Castlevania Equestria: Paralogue 3 - Claws for Alarm

Sophitia doesn't have a spring in her step today-her usual little gait doesn't seem quite so energetic as before. It's not the weather-she likes the gray, springtime drizzle. It's not the fact she's sober either, her step would still be a bit bouncy... No, today she seems to be stalking, moving purposefully and almost tensely down the street with her poncho clutched about her to keep her at least a little dry, her fluff ears perking this way and that as her piercing blue eyes steal glances along the street every now and then. She has the air of a creature hunted, like she is expecting an attack at any time. She hugs a little basket close to her front as she moves down the Ponyville street, finally slipping into one of the cafes and lowering her shawl with a huff. It's cozy and warm in here, a little bastion of cheer on the gloomy day...and it feels safe. Safe from what...exactly...? As she looks around the cafe, she manages to spot her quarry, another cat! The only one in the cafe besides her. An entirely different breed, looking closer to a Savannah Cat, but this one just as stylishly dressed, albeit more tribal with a fancy headwrap. She raises a drink at Tia, her lips parting to reveal blackened teeth. Sophie's tail twitches and she sashays over, smirking a little. "Ya'll din't hafta get dressed up fer me..." "And yet, sista, you ah..." the cat trails of, gesturing at Tia's smart white dress with little embroidered flowers, and her poncho. "I t'ink we ah both guilty in dis little dahnce." Her accent, as always...impeccable outlandish Zebrican. "Aright, ah'll take that one..." Tia says as she slips into the opposite side of the booth. "Been too long, even though we been so close'n all..." she says with a slight sad tone. "As if dat is a fair worry, sista-we both know deah have been 'tings keepin us bot' busy!" she says with a slight glint in her green eyes as her claws scratch at the table. "Ain't that a truth'n'half..." Sophie says in barely a whisper as she sets her basket down on the table, looking out the window at the falling rain a moment. "But, enough of de darker matters, sista, dis is our meetin! What have you brought momma?~" she coos as she produces a book bound in leather, opening it to reveal some sort of spell book. Tia's eyes light up as she starts to unfold the cloth on her basket, revealing a white and black splotched little rat that had been sleeping. He perks his ears up curiously, sniffing and looking around at the two in interest. "A new friend, this one got himself caught in th'bottom of a barrel after eatin' all the food over winter, greedy lil guts...maybe he deserved it, maybe he was just tryna survive...either way, felt bad for him, so back t'life he came...!" she says adoringly as she lifts the small rodent up, letting him crawl on her arm. "Ah bawo ni igbega what a perfect little t'ing!~" Niakoro says excitedly as she opens a page in her book, producing an interesting flower that has been pressed and dried-it has dark purple edges on its outer petals, but slowly gradients to soft pink on its inside-she picks it up in her claws and offers it out to Sophie, who takes it, passing over the rat in exchange. The flower, interestingly, starts to swell and burgeon the moment Sophie touches it, becoming a normal, fresh flower within seconds, which she leans forward to smell. "Ahhhhhh nine vales of heaven if this ain't heady..." she murrs as she eyes roll back a little. "I t'aught you would like dat one sweet'eart. Don't eat it all at once..." she chuckles as she scratches the rat. What a perfect pet. "Now dat dis is past...I suppose we must discuss de most dire matters..." she sighs as she eyes her tea. Sophie, cut of from responding as the waitress moves over to take her order, quickly orders a tea and a scone, before staring into Nia's eyes. "Ahhhhh we ain't gotta get t'that just yet, world ain't endin'..." she says as she stares down at her flower. "How's ya'll? Truly...we might not agree on everythin'...." she trails off. "Sweet, as always, little sista. I am...." her claws drum on the table as she looks out at the rain, chewing her words. "...spent. Old. Tired. Like...I miss de old times. De simpler days..." she turns back to Tia. "You know, warlords used to come to me, for omens, portents, blessings of victory in battle-I was de great shaman, de seer, de sayer...now...I am just mixing up potions for old stallions who want fun before dey die, and young mares, before dey are married..." she sighs softly. "Well ah can't say much t'that, it's as much as ah've ever done Nia, it makes money..." Tia says as she toys with the flower. "Yes, sweet'eart, it does, but does it a DIFFERENCE eh? When you look...at 'ow much of yer life you have left to live, centuries, perhaps, what do you see yourself, doing so far from now? Still, not selling potions and salves, surely...?" she says as she tilts her head. "Ahm...too much of a moment lass t'think about that..." Tia says as she shrugs. "Ah ain't dissatisfied...yet...but...I ain't lived longer than a normal cat yet, have ah?" "MMmmm dat is