| Logs |
2002 February 20
| Morning Rain |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
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| Realms: Morning Rain Logs |
A Pale Halo of Cirrostratus
- The OutWrite Bookstore
A pleasant little shop, located in SoHo on West Broadway. The outside is typical of the area, with some steps leading up to the front door and apartments up above. The name of the store is above the door, with a rainbow motif. Inside it's a nice shop, with tall plywood shelves and tables of books in the center, which are sometimes moved out of the way for special exhibits; a small table is dedicated to The Zen of Pikachu. There is the faintest of scents of wood and tea here. At the corner nearest to the front door is a small counter with a modest but scrumptious collection of pastries and muffins; a warm, delicious aroma is wafted into the store when the door there opens. At the front, the window-display is not high enough to block the view of the seat from the cashier's counter, letting in the mid-afternoon light.
"And today's weather: warm and sunny, a bit warmer than we're usually used to. Tonight a little chillier, with some breeze. Monday it'll be sunny again..."
The day is a little on the warm side, with a breeze dancing through the streets of SoHo. The Sunday crowd is wandering through the stores and about the sidewalks, and a block away the cars making their way into the Holland Tunnel and backing up traffic are barely heard as a rustle of engines and faint honking of horns.
- "Good news for sports fans -- after a lot of effort Marcus Tyler has proven that he's not a transhuman, and the American League has announced he will be allowed to play for the Red Sox in their next game..."
Outside a little bookstore in the south of SoHo, just a few blocks north of Tribeca, it is the turn of the local Presbyterian church to picket. Signs denouncing the gay lifestyle -- in very politically correct terms, of course, with some not so correct, like 'Homosex Deserves Hellfire' -- are carried by the staid and well-dressed crowd, though they have, mercifully, not chanted any slogans yet.
- "Police in Los Angeles have said that they have no leads on what the transhumans might have done to get the Bloods and Crips to agree to a cease-fire. Local residents expressed relief, but some concern as to what the transhumans did..."
The radio continues its spiel of news, interspersed with the music from a number of local bands. The last indie station in the city plays to a small clientele at the OutWrite: a few regulars, some people curious as to what the Holy Rollers outside were protesting, and some other random idle browsers and voracious bookworms. Of course, more than a bit of attention is given to the small display set up to one side.
Jade sighs softly, adjusting her face-concealing sunglasses, and continues to whisper to her old college friend, "It was really just a joke, you know? It filled a contractual need quickly." With a touch of amused exasperation she adds, "How was I to know it'd go best-seller?" She glances around, then sighs again, a faint smile on her lips. "Oh, well. Maybe the other books' sales will go up too, now. So... when am I on?"
Jade is... beautiful. Her long, flowing hair shimmers a lustrous sable; her dancing emerald eyes are tilted and almond-shaped; her skin is a warm, smooth, flawless shade of honey; her lips part easily in fluid laughter or charming speech; her lithe shape is a supple dream; her slow walk is head-turningly distracting... and she's cautiously thrilled!
Nagi stands behind and slightly to one side of Jade, quietly scanning the few people in attendance. To the protesters he gives little notice, except a cursory glance now and again to see that they aren't planning to do something foolish like break a window. Bryce grins at Jade and pats her shoulder mock-consolingly. He murmurs, watching the picketers with half an eye, "Well, if it upsets you too much I guess you could always give the money back and take it out of print..."
Bryce is a wiry, mildly tanned young man with chin-length, bright, sky-blue hair and cheerful eyes that almost match his hair. He stands about 6'1" and looks about mid to late twenties. He's wearing pale, ripped jeans, comfy black sneakers, a baggy gray tee with the faded rainbow logo "OutWrite Books," and rainbow pride rings on a necklace that hangs outside his shirt.
Jade snorts amusedly, "As if! Dammit, I'll show them yet I really can write!"
A lanky, blue-eyed young man, maybe about 18 or so, with a well worn and fading blue sweater and equally well worn jeans, slips nimbly through the minor maze of shelves from the back, carrying a bunch of boxes. "Bryyyyyyce, the UPS guy came and went! Ms. Jade's publisher sent another box of her book."
