Old stories

[Ashley McGowen] Grant Park isn't just open grassy fields; the park is full of other odds and ends too, things like the Cloud Gate and the exhibits out in front of the three museums that are contained within. By now, Ashley has been in Chicago for nearly a year, and she has explored every inch of the place.

That said, today was glorious. It's enough like spring to fool anyone who didn't grow up with lake effect: it is warm enough that Ashley believes the snow is done, that another foot-high snowfall isn't right around the corner over Lake Michigan. So she's spent most of today outside, either reading or walking Zane, and the park happens to be a convenient place for such excursions.

In front of the Art Insititute just outside Millenium Park, a massive lion guards the steps. Hermetic and shepherd have found their way up against one of its legs (where they would probably not be allowed during normal museum hours). Ashley has a book facedown in her lap, a small light, and the dog's head is resting on her thigh. Her head is tilted back against the statue, eyes closed. Resting, for now.

[Emily Littleton] The weather was sweet and inviting, leaving Emily with high hopes of Spring. She'd grown up in vastly different climes and even after a couple years in residence, Chicago's weather patterns eluded her. She'd been fooled, like the rest of the non-native population, into pulling out that box with the spring time clothing. Lighter weight slacks, skirts (Skirts!) and thinner sweaters. For the first time in months, she was without that heavy winter coat. It was, indeed, glorious.

And nights like this were to be savored. She wandered the park, somewhat aimlessly, for the time after sunset. She had not explored as much as Ashley, and the younger girl was still putting all of the pieces of the landscaped puzzle together. Independently, she knew where several of them were, but the intracacies of how they all entangled and intertwined? Still working on that part.

The Art Institute was one of the few places she knew well, at present. She'd been there not too long ago with another of the city's Disciples. Emily recognized Zane a split second before she recognized Ashley, and her path changed to bring her closer to where they were relaxing.

"Looks like a nice place to read," she commented, with a warm smile and a little wave, as she came up to them.

[Ashley McGowen] Zane hears Emily's approach long before Ashley does, smells her, and he lifts his head off of Ashley's leg. The Hermetic is relaxed enough that she does not take immediate notice (another time and it might be trouble) and she simply drops a hand to the top of his head, rubbing his ears.

Her eyes pop open when Emily speaks. "It was too nice out to stay in," she says. It might be surprising, that she enjoys that time outdoors; Ashley is so dour that most people have a hard time imagining her enjoying much of anything, most of the time. She doesn't move off the lion; she simply draws a knee up to her chest, watching Emily from where she's perched.

"What has you out here?"

[Emily Littleton] "Much the same," she admits, looking upward a little as if to give thanks for the turn in the weather. Then back to Ashley. "I'm not entirely acclimated and I am quite ready for longer days and warmer weather." Her smile broadens, as they've found something in common. It may be purely meterological, but it was a good starting ground.

"What are you reading?" she inquires, and it's more curious than a polite stab at making conversation. Emily is not likely as well read as Ashley, but she enjoys books and is curious about a wide range of topics. Especially ones she has yet to encounter. She may be a little like Ashley's apprentice in that way, or possibly even Ashley herself.

[Ashley McGowen] Emily doesn't know it, but by showing interest she's opened herself up to more information about books than she likely wanted or can handle. Ashley is indeed well read; it's how she spends most of her days, buried in one book or another, or writing. Surrounded by words, much the same way as she once surrounded herself with music.

"The Tale of Igor's Campaign," she tells Emily, holding up the book so that she can see the cover. It's rather aged, a hardback with slightly frayed corners and binding, dusty. "It's an old Russian epic. Lost the author, though. I wish I knew Old Slavic and didn't have to have it translated, but that's a little obscure even for me."

[Emily Littleton] Emily has an appreciation for old books that may seem at odds with her collegiate pursuits. So it is with an appropriate attention to detail and quiet appreciation that she inspects the worn binding, slightly frayed corners. Almost a fondness.

"Is it something that could be looked up, if one had the proper resources, the missing author? Or is it lost to history," she asked, because they were different questions. One she might be able to do something about, if any of her travels took her back to the right region in the near future.

"And what of Igor's Campaign?" she adds, curious as to the themes and content of the book. Perhaps it was surprising that something like this might pique her interest, but Emily liked things from far away cultures. They were more tangible and real, in some ways, than the present myths and epics.

[Ashley McGowen] "It's lost to history," Ashley says, with a glance down at the book in her hands. "It happens with a lot of epic poetry, unfortunately. There might have been other changes too, in a modern translation, given that the Soviet Union tended to go through even old manuscripts and make changes."

