The room is settled with this fight no longer continuing and the fade of folks leaving off to normal lives. Business is no longer needed to be conducted around here. I walked off from any further talks with them and go have a look at my shop as it is now. Sat with my shadow, both at a tilt of thoughts. The punishment of the fool choose to try me was clear when he had rank stripped down – such argument couldn't been missed from this far away. My shadow returned to rest as a part of me and I shifted to a bird. A fluttered through into the shop and looked at things, I sat in places to see if anything shine was a going to bother the birds or not. Maybe the novelty of making a spot shelf of trade shiny for the birds be interesting to have. A shiny unwanted bits bin, that caught eyes. Eyes… right there.
"Hunter!" I fluffed in a jump scare and hop on over to whom called me out. It be my boss of all folks, "I take it you lost leads on them names?"
"Hardly. Most of them are returning here anyways, about a hell hour or so. I don't know where exactly at which entrance. So I have been spying out on the waiting game of snatching them." He offered a arm for me to land on and I do so with caughting the beak off again. Huffed of this lack of beak and altered into a snake. Tilt accordingly in mimic with him, "I havd been have beak issues, so pay no mind."
"Jaw issues I see…" my tail taps with this form missing it too, "Well, I should consider a punishment on you too but I have gathered you misunderstood the practice."
"Indeed, I had read about the duel rules for reapers as I haven't needed to. I don't take reapers like them or you. Why mess with natural order? A terrible thing to mess with that." I thoughts lingered a moment, "You recon if a soul was spilt in two, there be issues."
"Of course there would, why are you asking that?"
"Well I just ran into a few cases of folks like that out there, I wondered if that was their problem." I place my mask on and it fixed my jaw issue instantly, "Was there something else you needed?"
"Just need more on them names, a name among them." I took out the paper with scanning through, "A lord on there?"
"Several but of which realms are you bothered about?"
"A hell version." I tilt with a shurg, "The main hell for humans." I nod and scan through.
"Yeah, on there but no worth the bother. Not his fault other then a lack of control over the lackey playing pokes at him. I discounted him but keep in mind."
"How come?"
"Hell laws. They are even above that of kings and gods most times. I say his issues a sort of thing you get all the time with being a ruler of hell. Something you tell them and they sort it – as it were my place when I caught the loose ones." Rolled back up and put away, "I do keep in mind if he really was planning anything, I have my preset thoughts of worry."
"Right, any Greeks on there?"
"None at the moment. I will have those sorted, a fine paper filter I am. Although I had consider out hell guest with how nosy they are. But with having visited there and see the place. Nah, don't blame them for hating it." I alter back a bird and were offered to the shoulder. I hop there and sat gentle like. Off he walks on over to some gates I don't have authory in checking; instantly glaring at them that are lingering around, "12 listed…. But these aren't whom I need ensnaring. These are kittens."
I scanned about with staring through the shadow and flight through to checking the back routes, looped around with shadow trapping three. Right through into the they were walking from – picked up them I needed and back to landing on the floor. I turned of that of a hawk and stamp my way around walking close around those speaking around in a group… fluttered up and land to a random shoulder…. A picked person I choose to glare into. Waiting for them to notice.
"I say we had a nice harvest, now." stops with my glare, "You're not a raven messager."
Boss plucked me from their shoulder and guesture about letting folks out. I sigh and sweep my shadow out of all them folks I took. They all looked around confuse about what took them. Getting up; greeting over to boss. Staring Not so gentle I am being held. Further with how I let him with a fight.
"I would like a update on all of you since you been missing for to long the extended time."
"Got trapped in a few realms along the way." They listed some and soon sort of hear how muttered about the easy ways out of them, "Uh, what is that?"
"This is… hunter. The new titled collector of lost souls, for as long it stays within human laws."
"And bird laws." I added, "You messager birds are right little picky birds. No dishonour in saying they are complicate because they wanted to be."
"That's not a bird."
"No, not bird." I am dropped and I turned a wolf in a mask, "But in any case, I don't have to worry about you lot on my list anymore. Makes for only 3 top names and 10 lackeys under them."
"You keep changing your mind."
"I find one and hear three, so you tell me." Paw lifted and shaken about the air, "Do I need to keep an eye on these lot or you fine with their returned now?"
"You best leave them be." I bow to knowing so and stomp my way off into a door at random dragged a bag of something back out said door and carry it off to my shop place, "better be legal."
"Meat is legal." I muttered pretend jaw being full of bag, "Why would this meat not be? It from last pouching session." I wag my tail, "this be the highly request order of worm."
"By what?"
"You ask the birds that. They like worm." I merryily continue with how I am and pause with stairs being my next issue. I study them, huffed.
Bag to storage and up a tap my way to the shop. Have it all cleaned up and stored properly. The fixer team is finally finishing touches as I am humming along with cleaning up. My shadow stocking up the few fixed placed shelving and the cases of rings being arrangented in order. The most valued being under the heavy glass by the registor. The registor being filled of the mixed currency. The box for bird request being dropped by here and the title books being here on this counter on display for what ring it links to. Most bird requests were types of new meats; not many names. But there is the one or two types that need a teaching for bird harming.
Leaving me with payment to have that sorted. The bin for junk shiny is a hit with the birds and the worm meat was sold out over the morning. The bird aspect of this shop was in business and was running smoothly. There were plenty of break time moments for myself that could have been serving a humanoid customer.
"Thanks the shop will make its grand opening maybe tomorrow. After stocking up those new shelves."
"What's with the mirror here?" Someone asked. I peer oddly with how I never noticed a mirror there.
"I don't know. It definitely not this shops or mine. Likely left by a customer, be careful. Mirrors are tricky things. It might not be a mirror." They stayed away from it just in case. My point proven with how it moved out of the way on it's own and held everyone else's relfection but mine. I ignored with chopping up more meat for bird clients and talking to them. Going through the requests with a leading bird to supervised the names listings by birds. Yes, this is their part of their complications.
