what's the body count up to now, captain?

"What's pat a shoe?" he questioned as he led the way to another area of the rock pool, realising a little to late that he may have butchered that pronunciation, tips of ears turned red with embarrassment, "That wasn't right was it? I can attempt to say that again if you won't mind repeating it? And please, it's only fair you talk on your interests if I can ramble on mine."

Bea found herself actually interested the longer Jonah went on. Her brows rose at the mention of starfish with more than the normal five arms. She hadn't really thought about them past the colloquial cartoon imagery. "Twenty? How does that even work? She looked between the common starfish and back to Jonah a few times trying to conceptualize it. "Wait, so what's the difference between a fish and a sea star?" She laughed at the slight dig towards his own profession, "Well at least they're not pretentious about it either, right? It helps for the layman to not have to deal with the scientific jargon." While she might have had an inkling that painting the shells wasn't the best idea, she didn't know it was outright dangerous. "Oh. I wonder if they know that." They likely did, but profits over health, right? A small laugh found its way out at Jonah's little joke. "Yeah, yeah, I got it."

"Ah, it's a type of pastry dough. Instead of relying on yeast or baking powder to make it rise, you use a steaming method. And don't worry, no one here cares if you pronounce it right or not. Pâtissiers are the kind to get pretentious, so no one expects people to say it right," she laughed as she followed him to the other side of the rock pool. "But you can also just say 'choux pastry.' You use it to make eclairs and cream puffs and if you do it right, you get the lightest pastry ever. It's one of my favorites. Super simple flavor profile but it's always a favorite because it's classic." If asked, Bea might have said strawberry cream puffs were her favorite pastry at some point. When she was in California she would make herself some when she was starting to feel too stressed out. It was good practice for the dough and cream so it felt like she was studying instead of spiraling. "You ever had a cream puff before? That's the dough. Now I was promised some hermit crabs, so what should I be looking for?"

≽·≼

Part of the problem with trying to draw in foot traffic was that people had to know they ought to be walking by, and where, which was a very practical reason for hanging fliers in Kui's opinion. Lucky for them, this style of advertisement hadn't completely changed—they'd been worried at first that it might be like how the radio was youtube, and phone calls were texts, and some things were just "in the cloud", a disarmingly vague phrase that escaped any satisfactory explanation. But with the reassurance from their staff that paper fliers were still completely acceptable, Kui struck out on a mission. They had a list of locations, a stapler, and a determined expression as they stapled and pinned and tacked the notes around town.

They were finding a space on a pole that seemed to have no space at all, circled around it twice trying to find a spot that didn't cover someone's lost pet, offers of leaf collection, or music posters, and they finally settled for a space near the bottom. Crouched, they felt someone's presence at their back and blinked up at the sun-shadowed silhouette. "Excuse me, are you still able to read this if it's down here? It's not ideal, I get that, but I can't cover anyone else's sign up. Someone's misplaced a hedgehog, and I can't in good conscience deprive a garage band of their potential audience. Rock and roll can never die."

"Ah, even as short as I am, it's not the ideal reading height, no," Bea said with an apologetic smile. "Well, I'm glad you've got your moral compass on the straight and narrow, Kui. Can't let rock and roll die, as close to extinction as it is," she joked. "Hm, what about this one? It's for a yard sale that ended... two months ago," Bea said before pulling the paper loose from the pole near the middle. Prime real estate, if she could say so herself. "Should fit right about here, don't you think?" she asked them before plucking out a few stray staples. "And if you have any extras, we have a bulletin board at Sucre you could place one on. I think Leyla has one at the Daily Drip as well. Best time to get them is when they're hungry and bored. They'll do anything to take their minds off how much they're starving while they wait for their name to get called."

Reese wrinkled her nose in a show of disgust. "No way. I prefer to live in the moment. Or as my dads call it, 'ignore any consequences that the future may bring'", she laughed and took another sip of her drink.

