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 Posted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 4:34 pm
__Everlasting Friend__
Gemma Fossen (alpha lyrae) and Angela Baker (NeonMace)
Where: Playground just outside of Teufel Elementary
When: Late summer; school has started for the younger children.
Why: For one, waiting on her siblings; the other, spending some time out.
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Posted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 4:42 pm
She was always sensible about it, making sure to be there only in the presence of others. Her mother never doubted that she was level headed enough to keep herself out of trouble, at the very least.
Gravel crunched underneath Angela’s neatly polished shoes, though she didn’t look down to examine as she walked. Instead, a gentle smile was plastered on her face as she looked over the hordes of young children playing in the contraptions built for them by adults. She would always come here, regardless of what schooling she had, when she had the time. Sometimes her mother would bring her, though more often than not it was her grandfather. The thought tugged at her heart but she kept the smile, trying to be brave in front of the rest of the world.
A few kids had wandered off with parents, others with friends as they left their tutelage for home. It made the young girl happy to see families holding hands and carrying on without a care in the world. She never had a life quite like that, but she was always far from discontent with her situation prior to current events.
Pulling out a handkerchief, Angela sat at one of the many benches, bending over to clean off any apparent scuffs on her shoes from the uneven ground. One must always keep up appearances, of course. Once finished it was carefully folded and tucked back into place before she adjusted the white ribbon in her hair and continued to watch the almost chaotic excitement of the kids surrounding. While she had never been offered the chance to join in with her peers at that age, it felt good to see others playing without a care.
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Friendly Conversationalist
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Posted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 5:01 pm
They were late.
Gemma eyed the front of the school building before her gaze dipped to check her watch for what had to be the hundredth time since she had shown up fifteen minutes prior. Her eyes flicked over the silver ring on her finger and her heart gave a jolt. The ring served as her constant reminder that the night she had appeared on her doorstep, soaked to the bone with seawater and without her jacket, had been no illusion. She had yet to really grasp what that night meant overall (and still she puzzled over the term "magical girl"), but her heart was filled with a buzzing sense of anticipation.
A smile replaced the slightly irritated frown at her regular school day chore. Toby had gone to get Liesel from the primary quad, or so his poorly spelled text message had told her, and would be a few minutes. It was no matter to her; she had time to kill after all.
Idly she turned towards the playground and watched the few kids who were still milling around as they waited for departing buses or arriving parents. Little hands swung from monkey bars and friends called to one another in games of tag or in farewell as someone's parents did indeed make their appearance. Promises to play at one another's house later, or bring such and such game tomorrow, or about the latest homework assignment drifted to Gemma's ears, and her smile fell just a touch. The anticipation in her heart halted for just a moment, and again her mind drifted to the wish. Maybe someday soon she would have friends like that; it was rather a shame that she did not have many like that in her formative years, but it was what it was.
But she shook her head. Don't be dumb, she chided herself, things take time.
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Posted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 5:11 pm
Angela had felt many similar longings; not much had ever been done on her part to aid in the search, of course, but the way children treated her for her maturity never sat well. It wasn’t her fault that it as how she was raised. Sure, she willingly chose to continue on such a road, but that didn’t mean she had ever been any less of a kid than the rest of them.
She idly kicked a rock beneath her foot – but once the motion had registered she pulled her handkerchief back out and raised her leg to remove the blemish.
”Cut it out…!”
Eyes flicking past her knee, Angela scanned the crowd of children for the source. A smaller boy, possibly ten or so, stood with his chest pressed up against the figure of an older, far more intimidating boy. Her brows rose, her smile long gone as she stood to her feet and carefully put away her tissue. While it seemed like he was confident enough to stand up, there was no doubt in her mind that this couldn’t end well.
”Why don’t you make me, huh?” said the bully, roughly shoving the poor kid away. He didn’t fall, but he lost his balance and stumbled back.
With her hands pulled close to her sides, Angela watched in frustration as the scene unfolded. From what she could gather as the two disputed, the older of the two had butted into the small group of friends’ playing with hateful taunts and less than friendly gestures – upon closer inspection, the bully had the kids’ ball.
