Feb 18 20:18:54 106 PA
From Chronicles
The current game time is: Thu Feb 18 20:18:54 106 PA.
It's late. Darkness has fallen, but Kid hasn't noticed. The fog is likely out by now, but here one might not even notice unless they were near the glass. Kid is focused on her music and with the fog chasing away most from the Garden, she's largely alone for the moment thus there is little to distract her. She's armored, sans helm and sitting on the ground at the farthest edge of the central fountain from the entrance. With her back against it, she is focused on the keyboard that lays across her lap, her fingers flowing over the keys. Something easy and familiar is on today, no prerecorded background, just a jazzy piano sound that's been given a soft buzz on the edges to give it some flavor.
A library? Really? On a Thursday night? Well, the best of us slip into madness sometimes, and Celaeno's certainly no stranger to that. So, today she's picked out two rather small looking hardcopies from the library, and she's simply meandering around the building, looking for a place to sit and peruse that she doesn't object to. Dressed in the same general outfit that she's generally found in, her pea coat unbuttoned to reveal a mid-cut halter top. Earphones clamped securely on, she wanders into the garden humming gently to herself, her path weaving slightly with the beat.
It is, perhaps, fitting that Sage once more finds herself elevated from the main floor with Kid playing below. This time, though, she is not completely out of sight by being stretched out relaxing somewhere. Her attention is towards a cluster of plants that she seems to be fiddling around with them. Her fingers are gentle as they examine the plants to see if there is any sign of illness on them.
Kid's mood seems to shift moods amid her playing, the music pausing for a few moments as she adjusts the settings to change over to a electric piano sound that's been softened to a more mellow sound. she immediately starts to play something new. Something quicker, with more complex finger work. She flubs a few notes at the start, but once she dips into the groove of it the tune evens out. As she plays this piece, her head bobs ever so slightly in time with the rhythm of the jazzy piece. A brief pause a few moments in used to start up a light background drumbeat that helps her keep the music even.
Entering the large room garners a rather fixed frown on Celaeno's behalf, though she spins lightly, taking it all in - and for several moments she doesn't notice anybody else. Catching Kid's profile out of the corner of her eye as she completes one such spin, she keeps her center-view on the next one, eventually turning the carefree careening into a sidelong stagger as she considers. Stopping outright, she stands off to the side, eyeing, not yet removing her headphones, and definitely not having caught a glimpse of Sage.
With the continued music, Sage begins to hums softly that likely gets drowned out by the music itself. She frowns as she gets to the point where she can see the plant in the back and shakes her head softly. She studies the plant for a moment before giving it a gentle carress. Interestingly enough, the plant seems more healthy after she's finished with it. The humming breaks off into a soft sigh, before she decides to settle down on the steps. Taking a moment, she looks around the garden with a thoughtful look before her gaze begins to look for other people that are still around.
Blissfully unaware of the potential audience, Kid continues to roll along with that jazzy tune she's dropped into. Perhaps due to how much she enjoys it, her expression relaxed, head bobbing ever sos lightly. Though not just those clues show, so too does it show in how she flourishes some of the finger work, rolling her way to the high toned keys for one part, the fingers of both hands tapping out a quick flourish before she returns to the play of the tune.
One hand sliding into a pocket, Celaeno flips off whatever music she was listening to prior, sliding the headphones down around her neck, simply watching and listening for several moments. The frown remains fixed as she eyes Kid, before she gives a rather flippant shrug and careens a little further along the floor, spinning and dancing (though rather oddly) with the music. Eventually she calls over her shoulder, mid-spin, "Jazzy little number, there," while simultaneously tossing her books carelessly at one of the benches. They go skittering off across the floor slightly - Oh well.
A little tired, Sage nearly knocks the drink she'd set on the stairs nearby to the floor below but she catches it with only a minor spill splashing down. During the motion of catching, she notices a movement before Celaeno makes herself well and truly known. She studies the motions, and careless tossing of the books with curiousity. An faintly amused smile comes to her lips, "She doesn't like to be interrupted." A soft interjection, figuring there will be a moment of stillness when Kid stops playing.
