Welcome to Gaia! ::

Ember’s mouth was still open at the sound of the noise as she quickly felt something foreign enter her mouth by the pressure of the boy. Her eyes grew widely as she quickly went cross-eyed to examine the stick. This was something new and strangely odd; she had never had something so tasty in her life. It was very sweet...and tasted of something she had never had before. Her face only light up with amazement and joy as she had the stick poking out of her mouth. She knew that her mother wouldn’t allow her to have anything like this of the sort.

What was even stranger was the fact that she wasn’t entirely sure how to speak with the thing in her mouth. She was always taught that it was incredibly rude to speak with your mouthful. She flailed her arms slightly as she attempted to speak to the other boys. As she did so a slight orange color seemed to begin to stain the edge of her own pale colored lips. However, it wasn’t like she really wanted to remove the magnificent joy out of her mouth...

Shadow seemed to be enjoy his small treat as he constantly pecked on the outside of the shell to enjoy each of the small pieces that he managed to break off with his beak. Once the other woman made an appearance, instantly it seemed that its defensive mode returned and he began to caw and bounce on the ground in a threatening manner. It really didn’t seem it liked anyone else except for Ember and anyone else who managed to feed it a treat.

Without a word, she slowly reached down and picked the small bird off the ground to hold onto him. Slowly petting the back of his head, she smiled at D showing her newly stained lips at him. She may have not really been able to show her gratitude, but her expressions clearly showed everything to the other boy. She was definitely going have to visit more often if there was going to be a chance to have snackies like this.

But if that was the case, she knew she was going to have get this boy’s name. For it was terribly rude that she didn’t know it already. Especially if he was giving her such wonderful presents like this! Shuffling the stick to the side of her mouth, she attempted to juggle both speech and the stick in her mouth. At first she made a slurp like noise, but quickly she managed something. Hey, it was even ruder to not know his name than was to speak with food in her mouth.

“My name is Ember...” With that she afford a quick curtsy towards him as she stumbled to find the appropriate corner of her dress. She wasn’t as graceful as a young lady should be, but she was still doing fairly well considering. However, her smile quickly frowned as she felt the hard pieces broke slightly in her mouth due to her speaking to the young boy.

...She broke it.

What a tragedy!

-Click

Clack-


"Dear me, there's an awful lot of children running about without parental guidance."

Following the clicking sound of heels on hard ground was a voice, that of an adult clearly, but a woman and with a fairly affectionate tone no less. Said woman cast a set of surprisingly kind and warm slate colored eyes upon the gathering of young ones out front of the shop. She had arrived in just the right moment of time to witness a boy child - swathed in a far too big cloak - startle a young girl by way of lollipop.

Another yet was not far from her feet in fact, brown ringlets bouncing as she reached and stretched a small hand in order to knock lightly on the partially cracked door.

She had paused in stride just a few feet from the young ones, not wanting to invade their personal space but was still very curious to see what they were all up to. Children were a wonderful thing, she adored them - for many a reason but of course the two driving forces were her connection to Rasilyn, and her son.

Now, this woman had a valid reason for being at the shop, intent to pick up a few items here and there that would aid her in crafting some new charms as well as browsing the merchandise, but she was in no hurry to enter and rather preferred to watch the young ones in their games for a bit. If they didn't mind at least. Knowledge of the shop's existence had reached her through a fairly convoluted vine of connections but regardless she was here, and was very eager to see what it offered her.

Now Walter was never one to leer. That was rude. He watched the door shut and immediately understood that D, by nature, was completely capable of handling himself. Walter, had shining to do. A small bottle of glass cleaner was brought up from behind the counter, and a small dust rag was pulled from one of the lower folds of Walter's apron, and he began to clean the counters.

Within moments Ryugi was writing, and moments after that as the dragons eyes returned to Walter...every glass surface was spotless and glimmering in all of the shop, and the butler accepted the offered note. Aged eye scanned quickly over it, and very softly, but very gratefully he said.

This is perfect Mr. Kazamaru, the Master will be quite pleased, I do believe we have exactly the thing to complete the recipe.

The note was slipped gently in the page containing the recipe and the book was softly shut. Now simply leaving Ryugi waiting would also be quite rude, and so Walter's soft gray eyes met the dragons and he kindly asked....

