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ELIZABETH'S 'MANOR' - AFTERNOON
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Elizabeth sighs as she steps onto the street her current place of residence is. She's in her usual burgundy travel dress, hood down, as she's carrying a small bag of fruit and other edibles from the market. Not really looking forward to another night in this building that barely constitutes as one, but not having a lot of options. There's also just some degree of inner stubborness that has the skunk refusing to take a room in the inn. She'll yet make the most of this mess... somehow.
Elizabeth sighs again as she turns the key on the door. The door that she just recently had to fix back into place to even... you know, have a door.
Narrator: Inside, things were quiet..but there had been furniture moved around, not very much, but just enough to tell that there had been someone,something inside the house since she had left that morning. It was quiet though, and at first glance there wasn't any sign of life in building (Well, large persony life, this manor likely has quite a few of the much smaller verminy type of life)
Elizabeth looks about, frowning in mild confusion: "Hmm...?" She drops her shoppings on the floor and steps in.
Narrator: Nothing had been taken either, if any valuables were around, there were still there. This wasn't a robbery, whatever it was. In the kitchen though, there was a figure, slouched casually over a chair. Waiting for Elizabeth to turn up, positioning themselves carefully to be out of view of the door.
Elizabeth looks about the other rooms, then shrugs and heads into the kitchen. Upon stepping into the kitchen (which she just had recently given a thorough magical disinfection/purge to), she yelps a bit at the sight of the figure: "Gah!"
Narrator: The figure was..odd, about the same height as Elizabeth, with their face hidden by a single plain white mask, with eyes and mouth scrawled crudely on with green paint. Their clothing appeared to be just a collection of cloth scraps, held together in some fashion that's rather unclear to the eye. They gesture idly, with thin chitinous fingers "Nice to meeet you" they give out a slow drawl, the painted on facial features moving expressively as they talk "You work late". If Elizabeth tried to peer closer, they'd get that familiar feel of illusion magic, the sort that one would use to smooth out any mistakes in a costume. Visual flare, essentially.
Elizabeth steps back, frowning: "...w-who are you and what are you doing in my house?"
Enxame: "Aszeszing the competition" They rise up, their movements fluid as they move back, gesturing to the sink "Few would uze magic for such a small thin if they were not quite comfortable with the art" The mask winks, painting itself into a wide grin "Curiouz, why would one zettle down all the way out here?" He's baiting her, the grin turning wider, mocking "Fear of zomething, perhapz?"
Elizabeth looks at the... thing, with an expression somewhere between fear, doubt... and annoyance. "I would say it's somewhere between 'none of your business' and 'you still didn't answer my question'."
Enxame: "Oh, but I did! I did! See, the underworld iz rather full, it doesn't need anymore, zertainly not one of such delusions of gradeur" They flow back into the chair, lowering down "But, I am reazonable! I understand! I am willing to accommodate! I jusst need that understanding to be mutual!" The grin widens even further, easy todo when its not bounded by the constraints of an actual face
Elizabeth takes a moment to process the actual words being said: "...what do you want of me?"
Enxame: "A zimple understanding! That you won't get any biiig ideaz of trying to witch around, or whatever you lot call it these dayz. You can do your zilly little day jobs, I don't care. I don't even care about thiz city" They almost spit out that word "But I've been here a long time, I'm comfortable, under the radar. I don't need anyone zicking their tail into thingz that shouldn't concern them, and bringing anything that thinks themselves 'official' into my domain" They open their hands out "I can be...zivilised" Though again, the word drips with contempt "And If I can, then it should be eazy for you, no? or perhapz you do not enjoy being the one on thiz side of thiz talk?"
Elizabeth leans back on the wall, hands under her chest, clearly not that impressed: "You are being confusing, and I do not just mean your accent. I am here to escape, as you implied. My biggest 'underground' project is making sure the foundations of this house do not collapse on me."
Enxame: "Of course, of course, but I'm zure that you're always going to be happy with what you have, and won't evver try to expand out" There's a very discordant sigh "I am trying to be polite, nice..az they say. I do not wish to ztart this off with dizrespect, but you do not appear to underzztand the word" There's a long pause "You would alzo maintain thiz bored demeanor with your life, it is most tiresome....but nevertheless, I am curiouz what you can do" There was a gentle skittering noise, as the cracks in the floorboards shivered, then emerging was a dense skittering mob that flowed up unto the table, which was disintegrating underneath the onslaught. The figure remained, standing in the mob on the floor, though the tatters of his clothing kept it rather vague where his legs began, and the mob ended.
Elizabeth looks at the mob and the damage to the poor table, then back at what passed for the figure's face: "Are you perhaps done destroying my property, or do you want to lay out more vague threats for things I have no intention of doing?"
Enxame seems surprised "You truly have left your craft...." There's a soft tilt of the head "Fazcinating...to put zo much of your life into a thing, then abandon it, and flee" The swarm disperses with another snap of fingers "zo...I was concerned for nothing? I can only hope this this...retirement persists..but..I am only vague, becauze I understood that it waz how you wished it done..it is simple. Interfere, and I find thoze that you care for, that which you hold dear..and" There's a motion towards the table "Iz that a clear enough threat?"
Elizabeth narrows her eyes, frowning: "Clear enough. Now get out."
Enxame: "Not even a good evening. You left your manners behind, in your manorz" There's a snarky laugh, before the mask shreds away, and the form..disperses, each piece of the mask and scraps flying in different directions, before vanishing either into the ceiling, floor, or out a window, door or crack...leaving Elizabeth alone..other than a single beetle, chilling on the back of the chair.
Elizabeth frowns in annoyance, looking about the place where the... thing? Things? Were. Then once she's reasonably sure she doesn't detect any other magic than her own, she lets herself to have shaky sigh. What did she do to attract trouble already...?
Elizabeth shakes her head, taking a few more breaths and just sort of resisting the desire to squish the lone beetle with her magic, if only because it'd make a mess. She then gets onto putting away her groceries and trying to forget this whole encounter.