Crystal

Her mind raced. A fucking minotaur. A maze dwelling beast that killed all who entered its home. What was he doing here? Why was she following him? She knew that answer as she thought it, curiosity. If she could learn to wield magic, then… What are the possibilities? Thoughts of fireballs and lightning immediately sprung up.

“Wait, vampire?” she asked hesitantly as she sped up her pace to walk beside him. “Won’t she… you know, treat me like food?”

Al snorted, “Nah, or… well, most likely not,” he began. “She prefers redheads when going after females, and since you’re with me she shouldn’t touch you.” He scratched his chin for a moment, “I should warn you that the Boss is human like you but don’t use any Mr or Mrs, he, or she. Use they, them, or just say Boss.”

She was a bit confused with that, “So does… Boss, identify as anything at all? Gender-wise I mean. And are there any other humans at this office we’re going to?”

He shook his head, “Nope, they will have to tell you the details, I prefer not being hung upside down and riddled with holes. There are other people at the office, but most of them are out doing field work and Boss is the only human. We are the only branch composed almost entirely of monsters, so we have a lot of stigma against us.”

He grinned, a glimmer in his eye, “Since we are monsters, we can solve problems in ways most humans can’t. The company is run publicly as private investigators, but behind closed doors we are a federally run business called the Investigation Department. There are several departments across the United States, us being the Northeast, and because we are monsters, we are one of the few departments able to help out in other countries, as we have citizenship in the supernatural communities.”

His tone was proud, as if this was one of the greatest things ever. Crystal had to admit, traveling for work did sound appealing. He stopped then, in front of an unassuming two story building. A simple sign read ‘Northeast Investigation Department: Private Investigators’. Al cleared his throat, “I recognize Crystal Crew as my apprentice, giving her permission to enter freely at any time.” After a second, he nodded his head and opened the door, waving a hand to allow her through first. She could make out a shimmering layer of green, and she couldn’t hear or see anything inside. shivering she walked through the doorway.

Alikur

Entering immediately after Crystal he almost bumped into her. The barrier prevents anyone, even members of NEID from seeing or hearing anything inside, and his hand met his face as he groaned at the scene before him.

Several red spears had pierced the ground, walls, a few desks, and his chair. His specialty made, orthopedic, chair. There was a tornado of dirt and dust whipping papers around the place with a laughing Ruby at its center. Lauren was hurling insults and spears made of her own blood at her, trying to pierce the earthen storm. “ENOUGH!” He shouted. Lauren paused, looking back at him while Ruby’s raucous laughter simmered down to a chortle.

Slowly, the tornado thinned and dissipated, the dirt and dust all flowing towards Ruby’s circle. “What happened and please tell me you didn’t do this while the Boss was in the building? You’re already in trouble Lauren, and I’m the one that gets punished if you started it Ruby.” Lauren pouted but there was a gleam in her eye. Shit, I’m not going to like this.

“Well,” she began, sending a glare at Ruby. “That mud cunt started harassing me while I was trying to finish my paperwork. At first it was just verbal abuse, but then she started throwing dust at me and well… it spiraled after that.” she harrumphed. Ruby was still chortling when his eyes fell on Crystal.

“What? I was bored. Is that J-Cranes spawnling? What’s her specialty? Can we throw a zombie at her? Can she fly? Can sh-”

“Stop me from making you clean the public restrooms?” The Bosses' voice rang out clear as day and as cold as a frost giant's breath as she appeared from nowhere. “I step out to take a call and come back to find the place a wreck, but at least I know who is to blame.” Bosses smile was cold, “Ruby, you will help Lauren get this place cleaned up, and then clean the public restrooms. ALL of them. In your domain.” Boss emphasized, eyes turning to him and the currently shell-shocked Crystal.

Smile softening, Boss nodded to Crystal. “It’s nice to meet you Crystal, I’m Boss. When you get back, we’ll talk a bit more, but for now you’ll be accompanying Al for a small emergency.” She turned back, her smile left entirely. “We’ve got a Nuckelavee in Charlestown, I need you there, yesterday. Get to the Boston Gate.”

