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 Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 11:02 pm
Finding Fables
WHO: Oliver Kipling (Lavender Hues), Johan, and Aina (Rookeries)
WHEN: Mid January, 2016
WHERE: At Arthur’s Fables, a bookstore in western Barton.
WEATHER: Chilly enough to want to avoid being outdoors. A thin layer of snow outside.
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Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2016 11:02 pm
“Uncle, what’s a fable?” Aina asked, curious eyes peering up at the front of a bookstore called Arthur’s Fables, one hand holding onto Johan’s while the other held a paper cup full of hot tea. Johan admired the bookstore front, too, pausing in his step to think.
“They’re... short stories about animals and plants - anything in nature, really. To teach morals,” he explained, glancing down at Aina, though his answer wasn’t enough for her curious pout to go away. With a bemused huff, he continued. ”Do you remember what a ‘moral’ is?”
When Aina shook her head, it didn’t surprise him in the least - ever since she was born, Aina lived everyday with a story or a book to be read to her before bedtime, but trying to explain the point of it all to a girl less than two years old proved somewhat helpless. Johan glanced back at the bookstore - it had been a long time since he wandered into one out of the blue, and his last distinct memory of doing so had been at Page’s Books Beneath the Poet Tree a year and a half ago.
Aina piped up as the seconds rolled on with Johan’s continued silence as he admired the shopfront - ”I don’t remember,” she admit. With a small nod, Johan began walking toward the entrance.
”That’s okay. Have you read Aesop’s Fables? Has Duncan told you about Mr. Tolstoy yet?” Aina shook her head again.
”Let’s find you some fables. They’d be good to read at home.” Johan pushed the entrance open, keeping the door ajar just long enough for them to shuffle in. With a small sniff, Aina let go of her uncle’s hand to venture a few feet further, staring curiously down the aisles, humming - she still wasn’t quite used to how bookstores were laid out, despite the numbers of times she’d visited them with her aunt and uncle.
”Where can we find fables?” she asked at the air. Johan was able to catch up to her in a few short strides, and gently took up her hand again so as not to lose her.
”Let’s go find someone who can help us.”Lavender Hues Sorry about no interaction yet! Just gettin’ ‘em into Arthur’s.
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Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2016 12:18 am
Oliver, to say the least, enjoyed the time he spent in Arthur's Fables. The store had been here since he was a boy, giving it's walls a hidden glow of nostalgia that only he and a few others could see. Fond memories of running through the front door with his siblings, picking stories from the shelves, and hearing more from mouth of the owner himself. In more ways than one, Arthur and his store were a second home. Always there, warm, and welcoming, just waiting for you to walk on through.
However, the new year had started off roughly for old Arthur Allenson. Though he was in excellent shape for a man of his age, he'd taken a minor fall while restocking shelves a few days after new years. It wasn't anything life threatening or debilitating, but it was enough of a wake up call for Arthur to ask for the occasional hand to help around the store. Oliver, of course, didn't need to be asked twice to help.
"I've got these, Arthur. You rest." Oliver said, hoisting another stack of books into his arms. "Don't want that strain to get any worse, do we?"
The blond offered the elder gentleman a smile as he turned away, his footsteps creating a series of creaks in the floorboards as he walked. It was another hefty pile for the fiction section, mostly made up of returns and gently used donations from the holiday season. However, hidden among these titles was a book that had Oliver pausing.
"Wow, Aesop’s Fables." He sighed, holding the book out to the light. "I remember my dad reading this to me as a kid. It would be hilarious if this was the same book, too."Rookeries No worries! Feel free to interrupt him and his nostalgia! |D
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Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2016 10:40 pm
Johan’s attention couldn’t help but drift a bit as they crossed every small aisle to aisle. Some part of him wanted to explore the bookstore without any help, to spend however long they needed to explaining and sifting through every book they came across on the way, but no day he spent with his niece afforded them enough time to do such a thing on their own. That didn’t stop him from moving slower through the shop, anyway, and when they crossed the children’s literature section he gave pause when he recognized the cover of a Silverstein anthology.
