Way of the law (Woof)

As the pharmacist lead Jett, she could feel her eyes starting to water a bit. Her other half was choking in a matter of speaking. There was an assault on Vaedren’s senses the moment the strand made its way into the basement. Normally that wouldn’t have been much of a big deal. Vaedren would have sucked it up and just kept to himself. But lately Jett had noticed that she and her demon companion were beginning to split their experiences. Case and point being Jett’s watery eyes. She even began to work up a slight cough.

Noticing his partner was in danger, Vaedren quickly began to recall the strand back to him. “Is definitely something down there Jett!”

Vaedren had seen just enough. He now knew something was down there, and apparently so did Jett. “Yeah, I got the message big guy, loud and clear”

“U-um Maam? Did you have a specific brand in mind?”

Jett had almost forgotten that she had lead the pharmacist away from the counter. “Y-You know what. I don’t think I’m that far from home. I’ll just wait till then. Thank you for your help though.” the blind woman would say, doing her best to hold back a cough.

“Clair! Clair, where are you? We’re leaving!” she shouted out. Most likely embarrassing the young girl in the process as no doubt a bunch of attention would be placed on her.

Once they were outside, Jett would wrap her arm around Clair’s tightly. “There’s definitely something going on in there. What did you find?”

Clair continued her little hunt, paying more attention to the floor then where she was walking. The more she paid attention to it, not just it's look but how it felt to walk on, she noticed more. She noticed that some parts felt hollow, some with the strain of shelves were damp and creaky.

She had knelt down and placed a sleeved hand on this part of the floor, feeling slightly disgusted by the stain, but also confused and questioning, more so when she let out a bit of the mist built up in her jumper and watched as it slid between the cracks of the floor. Was... Hmm. She pondered, right till she jumped at the voice of Jett calling for her, almost panicking at what might have happened, and the eyes that were suddenly paying her all the attention. "Umm, Ummm. Yes! Right." Clair choked out, not wanting to raise her voice as she quickly walked to the blind woman and took a hold of her arm, bringing hers and Jett's together as she started to lead Jett out of the pharmacy.

When they were outside, the young girl squeaked when she felt the tight grip from the older woman, and wondered if talking so close now was the best idea, but that wonder was quickly squashed by her need to speak.
"Not... Not much. Some parts of the floor seemed off, weak? Like nothing was below to support it. Might be nothing." Clair didn't believe that. It could mean a basement. A secret compartment. Anything. But for some reason, she felt a need to hide this. To hide this information she should really be sharing with Jett. She had no reason to hide it anyway... Right? Right? "What do you think Jett? You're certain something is up?"

Jett nodded. “I got a good whiff of some really potent chemicals while that man was assisting me.” Jett began to lead the girl this time, almost out of instinct. They had done enough for the day. Jett was about to confirm her suspicions about the building, but still didn’t have solid proof. Neither did Clair. If they went with just their word to the police nothing would get done. Jett had to find a way to get solid evidence. The other issue was, Vaedren didn’t seem like he could handle it. The chemicals had overwhelmed him.

It was only a strand he had sent down to the basement and it choked him. Going down there in his full glory would be a hundred times worse. That being said, Vaedren didn’t need to go down to the basement to get a confession out of one of the workers. They had to ship the stuff out of there somehow. That’s how Jett would get the evidence she needed. “We can’t go to the police. Not yet. All he have is suspicions. No true hard evidence. Nothing to give cause for a warrant.”

Jett paused for a moment. She wasn’t sure if telling Clair all the details was a good idea. There was a chance the girl would try to be a ‘hero’ again. That could put her in serious danger. Hell, the blind woman was beginning to have doubts about even taking Clair to the pharmacy in the first place. With a sigh, Jett would come to an abrupt stop. Pulling softly on Clair’s arm. “Clair, you have to promise me you wont go back there. At least not without me. Promise me you wont try to be a hero again. Give me a chance to show you how effective our work is.”

Clair felt her eyes widen. Jett did? Clair hadn't smelt anything when she was near the man, nor had she smelt anything really potent. Just dust and medicine. But... If it was true, then it had to come from somewhere, and suddenly, the information Clair had clicked together. A basement. A basement where chemicals were at work.