Crystal

A fucking madhouse. That was the first impression she had of the NEID. Surprisingly it wasn’t the fucking vampire that could create blood spears that scared her most, nor was it the creepy little rock girl Ruby. No, her Sight, or whatever it was, picked up the sheer magnitude of power that Boss held. Looking at Boss was like looking at a rainbow tempest of lightning and death in a human shape, no wonder Al, a god damned minotaur doesn’t want to piss him...her… whatever Boss is, off. Al’s magic looks to be… small, and subtle. Boss is just… raw power.

She shook her head as she followed the now jogging Boss and Al down a stairway in the back of the building. Glancing at a directory on the wall, she realized the place was actually massive. There must be magic involved if there’s fifteen floors, and how are we going to Boston? Luckily, they got off on the third, simply labeled ‘Travel’, passing through the doorway behind Al.

“This is the where and how we travel across the globe,” Al began as they passed doors labeled with different major cities from around the world. They entered a door labeled ‘Boston’ Well that answered one question. In the middle of the room was a shinto gate, Like the ones in god-damned anime. This thought brought another question to her mind. If everything supernatural is real, then what about gods?

“We connect to cities via local magic sources, drawing power from ley lines. Shinto gates are the best for long distance travel, which is why we use them.”

“Can I ask a few things?” she asked hesitantly. Boss and Al nodded as the Gate started humming. “So what’s a nuckelavee, cause it sounds kinda creepy, and if everything supernatural in the world is real, then does that mean gods are real too?”

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Both Boss and Al sighed, looks of annoyance crossing both of their faces. But not directed at me, Crystal noted. Boss nodded at Al who took that as the signal to start talking, “Yes, all gods are real, except Roman ones, they just stole from other cultures. even Jesus is real, but that’s a different mess altogether. They tend to stick to their own little dimensional realms in reality and occasionally come to ours to, in layman's terms, mess around. They treat this dimension like a time-share, and are usually respectful of each other. Hell, the sea gods are essentially fishing or surfer bros at this point. And nuckelavee is a monster that looks like a long-limbed man fused to the back of a cyclopic horse… and they’re both skinless.”

Crystal blinked. “I… can understand the gods thing but… the actual fuck?!”

The Gate popped into existence and Boss waved at them, “I love trial by fire, but just let Al do everything since a unkillable monster of death and pestilence isn’t something an apprentice should deal with. Have fun!” The last thing she saw before the gate was Bosses smile as Al grabbed her by the waist and jogged through the now blue portal. Wait, UNKILLABLE?!

Alikur

Stepping out of the gate, Al took a deep breath as his stomach roiled. He immediately let go of Crystal and she dropped to her hands and knees and began to vomit. He pulled her hair up so it wasn’t in the way.

“Oi, seriously?” A gruff voice called from the doorway a few strides away. A man that was more wolf than man stood there. A hand over his muzzle.

“Sorry Dave, new trainee.” Al apologized as Crystal started to only dry heave.

“What. the…. FUCK?!” She yelled.

Dave winced. “Ouch, these walls echo you know? Apology accepted, I just was not prepared for the smell of vomit today.” Dave left through the open door, presumably to get a mop.

Al took out a pre-made slip of paper and pressed it to Crystal's forehead as he helped her to her feet. With a flash, she was clean and with a fresh mint smell. “There, sorry about not warning you about the horrid nausea. No, it’s not preventable and if I had warned you, it would have actually been worse. Everyone has to build a resistance to it over time.” He stated as Crystal glared at him.

“Illusions up,” Dave called from down the hall.

“Can’t change what’s already done,” he walked out the door. “So come on, I’m sure you have questions.” Crystal was grumbling as she followed him. Stepping past Dave by the entrance to, he heard Crystal gasp as she took in where they were.

“Probably didn’t think the Bunker Hill Monument had many secrets now, did you?” he smirked. “Come on, it’s just a fifteen minute walk to the wharf.”

“So,” Crystal began as she followed him down the hill. “Dave’s a…” she trailed off.

Probably doesn’t want to be rude. “Dave’s a wolfkin, and before you ask, yes there is a difference between a werewolf and a wolfkin. Major one’s in fact.” He paused to think about his words carefully.