”Hey…!” Angela called out, though no doubt her voice was blocked out by the several children between her and the group. By now a few more of the bully’s friends had surrounded the younger one and she could feel her anger boil beneath her skin. Instinct told her to calm herself, be more presentable and mature with so many children around, but she couldn’t idly stand by and watch. If they wouldn’t listen to her, she would call over an adult…
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Friendly Conversationalist
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Posted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 5:35 pm
Gemma's attention was immediately diverted once she had heard the shout, and her body straightened upright as she ceased leaning against the school's gate. Little kids had ceased their activity, and the group of interest crowded around a much taller, stronger looking boy who held their plaything ransom. One of their number looked to be about Toby's age, and her heart gave a nervous jump. Refocusing on the bully for a moment, she saw him knock the dissenter away with a jeer. She drew the breath sharply between gritted teeth and looked around.
No teachers were patrolling at this time (not surprising to her, given the large school population and the largely known fact that many of the teachers retreated to the safety of the school lounge for a few minutes of peace before heading home), and it seemed that any parents who noticed did so out of the corner of their eyes before shuffling their own children away to the safety of awaiting cars. Gemma's fingers clenched and unclenched as the girl herself was still unsure of what to do.
A shimmer of blue caught her eye and she once again noticed the ring on her hand. The sun had caught the gem's light as it descended. She may not have understood what that strange creature had meant by "magical girl" but she did know she had to do something. There was no time to fetch an adult.
She took a deep, shaky breath, and she put on what she hoped was a stern enough expression.
"H-HEY!" Her legs moved in long, quick strides, clenched hands and arms moving at the same pace at her sides. "What's going on over there.. ?!" As with any confrontation, her insides felt like jelly, trembling with each step she took. She had no real fear of anyone coming to blows, especially since she was a sixteen year old interfering against (what looked to be) a twelve year old's attempt at picking a fight, but her own bravado surprised her.
As she approached the bully, Gemma's eyes took in his face fully for the first time, and she recognized the face of Toby's tormentor. Her expression hardened - there was no longer any need to appear angry, she was angry. "You. Knock it off. Right now." The bully blinked and seemed to see her for the first time as well, his face paling a bit. Gemma allowed herself a small smirk. "Give me the ball." The boy glanced away uncomfortably, as though he were merely going to take his prize and retreat, but she opened her hands and beckoned with her fingers. "Now." Anger bubbled in her throat and her hammering heart; anger for her brother, for the children he had picked on, and for herself. For that awful fight he had caused between her and Toby, and the terrible black eye he had nursed for a week.
"Whatever," he finally said, and shoved the ball into her waiting hands. With his own now free, he shoved them deep into his pockets, turned abruptly and walked away. He continued to glance over his shoulder at her to shoot another glare, so Gemma remained firm. At last he crossed the road and disappeared down the alley between buildings, and the girl allowed herself to relax.
Toby's outrageous lie about her fighting career had done a favor today, after all. She would have to buy him ice cream after school, if he showed up any time within the next century.
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Posted: Sun Sep 08, 2013 5:46 pm
It wasn’t until the light-blue haired girl showed to the scene that Angela arrived, her own knuckles white from her hands being clenched. Her expression faltered slightly as the older girl practically towered over them all, even herself despite being older than most of the kids present, but once things seemed to fall into place she allowed the stern look to return. It didn’t matter that she wasn’t the one that they were looking to, she was there to set an example as well.
As the ball was handed over and the boy stormed off, Angela turned and kneeled to the child being bullied in the first place. Placing a hand on his shoulder, she smiled, ”Are you okay? He pushed you pretty hard…”
”Y-yeah…” he said, glancing from Angela to Gemma. ”Thanks… th-though I totally coulda taken ‘im!”
Angela held back a laugh and her expression hardened, patting his shoulder. ”No… Even if you could have, you shouldn’t fight. How would it have looked if the teacher came and you were the one hitting him?” she asked, stern face morphing to concern. ”You wouldn’t want to get in trouble, would you?”
The boy’s expression sank along with his head, slumping his shoulders forward with a defeated groan. ”I guess…”
This time she allowed herself to laugh, but Angela turned to face Gemma – ball still in-hand. ”Thank you… I came to intervene but you did a better job than I could have.”