Would you care for some tea? Coffee? A pastry?

And then there was a knock at the door, and the door creaked open revealing a sliver of light. At which point there was another knock at the door. Walter bowed formally and said...

Please excuse me a moment.

----

D was loving this. He had never seen someones eyes light up so very much at the taste of candy...save for his own. Everyone was in wonderful spirits. So good was his disposition the D didnt even notice the first rather hesitant woman walk up and softly wrap on the door. Instead, recognizing the crack coming from Embers mouth he pulled another loli from his pocket, and said.

I have more. Alot more.

Then grinned ear to ear, revealing every one of the sharp fanged teeth that lined his mouth.

My names D! You wanna--

And then another woman approached. This one a little louder her heels announcing her before her fist hitting the door. D, at the sound, snapped back to reality. He had one job to do here at the shop today, and by Nocturne he was going to do it!

Hey!

He said and whirled around in the puddle of fabric that was his huge cloak, he looked up at the woman sporting brown ringlets and loud heels. And in doing so noticed Samantha, the quieter of the two and immediately said.

Hey! Your bof doin' it wong!

And with that he rushed past both women, pushing open the door to the shop and entering it, quickly closing it behind him.

---

Master D?

Said Walter curiously, only half way to the teapot.

Is everything alright?
Sssssshhhh!

Said D, making a sort of waving motion to the older butler, literally waving the elderly man off as he flipped his huge hood over his black haired head. Walter smirked, and returned to the tea. D returned to the door. He seemed to be repeating something to himself.

---

Moments later, the door opened again for Ember, Samantha, and the brown haired woman! There stood a small figure covered in a black cloak trying to speak in a deep voice and failing miserably.

Welcome to the Majikan Lucilan Darks Shop of Magic and...and...

A pause. The small person looked down, but found nothing, and then up, but his hood covered his face, and so very dramatically he whipped his cloak and said.

....Stuff!

The overflowing fountain of material settled, and the boy was quiet as if to let the moment sink in and then said to all three.

...What ken I do for you?

---

Many miles away in Durem, a little girl in a hoodie with a note and brown hair knocked on a door. In Latent, despite the door being open a soft knock could be heard coming from it. A knob above the lock flickered green.

For the moment, no one seemed to be answering.

Well, the woman had never actually approached the door, in fact she had stopped in front of the gathered children, the boy and the girl discussing the purpose of a lollipop, nor was she the one sporting brown ringlets, but that's okay, as it seemed her presence had been acknowledged.

The cloaked boy turned around after realizing he was drawing a little crowd. She loved watching the two young ones, but felt a little guilt over disturbing them, even if accidentally.





"Oh?"

She was taken by slight surprise and blinked once or twice, turning her eyes downward to get a glimpse of the young boy with a row of rather sharp teeth. He was certainly interesting, and seemed playfully mischievous as opposed to threatening so the woman offered him a grin in return.





"Ahh-" And again she was left confused by the strange accusations of a child.

-Woosh-

And there he went, scattering off in very sudden moment, disappearing behind the formerly cracked door of the shop.

"I see." Children would be children as she had once been told, a comment in regards to Rasilyn once before, and it applied even here. The woman was left scratching her head, amused, but puzzled.

Or she was until at least - the door opened again after a few good moments of silence.





How cute!

The woman was pleasantly surprised by the door opening again so very suddenly, the young boy draped in the cloak that was clearly several sizes too large - for dramatic effect of course - and proposed a formal (formal enough) greeting to all those who still waited outside the shop.

Despite his stumbling halfway through the speech and silly, child-like mispronunciation of words - it was an excellent performance. SO - as any good guest and patron would, she smiled, and gave a little clap, small and light just to get the point across.

Well, even though she had been invited to step in first, they had not yet been invited inside by the young master of the premises. Child or not, it wasn't polite to just walk in uninvited. The older of the two females spoke up again.

She took on the usual, friendly tone as she usually did hen dealing with children, but he seemed the type that would prefer to be taken somewhat seriously, after all he had just given them a very nice welcoming performance. His work wouldn't go unappreciated.

"What a very gracious welcome that was." She paused too look over his head, and catch a glimpse of the inside before focusing again on the boy. This time, she knelt down, making some attempt to bring herself a little more down to his level, though she wasn't terribly tall. "Well, I was hoping to come in and look around, and maybe see if you have some good stuff so I might be able to make myself some new charms."

