Hocus and Pocus

[Nolre Aperrelous]

Nolre didn't take his eyes off of the Leviathan. Most of its body was laying on the deck, and the yacht was floating unevenly on the waves. Nolre could hear the beast gasping for air, and it shuddered loudly, moaning as well. Nolre frowned and went to approach the creature, but Mr. Swan appeared out of the corner of his eyes with a few more harpoons.

"Don't touch it, Nolre. It could still be malevolent."
"It's dying."

Swan shook his head and stabbed a harpoon through the top of its head, nailing it to the deck. He did the same with other parts of its body, then stepped back to admire his handy work.

"We're going to learn many things from this. Many things indeed."

Nolre's hand balled into a fist, and he turned to walk back to the living quarters. As he passed the boy in the top hat, he handed him a card and congratulated him on a job well done.

As Nolre descended into the lower part of the boat, he heard Swan exclaim that the yacht would be back to shore in no less than a few hours. He walked through the hallways to his room and, upon opening the door, saw that Alt'horian sat in his bed.

"You have slain the great evil."
"Not quite," Nolre said solemnly. "We're taking it somewhere else, for studying."
"Studying?"
"Mhm."

Nolre went into the bathroom to dry himself off. In the corner of his eye, he could see Alt'horian staring at him.

"Why do you study the great evil?"

He didn't have an answer.

"The people we saved will be returned soon."
"Thank you."

Alt'horian nodded and slipped out the window. Nolre sighed deeply and ran his fingers through his hair. He began to change out of his clothes when the phone rang.

"This is Nolre."
"I've decided that this incident fits best in the department you work in."
"And?"
"And you will be filing the report."

Nolre closed his eyes and rubbed at them.

"Are you there?"
"Yeah, I'm here."
"Get on it."

He slammed the phone on the receiver and cursed. Changing out of his wet clothes, Nolre looked for a pen and paper. He sat down in dry clothes to write the report, reading aloud as he wrote.

"On this date.... a Leviathan was discovered and forcefully captured..... recruits helped in the process....... four people were fatally injured or killed.. with love, Go Fuck Yourself."

 

[xobscenemetalmelodiez]

Bobby was quite right in assuming the thing wouldn't run away. Instead it nearly capsized the boat when it burst out of the water, revealing its face. The deck was drenched with water as the largest of the tentacles smacked into either side of the yacht, causing everyone to sway and struggle to stay on their feet.

A man dressed in the manner of a homeless person began shooting at the monster's eye. It tried to slap at him with one of its appendages but he used it to his advantage, climbing onto the side and waiting for it to lift him up so he could get a better shot at the eye. It froze, allowing the man a moment to try and attack further, though he was thrown back onto the deck with a painful snapping noise as he rolled in Bobby's direction.

As the others continued to shoot in an attempt to at least hold the creature off, a woman that also looked as though she could be homeless by her manner of dress sauntered over merrily and addressed the man next to the teen.

“We’re twins!" she cried, showing off her eyes which both looked the same as the sea monster's, blood running down her cheeks. Bobby cocked his head to one side, trying to figure out just what the fuck was going on.
“That’s nice, Del,” the man beside him said with little enthusiasm, which caused her to frown and appear to simply blink the injuries away. “Do me a favour and go wait in the captain’s cabin with Lial.”
“But I haven’t asked it its name yet,” she protested.

The homeless-looking man assured her one of the men he'd previously mentioned would do the honours for her, which satisfied the woman. She waved goodbye and moved to the captain’s cabin, and then the man turned to Bobby.

"What's your name, kid?"
"Bobby," he replied. "Don't call me-"
"Wonderful, nice to meet you. My name is Nolre and I would like it very much if you plunged that fucking harpoon into that eye right there."

The boy shrugged and lined the weapon up. Just as he was about to throw it though, bullets fired into the thing's eye, barely missing his arm. Everyone turned to see a small girl lowering her gun.

“Took too long,” she explained simply.
"Whatever," he allowed his arm to drop back down by his side. It didn't matter to him who had the finishing blow. Just killing the beast was good enough.

Its body collapsed onto the deck and it sounded like it was struggling to breath, shuddering and moaning. Suddenly Mr. Swan appeared, carrying over several more harpoons.

"Don't touch it, Nolre. It could still be malevolent."
"It's dying."
"Oh...awesome, more harpoons. Not like we could've used them or anything. Super."

Swan stabbed a harpoon through the top of the monster's head, nailing it to the deck. He did the same with other parts of its body, then stepped back to admire his handy work.

"We're going to learn many things from this. Many things indeed."
"What, like...how to feed a fuckload-a Japs?"

Nolre's hand balled into a fist, and he turned to walk back to the living quarters. As he passed Bobby, he handed him a card and congratulated him on a job well done.

"Thanks?" Bobby shrugged and looked down at the card. Mr. Swan began to talk to them about something before he even had a chance to look inside the thing, which he proceeded to do rather than listen to the man.

"CONGRATULATIONS!

Welcome to Hocus and Pocus! You were selected out of the best to come and show your stuff on this mission to find the best of the best. If you're reading this, that means YOU qualified!

You are now an official employee of Hocus and Pocus. We will provide you not only with your new workplace and plenty to keep your busy, but a roof over your head and the security of our company life policy!

If you have received this card, then you should soon have the basics of our company and its ambitions explained to you, along with what department you will be placed in and its objectives, including your job personally. You will also soon be escorted to your new workplace.

If you have any further questions or inquiries, please ask the administrator of your department.

Thank you, and welcome to Hocus and Pocus!"

​

"What the Bob Ross did I just read?" Bobby looked up to Mr. Swan, who was finishing his speech.
"So, with the details out of the way-"
"Fuck."
"I welcome you all to Hocus and Pocus! When we get ashore, you will be escorted to your future workplace."
"Hmm. Well. Awesome."

Mr. Swan made to wander off, Bobby caught him.

"Yo, Swanny!"
The man stopped abruptly and turned around with a smile that was clearly forced. "Mr. Flay, I would appreciate it if you would call me 'Mister Swan', I am your new boss, after all."
"See, yeah, about that-"
"You don't want to work for Hocus and Pocus?"
"No, that's not it. In fact, my only complaint, aside from being dragged onto this thing to potentially be fuckin' killed, which, I gotta say, ain't so big a deal to me as a lotta your other guests there-"
"Oh, I know, Mr. Flay," he said with a slightly unnerving smile.
"Great, yeah, anyway, my issue is this card," he held it out to the man who took it and looked it over.
"Yes, we give these to all our new recruits."
"Recruits. That's a real friendly word there for new employees. The point is, it's fucking distracting."
"What?" He looked at the young man, seemingly perplexed.
"Yeah. I was busy looking at that bastard while you were talking. I heard shit. All. So, if you could just, fill me in or whatever."
Mr. Swan laughed. "Oh, Mr. Flay, don't worry about a thing. In fact, just enjoy your trip back to shore." He placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "You will see when you get there. All shall be explained." He gave him a brief pat before handing him his card back and heading off.

"Yup," Bobby looked down at the card again. "Reeeal comforting. Well, I guess I should make the best of it." He turned and wandered off in search of any remaining champagne.

 

[CoRy]

As Del was making frogs appear from the man?s wound, she noticed Eve walking into the cabin. She turned the woman and smiled, but Eve sighed and shook her head as she moved next to Del, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"This isn't a time to play games with the scared man, Del," she explained calmly.
Del pouted. ?But he likes frogs, don?t you, Mister Captain?? she asked, turning to him.
?Oh, sweet merciful Jesus. Oh dear God, please,? he muttered, sobbing uncontrollably.
?See?? she beamed.

Eve sighed again and knelt down next to Del. Delial seemed perfectly content with examine the superstitious man?s hysterical reactions. Eve offered to play some games with Del while they remained held up, waiting for the guests strong enough to pass Mister Swan?s test to be rid of the Leviathan. Del agreed happily. She always liked Eve. She always made an effort to keep Del entertained and was ever patient with her terrible memory.

When the creature had been subdued, Eve took Del by the hand and the two of them walked out. She grinned widely when she saw the pinned down creature and tried to run to speak to it, but Eve advised her that might not be a good idea. Del was disappointed, but had something else on her mind anyway. She looked around for Nolre, as she knew he had something he was supposed to tell her, but he was no where in sight.

