03RD AFFAIR | ACCIDENTAL VIDEO/ACTION

[highprices]

Accidental Video: Painting

think of me fondly

[The screen flickers and focuses on the back of Crystal’s shoulder. She’s wearing a tight white tank top that’s smudged with different colored paints. There is a brush positioned delicately between her fingers as she adds the splash of light pink within her canvas. When she leans forward a small mark tattooed into her lower back is visible but it quickly vanishes from the screen when she reaches for more paint.

A sweet tune is sung from her lips which a few people might recognize from The Phantom of the Opera. Her voice is like honey, singing each note with a sweet inflection as she works. Her voice is trained, holding each note perfectly before flowing effortlessly into the next measure of the song.]

to take your heart back
and be free

Action: Café

[She’s in a sour disposition after her phone had accidentally turned on and broadcasted her singing across the network. Crystal feels exposed and it isn’t a feeling she enjoys. She finds a small café in Nova City, a place where no one would know her, to think.

She sips at her coffee and listens to the ambient sound of people bustling along. It calms her down though she continues to feel uneasiness knot in her stomach. She takes pride in keeping her emotions tied to a very taught leash and now she’s forced to reevaluate that. Thought flitters in and out of her head as she sips the steaming latte.

Crystal isn’t paying a lot of attention to those who walk buy. Her clear baby blue eyes are unfocused and aloof.]


Closed Action: Trip

[Crystal waits at the Nova City archway wearing a purple dress and heels. She has a bag tucked artfully in the crook of her arm and a pair of sunglasses pushed over her eyes. She looks very relaxed and composed for someone who’s standing around waiting.

There is no telling where her eyes land though when her company arrives a smirk begins to tug at the corner of her lips.]

Thank you for coming out to meet me.

Comments

[action]

[offwithhishat]

[ After his recent brief excursion in Nova City, Jefferson was quite intrigued to find out more. The stark difference between Genessia and Nova alone was all the initiative he needed to want to explore. He'd been out and about for a while, working on vague doodles and making notes as he felt necessary to help his more detailed cartography later.

Eventually he came across a cafe and decided that would be a good place to sit and make some more structured sketches. Obviously he wasn't into the coffee scene so he decided on ordering a boring plain muffin instead.

He wasn't much paying attention to where he sat or who he ended up near. ]

[action]

[highprices]

[Bright baby blue eyes glance over, resting on the man who sat next to her. It’s a small café and he’s sitting close due to the mere number of tables, seats and people packed into the small shop. Her eyes inspect his clothing for a moment, noting each layer and text as if looking at a work of art. He certainly has his own style about him.]

You aren’t ordering coffee?

[She asks in a light voice, her tone like sweet honey and wine.

Crystal isn’t sure if she’s looking for a distraction or if she wants one. If he is like her, and a resident of Genessia then there is a chance he saw her video which will put a sour spin on their meeting. All in all his features are attractive, his expression animated and his posture curious but confident. He is an interesting combination.]

[action]

[offwithhishat]

[ It took him a second to realize that the smooth feminine voice was speaking to him. He peered up from his notebook, shaking his head with an amused smile. ]

Can't stand the stuff. I guess I'm what you would call a tea purist.

[ He could sense that there was something off about her behavior but didn't have a clue what could be troubling her. Maybe a friendly conversation would take her mind off of it for just a little while. ]

I'm guessing you've been here before. This is my first time in Nova City on my own, actually. I'm trying to map things out around here more concisely, but... [ He gestured to his scribbles. ] I'm sort of an amateur.

[action]

[highprices]

[Crystal nods her head slightly. She doesn’t know very much about tea though she can see it being a topic of conversation that she’d be very interested in. She knows the implication on tea on history though that isn’t as helpful when you find yourself in a place alternate worlds collide.]

I live here and find Nova City to be the most comfortable.

[It’s cleaner than what she’s used to but that isn’t really problem.]

What brought you to Nova City. [Her lips tug into a teasing smile.]

Besides the tea of course.

[action]

[offwithhishat]

Explains why we haven't met. Work is in Genessia City for me so it's easier to stay there.

[ He considered how honest he should be just briefly, but didn't see much harm in being trutful. She didn't seem like she had any kind of unsavory motives, especially considering that there was clearly something just a bit off in her life even if he hadn't a clue what it was. He chuckled before answering though, feeling a little bit embarrassed. ]

Were you at that beach party in Dubai? A friend, uh... coerced me into going. [ He looked a little sheepish. ] I came back for the sake of curiosity. I don't get out to places like this a whole lot.

video;

[thelastdruid]

[Phantom of the Opera happened to be one of Nathan's favorite Broadway shows, even if it was a bit dated. He isn't going to interrupt at first. Just watch and listen. He's known artists, his roommate in college was a Fine Arts major.

As she trails off, though, he can't help but continue it, even though it's a soprano part, he can pull off a lower-octave strain.]

If you ever fine a moment,
spare a thought for me...

video;

[highprices]

[Crystal stops and looks over at the camera. He's cute and his voice is sweet, practiced, like her own but that doesn't change the fact that her phone had flipped on without her notice. She doesn't miss a beat, placing the paint brush down and turning towards the camera to obscure her work.]

Aren't you a charming singer.

[She remarks in an even voice, her lips tugging into her usual mask.]

Do I get to know who my audience is?

video;

[thelastdruid]

[He smiles. He doesn't get much of a chance to sing anymore. Most of the shows the community theater put on here were plays, not musicals.]

I'd better be. I went to school for it. It sounds like you did, too.

[He nods.]

Nathan.

video;

[highprices]

[Crystal shakes her head to indicate that she hasn’t been to school for singing. She’d taken lessons when she first moved to New York however her teacher had asked for a cost that later brought her into her current profession.]