"Pardon me," so the mirror as sentients as it has something from a realm over seeing through it, "You're not a reaper."
"No. I am not. What does one creep using a mirror want to bother me for?"
"I had something stolen from me."
"Some sort of crystal, soul or rings?"
"None of them. It's this very mirror."
"Needs returning?" I asked, "To which lands of the dead?"
"Uh."
"I am not taking a mirror to the living side. Such haunted item would be not reflective there." They poke the surface in changing it to the living realm material (but it were the illusion), "that isn't even glass. Get out."
"How would you know?"
"I say been impladed by glass really means a lot when I know what glass feels like through the guts. That is crystal from a other dead realm, one that shatters through your gut if you don't remove it from here. Understand? I know you understand me, despite speaking bird. Get out or I will hunt you down."
"Oh, threatening… hehe." I have my mask sink the mirror to where it comes from and out hunted the taunter. I cough a little and continue with the birds. They think nothing of my protectiveness and are honour in that I worry for them and those human types. Business continues with the sense fo being watched again. I look up to boss.
"You having mirrors talking at you today too?"
"Well I guess it explains a lot, you making that comment." I bow with finishing tells with the birds and they fluttering off, "I have a request to you."
"Courts? Personal interests? Just wanting a pest of your back?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Then your not whom you think. You would know my rules of contact finding names, souls, or what have you." Speaking human and peering up to this shapeshifter, "What's a shifter like you doing here?"
"Looking for a masked freak."
"Whom happened to have came from here and took a mirror?"
"Yes."
"Well you have me. What do you want shifter?"
"You to return it back."
"You tell the pest in the mirror to leave me alone, you hear."
"Deal." I have the mirror out from the shadow and I waved them both out the shop. Glaring as the leave. I sense I have dealing with them again and for what whom will ever know. I see off that everything was back to storage and I have the bin shifted through. Locked up for the rest of the night and back the the empty flat home.
Meal, clean, and bed.
The morning brought knowing to the front door in my reading the letters moment of the morning. This was after I read the newspaper, made a hot drink of blood and settled through my paper orders. Shifted to a human mock, and ready to fight with a knife.
"Hunter." I look at the real boss, the mimic and the mirror. I blinked a few times and step to offer them in with invite.
"Well no avoiding fools then. Good morning." I passively muttered as mirror first through and stopped with the mask hung on my room door, "These two wanting the bad luck of living in 13 13?"
"You guessed well." Boss don't enter but watched them explore, "Only a few nights until I can sort out what to do with them."
"They seek the land of the living. A bad feeling of if that happens, something."
"I heard about the mask issue with the mirror,"
"I weren't expecting to have to deal with a rude mirror. I were having focus birds."
"If you of bad feeling about them, best keep them around."
"That is easy. Very… easy." I bow with his leave and go back to pick up the few things around and show them through a sleeping quarters, "This is your room. I will not bother in here. The closet is locked and so is my room – best not poking them. The chest freezer is all my meat but you have the whole fridge freezer unit. Kichten and living is shared. I not a fussy sort, just be humanly hygienist and you have no hissed from me." they go to there room and unpacked from the mirror. I left them to it and sit down. Finishing my blood drink and reading letters. Away it all goes, suit with todays event of curiosity opening.
Those two were on the way out too and make use of the elevators, I locked up normal and meet up with the neighbours. This is including nightmare bird glaring at them.
"I know, my room mates for a short time. I am not so sure about them, friend."
"They see me and my kind." Remember that this is a nightmare dweller and its rare of them to be seen, "That mirrors a dream eater. They would police the night sleep realms." I see that those two are in mind about something with not going to the elevators and hanging about the banister in front of the elevator, "You be fine with them… unless that shifters a slayer."
"The slayer here is me but I am not terriroral." I study how they watched me speaking to the nightmare, "Other then jumpers, anything else?"
"Nah, your shop nice though."
"Grand human opening today which can meant I have assassin contacts to deal with soon."
"Good luck. I see a jumper."
"Later friend." I nod with off the flight goes into scaring the jumper back to the correct side of the banister. I tilt with wave to my other neighbour, "Good morning."
"Stuck with a mirror and the screamer." He sighed, "Wish you luck with not being murdered by them."
"Whom knows, they seem interesting. We have to see what the boss thinks to do about them first."
"That annoying?" I shurg with that, "You haven hear the face changer scream yet then. It of a pitch to annoy all about sound of nothing."
"Dog whistler, huh." I sensed that they glared about that in listening to me, as if they hear me here, "sneaky. Well, I better get to the shop opening."
"Down the normal routen for you?"
"A few stops hight first." I pat the shoulder and hop into a bird form, "See you around neighbour. Don't get mixed in this mess like me. I don't even know what I did to desvere this." He shrug and I nod with fluttering up making stops with making bird checks.
The in room ravens that been requested to be checked on. The most disturbing being a walk into a murder scene. Something I altered to instantly and have the correct folks dealing with this. The nightmare bird fluttered to my shoulder as I turned human to open the normal room door.
"Nasty works here."
"Not mine either. I am a peaceful sort… this is butchery." I have cause enough for the right folks to finally arrive with kits to sort this out, "I came here on a request of the ravens to check why a raven hasn't left this room." I told the authorities of investigation, "Although my work is as shady, I am not this messy or totured to this method."
"I am glad you're a honest sort, hunter. Your hands are clean of here, as long as bird have proof of this request." I show the paper and two raven feathers, "Then you here as you said. You the sort to go through courts first anyways. This wasn't a court sactioned death. You have no connections with them in work or personal life." They write out a letter and summons for later date, "We will have to seen bout taking time here."
