|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2011 3:39 pm
It was safe to say Kyndall was recovering from the shock of it all.
She didn't see Camelot at all at night but she had very few doubts he'd be nearby if she ever needed him. Thank Goodness she didn't. And though she hadn't stopped worrying about Harmony she was feeling cautiously optimistic about the whole situation. Life was slowly resuming its usual pace and she was once again a functioning adult in society. All in all she could say she felt good. It was certainly reflected in her personal appearance since then. She looked infinitely more composed and, well, not completely a mess.
She was simply out on the street today, walking along downtown to find something for dinner. Anything sounded good to her. With the cerulean sky overhead dotted here and there with billowing gray clouds, threatening rain, she was reminded of a painting. Alexandre was on her mind. She hadn’t heard from him since the show and still wanted to see his paintings. He was a great kid and she liked him very much. She looked up and saw the building she was passing, the local newspaper.
She didn’t read the paper much, especially lately. Reality was much too harrowing for her to consider over the romantic ideals in her books and plays and movies. She’d never been inside the paper, not even on a field trip when she was young. Journalism was certainly not her strong suit. But there was a good Thai place nearby that she could stop into. Dinner problem solved thanks to the local news! She kept walking, smiling up at the sign on the front of the building.
Admittedly, looking up probably wasn’t the best idea while she was walking. She wasn’t watching where she was going.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:27 am
Gently Ponsonby was in trouble at work. She had been a little preoccupied and, for once, her ability to multitask and juggle had failed her almost completely. She had dropped most of her obligations outside of the Negaverse and, as it turned out, people had noticed.
Mostly her bosses at the paper.
They told her they hadn't given her an internship for her to blow them off. They didn't hire her because they expected her to disappear for a week and not tell them where she was, or hit any of her deadlines. They told her that one more mistake like that and she would be out on her a**. Which meant they weren't firing her, which was the good news.
She hadn't thought they would. But they certainly could and be no worse off for it.
Stepping out after being yelled at for a good fifteen minutes, Gently was finding it hard to be perky, or to even think about what she was going to do when she powered up later. Her mind was on her job, this secondary one of print and deadlines, and she didn't see the woman in the street before she had successfully crashed into her.
"Oh! Bugger!" She yelped in surprise, dropping a file she had brought from work in order to work on some things at home, papers scattering everywhere.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2011 10:26 am
She hadn’t been paying attention to much of anything before now. She was lost in her own thoughts and didn’t see the woman stepping out from the newspaper building. She was only thought about herself and her dinner choice. Then, Kyndall was vaguely aware of her body colliding with another and falling down onto the cold sidewalk. Then she became more aware of a British curse of surprise coupled with her own explicative. And then came the cascade of papers all over the sidewalk and the both of them.
"Oh, God! I'm so sorry!"
She scrambled to her feet quickly gathering papers before the playful fall breeze decided to scatter them to the four winds. She felt ridiculous for not thinking that people might, you know, walk in and out of places at will. Not to mention the other people on the sidewalk. She was bound to run into someone behaving as she had. This just happened to be the first innocent bystander casualty to her lack of attention.
“I should have been watching where I was going. I feel so awful!”
She handed the papers she gathered back to the woman, getting a good look at her for the first time. She was pretty. Kyn grinned and tucked a long strand of hair behind her ear. Past the apologies she didn’t know what to say. But then a brilliant idea popped into her head and she smiled at the universe looking out for her a second time that day.
“I was just about to go to dinner. Would you like to join me? Buying you dinner is the least I can do for knocking you down. It looks like you have a ton there to go through. I always think better on a full stomach.”
Kyn wasn't much the type to take no for an answer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 4:17 pm
Gently laughed it off easily enough. Collisions happened, and usually resulted in things going everywhere. That was a way of life, wasn't it? She was pretty sure, in the unwritten rule book, this was high on the list of required incidents in life. In fact, they had to be at least yearly. Anyway, she had a lot of other stuff to be worrying about then picking up work she didn't even want to do anyway.
"Don't beat yourself up," she said, shaking her head as she stood to recover the papers. She had an English accent as she spoke, though she had been living in America for a while now. "That's supposed to be my job."
Smiling, she took the papers, thanking her for picking them up. Really, if they had gotten lost she could have explained it away to her bosses. Or energy drained them if they got too annoying about it.
It occurred to her that she was getting complacent, even depending, on her status as a Negaverse agent. She could do more than if she simply played by civilian rules.
Ah well.
