Third Brew | Accidental Video | March 16, Shortly Before Midnight

[vintage_magic]

[While it’s only been three days since Lily disappeared, it’s been nearly a month by her reckoning. The witch’s weeks in San Francisco had been busy: tying up loose ends with the demon at the School of Fine Arts, starting lessons with the male witch Aidan Rhodes, and getting involved in another murder investigation when Inspector Romero asked her to consult on the bizarre death of Malachi Zazi. The leader of the Serpentarian Society had been found dead on the dining table of his 13th floor penthouse, stabbed with a shard from a broken mirror and surrounded by bad luck symbols the morning after one of the rationalist society’s midnight dinner parties.]

[The following days were complicated by devil worshipers, a disappearing corpse, and evil witches. Snakes kept coming up, too. And then there was the hex left on Bronwyn’s doorstep. That led to arguments with Lily’s friends over her meddling. And she had broken up with Max since he couldn’t accept her being a witch. Most of her few friends were angry with her but she couldn’t just drop the investigation as they wanted her to. Not after Bronwyn had been threatened.]

[And—despite some hesitation—that was why Lily ended up in her kitchen, brewing the Living Things in You spell to force a conclusion to the case. If it worked as she intended, Malachi’s killer would feel the uncomfortable sensation of a snake wriggling around inside their body, possibly be driven temporarily insane, and give their identity away.]

[But as always, BREW had wonderful timing and chose to bring her back to Death City mid-spell. Eyes closed in concentration and focused on her task, Lily fails to notice when the scene shifts from her San Francisco kitchen. Or when her rarely used communicator falls to the floor and turns on. It lands propped up against a wall, giving an oddly angled view of the kitchen in one of the Creeping Crypt apartments.]

[There’s a thirtyish woman in a black dress. In one hand, she holds a featureless doll of black wax, dripping with some red substance. In the other, there’s a small glass bottle—is that tabasco sauce? Eyes still closed, she mumbles a chant. It might have sounded more ominous if it weren’t for her Texas twang.]

What is evil and death is nigh, take this poppet through and through
As serpents twist on high, so the snakes shall live in you

[She reaches out to a cauldron on the stove and drops the crude wax figure in. There’s no bubbling up or cloud of steam as she expects, just a dull thud as the poppet hits the bottom of the pot. She blinks in confusion as she peers inside.]

What in tarnation? [Her expression goes from one of confusion to disbelief and the sauce bottle slips from her fingers to join the wax doll at the bottom of the cold cauldron. Lily had been finding it more difficult to cast lately, probably due to that hex Renna told her about, but the contents of an entire cauldron disappearing on her was a first. She blows out an exasperated breath.] What happened to my brew? I have a murderer to catch. [As if her week hadn’t already been bad enough…]

[Lily’s eyes fall to her Book of Shadows lying closed on the counter. It should have been open to the spell. She grips the red leather-bound volume as she looks around and frowns when she realizes there’s a much more troubling fact.] …This isn’t my kitchen. [It definitely isn’t the one in her apartment above Aunt Cora’s Closet. Yet, it seems vaguely familiar somehow. And her goblin—or should it be gargoyle?—familiar is nowhere in sight.] Oscar? [No answer.]

[Her head feels muddled too although it’s not quite the usual hangover feeling she gets after casting a strong spell. Letting go of the spellbook and rubbing at her temples, Lily wishes she had some willow bark tea. She mutters to herself…] What in the Sam Hill is going on here?


[OOC: Lily is back from a canon update after having disappeared on the 13th and doesn’t remember everything yet although she will eventually. And yes, she actually learned that snake spell in the novels. But obviously, it does not work here!]

Comments

Video

[ritsu_kouyou]

[There is a very disgruntled young woman on DEMISE, looking as if she's responding from her bed. Her words are sharp and clipped.]

Do you have any idea what time it is? People are trying to sleep. Go to bed and figure it all out in the morning.

[Video]

[lezard_valeth]

[And here he was just about to retire for bed. Instead, he is treated to a most interesting video entry. She was undoubtedly performing some form of witchcraft... as a sorcerer, seeing such a thing was fascinating, and he would bear witness with his chin passively nestled atop a palm.]

[Ah, and she seems confused. He switched the feed on for a reply.]

It would seem BREW saw fit to interrupt you.

Video;

[conjecture_this]

[The first thing out of Nagi's mouth?]

Are you attempting the process of cooking something?

[Video]

[socialbutterfly]

[Minato's attention is immediately drawn... by Nagi's insinuation of food.]

What're you cooking, Lily-san?

[Video]

[timelessummoner]

[...This feels awfully familiar. Not the spell-chanting -- he takes that in a stride -- but her appearing again and acting confused.]

Ivory-san?

[video]

[starfruitfrog]

[What is that suspicious person doing in the kitchen now...?]

Kitchens...are for preparing food, de arimasu. At dinnertime, de arimasu. Quietly, de arimasu.