"Sure. I have a shop to open. So may I?"
"Yes." I hesitated, "Something wrong?"
"I were to check on several ravens before I left to my shop. There is two more on this level." I showed the papers, "It be best that I wasn't alone to forfill this anymore."
"I have someone follow you for those checks and do confirm the death of the raven in here." I nod in sorrow and have a escort with checking the other three rooms, sure enough, "How long ago were the bird summons checks?"
"They have a night roost check, and a timetable rotation for rooms like this. This was asked by me to take on their behalf by the bird community after one night failure to return to roost. Most times birds return later for message passing… have false alerts. This make the first in a long time for these bird to be attacked like this… and those that these rooms housed." All written down, "the bird have a time system they keep, as time is important when delivering notes or souls around. It's them you ask their laws or through me as a translator." I sigh, "I really must check up with the boss bird about this. It means business when this happens for them."
"Right, you should go do your thing." I nod with fairwell and turned a bird and land on the nearest banister and the nightmare sighing about that.
"This is davistating for the birds."
"For the humanoids too." I comment and jumped down into gliding to the shops level. I land in shop as a bird, changed to a human and stocked up the place. The boss bird lands around the till for reports as normal and I sighed. It nest with guessing this wasn't good, "the birds aren't coming back out them rooms the ways you think." I passed back the papers and feathers, "All three birds and humans have all died in those rooms. The humans are sorting the investgations… but they were butchered and laws have been broken. I hope that those responsible will be found." It took in the information and picked up the feathers. I bowed in respect and have the door opened for the bird to flight through. It knows whose the real boss and avoided this 'screamer'. Off to deal with the bird commotion this has began.
A murder of them waiting around aren't staying here as they all flocked to hear this announcement among them. I didn't need to be there as they take up the banitors above in loud voices. Rare event that the birds would do this and has all the human in gathering about it. This over shadowed the opening… but I still had folks come in with trade. Mostly the traders that are aware of the opening or the few that they told. No birds here today.
"listing states you hunt down anyone for as long as you know the motivation of why and bargaining the cost." The screamer in another's face, "So would you hunt a few names for me if I told you had a boss mirror?"
"I want to know the mirror's motivations, what conditions we want these folks and a reasonable cost of life or labour." I see the mirror slides about to face me. My mask looks drained and in sorrow about todays morning events. Something noted with it reflecting back at me as my reflection.
"You have a sad reflection today. These folks I asked this to hunt for me in my stead. Since I can't do it myself."
"Why these names?" I asked again, "Motive."
"I have a boss too." I eye rolled about didn't take the job, "The folks might be the killers."
"Doing nothing makes you as guilty as them." the screamer hissed, "Nasty work they are."
I look about the names in a new language I haven't crossed, but translates fine in my mask eyes. Just hell lacky's that are known to be the cult of blood. Butchery is their thing. Sure some might be here and maybe folks up stairs were killed by them. But I am of no reasons to see connections or to enact during the invesgations.
"Wanting them dead huh?" I asked they both nod in their ways, "I am not taking up kill contracts today nor will I be during the times of distress." I pass back the papers, "I will keep them in mind if I do see them around and capture where needed. But today isn't kill." The screamer snarlers and does that pitched whince that only bother one other customer in here. Not me. I tossed a cooked meat in her mouth and she stopped in shock that I weren't affected by it, "In any case, is there anything else that don't require murder or my soul in price?"
"You a walker or something?" The mirror huffed.
"I was for a long time. Settled here with keeping up them laws and stuff." It has them shuffle out of here and made me note this down as something to keep in mind about them. My next dealing were as stranger with following them around, another note made. At the end of dealing with them, the rest of the day was avoid of folks. The place is quite of anyone but myself, allowed ring checks and clean some new one's into the collections. I settled into a need to do some carving, make up a back log of charms where needed. I counted up my mini bags of sands or dusts from the shelves. Yes, very quite today.
"Hunter, the bird require you as embassidors during the deaths of level 124." From a bird normally second ranked to the boss. This deaths here were serious. I bowed and packed up shop today, notice on the door. Simply 'out on duty'. Shifted to a black hawk and flew up, the many eyes on me as passing I were joined by the nighmare neighbour of the banitstors. Affected by the work of birds.
"Our bird ambassador isn't a surprise." Landing on the guest prech for visit birds… this were respecting that I was called by the birds here, "If you may, hunter. You whom we called to find our missing and you did with shock."
"Rare that birds ever get as slaughtered as the human types." I bowed in agreement, "Not a good day at all. Very odd one with all that been happening. I not in the know of people, I am new to the realm you see. I take a guess that the hunted were very important folks and with important folks comes very strict keepers of birds. They miss a day of roosting – something has to be looked into by me as agreed in my promises with the birds."
"Wow, I didn't realize there was a strict coduct among birds." So, Hade's is still muttering about. I want to guess that this hell god got the name from humans for a reason. But what I can tell with this underworld keeper that he been around here quite a lot lately. It often not my business with what gods do; yet it's a omen of sorts when supersitions plays a part of life. Not that folks here have this belief or understand (in a dead realm).
"You be whom discovered the first and consequently follow the laws of sound the word to the correct folks and as further worry you had someone follow you in checking the other names."
"Three missing birds on the same level. The first a murder, so the other too seem scary to follow up next." I try to speak without mouth movement, as my beak isn't fixed yet.
"Ventriquist or something?" That mirror… who are they really?
" Shapeshifter that doesn't eat souls." Boss corrected, "Unlike you two that seemed to appeared out of no where and will refuse to tell names."
"Names don't matter. No walker shares name." I pitched in, "A common guess is that you call them by how or what they are. I were Mut. Because I was always my furry ways."
