A Little White Magic

Who: Maddie and Nate
When: Afternoon
Where: Maddie's shop

Nate had found some of the fliers advertising Maddie's store and he figured it wouldn't hurt to check it out. It was more than possible that it was all just junk but there was no knowing if it wasn't the real thing. Whichever it was it caught his interest - two supernaturally centered store in a small town? Yeah, he was definitely interested. The place wasn't hard to find and after parking the car he headed on inside, looking around curiously. Seemed like it was run from home so it felt a little weird to just walk in but knocking would be stupid so he did. He liked the smell in there - was the first thing he noted before looking around curiously, taking in his surroundings and trying to make up his mind on whether this place suited him or not.

Maddie looked over, and attempted a smile. Which came off a little strangely, because she wasn't generally the type who was all happy shiny, and she usually smiled when she meant it. But she was aware that she was dealing with customers, and so...she should probably put in at least a little effort. "Hello." she greeted. "Lookin for anything in particular, or you just here t'check things out?"

"Just here to check things out," Nate replied with an easy smile, stepping inside and looking over the things she had in there. At first glance there didn't seem to be any of the usual bullshit items but he wasn't exactly an expert on all things magical. "So... What kind of things are you selling?" He asked, hands in his pockets as he casual looked around, trying not to look too eager like someone easy to sell to.

Maddie shrugged one shoulder. "Depends what you're lookin for, doen't it?" she asked. "Not everything I can do I've got on a shelf. Generally...different protection charms, wards, some healing acceleration..." she said, waving at different areas of the shop. "Light little things. Mood stabilizers...mood enhancers..." She turned her attention back on Nate. "What were you lookin for specifically?"

That was a good question. He'd really only come to see but the things she was talking about - they all intrigued him. "So this is all the real thing, huh?" He asked her though it didn't come off rude or even skeptical. He looked over the shelves, noticing the distinct lack of magic solutions a fake witch would definitely be lining her shelves with. No love potions, no quick diet potions, just things he was vaguely familiar with from Frank's contacts.

"Aye." she said, nodding. She sat back down at the desk, and kept her green eyes on him. "It's the real thing." she confirmed. She still hated when she realized she wasn't any good at talking to normal folk. She was far too used to being dead, and totally unseen by everyone else.

He glanced back at her again, watching her for a moment before smiling. "Yeah, sure as hell looks like it," he admitted and for a moment he wanted to ask her if she had anything that stopped a dreamwalker from walking. But that meant outing himself and he wasn't about to do that. "Did you hear about the animal attacks?" He asked instead, casually.

Maddie shook her head. "No...what animal attacks?" she asked. She didn't like watching the news, it was a little confusing for her, and the paper was as well. The radio she occasionally listened to, but she preferred her cds, because they were less complicated, and she never had to get frustrated because she didn't know what some bloody stupid announcer was blathering on about, when she wanted to hear songs. However, when it was stated, she perked up internally. Animal attacks could be a lot of different things. One of course, was actual animal attacks. There was more wildlife around the area than one could shake a stick at. Another was cover ups for other supernatural activity. And of course, a bitten werewolf. But that was a fairly damn wide range, really.

"Someone got attacked in the park," Nate replied, stuffing his hands in his pockets and looking around some more. She had a lot of interesting looking things and he kind of felt like going all six years old on her and pointing at everything with the way too much repeated question of, what's that? But he refrained, letting his imagination fill in the blanks with guess-work. "They say it was an animal but who knows what really happened." Hint hint. If she was really a witch she'd have her own theories, he was certain, and he kind of hoped she'd break that ice of supernatural creatures exist chat.

Maddie kind of looked at him for a moment, waiting. "Ayyye....who knows. Could have been an animal. What're you gettin at here, lad, I haven't got all day to beat 'round the bush you know." she said. "Ya here for something or aren't you?" Yep. Her people relations skills sucked.

"It's stupid," Nate muttered, wishing things were just clearly labeled, something like Werewolves fucking hate the smell of this candle, yo. That'd help. "I've been having these weird dreams about like... wolves. Only not wolves but like, werewolves or some shit and I figured maybe you had something that would theoretically scare such a thing off. If they were real." Internal head-desking may commence now. He almost laughed at how dumb it sounded, it hadn't been half as bad in his head. "I figure with a shop like this you must hear stupid shit like that all the time, huh?"