Bryce murmurs to Jade, "You're on whenever you feel like it, since you're here... I'll have Kim bring you tea if it goes on too long and your throat gets dry, how 'bout? Just give us a nod..." He adds, "I'm half tempted to send Kim out to offer the picketers refreshments. Don't they know they're extra publicity? And Kim's so... wholesome."
One of the idle browsers meanders through the shelves towards the display. She's one of the regulars, a mother of two who lets her children come to the store for the story-time, and one of her toddlers is sleeping lazily upon her shoulder. She looks at the books beside Jade for a few moments, before looking up at the woman. "Hi," she says, smiling quietly. "Are you... the author?"
Jade's expression changes smoothly as the woman moves closer, and she just happens to have been taking the sunglasses off just then. She smiles warmly, her professional facade firmly in place as she settles in the chair by the little table holding the display of 'The Zen of Pikachu,' "Yes, I am. A pleasure to meet you. May I sign a copy for you?"
The woman smiles, nodding to Jade. "Oh, yes, please, I'd like that. You know, all I know is that my other son loves that Pokemon stuff..." She turns her smile to Nagi. "And you are... her husband?"
Nagi murmurs politely, "An aide, while Ms. Ayakarimono is in this country."
Standing straight and wiry, Nagi is a honey-skinned man of indeterminate age, with a strong, though not bulky, build. His cheeks are hollowed by a five o-clock shadow, and his unruly dark hair is shot through with gray. He wears a long, black leather jacket buttoned up only halfway; the left sleeve swings empty at his side, his hand instead hanging in the crook of the opening. His wrists are covered by heavy, rust-colored kendo kote that terminate in black gloves. His pants are loose and dark gray; his shoes are ratty New Balance sneakers. His shirt is printed in bright colors with a crashing wave; his eyes are covered by large, dark sunglasses -- the kind that enclose the sides. Not an impressive man, just a fit little man, with the look of someone's professor or somebody's uncle.
Jade chuckles quietly, opening a book with smooth movements and pausing with a pen in hand, "Whom shall I dedicate this to, please?"
Bryce turns to Kim and says, "Better bring that extra box out, we might have a rush. And could you look for a small table or tray? I think I want to send the religious right some tea and cakes." He adds wryly, "Not a table or tray you're fond of... just in case."
Kim beams a smile to Bryce, raising the box on his shoulder a bit. "Already thought of it." He carefully settles the box on the floor next to the counter, brushing his hands off as he stands. Looking outside the window, his usually cheerful smile fades a bit. "Well... if you think it'll help, Bry. They don't seem too interested in doing more than picketing." He glances over to Jade and drops his voice. "I hope it doesn't hurt her book sales to be doing this here."
Bryce grins at Kim, having been too distracted by Jade's fans and the picketers to notice the box. "You're the best, kid! Don't worry, I wouldn't ask you to take it out to them. It's just a gesture, you know? If they get ugly, they look worse. Either way, we look good and more harmless. And hey, picketing's thirsty work. I should know." He keeps this a quiet murmur, so as not to announce it to the general clientele, then sighs quietly to Kim, "I don't know about Jade's sales, though."
Kim nods, smiling quietly. "Well, if you say so, boss. Betcha that creep Tyler doesn't have a congregation picketing his West Side apartment."
The woman simply goes "oh!" in that way that people go when they realize they've made a goof and want to quietly remove the shoe from their mouths. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean... well! Oh, to Justin, please, Ms. Ayakarimono." She stumbles over the name a little, but manages to get the pronunciation rather well. "What would you say would be a good age for someone to read it?"
Jade smiles warmly again, "Please don't worry, ma'am, it's a common misperception, and we don't mind." She writes with a small flourish, murmuring aloud, "To Justin, with love, Jade!" She closes the book and hands it to the woman gracefully. "There you go! I hope he enjoys it. And as far as age... well, I did try to write it to appeal to anyone." Her professional demeanor's really quite good... almost astonishingly so. She seems to practically exude charming comfortableness.
