|
|
Post by Angela on Feb 14, 2021 0:23:57 GMT -5
She had to remind herself not to laugh as Don whipped his head around and licked her in the face. They were on a stealth mission and it wouldn't be so stealthy if they caused Jen to check out her front door.
"Just you wait fella. I'll get you back."
She snickered, adjusting the overgrown pup in her arms, concentrating and spending the necessary energies to pass through. The plane of reality would ripple as she and Don touched the gauntlet, the physical sensation one would get when your face breaks the surface tension of a pool of water. Carefully she would pass through and then set Don down.
This was the Penumbra. A mirrored or overlapping realm where the viewpoint was different based upon the viewer. Some areas where banes and malevolent spirits resided, the view couldn't help but see a twisted version of the reality they had just come from. But this apartment complex was fairly new, didn't appear to be haunted or the location of any tragedies. For Angela, everything took on a blue tone, as if the only light source in every window was a full moon. The walls of the building seemed to have tiny vines that grew from the floor to the very top, not covering the wall as if nature was reclaiming it but almost as if it was a 3D wallpaper design, sometimes with different spiritual glyphs twisted into the pattern. For Don, it could look completely different, she just hoped it wouldn't take a dark turn for him as some could view the Penumbra in a constant state of decay.
She would turn, moving to the door numbered 423 quickly. Fingers would grasp the door handle, giving it a good jiggle and a shake. She'd shift into her tsitsu form, gaining the extra height and strength and just shoulder in the door as gently as she could. Once open she'd step inside, waiting until Don followed her before closing it.
Jen's apartment would be mirrored, only Angela and Don would not be able to see any people, so they would not know where Jen or Mikie happened to be. But the TV remained on here just as it did in the real world. Nothing but flickering lights and no sound.
"Hey Don. You good? My bet is someone is in front of that TV. I can't talk when I shift to coyote so I just wanted to check first. I'll shift, then push us both back out into the real world. Jen's door will still be locked and we'll be able to see them. Good?"
|
|
|
|
Post by jsmith506 on Feb 14, 2021 1:20:27 GMT -5
"Yeah, I'm good, let's just get back." After he followed her inside he gave a little shake implying this wasn't a good trip for him and he was trying to shake off some invisible dust, or he had the heebejeebees.
Like Angela, everything had a blue glow to it, but also as if it were decomposing and bits of dust and particles floated up in the air off everything. Everything seemed dry and cracked.
|
|
|
|
Post by Angela on Feb 14, 2021 21:42:00 GMT -5
Angela nodded, giving Don a littel smile before shifting down into her Latrani form, looking like any other natural Coyote. No bones popping, no unnatural positions, even her clothes would seemingly vanish. She'd give herself a good shake, getting used to being on all fours again before walking up and pressing her head against his side. A tingle of magic and she'd push him through to the other side of the gauntlet, back into the real world and very much inside of Jen's apartment without the need to jimmy a lock. A second later, she'd push her way through the veil.
Angie's nose would lift, sniffing the air as she hunkered down low against the carpet and peeked her head around the loveseat. Jen still was still sleeping soundly, curled up into a small ball with her arms wrapped around a pillow and a blanket covering everything but her head. Large ears would perk up and she'd look up to the TV that was still softly playing in the background. It was probably close to 5 PM, but the local news had yet to come on. She wondered, if Jen was on the couch the she must have given Mikie her bed, this looked to be a somewhat small apartment.
|
|
|
|
Post by jsmith506 on Feb 14, 2021 23:07:39 GMT -5
Don shadowed Angela as she sniffed around the apartment. He nudged her hind quarter with his nose and scratched at Michael's shoes by the door quietly indicating their boy was still here. His smell was clear in the place anyway. He sniffed the air in the livingroom getting a full profile of Jennifer's scent before heading down to her bedroom quietly to look in on Michael. He was still sleeping soundly hugging one of Jennifer's pillows, half in her blankets, and half out yet still fully clothed. Don just shook his head with a grin. Looks like it hadn't happened yet.
He padded back around the apartment once again getting the layout. He used his nose and front paws to pry open the fridge, he closed it again softly with his butt in disappointment, would have been better to thank her for some kind of food and have it be gone later as proof they were really there and then Michael would have to cover and say he at it. He snickered and suppressed a couple laughs, would look more like he was suppressing a cough in this form. He padded over to Jennifer and planted his butt on the floor, his eyes and nose about thirty inches from her face. He motioned with his snout for Angela to come over and sit beside him. When she made it over and was settled, he would clear his throat and speak in his best Admiral Ackbar impersonation.
