Legacy 210: Now You Seer Me
Part 3
Xxx
Henry appeared in a swirl of orbs at the address Julian had given him. He looked up to see a dark mansion surrounded by a stone and metal fence. It looked like something out of a horror movie. He realized it must have been horrible to grow up in a place so gloomy and creepy, which explained a lot about Julian's personality. Perhaps it was a good thing that Ivy had banished him, so he could experience what it was like to live in a house that actually felt like a home.
Henry headed through the gate and knocked on the front door. He reminded himself that he was there to help Ivy, but also to find out what other schemes she might be planning. Although they would be working together, didn't mean that he could trust her. He needed to be careful and use some his natural charm to lower her guard. Ivy was no stranger to these kinds of games, so it was pretty much a flirty chess match.
The door magically swung open and Henry entered the long, dark hallway. Ivy was heading down the stairway, wearing dark jeans and a revealing tank top. She was just as casually dressed as him, considering he was also wearing jeans and a T-shirt.
"Don't we look ready for a fancy ball?" Henry remarked.
"At least we match." Ivy replied. "Don't worry, I got us covered in the clothing department."
"Well, you're the one with the money." Henry said. "I'm just the arm candy, right?"
"Jealous?" Ivy asked.
"Not really, I'm easily satisfied." Henry said.
"I bet." Ivy replied. "I like walking between both worlds, the luxury of the elite and the comfort and fun of the common class."
"Is that why you started dealing in artifacts in the first place?" Henry asked.
"It's part of the reason." Ivy replied. "I get to meet a lot of interesting people this way and explore the world."
"Sounds nice." Henry said. "I mostly spend my time between San Francisco and LA, since that's where my parents now live. It's quite boring."
"You've been to New York, remember?" Ivy noted.
"How could I forget?" Henry replied. "I still think about her sometimes, you know."
"Me too." Ivy admitted. "In many ways, Tess was the first real friend I ever made, even though it didn't start out like that."
"I'm sorry for what happened." Henry replied. "I know you resent me for convincing her to go back home."
"I did at first." Ivy said. "I didn't like losing my only friend, but now I see it was what she needed. You understood that better than I did."
"I'm sure she's doing okay." Henry replied.
"Yeah, me too." Ivy noted. "But we need to move on, we don't have a lot of time. Follow me."
Ivy headed back up the stairs and Henry followed her. He was surprised at her vulnerability when talking about Tess, but he knew it could also be a trick to seem more sympathetic. They entered a room on the second floor that was designed as a giant walk-in closet. The amount of clothes and shoes Ivy owned was truly astounding. It was twice of what his sisters used to own combined. Ivy walked over to a table and picked up a small potion bottle.
"Here, drink this." Ivy said.
"What is it?" Henry asked suspiciously.
"It's concealing potion." Ivy replied. "It will hide your Whitelighter powers for 48 hours, so we don't raise any suspicion at the ball."
"You really think I'd drink something just like that?" Henry asked.
"If we're going to do this, we need to trust each other." Ivy replied as she opened the bottle and took a small sip. "There, happy now? It's not poison."
"Alright." Henry said while accepting the potion. "Here's to trusting each other."
Henry drank the potion in one sip and felt a tingling sensation spread through his body. The feeling wasn't unpleasant, but rather a little ticklish.
"Try orbing through something." Ivy said.
Henry walked over to the table and attempted to orb through it. Instead of being surrounded in orbs as he usually was when he turned intangible, his body instead shimmered through it in a demonic way. He smiled and orbed to the other side of the room, which also happened in a shimmer.
"Very cool." Henry said.
"Your cover is that you're a demon I sometimes partner with on jobs." Ivy explained. "You'll need another name as well, as Henry is not really demonic sounding."
"Alright, call me Pryce." Henry said.
"How did you come up with that so fast?" Ivy asked with a frown.
"The P is kind of a tradition in my family." Henry replied. "My mom had a list of about fifty names for me, but when they couldn't agree, they just named me after my father instead."
"Cute." Ivy said.
"Why are you named Ivy?" Henry asked.
"Elizabeth named me after poison ivy." Ivy noted. 'It looks innocent, but it has quite a sting. She also made sure I continued to look innocent by stopping my aging."
"Why did she do that?" Henry asked.
"I never found out." Ivy said. "She kept many secrets, including keeping her children hidden from each other. I'm sure she had plans for all of us, but she failed."
Henry noticed that she seemed quite emotional talking about her family and he suspected there were lots of unresolved feelings there. He could use that to press her for more information, but that seemed unnecessarily cruel. He wanted to believe Ivy had a good side. She was not just a demon, but a witch as well. His flirting tactic still seemed like the best option.
"We should get ready." Henry said. "I wonder what you picked out for me."
"I think you're going to like it." Ivy replied.
Ivy walked over to one of the closets and pulled out a clothing bag. She opened it to reveal a suit consisting of a velvet green jacket and black pants, along with a black shirt underneath and shiny black shoes. It looked very expensive and stylish and Henry imagined he would look great in it.
