[Leonardtown, Maryland] Something Weird Pricks my Thumb

Brant nodded a few times as Moll spoke. It was a lot for him to take in, and the revelation that gods were real... on top of magic... or magick, was just more than he had planned. He watched as she walked past him, talking about food before she vanished into the kitchen. He took a deep breath and let out an equally deep sigh. "This is a lot, Gabs," He said to the cat before standing up, scooping the feline up simultaneously. She only protested a little before settling into Brant's arms as he followed Moll into the kitchen.

"I don't have that much, and nothing fancy. There are some cans with food in the cabinet over there, along with some bread..." He replied, pointing to a cabinet over by the stove. "I think there are a few vegetables in the fridge and some meat I got yesterday, bacon. Don't accidentally take the cat food, but suppose Gabs will need to have her dinner soon anyway; I try to eat at the same time as her. That way, she won't try to steal my food with the same determination." He did not mention that he spent more of his money to ensure Gabs had nice food than he was making sure he had it.

As she quickly noticed, Brant did not have much in terms of food items, which also would account for his skinniness. He collected a bowl which had the name "Lady Gabs" stamped on it. He calmly opened the can with cat food, with the cat insistently rubbing against his legs, meowing, bumping her head against his calf, and making a general spectacle of herself. Brant was used to this, so he did not react when she excitedly followed him, moving between his legs, almost making his trip. Finally, he managed to put the bowl on the mat next to the water bowl, which he changed to clean water from a bottle in the fridge.

"She can be such a handful..." He muttered as he sank down at the table with his own food, a sandwich with bacon. His voice clearly showed that he had much affection for the feline, more so than when he spoke about anyone else... including his mother. He had also collected a bottle with Frank's Red Hot Original sauce, which he poured a generous amount onto his sandwich before looking to Moll. "Hot sauce?" He asked, holding out the bottle towards her.

"Yeah, it might not be much, but I like it this way," Brant replied after taking a bite from his own sandwich. "Ma and I never had much, so things like these were common for us to eat; I got used to it, especially the hot sauce." The way he said it did not portray a person who was looking for sympathy, and it sounded more like one might when telling any average fact. "Not that my old man was of any use, or is I should say. I see him on the news sometimes, not that he acknowledges that he was my father. Apparently, me looking nothing like him was a convenient excuse..."

Brant paused before shaking his head and taking another bite from his sandwich. "But, the sauce is really nice. I've been thinking of growing my own chilli, have a few pots I prepared for it... just so I might get a small source of extra income, you know."

"Currency system? Do you mean money?" Replied Brant with a dry smile. "Yeah, we still have much of that... capitalism is as powerful now as it has been for years. They praise people for having a lot of money." He let out a small snort. " and simultaneously, they talk about how dangerous the deadly sins are. They speak of greed, gluttony, lust, wrath, envy, sloth... pride. I doubt those people ever took a long, hard look into the mirror"

Brant closed his eyes briefly, taking a deep breath before shaking his head. "Never mind, I'll get myself worked up if I keep talking about the assholes of the world. Not going to help us..." He looked to Moll. "I bet people were as bad when you were still alive?"

Gabs had finished eating and came over to the table, licking herself around her mouth and taking a moment to stretch; Brant had to admit it looked comfortable; sometimes, he wished he could stretch like that. After her little session, the cat sauntered over and jumped onto her master's lap, and he absentmindedly began to scratch her behind the ear. She walked in circles a few times before rolling up, making herself comfortable.

Brant listened, his brow deeply furrowed as his hand continued to pet Gabs...

"People are evil," Brant said after a few seconds of silence once Moll was done talking. "Jumping to conclusions my foot. I know about the witch hunts. They would have targeted you with or without magick. It's about control, fear, and making others suffer, the perfect scapegoat for other people's shitty life is someone that cannot defend themselves, like a woman living alone, or someone elderly with no family, or anyone you did not like." Brant shook his head, "How easy it must have been to just lie if you happened to be jealous of the neighbour's good milk, disliked their beauty, or just did not agree with the way they lived their lives... Of course, they must have sold their soul to the devil, how convenient."

"So don't feel bad about it, Moll," he continued, "Even if not everyone was behind the crime, clearly no one tried to speak out against it either. Desperation is no excuse for being a sheep. It's the same with those who tried to bully others in my old school, and those who stood silent and did nothing, making others miserable to make themselves feel less shitty about their own shitty lives." He let out a sharp exhale of breath. "But when I defended them, I was the criminal, I was to be punished."

Brant looked to Gabs on his lap, he did not get why Moll would feel bad about punishing those who wronged her, if anything... had Brant been able to, he would have done the same. He was never one to just sit back at let someone walk over him, or anyone else if he could help it. He was certainly not going to be a sheep, and would not stay silent if he saw something he knew was wrong. He could live with a suspension, at least the bully did not do the same thing again.

"It happens," said Brant, "Let's just say this city is not that much better these days. Besides, that you regret what you did does show you're a better person. What's done is done; you already died, and it is not your job to fix the past. That's what the living are for. No use in fixing people who don't want to be fixed."

He watched her stand, and she mentioned settling in... he remained seated with the feline companion on his lap.

"Not sure-" he paused, looking to the door leading into the living room. "There are at least three more rooms and a basement, but much is dilapidated and isolated. You get to them from the living room, two doors, and a hatch going down to the basement from here in the kitchen." He pointed to a wooden hatch on the floor, partly hidden by a carpet. "Oddly enough, I have never found the third room, but I know the lawyer said the building has three rooms, but the place is old, so they might have merged two rooms into one. Gabs and I mostly stay here and in the living room; my bed is just a mattress on the floor. I like to keep it close to the fireplace. Thankfully, I have no shortage of firewood, we have never been freezing."

Brand collected Gabs, holding her as he followed Moll towards the living room.

"Well... I doubt people will think you're the witch even if you use your true name," he said after thinking. But it might be a good idea if we meet others in this war for the grail. It would be a bad idea if they knew who you are; it might be something they could use against us, even if your legend is not the most widely spread." He paused, thinking about it. "You could always call yourself something like Molly? That is a name that works"

He was just about to say something else when a crack of thunder resonated from outside, and moments later... it started to rain. Brand frowned slightly, watching as the rain began to beat against the old windows. "Perfect. We'll need a fire tonight if this rain plans to stay. At least the roof is not leaking, which is... something" He put Gabs in an armchair before walking over to prepare a few logs of wood in the fireplace.