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Friendly Conversationalist
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Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 9:49 pm
It took a moment for Gemma to register that another girl closer to her age had arrived on scene, and she blinked slowly as she turned. The boy looked to her as he mentioned that he could have dealt with the situation, and she allowed a relieved smile to come to her lips. The words from the dark-haired girl tending him seemed to come at Gemma from a distance and she found herself nodding.
Perhaps she should have thought to make sure he was okay before getting involved, but one could not be in two places at once. Suddenly the attention was shifted back to her and her fingers flexed nervously on the held ball.
"O-oh no, it's fine. I uh, probably should not have, maybe found an adult but uh.." Gemma's cheeks colored. "Yeah." A nervous laugh bubbled in her throat and barely escaped before she clamped her lips shut. Why was she so nervous? "Oh, thank you too, by the way!" The boy had stood by this point, and he touched Gemma on the arm, making her start a little.
"Can we have the ball back, Gemma?" She stared for a moment, wondering how he knew her name, until an idea surfaced. Toby. It figures. Word spread fast around the Teufel Town public school arena, and it seemed the elementary and junior high divisions had not changed a bit since she had last toured the halls.
"Yeah uh, sorry. Here." She held it out to his eagerly waiting hands, and he held the ball up to his small cluster of cheering friends, and together they took off towards a more open expanse of playground. Gemma felt her tense muscles relax a little more, although her stomach still felt terribly knotted.
"So uh, yeah, as you heard my name's Gemma." She rubbed her arm awkwardly, halting suddenly to extend a hand towards the girl in greeting. The stranger did not look familiar, so she surmised that she likely did not go to Teufel Town High. Then again the student population was fairly large, there was no telling for sure. "Gemma Fossen. And thank you again for your help." Thankfully there was someone present who was not lacking in finesse, as she herself was.
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Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 10:12 pm
The darker haired girl watched with a smile as the children ran off to continue their fun, eyes softening with a raised brow. While it wasn’t a pleasant set of events most children were so easy to please, eager to get on with their own activities and can continue on with their lives as if nothing ever happened. Angela’s smile faltered, realizing that it wouldn’t be long before these kids lost their whimsy and began to see the harsh realities ahead of them. Gemma’s awkward introduction was enough to bring her out of her daze, her smile returning with a flash of teeth.
”It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Fossen. My name is Angela Baker,” she beamed, gently taking the taller girl’s hand in her own with a firm shake, both hands offering a gentle squeeze before releasing. Shaking her head, she held her palms together just in front of her torso. ”Really, I should be thanking you. I’m certainly no authority figure; they wouldn’t have listened to me. Had you not shown I would have gone for an adult, myself.” Her tone had shifted slightly, not necessarily self-degrading, but it seemed like she was almost chiding herself. She didn’t mean to suggest that Gemma was merely intimidating or mean no matter how it could have come across. Instead, Angela shrugged her shoulders and carried on.
”Do you have family here?” she asked, gesturing toward the school with a single hand before folding them before her once more. There couldn’t have been many other reasons for an older girl to be here, but then again Angela herself was there on her own time.
For a moment they remained, but once realization struck Angela tried to direct them away from the center of the playground and toward the bench she had come from. Talking was nice, but in the middle of activities surely it would lead to one of them getting hit or interrupting a game. Rather than interrupting Gemma, the younger of the two merely placed a hand on her elbow and led her away, careful to keep her hands to herself once more when they were out of the way.
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Friendly Conversationalist
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Posted: Fri Oct 04, 2013 8:42 am
A blush crept to Gemma's cheeks as Angela introduced herself and enveloped her large hand in both of her smaller ones. Her manner of speech and dress clearly set her aside from the type of person that she was used to dealing with (or even who she herself was), and she felt deep down that she was not worthy of such a polished introduction. As though sensing her thoughts, Angela's tone changed. Gemma picked up the inflection fairly quickly, as it was habit in her own speech as well, and a small well of sympathy sprouted for the well-to-do girl she was talking to. The effect was probably opposite that of what Angela may have expected or intended (if she had intended anything at all), but such a thing reached out a small tendril to Gemma and gave them a tenuous connection.
