Blinking as Lizzie fell from the carriage, she peered over the edge. "Rule number one," she began, climbing down to help her. "Don't get them excited... If the feel a certain emotion too much, then they change!"

Helping Lizzie to her feet, she giggled, and helped dust her off.

"Ezekiel turns into a Snow Leopard or something, his sister Maria, a finch, and then Sebastian and his sister... I don't really know. His father... Ezekiel's father, was able to turn into a bear..."

It was so sad to her, to have to say 'was', instead of 'is'.

Mayhen was astounded as Veronica smacked him, and for no reason! His jaw dropped, and he followed her into the store willingly.
There was Aldous, glaring at him.. But he was used to it these days.

"I'm not that drunk," Mayhen stated. "Certainly, not drunk enough to smack for no reason!"

"It's sad what happened to his father," she said in a low whisper. "He helped fund my family's farm, which in turn is allowing me to go to school."

Her head was bowed as if in contemplation and she seemed a bit sad too. Her mother had been sent off before to help with the Singston family, which was why they had gotten the assistance. It was truly all Maria's doing.

"You have improper grammar and you're still slurring slightly, it's annoying," she said in a bit of a more friendly tone, though still slightly hostile.

She moved to the stairs where she put a pot on to actually make the coffee.
She had gotten a press here some years before so she could drink good coffee away from home. Now she was really glad she'd done that.

Nodding now, Verona made a sort of face.. It was a face that she made only when sad, or upset. It was pouty, of course.
"He was a very kind man.."

Thinking back to the lunch they'd shared together, Verona sort of quivered. That day, he seemed anything but kind. He was just upset though.. And Verona understood why now. Ezekiel had blown the family secret, and thus, 'tried to kill' the entire Singston clan.

"It is a shame what happened to him... Ezekiel was a bit...devastated, and so was I."
How could she not be?

Shrugging a bit, Mayhen cleared his throat, and grinned from ear to ear.
"Good day my good lady," he began with a faux British accent. "If I may have a cup of coffee, it would be truly delightful."

Of course he was joking, or flirting rather. Either way, it was directed toward Veronica.
"How was that?" He asked, now trying to keep his body up with the counter. "I personally thought it was preformed quite well." Again, her tried to keep the grammar at a descent standpoint. Hey, he could try, right?

Lizzie nodded gravely and almost had what seemed to be more of a frown than a pout. She situated herself so she was out of the sun now and glanced at Sebastian.

"I think that whole thing about Ezekiel attempting to murder them is a bunch of cow dung," she said. "They family is too tight knit to do anythng like that."

Maria was in her human form again, thanks to Ezekiel and Sebastian. She wore clothes now and was explaining to them what had happened. Ezekiel looked angry... or rather beyond angry. He wanted to kill Mayhen.

Veronica loved faux brittish accent. They amused her beyond the extent that she would have liked in the current situation. She had reached forward slightly and took his hand in hers without realizing it.

"Oh now the handsome drunk speaks," she said with a laugh.

She was watching the pot of water out of the corner of her eye now so that it wouldn't over boil. If she was distracted enough though, it most definitely would.

Nodding at every word Lizzie had said, Verona seemed to pop back into reality. "It is.. I was there..."

Oh yes, she was there all right! Her head hurt so much that night! She had just been crying about it... She felt like she'd let Ezekiel down. Like she had given him to the men from animal control or something. She tried her hardest to keep them from darting him... But it didn't work.

"Really... It was all my fault..."

Grinning a bit as Veronica took his hand, Mayhen peaked an eyebrow. "So I am handsome now?" He asked. "I could have sworn that just seconds ago, you hated me."

She was beautiful top say the least, and Mayhen felt the urge to lean forward, and pop her a kiss.
Though, after considering his current state, he only looked down, and wound his fingers around Veronica's. Her hands were so soft... Almost like Verona's...

"It couldn't possibly be your fault if it's a curse," Lizzie said in a consoling tone. She was noticing that there was a new girl here and that the finch was gone. The curse was confirmed and she looked a bit shocked.

"And who exactly is that? Is she being set up with Sebastian? OH GOD I bet he hates me too and then I'll just be an old maid when I grow up!"

"And who said I hated you," Veronica asked.

She should not be doing this. He killed her uncle. He killed... her uncle.

She swayed back and forth slightly but stopped when she realized the water was boiling. She poured it into the coffee presser and then put the ground beans in there, still holding onto his hand with her free hand. She put the presser on top and pressed down gently.

"You didn't kill him, you were brainwashed... that's it... you were brainwashed. Oh you poor boy."