For emphasis and example, she gave her staff a light shake, making the trinkets and spelled charms that decorated the top of it jingle just a little as they clinked together.

Dark and mysterious, you know, like hide and go seek except you hide who you are.

Big Brother's words resounded in D's very busy head. This was, easily, the very most people he had ever had addressing and or interacting with him at one time. Granted, one individual had not yet technically interacted with him, but if she was going to come in she certainly would be.

D, was intent on being mysterious as possible. In the few seconds after his introduction he even went so far as to whip his huge cloak around properly so that it fell over his shoulders and hid view of most of his body...and the ground surrounding that. Normally at the very least the bottom half of his face would be visible, but due to sizing issues, the hood fell over his whole face like a sort of clumsy accidental mask.

"What a very gracious welcome that was."

D bowed his head and amount, the exact amount being impossible to determine from beneath a waterfall of black fabric. But one could certainly here his seven (though attempting 20) year old voice say.

Thank you.

At which point he raised his head and smirked at Ember...completely unawares his face was yet still obscured by cloth. Dark and mysterious, oh yes, he had this down to an art form.

Directly behind the small boy was the shop proper, glass counters could be seen filled with countless trinkets. Items, weapons, armor, hung on walls, and from racks. Leaning against the counter opposite the door was a young man in white formal attire with gray hair. The shop smelled distinctly of newness, and tea, and coffee and something pastry-like.

"Well, I was hoping to come in and look around, and maybe see if you have some good stuff so I might be able to make myself some new charms."

I haf Charms!

D was on this. Fabric was moving as his arms searched around beneath his cloak and through his clothes. And then with a flourish his pale hands burst from the seam in the huge garment and presented the woman before him with a ball on a stick. It was a small ball the circumference of a quarter, and the stick was made of paper.

S'got gum inside and no holes, s'magic!

It was candy, a round lolipop in a white rapper which said in large letters...BlowPop. And was produced by a company with a familiar name.

For emphasis and example, she gave her staff a light shake, making the trinkets and spelled charms that decorated the top of it jingle just a little as they clinked together. D moved to touch his Blowpop to the staff so that magic could work....

...And a man stepped into view behind him with nary a single sound to announce him. He had a way of just appearing. It was simply who he was. The man was far older than the boy beneath him, sporting a monocle in one eye, silver-white hair tied backwards in a small ponytail and appeared to be roughly in his late fourties. He wore a black apron, over a black vest, and white dress shirt, which matched his black dress pants, and shined black shoes. A white gloved hand slipped from behind his back and landed flat on D's head, pulling back the long hood. And then the man spoke.

Very good Master D.

He said, he said in a smooth proper voice just a few octaves above a whisper.

The Master would be proud. Why dont you go along and show the young miss there your Charm.

D looked up at the man expectantly, and even tried to move his blowpop closer to the older woman's staff. But Walter simply shook his head and looked over at Ember and smiled softly. And D was off, in a bound he leaped between and past both older women and in front of Ember brandishing his lolipop like a magic wand.

Hey! You wanna see something cool?!

He had behaved well, but like all children D just wanted to play. And what was play if not the work of children? The adults (or teenager and adult) however had other business to attend to, business that the stately butler knew that no six year old would be able to attend to. Walter turned his warm smile to both ladies and said.

Thank you for your patience ladies, if you would please step inside I would be happy to assist you in any way possible.

He took a formal bow, and motioned for both women to enter. After they did Walter would silently shut the door behind them and say.

The Magician and the Master are currently both away on business, but feel free to browse. I can help with any questions or commissions you may have.

Ember did not say a word.

She only continued to stand quietly and peering between the much taller people. And the small hooded individual was grinning rather wickedly at her which only made her giggle as he continue to tend to the other guests. With all the adults around, it was nice to know that there was someone close to her age even though he was rather silly.

At that moment he pulled what appeared to be a rather special charm and waved it to the guests. Ember quickly began to clap quietly from behind. She was very much impressed by this mysterious item. It looked very much like the other treats he had been showing her, but this one was much different. He clapping was quickly interrupted as a tall man seemed to immerge from behind and pulled on the hood.



