infinite-nevers

[infinite-nevers]

chapter one; wayward son

Enna Scanlan bounced in her computer chair. Only two hours to go before Owen’s return to their village in around six years. Her best friend, Grace, stared at her over her mug, an amused smile across her face and dark green eyes creased. Enna’s eyes had been flicking over to the clock on the other side of the room since she got in at nine this morning. Her personal phone was barely out of her sight and checked every five minutes. It was usually kept tucked away in her bag in case their boss caught sight of it. ‘No personal phones in the office’ until lunch time was a strict rule. Then, Enna had devoted the entirety of today’s lunch hour to chasing signal around the huge office and cursing their hotel’s terrible location.

“He’s not texted then?” Grace asked mildly, sipping her tea, and twirling a red curl. That glare was thrown at her again. She chuckled, “I don’t get it- you’re in contact everyday, why is today any different?”

Enna and Owen couldn’t go a single day without contacting each other. There was always some text or phone call to interrupt her day. Enna had once gone away with her boyfriend on a surprise trip and had neglected to tell Owen. Two days had passed without contact and Owen had gotten so worried he’d rung Enna’s mum. There had been a long talk about boundaries after that, but their daily contact had resumed.

“Today is the day I finally see him,” Enna said, looking so excited Grace might have been a little jealous had she not already understood that she always came second to Owen. If only Sean, Enna’s boyfriend, would remember that too. Nothing could break Enna and Owen’s bond from birth, including not seeing each other for a year or two.

Enna sighed and grabbed her mug. Just as she began to stand to go to the kettle, she saw that Grace had already poured them their 3pm brews. She raised her mug, a kitsch red and blue offering, in an apologetic salute.

Enna knew she could become a little occupied in her friendship with Owen, but she’d never been this bad before. They’d been best friends growing up and in university but had still managed lives outside of each other. The ever-lengthening time apart and Owen’s sudden urge to come home had made Enna realise just how long it had been. They’d always planned visits but with life happening all around them it had never quite panned out as often as it should.

“Sorry,” Enna grimaced when she realised that she’d gotten lost in her head again. Grace just laughed, used to the memory lane disappearances by now.

“No worries. Just remember you’ve got ‘the future Mrs O’Donaghue’ breathing down your neck.”

“Oh f-” Enna squealed. Dragon Bride, a young woman who only answered to ‘the future Mrs O’Donaghue’, was getting married in a week’s time and her wish list only kept growing. As events coordinator for the hotel Enna had dealt with many difficult clients over the years. Dragon Bride beat them all. Enna shuddered to think of the consequences of ignoring her.

Two hours later, Enna pretended to bash her forehead against her desk as a high-pitched voice screeched into her ear, “this of the utmostimportant! Do you understand?”

Enna breathed in deeply through her nose and bunched her hair into a fist, “ma’am. Your wedding is in two weeks, it might be difficult to find a petting zoo to rent out in that time.” Her exhale whistled through gritted teeth.

“I don’t want it for the wedding! I want it for the hen do. Is this making sense to you now?” Dragon Bride yelled again. Enna’s knuckles whitened in her hair.

“That is in a week so it’s the same-”

“Just get it done.” Dialling tone rung loud in her ear.

She raised her head from her desk and stared at the phone. She let out a loud, frustrated squawk and slammed the phone down, “This woman is a nightmare!”

“Who’s a nightmare?” A cheerful voice cut through Enna’s frustration. She jumped with a yelp. Swivelling around in her seat she saw her boss, Conor, beaming widely at her. A charismatic man, half the office was in love with him. Blonde hair flopped over his twinkling eyes, always looking suitably messy from his paddle-boarding habit. He looked so much like a stereotypical Australian surfer that it was sometimes a little difficult taking him seriously as her boss.

“The future Mrs O’Donaghue.” Grace supplied, voice light with barely contained amusement.

“Ah,” Conor nodded, “the Dragon?” Enna blinked at his flippant tone. He was a very relaxed boss, insisted everyone called him and his wife by their first names, invited all of his staff down to the pub every Friday and knew them all by name, right down to the ground staff he saw maybe once a year, but usually he was quite respectful towards clients. Enna nodded dumbly.