Her eyes drew themselves from the stars to the woman beside her. "Is that so? And did you? Know them?" Reese wasn't sure if she meant the stars or the woman Aiyla mentioned or both, but she supposed that was for her drinking buddy to figure out. "Ah, poetry, science, and history? That's two too many school subjects for me, Baysal." There was probably some documentary Reese had woken up to once about the big bang and all the matter of the world coming from the stars or something-- or maybe it was a pinterest quote that said something about being made from stardust, but she had a feeling Aiyla knew what she was talking about. "I know there's like, science about it, and I won't pretend to remember what that is, but it's nice to think that we're made of the same stuff, right?" Reese wanted to laugh at Aiyla calling herself a lunatic, but she said it in such a hushed whisper that Reese couldn't bring herself to do it anyway. Instead, she bumped her shoulder gently against the other woman. "Nah, I've been in Poppy's bar often enough to know who the real lunatics are and they don't sound near as pretty as you do when you talk about stars." She paused for a moment before grinning, "Usually it's about the end of the world or some weird guys with podcasts."

With the lateness of the hour, the laundromat, cool with the first hint of September, was mostly abandoned beyond the few stragglers waiting for their final washes to finish. But Efe himself appreciated the quiet, allowing the steady thumping of the machines to lull his thoughts as he folded his finished clothing and tucked it into his bag. When everything was so chaotic, he found solace in mundanity, in the easy mindlessness of everyday necessities. Grabbing a cart and wheeling it over to the wall of dryers, he opened a top one and began pulling out another bundle of t-shirts and sweats. Returning to his folding, however, he bent down to the floor and picked up a discarded white baby tee. It had sparkly pink letters that read "Bite Me" with fangs. He raised an eyebrow, clearing his throat. "Is...uh, is this yours?"

It was a testament to how out of it Reese was that she hadn't even clocked Efe in the laundromat at the same time as her. Though she usually threw her clothes in at the gigantic washers they had at the Inn, she'd been spending less of her time there lately. "Ah! There it is! I'm surprised you didn't know it was mine off the bat," she said, taking the shirt from his hand and placing it in front of her chest. "It's definitely up my alley, right?" She gave him a grin, but it didn't come as naturally as it should have. The shirt was tossed into the rest of her laundry, where it would remain unfolded until she chose to wear them from the wrinkled pile. "Although I bet if it were just a couple sizes larger, I think you'd pull it off really well too. We could even match."

"Thanks?" Reese said as she took the box from his outstretched arm with her non-bleeding hand. He looked pained for a second and she had a flashback to that one twilight movie. "Ah, my bad." Popping her finger into her mouth, she sucked up the blood and opened the box with her free hand. "That help any?" she asked around her finger. It felt a little mean to drink the blood when he couldn't, but also kinda funny and she'd do anything for the bit. It didn't take too long to fish a band aid out of the box and once she's managed to unwrap it one-handedly, she wiped her finger on her shirt to get the saliva off. "There we go, that should be good. Feeling bloodlusty? Gonna go all Twilight on me or are we okay?"

Her nose wrinkled at the very true but rude callout and handed the first aid kit back, stuffing the band-aid wrapper in her pocket. "Hey! Sometimes we have intrusive thoughts and they win, okay? I was just checking," she ended in a mumble. "But... I guess you could help me find the paintbrushes. You know, so I don't get a papercut from the package or something. Since I'm very delicate, apparently."

A more genuine smile pulled at the corners of her lips as he went into National Geographic mode, like a more anxious version of the Crocodile Hunter. "So, just a regular starfish?" she asked, amused that even the most basic of the species could make him so excited. "Yeah, still pretty nice," she parroted as she watched him gently moved it aside to search for more tiny sea creatures. "I don't know, I think starfish are still pretty cool to look at," she said, giving him a small smile. "But I wouldn't mind seeing the hermit crabs. I don't think I've ever seen one without a painted shell in a per shop."

Her head tilted to the side at his apology. "Hey, don't apologize for that. If you ever wanted to get me going all you'd need to do is ask me about my preference for pâte à choux and I'd go on for hours." She wanted to give him a pat on the shoulder or something, but they didn't really know each other that well. Instead, she said, "Fish talk can be fun too. I was just walking to walk, so I don't mind seeing some interesting fish while I do it." Without giving him the chance to add in some more self-deprecation, she stood up straight and gestured with her head to the direction he'd pointed in before. "Come on, show me some hermit crabs."