"You did what you could," she conceded. While she was not very good at expressing emotions with words (Gemma and vocalized feelings were at odds since day one), she tried to put a bit of warmth behind what she said, and smiled for effect. That was the right way to do it, right? She hoped so. As she began to panic about what to say next, Angela steered the conversation towards family.
"O-oh! Yeah, yeah I do," Gemma stammered, eyes lifting towards the school. "My brother and sister. Toby went to go get our little sister. We usually walk home together." With everything on the news as of late, their worrisome mother had insisted on their arriving in groups, rather than individually. Not that she had much need for concern, as Gemma always took it upon herself to herd her two smaller siblings home.
She had turned to direct the same question to Angela, but the girl had gently tugged her elbow away and led them away from the midst of the playground, towards the school. Again, Gemma felt herself blushing at the surprisingly gentle action and the thought on her account. Dodging flying playthings was the norm for her, be it on the playground or at home, but for someone to give her that much concern.. needless to say, it moved her more than she was willing to admit.
As the trekked closer to the school, Gemma attempted to push those awkward, familiar-yet-not-so-familiar feelings away and carried on the conversation. "A-and you? Do you have any siblings?"
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Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 8:23 pm
Angela far from knew what gears turned in Gemma’s head, unaware of each little connection made and what feelings were welling up, but in a sense she felt the same. There was a strange sense of familiarity, some sort of bond forming that was quick to root but there was no telling how long it would take to sprout.
”That sounds so lovely… I’m afraid I’m an only child, myself. I come here to watch the children play sometimes.” Though as soon as she said it, a realization was struck and her features tugged, worry spreading on her face. ”That does not sound strange, does it?” Part of her had always wanted siblings but her parents seemed more than content with her, especially with her father constantly off on business and leaving her and her mother alone most of the time. There were few chances for her to actually acquire a brother or sister.
While she didn’t turn her attention away, Angela carefully held her skirt against the back of her legs, taking a seat on the bench. All of her mannerisms were lady-like – the way she sat with her knees tucked together, legs at an angle while her hands rested in her lap. The entire time her eyes remained on Gemma, though she did tear away for just a moment to pat the seat next to her, offering. ”Is it fun being the eldest? It must put so much responsibility on your shoulders.”
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Friendly Conversationalist
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Posted: Sat Nov 30, 2013 8:09 pm
Gemma was quick to shake her head at Angela's question. "No no, not strange at all!" If anything, it felt a little endearing, and once again she felt a swell of sympathy for her newfound companion. She made to take the open portion of bench in her usual, quick manner, but Angela's ladylike descent gave her pause and she lowered more gingerly, allowing herself to only lean back a bit. Another question was posed and Gemma nodded, allowing her own gaze to drift over the children that remained, playing in the span of time between the end of school and the end of work for their parents.
"Mm," she hummed in assent. "I, uh.. I guess it does. Sometimes." Her parents were never particularly strict about how she had to play the role of babysitter or big sister - it was something Gemma stepped into willingly, and surprising herself, the words floated from brain to mouth. "But it's something I don't mind. I mean, I like to help them out. I like it." The words that came out sounded weird, a bit silly, and her cheeks flushed. Her gaze dropped back down to her hands and she linked them atop her knees, twiddling the fingers nervously. "I guess there's always been someone around to take care of." Sometimes it was tiring, sometimes disappointing (Gemma remembered the bullying incident with Toby and she felt a soft pang in her heart), but it was a role she felt she had to do.
Or rather, needed to do.
Gemma shrugged and turned her gaze back to Angela, and a timid smile lit her features. "So I don't know, I don't think it's weird to come here. I'd do the same if I were an only child probably." She added the last portion hopefully, timid as her smile, wanting to convey to Angela that she sympathized, even if she didn't fully understand. But cutting across the laughter of children and the sounds of rattling monkeybars and bouncing basketballs came a familiar cry:
"-- EEEEMMAAAA -- !" Gemma knew that voice, and she raised an arm in greeting as Toby came jogging across the playground, holding Liesel by the hand. Both of them seemed somewhat taken aback by the presence of another girl their sister's age, but Liesel covered it up and moved forward to greet the new face.
