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Reclining in a chair on a night that's as quiet as most, Atalo turns the next page of the Hobbit, commenting to Cerberus who's sprawled at his feet. "Bilbo clearly likes the quiet life, but maybe not as much as he pretends. Not with how he's reacted to the Dwarves visiting."
The chime above the door jingles, and in walks Mearcstapa, dressed in his casual summer attire; he's swapped the cargo pants for cargo shorts, but otherwise looks like That Nerd.
Mel is coming off another boring day shuttling entitled rich assholes from the airport to their business conferences or whatever at the hotels downtown. More tips than expected, never as many as there should be, but it's enough that they've decided to see if they can't find some extra work clothes for a decent price. Or maybe something fun for relaxing.
Either way, it'll be second hand.
Atalo looks up at the sound of entry and then smiles, marking his page and setting the book on the counter before standing and nodding to Mearc, and then Mel at the arrival of a new face. "Good evening." He greets them both. "Please let me know if I can help."
To Mel's eyes, there's been a marked shift Mearc's mien due to Wyrd evolution. His freckles are now small glowing pixels of color against his skin, perfectly square, and when they shift color (as they are now, flickering red then shifting toward the green), there's a distinct dithering effect. His teeth, when he speaks, are long and pointed; a predator's teeth, perhaps a large cat specifically.
"Good to see you, Atalo. Mel, it's been a while. Would you allow me to introduce you to the owner of this shop?" There's something slow and careful in the words, like he's realized there might be something dangerous under the surface of this moment.
Mel hadn't expected to run into Mearc, but they're not exactly unhappy. It's always nice to see a friendly face, even a... changed one. They take in the changes to Mearc's mien with a long look, and cock their head to the side, not quite it question. Or rather in question, but with the understanding that now might not be the best time.
His tone alerts Mel that there might be something... odd here, so they nod slowly. If it was actively dangerous they doubted Mearc would be making introductions. "That would be nice, thank you," they say, caution thick in their tone
"It has, and it is." He offers Mearc a hand before looking between him and Mel at the discussion, canting his head but waiting to see where the introductions lead.
He glances around to make sure the rest of the shop is empty. Which it is, who else does their shopping this late at night? "Atalo, Mel Joyner of the Autumn Court, they/them pronouns. Mel, Atalo Ceres. He's a vampire and he's a very close personal friend of mine."
Though it's only visible in their mien, Mel's feathers fluff at the mention that Atalo is a vampire. Their mask only shows a slight tightening of their shoulders, but then they take a deep breath and give a slow nod. "I... see" They give Mearc a gape-beaked smile. "I'll behave." They turn their attention to Atalo, their expression coolly polite. "Do you have slacks?"
Rosalyn parked Elio outside and followed the other Autumns into Atalo's shop a few minutes later. She glanced around and then cocked an eyebrow at the crew. "You are popular this evening, Atalo. Good evening Mearcstapa, Mel."
"Good to meet you." Atalo answers Mel in a polite tone, considering her. He pads a little closer, before nodding once. "You wouldn't behave if Mearcstapa wasn't here? I do, yes." He changes subject sharply, moving to a nearby rack to gesture at it. "If any appeal to you?"
Rosalyn receives a twitch of a light smile. "I'm unsure if it's me or the shop. It's good to see you." Atalo heads over, reaching out to pat Mearc's arm lightly as he does.
"Ros! Been a while since I've caught up with you." He offers a very toothy grin, before returning his attention to Mel. "Behave or don't, I just didn't want you to be caught off-guard if I said anything to Atalo about business on his end. He's my best source of gossip--and occasionally more than idle gossip, honestly."
Mearc's comment draws a chuckle from Mel as they drift over to the indicated rack and start idly checking sizes on the pants. "I will admit to having some... less than complementary opinions on vampires in general." They shrug. "But I've no opinion on you personally so I see no reason not to be sociable." They give Rosalyn a wave in greeting. "Good to see you"
She smiled broadly. "Good to see you too- and while you may have had poor experiences with vampires is the past, Atalo is worth knowing. Besides running a most excellent shop-" she gave Atalo a little salute. "He's also an honorable friend and ally. He protected me from one of his own most effectively at one point, so I wouldn't recommend any misbehavior here."
"I enjoy our conversations." Atalo confirms to Mearc. "And not just for business reasons." He nods towards Mel. "As Rosalyn's mentioned, we are not all of the same nature. You've had troubling experiences with others in the past?" Rosalyn gets a light smile, and his cheeks actually colour slightly. "Please don't stab me, yes. It won't do me any harm, it'll simply spoil my clothes."
Mearc lets out a warm laugh. "You like having someone to ask for advice on your romances, too, I know."