I think I’m just lucky. [Her baby blue eyes sparkle with humor.] It’s a pleasure to meet you Nathan.

[Despite the fact that she’d been caught off guard.]

Do you sing here?

video;

[thelastdruid]

Really lucky. [He smiles.] And you...but I never got your name.

[And he nods.] Whenever the theater produces a musical, yeah.

action; closed

[alittlebitofhell]

[Something Clay did actually know how to do was dress himself when he actually put effort into it. He approached the archway leading to Nova City, where they were supposed to meet, in nice, form-fitting but loose slacks, and a casual jacket and shirt, smirking as he approached, his ice blue eyes taking her in as he did so.]

I don't think You're ever anything but beautiful.

action; closed

[highprices]

[Crystal steps forward to meet him, her eyes roaming over his form as he walks closer.]

I must be if I am to have such handsome company.

action; closed

[alittlebitofhell]

[He offers her his arm.]

I don't think it has anything to do with me.

action; closed

[highprices]

[Crystal slips her arm around his, her palm coming to rest lightly on his forearm. She smiles at him, more earnestly than she had in the past, before looking towards where they are heading. She was depending on Clay to lead her and she follows smoothly at his side, her heels clicking softly against the ground.]

I don’t dress nicely for everyone.

[There are few she meets outside of work and even fewer she’ll dress up for, however, Crystal doesn’t feel as if that is important for Clay to know.]

action; closed

[alittlebitofhell]

Then I'll make sure I keep feeling special.

[He's heading toward the Paris Sub-Archway, though he doesn't mention that immediately.] So, what do you do for fun, anyway?

video;

[namemeansbeauty]

That's a very beautiful painting.

[She didn't know the song, but she thought it seemed beautiful at least.]

video;

[highprices]

[Crystal stops and looks over at the camera. She doesn't know the girl on the screen and it doesn't change the fact that her phone had flipped on without her notice. She doesn't miss a beat, placing the paint brush down and turning towards the camera to obscure her work.]

Thank you. I apologize. I don't paint publicly.

[It isn't something she's comfortable with in most cases. it's a little piece of herself which she prefers to be locked inside.]

video;

[namemeansbeauty]

It's fine, I guess for you it's like a hobby. People aren't always open about such things.

[She didn't have anything she kept hidden much, but she could at least understand it.]

video;

[highprices]

[Crystal’s baby blue eyes watch Belle curiously while a light smile plays on her lips. The changes in her expression are subtle but they give her a very relaxed appearance.]

Far warning is usually in order though.

[She replies softly, almost off handily.]

What about your hobbies?

video;

[namemeansbeauty]

My hobbies are usually reading books. There is always something relaxing about it.

[She also enjoyed reading about various things, like adventures people might have among other things.]

Action

[lunarlegionnaire]

[A man in an all-white business suit occupies a nearby table, seated with the ease and confidence of one accustomed to the finer things in life. He's been waiting eight minutes for his cup of strong, black coffee; forgivable considering the rush hour. What's a little less forgivable is the hurried way a waiter is weaving around the tables to reach him. It's an accident waiting to happen.]

Sorry to keep you waiting, sir. Here's your--- oh my goodness!

[And when the waiter swivels around to set his order down, his hip strikes the cup belonging to the blond lady in the next table. Luckily, the man in white had seen that coming. All he has to do is reach over, swift as a cobra, and put his hand between her cup and her table's edge. The cup stops as easily as if it had hit a wall.]

Careful now.

[Nodding sheepishly, the waiter sets his coffee down and leaves. The man in white straightens up when he's at a safe distance, carefully pushing the woman's cup back to her.]

Sorry about that; he was hurrying on my account.

Action

[highprices]

[Crystal's talents while far and diverse are not the sort to stop a waiter from knocking over her coffee. She watches the scene play out with a worried expression, her fingers lightly clamping on the table to keep it from shaking to hard while her cup skids across the surface. In a short second she expects a crash but is instead greeted by a cool composed voice.

Her head turns to find the owner of the hand who saved her drink, her lips teasing into a warm smile. Her baby blue eyes shined with their usual allure but also with humor and awe.]

Impressive.

[Crystal takes her cup back from him.]

Thank you for saving my coffee. Does my hero have a name?

Action

[lunarlegionnaire]

[He smooths the front of his suit down as he returns her smile. An easy, charming gesture that's as genuine as it is freely given to people from all walks of life. A modern nobleman.]

Steven Grant, at your service. I'm an investor and occasional purveyor of the fine arts.

[This time, his hand is extended towards her in the first half of a handshake.]

It'd be my pleasure to know if the fair maiden has one too.

[He's certain he's seen her on the network before, but he hasn't yet seen her accidental video. Not that it matters; you couldn't beat in-person introductions.]

Action

[highprices]

[Crystal’s lips tug into a light smile, her light blue eyes watching him with a curious and impressed interest. She takes his hand with her own, her thing fingers lightly grazing along his skin before she returns his handshake.]

I’m Crystal.

[No last name, at least none that she wants to associate with.]

What is an investor and purveyor o fine arts doing in a small café?

[She can’t help but be interested in him. He’s more like the men she used to work with and conversation slips easily pass her lips.]

Action

[lunarlegionnaire]

A lovely name.

[Soft, delicate, and featherlight. It's been awhile since he's known that kind of touch. He lets it linger for awhile. Just enough to show that he notices it.]

Other than the need to unwind as much as anyone? There's beauty to be found in more than just paintings and sculptures.

[There's a twinkle in his eyes as he regards the cup he'd just rescued. And her.]

That could mean anything from an exquisite cup of latte... to a vision straight out of one's dreams.