true...but I have, and...I am tired of living..." the cat sighs with another wistful sigh. "Or...at least....living as a shadow...in the background, where...I am but a watcher of fate..." "Hun, we just...ain't...as important as we used to be...witches? You know?" she says as she taps the table. "Yeah, back in the day, we were either hunted and burned, or sought out for empires and kingdoms. Now...people don't even think we exist." she shrugs, flicking her ears. "Time's have changed, world became tamer, more peaceful...ain't that a good thing?" "Mmmmmm it is only the face and nature of mortals dat has changed. Perhaps there is less physical violence and murder, but de battlefield has become emotional and social now I fear...and dat...a witch has little power over...unless you desire to delve deep into de dark arts, in which case..." she chuckles darkly. They sure COULD have effects... "Not mah cup of tea, fer sure...although ah know what is..." she smiles as the waitress returns, setting down her tea. "Thank ya hun!" The mare smiles, flattening her ears as she whispers. "I....I overheard you as I came back...y-you said you're witches? Could you like...read my fortune? You totally wouldn't have to leave a tip...I just...I'm curious.." she looks rather young and interested...adorable. "I do not have my dragon knucklebones, deah chyild, but I can tell you dat stallion in de corner?" she points at a dark green stallion with a gray mane. "He will try to get your number and ask you out on a date by de end of your shift." she watches as the mare blushes and turns, excited, before continuing. "If I were you, I would tell him off hard, he has physically abused de last t'ree marefriends he has had, one of dem almost offed herself." she adds darkly, causing the mare to turn around, her face going pale as she trembles. "But the good news is ya don't need'im, ya got a lovely lass in yer future who will be twice the love he could ever be on a sunny day..." Tia adds as she pets behind the waitress's ear. "It'll be alright sugar." "B...but I don't...even know any mares...?" the waitress says confusedly. "Wat you mean to say is, you've only had your eyes on de bois and dere big muscles, you never noticed all de cute, smart girls flexing dere biggest muscle your way-dere brain?~" Niakoro teases the mare with a little poke. Oof. "I...o-oh..." the mare got called out there. "Okay..." she's back to blushing again. Salvaged! She moves off with a pat from Tia, who turns back to Nia with a grin. "Ah love doin' that." "Gets dem, every time. And they say divination is a dead art..." Nia says as she sips her tea with a smirk. "Speakin' of dead arts sis..." Tia says as her face drops. "Yes...I know." the witch rubs at the table again, shrugging. "I do not know who he is Tia, but it is only a matter of time before he comes for us. We have skills he can use..." "How much in danger are we...?" the ragdoll cat asks as her claws dig into the table. "Well...he cannot COMMAND us, darling, not like he can de ot'er other creatures...unlike monsters of de night, we are but magically blessed beings, ones who may choose our own destiny. Witches...have fought AGAINST the dark lords, just as much as dey have fought alongside dem." she says with a nod. "Why would they t'begin with though? What could a lord of darkness have t'offer us?" Tia says with a raising brow. "Occult knowledge, little sister! De deepest and darkest of magics! Not all books dat are now available to us, were always so! Not always, we were so wise in de black and white magics, dat we did not seek forbidden help...no...we are always but acolytes, coming into our own...dark lords are de font of dere own magic, and witches...could always be seduced by de lure of knowledge and power...especially since de other races would hate us and shun us so-it was only natural we would flock to de dark lord for protection, ga'dering under his black wings and increasing our knowledge-and dat all he would ask in return, is for us to use our magical prowess for his glory and domination? It was not'ing but a perfect win for us sista." Niakoro elaborates. "Hmmmmff...and now....there's probably less of us...n'more hidden too..." Sophie murmurs before taking a sip of her tea. "It will not be long, before he detects us heah, even if all we do is potions and de occasional fortune-telling..." Nia says softly as she eyes the waitress in the distance. "And what'll we do if he does?" "Run, sistah. We are not vampire hunters or killers, dat role belongs to others. Dey are heah, dey are about...but dey may also be too late to save our fluffy hides, and I may be old and tired, but I am NOT ready to t'row in de towel just yet..." the cat says resolutely as she finishes her tea. "Mmmmmm here's t'hopin he don't come in when ahm high then..." Tia says as she salutes with her own tea, before draining it all. She goes to grab her scone, only to find the rat eating it already. "Really mister? Ah bring ya back t'life n'this is the thanks ah get?" Niakoro just bursts out laughing. "Tole sibẹ lẹẹkansi, Guts I t'ink his name shall be, dis wan!" Sophitia will remember this.