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 Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:41 am
Elizabeth chose, finally, to just go for it. She was directly across the street from a shop entitled “Descending Angels,” standing hesitantly in a patch of shade under a tree and hiding from the midday heat. She knew the shop was air-conditioned, but the stretch of asphalt between here and there seemed endless when she considered the forecasted temperatures. Still, she would never get there if she didn’t go. ‘Now,’ she told herself as the shadow of the single, wispy, cloud in the sky passed just over the sun. And, for once, she listened to herself. She did not run, but moved as fast as was possible while still walking. She cloud cover was lost halfway across the seemingly endless street, and the heat, previously a gnawing reminder, fell down on her in an insuppressible wave. She shuddered convulsively and nearly retched. “I hate heat,” she murmured to herself, sounding sick. Her foot caught on the raised sidewalk and she stumbled, but managed to disguise it. Cars whizzed past as the light turned green, the wind following in their wake doing nothing more than stir the hot air. And, finally, she pushed open the door.
The air-conditioning moved across her, stirring strands of hair as it rushed out in an attempt for the minute pressure difference within and without the store to be equalized. She stepped forward, letting the door close behind her. The tell-tale tinkle of a bell hand announced her arrival, and a smile pulled at the edges of her mouth as she remembered that same sound from just yesterday when she had been so naive as to believe that the store, which she had never been into in her life, would sell religious paraphernalia. But now, she knew better. A small doll was nestled safely within the canvas bag slung over her shoulder, sitting amongst various fictions and her sketchbook.
Her sketchbook was why she was here today. She stepped further away from the door and drew it out. More to the point, money was. She could draw people and their angels, and perhaps make a small bit of money for the pictures. Her parents definitely wouldn’t lend her any. She pulled a pencil from the bottom of the bag, stroking Aleia’s hair once as she pulled it out. She then set to the work she had come here for, sitting on a small bench and sketching a little girl and her mother purchasing an angel egg. First, she quickly sketched in the pose, knowing she could fill in details later. Then, she drew a small arrow to indicate the direction of the lighting. She had placed herself in a prominent spot so her drawing would be noticed, despite her hate of people looking over her shoulder at her work.
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Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 10:40 am
Luna walked down the street back to a place she had been before. She didn't even notice that was where she was headed. It wasn't as if she went there becuase she he ment to. No, this was more of an accident.
Luna was also not aware of hot it was. Even though the girl was sweating under her black sweater. It didn't seem to bother her that much as she pulled the door knob and walked in.
Inside she saw people and their angels. Luna had her's sticking half way out of her skirt on her side. The doll was put there for safe keeping even if others might have thought she was being careless.
Luna happned upon a girl drawing. She looked down at the artwork. "Very nice." her airy voice said.
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Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 10:57 am
Elizabeth started, her hand drew a line where she had not meant there to be one. She barely restrained a shriek of surprise, reminding herself that this was what she wanted. She turned to say thank you, but her voice caught briefly in her throat as she saw what the girl was wearing. It was a black sweater and black skirt, out of which was sticking what could only be this girl’s angel. She wore a tie of the colors Elizabeth new so well: the colors of a Ravenclaw. Elizabeth shook her head. ‘It’s coincidence, nothing more,’ she told herself as she gathered her thoughts. The girl was wearing black in this heat! “Thanks,” she said out loud, perhaps more gruffly then she had meant to. “I can draw you in a minute,” she told the blonde.
Surveying the girl with an artists eye, she noted the blonde hair that was somewhat more yellow than her own, the attributes that put her age between 14 and 16, the casual stance, and the look in her eyes as if she lived in a world mostly separate than most peoples. Elizabeth knew a variant of that look very well, having seen it on her face her entire life. Elizabeth shook her head slowly as if clearing her thoughts and added detail to the sketch she had been working on until it was sufficiently done to be able to pick up on it later to add tones and extreme detail. “I didn’t catch your name,” she said to the girl after a considerable pause in which she had been working. She flipped the pages of the sketchbook until she found a blank one, her pencil poised to write down the name of her new subject.
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Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 3:29 pm
Luna sat down next to the girl. "Oh, well I'm Luna Lovegood. What's your name?" She looked as the girl finished off the first pic. "It was lovely. Only it needed something..." she trailed off. No, she was in Muggle land. No mention of the animals she loved. Luna made no effort to finish off her sentence.
"So, do you have one?" Luna pointed to her own angel. She was new to this, very new. She hadn't really learned much about it yet, either. Luna was there to see what it was all about.
