Being the 'magician's assistant' for fire_dance

[elcazadorcazado]

"The life blood of a black lamb who has never seen a full moon. The whiskers of thirteen black cats, and the eyes of a white one, preserved in oil. The ring finger of a man hanged for murder, a rusted iron railroad spike and yellow rose petals."

These things all sounded like they were written in a grimoire bound in flesh and cursed for security. Alejo had to keep reminding himself why he was gathering these things. All for a friend, all for Anna, for someone who needed to get out of a wretched spell. Trying to keep a charming  smile on while talking about and doing these things was... a test on his charisma. However, now that he has all these things in a beaten up old bag, it's a little easier. He just has to hand these things over... right?

So of course he's smiling as he comes into the shop again. He'll give a little bow when he sees Caitlin. "Señorita. I have the things you asked for."
 

Comments

[fire_dance]

"Indeed? Let me see?"

Caitlin had not been entirely convinced Alejo would be successful in collecting the ingredients she listed. It had been a test of his determination to some extent and she wasn't sure if she was impressed or annoyed that he had accomplished it. Anna was suffering and Deadpool by extent. She would have preferred to go another route but there was very little she could do to Wade Wilson that would teach him. Had either of them not meddled with her, taken advantage of her magic, she wouldn't have been driven to drastic measures.
Alejo's drive was almost as concerning, given the lengths he was going to, but he hadn't crossed the line. Not yet.

She got up from where she sat, quietly writing in a book and crossed the length of the shop to lock the door the turn the sign.

"I wasn't convinced you would be successful."

[elcazadorcazado]

He walks in and puts the bag up next to the book she was writing in. She can have a root through it. Every item is individually placed into a contained and carefully wrapped up. “I was always told that doing the impossible was my task. Taking whiskers from kittens is not my favourite thing to do, but I can do it.”

The vampire leans on the counter on his elbow and watches. “I can do more than most people think.”

[fire_dance]

"Indeed? I confess. I have always been a fan of the impossible. I did it quite a few times when I was young."
She carefully unpacks each of the ingredients, silently studying them, turning them over in their containers before setting them aside.

"Sometimes, to make the impossible and improbable into reality, we must do things we do not like. Everything has a cost that must be paid. You payed for this with that determination and devotion to a friend."

She crosses the room and returns to the ingredients with a small tray, setting them on it.

"It will take some time to prepare the ingredients. You're welcome to join me in the workroom, if you like."

[elcazadorcazado]

"You can pay with determination and devotion?" He'll ask as he follows. If he'd have known that you could pay with things like that, he could have offered her plenty. Loyalty, honour, patience... well, maybe not patience.

"What will happen now?"

[fire_dance]

"In a manner of speaking... Intent and will made manifest is the basis of magic." She leaves it at that though. Theory is for a stormy night and tea, not a night when her mind is occupied with regrets and worries and the restless knowledge in her stomach that nothing is ever as simple as it seems.

"Now... I bring Anna back and you may call yourself her Hero."

[elcazadorcazado]

Alejo laughs, hoping that the volume will cover the slight nervousness in it. He can’t help it. He has no idea of what’s about to happen. “Don’t let her husband hear you say that.”

[fire_dance]

"The day I care what Wade Wilson thinks about my words, is the day I give up Magic completely."

She shakes her head slightly and then hands him the little tray she's stacked everything on and beckons for him to follow along.

[elcazadorcazado]

He smiles and shrugs sheepishly as he follows her. "I... meant more to save my hide than his feelings."

[fire_dance]

"Ahh. Well, I'm not as worried about those things."

She flashes him a little grin and holds the door open to a room that's pitch black.

[elcazadorcazado]

"Men like to punch other men. Especially when one looks like he's getting close to the other man's wife." He passes and smiles at her. "Not that it is my intention... Gracias."

If he'd known which way they were going, he would have held the door open for her. His manners will have to wait until next time.

[fire_dance]

"Intentions or not, one would think that would be reason enough for you to not pursue a married woman."

She shakes her head slightly at him and the closes the door behind them. The room is black, and then without warning, all of the candles, scattered around light themselves, casting enough light that he can see around the room. It's a bit cluttered with boxes stacked, shelves that smell of herbs and a lingering hint of old blood. One of the boxes rattles and Caitlin shusshes it gently and it stops rattling, and then gestures to a small table

"Please set everything there."

[elcazadorcazado]

"It's alright. I am not pursuing her."

If Alejo was more easily startled, he would have jumped. His head snaps around as the candles ignite, then he takes a close look around the room. The smell makes him wrinkle his nose, but he quickly smoothes out his expression and decides not to comment on the box. He doesn't want to insult her, after all. That would be a bad idea.

He sets the tray down on the table and takes a step back to fold his arms. "That's a lot of candles."