"You're not bird?"
"No."
"That aside, I haven't a doubt your not part of this, hunter. You're contracts are often recorded, through law checks and those that do are properly sorted in a respect sort of way. You made sure not to include repears in you deals as you live by the laws here." I bowed with respecting the trust that he places with me, "I must ask if you had any way of helping the investgations."
"I add it to the tab." I bow and have my shadow add it into my notebook of agaenda's today, "In need of anything else in services?"
"You have a idea of why I set them with you." I added to watch these two weirdo into my clues.
"I don't doubt that manner either. Don't think I didn't know you trying to go into my room todays, mirror. I more pissed that you tried then actually being my roommate." The mirror slide backwards, "I have plenty of suspsions going about in my mind. Yet those are personal and can't be tainted towards any investgations taking place. I also respect a no word passing matter to any serious interest in taking up contracts; but I am worried. I turned some down today for a good reason."
"Contracts were asked of you today?" Hade's asked.
"Indeed and of names I worry. I turned them down as murder after attack so close to new home has happened. I am of no mood to be restocking supplies of meat."
"Our meat saler for us birds." Boss bird voiced, "I believe you must have made good chooses today. Why didn't you make it into heaven?"
"They discrimated me for my race and my humans had felt that I wouldn't belong among the falmily like that. But as I have gained a few titles, maybe one day I can play fetch with my human."
I had several sighing around me with how openly werid that sounded to them.
"A former dog in life, your honesty makes sense." Boss voiced and his bird agrees, "Were I among that list?"
"No. But there were those of gods in neutral territory that are. I haven't any need to upset those types. Those are weather control or plant life are key to life thriving. They don't need protecting but I would dare even if I am aware that I could."
"So, what are you?" the mirror asked again.
"Nosy mirror of the reflective domain and illusionist dreams." I muttered darkly and plain.
"You ever crossed over?" The mirror jokes.
"Plenty of times to fetch some worms at the nightmare side. Whole sale there, trade in crystal stones." I tilt with wonder on how they reacted to that. They faded picture reflection really, I stared deeper, "Well, I haven't a care to today. That place isn't related here."
"How would you tell?"
"Smells. The murderer of one is the same for all. Smell picked up and being followed around."
"You have tracked them already?"
"No, but where they came from. They are hell sort. Say… frost bitten pee smell."
"You can say that be Hel, looked after by Hela. A underworld goddess with a fuss for cold." Hade's inputed, "yet that's where they came from before here. It be hard to say that they haven't came from further."
"Walker too, as the dust of path is spread over each. A practice of a walker to return souls back through a recycle system." I get blinked at, "There is power in dust, you know. I sale dust often for them few that…" I stopped with looking at the mirror, "Where that screamer with you always?"
"Safe…" The mirror hissed, "If you're a walker then you will have crossed the masked ones before."
"Hmm… yes. Stored away like some item. I do that too." I sigh, "You were being followed earlier by someone that purchersed my path dust. It just happen to click in my mind as I was making that comment." I thought long into a silence as my mask went to check the truth (yes, the screamer is in the shadow of the mirror with their items and blood covered weapons and dust). I have it go check the flat (yup fill of death traps by them) and then my room (my door is broken into and laid of mess). My shop stored things are looked through but untouched. They couldn't break into my vault (but this were tried).
"My room has been broken into, has death traps set up and my room over turned. Nothing stolen but placed in there at isn't mine." I scratched and the break off again. I look at it and huffed, "Someone trying to fame me… very interesting. But I am not a butcher or a monster in my trade. I am a clean and painless killer. I ensure non-suffer and that their final wishes in life are of their satisfaction. I don't want to be haunted by souls."
"Uh, what? You haven't ever moved. How do you know?"
"I have my little ways. You are a terrible room mate. I told you to make sure the place stays clean and don't got in my room. How rude that you tired to steal from me. You have me ticked off now. I have to go break a wall or something." I huffed, "Later. Now, as for this following dust buying stranger. I might find them in a day. I am sure."
"You go do that and I see about see if you just made a false acusation towards your room mate." Boss and boss bird both echoed in two different languages.
"Be careful of them death traps they set in there. They hurt birds like you." I spoke in bird, "I would not want to loss a good home. I were tired from the path walking."
"You mean well, mut. I understand where they don't. If you want to take up a roost until your human home is fixed, you free to."
I bowed to them and jumped into a wolf form. Tot my way around to a short cut. I picked up the trail that my mask has ben on the follow with. Complete as a whole being and focused with one objective, determind to face with whatever I have to to fetch such a stranger; wary that this just could be the mask of someone else (as mask folks are two body beings, I am a good example since finding it from being exiled from heaven).
I sneak, prowling by without questions. I shift to the most appropriate to the area surrounding me; wave off with making sure I am new faced each time. In facing my way back around to nightmare dreamlands; I had obligation to be whom I am always there. So I do, in two forms and two sides taking turns with scanning the area for whom I seeked the move. I crossed path with a feather fiddler… bird blood and stolen victim feathers. Yes, this was whom I seeked.
Are they breaking any laws to either side? In a nightmare nature to be true to its titles… this over stays the laws of the home realm about the death of carriers.
"Say bird catcher, I would like them feathers for a trade of coloured feathers." I have some from other realms or from the path I picked up, "Is that of interest?"
"No. These are hard to come by." There are souls attached to them and that breaks nightmares law of never taking from the reapers. Such I have my poacher side come out from darkness and do it's duty, "Damn poacher!" this is the fight of the two that I can't be see to intervene. I sit watching as a witness as the poacher makes it mark of laws here. For a death of a nightmare here when they break law has the blood wiped of a symbols to show this corpse to be a breaker of code. The leading nightmares here will do as they will with this soul and corpse. I take what I seeked, leave as two. No business here anymore.
