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Dangerous Conversationalist
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 Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 4:17 am
[A continuation of "My Business"]:
Genie didn't know what she was going to do about Basil.
Carefully, she began to ease her car into the serviceway behind the Gregarious Arms, peripherally aware of the bulky shape not beside her.
Since coaxing him from the bathroom (where he had retreated from an especially ugly outburst), Basil had been sullen, and far from conversational.
Presently he lay facing from her in the back-seat, rumpled, like a pile of clothes being taken to the laundromat. The business street behind her building was an abrupt one; a single vein in a lump sum of unremarkable businesses quartered by alleys and single-lane streets. A card shop here, a second-cut camera store there, with narrow town-houses crammed hip-to-hip and shoulder-to-shoulder in all the spaces in between. It had been a very long time since she had taken the highway into the outer regions of Durem where the trendier businesses had lifted like dandelion seeds and settled so carefully. So confident of their taste and intrigue that they would employ any exclusionist policy neccessary to push their product into the laps of an elite clientele, to say nothing of the products and services themselves, but of the padded address-book required to pursue them. The rolling, cultivated lawnscapes where unlisted phone numbers became like easter eggs hunted and sifted through by the starving middle class, and there was nothing so gaudy as a sign viewable from the highway.
Genie would not be stopping here, but rather, the sleepy village just beyond it, cultivated by a fresh crop of trust-fund babies dying to define and inhabit a superficial counter-culture, funded by the beliefs and methods of the tax-bracket that they claimed to despise. Modern-day hippies with obscure religions and adolescent foghorns that sounded with every new political development, however trivial. As a veteran of the seventies and the years adjacent, Genie had very little patience for these people, but found that their constant outreach towards the unconventional tilled the ground for very affordable, and very interesting shopping opportunities. Purses were functional and roomy. Every second-floor had a record store in it. Wallets were made of duct tape. And the food? Natural, holistic, and divine.
At this time, Genie made a hasty departure into the turn-lane. The rumble-strips running the center of the road growled angrily at her, arousing an irritable groan from her companion. She sighed, gripping the steering wheel one clenched knuckle at a time as she prepared to toss her vehicle hap-hazardly across the swerving stretch of road that ran the length of the craggy Barton Trench.
Through a series of mumbles and broken phrases, he had tried to persuade her into letting him stay at home, where he would enjoy a light meal of radio static to settle his non-stomach, put himself to bed early, and start the next day fresh. Things being what they were, she couldn't say she trusted him to be left alone, and insisted quite stubbornly he come with her. He accepted then with a foggy hesitance, as though he did not feel strongly enough of himself to argue with her, but in any other case, would have gladly done so. She could feel the buried resentment in him, and frankly, the feeling was mutual.
Through the wholly labor-intensive process of educating him, Genie had come to feel something reminiscent of betrayal when these things should happen. She knew it was not in the least magnanimous of her to place that kind of blame on him, but these things naturally seemed to stem from a situation in which she was urged to cooperate with Basil as a team, and felt that he was failing to do his part. It made her feel helpless to drag his weight like a dead branch as he stumbled and fell through a three-legged race of awkward encounters, frequent apologies, and broken furniture. It was exhausting to acknowledge that he was simply not developing at the rate of other Raevans, and how badly it reflected upon her.
In the late evenings as she picked at what remained of her dinner, the tv muted, her head in her hand, she did know better. She knew fully well that it was hardly his fault, or a situation he was intentionally bringing about. Something was holding him back, and she simply dreaded the possibility that it might have been her. She didn't like the thought that she was hurting him.
He had been either unwilling or unable to provide an explanation for his behavior at the time, short of some incoherent babbling about flies and such, in other words, very little that allowed her to understand how she might help him. She supposed it could wait. Whatever he needed from her, it certainly couldn't be achieved in less time than it would to find a dish to bring to her family's fourth of July cookout. The thought alone made her stomach clench. This would be the first time that she would be introducing him to the family, and she suspected Mickey hadn't exactly been singing his praises. Deviled eggs had been a stupid idea to begin with... She needed something distracting, something that would make a good first impression on Basil's behalf. Something with a garnish for God's sake! Something that wouldn't entirely make it seem that Basil was bleeding her so thoroughly of time and resources that she could only throw a few eggs in a pot and call it a day. Every few months, weather permitting, the village of Deerwich would encourage culinary talent to gather in droves to its fountain square. A comfortable expo that specialized in foods that were accessible, original, and very rarely intimidating to the nutritionally challenged, ideal for restaurant scouts looking for new menu items.
She was working with very little daylight left, and could only hope that the expo would run late. Thankfully, the turnout was less impressive than she might have expected, and parking was favorable. She would only need to walk about a block and a half to reach the square with its handsome masonry and three-tiered art-deco fountain, enclosed at all sides by an orchard of tents, vendors, and bike-racks. Genie hastily unfastened her belt buckle and nearly broke into a dead sprint down the street, had she not remembered her extra passenger. Her shoulders slumping, she knew that it would be difficult to persuade him to leave the car if he was comfortable. Knowing that he could not be trusted to be left in a car unsupervised, she had no choice but to open the door, whereupon Basil's tired half-body toppled out onto the ground. Apparently he had been leaning his head and shoulder against the door just out of sight, and needless to say, he was no longer comfortable.
