Brief Title:
GMW
Characters:
Showstopper and Topaz
Scene Runner/Watcher:
IC Date:
02/08/2013
Location:
Spinners Music - Greenwich Village
Summary:
Topaz meets Richenda
Social or Plot:
TS:
No
Log:
==[ Spinner's Music - Greenwich Village ]==
Your standard music store. Postered walls lined with racks and shelves of CDs, Tapes, and other music medium. Old 45's hang from the ceiling attached to strings and twirl in the AC. The place always has some progressive music playing and there are teens hanging out in here listening and looking through selections.
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Normally Chenda Gray would be in school around this time. But things at the school have been a little hectic lately, especially with some of the graduating students, so today faculty is meeting and students have a day off to catch up, or whatever. For Chenda, the obvious choice is 'whatever'. So she's in New York.
It's not all play and no work, though. To get there, she had to promise to drop off some forms from the school at Ship in Mutant Town. But now that's done, and she's out visiting a part of the city she doesn't see that often: Greenwich Village.
The search for a present and a recommendation from a friend brings her to Spinner's Music, home of posters, 45 mobiles, and about every kind of music medium that ever existed, including a few old gramophone cylinders in protective cases behind the counter and a gramophone to play them on. Smiling at the welcome cheesiness of the presentation, she pulls off her gloves, unwinds her scarf, and starts looking around the largest part of the store: the CD selection. This might take a while...
As much as she likes the old vinyl records, Topaz to, wrapped in her amazing technicolor duster, peruses the cd's as well. She though it in the section that is usually just looked through my the older crowd, like baby boomers. Selections there would include, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and other crooners of the early-mid 20th century. A small stack of CDs that she plans to purchase is set beside, this is mostly world music.
Chenda, slipping something by Deep Purple from the rack, looks up and blinks at the sight of Topaz. Wow, what an exotic-looking person, even for New York! Strange that she's in that part of the store when she looks hardly older than the gypsy girl herself...
Chenda looks up above the woman, spotting another stack of CDs on a shelf. Strange that they'd put anything up there! It's unusual enough to draw her in like a moth to an incandescent bulb. What would they put away from the regular selection?
To look, she'll need a stepstool. To get there, she'll have to pass by the exotic classics fan. Well, might as well be polite about it. "'Scuse me," she says softly, brushing past that technicolor duster back-to-back and hip-to-hip. These aisles really could be a little wider!
A cd is pulled from the rack, its front and back scrutinized and then returned to the exact same spot. "Certainly." her mild accent cements her exotic nature. Topaz makes as much room as possible for the girl to slip past, placing her hand on top of the cds she has set aside so they don't topple should the rack get nudged.
Chenda doesn't reply as she brushes past (mild embarrassment at contact, curious interest/attraction), but her own attempts to avoid sending stacked CDs scattering involve looking at them. She gets a quick look at the titles and artists, smiling a little to herself (bemused nostalgia). Her mother actually liked some of those.
She catches up a stepstool from near the counter, moving back to the overhead shelf and setting it up. Then she steps up, stretching to look at the labels (moderately excited curiosity). It's a tricky position to hold, but she sweeps her eyes across the selection.
Topaz is used to feeling such emotions, from all sorts of people, so besides an slight grin that they are coming from a young girl, she pays them no mind. She does glance at the shelf above, wondering what Richenda is going after with such eagerness. Turning to the shelf on the other side of the aisle, so her back is to the girl, she makes a sharp motion with a hand, which is hidden by her body. Some may notice that hand glowing for a brief moment, but maybe it was just a trick of the light. Whatever the reason the cd's on the shelf practically slide themselves in the girls hand.
Mostly, Chenda was curious, but that's not to say that she wouldn't buy something up there if it was interesting enough! Still, most things don't say 'buy me' by moving into your hand. The first interesting CD Chenda sees, when she reaches for it, slips from the stack into her fingers. The sudden motion startles her so much that she loses her balance! "Whoa..!"
Once Richenda starts to fall backwards she will suddenly feel a hand in the center of her back, pushing her forward, "Easy there child. I doubt the owner wants to deal with an injured customer today." the voice is lilting and Topaz is looking up as she speaks. She will continue to stand arm up and keeping the teen from falling until she regains her balance, effortlessly it seems.
"Oof... huh?" Normally, when she falls, she doesn't stop in the middle of it! Chenda glances back as she hears those words, finding herself supported by the exotic woman with the CDs. "Whoa... you're strong!" And perceptive, considering she'd turned her back earlier. The gypsy girl, blushing, catches hold of a shelf support and rebalances herself. "Thank you. But how'd you do that? You weren't even looking at me," she says, guessing but keeping her voice down. She's /sure/ the woman's back was turned! "And I'm /not/ a child... I'm almost 19!"
Topaz only gives a throaty laugh at the girl's surprise followed by her indignation, "You are a waif." she comments sizing the girl up. Once balance is regained the hand is removed and perhaps it was glowing golden, but by the time the hand drops it has faded. "19! Practically an old woman in some cultures, but still a child in wisdom and expereince."
"Waif?" Chenda doesn't know the word, but she's guessing it means something like small person. Which, admittedly, she is. Still looking back at the laughing woman, she catches the odd sight of her hand... glowing? This gets stranger and stranger. "You don't look much older than me, lady," she ripostes, frowning. "And you look to be about my size, too."
She hops down from the stool with easy grace, landing beside her prior savior and looking her almost perfectly in the eyes. "Thought so!"
Another amused chuckle is given and Topaz gives a slight shake of her head "I was not referring to your size, child. I was referring to your status." she doesn't go into detail about that though but instead glances down at the CD's that Richenda went to so much trouble to get "Anything good on the top shelf?
