Saturday, November 8th, 2008, 08:50. Gemini Park, Galaxy City.
The fog was still fairly thick over the park as Annette made her way to the Wizard's Well. She was dressed in a long, black coat she had borrowed from Linda and her hair was tied back, which was unusual for a work day. She breathed a sigh of relief on discovering that there was not a huge queue of spotty teens waiting for the shop to open. The idea of sneaking around the back and trying to get Herb's attention did not appeal. Stepping up to the door, she rapped a couple of times on the glass, and Herb's face appeared. He grinned and let her in, latching the door shut behind her.
He looked at her, expectantly. "You did wear it, right?"
Annette began to unbutton her coat. "I did promise, Herb," she replied, slipping the coat off to reveal her Nitoichi costume beneath. "I just need to put some make-up on and we're ready to rumble."
Herb rubbed his hands together in glee. To Annette's near total amazement, he actually did not seem to be impressed by the half-naked teenage nymphet in the thigh-boots. "Great, great. You go get ready and I'll open things up." He began scurrying around, checking the till and doing one last pass through the shop.
"I was expecting a crowd outside, Herb," Annette yelled from the small, employee's bathroom. "Didn't you publicise this at all?"
"Well," he called back, "anything could have happened, you being a hero and that sad business with your father... I didn't want people turning up and you not being here. Believe me, word'll get around fast enough as soon as one of them sees you." Annette nodded to herself as she applied the black stripe of paint across her eyes that had been her trademark before she took to wearing the battlesuit more often than not.
She walked out into the shop, closing the bathroom door behind her. She took a deep breath and stepped behind the till. "Okay, Herb, let's do this before I lose my nerve."
"You take on Rikti warriors every day," Herb laughed, "what's so scary about this?"
"I'm not allowed to cut bits off the teenagers," she replied. Herb laughed again and opened the door.
It stayed a normal Saturday morning at the Well for about thirty minutes. After fifteen minutes, Ni said, Geek Alert, on your left, and sure enough, when Annette turned her head, she spotted a fourteen-year-old standing in the shop's doorway with his mouth open. She smiled at him. He blinked a couple of times and bolted out the door. That's it, Ni said, giggling, we're doomed. Sure enough, the shop began to fill about five minutes later and pretty soon, it was heaving. Herb was ecstatic, of course. Copies of 'The Legendary Shadowe' were flying off the shelves since someone had leaked some rumour that Nitoichi was seeing him. (Quite how that was still circulating, Annette wasn't sure. He was engaged now, but she guessed, with his reputation, having mistresses seemed reasonable to everyone.) The kids were often buying two copies: one to keep pristine, one to be signed and placed in the expensive, oxidant-free plastic bag they were also buying.
And then there were the adults. "My son's a bit shy," the current one was saying. He was in his forties, but still pretty good looking. Not a patch on Richard, but cute in a rugged sort of way. "Could you sign this for him?" The man handed over a couple of comics and a sheet of paper on which had been printed the Internet image someone had found of Nitoichi taking down a couple of Skulls in King's Row, dressed in the same black leotard she was wearing now.
Annette looked down at the kid by his side, who looked utterly mortified, and winked. "Of course, sir, but maybe I have something a little better." She reached under the counter and pulled out one of the photo-sheets she had had run off at the local copy shop. She had scanned through training room footage of her in Vigilant Tower and food a good still, put it into a nice hi-tech frame and printed it off with a gap at the bottom for signing. Herb had offered to pay for the copying, but she had told him she needed some publicity stuff anyway, and the Vigil would help with the cost. She had not yet told him she did not need the job at the Well any more, and had no plans to. "Who should I make it out to?" she asked.
"Err, make it out to 'Bill'," the man replied. Funny, Ni commented, kid doesn't look like a 'Bill.' Annette smiled and signed the sheet , then she took the money for the comics, handed over the bag with a smile, and watched as Bill and his son walked out of the shop. Yuck! Pervy old-man fantasies. Shush, Ni. Oh come on! He was, like, undressing you with his eyes! And this bothers you because?
The place was practically overflowing by ten-thirty. Herb was having to stand at the door to control the flow of customers and he had had to call in one of the other staff to cover the till because Annette couldn't handle the traffic on her own. She was currently sat in one of the few areas of the shop that was not filled with shelves, beside the action figure displays, surrounded by a small gaggle of sub-teens and their mothers. The kids were driving her nuts in a funny way, and the mothers, several of whom had been rather wary and disapproving at first, seemed to have warmed to the nubile teenager.
"An' we like you 'cos y're scary an' you have big swords, an' you kick Rikti b-" "Kevin!" "Do you and Shadowe kiss an' cuddle an' stuff?" "Mary!" "I want to be a hero, just like you when I grow up." "He really does..." "Can we see your swords?" "I don't think that's a good idea, Phillipa." "Do heroes go to the toilet?" "Oh, Brian..."