She handles it carefully, the book; her leather messenger bag is set down at the base of the lion's other leg, leaning against the metal. She probably arrived with it tucked away within.

"Igor was the prince of the Novgorod-Seversk province in the late twelfth century. The epic details his raid against the people in the Don region. One of the more interesting things about it is that there are a lot of vivid descriptions of nature and old Russian gods and folklore - and that's in contrast to the Christian influence that was beginning to be prevalent at the time it was written..." She stops then, glancing at Emily with a smirk. "Sorry, I'm rambling, I'll stop."

[Emily Littleton] Her smile broadened a little, and then turned somewhat wry. It was a common expression for Emily, but Ashley would only just be starting to learn that. She hadn't spent as much time with the young Orphan as others had.

"You're not rambling, and I rather like hearing about it," she replied easily, with a bit of a shrug. "Growing up, I was more or less surrounded by other cultures and customs. I wish I'd paid more attention to their folklore and stories."

"Some times I think people like you or Jarod would have benefitted more from it than I did," she added. But it was an idle thought, and not meant to carry too much weight.

[Ashley McGowen] "I have plenty of books I'd be happy to lend you," Ashley tells her, "if you're interested in reading more about them. It has a practical purpose too, of course, since while a lot of it's exaggerated or isn't described properly, you'll find a few useful bits of information about the history of magical society or odd creatures or the like."

She mentions Jarod, and Ashley just quirks a brow at that, choosing not to comment on it. When she'd run into the Verbena in a bookstore, they'd both been reading poetry; she can guess at what Emily means well enough. "I didn't read very much until after I woke up," she says. "I sort of learned to like stories after that."

[Jonathan Kincade] Jonathan had been avoiding Grant Park for some time now, perhaps the location brought back memories of someone he had to hurt rather badly. But it was a decision he had had to make, for his own happiness if nothing else.

So at the moment the professor walked along the path of the park, locked away in his own thought processes. Having to apologise every now and then as he bumped into random people.

He had been busy investigating mysterious daggers that had apparently been used to slay a ghost. Things were starting to get weird, though he was quite pleased with the results he had gotten so far. So on he walks , quietly humming too himself. Seemingly not noticing the two females over near the Art institute that he knew.

[Emily Littleton] There was a flicker of recognition (or something) in Ashley's expression when Emily mentioned Jarod... but of course there would be. She remembered now. They'd met at least once, when he went to help Alice. Strange how the whole network of people folded back in on itself at odd turns and opportunities. Like Jon, wandering near them in the park that evening. Magi tended to congregate in odd knots, unpredictable patterns.

"If you have any recommendations of where to start, I'd enjoy it. At a very novice level, of course. I'm finding it helps to take an interest in something completely unaligned with work; in some ways, Waking Up has been good for me on that front. Counterpoint helps me focus, and getting a bit more in touch with culture, magical or otherwise, might prove quite helpful."

Her voice would reach Jon's ears as he drew nearer. Perhaps it would even be familiar.

[Ashley McGowen] "What sort of stories have you liked in the past?" she asks, dropping her elbow across the knee that was drawn up against her chest. She has closed the book and is reaching across Zane to her bag, drawing it over so that she can tuck the book away into it. It's spring, and even sitting beneath the lion as she is, if it began to drizzle it might damage the old pages.

Jon, she cannot notice; it's dark and distance separates them and she can only pay attention to so many things with one good eye. Perhaps he'll recognize her voice, though: it's something easily attributable to her, high and clear, though occasionally the pitch wavers and becomes something flat.

"You can have a look at my mundane library anytime you'd like. Provided I get the books back, of course."

[Emily Littleton] "Ah..." Emily thought on this for a moment, then admitted almost shyly. "My mom saw to it that I was well versed in British folklore, and whatever else from the Isles she could shoe-horn under that umbrella. I think it was her way of balancing out the American stories my dad would tell. So I grew up liking a mish mash of Johnny Appleseed tales and Arthur of Camelot."

"It's not the most erudite answer, is it?" she chided herself lightly.

[Jonathan Kincade] Jon takes a few more steps and then stops, as he over hears a part of a conversation. His brow furrowing in concentration as he tries to place the voice. Turning in the direction of the voice as he searches out the person whose voice belonged too it.

Peering into the darkening night, he heads off in the direction he thinks the voice or voices as the case is now are coming from. Eventually close enough as he makes out facial features of Emily and Ashley.