“Think of an animal, and more likely than not there’s a -were and/or -kin variety of it. -Kin are always anthropomorphic and while how much of an animal they are varies between individuals, they can never change. They are capable of using magic, and most pick up illusion or enchantment.

“Were-s on the other hand, are capable of shifting into either full animal or anthro. They are almost all carnivorous animals, so no weredeer. Don’t believe the bs about only being able to transform at night or the full moon either, they can do it whenever they like. Of course, there is some truth to the full moon, but it’s just more of an urge rather than a need.” As they passed an apartment complex, the sight of a rat scurrying away reminded him of an important lesson.

“Oh, and there are two types of -kin that you must never piss off. Ratkin and Rabbitkin.”

“Ok, hold up,” Crystal stopped and gave him an incredulous look. “You’re saying I should be more scared of an anthropomorphic rabbit, than like, say, a tiger? I call bull, no offense.”

“None taken,” he nodded, understanding where she was coming from. “But you are already wary and scared of the tiger right?” At Crystal's nod he continued, “So, you wouldn’t suspect that rabbitkin would be capable of breaking the sound barrier when motivated, correct?”

Crystal's eyes went wide at that revelation, and before she could speak, “I’ve seen a normally passive florist punch a hole through a brick wall just to prove a point to some stalker. Let me remind you, this is before taking magic into account.”

“Ok, don’t piss off the fluffy talking rabbits, check. So, what crazy thing do the ratkin possess?”

“You know how a mother can miraculously gain the strength to lift cars when their child is in danger? Picture that, except a hundred times worse. While I’ve never seen it myself, Boss claims to have witnessed a ratkin mother kill several FBI enforcers and then a dozen terrorists in order to save her child during a school hostage situation back in the seventies.”

“Ok… so first, why did she kill the FBI agents? Second, how old is Boss cause… they look maybe late thirties at most.”

“The FBI wanted to negotiate and refused to let her pass, then physically tried to restrain her, at least by Bosses accounts. Never bring up age with Boss, cause no fucking clue. I’ve worked for the NEID for seventeen years, and they haven't changed. Now, you smell that?” He had caught it for a while, and it should be within human senses at this point.

Crystal just stared at him for a second before her nose scrunched up and she put a hand over her nose. “Fucking gods, da fuck is that?!”

“Nuckelavee smells like rotten meat with a side of waterlogged carcass and seaweed, doesn’t it? Here,” he handed her a slip and activated it. “That’s a barrier slip, as long as you’re facing the threat, it won’t be able to break through it. So don’t run, or you’ll be trampled.”

They had crossed several major streets and apartment complexes, and now were near the multitude of piers. “Of course,” he grumbled. “It’s going to be by the park and rehab center.”

“What makes you so sure?” Crystal asked as she fiddled with the slip, trying to stick it to her chest as if it was a name tag.

“Because it’s always the park and rehab center. The different emotions surrounding the two so close to each other makes it a metaphorical buffet for monsters that feed on suffering and hope in equal measures. It’s also why there are several members of the community capable of alerting NEID and taking care of witnesses always in the area, twenty-four-seven.”

The park sat on the edge of a boardwalk, right next to where the Charles River met with the Mystic River and Chelsea Creek. The rehab center was right behind the park, only separated by, in clear Massachusetts fashion, an uncomfortably small parking lot that would require a surgeon to get out of.

Walking past the entrance, the nuckelavee was hard to miss. It was pacing back and forth on the boardwalk, a shimmering barrier between it and the park. A mist of black came out in bursts from both of its mouths as it hacked its wheezing breath. A nurse and an elderly man in a wheelchair were the only two people outside.

“Al,” the man gave him an appreciative smile and nod as sweat covered his face. “Thanks for coming out, my barrier can hold for another fifteen minutes, but that's it. Who’s this?”

“James, Ada, this is Crystal, my apprentice. Long story, I will tell you later. Is my set-up from last time still good?”

“The ducks have not been touched,” Ada's soft voice was almost too hard to hear. “I’ve made sure that the ones across the river are the same.”

“Good, then I won’t have to make a mad dash across then. Crystal, stay with James and Ada, they are our resident ghosts in charge of maintaining this area of Charlestown.”