2020-02-13 - Vivid Veil Dreams

It is a normal day in the gallery, which may not being too much with the oddness that can occur here. Some of the more normal people likely looking at the art or admiring the gallery cat. That is until the feeling that something is a little off. Those who shine feel a shiver running through them. Something that hungers. Something that wasn't able to get what it wanted elsewhere so it looks in Vivid Dreams. Queso hisses and bolts upstairs wanting no part of what has come. Hans likely around his Alpha lets out a low growl with heckles raised. Even the normal people shuffle about a little more. So far other the shiver nothing else has occurred.

Hera gasps as she feels something that makes her soul convulse. It is hard to tell just what she senses, but she shivers a little and shakes her head. She's had a few hallucinations since she's been to this small town, so that may well be the problem. Yet when her animals react she tries not to tremble. Glancing over at potential patrons, she briefly checks to make sure they are ok. Then she goes to Hans' side and tries to comfort him, "It's ok boy it's ok." Though, in reality, it may be very far from ok.

The people seem okay just at ill ease. One makes a quick exit from the gallery, perhaps a survival instinct of having lived in Gray Harbor for long time. Hans does not seem comforted, he is in protective mode. Even if he isn't exactly sure why. Moments pass and maybe Hera is right it's just a side effect from the hallucinations. Then there is a scratching sound from behind the paintings, small bumps appear in them. In a nearby drink be it coffee or wine bubble up, the bubble forming the words 'We see you!'. The possible patrons don't seem to notice the scratching or the bumps they just keep doing what they were before.

Hera wraps her arms around herself as she cannot help but shiver in fear. In reaction, she bites her bottom lip and Hans being nervous doesn't exactly comfort her. But she remember that she is the leader, she is the alpha and she is the owner of a successful art business. Taking her arms and putting them at her sides, she breathes in deep to relax. Then, after a few moments she finally catches her resolve and yells, "I AM NOT AFRAID OF YOU!"

Yeah, that's going to go well for business. Normal patrons are likely giving her a really funny look by now.

With the fear the bumps go away. The scratching pauses on all but one painting, from underneath comes a withered hand that at one point could have been human. It isn't any longer with long and sharp looking nails the hand points a finger in Hera's direction. "We see you! Shiny tasty is afraid of us!" a gravelly voice filled with pain and hunger says from the same place. The people don't notice the strange things going on right in front of them. Certainly when Hera shouts the do look at her with worry, did they come into a crazy women's shop? One brave middle aged man does step in Hera's direction, not wanting to come too close to the growling dog "Miss are you okay?" he asks plainly. Hans growls louder, if he can see these things who knows. He just knows something is threatening the alpha and that will not stand.

Hera hears the voice behind the hand make a bit of a threatening statement. "I am NOT afraid, no no no, not afraid!" She stomps her foot in anger, a new emotion taking root that is no longer fear, but perhaps worse. Poor Hans, the alpha's strong words may just set him off worse. She then gives the man a bewildered gaze, "I'm...I'm ok, I'm not afraid of anyone, or anything, never ever again, never...."

The man hearing and seeing the display just sort of nods "Sure. You just seem a little. None of my business. Good day Miss." as he turns to head out. Others following his lead, probably lucky for Hera normal wouldn't remember this brush with the otherworldly. Word about Vivid Dreams will remain the same.
The hand withdraws back behind the painting. Maybe her bravo sent it/them away. The feeling is still there though. It doesn't take long before the space between the painting and wall expands as a thing pushes it's way out. The hand was bad, this things whole form is even worse. Fully writhed with shadows dripping from it. A bald, naked though with no visible parts, withered creature slithers out with a plop to the ground. It doesn't stand but it's arms crack into hold itself up. It scurries across the floor with it's limps moving backwards moving it forward. "Tasty shiny not afraid? Tasty shiny should be. We smell another...stronger shiny! You give other shiny? Give other shiny before master comes and we keep you safe! Safe good?" as it speaks Hera can see the sharp teeth in it's mouth. Hans doesn't understand the words, but the emotion he does. Rushing forward but to the thing around the area going between growling and barking looking for something to attack.

