Colin's posts

Ash sighed. Heavily.

"Well. In due time, I hope you come to see that cooking will not be a form of punishment here." he told her.

"In fact, I will see to it that you have a massive selection of ingredients to choose from." he then said. "That you have so much to work with, and can let creativity flow." he went on.

"...and also, I hope calling her 'Mistress' leaves your vocabulary, too." he then added.

"Regardless... yeah, I'll make sure this place is always well-stocked."

"Uh... I don't... really swim like that." Ash admitted. "Not usually, anyway..." he mumbled.

"But... good to know on the dial, I suppose." he then said.

"Anyway, yeah, I'll finalise things at the old place, have my info updated at the guild, and that'll be good." he continued.

"Oh, and lemme know if you every want any exotic meat or anything." he then said to Rowena.

"I'm a top-notch hunter!" he bragged.

"...j-just you?" Ash stammered. "JUST you?" he re-asked.

"Holy... hell." he muttered, clearly floored by this info.

"You're... I mean... FyreWorx is... just..." he stuttered further, shaking his head vigourously.

"Wow. That's all I can really say." he admitted.

"Well. All right then. I'm going to close things with my former landlord, and tell the proper people at the guild that my address has changed." he informed Hazel and Rowena.

"And then I think I'll go for a swim."

"Huh?" Ash responded, before thinking a moment.

"Uhhhhhh, yeah. Yeah, I have, actually." he said.

"Really big-deal fireworks makers and such." he went on, as he seemed to come to a realisation.

"Wait." he said. "Wait, wait, wait..." he muttered.

"You work for them?" he asked. "Like, making the fireworks and stuff?" he asked further.

"That's... pretty cool."

Ash was impressed that Hazel was getting more comfortable... and more relieved as well. If that blindfold would help her leave her past behind, then he was all for it. But that wasn't on the forefront of his mind right now.

What WAS... was the warning about loud bangs and such.

"Uh... loud bangs and whatever?" he asked.

"Normal?" he asked further.

"May I ask... WHY those are so normal here?"

"The roof?" Ash asked.

"Well, you do you, Hazel." he said. "Do whatcha wanna do." he told her, as they approached the house, and entered it.

"Guess that's it, then." he muttered.

"I'll finalise everything back in Ireland, but... we live HERE now." he commented.

"...and if you want to know what I mean by my immunity to toxins, I'll tell you." he then said to Rowena.

"Yeah." Ash responded.

With that, the three of them left the café, piled into Rowena's vehicle, and were off. The drive was as short as before, and they were at the house in no time. Once they exited the car, Ash looked at Hazel.

"What are you going to do first?" he asked.

"I suspect you'll just head downstairs. But anything in specific?"

"....mm." Ash mumbled.

"And... well... yeah, I'm... pretty much immune to poison and venom, actually." he told her.

"And I mean that. ANY sort of toxin either dies in my body, or I end up rapidly making the antivenom for it." he went on, shaking his head a little and looking off to the side, out the window.

"...I'll say more back at the house." he said.

"It's not something to talk about in public."

Ash just groaned.

"So a few hunts catch me off guard from time to time." he said.

"It's NOT a big deal." he insisted.

"I mean, YES, I couldn't walk properly for a couple weeks after that Giant Nail Weasel went all tornado on my leg, but I was fine." he went on, pausing again.

"...mostly. Kinda." he mumbled.

"I mean I'm fine NOW." he stated, clearly backpedaling now.

Ash looked away slightly, before clearing his throat.

"Yes, well, anyway!" he said.

"Let's get a move on." he told them.

"Oh, and I will be keeping weird hours, obviously." he then warned. "Given that I work in Ireland, the time zones are gonna make things a little weird on the being home thing." he continued.

"...until I'm injured bad enough that Em thinks I need time to rest, and has me off for a few weeks..." he then muttered.

Ash nodded.

"We shall." he said, looking to Hazel.

"And I realise this is all a big change for you... again... but if nothing else, let's just see where this takes us." he told her, shaking his head a little it, and looking back at Rowena.

"Anyway, let's be off." he said.

"Maybe I'll finally actually unpack all those boxes." he mumbled. "Admittedly, I was so quick in being ready to move as... well... those boxes hadn't been unpacked from when I first got that tiny place." he admitted sheepishly.

"...damn." Ash mumbled.

"Talk about a miracle scarf." he commented. "Guess that comes with the territory of what it's made of, though." he added with a light laugh.

"Well, Hazel, there you go." he then said to Hazel. "Looks like things are finally looking more and more up for you." he commented, before looking back towards Rowena.

"And with that, she should be fine to head back." he told her.

"To our new home, and our new futures." he added.

Ash could see that Hazel was befuddled and stunned, and placed a hand atop her shoulder.

"It's all right." he said.

"Take it as a gesture of goodwill and kindness." he told her. "There are people out there like that, and to this extent." he said further. He knew this to be true, and while his mind still had reservations about his mother, he found himself already saying this about her more easily.

"Try it." he then said.

"See if it'll suit your needs."

Ash bit his lip and leaned in close to Rowena.

"Treats and baked goods are... well... they illicit fear from her." he whispered.

"Vanessa used them a lot. Laced them with awful things that led to pain, misery, and always death." he went on.

"...I shudder to think what she gave Hazel." he then added, before clearing his throat and sitting back more normally.

"Thank you for the offer." he said in a more normal tone, accepting one of them.