strange {michael}

[michael]

This was not going the way he had planned it to go at all. Biting the inside of his lip, Michael watched the small boy as he continued to fidget and even bit his nails, something that was never a good habit to start. He could remember doing the same thing when he was younger, but he had learned not to chew on them the hard way. He had practically pulled his nail off from biting it and it got infected. It had been painful for him and he hadn't even dared putting his fingers even close to his mouth after that incident. If he knew the boy better, he probably would've told him to stop doing that, but given the situation they were in, he kept quiet. The man really had hoped that the boy would come clean and tell him his name and where he lived so he could make this all easier, but that was clearly not going to happen any time soon.

Feeling close to giving up, Michael sighed heavily as he ran a hand over his face when a thought hit him. Blinking, he glanced at the boy that still sat in front of him, listening to his words for a moment, though he hardly heard them as he went over and over his idea. Yes...perhaps this could in fact work. Looking at the boy once more, he lightly nodded his head. Yes...Alright, I understand," he said, running his hands over his jeans for a moment before moving to stand. "You gave me back my stuff and now you know that taking things isn't right, right," he asked, looking at the boy as he stepped towards his door, unlocking it before going on. "I want you to go straight back to your mum, you understand? I don't want you snooping around here any more and getting into even more trouble."

[neo]

Neo continued chomping down on his nails,it was a nervous habit, one that he couldn't exactly help. If his mother ever saw him do it she would smack him offside the head, but she wasn't here now, she was probably still sleeping... Well, it had been a while, he should probably get back before she woke up, but he needed to get out of this first. Michael seemed like a very nice man, but Neo knew his mother wouldn't care how nice he was if he told him something he shouldn't. Neo was a good boy, he'd do all that he could to follow his mother's orders.

Neo could hardly believe his ears when Michael spoke next, he was letting him go just like that? It didn't seem likely, but he would take it. As the man stood, Neo too scrambled to his feet, trying not to fidget so much. He nodded hurriedly, he would go straight back, no more adventures today, but tomorrow was definitely still on the table, depending on if his mother had the pills or the powder. If she had the pills she went to sleep, but if she had the powder she didn't. "Okay," said Neo, and without any hesitation went straight for the door, and from there began almost running- he probably didn't have much time.

[michael]

Michael could see the surprise in his eyes and he felt kind of bad for lying to this child. He had no true intentions of actually letting the boy go so easily. In fact, he planned on following him both to make sure he got home okay and to perhaps talk to his mother or father so they knew what he was up to. But, there was something else in him as well that kept nagging at him. The wizard couldn't truly put his finger on it, but something just felt off. Nodding his head to the boy, he watched him as he ran out of his shop and hurried down the street. It wasn't hard to tell that he wanted to get out of there quickly, and Michael was thankful that there weren't too many people out today. That meant it would be easier for him to follow the small child. Sighing faintly, he glanced at Knockers for a moment before gesturing him to come. The owl gave a bit of an irritated hoot before fluttering over to his master's shoulder.

"Keep the boy in sight. But don't frighten him. Got it?"

[/color], he told his feathered friend. The bird ruffled its feathers for a moment before taking off, flying towards the way the boy had went. Putting his wand into his holder, he grabbed his jacket before stepping out. It was a black, collared jacket that would make it easier to stay out of the boy's sight. He walked calmly down the street, figuring the boy would plain out leave the area, but he was also worried that he might wander into Knockturn Alley, a place he really didn't want him to get into. At that point, Michael could just barely make out the form of the boy, thankfully staying away from the side allies. Well, perhaps this would go more smoothly than he had originally thought.
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[neo]

Neo might be little, but he was keen on directions, he had a good memory for being able to recall his routes, it was very rare for him to ever get lost. He couldn't sit still and concentrate to save his life, but this was nothing. This was simple. Neo wound his way back to the stone archway, only to find it barricaded off by a wall, and he frowned, that hadn't been there when he had followed the old man... It was completely solid to the touch. As if by a stroke of luck, a portly man in brilliantly violet robes wearing a top hat and carrying a swagger stick.

