and then looked down at it, staring at her reflection in it and ran her fingers across it.

"You are well on your way" Said the voice of the cat

"Set the pot for tea...a guest is here"

She breathed in heavy as she heard a loud knocking coming from her door. She breathed heavily and coughed a bit while fixing her hair up and placed her knife behind her back and under her shirt. The time read 8pm

"Coming!" She yelled from upstairs and quickly ran down to the shop's entrance so she could greet the man, Felix at her door with a bit of a pant.

"Good evening! Welcome to the Sunny Shield! I take it your here for tea? Well come on in. Don't mind the weapons and armor" She said and stepped aside for him to enter. One down, four to go...

Sebastian passed through town, drawn towards the sunny shield smithy, the vision playing over and over in his head. “well done Seb, another bad idea…” he chuckled to himself, coming up onto the end of the street with the bike, the closer he got to his destination the more he felt the shadow in the back of his mind grow.

Slowing the bike down to park it up as Sonea answered the door for Felix, he looked on at the two before kicking the bike stand out and getting off the Yamaha virago. He’d remove his helmet, moving towards the back of his bike flipping up the visor of the helmet he’d fetch the chain from the space under the seats and chain the helmet to the back bike wheel and the chain.

Fetching the icebox out and setting it down he’d remove his gloves; open up the protective plated jacket to fetch his cloth eyepatch out from an inside pocket, putting it on and tying it back into place.

He’d wait just a minute, familiarising himself with the building and glancing to the sign, his shoulders loosening up from the tension and step forward approaching the building. “seems I’m early, hello again Sonea, i’m going to ask as calmly as i can” he takes a deep breath and speaks calmly, forcibly so. “The fuck did you do to me to make have that ‘vision?”

He glances to Felix, recognising him from the College. “Hey i swear I’ve seen you about the College grounds a few times…” he nods to himself and then adds. “and at the supermarket. Names Sebastian”

Entering the building about twenty seconds after Sonea steps aside to allow entry, he glances through into the shop “that a Kriegsmesser on the wall?” he points to the sword on the wall in the store, a german renaissance sword used mostly in duels, he nods to himself and thinks back to his brief few months in a HEMA (Historical European martial arts) group. “Eh been too long to go about buying such a thing” he sighs.

Amber was in luck today, though it was hard to say if it was good or bad, because a friend of hers who'd gone off to college last year came back to see her briefly. It wasn't the longest possible hangout (Marla said she was tired, and Olivia's parents were really strict) but it was still definitely the fine-pointed end to a good day. She'd met some new people, been with the ones she knew already, and, more importantly than she even knew....

Found out about this blacksmith's shop. She wasn't expecting to come across it in the evening (indeed, she might have forgotten about it the next day), but there it was, just a little ways down the road from her. Amber figured it was probably closed, but she might take a peek inside if she had a good opportunity. She wasn't quite sure what to expect (where would they make weapons? Would they even make weapons? It's not like people here would have much of a use for them...) but it was about the level and kind of unexpectedness she was best suited to. She wouldn't have to buy anything, after all.

She drove down a bit further, and as she approached it, she noticed it actually was open still. She pulled over, and looked in for a second. On the one hand, she figured it'd still be there in the morning, and she hadn't made any plans to go in, but on the other...she didn't know what. There was almost a pull she felt from the store.

She didn't like that, but it worked. She got out of the car, and walked in.

"Hello?"

Sebastian sat on the couch in the lounge, sat back he was no longer in his travel gear, the leathers elsewhere in the building out the way. With Sonea brewing up tea or coffee for the guests, he glanced around to everyone, likely awkward silence, for the first few minutes, what with four strangers brought to the same place, by the same dream, vision.

Sebastian glanced to the one chair empty in the room, he stood up and stretched.
“i need to check my dead eye, please excuse me” he walked from the lounge and towards the bathroom, after getting directions from the host in the kitchen; fetching, his medicine and heading there. He’d close the door and look at himself in the mirror, Removing the eyepatch he’d, push his hair aside to expose the scarred tissue and the fleshy fused ball that was once an eye. The remains fused with his eyelids.

He began his common procedure of medicine and applying the cream, to keep it from drying out and otherwise becoming worse, as he finished up he glanced to the toilet seat where something. Someone was sat watching him.

“I don’t like being ignored, though you’d know that aswell” Sebastian, stumbled back nearly tripping over, this stranger was identical to himself everything down to the scars.

