Started as a Mugging:
Elaine was visiting a new shopping district of the city with her owl and collared Xoloitzcuintli. All the new shops were fine to explore and Window shop. A few she stepped with a pleasant atmosphere were one she brought from. Contact information was exchanged with them if they were owned by supernatural entities. Informing them where to find her family's bar for a more friendly place. One that catered to a more mystical part of the city only magical talent could access. Ended with her almost being held up by a poorly masked man with a fake. Her owl decided to open his wings and screech at the stranger. He never gave him a chance to order her to turn over her valuables.
Last thing the stranger saw was Elaine's glowing red eyes when he felt a sudden lack of breath and weightlessness. Onto the ground his body fell with foam bubbling from his lips. Allowed her to send her owl to the nearest police station to report him. This gave officers a chance to keep the sister- in- law of a fellow officer. She was single and quite pretty was an added bonus. When they tried to ask her out while arresting the masked man. She turned them down using the same excuse they didn't understand. Allowing her to be left alone as an odd widespread belief started up about her. One that reached the ears of the officer she was related to.
He in turn put on a kind smile while accepting the latest arrest report over a masked assailant. Stating he wasn't incharge of her romantic life or social calendar in anyway.
"You're going to have to speak to the new head of the family about further inquiries," Caol wasn't one to interfere, "I don't know what I can tell you since I am lucky I could marry my wife. After he gave us his blessing to even start a family."
Before returning to a case of attempted robberies taking place in one area. Being the new shopping distraction that his sister- in- law was just visiting. Each incident pinpointed on a map he marked to get a better grasp of the situation. He had a box of reports dating back to when the shopping district first opened. left him to pack up what he could figure out so far and take with him. When he left the station for the day to one stop for a hand in solving this problem.
8*8
"Caol?" Wywatt was shocked to see him, "You're here?"
Having ANY guests outside of opening hours weren't the famed detective and his doctor companion. Neve new since this one was a rare family member on his off time. Almost made Wyward his almost dropped glass of dragon whiskey. He placed it next to a bottle he was sharing with Serenity on the bar top.
"Rare for him to be here?" Serenity asked not understanding.
"A falling out makes showing up here from time to time hard," Caol replied, "Doesn't mean I'm not stopping despite HIS words."
"Long version or short version?" Wywatt asked Serenity.
"I got nothing going On later." She got comfortable.
She gained a third drinking buddy for a few hours and learned Caol's wife was angry with her father. Grandfather formed a rift with his eldest granddaughter over child rearing. He wanted his twin grandsons to be raised as future hunters, and nothing else. While their mother wanted them to choose their own path. Elaine was the one that worked out a minor compromise for Corbeau.
"This becoming a hunter thing?" Serenity recalled Wywatt being bothered, "I am seeing a recurring issue."
"Male members of my father's family have a LONG tradition of becoming hunters," Wywatt took over, "Just didn't happen when I came along after two girls."
"I don't see the problem," Serenity thought Wywatt was a sound person, "Your nephew turned out fine."
Caol ended up cheering her glass with his own after both got a refill from Wywatt in the end. Becoming engrossed in order topics then how to please one's parent. Until the box next Caol on the bar top becomes a resting place. For the black cat when he was found loaving eight on top of the lid.
"Hope you can help with this case?" He turned attention to the box, "Everything you need is in there?"
"I heard about the robbery attempt." Serenity recalled.
Caol was happy to know Elaine wasn't inconvenienced by the robber upon noticing her current adsense. Which made Serenity smile when reaching for her refilled drink. Not wanting to inform Caol what Wywatt and her already knew was happening. Since on the upper level of the building it is used as personal space. In a familiar room filled with potted plants used in potions and spells. Held a familiar bed frame wrapped in herbs used in recovery magic, sat made up. Having an empty armchair facing the bed with a blanket draped on one of the armrests. Konstantin sat doing up the buttons of his shirt with fresh bandages in place. He was getting redressed after Elaine gave him a thorough check over with gloved hands. Her nimble fingers tranced over contours and plains of his bandaged body. Changing his dressing over the wounds that were healing large close up. Not needing to use her potions he was deemed to be mending at a faster pace, than a normal human.
"I heard from your brother about what happened." He pulled on his shirt.
"Nothing I couldn't handle," She recalled her father's reaction, "Despite my father's insistence about me needing a bodyguard. "
"I quite agree," He started adjusting his trousers and shirt, "You're a capable woman."
"I wish my father could see that," She was still bothered by his comment, "He wants me married and more grandchildren."
