Night hasn't quite fallen yet but the streets are already dark. Clouds cover the sky, most streetlight still unlit. Few people are out in the chilly air and those who are walk quickly, coats held closed tight around themselves. Apart from them –and some errant floating lights, the most common of magic phenomena– the city is still. It might be the season or the weather, perhaps a fear of the magic in the dark, or maybe this is what it's always like. Regardless of the reason, side alleys and small streets are all empty except for some early fog, not uncommon at this time of the year.
As they pass through some larger streets (which are still windy and don't seem to follow a particularly logical or good design), they see less of the floating lights but a few more people. Most of those are walking either hurriedly or purposefully; and the rest either stand near bars or are out for an evening walk or jog. Aside from a strange plant and animal or two, things look quite mundane.
This one is not an exception but in the meantime they've arrived to the right building and Maven opens the door.
"Of course", he smiles, taking the stairs up to the second floor and holding the next door open for her.
It's a small and slightly untidy apartment.
"So, which do you prefer?", he asks, grabbing a blanket out of a closet.
"I'm happy with the couch. I might end up folding myself regardless, and you've had a hard day it'll probably be easier for you to sleep somewhere more familiar."
“Folding yourself? Oh, wait, that’s one of the things you said earlier about your magic, right? And okay”, Maven nods and hands her the blanket
"It's this."
Her flesh simply disappears leaving a mass of thin threads filling her rough outline before they retract apparently into the part that previously corresponded to her right foot and vanish entirely.
Maven stares at the place where Cora was a moment ago, left wordless. She just casually disappeared before his eyes. He's still not sure he isn't dreaming (or having a nightmare, depending on which parts of the evening he considers); his earlier theory about having hit his head also sounds more reasonable than the alleged reality.
A few seconds later she reverses the process and is standing there again as if nothing happened. "From your reaction I'm guessing local magic isn't as dramatic as that. Or else just rare enough that you hadn't expected to see something that dramatic."
"Mostly the second, I think", he replies, resisting the urge to poke at her (people still feel real in dreams anyway, it wouldn't confirm anything).
"Well, uhm, till morning, then, goodnight." Maven nods again and steps into the bedroom, closing the door behind him.
"Goodnight." Cora will sit down on the couch before folding herself up again and drifting in the weave. Letting her mind wander to the others in the building and beyond. She's trained herself well enough that she'll notice when he gets close if she isn't already awake.