spirit & soul

"Huh?" Charlie popped her head out curiously as she was told to wait. "Oooohhhh." Her head bopped, which she realized he might not have been able to see before she said, "Right, that's me! At Charlie forecasts on Lunar Link if you want to follow me for all the latest weather updates." She quietly laughed at herself after her little ramble. The sound faltered at the mention of using her siren abilities to predict the weather. "Uh, well... you see?" Her accent began to show a little more than before. A soft, southern lull. "Unfortunately, I'm not too good at all that siren stuff? I'm learnin'..er, well I am tryin' to. It's hard." She admitted. "You're Jonah the fish guy, right?"

At the mention of his name, he let out a quiet laugh. "Am I officially 'the fish guy' now?" he asked. "I spent years getting degrees and somehow that's what sticks. Not complaining though. That's me." It didn't bother him at all though, been called worse. "And for what it's worth, I think siren meteorologist sounds a lot more impressive than human fish guy."

Shaking his head at himself, Rohan laughed as he took the offered bag; he tucked it discreetly beside himself on the bench. "I can't pretend that. It makes my heart far too full to be so seen and so loved." He took Jonah's hand into his own and gave it a gentle squeeze. "You are very mysterious, though. Truly. Thank you."

Rohan nodded along as the other continued. "I quite agree. And I suppose I am still technically magic in my way. At least as far as vampires are concerned." Cocking his head down at the cards, Rohan rolled his shoulders. "It doesn't have to be a literal question. It can be just...a sort of intention. Or we can do a general open reading. Sometimes the query is revealed along with the answer." He hummed, looking up to meet Jonah's eyes. "We'll do a simple three-card spread, okay? Past. Present. Future. Cut the deck. Deal three." He waved his hand across the table with a flourish before gesturing at the stack of cards.

Past. Present. Future. His gaze lingered on the deck as his thoughts drifted. So much had happened recently that trying to divide his life into categories felt almost impossible. The past bled into the present, and the present seemed determined to spill into whatever came next. A few years ago, he would have said his life was relatively straightforward. He studied the ocean, spent time with the people he cared about, and worried about things that made sense to worry about. Now it felt like every week brought another revelation, another mystery, another reminder that the world was much stranger than he'd ever given it credit for. Pulling himself out of his thoughts, he cut the deck as instructed and picked three random ones. "Alright. Let's see what they have to say."

Bex glanced over at him sideways. "This is fine," she said, staying curled in her ball, "there's enough shade." It wasn't like she needed much shade, tucked into herself like this. She wasn't about to unfurl and lay out, anyway, even if there was more shade. She just wanted to be outside, where she could feel the air on her skin and the heat from the sun, even if she wasn't directly in it.

Everything felt weird, awkward. Not right. Just like her. She didn't want this to ruin her home, her family. She tucked her head in, not wanting Jonah to see her eyes tearing up. "You're not bothering me," she muttered. "This is your house."

"That's not too long. Was the video good, or was it just cat videos for ten minutes?" Ben asked. Maybe he should have said fish videos instead, but he didn't want to tease Jonah too much. Ben felt that probably happened a good bit in general, especially since he'd been around enough for family dinners and holidays.

Ben grinned. "I'm glad you were amused. It wasn't that bad. Maybe the computer messed up the name. Who knows?" he asked. He couldn't help but agree. "It's strange. Busy but slow. Slow motion but with a lot of people around." Another name was called, neither of theirs. "Is it under you or Rohan? I'll help keep an ear out."

His smile lingered as Ben defended himself. "Probably. There's a lot of variables here." He agreed, glancing around, "Yeah, slow motion is right." It wasn't bad all thing considered, and at least now he had more company than just videos. "Mine. Thanks. I think they should say it right, but hard to tell now."

In some ways, a black cloud still lay over Lunar Cove, a creeping, writhing darkness that revealed itself in the frayed expressions on his neighbors' faces and in the heavy stench of turmoil, still clinging to the air. But nature did not deign notice the troubles of the insignificant creatures flitting about the planet's face. Time moved on.