?Delial,? she said as she approached the young man. ?I?m going to find Nolre. I think he might be in his room.?
?That?s not a good idea, Del. He doesn?t like to be disturbed.?
?But he has to tell me that boy?s name.?
?Why don?t you ask him yourself??

Delial motioned toward the young man who was still wearing the wonderful top hat. Del beamed again and skipped off over to him, standing back silently for a few moments to admire his headwear. He was sipping on a glass of champagne and didn?t seem to notice her there, but after a few moments of her just staring at him, he appeared to sense her and turned around.

?Hey, you?re the person from before,? he pointed on.
?I am not a person,? Del corrected him. ?I bet Nolre forgot, didn?t he??
?Forgot what??
?To ask your name. He didn?t think I would remember, but I can do that sometimes. Remember things. He doesn't think I can, but he's wrong. And this time I did.?
?Well, uh. It?s Bobby. What?s??
?Ohhhhh,? she sighed heavily. ?I could have sworn it was Andrew.?
??yours.?
?I?m Del,? she grinned and then looked up at his hat. ?I absolutely love your hat. It looks even better with the flower on it.? As Bobby furrowed his brow and removed the hat to see the tulip growing out of it, Del noticed the card in his hand. ?What?s that?? she asked excitedly.

 

[Amandaa]

As Del once again got distracted by another one of her ideas, Eve couldn?t help but smile at the girl, and went to grab a medical bag with all her supplied. She approached the creature that was pinned and leaned in close to examine it closely. She smiled to herself and knelt down opening her bag and pulling out a scalpel knife and petri dish. Eve took a tissue sample to study later back home. But Eve knew she would have to wait before beginning her studies on the sample, for she was head of her departments and would have to show the new recruits around and explain some things. That was the price to pay for being a loyal employee of Mr. Swan for many years.

Since things have calmed down, Eve began to mingle among the guests, starting to introduce herself to the new people of Hocus Pocus. She would try to make herself known that she was head of her departments and if anyone had any questions that she is free to answer them.

From a distance, Eve began to see the shoreline; she knew they were only minutes away from being home. She went back to her room and collected her things, and especially the tissue sample she had collected. She came back out and waited for the boat to arrive home. Eve couldn't wait due to her sea sickness was beginning to play up again. Even though she was only minutes away from being home, the feel of gagging couldn't be stopped, and once again threw up over the side of the yacht. "I really need to get over this." She said to no one in particular.

 

[Happiness is a Warm Gun]

The buzzing in her ear grew louder as Jessy groaned and felt around for her phone. Without opening her eyes she hit whatever button she felt first and fell back into her slumber. What seemed like only a second had went by and her phone was ringing again. Reaching for it again, she answered rudely.
"What the fuck do you want?"

There was a moment of silence on a the other end followed by a grunt. Before he could speak, Jessy already knew who it was. Only one person in the world sounded as vile as he smelled, her boss. She heard the man grunt again, and interrupted him before he could get a word in.
"It's my day off, I'm not coming in."
"Ya gotta! Some ship, boat, canoe, whatever the fuck it was hadda buncha tourists on board and they had some kinda mishap. We're right near all tha food joints, ya know they gonna wanna come in a get a drink. Ya my best girl, I'll pay you overtime." Jessy could hear him spitting everywhere while he spoke. She sat up rubbing her eyes, still sleepy and mumbled something about being there soon.

As she rolled out of bed and caught her reflection in the mirror, she jumped a bit. Her hair was tousled, her eyeliner smeared, and a small bruise on her left arm. Lazily she made her way to the bathroom, brushed her teeth and threw her hair up. After throwing around her clothes for a bit, she finally found some shorts and paired them with a black tank top. She entered the living room whistling and stopped abruptly when she saw Jack fast asleep on the couch. She threw a blanket over him as he groaned in his sleep and made her way out the door.

The bar wasn't too far from her house and since it was a nice day she decided to just walk instead of taking her bike. She wanted to take her merry time, because seeing Chuck mad was one of her favorite things. There was an old woman walking just a few steps ahead of her, so Jessy decided to catch up.

"Hello," she said politely and flashed the lady a smile. "How are you today?"
The little woman was startled and replied meekly, "Doin' alright, how about yourself?"
"Oh, I'm alright, just a little tired from the night before."
"You kids and your crazy partyin'," groaned the old woman.
Jessy grinned at the woman and began, "Actually I saved a life last night." The small woman looked toward Jessy intrigued as she continued.

"Yeah, there's this old woman that lives in my building. She's a real kook, but you know how it gets after you're a certain age. Anyway, she left something on the stove and the old bat just fell asleep. I smelt something funny so I went to investigate. When I got there, there was already a hoard of people outside, but not one of them willing to help. Of course, I'm not afraid of anything, so I jumped right into that fiery pit and grabbed that old nut and came right out. I even went back in to save her parrot, although I should have let him roast, he's annoying as all hell."

The old woman stared at Jessy in disbelief. She opened her mouth to speak just as they approached the bar.
"WELL THEN! It was nice meeting you and if you ever need saving, look me up," and with that she disappeared into the bar leaving the old woman confused.

"YA LATE," growled Chuck.
"And you're an ogre. I'm not even suppose to be here today, I'm doing YOU a favor. Lay off." Jessy spat back in a sharp tone. Chuck grunted some more and disappeared soon. Looking around the bar it didn't seem like it was busy. Just a couple regulars lounging around. As she made her way behind the counter, she let her hair down and shook it a bit.

"OW OW," screamed Mike, one of the old men that came in every day. Usually she would've screamed something rude at him, but she was tired and settled for giving him the finger.

An hour or so went by and people certainly started piling in, but it wasn't much more than your normal evening rush. Just as she finished cleaning off the counter a very peculiar looking girl plopped down and smiled at Jessy. Her hair was unruly and had all different colors in it. Although unsure of this girl, Jessy greeted her like she would anyone else.

"How's it going? Can I get you something?" She smiled.
"FRESH MANGO JUICE!... Please." The girl shot back in her overly happy tone. Jessy poured some juice and asked the strange girl if she'd like some ice. The girl squinted for a moment, placing her hand on her chin as if she was making a really tough decision.
"Only if it's shaped like triangles, if not, then I don't want it."

Jessy was a bit put off by how odd she was, but intrigued as well.
"Well, we had triangles, but we're all out. Sorry!" The girl shrugged and brought the drink closer to her and looked around.

"Are you waiting on anyone?" Inquired Jessy.
"Yeah! My pal Nolre, he was just with me... now where'd he..." As she jerked her head around frantically looking for her friend, a strikingly handsome man emerged from behind her.
"Here he is! This is Nolre. Nolre this is the lady with the juice." The girl said cheerly.

Jessy eyed him for a moment. Everything about him drew her in. He looked dirty, she loved it. If they were anywhere else she would've already reached out and touched his face, letting her fingers run over the scruff that covered it. She snapped out of her daydreaming when the man called Nolre began to speak. His voice was unsettling, almost scary.

He grinned at her as he slumped down on a stool. His voice was dripping with exhaustion as he asked for his drink.
"Just a screwdriver, please."

Jessy fumbled around with the Vodka and before she put it down, he motioned for her to put a bit more in. She slid the drink his way and smiled nervously. She was never nervous around anyone, so it was a strange feeling. She noticed the girl sitting beside him hadn't touched her drink. Her hair was dripping wet. She wondered if the two had been on the yacht that Chuck had mentioned. She cleared her throat as she cleaned off the counter and asked casually, "You guys didn't happen to be a part of whatever happened out there on that yacht today... did you?"


haven't proofread so.. yeah smd

 

[xobscenemetalmelodiez]

To his surprise, Bobby was actually able to find some champagne that hadn't been destroyed in the fight. He grabbed a hold of the bottle and opened it, happy to drink directly from it when he found a glass nearby that was also in surprisingly good shape. He decided if he was going to sip champagne, then why not do it in style, and so poured himself a glass and relaxed as he waited for them to reach the shore.

After a short while he felt someone's eyes upon him, and when he turned he saw the same strange woman from before, who'd magically been able to change the appearance of her eyes.

