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Demize00Zero — Curios de Crepuscule
#dark #detective #digitalart #digitalpainting #drawing #gothic #halloween #illustration #originalcharacters #providence #drawingdigital #halloween2023 #octavia_santori #newluxerion #midnite_crux #madame_akethe #curios_de_crepuscule
Published: 2023-10-31 21:31:03 +0000 UTC; Views: 1124; Favourites: 20; Downloads: 0
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Octavia sighed the sigh of one who really couldn’t be bothered.
“Listen, it’s Halloween night. I get it. Everybody wants to go around and have a little bit of fun. Far be it for me to stand in the way of spooks, dressing up, and sweets enough to rot someone’s teeth. But this-”
Octavia gestured to her other raised hand, upon which was an odd little gremlin-like creature. The creature simply tilted its head at her, staring with glowing purple eyes before shrugging and proceeding to take a bite out of a king-size chocolate bar.
“Needs to have some more control. I literally caught them taking chocolate and candy from kids. Not to mention that this one ain’t the only one committing petty theft”
Providence simply raised an eyebrow as another one of the small creatures was content to settle on his shoulder. Unlike Octavia, who had to chase down the chocolate stealing delinquent in her hand, Providence’s on the other hand, took one look at Providence and promptly ran towards the tall man. The bastard
The sound of Madame Akethe’s laughter was oddly alluring due in part to the subtle reverberation underlying it like windchime, which also extends to when she spoke. She was as enigmatic as her abode, the Curios de Crepuscule, an emporium filled with equally strange trinkets and commodities.
“I do apologize, Detective Santori. As you said so yourself, my familiars are only too eager to participate in the festivities. They do have quite the penchant for nibbling on sweets,” Madame Akethe spoke in that airy reverberating voice of hers.
“Yeah well I don’t need more shenanigans like this on my plate for the evening. I’ve already had to deal with a couple of teens freaking out because they just had to try and hold a seance over at Wicker Hill Cemetery and got scared by the resident ghosts who got curious, three separate poltergeist incidents, a kelpie getting loose down at the waterfront, and a jolly sasquatch who decided to shed off their disguising veil and go out partying as a Wookie, which would have been fine where it not for the fact he decided to go au naturale. The list just keeps piling up AND IT’S NOT EVEN MIDNIGHT,” Octavia ended her rant with an exasperated sigh, throwing her free hand into the air.
Madame Akethe chuckled as she watched Octavia, purple orbs for eyes glowing within the sockets of her three faced mask.
“The fun never stops, I see,” Madame Akethe commented, earning a glare from Octavia. “No need to worry, detective. I shall instruct my familiars to be on their best behaviors, or better yet, perhaps they can help keep an eye out for any more oddities as the night progresses. Consider it my apology for what inconvenience my little helpers have caused you.”
Addressing her familiars Madame Akethe placed a finger on her mask, “If you little ones behave and help out the good detective and her friend, perhaps there is chocolatey rewards in exchange.”
The familiars made a sound akin to a happy chinchilla and with the way their eyes glowed brighter and their bodies seemed to vibrate in excitement, it was clear they were eager to get going.
Octavia placed the familiar she held on the desk in front of her and nodded, “Thank you and that’s all I ask. I swear, Halloween is like a free for all for all the unseen folks of this city-” Octavia was cut off by the sound of her phone ringing, which she fished out of her pocket. With a nod to excuse herself, she moved away for a bit to answer.
Having a little moment to themselves, Madame Akethe turned to regard Providence.
“Recently used The Paths, I see. There’s still some faint traces of it on you”
“I was on the hunt for an Aeonian Blight. It tried to escape to a different reality after it was ascertained in this one.” Providence confirmed
“Ah, one of those vicious critters. I take it you had the chance to visit another reality?”
“I did. I even had the assistance of that reality’s Watcher in order to make the containment more efficient.”
“Now there’s a story I wouldn’t mind hearing. It’s been a while since we had the chance to have our little meetings. Last time it was in Mykonos and I do say it was quite the pleasurable setting, and If I remember we were discussing Minoan culture. Ah, such delightful memories, especially when discussing their choice for attire,” Madame Akethe spoke the last line in a teasing manner with a tilt of her head.
Providence betrayed no emotion and simply replied, “It was an insightful one for certain”
“We should catch up sometime. I do so enjoy our talks and as a historian myself, it would be delightful to listen to just what new sights you’ve seen since our last meeting,” tilting her head in a coy gesture, Madame Akethe’s eyes glowed brighter and Providence didn’t doubt that her porcelain mask’s smile mirrored the expression she had beneath it. “Who knows, perhaps we could compare notes just like old times.”
Before Providence could reply, Octavia called out to him with an even more exasperated tone. “If you’re both done flirting we really need to get a move on. Just got a call for a pissed off treefolk who got decorated for Christmas way too early.”
Madame Akethe chuckled and waved them off. “Best of luck and happy hunting then, detective” sparing a last glance at Providence, “Watcher”
Octavia merely sighed and walked off with a wave, followed by Providence. And as they exited Curios de Crepuscule, they didn’t see the number of Madame Akethe’s familiars dispersing into the night to follow their mistress’ bidding and galvanized by the potential reward of sweets.
