a pleasure in the pathless woods

"I think we deserve more than that, too, but I try not to ask for much," Ben agreed, offering up a smile of his own. He knew better than to ask for too much in this town. It was best to appreciate the nice things when they came. Warm days, nice weather. A distinct lack of being played with by a malevolent force.

Ben didn't push, though he offered up, "I might surprise you. I like to think my taste is eclectic. As an English teacher, I mostly just like to read. But I run here sometimes, sometimes in different neighborhoods. Admittedly, I'm more fond of the treadmill at the gym than actually running in town. Are you looking to get into running? Outside of the full moon, I mean."

"I'm not weighing up a pros and cons list, Ben, I understand the logistics. I'm asking because for the better part of a decade, vulnerability stopped being something I had to actively think about, but now, in this strange in-between, it's all I'm thinking about. And I refuse to bring my life to a stand still. I'm interested in what you meant with saying they aren't different when I see so many."

"I have to admit, I have no alternative point of comparison," Ben started. He didn't know how helpful he could be to Ken. Ken had lived most of his life as a human, but not all of it, and it was obvious he'd never expected to feel human again. Ben couldn't blame him; vampirism was sort of the end of the line, and even becoming a werewolf was so inherently different from being human. There was no way to turn the clock back, to become human again after one's humanity had been taken from them. Except, of course, in whatever circumstance that Ken seemed to be finding himself in now.

Ben nodded slowly. "Alright. What I mean is... it's not that different to be human in Lunar Cove than it is out of it. I'm not being facetious or attempting to try your patience, so bear with me. I don't find them different because... these vulnerabilities that you're worried about? They exist in here and out there. They don't just go away if I stepped over the line, even if I did keep my memories. It's just as dangerous out there, whether you're human or supernatural, as it is in here. The difference with being in Lunar Cove is that people are more honest about that danger, and there are precautions in place to insure that we're all able to comfortably live together."

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."

"I don't want to type-cast you, mate. Feels rude," Ben teased. "Gardening sounds lovely, though. What are you thinking? Gonna do something at your and Rohan's place or the community garden?" Ben had considered doing something with their backyard, but the space was a little tight for any sort of vegetable garden. There might be something said to some herb plants, though.

Ben laughed softly. "Jonah should be easy, certainly. But I though Bandi wasn't that hard. Maybe I should've just stuck to Ben. It's short, sweet, to the point. Even folks here in the states have heard of the big clock, too."

"You wear patience well," Nyra said, observing Ben briefly as he prepared the tea. "Most people only manage civility for so long before frustration begins speaking for them. Your parents sound wise. Manners are becoming something of a dying art lately."

"Lucky for me that I don't have centuries as the Coalition leader, huh?" Ben joked. "Means there's just some matters I simple haven't the time to be involved in." Even if he planned to eventually become a vampire in the next few years, he certainly wouldn't be on the council after that. In fact, if he could convince Brie, and if the world was a little less chaotic, Ben thought that he might enjoy traveling for a few years, making up for lost time. He loved Lunar Cove, but the opportunity to get away from it and still keep his memories was definitely appealing. "I think that's actually a wonderful idea. Maybe everyone only has a few minutes to speak, like what they do in government. The floor is yours for so long, and you're able to use and reclaim your time until it runs out."

When their tea was done and poured, Ben brought a cup over and set it down for her. "Sugar, milk, or cream?" He asked. Then he started, "I've never found much use out of frustration. What's the point to it, you know? Getting upset at a situation rarely changes it, and a cool head gets more accomplished than an abrasive one. Even if someone gets through with their anger, that's what they're associated with going forward. I don't want that to be me. Not when I'm responsible for the humans of this town."

He adjusted the strap of his bag higher onto his shoulder before nodding quickly at the offer of going into his office. "Yeah, that'd be great actually, thank you." Words sped up slightly again, thoughts outrunning themselves again before they were fully formed. "I don't even fully know what perspective I'm looking for yet, honestly, which is probably part of the problem." Despite the faint self-awareness to the statement, it wasn't enough to slow him down. "It's mostly theoretical...well, I mean no, it stopped being only theoretical a while ago. But my research is delving more into Ichor now and after... everything. I'd appreciate perspectives. If that's something you'd be open to talk about?"

Laughing, Ben shook his head. "Careful, I might start worrying about your actual qualifications when you put it like that, Dhruv. There's no harm in leaning into the title, though. Especially if you've earned it. I have plenty of colleagues I think who got their doctorate just so that they can be a woefully underqualified doctor in any given medical situation."