As Jett spoke more, Clair felt more certain, because it seemed Jett was certain something was happening in that pharmacy, but her words stung. They needed hard evidence. Which they had none of, which would be impossible to come by less someone went down and gathered it themselves. Jett seemed to have read the mind of the young girl however.

"Mmm.." Clair fell silent as she took the blind lawyers words in. Hours ago, Clair would have easily said of course. But now, she was uncertain. Jett, the panic attack, inside that store. All three had made the girl realize how pathetic she had been. She didn't want to be that anymore. And as Clair said, without hard evidence, there was nothing they could do. Nothing. How effective could they're work be if... If they could do nothing.

Gripping her moon pendent, Clair felt her eyes grow wet with shame as she smiled to the blind woman and said something she never hoped she'd have to say again. "Yea... Okay. I won't." She lied. Feeling battered about it. Softly tugging on Jett's arm again, she headed back in the direction of where Jett worked, already beating herself up over her words. But... If she could help Jett. Then she'd get that evidence. And nothing else.

Clair was lying. Jett knew it. She didn’t need Vaedren’s eyes or her own to see the look on the girl’s face. She was going to break her promise. Perhaps Jett shouldn’t have said anything. Clair seemed easily inspired. And hearing that they couldn’t pin anything on Nathaniel Powers had to sting. Jett didn’t want to be too stern with the girl, she had been through enough already, but there was a fine line about to be crossed. Letting out a sigh as she tugged on the girls arm one more time.

“That’s not going to cut it Clair. I asked you not to do this once before and you went out anyway. It’s not that I don’t trust you, but there is a lot of complications that arise from vigilante activity. If you went there and cause a ruckus any evidence you find could be completely inadmissible in court.” Jett had to get this out before walking back into the building that her office was located. She didn’t need anyone else hearing her lecture this poor girl. That being said, it had to be done. Clair had already proven on two accounts that she wasn’t really cut out for that sort of thing.

“Let me talk to my friend on the force and see if I can get them to snoop around. In the mean time I’ve got something else for you to do.” Jett would remain quite about this last bit until they got to her office. She’d motion for the young girl to take a seat and then moved over to her desk. “You see her card anywhere big guy?” she said, to which Vaedren puppeteered her hand to where a business card was. After running her hands across the card, Jett picked up her phone and dialed the number she had felt. “let’s see if this works” Jett mumbled hoping a certain acquaintance would answer.

Clair felt a dull thud hitting against her ears and head as Clair spoke. They walked and despite the woman's blind nature, it really was as if she saw though Clair. It only did to further make Clair feel... Broken. Torn. What Jett said was so true. Clair didn't need to do this... But what did that make the young girl? If she took the easy way out each time. That wouldn't get anything done, and Clair didn't want to be like that anymore. Like this.

So she remained silent as Jett lead her back to the office. For some reason, Clair wasn't done today, as Jett said. She had something else to do, something that perhaps pertained to the phone call that was being made now? Clair could only guess as to what it was Jett wanted her to do, so she was left to her own device, a blind woman on a call. She decided to bring it out. Holding her hand out, Clair pulled the mist from her sleeve and watch as it bundled and formed over her hand till it started to solidify into a fox like mask. Clair simply trailed her other hand over it as she waited. Could she put this on? Could she... Could she do what she needed too?

On the other side of the line, a red hand pulled a buzzing phone from their pocket and stared at the name. 'Cute Lawyer.' A tooth dug into her lip as she stared at it, letting it buzz for a few seconds before she looked to her luggage, currently being carefully examined by some... People she knew. Swiping right, Euna brought the phone to her ear. "Ms Lockwood! How's the asshole made of goo doing? And why are you calling me? It isn't to do with the little one right? How is she?" Euna asked in a rather peculiar accent, almost french like, a tail to where she had been too.

