@
munbird
Sparkles scarfed the fries down, his tail thumping against the booth. "I
like this one, Chirpy. Can we keep him? Please?"
Zach made an amused sound, relaxing slightly since Bentley had come over. If Sparkles wasn't trying to chew his leg off, that meant that this guy was alright. He leaned back in his seat, tapping the table as he waited for his coffee to show up. At Bentley's question, Zach shrugged and nodded. "Nowhere else for either of us to really go, honestly. Figure I can make myself useful in the meantime."
The hellhound piped up again, "C'mon Chirpy, this is way more fun than being some boring office-y meatsack. Who wants to sit at a desk all day? At least this way we get to see cool things and meet new people. People who give me food."
@
munbird
Sparkles scarfed the fries down, his tail thumping against the booth. "I
like this one, Chirpy. Can we keep him? Please?"
Zach made an amused sound, relaxing slightly since Bentley had come over. If Sparkles wasn't trying to chew his leg off, that meant that this guy was alright. He leaned back in his seat, tapping the table as he waited for his coffee to show up. At Bentley's question, Zach shrugged and nodded. "Nowhere else for either of us to really go, honestly. Figure I can make myself useful in the meantime."
The hellhound piped up again, "C'mon Chirpy, this is way more fun than being some boring office-y meatsack. Who wants to sit at a desk all day? At least this way we get to see cool things and meet new people. People who give me food."
@
Carnifex
"Mm, sounds like you keep busy well 'nough." Bentley pulled off a piece of deep-fried fish, and passed that down to Sparkles, before digging in to the food himself. He ate like he hadn't eaten in days. Given how he dressed, that wasn't a huge stretch of the imagination. "Well, what've you noticed so far that's weird 'bout this town? I mean, 'sides all th' weird lil' critters that visit us. That, I take as normal nowadays. 'S what's been goin' on lately that's buggin' me."
@
Carnifex
"Mm, sounds like you keep busy well 'nough." Bentley pulled off a piece of deep-fried fish, and passed that down to Sparkles, before digging in to the food himself. He ate like he hadn't eaten in days. Given how he dressed, that wasn't a huge stretch of the imagination. "Well, what've you noticed so far that's weird 'bout this town? I mean, 'sides all th' weird lil' critters that visit us. That, I take as normal nowadays. 'S what's been goin' on lately that's buggin' me."
@
munbird
Sparkles stifled his excitement, mostly because Zach was nudging him in the ribs. One day his hellhound would learn subtlety. Zach was content to drink his coffee when it came, quietly sipping it as he considered.
"Nothing smells odd," Sparkles added. "If it were demonic, I'd probably smell the stench all over the town. I was thinking of finding out who disappeared last and sniffin' around. Literally." The hellhound grinned toothily.
@
munbird
Sparkles stifled his excitement, mostly because Zach was nudging him in the ribs. One day his hellhound would learn subtlety. Zach was content to drink his coffee when it came, quietly sipping it as he considered.
"Nothing smells odd," Sparkles added. "If it were demonic, I'd probably smell the stench all over the town. I was thinking of finding out who disappeared last and sniffin' around. Literally." The hellhound grinned toothily.
@
Carnifex
"That ain't a bad idea, pooch," Bentley said, tossing a couple more fries to Sparkles. "One o' th' missin' folks is a buddy o' mine. Good kid, that guy. I can show ya where he lives an' all that." He rubbed his chin, pausing a moment to think. "Somethin's definitely up, here. An' yer right, it ain't demonic. Th' demons I deal with in this town ain't
afraid of other demons like they're 'fraid o'... whatever this is."
@
Carnifex
"That ain't a bad idea, pooch," Bentley said, tossing a couple more fries to Sparkles. "One o' th' missin' folks is a buddy o' mine. Good kid, that guy. I can show ya where he lives an' all that." He rubbed his chin, pausing a moment to think. "Somethin's definitely up, here. An' yer right, it ain't demonic. Th' demons I deal with in this town ain't
afraid of other demons like they're 'fraid o'... whatever this is."
@
munbird
"Oooh, if demons are really spooked, maybe it's something right up your alley, huh Chirpy?" Sparkles suggested, shifting so he could grin at Zach even through his mouthful of french fries.
"No," Zach said, hunching up his shoulders and taking a long sip of his coffee before continuing. "If it were something angelic, I think I'd know."
Sparkles snorted in amusement, "You sure? Nothing spooks demons like the whole holy regiment shebang, after all." either."
Zach promptly changed the topic, addressing Bentley's statement. "I'm sorry about your missing friend. At least we'd probably be better off working together. You know the town better, and, uh. The dog has got a really good nose?" He paused, going back to drinking his coffee before adding, "I guess we're ready to start looking whenever you are."
@
munbird
"Oooh, if demons are really spooked, maybe it's something right up your alley, huh Chirpy?" Sparkles suggested, shifting so he could grin at Zach even through his mouthful of french fries.
"No," Zach said, hunching up his shoulders and taking a long sip of his coffee before continuing. "If it were something angelic, I think I'd know."
Sparkles snorted in amusement, "You sure? Nothing spooks demons like the whole holy regiment shebang, after all." either."
Zach promptly changed the topic, addressing Bentley's statement. "I'm sorry about your missing friend. At least we'd probably be better off working together. You know the town better, and, uh. The dog has got a really good nose?" He paused, going back to drinking his coffee before adding, "I guess we're ready to start looking whenever you are."