Kid doe snot disappoint, the sound of a voice bringing about an abrupt end to her playing. And a snapped glance towards Celaeno. Of course, the moment after Kid takes in just who has interrupted her, she frowns deeply. "Figures.." Muttered lowly to herself as she glances towards Sage, noting her low words as well now that she's drawn from her musical oblivion. Not so baleful the look she gets. "Might have to find some other place to practice," she adds, her eyes dipping to the well cared for instrument.
Music? Who needs it! Not Celaeno! And she gives three full, arcing spins before coming to a rather unceremonious and wobbling stop. "What, afraid of an audience?" she asks, the chiding rather lighthearted and whimsical. Moving to fall on the bench her books are near, she gives Sage a quick look over, though doesn't comment on the (now apparent) statement made. "Tch, it's not like I was belittling your art, or anything," she says, starting to stare up at the ceiling, "Said it was good. Had a nice swing to it. Or is that an insult now, too?" Once again, the words are rather playful, if rather careless.
With her initial comment out of the way, Sage takes a sip from the bottle she safed from near disaster. She takes on the spectator role for the moment as she watches the new woman dance about even without the music. A brow raises faintly as she studies the form as if deciding if it would be something she'd like to try learning at some point. "It may be a confidence issue." She notes softly, not trying to put much conviction into her words. Her shoulders shrug faintly, deciding it is best to observe for the most part now.
Kid doesn't seem to grow more pleased as the two discuss her playing.. or lack there of, as it were. "Yeah, lets say I don't have a lotta trust in your sincerity," she'll tell Celaeno simply. "Not after the bullshit you said the last time." She then gives Sage a more baleful look and states, "I've played before lots of people before. But I don't do that anymore. I play for me, not for anyone else." She then returns her attention to the keyboard, stopping the rhythm that was underlying her playing before.
Eyeroll. Adjusting her sword and neural mace so that they don't interfere with her laying down comfortably, Celaeno reaches into her pocket to flip her music back on, and it starts projecting a wailing sax into the room, although quietly. "Which bullshit? The one where I said you could probably have a band, even if you didn't wind up bein' crazy famous? I'll tell you, there are quite a lot of them about," she says, not apparently paying much attention to the conversation, bringing her hands together at the wrists, and spinning them in a fashion that one might recognize, if they've ever been to a rave.
"I don't see lots of people here." Sage interjects, before falling quiet. She hears where the conversation seems to be heading, and stands up to move onto the next clump of plants that she had wanted to look at. She likely still listens, but this is one conversation she'll skirt for the time being. She lightly begins to sort through the plants.
"Yeah, where you mock me thinking I care about making it big," Kid states. "Acting like it's easy when you don't know a thing about it." She continues to toy with her keyboard idly, adjusting the settings on it slowly. "Didn't say I play around a lot now.. I don't play for anyone else." Her eyes flick towards Celaeno again. "Besides, I'm not interested in playing with anyone right now. More trouble than its worth in the end." She does catch the hand movements, but doesn't seem at all surprised by them.
"Well, shit, fine then," Celaeno says, sending a briefly annoyed look toward Kid. "And that's just how you were saying it, darlin'. I never said it was easy to break out and BE that big name who everybody's always kowtowing to you." The hands split, at this point, her tongue sticking out the corner of her mouth as she keeps them spinning, independent of each other. "If you don't want to be in a band, then why be in a band? I was just saying if you WANTED to you could, and fuck, you get all bent outta shape and storm off like I called your life's work a pile of worthless shit."
It is fairly obvious to Sage that these two have some history between them, but despite the arguing... she decides to stay within earshot. Her gaze shifts from the plants she's looking at to the conversation as it seems to become more slightly more heated. A thoughtful look on her features, but she doesn't need to embrace her empathic side to figure out the emotions at play here.
Kid wears her annoyance on her sleeve at this moment, with a side of frustration. "It ain't even easy to make a good group," Kid tells Celaeno. "Easy as hell to pick the wrong ones and that fucks things up from the start. And I'm tired of talking about it, alright? What does it matter to you anyway?" She stops messing with her keyboard, though without that distraction, she seems to have little to do as she doesn't resume playing. So she glances off to her side, looking at some unimportant thing over in the distance.