Jett let out a small sigh of relief as Euna answered the phone. Thank goodness. Though her look of relief did eventually turn to confusion at the notice of the demon’s odd accent. “Uh…Umm…The dog’s doing great. He really misses you a bunch.” Jett said jokingly to Vaedren’s annoyance. The blind woman took a pause thinking about the other Arcadian that Euna had asked after. “Actually the reason I’m calling is for something completely unrelated. I’ve got a young girl here. She’s got something in her possession that…Well I think you might know exactly what it is. I was hoping you could meet with her.”

As Jett’s focus was turned to the phone, Vaedren’s attention was on Clair. He grew suspicious as he watched the mist form a mask in the girls hand. He didn’t like that pendant one bit. He might have been a parasite, but at least he lived in harmony with his host. This thing seemed to be playing tricks on the poor girls mind. Vaedren didn’t like that one bit.

Euna frowned to herself. She grabbed her bag and wheeled it out the doors, eyes scanning for her ride and finding it quickly enough, however, it seemed she wasn't going to have the time to play around with the hired help. Someone had something that might interest the archeologist and this tip came from the lawyer of all people.

"Lucky for you, I just got back to this city and I am feeling good. Give me a location, and if you feel like making me even happier, tell the dog to dress you up in that armor. I could use some eye candy." Euna joked, her voice having only a tint of sultry want in it. She wouldn't mind seeing it again somewhere private... But this wasn't a fun call. This was business. All she needed was a location and her driver would get her there in no time.

Clair continued to play with it. It seemed they had the time. And she could keep an ear out for whenever someone got too close, she attached the mask to her face, letting out a breath, almost joyous. Just having this on her face made her feel better. And because Jett was blind... Clair almost felt like she could have a normal conversation now. " Jett.." Clair first said, her tone almost brave, as if the timid girl wasn't a factor that existed before.

"Are you sure sending one man to check out that place is safe for them? I mean, it looked innocent on the outside. But we both know that it has a ugly inside. Too ugly to be safe for a officer to go in alone." Clair pondered on what to do. She could sneak in. Take her phone, some photo's, enough to show the police that something was going on... No, a video would be better... Maybe both.

The more she thought about it, the more she felt like she could do it. All she'd need to do is let the mist protect her, even then, if things went right, she'd not even need to rely on it. Record the evidence, send it to Jett as a anomalous tip, then she could alert an entire police force. Not one man, but an army to take them down. With all that evidence, Jett would be one step closer to Mr Powers. The big man... The man that sent all his men to death by that beast.

She couldn't let that happen again.

“Uh…Yeah… I’ll have my assistant text you the address. Talk to you later.” Jett’s cheeks would take on a slight rosy tone as she blushed from embarrassment. Was Vaedren’s armor really that revealing? The blind woman’s attention would shift from her previous thoughts as her demonic companion began to growl aggressively. “Whoa there big guy, whats the deal?”
“Stupid girl! She’s not listening to you! Has mask on!”
Jett let a slight look of concern appear on her face as Clair questioned Jett’s decision.

Was she seriously trying to take advantage of the fact that Jett was blind? “My friend on the force is a woman. My roommate to be more specific. And yes, Im sure she’d be more than capable of getting the evidence we need. You’re not thinking about breaking your promise to me, are you?” Jett didn’t need Vaedren to know the young girl was planning something. The sudden shift in her tone of voice was enough of a hint that something was up.

“Look, put the pharmacy and this afternoon behind you. We’ve got something a bit more important to deal with.” Rising cautiously from her desk, Jett moved over to her coat and pulled out a card from on of the pockets. While it wasn’t in braille, the ink was slightly raised. After running her thumb over it several times, Jett determined it was the right card.

The lawyer would turn around and hold two cards out for Clair to grab. One card was Euna’s and had a little mean smiley face drawn on it. The other was to the restaurant Clair and Jett had gone to a few hours ago for lunch. “Do me a favor and text the address for Alonne’s restaurant to the number of the card with the smiley face on it.”

Clair frowned at the words Jett had said. Something more important then the pharmacy? The girl wasn't sure that was possible. The pharmacy was the most important key, the most important feature of this day. Of her life. It was the idea, the object of which she was sure she could... She could prove herself. Prove she wasn't just a scared girl that was going to hide away at the smallest misstep. The smallest fright.