Her instinct was to deflect, to smooth over any ruffled feathers, of course she was okay, why wouldn't she be? Nothing wrong here. Except. Well, he knew her too well for that. "Ah, well, things are okay as they can be after most of the town got trapped in their worst nightmares and my fae had to fish them out?" She grimaced took a sip from her own paper cup. "And how do you know I don't have any pastries up my sleeves, huh?" After a pause she said quickly, "Ah, I don't, actually. Sorry if I got your hopes up. Armand was still doing prep when I stopped by so nothing was actually ready and the day olds were already taken by the staff last night so." She gestured with her hand to indicate they were gone, a little fluttering wave. "Uh how are you, though? Was work... good?"

"Well shit Reeses pieces, you're the one who made it for me." If they were getting kicked out of this class he'd presume have his part in it, too. "Did you forget I have a lactose allergy? Pft." Alex rolled his eyes as he easily rolled into the next yoga position. "Some friend." Sarcasm always seemed to be their usual. Where fuck you meant I like you alright, but also sometimes fuck you.

"For you?" Alex bellowed a laugh, the last disruption their instructor seemed keen to take as they were asked to leave with a cut of the teacher's eyes to the door. "I don't think it will. But I know a place doing bottomless brunch and that might."

"I made it for myself, it's not my fault if you stole it," she tossed back, shaking her hair out of her face indignantly, "It's actually kind of rude of you, really. It's like biological warfare." Reese wasn't unaware of the lingering stares or the daggers being shot her way, but with Alex's approval it seemed like they weren't gonna be here much longer. In for a penny, in for a pound, right? "I'm... a friend. Never said I was your best friend. You'd need to have long blonde hair and a way better for that," she said with a wink. There was some truth in there as much as a joke, what with her strongest relationship being Poppy, but also coming to realize that she actually wasn't too great of a friend. But that was something for Future Reese to worry about. Or Never Reese. That was more likely.

When it looked like the instructor was going to snap Reese in half (and actually turn her into Reese's Pieces), Alex suggested food and that was all it took for Reese to snap back up into a standing position. "Brunch it is," she said with a nod and started to roll up the mat she was using. If there was an audible sigh of relief from the rest of the class, it was probably just a breathing exercise, right? After smacking Alex with the rolled up mat on his back, she darted towards the class door. Once they were both outside she let out a breathless laugh. "Oh god please tell me there's actually a bottomless brunch we can get because that was the worst. I think that tight ponytail was cutting off the circulation to our instructor's brain." Reese started walking down the street, eager to place some space between them and the studio, despite not knowing where Alex was taking them. "Oh wait, is it Rose-Tinted? I'm not sure if I'm allowed back there." She stopped suddenly, just thinking about their holiday carousel gave her motion sickness all over again. "Dark times were had."

Kotaro never signed up for a yearly subscription as fast as he did when he found of Lunar Cove had a community garden. As happy as he was to reunite with family and finally start settling down again, there was one part of his old home in Oku Senbon he missed dearly: his personal garden. He can't help but think of that personal getaway from time to time and wonder if the deserted property had been resold, if that buyer knows how to preen his precious tomatoes just right.

But, back in the present, Kotaro contently occupies himself in the garden. Stood beside an empty woven basket, he crouched down at plant level and scavenges for vegetables either hidden behind greenery or deemed too ugly to be desirable. Harvest season was making its way around the corner; anyone and everyone was getting their pennies worth before winter and unfortunately Kotaro found himself at the wave's tail end. Oh well. Ko can make due. Whatever amount he can salvage here was probably cheaper than the total amount he'd have in a supermarket anyhow.

Between the foliage, Kotaro caught a glimpse of someone approaching. "Oh. Uh. Hey there." He got to his feet with a grunt, the front of his white collared shirt from the night shift before caked in soil. It was the same dirt caught under his fingernails and on his hands as he rubbed them together. "...Can I help you?"

Bea hadn't had time to check on the figs earlier in the week and she did a little speed walk before her shift at Sucre, hoping that the tree in the corner of the community garden had gone unnoticed while they ripened. Small wicker basket in hand, she pushed the gate open and made a bee-line to the corner where she was praying some figs were still hiding. A tall man unfolded from where he had been crouched amongst some other plants and she jumped in surprise. "I have a membership!" She said quickly, for some reason worried that she'd be accused of stealing, despite the protection spells in place. "I uh, I just wanted to check on a tree," she said, walking towards the tree now to see her fig tree was mostly picked to the bone. "Ah, too late, I guess," she murmured mostly to herself, her shoulders slumped. Bea sighed and dropped her head back with a small frown when she spotted them: a couple of figs sat higher up in the tree, higher than most could reach, it would seem. "Actually, do you know if they have a ladder around here?"

location: Bliss Yoga in Downtown Lunar Cove

When a witch lost control of their emotions, their magic went haywire. With a gift like teleportation, losing control could put Alexander in dangerous places. The first time he ever teleported he found himself on top of the town's water tower with no idea how to teleport back to his bedroom. He was eventually rescued, but no one was coming to save him if he accidentally teleported into a volcano. So, Alex began an exercise regiment at a young age that included yoga and meditation.

