Sunset Beach Condos

Open Thread For Anyone To Interact With Asher.


Asher was excited to work in this little town, and the first few weeks had proven very difficult. A crackdown on the bar, the prostitution, the drugs, and the other dirty cops had given the Authority Commissioner quite a lot to do. She was also kept busy trying to keep her boss from blowing their entire cover every time he took one of his cops into the special room for one of his “talks.” Asher had written more carefully constructed reports on Red than she ever had on any other cop in her entire career, but she understood the beast better than most people did, and luckily, she understood people too.

Weeks later, once the dust had settled and the air was cleared, Asher was still filing paperwork, and answering emails. It seemed her job was an endless stream of paperwork and media conferences lately, but Asher didn’t mind it. It meant she could create a paper trail that kept her boss squeaky clean, while nailing dirty cops to the wall. As she finished typing the latest e-mail, she hit send and then leaned back to stretch a little. It had been relatively quiet this week, and Asher yearned for conversation.

Asher, as a whole, didn’t have very many friends. Sadie, of course, but she had been busy with her bar renovations, which was understandable. She didn’t totally consider Red a friend, although she loved and was loyal to him just the same. She wasn’t allowed to be friends with Jasper, because it would put him at risk and she knew Sadie wouldn’t like that, nor would she do that to Jasper. She wasn’t dating anyone at the moment. She put so much of herself and her time into the things she did and magic, and keeping everyone around her as safe as possible that she…was a little lonely. Actually, very lonely. At times, it felt as if she only existed to clean up messes. That’s how Red saw her, at least. She was his protector in the world, and she had done her best to shield his enemies against his wrath as well. But that often left her on the sidelines, waiting for something to happen.

She sighed deeply as she reached forward to pick up coffee gone cold. She grimaced at it, and stood up from her desk. She walked out of her office and to the break room, where the coffee ‘magically’ always got better after Asher was in there. She washed out her tumbler and refilled it with the hot caffeine. She doctored it and tasted it to check, and deciding it was good enough to get her through the afternoon, walked back to her office to maybe take a phone call while she waited for the day to end.

Restlessness. A simple word with heavy implications and one that Sadie was starting to feel. She hadn't been in Sunset Beach long but had had multiple events change in her life. Between working, the breakups, and trying to learn more about her newfound mate, she hadn't had time for much else. She decided to take a few days off and started her first morning with a run on the beach, though the beast inside her demanded more. Just as she finished the last of her run, her phone rang. Cutting off the music that blasted through her earbuds and made her slow her pace.

As she slowed to walk, she reached over to grab the phone from the armband to see who it was. She glanced down and recalled the number was one of the major contractors that she hired a while back for a project she started. The project see started coincided the same time as the bar's renovation. She answered the call and found out that everything was done, including the clean up and equipment. She thanked the foreman and told him that after she thoroughly checked the property, the company would receive the final payment. She hung up the phone and started heading back towards the condos needing a shower. She went to her own condo since she hadn't exactly moved in with Fitzpatrick, and they hadn't been together very long. She did happen to send him a text and let him know he would see her that evening.

When she reached her condo on the third floor, she quickly showered and dressed in order to go see the only person who could help her. She had something in mind for the three hundred thousand acres she had purchased. As she headed out, she grabbed her accessories that included keys, phone, and handbag. She checked her phone to see if she had any missed calls or texts as she descended the stairs. She decided to take the jeep in case they wanted to make a road trip, though she knew Asher could just 'poof' them there. Also, she missed her friend and wanted to spend time with her.

She drove to the precinct with excitement in her eyes and high hopes in her heart. Only one other person knew of this place, and it was meant to be for others, not just herself. She walked into the cop shop, semi nervous if she ran into her ex, though she wanted to talk to him and clear things between them now hadn't been the time. She approached Asher's off and saw that the door was open, so she knocked on the door frame as she smiled. "Hey, Ace! I came to try and acquire your 'special' services and help you escape these walls of servitude." She playfully said as she walked just inside the doorway.

