The rest of the morning went by quickly as Merlynn took the time to change into her adventuring gear. Baggy cargo pants with pockets she filled with odds and ends. A silk button down that rippled with energy accompanied by an emerald broached black tie. Two golden hoops of modest size for her ears. A silver looped sapphire pendant rested delicately on her chest that she tucked under her shirt. Rugged Combat boots, a holdover from high school, laced just snug around her feet. She slid the fire opal ring on her right ring finger lingering slightly as she centered it. Her black leather trench coat laden with intricate pockets and golden trim hung comfortably around her shoulders as she pulled her arms through. She applied a bit of ruby rouge while Claire hummed a song brushing her amber hair for her. Finally, she rested her favorite hat, the old leather witch’s peak, she had been given by her late mentor, on top of her head changing it nearly a hundred times in size, shape, and design before once again settling on the old droopy witch’s peak it normally was.
“Show off.” Claire giggled as she handed Merlynn her staff and leather satchel. Merlynn took the staff calling it into her sleeve storing it for when she needed it. She then opened the satchel, removing the Terra Flare and her revolver from inside, holding each in front of the sides of her coat. In a woosh they vanished into her coat unable to be seen. She placed a smaller satchel inside the larger one filled with all the special ammunition she had worked on nights prior with Hiro. Lastly, she drew a shallow box, six inches long with a hinged lid, from the top drawer of her dresser. She opened it tenderly removing a ruby doorknob from inside and carefully placed it into her coat pocket. After a second the bulge in her pocket disappeared, returning to normal.
“Damn! I think I’m no longer okay with you leaving if you're going to dress like that. How long did you say you had before you had to leave? We’ve got time, right?” Claire asked Merlynn with a wicked fanged smile. “Just wait I've got other costumes too.” Merlynn cracked a coy smile. “Well, if that’s a promise you better hurry and get going so you can get back that much sooner. I’m dying to see you in a kimono.” Claire cooed. “You’ll have to get me one then.” Merlynn teased. “I know just the seamstress.” Claire beamed with a happy smile then kissed Merlynn sweetly. “I’ll see you later at the bar.” Claire cooed happily bouncing out the apartment as Merlynn watched her leave “I sure hate to see her go, but I sure do enjoy watching her leave.” Merlynn snickered lewdly. “Gross. Succubus or not that’s just nasty when your mother’s a dirty old pervert.” Gloria playfully retched in the distance.
“You ready yet?” Gloria whined emerging into the room wearing a tight black and red corset accompanied by a baggy brown leather bomber jacket and tight blue jeans. “At least you’re wearing boots. Are you sure you don’t want to change into the clothes I recommended.” Merlynn asked, giving Gloria’s attire a once over. “Are they specially enchanted?” Gloria asked, giving Merlynn a wry look. “Well, no, I didn’t have anything prepared unfortunately. It was decided a little last minute that you were coming.” Merlynn admitted, a little sad. “My clothes it is then. Shall we mother?” Gloria asked with a bit of pretension.
The Addled Mimic wasn’t far from the apartment, but the trip seemed to drag either way due to traffic being heavy. It was made a bit more annoying too with the occasional onlooker staring and making lewd comments. Thankfully the ride didn’t last too much longer as they pulled up to the bar, seemingly dead, odd for the weekend. Upon entering, however, it was made clear that the bar was lively as ever when the entire staff, Claire included, shouted surprise when Merlynn and Gloria entered proper. A large banner hung over the bar that read “Happy Birthday ya’ dirty old chest!” Corey and Daisy waved them down motioning for them to come closer. As they walked past several loyal patrons to the bar, they congratulated Merlynn as she passed with Gloria. Gloria felt confused as they neared the bar proper. “What’s going on?” Gloria asked, leaning into Merlynn’s ear. “We throw some kind of party to distract everyone every time I use the portal so the energy that’s released goes unnoticed.” Merlynn answered cupping her mouth towards Gloria. “What portal? Also, why not just close the bar?” Gloria asked confused.
