Made for @nonbinary-bosmer for OC Gatcha, this was supposed to just be Artemis as Lulu from Hunt: Showdown, a game I really like but haven't the time or nerve to play anymore, but actually the style works well for Artemis in the Arkham Horror setting too
Drawn because I love the setting and visuals and vibe of Hunt: Showdown
The windows rattle in answer to the door swinging shut. Droplets of moisture draw snaking trails through the condensation on the plate glass, avoiding the peeling paint that reads 'Plainview Café'. The small, ramshackle diner feels busy, but only because six customers would be considered a crowd in such a cramped space. The sounds and smells of cooking food waft from the kitchen and over the heads of the patrons, most of whom only break their silence to talk to the waitress.
Artemis wrinkles her nose at the aroma of fried meat, but doesn't break her concentration from the scrapbook in front of her. Her yellow eyes flick from left to right, scanning the pages for anything she might've missed, any additional clue or lead to follow. She doesn't even look up at the sounds of heavy footsteps approaching, the tall broad figure casting the table into shadow.
"And?" she asks without looking up.
The opposite seat of the cramped booth creaks ominously as the figure sits down.
"We're in luck. They've got one room, two beds. No questions asked kind of place, perfect for us."
"Perfect?"
Artemis finally looks up from her studies with an eyebrow raised.
"Two rooms would've been more to my liking, Enyo."
Enyo, dropping her hat onto the table, grins back.
"I'm hurt Art, you really don't want to spend time with your dear sister?"
Artemis tuts and returns back to her notes.
"I think we'll be spending enough time together in the coming weeks.....and don't all me Art."
Enyo leans back, arm casually resting along the top of the seat.
"Well, we should count our lucky starts we didn't have to sleep in the motorcar. Speaking of, I found the petrol station too, down the street from the hotel. I think this town is just the one street actually. We can fill up the Stutz and should reach Arkham by tomorrow evening."
Artemis makes a non-committal noise and carefully picks up her glass of water, having to concentrate on the movement of her fingers and hand to take a sip. She was already looking forward to getting to the hotel and out of sight of Joe Public after days travelling by train and by car.
From the corner of her eye she sees the waitress appear beside the table, and Enyo shifting in her seat to sit upright elicits a fresh groan from the wood. The waitress clears her throat and, with a slight tremor of uncertainty in her voice, asks:
"Can I get you anything?"
"Sure thing hun..."
Artemis grimaces at her sister's unconvincing attempt to sound like a local.
"...I'll take some toast, just a stack of it, as much as you can make."
Her answer convinces Artemis to glance up again, in time to catch a look of slight confusion flicker across the waitress's face.
"My taciturn sister will have the same, please" Enyo adds, gesturing across the table.
At this the waitress fixes her slight frown on Artemis instead. Artemis knows exactly why she looks so uneasy. The disguises she successfully conjured for herself and Enyo are miraculous, but not perfect. She knows there's an uncanny aspect to them, from the amber yellow eyes with horizontal pupils, to their careful, stilted movements, and to their greater than average height. She shifts uncomfortably in her own seat. Another side effect was a persistent sensation of wearing clothes that are too tight, which takes some concerted effort to ignore. She simply nods in confirmation and tugs down the brim of her cloche hat.
"Coming right up..." the waitress says, scribbling down something in her notepad and walking back to the kitchen. When she leans around the doorway to get a second look at the strange pair, Enyo gives a conspicuous wave and smile, causing her to quickly vanish again.
"How many times have I told you, don't bring attention to us," Artemis hisses at Enyo across the table. This time it's Enyo who raises her eyebrows at her sister.
"And they wouldn't remember the two hulking patrons with yellow eyes who are also rude? Really Art, you know nothing about how humans work."
"I told you....you're the 'hulking' one anyway."
Enyo waves her hand dismissively to see off the argument.
"What's our first port of call when we get to Arkham anyway."
"The local newspaper archive, I've been in correspondence with the editor. We're writing a book on local folklore."
"Us and every investigator from here to Boston. Couldn't you have thought up a better cover?"
"You're the brains of this outfit too now, are you?"
"I'm hurt Art"
Enyo digs around in the inside pocket of her heavy wool coat, pulling out her billfold. Artemis's stomach lurches at the brief glint of silver from a holstered pistol and glances around to make sure nobody else saw it too. The other patrons are gloomily focused on their own problems.
"How much do you reckon this food is going to cost? It's not on the board..."
"I'm sure they'll tell us."
"It can't be more than a dollar I don't think..."
As if on cue, the waitress weaves her way over to the table, two chipped enamel plates stacked with toast in hand, setting one down in front of each of them.
"Here you go. That'll be thirty cents."
Enyo clumsily pulls a two dollar bill from her wallet and holds it out to her.
"Keep the change, erm, doll."
The waitress's eyes widen as she takes it.
"You got it!"
She heads back to the counter, seemingly rejuvenated. Artemis glares at Enyo.
"....doll?"
"I heard it in a radio drama, it's what Jimmy 'Two Guns' McClerk always says."
"Two Guns McClerk is a gangster, so what do you reckon she thinks we are now?"
An expression of realisation dawns on Enyo's face.
"Oh....well, there's worse things to be outed as."
She raises her hands to her head, index and middle fingers extended, grinning again.
"Deer people, for example?"
Artemis grunts and returns to her research. Enyo grabs a slice of toast and wolfs it down, tapping the book her sister is so focused on.
"Eat. You must be starving too."
Artemis hates to admit it, but she's right. Resisting the urge to eat as quickly as her sister, she delicately takes a slice of toast, taking considered bites. Enyo shows no similar decorum, munching on her food noisily and talking with her mouth full.
"What's the lead at the paper then?"
"If you can avoid spitting crumbs at me for five seconds, I'll tell you."
Artemis thumbs through her book and points at a newspaper clipping.
"Animal attacks, victims left unrecognisable, local police and coroner baffled."
Enyo leans over, suddenly serious.
"14th September 1924, only five months ago?"
"That's at least the latest clipping I could find at least, hence the visit to the Advertiser. I suspect there will have been more. We'll probably have to stop by the University too."
Enyo looks uneasily at her sister.
"You want to see....are you sure that's necessary?"
"We'll have to play it by ear, we might not have another option."
Artemis moves to take another slice of toast, only to notice the plate is already empty. She'd been hungrier than she thought.