Ben motioned for Dhruv to follow him, opening the door. "Of course. Come on, we can start that way." He listened carefully to Dhruv's words. Thinking about this kind of thing theoretically never really stayed theoretical, something he could see that Dhruv had discovered on his own. "I'd certainly try to help," Ben started slowly, showing them to his office and holding the door open so that Dhruv could step inside. "Though, it'd depend on what it is you're looking for. I'm afraid, in this sort of situation, I myself am a woefully underqualified doctor. My book learning took me to literature rather than science."

While there were no upcoming meetings (yet), and Lupe had known Ben far longer than the guy had been Coalition leader, she still felt the need to come to the headquarters and settle herself in. At least now since it was quiet, like a calm before a storm, she had the time to.

She'd been inside the Coalition Headquarters before, she even remembered it from the very first time she'd set foot in it, a wide-eyed twenty-two year old. It certainly had it's charm, the old building and history it kept inside. She understood why Ben liked it, really. History was never exactly boring to Lupe, even if it wasn't exactly her favorite subject.

Coming to a stop just outside his office, Lupe lifted her hand and knocked. Once she heard the voice behind the door call out, she opened the door and stood in the threshold. "What's up, hotshot?" she grinned. "Working hard or hardly working?"

Now that the semester was wrapping up, Ben could dedicate all of his energy to Coalition work, focusing on a few things he'd let pile up on his desk while focusing on the end of the school year. And that included getting in touch with his new advisor. It was a relief that Lupe was the one reaching out and knocking on his door, though he felt a bit of guilt that he hadn't made time for her first.

"Good afternoon, Lupe," Ben said warmly, motioning for her to come in rather than just linger in the doorway. "You know me, work harder, not smarter," he joked, setting some work aside as she sat at the desk. "It feels like a ridiculous question, knowing how capable you are, but are you settling into things alright? Is there anything you need or that I can help with?"

Todd's brow perked. "Me? I'm cool. I feel bad for all my best friends." He made no effort to specify, but the collective unit perhaps included everyone in town. "A few humans got hurt. It sucks we don't have cool powers without the Icky-or. I guess I kind of do. I have zombie powers."

Todd seemed to take a moment to think before giving a nod. "Sure thing, Doc. I'm a little scared of the magic artifacts, though. I feel like maybe a big Indiana Jones rock is gonna fall on my head if I touch the wrong one."

"It's really not." Ben wasn't sure if Lunar Cove felt bigger or smaller when it was one's entire world. It certainly always seemed like a treat when a new business joined, or new residents moved in. A taste of the outside making it's way in, expanding the horizon just a little bit, even if things stayed small. "No, that wouldn't be good for you. Losing your phone would be bad." Not to mention the other horrors that would come with trying to figure out how to adjust to the modern world. Todd had done an alright job of it, but he was also in a small environment surrounded by the abnormal. Ben wasn't sure how the poor guy would make it out there on his own. "I'm alright, mate, but thanks for the offer. Another time, yeah?" Ben asked.

"The icky... the ichor, right," Ben said, nodding. "I... know it can be a little disheartening, living in Lunar Cove without any sort of supernatural abilities. But we're not helpless." Though, the matter with Prometheus seemed inclined to make them believe they needed something in order to be a part of that world. Ben had let the effects of Ichor make him lose track of what he'd believed all along: humans were still perfectly capable and able to fit into this town, powers or not. He just needed to be reminded of that.

Ben laughed, heading towards the Historical Society at a light jog. "Don't worry. Anything dangerous has better security than a large stone. You'll be alright. We'll just go to my office. Less artifacts in there."

"Hi!" Brie flashed her boyfriend a bright smile from where she had stood in the corner of the rather dingy and questionable pizzeria, which she really hoped was up to the health and safety codes. "Remind me again why we decided to pick from here of all places?" She asked with a tilt of a brow. The corner of her lips lifted ever so slightly as she glanced around to the see of teenagers who they seemed to be surrounded with who were hanging here and trying to do flips on their skateboards in the parking lot because where else would a bunch of sixteen year olds go on a Saturday Night? Kaitenzushi was sounding really good right about now, but they had already ordered the pizza, so she might as well give Joe's a try and hope for the best. "Is the pizza really that good?" She asked, keeping her voice down to a soft whisper as she moved to loop her arm through his. Nico had always seemed to rave about it, but she hadn't ever tried it for herself until now. "You told them it was under Brie right?"

"Hi," Ben said, leaning in to offer Brie a kiss on the cheek. "What? Not in the mood for greasy pizza?" he teased. "It's actually quite good. I'm not usually in the mood for pizza--" neither of them seemed to be, really, when Ben was the one that actually needed food, so he tended to cook things that he liked or that he thought Brie might still be able to enjoy-- "but sometimes it hits the spot. The best pizza I've had was, admittedly, not American, but it's got some charm, right? And this is the best in town." It was also the only in town, but he thought she'd get and appreciate the joke. He cursed. "Hell. I thought it was under my name. One moment, love."