Celaeno just laughs for a few seconds, stopping with the arms as he rolls half onto her side, "Well, it doesn't, really. There's no reason to be getting all twisted and upset about it, shit." Eyeing the computer for a second before flopping back over on her back, she starts eyeing the plants that fall into her line of vision. As a rather depressing song starts playing over her headphones, she starts humming along with it lightly.
A brow raises in surprise as the responses don't escalate, but it fades as Sage remembers Kid's previous tendency to tone down responses at times. "You can still play for yourself with people in earshot." She says finally, "Just imagine that anyone else listening don't care." It seems the closest thing she can come to wisdom on the matter.
"Says someone who doesn't understand," Kid tells Celaeno in no uncertain terms. For a moment she seems apt to say more, but in the end she decides to leave it to that. Though she does shift her attention towards Sage and state, "Yeah, until people start talking and commenting and generally making it impossible to ignore them." She frowns and lightly passes her fingers over the keys of her keyboard, though without enough pressure to press them down. "I hate the winter.. can't find any good places to practice," she adds.
Celaeno's chuckling starts back up, but it stays pretty low. "Shit, I just said I liked the music," she says, almost-accurately. "And yeah, I guess I might not understand, sure. Just seems like there are a lot worse things one could get worked up about, and if you spend it all on that, well, then where will you be when your house gets blown up by one of your friends? If you're always pissed, nobody will give a damn when it means something." Starting to slide down the bench toward the books, she eyes Sage before finishing reasonably enough "I guess I couldn't tell if you're always pissed or not, though."
"Then, perhaps you should wear dark sunglasses and use ear plugs." Sage mentions with a hint of amusement creeping into her tone. She glances to the other woman that she hasn't formally met yet. There is curiousity in her expression, but she remains silent in terms of conversing with her. She drifts back to where she was seated before and takes up the bottle once more to take another sip. She doesn't sit, though. Instead, she starts to walk slowly down the steps to the main floor.
"We all have our priorities," Kid murmurs before lifting her head to peer at Celaeno with her brow furrowed just a bit. "You assume people give a damn anyway. They don't. I take care of my own. S'how it's always been cause if I waited around for people to care, I'd probably be dead by now." No distress at that statement, simply how things are as she sees things. She then gives Sage a frown. "Don't mock me," she tells the woman. "In case it ain't obvious, I'm not in the mood."
"Who's ever in the mood to be mocked?" Celaeno asks the room at large, suddenly spinning off the bench and jogging to pick up the books. "And darling, if people don't care when you're pissed off, you're doing it wrong," she says with a wink. "They may not by THEMSELVES, you've gotta drive the point home, here."
The defensive fencing by Kid comes as no surprise to Sage, leaving little but neutrality in her features as she approaches the bottom of the stairs. Soon enough she's standing on the main floor, and pauses as if thinking of a comment. Yet, the words from Celaeno seems to sum up the main train of thought here. Her fingers play with the bottles curves and her gaze shifts briefly to the exit.
Kid frowns at Celaeno. "You're assuming I want them to care. If they want ot care, they will. I'm not going to force no one to care. I don't need no false bullshit out of anyone." She eyes the woman and comments, "I suppose you like to ham it up so people will 'care'." She snorts faintly and goes on, "Besides, what most people probably call 'care' is just them telling me I'm wrong for feeling how I do and doing what I do without even trying to understand one little thing about me. Cause obviously no matter what I do, it's wrong and I should just magically not feel how I do and not think how I do because the whole of my goddamn life don't mean shit when it comes to people acting how they think they should."
Celaeno's smile lingers for a few moments as Kid gets her rant out, "If by 'ham it up,' you mean torch their car and throw a brick through their window, then yeah, you could say that," she says looking rather bemused. "Now as for the rest, I couldn't say anything to that. Now, if you want me to shut the hell up, go ahead and say it, but if you're going to talk, I'm going to be talking right back at you. By all means if there's something YOU want to talk about, or not, go right ahead, if you're not enjoying it."
Sage's gaze shifts to Celaeno as she talks about torching cards and throwing bricks with a brow raising slightly. "I'm beginning to think you're talking with a contradiction." She says softly, glancing to Kid. She begins to slowly drift towards the exit. She's in no hurry as she's rather curious what the result of the ultimatum between the other two women.
