Late evening was the perfect time to get anything done. Or at least, that's what she thought. Shadows started to drift across the street while the sun began to dip down beneath the rooftops of the stacked up buildings. Cities were like a forest. A weird, blocky, crowded forest with big, fat, square trees. That's how she'd always thought of them, anyway. Especially if the streets weren't overly organized and the alleyways between the buildings or blocks were narrow, winding things that people could lose themselves in.
In Serendipity, Glyssa didn't look too out of place. Dark hair, sure, but her eye color could be chalked up to a bit of odd genes but her clothes damn near matched. Not that she could ever really worry about fitting in. Most people looked right over her and anyone that did notice her, didn't look for long. There just wasn't much to look at, so long as Glyssa wasn't looking back. Small, sweet face and slender body wrapped up in lace, ribbon, and dark fabric. She could be anyone's well-to-do daughter roaming the streets, with her long hair pulled up in red ribbon. Slippered feet padded across the cobble stone while she made her way down toward the markets. They'd be cleaning up and getting ready to close for the night, which meant they'd not be too crowded.
She was looking for a book. Or was it a scroll? A map?
Knigata Na Vratite. The lost Book of Doors, a hiss reminded, sharp and angry like a snake that had been backed into a corner. She wasn't concerned at the reprimand, though, and scrunched her face up instead.
"Such a bunch of nonsense sounds," she said aloud while stopping in front of an impressive book store. Glass panes glittered in the evening light, glowing from within. Mage lights, most like. No one in their right mind would have candles, oil lamps, or the like around whatever expensive books were bound to be inside. Or at least that's what she believed. The door was polished wood and more glass, but the window was a bit too high for Glyssa to just peer into, so she opened it. Announcing her entry with the tingling of a little bell over the door.
Carpet and shelves greeted her, with the dancing mage lights keeping the interior lit despite how the street had started to darken. There was a desk, a ledger, and inkwell where the owner or whomever would likely mark down purchases. She wasn't here for that, though, or even the coffer box likely under the elegantly carved counter. Instead, she began to make her way among the shelves. Many of them were out of her small hand's reach but she could read the titles. Or most of them - writ in scripted trade tongue to seem more appealing then their contents really were. A History of Trade or Border Lines and their Changes.
Bleh.
None of this sounded good at all.
The book, Glyssa.. An impatient sigh. Right. She was here for a book. A certain book.
While the shelves were mostly dark, there seemed to be a certain place where the light danced. Likely where someone was being shown a certain book. If the man was busy... "Just go and find our book," Glyssa sighed softly, releasing her hold on Parirsho. Dark clouds materialized in front of her and built up, solidifying into the tall, slender, woman-ish demon. Her black sclera and red iris eyes peered down at Glyssa, near luminous in the shadows of the shelves. "You'll find it faster than I will."
Black lips tilted in the ghost of a smile before Parirsho, clothed in a black corset dress, turned on a heel and walked away. Darkness walking into shadow.
Glyssa, curious as she was, made her way toward the light. If Parirsho was going to find the light, what was the harm in looking to see who else was around. Two shelves over and one row down, the stooped owner seemed to be having a disagreement with a patron. Something about the alchemical contents or formula writ in a book they were both holding - likely questioning the integrity of the shop's wares. That seemed to be the implication, anyway.
What a pointless argument. If the book was wrong, why bother? Could just... burn the whole place down, a guttural growl suggested. Glyssa's face scrunched up in distaste.
"We can't burn the place down just for that."
She hadn't realize she'd said it out loud until the owner tensed and lifted his light, looking around. "Someone there?" His voice rose in volume. "If you need assistance finding something..."
"I do," a silky, feminine voice said from behind the owner and his guest, opposite where Glyssa had nearly revealed herself. Parirsho revealed herself to his lantern light, the black markings of her face immediately making it apparent she wasn't... exactly... human. Never mind the black and red eyes. "I do believe you have a key to a section in the back. I want it."
At least the devil hadn't killed the man to get it. Well. Not yet. Glyssa skipped into view, opposite the old man and his guest. As she did, she released Xog'droxir but with the order to, "Watch the door." The dark shadow of the demon, steps rumbling along the floor, was the only signal to the owner, that there was more than the woman and the girl.
"N-now see here..." he began, but it was as far as he got. Parirsho struck just as the front of the building resounded with a crashing of glass. The old man went down, though likely still alive since there didn't seem to be any blood.
"Damn it, Xog, I said Watch the door!" she shouted even as she moved forward. Glyssa almost skipped past the other person entirely, but then remembered. She was in the shop for something. A...box? A baby? This boy? That made sense. Smiling sweetly, she grabbed ahold of his hand and pulled him, with strength far superior than her tiny body would suggest, toward the back of the building where Parirsho had vanished. A lumbering Xog tailed after, upsetting shelves and spilling all manner of books as he did. It didn't occur to Glyssa that she should banish the demon.