"You really didn't do enough damage to justify my taking a dinner invite, but I'm going to take it anyway," she laughed. Gently wasn't the type to give no for an answer, so they seemed matched, "where to?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 8:24 pm
Kyndall was fond of accent. Particularly English accents. They sounded so much more proper than American accents. Not much about Kyndall herself was all that prim and proper. In fact, very little about her was. Despite being very girly and wearing skirts she was very hands on and rough and tumble. She didn't mind digging her hands in and doing the dirty work. And though she was a lady she didn't really ken to having doors opened for her or chairs pulled out. She wasn't that kind of a lady. At least, not when no one offered.
When the woman accepted her invitation she smiled broadly, thinking to make a new friend in this town.
"There's this new Thai place a block or two over that I've been wanting to try. It's the epiphany that sent me crashing into you."
Harm wasn't much of one for Thai food. Heavy flavors in general. Kyndall, on the other hand, loved the spicy sweet tastes of thai and the noodles helped, too. Pasta of any style was more than welcome in her book. In fact, the entire balance of sweet, spicy, and sour was great in her book. But the plan could be easily changed if that wasn't something up Gently's alley.
"I'm Kyndall, by the way. Kyndall Rosen. I teach at Crystal Academy as the Dramatics teacher."
She started off in the direction of the restaurant until otherwise corrected, waiting for an introduction from the other side.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2011 12:11 pm
Gently laughed. She had never had Thai food before, but she was nothing if not adventurous. It sounded nice, and meeting Kyndall had been fun so far, so what was the harm in going with her to this restaurant?
Gently loved a good time.
And she had work to do, so she loved a good distraction.
ever since her focus had shifted from her 'real' life to her life in the Negaverse, she had come to think of Painite as her real purpose, her true persona. This second life, playing civilian, was just the cover, and thus did not warrant as much of her attention any more then it once did. True enough, she didn't want to lose her job, but she also was not going to let it get in the way of anything far more important.
So bogging herself down in work when she could be enjoying herself? Not going to happen any more.
"Gently Ponsonby. You're into theatre? What a coincidence! So am I!" She laughed jovially, "I sometimes teach improv at the community theatre, which is mostly just an excuse to play around. For me and the students. But mostly I write for the paper, Entertainment, and audition for whatever plays I can get." She followed Kyndall's lead effortlessly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2011 12:14 am
"Trust me, Gently, I am a great lover of food." she assured as she lead the woman down the street. She had no idea if this new little place was any good but that's what she meant to find out. An adventure was calling and she now had someone along for the ride. Not bad for a woman walking in the city alone on a Tuesday evening. At least what she boasted of was true. She was a great connoisseur of food. Like art there were so many things to see and try and all of them worked together in good and sometimes surprising ways.
When she mentioned being in theatre Kyndall laughed. "That is a coincidence! I'm afraid I never got into improvisation much but I do run through some of the exercises with the kids in class and in drama club."
She was meeting all sorts of people now that she stepped outside of the box she'd placed herself in when Harmony disappeared. She was never free from the worry but she was learning to try to move on and trusted people like Camelot to help her. He'd promised to try and bring her home and she meant to follow that through and trust him. Something about Camelot, more than anyone else that had spoken to her, seemed to reassure her. She trusted him, beyond doubt. Maybe it was the shock of knowing he'd actually seen Harmony. Maybe she sensed Tony underneath. But something made her believe in him. Thus, she was regaining her life and inadvertently going to dinner with a Negaverse General.
No one accused her of being a great judge of character but how was she to know?
She continued on, gushing. "I'm meeting all sorts of interesting people lately. Like this one kid, Alexandre, saved me from this disaster of an art show. Turned out to be really intelligent. Made the whole evening debating art with him." She paused and added thoughtfully, to herself. "I hope he comes to show me those paintings of his."
She had no idea Alexandre and Beni were one in the same and knew Gently.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 1:44 pm
Gently followed her eagerly. It was exciting to make a new friend, more then it was to try new food. Though that was good, too. Tie all that with a great excuse not to do her work, and she was betting it would be a great evening.
Her luck was startling.
"Well, we'll have to do some improv games sometime, then. They're a great warm up, if anything, and just a good way to loosen up and have some fun. It's a great method for kids, too! I'm glad you use them, at least. Brilliant ice breaker."
Her eyebrows lifted when Kyndall mentioned Alexandre.
"That sounds very much like how I met him," she laughed, though she knew him a bit better than Kyndall might have. Or so she assumed. Unless he went around telling everyone about his Negaverse identity. Or if this woman was actually in the Negaverse herself. She wasn't sure that was the case, however.
