#𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓 ;; alexis balaska

[faiirytalcs]

closed: alexis balaska & bill cipher ( @eyeofprovidence )

Walking through the festival grounds, Alexis was hit with an overwhelming feeling of...sickeningly sweet unpleasantness. Not a feeling she often felt. Pausing in her tracks, she looked around until a figure came into view. "Bill... I don't know why I wasn't expecting to see you here." But, for some reason, his being here actually made a ton of sense. Bright lights, loud noises - chaos - it did feel like his kind of scene. "Are you here on your own?"

[faiirytalcs]

Alexis knew that the festival was happening, business was always down a little bit while everyone had fun and celebrated the last days of summer so she wasn't against closing up a bit early. What she hadn't been expecting was for Emilio to be waiting with a flower made of clay at the ready. It was beautiful, of course it was. "Summer fest - yeah, I do actually! We usually close up early while it's in town... are you planning on going?"

@faiirytalcs

Emilio stood outside of the tailoring shop with a flower he'd made from molding clay and paint. It seemed a little cliché but he didn't really care if he didn't seem suave nor charming. Watching as the door opened and Alexis stepped out he walked towards her, smiling. "So, I heard there's this summer festival going on. Do you have some free time?" he asked, extending the rose towards her.

[faiirytalcs]

𝙰𝙻𝙴𝚇𝙸𝚂 𝙱𝙰𝙻𝙰𝚂𝙺𝙰 for MABEL’S MATCHMAKING MADNESS !  🍇

[faiirytalcs]

𝙰𝙻𝙴𝚇𝙸𝚂 𝙱𝙰𝙻𝙰𝚂𝙺𝙰 for EVERMORE'S PRIDE FEST !  🍇

[faiirytalcs]

closed: alexis balaska & chloe balaska ( @writteninthxstars )

"Okay, what is it?" Alexis asked, finally unable to handle the weird tension in the air between herself and her sister. Something was most definitely going on and even the sounds of laughter and screams from the festival weren't enough to drown that out. "What is going on? Did something happen at the shop?"

[faiirytalcs]

That might have been true and Alexis could see how in some places, maybe it was something sought after but here? After having a millennia try anything and everything, the fate knew what she liked and didn't like and...scorpions fell safely onto the didn't like side. "How are - come on, Bill. Lobsters don't have that little spike situation, that's a huge difference." Yes, they both had claws but, somehow, they felt extremely different. Thankfully, and surprisingly, Bill ended up giving up pushing the scorpion onto her with or without chocolate but she had a feeling that her victory would be short-lived. "I was thinking snacks of the funnel-cake variety and maybe one of the rides that don't look like they're about to fall apart. That's what I'd recommend but if that doesn't sound good to you, I won't be offended if you find someone more adventurous."

"THEY'RE POPULAR IN THAILAND, CHINA, CAMBODIA... AND EVERMORE!" sure, maybe scorpions haven't quite reached delicacy status, but they're certainly a food you could find at some markets. "HOW ARE THEY MUCH DIFFERENT FROM LOBSTERS? RICH PEOPLE GO CRAZY FOR THOSE!" all the while, the vendor glares daggers at bill as he ceaselessly grins. "FINE, FINE. IF YOU INSIST... THOUGH YOU'LL REGRET NOT TRYING IT!" he knows when he's pushed his luck too far - and he would push further, if he didn't want to risk losing her company this early. after all, there's plenty more to disturb alexis with! "THEN WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND?" an arm is dramatically extended, gesturing to the rest of the carnival awaiting exploration.