“who the fuck are you!?” the other Sebastian just laughed standing up and crossing its arms a smirk on its lips.“poor little Seb, not a clue what’s going on; I’m you, dumbass. But I don’t let the petty things such as morality and being good...stop me getting what i want.” the inner demon swung its leg in catching Sebastian’s knee and buckling it, before slamming its hand against Sebastian’s throat.

In reality, to any other, watching Sebastian if they could, he might have been fighting his own limbs or fighting something not visible. “and that thing i want: is control” the grip tightened but Sebastian forced out “Fuck you, shithead” the demon grinned and threw Sebastian to the wall. When Sebastian, regained composure he glanced about the room and saw nothing.

He pulled himself up from the floor and looked into the mirror before putting the eyepatch back on, his neck bruising a little from the grip he had on himself. He came back into the lounge with a stranger there, going on about ‘being new to it as well’

“New to what?” his eye fell upon where he was seated before, sat cross legged as if nothing happened, was the other him, that sadist’s smirk on its lips.

“the fun is only just beginning...friend”

Felix was a bit startled to be met by the woman he’d seen at the store earlier. What’s more, the way she greeted him suggested she had been expecting him to arrive.

Rather shaken by whatever crazy stuff was happening right now, he stood blankly in the doorway for several seconds. It wasn’t until the young black haired man currently talking to the shop owner introduced himself that he came back to his senses.

“Oh, hi. I’m Felix, good to meet you both.” he replied, brightening up and offering to shake hands with Sebastian and Sonea. “But…seriously, what the hell is going on?”

“Yeah, actually, I think I’ve seen you around too.” He told Sebastian, still shaking slightly. As he looked around at the array of weapons, he made a sort of silent ‘whoa’. He didn’t have a clue what any of them were called, but he still thought it was pretty cool. “I know the card said this was a smithy but I thought it would just be, I dunno, horseshoes or something.” he remarked, placing the cake he'd brought on one of the tables our counters absent-mindedly.

Felix turned to the doorway at the arrival of a young blonde haired woman, around highschool age if he had to guess. He was about to greet her when yet another new arrival appeared. This one seemed…different somehow. What shook him was that she seemed to be suggesting she, in fact, knew exactly what was happening. And apparently, the shop's owner Sonea didn't. This was just getting more confusing by the second

“Er…yeah,” he began, after Sebastian had come back into the room and asked about what exactly was new. “I think we’d all kind of like to know what’s happening here.”

As the people began to make their way to the Shop, Sonea ushered the collective people inside. One by one they would enter and Sonea would smile a bit sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck as she had no idea what was going on herself. She smiled warmly at Felix and rubbed the back of her head again.

"Honestly I haven't the faintest clue. I kinda hope to try and figure it out myself"

There was clearly a look of confusion on her face as she laughed a bit nervously at Sebastian's statement about what she did to him and simply replied to him.

"I really don't know. It just kinda happened...I am honestly just as confused as you are about the whole thing. Also yeah it is! I made it myself. I made everything you see here"

As more guests came, the door opened loudly to show the eleven year old boy with a jar of pickles, Cayson. Sonea couldnt help but laugh at the adorable child and ushered him past all of the weapons and armor into her apartment area, next answering the door for Amber, whom had already called inside.

"Hello there! Welcome to the Sunny Shield, I am Sonea. Please come in and join us for tea. Everyone is in the living room past the open doorway"

Sonea remarked and then she shut the door once more and started to head towards the apartment section before the door opened again to reveal Kogo. This took Sonea back a bit, surely she had never seen this woman before in her life and she knew for certain that the cat had not touched her at all. The confusion was evident on her face as she ahemmed a bit and put on her best smile for Kogo while looking down at her a bit.

"Hi I am Sonea...and I really have no idea what is going on at this point. I am a bit fuzzy on this whole situation"

Above Kogo's head, now appeared the Cat whom lazily floated above her with a small purr on his lips

"Now this is interesting...I would instruct your crew to keep this woman's opinions in mind. She might have a few more keys to that thing you call a noggin"

"Though if you do have any sort of information Miss Kogo, I am sure I would love to hear it. As the rest of the people here would love to know" She gave her a grin and then disappeared for a few minutes, now having everyone in the main living area of the apartment and a tray of tea with crackers and cheese spread for everyone.

Now all attention focused on Kogo...