“Hey, you’re the person from before,” he pointed on.
“I am not a person,” she corrected him. “I bet Nolre forgot, didn’t he?”
“Forgot what?”
“To ask your name. He didn’t think I would remember, but I can do that sometimes. Remember things. He doesn't think I can, but he's wrong. And this time I did.”
“Well, uh. It’s Bobby. What’s—”
“Ohhhhh,” she sighed heavily. “I could have sworn it was Andrew.”
“…yours.”
“I’m Del,” she grinned and then looked up at his hat. “I absolutely love your hat. It looks even better with the flower on it.” As Bobby furrowed his brow and removed the hat to see the tulip growing out of it, Del seemed to notice the card in his hand. “What’s that?” she asked excitedly.

He glanced down to see what she was referring to and then lifted it up.

"Oh, yeah, this. It's er, a welcoming card. Apparently I am now an official employee of Hocus and Pocus, whatever that is." He handed it over to her so she could look at it, something she took more enjoyment in than he'd expected. "Something tells me you might know."
"Hm?" she looked up to him. "Know what?"
"Never mind. You mentioned you're not a 'person'. So, what are you then?" he asked as he went about inspecting the flower on his hat. It certainly seemed real enough; he could feel it and smell it as well as see it.

 

[CoRy]

"Oh, yeah, this,? Bobby said. ?It's er, a welcoming card. Apparently I am now an official employee of Hocus and Pocus, whatever that is." He handed it over to Del so she could look at it and she grinned widely. "Something tells me you might know."
"Hm?" she looked up to him. "Know what?"
"Never mind. You mentioned you're not a 'person'. So, what are you then?" he asked as he went about inspecting the flower on his hat.
?Oh, um?? She placed her index finger against her chin. ?Let me see? I am a lot of things. ?A pain in the ass,? ?a lunatic,? ?an ah-mig-muh,.? Lots of things. But what I am all the time is, I don?t really know. I forgot,? she giggled, then her face became completely serious. ?Are you a person??
?I??
?Don?t you like the flower?? she interrupted with a frown, noticing that he wasn?t jumping for joy like she thought he?d be at the sight of it. ?I can make it something else if you want. Oh! I can make it into a big pointy stick and you can stick it in my eye just like the sea monster!? She smiled widely and lifted her finger to her cheek, pointing to her eye.
"How do you do that, anyway?" he asked.
"Um, I don't really know. I just think about them really hard and they happen. Well, I don't think about them really hard. Sometimes I just think really hard and nothing happens, but sometimes when I'm not thinking at all, it does happen and...what were we talking about again?"
"Your powers. Do you not remember what your race is? I mean, are you the only one?"
"Oh, no. Sometimes I remember, but then I forget again really fast. Nolre tells me sometimes, he said he was there when Hocus Pocus found me. They were gonna kill me at first," she added, giggling. "But then they didn't. I don't remember why."
"So you were dangerous before? What...changed? I mean, if you can remember, that is."
"They said I burned down a village but Nolre says they were mean people anyway. They tried to kill me, too. Hmmm," she pondered, placing her finger on her chin. "That happens a lot with Hocus Pocus, now that I think of it.?
"Uh-huh," he raised an eyebrow. "So...Hocus and Pocus deal with supernatural stuff in general, I take it??
She nodded. "You know what department I work in?" she asked with a grin. "The Secrets that Corrupt Man. Know why??
"Why?" he asked, slightly hesitantly.
"Because I can corrupt them," she told him and then smiled mischievously as if it were some great secret.
"I suppose that makes sense," he said thoughtfully. "You know, sounds like working for Hocus and Pocus will be...interesting at least."

When the boat docked, Del followed Bobby toward the exit. She intended to stick with him for a while, but she got distracted when she saw Nolre hop off the bottom deck. She grinned and shoved past Bobby and the other passengers, accidentally pushing one overboard. When she finally caught up to Nolre, she grabbed onto the back of his jacket causing him to turn around.

?Guess what!? she exclaimed. ?You never will, so I?ll tell you. You know the name you forgot to ask? Well I remembered. Ha, bet you didn?t expect that! It?s?? she trailed off, lost in though. ?Hmm, what was it again??
?Bobby,? Nolre muttered.
?Oh, yes! That was it.? She noticed his sullen expression and tilted her head a little. ?Where are you going??
?To get a drink.?
?I can make you a drink.?
?A real drink.?
?It will taste real.?
?I want to get drunk.?
?Ohhh,? she nodded. ?Why??
?Del, I?m really not in the mood for this.?
?I want to come,? she insisted.
He sighed. ?Del??
?Please?? she asked sweetly, holding her hands together. ?Please??
Nolre groaned, lifting his hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. ?Alright, alright.?
?Yay!? she cried happily, slapping her hands together, then followed Nolre along, humming as they went.

?Is there a word for the feeling you get when you?re introducing someone to someone, but you forget their name, and at the same time you forget the name of the person you?re introducing them to??
?No.?
?Oh.?

When they arrived at the bar Nolre had chosen, he excused himself, saying he was going to the bathroom. Del skipped around to the bar and sat down, swinging her feet back and forth and taking in the scenery of the place. A pretty looking young woman approached her from the other side of the bar and

"How's it going? Can I get you something?" She smiled.
"FRESH MANGO JUICE!... Please," Del shot back in her overly happy tone. The woman poured some juice and asked the strange girl if she'd like some ice. Del squinted for a moment, placing her hand on her chin and weighing the pros and cons of getting ice in her beverage. She finally came to an ultimatum. "Only if it's shaped like triangles, if not, then I don't want it."
The young woman seemed slightly taken back, taking a moment to reply. "Well, we had triangles, but we're all out. Sorry!" Del shrugged and brought the drink closer to her and looked around for Nolre.

"Are you waiting on anyone?" inquired the bartender.
"Yeah! My pal Nolre, he was just with me... now where'd he..." As she jerked her head around frantically looking for Nolre, he finally appeared and she smiled again. "Here he is! This is Nolre. Nolre this is the lady with the juice," Del introduced cheerily.
?Just a screwdriver, please,? Nolre asked as he sat down.

As the girl went about making Nolre drink, Del had an actual screwdriver appear in her hand. She grinned as she extended her arm, offering it to Nolre. He ignored her and motioned something to the bartender. Del sighed, causing the illusion to disappear just as the young woman approached again.

She cleared her throat as she cleaned off the counter and asked casually, "You guys didn't happen to be a part of whatever happened out there on that yacht today... did you?"
?Mhm, Nolre killed a giant sea monster,? Del said bluntly.
The bartender laughed a little, clearly think this was some joke. ?Oh yeah??
?Not along though, he had lots of help. Like this man named Bobby with a fantastic hat, and Mister Goose, and Eve, and?"
"Del, drink your drink," Nolre interrupted.
She pouted. "But I don't like mango juice."

Del was about to go on with what she was saying when Bobby Flay entered the bar, ****ing an eyebrow as he looked around. He was still wearing the top hat and Del realized at that moment she had to have it. She hopped off the barstool without excusing herself and walked over to the young man, grinning up at him. He turned her with slight interest.

?You again,? he said.
?Give me that please,? she responded, pointing to his hat.

 

[Nolre Aperrelous]

“You again,” he said.
“Give me that please,” she responded, pointing to his hat.

Nolre ignored the two and downed his drink with one swallow. He caught the tender's attention and forced a smile.

"You'll have to keep them coming, miss."

The girl stood there awkwardly for a moment before Nolre added on a "Please?"

The bartender snapped to it, and he downed the drink again. He gestured that she just constantly make them, and started to explain what Del had said moments ago.

"So we're on this boat, right?"
"Right."
"Me and a bunch of people, and this guy I've worked with since like the beginning of time."
"Okay."
"And he says: Nolre, you know, let's go fishing for old time's sake."

Nolre swallowed another glass of the alcohol and continued.

"So there we are, fishing, and the guy says, Wait here, man, I gotta go talk to the guests."

Nolre downed another glass.

"I don't think you should..."
"So I'm sitting there watching his fishing pole and mine when his gets pulled overboard."
"...drink that much..."
"And I'm like, whoa what the fuck is that?"
"...you might get alcohol poisoning."
"Don't worry about it, sweetheart, I haven't got a liver."

The bartender didn't know what to make of that.

