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 Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2013 8:15 pm
"Aw s**t," Zia prided herself on being a fantastic youma hunter. Just not during the day when she wasn't in the mood and probably not on Mondays.
Zia was lazy.
So when she noticed the possible monster creeping in the shadows that day, she ran in the other direction, and ended up, in her flee from responsibility, a little further from the inner city than she was used to.
She hadn't crept in these alleyways and she certainly didn't have the streets memorized. Outside of her usual territory, she ended up wandering, lost and head looking up at street signs instead of where she was going.
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Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2013 8:55 pm
Jessie was pretty ticked, the day had started off bad and just got worse. First she ran out of yarn for the scarf she was knitting. Then she burned her lunch, how do you burn a sandwich on a Gorge Foreman grill? When she was finally able to make it out of her apartment to head further in town to the craft store, she realized she left her money home. She made it back home without any problems but decided to take her bike to the store, it would be faster that way but when she was almost there she ran over something and her tire went flat.
"Bloody........" Jessie grumbled to herself. I guess I'll just have to get the yarn another day. She turned down a different street since it was on the way past the bike shop. Still muttering to herself Jessie wasn't paying attention to where she was going and promptly ran into someone. The bike tumbled to the sidewalk with a crash as Jessie reached out to catch the unfortunate person she nearly ran over. "Oh...Oh I am so sorry.... I didn't see you there...."
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Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2013 9:57 pm
Zia hadn't been watching where she was going even a little, so when she ended up colliding with a bike she barely processed what was going on before someone reached out to catch her.
"Gack! Jeez, what?" She sized up the girl who caught her and tried to think of some jab about being too hard to keep her hands off but she was way too rattled by nearly getting run over to articulate. Which, for Zia, was suitably rattled.
She settled for a barely gotten out, "Still alive, yah."
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Posted: Sat Mar 02, 2013 11:38 pm
"Oh jeez. I'm so sorry." Jessie apologize again as she steadied the young lady she ran into. Do I know her? The girl's pale lavender hair sparked something within Jessie's memory but the worn jeans and dark shirt muddled the feeling. As she tried to puzzle out the feeling of familiarity Jessie racked her mind for something to say and more importantly something to do to make up for running in to the younger girl.
Jessie shoved her hands in her pockets and awkwardly shuffled her feet. "I guess I should have been paying more attention. I hope I didn't hurt you." A glance around showed that they were just a store away from the bike shop and across from a small coffee shop. The smell of coffee waft across the street and prompted Jessie into asking, "Um, can I get you some coffee or hot chocolate.... its the least I could do after practically running you down."
The little inner voice that kept a running mental tally disagreed with that statement, in fact something a bit better then coffee would be required to repay this bit of debt... possibly lunch but more thought would be necessary before a balance could be decided on.
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Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 5:41 am
Zia seemed fairly placid as she brushed off her shoulder and generally made a few small motions to right herself after being rattled. She frowned a little, analyzing Jessie's features while something tugged on the back of her shattered memories, looking for a fragment of something that used to be there.
She perked right up at the mention of coffee, though. "Oh! Yes, I need coffee." Zia would never turn down coffee. Or free things. Never.
"Lead the way, lady. Oh!" She held a hand when she realized proper introduction protocol hadn't been met. "I'm Zia."
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Posted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 9:35 pm
Jessie smiled when it was clear that the girl was ok and was glad that the offer of coffee was well received. She reached down and grabbed her bike and was about to shake Zia's hand when the name and hair clicked in her mind. "Zia? Like Zia Connolly? Jeez its been like... eight years?" It had been a while since Jessie ran into the younger girl at DCU's library. She remembered her being so much more put together clothing wise. "Zia I don't know if you remember me. Jessie Haze. We use to meet at the library at DCU, I was working on papers for school and I think you were researching something for your classes too."
Jessie smile at the memories of all those books and the hours she spent in them. Searching for that one quote that would just make her papers. The smell of the aged paper, the click of the computers, the hum of the lights...... the occasional questionable moan in the basement stacks. As she crossed the street towards the coffee shop Jessie asked Zia a few questions. "How have you been? How did your classes go? What have you been up to?" Her questions trailed off as she propped her bike against a light pole and opened the shop door.
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Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 9:09 am
Zia went through a series of facial expressions from the moment Jessie revealed she knew her last name. Zia was barely recognizable, but there weren't many people running around with lilac hair and even less with a name that uncommon.
She gave Jessie an obvious sidelong glance before something finally clicked and she cringed. Zia had been obsessed with her schooling at one point. Grades and papers were second only to her pretty, prim and pencil skirt laden appearance, and there weren't too many things she was more ashamed of even now that she'd dropped out.
