Evening at a Public Library

[Martha Villiers]

The air conditioned Library held an unnatural cool and the atmosphere here was alive with the gentle tip-tap of keyboards and filled with the heavy glare of overhead fluorescent lamps.

Several bored librarians are quietly chatting near a fire extinguisher and two students are hunched furtively over their tablets and laptops.

Meanwhile, tiny Martha was amusing herself by studying the latest What's On events listings at the Sacramento Public Library.

The small creature leaned on her walking cane and smiled.

-1 Vitae for Blush of Life

Martha is meekly and sweetly attired in an English style school uniform: a neat straw boater, a black blazer...a pair of scholarly...yes, she'd admit it..."Hipster" style...spectacles are perched daintily on the end of her nose, she wears a long gymslip which shows her leg to mid thigh. Her raven black hair is tied into two very long twin tails, each tied with scarlet ribbon bows.

A swift glance would reveal that most of her left leg is obviously a simple metal peg leg.

She wears a white knee sock on her flesh leg and a single carefully polished black Oxford pattern shoe, a crisp white blouse is obvious where the Edwardian style gymslip reveals it, as is her red necktie tucked neatly into her gymslip. Martha wears a useful looking school satchel and carries a simple metal walking cane. Though smelling of minty toothpaste and lemons, she's shunned more obvious cosmetics.

She emits no Beast and has invoked her Blush of Life.

Her petite presence exudes almost tangible sweetness and innocence.

Pausing in her inspection of the local What's On listings, she turns her attention to the rest of the room... afterall, you never knew quite who, or what!, you may see or encounter in such a place so late at night...

...Especially on a foggy evening like this one...

[Truce]

Exiting his evening class at the Professional School of Psychology, Truce's mind is alert and inquisitive as he heads quickly to the public library to sort out his notes while the material is freshly available. Even walking the Stygian path of the Moros, Truce needs a break from the lingering ghosts that occupy his apartment. The living also have much to offer if only for a lively atmosphere.

The bookish man begins to unwrap the scarf he wears and realizes the air remains chilly despite the winter weather outside. "Brr," he mutters to himself as he keeps the scarf hanging around his neck loosely for added warmth. He sets his cloth book bag down on a chair at an open table and heads towards the shelves to see if there were any new releases in the periodicals and non-fiction sections.

As Martha turns, Truce catches her eye as he passes by. He blinks for a moment, taking in her form and finding there's a piece missing. Realization crosses over his expression which immediately turns to embarrassment as he looks distinctly back up to her eyes. "Ah, sorry for staring," he says quickly, and then cursing himself for even drawing attention to it. He does his best to change the subject with a glance over her shoulder. "Um, I don't suppose there's a new issue out of Psychology Today?" he asks followed by an anxious intake of air.

Mint and lemons?

[Martha Villiers]

She first caught the fresh gust of cold evening air as Truce entered, then caught his guilty stare as the young mans eyes studied her peg leg.

He seemed bookish. Friendly. Harmless.

Martha offered him a sincere and friendly smile.

For a moment Martha allowed herself to believe that, just perhaps, he was harmless.

Gripping at her cane, she nodded. Clearly mistaken for a member of staff, Martha didn't mind. Luckily, she did, indeed, know where they kept the issues of Psychology Today and was eager to help.

"Oh!" she chirped, hoping to reassure the young man, she added happily, "I don't mind you staring, sir. in fact, I actually admire your admission that you did sir! It shows, if I may, sir, a great strength of character uncommon in many gentlemen these days! So many people try to hide their stares. It becomes so terribly embarrassing!" she added a playful giggle and began to adjust her meek posture, ready to move in the direction of the magazine stands.

With her cane, she gestured towards them, "You are a student of the science of mind and human behavior, sir?" she asks, wide eyed with obvious and sincere interest, her eyes meet his.

[Truce]

"I...umm," Truce stammers a brief moment, seemingly bewildered by the energy the woman carries with her in presence and manner of speaking. The accent only further causes him pause as he places it to Britain. He regains his composure and smiles softly, glad the woman hasn't taken offense at least.

"Well, yes, I am. And thank you, I suppose. I trust you get that a lot then? Unfortunately that is a habit of the mind, to focus so intently on what makes us different from one another. Just a product of evolution I imagine. But if everyone came up to apologize for everything that makes us different then we'd never get anything done." Not a few seconds speaking with this woman and I'm already rambling, he laments internally. By her body language, Truce surmises that she is willing to accompany him to locate the magazine and begins a slow walk towards the stands.

