Eris Jones's Story

Eris shook her head violently. "Don't worry, I won't eat anyone, much less one of my new coworkers. That would be bad, yeah? She laughed awkwardly. No need to mention that supernaturals didn't taste as good as humans, right? That would make it worse.

Being close to a busy section of town was good, though. Easier to blend in, much easier than a small town, or a conservative borough, where she'd stick out like a sore thumb. And if the clothes the Council had provided weren't enough to make her blend, like Molyneux said there were plenty of places to change up her style. Perhaps one of her new coworkers would have some ideas? She wasn't that picky, fashion-wise, survival was more important.

Eris turned, her senses sharpening as someone new came in. A customer? But his conversation with Molyneux made it obvious that he was part of the staff. She wasn't quite sure what part, but Molyneux seemed to like him a lot better than he liked her. She wasn't sure what to think of the newcomer, other than he obviously wasn't human, from the scent, but what he was, she had no idea. Cute kid, she thought, fully realizing the irony when she herself looked younger than she was, and for all she knew, the newcomer could be centuries old. His whole look just screamed casual teenager, but that, too, could be feigned.And what was it that he was reporting?

"I'm Eris Jones, she responded with a bright grin, almost reaching her hand out for a handshake for the second time in two days before sweeping it behind her back in an attempt to pull off a casual pose. She was sincere about being happy to meet him, any friend was a good friend, especially if she didn't have to hide who, or rather what, she was from them. "It's nice to meet you, Chou. And thanks, they, uh, came with the package." She cocked her head. "So what is it you do around here?"

As he answered, she scrutinized his hair. At a pause in the conversation, she apologized and explained, "I want to change my hair color again, I'm trying to figure out if that color would be a good contrast or too matchy-matchy with my horns. It's hard sometimes to get that right!"

"That's excellent, it's so hard to find--" Eris almost spoke over Chou, and was silenced as he was by Molyneux' interruption.

Well. That was certainly true. Eris thought, unoffended. she was weird, it was a new fact of her life, and one she'd had to learn how to work around. But the horns were much easier for people to accept than other things, and they often proved an excellent distraction in certain situations. She'd actually rammed a guy with them once. But Chou had a point--red was a good next choice. Although given Molyneux' attitude about it, she didn't think he'd be flattered if she tried to match his color. Maybe a brighter crimson? With purple ends?

"I'll be stuck here no matter what," she retorted calmly, "and it's fun to have different hair colors. Makes the day a little brighter, don't you think?" Eris looked up at her bangs and amended, "Not this color, but you get the idea."

A guard dog, huh? I wonder how literal that is? Chou didn't smell like any dog she'd ever met, but demons didn't always follow normal rules. Did he simply have dog-like qualities and strengths, or could he literally shape shift? It was probably rude to ask, so instead, she handed over the keys from her skirt pocket without protest.

"The room was fine. Like I said, I don't really need much. Besides, I can always pick up odds and ends at the store if I want to personalize it." She shrugged. "But to be honest, I'm not that worried. Japan's different from where I'm from, and I need to learn a lot to blend in like you guys do."

She looked out the window. "And while we walk around, if you wouldn't mind showing me all of the escape routes of this place, and pointing out the best ways out of town, that would also be helpful. You never know when you need to run." Eris laughed a little. "I'm not saying that I'd flee the Council, though, I know they can track me down easily and they would make me pay dearly for it. I'm more worried about an emergency situation."

"Special? Guinea pig?" Eris tried not to laugh, but utterly failed. Once it died down, she explained, "I'm from a little nowhere town in the middle of the US, and the Council certainly does not consider me either of those. Although I guess an experiment is closer to to truth. They want to see how I will cope in the outside world, if I can keep hidden and follow their rules." Although frankly, I wasn't doing that bad on my own. Not really. Except for... but that wasn't my fault. And then the Council had snatched her up and made their judgement, and their sentence. Japan wasn't bad for a prison, but prison it was. And as for the length of the sentence, well, no one had bothered to tell her.

Her lips quirked. "And yes, I am aware that the Council has made me your responsibility and you, too, would track me down, but I know how futile that effort would be. I'm not interested in knowing the consequences of such an action." Because they might just go ahead and kill me, just to be done with it.

Eris wished they knew each other better for this conversation. She knew she was leaving much unsaid, and wondered if the same was true for him. Time enough for that later, assuming they ever got closer than "annoyed babysitter" and "reluctant employee." That might be setting her hopes far too high, but Chou certainly seemed like a potential friend. As long as there was one, she supposed, she could get through this.