"Right... Jessie," She grimaced, now weighing the promise of coffee against her will to run away from her problems, which was just a classic Zia move. Something uncomfortable or hard? Flee, and never look back, something she had grown accustomed to after dropping out of SHP and realizing that being a coward was much easier than tenaciously fighting.
"I've been... I... They went... fine. Fine. I actually ended up uh... not moving on." She so didn't want to talk about it. During her dues in Sovereign Heights she never shut up about finally getting to go to DCU next year, and sharing a campus with her friends.
And she never made it.
"How have you been?" She exhaled quickly, making her way into the coffee shop so they could hurry up and buy something she could stick in her face and use as an excuse to shut up.
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Posted: Thu Mar 07, 2013 6:15 pm
The smell of the coffee shop was ambrosia on the still nippy springish day. Soon spring would be in full swing but until then a warm drink made all the cold go away. Jessie remained silent as she mentally processed what Zia said. Instead she led the way to the counter and gestured for the younger woman to order first. When it was her turn to order she requested a giant sticky bun and a large earl gray. Her mind flashing to the various moments and memories of the two of them at the library.... a warm drink and pastry isn't enough to pay back the feeling of camaraderie that had been built over the late night tables stacked with books. Once their order was ready and Jessie grabbed a back corner table she finally continued their conversation. "I heard a song on the radio the other night by Tammy Cochran called 'Life Happens'. Sounds like it fits everyone doesn't it? Mom and Dad retired so they left the bookstore to me so now other than a few students to help me run it I have to keep it up and open. It’s not bad I guess but I still wonder what it would be like to work at some place like the Library of Congress or the New York Public Library. I would think a job at the Library of Alexandria would be a bit like heaven for me." She smiled ruefully down at her tea. "Not that The Bookwyrm isn't fun and fulfilling. I would have just liked to have taken the time to go see some of these wonderful libraries before being handed the reins of the store." She shrugged and took a bite of a bit of the sticky bun. After savoring the sweat confection and taking a deep mentally bracing breath, she offered, "You know Zia it’s not too late to learn new things. I can even help if you want." She avoided Zia's face, afraid to see the rejection that Jessie was sure she would see. It was not her place to suggest going back to class or even just random learning but she felt that it was a good way to pay back the help she received in school and what else were friends for? ((Song linkage: Life Happens))
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Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2013 6:09 am
Go back to school. Zia had just gotten a lecture on the topic from someone else and just kind of casually looked away, as if bored, and tested a sip from her overly sugared beverage that could only be called a latte thanks to the marginal splash of coffee.
"It's not really that simple, Jess," She countered weakly, but what was she supposed to do? Explain her memories were a shattered mess and her identity was in some supernatural crisis?
Turning the topic back on Jessie was much easier. "There's more to see than libraries," She said with a laugh, though Jessie outside the stacks seemed like an unnatural habitat for what few memories she had managed to dig up of her old study partner.
"But, I mean, congrats on store. Not that many people our age can say they have their own business."
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Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 2:13 pm
"It never is." Jessie smiled softly, even someone as socially enept as she is could pick up the changes in the normally imaculatly clad Zia. "Still even if all you want to do is read something new just pop over to the store." Jessie was taught that a good book is something to share and to her most books are good. "We have gotten some really neat history books and even a few fictions that have a history bent. Like Unholy Night by the same guy who wrote Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Seth Grahme-Smith. It actually sounds pretty neat." She chuckled and confieded, "Its actually on my list of 'to read' but I think I might bump it up over a few of the others." "I know that Zia. There are only so many libraries to look at but there are some really fantastic bookstores to see too. There is this one in Buenos Aires, Argentina that repurpoused a old theater. Its called El Ateneo Grand Splendid. Its 21,000 square feet of books, music, and a small cafe on the 'stage'." Her eys took on a slightly dreamy cast as she thought of the grandure of such a building. Her thoughts were pulled back to the present and the cooling tea infront of her by Zia. "I guess. I do enjoy making it intresting and entertaining. You should come and see it." She practicly bounced in her seat. "I kinda took mom's idea of small theamed bookends to a whole new level. I have plants in the gardening section, stars over the space section, I even put a statue of a butler/waiter in the cooking area. It amuses me to no end to see a wonder and confustion on adults and kids alike." ((Links ^^: Unholy Night, El Ateneo Grand Splendid))
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Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 6:09 am
Zia nodded at the thought of popping in just to hang out. Read something, play with the books. As much as she ecstatically reveled in the parchments and letters of Alfheim and the grandiose and overwhelming enormity of the Aquarian library on the Surrounding, books of earth, from her generation and her time and perfectly readable in her language were almost faded and forgotten from her mind.
And she missed them, she truly did.
"Much as I like historical fiction, Seth Grahme-Smith never really impressed me," She said with a shrug, happily indulging in the familiar sensation of debating the merits of authors and stories again, like some nostalgic, childish practice.
