Log:Old Time Spirit: The Light Bringer

Old Time Spirit: The Light Bringer
"Bye cranky kitty!"
Participants CB, Green, ST	2017.06.12 Green gets a visit from a family with a strange attachment.
Location Majesty Records
It's a much warmer day that it's been for the last few weeks in Vermont. That means people are waiting to venture out after dusk or head to places that have air conditioning and things. Majesty Records looks like it's a neat place to stop into for a few minutes. So that's what happens at about nine in the evening. A couple with their child step in to mosey around. And of course, on a night like tonight, Majesty Records is open! This is when you get business! Besides, Green can close up soon and still enjoy her evening plans, whatever they may be. For now, her plans involve wandering her store, eyeing things, and really, if she didn't call "Welcome to Majesty Records!" as those people entered, there'd be no real indication she worked there. Not in that cute red-floral pattern dress she's wearing! She offers a polite small to the couple, eyeing the child for just a moment longer, then gets back to it. C.B. is new in town. That means he's spent a lot of time exploring the city he now calls home, and where better to make a pilgrimage to then the local record store? He's wearing a black t-shirt with the words 'I would prefer not to' emblazoned upon it in white, with a red and black plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up on top of that. Plus black jeans and red Converse high tops and a worn Red Sox baseball cap on his head, with a hand-rolled cigarette tucked behind one ear. He also carries a vintage-ish leather messenger bag slung across his person, a button reading 'IMPEACH TRUMP' on the strap. This bag is also notable for having a cat inside of it. Wait, what? Yep, there is a cat sitting in C.B.'s bag. One can see its gray fluffy head peeking up and out from the corner of it, yellow eyes gleaming. It seems well-behaved. Anyway, he comes in right behind the couple with the child, though he keeps his distance from them because he is a weirdo with a cat and they are probably nice, normal people. Or something. Frowning reflexively, he eyes up the store, the wares, and finally, the shop owner. Okay, Green gets a second look or two. She is easy on the eyes, at least to C.B. There's a wave from the husband to Green, "Good evening, we heard about this place from a friend." he tells her. The man is about six foot tall and has short cropped blonde hair. His wife gives a smile to Green, she is five foot six and has light brown hair. The little girl is about six or seven and is keeping up behind her parents and looking over things with curious green and blue eyes, her unruly red hair is curled and probably the bane of her mother's existence. The couple give CB a nod of greeting and a wave as well, "Good evening." they state in chorus. The little girl looks to CB and there's a tilt of her head before giving a little wave. And trailing behind the little red haired girl is a spirit. It appears as a giant eagle with brilliant flaming plumage. Its entire form shines with pure white light, feathers edged in flickering fire that burns golden. Fierce eyes like molten metal peer from above a proud beak. The gleaming sharpness of that beak is only matched by the spirit's razor talons. Despite the pure red gold flames that wreath its form, the spirit emits no heat. "Oh, brilliant!" Green says, to the man. Not only is she easy on the eyes - she is - she also has an absolutely lovely English accent. At least, most Americans find it lovely. "Good to hear word is spreading. I've not put up any adverts yet," she says, making small talk for a moment. "And good evening," she says, to CB. The man gets a curious sort of look, as does his bag. But she can't quite focus on him too long. For a moment, her eyes track to the door, and it is almost like she's expecting someone else to come in. No one does, and so she flicks her gaze back to the couple. "If you need anything, let me know." C.B. stares at the couple with the wild eyes and sneer of a man who is far too paranoid for his own good. "Yeah, hi. Had no idea people like you shopped away from the internet," he mutters, mostly to himself. It almost looks like the cat is waving back to the little girl, incidentally, but that's impossible. Isn't it? "Evening," he greets Green, eyeing her too -- but with less distrust. He's sort of making his way around to the counter, but the long way around. Steering cleer of the normies. Which he's decided they are. The couple give a nod to Green and then the mother breaks off to go look at music while the father stays back, "One of the detectives left cards, so I figured we'd stop in." he tells her. There's a look to CB and a bit of a nod from the man, but he gives him his space. The little girl eyes the cat and then looks back to CB, then she starts to approach him and the animal. Kids were curious creatures. So maybe she's just interested in the cat? When the family starts to split up, the spirit seems to give up trying to stick with all of them. The large golden spirit starts to float over the stacks of music, moving closer to Green as it does. ~Music. Anything but Brittney Spears...