"Oh course you can't say anything to that.." Murmured with a subtle roll of Kid's eyes. "No, there isn't anything I particularly want to talk about. At least, not with you. I don't think we share any interests in particular and to be honest, I don't really like you." Said simply, without any real malice. "But maybe you guessed that already. Her eyes flick towards Sage and her brow furrows. "What?" Expressing a simple confusion at the woman's words.
And Celaeno's gaze swings rather weightily to Sage. "Contradiction, you say?" she asks rather bluntly, a bemused glint in her eye. Kid's words elicit a half-glance and a surprisingly warm smile. "Well, shit, that's a shame," she says before turning her eyes back to Sage.
When both women seem to turn their attention towards her, Sage stops her slow progression to turns to face roughly in between them. The bottle is clasps lightly, with only a slightly motion of one of her fingers caressing the curves. She nods to Celaeno's blunt question without really elaborating, before looking to Kid. "There are certain things I've noticed... but, I leave it up to you whether I go into them right now since the two of you seem to be at odds with each other." She, at least, tries to be diplomatic while glancing between the two of them.
Kid eyes Celaeno warily at her response. Just why isn't made exactly clear, but she seems apt to let it sit for now as she looks towards Sage again. She considers the woman for a few moments before she gives her shoulders a noncommittal shrug. "Might as well," she replies simply. "So just what did you notice?" A light sigh woven in with that question, her eyes moving back towards her keyboard.
Celaeno's attention doesn't waver as she keeps her eyes fixed on Sage, not letting the comment go without explanation. She doesn't say anything now, though, just watching and waiting, letting Kid's inquiry take precedence. Her arms fold up, and she tosses the books onto the bench (which stay this time), folding her arms and simply waiting - attentive and bemused.
Content to wait, Sage merely considers both women until Kid finally answers. "Very well." Sage replies, taking a moment to order her thoughts. "I'll leave aside my sensitive abilities for the moment." She comments, "No mind powers, mind you." She adds as if recalling a previous conversation. "Anyway, I'm not sure that its true that you don't care what people think... sure, distractions while playing are annoying, but you stop the very instant something comes to your attention. Surely you could just play louder or switch to something other people would find irritating if it was truly for your benefit." She says, "And, I doubt you're ever truly playing where you're the only one that can listen." She pauses, consider Kid for a moment. "I can also think back to how your emotions changed the other time we met here..." But, she leaves this last part a bit cryptic.
Yes, the mention of mind powers do darken Kid's expression, the young woman eyeing Sage more intently afterward. But, for the moment, she doesn't interrupt. Not until the end, where Kid's dark expression gains a little more shadow. "Just what did you see, peering into my mind last time?" She snaps that, emphasis on the 'peering' aspect. "And I play all the time in my place. But sometimes I like to get out and play somewhere else. If I wanted people to hear me, I'd play somewhere with lots of people. I come here late.. when most people are gone. I play in corners of the park and such cause it's inspirational to have a change of scenery. Why would I go around, playing stuff to piss people off? I get enough of that just being me. Not like I gotta try."
Celaeno's eyes don't flicker at any of it, though her interest in it all seems to change. Her mood noticeably changing, she takes a seat on the bench, content to simply watch - really, her eyes fix rather intently on Sage, for the most part. She just listens, otherwise.
"The mind is thought and memory, emotions are more of a by-product." Sage says, as if to counter the 'peering' aspect that is mentioned. "I noticed the rise and fall of certain emotions. A particular dip when I went to leave." She explains further, "And, do you think your walls keep others from hearing? Or that there are no employees that must work during the later hours? Or that people do no walk in or near the park and simply can not hear the music carried on the air?" She tilts her head as she considers Kid. "Perhaps you simply more comfortable being an anonymous to a select few... since large groups don't give you any comfort." She gets a look of wry amusement at that, before her gaze drifts to Celaeno. "Perhaps I should try to sense from her... if it would even things out. Assuming I can, of course."
"I don't give a shit what you do with her. I don't like people looking at my thoughts.. or my feelings," Kid states firmly. "If I ain't telling you it, maybe I don't want you knowing it. Ever think about that? No, none of you people do.. thinking you can just do whatever the hell you want and peer about in people's skulls, like tapping into a phone line without asking." Her anger simmers. "You believe what you want. There ain't no wide open spaces in here where I can play in peace, so I make do with what I got. Maybe if it wasn't so dangerous outside the walls, I'd go off into the woods where I can be inspired and no one can bother me, but my choices are limited. But yeah, you go on thinking whatever you want."