“On a weekend, that’s just bad for business.” Corey answered able to hear her over the celebration. “What’s the theme this time?” Merlynn asked with a smile. “Well, the Addled Mimic’s tenth anniversary of course.” Daisy grinned, handing Merlynn a drink. “Go ahead to the back we will meet you there.” Corey leaned in speaking just loud enough for them to hear, then waved down Claire meeting her at the end of the bar. “Hey! Don’t ignore me!” Gloria scoffed. “Right. I forgot you’ve never actually seen it.” Merlynn realized then tugged Gloria’s sleeve. “Come on I’ll explain in a minute.” Merlynn answered briefly then headed to the back of the bar pulling Gloria in tow.
As they made it to the door Corey and Daisy arrived with Corey unlocking the door letting everyone in. The door opened to a cramped storage room stacked from floor to ceiling with different dry goods and barrels of scotch and other aging liquors. “No wonder I’ve never been back here! This is where you keep the good stuff.” Gloria lamented reading the painted label of a nearby barrel. Aside from the goods a lone wall stood barren except an old Magic the Gathering poster, depicting Nicol Bolas, that hung on the wall. “Among other reasons.” Corey commented standing in front of the poster. After Claire finally entered Corey motioned to Daisy to lock the door. “Gloria, Claire, what I’m about to do you can’t breathe a word of to anyone.” Corey added turning to face the poster. “We talking about blood sacrifice here?” Gloria giggled in a teasing voice. Ignoring her comment Corey raised a hand touching the barren brick wall left of the poster. “Lead me to adventure.” Corey spoke aloud dragging his palm down.
As his had moved runes flickered to life in a vibrant purple hue descending in a straight line. After the seventh rune had flickered to life, he removed his hand, and everyone heard an audible clunk of a gigantic tumbler. Everyone watched silently as the room shook slightly once and the poster quickly furled as bricks tumbled away neatly in a pile on either side of Corey forming a secret passageway adjoining a larger darkened room. Gloria peered deep into the passage noticing a similar purple aura hanging dully further in. Before Gloria could express her concerns, Corey and Merlynn strode into the darkness with a cause. A moment later she heard the familiar click of a simple light switch, and the adjoining room became bathed in light. Gloria sighed audibly feeling silly for being afraid and followed everyone else inside.
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The room was larger than Gloria had expected hosting a large worn round table with matching chairs enough for ten people. There was a desk in the corner to her right with tall bookshelves crammed with books, scrolls, and various jars of mysterious contents. In the middle of the room sat a large black arch constructed of a sooty black material Gloria was unfamiliar with. She quickly noticed it was the source of the purple hue she noticed earlier as it softly glowed, barely visible in the light. To her left was chase lounge where a small childish figure with golden hair lay sleeping in teenage mutant ninja turtle pajamas. She watched as the child tossed on the chase turning her innocent face towards Merlynn and let loose a big yawn. “That’s a bit unbecoming of you, young lady.” Merlynn chided her as she noticed the young girl.
“Aunt Merlynn!!!” The small golden-haired girl shrieked in joy then ran up and leapt onto Merlynn clinging to her with everything she had. “Hiya Della!” Merlynn growled playfully as she tore Della from her leg tossing her into the air. Della giggled wildly and even squealed when Merlynn caught her. “Have you been a good girl?” Merlynn asked her, holding her in her arms. “Never!” She squealed again as she writhed under Merlynn’s tickles.
“Della don’t torture your Aunt Lynn.” Daisy pleaded as she and Corey sat down on a loveseat next to the chase lounge. Della submitted after a few more tickles then got down and ran to join her parents. Claire rounded up the rear as the door behind her then proceeded to rebuild itself. After shrieking for a minute moment, she hurried to stand beside Merlynn wrapping her hand into hers. Corey glanced over giving speculative side eye then grinned. “I’m assuming things went well then?” Corey asked with a widening grin. Claire turned her head blushing a vibrant red again. “Shut it old man! No one pulled your rip cord!” Merlynn barked sticking her tongue out afterwards.