Annette grinned and tried to answer questions as fast as she could. No, Shadowe was just a friend, and you shouldn't belief everything you read about him, even if he wants you to. Being a hero is hard and it's a great thing to aim for, because everyone's a hero, really, but don't neglect your school work. No, it was a bit of a tight squeeze for the swords in here, but you can hold the grip (it's quite safe, it only responds to my thumbprint). And Philipa was soon making whum-whum noises. Yes, heroes, do go to the toilet, well, most of them.
"Can I have my sword back?" she asked politely. It had been passed around the circle by now, whum-whumming as it went, and Kevin looked rather unhappy to be handing it over. She stood and raised her arm, checking she wasn't about to slice down a mobile. Her thumb swiped over the activation pad and the shimmering blue blade sprang to life above her. The entire shop fell into awed silence in a wave emanating out from Annette. Kevin mouthed 'Oh, cool' and looked up with his jaw agape. She looked around, grinned, and thumbed the pad again. "I better get back to work," she said, "poor Stella is inundated."
By midday, Annette's hand was aching and about the only thing keeping her on her feet was her iron will and Dinah's training. She was just signing a Rising Stars Christmas Special when the shop fell into silence once more. She looked up and immediately spotted the reason, Linda was standing in the doorway, in costume. The blonde love of her life mouthed 'Wow!' at her and there was a genuine smile on her face. Annette looked back, pleadingly. Linda shifted her face into full, serious hero mode. "Nitoichi, we've got a problem developing in Skyway Mall, I could use your help."
"Of course, Liberty Girl, I'll be right there," Annette replied. "Sorry folks, got to go. Duty calls." There was a chorus of 'aww's' from the assembled crowd. "Herb has a stack of signed photos he can give out if anyone still wants one, and I promise I'll come back."
Reluctantly, the crowd parted to allow Annette to walk through and the two heroines left the shop. Linda allowed them a hundred yards before grabbing Annette under the armpits and taking off. "Right," she said, "we go to the Towers, I get changed, and then we hit the mall. I need a new dress for dinner tonight, oh and we have to stop over at Pocket D and talk to Julie."
Annette flexed her right hand. "Yeah, and I have to soak my hand in some herbs. Damn, I'd rather by fighting Rikti. Can you get RSI in one morning?"
Disclaimer: The above may be humerous, or at least may be an attempt at humour. Try reading it that way.
Posts are OOC unless noted to be IC, or in an IC thread.
Saturday, November 8th, 2008, 08:50. Gemini Park, Galaxy City.
The fog was still fairly thick over the park as Annette made her way to the Wizard's Well. She was dressed in a long, black coat she had borrowed from Linda and her hair was tied back, which was unusual for a work day. She breathed a sigh of relief on discovering that there was not a huge queue of spotty teens waiting for the shop to open. The idea of sneaking around the back and trying to get Herb's attention did not appeal. Stepping up to the door, she rapped a couple of times on the glass, and Herb's face appeared. He grinned and let her in, latching the door shut behind her.
He looked at her, expectantly. "You did wear it, right?"
Annette began to unbutton her coat. "I did promise, Herb," she replied, slipping the coat off to reveal her Nitoichi costume beneath. "I just need to put some make-up on and we're ready to rumble."
Herb rubbed his hands together in glee. To Annette's near total amazement, he actually did not seem to be impressed by the half-naked teenage nymphet in the thigh-boots. "Great, great. You go get ready and I'll open things up." He began scurrying around, checking the till and doing one last pass through the shop.
"I was expecting a crowd outside, Herb," Annette yelled from the small, employee's bathroom. "Didn't you publicise this at all?"
"Well," he called back, "anything could have happened, you being a hero and that sad business with your father... I didn't want people turning up and you not being here. Believe me, word'll get around fast enough as soon as one of them sees you." Annette nodded to herself as she applied the black stripe of paint across her eyes that had been her trademark before she took to wearing the battlesuit more often than not.
She walked out into the shop, closing the bathroom door behind her. She took a deep breath and stepped behind the till. "Okay, Herb, let's do this before I lose my nerve."
"You take on Rikti warriors every day," Herb laughed, "what's so scary about this?"
"I'm not allowed to cut bits off the teenagers," she replied. Herb laughed again and opened the door.
It stayed a normal Saturday morning at the Well for about thirty minutes. After fifteen minutes, Ni said, Geek Alert, on your left, and sure enough, when Annette turned her head, she spotted a fourteen-year-old standing in the shop's doorway with his mouth open. She smiled at him. He blinked a couple of times and bolted out the door. That's it, Ni said, giggling, we're doomed. Sure enough, the shop began to fill about five minutes later and pretty soon, it was heaving. Herb was ecstatic, of course. Copies of 'The Legendary Shadowe' were flying off the shelves since someone had leaked some rumour that Nitoichi was seeing him. (Quite how that was still circulating, Annette wasn't sure. He was engaged now, but she guessed, with his reputation, having mistresses seemed reasonable to everyone.) The kids were often buying two copies: one to keep pristine, one to be signed and placed in the expensive, oxidant-free plastic bag they were also buying.
