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The Gift

Daniel's Storyline, Chapter 1.2

copyright comidacomida 2018

I didn't really get a good look at them though because they were followed by a Bat. The third of the group was a Bat in the same way that Kon was a Fox and Talapus was a Coyote. He was dressed up in brand name gear including a pair of shades I remember seeing on sale online for like, $300. He came to a halt the moment he caught a glimpse of me with Kon. The guys he was with passed right by me; the one on the right walked right through the Fox. The Bat grinned, revealing a pair of long, pearly white fangs as he did so. "Well well well... what have we here?"

Having been caught by surprise I was staring so I offered a nod to the Bat. After that I made my way out of the bathroom since carrying on a conversation with myself in front of the newcomers wouldn't exactly win me any awards. Rather than joining the theater's customers at the urinals the Bat followed after me. To say that I wasn't at least a little alarmed would have been a lie, but Kon and Talapus were between me and him so I guess it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

I made my way back to the concessions stand and weighed my options; the Bat was still heading towards me, sunglasses (and most likely eyes) facing in my direction. Kon hopped up onto the counter, butt planted right over where the Snickers were on display. Talapus, on the other hand, was hardly as laid back; I watched as a shimmer of smoke emerged from his paw in either direction and solidified into a wooden bow like you'd expect to see in some Cowboy and Indians movie. The Coyote, in fact, was the first to speak. "Whatever you're looking for here, Aiden, you're about to find something else."

Glancing around the empty lobby, I turned aside to Talapus. "You know him?"

The bow-wielding spirit kept his attention on the Bat even as he responded to my question. "Enough to know he's trouble."

The Bat flashed those vampire-y fangs with an award-winning smile. "Oh? And you aren't, Ma'ai?"

Talapus scowled, an arrow appearing in the bow in much the same way as the weapon had. "It's 'Talapus', Aiden. We're not in New Mexico anymore."

The Bat took off his shades so he could run a paw through the thick, reddish fur on his head that almost looked a little like the equivalent of hair. "Oh right... I forgot that you really picked up on the whole 'name brand' thing."

The sound of a crumpled crunch caught my attention to my side and I glanced over to see Kon, who had somehow managed to get himself a tub of popcorn. When he saw me looking at him his tail swished and me smiled, eyes tenting. "This is getting good, isn't it? I think the bat's winning."

Talapus scowled, speaking over his shoulder. "You should be backing me up, Yokai. Believe me-- you don't want Aiden sinking his fangs into Daniel."

Something about the statement made me pause, taking a step back from the counter. "Uh... figuratively, or literally?"

Aiden winked at me before putting his shades back on, and his renewed smile didn't seem quite as fangy. "Mostly the first, but I'm good with the second too if you're into it. I'm more Stephenie Meyer and less Bram Stoker."

I didn't quite get his meaning. "You're what?"

Even with his shades on I could tell he was rolling his eyes. "More Twilight and less Dracula... you know: not so gothic and more--"

Talapus interjected "Sparkly."

If the statement bothered Aiden the Bat didn't let it show. "There's a place for everything, Ma-- uh... Talapus. You should try a rave sometime."

The Coyote snorted. "I have."

Herne, who had been silent the entire time, stood up from where he'd remained seated on the bench and strode forward, stopping right behind the Bat. "What is it you want with Daniel, Bat?"

Aiden slowly turned around; being about the same height as me, it meant that he was required to lean backward slightly to look up at the Elk. "Do you know his name because you've met, or because he's wearing a name tag?"

The flick of an ear was the only indication that the Bat's casual dismissal had an effect on Herne. The Elk reached out and rested a hand on Aiden's shoulder; it didn't seem to be a particularly aggressive move but I remembered what it was like having him touch me and I was surprised Aiden didn't seem all that shaken. Herne responded simply. "We have met. I have been given permission to be in his apartment. What do you want with Daniel?"

The Bat stepped toward me, moving away from Herne at the same time. He shrugged out of his jacket to detach himself from the Elk, reaching his arms out to grab an identical one out of nowhere before putting it on. He gave his answer to me. "You know, I've been around a hundred-something years and I've only ever met one other Seer... you have any idea how cool this is?"

I shrugged, not feeling particularly cool, but I played it off as well as I could. "Well, I'm here in a movie theater toward the end of my shift and I--"

The two guys I'd seen in the bathroom walked past me; the one on the right glanced my way. "Good for you. Hopefully you get paid better than shit."

I felt my ears redden slightly and I stepped away from the counter; he thought I was talking to him and didn't realize I was surrounded by four spirits arguing about me. Talapus continued his two way argument with Kon and Aiden while Herne remained mostly silent, watching all three of them with a wary eye. I stayed quiet until the two guys from the bathroom returned to their movie and was just about to speak up when Herne interrupted everyone and stated. "Your manager is behind you."

I spun around. "Hey, Lisa."

Lisa was an early 40-something who probably wanted something more out of life but, for whatever reason she was a second-shift manager at a movie theater. I knew her husband worked at the school district and that they had two kids, but pretty much everything else about her personal life was a complete mystery. It made it hard to like her, especially at times when she snuck up behind me. Chances were, any time she did she was going to what I knew she was going to say; she didn't like people doing nothing on the clock. I was right. "Daniel, if you can lean you can clean."

I turned around and grabbed the sponge from its place by the sink and turned back to start wiping down the counter. "Right. Sure thing."

She headed back toward the office, but not before adding "Galen and Troy are handling the clean-up after the movie lets out. As soon as the doors close you can head home."

Even though she wasn't looking at me I nodded. "You got it."

Lisa wasn't beyond making another set of rounds so I made sure I kept up the cleaning; the fact that Kon stayed seated on the counter didn't help. What made it even more difficult was that he spilled some of his popcorn and it was about as physical as he was, so I tried to pick it up twice before realizing what it was; my 'antics' got a laugh out of him and Talapus. Aiden just sighed. "You know, Daniel, if you wanted to be in the movie industry you really didn't choose the best way to do it."

I finished wiping the counter down and turned around to make a three-pointer with the sponge into the sink; it hit the counter and fell onto the floor. Sighing, I went to retrieve it, speaking to the Bat over my shoulder. "Thanks-- didn't think it would be. This is just a job, not a career."

Putting the sponge where it belonged, I grabbed the glass cleaner and went back to finish working on the counter. "Kon... I need to be able to clean the glass."

The Fox's tail swished happily and he made no sign that he planned on moving. "Don't let me keep you."

If I'd've been at home I would've laughed thanks to the expression on his face but I was at work. "Come on. Off the counter."

Kon winked. "I'm not in the way, Hiro-- your hands'll go right through me, remember? I don't mind you being inside me."

Aiden's ears raised at that and his sunglasses lowered on his nose, purple eyes gleaming with humored disbelief. "Did he just say what I thought I heard?"

Although he didn't seem to be asking anyone in particular, Talapus answered the question. "Yes. Yes you did. He's like this all the time."

Herne's statement was delivered with bland disinterest. "We have an Accord, and it will be respected."

The Bat took off his shades entirely and slid them into the pocket of his jacket. "An Accord? Really? Damn... I wouldn't mind hearing more... maybe from the Seer himself?"

Kon folded his arms across his chest. "Daniel already has three spirits in his house-- that's two more than he needs."

With my shift almost over and four spirits sitting and arguing at the concessions stand I realized that they were going to make my last hour difficult. Setting down the glass cleaner I looked at the four of them and I--