The themed bookends also got a small laugh in applause. Zia was wondering how she was handling her finances, because the numbers behind it all always concerned her, but it sounded like Jessie was having fun, especially when 'other things to see' just meant bookstores in addition to libraries.
It did occur to her that she had one other person in her life with an equal or greater affinity for books and gnawed on her lower lip as she tapped her latte cup in thought. "You could help me pick out a gift?"
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Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 9:17 pm
"Well there are a few that are coming out soon that sound pretty interesting like The Witch of Little Italy and The Winter Sea but there is this one author that I really like, Eva Ibbotson. She wrote this fantastic historical fiction called A Countess Below Stairs. Its based in England shortly after the Russian Revolution and its about this young countess in name only now, named Anna who has find work as a servant. Its a fantastic book and to be honest I like Ibbotson's others that are written this way too; The Reluctant Heiress, A Song for Summer, A Company of Swans, and The Morning Gift." Jessie ticked the books off on her fingers until she realized she had used up one whole hand listing off just one authors books. She blushed and hid behind her now cold tea. She couldn't help but ramble on about books, listing authors and novels that might please others. There were so many to be read and so many to share that if she was given a life time to read it would still not be enough time. She contemplated her tea as she finished off her sticky bun. With a grimace she putt it down and pushed the cup away. "And you know there are so many more authors out there in just the fiction category not to mention all the non-fiction books being published. Its all about what your into. Really though Zia if you want something to read I'm sure I can find something to amuse you." Her smile was quite yet sure of herself. Books would be the perfect way to pay the younger woman back for both the collision as well as the past help. "Hum? Um, yeah I guess. It depends on what your looking for." Or you know helping her shop would at least alleviate the collision debt and part of the past help... It was not one of the things Jessie particularly liked to do, except shop for books that is. ( The Witch of Little Italy, The Winter Sea, A Countess Belowstairs, The Reluctant Heiress, A Song for Summer, A Company of Swans, The Morning Gift))
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Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2013 8:15 pm
"Hm," Zia rested her chin in her hand with a wistful sigh. "I don't know, I was thinking something more along the lines of Ray Bradbury or Douglas Adams. Most of Vonnegut's stuff amuses me, I guess. Oh god, I ******** love Christopher Moore's Lamb."
She caught herself roped into one of Jessie's babbles and in spite of the nostalgia of such, required a quick backpedal otherwise the afternoon was doomed to roundabout debates of the merits of self publishing or something.
She did ponder rigging up a reading list, though. She hadn't touched Slaughterhouse 5 in high school but now she wondered if she could even handle the futility of the main character now that she could empathize in more ways than she cared to with her shattered reality and gross apathy.
"And uh, I don't know. Someone gave me a really sweet gift for my birthday, I figured I could return the favor. I mean, he's into science and he's an engineering major. Maybe a decently good edition of something."
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Posted: Fri Mar 15, 2013 11:20 pm
"I don't think I have picked up any of Bradbury or Vonnegut's stuff yet but I tend to remember the books more so then the authors. I like Adams but there are only like two or three other sci-fi books I really like. I really like this new series that is starting by Marissa Meyer, The Lunar Chronicles. Its a pretty interesting twist on the whole fairy tail genre." It took Jessie a moment to place Christopher Moore. "Oh! you men the guy who wrote Bite Me. Yeah I really enjoy his work too although I don't think I have read Lamb yet. I also adore Patrica Briggs' Mercedes Thomson and Alpha and Omega series and I pretty much stalk Mercedes Lackey's website since I love her Five Hundred Kingdoms and Elemental Masters series." Her smile was bright as her mind danced through the stories the talk of books and authors brought to the forefront of her thoughts.
She was pulled from her own recollections by Zia's idea for the gift. "Well that's a pretty wide subject to search for. We could look for books that cover the history of engineering or biographies of famous engineers, histories of engineering marvels, specifics like underwater engineering or engineering in space. The list goes on and on." Jessie pondered for a few more moments before offering, "Tell you what come back to the store with me and we can see what I have on hand and if nothing works we should have at least a narrower field to search in and I'm sure we can find something that will work."
(will link books later if you want. is late and is feeling lazy)
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Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2013 12:45 pm
"I think that would be the next logical course of action," Zia said with one raised eyebrow as Jessie just kept going on and on before realizing maybe book suggestions were better done in the actual bookstore rather than just constant listing.
She gave a dismissive shrug at the suggestions of history of engineering. She hadn't meant to imply that was all there was to him, just offered it as insight, a bit, on how his brain worked.
"I think I'd rather go for some real food," She said, staring down at a now empty latte cup. She hadn't ordered any pastries. Her brother the piemaker had suitably burned her out on baked goods. She wanted meat.
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