FSE

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When the cold as a result of that frigid potion had been cleansed from Layne's body, and she could stand and speak without chattering her teeth, she had to say goodbye to her two new potion making demon friends. Down at the front of their store she could see out of the window that it was night and as she descended the steps of the stairs fully she sighed, "Well then, looks like I'll be taking a walk through the dark."

At the front counter, Pratch leaned over and looked to Layne, "We could always just put you up for the night. I know it is cold in our little store and home, but you'd be welcome here for sure."

That brought a smile to Layne's lips, "Sweet of you two to take me in, but I think I'd rather just walk. Plus, I've had enough of the cold for one evening. I'll definitely make it a habit to visit on this little vacation of mine though."

"Ah well, should you need it we'll be here waiting anytime for you. You're most certainly welcome here."

And a voice appeared from above the counter, "Can't say goodbye, in the lab working on some junk, but don't stay away for too long kitty cat, Pratch was practically over you every second, fawning and worryin', until you got up. Does my heart good to see a rabbit crushing on a cat."

Pratch's cheeks turned pink beneath the white fur and Layne couldn't help but snort at Keel's statement over the comms, "I'll keep that in mind, maybe you can take me out to someplace nice whenever I'm around again."

Pratch cleared his throat, "Ah, I'll be sure to look up some fancy locales in the immediate area."

Layne giggled and shook her head before heading out the door, waving before stepping fully out into the warm night. The lampposts were fully lit and she could see clearly even though the sun was nowhere to be seen. With a breath she began to walk through the cobbled streets, the warm air far too nice upon her still somewhat cool body.

As Layne padded through the streets and alleyways she allowed herself to wander in thought. She could earn residency without becoming a demon, that much was at least hinted at, but it would be difficult to live here as something other than that. She could stay the way she was and persevere, she wasn't exactly unaccustomed to living through adversity, but the prospect of becoming a demon brought something more interesting to the table. How would her family react? How would Nicolas react? It would probably be anger on the part of her family, and shock on the part of Nicolas. She had once told him to make sure that the clan would stop being so stupid as he was in a position to do so as leader, but she saw at the time of telling him that Nicolas still held onto the hope that she would go back to that place which had given no love and shown no desire to love her.

Layne sighed as her thoughts turned to Nicolas. She could gain some joy out of angering her family, but Nicolas was innocent, he had always helped her when she needed it, but maybe it was time to become entirely independent of her family far away on some land making decisions for herself and only for herself, no one else involved in those decisions, not even Nicolas. What would the benefits even be of being a demon? It would certainly allow it to be easier living here, but would she even really require it? That and apparently the process was painful, perhaps she should have tried to talk more to Pratch about what exactly the process entailed. She'd just have to give Bav a visit and see if they knew what was going on, they had at least suggested they could help with gaining residency and that was enough to seek their aid, or at the very least browse their stock and make small talk.

Without her thoughts distracting her, Layne felt an odd chill up her spine. The city night was far too quiet. There was no one around for as far as she could see, down or up the road and the only noise she could hear was the strange buzzing of the lamps. The eerie sensation that followed her wasn't helped by the regular passes through winding, lonely alleyways that brought her momentary glimpses of pure darkness as there weren't any lights in between the buildings. When she arrived back on the street she found herself face to face with familiar figure, a serpentine one with a bulbous throat. It was then that she heard a soft song, one that was far too quiet to hear until she had just arrived at that street, her eyes went wide and she clapped her paws over her ears just as the other serpentine sisters began to arrive. "We lost much progress over your little reveal foreign girl. Tell us, can you cast that protection while protecting your throat."