~ it hisses out. Green looks to CB again, considering the man a new. And then the little girl approaching the man. Hey, he's got an anti-Trump button on. That means he's far less likely to beat children. So it's probably fine. Green glances off again, eyes fixing on a space on the wall. She considers something, then clears her throat, and her attention shifts back to the man. "Detective Krieos?" she asks. "Good. Hoping he comes back... interesting bloke," she says. She starts to drift away now, following the racks, eyeing some music. "What's your taste? Rock? Classical?... Gangster Rap?" she asks. Probably asking the cop, but really, she addresses to the store as a whole. The cat eyes the little girl back. Presumably, no one but C.B. can hear it when he speaks, in a deep, dignified, sonorous voice. "C.B., the small human is looking at me. Get her away from me at once before she tries to touch me." He puts out a paw and swipes at her, hissing. "His name is Yossarian," C.B. tells the girl with a smirk, "and he doesn't like people. He just likes to go for walks sometimes." Wait, did someone say detectives? Fuck, there are cops in here? Immediately, C.B.'s posture and shoulders tense even more, and he sidesteps away from the girl, wandering towards the experimental jazz records. "Great, just great," he mutters to himself, then mutters something else under his breath. "Yeah, he's a pretty good guy. Quiet as all get out though." the man replies to Green. "I like Rock and things. But I'm open to most music. Keeps you on your toes." he chuckles. When the cat hisses there's a look to see where his kid is and he points her back over towards him. "Come on honey, cat doesn't want to be bothered." he states. There's an apologetic look to CB after that and then he goes back to looking. The little girl looks like she's heartbroken when she can't pet the cat, but such is life. "He's all crackly." she mutters as she looks over CB and then she's off to catch up to her father. Her hand reaching out to reach for something unseen as she does. When the cat hisses and swats at the little girl the fire around the eagle type spirit flares and there's a moment it looks like it's about to go kick that cats ass! When the father calls her back over though he calms down and floats closer towards Green now. Looking at her curiously. "Oh, blimey!" Green says, and moves to step over towards the cat and the little girl, ignoring the man who she'd just spoke to (maybe). There's a vague look of concern as she does, probably more than one might otherwise display for a cat hissing. "Oh, yes, he's just cranky," she says, to the little girl, a touch relieved when there's no further trouble. Because surely she said cranky and not crackly. "Let's see if we can't find some rock for your father, hm?" she asks. "Jimi Hendrix. Do you think da can hear Hendrix?" she asks the little girl, with a whimsical look cast up and over towards the father. Then a look towards CB. Then a sweep around the room. Something's got her just a touch anxious. Yes, surely she didn't say 'crackly,' did she? Because that gets an alarmed look out of C.B., at least until he realizes he's reacting to it. He probably doesn't come across many kids in his every day life. "I think the child can see us," Yossarian observes, "as they sometimes can." C.B., meanwhile, makes eye contact with Green, almost like her anxiety is contagious. "If you have anything from New York Pop, Randall's Island, NY, July 17th, 1970 -- that version of 'Red House' is an amazing Hendrix track," C.B. has to comment, even going so far as to wander a teensy bit closer to the cop and his mien-seeing child, though he is still very much frowning. Yoss burrows deeper down into the messenger bag. "Bye kitty." the little girl states with big eyes and then she's looking to Green when she approaches and gives her a big sunny smile. "What's Jimi Hendrix?" she asks as she wanders away from CB and Yossarian. "And da might be able to hear it. He hears everything else." she giggles. Meanwhile, the eagle settles on the stack of music that Green and the child are at and he watches the two of them for a few moments, ~Stay away from the cat.~ it whispers out in the spirit tongue and the little girl nods. Apparently she understands him. Meanwhile, the eagle settles on the stack of music that Green and the child are at and he watches the two of them for a few moments, ~Stay away from the cat.