Apr 02 17:11:54 106 PA
From Chronicles
It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. Really. Once one looks past the steady drizzle, gray skies, and sodden chill, it is quite cozy. Not everyone is so myopic, of course, and the late afternoon pedestrians are fewer in number than they might otherwise be. For his part, Leonard appears rather prepared as he passes by a food vendor with only a mild slowing of his step. A large black umbrella shields him from the falling water, as he peruses wares without the haste of those dashing from one spot to another while attempting to stay as dry as possible.
Amber enters the market, making her way trough the uncommonly sparse streets, the weather no doubt keeping the masses away. She has no umbrella, and her hair is wet and plastered against the side of her face. Large drops of water streak down her glasses from time to time as she visits various vendors on the street, but she seems not to mind the conditions too much. She wanders from setup to setup, browsing the displayed wares and moving on when she doesn't find whatever it is she's looking for.
Leonard's steps finally come to a halt at a smorgasbord of technophiliac indulgence. Large gadgets, little gizmos, and everything in between. One or more displays catch his eye and he begins to browse in earnest while the proprietor helpfully rattles of a stream of data. Unfortunately for the man, he might as well note "It's shiny," as most of the jargon clears Leonard's absently nodding head well over his umbrella.
Amber wanders up to Display you are standing in front of, her small stature allowing her to quickly slide to your side, and under the umbrella's protective shield. Her eyes are on the table as she pokes out at you with her elbow, a smile or her face, "Fancy meeting you here." she says as she looks up at you, "What brings you out on such a wonderful day?" She removes her glasses and takes a moment to dry the main lenses on her sleeves, her efforts mostly in vein, as her coveralls are far from dry.
Leonard turns his head at suddenly finding dripping company, and the familiar variety, at that. "Afternoon. I'd say it was good, but you seem rather under the weather. I'm just out in search of more wondrous and interesting items to divest my credits upon." He chuckles softly and does not appear to abhor the sharing of dry real estate. In fact, the split shifts slightly in her majority with the small movement of his occupied hand. "And you? I'll guess that you aren't out for a swim."
"I find this is the best sorta situation to get the good deals. Few customers out and about tends to make people more willing to make a deal. I think most merchants don't want to feel they wasted their day here in the rain..." she tosses a wink to the owner of the merchandise before her before looking up at you, "Must be nice, having credits to burn."
Leonard hmms at the mention of bargains. "I had not thought of that opportunity. Thank you." He smiles to her before turning it briefly to the owner and back. "Unfortunately, I never keep them as fuel for long. They tend to burn themselves directly out of my pockets." A hand is motioned to the merchandise. "Any suggestions? I don't really know one from another, for the most part."
"Well I guess that really depends on what you are looking for? Just a toy to play with? You have some sorta task in mind that you think a bit of tech might help with?" She reaches down to pick up an item that has caugh her eye, and she turns it over in her hands as she inspects it. She lets out a soft hmmm as she places it back on the table, "I mean, for me, I can find a use for just about anything. But shopping for others is always a bit trickier."
"Ah. I suppose that would help a little." Leonard's smile turns mildly sheepish before he pauses to consider a moment. "Well, I've a somewhat older audio recorder for dictated thoughts, a pocket computer for data and typed notes, and a fairly capable camera for video recording. Unfortunately, my credits aren't leaving my pockets quickly enough to make room for all of those, and transfer from one to the other is problematic at best."
"Ah, connectivity, an age old problem!" she lets out a short laugh, "Well, the most obvious solution is to buy one device that does it all for you." She rolls up her sleeve and shows off her wrist computer, "Of course, thats probably a bit to dorky for someone like you." She gives you an appraising look, "The camera is probably easy to hookup, but the audio recorder is definetly an issue, especially if its older." She hmms and looks up, appearing to be thinking it over. She turns her attention back to the table and she starts looking at what is available. "Of course, If you don't mind a more home-made solution, I could probably take a look at what you got and make some alterations."
Leonard's brows lift as he looks to her displayed techno toy, and a hand lifts for her arm as he peruses hers over the vendor's. "It looks like I've asked the right question of the right lady. Condensing as much as possible would be wonderful, and I have nothing against purchasing something more capable. It might be a nightmare transfering data from one to the next, but I'd only need do that once, yes?"