But that was the point of their glamour, she supposed. One wasn't really supposed to be able to tell.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2011 4:41 pm
She was rather fond of Alexandre and was a little surprised that Gently knew him, too. Then two and two were put together and she laughed to realize it. "So you're the one that's pulled him onstage! He mentioned you to me when we met. I asked him if he was interested in joining my drama club." What a delightful coincidence! It put Kyndall more at ease to have a reference to her.
The restaurant loomed up ahead and she held the door for Gently. It smelled good inside in any case. She was happy to have some distraction and joy in her life. The spicy scent of curry and the sweet smell of coconut milk was all around her. This, indeed, was one of her happy places. They were seating in the corner at a small table with a view of the whole room. Lights shined placed back in decorative crevasses in the wall.
"Perhaps I should get you involved in my little production, then." she suggested brightly. "I have Mr. Darrow from the library working on a script with me. Maybe you could help direct? We're doing a new take on the Arthurian Legends. Rather than emphasize the magic I want to make Arthur human."
Speaking of, she'd need to go find Mr. Darrow sometime in the near future to share the script with. He was very hard to find these days but she had hope that soon he'd be available for the finding. They women were presented with menus but Kyndall already knew what she'd order. It was the same thing she always ordered in a new Thai place - the Pad Thai. It was different restaurant to restaurant and typified Thai harmony. You could judge the menu by that. And it was yummy and noodles.
She gave Gently time to decide and quieted. She seemed to be doing most of the coercing talking
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 1:30 pm
"I am that very one! I'm glad he talks about it," she grinned, laughing. She had gotten a role in that play because of him, she was sure of it. Poor guy had to suffer doing cold reads with her, but she felt he had enjoyed it in his quiet way. It didn't occur to her that he might have been bringing it up to other people because he hadn't liked it. Clearly he only had positive things to say.
She was sure, but mostly because she liked to think she knew him better than even he gave her credit for.
When Kyndall started talking about her show, Gently tried not to bristle at all. She was not a fan of knights. As Painite, she spent her time trying to kill and hunt them all. She had been the one to stab Camelot through his leg, after all. And she menaced many others.
She hated them.
"Well, I will certainly help you with anything you need!" She couldn't help herself. Theatre was theatre, and these were not the same kinds of knights that she hated. "I'm good with most of the techie side of the theatre, so whatever you need, I'm more than game to give it a bloody good try." She laughed.
She looked at the menu once they were given one, frowning thoughtfully. She had no idea what any of this was, so she closed her eyes, pointed at something, and decided to order that. She heard Kyndall order something with confidence and knew that she must have been a regular to this cuisine, though not the place.
"So! Tell me about yourself a bit. You teach, and you're a drama nerd. I like those things. What else do you do? Any free time?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 3:36 pm
She thought about Alexandre and smiled. She'd have to email him again soon about coming around to show her his paintings. She had another art show to attend in a few weeks and wanted to know if he was on the guest list as well. It would make the night better, in her opinion.
"Brilliant!" she said, borrowing an English expression. "I'm terrible at the technical side. I could use a little help. Mr. Darrow, the librarian, is helping me with the script. I'm hoping this will be a great production for everyone involved. The kids are really looking forward to it."
Kyn ordered a couple of things, just as appetizers for Gently to try. That was one good thing about food like this. Communal dining was a must when friends and family got together. She hated when everyone ordered their own dish. There was no sense of sharing or unity. It still felt like individual people with their own separation even in a group. Besides, the sort of dining method was proven to help encourage conversation.
"Gosh! Free time! What's that?" she joked with a wry smile. "I have karate classes three times a week. Occasionally I go to karaoke nights when I'm feeling particularly bold and I'm very often at art showings, band performances, and local arts pieces. As you can see I've got a singularly one track mind."
She smiled at her new friend, finding they got along famously. Did she attract the Negaverse or did they attract her?
"What about yourself? When you're not busy at the paper or doing improv what tickles your fancy?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Nov 03, 2011 11:58 am
Gently hadn't met the librarian outside of stalking him and nearly killing him one time a while ago. But that had been as Painite, and only because she had been trying to lure out some senshi with him, having noticed that he seemed to have a few friends in them. She ended up getting one that beat her up, which hadn't been as fun as she had imagined.
So she left Tony alone now.
None of that she mentioned in the conversation, though, smiling brightly as she listened.
"It sounds like it will be really fun! I'm certainly willing to help you as best I can. If you need a space to perform, or want to run outside where ever you're performing it now, I can see if I can't get you the theatre downtown for a brilliant rate." She smiled brightly.
She listened and nodded her head, knowing that feeling of being far too busy very well. She smiled and shook her head.