Hera tries to maintain her brave composure, the last thing she wants to do is appear weak in front of this strange creature. Though, part of her feels sorry for the beast. If it can't even stand straight, it must be crippled in some way. "I serve no one." she says, "I am my own master and my own mistress." Yes, those teeth, those horrid teeth, the sigh of them could easily make her tremble but she doesn't shudder just yet. "You need to make sense. I am giving you nothing. What, do you want? If you only mean harm to me or those close to me, I will not bargain with you."

The rest of the normal people head out. Seeing the owner talking to nothing and to escape the odd feeling as well as the aggressive dog. "Not your master! Master of us! Can be shiny's master." the thing just tries to explain, it doesn't know many human words yet. At hearing it wouldn't be given anything it hisses and when it next opens it's mouth to speak it is wider and Hera can see there are many rows of sharp teeth. Each one folded behind another. "Stronger shiny! Darker hair and skin shiny! You give, you safe. Give for hunger. Not harm give!" clearly getting frustrated with this. In the thing's mind it's making itself clear.

Intelligence….when Hera is in her right mind, she can have it, fortunately her bravery takes a backseat as she reasons this situation out. There are things in the darkness she has yet to understand, and things that she can see but others clearly cannot. She also knows she glimmers, but there’s always a price for such a gift. By using logic, she comes to a conclusion that she immediately abhors. She understands what the monster is talking about in this dreadful conversation.

Yes, there’s a new fear, but it quickly shifts into anger. The anger causes her to ball her fists as extreme rage fills every inch of her spirit. “You….” She says in a firm tone of voice, “Cannot have her.” Yes, she can only assume the beast wants her beloved and in that moment she knows she would give everything she could to protect Jessica. “You never will. She is NOT yours and she will never belong to your master!”

The redhead’s fury continues to build until she just can’t control it any longer. Her rationality may have well left her, but her anger is her new motivation. Howling a powerful battle cry, she rushes toward the creature and moves in to take a swing at it. While she sounds impressive, sadly, the attack is not. She falls on her fit as she misses and, unfortunately, she may wind up closer to trouble than she would expect.

Denied what it wants, but what does it really want? It can't be clear and terrible truth will come in time. The strong words bring another hiss "GIVE TO US! Give or we take!" responding with fury all it's own. When rushed it doesn't back away. Seemingly ready to take whatever Hera can throw at her. The slip in the miss does bring her dangerously close. The thing leaps forward and onto the prone form. Teeth snapping seeming ready to tear at flesh...at least it tries it's body sinking through the red head, teeth finding no purchase to rend. It snarls "Tasty so close. Why no taste! Hunger. Give to us. Master not safe. Both be Master's" it almost sounds like it is pleading and afraid in it's own way of it's master. Doubtful it has Hera's or Jessica's best interests at heart. It jumps off looking like it is trying to scuttle out the door.

Hera still doesn't show any fear. Maybe her training in all of her years as a slave already made her ready to face such a terror. Yes, deep inside she /is/ scared, but she doesn't back down. "You will never" she raises her voice to state forcefully, "EVER have her, and your master won't ever touch a hair on her head, you will NOT feast on her! You can tell that to your master." Still holding her true resolve she watches the creature leave and she says with more force, "I don't know who you are, but I will find you, and I will kill you." But, how can she inflict a lasting impression on the beast? At the idea of Jessica begin in danger, the monster has pushed itself too far. She scurries and tries to get up as she has a thought, a dangerous thought, but a thought nonetheless.

The thing doesn't response as it reaches the door and it's body compresses in a flat form. With a few shadows lingering it vanishes as Grace comes through the door. Grace will remember this thing from her first encounter of the scuttling misshaped shadow beast. In dripping blood the words 'We see you!' appear on every surface in the gallery for a instant and then they too are gone. Along with the feeling of oddness that first brought a shiver. Even Hans stops attacking thin air. Queso poking his head out from the door way to the upstairs living quarters. Things are quiet, but will can they be normal again? Time will tell for now it's back to the world that everyone knows and perhaps that is enough.