The threat was clear, but Layne was frozen in place. Her feet wouldn't move, but it wasn't a result of mental control. The air around her legs felt tight, constricting, that song hadn't been meant to take her will away, it had been an incantation to keep her shackled and bound. The hackles on the back of her neck raised on high and she tried to pull her legs away, the snake sister's coming closer, slithering, their maws opening and their fangs on display. Layne should have taken the offer to stay at Keel and Pratch's home, perhaps she would have been cold, but at least she would have had company that wanted to see her alive. Gnashing her fangs she brought her paws up to begin a single spell that would at least take one of them out before they got to her own pretty little neck, but as they neared her they were suddenly gone in a cloud of dust, a gust of wind flowing past her ears and through her fur.

Layne kept gawking at the scene before her, the dust clearing to reveal a massive figure covered by a heavy coat, a massive arm and fist burrowed into the ground along with the necks of the three serpentine sisters. The figure pulled the sisters free and with a grunt threw them aside and into an alley where they collectively hissed and slithered away. Frozen by fear now instead of magic she watched as that hulking figure turned so she could see the strange beak-like mask it wore with the glowing blue orbs behind it. Layne wasn't sure what to make of it, but it approached her and still she found herself frozen. Expecting some form of pain to occur she shut her eyes only to feel a gentle touch on her head, fingers scratching behind her ears. Opening an eye she looked up to see that the massive figure was petting her, "Okay?" It uttered in a deep bassy voice that seemed to vibrate.

Once the fear started to fade from her body, Layne cleared her throat and replied with a nod, "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you?"

The figure nodded and stood straight, towering above her, "Where do you sleep?"

What a strange way of asking where her home was, or perhaps the creature simply knew she was foreign, "Well, I'm staying at the Inn's Inn."

Again the figure nodded, this time slowly before reaching down to grab her with one massive hand and bring her up. Layne yelped as she was suddenly brought up into the air and sat upon the shoulders of the creature that had just saved her life. Layne felt her heart beating at a breakneck pace and again the creature placed a hand upon her head, her body and heart both relaxing at the touch for some reason, "I'll get you there. Do not strain your heart."

Layne tilted her head at that, but sighed, "Thank you." She finally said after accepting the giant's help.

As the creature began to walk he shook his head, "No thanks needed. My duty to you, to all good here."

Layne chuckled a bit at that, "Well, you're very impressive. Is that magic?"

"No." Came the response.

Layne leaned in to get a better look at the masked figure, "Huh, what are you then?"

"Unmade. We exist."

Now that was an odd statement, "You exist? Are you demons?"

The creature grunted, "Curiousity and cats. We are not demons."

Layne giggled, "Sorry, I can't help but wonder what you are. You have a very calming aura, and yet, I'm guessing that isn't magic either?"

"Correct."

Layne thought about it for a moment, "Are you made by someone?"

The reply came, "Curiousity and cats."

That time Layne took the hint to be quiet, but she couldn't help but wonder about this new creature and what exactly he was. She kicked her feet back and forth, careful not to hit the creature, "Well, if you won't tell me what you are, will you at least tell me, why didn't you attack those snakes while they were making their rounds on people?"

Again the reply came curtly, "We stop deadly violence. Fights happen, scams happen, people can protect themselves. Deadly intent, assassination, we stop. We also build."

Layne thought about her next question carefully as she saw they were nearing the hotel, "Do you enjoy what you do?"

The creature nodded, "Would do nothing else, would want to do nothing else."

Layne smiled just a bit, "I guess that is interesting enough. Y'got a name?"

Again the curt reply came, "Curiousity and cats."

Layne snorted, "C'mon, not a species or a name? What do I call you?"

The reply this time came with a small chuckle, "Nothing. We will call you if you need us."

Layne tilted her head and smiled just a bit, "Huh, all right big fellah, I guess I can accept that for now, just because you saved my life."

Once they were at the hotel Layne was set upon the ground gingerly, but as she turned around, the hulking figure was gone and out of her sights. More than ever perhaps, though, she wanted to stay in this town and see what oddities awaited her. She was also glad for the sudden distraction from those thoughts of her family which had been plaguing her. She was exhausted and would be glad for the sleep, and so she headed into the hotel with a yawn, her mind far too tired to think of anything at the moment.