"Stay-tus?" If anything, that's just as confusing as the word 'waif'. Chenda shakes her head. "I don't think that's pronounced that way... and what do statues have to do with me?"
The gypsy girl didn't come away with anything, really, considering how she actually got down from the ladder. She shrugs. "Depends on how much you like Elvis, I guess. Or meditation soundtracks." She gives the lady in the coat of many colors a thoughtful look. "Granted, you do look like you'd be into the meditation thing..."
"I didn't know that people who meditated had a specific look." Topaz is non-chalant in her comment, not taking any offense at the assumption that just because she looks Indian means she must meditate "Since you take offense at being called child, what would you like to be called instead." strange way to ask for a name.
"You aren't? There were a few clues... I'm sorry if I offended you," Chenda replies, blushing a little. "But no, I really don't want to be called 'child'. Maybe kid, or girl, or just my name." She offers her hand. "Which is Chenda."
The woman is tentative about taking the hand, but does so for politeness sake "Topaz." she offers her own name in exchange. "Oh no, you are correct, I do meditate, but not to music, I find it quite distracting." she waves a dismissive hand toward the new age and so-called meditative music "Most of those artists wouldn't know true meditation.
"Topaz... your name's as pretty as you," Chenda replies sincerely, bowing her head. "I did see some wind and surf sounds, if that's more your thing. I guess music wouldn't be much help."
"A bit to new, new age for me." Topaz states "I can understand why some people like it but it's just noise to me. I deal with enough of that in my life, I'd rather not listen to it for relaxation, unless I am actually listening to the real thing and on the beach with a pina colada or maitai in hand." she smiles "Served up by an attractive young man.
"Somehow I don't think you'd have any trouble finding the young man, especially if you approached from the right," Chenda replies teasingly, noting that Topaz's skirt is hiked up on the left side. "Pity about the time of year, and this not really being beach country." She looks over at the CD stack Topaz was gathering up. "Music for relaxing to? Not meditating, of course."
Topaz chuckles again "Trouble finding them, no, trouble getting them to go away and leave me alone. Lots." her eyes follow to her stack of music "And for working too. I own the bar a few door down from here." which could explain the man trouble, "I try to keep the music fresh and eclectic, must like my patrons.
"Oh... oh!" Chenda's eyes widen as the Clue Light comes on. "At least your patrons have good taste." Abruptly she falls silent and blushes. "Um, in music, I meant. Not that liking you would be an indication of bad taste or anything, not at all. 'Cuz it wouldn't..." She cuts herself off by putting a hand firmly over her mouth, her eyes squinching shut in frustration.
Reaching out to touch the young woman's arm, Topaz "I know what you mean, even if you don't say it right." at the contact she uses her empathic abilities to pull the frustration Richenda is feeling away and replaces it with something more emotionally positive and more natural for the girl "Every month I open the bar for 18 an older, you should come by and check it out. I usually hire a live local band to play on those evenings.
"You do? Um..." If anything, Chenda only blushes more deeply. But at that touch, the frustration ebbs, along with the tension, and the gypsy girl sighs as her body relaxes. "It does sound fun. Maybe I will. I know a few musicians in town, if you're looking for good acts. But I don't know the name of your bar, Topaz. Is it something jewel related?"
"I have a couple of reliable band now, but you never know when I will need someone else at a moment's notice." Topaz doesn't answer the question, feeling it is not needed. "No, it's called The Voodoo Lounge. Not jewel related at all. It's not a nightclub or a sports bar. Just a relaxing place where a person can go relax and enjoy music or have a drink with friends.
"Actually, that sounds good. I hate sports bars; somebody always tries to spill something on my shirt and claim it was an accident," Chenda says with a wry smile. "And nightclubs tend to have dress codes... um, is there one at the Voodoo Lounge?"
Topaz gives Richenda a once over, taking in her clothes and whatever state they happen to be in "Just the one imposed by the health department, and a person's common sense. We get all kinds in the bar, even the occasional mutant." and mage and demon, etc, but she makes no mention of those, no need to scare the girl. "Anyone if free to come in if they don't cause problems and if they do I am free to kick them out.
Chenda, as usual, is clad in layered tees and flared jeans, the latter just a touch bigger than necessary because the girl is eternally between sizes. The clothes are far from new, but well kept and clean, and a well-worn winter coat is thrown on over them. "I won't cause any trouble," she replies. And her expression falters. "At least, not on purpose. Sometimes stuff happens when I'm around." A moment's silece, then, "And are you a mutant, Topaz? I saw your hand glowing there... and for the record, I won't scream and run if you are."
There is a look around the area, Topaz noting the locations of customers and employees and seeing that none are paying them any attention answers, "Nothing as mundane as that, Chenda." she claims, but would someone even answer that honestly, especially to someone they didn't know.
Chenda, noting that look around, steps a little closer. "Oh... maybe I'd better not ask what," she replies softly. "It's kind of a personal question, and all." She hesitates, then plunges ahead. "But I am. So it's totally cool that your bar allows mutants."
"It certainly not a question typically asked of a complete stranger." she concedes. Topaz gathers the cd's she plans to purchase. "I've no problem with mutants. They have certainly not done anything to hurt me and the few I know are nice people and aren't at all what they are made out to be." she points out the window to the entrance to her bar across and down the street "That's my place. Feel free to drop in on 18 and over nights." from the distance it seems that a few people are entering the lounge "That was my staff, time to go play boss. It was a pleasure meeting you." with that she will go and pay for her things and head out.
"Nice place," Chenda says approvingly. "And nice meeting you, too. Look for me on 18 and over night." She gives the woman a little fingertip wave and a smile, and returns to her own CD shopping.