And then the older man presented her a smile which only caused her to hide within the crowd more so. As Ember moved a small trail of smoke seemed to form lightly around everyone’s feet. However, it was only enough to assume that someone dropped a cigarette into the sewer grate or something. Now being out of sight of most of the adults, she relaxed her grip on Shadow slightly. She was not used to so many people, especially when she was the shortest one out of all of them. Even when she normally did the shopping, it was never THIS busy in the shops. It must have been a relatively new shop to be THIS busy.



However, D was presented with the back of Ember’s long grey hair that was being held by a medium sized black ribbon. Ember giggled as she heard the voice. He was a very silly boy, and she quickly turned on the heel on her own dress shoe and looked at him with a Cheshire-like smile. Nodding her head quickly she began to look intently towards the black shrouded boy in search of what he intended to show her.

Her attention was fixed on him.

And nothing else.

Latent 9:42am.

Today was a day like any other day, in a life full of days unlike any other. Maximos sat at the counter with his arms folded across in front of him pretending to read, or rather pretending that it was possible for him to focus on reading, as two customers made their second lap around his glass showcase. A man, and a woman. The woman seemed genuinely curious, and yet the man seemed content to poke fun at everything he saw. He had heard them jeer at the names and descriptions written under each item. He heard the word "joke", he heard the words "rip off", and yet it did not seem to lessen his smile. He turned a page in his book for show, and then having not read the initial page simply turned it back. About halfway through the motion he was interrupted.

"Hey, guy, whats this?" Maximos knew he wasnt wearing a name tag, and yet he was rather sure his name was not guy. And yet still, he looked up to find the young man gesturing to a large unlabeled red gem inside the glass case.

"This, is a truth gem", Maximos said as he stood up, walked over, and removed the tear drop sized jewel and held it up. "Tell a lie while holding it and it will glow and make a low indication sound."

"No way! Thats just stupid." Said the man, Maximos simply grinned.

"I'm wearing all white." He responded, while smacking dust free from his black dress pants and adjusting the collar of his black dress shirt. Wong! Went the gem, and it ignited like a hand held stoplight. The man scoffed and chuckled as mockingly as he seemed able.

"Its some kind of trick." At which point he gestured behind the black clad shop-keeper to a large two handed great hammer resting on a weapon rack attached to the wall. It looked like something a giant might wield. "Whats this?"

"This, is Moljinir." Said Maximos with a tinge of pride, turning to gesture at the enormous weapon, running a hand along its shaft and letting white sparks dance along his finger tips. "Its been crafted from the bones of Thor's very arm, and a broken pillar from a temple to Odin. It wielder will be granted limited access to certain lightning based elemental abilities and an audience with the gods of Valhalla."

"That..."The man blinked, then blinked again, and then exploded in what had to be the rudest chorus of laughter Maximos had ever heard. "That's absolutely ridiculous! I know this world is crazy, but those sorts of things dont actually exist."

The laughter died awkwardly leaving the man rubbing the back of his head and looking at his date as if trying to prove via laughter that he was too cool to be in a room with Thor's arm. And in spite of this yet the man in black's grin only widened as he held up the ruby red and completely inert truth gem. No glow. No sound. Maximos leaned forward and offered the red gem to the man. "Here, try for yourself."

The man eyed the gem as if it had suddenly grown fangs, his date smirked to herself. Feeling his masculinity challenged he eagerly grabbed it and rolled it between his hands. It did not bite. "You know, you have some pretty bobbles Mr. Maximos, but I'm afraid I dont believe in all this hocus po"---Wong!

The gem turned red, the man's face turned a shade to match. Maximos smirked. The woman slid a few gold coins across the counter and said, "We'll take two."

Strata 4:45pm.

"Do you want another popsicle?" The man said, discarding an vacant wooden stick and reaching into the cooler beside him.

"No sir, I still got alot. 'Sides, my auntie will get mad if she knew I ate before dinner." The boy took another eager bite out of the frozen cherry cylinder and winced. His tiny hands looked like they belonged on a battle weary soldier what with the streams of red pouring between each stubby finger.

"Auntie?" The man asked curiously, cocking his head slightly to the side. "Didnt you say your parents were from Durem?"