Hera only growls as she thing shifts into a black pancake. "Ok you horrible excuse for a piece of burned flatbread." She sneers, "You threaten my girl, it's on like Donkey Kong. If you want a fight, I'll show you more wrath than Boudica. If you want a war, I will even make Ares himself shudder in fear. I am the QUEEN of all gods and you just pissed me off and you will regret it. I AM HERA!" she yells loud enough for even passerbys outside to hear, "And I will not be broken down and I will not fear. If it's a war you want, welcome to my battleground." The dripping blood still doesn't phase her back into fear, she's clearly pissed, "Well your vision is about to be corrected and I'm the eye doctor." Poor Hans and Queso likely don't comprehend everything that happened but one thing is for sure, they aren't going to get to Jessica without one hell of a fight.

Grace sighs loudly, "What the hell?" Thinking she is the only one seeing it. Wanting to act tough. Deep breaths. Nothing is real, is said to herself. Looking around some. "Hi. everyone okay?" Voice a bit shaky?

Hera stands up straight as she watches the creature go. "For now." she says, "That, thing, whatever the hell it is, wants Jessica. Well, you're more likely to see Satan Skating to work than allow me to let her go." Interesting way of saying 'hell will freeze over before the darkness gets her girl.' "I need to prepare, to get stronger, to work harder so I can protect her and hunt this thing down and kill it." She isn't going to be satisfied to think it doesn't have a weakness somewhere. "Art can wait. I have monsters to destroy now it seems, and I'll fight with everything I have."

Kim comes in a short time after Grace probably having to park the car, having missed all of the excitement. Except for hearing the shout of 'I AM HERA!'. Glancing about at those here as she tries to get a feel for the room. Going over to Grace's side reaching to hold her hand "Hey what's going on?"

A few hours have passed after the strange beast invaded Vivid Dreams. Her heart all aflutter, Hera did the best thing she could do in such circumstances, and that was settle down with a bottle of wine. Fortunately she didn't go on a binge so no need to call any medics, but she sits on the couch staring at her phone. "Please be ok, please be ok, please be ok." She chants. Then she closes her eyes and moves to stand up, slowly....."Ok so, time to change the Circle of Trust to a cubic trap to entangle this master, whoever or whatever it is." She mummurs, "Get a hold of yourself Hera, you are going to beat this. Faith....faith.....faith."

Kim comes in to the shop Hera had gone off and well calming her down was probably beyond her skills. Learning her lesson after the 'ghost incident'. Now it's time to offer what she can to her friend. Walking over to her with a little wave. "So how are you doing?" she asks a little nervously.

"Faith

"Faith?" Grace asks as she walks in proper. Looking to Kim with a smile before it moves to Hera. "What happened?" She asks before glancing to the othersbin hope of explanation

Hera takes in a deep breath to try to settle herself, "Not well." she says, "This....this is war, I am now, at war. Earlier today some sort of sick creature, dark monster came in with long fangs, bad grammar, and scary eyes." As if the bad grammar wasn't horrid enough, "It talked about a master, some sort of master that wants to hunt down Jessica and devour her." She looks over at the two and says, "You know, obviously, I can't let that happen."

Kim frowns deeply at Hera's answer. "You aren't the only one at War. It sounds like something Grace-kanojo saw earlier. I didn't see it but the description matches a little." looking up to Grace and forcing a her frown into a smile for her heart. "Maybe you can confirm." before looking back to Hera "The one we both saw was different then that. Bad grammar but making itself look more human out of shadows...part of it turned into bugs." she shivers at at the memory.

Grace blinks as she hear Hera. Perhap partially following but not completely. "Something I, what?" Is asked. Missing a bit of the explanation. Hearing Kim's words, "Ah, yes, Some weird things did show up." She offer as brief explainer. Furrowing her brows. "You want to fight it? Asked of Hera.

Hera looks away from her cellphone for a moment, "I need to protect Jessica. Something she and I are talking about right now." She then looks to the door where her closet may be. "I need to get something ready and in order, busy busy.." Then, she rushes off to start packing, muttering something about Jessica the entire time she does.

Kim isn't so sure things are right, but if Hera needs help she is there for her "Alright take care of Jessica first. Whatever help you need I am here for you."

Grace nods in agreement. "Indeed. Don't hesitate to ask." She offers, trying to be reassuring. Soon letting them get into comfortable situations