<span style="font-size: 15px"><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma'">Early afternoons at the Arcana Cabana were not the busiest hours, at least not in the late summer, no things picked up heavy closer to Halloween. More so due to the local college or high school students attempting to buy something for their parties and thinking it'd be some sort of fun to have a real object or something that could scare the living daylights out of their guests. Then there was the holiday rush, followed by Chinese New Year. Though Mulan tended to stay away from the place...though she sent her own sorcerer Sun-Lok, who had this strange belt with a dragon on it, long finger nails, and eerie yellow eyes. Not the kind of person who you'd like to meet in a dark alley in Chinatown...still he payed well when he did come in and had not proven hostile. <br/>
<br/>
Peter's gang never ventured in, not since the unfortunate incident that found Merlin's apprentice task with the twelve labors he was doing, but such a thing was not going to happen again. Peter now was beyond selfish and only about himself and his gains, not the person Declan had known all those years ago, and it was something he was going to have to accept and press on...there was no redeeming his old friend he understood that now...ten years locked in a vase for ten years in what felt like that enchanted sleep the famed princess...he couldn't remember now which one...slept. <br/>
<br/>
Baba Yaga and Rasputin, did come in to the Arcana Cabana often, mostly to buy the famed nesting dolls to imprison those that crossed their paths. From what Declan had been told by Grumpy there had been incidents where nesting dolls were found in the harbor and other spots in town...the less said about the conditions of the bodies inside the better. But as long as they could pass the screening process, they got their goods.<br/>
<br/>
Declan in the meantime had inhaled two sandwiches plus two garlic pickles. Clearly he needed to change as having to tend to customers in a pair of gym shorts and his sleeveless Stanford shirt would probably not sit well with the clientele, one never knew who was going to pop in...at least during business hours...after all the Arcana Cabana was open from 0600 to 1800 (6 PM) and as it sat it was barley half past two in the afternoon. He could picture his uncle Merlin telling the order of the dragon:<br/>
</span><br/>
<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff8000"><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma'">"Tell everyone...my apprentice has returned!"</span></span><br/>
<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma'"><br/>
He had to laugh at the thought...though he wanted to be done with these labors...he still had nine more to complete, before he was free. Merlin had told him memories were painful, and Declan had believed that to the core, certainly there was pain and one he sought ease...but was there someone who could help him that regard? The muses were silent on that...as were the fates. He'd have to visit the Oracle later to complete his next task assigned to him...but that would have to wait till nightfall...when the famed "Looking Glass" opened up. Rumors always swirled about that place and he'd done his best to avoid it as nothing of interest was there for him...until now, his fourth labor was going to bring him into Mad Hatter's lair.<br/>
<br/>
The Hatter had a reputation for dealing in things that weren't exactly kosher, pleasures of the flesh, mind, and spirit...yes the "Looking Glass" was a sexual fantasy, black market, sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll club. Some college students went there with dates to party or just have sex (when in need of a place other than a hotel or dorm). It was unknown where Alice procured the goods sold in their black market or even where she got the supply of drugs called magic mushrooms, all that was known was someone with the name Caterpillar would deal in this particular area. The place wasn't run down by any means, in fact given the part of town it was in, it was really one of the more ritzy places, with theme rooms that were always clean, the dance floor was known for it's laser light shows and the illuminated dance floor.<br/>
<br/>
Declan would focus on that task after the shop closed for the night, he wasn't 100% due to the injuries inflicted by Peter and given he was going to have to go to this club he needed to decide on what he was wearing on this humid late summer night. All in time...right now it was minding the store, Grumpy had been doing that for the length of his absence, it was time he gave the dwarf a day off.<br/>
<br/>
He was still stiff and sore from the cuts inflicted on him and he'd have to work this out and find a way to accomplish the task for his labor later this evening, though he'd research it while he was minding the shop, it was clear he had a bit of a limp or stiff walk due to the cut and now bandaged left leg, but the jeans he was now sporting would have to mask that as best he could. He put on a proper shirt with a collar, though he couldn't resist picking out a Hawaiian style dark blue with red flowers...he didn't have a dress code per say, but he needed to put on the proper appearance, shoes were always optional in his case (he preferred to be barefoot) it's not like the floors were disgusting, in fact he had them done in such a way that if he wanted he could have the customers remove their shoes upon entering. Still he took up a spot behind the main desk...and much to his surprise that cursed tea set was there...the one with the sugar bowl that would play rough with the rest of the poor set...how <i>he'd  </i>ended up with his uncle's tea set...he remembered it from childhood and apprentice hood. Oh yes the sting of that sugar spoon...he felt it again after he poured himself a nice cup of tea and went for some sugar...he tried to laugh.<br/>
<br/>
