(Open) Touching Base

[Swami M]

It was the smell of baking bread that caught Alex's attention. After an hour or more of wandering through aisle after aisle of old comic books and baseball cards, botanica candles and dream catchers, designer handbags and antiques of dubious provenance... he is getting hungry. This place is supposed to have a food court somewhere. It seems he may have finally found it.

Or not. He quickly realizes that the scent does not come from real food, and it's only one of several Mantles. He follows them to their source. A shop selling clothes of some sort, but the merchandise looks rather different from all of the designer knockoffs he's seen in here. As do the customers. Shaquille O'Neal... or maybe what Shaq would look like if he were made of earth and stone. Squirrel Girl... at least she looked a lot like the title character from the comic book he'd just been idly thumbing through. Some kind of female satyr made of... glass? And a tiny elfin woman. He's never met any of them, although he wonders if the big guy and Green are buddies. Without an Oath and the special radar that comes with it, he has no way of knowing if they are locals or newcomers. Well, he hadn't come here for the rare stamps and the First Edition D&D books (although the latter were sort of cool). Time to do the social thing...

"Hi, everyone. Hope I'm not interrupting anything. I'm Alex. New in town, and looking to meet some of my new neighbors..."

Oh that was sure smooth... Alex is still getting used to being in the body of a man half his age, but sometimes it feels worse than that. Like he's 16 again...

[unlimited sink]

Helen seems to shrink a little, though she still wears her pleasant smile and that ever-present air of openness. This is the most social interaction she's had in a while and she's trying to process all of the information coming her way. Rather than standing there sticking out like a sore thumb, she begins to browse, gently touching garments, sometimes leaning in to give them a closer look, admiring the details of each piece. "How marvelous," she muses to herself.

Talk of the gathering in the Rose Garden catches her attention and she pokes her head out from behind a rack of clothing comically to better see the other three Lost, "That sounds wonderful! I do hope a new-comer to the city like myself is welcome to attend…"

And then the young green-man walks in, announcing himself as an equally fresh arrival in Sacramento. Helen graces him with a wide smile and a wink, "And it seems, as a new arrival, I'm in handsome company."

[Teeramus]

"Why thank you Daisy." Artemis responded to her compliment. "Your own fragrance is quite delightful, and I must say it's nice to hear a familiar accent." He said easily. "I've not had the opportunity to go to the Rose Garden yet, but I am looking forward to it."

It seemed that the Giant's voice had more than one level and in the confines of the increasingly populated store he had the good sense to tone it down a notch.

Terri's offer was very generous, and very interesting considering he hadn't yet found a good 'Big and Tall' store in Sacramento. "Alterations would likely be necessary. Though what you'd need to do to make something fit me might go above and beyond." He chuckled clearly not self-conscious about his size. "Ahh, but I've never been good with what does or doesn't look good. Is there anything you could recommend?" He asked, interested.

He turned at the sound of the newcomer, a green looking fellow and clearly another Lost soul. "Welcome to the party Alex. You've only just missed the introductions. I'm Artemis. Artemis Wescott. And I'm another recent arrival, so you're in good company." He said with a welcoming smile before turning back to Terri to see if she had any suggestions.

[Terri Nutkins]

The slight Summer Mantle caught Terri's attention first and she offered Alex a welcoming smile before moving round to assist Artemis with his query.

"Well, that would utterly depend on how daring you wish to be, Artemis" Terri grinned, throwing the giant Elemental a wink before continuing, clasping her hands together like she was instructing once more. "Would you like something fairly classic, or are you willing to open up the possibility of something more bold?"

[unlimited sink]

Seeing that Terri and Artemis have business to attend to, Helen makes her way to the porcelain fawn and her hedge beast. She’s clearly curious about the creature, but still very cautious, not daring to reach out a hand or even look at it for too long.

Instead she offers her hand to Daisy, her long fingers stained in dried ink toward their tips, her onyx eyes meeting Daisy’s obsidian, “I know we’ve exchanged names, but allow me to say that the two of you” referring to Daisy and Sly “make a most striking pair. And that it is very comforting to meet someone as fond of Spring as I am.” She pauses for a moment musing, "And I feel we have more in common than just that." There's a note of sadness to this last observation, Helen can't help but feel a measure of pity for those like herself, the Wizened. We've all suffered so much, and often for so very long, she thinks, every one of us. And for someone like Helen, who knows this first hand, Daisy's striking appearance is evidence enough that she likely suffered more than others.

She smiles, wide and warm, pushing her sadness to one side, “Do tell me more about this Rose Garden and yourself as well, Daisy, I simply love flowers!”

[Teeramus]

Artemis smiled at Terri's question. "Well let's throw caution to the wind and go for something bold shall we?" He said with a laugh. "After all with a canvas as large as myself, it would be a shame to waste it on something mundane. Ha!"