[Martha Villiers]

Martha listened. Truly listened. Attentive to his words, tiny Martha nods her agreement and shares a happy giggle too. Clearly amused and entertained by this charming man.

"Indeed, sir! Quite so! Forgive me, please, if my next query is a tedious one, sir; but I would welcome this insight of a scholar and gentleman such as yourself! You see, I do wonder why the differences should be so important, though, when it's clearly our ability to unite and cooperate in crisis and adversity that makes us a successful species?" she asks from a clear desire to learn.

Martha takes her time. Not worrying to conceal her limp, Truce has, she is surprised to find, placed her swiftly at her ease.

[Truce]

Truce's smile grows, quite pleased by her interest and praise, though he is by no means an overly proud man. "You're very kind to say so. And it's not tedious at all, I'd be happy to answer that as well as I can. You see, in evolutionary psychology there's a following of thought that suggests that most of our behavioral responses are based on evolutionary traits and survival instincts. True, that altruism and cooperation is a common characteristic prevalent in man and many animal species. But it is suggested that we are hard coded with preserving the genetics of close kin as opposed to, say, the general masses. So even subtle differences in visual appearance, scent, and behavior can instinctively create an anxiety in others. Though that is still often debated as a result of culture exposure, or nurture versus nature. But differences also allow us to identify problems more efficiently and recognize patterns to solve them. So on a base level recognizing differences is a very valuable trait."

Truce pauses in his talk to ensure that he is indeed refraining from being tedious. He'd hate to think she were just asking her inquiry to be polite.

[Martha Villiers]

Nodding, Martha pauses and rubs at her crippled hip. Resting on her cane, she smiles. Clearly attentive. "Oh, I see... Yes, yes, that does make sense, sir. The arguments for nature versus nurture would be difficult to disentangle." she nods as if pondering the complexities of that process.

"I understand that many smaller, more isolated, hunter gatherer tribal groups frequently harbor deep and lethal hostility to their neighbors. It seems they are more keen, as you suggest, to support purely close kinship groups rather than tolerate the presence of a competing tribal groups, for whom they report only enmity and contempt..." tiny Martha pauses, eager to see where he takes this information, she smiles and meekly adjusts her spectacles, making certain to show Truce he's got her full attention and interest.

[Truce]

Truce positively delights in the woman's reaction and he listens closely to her remarks with sincere interest.

"May I assume that you are a student of Anthropology, Miss?" He offers a hand in greeting. "My name is Paul, by the way. I'm studying at the Professional School of Psychology over on Watt Avenue. Despite the research that's been done on evolutionary psychology, I'm of a mind that mankind can achieve unity and cooperation regardless of cultural or genetic differences. Would you agree?"

[Martha Villiers]

Martha smiles and seems utterly delighted. Hooking her cane over her arm, she accepts his hand and nods in happy meeting. "Oh, a delight to meet you, Paul! My name is Martha, Miss Martha Villiers!" she smiles and offers a shy giggle.

Obviously impressed by what he's saying, "Your academic credentials are impressive, sir!"

She lets her praise linger for a moment before adding, "I have high hopes, true high hopes, that Mankind will unite, set aside our pettiness and recognize the folly of competition!"it's an idealistic dream. Utopian. Yet, Martha sounds sincere.

Martha smiles again, pausing. Hesitating.

"Oh, Paul. I probably sound so Utopian!"it's her turn to show shyness and anxiety at saying something silly.

[Truce]

"Not at all, Martha," says Truce quickly in reaction to her shyness, though clarifies himself thereafter. "I mean, perhaps a bit. I would regard Utopia as a sort of unobtainable lofty goal, but without them we might never aspire to attempt them. Polyculturalism or intercultural societies might be more realistic. I'm glad we can share in that hope. Do you study here in Sacramento? I hope I'm not being to forward in asking?"

Truce senses that behind this young looking and innocent optimism is a person with some intellect and passion. So very different from the usual specters he kept as company. It is refreshing for the soft-spoken Moros. Reaching the stands, he grabs the magazine he has been looking for, though he hardly has an interest in opening it right away, content with continuing his conversation.