"A proposition, hm? Sounds intriguing!" Eris quipped as she put her hands on her hips. "And yes, I have everything I need for now. The Council was good enough for that, at least. Well, shall we?" She asked, motioning to the door. "And yes, before you say anything, I am quite eager to explore. I've never really been much of anywhere before.

Almost dumbfounded by the whirlwind of activity that was the "bar manager," Eris quietly followed Molyneux out into the sunlight. It sounded like Lilian was yet another person she would have to impress, not only to keep her job, but to keep getting turned into anything--that is, if Molyneux was in interest. She didn't know him well enough to know if he was joking, but he certainly didn't seem like it. She was, however, a person who liked lists, and that could only be for the better.

The city looked much different in the daylight than it did at night. When in the darkness it was lit up with neon lights like jewels, albeit flashing ones, in the daytime it was much more monochrome. Certainly not dull, she noted as she observed the humans rushing around them, barely giving her and her boss a second glace. Too busy, or just too interested? She had no idea. Eris had been prepared to face some scrutiny, and a few did stare, but whether it was the company or her outfit, they seemed to dismiss her as just another eccentric. There were some girls dressed similar to her on the streets, others in costumes like she had worn the day before, mostly in groups. And there were even a few dressed even more wildly, which she found encouraging to see. None with horns, but there were some unique ensembles that put even those in the shade.

Everything was in Japanese, but the spell allowed her to read it well enough. Lots of advertisements for all sorts of things, most quite uninteresting, but on an unassuming section of the entrance to a subway, she saw a mention of a night market. That could be a good place to find deals, especially since she needed food in more bulk than most. And Lilian didn't seem the type to simply let her supplies be depleted without taking action. As Eris wanted to avoid whatever "action" that would be, a night market seemed to be a good place to venture. Assuming she had the time off, of course.

"So what all does Lilian do?" Eris asked, breaking the silence. "She seems very ... capable, and her hair is amazing. What is she?" Not to mention she was around the same height as Eris herself, which was uncommon at home but seemed more common here.

The train. Something to remember. And be very, very polite to the witch. Got it.

"Just a me thing," Eris said, her attention moving away from the crowd. "It's fun to be able to change something I can control, y'know? And it makes me feel like I stand out less, like it goes with the whole thing. Believe me, with normal hair, jeans and a tshirt, plus the horns, I look quite suspicious." She shrugged. "The demons where I was living before suggested it. They actually suggested piercings, too, but I haven't gotten around to them. The whole punk thing, I guess?"

The noise of the train station was too loud to speak for a moment, so she paused as they went through the turnstiles and onto the train. Holding tightly to a ring above her, the noise of the crowd dulled to a distant hum and instead, the sounds of the train moving on the tracks and quieter conversations of the passengers was a stark contrast.

"I wish I could make this easier for you," Eris said, shifting her feet a little. "I had no more choice in this than you did, and as far as I could tell, I was surviving just fine on my own. And although they didn't tell me how long I would be here, believe me, I'll be as helpful as I can and leave as quickly as they allow."

Another wave of passengers cramming into a fairly full train made her pause. The horns gave her a bit of extra space, but Japanese passengers, inured to the weird and more concerned with fitting into the train, had started to press in. It didn't seem a good time to elaborate, so she stopped again. And really, what else can I say? He's not happy, I'm not happy, no one's happy. The Council seems to really excel at doing that to people.

It took only another stop before it was time for them to exit the train, so as they walked outside and the crowd rapidly thinned, Eris finished by saying, "If you'll just give me a shot, I won't let you down. I know my situation is... problematic, but I'll do my best."

"The Council...?" Eris paused, then shook her head. "No, I met them later... or rather, they found me later. So far as I know, this was done to me by someone altogether different, and for what purpose, I don't know. As to whether or not this makes me better, I will agree to disagree. In many ways my human life was simpler, and certainly less dangerous. And besides, I never wanted power."

She took a deep breath and blew it out, then shrugged. "But what's done is done. And I am much more able to defend myself now than I was, and for that I am indeed grateful."

Listening to Molyneux' explanation, she followed as they made their way through the city, surrounded by masses of people. At Molyneux' offer, she stifled a gasp, but not the wide grin that followed. "That is very generous of you, boss. I would love to!"