"Yeah, just the one time, and we can jury rig something for that to make it mostly painless." she smirks up at you, "What sorta size are you looking for? Something that'd fit in a pocket? And what sorta quality are you looking for in a camera? What sorta uses do you need it for?" Despite the gloomy weather, she seems to have brightened considerably and it is obvious that she enjoys this sort of conversation.
Leonard appears pleased to have found such a knowledgeable and available source of information and experience. "Small enough to carry easily, at least. I think the camera that I have will do. It is quite small, and even has an optical fiber attachment so that it can stay in a pocket and film. It is top of the line, or so I was told a few weeks ago." His smile broadens as subjects of interest coincide. "I plan to use it to record footage and comments of my journeys. While the library can be more comfortable, exploration seems more appropriate in my study of other places and those that dwell in them."
Amber grins at that, "Well that sounds fun!" she exclaims, her eyes bright, "Well, with the proper computer, I could no doubt have the camera send things wirelessly to the computer for storage. Any computer worth its salt can record audio, so with the proper wireless, we can have a mic with a button perhaps that can activate when you want, and store that on the computer. You wouldn't have to sync them up then, it'd be all automatic." she hmmms, "I can probably throw together some more info for you, and get back to you in a day or two with some options, if you were interested."
"Hmm... That sounds perfect." Leonard considers Amber's proposal beneath their shared shelter that is his umbrella. They are talking tech alongside a booth purveying an on-topic assortment of gizmos, gadgets, doodads and whizgigs. That is Leonard's nomenclature, anyhow, and he admits it with a chuckle. "As perfect as it can be to someone who knows very little on the subject, that is. If I have a technical problem, my first step is to bang the thing on something hard and try again." Through the mix of people comes a man not too unlike most others. Tall, a few inches over six feet with a husky build. He's dressed in a rugged ensemble of aged and patched pants, flannel shirt and a heavy coat over top, with a broad brimmed hat shading his face just a bit. His face is careworn, hair greying at the temples. He carries a series of laminated papers under one arm, moving along at a modest pace. He comes right up to a post near to where Amber and Leo are sitting, pulling one of his laminated sheets out, he firmly affixes the page to the pole, carefully applying an adhesive to make it stick. All the while humming lowly to himself.
A look of mock horror engulfs Amber's features at banging comment, "Oh my god, that poor tech!" she switches to a grin, "I work at Cali's Garage, and i'm there more often than not. You know where that is? Its on the north edge of town" she rolls her shoulders back stretching, "I can probably put something together much cheaper than you'd find else where, that is, if you promise to treat it nice."
Leonard grins and holds up his free hand in a semblance of defense. "I'm improving on that, with therapy. I've been to Cali's place a time or two, so I won't get terribly lost." The raised hand now becomes a tool for an oath. "If you can concoct something, I promise to treat it well."
Once he has the page affixed, the tall man takes a step back, considering it for a few moments before he turns to consider the are around him. Spying the two young people nearby he steps over towards them. "One of you young pups want to help an old man out?" His voice raised as he approaches the two of them. He glances between the two as he comes closer and comments, "Doesn't look like you two are too busy right now, are ya?" Old, of course, is a relative thing. This fellow doesn't look more than fifty, perhaps.
Amber's eyes narrow as she regards Leonard, her face tightened into a scowl, but she can't hold it and a smile once again appears on her lips, "Ok, I think I can trust you." she looks over as the older man calling out to them, "Hmmms, I guess that depends, old timer." her voice is light and full of mirth.
Leonard's smile widens at her mirth, then turns towards the poster of posts on posts who was only peripherally noted previously. "We haven't started singing nor dancing in the rain, yet. How might we help you?" His gaze shifts briefly from the man to his posted post.
The elder man grins, and lifts up his stack of laminated papers. "Been through most of this city spreading around some word. Maybe you might finish off the last few for me. Mostly just around here." There are about six of the papers left. "If there are any left, you can do what you will with 'em. Pass 'em out, put em somewhere else or toss 'em." He holds out the remaining papers. "Don't got credits on me right now, but how about doing a good deed for some people in need?" The papers themselves look to be asking for donations for a Dregs based series of soup kitchens, with contact information laid out below the announcement itself.