Genie narrowly avoided a nasty bite as she helped him back up and into the air, grimacing at the fresh scrape on his chin. Brushing his jaw with the tips of her fingers, she then gripped his arm and shook the sleeve, frustrated, "Oh God, I'm sorry, baby, but I told you not to do that, and this is why! If you want to sleep in the car, I'll wad up a jacket and you can put your head on that! Okay? Can you do that from now on?" Startled by her tone, he hastily pulled his arm away, then knitted his brows, disturbed. He mumbled something, but she could not decipher what he had said. She then sighed, a shudder in her voice, reaching to touch his shoulder. The events of today and the haste of their errand was no excuse to be so impatient with him. He seemed to visibly soften at the gesture, but reluctant to allow affection. Struggling with a proper apology, she saw him quickly become distracted by a chorus of interesting noises in the distance. Sizzling, crinkling, and the voices of strangers. She could see that his rune had become excited.
She then smiled, cupping his right hand in her left and pointing vaguely towards the event ahead, "Okay, pay attention. I need you to stay close to me. We're not here to have fun. I need to pick something up, and it's important that we do it quick, okay? Just stay where I can see you and don't touch anything. Basil?" He hesitantly met her eyes with a remorseful, nearly canine expression. She gave his hand an emphatic squeeze, "I mean it."
Without another word, Genevieve trotted down the path ahead, her companion in tow. She fleetingly touched her free hand to her back pocket to make sure that her wallet was there before they got too far ahead of the car. Ducking in between two vendors, even Genie was a bit overwhelmed by such limitless variety. From one cursory glance, it had seemed that all cultures and food groups were represented, and the odors of pastries, salted meats, kabobs, and seafood which co-mingled in the epicenter of the square was interesting to say the least.
Basil's chest inflated beneath his sweatshirt, allowing a much better spirit to possess him. At this time, Genie relinquished his hand, reminding him to stay nearby as she inspected what were the most fancy deli platters she was sure she had ever seen in her life. As he spun in place, bombarded by sensations foreign to one without a stomach, one might say Basil was becoming a bit over-stimulated. Already his hands twitched at his sides, exhibiting unusual discipline overall. That is, until he felt himself drawn towards a particularly alluring oddity. A gilded tray, gold leaf shimmering in the twilight, supported at an angle, and on it, an attractive selection of gourmet spoons. Unaware, his hands had now lifted from his sides, grasping the tablecloth in two tightly balled fists, his eyes adjusting in the semi-darkness.
"Wow." He muttered.
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Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 10:01 pm
Expo day, expo day! Was there anything Vivi loved more than expo days?
The realistic answer would be yes -- Vivi loved many things and people more than expo days, the ranks of which would completely overshadow days filled with work and pastries. And yet, on the days themselves, Vivi would be hard pressed to think of things she loved more. Expo days meant days filled with new people and new flavors. They meant preparation, delicious pressure to create fresh and lovely things to entice clients. They meant setting up a beautiful table under a beautiful tent, and they meant teasing Shepard when business was slow, and they meant networking and flirting and giving out cards.
Now the day was almost done, the business cards almost gone, and the goods mostly sold. Shepard, exhausted by all the good-natured smiles and conversing he'd had to accomplish, sat slumped behind the counter over his phone, trying desperately to make time go faster. Vivi, still standing tall and bright and refreshed as a morning flower, waved goodbye to another new acquaintance. She turned to her friend, her face full of an almost motherly sort of sympathy.
"The Shepard, he should not worry, the time is running short!" Vivi cooed, her voice soothing. "We will be home soon."
'Soon' could not come soon enough. Shepard lifted his eyes to her and opened his mouth to reply, but his eyes snapped to the something -- someone -- that approached their table, ducking at the display of gourmet chocolate spoons. His mouth closed, and he simply nodded to alert Vivi of the person's arrival. His face said nothing. He was too exhausted even to sigh.
As Vivi turned again, a look of exhilaration swept over her features, her red mouth lifting into a small smile, sweet on the edges but impish all over. Instantly, Shepard and his plight were forgotten.
There were things Vivi loved more than expo days, and one of them was Raevans. And this one was a new one, one she had never seen before!
"Salut, hello~" she said brightly, approaching the Frei. "Can I help you, perhaps?"
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Dangerous Conversationalist
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Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 7:12 pm
Startled, Basil flinched, having not expected to be taken notice of so quickly. Eyes narrowing and un-narrowing with the speed of a camera shutter, he found himself speechless in the presence of a luminous stranger that had shocked him with both an obvious affection, and immediate recognition.
A feminine face greeted him now, with the sort of familiarity that told him she had known at first sight exactly what he was, and where he had come from. A Raevan, artificially born; Young by virtue of his vulnerable rune and missing stomach.
However, his palms becoming slick with sweat, he could not help but feel strangely exposed. There was dread in his eyes. Dread that she knew even more than what was obvious on the surface. That she could see directly into him. His diseases and disorders. The way he couldn't write in a straight line or the scratch-marks on his bedroom wall. That even the simple act of drinking from a cup gave him difficulty and stained clothes. Maybe she had seen him once before. In a different time and place, when he was a different person altogether. She was a goddess, and he was a filthy boy leering at her spoons.
A detached, almost fearful expression frosted his features then, warping them into an unfriendly rigor like a feral dog hiking its leg on a flowerbox.
He retreated from the table, hesitant to make eye contact. He awkwardly began touching his cheeks and neck. The nail was missing from his left index finger, and he wore an outer skin of scabs and blemishes. He was not well.
