Ye Olde S33k & Finde

[fr33ks33k]

*Timidity seemed her strong suit. Avoiding glancing touches, averted stares. It was amusing, but not in a snide way. His hand lifted from the sketchbook, allowing her to claim it.*

The favor is to be of my choosing, though I reserve the right to make that choice at a later date. All you must do is swear to honoring the favor here and now, and the book is yours. And do not fret, it will not be something beyond your capabilities....

 

[ObscureInsanity]

She slid the book off of the counter for a brief moment, opening it to the same page she had before. She smiled at the picture, then placed the book gently beside the Jewelry box she had already earned.

'It seems too easy,' she thought, looking him over; her eyes fell to the book and she bit her bottom lip. Surely, he was being honest with her... he wouldn't force her to do anything out of her comfort zone. She shrugged and nodded, smiling a little.

"Alright... I'll do it," she said quietly. "Is there a specific oath I have to say?" she playfully raised her right hand as if she was solemnly swearing on a holy bible in court.

 

[fr33ks33k]

No oaths, just your word. That's all I require. There are some who would have you sign in blood or leave a lock of hair...but I'm no voodoo priest.

If you do indeed agree, then the book is also yours. It's been a pleasure doing business with you Hannah. Are you certain I can't show you something else that may be to your liking? That necklace you mentioned is still fresh in my mind...

 

[ObscureInsanity]

She nodded again.

"I give you my word," she promised. "I'll do you one favor for this book... and if you did want a lock of hair..." she shrugged and giggled. "It wouldn't be missed, my hair's ridiculously thick."

She looked behind her as he mentioned the amulet. Curiosity stirred within her: what if it was, in fact...? She bit her lip again and smiled thinking about it.

"Alright, if you're offering, Sir, I wouldn't mind looking." she said with a shrug. She didn't HAVE to buy it, after all.

 

[fr33ks33k]

It would be my pleasure, Hannah. I'll go retrieve it.

*With nothing but a smile and a bow, he disappeared into the aisles of the shop. He knew precisely where the amulet was. He'd held it in his hands before, many times. Instantly he was reminded of the dark pearl and the horrible power it held within. This item was truly powerful as well, though it's power to corrupt came from within the wielder, not the item itself. He spied it on a high shelf, not where he'd left it last at all. A perturbing thought, as no one had been into the shop seeking it to his last knowledge.

He shook the thought from his mind as he laid hands on the amulet; a garnet about the size of a peanut, clutched by a silver eagle's claw. It hung from a simple silver chain, seemingly frail. He knew better.

He returned to the lobby, holding the amulet out to Hannah.*

I believe this is what you mentioned. And yes, before you ask, it is real.

 

[ObscureInsanity]

She watched as he walked away, pacing a little just around the area of the counter. She picked up a cute little scarf, made of red silk. She threw it around her neck and stood in front of a nearby vanity mirror, posing like a movie star and giggling. Once she heard his footsteps coming back towards her she quickly took it off and placed it carefully back on the coat rack she had found it on.

She stood back in front of the counter, though, she had her back to it, facing him as he emerged from an aisle. Her eyes followed him as he made his way towards her. In his outstretched hand he held the small necklace. She smiled a little, exciting little thing, really. She wanted to touch it, and reached out to do so; she stopped herself from touching it, her hand falling to her side: she was suddenly overwhelmed by something... she couldn't quite put her finger on the emotion but... it flooded into her and she took a short step back. Lucky, really, the counter was there. She looked back at him and her face reflected the distraught feelings embedded within her. It wasn't hers to have: that's what it felt like. It was beautiful to look at but... she bowed her head.

"Beautiful," she commented, avoiding looking at the little thing. "I don't believe that it's calling to me, though." she said with a sad shrug. If it was, in fact, the item she believed it to be there was a reason why: she was probably too corruptible, a very fragile being, she knew this: the stone must have known it too. It would only take one bad person to convince her to use it for their gain, and she would, for their happiness, but, in turn, be cursed by the stone.

"Do you, perhaps, have any sort of... old... long bows?" she questioned; her eyes darted into his again and lingered there. "I'm sorry," she blushes and bows her head again. "I keep taking your time..." she sighed lightly. "I should probably go..." she turned her back on him and eyed her treasures. She smiled. Yes. This would be good enough for now, surely.

 

[fr33ks33k]

You can take nothing from me that I would not freely give, dear Hannah. I enjoy all encounters with my customers, be they brief or long-lived. I do indeed have an array of hunter's bows, but if you wish, you may come see them at another time. It is a choice I leave up to you.

*He smiled again, leaning back once more on his stool. His hands toyed with the garnet necklace. If the light caught it just right, it appeared to shine more like a ruby, glowing red as blood.*

 

[ObscureInsanity]

She glanced at him from behind her shoulder a smiled a little.

"I think this is enough for now," she said softly. "Thank you," she added.

She collected her things and started towards the door, quite pleased with herself. Just before she reached the door something hit her: she walked back to him and set her things on the counter again.

"Uhm... how exactly will you contact me if... you need my debt repaid?" she questioned. She was up for giving him her number, but wasn't sure if that was the method he would want to contact her.

 

[fr33ks33k]

You are quite welcome.

*He watched her leave, then have a sudden thought strike her, turning her about and bringing her back to the counter. He quirked a brow at her question, a smirk upon his face*

Well, carrier pigeons are terribly out of date....there are plenty of scrying tools in this place, but that can be rather intrusive...