“What did she want this time?” There was an annoyance in his voice that Enna couldn’t quite parse. Conor never got involved in her clients until Enna came to him with a problem. Then he’d hear the problem from both sides and try to help her solve the issue. She’d only mentioned Dragon Bride once in passing and Conor had dismissed her worries, promising to take her side in whatever.

“A petting zoo!” Grace replied with malicious glee. Enna shot her a look over her shoulder and got a quiet ‘what’ shrug back.

“Who’s paying for the wedding?” Conor asked without preamble, “trust fund baby?” It clicked in Enna’s head. Despite his own wealth from being a hotelier Conor was a snob about rich people. He hated people who had been born into wealth rather than working for it. He thought it made them spoilt and irresponsible. In the case of Dragon Bride, he was right.

“Her father,” Enna muttered. She didn’t want to add fuel to a possible tirade about the plight of the common people. Grace was giggling behind her, turning it into a cough when Conor furrowed his brows at her.

“Ignore her! If she complains I won’t take any notice. Just do your best! And put your phone away,” He nodded towards to Enna’s beeping phone, “oh wait, look it’s five. Pack up lads and ladies! It’s home time! Who’s coming to the pub?” He grinned and swung his arms around to suggest everyone wrap up what they were doing. Everyone instantly stood, having waited for their boss’ weekly pub invitation. Enna picked up her phone with a wry grin towards her eccentric boss, huddling people out of the door. A text from Owen awaited her – he had arrived.

She bolted for the door.

She arrived at the small, red brick bus station twenty minutes late and swearing the entire time. The bendy country roads, thankfully leaf free this time of year, were difficult to navigate anyway. Having vengeful farmers move their herds during rush hour just made it an exercise in anger management. She parked the car across the road, kicked the door shut with another loud curse and looked up to laughter.

Across the road, crouched against the bus station’s toilets walls, was Owen and he was laughing at her. He ran a hand through his hair. Enna grinned back at him, anger instantly melting away. She surreptitiously studied him as she tried to get to him. It had only been around two years since she’d gone to see him in the UK, but he looked untouched by that time. His hair still swung messily around his ears and his eyes still creased when he smiled.

“Sorry!” She yelled over the traffic, “I meant to text but signal on this road y’know,” she carried on as she ran across a gap in the cars going home from the city. Owen waved a dismissive hand as he stood and held his arms out. She threw herself into them apologising profusely, “Alan-”

“-is still punishing us mere mortals for not choosing God’s own profession by letting his sheep loose during rush hour?”

“Exactly!” She beamed as she drew away. Her eyes darted down to what he had been crouched over, “is that all you have?” Disappointment washed over her as she eyed the small duffle bag.

Owen laughed loudly. He ruffled her hair before dropping an arm around her shoulder. Picking up his bag, he guided her towards the luggage hold office opposite the ticket booth. Two huge suitcases stood in wait, “fear not little one, I’m here a while.” Enna let out a breath she didn’t realise she’d been holding. It was time to bring Owen home.

Later that night, and one sheep free journey later, the two stood outside their old home away from home. Ramble Inn was an old pub in a beautiful Georgian building with red trims around the window. The door had also been red at one point, but the paint had now peeled and faded to a faint pink. As they were growing up it had been their second living room. It was where they came after Mass, where they came after a match, and where they came after school once you hit fifteen. Try as you might though, Tom would never serve you.

Owen laughed at memories of a bygone era. Him, Enna, Grace and Liam, Enna’s older brother, clustered around a table playing dominoes with the old men. They’d enjoyed playing at being adults and the real adults had enjoyed indulging them. He wondered if they were still there.

“Tom still won’t serve you underage.” Enna guessed at his previous thoughts. Owen rubbed at his beard. One night, drunk and seventeen, Owen had tried to get served. He’d gotten quite rowdy; Tom had thrown him out and he’d landed on his face. He’d never forgotten the pain of a dislocated jaw.

“Tom’s still psychic, knows everyone ages, even the passers through. Kids don’t get anything but juice,” Enna grinned at him lost in his misty-eyed memories.

“You two going to stand outside here all night?” A voice cut through their reverie. They turned their head in unison. Caoimhe Walsh stood there with a hand on her hip and bright eyes fixed on Owen. A more recent addition to the village, a blow-in from Dublin, Caoimhe had been an instant hit. Tall, blonde, and beautiful, she was everything Enna wasn’t but every bit as sweet as she looked.

