Thou shalt suffer a witch.

Exhaling a thick cloud of smoke, he held his cigarette between his fingers. Once the familiar sign came into view, did he take one last drag before dropping the cig to kill the embers underneath his boot.

Of course the moment he entered, the bird lost his cool. Bandit was going to reach for it but had to catch Rory as she fell against him, only to watch the raven actually behave. Now that was a new one.

" This bird I swear... " He muttered before fully walking inside. The smell of animal parts and inscence hitting his nose long before Mimi's perfume did. He looked at the table, eyeing the revived bird. Bandit didn't know much about magic but he sure knew that this was forbidden magic. Not that the witch cared. He did sometimes wonder if there was anyone who regulated this stuff tho.

" Are you SURE...? Because this was just practice for full-blown necromancy. " She teased the new bird, resting her elbow on the table and cheek in her palm, amber eyes raising towards the girl with an annoyed frown. She hated being disturbed when she was working, especially when she knew that Bandit would disapprove. She knew that Bandit wouldn't insult her with questions of morality, but she still preferred her privacy.

" I didn't think we'd have to start from absolute zero, but I guess your first task will be learning to control your familiar. You own it, so it shouldn't be flying off and yapping to whoever it wants, " she spoke about the raven as if it was just a cluster of magic - which familiars were, in Mimi's experience. They were just another handy tool.

The elf stood, picking the dead flower up and tossing it into a jar nearby - she'd find a use for it, even dead. The windchime in the main shop front sounded again and a child's uncertain voice filled the air, followed by the low rumbling sound of a man's in response. Mimi rose her hand elegantly as if catching a breeze in her palm, and the revived blackbird instinctively flitted up and into her hold. Mimi stepped past Rory and Bandit to offer the bird back to its owner, who let out a series of excited giggles and kissing sounds as she snuggled her beloved pet's head. A simple nod was exchanged between Mimi and the father figure, before the customers left.

Right after they stepped outside, Mimi rose her hand as she turned back to the private room - magic force latched the front door shut and closed the net curtains.

" So .. " she continued where she left off, folding her arms and standing beside Bandit, looking up at him in thought, compiling a list of demands she'd have for him later in exchange for this whole thing.

"I don't think she can just ignore this stuff. Come on Mimi, you're the only person I can ask for help. I don't know shit about witchcraft." Holding out his hand for her, his eyes were almost pleading. The kind of puppy dog eyes that would surely do the trick.

"And I don't think a book is gonna cut it. She needs guidance, a teacher. Please take her in, I swear I'm gonna make it up to ya. All the blood, fur, claws and whatever else you need!" He would've given her these things anyway, but what else did he have to offer? Items from the black market perhaps, free drinks forever, a back rub ....

" ... This is emotional blackmail. Idiot Bandit .. I'd turn you into a dung beetle and put you in a jar if you weren't so pretty. "

Mimi had made a point of never taking on an apprentice. She wasn't interested in playing master to a novice, and she certainly didn't need the help. But an untrained witch running rampant could cause issues for their way of life, and bring inconvenient situations to the rest of their kind. Setting the bowl aside, she opened a small glass jar, filled with some kind of herb, and sprinkled a little bit of the contents over the cut she'd made in the wolf's palm, to help close the wound.

" I can't deny you have a point. Unbridled magic can be fatal, at best. And having you in my debt sounds VERY appealing, " she mused, using her pestle to begin mixing the werewolf blood and other ingredients into a fine paste inside the bowl.

" ... Bring her here, I'll look her over. I can teach her a few interesting cantrips, if nothing else. In the meantime, I'll have a little think about what you can do for me in return. .. But Bandit - " her eyes met his, serious for a moment.

"Ginger sounds divine, and fanatically kind of thee to offer it me," says he, and holds he his palm to his breast in a cordial thankfulness.

As well as this reassurance, the runes she's carved into her front door, invisible to an untrained eye, are designed to make any no-gooders feel nauseous and faint upon entering. Since the man is still standing (and looking quite fresh), she assumes he's not going to be a problem. She nods toward the table expectantly, eyebrows raised.

" I'd be a poor host if I made you drink your tea standing up. You can start with your name .. " the elf smiled, filling a black steel pot nearby with water and hanging it in the lightly burning stove in the corner. Turning to face him with folded arms, her head tilted curiously.

"Alright, how about a deal? You get some of my blood and in return, you help me out with someone." Bandit moved to sit down at Mel's desk, so they wouldn't stand in the doorway the whole time. Not to mention what he was going to tell her, was only for her ears.

"You see I got this.. Witch that didn't know she was a witch until yesterday and I kinda ended up telling her about magic and monsters and all that shit."