He glanced behind him to locate his Genie. At the time, she could be seen milling around a table of meaty kabobs in a tangy sauce, which she was invited to sample on what appeared to be a modified swizzle-stick. She was close enough to give him comfort, but her detachment left him apprehensive. His wings offered a soft wind-chimey noise as he adjusted the stalks.
Given his circumstances, Basil had come to develop a certain wariness towards those that appeared to know him, but were otherwise perfect strangers. Reminders of places he'd never been and actions he hadn't performed, and of a certain entity he had only recently become aware of. These individuals were fiercely intimidating to him, but the friendliness of this one helped to re-open the gaps in his logic that had initially been filled with paranoia. He allowed himself a certain skepticism that acted in her favor.
Behind him, a wholesaler poured soda water onto the surface of a still hot griddle. He then vigorously applied a grill brick to scrape what had congealed on top. In the sizzling and the scraping, Basil was certain he had heard the gentle murmur of his name, and he became overly aware of the fresh odors that surrounded him. He breathed deeply, then coughed, a tickle in his throat as he approached again. This time, he came with a new confidence, dirty fingers pointing.
"I..." A raspiness. He cleared his throat, open-mouthed. A disgusting habit Genie had unsuccessfully broken him of. "I like these. They're spoons aren't they?" There was a brightness in his eyes that wished very much that he was correct. He liked to think that he was becoming smarter, and even the smallest accomplishments gave him joy. Today, he was in much need of it...
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Posted: Sat May 26, 2012 4:44 pm
Oh~. The Frei was -- retreating? Vivi took a step forward as Basil immediately began to shy away from her, her expression lifting into a gentle surprise. It is that I startled him! He must be young, quite young, she thought to herself, young and wary of the strangers. She did not call out or move any further, but simply watched to make sure of his safety.
A waterfall of possibilities explaining him cascaded through her mind as she looked on: a young one, perhaps overburdened with curiousity rather than care, resulting in his scars and messiness. Perhaps this Raevan was the sort to find just as much interest in the dirt and the grass as those creatures that walk on it? Or perhaps a young one now suddenly very aware of all his differences to any human? He was mismatched, even among the Raevans Vivi had previously met, something strange, from his wings to his hood to the rhythm of his movements.
He stopped and approached again, having decided to engage her. He cleared his throat messily and Vivi could not but smile. He was a strange one, knotted up, ragged and lovely. He was unlike the other Raevans somehow. There was something -- missing? -- no, added to this one. Dirt. Discomfort. Awkwardness. He was thrilling.
"But yes!" Vivi's voice was lilting, pleasant. "They are spoons, made from different chocolates." She smiled sweetly, encouragingly, not too brightly. "I am happy that you enjoy them! Is it that you like the sweets?"
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Dangerous Conversationalist
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Posted: Sun May 27, 2012 7:34 pm
"No," He said flatly.
His head then ducked down and to the side. He had felt a prickle against his eye, rubbing the filthy fingers into it until he had removed the offending eyelash, which he examined briefly on his fingertip, and then discarded. He had done a terrible job of worrying the eye, which was now puffy, pinkened, and a bit watery. He didn't seem to mind, rubbing away the wetness that had gathered there with the heel of his hand. He then smiled a strange, sheepish sort of smile, "but I really like spoons."
He leaned in a bit closer.
Having only recently emerged as a species, Raevans did not have the benefit of tempering their instincts in "the arms race of evolution". Very unlike humans, who were keen at detecting the sick and the infirm among them from thousands of years of practice. Sensitive to their signs and symptoms. Subtle hiccups in one's posture and habits that made the deficiencies of the mentally ill -or the minimally disturbed- apparent from a considerable distance. Individuals that evoked a natural sense of fear which made the average person cross the street to avoid them.
Basil exhibited more of these traits today than he might have under more ordinary circumstances. If he had had legs, he might have been bent at the knees, struggling to stay erect on pigeon-toed feet. He seemed exhausted and disoriented. Stooped and bent, as if the air around him were crushing him into a ball. He had been wagging his head back and forth, to ease the discomfort that his headaches brought him. It was for this reason that he strained to make eye contact.
Before he next spoke, he worked his lips in the rabbity sort of way a person might when they had something caught in their teeth and were attempting to remove it. He then smiled almost pleasantly, "I... Your voice is very nice. You talk..." He then trailed off, rolling his hand as if he could not think of a word to describe the way she sounded. He may have been referring to her accent.
At this time, a woman had been hurrying past, trying to maneuver through the crowded walkway. On her arm had been a bulky handbag that swung heavily back and forth, and had knocked into Basil as she passed, likely having swatted several others before him. She muttered what might have been an apology and continued without stopping. Startled, Basil turned to hiss, a low, growling sound that spurted from his open mouth, although the woman had already gone before she would ever have acknowledged him, turning the corner into a sea of picnic tables. Had he meant to strike at her, a set of fleshy snake-teeth might have unfurled from the corners of his mouth, but apparently it had only been a natural response to surprise. Casting his eyes to the ground, he frowned deeply.
The outburst had been loud enough to attract Genie's attention, who could impressively distinguish the sound of her boy over the hissing of the grills. She quickly set down the sample she had been tasting to come and rest a hand on his shoulder. She said nothing to him, turning instead to face the charming young woman.