[fire_dance]

"I would strongly advise against it if you were. Not because your business is any business of mine, but because I worry it would become my business and I'd rather it not."

She steps into to fill the space he's left by the table and sets about arranging things to her liking.

"I don't fancy working in complete darkness, do you?"

[elcazadorcazado]

“As I said before, Anna is a friend. That is all. I wish her all the best in her marriage.” Alejo pauses to think about that. “I guess you could call this my wedding gift to her.”

He makes sure to give her plenty of room and try not to get in the way. The vampire is very much aware that he is here only to observe, to make sure she is doing what he thinks she’s doing. Other than that, his job is to not mess this up by being around.

“No, I don’t...” He stays where he is as he eyes up the different things in the room. “People don’t use candles much anymore. I like it. There are just... a lot.”

[fire_dance]

"I have an affinity for them. The light they cast is warm."

She leaves the questions he raises with his comments unasked and focuses on her tasks. Magic produces dramatic results, but there is so much more planning and preparation involved that unless it is something large like tonight's endeavors, it is usually not worth it. And even having had Alejo prepare most of the ingredients, she's still not convinced all of this is worth it.

She takes her time, focuses on the job and after a while of silence, a few bad smelling puffs of smoke she holds a bowl out to him.

"If you'd like to do the honors. Pick any candle you like and set this alight. when it's finished burning down, you'll have your Anna restored, as good as new."

[elcazadorcazado]

He tries to stay quiet and still. Neither of which he's very good at, but the magic user he grew up with was quite fond of. The room has enough to distract his thoughts, anyway. He's not too curious about what she's doing or how. Honestly, he's pretty sure that the less he knows, the better.

When she hands him the bowl, he takes it and quirks an eyebrow. "That's... it? No chalk circles or loud ghostly wailing? Bright lights or warnings from spirits?"

[fire_dance]

She looks incredibly amused by the question and nods her head. Several of the boxes rattle, as if the contents are laughing at the questions.

"I've already done all that bit. That portion isn't very audience friendly."

[elcazadorcazado]

He hesitates, and then nods sheepishly. It's probably just as well he wasn't focusing on her then. So instead he looks around at all the candles. He picks the one he thinks looks biggest and uses it to light the contents of the bowl.

[fire_dance]

It's always interesting giving people a choice... watching them choose with careful deliberation or without any whatsoever. Unconscious decisions especially in a room full of magic... this is all part of it of course. The last deliberate action undoing the magic that trapped Anna in rotting flesh.

The contents of the dish take a moment to light, but they catch with a spark, fizzle a moment and then smolders like incense, casting a thick but almost sweet smelling smoke.

"It's done. For good or ill."

[elcazadorcazado]

The spark makes his arms shoot straight to keep it away from his face. After that, he watches it a second, and then smiles over at Caitlin.

"Señorita, I owe you a drink and a dance."

[fire_dance]

"Indeed."

She smiles faintly though. Candles around the room extinguish themselves, only enough to keep the room illuminated remain and Cait gathers up the dishes and tools she'd used, setting them on the tray and gesturing to the door as she rejoins him.

"I hope that you'll be satisfied with the results."

[elcazadorcazado]

"It cannot be worse than what she was dealing with." Of that he sounds certain. Being a corpse, he knows from experience, is not much fun. He can't imagine how much worse it would be to rot away.

He's aware that, as much as he dislikes magic, Caitlin was generous to help him. Especially with such little in return. Alejo tilts his head and his smile tries to be encouraging. "If there is a favour I can help you with in future... Do not hesitate to call."

[fire_dance]

"You may regret that offer... especially as the few times I've actually requested help, it was in regards to dealing with Anna's Husband."

[elcazadorcazado]

Alejo considers this for a minute.

"I am, to be cliché, an agent of justice. If a wrong is done, I must ensure it is put right. One way or another. If he does a crime, he does not have my protection. He must have harmed or done ill against someone, that is my only condition."

[fire_dance]

"I suppose the threat of destroying reality through theft doesn't qualify? That particular situation has been rectified, no real damage done, thankfully. But harm and ill are interesting, subjective concepts."

[elcazadorcazado]

His brow shoots up. "It... really does."

"I know how to judge. The old rules and definitions I have been taught are strong.... But they may need to change over time."

[fire_dance]

She smirks slightly at the way his eyebrows lift and then gestures for him to follower her back out of the work-room.

"I will leave you to the judging. I wish to live quietly, in peace, with as little trouble as possible."

[elcazadorcazado]

He follows her and sighs, smiling. "Now that sounds like a good plan. I wish I could join you in it."

[fire_dance]

"Mmm. You would either sleep much better, or much worse, I think."

[elcazadorcazado]

"I guess I will never know."

[fire_dance]

Not in this lifetime I'm afraid.