"Nonononono!" Verona said quickly. It was really supposed to be a series of the word 'no', but ended up becoming one, big, jumbled up word, due to the speed of her voice.
"NO! That is his cousin, Maria... The finch! She just changed back into her normal form, well, human form. Didn't I just explain that to you?"
Sighing now, Verona shook her head. Silly goose Lizzie was. Thinking that is was Sebastian and Maria.. Shame shame.

Nodding slightly, Mayhen became a bit distant, though, he still held Veronica's hand.
"Something like that," he admitted. "I won't lie, I didn't kill him just for the pleasure of it all..."
He did it for Verona.
Eric had been threatening Mayhen for days.. He kept telling him, that he would find Verona, track her down. He'd find her somehow, and kill her. The even more terrible part was, that sadly, Eric had the power to do it. All it took was a snap of the finger, and a few dollars.

Lizzie just nodded slightly to show she understood. Her father was urging her to get back on the carriage again and she did as she was told. Maybe she would be able to meet the Maria Singston if she was lucky.

Sebastian had walked back to the looking a bit upset at the moment. He'd need a bit of cooling down or he'd have to leave and come back later. Maria had been following him at that point.

"Oh you get to see your sister today too!" she said after a moment.

"But you still killed my uncle..." she snapped. "You don't know what that's done to my mom and now my sister's a wreck and I can't even imagine what my dear cousin Ezekiel is doing. He wasn't trying to kill us then... it's just... there's just... it was Eric."

She had been tied between telling him the truth and just attempting to change at the moment. She knew what triggered the change and it came easily for her, and then she could say Eric had placed a curse on her.

Verona smiled widely at Maria, having an almost odd quality. She was delighted to see her soon to be sister-in-law, even in a bleak time like now.
She skipped up to Maria with an even larger grin, and took her original spot back on the carriage.
"Hi Maria!" She said, a bit too happy. Hopefully, she wouldn't trigger another change.

"You don't know what it's like," he snapped back, almost immediately. "You haven't had someone you care about be snatched right out from under your nose! You don't know what that feels like!"
Much less, having that person's life be threatened..

He had slammed his fist down on the counter at the start of his words, and then, he flipped around at the end. He turned his back to Veronica, in attempt to hide his red cheeks. He was quite angry really. Now, the alcohol was just feeding his anger.

Maria felt a bit more comforted from Verona's warm welcome. It was something familiar.
"Hello Verona," she said, but then paused when she noticed the ring. "Are you two getting married?"

She was ecstatic at that point and just examining the ring that she saw. She took in details like that. She was overly focused on this that she barely noticed that Ezekiel was half-laughing at her.

"You think I haven't lost anyone just because I'm a Singston?" Veronica demanded.

She felt a burning sensation rise in her, the kind she always got when she was thinking about her brother. She sank to the floor slowly, suppressing the overwhelming urge to cry. He had been the single most important person in her life and now he was gone.

"Everything Eric says is a lie," she stated blatantly. "Ezekiel loves Verona and would die for her. I can tell by the look he had in his eye when he first realized he.... oh Eric is a liar. He's the entire reason my brother is not here right now. YOU THINK I HAVEN'T HAD SOMEONE RIPPED OUT OF MY LIFE... JUST GO ASK THE BASTARD ABOUT SEBASTIAN."

She'd yelled the last part and by this point she was sobbing. She couldn't help it since her brother was her only confidence in that point of her life, now she relied completely on herself and took advice from no one, but maybe Ezekiel or Aldous occasionally.

Nodding with the biggest grin one could ever find, Verona turned to Ezekiel.
She suddenly squealed, and the stomped her feet on the carriage floor. She was just so excited!
Flinging herself to Maria, she laughed a bit, and then pulled away from the embrace.
"I'm sorry! I'm just so happy! He just asked me today!"

And she was happy. Now that they were so close to being home, it seemed like a wedding was due any day now!
Of course they'd have to set a date of some sort.. But it still seemed so close.

Leaning his head back, Mayhen closed his eyes, listening to Veronica's speech, and then tears..
He didn't care if Ezekiel loved Verona; everybody did. But what he did care about, was her happiness, and him causing it. Mayhen wanted to be the one that made her smile so much, or mope around even.
He loved her, and she knew it...

Stepping round the counter quietly, Mayhen scooped Veronica from the floor, and held her against his chest. Was he...hugging her..?
That was what it looked like.

Maira was a bit surprised at first but embraced her back. She didn't mind since she'd gotten this reaction from her best friend once.