"So a few seconds pass and my line almost gets ripped out of my hand! I start to pull on it and it jumps out of the water--this huge fish--and.."
"No, Nolre, it was a sea monster," Del piped in, "it was a sea monster and it had tentacles and an eye and it made a really low sound and it went WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH--"

Del slammed her arms down on the counter, making them into tentacles, and tried her best to imitate the low roar of the Leviathan. The bartender did a double take at Del's arms.

"Remember?"

Nolre stared into Del's eyes for a moment before giving up. He turned back to the bartender and said:

"Yeah, it was a Leviathan. So far, three have been found and captured, but one died on the way to the dock. It's a cross between a whale and a giant squid, basically put. Usually hostile, and the females are twice as big as the males." Nolre made this an important point to Del, "What we saw back there was a male. Anyway, the boat gets attacked by this and it hauls off some guests..."

Nolre stopped for a moment, noticing the bartender's bizarre stare, and sighed.

"I guess it does sound crazy."

Nolre turned in his seat to the one called Bobby.

"If you want that job, you'll come with Del and I after I'm done here. Be warned, it's fairly dangerous."

Nolre didn't wait for an answer; if the kid wants it, he'll follow, he thought.

"So, excuse me if you get this all the time, Miss Bartender. But I couldn't help but notice that you are strikingly beautiful. Have you got a name?"
"Fiful," she lied. Nolre looked at her name tag and then back at her, suppressing a grin. "But you can call me whatever you want, I don't feel like being myself today."
"Right," he replied. "Well maybe I'll see you around sometime? Maybe in the distant future..?"

Nolre placed a piece of paper down on the counter. Scribbled on it was his number. He took one last drink before pushing himself to his feet and tapping Del on the shoulder.

"I'm gonna go look for Delial. Do you wanna help?"

 

[Happiness is a Warm Gun]

“Mhm, Nolre killed a giant sea monster,” Del said bluntly.
The bartender laughed a little, clearly think this was some joke. “Oh yeah?”
“Not along though, he had lots of help. Like this man named Bobby with a fantastic hat, and Mister Goose, and Eve, and—"
"Del, drink your drink," Nolre interrupted.
She pouted. "But I don't like mango juice."

Jessy looked at the girl confused, and before she could bat an eye, she had disappeared again. Left there with the man called, Nolre, Jessy shifted her weight from one foot to the other anxiously. He spoke again, demanding she keep the drinks coming. She narrowed her eyes into him as she slid another drink his way, and he began,"So we're on this boat, right?"
"Right."
"Me and a bunch of people, and this guy I've worked with since like the beginning of time."
"Okay."
"And he says: Nolre, you know, let's go fishing for old time's sake."

Nolre swallowed another glass of the alcohol and continued.

"So there we are, fishing, and the guy says, Wait here, man, I gotta go talk to the guests."

He downed another glass while Jessy stared in amazement at how much alcohol a man his size could tolerate. Trying not to interrupt she mumbled, "I don't think you should..."
"So I'm sitting there watching his fishing pole and mine when his gets pulled overboard."
"...drink that much..."
"And I'm like, whoa what the **** is that?"
"...you might get alcohol poisoning."
"Don't worry about it, sweetheart, I haven't got a liver."

Jessy rolled her eyes at his arrogant demeanor. He continued with his wild tale of this "sea monster." The strange girl called, Del reappeared and chimed in, ranting and raving about the tentacles of this said monster. At this point, Jessy figured she would just go along with their nonsense. She'd done this a number of times herself. All she did was spin stories, it was funny to meet someone similar. Nolre waited for his wild friend to finish with her outburst then turned his attention back to Jessy and continued his story.

"Yeah, it was a Leviathan. So far, three have been found and captured, but one died on the way to the dock. It's a cross between a whale and a giant squid, basically put. Usually hostile, and the females are twice as big as the males.... What we saw back there was a male. Anyway, the boat gets attacked by this and it hauls off some guests..."

Jessy took the man's unfinished drink and shot him a look that clearly said, you've had enough. He grinned up at her again. Something was off about him and she didn't like it, but of course it drew her in even more.


"So, excuse me if you get this all the time, Miss Bartender. But I couldn't help but notice that you are strikingly beautiful. Have you got a name?"
"Fiful," she lied. Nolre looked at her name tag and then back at her, suppressing a grin. "But you can call me whatever you want, I don't feel like being myself today."
"Right," he replied. "Well maybe I'll see you around sometime? Maybe in the distant future..?"

Nolre placed a piece of paper down on the counter. Scribbled on it was his number. He took one last drink before pushing himself to his feet and tapping Del on the shoulder. He said something to the girl, but Jessy was too caught up in how charming he had been. Just like that, he'd left her wanting more. She knew for sure his stories were just tall tales, but he told them with such detail, almost as good as me, she thought to herself.

There was another young boy with the two now, but Jessy didn't pay him much mind. The bar was getting busy, and she didn't notice when they all left. She was going to be finishing up her shift in just a few minutes, and since it was night already the weather outside was quite chilly. Usually this wouldn't bother her, but there was something off about tonight. She phone her brother Jack and asked if he'd pick her up. She grabbed her small bag and was out the door. She lit a cigarette as she leaned up against the wall waiting for her brother. Just as she was taking her last drag, the car conveniently pulled up.

"God, it's cold," she said, as she situated herself in the passenger seat.
"Put your seatbelt on." Jack ordered her, in his general commanding tone. She groaned, but complied.
"Man, a lot of characters came into work today. You wouldn't believe the stories, these people were trying to tell me. I mean, ME of all people. They obviously didn't know, I am queen of spinning stories. This one guy though, he was really..." Before she could finish her sentence, Jack turned the volume up on the stereo in the car. He always did this when he didn't care to listen. Had she been anyone else, she would have gotten upset, but she knew Jack. He wasn't trying to hurt her feelings... it's just how he was. Steve Vai's For The Love of God played loudly, as she closed her eyes momentarily and leaned back against the headrest. Soon they arrived at the apartment and made their way up the stairs. Once inside, Jessy started in again on the man she mentioned earlier, know Jack would have to listen now.

 

[Happiness is a Warm Gun]

"Like I was saying, so this guy he's telling me all this crazy stuff about sea monsters and of course I don't believe it for a second, but he's telling it like he really does. It was called a Levia-.. err.. a Leviath--" As she stumbled over her words to try and remember what he'd said, Jack's voice cut in.
"A Leviathan." His glare burned through her as he spoke the name of the creature she had been told about earlier.
"YEAH! That's what it was. How did you know?"
"What was the guy's name?"
"Why?"
"Jessy, just tell me."
She bit her lip and lied, "I don't remember it was something weird... Nolan or something." He glanced at her hands and noticed she was fumbling with her bag. He could tell she was lying, but he didn't have the energy to pry the truth out of her.
"Did he say where he was from?"
"No, but he wasn't alone. It was him and some crazy-haired girl. They were on the yacht that got banged up out there today."

Jack's eyes suddenly widened as he rose from where he was sitting. He started pacing around the small living room that also served as his bedroom. She'd never seen him so worked up, Jack was always calm. Any calmer and someone would think he's slipped into a coma. He grabbed Jessy and sat her down next to him. Looking at her, his eyes distant and somewhat concerned, he said, "Jessy, listen to me. Whatever you do, stay away from those people. If they come into the bar again, just serve them and be done with it. No conversing, no hanging out. Nothing--"
"It's my job to converse, Jack! I'm suppose to be friendly, inviting. The works."
"I don't give a damn!" He shouted. Jessy nearly jumped out of her skin. Never had she heard him raise his voice.
"What's wrong with you? Why are you acting so crazy?!"
"You will do as I tell you to and not ask any questions. You live under my roof and I have never asked anything of you. So not only should you do it out of courtesy, but because you owe me one. If it wasn't for me, you'd still be at home with-" She didn't let him finish.
"Alright. I get your point. Goodnight."

