Cooking with the What Pt1:
Wywatt was impressed with leaving Dera to run things while he was away. She kept everything smooth and found perfect people to deliver. Only trouble she had was when she scared trespassers off. They were in Bloodsaw Workshop looking through their collection of grimoires. About to pull one made from materials found in a funeral parlor. Metal clasp was skeleton hands in a folded hand position.
"Can't be," Elaine knew which grimoire she described, "Who would … no…"
Konstantin didn't understand until he followed her throughout the building for the answer. Elaine's owl acted as his guide to parts of the building he hadn't explored just yet. Just one area was an open floor plan with a massive fireplace. Fragrance was a green and aromatic scent, reminiscent of a mixture of medicinal and culinary herbs. Followed by soft and subtly sweet nodes along with others that followed. Were inhaled by Konstantin when stopped after passing the threshold, as Elaine's owl perched on a tall stool.
"What's so specific you needed to rush up here?" Konstantin watched her.
"Over the centuries my family has created a collection," She snapped her fingers, "Helping or not?"
Light fixtures turning on to give him a better view made her owl screech. Farthest wall was a bookshelf or two filled with reading material. Scrolls, journals, tomes were scattered with relics, gemstones, and labeled flora. Had a massive workbench with closed grimoire on a book stand. Cover had a crescent shaped blood stone with Bloodsaw written in Latin. Mortar and pestle beside a small celestial globe lay nearby, and were one of many tools. Locked cabinet next to a trunk or two was tucked in a corner.
"Your family is a diverse one," He spoke about people he met, "How does a hunter fall for a witch?"
"He was a regular here and she was a waitress that ALWAYS served him," Elaine was searching the bookshelves, "He asked her out one day and here I am."
Book she pulled had her walking toward him tapping the skeleton's hand clasp to open the cover. Distinctly floral and lingering rotting fruit made Konstantin's nose twitch. Pulling fourth a distant memory of home to the forefront of his mind that he quickly dismissed. Watching her flip through page after page of spells of creation magic. Which surprised him since this level of magic was god- tier level.
"I should have known," Elaine stopped at one spell, "I have to report this."
"Love Star Life?" Konstantin read the title of the spell.
"Requires blood, a feather, a bone, roots, a flame, and a meteor." She read the ingredients, "Explains blood soaked bandages and stolen items."
"This why you wanted to visit your uncle?" Konstantin reminded her.
"Wouldn't you not want an ember from hell to fall into the wrong hands?" She asked back, "Harvested roots from an lunarian grove are pretty powerful."
He fell quiet when she passed him with her handing the book to him in an angry fuss. Trying to figure out where these thieves were going to strike next for the last two ingredients. Her owl flew across from the stool to her shoulder and started to comfort her.
"Are you up for a visit to the botanical gardens?" She asked him, "They're nocturnal hours from 7pm to 2pm."
"Where can one find the flame?" He wondered.
"My brother is already looking into that." She spoke of Wywatt.
Serenity was there when Wywatt was informed an oxyacetylene torch was stolen from a welding supply store. One that used a violet flame came from Caol when he stopped by. Where he was greeted by wagging tails and invited to drinks to further explain. He had to turn down since he was only here to deliver the message and be on his way.
8*8
Arriving at a huge green house looked more like a glass palace at night. New to a few unlike Wywatt, he knew most of the night staff and got them free admission.
"You'll be unable to see the lunarian grove," They were informed, "Someone broke in during shift change and made their way to where the grove was kept. They bypassed the barrier, dug up and chopped off some roots."
"May we get a copy of the security footage that was taken?" Wywatt asked.
"Anything for you," Clerk answered with eyes for him, "Wywatt."
Way his name was said when he got a head nod while he was asked how everything was going with his sister. He pointed over his shoulder and clerk become speechless at who Elaine stood beside. Way she was carrying in a casual conversation with a famous face as his answer. Got him congrats on the relation that was going on before clerk went off to fulfill his request.
"What's so important about this grove?" Konstantin asked.
"They're what remains of Lunarian witch coven, who didn't take their breaths in the safety of the forest. They wanted to die in the city and show future generations that the supernatural world isn't all bad." Elaine explained, "My brother took special interest and care of them."
Reveal left Serenity and Konstantin to grow quiet as Elaine calmed her owl down. Cooing with her eyes glowing as she reached a glove hand toward him. Way her covered fingers gently and slowly combed through his feathers. Got her owl to lean toward her fingers with a few chirps. Wings slowly loosening up and untensing when he started nuzzling her fingers.
"Anyone want to visit the second largest collection of rare carnivorous plants?" Wywatt asked, "They have a monstrous Venus Flytrap, a Baraselia, and an African Strangler."
"Your former stomping ground?" Serenity teased, "You seem eagar … "
Wywatt grew quiet at what she had to say about a specific flora section. Brought back some pretty dark memories from his time as an underground doctor. Times when he couldn't a supernatural entity or cryptid.