"Poacher and trader." I pause with one among the nightmares that is a boss sort, "Why poach the bird catcher?"
"taking souls from the reapers, on gery lands. A contract agreement and met with laws of their side too. Complicated mess really."
"Fair, no nightmare should have ever taken souls from the reaper lands. Is business here done?"
"I believe so for now. Unless you wish trade, by trader." The poacher side, "Or hunt by me, the poacher."
"Hmm… you one of the same?"
"But play as two despite as one." Tilted with a uneased to step back from them, "Does my ways upset you?"
"No. I trade with you. I trade a names to be found."
"Mirror and screamer?"
"How did you guess?"
"They are there where the souls were taken from the then became corpses. They also have souls they shouldn't – I stolen them off them. But these names nicknames are of your worry to. Why?"
"Trouble makers from my proxy's."
"You must visit with Death to speech terms of what to do about them and if you want them out of trouble or not."
"Death? They took souls from reaper lands."
"In the tome building, understand this isn't public know."
"I must follow." Gathered themselves up and set word of this. I shifted to one thing and landed to their shoulder a the hawk of the death lands. I scanned them of any law breaking issues, sunk us instantly through. Returned to the main floyer market, empty today. I directed with just a wing and cloaked them to be visible by repaer sight. My neighbour nightmare bird landing to there other shoulder, filling in the details of what is going on. Just how serious were for all.
"Messed with embassary's of the gods. This is execution by our laws." I stuck around with this guest I have brought as the method I brought them doesn't allow them free roaming without me. Mirror and screamer were of bowing in greeting to this one. And a bow to the gods were in order; death and hade's trade a glance between them and to me.
"I bring that whom is of mirror and screamer responsibility – sort of like a leader but in more complex way. They are of nightmare dwelling, as expected their laws are complicated too. I also bring you those lost souls missing in the crimes. Those of humans orgin taken from mirror and those of bird taken from whom I excuted. By laws, I have poached the bird snatcher."
"bird snatcher, I should have guessed by the…" the boss bird turned silent, "Fine, the execution of this law breaker is also acceptable to us. Their soul has no bound of hate by us carriers for now." The murder of many birds getting back to work and thundering the place. The boss bird take off with orginizing the order of the chaos lifted from the worry.
The settling of sounds dies down enough to hear the muttering passes guesses of what I said to the birds. As yes, I spoke to the birds of the matter first.
"This poacher trader had excuted a infamous bird killer among the realm of nightmare, by them since that they broken our no souls taken from Death's law." The leading nightmare voiced with still bowing to them, "I have every reason to be of no doubt my two… trouble makers have played a part too." there was enact of nightmare seals (a sort of their realm magic of binding contracts. Bosses do this to control their group of proxies; punish or award them system). The mirror was broken down into a shard staute figure and that of the screamer; kneeling even lower then their boss and forced of their inventory around them, "See that they have the real murder weapons still covered in the blood of victims." The leader has a hand out and I waved the souls to his hand as show, "these too where there. You have a fine nightmare of nightmare's as your hunter, Sir Death. Forgive such actions as they will be sorted by our laws execution for these crimes."
"Sheesh, did you just say that hawk is a nightmare of nightmares?"
"Even those above me are scared of them, the what seems a title shouldn't be a laughing matter."
"I am very aware of their true nature and their real intentions. I am often law around these parts, but I am not the one whom truly makes that choose." The souls off all hovered to death. Death is that above many for a real reason, overhears the wishes of souls in ways gods do.
I don't but I try to be keeping on the good side of souls. I lingered to watch what is going on but it wasn't really easy to tell what is going on. I could guess that I were thanked for protecting them this entire time, give the warmth they shared to me and the pet around the head. With judgement came their shackles and the sink back to the homelands they belong to (this included the fellow I brought with me to get here, unpunished but home). I placed the update on them others that boss has asked of me (there are the few he keeps asking time and time to watch without disturbing).
"I do believe you place was rid of the death traps and somewhat in order again; as payment towards the completion of watching those two, helping the investigation and protecting the laws of any realms you have visited so far to knowledge."
"Thank you for the praise." Bowed back.
"the coin there for the sand." I looked at the coin and noted it being very different from many I have encountered before. I hop about picking it up and inspecting it, reading the damned langange.
"Oh, 195 suculation. Rare." Away it went, somewhere, "You have more sand for that if you wanted."
"Really? I been told it has no worth."
"You haven't gave it to the right fools then. Don't blame you, they aren't the type to talk and there are a lot of rumour about them that doesn't help their case as a whole race." I sorted out another bag amount place it there, "I believe that is the tab cleaned up. You free to ask for services again and will gladly. You fair and human about it all."
"I don't know if tha a complment or a insult." Hades voice.
"from a fromer dog, it's a loyal thing to say." See boss get me, "I hope the beak issue get fixed." I bow and fluttered home to my flat.
I clean up where they didn't and fix the few spots that mattered to me. Fixed up my inventory, updated my trading logs and item listing. Checked stocks for out of date materials. Ate a whole ton of meat for all this werid world travel, made me very hungry. I cleaned up the room mate side, then fixed up my bed room. Had a cup of blood and read on with mail.
Pondered if nightmare neighbour went back home with them are is back on banister duty. I have a soak in the bath and shed 12 times in a row. My size have grown again but I am that of a large wolf.
I have altered natural forms, as I am more reptile. More teeth and more claws. I will not to bit anyone anymore, if my fangs have a posion. The skins I will box in a corner – add them after I have been realm trotting again to shop listing.
I make it back out to my shop on a new day, the bird business booming of resquest for newer exotic things. Speaking to boss bird about the new requests, nothing serious to be sorting. Gave boss bird a chuck of worm meat and went down a hit with them. had me wag a tail happy for them. I pause with some looking up to my rings collections. New off realms fella.