Spring had planted strong roots by then, warm weather, blue skies, and the chirping of insects, sounds where everywhere else rested silent. Rohan sat now at a table on the green, spreading out a few cards from the tarot deck he'd own even before coming to this town. He looked up when a shadow fell across him. "Hm? Oh, hello. I'm afraid I can't really...it's not literal magic anymore. But humans have used these for divination as much as dark witches. Why not werewolves? Do you have a query?" He gestured at the seat across from him.

The moment he spotted Rohan setting up tarot on the green, Jonah had wrapped up his conversation with a coworker with a quick clap to the shoulder and an absent catch you later before making a beeline over. There was something about seeing Rohan settled in the sunlight that drew him in without much effort. Besides, this sort of silliness, he felt was needed at the moment. He also slid a small paper bag across the table toward him, faint scent of fresh pastry drifting out from it. "Also, pretend I didn't buy that specifically because I know what you like. I have a reputation of mystery to maintain."

"There's magic in mundane things," he continued, "And in werewolves. You can't convince me otherwise." Coffee cup in hand, Jonah took a sip before glancing down at the spread of cards with open curiosity. "Query?" he repeated thoughtfully. "I don't know if I really have a question exactly. Or maybe I have too many and none of them make enough sense to ask out loud yet." His eyes lifted back to Rohan then, softer around the edges. "You're the expert here. What am I supposed to do? Think of something specific? Or do the cards just... decide what you need to hear?"

Bex was sat in the grass, knees curled up to her chest, arms wrapped around her shins tightly. She was tucked into the shade of a tree, staring out at the yard and the fence, occasionally lifting her gaze to the blue sky. Every time a bird flew by overhead her eyes would flick up, unable to ignore the sound, even with her ear muffs still placed over her head. She was trying to get used to all the sounds and how loud and present they all were now, but it was so much easier said than done.

She dragged her gaze over when the backdoor opened and turned her head just enough to watch Jonah step out. Subconsciously, her body tightened and recoiled. Jonah was just so...human. She could smell it. It made her nose crinkle. He wasn't even bleeding. What a terrible thing, to think of a friend's blood like a snack. Her mouth watered and she blanched, tucking her head away.

She didn't know what to say to him anymore. She didn't really know what to say to anyone, anymore. "I can go back inside," she finally mumbled, "if you wanna be out here."

"No, it's fine," he said softly, stopping a few feet away rather than coming any closer. "You were here first... but..." His gaze flicked briefly toward the sky, toward the sunlight filtering through the yard. "Do you want me to put up more shade? We've got those big beach umbrellas." He leaned lightly against the porch railing, hands slipping into his pockets as he looked to her. "I can go back inside too if you want me to? Or call Rohan even, if you want his company? I'm not trying to disturb your peace. Just came to see if you wanted anything."

Option A Where: Joe's Pasta and Pizzeria

"Yes, I'm picking up an order for anak Bandi," Ben told the tired looking teenage running the cash register of Joe's. "No, not Bendy, like the straw. Bandi. That's A-N-A-K B-A-N-D-I." He paused. "It might just be under Ben." He was a few minutes early, which wasn't much of a surprise, so the kid told him that it'd be a few more minutes. That was fine. Could he also probably throw in some extra garlic knots? Yes, he'd pay, just let him get out some cash. The rest of the to-go order was already paid though, right? Good.

Once his order was settled, Ben went and sat in the waiting area. Usually, ordering out was only for occasions. He preferred cooking for himself and Brie, and he'd been attempting to find ways to incorporate blood into her food without the taste coming through too strongly. It was a process, and certain utensils, bowls, and pans had to be separated to keep the cooking safe. Tonight, though, was simply too busy to try and attempt to make a meal, between grading and Coalition work and trying to figure out what the hell was going on with Prometheus. Cooking was the last thing on his mind. This was, perhaps, a way to take his mind off of all that was happening. Ben glanced over at the person sitting next to him. "Have you been waiting long? I can't tell if it's busy tonight or not."

Option B Where: Downtown

A body in motion will stay in motion, and Ben sought, at least for the moment, to stay in motion for as long as he possibly could. Until some outside or inside force caught up to him. Going out for a run these days was a privilege that he no longer took for granted, one that he spent months putting in the work to be able to do again. So that was exactly what he'd done, starting off at his house before working his way through part of downtown, planning to head into one of the other neighborhoods before making his way back.

