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Friendly Conversationalist
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 Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2014 4:10 pm
"Only the basics, really." Claire laced her fingers together and rested her hands on the tabletop as she tried to recall the meeting almost half a year prior. "He explained that the Raevans were a mix of science and magic, that they have powers that come from their Essences. He explained a bit what those were, then he briefly touched on their diet being dictated by the Essence, but otherwise that's all I really remember." Her anxiety to hear about the parenting side at the time came back to her in a moment's notice, and her insides squirmed at the hunger she had to know about it. Perhaps there had been a bit of disappointment in knowing that she had been incorrect about what the Lab really was, but it all turned out in the end.
"Otherwise, I asked him a bit about his own experience as a Raevan parent, since he told me he was one." She shrugged lightly and unlocked her fingers to cradle them around her glass. The water droplets rolled onto her skin and fell to the table top, and she watched it a bit distractedly. "So I guess that was first and foremost in my mind at the time. Truthfully I mistook the Lab for something else - or rather my mom did, since she's the one who gave me the heads up about the project and wanted me to apply." Aaron surreptitiously put a hand on Claire's knee, and when she turned her attention towards him he smiled, coaxing her own back onto her face. Her smile became a grin and she laughed a bit as she elbowed her husband playfully.
Claire had not yet touched on the real reason she had looked into the Lab to any she had met through the Raevan program, partially because she felt foolish at how mistaken she was, and partially because it made her think of things from before.
But this was good; it was a good first step, at least for working things out within herself.
Aaron cleared his throat and gently broke the comfortable silence following. "So basically anything you can add to that bit would be super informative. Especially since I didn't go and I'd like to know a little more just what we might be getting into here."
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Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2014 4:29 pm
Cruz soaked up Claire's summary of Zeke's words like a sponge. He had heard bits and pieces of this before, mentioned here and there from Anita discussing with others but he was also much younger at the time and understood far less of what it meant. The concept of powers was something he chose to dwell on while Claire elaborated. As far as he knew, besides floating, he didn't have any powers. It was hard to remember if he had ever seen a raevan use their powers but, unpleasantly, the only example that came to mind was LuLu in her violent inky state. If those were powers, he wasn't sure he wanted any.
While Claire had some obvious bashfulness about the subject, Anita just smiled pleasantly and nodded along. She might have been confused about what the lab could possibly have been mistaken for if Claire didn't use a very specific word prior -- parent. It turned her smile a bit bemused and Anita grinned all the same.
"Well, I'll answer any questions as best I can. I'm not an expert, I don't work there, but I can tell you what I do know. I've been involved with the lab for... jeez, something like five years now, so I hope I've got some helpful info." Anita chuckled just as the waitress set their drinks out. Their food would be another few minutes yet. "Let's see... I know Zeke's girl is some kind of spider. Cruz, here, is a crocodile," she gestured vaguely, "Souls. Uh, essences are pretty weird, they're the magic part. It's like they're things in nature that have been... changed, somehow. They don't work like they're supposed to. Cruz's essence was mistletoe that, ah, made people kiss each other. I don't know if you met him but Mr. Clarke's essence is floating raindrops." Anita paused for a moment to take a drink. "He's really nice, you should meet him."
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Friendly Conversationalist
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Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2015 5:43 pm
Aaron nodded along to the information Anita was giving them, reaching across the table for his drink. Claire slid it within his grasp and he whispered a thank you as he leaned back into his seat. Most of this was a rehash on what Zeke had told him, but it was definitely better for Aaron to be hearing this from someone involved with the Lab rather than second-hand from her, as he had a few months prior.
"That follows what Claire told me, but wow, I didn't think it was quite like that." Aaron scratched his head and looked at Cruz. "Of course if I didn't just see it earlier, I would never guess the 'kissing' part." He laughed and took a long draw from his smoothie, before blinking down at the glass. "Babe, try yours, this is pretty good."
"Already done," Claire replied, holding her own glass up with a smile, only to be interrupted by the waitress returning much faster than anticipated with their food. She leaned back to let the girl place the plates on the tabletop. "Thank you," she said, netting a smile from the younger girl as she moved back inside to deal with other customers. "Good service here too."
"Mr. Clarke, that name sounds familiar." Aaron circled the conversation back around as he immediately tucked into his chicken sandwich, pausing to chew a large bite and swallow. "Wasn't he running the boil a little while back?" Claire nodded and returned her attention to Anita and Cruz.