She then excused himself from Konstantin to give him more privacy to finish dressing. Nodding her head to him when she left his side with sadden eyes as she moved. Into nearby bin soiled bandages were placed while supplies were put away upon leaving him. A potion box and bandage supplies were picked up as she moved. Walking through the adjoining bathroom and stopping for a second to put one away. Entering a another room, Except this one was more decorated than the plain room Konstantin was in. Hand carved furniture from the turn of century, Bookshelf filled with tomes and Incunabulas about certain magical subjects. Mixed in was an edition of Grimm fairy tales and others reading material. A wicker fainting couch next to an embroidery hoop stand and sewing basket. Made up one corner as ofneheld a o- shaped framed canopy bed frame. Nearly made up with dark color bed linens and pillows. A matching side table and artisan lamps are placed throughout the room. Armoire and trunk lay in the middle where an ornate rug lay. Curtains were drawn over the windows while certain religious pieces hang on her walls.
"Hello." She addressed her owl.
She put her potion box on top of the trunk turning her attention to her owl on a hidden perch. Who happily accepted her gently stroking his feathers with usual chirp. Crawling toward her to get more physical affection from her by widening his wings.
"Someone is in a good mood." She noticed his mood.
She would have further smothered him was a sight Konstantin found her when he was done dressing. Finishing fasteners on his waistcoat with ungloved hands as he took in her room. Visually exploring since he was never invited past the bathroom entrance.
"Like what you see?" He was asked.
"Fits you." All he had to say.
On her shoulder her owl hopped so she could make her way back to the entrance of the adjoined bathroom. Where she reached up and fixed the slight crooked knot of his cravat. Smoothing out his waist out with his eyes looking at her owl just staring at him.
8*8
Konstantin found Elaine's niece and nephew had gotten into a police issued box while messing up paperwork. Dated reports were arranged in chronological order from oldest to newest. While messing with a series of cards with parts of human faces drawn or printed on them. Together form faces of the suspects the reports describe from eye witness statements. Corbeau's snake was coiled on top of the box's lid just watching them.
"Are we in trouble?" Both asked, "We swear we stopped drugging uncle's Hodag."
"I really wanted to try out the purified Lindwyrm poison and poisonburst glypherine." Corbeau listed what they hadn't done.
"I'll speak with your aunt," Konstantin approached them, "Share with me what you're doing?"
They spent the better part of the hour before Serenity joined them explaining to him what they were doing. The contents of the box and the attempt on their aunt got them involved. Using Wywatt's invention in helping create facial composites of criminals or personnel. Two created the people in the reported robberies taking place around the shopping district. Help from Corbeau's snake in looking over the timeline teens created.
"Smart little buggies." Serenity whispered to Konstantin.
"Tell that to Sister Clarissa of Maiden of Perpetual Sorrow." Hepzibah spoke of her last time in private school.
"Why did grandpa send us there?" Corbeau asked Hepzibah.
"Learn empathy?" She shrugged.
They would have carried on, if not asked by him to hand over the case for him to review their progress. Which they did rather excitedly with Corbeau picking up his snake. Which carried over to the hounds, lying behind the bar keeping Wywatt company. Round of howls could be under Wywatt's feet when he took inventory. Corbeau's snake raised his head to welcome gloves hands upon his scales. Put a smile on Elaine's face when she was reviewing invoices. She finished up quickly to find their special guests still with them. How her niece and nephew turned half the bar top into a crime board that Wywatt welcomed.
"How can we help?" Elaine asked.
Copies of the facial deposits were handed over to police and given to the newspaper. Followed with the story of why the robbies in the new shopping district happened. Group of young man were looking for lost items they had stolen. From a nearby estate in the dead of night a month before the robberies. Ran and scattered into the alley ways of the shopping district. Hide the stolen goods after breaking into a shop and place the stolen item. Among the everyday objects on the shelf that were for sale. After the heat died down from that main robbery, they decided to get everything back. By poorly covering their faces and sticking people up.
Just one of those people was someone with a strange dog and an owl on her shoulder. Who young man before using a spell to simulate drowning on him. Left him to pass out and taken in by the police for medical treatment. When he came to mumble about his eyes and a strange tune in his head. He repeated this phrase over and over with true fear toward her. Not being any help when he was checked into a sanatorium on the outskirts. Gaining a few visitors in the form of Konstantin and Serenity in company of a familiar Lieutenant.
"Repeat what the arresting officers did to them," Lieutenant Cormiuhael addressed the mumbling mess of a person, "Slowly and try to not attack them."
Words about a wordless song being played in his ear over ringing, sounded like the ocean. Besides this blue sea glas eyes just unblinking at him. Bright at the light of twilight came at the end of a day for man. Further added to women that Konstantin met with Serenity growing concerned. Which made Elaine sneeze when she broke the news of the newest to her niece and nephew. Teens Had been left out of the whole thing for their own safety. Who were rewarded by being brought to where muggings had taken place.