"Very impressive." Henry said. "You spared no expenses."
"Money is never really an issue for me." Ivy replied.
"A guy could get used to things like this." Henry said.
"Well, it's a free world as far as I'm concerned." Ivy noted. "Why worry about things like good and evil when you can just look out for yourself and enjoy the ride."
"Its not that simple." Henry replied.
"Do you really believe that?" Ivy asked. "Or is that something you just grew up with, the idea that you have to a good boy and follow the rules?"
"I… don't know." Henry admitted.
"I know you, Henry." Ivy said. "You're not like the rest of your family. You are more open-minded and free spirited. You can bend the rules a little as long as they don't break."
"I guess you're right." Henry replied. "What's wrong with having a little fun?"
"Exactly." Ivy said with a smile. "We should get changed; I'll give you some privacy."
"Who needs privacy?" Henry noted.
Henry confidently took his shirt off and tossed in on the floor as Ivy looked at him. If she wanted to play games and force him to bend the rules, he would let her think it was working. He kicked off his shoes and took off his jeans as Ivy observed him. Standing in just his tight boxer briefs, he walked over to her and took the clothing bag out of her hands. She smiled as she looked up and down at him and licked her lips seductively.
"You think a girl like me falls that easily?" Ivy asked.
"I'm just being free-spirited like you wanted." Henry said. "Getting into character."
"You should be getting in that suit." Ivy replied. "We have to leave soon, so I'll go change as well. I think you'll like the dress I picked out."
Ivy pushed the bag into his chest and headed to her side of the room, disappearing behind a privacy screen after one last look over her shoulder. Henry smirked, as he was quite enjoying this little cat and mouse game. He just needed to be careful he didn't start liking it too much.
Xxx
Talia was alive. Julian stood frozen in place, not being able to move as he saw her standing in front of him in the flower store. She looked as beautiful as ever, even though she looked different. The red streak in her hair, her make-up, the light blue dress she was wearing. It was nothing like the Talia he knew, as she had always preferred darker shades and her favorite color was purple. Something about her was very different, but it didn't matter to Julian. He was just relieved to see her again. He had lived with the pain and guilt about her death for months.
"Talia." Julian said. "It's you."
Talia looked at him, but instead of seeing something familiar, he only saw confusion and surprise in her eyes. She didn't seem to recognize him at all, which felt like a sharp stab in the heart. He turned to look at his sisters, who remained silent.
"Who are you people?" Talia asked. "What happened in here? Why is there a vase on the floor?"
"Talia." Julian repeated. "Don't you know who I am?"
"I'm sorry, I don't." Talia replied. "What did you call me?"
"I… Sorry, I guess I must have you confused with someone else." Julian said quickly when he saw her becoming nervous. "What's your name?"
"My name is Amber." She replied. "Amber Hart, this is my shop. Can someone please tell me what happened? I'm not angry or anything, accidents can happen."
Julian's hopes shattered as soon as they appeared. The woman before him was not Talia. Although they seemed identical in appearance and even voice, everything else was different. The way she looked at him, her manner of speaking and her entire demeanor was nothing like Talia. She was a complete stranger to him. Penny noticed the hurt look in his eyes and decided to step in, gently placing a hand on his shoulder as she stepped forward.
"Amber?" Penny said. "I'm so sorry about this. I was showing the vase to my brother and I dropped it. I'm more than happy to pay for it."
"Oh, that is so sweet." Amber replied. "Don't worry about it, the vase wasn't that expensive. I'm just happy nobody got hurt."
"Please, I insist." Penny said. "I feel horrible, I just saw something speed past me on the floor and I panicked."
"Oh no." Amber replied with a sigh. "It wasn't a rat, was it?"
"Actually, I think it was." Penny said. "Do you have a rat problem?"
"No, I don't think so." Amber replied. "I saw one in storage a few days ago, but I didn't think it was a big deal. There is a large dock warehouse behind the store, so I just assumed it came from there."
"You didn't call an exterminator?" Penny asked.
"Well, no, I didn't want to hurt the little guy." Amber said. "I just swept it outside with a broom."
"That's very kind for vermin." Penny replied with a frown. "Anyway, my name is Penny. This is my brother Julian and my little sister Payton. We're just visiting."
"It's nice to meet you all." Amber said. "I'll just go get a broom to sweep up these shards before someone gets hurt. Excuse me."
Amber turned around and headed to the back room. Despite knowing it wasn't her, Julian couldn't help but see Talia in her. He needed to figure out what was going on and how this was possible. He refused to believe that all of this was just a coincidence. They were led here by that premonition for a reason.
"Are you alright?" Penny asked.
"I don't know." Julian replied. "I was sure it was her."
"What are you guys talking about?" Payton asked.
"Amber looks identical to Talia." Penny informed her, as Payton had actually never met the real one. "The resemblance is uncanny."