The chef brought him some cheese, crackers, and scones while he was minding the place. It was slow going, but he got out and walked the cases and aisles to see if anything new had come in...there were some things that were very new, he'd not had in stock before he went into the vase. He was snapped out of memory lane by the TV that must have been installed while he was in the vase...nice place for it...but the news report was showing Peter's wild flying through the city upon his release from the vase...the reporter caught his interest, he'd seen her at the museum opening before Peter had crashed it...she was dangerous...especially if she got some information. <i>What was her name?</i> <i>Oh right...Miss Bianca.</i><br/>
<br/>
At least there was nothing about him in the report...he didn't need any unwanted publicity...it would just be more ammunition for his brothers and father to use against him. He did make it a point to return Merida's call, so that way she wouldn't worry, especially due to the news report not mentioning him. As he was looking at some of the fey objects that were just come in from someone called "Godmother" it sounded to Declan like one of the heads of the crime families in Odense, of course there was no proof of this...but it was known that there was a faerie crime family out there, but this didn't concern him now as he felt a chill an almost arctic blast hit him...he could feel his injuries freeze as well as the blood in his veins. The woman was roughly his age, always wearing cool to cold colors such as a mix of white and blue...her blond hair and blue eyes were as cold as the icy magics she commanded. <b>Elsa Arendelle</b><br/>
<br/>
Elsa was one of the social elite known as the "Snow Queen" in Odense...her family fortune was in the diamond business, specifically a type of diamond called the ice diamond. Her sister Anna is known to have certain dealings within certain circles...the rumor was she was engaged in cultist activities with a serial killer called Olaf the Snowman, whose M.O. was leaving victims within a snowman's body or merely with a snowman's head. Though Olaf hadn't been active as of late and Anna was possibly keeping a low profile, it was odd to see Elsa without her younger sister. Declan had met Elsa at the Winter Ball before his time in that vase, Elsa had expressed interest in him, however he did not reciprocate, correctly viewing her as dangerous. Now her presence in the Arcana Cabana left him wondering, but on guard as he had no idea of her intentions...<br/>
</span><br/>
<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#4dffff"><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma'">"So it's true...you've come back sorcerer, no longer longer the fool in love are you? No there's something that's changed about you..."</span></span><br/>
<br/>
<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#0080ff"><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma'">"Is there <i>something</i> that interests you Elsa?"</span></span><br/>
<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#4dffff"><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma'"><br/>
"You do. Come now you must be over that business with Wendy that got you doing labors."</span></span><br/>
<br/>
<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#0080ff"><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma'">"Elsa, you need to let it go, I am not interested in you, however I can show you some very interesting silver trinkets, bound to impress at your Winter Gala you're going to be holding."</span></span><br/>
<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma'"><br/>
Elsa gave Declan a unimpressed smirk, to her he was still playing hard to get. To him he had no interest in her, she was dangerous and she used lovers and discarded them as one changes sweaters in the winter time. But she allowed Declan to show her the silver trinkets from all over the place. He had manners something many lacked in this town, and even Elsa had to concede and chose to purchase an impressive silver elk, Declan decided to give her a bit of a discount to show no hard feelings, but couldn't help but think Elsa was in there on behalf of someone other than herself. It didn't matter now as she exited the Arcana Cabana, she made a call on her iPhone.</span></span><br/><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma'"><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#4dffff"><span style="font-size: 15px"><br/>
"It's true, he has returned just like the crowing jack ass, you might want to get your ringside seat, that business at the museum is far from over."</span></span></span><br/><span style="font-size: 15px"><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma'"><br/>
Declan in the mean time needed to decide on what he was going to wear to the "Looking Glass" as it was getting close to closing time, he wasn't going to close early, but he did note the thunderstorm coming...the rain would certain make his task more difficult...he was hoping he'd not have to use any blood magic, he was one of the few that actually could use it with minimal effects, though there was no master of this school, only a few could use this particular magic. It was known among the fey that Declan and his uncle did use this, they both did to save one of the kingdoms...though it did devastate some of the land...he was unsure if they recorded that incident, and if they did he hoped it was a fair recording.<br/>
<br/>
He did step outside and collect the mail, and checked again to see the status of the weather...it was becoming overcast, rain was inevitable. He did note some commotion around the Arcana Cabana, it was more about the start of the college football season, and just random banter at the other shops, though Declan managed to hear a name...Pinocchio...come up often. Not sure what that was in regards to, but not his concern at the moment. He needed to look into what his labor was tonight, specifically the object he needed to retrieve, he opened his book and flipped through, he'd have some time to read before closing and maybe more time to read it over after the shop closed... <br/>
</span></span>