CH1 (1/1)

Jessica contemplated living the glamourous life of mortals, the life of high society and parties and everything at her beck and call. She loved nice things, but she also knew that he father would expect that of her and would find her easily had she done so. So instead, she sold the jewelry she had been wearing and used the money minimally, cash only, hoping it would throw him off of her trail. She'd go to any length to avoid Time.Such as her living situation. Rolling out of her coverlet, she peeed out into the empty alleyway, the sun just now filtering over the city's buildings to shine into the crevices that she used as a bedroom. Kicking free of the (admittedly slightly smelly) fleece blanket she used as a covering, she stood and stretched the sleep away before stuffing her few elongings into her backpack. Everything she had now she had bought when she first sold her jewelry, just over two weeks prior, and it all fit into the bag.Slinging said bag over her shoulder, Jessica exited the alleyway with a smile on her face. A few early morning passersby gave her odd looks, but she chalked it up to them being surprised to see such a cheery look on the face of a homeless girl. If they had any idea that she was a Goddess in hiding then they would probably choke on those judgemental looks, and the thought simply made her smile even more.And garner even more odd looks.She made her way to the local McDonalds, which may seem an odd choice, but it was one of the few places that allowed homeless people inside as well as allowed loitering. She thought it was pretty kind of them, and though the morning manager always offered her free coffee and a sandwich (as she learned he did for every homeless person who made their way there), she was more than happy to dip into her money stash and pay for it.The other good thing about McDonalds was that they had a lockable bathroom. Stepping inside, she locked the door behind her and stripped off her clothing and washed quickly, tying the dirty clothing into a plastic bag that she would take to the laundromat later. It was a pitiable existence, to be sure, but it kept her off of anyone's radar and she was certain that in this way, her father and his minions would never find her.It's not that she didn't love her father, quite the contrary! He doted on her and treated her like the Princess she was, but the problem was just that. In just a few months, on her twenty-fifth birthday, she would be expected to take over the mantle of the Goddess of Time. She wasn't ready for that, she didn't want to become some worshipped being and an untouchable diety; she wanted to simply be Jessica, the Daughter of Time. However, her father always sais she was simply nervous, that when she was given the power of time that she would be happy with it. She had seen the toll it had taken on him and she didn’t want that burden for herself. He had so much stress and responsibility, petitioners and priests to deal with; she wanted to be free. If only she could have been born a mortal. They had so little to worry about, mainly only concerned with themselves. Pulling her long brown hair into a messy bun to try and hide the fact that she hadn’t washed it in several weeks, she scrutinized her face in the mirror and came to the happy conclusion that her father wouldn’t recognize her even if he passed her in the street. A smile washed over her face, and she exited the bathroom with a spring in her step.Several hours passed as she sat and doodled at the booth she had chosen to sit at, one tucked away into the corner where no one would bother her. She heard the bell ring many times throughout the day as it announced customer after customer, but she was left alone in general… as long as she ordered something every few hours, the crew left her alone. This was her peaceful spot, and all seemed so perfect.Until today. She felt it before she saw them, a strong presence pulsing through the room and announcing their power to anyone with the ability to feel them. She herself had muted her otherworldly presence, in an effort to keep them from finding her, but these had no reason to