~ it whispers out in the spirit tongue and the little girl nods. Apparently she understands him. "Jimi Hendrix, love, is one of the better guitarist to ever have lived. A man who came to England to learn how to really play, and brought that all back to America," Green explains, finding a particular joy in this topic. She glances over to CB, as he pipes in, and she gives a laugh. "Somehow, I doubt that is what they're after," she opines, though a look is given back to the dad, and then to the little girl. "You stay right here, hm? I'll go see if that man needs some help. There's some Sun Ra he likely needs to tell me about," she says, and offers a gentle smile. Then she turns, and starts towards CB. "Well, they should be," C.B. has to comment, "because that New York Pop show is one of the best Hendrix concerts ever." He actually bites his lip, like he wants to say more and thinks better of it. So he says something else instead. "One of the best solos he ever performed." As Green comes closer to him, it may be that the young man has colored. Just a tad. His pasty-sallow expression seems to get just a little redder. Probably just hot in here. He lifts his head and nods to Green. "Selection in here isn't bad, for a small-town record store. You must actually know your shit." He does not yet say anything about Sun Ra, but give him time... The little girl looks to Green and listens to her before looking to CB and there's a little wiggle of her nose, kind of like on Bewitched, but nothing happens. The little girl reaches out and takes her dad's hand and walks with him to go look for some Jimi Hendrix that was suggested. "Come on honey, let's see what your moms got and then we'll get going. Thank you for helping us out." the man tells Green. Meanwhile, the flaming spirit has taken more interest in Green and begins following after her curiously. Not getting too close though. "Do you normally offer back-handed compliments to strangers?" Green asks, polite and proper as ever. It's a tone that would match an offer to help, yet, it's anything but that. Still, she's looking so polite! She glances back, as the dad calls out to her, "Of c-" and then she stops. She stares for a moment, then clears her throat. "Of course," she echoes. "Just let me know when you've finished up, yeah?" she asks. Then she turns back to CB, and attempts to ignore the hair on the back of her neck standing up. "Well?" C.B. still has one eye on the cop. Because, you know. It's the pigs. His face screws up into a smirk, and he's just about to throw something back at Green when he sees her reaction to -- whatever it is. Brow furrowed, he watches her for a moment, blue eyes like faded denim moving back and forth over the scene. But when her attention's back on him, he does his best to make it seem like he wasn't giving her the hairy eyeball, and lets some breath out of his nostrils. "You're not a stranger, you run this shop. Right? That makes you a public servant. Serving the greater good of culture in this two-bit town." A beat before he offers, a mite tenuously, "I'm C.B. What do they call you?" Other than late for dinner. The father and daughter duo give a nod to Green before heading off towards the wife. Leaving Green and CB to talk. They look like they are close to wrapping up as it is. The little girl picks out a CD and hands it off to her father. And that spirit still is sitting and staring at her. Unblinkingly. It's studying and cataloging the girl for some odd reason. "I'm a public servant?" Green asks, her look a touch incredulous. "Well. I've not heard that before. But my owning a store hardly makes us not strangers," Green explains, like the man might truly be unfamiliar with the concept. Of course, she might offer up advice next on how to allieviate this stranger-ness, only he's beat her to it. Names. "Cee Bee?" Green echoes. "As in, Charlie Bravo?" she asks. Because C's and B's are letters that sound like other letters, and it's nice to get it right. "Name's Amanda Green," she says. "And yes, I own this shop," she confirms, with a small nod. Then her eyes fall down, to the cat. "Yossarian. Bit of an odd cat, hm?" "Oh, we're still strangers. I'm just explaining why I was overly familiar with you." C.B. offers a raised eyebrow and a half a smirk. His hands are in his jean pockets, flapping away inside of there. "Yeah, like Charlie Bravo. I should just call myself that, maybe. C.B. Alexander." Green might've heard the name. Writer, like herself. In fact, he narrows his eyes when she states her full name. "Amanda Green. Your name sounds really familiar to me. It'll come to me." Eyes are still narrowed as he thinks about