Amber looks over at Leonard, her left eyebrow arching before she turns her attention back to the older man, "I guess I could do that, while I was about town." she says, her head tilting a bit awkwardly as she attempts to get a better view of the flier, "I'll of course be expecting some free soup for troubles." she continues to be light hearted in her attempt at humor, though she oblivious of her success or failure.
"When you've not got enough in your pocket to keep food on the table, we'll have one for you, girl," the aged man says, his demeanor remaining warm as he hands over the papers. "Just around the plaza here. Got the rest of the city pretty well covered already. Trick leg is acting up again, so I'd best be getting back." He does have a subtle limp, though he hides it well most of the time. He nods to both of them. "Thanks for the help. What's your names? I go by Hank. Hank Weathers."
Amber reaches out to grab the offered stack and quickly thumbs through it as she assesses what she's gotten herself into. "I'm Amber, and this is Leonard," she motions to the man holding the umbrella with her thumb. She reads through the flier before adding, "This your place?" she asks as she shakes the stack of papers.
"A pleasure, Hank. I'm... whom she said." Leonard smirks amusedly as he's pre-empted. Fortunately, he has had far more experience with that than, say, electronics, and takes it in stride. She even beats him to his next logical question, so he remains content to play the part of smiling umbrella mount for the moment.
"That's right, Amber," Hank replies. "Six little spots in the Dregs, built just recently. You two ever got any food you don't want, bring it down. Every little bit helps and every help makes things just a bit better." He grins and dips his head to the both of them. "You two don't stay out too late now." He pauses, considering Amber for a moment before he looks to Leo and adds, "Plenty of reasons to have a night in too, yeah?" He gives the younger man a wink and has a rough chuckle for himself. "Be good," he adds, a hand lifted to wave as he turns towards the south.
Amber looks at Hank quizzically for a moment, not quite comprehending. Then it hits her and her face scrunches up, "Its not like tha.." she trails off, Hank gone, and she looks up at Leonard, her face a deep red, "Well that was strange." she manages, an attempt to stave off any silence. She wipes her hands nervously on the front of her coveralls before turning her attention back to the table, where she does a poor job of pretending to find something of interest.
Leonard does not even manage that much as the other man's wink first draws a a reflexive widening of his smile. His lips then promptly fall into a surprised 'O' as his own comprehension catches up. "Maybe I should have brought a larger umbrella..." Yes, two sets of reddened cheeks must be the fault of inadequate rain cover. "It wasn't strange. Just an assumption."
Amber's eyes glance up at you for a quick moment, "Not that part, though it was presumptuous." she says as she idley pushes a few things around on the display before her, "Just having someone come up and expect help from a stranger. " she shrugs, "Maybe its just me, but I have a hard enough time asking for help from a friend."
Leonard rolls his shoulders in a shrug. "I can't say that I fault him, or you. Not everyone is keen to ask for help, but I don't think any of us would be here without it, either." A brow arches in her direction, even if she may be looking elsewhere. "Speaking of help, have you had any progress with your meditation?"
Amber lets out a long sigh at that question, "Its going I guess. I don't really understand, I guess, and Desmond and I don't really seem to think the same way." her shoulders sag a bit as she turns to face you, "The concept, and the end results i'm really interested in, but i've been sorta having to self teach myself." she pinches her right arm as she continues, "I guess I don't understand this stuff as well I as I do machines."
Leonard's other brow rises at her pinching of herself. "I hope that that is not part of your self-lessons. If you were interested, I can share what I know of it. Since it's all in your head, quite literally, different approaches work for different people." He offers a smile. "It's the least I can do, since you're the expert at convincing machines to work without torture."
Amber seems to consider this, "I guess we can maybe work something out, a trade perhaps." She purses her lips and they move from the left to the right as she thinks, "Yeah, we can definitely figure something out. I really just want to be able to clear my head sometimes, and just turn off my brain, you know?" She looks up at you as she chews at her bottom lip, "Is that something you think you could help with? Find my inner calm or whatever it was Desmond said."
"Well," Leonard begins, then pauses to consider her motive, "turning of your brain would be a rather bad idea, but I might be able to help you relax and clear your thoughts. It can be as restful as sleep, with enough practice. Refreshing and reinvigorating." He pauses a moment in thought before returning a prior question. "What is it you are trying to accomplish?"