Nagi spares the protesters another passing glance, and suppresses a small yawn. The woman smiles, thanking Jade warmly and bidding her -- and Nagi -- a warm good-day, moving around to browse a little more. Jade waits until the woman's left with her children and no one else is close, before she turns in the chair and beckons to Bryce and Kim, whispering, "Come here a moment, please?"
Bryce sidles obediently up. "Yes, my goddess of delight?"
Jade giggles at Bryce, then whispers fiercely, "If I hear any more crap about my being here maybe hurting my sales, I... I will personally kick your shapely butt in Aikido class next Wednesday, Bryce!"
Bryce blinks, then manages a cheeky, "Oooooh. Promise?" He winks and pats her shoulder again. "Ok."
Jade giggles delightedly, then grins, her green eyes alight, "Yes, and you know it, boyo!"
Kim goes over to Jade with Bryce, and at Jade's fierceness he looks a bit taken aback. The good humor of his boss seems to reassure him a bit, though, but not a great deal. He is somewhat quieter as he goes to scrounge up a small table for refreshments for the picketers. Bryce pokes Jade mildly. "Don't frighten the help. Kim thinks you'll eat me. Spare a little charm for him sometime, will ya?"
Nagi says, "Will you excuse me for just a moment, Seiko?"
Jade nods to her bodyguard, "Of course, Nagi." She giggles again at Bryce' comment, remarking slyly, "Oh, so that's how you intend to dissuade him from following you around and sighing?"
Bryce gives Nagi a curious look, as the bodyguard moves quietly down from the display. He pads toward the front of the shop, to stand near the door while Kim collects the refreshments for the picketers. Not blocking the door, but close enough to see it, Kim, and the front window... and to have a direct line toward the door if necessary.
Bryce murmurs offhandedly to Jade, "If anyone can convince him to ignore my 'shapely butt,' you probably can, especially now you're wearing that stallion piss pheromone or whatever it is you're doing. Men keep lining up in droves, or hadn't you noticed?"
Jade's delighted laugh is almost liquid sounding. A moment later she recovers herself and grins at Bryce, "I swear, you always could make me laugh without effort... stallion piss?! Eeew!"
Bryce keeps an eye on Kim to make sure he doesn't try to take the refreshments out to the picketers himself. He just might, to impress me... and he could get hurt... He grins and flutters a wink at Jade. Jade chuckles quietly as she turns back to cheerfully greet another customer who wishes a copy of her book signed.
As time passes, there is a constant stream of folks waiting in line by the little table, eager to chat with the charming author and generally happy and upbeat to be there, despite the picketers outside. Jade seems to be enjoying herself also, happily greeting folks, signing and chatting, occasionally mentioning her other books, and cheerfully mentioning several times how much more she enjoys signings in places like this bookstore... such comfortable, friendly surroundings!
Bryce waits for a customer lull, and leans in to whisper innocently to Jade, "So, you gonna enter our short-story smut contest? Might help offset that Pikachu reputation." She has to stifle another amused snort at Bryce' whisper, although her free hand moves below the level of the table to slap lightly against one of his legs.
Kim has retrieved a largish tray loaded with some pastry goodness and a pitcher of lemonade, and is making his way to the front door. He does hesitate a few yards from the door, glancing over to Bryce. "Do I hafta?" he asks wryly, smiling a bit. The picketers aren't making him nervous... well, yes, a little. He's not used to it.
Bryce hurries over to take the tray from Kim, smiling, "Hell no! You couldn't pay me to let you take it out, I just asked you to assemble it! They might get ugly. Stay inside, and thanks."
The boy looks immediately relieved, though he tries to hide it. "Sure thing, Bry," he says, making his way a bit deeper inside, busying himself with rearranging the books on the shelves.
Bryce slips outside. "Okay, juice and cookies for anyone who wants!" he calls out cheerfully, ironically the same thing he says when he serves for children's story-time. He doesn't linger outside, though -- simply sets the tray down near the doorway and heads back inside. The picketers... are more stunned than anything. They exchange confused glances. At least one hand reaches out to the cookies, but a slap on that hand sends all of them fleeing. For the time being, anyway.