"I'm proud of him," she said after a moment. "You know he almost got married before but the girl was deathly afraid of cats and birds. That ended swiftly, as soon as she saw me as a finch in the house... he'd said I was a beloved pet."

She seemed to laugh at the remembrance and let out a sigh. She wanted to know about Mayhen but didn't want to tell her what he had done.

"You should probably know this but Eric was the one who plotted to kill my father and... he sort of... dragged dear Mayhen down with him," she said with a worried expression.

Veronica did not struggle for the most part but continued to sob. She missed her brother more than anything on the planet and would kill to get him back. She would sneak up on Eric in the middle of the night and wring his neck for what he had done.

When she'd finally stopped crying she looked up at Mayhen with a confused expression. He loved her, but she did not know why... she was not truly a Singston kid, she was just one those people who helped the Singston kids.

"If you truly love me," she said after a moment. "Do not take Verona away from Ezekiel. It would make me very sad because I could not stand seeing him so distressed again. He's nothing like Eric says he is. He's caring and gentle... and he always watches out for people. Please... please!"

The tone sounded as if she were begging but it was more of a plea.

Everything had seemed fine, up until Mayen's name was mentioned.
Her eyes closed swiftly, and she seemed as though she was trying not to explode.
She just sort of took in short, and small breaths.
Verona didn't speak, she didn't move.

She was so disappointed in him. How could he do something like this to her!? And knowing how much she cared about Ezekiel..
But wait. What exactly did he do?

"What did he do..?" She asked Maria quietly.

Sighing outwardly, Mayhen wasn't exactly sure if he could do that..
He still, no matter what, would always love Verona. And he would always see Ezekiel, as stealing her from his grasp.
"Veronica.. I just... Love, huh..?"
Staring down towards the floor, he sort of pursed his lips. Love.. Love seemed to hate Mayhen..
"What do you think about me..?" He asked her. "I mean.. How do you feel.. I know you probably poisoned the coffee or something, am I right?"

Maria took Verona's hand gently. She was unsure how to tell her without being so blatant and she could see the anger in Ezekiel's eyes at the moment. Ezekiel wanted to murder Eric, this idea seemed to race through his head, but if he did then he would not have Verona.

"He killed my father, shot him..." Maria said. "I think it was because Veronica and I had convinced him to tell the public the truth about what had happened and Eric did not want that happening. Eric also said that Ezekiel kidnapped you and meant to harm you so Mayhen is angry and most likely wants to kill my brother."

"I love you," she said bluntly. "And I'm not supposed to. You killed my uncle and now you want to kill my cousin. Where do you think killing my cousin will leave me. I'd be out on the streets or become a 'toy' to Eric."

She had shuddered slightly since Eric could be quite vicious when he was angry.
He'd also made numerous threats against her in the past that had made her fear for her life. She stood up and paced down the small aisle between the island and the counters.

"And I would never poison one of your drinks," she snapped. "I'm not like you, I'm not a monster."

She turned on her heel then and went to the window. She was observing the street below with a sort of agony in her expression.

Verona nodded. She couldn't say that Mayhen didn't do anything, or that he was the victim.
The truth was, Mayhen had a very bad temper. And if that wasn't bad enough, he seemed to be a bit too gullible for his own good.
He always seemed to be getting into trouble.. And now, he had murdered someone..
Family, almost.

"I see.. I won't let him do that, period."

And that was all she said. She didn't need to say anything else anyway. She might start crying or something..

"Monster, huh?" Leaning back against the counter, Mayhen only nodded. He was a monster. He had murdered an innocent man, all because he was holding onto something that wasn't his. Verona was never his, was she..?

"It wasn't like I just walked out my door, and said, 'Hey, I think I'll go kill someone today'."
It hadn't been like that. Eric ended up seeing him in town, and then started babbling about Verona, and Ezekiel.. And then how Ezekiel had wanted to cause her harm, supposedly. He said that he had tried to murder the family, yadda yadda yadda.. And then, how Winston was hiding Ezekiel and Verona out in the countryside.
Lies, nothing but lies. And by the time Mayhen had figured that out, he'd already fired the gun.

Maria placed a hand on Verona's back. She was wondering about her own feelings towards Mayhen but due to this recent knowledge she hated him, hated him with all of her guts. She wanted to kill him in a sense but she couldn't blame him. She was unaware of the possibility of a connection between Veronica and Mayhen.

Sebastian and Ezekiel were fighting again though this time it seemed more to be a practice if they ever had to fight Mayhen, or Eric. Eric was easy to fight physically due to his weaknesses.