As he motioned forward to grab the book off of its shelf, Aina’s tug at his jacket sleeve motioned him forward instead - shy as she was, the only thing she could do was point upward at someone she identified as a store employee. As intent as the man seemed with the book in his hands, Johan was hesitant about interrupting him. It was when Aina stared expectantly up at him that he stepped forward.
”Excuse me,” Johan began, ”Might you have a moment?”
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Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 11:15 pm
Oliver hadn't really been reading the book, just taking a brief look before he had to put it on the shelf. However, that didn't help him look any less surprised when Johan spoke. He closed the book, albeit carefully, and stuck it under his arm before turning his focus back again.
"Ah, yes? Can I help you?" He asked, tilting his head slightly.
Honestly, it hadn't occurred to him that he'd be asked for help when he volunteered, but it didn't bother him. If it took strain off of Arthur, it was something he was willing to do. Plus, he pretty much knew where everything was. Almost nothing had changed about this shop since he was a child, except for the addition of modern magazines and electronic upgrades. This shop was a real piece of Barton history.
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Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 11:51 pm
To lessen the nervousness she felt, Aina let her eyes wander around the interior of the store, one hand still clinging to Johan's coattail. The history of the place was lost on her, but the Frei did recognize it as very pretty, especially with all the books around. Her uncle had wanted to find Aesop's Fables, but she was just as taken by everything else.
Johan noticed Aina's attention drift when he glanced back down at her, but paid no mind to it for now. He returned a courteous nod to Oliver, gleaning over the book the blond had in his hand - just the fables they were looking for. "I apologize for interrupting, but my niece had a question for you." He turned a bit to look down and catch Aina's attention - while it was easy enough searching for the book or asking himself, this interaction was more for the Frei's sake.
"Oh-- um..." Aina let go of Johan's coattail, pulling at her own sleeves - she stared timidly up at Oliver. "Can you help us find a book... um, please?" she managed to ask, a little quietly.
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Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 8:33 pm
Oliver hadn't noticed Aina behind Johan until he turned toward her. He'd seen a few Raevans by now, but couldn't say that he was used to them. Each one was so unique and beautiful, like snowflakes, if that wasn't too cliche. However, this little sweetheart looked as though she were a snowflake with all the white and blue she had on! How cute!
"Oh, ah, I certainly can little miss!" He replied, offering Aina a smile. "What kind of book are you looking for? Something specific?"Rookeries (I had to reign Oliver in a bit here. He wanted to fawn over how cute Aina is for a little longer. |D)
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Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 8:44 pm
Aina dipped her head down, her grip on Johan’s coattail tightening as she thought. As more idle seconds passed by, she glanced up at Johan uncertainly, and he leaned forward to pick the small Frei up without a fuss. She hummed, hiding her mouth behind one of her sleeves.
“Aina, what kind of book are you looking for?” Johan repeated, and she trained her eyes on him.
“A fable,” Aina offered, then she glanced toward the floor. She nodded toward Oliver, wings fluttering slightly; “It’s about animals an’ stuff.”Lavender Hues (( LMAO aw, Oliver u///u Sorry she's feeling a little shy! ))
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Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2016 3:50 pm
Oliver noticed the slight wing flutter and had to refrain from making an "awww" sound. He didn't want to make the little sweetheart more nervous, now did he? He leaned down as she spoke and his face lit up in a grin.
"I have just the book, it's..." He began, glancing around a moment until finally looking toward his arm. "Right here, actually! Don't know why I thought I put it down, ha-ha!"
He took the book out from under his arm, giving it's title a tap or two, and presented it to them.
"It's called Aesop’s Fables, and it's one of my favorites." He laughed, before looking off to the side a bit. "I'm pretty sure it's a lot of people's favorites, too. These stories have been around for quite a while."
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Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 1:02 pm
Aina brightened when Oliver offered the book in his hand to them, and she glanced up at Johan, nodding furtively. It was just the book they were looking for! Readjusting Aina in his arms, Johan smiled slightly back at the Frei, waiting for her response back to Oliver.
“Thank you!” Aina replied, reaching forward for the book.
“It’s just what we were looking for, actually,” Johan looked down at the book once Aina retrieved it, the Frei smoothing her palm over the cover. “Thank you. Would you also happen to have Tolstoy’s Fables for Children here?”