"Yes." The boy said with a grin taking another excited bite, trying his very best to eat the entire icy treat before it vanished in the desert heat. His bite unbalanced the cherry ice making it slid all the way down the stick and to his fingers. The boy did not react, the smile on his face vanished as the full weight of what he had just been asked hit him. The man frowned. "They died in the war...I live with Auntie Ishta and Uncle Bouti now."

The small olive skinned child didnt even seem to notice when the lump of red ice slipped off the stick and into the sand, but the moment he did his frown stretched even farther. He took a breath, and then another quicker breath and tried his best to blink away something from his eyes. Before he could finish another fresh popsicle found its way into his hands. And the man beside him, the one with the wierd eyes, was smiling at him as bright as the sun. "And here, you get free popsicles."

"But Auntie--"
"Well then you had better not tell her, huh? It'll be our secret."
"Our...secret?"
"Sayshin says your a crazy witch and you make these icy snacks out of souls." The man's eyes snapped open wide, his smile twisted his blue lips.
"Mmmm, blueberry soul..."

The boy blinked not sure whether to laugh or run, and then feeling the first cold drops of purple run down the back of his hand decided to bite into the popsicle and let the purple smear across his face along with red. After a few more frozen head aches and bouts of wincing he spoke up.

"Mr. Mahiackmos..."
"Maximos, just Maximos." Said the man with a blue grin.

"What about your family? Why are you always out here alone?" And the grin vanished. Family? Why was it that one simple word could bring so much happiness to some and take so much happiness from others. What was family really? Or rather what was it that a child could understand? Was it blood? Maximos had no blood relatives remaining. Was it love?

"I'm not! My mother and father have passed away, obviously. Walter is busy cleaning the manor." Max started from the outside and worked in, he respected Walter above anything else, that was not truly family. The boy listened intently.

"D...is off playing somewhere I'm sure." D was a part of himself, not family. Maximos' eyes scanned the sand, as if hoping a stray breeze might reveal the answer hidden beneath.

"Sun is...well he's Sun. You'll understand when your older." Max was older, and he wished he understood right now.

"Lucind, is on a business trip across the sea." He loved her. Or rather he was in love with her. Was that family? He imagined not. They didnt have as much time for each other as they used to, but it...was he really always out here alone. "What about the pretty elf lady?"

"Teira..." There was a weight in Maximos' heart, the weight pulled the edges of his smile down into something else entirely. The sentence sputtered and failed and with a fresh breath he tried it again. "Teira is..."

But it wasnt just Teira. It was everyone. Maximos surrounded himself with people, he seemed to be more popular than he ever imagined being and yet why was it that when he turned around it looked like no one was there? Why was it that a man that believed himself to be mostly unknown seemed to be known or recognized wherever he went as something so different than what he was? Maybe he had scared them away? They had found better friends and family? More entertainment elsewhere? No...For a moment he wondered if maybe he had alienated them all. Maybe the world had not turned its back on him, but him on the world. And that he found to be a scarier prospect. And then, it dawned on him that the truth was a far more unsettling and far harder to swallow. He was blue, the ground was blue, everything was turning blue. Perhaps that was why, with his head hung low, instead of swallowing them, the words simply fell out. "I...dont know."

Wait...the ground was blue? Oh. At which point an icy cold frozen snack poked him square in the nose. "Dont be said Mr. Maksheemos, here have the rest of mine!"

"I..." He didnt know. He might never know. But it didnt matter so long as they, as someone, was smiling. Thats all he would ever ask for. And in turn, he couldnt help but smile, one of his large hands surrounded the boys smaller hand and delicately pushed it back. "No thank you, souls are a very important part of a young boys diet, eat up."

--

Durem 7:55pm..

"Freeze! I want your things not your life, but if you make a move I'll cap you one!" The gun was shaking so fast it was practically vibrating. The man behind the counter very casually shrugged and lift his hands into the air.

"Take whatever you like." He said, as if his shop had just become a charity donation. With a wicked grin the robber turned the nearest glass case and punched it. His fist resounded off the glass with a crack, and yet the crack had not come from the case. "OW! GOD DAMNIT OW!" He shouted, and then drew his gun and fired.

There was a loud Bang! followed by a dull Bong, and the bullet ricocheted off into a wall, the glass stood completely unharmed albeit vibrating from the force of impact. "What the hell is that thing made of?!"