She made her way into her room threw her bag on the floor. Enraged and annoyed she changed out of her clothes and threw herself onto her tiny bed. Just as she was about to dose off she reached for her bag and pulled out a small piece of paper. There was a number on it and "Nolre" written in messy handwriting. She thought about what Jack had said to her just a moment ago, and although she was thankful for everything her brother had done for her, she wasn't going to let him run her life. Interesting people never came to her part of the town and now that someone had finally showed up, she wasn't going to pass up the chance to get to know him. She picked up her phone, and dialed the digits on the paper. The phone rang and almost sounded like an echo in her ear. It rang for what seemed like ages until she heard someone on the other end sigh and then say, "Hello?"
"...Uh, hi. This is..."
"The bartender, right? How can I be of service to you?" Even his voice over the phone was charming. She blushed and thanked god he couldn't see.
"Well, I don't know. Uhh, did you want to do something tomorrow. I'm bored with everyone I know, you seem like you wouldn't make for horrible company." She heard him chuckle a bit before responding. "Yeah, sure."
"Alright, where should I meet you and around what time?"
"I'll call you. Goodnight." He hung up.

HOW RUDE! She thought to herself. Still, satisfied that they'd get to meet again, she laid her head down on her old worn out pillow. Chopin filled her ears soon as she put her headphones on and drifted off to sleep.

 

[CoRy]

So I just deleted Ai?s profile from the thread because I?m bored of her. Weeeee.
----------------

After she received what she was certain was absolutely the most wonderful hat in the history of the world, Del caught a tidbit of Nolre?s conversation with the juice later, where he seemed to forget what had happened earlier that night and thought they had just gone fishing. However Del, ever the little helper, chimed in to jog his memory.

"No, Nolre, it was a sea monster," she piped in, turning to them "it was a sea monster and it had tentacles and an eye and it made a really low sound and it went WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH--" Del slammed her arms down on the counter, making them into tentacles, and tried her best to imitate the low roar of the Leviathan. The bartender did a double take at Del's arms. "Remember?"

Nolre stared into Del's eyes for a moment before giving up. He turned to the bartender to explain what the creature actually was and Del gave a grin, satisfied that he was getting it right now.

?Usually hostile, and the females are twice as big as the males." Nolre made this an important point to Del, "What we saw back there was a male.?
Del scowled. ?I knew that,? she insisted.
?Anyway?? As Nolre continued, Del turned to Bobby.
?I didn?t really,? she confessed in a hushed voice.
"If you want that job, you'll come with Del and I after I'm done here. Be warned, it's fairly dangerous," Nolre said to Bobby, before turning back to the woman.
?Oh, please do!? she exclaimed. ?You can bring all of the wonderful hats that you want!?

A few minutes later, Nolre tapped Del on the shoulder. "I'm gonna go look for Delial. Do you wanna help?"
?Yes,? she agreed. ?I like Delial. He helps me write my reports, you know. I mean it?s not like I can?t write them myself, I?m not stupid or anything, but when I do, I get a little distracted sometimes and I completely forget what the report was supposed to be able so Delial helps me not get distracted and make sure the report is just about the report instead of the colours on the pen I?m writing with. Um, where are you going?? she asked when she noticed Nolre going to the door.
?We?re going to find Delial.?
?Oh yes, I forgot. Come with us,? Del said to Bobby, reaching over to grab his arm and pull him in their direction. ?Goodbye, juice lady! Thank you for the juice.?

?Noooolreeee,? Del sang as they walked away from the bar.
?Yes?? he sighed.
?I was lying earlier. What I said, it wasn?t true.?
?Oh??
She nodded. ?I actually do like mango juice.?

When they got back to the parking lot near the shipyard, Nolre pulled his car keys out of his pocket. Del squealed.

?Can I drive!??
?No.?
?Please? I bet I?m really good.?
?No.?
?Pleeeeease??
?No.?
?Hmph.?

She scowled and folded her arms irately after climbing into the front seat.

 

[xobscenemetalmelodiez]

{{Ended up feeling too tired to post, however, I was going to leave it so that you could get them to Hocus and Pocus, Nolre. Feel free to do so. Paint us a picture of your wondrous imaginings with your words, sir.}}

 

[Nolre Aperrelous]

Huge post is going to be huge.
Sorry I controlled your characters so much, guys, but none of you were online.
And my connection died while writing this, so if you did come online, I missed you.
​

Nolre, Del, and Bobby walked out into the parking lot and Nolre got into his car. Del and Bobby followed, Bobby sitting in the front.

"Bobby, do you like shooting things?"
"Nolre doesn't like shooting things but he's really really good."

Nolre lit up a cigarette and shook his head.

"Mmmmmhmmmmm, I've seen Nolre shoot a thing from reeeeeeally far away, once, and then the thing fell and we ran over to it, and it had the bullet right through the eye, and Nolre said-" Del threw on a deeper, whispery voice to impersonate Nolre, "-That's the only way to kill them."

Nolre offered a cigarette to Bobby and he took it.

"So?"
"I suppose I don't find any sport in it, but if shit had to happen-" Nolre lit Bobby's cigarette, "-yeah, I'd be able to go through with it."
"You said a bad word..."
"Why do you ask?" Bobby took a drag and blew the smoke out of his window.
"Well.. I work for both the department of Hocus and Pocus that's only purpose is to murder things, and the department that makes murdering much, much easier. You'll probably work for the first one."
"Nolre, he said a bad word."
"So, what, I'd just be paid to go around and shoot things?"

Del started drumming on the back seat and Nolre shook his head again.

"It's more complicated than that. We're like a police force with zero tolerance and trigger fingers." Nolre received a text from Delial. He followed Mr. Swan to a Lycan's apartment, and then Swan disappeared. The text had the address in it.

The car finally pulled out of the parking lot and Nolre rubbed his eyes, leaning back in his seat.

"This station used to play some badass jazz, man, but nowadays it's just new shit with no soul. No funk. There's no emotion in it, you know? It's like an equation now."

He turned on the radio and kept the volume low. Jazz quietly filled the car as it drove through the dark streets, and it was only a few minutes before they arrived at the apartment complex.

Nolre addressed Bobby and Del. "You two wait here, I'll be back in a second."

Nolre got out of the car and lit up another cigarette. He walked through the empty complex, leaving smoke behind him, and found Delial on the balcony of a third story apartment. Nolre climbed up the other two balconies to get to Delial.

"Swan wanted me to kill them, I guess, but I haven't got a gun."

Nolre frowned, he'd been trying for years to keep Delial away from the dangerous side of Hocus and Pocus. Something wasn't right with Swan lately; between recruiting employees of the combat type and his Need-To-Know way of functioning, he had something odd going through his mind and Nolre intended to figure out what it was.

On the balcony was a plastic table and two chairs. Nolre sat down in one and propped his feet up on the table, taking a long drag of the cigarette and rubbing his eyes. Delial sat in the other chair and stared off into space, as he was most likely doing before Nolre's arrival.

"Delial," Nolre started.
"I know."
"Under no circumstances-"
"I know."
"No matter how much they intend to pay you-"
"I get it."

Nolre took another drag and exhaled with a sigh.

"This is such bullshit."
"I thought you wanted me to get a job?"
"I did. But not the same one I have."
"I'm not a homeless teenager anymore, Nolre. You don't have to keep protecting me like this."

Something in Nolre's chest agreed, but the rest of him thought it'd be a bad idea to let Delial do as he pleased. Nolre opened his mouth to explain himself, but his cell phone rang. He took a moment to find it on his person before finally answering.

"Hello?"
"...Uh, hi. This is..."
"The bartender, right? How can I be of service to you?"
"Well, I don't know. Uhh, did you want to do something tomorrow. I'm bored with everyone I know, you seem like you wouldn't make for horrible company."

Delial, overhearing their conversation, made thrusting motions. Nolre chuckled a bit before answering, "Yeah, sure."
"Alright, where should I meet you and around what time?"

The door to the apartment opened, and Nolre jumped to his feet.

"I'll call you. Goodnight." He hung up and withdrew a revolver from beneath his coat. Delial and he stormed into the apartment, and Nolre fired three silver bullets into the chest of the Lycan. Not being invited into the house, he immediately felt nauseous and was tackled into a wall by a second Lycan.

Fists slammed into Nolre's gut, and his nose started to bleed. He sent a fist into the nose of the attacker and it gave him just a bit of breathing room. Nolre's vision started to blur, and he vomited. He was thrown up against the wall again and a knee met his gut. He coughed up blood and the Lycan backed off, turning to Delial. Nolre made for a weak tackle but the Lycan twisted and threw him out of the apartment through the open door.