“Keev!” Enna grinned, “thought you were out with the girls tonight?” Unlike Enna, who found socialising wearing, Caoimhe thrived on it, flitting happily between social groups, welcomed by most.

“Yeah, we decided on a quiet one instead.” She slung an arm around Enna’s shoulder and threw a hand up to the Ramble Inn’s curling gold letters. Enna snorted. Caoimhe shot a wolfish grin back. They both knew she’d have no such thing.

Caoimhe’s eyes finally strayed to where Owen was looking at them with a slightly dumb smile on his face. Noticing Caoimhe looking at him, Owen offered a slightly dumb wave.

“Owen?” Caoimhe’s eyes went wide and, after a beat, threw her arms around him in a massive hug, “oh my god, you’re that Owen?”

Enna blinked rapidly at them. Keev had moved the village long after Owen had left. Although she had featured heavily in the stories Enna told him, he never mentioned knowing her.

“You’re that Caoimhe?” His laugh was jubilant as he picked her up, “I never made the link! Enna talks about you all the time. Oh, Eni, do you remember that business trip I took like two months ago?” Owen turned back to her when he caught sight of her tilted head and querying expression.

Caoimhe came back to Enna’s side and slid her hand into the hook of Enna’s arm. She grinned at her expectantly, “and remember that holiday I took two months ago?” She prompted when Enna didn’t connect the dots straight away. It must have all been too exciting because she didn’t wait for a response, “well we met at this bar, got chatting and when I said I was living in Ballygra… how did we not make the connection?”

Enna pulled a face. It certainly seemed a little unbelievable. There were so few people in the village and none with her name. Before she could query it, Keev said,

“Can’t believe Ballygra produces such hot men.” She winked at him. He nodded and winked back with a flirtatious grin. Enna snorted.

Nothing had changed then. It had been like this since he was about twenty-one. That’s when the braces had finally come off, bed head stopped being his only hair style and he’d discovered the power of personal hygiene. Since then people had flocked around him. She saw it, of course, but actual attraction was hard to summon when you’d seen them hungover countless times since you were fourteen.

“Are you coming to Midnight’s, Owen?” Caoimhe beamed as the thought occurred to her.

Saturday lunch at Café Midnight was their tradition; Enna, Liam, Grace and Caoimhe. Sometimes Sean would pop in his head, but Friday night was Boys Night and lunches were usually slept through as a healing process. Caoimhe dragged the pair inside instead of waiting for an answer. She already knew that, when together, where Enna was Owen would also be.

The Ramble Inn was the same as Owen remembered it. The wooden bar stood proud in the middle; battered, worn, and smelling of spilled beer and disinfectant. Old, wobbly stools stood guard including the one Enna had completely unpicked when she was fifteen. Tom had made her re-sew another one and, despite it being the ugliest thing in the world, he had made her sit on it every time she came in for years.

It was filled with the usual Friday night suspects. On the right-hand side, the men still played their dominoes. Old Man Charlie still had his whiskey clutched in his hand and an unlit cigarette hanging from his lips, smoking ban be damned.

On the left-hand side sat the younger crowd, some with kids because who wanted to cook on a Friday night? Teenagers tucked in the corner with juice, a group playing darts. Tom stood through it all, keeping court with a raggedy dishcloth tossed over his shoulder. The only difference was Tom’s hair now silver all over and there were extra wrinkles around his eyes. A spotty teenager served as a glass collector.

Caoimhe left Owen’s side the moment they entered. A group of women sitting at the back waved her over. One of them nodded to Owen and Caoimhe flew over to them to spread the gossip of his return.

Owen turned for Enna, but she had already brushed past. She nodded to all the familiar faces as she moved towards the bar. She leant on it, sitting on her stool, and laughed at whatever Tom said to her. Then she turned to point at Owen still standing by the door. Tom’s bushy eyebrows shot up.