His eyes roved eagerly over the displayed clothing, wondering what might both suit him and make him stand out, even more than usual.

[Swami M]

Alex tries to follow the conversation already underway. He turns to Terri...

"So you make all of the clothes on sale here? I'm working in a clothing store now, but nothing there is as impressive as this. Made in China, mostly."

Helen's question also gets his attention. He's curious about how Spring works here. The idea of Spring both fascinates and disturbs Alex. It was the pursuit of desire that got him Caught in the first place. But those desires have not entirely gone away... In Redding Spring had conformed to most of the worst whiskey, cocaine and backseat blowjob stereotypes. Hopefully here, like Summer, they're more grown up about things...

[Pixie Styx]

"My apologize for my silence, I was simply enthralled by your wares Ms Nutkins!" Daisy's smile is wide and bright. "I will be most delighted to wear one of your creations!" her onyx eyes sparkling at the thought of donning one of these elegant garments. "Though I might need alterations to allow for my..." she trails off, glancing down to her fawn-like legs and hooves.

Then her ear bends towards jovial Spring, "I had not thought that I would hear a familiar accent during my time in Sacramento." Then listening at his intentions to be bold in his attire. "That does sound like it would be a delight! Shall I be daring and bold as well?" she asks with a smirk twisting her lips, and an arch to her brow.

"Oh hello there!" she sees the green-man, looking upon his sleek form with an Artist's eye.

Then the fawn giggles at her fellow Wizended's flirtatious banter. "I, and Sly thank you for your complaints Ms Helen." she says, scratching Sly behind his little ear. Then she decides to adress Helen's later question first. "The Rose Garden is simply divine! There are roses everywhere. Arches with their vibrant bulbs covering them. And where none are present, there are carvings instead! And of course you will be invited Ms Helen! Though it might not seem so, you are indeed, a cousin of mine." she with all the solemnity she would allow to cross her voice and porcelain features.

There was finally someone else who understood !

[Terri Nutkins]

When Artemis agreed to be bold, Terri grinned before moving through the racks, almost skipping towards the, admittedly, small collection of men's outfits. Mainly, the Beast worked with women's fashion but she understood that there were some gentlemen out there who wished to be unique.

What she pulled out and laid before the giant Elemental was a concoction of purple and red tartan, something daring and completely in contrast to his brick-like flesh.

As Artemis examined the suit, Terri turned with a smile towards Daisy. "Well, most of them," she replied openly. "I have some designer friends with their own stores. We share some designs to sell for each other." When the Wizened mentioned alterations, Terri didn't look down. She understood alterations. "Don't worry," she began with a comforting smile, "I can make suitable adjustments for anyone. But with the party just round the corner, I'd need to start working on something pretty darn quickly," she chuckled, her Mantle swirling ever so slightly.

Alex's comment about working in a clothing store certainly caught Terri's attention. "Oh, really? Whereabouts?" she asked, interested in anyone in the business.

[unlimited sink]

Helen seems to rise and fall with the rhythms of Daisy’s speech. It’s that thing, where the rest of the world blurs, loses focus, and she finds herself alone with the sound one person (or thing) makes. It’s effect on her is visible, in the intense way she stares at Daisy, her smile becoming abstract, distant, her head cocked to one side. Sometimes Helen thinks there is a voice inside a voice, a sound inside a sound. One that calls out for recognition and response. In this instance, it is a bit of H.D. that comes to her lips, unbidden, and that she recites for Daisy. She is not demanding attention, she does not raise her voice or ascend some metaphorical stage. These are words of power, meant to hearten her fellow wizened, even if neither one of them understands them, and she speaks them finely and clearly: “Let us, however, recover the Scepter, / the rod of power: / it is crowned with the lily-head / or the lily-bud: / it is Caduceus; among the dying / it bears healing: / or evoking the dead, / it brings life to the living.”

And with that, Helen seems to come back, to herself and to her company. She looks around the store, at Artemis and Terri and Alex, as if surprised to be there, before returning her eyes to Daisy. A younger woman, a human woman might be embarrassed, but Helen simply gives a shrug of her small shoulders: “You are my cousin, and I knew it somehow. You have been worked…” She lets the word hang, allowing it to pull double duty: Daisy was no doubt forced to labor, to endlessly work, but she was also worked or fashioned into her striking form, which Helen knows must have been torture. Her inky black eyes shine with sympathy for the fawn.

But then she’s looking between Terri and Daisy as they discuss alterations. “Lovely girl, you would look simply radiant in any one of her beautiful garments, there, among the roses,” and with that her face lights up with excitement, “would you allow me to pay for whichever one you choose, as a gift?” She turns her beaming grin on Terri, looking to include her in the excitement. Yes, she is a strange old lady, but one who is full of a genuine affection for her fellow Lost.