Her nerves appeared to be almost as threadbare as her companion's, "Oh—! God, I'm so sorry. He's not bothering you is he? Sometimes he puts stuff in his mouth that he shouldn't and—" She stopped before she could dig herself into a hole, smiling awkwardly and extending a hand over the counter, "I'm Genie."
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Posted: Sun May 27, 2012 8:57 pm
Perhaps it was because she was foreign -- foreigners always being subjected to treatment rather like an animal in a zoo -- or because she had spent her life in the circus -- and thus being the zoo -- but there was something in Basil's strange sickness that endeared him to Vivi. He was a charming little guttersnipe, she thought. She watched him sway and her imagination pried at him -- what was his soul, his essence? Soot? Ah, no, it must be contradictory-- Cleansing soot? But no, there was no cleanliness here. Could a dust bunny have a soul? No, again -- he was dirty because of his strangeness, not because of his essence. He was something else.
"Well, I do not wonder," Vivi said. "The spoons, they are by far the loveliest utensil, n'est pas?" She smiled broadly. "Aaah, and thank you for the compliment." She bent to curtsey, but the fluidity of her movements was interrupted as the woman knocked into the Raevan.
In an instant, Basil's face changed completely from the boyish smile he'd offered to an almost animal surprise. Vivi's eyes widened slightly as she could not help but watch -- There! A hiss! There was something, a clue! What hissed? -- not a cat -- perhaps -- oh, but it would have to wait for now. Vivi held out a hand but did not touch Basil, as though bracing him from afar. She frowned briefly at the retreating woman and shook her head.
"Ah, it is that people are in such a hurry they do not look where they go! Are you alright?" The question was quick, and more directed to the state of Basil's frown than it was is physical well-being. The Frei did not seem hurt but rather disconcerted by the blow, as though it had hurt his feelings...? Or perhaps lost him his train of thought? But that question, too, would have to wait, as another woman came following quickly in the first one's wake. This one, however, seemed to know where she was going.
This riddle was much easier to piece together than anything about the Frei. By the looks of things, this was his guardian. And a guardian apparently used to trouble, at that.
"Ah? Salut, hello, what a pleasure! No, he is not bothering me, this one." Vivi said, taking the offered hand. She tilted a smile at Genie, and then Basil. "Such a gentleman! He complimented my spoons very nicely -- I was just about to ask him his name. I am Vivi. Enchante."
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Dangerous Conversationalist
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Posted: Sun May 27, 2012 10:26 pm
Genie was not sure what to expect when she approached the counter, but was deeply relieved to find that there had been no trouble. Basil was capable of a surprising amount of damage in a very short amount of time. It was perhaps the only thing he did with any efficiency.
She did not want to make her satisfaction so obvious, sighing a bit too loudly through her nose and firmly shaking the woman's hand. In her hometown, it was not uncommon for a woman's handshake to every bit as formidable as a man's, giving the fingers a delicate squeeze before withdrawing. Her name was Vivi, and she spoke with a perfectly charming accent, distinctly European. She smiled warmly, but with a sly, envious sort of gleam in her eyes. She herself had not been so fortunate as to mitigate a persistent mid-western slur that at times gave employers the impression that she was uneducated. The things she would have done to sound like Eva Gabor for just a day.
"Oh, pleasure's mine. I hope you won't be offended but... You're French, aren't ya'? My grandmother was French, I'm named for her. (Genie is for Genevieve.) I mean, she wasn't the greatest lady, kind of a pill actually, but my family's all boys and we didn't have a lot of options, y'know?"
She was prattling, and becoming personal much too quickly. But then, this woman had a frankness about her. A friendliness that seemed to naturally pull the kinder side out of strangers. Make them talkative. Genie was not accustomed to this. Although she did not like to be unfriendly by any means, her time spent in the city had toughened her a bit around the edges. She had quite a chip on her shoulder, and wore it where the world could see. In her experience, friendliness had always been the hallmark of weakness and insincerity.
She gave a sidelong glance at Basil, who did not return her gaze, his lip slightly pouting and eyes wincing like a penitent child. He was noticeably quieter now, feeling the burden of her authority. She moved her hand from his shoulder, and down to clasp his hand. She threaded the fingers and adjusted her purse-strap with a small note of labor.
The woman seemed to be taken with her boy, who rewarded his curiousness, and hers, with a great deal of kindness. She had called him a gentleman of all things. A gentleman! She was noticeably shocked. One might almost believe that she herself had been offended from the tightly drawn expression she made. Eyes large, shoulders squared, holding the breath in her chest. There was a wetness in her eyes that she hadn't anticipated, fighting it back with a deep breath and a weary, unguarded smile that brought out the creases of her eyes, prematurely aging. Somehow, the compliment had meant the world to her. It had been a very long day...
At this time, Basil looked blankly at his guardian. So far, his thoughts had remained entirely his own, but this unusually emotional display seemed to draw a very personal response from him. He leaned closer to her, squeezing her hand in return. There was no question that he was very fond of her. He then made the rabbity pucker with his mouth again, and spoke, not in his own voice, but Vivi's! The woman's sweet, saccharine voice, although it was perhaps more "Americanized", due to an unfamiliarity with the nuances of her language, "The spoons are chocolate, Genie. See? Why, though?"
Genie quickly wiped her eye with the back of her hand and straightened her posture, "Hold on, bub. Don't be rude. She just asked your name. You wanna tell her?"