It was equal parts exercise and distraction. Ben couldn't outrun his problems; he wasn't trying to. However, he did believe that he could run off the craving for things he knew he didn't need, particularly after seeing the effects of ichor at the masquerade. A human coalition leader should not be a flame-drooling rabid dog, he didn't believe.

It was this or take up smoking again, and he didn't believe that Brie would appreciate that too much.

A body in motion will stay in motion, at least until it grows too winded and needs to take a break. Ben stopped, putting his hands behind his head and stretching up as he attempted to regain his breath before picking back up. Then, he rested his hands on his knees until he noticed someone else around. Ben offered up a wave. "Nice weather, isn't it?"

Jonah looked up from his phone as Ben sat beside him, a small smile forming as he caught some of the exchange at the counter. "Not too long, maybe ten minutes? Got through a youtube video before I heard your little exchange. It was a little amusing, sorry. You were being very patient about it though." He glanced toward the counter as someone's name was called, then back to Ben. "Seems kinda busy but in a slow way?"

He nodded slowly, more to himself at first, understanding what she meant, then turned gaze toward her. "Yeah... I get it. It's... a lot." He hadn't fully wrapped his head around everything either. "Things kinda just kinda keep happening around here." It really was just one thing after another, and no matter how much he tried to keep up, it never felt sufficient. Though he mostly made his peace knowing this was just how things would be, it didn't stop the weight of it from settling in at times.

On the verge of saying something, Jonah paused slightly before something clicked into place. "Oh, wait..." A flicker of recognition crossed his face. "You're the meteorologist, right?" he asked, a small smile forming, "I think I saw you out by the town's border a while ago. It's pretty cool you're a siren. Must come in handy with predictions."

josie shifted a little in the sand, brushing her hands off on her jeans before pulling her knees in closer. she watched the water for a second longer like she might find a better answer there, but nothing came. “not… exactly,” she said after a beat, glancing over at him. “i’m new. like, really, really new.” a small, almost awkward shrug followed. “a friend dropped me off here.” she hesitated just a fraction, then added, a little lighter, “or… more like left me here.” her mouth twitched like she might laugh it off, but it didn’t quite stick. “didn’t really have the money to make it back to california, so…” another shrug, more casual this time, like it wasn’t a big deal. “guess i’m here now." josie looked back out at the ocean, quieter. “but yeah. it kinda feels like that anyway. like something decided i should stay before i even got a say in it. how long were you gone for?”

Charlie in Sunny Harbor. (0/3)

Slowly, the sun began to peak over the water's horizon, illuminating a figure at the end of a dock. Her golden hair began to glow in the morning's light. She kept her eyes down on the water, and her long, pink tail that swung in the air above it. It wouldn't be long until she dried and could return home, after a sleepless night turned into a thought-filled swim, but the creak of a board somewhere behind her spooked the siren back into the water with a splash that sprayed the dock.

Renzō in Downtown. (0/3)

It was the morning after the masquerade ball. Renzō had the opening shift at the Daily Drip. The morning rush was slower than usual. He imagined most people were enjoying their time in bed after the disaster at Moore manor the night before. His mind mulled it over as the witch sipped espresso from a cup in the quiet coffee shop. The ding of the door's bell, announcing someone's arrival, drew Renzō from his thoughts. "Morning." He greeted before ever seeing who had entered. "What can I get started for you?"

It probably should not have been a surprise that sleep had been elusive. Jonah never did struggle with it as much as he seemed to have been in this town, but with everything how could sleep be easy? The ocean, on the other hand, was easier company than his own thoughts. The docks were quiet at this hour, all weathered wood and soft waves lapping beneath them, it felt peaceful for a moment. Till the board creaked beneath his feet and a splash indicated that he was the one intruding. Jonah stopped short, blinking at the empty space where she'd been a second ago, "Hey...sorry! I wasn't trying to sneak up on you."

open starter for josephine howlett ft. anyone , located at lunar cove beach just after nightfall. ( @lunarcovestarters )

the sand was cool beneath josephine’s bare feet, damp from the tide that had long since rolled back, leaving the shoreline glistening under the moonlight. she stood still at lunar cove’s edge, arms loosely folded, her gaze fixed on the lighthouse in the distance. its beam cutting slow, steady arcs through the dark like it was searching for something it could never quite find.

she tilted her head slightly, watching the light pass over the water again, and again, and again. “you ever get the feeling,” she murmured, more to the ocean than anyone else, “that it’s not warning ships away… it’s trying to call something else here?” her lips pressed into a faint, almost knowing smile, though her eyes didn’t leave the lighthouse.