Clair would stand and walk up to Jett, her mask slowly falling away as she reached out for the two cards, staring curiously at the choice of the smiley face sticker. Was that even a smile? "S..sure." Her voice was more timid now, as the rest of the mask slowly became mist that went back inside her jumper. The girl moved back to the table and placed the two cards down, her phone surfing over the address and the number, the text going though.

They were meeting someone. This someone must have been important if Jett had said so. Letting out a breath, Clair stared about the room, before walking back up to Clair and taking the woman's arm again. "Right, shall we?" Clair asked as she waited for approval before leading the blind woman back down out of the office building and towards the restaurant.

After some time, a maroon skinned woman would enter the restaurant, dressed in a business suit and a pencil skirt, magenta eyes scanning the patrons till they found Jett and the young Clair. Trying to hide her disappointment at the lack of certain appeal, Euna let out a toothy grin as she spearheaded towards the pair, obvious to anyone and choosing to ignore everyone else. "Jett, ravishing as ever. Dog, I hope you're being... You. And ah, who's shy and adorable to the side... Here..." Euna looked between the two, paying more attention to the woman then the girl, but for some reason, she felt tuned back to this shivering girl who stared up at her as if she was some strange thing to be feared and awed.

"Wait... But... I... I know you?"

Jett sat in the booth next to Clair. A simple glass of water sat on the table in front of her. As she tapped her finger against the glass she was beginning to wonder if this was the best meeting place for the two. And sure enough, the first words out of Euna’s mouth were more than a cause for concern. This was a public place and the red skinned Arcadian had already called out Jett’s other half. Not that anyone seemed to notice, but it was something she didn’t need out in the open, especially around Clair.

“O-oh yeah. Of course, my service dog is at home with my room mate.” the woman tried to cover. Luckily Clair seemed to ignore Euan’s comments about said dog and immediately moved to the fact that she had met the demon before. “I’m most certainly sure that you have Clair. This here is Euna. What you said earlier, about the woman who found the pendant, well it sounded like a certain someone I happen to know…..So here she is! Clair, Euna. Euna, this is Clair.”

The blind woman smiled and motioned for Euna to sit down. After taking a sip of her water Jett spoke up again. “Euna, I know I owe you enough already, but I was hoping you could help Clair understand this artifact she has in her possession a bit better.” Hopefully by pointing the focus on the young girl quickly, the red Arcadian wouldn’t bring Vaedren up again, or wouldn’t have a chance to.

Euna raised an eyebrow to Jett, but slowly figured out the hush hushness when it came to dog. "Of course, when you have this lovely young lady, why even need the mutt?" Euna teased with a smile, knowing Vaedren would be listening, and perhaps enjoying the idea she could annoy the old Arcadian.

"You... You're over a hundred." Clair managed, regaining the Arcadian's attention once more. Who began to study the girl as Jett introduced the two, taking a seat and smiling to the younger girl. "Honey I am well over three hundred." Euna said, causing Clair to nearly drop her jaw. Before she regained her own composure in a shy kind of way.

But it was soon to why Euna was here. An artifact. Always a joy for Euna, to find something, to see how it worked, what it was for. Who made it. But as Euna was directed to the necklace, and as Clair realized just what was going on, that the finder of the pendent she wore now was here. Clair felt defensive, hiding it in clutched fingers for a moment, which seemed to bother Euna in some way before she got a look at it.

"Oh..." Euna frowned, a tooth digging into her lower lip as she stared at the black and white pendent. Smooth, circular and magical. "Now... Which picture was it. Which one was it when you found it." Euna asked, almost with urgency.

Put on the spot, Clair found her legs to be really interesting as she thought about the answer, before mumbling it, only to realize she wouldn't have been heard, so she spoke a bit louder. "Ja-Japan. It was translated, and you were with two-" She stopped as Euna bared her teeth at the pendent. Who seemed to recognize it with anger.

"Shin and Bei." Euna looked to Clair, then Jett, and nodded to the woman. "Good. Good idea calling me.." She said as she looked back to the pendent. "Take it off, the necklace." Euna asked, and Clair froze, as if having been touched. She herself bit her lower lip, and sat silent for several seconds, as if undecided, to answer no... Or no. She didn't want to take it off, and Euna could see that.