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?"

"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."

Muted voices had become a constant backdrop lately. Corridors, offices, half-closed doors, Dhruv chasing answers wherever he could find them. Ichor had gone from curiosity to fixation, and the more he looked, the less it behaved like something with clean edges. The masquerade alone had cracked open too many inconsistencies to ignore.

"It's too many variables, Professor ... yeah, I know, but I'm trying to isolate ... no, I get that, but if it's affecting ... eh? cognition of...?" His words came quick, overlapping thought and speech, yet somehow Griffin Ward kept pace, replying in kind and filling in blanks. "Right, yeah, that follows ... not everyone, no, but ... well, I can't exactly control that part, can I? ... okay, I can look into that."

The conversation stretched on like that, threads picked up, dropped, circled back to until Dhruv finally caught himself, awareness snapping back in. "Sorry," he said, running a hand through his hair as he stood. "Thank you. I know it's a busy time, I appreciate it."

Griffin only waved it off with an easy smile. "You know I've always thought this needed more research. I'll be interested to see what you make of it, and I'll see what I can do from my end as well. Be cautious, don't lose yourself to this."

Dhruv gave another quick nod as he left, and by the time the door fall shut behind him, his mind had already moved ahead. Not answers, never had been answers as of late, but there was a sense of direction at least, enough to keep going. He started down the hall pulling his phone out drafting notes and points of focus. He passed Ben with a brisk nod and continued on, only to stop two steps later.

"Ah! Professor!" He doubled back, words arriving before he fully did. "Hi, sorry... I know you're busy as well, I won't take long...well, I might actually... but won't be too long." He exhaled once, like that might gather his thoughts. It didn't. "Do you have a minute to spare? Or... ten? I've a few things I want to ask you. Perspectives and all that."

Ben was heading to the English department after teaching a class across campus, which really wasn't that far away at all, about to enter the building when he heard a voice. He looked up, seeing Dhruv Mehta motioning towards him. "Ah, Dr. Mehta-- do you prefer 'Doctor?'" he asked.

All he needed to do was prep to wrap up his materials for the next semester. "I could spare a minute or ten. Maybe even thirty, depending on what kind of perspective it is that you're looking for. Would you like to join me in my office?"

Since arriving in Lunar Cove, life had been anything but normal. Magic and the supernatural was taking some getting used to, but there were a few small habits Will could keep from the world outside of Lunar Cove's mystical borders. Generally, that meant starting his day with a run--and, apparently, still left room for small talk about the weather. Will glanced up at the blue sky and fluffy white clouds. "It is," he agreed. "Is that something that just happens around here, or is that decided by the whims of the fae?" If there was anyone he could trust to tell him the ins and outs of life in Lunar Cove--like whether or not the local sirens controlled the weather--it was the leader of the human coalition.

Will had yet to join--he was still too focused on getting his sister into the coven to worry yet about his own role in town--but he'd heard a bit about it, and he'd seen the mess with the ichor and how other humans were affected. "How are you?" he asked. He was wondering specifically about how Ben was holding up after the dramatic events following the masquerade, but by not saying it directly, he figured he'd give the man an out to change the topic if he wished.

Ben looked up at the sky. "It just happens, sometimes, though I'm sure there's a siren or two more than happy to make a nice day spring out of nowhere every now and then," he said, offering a tired smile. "But I'm a firm believer that there are a great many things about the natural that are just as magical as the supernatural. Is that cheesy?" Probably. That was fine. Ben wasn't lactose intolerant, thankfully.

"I'm doing alright. Making it. What about you?" Ben asked. "Have you been settling into town alright?" He was never the kind to pressure humans into joining the Coalition; it defeated the point for people to be forced into joining something they were unsure about, and the option to join or leave was always available as they desired. Still, he liked keeping in touch with the humans who hadn't joined that decided to stay in town, if only to make sure they knew he was still available to them. "You weren't hurt doing the most recent ordeal, were you?"

"Cataclysmic levels of stubbornness, I fear," Ben agreed. "Apocalyptic, even." He set about making the tea, the movements of it familiar and practiced. It was simple but repetitive, something that he'd done since he was a child, making tea for his parents while they worked in the evenings, hoping he'd get to have a cup with them, and sit, and talk, like he was one of adults, too. "You'd think that a faculty meeting would end at a set time. You'd also be surprised," he joked. He looked over his shoulder before shrugging. "Patience is a learned skill, but I've been practicing with it since I was a child. My parents tried to instill it in me. It went well with manners."