He didn't answer right away. A soft breath left him, almost like a quiet laugh, as if the thought had already been sitting somewhere in the back of his mind waiting to be vocalised. "Oh yeah..." he said finally, "I get that feeling. I think it called me back here...and I just... never questioned it." It wasn't how it had happened initially, he followed stories, questions that led him here, but coming back... that had felt like something else entirely. He looked to her finally, but vision didn't quite settle on her right, "You too?"

The return of spring meant that changes were on the horizon. It felt as though change had been the central theme in Daniel’s life recently. For the most part, the changes that had come about were positive. Moving back to Lunar Cove is something the vampire never thought would happen. The little life he had created for himself in his cabin was one he had grown accustomed to. He thought the transition was going to be harder, but to his surprise, it hadn’t been. Becoming the owner of New Leaf had brought about a renewed sense of purpose and perhaps even healed wounds he didn’t know were there. What really made the move to Lunar Cove easy was the new friends he had made. His circle had been small for so long. Something he had done so intentionally. To his surprise, people seemed to enjoy his company, and he enjoyed theirs in return.

Nature was a place where Daniel could find solitude. Whether it was in his little cabin in the woods, in a field somewhere, or by the sea. It was easy to forget how small your problems were when the world was so vast and beautiful. He had never been on a boat before. Right now, he was in a phase of trying new things. When Jonah offered, Daniel jumped at the chance. So much of his time was spent alone; it was time to finally be in the company of others. Thankfully, he had made some pretty great friends.

He waved as Jonah came into sight. A bright, happy smile on his face. He had become quite fond of Jonah and Rohan’s company. So, Daniel was more than enthusiastic to spend the afternoon with his new friend. “Good morning. Thank you for inviting me again.” He replied as he stepped onto the boat. It took him a second to adjust to the movement, but eventually he stood still without any problems. “I haven’t had the chance to use them, but I am excited to get them adjusted to things. Oh, fantastic.” Daniel had been slightly worried about getting seasick. Which was a lot less worry than his usual. “Mini yellow submarine.” He let the words roll around, getting used to the name. “I think it’s a perfect name for a boat. When did you get it?”

Straightening, he moved toward the controls, starting to get things ready. "We'll take it slow at first, let you get used to it. If you start feeling even a little off, just say something, okay? I won't go too hard on flight mode."

But when she mentioned siren tears, humour slipped from his face. "Wait...what?" His brows knit together. "Don't they cry blood?" The realisation lingered a moment too long, his expression tightening as the thought fully registered of him never questioning these potions. He exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck before recovering, "Right... well, that's good to know. I'll still take it, though. Bit late to start being picky now, considering I've been using these for years." He then paused as another question flickered to mind, "So...um.. any surprises for the fresh breath potion or safe to assume toothpaste?"

Who: @jonahxrivas

Kate had only been supreme for a few days, but she wanted to get her heels on the ground and actually get to know the coven witches better and non coven witches outside of her family. As she stood in the The Poison Room restocking the shelves with potions, she heard the door open. Tucking her hair behind her ear as she looked over at the noise, she noticed Jonah. “Hey, if it isn’t our local fish expect.” She said with a smile. “Looking for a breathing under water potion? I just stocked the shelves.”

"Hey sugar, you wouldn't happen to be a dear and wanna help me with my bags, would you? I'm practically drownin' over here," She flashed the nearest stranger a helpless and hopeful smile as she glanced down at the large suitcase she was struggling to carry all by herself. While she was happy for the change of scenery, moving out of the creepy house on the hill to the Emerald Hotel had turned out to be a bit more difficult than she had originally thought.