"This case has been treated with Ancalagon's Tear, making it as hard as finest steel."
"Acara-what?"
"This." Maximos produced a tear shaped gem from behind the counter, despite being glass it looked priceless. The robber looked ready to leap for the Tear and bolt, but seemed disarmed when Maximos offered a sheet of glass with an obvious crack in it and simply said. "Here, try it. Simply touch it to the glass and it will become nigh unbreakable."

Hesitantly and then quickly the thief snatched up the glass teardrop and slid it over to the glass.

"Wait wait wait!" The man leaped back and quickly aimed his gun at the shop keep. "You cant do it like that, you have to strike a proper pose first! Like this..." Maximos proceeded to demonstrate a proper pose, the man matched it.

"Alright, now do it." And he did.

When Maximos left the shop that evening a large glass statue of a man stood in the window with a label hung from its neck with string that read - Ancalagon's Fool - 2000 gold

Quote:

Ancalagon's Tear - The final reward for Maximos and Ryugi Kazamaru's quest across Angara in search of the great glass dragon Ancalagon. This simple looking crystal is called Ancalagon's Tear. This crystals is imbued with magical properties. Simply touch the tear to any glass surface to transform its properties. The glass will no longer be fragile, but as strong as the finest steel. Only Maximos or Ryugi are able to use this power. If anyone unworthy attempts to use their magic, the crystal will turn red and release back upon the individual, turning them into solid glass.

--

Durem 9:32pm.

She had evaded him for over an hour. In all of his life the Shadow had never hunted someone so absolutely slippery. Where he thought he had trapped her in the club, she escaped out the back. When he was convinced he had led her into a dark alley, she slipped into an even darker alley. If he didnt know better he might even have assumed she was leading him, but he did know better. And even if she did not, she would learn.

Now, at long last, she was trapped. She had zig-zagged her way straight into a dead end and she knew it. Desperation was clear on her ragged features. Her dark hair was matted to her forehead like rat tails and her breathing was ragged and uneven, she clawed at the wall as if she could scratch it down. It held.

Maximos descended like the night. Lengths and ropes of shadow stretched from the corners of the alleyway forming step after step of an invisible staircase that lead him from the rooftops, straight to his cornered prey.

"You've done very well Madam, but this chase is at an end." She spun around, pressing her back flat against the bricks, her bulging eyes found his and then darted around the dead end looking for some sort of escape only to time and time again find his.

Maximos' first footfalls onto the concrete were absolutely silent. Where shadows did not fall the moonlight reflected in brilliant silver casting only the slightest details on what was about to be a grizzly scene. Where shadows did fall spindly arms reached out, and tendrils whirled and slithered ever closer the lady in question. A grin split Maximos' face, reflecting off his teeth like the blade of a knife when...

"RAPE!" She screamed at the very top of her lungs.
"I beg your pardon?"
"RAPE! I've seen this before! I know what those tentacles do, you, you, you freak!" She cried out. Maximos blinked, and then blinked again.
"Excuse me?"
"Your going to violate me! Your going to put those squishy dark bits in all sorts of uncomfortable places to get your sick pleasures while I scream and cry and moan!" Maximos had stopped walking. If his blinks were infact footsteps he would have been up to her and probably halfway home. But they were not, they were blinks.
"Actually, I was going to use them to keep you from squirming while I eat a small piece of your soul." Max finally said, awkwardly scratching the back of his head.
"You...werent going to rape me?" She replied, disbelief framing her words.
"No. Not at all."
"Well the hell why not?!"

--

Durem 11:30pm.

Mrs. Debra Foresteen was putting on her make up today. She sat in front of the fancy mirror today, the one in the room in the back with all the lights surrounding it. Tonight was a special night.

In youth Debra had been an actress, a performer, a dancer, and she had been one of the best. Her exploits covered the walls of this room and this room only. There was everything from fifty year old ticket stubs, to movie posts, to photographs of her beside some of the greatest. Fred. Bobby. Frank. She'd danced with them all, she let her voice ring out with some of the most famous idols to ever appear on the silver screen. But that was a long time ago. Tonight, Debra seemed to be having trouble keeping her dystrophy in check. She used to be able to paint her face in between sets, but now she couldnt seem to make her arm stay still long enough to make her lipstick into two straight lines, as opposed to a line and a wobbly sort of red smear. The powder just didnt make the wrinkles fade anymore, her face reminded her a bit more like a fluffy lump of dough than of the woman in all these pictures. But that was her, she kept telling herself.

