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Bella amasses a spreadsheet full of runes. She learns enough about programming to store them a bit more elegantly than that and get the program to make suggestions that do various results. Doesn't have a GUI wrapper, but it works for the part that is about choosing runes and sizes, if not laying them out - that still has to be done by hand.
Invisibility is going to be very popular with monsters who want to go out in the world.
As far as scrolls are concerned: Xeroxing them doesn't work. Carbon paper does, even on gray paper where the runes are barely visible for intellectual property reasons, and tracing a xeroxed copy also works fine; a simple spell takes about five minutes to make a stack of four. The spells are available in French and Spanish. There isn't a huge selection to start. But it's something.
They give Angela an after-school job tracing them according to demand so they have more time to discover additional runes and work out additional spells, and they put up fliers in the Avalon advertising a mail-order service.
Bella gets a car. It's a beat-up station wagon, but it works.
Bella has a small business, a vehicle, and a long-term career plan.
She sets about making arrangements to skip the eleventh grade, and Darren follows suit.
The two of them are adorably attached to each other. There is a lot of kissing. Savannah teases them a lot and Bella messes with her and Darren blushes.
By the time summer vacation starts, they have a stabilized price point, sufficient regular buyers, enough repertoire, and a nest egg of money that permit them to rent a small storefront and hire a teenage griffin to sell scrolls in the Avalon. They are on their way out (Savannah accompanying for kicks, Bella driving) to seal the deal and drop off a batch of inventory. Bright and early.
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shesepankh
morethanimaginary
That's just upsetting. She gives up trying to find Bella, that's pointless, she could be anywhere. Back to trying to attack Darren.
castmyown
Darren has only a healing scroll left. He shifts, goes full peryton, and then proceeds to dance out of not-Savannah's reach. He is graceful in his natural form.
They probably don't notice right now because they are busy, but there is a car approaching.
They probably don't notice right now because they are busy, but there is a car approaching.
shesepankh
Bella trails not-Savannah, using her wake, gliding rather than making flapping noises, so she can pounce if she catches up to Darren. She's gone fullform since she's conveniently invisible.
castmyown
Dance away, dance dance - whoo that was a close call he almost got punched - dance dance.
And that is when the car on the highway stops. Out comes the passenger.
There is a growl in a familiar voice that says, "Demon."
It appears that Mrs. Adams got something of a head start.
There is a growl in a familiar voice that says, "Demon."
It appears that Mrs. Adams got something of a head start.
shesepankh
Bella doesn't want to blow her invisibility when presumably Mrs. Adams can identify the demon's host and even tell where Bella is if she has to. So she doesn't say anything.
Mrs. Adams can indeed do all of those things.
Not-Savannah is tackled to the ground by a large and angry bugbear with very sharp claws. "Out," growls the bugbear. "And I will not make your return to Dis last hours."
Not-Savannah is tackled to the ground by a large and angry bugbear with very sharp claws. "Out," growls the bugbear. "And I will not make your return to Dis last hours."
shesepankh
Bella, reasonably confident that Mrs. Adams knows what she's doing, alights next to Darren, close enough for him to hear her breathing.
morethanimaginary
"What," laughs not-Savannah. "Going to set me back to Dis? Good fucking luck managing that without killing the girl."
Application of sharp, sharp claws to Savannah's throat. "Try me, demon. I've met you demons before, if you think I won't kill someone to get you gone you are mistaken," growls Mrs. Adams.
castmyown
Darren makes a little sound in his throat. "What, no, Mrs. Adams - my sister-"
"Now that won't be my first option," assures Mrs. Adams. "I am reasonable. But, demon," the bugbear leans in close. "Look me in the eye and say that I haven't done this song and dance before. Say I'm not a murderer."
morethanimaginary
The demon stares up at Mrs. Adams. It flinches. "Y-You... You wouldn't-"
Another stare. "D-Don't, no, don't."
Another stare. "D-Don't, no, don't."
"Get out," purrs the bugbear, "and I will make it quick. But you are not staying. You are never staying."
shesepankh
Bella thinks - hopes - that she's doing a very, very good job of bluffing.
And if she's not, maybe fairy princess magic can heal even after the point where someone's technically dead enough to evict occupants.
Bella presses herself against Darren, hopefully comfortingly.
And if she's not, maybe fairy princess magic can heal even after the point where someone's technically dead enough to evict occupants.
Bella presses herself against Darren, hopefully comfortingly.
castmyown
Darren would appreciate the effort if he were not staring in horror at his sister potentially getting horrifically killed by Mrs. Adams.
He doesn't know what he would do if she died here.
He doesn't know what he would do if she died here.
morethanimaginary
But, as it turns out - it does not become an issue.
The demon phases out of Savannah. The teenager slumps back, unconscious, but alive.
The demon phases out of Savannah. The teenager slumps back, unconscious, but alive.
Of course, doing this gets the demon out from under Mrs. Adams claws, too.
Who's up for round two?
Mrs. Adams. Mrs. Adams is up for round two. She demonstrates by picking up the demon with sharp, sharp claws, and throwing him - it? - at a tree. She does not pull her punches, not when demons are involved.
Who's up for round two?
Mrs. Adams. Mrs. Adams is up for round two. She demonstrates by picking up the demon with sharp, sharp claws, and throwing him - it? - at a tree. She does not pull her punches, not when demons are involved.
shesepankh
Bella lopes up to Savannah, goes human-form enough to get at the scrolls on her person, pulls a healing one, recites its incantation from memory.
castmyown
Darren notices Bella's attentions towards Savannah (by sound, not by sight) and smiles a little. He is perfectly happy to go help with taking out the demon that possessed his sister, now that it is firmly out of her...
But Mrs. Adams does not need his help. Actually she doesn't seem to need any sort of help at all.
The demon might, though. It becomes readily apparent that demons don't bleed. Instead, they ooze a red light that sticks to things before fading away. Some of the gore without none of the mess, how convenient. Because trying to clean up after the English teacher's demon-centered rampage would take hours.
It is not a clean fight. But it is very very fast. Also very one sided. The scattered pieces that remain of the demon fade away after, leaving nothing but the teenagers and the bugbear.
The demon might, though. It becomes readily apparent that demons don't bleed. Instead, they ooze a red light that sticks to things before fading away. Some of the gore without none of the mess, how convenient. Because trying to clean up after the English teacher's demon-centered rampage would take hours.
It is not a clean fight. But it is very very fast. Also very one sided. The scattered pieces that remain of the demon fade away after, leaving nothing but the teenagers and the bugbear.
shesepankh
Bella goes back to invisibly leaning on Darren. She doesn't return to fullform; the invisibility will wear off any minute now.
castmyown
Darren would try to take her hand, but - invisibility. "Thanks," he murmurs to her, instead. He checks over his sister with worry, occasionally giving Mrs. Adams nervous looks.
The threat nullified, Mrs. Adams returns to human form, nonchalantly retrieving her cellphone to inform all parents that the threat has been handled. Charlie first.