"How far are you willing to keep a promise from a former patient? When you did all you could do to treat them for days on end while with no success." Elaine's question followed.
"El." Wywatt didn't want her divulging.
"Depends …" Konstantin figures more to come.
"I sense a but coming." Serenity could feel hairs on the back of her neck stand up.
"When the promise was to keep their body from ending up going through the taxidermy process? Since your patient is a supernatural entity." Elaine went on.
This bit of news silenced Serenity and Konstantin in different ways for the one-way walk about. Created an odd quiet between two people that were usually chatty ones. Serenity was lost in thought recalling Wywatt's collection of Supernatural cryptids Skulls. Each one carried or shared humanoid features. Grips of her hands tighten within their gloves as she tries to compose herself. Konstantin wanted to see this collection for himself with some interest.
"We're going to go check the Taniguchi Garden," Elaine spoke for Konstantin and herself, "You play nice now."
"I'd rather ask your brother about his …" Konstantin was met with a cold and sharp gaze. Blue eyes avoided any emotion as they gazed at him in return like polished marble. Reminded him of times when his mother would rarely get angry with his father.
Had him agreeing with her as Wywatt was too late to say anything to get them to stay. Since he could feel the chill coming off Serenity when he dared stare at her. Half closed eyes of a seasoned killer just leered at him like he squealed to Police on her.
"I really wish mother aborted her," Wywatt hatred when this part of Elaine, "You done?"
"Give me a minute."Serenity warned him.
"Take all the time in the world," Wywatt replied, crossing his arms, "I have been in the worst situations."
He ended up being gently hit in one of his shoulders by Serenity as she calmed down. Her expression had laxed with her head coming to rest against him.
"What did you do with the bodies?" Serenity asked.
"Rare carnivorous plants need to eat," He whispered, "Still lost my job in the end due to budget cuts."
"Skulls?" Serenity brought his collection.
"Medical curiosity. Hunter Instinct. Guilty Conscience. Take your pick." He listed.
He got his arm hooked by her own to pulled along with her asking which way to those plants. As he learned of her own sorted past and she ended up meeting the famed detective through circumstance.
8*8
Elaine pulled out her copy of illustrations of Dante's inferno when teens created a crime board. Placing the list of stolen items and hand written copy of the spell on it with footage from the camera.
"Doesn't the spell call for a soul of the person to be needed?" Corbeau asked Hepzibah.
"Explains the stolen illustrations." Elaine stopped on a page that held a map of hell.
She ended up telling Wywatt to all the two to keep drugging Gurt. He didn't really object since Gurt was lying on his side. Not moving a muscle since off-numbingness took place. Brought on by a few drops of a paralysis potion in Gurt's food. Awara and Vones were lying on either side of him in a comforting sense. Lioet and Ike sat beside Elaine's chair with her owl. Their Black cat was busy watching the teens scattery about.
"Why do I even try any more?" Wywatt called to her.
"Figure out why they do it?" Serenity walks in with Konstantin.
"We have a face." Hepzibah spoke. of the footage they looked over.
"I know a lecture on the newest medical procedure for scalies is being given next month," Wywatt asked her, "Would you like to attend?"
"Tell me more." Serenity liked the idea.
Elaine gave Konstantin the chance to take a seat by her with his eyes on crime board they put together. Named associated with the faces were shown to him on a list Caol was able to get for them.
"I need to send a message to your home," She didn't know how to break the news, "Since one of the main components of the spell is the soul of a person …."
" … means they will be venturing into hell to retrieve the soul." Konstantin answered rather sorely.
Onto his shoulder her owl crawled screeching to make a point with him when he began bobbing his head. Elaine laughed at what her owl was doing as he spread open his wings. Had Konstantin not understanding when he watched this owl on his shoulder. Who calmed down once he was comfortable enough to further crawl toward Konstantin's head.
"Is he trying to tell me something?" Konstantin didn't understand.
"His way of saying …. I want to help," Elaine answered, "He wants to take the message to your home if you need … "
Message was tied to his talon in careful knot after a piece of paper and pen were given Konstantin from Dera. What wrote was between them and the owl, who disappeared when he took flew. Didn't really both anyone as Wywatt given Serenity a glasses case with set of glasses.
"They're kind of Schufftein glasses," He mumbled, "I don't want you to be at disadvantage anymore."
serenity was speechless over gesture from him when she picked up case and removed the glasses. They came in her usual style she liked her glasses with a strange colored lens in them. She looked them for a second at Elaine and Konstantin with her eyes widening before looking away.
"…." She slowly took them away from her eyes.
"Didn't like what you saw?" Wywatt knew that expression, "Most usual don the first time."
"Actually …. " She flipped glasses around in her gloves hands, "I am intrigued."
"Just a simple design I came up wood the haunters long ago I thought work better for you." Wywatt shrugged.
They would have talk on about his design and practicalities it could open for scientific world. If they did they didn't have a list of suspects to look through to narrow down who as the master mind.