Fresh air entered Nolre's lungs, and his head started to clear up. His opponent dropped a knee into his chest and Nolre coughed up more blood. Fists flew at his face, but his vision started to clear. Nolre saw a moment where the Lycan's swing was too wide and sent a strong jab into its throat. It fell off of him and struggled to breathe, and Nolre kicked it down the three flights of stairs, following it with a knee to its chest.

People started to come out of their homes and Delial attempted to explain the situation.

"Just a costume party, folks. Let the hobo and the werewolf work it out."

Nolre ended up on top and sent fist after fist into the Lycan's face until it stopped moving. He sat there for a moment to catch his breath, and then picked up the beast and threw it over his shoulder. A man made to confront Nolre, stepping in front of him.

"What's the deal, man? Why'd you beat his ass into the ground?!"
"HE FUCKED MY SISTER. GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY WAY."

The man stepped aside and Delial followed Nolre back to his car, holding in a riotous laugh. Nolre knocked on Bobby's window and asked him to pop the trunk. He around back and slammed the heavy thing onto a spare tire and closed the trunk. Nolre got into the car as Delial got into the back seat with Del, and Nolre turned the jazz up louder as they drove away.

"Hiiiiii Delial!!!," Del screamed. Delial quietly responded and leaned his head against the window, watching the streetlights as they passed.

"Tonight's an exciting night for you, Bobby."
"Yeah? Why's that?"
"You get to see headquarters."

Nolre pulled up to a grimy hotel a few minutes later and opened the trunk. He retrieved the Lycan's body and walked into the building, telling Delial to wait outside so that Del doesn't steal the car. Nolre walked into the lobby and asked to see the head of the Threats Department. She waved him through, raising an eyebrow at the beast on his shoulder, and Nolre followed a hallway to the left.

Nolre kicked the door to 303 open and slammed the unconscious Lycan down on Mr. Greene's desk before the Department Head could fake a sincere smile and greeting. Behind a mahogany desk sat a pathetic, cowardly man who had made thousands of stupid decisions, and Nolre hated him with all of his demonic rage.

"What the fuck is that, Dick."
"It's Richard."
"It's Dick, motherfucker."

The man's eyes went from Nolre to the Lycan and back again.

 

[Nolre Aperrelous]

"Easy. That's a werewolf."
"You're a stupid motherfucker. Tonight isn't a full moon. How the fuck did you make Department Head if you're this much of a stupid fuck?"
"Well, then, if you have all the answers, what is it?"
"It's a Lycan, Dick, and it is a son of a bitch to fight."
"Why? It looks like you can take it."
"They travel in packs, Dick. Now tell me whose bright fuckin' idea it was to send an unarmed man after a pack of Lycans."
Mr. Greene chewed on his lip.
"Do you think you could do a better job?"

Nolre leaned over the desk and in under a second was an inch away from Greene's face.


"Fuck. Yes. I could do a better job than you."
"I've been in this business for so much longer than you-"
"Oh yeah?"
"-Yeah!"
"You're fifty six you lying fuck. Get your shit straight."
Nolre spat in a cup of Greene's coffee.
"Dispose of this thing."
Greene poked it.
"Is it dead?"

Nolre drew his gun and emptied the last three bullets into the Lycan's gut, spilling blood and organs all over Greene's desk.

"Next time I come here, your shit better be packed, motherfucker."
"Yeah, we'll see about that, Aperrelous."

Nolre left the office with a hole in its wall and met Delial at the door.

"How's he doing?"
"He's still a spineless asshole. Come on, we need to take Bobby home."

 

[Amandaa]

A young girl walked into Eve?s office and handed her some forms. She glanced over them and read that she was to report to the coroner?s office. She sighed in frustration, as if looking after the new recruits weren?t enough. She turned to the young girl and thanked her for the report.

Minutes later after finishing off some paper work, she decided to head off to the coroner?s office. Down the hallways on her way, she was greeted respectfully by her colleagues, nodding and smiling and saying hello back.

Eve arrived at the doorway of the office and saw the pile of paperwork on her desk. ?I really need an assistant.? She spoke to no one in particular. Eve was the one that multitasked all of Hocus Pocus, being qualified for almost everything. Usually Eve was on top of things, but when it came to recruitment time of the year, she struggled to keep up with the workload around the joint.

Eve put on her surgical mask and gloves and walked over to the body of what looked like a Lycan. ?Well, I haven?t seen one of you in a while.? She talked to the deceased all the time. ?Now, let?s see what I can tell from you.? She grabbed her scalpel and began taking samples for her to later examine. ?Hmm. Well I can see that you?re female.? After a few more minutes Eve noticed something else. ?Oh dear.?

Eve pulled off her mask and took off her gloves and went to the phone to dial the extension number for Mr. Greene?s desk. ?Hello Mr. Greene. Yes the young man that brought in the Lycans. Did he happen to mention that he found a cub around by any chance??

 

[xobscenemetalmelodiez]

After a rather interesting conversation with Del, in which he learned quite a few things, they reached the shore. She got distracted by the appearance of Nolre quite soon, and the two headed off to a bar nearby. Bobby lurked around outside for a while longer, listening in on what others were talking about, though that soon grew boring as they turned out to be, surprisingly for a group of such unique individuals, boring as fuck.

He decided to head into the bar Del and Nolre had gone to as they'd proved entertaining already so far, and they also had more knowledge about what was going on than the others who were in the same position as him.

Del walked over to him the moment she saw him and grinned.

“You again,” he said.
“Give me that please,” she responded, pointing to his hat.

He handed it over happily, watching her finding tremendous fun in it, and headed over to the bar where Nolre was sat talking to a young female bartender and attempting to drink himself into a coma, or so it appeared. Bobby had a feeling it would be impossible anyway as he doubted very much that the man was human.

The boy walked over to the next barmaid along and leaned on the counter.

"Just a beer, please."
"Are you sure you're old enough to drink?" she looked at him sceptically. He reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out a small roll of cash, taking a note and holding it out.
"I'm old enough to tip in hundred dollar bills."
Her face lit up immediately. "Yes sir!" She wasted no time in getting him his drink, and as promised he gave her considerably more than the beverage cost, telling her to keep the change.

It appeared Nolre had been explaining the events of the evening to the woman still serving him one drink after another, without omitting any details such as the giant sea monster, or at least he was until Del promptly corrected him. At that point he began to talk in detail about the creature they'd faced. However when he noticed the look on the girl's face he stopped.

"I guess it does sound crazy." He turned in his seat to face Bobby. "If you want that job, you'll come with Del and I after I'm done here. Be warned, it's fairly dangerous." He didn't wait for an answer, but instead turned back to the bartender and began chatting her up.

Bobby took a swig of his beer. He didn't exactly have anything better to do than go with them, and it was certainly the most interesting proposition he'd had in a while. There wasn't any way he was going to turn it down just to go back to the usual crap.

After a minute or so Nolre placed a piece of paper down on the counter, then took one last drink before pushing himself to his feet and tapping Del on the shoulder.

"I'm gonna go look for Delial. Do you wanna help?"
“Yes,” she agreed. “I like Delial. He helps me write my reports, you know. I mean it’s not like I can’t write them myself, I’m not stupid or anything, but when I do, I get a little distracted sometimes and I completely forget what the report was supposed to be able so Delial helps me not get distracted and make sure the report is just about the report instead of the colours on the pen I’m writing with. Um, where are you going?” she asked when she noticed Nolre going to the door. Bobby raised an eyebrow.
“We’re going to find Delial.”
“Oh yes, I forgot. Come with us,” Del said to Bobby, reaching over to grab his arm and pull him in their direction. It seemed he didn't have a choice in the matter. “Goodbye, juice lady! Thank you for the juice.”

When they got back to the parking lot near the shipyard, Nolre pulled his car keys out of his pocket. Del squealed.

“Can I drive!?”
“No.”
“Please? I bet I’m really good.”
“No.”
“Pleeeeease?”
“No.”
“Hmph.”

She scowled and folded her arms irately after climbing into the front seat. Bobby climbed into the vehicle after her.