“You’ve grown boy!” Tom yelled over the pub noise. It fell quiet. Everyone looked over at him. He shifted on his feet and offered an awkward wave. It took a few seconds, but the pub noise swelled once they recognised Ballygra’s wayward son. Old Man Charlie and his group raised their glasses. Tom beckoned him over. He shuffled over and Tom busied himself by the bar,

“You still Jameson’s?” He grinned his familiar, crooked smile and pushed a glass towards him. His returning smile was awkward, wondering how his jaw might last this encounter. A beer was in Enna’s hand and he raised an eyebrow. All through university Enna had been a cocktail girl, proudly declaring beer to be nothing but ‘wheat water’. She noticed his pointed look.

“Well, you’ve got to lower your standards for this place,” the wink she sent Tom was waved good-naturedly away.

Suddenly a large set of arms wrapped themselves around Enna’s waist. Lips pressed against her cheek and told her, “You’re late. Took your time getting here, didn’t you?” The tone aimed for teasing but missed.

“Sean! I had to pick Owen up and say hi to his mam of course,” Enna laughed. She turned around and reached up to peck him on the lips.

“How could I forget?” There was a slight edge to Sean’s voice that made Owen prickle slightly. Sean reached over with his hand extended. Owen shook it, proud that he only winced a little at the firm grip. The two men then regarded each other coolly over Enna’s head. She pretended not to notice, preferring to ignore a problem until it went away. Instead, she busied herself with looking around the pub for someone. The two men regarded each other. Sean was dark haired, blue-eyed, and muscular, the exact type Enna had lusted after all these years. Owen was brown haired, brown-eyed and, in Enna’s eyes, still wearing his teenage skin. Sean offered him a smile that never reached his eyes and turned away.

“She’s over there with Conor.” Sean said. Conor and Grace sat in a booth with their heads bent over a piece of paper. His beautiful wife, Sarah, sat on the other side of the pub, playing on her phone. Waving to Sarah, Enna grabbed Owen’s hand and pulled Owen towards her friend. Sean was shrugged off and sulked over to his darts group. His friend heard his complaining and clapped him on the shoulder. Sean hadn’t been in the village long enough to understand the friendship but everyone else had.

As the pair approached Grace and Conor, Enna narrowed her eyes on the piece of paper they were looking at. It was on the hotel stationery. Rarely was work brought to the pub, only during a big event at the hotel, and if it was, Enna’s presence was required. She strained her head forward to try and get a better look. Instead, it alerted the pair to their arrival. Grace glanced up. Her eyes widened and she kicked Conor under the table. He jerked up. It took a second but then he shot them his signature twinkle. The paper got surreptitiously tucked away into his inside jacket pocket.

“Owen!” Grace cried as she launched herself up and threw her arms around him. Enna was almost jealous of the amount of people hurling themselves at him.

Owen punched out a laugh as he braced for impact. His eyebrows shot up at her reaction. Sure, they’d grown up together, but it had been Enna and Owen, Liam and Grace. It had changed with Owen moving away and Liam getting a job as a GP in the next town over. It had become Enna and Grace with Grace falling out of contact Owen and taking less to Liam.

“How are you doing Grey?” Owen’s voice went soft, once more lost in memory. Grace shot him a wide smile. She placed her hands on his cheeks and gave them a pat, like she used to do.

She turned back to the table, “this is Conor, I mean Mr Murray!” Grace presented him with an arm flourish, “our boss,” she tacked on when the confused silence lengthened. Owen, not one to be rude, offered up a hand and a friendly greeting. Conor stood to clap him on the back before making his excuses to return to Sarah. Enna watched for a moment before she turned around to eye Grace.

“Number puzzles,” she said, “he finds one, sometimes in work, I help him if he’s stuck. You know Sarah has no head for numbers. Anyway, you back then?” The pair slipped into Conor’s vacated space. Grace dragged her eyes around the wayward son, “my, my you havegrown up.”

God, why did everyone keep saying that? Enna turned to assess him again. All she could see was the friend she’d helped get over ex’s, whose hair she’d held back during the morning afters.

“I don’t know.” He huffed to Grace’s question, “I told myself a month and then back to work.” A wistful look stole over his face as he turned it about the room. Some of Caoimhe’s friends were looking back over their drinks. The Old Boys kept flicking their eyes over, clearly wondering at how to treat him. Was he still considered one of their own after so long away? Was he a blow-in, like Conor and Caoimhe? Tom still wore holes in the floor behind the bar. The darts game ended with groans and Sean fist-pumping the air, “but who knows? This place – it’s home.”