"I can't tell you a whole lot about it. The pendent." Euna sighed, looking more to Jett then Clair. Jett brought the girl, so the demon assumed Jett would be dealing with it, she was the one that needed to know. "Found it in a dig site. Along with a few statues of your roommates obsession. Seems people had been praying to it for hundreds of years, before they suddenly... Stopped. Shin was the first to touch it... And it consumed him. It consumed his every thought and desire. He wanted to protect it, keep it, live with it, love it really, he didn't shut up about it. In fact. He never took it off. Till suddenly. It didn't want him anymore. And when I say it. I mean the pendent. He attacked Bei while I was on a phone call with her. Things went wrong and he killed her and himself. At least, that's the idea. When I found them, the damn thing had engraved itself into his chest, and I'm pretty sure he had meant to pass it on to Bei." Euna finished explaining, giving the young girl attached to the thing a glance, a curious glance, because when the Arcadian had expected fear, confusion or fright... She only saw someone offended... A little curious and perhaps a hint of frightened.

"But as long as you don't have obsessive thoughts about the pendent, you should be fine, hell, this pendent might just be similar to the one I found... Mm. Jett. Can I walk you to the bathroom. Big girls need to have a chat." Euna winked towards Jett, still, she looked serious as she stood up and held a hand out for the woman to take. She was sure the lawyer had her questions, maybe even the dog too.. Euna certainly had hers.

While Jett sat there in silence as Euna spoke of the pendant, Vaedren hissed and growled. At first it was in response to the Arcadian’s teasing, but soon shifted to concern over the pendant. “SEE we told you it was evil. Did not trust it. Never did!”
“Alright sheesh, I get it big guy, the thing is evil. What do you want me to do about it?” Jett’s question made Vaedren shut up momentarily. What was Jett going to do about it? What could she do? Clair liked Jett, looked up to her, maybe she would listen to Jett if she asked the girl to hand over the amulet.

No, that was silly, wasn’t going to work, never would. Vaedren growled internally. He just had to sit there and be silent. Jett had to agree with Vaedren. Everything she heard Euna say about the pendent only raised more cause for alarm. It’s former owner murdered someone else because of it? And was completely obsessed with it. That did not sound good. Especially with how fragile Clair seemed to be. Someone like that could easily be swayed by malevolent forces.

The blind woman gave a sort of startled hop as her demon friend asked to speak with her in private. “I…U-uh I don’t think that’s a good idea. I really don’t want to leave Clair on her own. I’m kinda responsible for her. And well, she’s not really good with a crowd. You sure you can’t just say what you want here?”

Clair... Clair wasn't sure what to think. Mostly because despite what the woman. The red skinned, demon looking woman that shouldn't be alive but could be well over three hundred years old said. Clair... Clair didn't know. Clair knew one thing, that this pendent allowed her to do things, it protected her, kept her alive. But not once had she thought about it as... Something more, not really. Not before... The night.

Before she had seen the valley of blood in that alleyway, she had only considered it a tool. But after, she came to rely on it for security. For help. It focused her. Allowed her to be someone she wasn't.

But while Clair was contemplating what Euna had said, Euna was staring at Jett with clasped teeth. She had limited answers. And someone that could answer it couldn't because Jett was shy about her dog and busy places... Or the girl. Sitting back down, Euna bit her lower lip again. "I sold it. The pendent. I deemed it too dangerous to give to a museum.. So I sold it to a very bad lady for a lot of money. She died a month later, with that inside her chest. I used shovels and clothes to hold onto it, she touched it with her bare hands. Girl, best you take it off and throw it away sooner then later. A month and it will-"

"Umm... I've had it for a few months now... Half a year at latest." Clair interrupted. Causing Euna pause. If you asked anyone, she'd say she looked flabbergasted.