He tapped a peculiar pattern on the bricks with his decorative cane and instantly the bricks rotated, forming the archway he had come through. "Wow," Neo whispered, grinning before darting through ahead of the man, not wasting any time in the pub. He needed to get back to the alley. It hadn't even occurred to him that he was being followed- Neo was blissfully unaware of that particular fact, he was more keen on getting back to the alley where his mum had passed out. It was only a short ways from here, just down the street, it was a little tricky in the alleys, but Neo was confident enough in his abilities.

[michael]

Michael really didn't want to be doing this. He really didn't. He had always hated sneaking around others to get things done, it just wasn't who he was. But, when it was truly called for, he would do it. This was clearly one of those times. He could still see the boy as he hurriedly weaved through the already small, thin crowd. Above him, Knockers was still remaining close to the boy, though he was thankfully staying far from the boy and not screeching at him as he had been so many times earlier. As he saw the boy slip through the portal after a man had tapped the required stones in the wall, he quietly cursed under his breath. He really hope he would be able to keep up with him without being spotted. Quickening his pace, he was happy to reach the portal before it actually closed on him and his beloved owl companion. It took some time for him to spot the boy once more, but he had to hurry as the child was already outside.

No longer being subtle for the time being, Michael hurried a bit through the pub, sending Knockers back off to follow the boy. He had to be sure the child would be okay. He wouldn't know how to live with himself if something happened to him. Stumbling out of the pub, he had a bit of a hard time locating the boy. And, for a time, he thought he had lost him. But, his loyal feathered friend had his back as he found him, leading the man to the right trail. Once he was back in his sight, he made sure to keep his distance. He followed him through the alleyways, becoming a bit nervous as he became concerned as to where this child was possibly going...

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[neo]

Neo turned off the main street to a tight alley between two shops, and stopped a moment at a fork, trying to remember if it was a right or left turn from here. He shifted his weight around on his feet a moment, now suddenly getting an odd feeling. Neo looked over his shoulder, but saw nothing except the street from which he had come. Shaking his head vigourously, Neo peered again down his options, choosing the left one, which thankfully was the correct choice- things were beginning to look familiar now. Neo was able to navigate the rest of the turns, and he was almost home free to the dip in the wall concealed with the overhang until...

"Where th'fuck you been?" snarled the voice of a young woman, her speech slurred. Neo gasped lightly, looking up at his mother wide-eyed. Why was she awake? Normally she slept so much longer... When he didn't answer, she grabbed a fistful of his hair, yanking on it and making him gasp from the pain. "Didja think yeh'd get away with runnin' off on me?" her voice was escalating, as was Neo's fear. She released his hair, though her hand was quick to rebound and strike his cheek.

Neo felt his eyes sting, his lower lip trembled, but he fought back the tears, he knew it would only be worse if he cried. He would wait to do that until she fell asleep again. "Answer me, ya little shit!" she demanded, smacking him again, "where th'fuck 'ave ya been?" Neo took a shaky half-step backward, biting his lip to keep it steady. "Went exploring," Neo mumbled, though she heard him, and became visibly angrier, drawing herself to her full height, he cowered before her in fear, anticipating being struck again. He wasn't wrong, she pushed him forcefully against the brick wall- Neo lost his balance and fell, the rough wall scraping his cheek on the way down.

"Ya pathetic lil' fuck," she spat, "didn' even bring us nothing to eat." She kicked him, and Neo wheezed for breath, he didn't have time to recover before she had picked him up by the front of his shirt and pinned him to the wall. "Mummy- please," Neo gasped, "I'm- sorry!" She looked straight into his eyes, he saw no mercy in her gaze, only her fury. "Sorry s'not good enough!" she yelled. Neo again cowered, but he couldn't get far from the way she was holding him- only brace himself for the pain he probably deserved.