He moves around a rack to look at shirts thoughtfully. "But he's right, about them all being individuals. Just as we are."
Mel busies themself looking through the pants, feeling rather chastised. Not unfairly, they have to admit, but it's still not a great feeling. "Sorry," they say, with only a little bit of a grumble. "I probably shouldn't have brought it up"
Ros took note and changed the subject. "So how have you been?" She asked Mearc as she began browsing the shoe selection.
"I won't deny it." He admits quietly to Mearc. "And, he's been getting sunburned, as I understand it." Rosalyn receives a slight grin. Mel meanwhile, is considered some more, his expression thoughtful as he pats Cerberus lightly. "This dislike isn't connected to one who was called Anna-Marie, is it?"
"Fuck Anna-Marie." The response is as automatic as 'A!' is to 'Give me an A!' from a squad of cheerleaders, before he chuckles and turns toward Ros.
"Jack, Lux and I are renovating a house, talking about getting a dog. And I've been having some weird dreams." Or is that 'wyrd dreams'? "Learning more about my time Over There. Things I had completely forgotten, it seems."
Atalo's question actually makes Mel look up in genuine surprise and confusion. Then they shake their head. "No. Don't think I've even heard of her." They seem to notice Cerberus for the first time. "Well aren't you a lovely puppy?" they say, leaping at the chance to change the subject. Then they look over at Mearc. "What sort of dog?"
"Lucky you then!" She told Mel with a sharp laugh. "And I'm not so sure I'd want to remember more, but getting a dog sounds nice. I rescued a tiny baby griffon the other day. Caring for another creature is good for the soul."
"Given my understanding of modern slang, I'd prefer to not do that." Atalo notes to Mearv, then smiles. "A house is good. So is a dog. I recommend a German Shepherd. And, mm, I agree, remembering sounds a mixed blessing." A slow blinking. "A Griffon? Would you ever let me meet them?"
"We haven't decided on what breed--at some point, we'll visit a shelter. Jack grew up with a beagle, I believe. It's going to mostly be his dog. I'm more of a cat person--I'm sure all of you are surprised to hear that."
A glance at Atalo. "Mixed blessing is right, though. For me, it means I'm remembering...um. That the Keeper I escaped from wasn't the only one who I served, during my time away."
Mel shutters slightly as they pull a couple possible pairs of pants off the rack. "I don't want those memories back," they say, with an almost violent shake of their head. "A pet would be nice though. Probably not a dog for me. They take too much work."
Agate's head lifted from her shoulders and she stood up, arched her back in a very catlike stretch. Ros staggered at the sudden weight and nearly fell when Agate flapped her wings. She hopped onto the front counter as she transformed from decoratively tooled leather jacket to griffin. To Atalo's eyes she was an very large golden eagle. "I like meeting people!" she chirped. "And it's ok, right! You're talking about not-human things, right?" Ros smiled wryly and scritched her neck where feathers turned to fur. "Yes it's fine this time but please be more careful. Everyone, this is Agate- there are a lot of creatures coming out of the Hedge that need homes," she told Mel. "Maybe you can find companionship with one of them?""
"Cats can be elegant and crafty. I am not surprised." He nods slightly at Maerc with a smile. "I've lived long enough I have a lot of faded memories. And others I wish were." He looks over at Mel, about to answer when Agate makes her appearance and he blinks, then peers with a wide smile. "You are magnificent. Welcome." He cants his head, studying. "You look like a eagle, but I know your true self is likely concealed."
"Agate, a pleasure to meet you." He offers a polite bow to the grifflet.
"Well aren't you a pretty thing!" Mel comments to the griffon. They shift, putting themself between the griffon and anyone happening to wander in, as a slight bit more cover. Not that they're particularly large, but it's the thought that counts, right? "I'd heard something about the Hedge issues meaning more critters out and about, but I'd not heard of them bonding to folks."
Agate preened and turned so she could be fully admired, and then gave Mel a very catlike head bump. "My nest was destroyed and my parents died fighting. I don't have anywhere else to go," she said sadly. She turned back Atalo, tilting her head to study the vampire with open curiosity.
Ros nodded to Atalo. "Most things touched by faerie are masked from those who don't have the Sight."
"This place, the Hedge, is under threat?" He nods, taking the information in. Agate is studied too, he also curious. "Even if you had other options I'd advise you to stay with Rosalyn. She'll ensure you're safe."
"It's... sick" Mel says, slowly. It feels wrong, or at the very least less than wise to admit that to an outsider, much less a vampire, but accuracy is important. They reach out and preen through Agate's feathers, almost absent-mindedly. "So a lot of things aren't doing great."