[faiirytalcs]

Alexis -

here’s a little spa da on me for up to $150, i know the limit was supposed to be like $30 or something but i won’t tell if you won’t~ not like you could get much with that amount anyway, kisses! 💋

[faiirytalcs]

Alexis ...had to process. Not for a long time, or maybe it was - time was hard to keep track of when you had been existing since the beginning of it. To be fair, Alexis knew that there were other immortal beings who knew who they were. It was hard to keep that particular secret from someone who had the same secret. So, if she thought about it from that perspective, Chloe talking about it with someone wasn't the worst thing in the world but who that someone was - that was the issue. "Barley...which one is that? Who and also why? Having a casual conversation about your jobs or how did this even come up?" If Alexis was right in thinking that he was some mortal running around Evermore, she had a knot forming in her stomach because of what that could mean.

faiirytalcs​:

“Okay…” A part of her had been hoping whatever was wrong had been about the shop because if it wasn’t - well, that left too many options. Chloe taking a deep breath before answering also didn’t bring a sense of relief to the fate, a million different possibilities flashing through her mind. When you had been alive for as long as they had, the options were quite literally limitless. “Well that’s a concerning way to introduce something.” Alexis took a breath, steadying herself. She’d rather know…right? It was better to know. “Okay, I promise not to lose it and throw you in the Styx. Spill.”

Chloe wasn’t sure if she believed her promise, but what choice did she really have? She knew Barley wouldn’t tell anyone, but it was the fact that she had told someone in the first place. “I’m sure you're aware that I’ve been hanging out with Barley a lot lately....I may have told him one teensy-weensy thing about us...” Chloe paused trying to gauge Alexis’s reaction. She pursed her lips together before offering an awkward smile. “I may have told him about us...and our roles that we’ve had for millenniums... hah.”

[faiirytalcs]

Clearly, business was not booming for the scorpion stall which came as...zero percent surprising. Among the friend Twinkies, pickles, Oreos and actual food, it was not a shock that no one was lining up to try the bug. Truth be told, Alexis thought Bill might drop the bit at some point but it was his particular brand of crazy to even suggest it so it did track that he would follow through. The moment he dove right in, she made to stop him but decided against it. There really wasn't anything she could do outside of hope that the body wasn't allergic. "Oh gods, not the chocolate. Good thing I haven't had mine yet, you could go get some and try it again if you wanted. Get the full experience."

"WOULD I LIE TO YOU?" of course he would - they both knew that, but he feigns being hurt just for the hell of it. "WE'LL TAKE TWO, THANKS!" judging by the mass of untouched scorpions and glare plastered upon his face, the vendor certainly doesn't look like he's sold much of his stock. still, the duo of scorpions are handed over, with one kept in bill's hand and the other held out to alexis... if she'll take it. "LET'S HOPE THIS BODY ISN'T ALLERGIC!" and without waiting another moment, he shoves the newly acquired scorpion into his mouth whole. the fried creature is met with a crunch - and a few more before being swallowed. his signature grin returns and a thumbs up is given as the universal human gesture for "wow! this is awesome!" - before faltering. "SHIT! I FORGOT THE CHOCOLATE!"

[faiirytalcs]

Alexis had been hoping he forgot about her even being there in his excitement over the scorpion, she'd been banking on him wanting the whole experience. But this was Bill. The end goal was for her to suffer and try the thing. Leaning back when he thrust the scorpion in her face, the woman hesitated before grabbing it, simply to put some space between her mouth and the horrifying friend monstrosity. "Human delicacy? According to which humans?" she asked pointedly, though she tried not to make it obvious she was calling out his bullshit. "Bill, as intriguing as this is, I think I've gotten my fair share of human delicacies over the millennia. I think I've earned the right to skip a few."

"OH, NO! THIS ONE IS FOR YOU!" he dangles the uneaten scorpion as close to her face as she'll let her, grinning wildly. sure, maybe he's pushing his luck with her - but it's just too fun not to! he moves his open hand to grab a cup full of chocolate from the unamused vendor, offering it out towards alexis. "C'MON, AT LEAST TRY A BITE! MIGHT AS WELL TASTE THE HUMAN DELICACIES WHILE YOU'RE FORCED TO WALK ASIDE THE FLESHSACKS IN THEIR WORLD, RIGHT? YOU DON'T GET THIS CHANCE EVERY MILLENNIUM!"