Veronica leaned slightly against the window. She needed to tell him about the curse.
She needed to know if he would hate her for it. The feeling of extreme humiliation was a trait she'd found triggered the change and for some reason that was how she felt. She was trying to cool herself down now.

"Have you ever had to keep a secret so... so strange that if you told anyone then the world would literally come crashing down?" she asked. "Something that could cause your own death it's so taboo."

She was pacing again trying to cool her nerves but she could feel fur growing on her upper arms. Finally she slammed her fist down onto the counter, not realizing there was a sharp object up there, sending a pain shooting up her arm. It was a decent enough distraction for the mean time since the pain was really the only thing she felt.

Staring off, Verona wondered silently, how this could have happened. How had Mayhen possibly allowed himself to be fooled into such a deed?
Verona couldn't know. Really, she didn't want to. Her best friend from childhood, Mayhen, had murdered someone in cold blood.
He had killed such a prominent figure.. Ezekiel Singston's father. That would have been something to brag about, right..?
Was that why he did it?

"I just don't know Maria.. How could he do something like this to me? He knows how much I care about Ezekiel.. He had to know that this would have hurt me."

"Secrets, huh..? I know all about your family.. The supposed curse, and everything that comes with it. But the real question is, is the curse real..?"
Mayhen was beginning to sober up, and it began to show through as he'd spoken.
But upon seeing the blood on the counter, he frowned, stepping over to Veronica.

"What happened?" He asked her, taking her hand. "I understand everything Veronica.. Eric told me..."

Eric had tried to use it to his advantage. He had thought if maybe he'd told Mayhen, that most of the family were monsters, that he would be home free.
And he had been up until now. Mayhen would soon enough, have open season out on him.
He'd take his chances with death.

Maria couldn't answer the question really and looked slightly confused. She was glad that she was sitting at the moment. She leaned slightly against Verona because she was tired.

"You look tired," Ezekiel teased Maria.

"Tired?" Sebastian asked. "She looks like she needs a companion."

"Oh shut up!" Ezekiel said shoving Sebastian aside slightly.

"The cures is true," she snapped. "That's why we all changed in the square. Ezekiel had been happy so he'd changed and it angered my father and made Maria anxious and just confused me and made me scared to some point so I changed."

She was freaking out now and you could tell by the panic that was in her voice now. She looked around briefly as she attempted to find an escape route. She walked away from him, just trying to concentrate so that this issue at hand wouldn't be on her mind.

There was a small patch of fur on her forearm now that seemed to be spreading and she held it out for him to see. She turned then and walked out, morphing as she just walked into the bathroom.

((okay my dad is seriously an idiot right now. He can't press the freaking play button!))

(I have no idea what you are talking about. XD)

There was nothing left to say for Verona. She didn't have anything to say anymore.
All of her words, seemed to just fall apart.
Mayhen would be getting his when she got back into town, and she would make sure of it.
"Ezekiel," she whined, on the verge of tears almost. "Please come sit with me.."

Motioning for him, anyone could see the tears in her eyes now. They were very distinct, like her sunburn.

Mayhen seemed disappointed when Veronica ran from him. He didn't mind if she changed there..
"Veronica," He called softly, sort of limping in her direction. His chest did still hurt quite a bit.
And when he came to the bathroom door, he stopped, leaning against it softly. "Veronica.. Come on out please.. I want to see what happened to your hand, okay..?"
That would be a descent excuse right? Yeah, it was. "Please Veronica..?"

((remote for our blue ray dvd player))

Ezekiel noticed it and approached the carriage. Lizzie had already gotten down when she saw him approach and went to walk with Sebastian. After hoisting himself onto the carriage and wrapped his arm around her gently.

"It's okay, nothing's going to happen to me," he said gently.

Veronica growled slightly and it hurt her throat slightly. She jumped at the door and her fore paws hit it with a loud thump. She wanted to open it but he was leaning on it. When she realized that the door open she started whining, though it sounded more like a mix between a cats meow and a dog's bark.

The next time she jumped at the door though he wasn't there and she looked a bit confused when she landed on the ground, her lower jaw smacking the floor. Her fur was almost like silk to the touch and her ears were twitching slightly now.

((review. She's a bobcat))

(Ahh, okays! XD Sorry this took forever, I thought I had logged out. X.x)

Leaning into Ezekiel, Verona closed her eyes. She was trying to blink back the tears.
"Ezekiel," she began softly. "I don't want you to go near him, unless I am with you.."
One could say that it was a precaution of sorts. She was hoping, that just maybe.. Maybe Mayhen was still attached to her. So much so, that he wouldn't hurt Ezekiel...

