“What are you thinking about, son?” When Elvin closed the door to their apartment, he asked Marcus: “You seem - tense about something.”
“Yeah no - it’s just a lot.” Marcus shook his head, then sat down on the sofa, rubbing his temples: “That Wug - what did you see when you faced him like that, Dad?”
“Huh?”
“What did you see when you stood in front of him? Or did you hear anything? Feel anything?” Marcus took out the piece of torn white fabri his pocket - it still retaihat ethereal, smooth and out of this world quality that tingled his sehe visions he saw still had him p. There was definitely some meaning behind it.
“I - I don’t really remember. All I remember is this sense of chilling danger and - and this weird feeling of death.” Elvin scratched his jaw: “I don’t know how to describe it - it’s different from what I expect from a Wug. It’s - a death I know that I’ll never see a way back from and will be something pletely new. It’s kinda - ”
“ - kinda of grandeur and holiness.” Marodded: “Yeah - I guess. That is what I felt as well.” Marcus leaned ba the sofa, reminisg the visions shared with him by the Wug, which seemed exclusive to him. As he tio recall the images from the vision - the sense of something vast, powerful, pure but broken grew in his mind. And in dired disturbing trast to this presence of order and harmonious cycle, was the altar and the dark tendrils that killed the Bck Wug and ihe White. It radiated something utterly corrupt, distortion of the natural and a little humaion of devotion a.
“What - what are you thinking? I help?” Elvin asked.
“Probably not now - I’ll o think about it a little. And maybe ask for some guidan what information to look for.” Marcus sighed and stood up: “Alright dad, I’ll o take a shower. I have an early day tomorrow.”
The m, Marcus got to the prect even earlier than his usual time. The reason was simple: Captain Ko had arranged a meetiween him, the Captain himself, Detective Shrevas Pahaik and a city cilman, cilman Ding.
In all these years of being a detective for the city, Marcus rarely had the ce to actually officially meet anyone who was close to higher-ups of the city, not to mention actual cilmen and en.
The captain himself was in somewhat of a more formal looking attire, aive Shrevas Pahaik also appeared to have ed himself up quite a bit, which made Marcus seem quite underdressed.
“We’re meeting a cilman, if you’re looking to advance your career iy, being at least superficially formal is a must.” Captain Ked at Marcus when he looked at them in unfortable curiosity: “But - it’s not mandatory, so you don’t o ge. And I expect this meeting to be short.”
“Shorter than our train ride there?” Marcus finished up his coffee.
“Yeah, perhaps.” Captain Ko sighed.
Some man was pining that his wallet was stolen to the train station security guard when Marcus got orain along with the Captain and Shrevas.
“One of these days we o do something about these train station pick pockets.” Marcus shook his head as he adjusted his borrowed tie.
“If it was easy, then it’d be solved. ” Shrevas shrugged: “I still remember when I was a beat cop, and I walk a nearby area almost everyday - I could cate or two a week if I’m lucky. Most of the time they just retreat into the other distrid I ’t do anything even if they’re taunting me right in my face. I almost got permaly suspended once, just because some local punk ran into a tea store and I got him there.”
“Yeah, I remember. ‘Disrupting the harmoween districts’, the reason was.” Captain Ko chuckled: “Sadly it’s still the case now. And it’s why people are gradually moving away from these areas, even with the easy access to the train.”
“Hello there, my friends, you want some - somethiing? ” A young man with messy hair and in a multi-pocketed dirty cloak came into the car and asked around: “I’ve grances. I’ve got sticks, and I’ve grant sticks if you’ll believe me. Nid cheap! You ’t get them anywhere else! Buy some! I’ve got them real deals!”
Shrevas and Marcus turheir eyes on Captain Ko at the same time. Solig oy train is a minor offense most of the time. And in most cases they wouldn’t even bat an eye. But this young man just mentioned “sticks”, a code word for ons. If it was true, it would instantly escate to a major felony.
Captain Ko sighed and stepped slightly towards the dire from which the young man came. And when the young man reached his side, he asked: “What kind of sticks do you have?”
The young man’s face lit up, as he pulled open the right side of his cloak and revealed a few slightly rusty isters with tarnished bels: “This is - you’re not gonna believe it - trated pepper spray, made with blessed water from the temples. Good for your daily need against punks AND un filths.”
“Pepper spray? That’s all?” Captain Ko sounded like he was actually both somewhat disappointed and relieved: “That’s the ‘fragrant stick’ you’re referring to?”
“Yes. Yes!” The young man nodded, nervous about what Captain Ko might say: “It’s the best in the market! And besides, what’s sur sticks gonna do when you’re being chased by a spirit, or haunted by a peist, huh? With this in hand, you’ll be just fine!”
“Okay. Okay.” Captain Ko waved his hand shaking his head: “I don’t his. Find someone else.”
“Are you sure, sir?” The young man inched closer: “These are some really good stuff! I personally guarantee you - ”
Captain Ko fshed the badge hanging from inside of his jacket to cut the young man off. The young man was stunned mid sentehen immediately scurried away.
“Well. That’s - creative. I guess.” Shrevas chuckled.
“Yeah I’d give them that.” Captain Ko sighed: “Too bad I don’t think it will work.”
“Hmm - you’re sure?” Shrevas took a look at Marcus: “I thought it just may - ”
“Adding other solutions redients into blessed water is a mostly ued territory.” Marcus shrugged: “I know they only be mixed with rice wine made of sticky rice, or just raw sticky rice. So - ”
A chime resounded in the car - they reached a stop in the middle of the South-Western District.
Shout outs for my patrons:
mant06
Jonathan
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