"Bobby, do you like shooting things?" Nolre asked.
"Nolre doesn't like shooting things but he's really really good." He lit up a cigarette and shook his head. "Mmmmmhmmmmm, I've seen Nolre shoot a thing from reeeeeeally far away, once, and then the thing fell and we ran over to it, and it had the bullet right through the eye, and Nolre said-" Del threw on a deeper, whispery voice to impersonate Nolre, "-That's the only way to kill them."
"I see."

Nolre offered a cigarette to Bobby and he took it. "So?"
"I suppose I don't find any sport in it, but if shit had to happen-" Nolre lit Bobby's cigarette, "-yeah, I'd be able to go through with it."
"You said a bad word..."
"Why do you ask?" Bobby took a drag and blew the smoke out of his window.
"Well.. I work for both the department of Hocus and Pocus that's only purpose is to murder things, and the department that makes murdering much, much easier. You'll probably work for the first one."
"Nolre, he said a bad word."
"So, what, I'd just be paid to go around and shoot things?"

Del started drumming on the back seat and Nolre shook his head again.

"It's more complicated than that. We're like a police force with zero tolerance and trigger fingers." He was cut off by receiving a text message. He checked it and then proceeded to pull the car out of the parking lot, rubbing his eyes. "This station used to play some badass jazz, man, but nowadays it's just new shit with no soul. No funk. There's no emotion in it, you know? It's like an equation now."

He turned on the radio and kept the volume low. Jazz quietly filled the car as it drove through the dark streets, and it was only a few minutes before they arrived at an apartment complex.

Nolre addressed Bobby and Del. "You two wait here, I'll be back in a second." Nolre got out of the car and lit up another cigarette before heading off.

"So, who's Delial?" he asked Del.
"Ohh, Delial's nice. I like him. He's a friend of Nolre's and he's super smart and can speak lots of languages," she informed him happily.
"He lives here? Looks abandoned..." Bobby said, glancing at the complex.
"No, he lives with Nolre."
"So why's he here? Something to do with Hocus and Pocus?"
She shrugged. "I don't know. He doesn't work for them."

After hearing a bit of a ruckus in the place Nolre stepped out with a man slung over his shoulder and another accompanying him. Bobby hoped that Delial was the one who wasn't unconscious...or dead. After placing the man in the boot Nolre got into the car and who Bobby assumed was Delial got into the back seat.

"Hiiiiii Delial!!!," Del screamed, confirming the identity of the man. Delial quietly responded and leaned his head against the window, watching the streetlights as they passed.

"Tonight's an exciting night for you, Bobby."
"Yeah? Why's that?"
"You get to see headquarters."

Nolre pulled up to a grimy hotel a few minutes later and opened the trunk. He retrieved the man and walked into the building, telling Delial to wait outside so that Del doesn't steal the car.

 

[xobscenemetalmelodiez]

"So," Bobby turned to Delial. "You're Delial, then. I'm Bobby. I'm apparently an employee of Hocus and Pocus now." Delial just nodded a little. "Del tells me you're pretty smart."
"Ohh, Delial's really smart," she piped up. "And he knows lots about supernatural things, because he has the...as...ass...ass burgers."
"Asperger's," the man corrected.
"That's it!" Del exclaimed. "It makes him really smart at this stuff."
"I see." The boy remained silent for a moment. "I got no clue what that means."
"Nolre says he's a spastic," Del said happily.
"He's joking, Del," Delial said.
"Oh...it's...what, he's... He doesn't seem like a 'spaz' to me."
"He's a special brand of weird, Nolre says."
"I...see. I guess I'll ask Nolre or something." Suddenly Delial climbed out of the car and headed in the same direction Nolre had. "Oh, did I offend him or something?"
"I don't think so. He just does stuff," Del said vaguely, shrugging. Her face lit up all of a sudden. "Wanna see me drive!?"
"Uhh," thankfully before she had the chance, Nolre and Delial returned.

They got into the car and the former turned to Bobby. "Where do you live?"
"Why? Was that headquarters? Is that it? That's all I get to see?"
"It's late. I can drop by and get you tomorrow and take you to work."
"I don't have a home," Bobby said simply. "I live wherever." He shrugged. The man lowered his head and sighed. "I apologise if I am making this complicated. You can drop me off at like, a street corner or something. I could meet you there at a certain time again tomorrow. I can find a place to stay. People are easily dealt with."*
"Well, they can get you a place at Hocus and Pocus tomorrow."
"My own pad? Sweet."
"Yeah."
"I WANNA GO WITH BOBBY!" Del sang suddenly. Nolre turned to look at her. She smiled and lifted a hand to wave. He sighed again, heavier this time and pinching the bridge of his nose. There was no way she'd be safe to leave on some street corner with Bobby, the boy knew this already.
"You should stay at my place tonight," he relented. "It's late anyway, beats driving to work and back I guess," he lowered his voice to a mumble and continued to complain to himself, turning the radio up as he began to drive.
"Yay! A sleepover!" she clapped her hands together.
As they drove off Bobby noticed a homeless bum stumbling down the road. "Hey, run that hobo over," Bobby suggested.

~
​

{{*Stabby stabby.

Yeah, so...ha. That's what you get for leaving me alone with this plot here. Enjoy. ALSO YOU SHOULD TTLY MAKE HIM RUN THAT HOBO OVER FOR LULZ. I left it open because, well...Nolre might.}}

 

[xobscenemetalmelodiez]

{{Edited my last post, yo'.}}

 

[CoRy]

When they arrived at Nolre’s place, Del leapt out of the car before it even came to a full stop. She rushed toward the front door, having been there so many times before, but it was locked. She huffed as she pulled fruitlessly as the handle. Nolre walked up beside her casually, pulling his key from his key chain. Del turned to see Bobby lagging behind and she ran over to him, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him forward diligently.

When they were inside, Nolre flicked on the light. Del was about to rush inside, but Delial grabbed onto her shoulder and pointed to her shoes. She grimaced, impatiently kicking them off before running toward the living room, dragging Bobby behind her.

“I get the couch!” Del exclaimed.
“Says who?” Bobby challenged.
“Me,” she replied, folding her arms.
“I’ll fightcha for it,” he proposed with a grin.
“You’ll lose,” Nolre warned as he walked by.

Del plopped down on the couch, looking around excitedly even though she’d been there countless times in the past. She only remained seated for a few moments before she got up again, going to examine the hallway. She peaked into Delial’s room, looking around, but not going in as she recalled the man was particular about having people just wander into his room. She did, however, wander into Nolre’s, as he never seemed to care. She walked around, looking at things with interest before scurrying back out.

When they were left alone, Bobby sat on the sofa and turned on the television, flicking through the channels. Del sat down on the floor in front of it with bewilderment. There were no televisions at HQ, which was where she resided, and anything she didn’t see on a daily basis was cause for wonder as far as she was concerned. When a commercial with a dog appeared, she squealed with delight, but Bobby changed the channel. She turned to him and scowled.

“Bring the doggy back,” she demanded.
“The commercial's over now anyway.”
“Bring him back,” she repeated firmly.
He flicked back and as he predicted, the dog was gone. “See?”
She stared at the screen with wide, sad eyes for a long, remorseful moment. But instantly, her smile returned and she turned to Bobby. “Want to play a game?”
“What kinda game?”
“It’s a game I play with Delial and Eve sometimes. I make little tiny versions of things and I have to remember the names of them to go with it. Only this time, you have to remember the names of them.”
“But I don’t know the names of them,” he reminded her.
“Well now you’ll learn them,” she emphasized.

He shrugged and conceded, having nothing better to do really. Del clapped her hands together and then sat down before him on the floor, keeping a couple of feet between them. She conjured up the smaller version of a creature she remembered seeing only once. It had three heads and bodies of men and one of them carried a club. It was a violent creature that started shouting in its tiny voices, banging on Nolre’s carpet with the club.

“Well? What’s it called?” she asked him.
“A sausage fest,” Bobby replied, raising an eyebrow.
“Wrong!”
“What is it then?”
Del opened her mouth to speak and then paused, looking back down at the creature. She furrowed her brow and brought a finger to her chin. “Um, I forget.”
“This game isn’t going to go very far of neither of us know the names of shit.”
“You said a bad word!” she cried, lifting her hand and pointing to him.
“Who says it’s a bad word?”
“Um, Mister Goose,” Del recalled, thinking of all the times she’d embarrassed him in front of his associates by repeating words she’d heard people say. “And besides, I know it’s a bad word. I’m not stupid.”
"Well, it's okay to say bad words sometimes. I mean, as long as you're not with uptight people, or around people you work with. Then it's pretty much fine. Anyone who who gets annoyed by it is just funny to watch get their panties in a wad."
Del cocked her head to the side. “Mister Goose wears panties?”
The boy nodded. "Probably ladies', too. And stockings and everything."

