|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 7:15 am
Blue and gold books, eh? Verin recognized the description just as she'd recognized the man at the podium. The Book Child was new. Hopefully he was just helping her get on her feet. He'd stood behind while the little girl talked so that seemed to be a good sign. Too much hand-holding robbed a person of their agency, she felt. Verin had listened to the old man's stories a few times in the past but she didn't feel like helping out tonight, she decided. With all the people around surely those books would be found sooner or later by someone else anyway.
Never one to stand in one place for long, Verin began to weave aimlessly through the throngs of people. Slowly, slowly it was starting to get uncomfortably crowded. In spite of the minor hitch in the festival most of the crowd seemed pretty jovial. Those who were looking for the books did so with a cheery enthusiasm for their task and the rest talked and carried on as they normally would, unconcerned. Although there was one Book Child not far from her, dark and feathery, who was searching very keenly with the most unpleasant look on his face. Behind her mask Verin laughed in spite of herself. What could he have lost around here that was so important yet so displeasing? It couldn't be the books, surely.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ruriska rolled 10 10-sided dice:
5, 6, 2, 6, 8, 7, 7, 5, 6, 7
Total: 59 (10-100)
|
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 6:13 pm
“They sure are!” Unmindful of the fact that there was a line and completely forgetting that they were in search of the lost books; Talulah tugged Estra to the front of the booth and leaned against it, fixing the City Person currently selling it with a wide eyed hopeful sort of stare.
He cast Talulah one stern look. “No freebies.” The words floated in the air; tight, neat, uncompromising writing.
“But Mr. Cooper; it’s a festival and we’re really, reaaaally hungry.” Talulah’s eyes widened and she stared forlornly at the City Person she had known for five years now. He was always at the market selling his popular fritters, and nearly every day she was there in an attempt to score a meal.
“No freebies.”
“Not even when I’m here with my good friend Estra?”
Mr. Copper harrumphed.
“… I’m wasting away Mr. Cooper!”
The conversation continued in much the same way for a good seven minutes before Talulah finally wore him down enough that he shoved two napkin wrapped fritters their way. “Take them and go.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jun D rolled 10 10-sided dice:
3, 8, 1, 4, 6, 1, 6, 3, 10, 10
Total: 52 (10-100)
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 4:21 am
"O-ooh!" Estra couldn't help but coo, eyes round and wide, as the unimaginably delicious smell of the fritter came right under her nose, "Thank you, Mr. Cooper!" she smiled - what a nice man he was!
She had, of course, entirely forgotten that dinner had been forgotten thanks to her misery - and she had, naturally, entirely forgotten her misery - but her stomach did not forget, rumbling in anticipation of the famous zucchini fritters Talulah loved so much. This would taste sooo good!
(She had also forgotten that she had forgotten to retrieve her little purse from her dress and leave it safely at home, so it still hung within the feathery folds. A few coppers still lingered within it, courtesy of her incomplete shopping, and she would happily have paid for both fritters, relieving Mr. Cooper of his best-and-worst customer much earlier. Alas for Mr. Cooper! It would be best he never know.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 6:05 pm
“Yum!” Talulah took a bite out of hers the second they were in her hand and almost immediately regretted it as the freshly cooked zhucchin fritter burnt her tongue. “Ow, ow, ow!” A second later, as she swallowed her first bite of food since the last night, she decided it was worth it. “It tastes sooo good. You’re the best Mr. Cooper!”
She offered Estra a fritter and led them away from the booth to a clear space off to the side where they could stand and eat in peace. Talulah was perpetually penniless and was used to getting what she needed from the City People with a mixture of persistence, quick talking and a cute face.
The next few moments were silent ones on Tali’s part as she devoured the fritter. Once done she licked her fingers clean and watched Estra for her reaction.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 9:15 am
It was just as well that Talulah had only passed Estra's fritter to her after the first burning mouthful, or she would almost certainly have suffered the same fate. As it were, she took only the barest of warnings from the goldfish's yelp, and, daintily folding down the wrapper as they settled into the little space, took a big bite…
…if her eyes could get any wider, they would. Oh, it was divine. The wonderful Mr. Cooper was a magician with zucchini and flour - it seemed hard to believe these little sticks of deliciousness were made by man's hand alone. On an empty, eager stomach, it certainly tasted like the best meal she had ever had the pleasure of having.