Sean sidled over now that he’d won his game. He came to stand by Owen, looking down his nose pointedly at him. Owen avoided his gaze; seemingly engrossed by the bottom of his glass. Sean hovered a second more before sliding in beside Grace with a pout. Enna swallowed. Well, this might be awkward.

[infinite-nevers]

Relationship Interview

Maya Alexander & Dimitri Meliou - pre-holiday

relationship interview created by @yourlocalwriterblog

How long have you known the other person?

Maya: Too long.

Dimitri: I’d say around two years?

What is your favorite thing about the other person?

Maya: Is there anything? I have to actually pick one? Fine. He can be pretty funny but don’t ever tell him I said that.

Dimitri: I will never admit this to her face, but she can be quite kind when she thinks no one is looking. Especially not if she thinks I’m looking and certainly never towards me.

What is your least favorite thing about the other person?

Maya: How long do we have? Main one? God he can be so rude. You ask a question and he’s totally zoned out, won’t reply at all, just blank you.

Dimitri: She can be quite… brusque. I always feel like I annoy her just by existing. She’s like it with everyone but with me especially.

What is your relationship like?

Maya: I don’t hate him, I guess? Everyone would hate me if I hated him, because they all love him for some reason. I just think he’s a condescending dick who needs to get over himself.

Dimitri: Let’s say tense and leave it at that.

Describe what your last fight was about.

Maya: He has some bizarro opinions on supervillains. He thinks they’re all “misunderstood” and “just need a little bit of help”. Bullshit, he doesn’t see what I see in the insurance job. So, it was that. I think? We have so many.

Dimitri: Not sure, we have a few. I don’t think we agree on anything at all. The last one was maybe about superheroes or something?

Tell me about the first time you met.

Maya: It was a BBQ at Cassie’s, to meet Greg’s friends. I tried saying hello to him but he ignored me or muttered something. Asked him to dance with everyone later, just to be nice, and he was rude about it. So hard pass, thank you.

Dimitri: A garden party at Cassie’s, so we could meet all of her friends. She asked me to dance but I have two left feet so I said no. I think I made her mad about it? I didn’t explain myself very well, so maybe it was that.

What is your favorite memory you share?

Maya: That time he fell in the lake? Kidding. Mostly. We went to see a comedian once with some of the others and we didn’t argue once. We were the only ones who found him funny though.

Dimitri: That we share? I don’t know if this one will be hers but there’s this comedian I’d persuaded Greg to see. He brought Cassie, who brought her friends. Only Maya and I laughed throughout the entire thing. There was one time I saw her buy ice cream for a mother who couldn’t afford it for both kids but I don’t think she remembers that.

If you could make them apologize for something (and mean it), what would that something be? Why?

Maya: I guess there’s no one thing. He just irritates me. Maybe not be so dismissive of me but he’d have to change his entire damn personality.

Dimitri: She always gets me the wrong coffee. Just to be annoying. I know she knows it, she gave it to me once when she was hungover and not thinking. So why do it every other time?

Is there anything you don’t tell each other?

Maya: I’d probably like him if I gave him half the chance but I’m not willing to put in that effort.

Dimitri: I think I’d like her if she liked me.

When something exciting or funny happens to you, are they the first person you think about telling?

Maya: God, no.

Dimitri: Maybe if it’s about the comedian.

How close would you say your bond is? Would you like to be closer?

Maya: Not close. I don’t know, that’d require effort.

Dimitri: We are definitely not close but it would be nicer to be less antagonistic sometimes?

Do you know their favorite color? Food? Kind of weather?

Maya: Green probably, he wears it all the time. Ummm, he never eats anything spicy when we’re all eating together and always gets lemon meringue, like, be more adventurous, please. Also, will not stop complaining about the sun, so I imagine he prefers cold.

Dimitri: Orange, we went to her house once and her walls were orange, with this fox wallpaper in her kitchen. She loves spicy chicken wings. She insists on having them every BBQ even though she can’t handle the spice levels really, because she has to drown them in sour cream. She’s quite outdoorsy - her house was full of pictures of her and people on hikes, so I guess sunny weather?