Phone calls, papers, thoughts, deal with Red, repeat. It wasn’t something Asher normally hesitated to do, but after kicking Red out of the office because he was being a fucking menace, Asher was just waiting for something else to go wrong. Lately, it kind of felt like she was always around for just fixing the problems gone wrong, and when she actually wanted something, it was pulled from under her before it could come to fruition, usually by someone else’s doing.

Before she fell down that rabbit hole, she looked at the phone that rang beside her. She snapped out of it, took a long breath, and picked it up. She took three more in the space of time, and after dispatching the appropriate officers, she continued working on the stack of paperwork infront of her. She was tempted to do it magically, but at least it gave her something to do for a while if she did it by hand.

Sometime later, Asher heard a knock on her door. She looked up at the voice that accompanied it, and smiled when she saw her friend. “Hey, Sadie.” Hearing what Sadie said had her looking beyond the door, just in case the office spy was around. “Come in. And don’t say that too loudly. Never know what filthy ears are listening in this place. Every one of them needs Jesus.” She….mostly joked as she waited for the door to close behind Sadie.

Once it had, Asher stood up and rounded the desk to hug Sadie. She had missed her friend, and wanted to reach out, but she knew everyone needed time. After the hug, she went to sit back down while offering her to sit on any chair in the office. “How are you? Is….your….boyfriend okay?” She didn’t know the correct terminology she was supposed to use, so it wasn’t meant to be offensive if that was wrong. “And what can I do for you?”

She gave Asher a radiant smile as she stepped further into her office and turned around to shut the door. After she closed the door, she pivoted back towards Asher and sauntered towards where her friend had sat at her desk. "I guess maybe that did come out wrong, but in my defense." She chuckled softly as her smile turned mischievous. "I mean they do have christening for reasons. Though now a days, even that can be dirty." She playfully said as she wiggled her eyebrows.

She saw Asher stand and walk around the desk towards her. When her friend gave her a hug, Sadie's heart trembled slightly from the affection, and she reciprocated the embrace in return. She felt that possibly though things had changed, it didn't mean she lost everyone completely. Her grip tightened in the hug right before she released and pulled back as she gave Asher a grateful smile. She saw Asher offer her a seat and casually took the one in front of her desk after she thanked her. "I'm doing good. Just...adjusting, I guess you can say." She gave her a small smile as she looked at Asher before she continued. "Fitzpatrick is doing great. He has fully healed from the incident. Thank you again for helping him."

She glanced around the office before her gaze reached Asher again. "How are you doing? How has work been?" She sincerely asked as she thought about the most recent event that had happened, especially with her friends now absent. Sadie wanted to ask about Red as well, but thought that was something she had to do when the time was right between the two ex lovers. She cleared her thoughts and listened to Asher's response and chuckled softly as she mused about how much she missed her friend. How much she missed all of them, though the space was a necessary necessity with one of them. Until they could actually talk. She looked up at Asher when she asked what she could do for Sadie. "I think it might be something I would have to show you, but I do have pics for now and can explain. Though, keep in mind. It's not just for me."

She leaned over to the side of her chair as she had absent-mindedly laid her bag on the foot of the chair. She reached into her bag and pulled out a file that was in it. As she handed the file to Asher and let her friend peruse through the pics and paperwork,
she spoke again. "The bar wasn't the only project I had been working on when I landed here in Sunset. I found some property, and something about it made me buy it. I have the before photos in there, but what has been done to it. I haven't seen it yet. And you are only the second person to know about this property, besides myself." She paused slightly and gave Asher a mischievous smile before she pushed on. "I want to make a haven of some sort, but I need to protect it. For..." She paused again and looked towards the door and then back at Asher. "For people like you, me, my friends, even Red. A safe place for us, just to be free and be ourselves. Especially when we all need to let off steam without the prying eyes of the norm. Somethings can only temporarily quench the needs we all get."

Asher was a deeply religious woman, something that continued to irritate her boss, but not so stuck up she couldn’t recognize a joke when it was told. “If I put any one of these officers near holy water, I’m afraid God would cry.” She told her as she waited for the hug. Once she was sitting again, she listened as Sadie told her how she had been doing. Asher was glad that both she and her lover were alright. “I caught a hell of a lashing for that one, but I’m glad to know it wasn’t in vain.”