"I just want you to be safe," she told him. "I don't want to risk losing you... Not now."

Smiling slightly, Mayhen bent down, and slowly picked up Veronica. She was heavy of course, now being a Bobcat. But she wasn't unbearable.
He began to carry Veronica up the steps, to the second level of Aldous's store.

And after looking around for a moment, he set her on the floor.
"There," he said, smiling slightly. "All better."
Sitting on the floor next to her, he smiled, and began to stroke her head.
"I could get used to this."

She was quite soft indeed, and rather cute like this. Yes, much more cute.

((it's fine))
Ezekiel was watching her to see if he could tell exactly what she was thinking. He couldn't and it frustrated him but knowing she was safe made him relax a bit. He could tell that Sebastian and Lizzie were flirting now and Maria was laughing at them slightly.

"I know," he said softly. "I'll be fine as log as Sebastian and Maria are around me. Don't forgot Aldous, he's very loyal."

Veronica was perplexed when she was picked up.
It was most certainly true that this was a new experience for her and she was now completely and utterly confused. She looked up at him when she was set down, trying to study her face.

When her head was being stroked she had a harder time concentrating.
She looked sleepy and was on the verge of falling asleep. She needed clothes for when she changed back into a human. She stood up after a moment but discovered that the injury she sustained earlier acted up when she put weight on it. She whimpered slightly and stared at him.

"No offense Ezekiel, but what is Maria going to do..? Peck him to death? I highly doubt that.."

Glancing towards Sebastian and Lizzie, Verona smiled. Maybe things could work out for the two of them. She really hoped they would.
"He's brutal Ezekiel. He won't hesitate to kill you if he gets the chance.. I know that."
Taking Ezekiel's hand, she continued.
"I can't let him do that to me! And I can't have you just flaunting around.."
Not like he sounded like he'd be doing. Of course they'd get married out somewhere, with everyone.. But she just didn't want him to go purposefully looking for Mayhen."

Mayhen was bad with body language.. And by now, he had no clue what Veronica wanted. All he did know, was that she had to be in some sort of pain.

After thinking for a brief few seconds, he began a theory. "Clothes?" He asked her.
Yeah, that had to be right, clothes!
"I'll go and get them."

Dashing down the stairs, he ran to the bathroom, and found her garments. What was even worse, he actually ran. Though it hurt to even move very far, he decided he wouldn't screw this one up. Not like he'd done with Verona.

Walking back up the stairs, he peered around the corner, as if to make sure it was safe.
"Phew! Good. Here, I brought your things.."
Tossing them next to her still fuzzy body, he also took off his jacket.
If she did change, at least she could be mostly covered.

"I'm not going to go around looking for trouble. I know its dangerous," he said brushing some hair away from her face.

Maria was watching them out of the corner of her eye. She knew that Ezekiel would keep that statement. He was honest most of the time, just not when he was drunk. He seemed determined at the moment to make her feel more comfortable.

"We'll visit my mother first and then go hide at Aldous' place so they won't find us," he said with a grin.

Veronica was surprised that the jacket covered her body she shifted so it covered more vital parts of her body then looked up at him. Her expression was slightly innocent and confused.

Going to his hand she licked it slightly before going towards the room that was a bit more secretive so that she could change. She growled at him so he wouldn't follow. She limped though and there were a few spots of blood on the floor where she had walked.

As soon as she got into the other room she concentrated as hard as she could, focusing all her energy on thinking about Sebastian. This usually helped her change and she wasn't surprised when she found herself human a moment later.

She changed quickly, not wanting to be found and be embarrassed. She had a few marks like Ezekiel did though they were from her mother rather than her father. Her mother had been the type to change into a wolf and was a bit vicious when she did so.

Smiling slightly at Ezekiel's words, Verona nodded. "Okay," she told him. "But I refuse to get married in a whole in the ground, mm-kay?"

Sitting up a slight more now, Verona closed her eyes again, and rested against Ezekiel.
"I love you." She told him.

It was like this feeling of overwhelming calm, just swept over her body. It was an amazing feeling to have, and Verona was glad to be receiving it. She really was in need of such a feeling anyway: the feeling, that everything was going to be alright,

He didn't follow, he didn't go to the door. Mayhen just sat back down on the floor, and waited for Veronica.
He wanted to help her with her hand of course.. And from the look of the floor, she needed it.

And after a few more moments of waiting, Mayhen sprawled out on the floor, to take a nap.
Veronica was taking too long for his liking. He wasn't even sure if she'd actually changed yet.

(Sorry for taking forever. I am site-tasking. XD)