The Streets and Connecting Alleyways

Crovan followed closely, "In the Winterlands we mostly eat roasted meats and vegetables. I think something more adventurous should be in order for my first real... excursion in the city." He smiled at her, nearly running into another pedestrian. He sighed once more at the crowd in general.

Crovan hadn't really eaten anything spicy in his life. Not much heat can be found in the forest of the Winterlands. "Well it sounds like a fine choice."

When she looped her arm through his he... well to be honest he found it hard to think about much more than the closeness he was experiencing. As she lead the way through the crowds he left dodging people completely to, trusting her to guide his way through the crowds. A warrior, a leader, a beauty. He was paying attention to her rather than his feet. He was effectively starring at her like kid with a crush.

Crovan looked away for a moment in mild embarrassment but he looked back to her, "At the risk of being flirtatious; the beauty of the city pales in comparison to you." Crovan looked away again, very much so embarrassed by his words. Once more he found himself baffled at himself. Why would complementing her make him feel embarrassed? Strange. The way this woman made him feel was strange. He sighed mentally in frustration with himself.

Crovan was dragged along. He realized quickly he must have flustered her. Normally he would be giggling at her embarrassment and feeling full of himself. Instead he was busy thinking of how cute she looked and acted when he pushed her into that state. Before he knew it they had found their way to the restaurant.

They took to the streets in the hours of darkness, preferring alleyways and shadows... a single unassuming alleyway played host to a drainage inlet, into which the numerous and growing masses of sentient candies and treats retreated for huge gatherings during hours of the day. An elaborate map had emerged onto a large, discarded news parchment, as the minions dispersed at night to chart out their surroundings.
The Gingerbread Man, meanwhile, used this intel to greater and greater effect. Everywhere in the city where candy or sweets could be identified seemed to have a complex plan of rescue that contributed to the success of their operations. What happened at Fletcher's Delectables would, slowly over time and at irregular intervals, happen to others on smaller scales. Unless all the homes and shops in the city were more heavily guarded than Fletchers', the candy army would grow each night.
However, this would surely not go unnoticed. It likely wouldn't be long for Isranian law enforcement to end up with multiple complaints of theft, usually occurring in the middle of the night, in which only candies and other sweets seemed to have been taken. Coupled with a broken window or loud crash here and there, the city records would certainly be starting to develop a pattern of strange activity...

"I could find my way back there blind. Its the biggest damn building in the city, can't miss it, just walk...thataways."

With a renewed vigor she grabbed him by the arm, a little forcefully, and dragged him in the general direction of the Citadel.

-Background Music for Skarlet's solemn walk-



From the Plaza, Skarlet traveled the rest of the way to the Midnight Sun through winding alleyways, for this was the most efficient way of walking to work. While this was inadvisable for a normal young woman, Skarlet was the one to be feared when alone with in a dark alley. 

The beautiful young woman walked in complete silence through the alley, making no sound from walking. Halfway through the alley, Skarlet turns to see a dead man laying against a trash bin. She crouches down and inspects the body to find how he was killed.

"It seems this man was stabbed repeatedly in the stomach, from his appearance he must be a vagrant. I doubt his death is of much significance, another vagrant may have just had a feud with him." Skarlet searched the pockets of the man to find a folded picture, a man and a woman, she looked up to compare them and this was definitely the man in the picture. "He looks happy in this picture. A shame for him to meet such a tragic twist of fate."

She puts the picture back and taps on the jewel on her necklace to inform through telepathy about the body. "I've found a dead man in an alley off 24th street near the Nexus. He has been killed by a stabbing. Please send someone to remove it."

Skarlet looks down at the man again and reaches her hand toward his wound. Really this is a convenient snack for her, she stuck her fingers inside the wound and began sucking out blood. Her eyes close as she savors the drink, feeling a rush of vitality run through her. She stopped and stood, licking the blood off her fingers before re-gloving her hand. The vampire then continues on her way to work.

<exit to The Midnight Sun>

Alden looked around the book store curiously. It was certainly an interesting smell. Dry and a bit dusty, with hints of old paper and leather. It wasn't a bad spell though, just an interesting one. He'd never given much thought to reading. He read reports, schematics, plans, proposal. But he'd not read many books. He'd read a few on biology and the like, but beyond that not much. Hefting a random tomb he flips it open. It appears to be a particularly dense political treatise. He reads a few words than shakes his head.

"I dunno seems a bit... dull and pointless. Gardening? Yeah I have a garden.I prefer to grow my own poisons. Cheaper and more cost efficient. Though I don't really have a use for them these days. I don't think it would good to have my kids around poison. That seems like it could end poorly very quickly."

The expression on Alden's face can only be described as bemused. As he watches Thaelyn pluck the book he was looking at and replacing it with another one. This one seemed more in line with the ones Miss higgs read to the children when he wasn't around to play with them before bed. A book about fantastic tales in far off lands and ancient times. He flips it open and reads a few lines. It was indeed less dry than the first book. Though he frowns at the description of sword play. It was impractical and inefficient.

Alden listens with half an ear as Tahelyn describes the different kinds of gardens he is going to grow. Apparently he didn't have any choices in this matter. By the time he looks up from the book she is on his arm and dragging him along to the next location. Well it's more like he is letting her lead him. He would be a very hard man to drag if he didn't want to go.