"Pssst... Jennifer. Wake up Jennifer."
|
|
|
|
Post by Jennifer on Feb 15, 2021 1:12:20 GMT -5
Angela peeked in on Mikie. She wondered if he would be mad or embarassed by this. It was pretty funny.
She'd trot over to where Don sat, plopping her butt upon the floor next to him. He'd whisper. Jen would mumble something, but ultimately hug her pillow tighter and stay asleep. Angela would just lean in and lick her face.
"NYAH!" Jen would about jump out of her skin, wide eyed and half asleep. Had she fallen asleep in class and a dog had licked her face. It was her first instinct to believe that considering the dream she was having but instead, she'd find herself in her own apartment being stared at by two...Coyotes? And not just any coyotes, the ones that were at the studio.
She'd rub her eyes hard. She had to be still dreaming, but when she opened them back up and her eyes adjusted back to the light, they were still there.
"This can't be happening...."
She contemplated calling for Michael, but still wasn't certain if she was awake or asleep.
|
|
|
|
Post by jsmith506 on Feb 15, 2021 1:36:50 GMT -5
"Shhh shh, it's alright Jennifer. Don't be frightened, we mean you no harm. This is all just a dream, the excitement and exhaustion of the day yesterday is giving you some vivid dreams. We just want you to know my mate here is uninjured." He gave Angela a little nudge, his lips curling up over his gums with a coyote grin. "We also forgive you for nearly squishing us with your silly human death machine. Is there anything you'd like to add Angelfluff?" He nuzzled into Angela again, this time in a way she could feign whispering in his ear. He chuckled and righted himself to face Jennifer once more. "Yes of course, she said the ginger kid is totally into you and you should go for it." He nodded and said one last thing before standing. "We'll trouble you no longer, just lay back down and rest. We can see ourselves out, we got in on our own right? Shall we darling?"
He nuzzled into Angela for a third time and moved somewhat out of sight and behind the couch, Jennifer could look over it of course... but would she?
|
|
|
|
Post by Angela on Feb 15, 2021 9:06:14 GMT -5
Angela sat there, long ears attentive, mouth agape in a happy pant to mimic a very dog-like smile. Don leaned in for a nuzzle, asking for her opinion. She'd make some light noises like she was saying something, and maybe she was, leaning over to his ear as he indicated she should do. Then he'd mention the bit about the ginger kid. She pushed her cold wet nose in his ear and snorted. Some people didn't move as fast as he did, though she wondered if it would break Playing the Heart Strings. Fate wouldn't feel the need to keep them together if they were together. Did she even tell Don about that? It didn't matter.
Jen just sat there in shock. Was she breathing? She might've forgotten to breathe. Rabies was no longer her first concern, now she wondered if the effects of cocaine could be passed through skin contact because she clearly was hallucinating. The. Coyote. Was. Talking. She'd reach up and bring her hand to her face, taking her fingers and flicking her own cheek just to test it out. Yup, she felt that.
Angela made a sound that sounded like a laugh. Don moved in for another nuzzle and she'd playfully nip at his neck before hopping up on her feet and trotting her way behind the couch with Donnie. She'd let out a quick yip for good measure, loud enough to possibly wake the cupcake before pressing her head against Don's side and pushing them back into the Penumbra and out of sight.
The Penumbra would be there exactly as they left it. Door to the apartment slightly ajar where Angela broke it, everything cast in a blueish shadow as the large full moon peered in through the apartment windows.
|
|
|
|
Post by jsmith506 on Feb 15, 2021 12:42:15 GMT -5
Just before Angela pushed them back into the Prenumbra, he whispered hopefully loud enough for Jennifer to hear. "Mate with the ginger kid...." Then there was a loud Yip! and they were back in the penumbra.
In Jennifer's bedroom, Michael would wake up. He smacked his mouth and tongue a few times opening and closing it, was he ever dry! He looked to the night stand and saw the water there, he sat up. No headache, it was a miracle. He reached over and guzzled the whole bottle of water in one go. He hopped out of bed and stretched. Fit as a fiddle and right as rain, but still really dry. He would walk into the kitchen and straight to the fridge to grab another water. He closed the fridge and his eyes locked onto Jen sitting there dumb struck on the couch. "Good... evening Jennifer, are you alright? Would you like a water as well?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Jennifer on Feb 15, 2021 14:02:39 GMT -5
Jennifer's eyes would widen at that last comment. How... and why... was she being peer pressured by a couple of coyotes? She had dared to peek around the back of her loveseat when she heard a stirring in the other room. She knew she was hallucinating now because the coyotes were gone.