"Oh, Tali," she cried between quick little bites, "this is so nice!" It wasn't long before, like Talulah, her hands were empty and she was licking her fingers clean.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ruriska rolled 10 10-sided dice:
10, 10, 2, 8, 4, 3, 7, 3, 9, 10
Total: 66 (10-100)
|
Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 7:17 pm
Talulah found Estra reaction to be thoroughly satisfactory and after her fingers were as clean as they were going to get without a napkin, she once again held her hand out to Estra to take. Now that she was fed, though to be honest she could probably eat ten more of those fritters, it was time to get back to business. Dancing! No wait, hadn’t there been something about books…
Oh that’s right, they were missing. “Let’s dance together and then afterwards, we can keep searching.” Surely the owner of the book could not begrudge them a quick twirl or two beside the fire. The delightful taste of the zucchini fritters had put a little bounce in her step and was keen to express her delight through dancing.
Then another thought occurred. They needed something to wash down their meal. Talulah quickly scanned the other booths she could see as she tried to remember who else was here and if she could get something out of them for free. There was a lady who made strawberry juice with crushed ice; but she was far, far less inclined towards freebies.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jun D rolled 10 10-sided dice:
1, 1, 4, 4, 6, 4, 8, 10, 5, 10
Total: 53 (10-100)
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 9:37 am
Estra had been patting through her dress for a handkerchief she knew was tucked in somewhere as she'd absently reached out to Talulah's proffered hand when - oh! Both hands snatched her purse out of the feathers instead; a quick look revealed the leftover coppers.
"Tali, I had my purse with me all along," she said, amazed, "oh dear, do you think maybe I should go back and pay Mr. Cooper?" Counting out the coins, she marvelled, "There's more in here than I thought I had - would you like something else from the stalls, Tali? I can buy things!"
If she had realised the money should have gone to the vegetables that weren't bought for the dinner that wasn't cooked in the clocktower that she should have returned to many, many, moments ago, she might not have been so delighted at this turn of events. But delighted she was, holding out two of the shiny pieces to show Talulah her windfall.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 11:12 am
His mind and his eyes were racing. Grey dresses. Blue patchwork. Gold ornaments. A lot of malarky. A lot of rubbish. This was ridiculous. He spun, strode sharply and sternly, processing everything in his path.
He might've uttered a very rude word as he slowed, sighing most harshly, shoving people aside in this hopelessness. Not only was everything grey/blue/gold assaulting him, so was the goodwill, joy and friendliness in the crowd. People were searching for lost items, clucking with sympathy! People telling the young ones stories, with exaggeration and enthusiasm! People were dancing, pulling random members of the audience into their ring around the fires! Madness. Happy, joyful, madness. He shuddered as he dodged the kindly grasp of a pretty City lady with his feathered collar straight up as defense. He backed away from activity, even though Estra would surely be in the core of it.
As he stood in a rare space, he felt the gaze of another. Vlad's head swiftly turned to face a Book Child, easily highlighted by the fires flickering off her mask, in the parted monotone sea about them. It was obtuse to imagine that someone in a mask was looking straight at him, but everything tonight was obtuse, so instead, Vlad irritably and curtly said: "What?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2011 10:46 pm
Verin folded her arms, perhaps a little defensively, in response to the younger Book Child's snappy reply. Of course she wasn't expecting him to be polite given his irritation and the fact that she was laughing at him, but really Verin hadn't been sure he could hear her laugh at all through her mask. It might have just been luck. Still, she wasn't the type to apologize for any of it.
"Oh, it's nothing really. I just can't say I've ever seen anyone look so unhappy to be at the Night of Stories before in my life." She couldn't help but chuckle again; he looked the way she imagined a bird all ruffled and fluffed up would. "Are you looking for the books?" She asked, cocking her head in an almost birdlike motion (was she mocking him? Not intentionally) and looking at him sideways - not that the mask allowed him to see the latter. "You look like you're more liable to tear them up if you find them than to give them back."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 4:30 am
Talulah grin widened as the purse popped out Estra’s feathers. As kind as she was; Tali had never had any trouble with accepting charitable donations. Of course if she had the money to repay her friend she would one day, but as she didn’t there was no reason to worry too much about it. “Mr. Cooper already got used to the idea of us not paying. Besides, there is always a little bit of waste at the end of the day; so we took the ones that would have been thrown out later anyway.” She answered quickly to whether poor Mr. Cooper should be repayed or not.
Clapping her hands together in delight; she wound her fingers together in front of her and bounced up and down twice on her bare tippy-toes. “Are you thirsty? Because I really am!” She leant forward and whispered (though to be honest it was a loud and exciteable sort of whisper). “Let’s go get some icy strawberry juice.” And then they must get to dancing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 6:27 am
Estra nodded, rapt as she tried to keep up with Talulah's explanation as to why the saintly Mr. Cooper need not be repaid. It was true, certainly, that some fritters would have to be thrown out after the festivities were through - yes, what Tali said made perfect sense, Mr. Cooper would not miss her coins, especially not with how well the fritters seemed to be selling on this busy night.