He raises his hand in a wave as he heads towards them with purpose now. "Evening ladies. Kind of cold and late for a social gathering isn't it ? Apologies if I am interrupting anything by the way....."

[Ashley McGowen] Emily gives her answer, and Ashley's mouth quirks into a grin. Her smiles are a fleeting thing, there, spreading up to blue eyes, dimpling her cheeks and then gone again. "That's all right. I think I can work with it. You could spend a year just reading books that are related to Arthurian legends, really."

There's a man approaching them, though, and Ashley peers out at him from where she's seated beneath the massive lion (green, tinged here and there with a flash of the original metal shining beneath.) Next to the Hermetic, there's a large dog lying, a shepherd that raises its head and bats enormous ears at Jon at his approach.

"Jon," she says, sounding surprised to see him. "I thought it was warm today. How have you been?"

[Emily Littleton] Emily turned to greet him as well, and it took a moment before she recognized him as one of the passingly familiar faces that kept turning up at the oddest intervals. They'd last seen each other at that reprehensible establishment (Denny's) with the ill-mannered Other.

"Evening," she said, and her voice was a little more cheerful (unburdened) than usual. "We're out enjoying the weather," she added, mirroring Ashley's sentiment that it was quiet nice today, for once.

[Jonathan Kincade] Jon smiles at both woman as he comes to stand before them "Hmm is it? you and I must have different ideas on what warm means, or perhaps I've just been couped up in my office too long."

He takes a few steps as he moves over to the dog, reaching down as he scratches it's head "What's his/her name?"

Jonathan is in his typical work garb, grey pleated trousers with a business shirt and tie. A grey jacket finishes off. "As for how I've been, pretty good. Busy with a ew projects, I'm not sure if I mentioned I've acquired myself a student. Do you know Riley Poole, I think Emily does?" a smile given to the orphan and a polite nod. "By the way Ashley, that reminds me yours came to see me the other day. If you speak to her before I do, can you let her know her request is still a work in progress."

[Ashley McGowen] "His name is Zane," Ashley says, with a glance down at the canine, who seems more than happy to have the attention. She and the dog are both nearly eye level with Jon, perched as they are atop the pedestal upon which the statue sits.

"I met Riley in passing. Congratulations on the student," she tells Jon, watching as Zane rolls over onto his back to invite a stomach rub (whether Jon persisted in scratching his head or not.) "And I'll let Enid know. I'm the one that sent her to you, I'm glad she actually went and found you."

With a look toward Emily, she adds, "I thought Jon could help Enid get a hold of her money and stay hidden through mundane channels."

[Emily Littleton] The grown ups were nice enough to include Emily, in passing, in the conversation. It still left her feeling a bit like she ought to be seen and not heard, or politely fold her hands in front of her and wait out the conversation that fell well above her pay grade. It irked her, somewhat, that she found herself standing like that (hands clasped, head just slightly bowed) without noticing she'd adopted that well-practiced posture.

"I've met Riley," she confirmed. "And Chuck, too." Because Emily thought of them as something of a matched set. It surprised her a little that Jon was Riley's teacher. It probably wouldn't be kosher for her to point out that she met Riley when the older girl was doing her gamer girl victory dance around Chuck in the backroom at Best Buy.

No. Probably not.

Emily nodded to Ashley at the mention of Enid, and her rather complicated situation. (Understood.)

[Jonathan Kincade] Jone nods as he is given the dogs name "Hi Zane.. nice to meet you" as he reaches down as he gives the dog a belly rub.

"Thanks, it's early days yet and I'm still not convinced I know what I'm doing. But I'm trying to help her come to gripes with it all as best I can. Yes Enid found me, seems as though I'm going to get a rather large belly though. Seems as though I'm going to get paid in muffins."

He watches as Ashley explains what the job is "Ahh okay Em, I've only met Chuck briefly that time at Denny's. I do need to get in contact with him about the job at the white fenced house."

"Anyway enough chatter about 'work' things.. what were you two ladies talking about before I interrupted?"

[Ashley McGowen] "If she's feeding you muffins, those are muffins she isn't trying to feed me," Ashley says, with relief coloring her voice. "I could turn my damn apartment into a bakeshop at this point, with as much as that girl uses my kitchen." Looking at Ashley, though, it seems as though she could use it; the Hermetic is on the side of too thin these days, lean and hollow.