Debra's glasses had become thicker over the years, but over the last year particularly her diabetes had caused her to form a cataract and she was mostly blind while still sporting lenses so thick they could pass not only for a bottle cap but likely for a bullet-proof shield. And yet she told herself, no one was perfect, and Jack would love her still. When it looked like her make up was done, Debra turned the swivel chair sideways and tried to straight her shoulders and puff out her chest. Show style. It drove the fellas wild. They would hoot and holler, and generally set the room ablaze. But tonight the only thing blazing was her spine, after it popped three distinct times. The old woman lurched forward onto the table, her fading eyes settled on an ancient ticket stub stuffed into the corner of the mirror. It said Forever and Goodnight, January 16th, 1910.

"Oh..." Debra groaned straightening out her back and slipping the ticket stub from its home to hold it longingly in her hand. "That old biddy promised we would dance a hundred years..."

And then she slipped the stub back into the mirror beside a small card with the picture of a smiling man on it that read. Jack Foresteen R.I.P. - January 17th, 1910 - "Dancing with the angels now." Debra worked herself to a stand and softly ran wrinkled fingers over Jack's picture. "A hundred years is a long time to dance alone..."And yet there was hope in her voice, a sort of quiet expectation. She had been waiting years for this. So very many years.

Tonight was a chilly night, the sort of night that only youngsters venture out in, but Debra braved it all the same. With her arms wrapped tightly across her chest Debra made it all the way to the park down the street before she had to stop. She was still four blocks from the old theatre. She told herself she just needed a moment to rest her old legs. But inside Debra knew the truth. She'd never make it.

She sat up straight, she held her head high, and she told herself there was no giving up. She was Debra Foresteen. THE Debra Foresteen. But the wind dug through her bones, and soon she found herself leaning over in a ball for warmth. People passed but no one seemed to notice her. They're eyes passed over her like she was nothing more than a bum on the bench. Jack would never want her. A young man caught her eyes, but only snickered to his friend about how the slit in her dress revealed the tear in her stocking where it had snagged on the benches jagged wood. Another young lady looked at her, then snickered and told whoever was on the other end of her cell phone that she had just seen an old lady spilling out of a dress. A man politely asked his date if she recognized that the old woman on the bench only had make up on one eye. Jack, would never want a mess in a dress like her. He wasnt coming.

The sobs came before the tears, and even though she tried to hold them back she could only deny the truth so long. She was worthless, and Jack deserved better. "If Jack were still alive..." She whispered to no one, and then checked her watch. 11:59, and she was no where near the theatre. It was all for nothing.

"Mrs. Foresteen?" The voice called, it was soft and kind, and as her ancient eyes turned she saw it belonged to a pale handsome young man. He wore the old fashions, but they were crisp and new, and his face was caught oddly in the street lamp so that it was shrouded in darkness.

"Jack?" She said squinting and hopeful.
"No." The man stepped forward and bowed, his hair combed neatly albeit somewhat spiked, and blue like the midnight sky. In a way that made her blush with nostalgia. But then reality struck.
"I thought Jack was coming..." Her face pulled into a frown that was echoed several times in her wrinkles until it was the epitome of tragedy.
"Jack is waiting for you, Debra."
"He is? Where?"
"At the dance, come along now." The man extended a bone white hand.
"Oh! There will be a dance?" She said with a wry smirk, slipping her elderly hand into his own.
"Yes, yes there will." He answered, lifting her gently to her feet. She felt lighter now, happier.
"Just for tonight? Me and Jack have alot of dancing to make up." He smiled.
"Tonight, and forever. For as long as you like."

"Forever..." She whispered to herself looking down at the ticket stub in her hand. "Forever and Goodnight..."

And Debra Foresteen let the little stub go and it very fancifully danced in the breeze before coming to land in the lap of an intensely old and very still lady that looked very much like her only messier. The old thing wasnt even breathing. She whipped around with pristine grace back to the man who's hand she held, pulling herself closer to his arm, pushing her curves against him teasingly. Show style. Everyone knew she only had eyes for Jack. "Will you be there? I should very much like to dance with you."

He smirked. And off they walked.