"And we'll get through it," Ros said firmly. "And Agate will be safe until she's big enough to leave, mate, and build a nest of her own."
"Atalo, it's not something you can help with, don't get any ideas." Mearc shoots the vampire a bit of a Look.
He eyes Mearc back, frowning. "You are giving me advice you'd very rarely follow yourself. Dealing with an illness is not where my talents lie in any case. But that doesn't mean I'm unwilling to support where I can."
Mel opens their mouth to say something and then snaps it shut, obviously reconsidering their words. Atalo has been nothing but polite and doesn't deserve the snark that they'd been about to deliver. Instead they say "I don't think... other folk can even enter the Hedge, at least not safely. And I think that's going to be where the problem can be solved."
Before anyone can say anything else, they lift their load of pants and ask "Dressing room?"
Ros pointed her towards the changing rooms and the nodded in agreement. It's too dangerous for you to enter that place even when it's not... sick. Don't even think of it."
Meanwhile, Agate had pecked at the register for a bit, then hopped down off the counter to investigate Cerberus. "Hi! I'm Agate!" She introduced herself.
"Atalo, that felt like a call-out." Mearc laughs, though, not minding it. "Your support is appreciated, old man, as it always is. And you're doing pretty well tonight."
A gesture toward the dressing rooms while Mel's out of earshot, to make clear his meaning.
"I don't plan to ever enter the Hedge." He confirms to them both. "Unless there's a way to be protected from it. And it was a call out, yes." His lips twitch in amusement.
"As for her, is there a particular reason for dislike, or is it more general?"
Cerberus meanwhile, gives the talking eagle a surprised look before carefully sniffing at her.
"What's your name?" she pressed, fully expecting the dog to talk back to her while the 'adults' conversed. "Are you not supposed to talk in front of people too?"
Ros rubbed the bridge of her nose. It was clearly something they'd have to work on. "I wouldn't put my faith in anything that claims to be able to protect you from the Hedge. That's a recipe for a miserable tale warning others that it doesn't really work."
"Them, not her. And there is a particular reason, but it's so not my story to tell."
"Them." He nods at Maerc in confirmation. "And I'll note that Rosalyn, and keep from the Hedge."
He reaches out to pat the dog. "His name is Cerberus." He tells Agate. "He can't talk like you."
Mel comes out of the dressing room, the pants now in two piles, one on each arm. One they place on the counter next to Agate and the go to hang the others up. "It's not like the Hedge is even safe for us," they comment. "Safer maybe, but not totally safe."
Agate drooped. "Why not? Did he get hurt?" She asked Atalo. "Can't you get a Healer?"
"What's you find?" Ros asked Mel curiously when she brought her chosen pile up.
"I'm not very good with the Hedge at all; there's a reason I sought a role in the court that has nothing to do with it." He allows himself a self-mocking laugh.
"Few places are truly safe." Atalo muses, starting to price the items Mel had chosen.
"And, hm." He considered Agate. "He is different from you. Dogs in our world cannot speak. They can be quite intelligent, but lack voices."
"That's true," Mel muses. "I suppose it's just that the nature of the dangers differs." They finish hanging up their rejects and turn back to the counter, waiting while Atalo totals their purchase up. "They're pants. Slacks really" they say in answer to Agate's question. Its a far easier thing to think about than the myriad dangers of life. "For work."
"Safety is an illusion." It's a core of Mearc's philosophy--Atalo's heard it before, like a mantra.
Stating the price, Atalo nods slowly at Maerc. "I'll not argue against that. I need to do some inventory work now though. Do any of you need more before I go to the back?"
"I enjoy the Hedge," Ros took the counterpoint. "It isn't safe but there's a wild sort of beauty in it, many sights unseen, creatures both strange and wonderous. And it makes more sense than this realm at times." She shrugged. "You just have to look at it as a story."
Mel digs a battered leather wallet out of their pocket and counts out the money. They also give Atalo a long look, tilting their head slightly first to one side and then the other. "I think I might like to talk to you again." They smile. "Politely, I promise"
"If you'd like, Mel, I can help broker other introductions to locals. While I won't say everyone I've met has become a close friend, the perspective might be useful. In the meantime, I was mostly here to check in, not to shop. I'll be back in to hang out again soon."
Sorting Mel's change, Atalo nods. "I'm often found here. Until we meet again then."
"Agate," Ros called. "You should say goodbye. We'll come back to visit another evening." The huge bird/griffin sighed but leaped back up onto the counter and then carefully climbed onto Rosalyn's arm before transforming back into the leather jacket she'd been when they came in. "I'll try to come by more often too," she promised Atalo.
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