"You're Gemmy's friend?" she asked. "Way uppercrust!" Toby coughed and elbowed her for her rudeness, and she issued a squeak of protest and rubbed her ribs. "I'm Liesel."
"What a lady," Toby grumbled under his breath, although it did not escape Liesel's notice, but he brushed it off and approached, wiping his sweaty palm off on his jeans and offering the hand to Angela. "I'm Toby."
For her part, Gemma felt torn about their sudden arrival. On the one part she was proud that their mother's stress on politeness did not go in one ear and out of the other (Liesel's "uppercrust" comment aside). On the other, she felt a slight panic swelling at the foreseeable end of their conversation. All it was was a conversation; there was no guarantee that they would talk again. For what she had gathered, Angela seemed very nice, interesting - different, somehow, but she was likely getting ahead of herself again. All the same, how does one ask another person to be your friend?
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Posted: Thu Dec 05, 2013 9:19 am
Relief washed over Angela’s delicate features and she was quick to smile. Gemma seemed like a good elder sibling, even if it was just talk for the moment. The younger girl couldn’t help but keep smiling now. Even her reassurances were far more welcomed than they would have been with someone else. Their newfound connection was so strange, but in a way it felt right. It wasn’t impossible to make friends after one meeting, though she didn’t know the extent, but if you asked her Angela would say that this was going along swimmingly.
As soon as the child’s distant voice rang out, the dark haired girl turned and her eyes widened. There was an automatic recognition – the two looked very similar to their older sibling – and Angela’s heart tugged. With her hands still resting carefully on her lap, she offered the two of them her warmest smile, something that was very practiced but in this instance, it was genuine.
However, their shocked faces almost made Angela falter.
”Yes, I—“ she started, her voice soft enough to easily be overpowered by the young girl’s musing. Then Toby’s mumbling followed and she was at a shortage for words. She giggled, trying once again. ”My name’s Angela, it’s a pleasure to meet the two of you,” she said through a smile so natural it met her eyes. It felt nice, not having to force it.
For the moment, Angela didn’t feel the same fears that Gemma did, partially forgetting that the conversation would have to end soon. Their arrival just meant introductions, but when Gemma seemed to falter, the realization started to dawn. She didn’t let it show, but she did turn her attention back to the oldest of the group. ”It must be so lively at your house!” she said, her voice genial. Even if it was to end soon, if not now, it wouldn’t be the first or last time she ever visited this park, perhaps they would run into each other again. The idea of giving the light haired girl her number played in her head, but with two siblings under her wing… Angela wasn’t sure she wanted to bother her.
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Friendly Conversationalist
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Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2013 8:47 pm
"It can be at times." Gemma's anxiety about Liesel's comment possibly offending her companion eased when Angela laughed, as did the pattering in her heart. "It's fine though. Our house can be a lot of fun." The impending end of the exchange was hanging over her head, and the slowly sinking sun serving as a reminder that it was time to get her younger siblings home before their mother had cause to worry. She resisted the urge to check her watch in fear that it might give off the wrong impression, but Toby seemed to push the end into full view for all to hear as he glanced towards a school bus scooting away from the curb.
"Gemma, we've gotta get going," he said, nudging her in the arm. She blinked as she drifted out of her thoughts and stared at him for a moment longer than intended before she swallowed and nodded.
"Yeah I, uh, I guess so." Her heart was sinking in her chest. This had been so fun - she'd forgotten what it was like to talk to another girl so naturally. But was she on a close enough basis to exchange numbers?
"I'm hungry," Liesel complained to Toby as he motioned her towards the sidewalk.
"You're always hungry."
"Am not," she pouted, and the two children looked back at Gemma expectantly, stalling at the cement path. The pressure that had been mounting in her own brain bubbled over her lips and she glanced up at Angela again with a shaky smile.
"Y-You know, you're, you're welcome to come over and see for yourself some, sometime!" The words were so steeped in her own nerves and said a little more loudly than intended that she felt slightly ill letting them go without more thought, but it was too late to take them back now. "If you want to, I mean." Her face was flushing, she felt so embarrassed. She could not blame Angela if she declined.
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