And then there were the adults. "My son's a bit shy," the current one was saying. He was in his forties, but still pretty good looking. Not a patch on Richard, but cute in a rugged sort of way. "Could you sign this for him?" The man handed over a couple of comics and a sheet of paper on which had been printed the Internet image someone had found of Nitoichi taking down a couple of Skulls in King's Row, dressed in the same black leotard she was wearing now.
Annette looked down at the kid by his side, who looked utterly mortified, and winked. "Of course, sir, but maybe I have something a little better." She reached under the counter and pulled out one of the photo-sheets she had had run off at the local copy shop. She had scanned through training room footage of her in Vigilant Tower and food a good still, put it into a nice hi-tech frame and printed it off with a gap at the bottom for signing. Herb had offered to pay for the copying, but she had told him she needed some publicity stuff anyway, and the Vigil would help with the cost. She had not yet told him she did not need the job at the Well any more, and had no plans to. "Who should I make it out to?" she asked.
"Err, make it out to 'Bill'," the man replied. Funny, Ni commented, kid doesn't look like a 'Bill.' Annette smiled and signed the sheet , then she took the money for the comics, handed over the bag with a smile, and watched as Bill and his son walked out of the shop. Yuck! Pervy old-man fantasies. Shush, Ni. Oh come on! He was, like, undressing you with his eyes! And this bothers you because?
The place was practically overflowing by ten-thirty. Herb was having to stand at the door to control the flow of customers and he had had to call in one of the other staff to cover the till because Annette couldn't handle the traffic on her own. She was currently sat in one of the few areas of the shop that was not filled with shelves, beside the action figure displays, surrounded by a small gaggle of sub-teens and their mothers. The kids were driving her nuts in a funny way, and the mothers, several of whom had been rather wary and disapproving at first, seemed to have warmed to the nubile teenager.
"An' we like you 'cos y're scary an' you have big swords, an' you kick Rikti b-" "Kevin!" "Do you and Shadowe kiss an' cuddle an' stuff?" "Mary!" "I want to be a hero, just like you when I grow up." "He really does..." "Can we see your swords?" "I don't think that's a good idea, Phillipa." "Do heroes go to the toilet?" "Oh, Brian..."
Annette grinned and tried to answer questions as fast as she could. No, Shadowe was just a friend, and you shouldn't belief everything you read about him, even if he wants you to. Being a hero is hard and it's a great thing to aim for, because everyone's a hero, really, but don't neglect your school work. No, it was a bit of a tight squeeze for the swords in here, but you can hold the grip (it's quite safe, it only responds to my thumbprint). And Philipa was soon making whum-whum noises. Yes, heroes, do go to the toilet, well, most of them.
"Can I have my sword back?" she asked politely. It had been passed around the circle by now, whum-whumming as it went, and Kevin looked rather unhappy to be handing it over. She stood and raised her arm, checking she wasn't about to slice down a mobile. Her thumb swiped over the activation pad and the shimmering blue blade sprang to life above her. The entire shop fell into awed silence in a wave emanating out from Annette. Kevin mouthed 'Oh, cool' and looked up with his jaw agape. She looked around, grinned, and thumbed the pad again. "I better get back to work," she said, "poor Stella is inundated."
By midday, Annette's hand was aching and about the only thing keeping her on her feet was her iron will and Dinah's training. She was just signing a Rising Stars Christmas Special when the shop fell into silence once more. She looked up and immediately spotted the reason, Linda was standing in the doorway, in costume. The blonde love of her life mouthed 'Wow!' at her and there was a genuine smile on her face. Annette looked back, pleadingly. Linda shifted her face into full, serious hero mode. "Nitoichi, we've got a problem developing in Skyway Mall, I could use your help."
"Of course, Liberty Girl, I'll be right there," Annette replied. "Sorry folks, got to go. Duty calls." There was a chorus of 'aww's' from the assembled crowd. "Herb has a stack of signed photos he can give out if anyone still wants one, and I promise I'll come back."
Reluctantly, the crowd parted to allow Annette to walk through and the two heroines left the shop. Linda allowed them a hundred yards before grabbing Annette under the armpits and taking off. "Right," she said, "we go to the Towers, I get changed, and then we hit the mall. I need a new dress for dinner tonight, oh and we have to stop over at Pocket D and talk to Julie."
Annette flexed her right hand. "Yeah, and I have to soak my hand in some herbs. Damn, I'd rather by fighting Rikti. Can you get RSI in one morning?"
Disclaimer: The above may be humerous, or at least may be an attempt at humour. Try reading it that way.
Posts are OOC unless noted to be IC, or in an IC thread.