How much do you want the other person involved in your future?

Maya: As little as possible but I guess it’s unavoidable now. Cassie and Greg are all the way.

Dimitri: We don’t really have a choice now that Greg and Cassie are engaged so moot point, right?

If you could tell them something and have them forget it by tomorrow, what would it be?

Maya: “I agree with you on more things than I’m comfortable with”. Urgh, I’d never live that down.

Dimitri: “Give me a chance.” Fat chance.

How much do you have in common?

Maya: Ever heard that song, ‘Let’s call the whole thing off’? We are that song and much further. Sense of humour maybe?

Dimitri: We find the same things funny. I don’t her well enough beyond that to say.

And finally, do you love the other person? How much?

Maya: You joking or what?

Dimitri: No.

[infinite-nevers]

battle stations, witches. [ch, 10]

She gripped Matthew’s face with her hands. He winced, shoved his shoulders against Pan’s vines pinning him to the floor but her full bodyweight on his stopped any movement. The confusion, the lack of fear, in his eyes made a grin, merry, bright and cruel, spread slowly across her face. Matthew only had a vague understanding of her power, had abandoned her long before she understood it herself. Good.

“If it helps,” she whispered into his ear, avoiding his writhing face, “this will hurt me too.”

His eyes widened. He struggled harder, scratching at the dirt. The vines and her body locked him in.

Riana felt a twisted glee as her blood iced through her veins; her true, first Name calling to the wild under her skin. Horror rose higher on Matthew’s face. Her eyes began to water purple. Finally, he screamed.

As her nails broke the skin on his cheeks, her jagged light stabbed through the welling blood. It crawled inside, like hunting like.

He screamed still. He screamed until her magic froze him.

Riana stole everything; his magic, his power, the only thing he held dear. She delighted in it, despite the pain of her own power stabbing through her, lighting up her every nerve. Even as her eyes watered and she screamed back through the pain, she loved every second.

The fear and desperation in Matthew’s eyes only grew as her jagged light crawled back towards her. The moment it came back through his bleeding cheeks to her fingertips he came unstuck.

As he thrashed as wildly as he could Riana scrambled back up, panting heavily. New, unfamiliar magic gathered around her, like lightning underneath her skin. Strong spices filled her mouth and nose, making her cough. The once lovers stared at each other.

“What will you do now?” Matthew’s voice betrayed no emotion, but he lay prone in the mud, still as what had just happened set in. Riana paused. She made to raise her hand up, as if offering it back, and cackled when Matthew flung himself against the loosening vines for it.

“I’m not leaving this back into the world. This is a power no one should have. Let it return to the earth.” She turned her cupped hand to Hal, who was sitting silently by Matthew’s dead tiger familiar, thumping his tail the entire time. Riana put her empy cupped hand to his bloody nose. He sniffed it, staring directly at Matthew, before he pressed his head into the hand. She gently wrapped her fingers around his muzzle. Black seeped from her fingers, colouring the tips. Black fractals frosted over Hal’s head until his blue eyes turned completely black and all the way to the tips of his ears.

Everyone, battle-weary, watched, not breathing, unmoving. Hal sneezed, fur and eyes instantly back to normal colour. He barked, rolling over onto his back, tongue lolling out of his mouth.

Tension broke.

--------------

CHARACTERS: Riana Jones and Matthew Rumbelow

[infinite-nevers]

Pan Character Bio

(as if there was another choice)