His eyes grew very bright, and he quickly turned to meet the woman, returning to his own voice, "Ah! My name is Basil. I'm Basil." He pointed to himself with his free hand.
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Posted: Mon May 28, 2012 7:33 pm
There was not much Vivi could do for a moment but listen, watch, smile, and nod as Genie initially spoke so quickly -- and Genie's reaction to her calling Basil a gentleman had surprised Vivi, although she was careful not to show (and perhaps embarrass) her guests. It was touching, and it meant something deeper, something Vivi perhaps should not have been privy to: there was something wrong here, something being battled over, something that was open and still not healed between these two. Vivi only smiled a subdued smile, and respectfully dropped her eyes away for a moment.
-- and then, it happened. Her own voice, almost exactly, being parroted back at her. It was another clue to this puzzle of a Frei that had suddenly appeared. Vivi's eyes, wide and delighted, snapped back to Basil instantly, her face blossoming with an eager curiousity. It was like turning over a dirty, rubbed down penny and finding that its flip side was shining and full of color. The Frei had a talent, a surprising and amazing talent.
Behind her, Shepard's head lifted, his expression full of confusion. What the... ? It had been Vivi's voice but not her voice that he'd heard... hadn't he? He looked at the guests briefly and then back down to his phone as he saw nothing amiss, but his eyes were no longer focused on the screen. His brow furrowed slightly.
"Basil, Genevieve, it is a pleasure to meet you!" Vivi spoke at last, her voice a little breathless from her surprise. She smiled first at Genie. "Perhaps the name was not fitting to your grandmother, but it is a lovely name for the only woman among many men, do you know? It is a name that means, you know, women! So perhaps it is that you have many giving you strength, non? It is a difficulty to be with many men, I think."
Her gaze then slid to Basil. "And, my goodness, what a surprise you gave me. What a talent you have! Can you -- is it that you can speak in the voice of any that you hear?"
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Dangerous Conversationalist
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Posted: Wed May 30, 2012 3:24 am
With a short and final sniff, Genie had managed to compose herself, standing a bit straighter than usual as Basil gripped her hand tightly with freezing fingers. He was content to slip away from the conversation unnoticed, and examine what was left of the treats. Even he could see that they were successful practitioners of all things sweet and decadent. The crowds of the day had left very slim pickings. His fingers lightly touched the fresh scrape on his chin, before sliding to his parted lips, where he nibbled at a fingernail. His body continued to sway.
Watching him absently from the corner of her eye, Genie tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and kept him close. With five brothers, four of them older, she had to admit that it had been a comfort to know that there was always someone to look out for her best interest. Somebody to stand up against bullies for her, and protect her from the perils of courtship. It was also quite handy having them around to do all the grunt-work whenever she needed some furniture moved. And yet, it had not always been such a rosy picture.
It had also meant five rambunctious, fighting, shouting, spitting, disgusting young boys on the journey to becoming men, not including her own ex-military father with a set of morals straight from the stone-age. Her mother being a trifling, emotionally absent woman, Genie had been forced to make the decision long ago, to either allow herself to be a domestic servant to a house of men, forever cosseted and condescended to, or claw her way into their ranks. Earn their respect. Swat her own spiders, open her own jars, and beat up her own cheating boyfriends.
She proudly smiled, "You said it."
It was only now that she had noticed the young man sitting closeby, doing his darndest to seem as disinterested in their conversation as possible. Vivi didn't seem to pay him much mind, herself. Her boyfriend? Her business partner? He was not so far away that he would be unable to hear everything that was said, and yet, he had taken no offense to the prattle of the women, saying nothing to defend the integrity of his gender. She supposed that either this small and radiant woman had him completely cowed, or he knew full well that he was trouble. This made her chuckle, turning to Vivi with a shake of her head.
At this time, Vivi turned her attention back to Basil. She was eager to learn about him, and engage him in conversation, although he was far less excited at the prospect, and entirely unprepared. He continued to work at his thumbnail, glancing furtively at his guardian and back to the ground. He did not remove his finger to answer, mumbling quietly to himself for several minutes before anything had become discernible, "I... Yeah, I..." More mumbling, and a change of fingers.
Genie explained on his behalf, "It's something, ain't it? He only needs to hear a voice once and he can trot it all around town. Men, women, anything." He smiled shyly. Genie continued, "You should consider yourself flattered. He only does that with voices he really likes. And he sings, too! It's like you're hearing it right from the radio. You can't find a bigger Neil Sedaka fan in all Durem."
"Basil," She nudged him with her elbow.
Narrow-faced and suddenly shy, the boy only smiled into his hands, pulling from her and turning a thick shoulder. Genie was supportive to the point of relentlessness, "Basil, sing something from Beautiful You, or maybe Lonely Night? You love those old tunes." He shook his head, remaining quite adamant on that point. Genie could do nothing but pat his arm and let him be, turning back to the corner, "He prefers a private audience, I think." She made no effort to disguise the pride she felt. She was excited about his talents, and continued to prattle on about a great number of things; the songs he liked, his perfect pitch, his skill at the piano? She was worse than a mother at her four-year-old's dance recital.
At a certain point, Basil finally felt confident enough to speak for himself, turning to tug at the woman's arm.
"Genie..." He murmured, interrupting her.
"And— Oh... What is it, bub?"
"Genie... You know."