She lifted her hand to her face and giggled, then created a tiny tulpa of Swan in nothing but women’s underwear and stockings. Bobby burst out laughing and reached down to pick the miniature man up. The tiny Mister Swan started to scream in fear.

“Hey, little fella,” Bobby said and reached up. He started to pull on the man’s left arm, applying more strength until the limb tore off the socket. It bled onto his hand and Del giggled as she watched him. “Oh shit,” Bobby stated in surprise, then repeated the same process on the other limb.

“Bobby?” Del asked after a moment of watching him pull Mister Swan to pieces.
“Yeah?”
“Are you scared?”
“Of what?”
“People die a lot in Hocus Pocus, you know. I make lots of friends and then I never see them again because they die or get eaten by monsters, which is I guess the same thing, except sometimes the monsters spit them right back out again or they don’t chew them and we can cut them out of their bellies, but that usually kills them to, only sometimes it doesn’t. Um…what was I saying? Oh yeah!” she said, remembering. “People die a whole lot. Even the really strong ones.”
"...They do, huh?" he asked, then paused for a moment. "Sounds even more fun now."

Del grinned happily, pleased to hear that despite the dangers, Bobby would be sticking around.

 

[Nolre Aperrelous]

Nolre opened the door and let the others go in before him. Del rushed to the couch, proclaiming that it was hers, and Bobby disagreed.

?Says who?? Bobby challenged.
?Me,? she replied, folding her arms.
?I?ll fightcha for it,? he proposed with a grin.
?You?ll lose,? Nolre warned as he walked by.

He walked to the kitchen, opening the fridge and grabbing for a red steak. He slapped the uncooked meat down on a plate and went to the dining table to watch Del as she wandered around the house. Delial joined Nolre at the table, and they spoke in hushed voices.

"Do you think he'll be in the Threats Department?"
"I know he'll be in the threats department," Nolre said quietly, tearing a huge piece of the steak off.
"What's so bad about it? What drives you crazy?"
"Half of the things aren't even threats." Nolre threw the piece of meat into his mouth and started to chew, welcoming the taste of blood and raw.
"I doubt those Lycans today were doing anything other than living a normal life. They didn't smell like blood or anything."

Nolre swallowed the piece of meat and tore off another when his phone vibrated. He licked at his fingers and then took the phone from his pocket to read the text.

43rd + Harlond
House 7642
Bring water
-STPT Dep.

Nolre stuffed the phone into his pocket and took one last bite of the steak before pushing himself to his feet and shuffling off to his room. He searched around for a bit to find a box of bullets, and he reloaded his gun with them. He walked out of his room, stepping over a heroin needle, and pronounce to the others that he would be back in a bit.


Delial went to the kitchen and put some coffee on. As he returned to the dining table, Del came out of Nolre's room with a bag of weed.


"Delial, what kind of herb is this? Bobby said it goes on cereal but I don't know if I like herbs on my cereal. Do you remember if I like herbs on my cereal?"
"No one likes herbs on their cereal, Del. Besides, that's not what that is."
"Are you sure? It looks like herbs. I wonder if it's basil!"
She went to taste it but Delial snatched the bag from her and scolded her.
"Don't put that in your mouth. Give it here."
Del furrowed her brow and tried to grab it back from him.
"Hey, finders keepers, Delial! Give it back! Find your own cereal herbs!"
"Get away-stop-Del, seriously, stop-these aren't cereal herbs-stoppit-I'll ****ing hit you, I swear."
Del kept at it, growing angrier.
"No you won't because I'll tell Nolre!"
The bag tore, and weed fell all over the ground.
"Look what you did! What am I supposed to put on my cereal now!"
Delial snapped.
"FUCKING MILK."
Delial made to clean it up, and Del pouted, crossing her arms.
"Don't yell at me."
Delial sighed and said, "I'm sorry. Do you want some cereal?"
Del instantly beamed and jumped. "Yes please! If it's not cereal herbs, what is it?"
Delial answered, smelling the weed. "I think it's kush... What kind of cereal do you want?"
"Um, do you have the cereal that's yellow on the outside and red on the inside and tastes like green peppers?"
Delial raised an eyebrow.
"No we're fresh out. We have Lucky Charms, Cherrios, stale Honey Bunches of Oats, and I think these are a knock off of Fruity Pebbles."
"Um, Luck Charms. But only the marshmellows please. What's kush?"
Delial went to the kitchen and opened a pantry.
"It's pretty awesome. Big bowl or little bowl?"
"A big bowl!" she said, looking at the baggy. "Can I have some? I want some."
"I think we're out of papers, and Nolre doesn't believe in pipes or bongs... But it would calm you down... Get me an apple from the fridge."
"Okay!" Del piped, running to the fridge to retrieve an apple.
"Can you pour your own cereal? I'm going to make this apple into something you can use the kush in."
"Okayyyy."
Del began separating all of the marshmallows from the cereal while Delial carved the apple into a bong.
"That cereal will taste like a Maine Lobster when you're done with this."
Delial prepared a bowl and fished around in one of the drawers for a lighter. "This is how you use kush, Del." He lit the apple and took a hit, exhaling slowly, then handed the apple to Del.
"I can make it taste like lobster anyway," She proudly proclaimed, taking a huge hit of the apple's contents. She coughed profusely and tried to pound her chest back into working condition.
"Take it slowly, God damn. You only need to take small puffs, inhale slowly, and exhale even slower. Do you know what a good high is? You most certainly will."
"I feel funny...Delial...have you always had two mouths? I miss Stanley...he was a good fish, really...That apple is yucky. Delial, all of your mouths are talking at once!"
"Who was Stanley?"
"My pet fish. He was nice and everything, but he was just constantly swimming and it was SO annoying. Why does he have to swim all the time? He's not a REAL fish. Maybe I should bring him back. Maybe Bobby would like him. These marshmallows taste like green peppers!"
Delial began to zone out and sat on the kitchen counter. "Right on.... right on......."


Nolre arrived at the designated intersection and got out of his car, facing the apartments. They were awfully quiet, but a scream from inside broke the quiet air. Nolre ran across the empty street and climbed over the gate that led to the complex. He followed the screams to apartment 7642. The door was wide open, thus inviting him in.


A woman was on the couch, her stomach ripped open and her insides exposed, and her intestines trailed into the middle of the living room where a man was crouched and devouring them. The woman was trying to move, but her legs and arms had obviously been broken. Blood poured from her wounds, and she hand covered herself and the couch in her own hand prints.


"Lovely," Nolre joked.


The ghoul snapped its head around at him and bared its teeth, hissing. It turned to face him completely and poised to crouch. Nolre went for his gun.


"I fucking dare you."


The flesh eater lunged at Nolre to meet a bullet that tore through it's head. Holy water exploded from the bullet and seared the ghoul's head. It writhed on the floor for a moment, screeching, before falling quiet and still. The woman gasped for air and wheezed. Nolre put a bullet in her head and turned to leave when another ghoul tackled him.


The gun fell from Nolre's grasp and slid across the floor. The thing snapped at him and Nolre tried to keep its teeth away from his throat. It screeched at him, and Nolre headbutted it in the nose. It lessened its attack for a moment and Nolre threw it off of him, jumping to its feet just as it stepped toward him. Nolre threw a punch at its face, knocking it back, and then tackled it through the open doorway and into the cold night air.


Humans had come out of their homes to investigate the gunshot, and Nolre smashed his fists relentlessly into the thing's face, collapsing its jaw and then its cheeks. It stopped squirming and Nolre rose to his feet, walking back into the apartment to retrieve his gun. When he stepped back out, more of the things were charging him, and he broke into a run through the apartment's courtyard.


He turned a corner, the ghouls following closely behind him. Looking behind himself, he bumped into the pretty bartender from earlier that day, and spoke quickly.


"Hey--Jessy, was it?--Imagine meeting you here. What say you we run away somewhere?"