it. Yossarian, meanwhile, peeks out of the bag, yellow eyes glinting, and gives one of those silent meows cats are known to give. "Yeah, he's odd. He likes fresh air sometimes. A-HA!" C.B. suddenly snaps his fingers, a fervent sort of look in his eye. "You're the music critic, and you put out that book, didn't you? I didn't read it, but I remember. Yep, that has to be you." After a few minutes of shopping, the family trio finally gets their choices together and heads for the counter. The father looks to Green, "No rush here, you finish up and we'll be waiting up here." he tells her with a smile. As the family moves, the spirit fixes its gaze on them again and the flits away from the two that are talking. It settles on the counter near the little girl and leans down to peck her head, like it's telling her to stay put. If Green recognizes the name - which, really, she might - she shows no recognition. Because why encourage this particular person! She then dips her head, in respond to the man's recognition. "One and the same," she says, with a faint smile. "Book's rubbish," she adds, before she gives a quick look over her shoulder. She stares for a moment, squinting, then turns back to CB. "Could you... stay here... for a moment? I need to see to them," she says. "Let me know if there's anything interesting here?" she adds. They are in the weird jazz section, right? She then turns, and moves over behind the counter, with a swift step. No slight sashay of hips and skirt with the assumption she's being watched! She's got business to handle. "No problem," she assures. "Just this?" They are indeed in the weird jazz section. C.B. watches her go, yes, hands still in his pockets. "I think she is 'having one' at your expense," Yossarian observes, provoking a scowl from his Changeling friend, who says "Shut up" aloud to him. Under his breath enough, one hopes, so as not to garner any looks for talking to his cat. Frowning to himself, he starts flipping through the John Zorn section, pretending to look at Masada records instead of Green, the pig, his wife, and the girl. On the counter are a few Hendrix CD's, a quirky kids CD and some new wave stuff that's apparently the mothers. "Yeah, just that stuff for now. The little one is getting cranky so probably need to get going. You've got a nice little place here." he tells her as he hands over his bank card. Green keeps on her faint, polite smile. Americans like smiles like that. "Of course. It is late," she offers up. There's a stray glance given to CB. Then another one of those unfocused gazes, as she stares off again. She swipes the man's card, bags up the CDs, and then hands them on over. "There you are," she says. "Thank you for stopping by. Great choices," she adds, a bit delayed. Distracted, she is! C.B. plucks out a few of those Zorn records for himself, actually, and then he wanders around a little more, ending up with a few other records: Squarepusher, Serge Gainsbourg, and Mr. Bungle. He shoves them under his arm and stands at a distance, watching the group at the counter with a slight frown. "Don't you already have some of those?" Yossarian says, licking a paw. "I distinctly recall you listening to that Gainsbourg album the other day, because you asked me for the translation of --" "Shut /up/," C.B. mutters again, "or you are not getting sushi tonight. I mean it." He also tries to force a faint sort of smile on his face, but it doesn't look at all right. Only makes him look crazier. The mother and father give a smile to Green and quiet thank yous as the father takes the bag and then heads off. He reaches down and takes the little girl by the hand and starts out. The little girl gives a wave to Green, "By pretty lady!" she calls to her. Then she waves to CB and his cat, "Bye cranky kitty!" she says with a smile as she heads out the door with her parents. The Spirit was unblinking as Green finished up with the humans. When the family heads away from the counter, it hangs behind for the moment. Then it leans in, looking her in the eye, ~You smell of the Dark One.~ it tells her before zooming off and out the door after the family. Green will ignore CB's rantings. At least, ignore them until the family is gone. "Good bye, love! Have a good ni-" Green is in the middle of calling out towards the little girl, when she abruptly stops. Her stumbles backwards, and barely catches herself on the shelves on the wall behind her. "Cor blimey..." she whispers out, as whatever seems to have given her a fright seems to have evaporated just as quickly. Seems CB is not the only one that is going to talk to himself tonight! C.B. does not wave back, and neither does Yossarian. Then he stares at Green. Blinks. Once the others are gone, he even ventures to speak. "Uh, you okay there?"