Celaeno listens to it all, her look of bemusement not fading as she listens to the exposition and description, her eyes moving to Kid's reaction for several moments. After a weighted few moments, she mirrors Kid's sentiment "I'd very much be careful about wandering around feelin' around people's thoughts and emotions without asking," she says with a plastic smile that doesn't reach her eyes. Her hand idly settles on the hilt of her vibrosword, though it's hardly a hostile act. Really, it's just a thumb hooked around it, peaceful like, but it's there nonetheless. "Of course, I'd be more than happy to hear your thoughts on my being a 'contradiction,' as you put it."
"I can not read thoughts, and your feelings are usually painted easily on the exterior anyway." Sage replies, "I would agree that thoughts and memories are very touchy, though." She doesn't seem to be unsettled by the hand nearing the vibrosword, though. She glances to Kid, "Deny all you want." Then she looks to Celaeno, "And, you... I don't know you. Saying you're a contradiction would be pointless." She shrugs faintly, "Unless you think you have much in common with Kid." She seems to have decided her little speech is over with, "If you'll excuse me..." She says, turning and resuming her walk towards the exit.
"Yeah and you keep thinking you know all about me. You can't possibly be wrong," Kid fires back at Sage, visibly annoyed. "Same shit I always get. Disagree with some person thinking they can glance at me and tell me what's what and I'm denying." She snorts derisively as she settles down again and considers her keyboard briefly before flicking the power switch off. "I don't need more people who think they can figure me out at a glance. Got assloads of them already."
Celaeno is unsatisfied by this exchange. She watches Sage take her exit, and doesn't say anything more to that effect, just looking generically perturbed. With her thumb not unhooking from the sword - hey, maybe it was just a handy resting place! - she turns to Kid, the frown staying in place, simply sitting for the moment.
While she hears the words that come from Kid's mouth, Sage isn't provoked into commenting further. Instead, she continues walking until she passes through the door and into the library itself.
Kid shifts her keyboard to the side as Sage goes, her mood remaining quite heated. Despite that, however, she's quite careful with the instrument, laying it down gently, as if it were very fragile. As she starts to gather her braids carefully, she glances up and notes that Celaeno remains. "What'd you want?" She doesn't even try and soften her annoyance factor.
"Fuck if I know," Celaeno responds - annoyed, though perhaps not quite as much as Kid. "I just got the other place I remembered you from, though. It's that armour. You got a thing about picking up annoying magicky types."
Kid frowns faintly as Celaeno speaks and asks, "I dunno what the hell you're talking about." And she seems earnest enough in that confusion. But it doesn't stop her from carefully gathering the braided hair together into a flat bundle for better helmet application.
"Other day, with the little brat, guy with - y'know what? It's not worth it," Celaeno says, picking up her books. She stands, but doesn't seem to know whether she wants to leave, or stay. She doesn't seem to be handling the situation change very well, without anything to vent her frustration on.
Kid only shrugs her shoulders. Her own intent is clear enough as she picks up her helmet, still sitting. Takes her a few moments to slip it on, but she does so carefully, making sure it won't be too uncomfortable to wear before she locks the seals on it. For once, she doesn't reply at all, taking her time in preparing before she shifts and gets to her feet, pulling out a cover for her keyboard. She'll be spending a few moments getting it inside the waterproof wrap, just in case the weather takes a bad turn.
Her eyes settle on one of the plants as Celaeno twitches briefly. Her hand begins gripping and releasing the hilt as she stares at it, but she just shakes her head with a too-loud laugh, sitting back down, setting down one of the books. "We'll see if I see you about, darling. It occurs to me I never even got to read through my book," she finishes, pulling the headphones on and focusing her attention elsewhere.
Kid frowns at Celaeno's lingering.. interest? Kid doesn't know. Of course, by now her reactions are veiled, so all that the other woman would note is a brief pause in her preparations before Kid simply resumes without speaking. She's ready for quiet time and a good smoke. With her helmet on and her keyboard protected, she wastes no time in taking her leave, turning to stride toward the exit.
Tags: celaeno, kid, sage