Nagi just watches carefully through the glass until Bryce returns safely inside. After a few moments pass with no incident, he finally loses his ongoing battle with the yawn, and can't suppress it this time. Potential threat aside, picketing is dull. He returns to Jade's side. They could at least put more effort into penning a catchier set of chants.
Bryce heads back to Jade, with a smile of thanks for Nagi being there nearby. His expression is ever so faintly smug. Jade's emerald eyes are bright with amusement at Bryce' expression, as she turns to the next person in line at her table. Nagi nods politely, and again tries to stifle that yawn. So much for professionalism. I'm falling asleep.
The woman with the toddler on her shoulder moves up to the register, moving around other people here to see the author of the unique book. Even money says the picket has intimidated some -- doubtless what the congregation had intended -- but already the stream of people is increasing slightly more than usual: the Sunday afternoon shopping is just starting. A few seem to have been men who wandered by the store and glanced in when Jade was looking in their direction. The woman, Janice, looks about, seeing Bryce outside, then looks over to Jade almost apologetically. "Is this your first time at a picketed bookstore?" she asks, when there is a momentary lapse in the stream of people clamoring for Jade's attention.
Jade laughs softly and smiles, "Bryce is a personal friend, ma'am. A few random picketers certainly aren't going to keep me away... they just don't know him." She grins, adding, "Sometimes I tease him that he'd feel lonely without them!"
Janice laughs. "Bryce is a good man; I'll never get what these people have against him." As the bookseller returns inside, she smiles to Bryce. "Hi, Bryce," she says warmly, setting a few books on the register; The Zen of Pikachu is prominently on top. "Story-time'll be the same time this week?"
Bryce grins, "Absolutely, Janice. Want me to ring these up for you?" Janice nods enthusiastically, trying not to rouse the sleeping infant as she digs out her purse.
A foot patrolman strolls up, looks over the picketers, and snags a pastry from the tray. He steps inside the shop and nods. "Everything okay, Mr. Michaels?" Some of the picketers outside are trying to get the cop's attention, trying to relate the evils that are going on in the store. One of the picketers has taken the chance to sneak a pastry from the tray, and is standing to the back while all the attention is on the beat cop.
Jade can't resist... she grins and winks at the pastry nibbler, then goes back to her fans. Bryce ponders sending Nagi some wake-up tea... he looks up and smiles at the patrolman. "So far, so good, Officer Samuels! Thanks." He adds cheerfully, "Pastry's unsinged by hellfire so far."
The pastry-thief blinks when he notices he's noticed, and smiles weakly back... then quickly makes the rest of the pastry disappear when the picketers realize the cop's ignoring them. "A travesty, I tell you, a travesty!" one of the women is saying. "That the right law is ignoring our message!" "Mmph, traphephy, mmhm, yeph," the man agrees, little flakes of pastry at his chin. The woman just kind of glares at him; he seems perfectly unaffected.
Jade smiles and waves at the patrolman, then continues chatting animatedly with the young man who apparently wants four copies of her book, all signed 'To my dearest Fred, with all my love, Jade'... for his... nephew. Yes, that's it... his nephew. Nagi mutters, "Hellfire. They couldn't hope to be so interesting."
The officer -- his nametag reads 'M. Samuels' -- smiles. "No surprise. I can't stay long. Umm... How long is Ms. Jade going to be here?" He's doing his best to ignore the picketers.
Bryce checks his watch reflexively, then shrugs and laughs, "As long as she wants to -- probably as long as the crowd holds out, unless we get too hungry. I've already ordered us dinner from Nunzio's. Why, did you want a copy?"
Jade smiles up at the cop, "Sure, I can sign a copy for you. Any friend of Bryce's, as they say." Bryce finishes up Janice's order as quietly as possible so as not to wake the kidlet, and slips off to find a bracing tea for Nagi. Janice smiles to Bryce, waving 'bye' to Kim, Jade, and Nagi, and makes her way out. The picketers don't harass her, any more than they've harassed other passers-by. They've actually been well behaved. Relatively.