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Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 8:56 pm
Oliver clasped his hands together happily. It was just what they were looking for, how perfect! He didn't know if they could tell or not, but he was very pleased with himself over that.
However, the next request had him tapping his chin. Tolstoy's Fables for Children? He'd heard of it, but hadn't seen a copy of it in a while. It was probably in the children's section somewhere!
"I'm sure we have one in the children's section, if you'll just follow me!" He replied, motioning them forward. "The owner has an area set up for the kids closer to the back of the shop. It's got little seats, bean bag chairs, the how nine yards, really. Hopefully what you're looking for is there, too!" Rookeries I wasn't sure if you wanted Oliver to lead them there or not. If you want me to edit this, just let me know!
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Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 4:35 pm
With a nod, Johan followed just behind Oliver while Aina was busy looking through the pages of this newfound book, stopping every few fables to admire the accompanying illustrations. Hearing about the children’s area brought a slight smile to Johan’s face, though he knew he couldn’t have them staying for too long with their long day ahead.
“That does sound exciting.” Despite his voice usually falling at a deadpan tone, Johan was sincere in his sentiment. He had to wonder if the book was there at all, as it was niche and the bookstore small. “I’m sorry for the trouble,” he added as they neared the area.
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Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2016 9:53 pm
"It's no trouble at all." Oliver replied as he weaved them through the aisles. "I've got all the time in the world. If it helps someone find a good book, it's time well spent."
It didn't take too long to find where the children's section began because of the sudden change in furniture size and color. In fact, everything seemed to be dip-dyed in bright, welcoming hues, straight up to the fading mural painted on the back wall. Oliver followed the shelves down the line until he found the first row labeled "Children's Fiction", then he started looking for the book that Johan had asked for.
"Tolstoy, Tolstoy..." He muttered, puckering his lips. "Ah, here it is, and only one copy left!"
He took the book from the shelf carefully and smiled, before turning it over to Johan and Aina.
"I hope you enjoy it." He added. "Is there anything else you were looking for? I'd be glad to help."
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Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 4:49 pm
Johan flashed a careful smile at Oliver while following him through the aisles, nodding quietly at the sentiment - it was a nice one to have. While Oliver busied himself with searching for their book from the shelves, he was momentarily distracted by the cozy little area just ahead. Bright and welcoming, it certainly felt like something Aina would enjoy, but one glance down at the Frei told him that she was a little too busy reading through the book, still. Reading was a bit of an exaggeration - Aina was simply flipping through the pages to look at the accompanying illustrations.
“Oh-- thank you.” when Oliver found the book in question, Johan reached forward for it, though Aina was slightly quicker on the uptake. With a soft gasp, Aina immediately threw the book she had to the side to reach for the new one, and Johan startled and reached haphazardly forward to grab the book before it fell to the floor.
He’d narrowly missed catching it, but the book was safe anyway - as soon as Aina managed to grab Tolstoy’s book out of Oliver’s hand, Aesop’s Fables was now suspended in air near her, floating idly as the Frei hummed and opened up the new book. Johan stared at the copy of Aesop’s Fables tenuously for a moment, then glanced wearily back at Oliver.
“I’m sorry. I think we’re alright for now.” Wryly, he snatched the book out from the air, and Aina pouted at the book’s contents.
“This one doesn’t have any pictures in it,” she commented, flipping between the pages back and forth.Lavender Hues ((Oh god sorry for a million quotes LMAO))
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Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2016 7:45 pm
Oliver watched, dumbfounded, as Aesop’s Fables floated before him. How... How was it doing that? His eyebrows flexed as he tried to make sense of it, and soon moved his gaze to Johan quizzically. The other man didn't look the least bit surprised and, if he was getting the right feel from his gaze, appeared frustrated! Was this a regular occurrence for him? Things just... Levitating around him, being an inconvenience? He was bewildered.
"A-ah, if that's the case, I'm glad I could help find what you needed!" He exclaimed, his attention snapping from the book for a moment. He paid Aina a brief look as she flipped through the book before looking back to Aesop’s Fables again. "... Do you have any idea why this is happening? I've never seen a book float before."Rookeries LOL, it's okay! BTW, Oliver's never seen a Raevan use their abilities before. This is why he's all "Ohmg wat" instead of thinking it's Aina. |D
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