At Jon's latter question Ashley shrugs, reaching down to scratch Zane's chest and the thick fur around his neck. "We were talking about books. I read a lot, and Emily was looking for some recommendations on folklore and classic literature and the like. Which I happen to have a lot of, among other things."

[Emily Littleton] "Do you need his number?" Emily asked Jon, meaning Chuck's contact information of course. She said nothing about the white-fenced house or their common history there. Emily didn't open that memory unless it was specifically requested. For obvious reasons. "We're... friends, I guess."

This was interwoven with their conversation about Enid, and Riley, and mentoring. The quickly changing topics helped cover Emily's hesitence about how to present her interaction with Chuck. Friends seemed to work, if incompletely.

"Tonight we're talking about books. Last time, we talked about the deeper meaning of Waking Up and defying gravity," Emily pointed out, because her conversations with Ashley were not static things. They were wide-ranging and seeking things. "I think, at times, she's trying to challenge me even more than Jarod." Who was, more or less, her mentor. Emily offered Ashley a small smile that was more grateful than anything else, even if her tone had been light and easy.

[Jonathan Kincade] "Yeah Emily if you have that would be great. " he smiles appreciatively "Yeah I think I spotted you briefly at Denny's with Chuck... while Riley was having issues with that blonde woman."

He laughs at Ashley "Okay I might have to consider myself warned then and try and stop at one basket. Or maybe I can re-distribute them out to my students. Might help a few of them stay awake in my class."

"Hmm I really should read more, open my mind to new thoughts. I just tend to rely on the web though and technical manuals. I might have to drop by and peruse your library if that's a possibility Ashley?" turning to Emily as he looks thoughtful.

"Well to be challenged is a good thing Em... I think I've been looking for that myself. Especially now that I have a student, all the more reason for me to try and stay two steps ahead."

[Ashley McGowen] Emily says that Ashley is trying to challenge her more than Jarod, and it meets with another smile, a pleased one. Compliments on things that she actively tries to work on doing, focuses on, are few and far between: it is the expression that is met when others recognize Hunger for what it is. Hermetics are odd creatures at times, really. "I try," she says. "Most people need someone to push them." Apprentices in particular.

Jon asks if he can use her library, and he gets a long, considering look in response. Something not entirely wary, but calculating; she has the air of someone deciding whether she wants to trust him. "...Maybe," she says, finally. "Just the mundane stuff, though, so it's clear. I don't really lend out anything else."

A beat passes before she adds, "A lot of people have been in and out of my apartment lately. You can come by if you want."

[Emily Littleton] It took a moment to register, but Jon's allusion brought forward an impressive pink color to Emily's cheeks and the tips of her ears. Emily reached up to place the palm of her hand against the back of her neck as she looked away. At least until that flush of embarassment passed.

Luckily she had a reason to dig her phone out of her bag: looking up Chuck's number for Jon. This let her focus on something long enough for the startled quiet to pass. She wrote it out on a slip of paper and handed it to the Virtual Adept. "Here you go. Or you can usually find him at the store; he works with Riley." Which Jon probably knew.

[Jonathan Kincade] Jonathn just nods and smiles at Ashley "Of course, would be rather presumptious of me to suggest anything else." when she mentions the traffic past her apartment "Well if that's the case I might try and drop by."

He watches as Emily gets embarassed, not entirely sure about what. But he doesn't comment further in case he adds too it. He takes Chuck's number and adds it to his own phone once it's provided to him by Emily, a nod of thanks "Thanks for that, yeah I heard that but wasn't sure if it was appropriate for me to just rock up there."

"Anyway I think I better be off. Nice talking to you both and I hope we can catch up more soon." a friendly smile as he begins to turn, waiting for any further comments or farewells before heading off into the night.

[Ashley McGowen] "Sure. Just call me and I'll give you the address. You can usually catch me, unless I'm in class or I have a thesis deadline." The Hermetic raises a hand to wave at Jon as he turns around to make his way out of Millenium Park. "See you around."

And, as he's walking off, she stretches, leaning back against the cold metal of the statue and contemplating the underside of the lion's mane. After a few minutes she reaches for her bag. "...It's getting kind of late. You live up by Northwestern too, don't you?"

[Emily Littleton] "I do," Emily replied, when Ashley asked where she lived. "Do you and Zane want a lift?" she asked, clearly not concerned about having the big dog in the backseat of her compact car. Which was parked somewhere not too terribly far away.

The night had yet to get truly cold again, which was a welcome change from winter. Maybe the seasons really were starting to turn. It had been a long winter already.