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Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 7:36 pm
‘Luna Lovegood,’ Elizabeth thought questioningly to herself, ‘No, it can’t be’. Coincidence, or else she was a fan. Admittedly, Elizabeth had known no one who was more of a fan than herself, and she would never go so far as to change her name or to simply attempt to pass one self off as that person. But then, Elizabeth did not know many people. The girl did look rather like Luna, though...the same vacant look Luna would undoubtedly have, the same eyes and “Ravenclaw tie,” Elizabeth muttered so softly it barely traveled as far as her own ears. Then, more loudly, she said, “Missing something? I can’t imagine what...unless you mean it needs a background or detail.” She surveyed the image, a rather fine work if she did say so herself. The silhouette of the back of the little girl as she strained toward an egg on a shelf just out of reach was filled in with only hints of detail and shading. The expression on the mothers face as the small child refused her assistance (an expression of confused amusement) was the most detailed thing on the paper, captured exactly. So exactly, you could almost see her lips move.
That thought of moving images that weren’t animated or filmed brought her back to “Luna.” She made a small, involuntary shake of her head as she dismissed speculation for the moment. “Oh,” she said absently, though it was some moments after Luna had phrased her question, “Yes, I have an angel. I just bought her yesterday.” Her hand reached into the canvas bag that lay at her feet, drawing out the red-haired angel. “Her name’s Aleia,” She told Luna, remembering at last the pad that lay on her lap. She scrawled “Luna Lovegood” across the corner in quotes and began to draw, her eyes on Luna, hoping the girl wouldn’t notice. Almost everyone posed when they knew they were being drawn, and Elizabeth wanted it to look natural.
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Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 8:39 am
Luna noticed that the girl still didn't tell her her name. Was it secret? Could she only tell it on every other Tuesday? Or maybe she said it but Luna was unable to hear it due to her socks being black? Either way Luna wasn't going to ask again.
"Mine is called Hareriett." Luna said as she brought out her doll. "I just got mine too. Don't know much about it yet. I like the customable part. I already have in mind what I will do." She spoke to the doll more then she did to the girl sitting next to her.
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Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 12:15 pm
Elizabeth’s eyes followed the pencil as she sketched “Luna.” “Hmm...” she said distantly so Luna wouldn’t think she was ignoring her, “You already know? I made my medium weight and speed based, but I have no idea how exactly that will pan out. Her eyes took on a distant quality and her hand stopped moving as her mind went to the outfit she had planned. “I already know what I’m going to make her wear, though,” she told the girl sitting beside her. Then she came back to herself and her hand began to move once more.
Elizabeth worked fast. Luna’s pose was already complete, and she was beginning to work on details. There was less of a chance that Luna would move then that the little girl would have left, so she was in less of a hurry. Details came earlier, and in larger quantities. But as she moved on to the face, she saw out of the corner of her eye, the little girl tugging her mother toward the cash register. She flipped the pages of her sketchbook back to that one and hurriedly added the details. She finished to a satisfactory point just as the woman walked by her, now dragging her daughter who was gazing fondly at the egg in her hands and doing nothing to hinder or help her mother’s efforts.
“Excuse me, miss,” Elizabeth called, standing up and brushing the remains of an eraser off of herself. “I drew your daughter when she was choosing her angel; the moment was just so priceless. I thought that perhaps you’d want the sketch...” In an unassuming way, Elizabeth took a step toward them and showed them the image. “Very ni-,” the mother began, but the daughter interrupted saying, “That’s me, mommy! And that’s you,” pointing her grubby finger at the egg in the drawing, she added, “And there’s Allie!” It was impossible not to notice the small child’s enthusiasm, and the mother took the sketch, giving Elizabeth a small quantity of money, though Elizabeth had not asked for any. With an unassuming and modest manner, Elizabeth had made her first sale. She put the money in her bag as she returned to Luna.
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Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 2:10 pm
"I know what she'll look like." Of course that's about all Luna had. She wasn't really sure how the battling went, so that would come when she did.
Luna watched as the mystery named girl gave the sketch to the girl and her mother. They paid her. Luna thought about that. What a neat idea.
"Very nice. I like art as well. I painted my own bedroom walls." Luna said as her mind went off to where she lived. It was nice and she loved living with her dad.
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Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 9:46 am
Elizabeth sat down next to Luna once more, turning her sketchbook back to the work in progress. “Did you?” Elizabeth distantly commented, “I might consider doing the same, but then...my walls are far too covered with bookshelves to see any of the wall.” She spoke distantly, her mind not on the conversation but instead wandering as her hand moved almost unconsciously, adding details to the image of Luna. “So, what is your angel,” she asked, still absently distracted.
She was attempting to remember something but she didn’t even know what she was trying to remember. So, as she usually did, she recited the portion of the Sorting Hat’s song in Harry’s first year that pertained to her favorite house. “Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,” she began softly, but not so softly that the person sitting next to her would not hear, “If you’ve a ready mind, Where those of wit and learning, will always find their kind.” She shook her head sadly. Nothing. She supposed that, for her mind to be focused by the reciting of that phrase, she would need to know what she was attempting to focus on.