After recent events, Alex's routine had been disrupted. He wasn't sleeping or eating well, yet alone finding time for his healthy habits. It'd been a lot of whiskey in his coffee cup, and he thought it was time to get back to at least one good thing. Before he ended up having a magic fit straight into the bottom of the lake.

Group yoga wasn't his usual thing, but he needed a change in scenery to inspire a little change. He was mostly quiet as the class started, not that Alex was by any means shy. As an aura reader, he was taking everyone in and acclimating to the energy of the room. It was peaceful, as advertised, until someone in the back half of the room let wind. It took everything in him not to burst into a fit of laughter, which he withheld even as a few others giggled, but Alex couldn't help my mumble, "Talk about letting go.."

Since the whole Ren Faire nightmare from hell situation, Reese hadn't been able to use her ability to control fire. Not even a little spark from her fingertips, a party trick she'd been pulling out since she was a preteen. One of the other witches in the coven said something about meditation and clearing her head and something about alignment, but by the time they'd gotten past the suggestion, her eyes had already glazed over. But after not being able to use her favorite freaking thing she decided it was worth a shot.

That's how she found herself on a borrowed mat next to the second biggest troublemaker she knew (the first being herself, of course) doing a doggy position or something. Plenty of people around town could testify to just how flexible Reese was, but she was still having a bit of trouble getting all the poses right. Just when she thought she had a handle on things, a not so silent toot sounded from the back of the room and Reese was on the ground laughing in a second. "Damn Alex, I thought I told you to skip the breakfast burrito today," she joked as she tried to contort herself into the pretzel their instructor was trying to put them into. "I don't know how they were even relaxed enough to let that out. I'm over here sweating more than that time I tried soul cycle." That ended with her soul cycling out of her body. "When does this start being relaxing?"

Growing up her home was full of music. Her mother had favored the piano, a talent Aiyla herself never quite picked up beyond playing party songs in the uncharacteristic melodies. When she ran away she left it all behind- every cd, record and beloved song in her past. Part of her thought she would never see them again. She'd barely resigned with the fact that some things in life remain lost to us. Acceptance was difficult so as her fingers flipped through records she suddenly paused when her fingers slipped over a familiar album. Her heart thumped a bitter-sweet ache as she gingerly grabbed the album, Aerial by Kate Bush. She could still hear Defne singing King of the Mountain while getting ready for a night out. Aiyla spun to the internal music clutching the record, "Can we put it on?" She asked eagerly waiting for the melodies to fill the store. "I'm gonna get it and more." She smiled, moving to the melody and singing the lyrics to herself as she piled a few more records into her arms oblivious to those around her.

Option B Starlight Bar

Aiyla rattled the ice in her empty cup not noticing it empty until she attempted to take a sip and ice fell down her chest. Wipping the cook water away she sets the empty glass down, barely taking her eyes off the sky, "Do you think it's sad or promising?" She asked with a tilt of her head, "We're told the light we see is from already gone stars." She dropped her gaze her thoughts tipsy and warm, she smiled to her neighbor, "I'll buy the rest of the drinks for the night if you can tell me what constellation that is." She enticed tracing the outline of the grouping of stars.

"Oooh, feeling existential tonight?" Reese teased as she took another sip of her own drink. "I think it's just--" she shrugged before leaning on the bar with her elbows. "Life. They're dead. But kind of nice to think that even in death they're not forgotten, right? Even years from now, people are still going to see the same stars, even if they're already gone." Reese leaned back in her chair to look at the sky with her drinking partner of the night. "Uh... damn, where's Poppy? She'd know that probably." If it wasn't one of the dippers, she was shit out of luck. "Uh, Orion's belt," she guessed, remembering it from the Men In Black movies. "Do you know all your constellations, then?"