Name: Pan is the chosen name. Anders Martin was his name but he was new to the area when the Event happened so never told anyone that. After what he did, he didn’t want to be linked back to it so he chose Pan. Family: Was just his parents but they died just after the Event, living room caught fire when all the electricity basically exploded and they hadn't been able to get out. Occupation: Local produce provider due to his ability to grow any plant no matter what. Also provides cotton and owns the local coffeehouse. Probably the only one in Wales outside of Cardiff. Hair: Long and dark. Quite well kept because he gets his 'natural shampoo' from the local farmers market. Natural products that were around before the Event are in demand now. He grows them the plants for it so he gets it free. Eyes: They're twinkly and curious. Also, they see a bit more than he lets on. Build: Tall and skinny thing but healthy. Very obvious he puts a lot of work in the fields and eats well. Distinct features: A smile that crinkles his eyes and always dirty fingernails on long fingers. Likes: Petrichor. Smell of flowers and watching people enjoy coffee. Little things give him joy. Mysteries and puzzles. He’s a curious wee thing. Dislikes: Violence. Has a code of non-violence at all times, even when provoked. Hates people who blindly follow orders that do harm and people in positions of power that don't have the people under their power in mind. Basically does not like Morgan but understands she's trying to keep people safe in her own way and believes that her way is the only way. Secrets: He killed his parents. They were in the middle of an argument when magic took over and his anger made his magic explode through him, creating vines that literally pinned his parents to the wall and ceiling, going through them. Not really his fault but is haunted by it ever since. He then set fire to the house to hide it, on a farm in the middle of nowhere, just in case. Two days later he walked into town and never came back, telling everyone they died in a fire. Bodies were recovered with help and then burnt all the way. His secret is safe, for now. Flaws: Can be too passive. Bit of a doormat, takes his non-violence pact too seriously and it turns into a no-action pact. Won't act until it's much too late. Does not healthily express his negative emotions, too worried he'll straight up kill people after killing his parents. Mannerisms: Will start to hum and sing if left alone with thoughts, remembering old songs from before the Event. Stares blankly a lot but also can kind of intensely stare at people.

POWERS - Gardenisto - can grow absolutely any plant in the world, no matter the climate.

FAMILIAR - Andras the Crowned Eagle, endemic in Africa, speaking to Pan’s strength of power that he can has a non-native familiar.

[infinite-nevers]

Riana Evans  Character Bio

the only picture I could find that came close to how I picture this woman is Aneurin Barnard but with longer matted hair, unhealthy looking, and in about two layers worth of filth dug so deep into the skin it looks impossible to get out.

Name: Riana Evans/Thief/Omnis Birthday: Doesn't celebrate it, not since the Event. Place of birth: Born in Wales, local hospital. Family: Large close and extended family including grandparents, brothers and a niece with Pestis etc. Occupation: Just trying to stay alive. Hair: Matted and kind of gross. Badly in need of a wash after two years of just using whatever water was available and soap wherever could be wrangled. Eyes: Very tired eyes and very guarded. Watchful. Makes people kind of uneasy with a thousand yard stare. Build: Stocky after so long on the road. Got some leanness and some muscle. Distinct Features: A good number of scars. In particular one on her neck, a deep gash. Likes: Coffee. Hot water. Comfy beds. Thunderstorms. Actually super loves pretty flowers but refuses to allow herself small joys like that. Music that no longer exists. Dislikes: Matthew Rumbelow. Bartering systems. Complicated city systems. Anything that gets in her way. Secrets: Her entire backstory. How many people she's killed. Her power. How many powers she's stolen. Hal being a familiar that can shapeshift due to her having so many stolen powers and a magical being in his own right due to being fed so much magic [subject to change]. List is pretty much endless. Flaws: Doesn't trust anyone. Pig-headed. 'Can do this alone and I need no one' mentality. 0 idea how to have fun any more. Talks too much to Hal. Mannerisms: Always has a hand on Hal, unless he's hunting. Presses her lips together when thinking. Resting Murder Face - like next level RBF. Motivations: Act 1 External: to pass through the town - Internal: to get home to family. Act 2 External: to make the two day journey safely with Pan alive and safe - Internal: to not reveal her powers and have him scared of her. Act 3 External: to stop the town attack and protect her new home - Internal: to see Matthew again.

POWERS - Started with Thief - the ability to steal someone’s powers from them Stolen powers: Augmentation - the ability to boost other people’s powers, but not her own. Calor - can create heat or give heat to any object. Stepping - teleportation basically, done by raising a foot in the area and performing an over-exaggerated step. Like walking through an invisible door. Regeneration - heals ridiculously quickly but just herself, first power stolen and she still doesn’t really know how to trigger it. The Eye - she can see other people’s powers - the witch she stole this from gave her the knife gash scar to the face.

FAMILIAR - A clouded leopard, animal found endemic in China, where she was at the point of creation, called Hal. As she has stolen powers Hal has stolen the others familiars shapes and is currently in the shape of a malamute dog stolen from the witch they took the Calor Name from.