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Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 2:55 pm
"Oh, yes it was nice. The walls should reflect one's soul. How would it if someone else did it?" Luna said as she reached out and freed her doll from her skirt.
"It's a girl. Hareriett. I haven't done the rest yet. I do know what though." Luna brushed the dolls long white and silver hair with her hand.
The moment the girl recited the poem she would have know she was miles away.
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Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 10:42 am
Elizabeth started, suddenly remembering where she was. She glanced at Luna’s face and saw no recognition of the portion of the song. Any diehard Harry Potter fan would have memorized all of those backward and forward. Of course, the real Luna Lovegood would have no recognition of it whatsoever due to that she was younger than Harry and this was from Harry’s first year. ‘That’s impossible,’ she reminded herself, ‘Luna Lovegood, like Harry Potter himself, is a fiction character that is the brainchild of JK Rowling. She plays her part well, though.’ “Luna,” she said aloud, “I bet your walls are just gorgeous and I would love to see your house sometime.”
She grinned. Of course, she had nearly memorized all of the books and would have no difficulty recognizing discrepancies if, on an offhand chance, “Luna” did take her to her house, and on an even more offhand chance, if “Luna”s parent’s went along with the charade and had decorated their house as such. It would also put to rest the not-so-small part of her that desperately wanted this to be the real Luna Lovegood. ‘But what if...’ she did not let herself complete the thought. It was impossible; otherwise the wizarding community would never have allowed Rowling to publish the books.
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Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 1:17 pm
"My house? Well, I'm afriad you can't. Not right now. Anyway, I don't even know your name." Luna knew this was a muggle and to take her to her house would be a very big no no. As much as she wanted her to be her friend and come over it was just out.
Luna looked back to the dolls. "Have you battled yet? I haven't decided if it is a good thing or not. Being that they are only dolls." Luna glaced at the girl for a moment then looked back to her doll with it's white and silver hair.
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Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 6:12 pm
Elizabeth, of course, had expected a similar answer. There was only one thing. “My name...?” she asked puzzled, “I could have sworn I told you. I’m Elizabeth. Elizabeth Johnson.” She turned her gaze to the store around them. As the time had passed from midday and the air outside began to cool, many of the browsers who had merely entered for refuge from the summers heat had begun to disperse. She turned her gaze to the pad lying dejectedly in her lap, suddenly remembering she had finished Luna’s picture.
“Here,” she told the girl, ripping the page carefully along the perforated edge. She handed the drawing to Luna, managing to prevent herself from hinting that she would like monetary compensation just to see if Luna would pay with knuts and sickles, or if she would pay with muggle currency. “I haven’t battled yet,” she told the girl as she held out the paper. “But I can’t wait.”
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Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 8:48 am
Luna was happy to hear the girls name, but also a little sad. It hadn't been a mystery at all. Oh well. "Nice to meet you Elizabeth. Thanks." She took the picture and looked at it. Was that what she looked like to the girl? Well, it was very nice. Luna pulled out a muggle coin from her sock. She had gotten some for this store.
"I havne't either. Not sure about it yet. Never seen it either. Have you?" Luna asked as she looked back to the paper now sitting in her lap ontop of the doll.
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Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 11:06 am
Elizabeth was slightly disappointed at Luna's readiness with muggle money. But, of course, if she wasn't the real Luna, as was likely, muggle money would be no obstacle. She did not let her disappointment show, though, and smiled as Luna handed her the coin. "Thank you," she said to the girl, watching her reaction to the image. She sighed imperceptibly and flipped the pages of her sketchbook to yet another blank page. She still needed a lot of money before she could even purchase the dress she longed to buy, and she had all but given up on buying her dream outfit.
"Oh yes, I watched it once when I first came here," she told Luna, her attention split between the conversation and attempting to find another subject to draw. "It's quite interesting," she continued, "It's amazing to see the angels move without anything appearing to move them. I know there are some robots that have a moderate level of control, but I had never dreamed that they had already developed something this advanced. I mean, the precision required, and the ability to translate thoughts into it's moving...and it's not even directly linked to specific nerve centers..." Elizabeth continued on about the basic mechanics she knew were required for such intricate control, having read as much as she could about the mechanics of robots when she had purchased Aleia. She had turned her gaze from the room to Luna, knowing that anyone with the ability to use such spells as "Wingardium Levisoa" would see nothing to be amazed with in the ability to move without obvious supports or controlling devices other than the layer and the headset. She also knew that a pure-blood witch would likely know little about engineering.
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