Then Mr. Cooper vanished from her mind entirely as Talulah leant in and said the magic words: "Icy strawberry juice?!" she echoed, almost in awe at the thought. Icy strawberry juice! What could be better than the taste of sweet, cold strawberry ice on her tongue? Now that the goldfish had mentioned it, she was feeling rather thirsty, but even if she hadn't been - oh, icy strawberry juice! It was practically a drink and a dessert in one! She nodded, this time eagerly, for Tali to lead the way as she clutched her purse and coins tight in her hands, ready to pay for sheer heaven.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 10:15 am
... Over here? Nope. Against this wall? Nope. Under her dress? ... Better not to check. Maybe they're -
Naoya's idle, fruitless searching was interrupted when he caught sight of an interesting orange-silver glimmer by the stalls. Slipping nimbly through the crowd, he approached the little island of color in the sea of black and white. Much to his delighted surprise, his feline-flavored memory told him that these were a grounded dove and a land-locked fish - in short, prey. Delicious, vulnerable prey.
Unfortunately for his cattish instincts, his more intelligent half argued that they were, in fact, fellow book children, and presented as evidence exhibit A, they're people-shaped; exhibit B, they're making purchases at market stalls; exhibit C, there are no animals in this city so how would there be a real fish and a dove in the first place you stupid cat.
Still, now he was hungry and salivating. Naoya casually slipped behind them to get in line for the Iced Strawberry Juice stall. He had a little pocket change yet from his last job - such a treat would be a good way to spend it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Maxx D rolled 10 10-sided dice:
6, 10, 9, 2, 5, 4, 9, 8, 5, 2
Total: 60 (10-100)
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2011 2:42 pm
A mask was a very good substitute for a face at that moment - Vlad would have found it altogether too much to deal with someone who had expressions and would likely have darted off in agitation (especially if he could see them laughing at him - the crowd was too loud for her chuckle to filter through clearly). And so, in this curious circumstance, Vlad actually responded.
"That's because I wasn't here last year," he said solemnly, relenting more words than he was used to in his angrily distraught state. Everything was atrocious. "Else you might have. The books are a distraction, my object is lost." The words spilled from his mouth rather vehemently - his fists were clenched, his eyes darting about out of mental distraction.
Estra, Estra, why did you do this to me? You little -
"Too many people." A bitter statement. "Nobody will find anything."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ruriska rolled 10 10-sided dice:
2, 2, 10, 4, 8, 1, 5, 10, 4, 2
Total: 48 (10-100)
|
Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 5:56 pm
“Yes, icy strawberry juice.” Her eyes sparkled with delight as Estra shared her enthusiasm for the delightful drink. It felt like this night could not possibly get anymore wonderful! Oh, but yes it could, Talulah quickly found out. After leading her friend over to the line for the icy strawberry juice they had stood in line for only a moment before somebody joined the line at their back. Tali had at first considered simply by-passing the line completely as she had with Mr. Cooper, but the lady serving would not have taken well to that and she didn’t want to take the chance of no juice at all. Besides, they had money now.
She peered around and down the line to check how many were left and then straightened again. Never one to stay still for very long; Tali did an about turn to check out whoever was behind them and smiled upon realizing the person was another Book Child… and he had a tail. He had a tail. Talulah was pretty sure that was the most amazing thing she had seen all day. Of course it was not uncommon for City People and Book Children to have animal parts but right now, in her current mood, anything was likely to catch her attention and be proclaimed amazing.
“Hello.” Talulah grinned happily at Naoya and circled around him. “Look Estra!” Without even a ‘may I please?’ she simply reached for the forked tail.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jun D rolled 10 10-sided dice:
9, 7, 7, 1, 8, 1, 6, 10, 4, 4
Total: 57 (10-100)
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 3:51 am
Estra's thoughts had floated away as she waited dreamily in line, helped in no small part by the cacophony of delicious scents intermingling to form an alluring symphony that led her mind astray imagining how wonderful a concoction of icy chocolate-chip zucchini roast strawberry pot fritter juice cookie pie would be...oh dear, no, it didn't sound very wonderful. Drifting back to the topic at hand of icy strawberry juice, a snatch of half-forgotten verse started replaying in her head; her lips had started to move along to the chimes of "delicious...so sweet and so cold..." and she would have begun to whisper them, if Talulah hadn't broken her reverie.
"Oh!" she had to gasp as she turned to see what Tali had to show - that tail! She checked her hand just in time to keep from following the goldfish's suit - Tali knew everybody (so it always seemed to Estra), but it was a Book Child she herself had not yet met. Instead, she looked up into the bright face and dropped a small curtsey, "H-hello!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
