Jared Bayside's Story

June 10th, 10:00 a.m.

The town of Orchard Valley was unusually awake at the moment, everyone bustling to prepare for the Summer Moon Festival that would start at noon. Shopkeepers and artists were setting up display booths, and restaurant owners had called in more help than usual to get ready for this day. Until six o'clock, tourists and townspeople would visit booths to learn about the latest in silver detection, magical aids, coconut water cocktails, and other supernatural crafts and inventions. At eight, everyone would gather in Plum Square, aptly named as it was plum in the center of Orchard Valley, for the dance. At mifnight, the dance would end, and tipsy townspeople would stumble on home while buzzed tourists would trip their way to their hotels. That's how it happened every year, and there was no indication that it would be different this year.

Nothing except the new family. They would be the first humans in attendance. But it was no matter. Everything would go on as it always had.

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Ari Byron stretched his muscles from his place in the sun. He had fallen asleep on the window nook in the Owl Barn very soon after he had dragged himself down to the shop at six a.m. that morning to prepare for the festival. A lot of good that had done him. He jumped of the nook as a cat, which was his favorite animal to nap as, and landed on the ground as a human. Stretching again, he yawned hugely and started his way to the storeroom. He had no idea what Perry wanted for their booth this year, but it wouldn't hurt to see what new things they had and get a cup of coffee. Just as he was about to pass through the storeroom door, the back door's handle jiggled, and the door swung open.

Izzy beamed. She knew Belinda would go for the puppy dog look, just as she always did.

"Great!" she announced. She grabbed her friend by the hand and pulled her through the doors, not wasting any more time. "Now, it's not important that we hit all the booths, but it's important that we hit most of them." She continued down the sidewalk to Plum Street, not looking behind her.

"There's something different every year," she said. "I know you'll have fun."

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It was an early day at the shop for Perry. She doesn't even remember if she slept, but that's probably because she hadn't. She was up through most of the night knowing she had to do a booth yet no idea on what. She spent most of her time in the shop for a reason. It was her sanctuary, her happy place, her second home. Plus, she didn't need to speak to people most of the time if she was at her shop. It wasn't that she necessarily hated, well, everyone. It's just she had a little too much fun getting under peoples skin. It was amusing to bring something up and watch them squirm. Either way, she wasn't too excited to do this. She walked around the shop, placing books here, moving a few their, trying not to spill her tea. All the while Lucifer, her black cat with orange eyes, followed her around lazily, its eyes watching her like a young child watches his/her parent. Looking at the watch that hang from her wrist, Perry sighed. She might as well start getting some of the stuff from the back.

Going into the back room, Lucifer on her heels, she began grabbing all she could. Last year, she had quite a lot on the history and action of shape-shifting, using her friend as a short of example as he turned into a cat along side Lucifer, who had given the man-turned-cat a very exasperated look, not at all amused. This year, hearing about the new human family that had came to town, she thought in passing about how she could mess with them. She has never had the best experience with humans. They just don't understand, in her opinion. A cat-like smirk crossed her features and she looked down at her cat companion, a knowing look in its eye. Grabbing all she could on simple magic and illusions, she headed out of the room only to run into Ari, almost dropping the stuff in her arms. Lucifer let out a scared cry, darting around their ankles and out of site.

"Come to help?" Perry said, her voice flat as she walked around him, still holding all the books and supplies in her arms.

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Hex Code: #5A8AD1

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Breathe in, He thought to himself, taking in a deep breath. Breathe out, He let out the breath and smiled, opening his eyes to the black silk of the inside of his night-mask. Today was a big day with whatever it was type of celebration that this town was having. He sat up, stretching his body. Carefully, he removed his mask and sat it neatly on the nightstand, aligning it perfectly in front of the clock. His smile, now in a fake-like grin on his face, stayed as he intensely stared at the clock, waiting until it flicked a number then the alarm went off, to which he promptly stopped it then stood from his bed. He went about his morning duties and ended promptly on time before looking out the blinds of the front living room of the house, eyeing someone suspiciously that walked down the sidewalk.

Going into the kitchen, he poured himself some coffee, took a sip, spit it in the sink, poured the coffee out, then got himself a glass of water. And all in only a few minutes. Then he remembered he had a son. Smiling impossibly bigger, he went up the stares to his sons room, knocking a little tone onto the door before entering. "Hey, sport! How about you come with me to see what this little celebration is all about, hmm? Maybe you could, oh, I don't know, make some...friends?" His smile was cheesy, the way he spoke sounded scripted from some sitcom. The only time he seemed to show any real emotion was when he hesitated to say friends at the thought of his son interacting with such creatures.

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Hex Code: #2F8059

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((OOC: Sorry for taking so long to get this up. To be honest, I didn't even know it started until I got on and saw the notification today. #Embarrassed))

Henry's gaze flicked up towards the door and his father's voice. "Hey, sport! How about you come with me to see what this little celebration is all about, hmm? Maybe you could, oh, I don't know, make some...friends?"

He returned his attention to the key. Maybe someone knew the previous owners and knew what the key opened.

Maybe he could try to be less weird than his dad today. His dad was probably the weirdest person in the area, with his uncanny, goofy expression that seemed to be his default. As far as he knew, his expression was normal...ish. he wondered why his dad was so loopy. Was this his future?

"Sure, I'll be out in a moment." Between having to introduce myself to the people here, and thinking about....THAT, I'd pick the former.