When she was asked the same question, Asher looked around too and shrugged. “It’s work. It never changed, and after this long, I don’t think it ever truly will. There is no end to what humans will do.” She thought then of the recent incident at Sadie’s bar and smirked. “Then again, there doesn’t seem to be an end to supernatural antics either.” Asher reached for her coffee, and took a long pull of it as she then listened to Sadie as she talked about a project.

She set the cup down as she was handed a file, and opening it revealed land. Lots, and lots of land. It was beautiful land, for sure, but what it had to do with her was what she was waiting for. The answer came quick enough, and Asher suddenly understood. “Ohhh, I see. Well, that’s intriguing.” Asher read through the paperwork, noting it was all in order, and as far as she could tell, filed properly.

It was when Sadie said she wanted it protected that Asher looked up. Deep brown eyes set upon Sadie’s face as she started thinking of the scale of magic that it would take, since she imagined this is what Sadie had come to ask her. “Protect it how? What exactly are you thinking in terms?”

She chuckled at Asher's comment about supernatural antics with amusement in her eyes as she the recent incident replayed in her mind. "I honestly was not expecting that ending for an otherwise good but busy day." She shook her head in hilarity before looking back towards Asher and telling her what made her come by. She watched her friend look through the file before she started explaining why and what she was looking for from Asher. "It is quite the property. Large enough for aerial adventures and room to run for ones without wings. Being in their beastly forms."

After she explained a bit more, she paused, thinking about all of her friends and family. Then she realized that since coming to Sunset that more supernaturals had started gravitating towards the town. "I am not sure if you noticed Ace, but it seems to be some type of pull, and different types of supernaturals seem to be turning up here." She said as she looked at Asher with a gentle smile. "I am looking to create a barrier around the property line. Sort of like a cloak, like Hogwarts." She started snickering at her own comment then full on started laughing. She finally started to gain composure and took a breath as she remembered her friends that were now on the run for a while. She wasn't sure if or when she would hear from them.

"I want a barrier around the property to keep the mortals out, and if they get too close, they will forget what they were doing and find something else to do. Though it's going to invite only, it will look like a vacant large piece of property. There are places inside that may need an extra barrier for private properties, but mostly, it is free range." She looked down as she started to get a lot in thought and then back up towards Asher. "There is a 'no fly zone', but the barrier could possibly run interference with any type of surveillance images. I also thought it would be a great getaway for like something that happened recently. A place to lay low and get away when something is amiss." She gave a gentle smile with excitement in her eyes as she waited to see how Asher responded. She would never ask if she truly didn't need help, and Asher was the only one who could possibly help her. "I wanted you involved not just because of your expertise, but also because you are one of my dearest friends, pretty much family. It's for everyone who needs it and that we can trust." She lastly expressed with sincerity in her voice and eyes.

Asher listened contentedly as Sadie explained more about this place in the file. She nodded slowly as she looked through it, examining each picture slowly. It was a habit from crime scene photos, but it was one Asher never took for granted. If one allowed themselves, they could see much more than what was expected.

When Sadie said that there seemed to be a supernatural pull here, Asher smiled. “There is. There’s a magic center under the ground. Likely burial, but perhaps blood.” Asher looked at her, then to the wall where Red’s office was on the other side. “Not to mention, big guy had his own draw, in case you’ve never noticed.” That was all she said about him, knowing that he and Sadie had yet to have a conversation, and the mentioning of it around him still semi-set him off.

When Sadie then mentioned Hogwarts, Asher’s expression fell flat. “Really? Of all the magic-based books that exist, you throw Harry Potter at me?” This amused her, truly, and she chuckled lightly as she shook her head. She listened as her friend explained what she wanted, which made a ton of thoughts run through Asher’s brain. It was a delicate balance, but it could be done. Fairly easily, actually. The trouble could come in its size. Maintaining that much energy proved difficult, but Asher knew a few different tricks to create the balance. Plus, if the place itself had any magical draw, that would help too.