"Well, for example, I can't sleep sometimes, I just lay there, and think and think and think, and I know i need to sleep, but I can't get my brain to stop running scenarios, or worrying about stuff that is all way out of my control." her speech is hurried, as if she is forcing the words out, "I'm just all sorts of crazy, and i'm just looking for a way to manage it, and I'm not sure this is what I need, but I'm willing to try anything twice."
Leonard nods as he listens and lifts his multi-purpose hand again in attempt to calm her. "You don't need to push things out so hard. I can only listen so quickly." A grin curls his lips. "Energetic is not crazy. I may be able to help, and am willing to try, at least. Perhaps even twice."
Amber nods, satisfied with your response, "And here i am, asking for help from a near stranger." she smirks to her self as she looks up at you, " well, I guess not a total stranger," she considers it a bit more, "And I guess its tit for tat, not really charity." She shrugs as she reaches up and pulls her hair back away from her face, and gently rings a bit of water out of it behind her head.
Leonard chuckles as the hand becomes a briefly wagging finger. "Actually, I offered, first, and I would like to think that I'm not a total stranger. Nor charity, exactly, no." His attention now lifts from her to their surroundings. "Did you wish to distribute the fliers? Perhaps if I simply talk to you on the way, you'll have no trouble falling asleep?"
Amber makes another face at you as she begins to secure the top of the flier, "I think wether you stay unattached has more to do with me than you, but I like your optimism," her voice is teasing, but her expression changes a bit as she catches notice of something on her wrist computer, her sleeve pulled back slightly as she taped-up the posting. She bites at the tape, tearing and begins to fasten the bottom edge, "So what is it you do exactly, with free time to shop during the day?"
Leonard does attempt to keep his fingers clear of the tape, regardless. If nothing else, he'd be in her way. "Other than a potential business venture, and far too much reading in the library, I seem to have too much free time, unfortunately. That's the primary reason I plan to explore more than just books and plaques. Study of the supernatural isn't exactly a nine to five endeavor, and ever since the undead menace was halted, I've found myself rather idle."
Amber finishes this sign and begins to head towards another, walking slowly at first as she plots her course to ensure that the umbrella is over head, "Something tells me we're all going to have more excitement than we can handle soon enough, if the Coalition has there way." She smiles, her eyes on the ground a few feet in front of her, "Still, must be nice to have time just for yourself where you can go for a walk in the rain if you wish." She approaches another suitable location and hands you another flier, tape already in her hand.
Leonard's jaw tightens at reminder of the Coalition as they move. "If they have their way, all of us would be ignorant pawns, or dead. I think the latter have the better end of things..." A sigh is exhaled as he promptly shifts to her other comment, smile returning. "I'd prefer sunshine and company, personally, so I can say this afternoon turned out better than I expected." He's semi-prepared, this time, and holds the paper against the post. "What brought you to the fair weather of Kingsdale?"
Amber lets out a sigh, and she looks at you with an odd expression before speaking, her tone slightly dismissive, "I'm afraid thats a very long story, and I'm short on time." she nods torwards her computer, "I hadn't realized until just now how late it was getting, and I have a job to get back too." She finishes the top to the flier and moves down to the bottom edge, "Basically, it was the closest big city to where I was, and it seemed like a place a girl could get lost in." She shrugs as she finishes, "So far i've not regretted it, its only slightly different than I was expecting, from what i had been told. A lot less walking dead were in the image i had when i decided to come here." She smiles, but there is little feeling behind it.
Leonard releases the attached flier to wave his hand nonchalantly as his smile turns apologetic. "My apologies. I didn't mean to pry, or keep you from anything. No one expected the walking dead, but they are gone now, thankfully. I'll make a point to stop by Cali's in the near future or, if you have need of anything, you can find me at the Golden Carafe if not the library." He then reaches out to offer the umbrella. "Here. You have a much longer trip than I do, and I have a hood."
Amber shakes her head, "Nah, I'm going to be in a hot garage soon enough, and i'll dry out much quicker than you." she smiles, "you should definetly stop by soon though, I think i'll have everything together in a day or two, and you come check it out. Oh, and bring you camera, so I can go over it real quick so I can build to order." she smiles, more feeling this time, "I've still got to find the part I came out here for, so I'll toss the rest of these up on my way back." She starts to trot off into the rain but turns, "It was great talkin with you, thanks for getting me out of the rain, at least for a little bit." She waves, "See you soon" she turns and heads off.