"This whole being a grown up thing, eh? Work and fun sort of have to overlap. I tend to make my work my play, and enjoy myself that way. Some theatre auditions between articles at the paper, that sort of thing. Though karaoke sounds fun! I've never been. Probably because I'm a horrid singer. Are you very good?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2011 4:00 pm
“We usually perform in the Crystal Academy auditorium.” She knew the acoustics there and the stage was pretty much exclusively her territory. No one else really used it and the props and palettes were all organized according to her wishes. She’d been with the school for over ten years by now and no one challenged her place among the drama room and on the stage. If the production got to be as big as she’d like she’d have to consider moving it to a larger theatre downtown. It would certainly be a boost for the drama club’s funding if they could house more people and get the venue at a good rate. Ticket proceeds went back to the club.
When the appetizers came she explained what each one was and what was in it so Gently could pick and choose for herself. She didn’t know what the Brit was allergic to and what she wasn’t. She took some of the chicken satay for herself with peanut sauce and cut it up into pieces as she listened.
“Being grown up takes up most of my time. Work, obligations, and being a mom.” She hadn’t auditioned for any parts in local theatres in a long time and momentarily resented the other woman for her freedom. She wouldn’t give up her daughter for anything in the world but there was a sort of freedom to not having those kinds of obligations that she missed. She hadn’t been free, truly free, of obligation since she was seventeen years old. She blushed when Gently asked about her talent.
“I’m not booed off the stage if that helps. Around a bunch of drunk people its hard to feel nervous. I’ve never sung competitively; it wasn’t my focus. I wanted to be an actress.”
She smiled kindly at the other woman and took a small bite, giving her an opportunity to speak. It was true. Drunk people weren't always the best audiences but they were certainly not someone you took serious when they said they didn't like your performance. She took that to heart usually.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2011 12:09 pm
Gently looked the food over. She was a generally ambitious person, eager and adventurous, so the threat of food poisoning or a sudden allergy to this unfamiliar stuff did not occur to her. Nor did she wonder if it was going to taste bad.
Her current companion told her they were good, so she had no real reason to think otherwise. She'd figure it out the hard way, as she often learned most of her lessons.
"Bottoms up, as they say," she laughed, taking the first of the appetizers, the one closest to her, and tasted it, finding it good. Seeing the chicken on her new friend's plate, she reached over the table to steal a bit. Gently was a prolific lover of food, and not shy about sharing plates: her own or other people's.
"This is really good!" She laughed, grinning broadly, feigning innocence. She listened and nodded her head, smiling. "You could have done musical theatre. You're a mom, you said? That's good, too. Probably a bit more rewarding than some applause now and then." She winked. Her thoughts on children, she found, were changing. And oddly, she had the negaverse to thank for that. Training her Lieutenants, particularly the young ones, brought out her maternal side.
"I wonder about kids, or if I'll ever be ready to have one," she said honestly, "not that I have any kind of set up for that at the moment. Ah. Romantically. But still, it's a strange thing to even think about."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2011 11:24 pm
"There's no rush for children, Gently." she assured the woman. "I had Harmony a bit younger than I should have. If I could do it all over again I probably would have waited."
Now there was honesty. She didn't talk about it much but though she loved Harmony she'd never have had her so young if the circumstances were different. Motherhood was rewarding in its own ways and happy but it was also very binding. Kyndall gave up sleep, time, romance, and her own dreams to the benefit of her child. There was no longer just herself that she was letting down if she didn't get any work acting. Now there was someone else in the picture.
She loved Harmony but if she'd had her own choice she would have waited until now to have her. Possibly later on in life. She hoped Gently would understand without explanation. Taking on a child was a wonderful and terrible burden, that's all.
As she found the ginger liked the food Kyn grinned broadly. She chewed her own thoughtfully, having criteria to judge against. It certainly wasn't the best she'd had but it was a far cry from the worst. Maybe the worst of the best, so to speak. Anyway, it was a good start and the soup managed to be among the excellent things she'd tasted. It was sweet and spicy and sour with nice chunks of chicken and mushrooms.
"Now that Harmony's getting so grown up I think I'll start pursuing my own theatre projects more actively. She doesn't need me as much anymore."
Well, not when she was around. Speaking like this is was very easy to believe Harm was still around and might be at home at curfew. It hadn't been true in previous weeks but she had to believe. Camelot said she was alive and she had to believe that. She clung to it.
As far as a lack of romance, she could totally relate. Her life was in a similar slump. If anyone was interested she didn't notice. She only had eyes for one very unattainable person at the moment. Besides, she thought she was too old now to start the process of having children over. Maybe for the right guy she'd consider it but that certainly hadn't presented itself to her at any turn.
Their meals came and Kyndall generously offered to share. She wasn't shy about her plate or any others, either.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