"Joining certainly isn't mandatory unless you're interested in the perks," Ben said amicably. He didn't think that Ken cared. Thinking it over, he tried to consider the best way to approach this. "You're asking what it's like to be human in town, not just human, correct?" He started. "Because they... aren't that different. I mean, there are less humans here than there are outside of town, but a human being is still a human being. You're weaker, physicall, and you age, but you also aren't controlled by the phases of the moon, have to drink blood, or are incapable of lying. There's downsides and perks to everything, including being human."

The pages of her book were warm as she turned them, thanks to the sunlight that washed over her as she sat in the grass. It wasn't often that Aysun chose to spend her free time outside the house, but the weather was just too tempting on that particular day. Since the masquerade, Aysun found herself even more reclusive than usual, her days consisting of work or being at home. It was a conscious effort to break out of that routine that had her in a quiet clearing near Downtown, a book in hand, her favourite tea in a thermos nearby.

Thanks to her senses, she heard the person on the path before they came into sight, her muscles instinctively tensing as if in preparation. For what, she wasn't too sure. Stealing not-so-subtle glances up from her book, Aysun quickly identified them, not because they'd met before but because she was familiar enough with the regular faces in town. Especially when they were on the Council. Preoccupied with her thoughts, Aysun didn't even register he was now looking in her direction until he spoke, making her jump in response. "Oh! Hi! I- yes. Yes, it is, um, very beautiful weather today. Hopefully it means winter is behind us- although I suppose the motto around here is to always expect the unexpected...heh..."

"It'd be nice if it stuck around, I agree," Ben said, placing his hands on his head as he took his breather. The warmth felt nice, the sun felt hopeful. It was a literal breath of fresh air, after everything that had happened as of late. "I think the weather might hold. Expect the unexpected, but hope the weather isn't one of those things. We deserve a bit of sunshine and warm weather, don't you think." Curiosity had him glance at her book, though. He was never one to turn down the opportunity to talk about books. "What are you reading?"

While Ewan liked to pretend that he was a grumpy old man with absolutely no hope for the future--and sometimes it was true--he really did love his students deep down. He wouldn't have been a teacher this long if he didn't believe the youth didn't at least stand some chance. "I like to think of it as cheerful ignorance. Imagine living in a world where you don't know about Andrew Jackson. But what about our kids? How is that tricky media literacy shaping up?"

"What can I say? I have a refined palette," Ben said. He leaned back, laughing. "Are you attempting to show off, Ewan? I don't know what to say." He took a sip as the vampire did, setting it down. "That makes it sound quite horrible, but come on, if we don't believe that the youth has a chance, then what do we have?" They were teaching the bright young minds of the future. Sometimes, that was a rather hopeless thought. Not always, but sometimes.

Ben nodded, a faux somber air taking over. "A world without Andrew Jackson would have been a better place, certainly," he said. he hummed. "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink," he started. "You can, however, heavily encourage the horse that drinking water is for the best, you know? Which is to say that each day is a new adventure in learning what media literacy actually is." Class discussion could get lively, at least. "How's life outside of school treating you?"

He hummed. "You doing good and all? After all that bad shit that went down at the party, I mean? I was tryna help as many people as I could, but things went real bad real fast." A shallow shrug rolled through his shoulders, almost apologetic, as though he had simply not tried hard enough to save the day. After a beat, however, Todd pursed up his lips.

"When you have a minute, can I...can I talk to ya about maybe something important? For humans, I mean. I'm...uh, I'm one of the people that used the needles, and I'm a little...." He furrowed his brow. "You know."

"Good afternoon, Todd," Ben said. He laughed, albeit breathlessly, as he tapped his leg, letting the thud of prosthetic sound out. "I'm the bionic man, you know. I wasn't expecting it to make me faster thank you, though. I hope you haven't been chasing for long?" Todd's antics weren't surprising at all; the confidence was good, great, even. He grinned, humoring him. "Is that so? That's an awful lot of kick, then. Quite the shame you can't use the treadmills, though. Not so much today, with as nice as it is, but still."

Despite the circumstances of the last event, Ben was mostly unaffected. "I'm doing alright. You? I know it was pretty hectic and awful. Do you know anyone that was effected terribly?" It was a shame what happened to Bobby. The guy would have never been mayoral material, but he certainly didn't deserve that.

Ben scratched the back of his neck. "Ah, yes, that's... understandable," he murmured. It was something he'd felt, too. Was actively feeling. The itch to do it again, to feel that rush of power, even from all the trouble it had caused. The last time he used it made him feel sick to think about, but he still felt that desire. "Would you like to head back to the Coalition HQ? Maybe have a bit more privacy for a chat?"