"Welcome to the new curiosity shop, a place of trade and serives. Do I need to explain the rules?"
"You have it written on the front door. " I understood that they read but my point of asking was to clear up understanding for them, "Do you hunt off realms?"
"I hunt only in dead realms; no living or gods. However, there is a gery area of which I pass those areas for other things (so materials gathering can happen). I often hunt in most hells and trade in the nightmare realms." They stood back a little, "As a ex-path walker, it's no surprise. I follow in realms laws upon crossing or try hard to learn them in future preventions of crossings."
"Right, you find folks alive right?"
"Yes, I work for the court systems most times. They want witnesses to be alive to give testimony."
"uh, you stands with hevean."
"Visitation business only. Are you intaregating me for something, angel?"
"Uh… I didn't."
"You smell nice, reminds me of my previous life as a family dog. I can't say that I don't miss my humans whom are among you angels now. My very death was protecting them, if you see them. Tell them I miss them. They called me shadow. The funny dog that spoke to cats and birds." This angel studies how sad I were with missing them, "Was there of any rings you would like to return to their owners or new homes? The case of those are right there." Pointed to the wall of the common ones, "I do also have a few higher special one here under this counter. Archangel rings and ranks around them." I get odd looks, "I help the lost souls I cross paths with, bury the dead and make sure their possessions go to good hands. I wouldn't want them haunting me in anger for wronging them."
"You're the most supersitions repear here."
"Hahaha. I am more a animal in mock human shape, do so to not scare my cilents like you. I am sorry for the deception but you would look werid talking to a wolf like me. Once a dog, now a wolf. Isn't funny how this realm alters the shape of one soul." I sigh with being patient with them. They are looking about the rings over all and were then writing about them. Making message to where thses have gone, "Those at the other end are assassin mock rings, poor quality. They aren't taken lightly in trade off. I have special permission to sale them under guidelines. But I don't hand them out like candy. They are dangerous and I have consider melting them."
"You're very eagle eyed for a clever wolf in human mock."
"Bosses say that time to time."
"Bosses?"
"Yeah, those that make calls in the repear lands. You have boss bird here and humanoid god boss up stairs. Best not disturb for trivial matters, there lackeys under for that."
He continues his notes and another comes in for matters. This is a trader among the business floor, the crystal souls people. They go looking into the shelving for materials, leave them to it. I go fix up new birds and clean off the surfaces of those that left. I spoke with the chatter beaks that always want to talk trival, had one on my shoulder talking about a new realm they visited. I would comment about being there a few times before with loving the night light sky. How the sky stares back at you.
"Sounds like a lively banter of birds in here." Bird keeper lady, "You warned me about them being here when you were making up the shop." Linger to the bird facing counters looking for a bird.
"Merlin hasn't arrived yet, your personal bird." I commented for the boss bird busy with another thing, "If hisn't back yet, I make my realm rounds to check where he went for you. Might be eating something dead's eye out."
"Ew."
"Meat eater bird here. Natural life you know?" I looked to the counter, "A moment." I have my mask taken out and hung in a seeing spot. I step on over with trade with the crystal trader. Going through what I have in stock at the moment that be of use and then dealing what was being removed from my possession. Packed a brown paper bag for them as I write what was taken on a book beside me. Take up the coin and counted int the registor, the return deem letter if not used within dates or liked as a product. A small wave as they left. Then to the angel that was making trade with all the high rings. I accpected angel money too and the few arrows.
"Ah, and bonus for taking them. To please them." I box out from the counter of angel feathers only. A label to whom wore what ring and some with smell to linger… place the correct ones with the rings. Closed the box and back it went, "There. They be to you. Have a safe journey home and like I ask. You tell my loves ones that I miss them." I leaned over to whisper the few names, "You know that family. Tell them for me."
"Uh, I will try." He seems flustered by the fact, "May god protect your soul in difficult times."
"Thanks but I understand he would rather me dead. Like most gods do when they know me." they leave unsure with me but sense I was very sympathize and good. Hung wrong that I would be punished in some fashion. There were a few that entered after, but I go back to the birds side to sort them. Fairwell to those changing duty post.
"The birds have been healthy since you started trading here." the keeper laughs, "You been over feeding them or something?"
"I go by bird reccomdations of what they want to ate, but I intervene is one is ill. Most times, I test if the meat is safe for birds too. A good example as to be hell ant, I get asked for it but I know it makes them tummy's hurt. I don't sale it for eating."
"How do you test?"
"If I shape into something, I take on their inner organs too. So if I stay as a bird for a while and eat new meats; I know that if am ill in that form. No sale."
"I didn't realize your shifting goes that far."
"It's what makes my race hard to find and all the more… dangerous. One day, I sense that I will be contracted to kill one. I have accepted that they are abnormal to the systems and therefore be sorted according to their personality and intelligence."
"Uh, what race are you?"
"Oh, that a trade secret. In any case, you waiting here for Merlin. Or other services? Anything at all that you need help in?"
"I was hoping to stock up on bird treats. I often make it myself but wondered if you wouldn't happen to sale any." I take out three different bags of examples. All cooked or dired versions of meat, nut or fruits, "Wow."
"They request it and I give out on specialised occasions. As treats are. These are a copper each."
"Really."
"Just for you. You always with the birds and have their speacilist of trust. This being for them, it would be fair to take much from you." She paid the coopers and heads off. I studied about the place with those that came in.
"How can I help you folks without sale of souls? I trade no souls here and this is reaper grounds, follow their their laws."
"Oh, you see and know." they looked about the cases, "I guess you would with our rings here."
"The far end isn't on sale to you folks. You have to try very hard to convince me. those ring's are fake for reasons."