"I do remember meeting Mr. Clarke; he was a very nice gentleman." She toyed with one of the fries on her plate before she dipped it into the plastic container of thousand island dressing next to them. "I regret not getting his number though. But I helped a bit with the clean up afterward and we talked a little about plants - I think he and my mother would get along wonderfully. I'm sure there will be more big get togethers, I'd love to talk to him more, or rather send my mother after him to trade gardening tips." A small chuckle left her lips before she dug into her fries, and she waited a moment as she finished chewing to address Anita again. "Has it been quite an adventure, your time with the Lab? And with Cruz too, of course." She directed her smile at Cruz.
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Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2015 8:25 pm
The croc smiled curiously at Aaron while the man looked him over, then laughed when he did. He moved his glass of water out of the way when the waitress returned, pulling it into both hands and sipping at his straw while the humans performed a little table Tetris with the new dishes. Anita didn't waste time digging in, much like Aaron, and had to cover her mouth with a hand as she stifled to respond.
"Och--" she laughed behind her palm and nodded, "Yeah, that was him."
Cruz hummed appreciatively to Claire's assessment of Duncan. Mister Clarke was, after all, one of their favorites involved with the Lab -- not just him but his entire household. Beside Cruz, Anita was already digging through her pocket for her phone. As she pulled it out, Claire had a question at the ready and both of them smiled at the woman with raised brows. Anita glanced Cruz's way. He returned her look -- and blew bubbles into his water, jostling the ice around.
Anita chuckled. Conversations like this weren't usually his strong suit. "It's definitely been something. A lot of ups and downs but, overall, it's been really rewarding for me. I think everyone's experience is different, though, so I can't really say what you should expect." She flipped her phone open and began digging through her contacts list. "But," Anita mused with a wry grin, "I can give you Mr. Clarke's number, if you want. I'm having trouble remembering if he's turned in his bottle and essence yet but otherwise he's still on the same path you guys are. I'm sure he'd be a lot of help."
There wasn't much harm, she figured, in sharing Duncan's number when everyone's numbers were already available on the Lab 305 call sheet. This would just be more direct.
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Friendly Conversationalist
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Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2015 12:54 am
And that was it, the answer Claire wanted to hear. It was, perhaps, a bit foolhardy to cling to the good bits of what she had been hearing about Raevan guardianship, but it eased some of her anxieties about what may lie in store, should she be chosen for the program. The waitress came in the interim to drop off the ticket (dividing up between the two parties) and mention that she would be their cashier when they were ready. Claire smiled into her french fries and chewed them with satisfaction as Anita was fishing for her phone.
"Thank you, I'll be glad to get back in touch with him." Claire wiped her fingers and made for her cellphone to take Duncan's number. "My mother, too. She's got the perennials down but as far as sustainable produce goes, she's a lost cause." She was also pleased to get her mother further involved with the Lab, as it had been her mother's idea in the first place. At least she would be getting something back for it.
"Think of the money she'd save on Thanksgiving," Aaron added as he tossed a few bills onto his and Claire's shared bill, and he looked ready to add another piece but a muffled melody interrupted him. He fished his phone out of his pocket and silenced the alarm. "Oop, what timing on the bill, I'm due back for a meeting." He turned with an apologetic smile towards Anita and Cruz as he got to his feet. "Sorry to cut out so soon."
"Hang on, I'll drop you on the way," Claire offered, standing up. She, too, seemed a bit sad at having to cut the meeting short, but it left enough pretext for another meeting with the two. They had both been so helpful and Claire was eager to meet up with them again. Aaron seemed to be on the same wavelength and as he put his suit jacket back on and straightened his tie, he redirected his attention at the two across the table.
"We've got your numbers, we'll definitely get something going again soon!"
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Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2015 7:07 pm
"Yeah, of course," Anita replied brightly. Her thumb plodded along the buttons on her flip phone for Duncan's number. She rattled it off to Claire with a wry grin following her and Aaron's exchange.
At the news of their meeting coming to a close, Cruz and Anita both leaned back a bit. The frei lifted his brows curiously but, lips still wrapped around his straw, he only gave a warped smile and a parting wave to the man. "I think it lined up pretty well," his guardian joked with a shrug, "Yeah, any time! Keep in touch."
While she was busy rifling through her wallet, Cruz set his cup of water down once the straw started taking in air. "See you," he offered to Claire and Aaron both.
Once their goodbyes were given and the two disappeared, Anita turned to Cruz and rested her elbow on the table -- chin in hand. "So. What do you think?"
"They're nice," he said while stirring the remaining ice cubes in his cup.
"Yeah?"
"Miss Claire is sweet."
It was sometimes hard for Anita to tell where Cruz acquainted flavors -- whether he meant that Claire's kiss tasted sweet or that she was a kind person. Most likely, it was both. She laughed and shook her head, but had to agree. They would do just fine.E N D
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