Maddie rolled her eyes. "If you want something to ward off werewolves, then just say it, lad, don't go off on silly tangents about how it isn't real. That's the stupidest thing I've ever bloody heard. If you're trying to get what you want, you ask for it, you don't blow it all off like it doesn't exist, or you're going to get yourself into trouble, and not even get what ya need in the first place. And don't you dare go presumin what's stupid and what isn't to other people, it's rude an presumptuous. Knock it off, find your balls, and let's start over. You just tell me what it is you actually want, and cut out all the rest of the shite. I'm willin to bet I can come up with whatever it is you need, if you give me a little time. I'm good at what I do, so just tell me what it is you need and you can probably get it."

Nate blinked and then he quirked a half smile at her. She was rude and brash and he liked her for it. At least when it came to this because she had just taken all the awkwardness out in one fell swoop. "Well, okay," he said and let out a small laugh. "I need something that'll keep werewolves the fuck away from me, how's that?" Seemed direct enough and he found it more than easy to believe she could actually make that now.

"Right. Much better, lad. That I can do. It'll take me a bit, I don't have them on hand as such, but I can get it done for you. What's it for? You personally? Your home?" she prompted, pausing to write a few things down in a notebook on her desk, so she could get the specifics right. "Anything else you can tell me in specifics about what you want?" she asked, glancing back up to him.

"Me, my home, anything," Nate replied. "I've just... I want them away from me, basically. I want them away from my house, my car, whatever. Especially with the whole upcoming full moon thing and all." He still felt a little weird, talking about it so freely to a complete stranger. Oh hey and while I'm at it, my dad's a hunter and I'm a dreamwalker, nice to meet ya! "You see one of those fuckers and yeah, you don't want them close."

"Lad, if you want something for your house, you're getting something for your house. If you want something for you, it's for you. It ain't a blatant magic cure all that you can just have do whatever you want. Pick somethin. Or, you're going to have to get more'n one thing." she told him, rolling her eyes. "Generally they aren't going to go barging into your home, if they're out rampagin about then it's outside and they attack what's in front of them. So t'think that one would happen up to your place and attack at random is pretty bloody stupid. How much you even know about them?" she asked.

"Enough," Nate mumbled almost sullenly. "If it's not too expensive I'll take one for a house and one for me personally." And one for the car and one for the street - no, not overdoing it. "And not just, you know, the full moon kind either. Just werewolves in general. Can call it a phobia or whatever, I just really don't like them."

She paused as she eyed him, writing a few more things down. "You know that most of them are harmless, and not a one of them can help what it is they are, yeah?" she asked. "That some of them are born as such, and they're completely harmless to people? I can only assume you're talkin 'bout the kind've werewolves that attack indiscriminately...they're somethin different, they aren't all like that." she said, and weirdly enough, her tone had gotten gentler with this subject. "Not rightly fair to have a blanket hatred've a whole group of people when they aren't hurtin you, and were born that way. It's just like any other racism."

"Well, I'm not actively out hunting them," Nate mumbled and her words really rubbed him the wrong way. "I've just seen some fucked up things in my life, let's leave it at that. Not like I just picked up a book and thought, oh hey, ugly fellow. Wouldn't want that thing near me so..." The memory of the wolf was hard to shake and sure it had only been a dream but those claws, the creepy eyes so full of intelligence and hatred in a face so decidedly deformed and not human...

She didn't say anything for a long moment. "I didn't ask if you were hunting them, and I didn't ask what you've seen. I asked what you actually know about them." she said. "It's important." she said. "Because not all've them are any danger to anyone. Some? Most certainly are. And I'll give you what you're askin for, but I'm not terribly comfortable lettin a lad your age just wander off, with some big grudge against folk as a blanket assessment, instead of knowin what's real. So...answer the question."

"I know some of them are a danger to anyone," Nate told her decidedly. "And some of them have a grudge against certain people and will gladly shift into full on battle form just to fuck them up. Not like I'm asking for something to hurt them." I already have something for that, I'd just rather not have to use it.

"A warding on a house usually will harm them, if it's set up right." Maddie said, with actual patience. "Is this specific then? Someone in particular who's hurt you and yours?" she asked. "An if you're talking about one who's got the ability to shift at will--that's the exception, not the rule. Look, I'm not sayin I won't sell you what you want. Hell, if I was just out for makin money, I could be trying to sell you a lot more than what you're askin for. I just don't figure it's best for you to not know what it is you're talkin about, especially round here. That kinda thing'll probably backlash on you, lad. Wind up gettin you into more trouble rather than less." she told him seriously.