"Oh, right." They look to the next case and browser through. I step around and prevented them from walking beyond the counters., "Ah, right. Sorry."
"You pay twelve for the crystal you just pocketed." I called over them, "Don't think I am not watching you or afraid to crawl into your pockets to take back items." they take them out and show to carry it, "Good. I don't mind if your to trade. But you can't just pocket things without trade." I guided this werid one from walking further back, "I will bite if you continue to ignore my warnig. I take contact kills at the till." They stopped instantly, "You didn't read the doors. No?" they all go look at the door. They take the time with understanding how simple things can be in here. The local visitors snickering past as they see folks standing about the door blankly. Bird's around to hand me a personal message about fetching and delivery. A sort of bet between Hades and a Clothus – whom get what first. In the list of items, I already have most of it. Some it I have my shadow already touring the realms fetching and poaching. I gravitate back to those broswering back in here; being more serious with me and understanding I were not the typical dweller of the reaper lands.
"Say, you would happen to have servant from the hell 34?" I asked one among them and they peered almost creeped by that, "They do smell tasty, so I had to ask. Forgive any rude notion, I mean well but am terrible at the whole human interactions thing. You folks love being subtext then face readers like us animals."
"Right." I see they placed it all they wanted to tade to the counter and the reqest of three house rings of the clothus type. Something I have picked by shadow. They pay in clothus bills, which easily I had counted and calcutaed, "Can we have that in damned?"
"Oh, rare anyone asked that." I hummed, "I don't own enough to give exact change. How about some demon bills too?"
"Ah, you have heaven coin?"
"Easy." I openly counted out the change on show to them and they collected it all, "Was there anything else, like directions to the boss?"
"To whom?"
"Sir death of this very land. His bird is right here, if you must know." they looked at the bird and back at me with a tilt, "Nothing extra needed, you just a lost group of folks among reapers and dwellers."
They muttering among them about the ranging subjects, as often as the Clothus are the chatter boxes while the damned are the silent. They can see hard to tell between each other but when walking in realms (like this one) it becomes very clear. Just confusing for the living really. From it all the nattering closed with them choosing to leave in silence. I settled with making stock notes where needed, fix it up with the bird side and back to trading.
There are some that come here for the first time, reading the doors and browsering through. I see that my mask side returned…so it stays here to man the shop. I picked up the order that the personal note was made. I shadow walked my way as a humanoid around to the right level, appearing as if used the stairs. I walked past a lot of dyplomaic goodies. All demanding Death and Hades today. I wasn't trying to be sneaky with walking through, it were clear that everyone that knew me nods hello and gave me space. Anyone that cames to hiss were met with hands to caught them.
I guess what caught me off guard was that of a child, in a strange form but still a child. Ran right to me, reached out to my clothes and wanted me to lower. I see the fear painted with a parent staring at us both and how the child ignores them in their odd worded languages. I lowered to the child and changed to a wolf, the child laughed and pets my head. My paw kept on the bag, preventing the child touching it but I kept so calm as they explored about me. I keep my mouth away in worry they be hurt by my teeth. My ear is pulled instead being the right distract for the parent and a local to come save the child from me or them for me.
"Sorry about that, please don't fault him." The parent has the child bowing to me.
"I am not hurt nor was the child. Curosity is natural to their learning and I see nothing wrong about following nature like that. You're a good parent to worry for the youth and wise to teach them no to touch others. Someday such a lession will have a worse bite, I gladly never that." I looked to the child, "Understand child, it very dangerous to wonder alone away from loved ones. Even worse to talk to strangers and touch them. Someday someone not so innocent like you will hurt you. You have people that care for you and wish never to be a matter. Wise to listen and follow good examples, child." I paw the head gentle, "you remind me of my loved ones when they were your age range, how I worry every day for them. Love them now as one day they can't be there forever. Cherise what you get and never forget. Learn love respect." I stopped and bowed, "A good day folks, please excuse me. I have this order to give to the boss." Bows traded in leaving them and many shocked backed expressions following such a show of humanity. I come to pick up the package by mouth gently and tot about with looking at the silent ways. I sit at the edge of waiting to be waved over.
"Hunter?" Hade's spots me, "What are you doing here?"
"Someone made a bet to order things? I don't know. I just read the message and got on with fixing the order up."
"Oh, that was a joke. If you got the things you might as well join us." I smell something bad around here and circled around, slow to trust whom talking to Death. Something of there smell isn't just bad but I knew it from before being what I were now.
That be the demon that blow my home and killed my folks? Or is it that they came from someplace like that?
"You know, some day I find the pest that tickes me off the most." I have ears back with approaching and avoided there shadows completely. Sitting in Hade's shadow and I put the package to Hade's hand. He goes through each item slowly in the bag and closed it instantly with having to answer something.
"Well you could say there a very resourceful dog around here."
"Like cerbus?" this fellow is some sort of nightmare god from that dreamland version of realms. A creature that seems very hollow inside but is full of screaming winds that act as the body itself. The smell seems like corpse but it's not them exactly that I am smelling. It's the skins it has patched into the pouch cloth.
"well, anyways. Is there anything you got that worth the payment for these items."
"And…" I spoke up, "what conditions did you wish the names you wanted to found in? alive, death or soul like? Where did you want them putting?"
"You are very handy." Their shadow danced and I paw it as a warning.
"Don't touch me, you seem weird and I don't trust you yet." This had Hades laughing at them and Death tilted in a strange way, "You seem wrong in some way to me, this is why I am being arkward."
"You're quite rude." It has claws out the shadow and I met with my claws and a hiss. This moved the shadow away from me. Well, it also moved Hade's too. Death stayed but looked into the contain of the bag.
"Missing a few items."