Michael would walk out of the bedroom and straight over to the fridge as if nothing at all was amiss.
"Yes. Yes water would be great. Did you.... did you happen to hear anything? Or see anything weird just now?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Angela on Feb 15, 2021 14:13:49 GMT -5
Angela slinked back into the hallway through the cracked door of the umbral apartment. Her nose down to the ground curiously as she trotted along, following the scent to a specific spot upon the wall. To her, it would look as if a ripple would shoot up through those tiny vines that clung to the wall as soon as her nose touched it and from that ripple a small orb weaver spider would land on her the end of her snout. She'd back away from the wall, tilting her head oddly as if trying to get a better view of the small spider that had landed upon her only to eventually sneeze. The spider would fall to the ground, scurrying back up the wall.
Intrigued, Angela's nose would follow the spider as far up as she could get, standing on her hind legs to watch as it made it's way back up to the ceiling. What she saw was interesting. The entire hallway ceiling was covered in spiderwebs. She'd grin, for there was nothing to be worried about from the weaver, but perhaps the weaver was trying to warn her of something.
Curiously she'd tilt her head to the side as the webs above began to flutter as if a breeze was blowing from the parking garage. Large ears would perk up and look in that direction, nose sniffing the breeze since she and Don were downwind. What she smelled would about make her gag. Turning the corner and smelling of death and liquorish walked something that looked like a man in beach shorts from the waist down. From the waist up a bloated corpse with four eyes and a slash in it's head for a mouth. Out of every orifice steam billowed and it made it look like a steam engine as it walked towards them.
Angela shifted back into human with a grin, running towards Don to snatch the white coyote up in her arms and roll, pushing them back into the main plane. They'd hit the floor outside of Jen's apartment with a thud.
"Whoopsie." She'd snicker, looking back down the hall. A man stood there where the weird creature had once been. He stared at them strangely, key to his apartment in one hand and giant vape rig in the other, his head surrounded by a cloud of liquorish vape that he had just released moments ago.
Cautiously he'd insert his key, turn the handle, and walk into his apartment, locking the door quickly behind him. He was starting to see things he was sure of it.
|
|
|
|
Post by jsmith506 on Feb 15, 2021 15:14:37 GMT -5
Michael reached inside the fridge and grabbed another bottle of water for Jennifer. He walked over to her and knelt down beside her passing it to her. "Well, I heard something. I'm not sure what it was that woke me up... I thought you might have sneezed. Didn't see anything... You ok Jennifer?" He cocked his head to the side, one side of his squirly red hair was matted terribly with bed-head.
Don kicked his paws helplessly in the air as he stared wide eyed at the freaky looking mother-fucker in the hallway. Angela pushed them back into reality and he sniffed at the strange man in the hallway that was now in place of the freaky mother-fucker. "What in the shit was that heckin' thing!? He cussed out in a whisper, he let himself go limp in her arms, the surprise of the moment gone.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jennifer on Feb 15, 2021 16:27:16 GMT -5
Jennifer took the water from Michael's hand and chuckled. He was going to think she was crazy and run out the door but then she recalled where he worked and what he did for a living. He probably heard much crazier things than this.
"I'm fine." She looked to his mess of red curls, wanting to reach out and fix them from where he slept but decided against it. She'd instead just scoot over, pulling the blanket over and tossing it over the back of the love seat to make room for him to sit.
"I'm going to assume this was a dream and not some walking hallucination. So I dreamed there were two coyotes in my apartment. Same two coyotes from the studio. The white one spoke and said they wanted to let me know his mate was okay and they forgive me for running them over with their silly human death machine."
She shook her head with a slight blush, opening up the bottle of water with a laugh. "I know I know. Weird day. Weird dreams. Did you sleep okay?"
Angela just grinned, holding on to the wiggling pooch as the guy slipped into the apartment. Just some crazy lady wrestling her dog in the hallway. Just keep walking big guy. Once the door locked behind him, she'd let Donnie go and stand to her feet, brushing herself off and moving towards the parking garage, passing by the door and giving it a good stare, she could feel the presence behind the door, staring at them through the peep hole.
"That, Donnie, is someone who likes the taste liquorish. Bet he drinks Jaeger for the flavor too and not just to get drunk like a normal person."
The air still smelled of the original stink, like it followed him out of the Pneumbra and into the real world. She'd never been so happy to make it out into the garage where the wind moved around the smell of car exhaust instead of that.