"I'll take my chances," Nate muttered since he couldn't imagine any scenario where keeping a werewolf at bay could be a bad thing. "I don't know how a ward like that would work, would it be a whole house kind of deal? Or just a certain area? I mean, just a room would be fine, be safe while sleeping and all." He didn't answer her question, didn't feel like he had to. He was just a customer, wasn't he? Not like he wanted to go into detail about why he had this irrational (or very rational?) fear of the big bad wolf.

"Speak up, lad, you're entitled to your mind, don't hide it by mumbling." Maddie said, still listening. "For a house, it would be the whole house." she said. "An you didn't answer my question. Look...this here, what you're askin for, and how you're comin across--lad it sounds to me like you have just enough information to be a very, very dangerous person. Both to yourself, to others, and the people around you. I'm not in the habit of enabling people who haven't done their homework to start causin a lot of havoc and damage to people around them out of fear. That's the worst kind've negligence. Too much happens in this world out've fear. Wars, genocides...it's not pretty."

"Trust me, I'm not out to do anyone damage," Nate told her, cocking a brow. "I'm just looking to keep myself safe. Especially with, you know, full moon coming." He couldn't quite take her seriously when she said things like war and genocide. He was a nineteen year old high school student with a paranoia of furry things with sharp teeth and claws, that made sense - didn't it?

"...If I do this for you, make you a warding for your home and you, I want you to give your word you're going to actually take the time to do your research on this." Maddie said. Which she knew she had no way of actually enforcing on him, but she hoped to hell that he actually did. If he didn't...she was massively uncomfortable, and that showed. She looked quite unhappy, and the frown on her features was one of concern. Mostly for people around him, considering the odds were against him getting attacked by a bitten werewolf.

"Well, I've been looking for more things to read but," Nate started. "So far most of it is a load of gibberish. So yeah, I'm not just blindly going forward, promise. I was thinking of checking out that store in town, Nevermore? It seems pretty genuine. What do you think?"

"I think that's the best place to start." Maddie said. It was why she'd chosen to put her flier up there. Or, more correctly, have sophie put the flier up there. "That place as far as I know, is the real deal. So...start there. Get what you can, and for heaven's sake, read it. There's a lot you should know. And, from what you've been sayin, a lot you should probably keep in mind, to combat your 'phobia'."

"One thing that's not helping said phobia are the current animal attacks," Nate reminded her with a faint smile. "So I'd really appreciate it if you could make that thing we talked about. And I promise I'll go study like a busy little student." Which he had intended to do anyway but the worry in her frown was definitely encouraging.

"Aye, I got what you were gettin at there. But...nevermind, I already lectured you. Find out more. Do your homework. I'll make you what you need." she said. "Just for the love've all that's holy--be careful. There are more of them than you'd think, and like I said before--a lot of them are just mindin their own business and never hurt anyone." she said. "I can have your wards ready by tomorrow."

"You have my word. So, how much will it be?" Nate asked, worrying at his lip for a moment. He could probably come up with cash but it wouldn't surprise him if this sort of charm was really expensive.

Maddie shrugged a little. "Not sure yet. Depends. Did you need anything besides werewolf wards?" she asked. She really had no concept of what was expensive nowadays and what wasn't. She knew things that had costed a lot in her day and age were stupidly cheap now. And really, it wasn't like she was in a market where there were comparable prices. She didn't want to work for free, she just wasn't used to thinking about selling something meant to help people. ..however, they also had a power bill to pay. And she knew that it was a big number.

"Well, kinda depends on how much this one costs," Nate said with a small shrug. "I was actually thinking about... Well, my little brother is pretty much scared of everything. If you have something, just a small luck charm or something to keep him safe - it might calm him down and you know, I don't want to outright lie to him and just give him whatever, but something that maybe wards off evil or something? Bad intentions, whatever."

Maddie bit her lower lip for a moment, then stood up and crossed to one of the shelves she had. "There's no such thing as a ward against evil, lad." she said. "Evil is an abstract concept. It's different for everyone. What's evil to you isn't to someone else. It's a slidin scale, at best." she explained, looking through a few things, before she pulled out a small rough leather pouch, with symbols painted onto the outside of it. She held it out towards Nate. "What isn't an abstract concept is harmful intentions. Like you said there. If he keeps this on his person, anyone wishin him harm will..." she paused, trying to think of how to word it. "They'll look round him. If he goes and makes a spectacle of himself that draws attention, it won't work, but so long as he doesn't go and do somethin stupid like that, it should work just fine."

