Gia is for Grudge ( Casper/Gia)

[indeath]

The street was busy as people went about their days, the spring sun hitting the pavement and casting light about the different buildings. Casper looked around again looking for signs of his ghostly tormentor.

He was hoping she was taking the day off, he had a very delicate task ahead of him and there wasn’t room for error. Today he wore the face of a handsome professional he’d seen in the park the other day. Large brown eyes in a smiling and trusting face. Dark hair slicked back and a well tailored suit. His suit was a little less well tailored but that was what charms were for.

He strode forward empty suitcase in hand towards the address he’d been given, a small shop for supernaturals alone. Casper still felt like there were fae far more suited to this job but the look in her eye told him not to argue.

There, he could see the lines of magic around the small building that didn’t fit with the rest of the street. It looked as if it came from a different time. It had squeezed itself between two large offices and looked like it could explode under the pressure.

[beastly]

A figure in a dress skulked in the distance, following the fae as subtly as she could. One thought, one goal was on the spirit's mind. Revenge. If this bastard thought he could eek out Even a moment of peace by sneaking around in daylight, he had another thing coming. Gia was a professional.

She watched the target of her grudge hone in on a building that stuck out magically to the ghost. That place didn't belong- was that where Casper was headed? Then she'd go too. Ruin whatever game he'd made up to fill his pathetic lonely life in between missions for a cruel fae master. The bastard.

Gia continued to follow, using the crowd to try and hide herself, moving through objects where she needed.

[indeath]

Casper looked around to make sure he wasn’t being watched. It wasn’t a face he’d used before so he was at least hopeful that no one would recognize him. The three marks on his cheek the only evidence. No matter his form they were always there. He pulled out a piece of paper and read the instructions for the fifth time, just to be sure. Feeling that he had it, he moved towards the door of the building only to read it for a sixth time.

He found the notch on the door frame and tapped it three times then slowly opened the door from the wrong side. It seemed a bit elaborate to Casper but the owner of the shop was a very particular kind of creature. Incredibly sensitive by reputation so Casper didn’t want to leave anything to chance. Door made a grumbling sound as it opened revealing a strange kind of shop, full to the roof with magical books and items. Sweet smells filled the air and several other creatures browsed the shelves.

A small dark creature sat in a  chair behind the cash register, chewing thoughtfully on a bone, bright pink eyes studying the room.  A deep melodious voice erupted from the being as he entered.

”Welcome to the Wishpot. Please feel free to look around and give a bell if you need help.”

Casper took a breath in, nerves catching up to him. He looked around hoping to find the right item off the bat.

[beastly]

The spirit waited a beat or two after her quarry went into the strange joint. If this had been a job, or even just a different strange dump she was heading into, the ghost would've been more careful. She might've been a looker, but she was not a spring chicken. She'd spent nearly a hundred years in the world of magic. And yet, her hatred of the changeling was enough to quiet her better judgment.

Gia poked her head through one of the walls, trying to make heads or tails of the place. It seemed to be a magical store of some kind- what was the goon up to? She pulled her head out of the wall, contemplating what move she wanted to go with. Stupid shapeshifting- that was it. That was the idea. Casper thought he was so clever with all his faces and forms. Well, Gia could play like that too.

She didn't do it often, but the devil's magic had left her with the ability to change her appearance and clothes. She typically just kept it for work things, things she didn't want to dirty her new form with. Maybe it was silly, but she didn't want to be her new self while she smashed someone's skull in with a table leg. She sometimes borrowed her old masculine body for that. Filling a role, a persona.

But here her old form could be used to get the upper hand. Casper was used to Gia as a dame now, walking in looking like a man likely wouldn't even register. Finding a discreet corner outside, Gia put on the face of the handsome bastard and a good spring suit and hat. Then, she walked into the shop to see if she could determine what Casper was doing and how best to ruin his day.

[indeath]

Casper tapped on his suit case, pretending to be very interested in a statue of a woman until he realized it was a fertility goddess. He was definitely not looking to have kids. He blushed moving quickly away from it. He didn’t notice the familiar man as he began scouring the shop for his target item but there was just so much to look at. He caught the shopkeeper’s attention with an awkward wave.

“Hi ahh where do you keep the hourglasses?”

The small dark creature floated towards him as he stood with a wide smile on its small lemur like face. Its large eyes seemed to look into his very soul.

“I assume you’re not looking for a run of the mill timerrr. This way but remember you break it, you buy it. Or you’re cursed or become a frog or the whole shop explodes.”

Casper chuckled nervously, trying not to breathe too heavily.

“Yeaaaah ummmm it’s rather delicate in nature…”

He paused trying to find the right words.