[faiirytalcs]

Truthfully, Alexis wasn't sure if anything that came out of Bill's mouth was a compliment but she would take it as face value. She'd been around long enough to collect wisdom, that wasn't something to deny. Apparently, all siblings had a similar dynamic like that, at some point being at each other's throats was completely normal...did he even have siblings? Alexis had never asked or looked into it. Details of people's lives wasn't her forte, she really only tapped in right at the end. "Oh, wow. You weren't kidding about the scorpions." There had been a small part of her that thought he was being facetious, ridiculous or straight up pulling her leg. Turned out, none of those things were true. "How about, you give it a try and let me know how it is? Something tells me it might not agree with my stomach."

"YOU'RE ALWAYS SO WISE!" it likely isn't a smart idea on anyone's behalf to encourage him - but what's the worst he could do in this sliver of a dimension? and at the mention of alexis and her siblings, he laughs, loud and echoing on for far too long to be comfortable."OH, I GET IT! MY SIBLINGS AND I WERE LIKE THAT! I LOVED 'EM, BUT TRAP US TOGETHER FOR LONG ENOUGH AND I WAS READY TO KILL THEM!" truth or total bullshit - does it matter? "HERE WE ARE!" his grin somehow spreads even wider at the sight of the booth in front of them: the aforementioned fried scorpions. (he may or may not have told the vendor that selling them would bring him massive fortunes a week ago.) "DON'T WORRY - IT'S ON ME."

[faiirytalcs]

It really shouldn't have surprised Alexis at all that Bill was the one behind the fortune telling booth - it felt very on brand for him. It didn't matter if there was an ounce of truth behind his words or the entire truth twisted to sound like an outlandish lie. "You're research....you know, I'd say go with whichever brings you more joy." Maybe a dangerous thing to say to someone like him but in her head, whatever kept him distracted was a good thing. "Eh, I don't know if the three of us should be put into a small booth for a long period of time." It wasn't like they fought or argued all that much but they were already testing fate ( or themselves more accurately ) by working together every day in the tailor shop. "I'm sure you've got it covered."

"ME!" she's correct - who else would it be besides bill offering the town their future and fortunes? "IT'S BEEN PAYING ABOUT AS WELL AS MY RESEARCH - I MIGHT NEED TO CONSIDER A PERMANENT CAREER CHANGE!" not really, as the novelty eventually wears off in such a small place, and his "research" remains critical to him getting out of this damn hick town in the first place - but it remains an entertaining enough idea to throw around. "THOUGH, YOU AND YOUR SISTERS COULD'VE MADE QUITE THE ATTRACTION YOURSELVES. I COULDN'T COMPETE WITH ALL THREE OF YOU!" he finally resumes movement after the groans and comments of attempted passersby grow too loud, smile ever unwavering despite the verbalized annoyances.

[faiirytalcs]

"No, that's -" but her sentence was hardly formed before he was off and she had half a mind to leave him too it. Slip into the crowd and disappear, never to think about this conversation ever again. But Alexis couldn't bring herself to do that. She wasn't rude enough...maybe something she should work on. His sudden stopping in the middle of the crowded walkway caused the fate to smile apologetically to a few people, hoping he'd stop the theatrics soon. But that was a empty hope - theatrics and Bill went hand in hand. You couldn't have one without the other. "You?" Alexis asked, eyes wide before the dots connected. "I should have known. Who else would have a whole booth dedicated to telling the future."