The inside of the boutique was crammed with items, but carefully placed and organized, changing what could have had the air of a thrift shop into more of a treasure trove. Jewelry, clothes, books, and all sorts of other knick knacks and odds and ends covered the shop, each more appealing than the next. How could she choose just one thing?

Someone cleared their throat near the back of the shop and spoke, still hidden by tall shelves. "May I help you find something?"

"I'm not sure, Eris said, still trying to take everything in. My boss, Molyneux, sent me in. He said you owed him a favor. I think he feels bad for me," she added with a laugh.

"Yes, of course." An old woman came around the shelves, her spine straight despite what appeared to be an advanced age, steel gray hair ruthlessly pinned in a bun at her nape. "Molyneux." She said with a wide smile. "Such a smart boy. And so helpful! I would have lost this shop by now if not for him. Beautiful things can attract danger, but I'm sure you know that."

Eris fingered the sleeve of a fashionable black leather jacket. "Danger can also be rather indiscriminate."

"It can. But in all things, there is purpose. That jacket, for instance. It would become you well, but I do not think that is what Molyneux sent you in for." The woman chuckled. "Assuming he thought that far ahead. Perhaps you are right and he simply wanted to cheer you up, but I am happy enough to indulge whatever whim brought him here. My debt to him is far more than any of these things can repay." She looked around her shop with a proud gaze, the graceful lines of her simple clothing a great contrast to the often bedecked and bedazzled items of her shelves.

The woman looked at Eris' horns for a moment, and then back to her shop. "No, I think you need something different. Forgive an old woman her assumptions, but I think you need something more meaningful than beauty. After all," she said as she pulled a book off of a shelf, "knowledge is power, and a girl needs every advantage she can get in a world like this."

Eris took the book carefully, with respect for what looked like a loose spine and old leather binding. Carefully opening the cover, she silently read the title, and looked up with surprise. "A complete Demonology? I can't take this, it must be far too valuable."

"I insist. You can use it much better than most of my customers, and besides, I've read it cover to cover. The strengths and weaknesses of demons, as well as other dangerous creatures of this world, will help you, and if it can keep you safe I will count my debt to Molyneux paid in full." The old woman paused. "At least one of them."

Eris bowed deeply and thanked her, but the old woman would have none of it. After a few more pleasantries, Eris headed back out into the sunlight, her gift wrapped neatly in a parcel and inside a small bag. "She gave me exactly what I needed!" She exclaimed, almost skipping up to meet him on the street.

Eris lifted the bag as if to present the contents within to someone with x-ray vision. "A book on..." She attempted to rephrase for ears that might still be listening, no matter how few, "our people. I've been stumbling around the the dark about it, and this book will be a great help. By the way, the woman kept complimenting you, you must have done something really great for her!"

She considered the question carefully as they stood, trying to determine how best to answer. She tugged on her hair, fidgeting a little, and then spoke. "I believe, very firmly, in accepting gifts with gratitude. To do less would disrespect the giver, and an ungracious recipient is something I was raised to believe as extremely rude."

Eris looked away. "And besides..." she said, more quietly but with conviction, "repayiing debts is important. The Council's actions have prevented me from repaying several great debts, and as soon as I have my freedom again I intent to do so. It is not a comfortable feeling, knowing that out there, there are people that have done me very great favors and that I cannot do the same, to both balance the scales and show my affection and gratitude towards these people. So when you tell me that someone owes you a favor, I consider it an honor to help her to balance those scales, and it in turn puts me in both your and her debt.

"You did not have to "lend" me your favor, and that woman did not have to ensure that what I took with me was something I desperately needed. I could have left with a trinket, and her debt still would have been paid. So if there is a way I can repay this favor to you, or to her, I will do so."

Eris rolled her eyes and sighed. "That's for the best. I doubt the Council would respond well to anyone not completely under their thumb. I'm glad you're getting at least something out of this deal, because they're not exactly accommodating." She held up her hand in a copy of an oath in court, "And I swear I will never reveal any of your secrets to the Council. I owe you at least that much, in return for all you've done for me already."

"That's what I'd like to do, I think," Eris said, considering. She'd been so focused on the hazy mental image of someday being able to return "home," she'd just about forgotten that even the home she'd found after her rebirth hadn't been much of a home at all. The US was what she knew, the culture she felt most comfortable in, but no matter where she was, with humans she was always an outsider. Grinning internally at her own melodrama, she continued, "But it would also be nice to travel, see more of the world, eat new foods and meet new people."