She stood in front of him, in the small space between his chair and the desk. Pulling a small dagger from this desk, she held her hand out, expecting him to offer his palm.

" If she had no idea what she was until now, it'll be easy for her to go on living a completely boring and uneventful life. But, if she wants to embrace it, then fine. I'll lend you one or two of my books for her to read. I'll need them back when she's done, obviously. Then you can send her off into the world, knowing you've done your good deed. "

@witchpetal

"Tea sounds lovely," confers he gratefully, as his clothing is torn and dirt-splattered; as bits of leaves, and the silkiest bits of flowers, sit within Roland's loosened braid. He cackles in self-proud happiness, and dusts his naked feet 'pon the mat in front of the store.

"Hath I heard gossip and rumor that thou art a potion-seller, a trinket-gatherer, and thus of the hoard of Stories and great Tales of fantastical Merry-making. Art thou open?" inquires Roland, with his leather satchel hanged near his hip, with those flecks of mud beginning to dry 'pon his forearms and callused knuckles. He beams winningly.

..She was curious about the events leading up to the man's arrival at her door, and that was enough to welcome him in. She pushes some dark hair behind her pointed ears and pulls aside curtain of lavender beads separating the main shop from a smaller room. A room that consists only of a low-to-ground table, a circle of colourful cushions surrounding it, and various beads and charms hanging from the ceiling.

i wanna see [ name ] .

well , that's not fair , is it ?!

oh my god , you look like crap .

i didn't miss your birthday , did i ?

something really weird just happened at the train station .

what the hell is wrong with you ?

listen to me , [ name ] , i'm only gonna ask you this once .

oh , i'm fine by the way , thank you .

get in the car .

when you don't give a damn , i get pissed .

you'd better be ready . are you ready ?

you're sure as hell overdressed . what , were you out all night or something ?

this shit is as hard as it gets . but you've gotta stop making it worse .

i panicked , what do you want me to say ?

i'm kidding . where's your wit gone ?

you don't have to babysit me , dipshit .

i know this thing's got you all twisted up , but try to forgive yourself .

[ name ] , open the goddamn door !

yeah , the last thing i am is special .

[ name ] , where have you been ?

where have i been ? uh .. long story .

oh , jesus , are you alright ?

you have a few words , [ name ] ? anything you want to express ?

plead your mercy & your pity .

love is imperfection itself .

say it . go ahead , say it's my fault .

who the hell are you ?

of course not . you think we'd let that happen ?

i'm at home , you've got it all wrong .

you know what ? don't . i'm going to ignore that .

i'm worried you're losing the plot again .

sorry , i've got ... i've got a lot of work to do .

i mean , what am i supposed to do ?

you don't have to take this on .

i can't keep waking up every night , checking your breathing , worried you're mixing your meds , booze ... god knows what else .

i knew it was too good to be true .

why would you help such a stupid plan ?

i'm not going to play [ name ] in the middle .

i'm not dirty , i just freaked out .

if there is another version of this story ...

walk me through it again . so i know you won't crack under questioning .

you're making me nervous .

finally ! where have you been ?

who am i speaking to ?

how did you find me ?

idiot . do you even know who you're talking to ?

i don't care who you are .

nope , that is not my responsibility .

go , & wait for a call .

what i'm trying to do is move on .

we have known each other for awhile now , [ name ] .

i nailed it , man . every detail .

come on , [ name ] , give me a little love here !

you know , my skin just breaks out every time i leave downtown .

whoa , hey , [ name ] - you always do this to me !

i don't do backup , i don't even know what backup is !

i got stuck , i was running from my own shit .

i'm not giving you shit 'til you give me some answers .

don't ! do not shoot me , please !

seriously , it's life or death .

" ...I'm doin' fine, thanks for askin'. "

He sighed, yet unable to be fully annoyed by her. Looking down into those, bright sharp eyes, he knew she was cooking something up and would therefor not give up on her request.

" Of course...! Glad to hear you're well. "

His questioning wasn't ideal - she really preferred it when people just did as she asked without needing to know why. But this was Bandit, her friend.. She could offer him some form of explanation. A sigh, and she shrugged her hands up.

" I have a customer who wants to have his woman screaming like a banshee during their honeymoon. Apparently the poor fool can't do it without a little ... " she waved her hand vaguely. " .. medicinal assistance. "

Mimi gave a soft chuckle, holding out her hand to him.

" I need the blood of something bestial, something to coax out animalistic urges. That's you. So will you help me or not? "

Do you like Werewolves? Did you ever want to pet, annoy or fight a werewolf? You just found the bad role model wolf dad, nobody asked for. He swears a lot, has a drinking problem and eats all the food you can’t finish. Don’t worry though, if you get on his good side he will be very protective and you can abuse him as a blanket - just watch out for the teeth.