The cop smiles. "I'd really appreciate it, Ms. Jade, ma'am. It's for my niece. Mary Samuels. I told my brother I'd make a point of stopping in to get it."
Jade nods and pulls a copy of her book over, signs with her usual flourish, then smiles as she hands it to the cop, "There you go -- best wishes to Mary, love, Jade. I hope she likes it."
Officer Samuels smiles again. "Thank you so much. Bryce, could I ask you to hold this for me until I go off-duty? Can't carry it around the beat..."
Bryce pauses to take Officer Samuels' book and nods, "Of course. It'll be right here under the counter," as he stows it. "No problem. Just knock if the shop's closed; we'll be in here having dinner."
Samuels nods. "Thanks." He steps back outside, and the picketers start arguing with him almost immediately. Bits of the conversation carry through the door. "...not doing anything illegal. I can't arrest him for offending you. If he offends you, why don't you all go somewhere else?"
Bryce finds Nagi that tea... Jade smiles sweetly through the window at the picketers, then cheerfully continues chatting and signing. At some point she'll pause long enough for a cup of tea, and she's careful to be nice to poor intimidated Kim at some point also. It's a little strange to her to realize that even though she doesn't like her book... there are people who really care about it... and it's fun to chat with them. Fans are nice!
- "The Central African Caucus issued a statement today saying that it deplores the persecution of transhumans. Some member-nations of the Caucus, however, have distanced themselves from that statement, saying that the Caucus does not speak for all of them..."
The day wears on. The picketers pack up and head to their homes to prepare for Sunday dinner. All the pastries are gone, and most of the juice, and a little post-it note set there says THANK YOU! SORRY FOR THE TROUBLE! Traffic surges a bit at about 4, then slows, and the number of pedestrians also slows; the stream of people attending the book-signing tapers off as people start wondering where to have dinner, and bemoaning having to go to work tomorrow. Clouds begin to roll in, changing the sky from a puff-bespotted blue to a slightly murky, fluffy gray.
Nagi mms softly, looking out the front window. Going to rain again... Jade giggles when Bryce walks back in with the tray and reads the post-it note to the group still in the store. Bryce checks the time and says, "Italian dinner ought to be here soon. It only has to walk across the street." He grins, tickled pink about the note, then joins Nagi at the window, looking out. Wonder if this one's going to do anything...
Nagi says, "It's going to rain again. I can smell it."
The owner of the deli across the street picks his way past a couple of straggler protesters, carrying a bag weighed down with food. He waves to Bryce as he shakes them off, "-good neighbor, and he's a good customer, too! You be as good a customer as he is, maybe someday I listen to your cockamamie ideas!" He shakes his head as he steps into the bookshop. "Hey, Bryce! Here's your order. Veggie lasagna for four. How'd the signing go?"
Jade mms at the smell of food, smiling at the deli owner, "Lovely! It went very well, thank you. Would you like a signed copy also?"
The big fellow looks a little embarrassed. "Would you mind?"
Jade laughs warmly, then adds, "You know I live for people to read my books. Like I'm going to mind?" She grins mischievously, adding, "Want more than one?"
Nagi shakes his head slightly and looks up as the deli owner enters. "Ah, excellent."
Bryce says softly to Nagi, "Never a dull moment, hm?" and smiles wryly, before hurrying over to thank and pay Nunzio, beaming and showing him the note.
Nagi runs a hand through his hair, and notes the gray strands that cling to his fingers after. "No, certainly not," he murmurs, mostly to himself. He shakes himself out of that reverie quickly enough; old news, and there's food to be had. Kim hears Nunzio's grande voice, and immediately beelines from the back storeroom to where there's the smell of really lovely and eminently edible food. Bryce grins! Kids. Always hungry. His own stomach rumbles audibly.
