𝑰𝑵𝑻𝑶𝑿𝑰𝑪𝑨𝑻𝑬𝑫 - 𝘯𝘪𝘬𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘬𝘢𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘰𝘯

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ sᴇᴠᴇɴᴛʏ ɴɪɴᴇ

                                                ➳

Gia and Elijah are walking the streets, on their way to meet the witch Lenore.

"So, you're not much of a talker, huh?" Gia remarks, and Elijah just looks at her. "No problem. Last guy I hung out with, he wouldn't shut up, so.. guess I'm due for a change-"

Elijah cuts her off. "The task is to lead me to someone. Let's just..do that, shall we?"

He walks ahead of her, and Gia, unimpressed, hurries to catch up.

"You wanna walk in silence? Cool. But, you're going the wrong way." She sighs.

Elijah stops now, looking at her with annoyance. "Marcel believes I can instruct you. First lesson - do your best not to waste my time."

Gia glares at him, before turning and walking in the opposite direction as she leads Elijah to Lenore's shop.

Eventually, they reach the shop. The door dings, announcing their arrival. A woman with dark skin is at the check out desk, grinding herbs in a mortar and pestle.

"Go away, I'm busy." She says, looking up at Elijah and Gia.

"Yes, blatantly practicing magic, I see." Elijah remarks.

"Herbal remedies for a neighbour who lost her insurance. But, my guess is an Original ain't here to talk neighbour hood gossip." Lenore eyes him skeptically.

"I have a favour to ask you." Elijah replies.

"Quarter's crawling with witches, go ask one of them." Lenore shoots back.

Elijah sighs, glancing about the shop. "I don't typically ask favours of my enemies."

"So, you came across the river to bother me?" The witch retorts.

"It's unfortunate, isn't it? Bureaucracy has not been kind to your community. Those tax incentives on local businesses have been stalling for months. Of course, a persuasive person could potentially remove any red tape." Elijah bargains now.

This gets the witch's attention and interest. "I'm listening." She tells him.

"A certain someone - let's say a witch - has a troublesome tendency of jumping into other bodies." Elijah smiles. "When she does so again, I would like to know into whom she jumps." He drops a coin into the coin jar on the check out now.

"Soul branding. It's a sacrificial spell. I'm gonna need an item that's been spelled by the witch in question, and a python." Lenore explains.

Elijah smiles. "I shall retrieve the enchanted item. My partner will take care of the python." He turns to leave.

"Ew, what?" Gia exclaims.

"Second lesson of the day - acquisition through mind compulsion." Elijah says, whilst leaving.

"How the hell do I do mind compulsion?" Gia calls after him, frustrated. She leaves in a huff, as Finn enters the shop.

"Can I help you?" Lenore asks, not looking up from her herbs.

Finn, still in Vincent's body, approaches the desk, and Lenore finally looks up at him.

"I'm most certain that you can." Finn smiles.

- Marcel's apartment -

Marcel is pouring himself a drink, when Klaus arrives.  He turns to look at him. "Let me guess, you need a favour?" Marcel asks, getting a sense of deja-vu.