"Eh? And you haven't... I don't know. Tried rutting with it or something?" Euna asked, confusing Clair for a moment, but Euna waved the question away before focusing her attention back on Jett. "Look. I don't... Understand it. Eventually, I gave it to a old guy and told him to lock it away. Keep it guarded. He was magic like that. Never thought about it again. Want my theory. My guess. My final say. Something... Someone is living inside it. And it'd be that the Queen or someone close to her level, wanted it inside that. Punishment, torture. A dangerous foe they needed to be gone. Your roommate might be able to elaborate. But who knows." Euna leaned back into her seat, staring back at the young girl who just looked lost with what had been said. The information clearly far beyond what her reality was.

Someone or something trapped inside the amulet? Every time Euna opened her mouth to speak about Clair’s necklace, Jett got more and more worried. More so, when the young girl said she had, had the necklace for a few months now. This also prompted Jett to consult her other half. “Is she right Vaedren? Do you know who’s locked away in that thing?” There was no reply at first, which troubled the blind woman. Eventually the titanic demon would speak though. “Am not sure. Arcadia has own prison where problematic demons are held. Diamond made it after Madeline went to sleep. If an Arcadian is trapped in there, they’d have to be really old.”

Jett furrowed her brow, which was hard for others to see behind her shades, but still noticeable. “Well if they’re really old, you should know them right?”
“My memory is very fuzzy. Can’t remember that far back for some reason! Still, is bad news!”
Jett began to bite the inside of her lip. This was all very puzzling. She couldn’t see the look on Clair’s face, but she knew the young girl wasn’t taking all this too well. Euna’s words probably didn’t make any of it better. So what was she to do? Jett was obviously concerned for Clair’s well being, but asking her to take the necklace off or abandon it all together could just prove to cause Clair to distance herself, not just from Jett, but also the rest of the world.

“Euna, is there any way you could research it more? Maybe ask around a bit?” Having to talk around their mutual otherworldly link was tough, but she couldn’t have Clair finding out about Vaedren.

Clair let out a huff to Clair's question. Obviously, the dog didn't have the information they needed, which in itself was weird. She looked back to the young girl, the young girl who was adamant to let it go. Ripping off a piece of clothe from the table, Euna placed it over the palm of her hand and held her hand out to Clair. "I'd have to fly to Japan. The original place where I found it. And see if I can find anything. Arcadia isn't a voluptuous topic, despite what some might have you want to believe. But. Clair, was it? If you have any sense of self. Any obligation to your own life. Give me the amulet now. Save any trouble you could have." Euna spoke to the young girl, who once more, looked defensive.

She looked troubled. She looked as if she was pained. To separate from the one thing she had. The thing that made her... more. The thing that made her brave... But... But...

Euna had retailed her with stories of death and loss. And while they had all happened soon after someone had touched the amulet, it hadn't happened to Clair. She hadn't died. But... She had suffered. She had seen things she wished she could be unseen. Maybe... Just... Maybe. She should put her trust in Jett, who had put their trust... in Euna. And in turn. Put her trust in this roommate of Jetts. That she will get... The job done.

Taking her hands to the back of her neck, under her hair. Euna took in a breath as Clair undid the chain. Letting out a breath Clair didn't know she had been holding. She shakily took the chain and amulet in one hand, and placed it slowly in the clothe that covered the demoness's hand. As soon as she had, Euna covered the amulet and chain as much as she could, letting out her own breath. "Alright.. Good. I've been meaning to find this anyway... Keep it locked away like it had been. I will go there anyway. Find out what I can. Who knows. Might find something that can help your roommate Jett." Standing, Euna brushed at her pencil skirt and nodded a toothy nod towards the two woman. "I'll leave you two to yourselves. Always a pleasure Jett. Give the dog a kiss for me... And ah... The little one. If you still keep touch with her. I would but you know... Young lady, live well." Euna said, about to leave before Clair took her attention.

"Look... Look after it... Please." Clair spoke, and with a silent nod, Euna left the two of them alone once more.

Clair looked down at the table, suddenly sullen. Her hands went to her chest, as if she was missing a part of her. "I did the right thing... Right Jett?" She asked the blind woman beside her, looking to them with hopeful eyes. She knew the woman would never see how much Clair needed an answer, a certain answer. But she hoped for it anyway.