Genie paused for a moment to consider, then did a slow up-nod of the head. She seemed only slightly less impressed, waving her hand, "Oh, and he does bird calls too. (Brings whole big flocks of them on our windowsill. Crap everywhere...)"
He smiled satisfactorily, starting a peculiar shuffle with his arms and shoulders. He was quite proud of his bird calls.
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Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2012 5:41 pm
Amazing. That's the only word that could describe such a talent, in Vivi's mind. Because of her training, her past life, she could only think of what fun Basil's power might have been in the circus. To imitate anyone! To pluck a person from the crowd and repeat to them their own voice! It would have been a brilliant sketch indeed.
But that was neither here nor there. Vivi simply shook her head in wonder and watched the Frei as he seemed to suddenly radiate shyness, the way that preteen boys sometimes did when unexpectedly praised. Vivi would have loved to prod him into singing -- she would have even started the first few notes herself, if that might have helped -- but she could tell that here, she was out of her depths. No amount of extrovertedness was going to pull this boy out of his shell. If anything, she would be responsible for driving him deeper within it.
"Ooh -- what a pity for me! I hope that one day I will be able to hear such a no doubt talented singer. Perhaps so, yes?" Vivi smiled at Genie. The other woman's pride in her charge was touching to see, showing off the closeness she had with her charge. "And bird calls? Ah, this I must certainly hear! I almost never hear anything but the seagulls, you know, by the beach. It would be nice to hear the nice songs of some other birds, mm?"
From his seat, Shepard ticked his eyes over once more, slyly, to have a look at the new Raevan acquaintance. His view was somewhat blocked by Vivi, but he could tell that it was a male -- one darkly clothed, and swaying or moving almost constantly. He looked back down at his phone, wondering if there were some Raevan database he could use to know who it was they were meeting and what they were like. A cheatsheet, perhaps, before Vivi --
"Aah, you must forgive me. I have neglected to mention a very important thing. I am actually also affiliated with the Laboratory as well, you know?"
--- well, there it was.
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Dangerous Conversationalist
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Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2012 1:43 am
And she lived by the beach, as well. Genie could almost cry out. Was there anything about this woman that was not glamorous or perfectly charming? It might almost have been downright revolting, but Genie simply could not find a reason to hold it against her. She only pursed her mouth very tightly. This was the first time that she didn't seem to have very much to say in reply.
Then, the woman completely surprised her. Although she had chosen her words carefully, she was "affiliated" with the Lab, which could have meant anything. There was no need for her to mention which Lab.
Genie was astonished. So astonished in fact that she could not prevent herself from nearly shouting, "You're kidding! Small ********' world!" She quickly put her hand to her mouth. All she would have needed to do was slap her knee and make the picture complete. Basil didn't seem very appalled by it. He had not yet cultivated a sense of public decency, although, he had done very much already to make that fact apparent. He had heard Genie swear dozens of times with his own ears, and she had always steered him against it, and therefore, he found a certain amusement in watching her contradict herself this way. Not out of any sort of desire to see her embarrassed, but because being flustered made her act hilariously. Swatting him on the shoulder, she mumbled through her fingers, "(You don't say that.)"
He laughed. A sound as peculiar as every other bit of him. Half wheezing and half groaning. Removing her hand, she mouthed an apology to Vivi and continued, "That's so amazing! Basil here is about seven months old— his birthday's in January. That makes him a Capricorn, but frankly, I don't see much of it in him— not that I take those things so seriously but—!" There she went, again. Running her mouth. She paused, hanging her head,
"I'm sorry, ma'am. I swear I'm not this tightly wound all the time. And I don't always leave the house looking like this either." She tugged the lapels of her house-coat for emphasis, laughing at her own expense. She seemed more tired than ever. She could have used a place to sit down, but settled for leaning closely against the counter,
She then glanced at Basil. She had not yet given him an opportunity to demonstrate a bird-call. He had insisted enough that it be mentioned, and because he didn't have much in the way of subtlety, she knew he was wanting to do one.
Basil looked back at his woman with wide, unintelligent eyes, noticeably confused, although he did not need much goading before he understood. He then readied himself, clearing his throat. While most accomplished bird-callers would adjust or vary a whistle of some kind, Basil relied completely on his own voice, and his own vocal chords, of which he was very much in control. Parting his lips, he allowed a soft, tweeting sound. Sort of a rattle, or maybe a purr. Definitely not a songbird. He wasn't at it for very long before he became abashed again, turning side to side. He mentioned in a mumble that it was the sound of a starling. Starlings were as common for Durem as seagulls were apparently for Gambino. Genie clapped her hands. She did her best to encourage him.
At this, however, Basil's entire demeanor seemed to change. He first became very quiet, more than he had been. Genie was familiar with this silence, reaching to cup his cold cheek. She nodded at Vivi as if to say she would be a moment.
She tried to move his head, even jiggle it a bit, but in his eyes, there was a frightening... deadness. An absence of all feeling that had come gradually-- the personality, the focus, completely sapped away like an old television set. For a moment, he was a corpse, spinning in mid-air like the shell of an insect in a spider's web. Then, suddenly, there was a glint that appeared in the deadness, and with it, a sense of burning hatefulness. A powerful resentment that had not been there before, and had not even seemed possible from such a mild and affectionate boy. The change was startlingly sudden. He began wagging his head almost violently, jerking it from Genie's touch as if repulsed by it. He then held it in place with his own two hands, making a soft weeping sound.