"What?" Payton asked shocked. "How is that possible?"
"I don't know." Penny admitted. "It could be just a coincidence, right?"
"No, it can't." Julian said determined. "There is something more going on. The premonition, the rat demon, it has to."
"What about Amber?" Penny asked. "Could she be a shapeshifter or a trickster or something?"
"We need to find out." Julian said. "When she gets back, try reading her mind or hypnotizing her to tell the truth about who she is."
"What if you're wrong?" Payton asked. "We could freak out an innocent woman."
"She's either a fake or a real innocent in danger." Julian said. "You saw it in your premonition, the rat demon was after her."
"Right, that makes sense." Payton noted.
"I'll do my best." Penny said.
A few moments later, Amber returned from the back room holding a broom and sweeper. She kneeled down to pick up the shattered vase and Julian couldn't help but stare at her. She noticed his staring and gave him a glance and somewhat nervous smile, so he quickly turned around and pretended to look at a bunch of flowers.
"Here, let me help you." Penny said.
Penny kneeled down next to Amber and started picking up pieces of glass. She gently placed a hand on Amber's arm and Julian could tell she was trying to read her mind. However, judging by her frown, it didn't seem to be working.
"Amber." Penny said quickly as her voice seemed to echo. "Do you really own this shop?"
"Of course." Amber replied with a smile. "It's always been my dream to own a shop like this. I love making people happy with my flowers."
"And are you really Amber Hart?" Penny asked.
"Yeah, I know it sounds like a pun, but it's what my parents called me." Amber replied. "That's how I came up with the name Floral Heart too. A pun of a pun."
"You're lying!" Julian suddenly said, surprised by his own outburst.
"What?" Amber asked shocked. "What do you mean?"
"There is something you're not telling us." Julian said. "Who are you really?"
"Julian, stop it." Penny warned him.
"I'm not pretending to be someone else." Amber replied. "You guys are being weird and you're making me very uncomfortable. I'd like you to leave."
"What is going on here?" Another voice suddenly said.
Julian turned around and saw someone entering the store. A tall young man with curly brown hair and blue eyes, wearing the uniform of a delivery service.
"Joshua." Amber called out.
Amber rushed to the young man's side and grabbed him tightly. It was obvious the two were very close, perhaps even dating. Julian realized he felt jealous of this guy, despite knowing that it wasn't really Talia that was holding him.
"Amber, what's wrong?" Joshua asked. "Are these people bothering you?"
"We're not." Penny quickly said. "It's just a misunderstanding. My brother mistook Amber for someone else."
"Right, sorry." Julian added. "You're not her."
"Well, I don't know what you did, but you're clearly making my girlfriend uncomfortable." Joshua said. "I think you should leave before we involve the cops."
"Of course." Penny said. "Again, we're so sorry about this whole thing."
Penny grabbed Julian by the arm and started pushing him toward the door while Payton followed quietly. As they walked past Amber and Joshua, Julian looked her in the eyes. She seemed genuinely scared of him. Either that or she was a very convincing actress. They left the shop and headed across the street, where they took a moment to breathe. Julian looked at the store and saw Joshua was still observing them from behind the window. There was something suspicious in his eyes and Julian realized the delivery man knew more than he was letting on.
Xxx
In a dark warehouse near the docks, a rat demon named Cassius was sitting in a lounge chair on top of a pile of pallets, made to look like a throne or sorts. He was wearing ragged clothes along with a brown scarf while absent-mindedly playing a game on his phone. Two rats scurried into the warehouse from underneath a large metal door and squeaked for attention. Cassius rolled his eyes and put away the phone before turning to them.
"What?" Cassius asked.
The two rats started to glow and transformed into their human forms, kneeling before him.
"We have a problem, sir." One of the demons said. "We can't reach Lonny."
"He was watching the Floral Heart, right?" Cassius asked.
"Yes sir." The other demon replied. "We sent him to watch the girl, but now he's gone. We searched everywhere."
"Did someone come into the store?" Cassius asked.
"We… don't know." The first demon admitted.
Cassius glared at him and waved his hand, causing the demon to catch fire. He screamed and rolled around in an attempt to get it out, but he was soon reduced to ashes. Cassius got up and walked over to the other demon, who nervously looked at the floor.
"I know I haven't been in charge for long." Cassius noted. "But when I ask you to watch a store, I expect you to really watch it."
"I'm sorry, sir." The demon replied. "I won't let you down again."
"Good, because you've just seen what happens when you do." Cassius said. "Get back out there and find out what happened to Lonny. Nothing happens in this town without me knowing about it."
The demon nodded and shimmered away. Cassius sighed and walked over to a minifridge he had in the warehouse, grabbing himself a beer can. He had only recently taken over the gang in Bodega Bay and his first job was collecting old, unsettled debts. As the youngest gang leader ever, he couldn't afford to mess up so soon, as the rat king would have his head. If trouble had come to his town, he would make sure to exterminate it.
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