“Cheese wagon.” Corey called her with all seriousness. “Lard Barrel!” Merlynn snapped back, the two stared daggers at one another until Gloria broke the silence. “And you say I act like a kid sometimes.” Gloria sighed audibly. “Tell me about it. You get these two idiots together outside of work and it ends up like this every time. We started it together and since Lynn caught wind of it, she's always jumped in, treating it more like a competition than it is.” Daisy reciprocated Gloria’s sigh with her own.
“I won’t accept defeat ever!” Merlynn proudly admitted boasting a silly look about her face. After having their laugh Merlynn reached out touching the portal willing energy into it lighting it ablaze. The portal hummed to life once more brimming with a fluorescent purple haze. “Are you ready Glory?” Merlynn asked willing more energy into the portal focusing the purple haze into a vivid image of a pale lit room and large wooden door armed to the teeth in an absurd assortment of locks. “So, we just walk through? Any crazy side effects?” Gloria asked, her voice a little hesitant.
“So far, a little disorientation. Their planet has a different gravity than ours I believe, but not by much. You’ll get the idea when you jump for the first time. Other than Corey, no one has hurled.” Merlynn explained leaning on the portal like a car salesman. “Hey!” Corey began to protest but was cut off by Gloria. “Screw it lets do this, I said I'd never leave you alone again!” Gloria screamed charging headfirst ,with her eyes closed, through the portal. Moments later there was a resounding thud and a mad screaming Gloria stuck horns first in the door. “That’s my cue call me if you need me!” Merlynn smiled then spun into the portal flaring the tail of her coat as she walked through the portal.
“You’re such a bitch! You could have told me the damn door was this close!” Gloria cursed through pressed teeth trying to pull her horns free from the wall. “Let me help you.” Merlynn giggled laying a hand on her shoulder. “Piss off woman I've got this!!” Gloria screamed heaving with all her might, finally freeing herself. “There, see, told you I've got this.” Gloria gloated gleefully. Merlynn could hold her laughter back no further blurting out. “You’ve got a little somethin’ somethin’ there.” Merlynn barely managed through her laughter. “What!?” Gloria barked looking at the door to find two good sized chunks missing out of it and daylight bleeding through. “What!? No, no, no!” Gloria refused to believe the two chunks of wood were real she felt stuck to her horns and couldn’t get off. “Oooh!” Gloria steamed and stamped in place then kicked the door off its hinges bathing the entrance in brilliant sunlight, a sight that Gloria didn’t appreciate, just continued storming away cursing under her breath trying to remove the chunks of wood from her horns. Merlynn wiped the tears from her eyes then took one last look through the portal at Claire who was tearful but anxiously happy.
Her friends stood behind her, each of them smiling silently wishing them well. Merlynn turned pressing two fingers to her lips, blew them a winking kiss then turned to begin her journey. Just as Merlynn breached the light a searing hand reached out grabbing her lovingly then recoiled back to the shadow shrieking in newfound pain. “Claire!” Merlynn panicked spinning in place, rushing to Claire who heaved and whimpered as third-degree burns began healing on their own. As most of the wound fully healed, her hands were left with scar tissue she couldn’t seem to repair on her own. “I guess my plan to stalk you in secret is out?” Clair joked rubbing at her hands still shaking a bit from the newfound sensation. “Are you okay? How did that even happen?” Merlynn asked worriedly examining Claire’s hand. “I have no idea to be honest, that’s the first time the sun was ever more than just warm to me. I feel fine though, I won’t lie to you and say that it didn’t hurt, still does to be honest. Now kiss me and go so I won’t have to worry about you so long.” Claire demanded pulling Merlynn to her. “I promise you I will investigate it. I’m starting to get excited about the idea of taking you with me after all this is over with. Theres so many places I want to take you that my minds planning dates already.” Merlynn swore to her as she kissed her passionately. “Hurry up or I’ll keep you here.” Claire teased lightly pushing her into the sunlight. Merlynn watched with a smile as Daisy stepped forward calling out for them to be safe before closing the portal, leaving her there alone in a familiar old stone building. “Now, where did my heathen get off to.” Merlynn thought aloud.