Genie was slightly alarmed, but not overly so. She was used to strange happenings, although she was no less concerned for him. He mumbled something, and she strained to hear what it was. It sounded almost like, "Don't... patronize me," although it was much too stifled for Genie to have guessed correctly, as closely as she had been standing. That and such a word had never appeared in his vocabulary before. Not Basil. He could barely pronounce a three-syllable word on a good day.
Basil had turned himself completely around, and sank heavily onto the ground. He assumed what might have been called a "sitting" posture, leaning his back against the counter and cradling his boiling head. There was a scratching sound of his wings as they rendered the paneling. Genie swallowed a thick lump, and turned towards Vivi to reassure her, "I... Oh jeez. I'm..." She didn't know where to begin, pinching the space between her eyes. She was noticeably averse to touching him, now. She clasped her hands, holding them to her chin, "I'm sorry, he gets these headaches. Very bad headaches... He does this sort of thing a lot, he'll get out of it on his own if you just give him a minute. I'm so sorry."
Understandably, she was eager to deflect focus from him, a rasp to her voice such as what appeared before the onset of tears, "Um... What do you do for the Lab if I might ask?"
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Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 7:04 pm
Shepard's head shot up as Genie yelled, his brows furrowed. It wasn't that they didn't get strange customers -- they did, and often, especially to talk with Vivi -- but there was something specifically odd to him about this pair. The guardian-Raevan duo were unlike any he'd met so far, and the Raevan seemed either very young or very... something, the sort of thing Vivi liked but Shepard did not understand. He sat back in his chair, his eyes averted but very clearly listening now.
Vivi was unaware of Shepard's movements -- she simply laughed instead, and offered her agreement. "I know! It is amazing where one meets other Lab people, no?"
She smiled at Basil as Genie explained his age and star sign, trying to recall what the hallmarks of a Capricorn were. Granny would know, of course, but Vivi very rarely paid attention to the Zodiac signs on her own. She loved to read about her own when the opportunity arose, but she also loved to get her palm and tarot read -- while putting absolutely no stake in any of it.
"Oh! Do not apologize, it is a lovely thing to chat with new friends! I think you look lovely." Vivi waved a hand, brushing aside Genie's apologies. She tilted her head, her expression guileless. As much as Vivi enjoyed to dress to the latest fashions, she was well aware that others did not share her enthusiasm. In the circus, people often wore whatever was clean, or closest to it, during the endless sweaty hours of practice.
She would have continued, but Basil was looking expectant, and she did not want to disappoint him. It would be thrilling to hear his talent again -- Vivi wanted to ask him if he could mimic any animal, like perhaps a whale song. How fun that would be!
And then, briefly, he did it! A bird Vivi did not recognize -- she recognized very few, truthfully -- but a sound that seemed a very accurate representation. How strange, to hear a bird's twittering coming from a Raevan throat -- it seemed to odd, almost wrong, like a magic trick. Even Shepard's eyes flitted over for a brief moment to investigate, his expression thoughtful.
"That was amazing! Basil, what a talent!" Vivi exclaimed as his demonstration ended, joining Genie as she applauded. Her voice was earnest and impressed. She would never cease to be amazed at the powers Raevans held, no matter how small or seemingly simple for them.
But then something changed, some gear switched before Vivi had a chance to notice -- another magic trick, perhaps, something hidden but active. She stayed silent, looking at Genie with some concern, and stayed motionless as she was nodded to. He mumbled, but Vivi was not near enough to hear.
The boy fell, it seemed, slumped right there against her table, his sharp wings tearing through the tablecloth. Vivi gasped in surprise and leaned forward to try to better see Basil, to see if he needed assistance or water -- something that she could provide him with. Was he alright? Had the power -- the birdcalling -- taken something out of him? Perhaps his endurance was not good, perhaps she should not have been so eager to ask him to perform?
"Is -- oh! Shall I get him something?" Vivi cried, looking up to Genie with worry on her face. She did not seem reassured when Genie responded, her eyes still dropped to the boy, still leaning to better her view. Headaches... so the child was ill, somehow. So there was indeed something not right with him.
Shepard half-lifted from his chair, his expression one of alarm as the frei fell, but he did not move forward. He waited, his jaw tight, knowing that Vivi would kill him if he elbowed his way into the situation now. There didn't seem to be any danger, just... strangeness, for now, at least.
Genie seemed helpless, standing away, as though any touch might cause the boy to erupt somehow. Vivi felt uncomfortable leaving him -- she wanted to gather him right up, to whisper soothing things to him -- but she understood that in this circumstance, Genie probably knew best. She nodded and smiled a soft sort of smile, still concerned on the edges.
"Oh, no, I do not work for them -- I am like yourself, a guardian. I am waiting to meet the Raevan I shall one day care for, you know." She looked back down at Basil. "Perhaps someone who will be friends?"
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Dangerous Conversationalist
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Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2012 8:02 am
Distracted, Genie paid very little attention to the woman as she explained.