"I were to see if it were wise to just hand off rings like that, policy to give to the proper races. Why give to something I never met or seen." This has Death tilt out of it and is back to his things. These two find that I just were being defencive around something new to me and 'settled' back down. This werido folds all up all proper like. I stayed as I am but less claws and less threat.
"This is a high ranked god among the dream realms, a sort of protector of dreams. This is whom regulates nightmares crossing over." I study them for a long time with making sense of it all, "If you travelled the nightmare lands, it be child without a face and a terrible shadow."
"Oh, I heard about you. It seems the mouse was right. I have to thank the cartoon next visit." I shifted as the poacher in the nightmare visit form, "Then of course you could have heard of me in this shape… yet, I would a commoner among them nightamres. A visitor with strangeness around them; I heard talked at my back before."
"Ah, the poacher. You trade guts for worms."
"Yes. The raven's love it. I don't get it. bird you know." I sigh, "well I have no issues with handing people and rings over. I know how you prefer, blind and fine. Yet where does one put them? You know. You just put a bones lizard in a room of souls or a word eater in tomes of souls." I get strange looks about this change of being causal and comfortable, "Do I bother you too then? Rare that find anyone these days that does human things. I do try to act the part and practice. Busines and life relies on such acting."
"Oh boy, you are scary indeed. It make things worse if the trader your often seen with was."
"That is down stairs with my shop." They stopped talking and snarled cold at me. I respect that backing down and altered back to a wolf. Sitting with waiting.
"You put them folks back where you found them or where they belong. I pay you thirteen for the items, as I still needed them. I give you 370 for the rings."
"In what currency?"
"Nightmare."
"mm… the items you requested are a little higher then that. I do have all the items you asked, demon heart, small portion of path dust, three crystal of partulcaur harvesting methods and the not to need spoken 12 other detailed hard to find or obtain items."
"the metal of a dying star?"
"cooled down into nail."
"the pint of a particular demon race."
"easy."
"the skin of a slayer?"
"easier."
This propet Hades to stop listing.
"You haven't even got to the smelly stuff." I pouted, "Oh well. Yes, all that. High grade stuff."
"How about I give you something?" this had me stare strangely with them, "You're into meat and stuff right?" I slowly nod with study, "Free haverst on the home pastor."
"They aren't worth anything here but they are tasty… mmm. That is tough one." I thought long about it, "I take one whole and that good enough."
"Whole? From heads to tails?"
"Whole, just one. Clears the price easy. The materials is worth it."
"What are two talking about?"
The god takes out something and as it described to them in their languages.
"Whole and very dead. I fetch it later, the middle size ish." I continued, "I toss in a few extra helpful stuff in that bag while that whole is offered. Good yummy deal for me." Death glared at me, "It will never be here in this realm unless I have already ate it or made bits out of it. It keep me from daily hunting for the next year (hopefully). I promise that the soul of it is sorted accordingly and it be treated as all I would in my contracts."
"That thing is the size of this building and you asked for bigger."
"yeah, 10 years eating and it doesn't settle with the bird sorts, so they will not have any. It help my beak issues too, nutrians and stuff."
I never been so stared down before, not since my favourite turned on me. I bowed and pouted with hoping he stop staring at me but I wasn't backing away from the chance of not eaching demons.
"I have a feeling that the poacher means well. As I know, the poacher has killed a few before, leaving the bones in the pose they were. Just bone, which makes my work easy."
"Yeah, there about a week worth left of that one." I commented, "Tiny they were. I thought nothing wrong about ridding the mit issue."
"Those things weren't the… uh, you know what." Toss a book at me, I let it hit me and slide on the floor in front of me. My paws kick it about and I have a read through it. learning new things too, "You can read right?"
"yep." I sink the book to my mask to finish reading it and it does so with tossing it back out to them, "So like, the one I want would be about flea to you…" I thought long about sizing, "this building and a half? Right?" I tilt, "Or not. This building has no measurement. So the humans largest prymind string into a rope."
"that thing? Are you sure?"
"yes, that sounds troubling." Death voiced.
"Look I ate about… mmm… 19 large demons a day, meat wise. I don't eat for long period then eat that again – frozen and leeched in all sort of furits." Tilt with how that bothered the boss, "I prefer this method then eating people. I can't understand these werid things, so it's like eating a cow for a human. Lasts long periods and is very filling. I don't like eating things that… those I can speak to."
The stare between them had weighted up that this were one the few alterintive foods I could enjoy.
"What's wrong about eating normal foods like beef, pork and chicken?" Hade's asked.
"I could talk to them." a simple reply that took a lot of thinking, "Much like how the ravens enjoy road kill, I can't stand such for myself. Or any humanoids excluding demons. Demons I have grudge for, but I can spare the many if they give me a good reason not to." I blinked with trying to adjust with how one of them shines a light on me, "Please stop, my shadow is downstairs. I told you that." The light moved off, "something about a ring exchange I weren't so sure about. Clothus weridos, but in their view it must have some common sense. I don't see it though." My back foot scratched my ear. Sitting with waiting on this being a confirmed deal.
"You can come with me to collect the thing after my business is finished here." I stopped and sractching and shook up. I looked around of skin shed. I pattered in a circle to sink to the shadows back to my shop, into the place of my shadow as a person.
This deal was tricky with them wanting to request dust and posion too. They already had soul capture things. It be a long while when they will stop natterng between them before I can edge a word in about not taking this deal up. But this were all caught on with the refusal to shake hands over it. The straight out hiss from their backs as they backed away to leave disappointed in my shop.
Hours of bird dealing meats and further relisting what I am missing. I have letters from traders asking for new supply of items. The birds wanting something exoctic to be picked up and this list is growing into a round trip around the paths for a while. I do so on my way back out from taking the met from nightmare's dream dweller god thing. I need to kit up like a human would for a journey and act the human part in hunting.