Nunzio smiles. "Well... my cousin's kids would like one, and one for my Marissa." He grins at Bryce. "They liked the pastries, did they?"
Nagi mms again. "It was the most courteous they'd been all day."
Nunzio chuckles. "That's not saying too much. Paisano, the lot." Bryce just beams at Nunzio, looking like the cat that ate the canary.
Nagi says, "An excellent point."
Jade cheerfully signs three copies and hands them to Nunzio, "There you go! And thank you so much for dinner!"
Nagi says, "Yes, thank you very much."
Nunzio blushes a little. "My pleasure. Any friend of Bryce's is fine by me. I've got to get back for the evening rush, though. Enjoy, si?"
Bryce nods vigorously, mouth full and eyes sparkling. "Mff mm!"
Jade grins cheerfully, "Definitely!" before having her own mouthful.
Nagi nods. "We will. Have a good evening, sir."
Nunzio waves as he heads back to his shop. "Take care!"
Bryce swallows and yells, "Thanks, you too! Stay dry!"
- "...And tonight at the Palladium, Tres Locos will be performing their smash hit, 'More Human Than Human!'... And don't forget to catch DJ Mutant-Z spinning at the Rose Club's new location...!"
Jade looks up, swallowing her mouthful, then says curiously, "Is it just me, or are there a lot of transhuman-related entertainment things coming out now?" She pauses, then adds thoughtfully, "Bet there's a story in this...?"
Nagi hms. "Exploiting a controversy."
Jade stares at her plate, her emerald eyes absently tracing the curls of a piece of pasta, murmuring, "Hm... tragic romance, maybe... or would that be too exploitative...?"
Bryce flicks his eyes toward Kim, then back to Jade, and just says, "Yeah... I can't tell yet if it's settling into 'chic' or just a trend, or general acceptance... kinda like bisexuality lately." He adds wistfully, "I wish you would, Jade. It could maybe do a lot of good, with your newfound popularity. Not even tragic -- just a romance, with a transhuman and a normal guy, maybe -- happy endings after the strife, acceptance, a friendlier world..." He sighs and rests his chin on his hands.
Jade looks up interestedly, "You think so, Bryce?" She grins suddenly, "Hm... that'd be a viable alternative to the follow-up book to Zen of Pikachu..." she gets a long-suffering look, "-which yes, my editor already is hounding me about!" Bryce laughs, quietly, though his heart's not in it. Jade smiles, then reaches to pat Bryce' hand lightly, in commiseration. Bryce smiles quietly at Jade and visibly perks himself back up, though the deliberate cheer of the entire picketed, public day has been set aside.
Nagi says, "And has NOA ceased calling her yet?"
Jade grins at Nagi, "Don't know! She won't say... although she got a rather smug look when I brought it up last time."
Nagi says, "Ah. Good news, then. The woman smiles like a shark." Jade giggles and nods at Nagi's comment. Bryce also laughs at Nagi's comment.
Kim eats the lasagna voraciously -- Nunzio is really good -- apparently blissfully unaware of any angst in the air. "Well," he says quietly, "I know a lot of people are mixed about it. DJ Mutant-Z claims he's a transhuman, using his 'powerz' to spin 'phat beatz'." You can almost hear the misspellings in his voice, laced with a mild dose of sarcasm. "Nobody believes him, though, since he's good but not great. He got pushed out of the schedule at the Roxy last month in favor of Boy George."
Nagi says, "I thought that man was dead." Bryce snickers softly at both Nagi and Kim.
Kim shakes his head cheerfully to Nagi. "Nope. He's a DJ now, spinning in London, sometimes in other cities."
Nagi says, "Fascinating." Bryce covers a cough -- or a louder laugh -- with one hand. Jade sighs and smiles, finishing dinner and leaning back in her chair. She reaches back and relaxedly pulls two long, decorated pins from her dark hair, letting it fall loosely about her small face. She's not 'on'... like Bryce, this is her personal 'face,' not a professional demeanor, now. Nagi yawns again, covering it with his hand. "It's getting late."
And outside, the clouds get just a little bit thicker.