Between Basil, the conversation, and the spread of items in front of her, she was having a hard time juggling feelings and observations. Pressing a knuckle against her lips, she first thought of how desserts might fare at the barbecue. Everyone in her family liked something sweet to nibble on between meals, but these were such quality items... Could she really afford to splurge right now? And assuming she made a purchase, it would be better to decide sooner rather than later how she planned to pick Basil up off the ground, and take him to the car without making a scene. Oh, the car... It just occurred to her that she hadn't bothered checking for a meter. She was in such a hurry! If the car got towed and she was left stranded with Basil during one of his "episodes", she would really be screwed. Delayed, she looked up quickly, as though startled. "Ah!" She cried, "Congratulations, I bet you're so excited."
A guardian-in-waiting. How strange it was to think that not too long ago, she herself had once been Raevan-less. Thinking of all the ways her future might change, for better or worse. She staggered to think of all the voids Basil had filled, but also, the new ones he had created. Each Raevan was so different. From the looks of things, this woman would certainly have a darling to match. Someone kind and helpful and sociable. And if they didn't start out that way, surely Vivi could bring them around, couldn't she?
At this time, Basil began rocking and moaning. Softly at first, then a bit louder. This was normal during his headaches, although a few people could not help stealing glances. She shuffled in front of him. He didn't like to be gawked at.
A friend, she thought... Someone who could find a friend, in Basil? She looked at him sadly, even painfully as she resisted the urge to touch his shoulder. She hoped so. Basil could use a friend. Any friend he could get.
"Of course," She said quietly. "If we're both in the Lab, I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of each other, right? I'd be happy to keep in touch. If you're open to it." She nodded her head in the boy's direction, "Maybe someday you'll be able to catch this one in a good mood." A laugh.
Dipping a hand into her pocket, she decided not to prolong the inevitable. "Listen, my family's having this 4th of July thing, and I really need to bring something. I know after a busy day, all you've got is leftovers, but hell. They're beautiful leftovers. I'm guessing it'll be fifteen people if my cousin and her family don't make it? You think maybe you can help me out?"
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Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 5:00 pm
"I am, yes, very much excited!" Vivi said, trying to ignore the moans poor Basil was emanating below. She didn't want to ask Genie again if Basil needed anything, although she couldn't help but lean over and try to steal a sympathetic glance at the boy. He seemed sweet from the few moments Vivi had been able to interact with him, sweet but now obviously ill... "... I hope his headache will be over soon..." she murmured, unable to help herself from mentioning the frei again. "I hope I shall catch him when he feels a little better!"
She straightened again as Genie continued to speak, nodding brightly when the other suggested keeping in touch. Her expression sweetened as she snatched a business card from one of the small iron holders on the table, quickly swooping out her cell number over the top of it before offering it to Genie. "Here, this is my telephone number -- I would very much like to make a better acquaintance, especially when our own Raevan is to be born. And as for the sweets, it is that we still have some cakes now, perhaps you might like one? I have a strawberry-coffee cake still, I believe, yes -- this one --" she indicated a tall round cake with brown sugar crumbles on top, its sides swirled with pink-red strawberry slices. "-- and a chocolate hazelnut, I think. Do you think perhaps your family would enjoy either?" The chocolate cake sat nearby the spoons Basil had earlier admired, its sides rippled with the now-cooled drip of decadent ganache.
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Dangerous Conversationalist
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Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 12:27 pm
As Vivi began to jot something down on the back of a business card, presumably a phone-number, Basil had finally shown signs of calming down. Genie was not optimistic. She accepted the card a bit hastily, and mumbled her gratitude. With her wallet out, she first tucked it into an empty sleeve, then rummaged for something to write down her own number. She settled on a crumpled movie ticket, and smoothing it over the counter, asked to borrow her pen.
After a brief and unattractive coughing-fit, Basil was finally silent, but reluctant to stand upright. There was a scuffling sound underneath, possibly his wings, as though he were getting comfortable. He might have been trying to lay down. Genie didn't pay him any mind and completed the exchange, then observed the items that Vivi had pointed out. Understandably, there was not a lot left to choose from, but at the very least, it made her decision easier.
Although she herself was very fond of coffee-cake, if there were going to be a lot of children, the hazelnut-chocolate was the safe choice.
"This one here," Genie confirmed. A set of fingers appeared on the edge of the counter, and after, a pair of large, half-lidded eyes. Slowly, they made a left-to-right sweep, then settled fixedly on the male figure sitting nearby. The cobra didn't see very well. He blinked once, lazily. His eyelids looked sticky. Had he been sitting there this entire time? He couldn't help staring.
In the meantime, Genie continued picking through her wallet. She didn't have any large bills, and expected she would be paying in singles. Sighing loudly, Basil rested his chin on the counter, his arms hanging at his sides. Genie finally took notice of him and smiled. "Hey there, starshine. Think you'll be alright?"
He didn't answer right away. She wondered if he knew where he was right now. "Spoons." He said through clenched teeth. With his jaw on the counter, it was difficult to speak. She looked back at the display. Of course.
She patiently explained, "Those aren't like the ones at home, bub. You use those to stir up coffee or hot cocoa, and the first time you had cocoa you spewed it all over the tv, remember? It was too hot for you?"
His reaction was unclear. He knit his brows together, puffing out his cheeks. It sounded familiar, but the details were fuzzy. She managed a laugh and affectionately pushed the hair away from his forehead. He didn't flinch at her touch, a good sign. "Try to stand up, okay? We're going to the car in a second." He grunted.
Shaking her head, she smilingly gave in, "Oh what the hell. Go ahead and pick one out." She turned to Vivi, "Such a charmer, this one. Can knock me over with a feather. How much does that come to?"
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