"That's actually... Perfect. That actually works?" Nate said and hell, shouldn't just everyone have one? "It'll make him feel better, if he believes in it. Hell if not it'd make me feel better knowing he had it. Does it work if you just, sneak it into someone's bag?" He grinned at her and again the question of price tags popped up in his mind. This was worth it however, it it was real.

"Has to be on his person." Maddie said. "So, tell him to wear it round his neck or somethin. And whatever you do, don't go dumping out the contents and looking at things--what's in there is in there for a reason, you just let it alone." And, because he grinned, she gave him a light smile back, which was gone quick enough, but it changed her entire face. Maddie was one of those people who looked pissed when she wasn't smiling. But hey--it had made an appearance. "Just tell him to wear it whether he believes in it or not. I believe in it, and I made it. It'll work."

Nate noticed how much it changed her, that brief smile and it made him ease up a little as well, made him realize he'd been tense before during the whole conversation. "I know better than to analyze something like this," he said. "You don't take stuff apart unless you know how to put it together again, otherwise it's just ruined. But yeah, you haven't mentioned the price yet so I'm beginning to think it's really expensive and you're just making sure I want this bad enough before you tell me what I have to pay." He was only half joking there, even if he kept his voice light as he spoke.

Maddie rolled her eyes. "You missed the bit where I said if I didn't give a damn about anything that I could be tryin to sell you everything under the sun, huh? Keep up, lad. Isn't difficult." she told him, moving back over to the notebook. "...the charm you've got right there, let's call it twenty. The wards I have to make, I'll have t'give you a price when you come get them, sort've depends on how hard it is to put together, if I've got everything I need on hand, or if I have to go hunting it up in the woods. I think I've got it all, but not sure. If you want an estimate...maybe same for them." she said, looking over and trying to guage his response to her prices. She still just had no real idea on how much things should cost.

That was really cheap and he looked a little surprised at that. Of course cheap was awesome since he wasn't exactly made out of money and was technically spending money he should be using for winter tires, but this felt more important - which was probably dumb. "I'll pay more if you have to go hunt for things, but if you could just give me a roof or something, that'd be ace."

He looked surprised, which made her think that maybe she'd charged too low. But ah well, she wasn't going to jack up the price just because. "Won't be more'n fifty a piece." she told him. Even if she did have to go hunt for things. It wasn't exactly brain surgery. It was just muddy.

"So, I can come pick up the other tomorrow?" Nate asked, already digging through his pockets for money to pay for Dylan's charm. The thought occurred to him that maybe she had something that would keep him from dreamwalking but as ever he was reluctant to bring that up. It was somehow harder since it was personal, like mentioning his dad was a hunter - like it put them at risk somehow.

"Right. And if they aren't available...or I can't make them...want to leave your phone number?" she asked, forcing herself to ask. She personally sort of hated the phone, but it was only fair. Especially considering the house was pretty far out there, it wouldn't be right to have him drive all the way out then not get what he needed.

Nate nodded and glanced around for a pen and paper out of habit before asking, "Do you just want to put it on your phone or? I can write it down for you too." And hopefully she wouldn't be calling him to quiz him on Werewolves 101.

Maddie twitched a little bit. "Don't have one." she said, knowing he was refering to those stupid...portable phone things. God she hated those. They made no sense. "Just write it down." she said, pushing the notebook and pen his way.

That he could do and he wrote his number as neatly as he could to keep the numbers from blending together or looking like something else. "You gonna be checking up on me?" He asked her a bit cheekily as he pushed the notepad back toward her. "See how my studying is going, make sure there's no imminent genocide?"

"Never know, so you'd better do your damn homework." Maddie said, giving him a stern look. "So off with you." she said, taking the money and opening up her locked drawer with the till in it. She wrote him out a reciept, and handed that to him as well. It wasn't like she had anything taxed in her shop. It wasn't even a legal shop.

"I will," Nate chuckled, taking the receipt and charm. She was a mad little woman, or girl if he thought about it - she didn't look much older than him, and it was kind of amusing. "Thanks for this," he told her and hoped he wasn't being taken for a fool. He really believed her for some reason though, she seemed knowledgeable about things most people didn't believe in and very certain when she spoke so that helped.

"You're welcome. Now run along. Go find a book at Nevermore, and I'll see you tomorrow." Maddie told him, making a shooing motion. Things could be going worse. Hopefully this kid just didn't do anything that was going to make things bad for everyone else.