Not eat new people. NOT. notnotnot. Her stomach growled, so she took a few nuts out of her pocket and ate them before she spoke again.

"I hope I will gain my freedom eventually. The Council seemed to imply it, but I agree that it might be a false hope. They really like having control over people, especially if they can use them in some way, it seems." She shrugged. "But faint hope is better than no hope at all."

"Patrol? That sounds like fun. I have to admit I've had no formal combat training, but I'd be glad to help if you need it. Especially if we're helping people like that woman. She was just so kind." Eris flexed her hands, imagining someone like that woman being threatened, angry at the thought of innocents hurt due to greed or even hunger. She'd only briefly glanced at her new book, but between that and what she'd learned back in the US--as well as a few comments by the Council--she was hardly the only demon species that saw humans as food, in one way or another.

She followed towards the bakery, noting how the scents changed as they navigated the busy streets, the stronger scent of baking bread beginning to fill the air, almost beckoning her forward. "Good!" she said with a small smile. "I like to keep busy, anyway. And that bakery smells so, so good. Yum."

"Don't worry, I will." she answered just as quietly.

Eris looked around at the pastries under glass, most unfamiliar, but all bright and cleverly done. The humans running the shop must be talented indeed to produce such artistic designs through pastry, and they must taste good given how long the line was, stretching back from the counter. Everyone looked happy and eager, forgetting the cares of the day in favor of the promise of baked goods before them. Excellent, just her kind of place.

"Something sweet?" Eris asked, peering eagerly around her, her eyes moving from case to case, as hungry as her stomach. "Feel free to just choose something for me, I'm not really sure what I'm looking at here."
And at a discounted price, she'd feel less guilty at spending more of his money. Or actually...

Reaching into another pocket, she pulled out some yen, she wasn't sure how much, and offered it to Molyneux. "My treat? If this isn't enough I have more, and I'm quite hungry enough to eat whatever you get." She paused. "Especially if cake is involved."

A child pointed to her horns, chattering to her mother in broken Japanese, who shushed her and refocused the child's attention on another bite of a pastry. The small section of the shop with circular tables, only big enough for two or three people at once, was absolutely full. School age children were absent, given that it was the middle of the day during the week, but all sorts of other ages were represented. The noise was intense, but it served as a distraction from Eris' stomach. Snippets of conversation about their daily lives, plans, things that she wanted to have back again. Perhaps the only good thing about the Council's kidnapping was that, once again, she would be put into a daily routine. A steady job was good for that, if nothing else.

"Does the bar offer any other specialties, or have any events coming up?" She swept her long hair behind her, her hands in her pockets. "The bars back home are pretty boring, other than karaoke and trivia nights, do you guys do anything like that?"

Eris laughed, quickly trying to muffle it behind her hand. "Not eat? Nothing I can think of. I'm definitely not picky."

Demon nights at the bar? That sounded fun. Or terrifying, she guessed, depending entirely on the attendants and activities. Yet more people she'd have to learn to blend in with, and she didn't know if that would be easier or harder than blending with humans. On the one hand, she wouldn't have to hide what she was, but on the other hand, she had very little experience interacting with demons. She'd only met a few in the States, and she didn't think they were all quite the usual of their type. Japanese demons, too, would be an entirely different ball game.

She grinned. "Anything you don't like, I'm up for whatever. Just shove one at me and I'm good to go." Walking easily beside him, she ate her cake with glee and almost indecent quickness. The flavor was much lighter and more subtle than she was used to with American desserts, but it was still very good. Once she'd saved a decent amount of money, assuming that was possible, maybe she'd treat herself to a whole box of all different kinds, wholly to herself. Greedy, yes, but oh so satisfying.

Licking her fingers clean, she followed Molyneux through the streets, enjoying the wind that ruffled her skirt and through her hair. The ocean wasn't too far, Eris could smell it, and wondered how long it would be before she had a day on the beach. She wasn't sure if there was a swimsuit in her luggage, it seemed doubtful, so that was yet another thing on her list of items to buy as she settled into her new life. Along with hair dye, and practical clothes, at least for her off days. Would a pair of yoga pants be asking too much? Tennis shoes without a platform heel?

"Maybe Chou could tell me about these festivals, or point me towards a book. I'm not really familiar with that part of your culture, although I'd like to learn." Eris admitted. "The few festivals I have heard of, though, sound like a lot of fun."