"THEN WE'RE GOING TO GET SOME, C'MON!" grin only widening at the fate's seeming discomfort, he gestures for alexis to follow him through the labyrinth of food stalls and game booths, periodically checking to ensure she's still behind him. "OH, YEAH. HUMANS WILL EAT ANYTHING IF IT'S DOUSED IN OIL!" regular 'ol humans like him, of course, who also loved fried food as all humans did. and upon the mention of a fortune teller, he stops in the midst of the crowded pathway, offering an exaggerated bow to leave those simply trying to move around visibly irritated. "THAT'D BE ME! THOUGH I DOUBT YOU'D NEED YOURS READ!" it's more to appeal to directionless mortals than entities such as alexis and her sisters - though, if she really wanted, he could bullshit something, just for her. even if they'd both know it was nonsense.

[faiirytalcs]

"The - the fried scorpions? Can't say I have." Alexis admitted, wringing her hands together for a second when it became apparent there was no easy out of this conversation now that she'd extended some kind of metaphoric olive branch. "I didn't even know those were available, it seems a little more wild in taste than I'm used to in Evermore but I don't doubt someone out there loves it." In her experience over millennia, there was always someone who was into it - whatever it was. "Truthfully, I hadn't decided yet what I was going to do, maybe visit some of the booths from the stores around town, play a game or two. I heard there was a fortune teller somewhere." She added with a smirk, always entertained by psychics and fortune tellers, they were fun to her.

sure, the full trio of the fates would have been fun, but he'll gladly take the company of the eldest with her obvious hatred of disorder - everything bill was! "THE FRIED FOOD, YES! HAVE YOU TRIED THE FRIED SCORPIONS? YOU DIP THEM IN CHOCOLATE!" a laugh can't help but escape his lips; it's like humans were trying to get themselves killed! "IF YOU HAVEN'T, WE'RE GOING TO GET SOME!" surely, his "friend" could appreciate some good old fashioned human stupidity ingenuity. "UNLESS YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE IN MIND... THEN WE CAN DO THE SCORPIONS AFTER!" either way, he wasn't letting her get out of this easily.

[faiirytalcs]

She just managed not to wince when he spoke, somehow in the swirl of all the things going inside of her head at all times Alexis had forgotten the volume at which he chose to deliver every single word. Too loudly. "I guess not, this does seem like something you would particularly enjoy, I can't be shocked that you're here." At the right angle, it felt like he would disappear into the crowd of festival goers or into the brightly colored banners. Both were equally possible. "Oh, they're around here somewhere but I've lost track of them after the copious amounts of fried food stalls." Also she wasn't her sisters keeper...as long as they kept her updated on when they were coming home and shared their location with her, everything would be fine. "Seems like that leaves just us." She was really regretting saying anything at all to him - she'd done this to herself.

the carnival was made for him - a blur of lights and overlapping dings! of games, unending frenzy of movement as people ran from one booth to the next. "C'MON, YOU'RE NOT REALLY SURPRISED." alexis is smart - few things must actually surprise her! to the question if he's here on his own, a smile spreads across his lips - "NOT ANYMORE!" after all, she's here - which makes her his temporary companion, whether she was planning on it or not. "ARE YOUR SISTERS HERE, TOO? OR WILL IT JUST BE US?" either way, he's tagging along like the living embodiment of a leech he is.

[faiirytalcs]

"Okay..." A part of her had been hoping whatever was wrong had been about the shop because if it wasn't - well, that left too many options. Chloe taking a deep breath before answering also didn't bring a sense of relief to the fate, a million different possibilities flashing through her mind. When you had been alive for as long as they had, the options were quite literally limitless. "Well that's a concerning way to introduce something." Alexis took a breath, steadying herself. She'd rather know...right? It was better to know. "Okay, I promise not to lose it and throw you in the Styx. Spill."

Chloe froze once her sister demanded to know what was wrong. She knew better than to hide something like this from her bigger sister, it was like she had eyes in the back of her head. Everything would always come to light in the end. “N-No! I mean like--the shop is fine.” She blurted out quickly, before taking in a large breath. “There’s something I need to tell you, and I need you to promise me that you aren’t going to lose it. Like through me into the River Styx or something..”