Asher smiled then as Sadie told her why she wanted her involved. “While I agree that we are dear friends and family, my dear, I think we both know I’m the only one who is not gonna screw this up. But you know I need to see it, feel it, before I can know for sure what kind of magic it’ll accept.” She would also be the one to know how to cast to cover these types of beings. “As for the satellites, a number of different things can be done. And the cloaking is easy, but the message will have to be specific. Human memory and thought is too fragile to handle too much, so it must be a small, but deeply powerful one.”

All these things were fairly simple fixes with the right ingredients, but the most important thing first would be Asher seeing it. Leaning back in her chair, she crossed her legs lightly as she set the file on her desk. “So, that just leaves the question. When are we going?”

As she listened to Asher answer about the supernatural pull in Sunset, she started pondering about things. She looked up at her friend as Asher paused for a second while she was talking. She saw that Asher glanced at the wall and implied Red had his own draw. She mimicked her and looked at where Red's office would be on the other side of the barrier. "I figured that was part of the reason. There is something about this place that made me stay put. Like something or someone was coming." She looked away from where Red was possibly at and back at Asher. She didn't say more about her ex lover because she knew that they still needed their own closure. Which would come in its own time, hoping Asher would understand that it was still fresh.

She moved forward with explaining what she was looking for in the way of cloaking the land. She started chuckling when Asher commented about Hogwarts. "It was the first one that popped up and the most recent book I was reading. Plus, the last name of Fitzpatrick is Allhallows. She snickered a little more as amusement filled her blueish purple eyes. She soon gained her composure again and explained what she needed from Asher.

"You're right. You're the only one I know is capable of accomplishing this. Also, the only one I would trust to do this. I know it's going to be a lot of work going into it. I will greatly appreciate it, too." She gave her a gentle, appreciated smile and looked down in thought. Asher started explaining to about the satellites, cloaking, and human memories. Making her think deeply about all that would go into this last leg of her project. Then she heard Asher ask the last question, which made her whip her head up in shock and excitement. "I would say now if you are available? We can make it a road trip. I brought my jeep along, or we can make it a swift trip with you purple smoking us there, Ace." She gave her a mischievous smile and waited for Asher's decision. As if her smile couldn't get any wider, she clapped her hands in excitement. "But, truthfully, it can be whenever you are ready. I have taken a few days off. There have been a lot of changes in the last week or so. I am still catching up with everything." She chuckled softly as she thought of everything that recently had happened and felt that it was just the beginning.

Asher’s lips curved into a slow, knowing smile—the kind that always looked like it had secrets behind it. She let Sadie finish, waiting through the flurry of her excitement with the patience of someone who’d watched entire centuries pass slower than this single moment. She crossed her arms, her dress shifting faintly with the motion, and gave a soft hum while her eyes flicked back once to where Red’s office would be—then, very deliberately, back to Sadie.

“Sunset’s always had a rhythm, I think. Sometimes slow. Sometimes sharp. And sometimes… it skips a beat just before something important arrives.” She raised a brow. “Such as you much have felt before your Fitzpatrick. You’re not wrong to feel it, and you were right not to ignore it.”

She leaned a little closer, fingers lacing together, her voice dipping into that familiar cadence she used when a spell was forming on her tongue, even if it wasn’t being cast yet as she thought very deeply, and carefully.

“What you’re asking for…,full cloaking, memory interference, tethering enchantments to keep supernatural energy from bleeding past the veil… it’s doable. It’s very doable.” She smiled, crooked and pleased with the challenge for a moment before her expression turned serious once again. “But it’s going to require more than smoke and mirrors. I’ll need blood. Soil. Names. And your full intent. None of this half-in, half-out liminal wading mortals are so fond of.”

Asher extended her hand, not dramatically—just casual, like she was offering a pen rather than arcane aid. “If you’re serious, I require a please, a coffee and then I’ll help you set the bones of this place right.” Her lips smirked then, a blood red, nearly dangerous smile. “And yes, we’re taking the jeep. If I teleport again this week, I swear the ley lines will start charging me rent.”

She laughed lightly. “Let me get my coat, and just…tell him. I don’t know if you want to see him or not yet. He…he understands if you don’t.” Asher spoke these words tenderly, knowing the broken connection and its consequences in all parties. “Then we can go.” Whatever her friends decision, after a ten minute conversation, Asher was ready to go whenever Sadie was.