"Actually, that Donnie was a bane. Or at any rate, a bane that has managed to posses a human body." Probably something that shouldn't be left wandering around, but nothing that seemed like an immediate threat except for the host. Hence, why she just walked away and was making her way back to the elevator and the Caddy.
"Oh hey. Isn't Randy's Donuts near here? Don't know why I have a sudden craving."
|
|
|
|
Post by jsmith506 on Feb 15, 2021 17:34:51 GMT -5
Michael's eyes widened and his hand shot up over his mouth to hide the fact it was completely agape. Had Angela and Don seriously broken in here and messed with them? Oh who was he kidding of course they did... "Wow, that sure is quite the dream there Jennifer. I think you must have really felt bad for what happened and this is just your sub conscious telling you to let it go and they will be fine." He would reach out and put his hand on her upper arm near her shoulder with a gentle squeeze before letting go and sitting on the couch beside her. "I slept great! Your bed is super comfortable, thanks for letting me borrow it again. I think I really needed it."
-----------------------------------------
"Well whatever it was, gave me the creeps, glad we're out of there.... but seriously liquorice? Blech.." His claws clicked on the concrete as he followed behind her. They got to the SUV and he shifted back to his humanoid self. He opened the back seat, he had left it unlocked. He threw his clothes back on but left his jacket in the back seat, he was feeling kind of warm.
"Doughnuts huh? Well at least you didn't say pickles, would have had me worried there." He tossed Angela the keys. "You better drive, shifting back to back like that takes alot out of me. Don't want to put a new doughnut hole in the doughnut shop with the caddy. And yeah, I thought I saw that one on our way in here. Hopefully there's a sensor that'll just let us out and we don't need a fob. Hehe, maybe they have coffee there too and we can sit and review the footage."
|
|
|
|
Post by Jennifer on Feb 15, 2021 19:34:33 GMT -5
Jennifer would catch Michael's look. He did think she was crazy. She shouldn't have said anything. She'd take a few gulps of the water and set it on the end table. She certainly was glad she didn't mention anything else that coyote had said. Cause if that part was her subconscious being guilty.... She'd blush at the thought.
"I'm glad you slept well. I'd say you absolutely needed it. You had quite the adventure." She'd chuckle, looking at the time. "I know we crashed for over eight hours."
She seemed a little nervous, a little fidgety as she picked at her nails. "So. Um. It's late and um. I'm pretty hungry. I don't think I want to go out and was just thinking to order in. Do you.... want to join me? Don't feel like you have to if you have somewhere you need to be. But, you also don't have to leave. If, um, you don't want to."
----------
"You see Donnie. That's the true mark of the beast. I don't trust anyone who really likes black licorice."
Angela would play lookout at the back of the SUV to make sure no one would swing by to see him shift or catch him with his junk out. She'd snicker at his comment, and reach up to snatch the tossed keys out of the air.
"MMmmmmmm pickle Donuts...." She'd make a face then with a full body shiver. "Don't be silly Donny. And you were trying to chase cookie dude out of the building so I figured some kind of sweets would be nice. Ooooh. Maybe they have bacon donuts. And of course coffee." Then after a pause. "Think cupcake will be pissed at us? You know he'll figure it out."
|
|
|
|
Post by jsmith506 on Feb 15, 2021 21:02:33 GMT -5
Michael saw it, her blush. He grinned, should he tell her the truth? Would she believe it? He had to, she had to know the truth, it was wrong to keep all of this from her when she had been so kind and took him in.
He put his hand over her hand once more after she was done gulping nervouslying on her water. "Of course I would love to have dinner with you Jennifer. I'll... err, the boss will buy. Trust me, he owes us, I'll explain after once we have some warm food in front of us. You aren't crazy Jennifer, the world is a crazy place, and I feel like when our paths crossed you may have been sucked into a whole lot of crazy. But it's okay! We're here, everything is fine... Sooo, dim sum?"
-----------------------------------------
"Ya got me there hehe, I do love my sweet pastries... a bacon doughnut you say? My curiosity is peaked..." He hopped in the passenger seat and felt his phone buzz in his pocket. It was a text from Michael.
"Are you two for real right now? You broke in here and talked to Jennifer while we were asleep! Poor girl thinks she's crazy now! I'm going to have to come clean with her about everything now you bastards! Bahhh! I'm not comming in to work tomorrow now either. Stay away from Jen or I'll straight up dick punch you! 🍆👊"
Don's eyes began to water, then he started busting a gut laughing in the passenger seat. Gasping, he just held up his phone so Angela could read.
|
|