@
Carnifex
"Definitely not angelic," Bentley remarked. "If it was, the demon I exorcised today would'a come out an' said so. Not a peep 'boit what was spookin' that one, though." He shoveled the last of his food into his mouth, swallowing before continuing. "Yeah, 'm ready whenever. Just gotta pay this bill an' we're good t' go."
@
Carnifex
"Definitely not angelic," Bentley remarked. "If it was, the demon I exorcised today would'a come out an' said so. Not a peep 'boit what was spookin' that one, though." He shoveled the last of his food into his mouth, swallowing before continuing. "Yeah, 'm ready whenever. Just gotta pay this bill an' we're good t' go."
@
munbird
Zach nodded. He figured as such anyways, but it was good to have it confirmed. "Would've been able to sense it, anyways. Demon or angel, they tend to leave a sorta presence, you know?" Zach shrugged.
"Just saying, angels reek. Makes my nose itch." Sparkles pointed out, then made a stifled half-yelp, half-squawk as Zach nudged his ribs hard. The hound subsided to silence as Zach rifled through his pockets for whatever cash he had. He pulled out a few crumpled dollars and set them down to pay for his own coffee. It was a good thing he didn't have to spend much money often, otherwise he'd have ran out long ago.
@
munbird
Zach nodded. He figured as such anyways, but it was good to have it confirmed. "Would've been able to sense it, anyways. Demon or angel, they tend to leave a sorta presence, you know?" Zach shrugged.
"Just saying, angels reek. Makes my nose itch." Sparkles pointed out, then made a stifled half-yelp, half-squawk as Zach nudged his ribs hard. The hound subsided to silence as Zach rifled through his pockets for whatever cash he had. He pulled out a few crumpled dollars and set them down to pay for his own coffee. It was a good thing he didn't have to spend much money often, otherwise he'd have ran out long ago.
@
Carnifex
Bentley didn't have much money to spend, even when he needed to. He could only just afford his meal plus a pretty lousy tip. He sighed, stood, and motioned for Zach and Sparkles to follow him out the door.
"So far, only 'bout three people's gone missin'," he said once they were outside, turning left and walking slowly down the street. "Still, small town like this, that ain't an insignificant number. Folks've been actin' strange, too--an' not th' normal kinda strange. Some who'd seemed all normal b'fore have started t' get all cagey, actin' a lil'... off, y'know? Not quite right."
@
Carnifex
Bentley didn't have much money to spend, even when he needed to. He could only just afford his meal plus a pretty lousy tip. He sighed, stood, and motioned for Zach and Sparkles to follow him out the door.
"So far, only 'bout three people's gone missin'," he said once they were outside, turning left and walking slowly down the street. "Still, small town like this, that ain't an insignificant number. Folks've been actin' strange, too--an' not th' normal kinda strange. Some who'd seemed all normal b'fore have started t' get all cagey, actin' a lil'... off, y'know? Not quite right."
@
munbird
The pair followed after--Sparkles popped into view outside of the store when no one was witnessing, seemingly a normal mutt as he trailed after the two men. Zach nodded as he considered Bentley's words. "Could be we're dealing with more than one thing?" He suggested. "Multiple creatures, or perhaps maybe some sort of spellcraft over the town."
"Could be a cult," Sparkles whispered, "Or maybe a whole coven of witches or somethin'. Or I guess if it was a really powerful entity, that'd be enough to spook demons into keeping their mouths shut."
@
munbird
The pair followed after--Sparkles popped into view outside of the store when no one was witnessing, seemingly a normal mutt as he trailed after the two men. Zach nodded as he considered Bentley's words. "Could be we're dealing with more than one thing?" He suggested. "Multiple creatures, or perhaps maybe some sort of spellcraft over the town."
"Could be a cult," Sparkles whispered, "Or maybe a whole coven of witches or somethin'. Or I guess if it was a really powerful entity, that'd be enough to spook demons into keeping their mouths shut."
@
Carnifex
Bentley was quiet for a moment, considering their words.
"I got no clue," he said finally. He turned off the main street, walking two blocks down and stopping in front of a small house. "This' th' place my buddy lives. Got a girlfriend an' a dog but should be easy 'nough t' tell which smell's his.... uh, gimme a sec." He walked up to the door, and knocked on it. After a couple minutes a young woman in a t-shirt and shorts opened it.
"Wh--oh, hey Ben. You need somethin'?"
"Got me a sniffin' dog, we're gonna go find Luke." He beamed, patting her shoulder. She smiled in return, although it was a weary expression.
"Ah-huh, tha's nice..." She closed the door abruptly, nearly catching Bentley's arm in it. He sighed, turning to face Zach and Sparkles.
"See? Real weird. She ain't ever been so apathetic as since Luke went missin'. I mean, 's way beyond even how stoners
usually are."
@
Carnifex
Bentley was quiet for a moment, considering their words.
"I got no clue," he said finally. He turned off the main street, walking two blocks down and stopping in front of a small house. "This' th' place my buddy lives. Got a girlfriend an' a dog but should be easy 'nough t' tell which smell's his.... uh, gimme a sec." He walked up to the door, and knocked on it. After a couple minutes a young woman in a t-shirt and shorts opened it.
"Wh--oh, hey Ben. You need somethin'?"
"Got me a sniffin' dog, we're gonna go find Luke." He beamed, patting her shoulder. She smiled in return, although it was a weary expression.
"Ah-huh, tha's nice..." She closed the door abruptly, nearly catching Bentley's arm in it. He sighed, turning to face Zach and Sparkles.
"See? Real weird. She ain't ever been so apathetic as since Luke went missin'. I mean, 's way beyond even how stoners
usually are."