*He paused, pensiveness filling his features. This was a front, of course. He waited a few moments before reaching beneath the counter and pulling out a small pager. It had but one button on it, and a clip to attach it to whatever might be convenient.*

This is how I will contact you should I require the favor and your presence is absent here. Don't worry about battery life or distance. It does not work in such a limited fashion.

*His coy smile said more than his explanation did*

There you have it; I look forward to your next visit, Hannah.

 

[ObscureInsanity]

She giggled at his suggestions of contact.

"Right..." she replied: her eyes reflecting her amused smile.

She took the pager in her hand and turned it about in her palm, glancing at him: she'd never used one before; doctors often used them, especially surgeons around hospitals to contact each other. Odd, really.... She nodded and clipped it onto the strap of her purse: might as well, she took the thing with her everywhere.

She blushed at him saying her name, and saying he looked forward to seeing her again, nodded again, collected her things and turned to leave the establishment. She paused briefly at the door to look back at him, a small smile forming at the corners of her lips. She pondered a moment, then turned back to the door, opened it, and left.

She would be back, definitely, if only just to discover and handle every single piece of history in the place.

 

[fr33ks33k]

Excerpt from a gilded poetry book. Row 83, Third Shelf.

Porcelain Perfection

Coruscating curls cascading over collarbones; certainly ceramic, far beyond the
humbleness of human form. Alabaster skin dusted daintily with freckles at nose,
cheek, and shoulder. And should one's eyes grow bolder, daring venture
further...what true beauty to behold. Bosom pert and firm yet malleable as clay;
rosy-peaked, pointing proudly, unerringly toward the target of desire. Stomach
taut and toned but just as delicate and smooth. Hips shapely like a water jug,
looking quite full and fertile. Legs long and never-ending, though tapered
ankles tell a different tale. Eyes tracing up and inward reveal a new dimension
of sultry loveliness. Velvet depths folded like a sleeping flower, nectar
sweeter than distilled honey flowing as a river to nourish hungers long left
unsatisfied. One taste to fill the belly, another for the soul, and one last
draught to quench a thirst that only this porcelain perfection could ever hope
to extinguish.

 

[fr33ks33k]

Excerpt from Alternate Forms of Beauty. Row 1034, Bottom Shelf.

Pale skin, covered in intricate markings, vivid colors, contrasting hues and a myriad designs from different cultures commingling to form the most lovely painted canvas one has ever seen.

Honeyed flesh, covered in delicate sigils, grayscaled details down to minutiae, texture in two dimensions giving way to a third, greater dimension on this equally beautiful palette.

Whether light-skinned or dark, the addition of these markings can only increase the intrinsic value of aesthetics.

 

[Aurantica]

Ellie frowned as she sprinted across the clear space between the rest of the buildings and the odd looking brick structure. She felt vulnerable out in the open like this. Hoping a little reverse psychology would work, she aimed for the entrance to the lone structure looming above her. The place looked ... deep. Deep enough to hide in for a while.

Sides heaving for breath, she threw a glance behind her, then opened the door and stepped in. Instict told her to step off to the left of the door so she would be invisible to anyone coming in. For once, Ellie ignored it and walked up to the counter, looking for some sort of attendant. She was painfully aware of her rapid breathing and pounding heart.


(Please excuse me if I've come in at a bad spot or done something wrong- this is my first time posting like this. )

 

[fr33ks33k]

*He'd been wandering the stacks again, as was usual for him, especially when the shop was empty. He was admiring a large globe made of what seemed like fashioned stone. I had a gyroscopic axle that turned it in all directions, allowing any country to be viewed from an easy angle. The sudden loud creak of the front door found his ears and he looked up. A customer...he should probably greet them. Twisting and turning through the stacks of shelves, he reached the lobby.

At first he didn't see anyone, and thought maybe the door had just been blown open by the wind, closed by the change in pressure when the wind changed. But then his eyes found the heavily breathing figure standing at the counter. He moved closer, letting his steps be heard so that her breathing would not turn to frightened screaming.*

Hello there! May I help you?

 

[Aurantica]

She heard the footsteps long before she saw him. A man of average height, one of those strange people who looked both old and young at once.
"Hello there! May I help you?"
She hesitated fo a moment before answering, willing her breathing to slow so the man wouldnt be alarmed.
"I'm looking for a book on prehistoric beasts... do you have any?
It was a ruse, of course.She could easily find whatever she wanted to know on the computer system at the local college, or the library, or online. But there was something about this place that made her ask. Somehow, she felt this funny old building would have something that couldn't be found in any of those places.
The search for a book would draw her away from the entrance and into the stacks. And every step away from the door made her that much safer.

 

[fr33ks33k]

Prehistoric, you say? Hmm...I'm sure there are at least a few here on that subject. Tell me though, what has been pursuing you? Your breathing suggests quite a lengthy run, and the frantic glancing you've been doing at the front door there would indicate fear of some assailant following you in. You are not in some sort of trouble, are you?

*His mind had already noted the locations of two separate texts on her requested subject, but that could wait. He would not have troublemakers in his shop, nor would he tolerate the unwanted advances of someone on another*

 

[Aurantica]

Ellie cursed herself silently for being so out of shape before answering.
" No, just a bully who decided to bother me today.... I'm not in any trouble."
She dropped her head and tucked a lock of wavy blonde hair back under her ballcap, hoping the man wouldn't ask any more questions.

 

[fr33ks33k]

Hmm...well, for his sake I hope he hasn't been foolish enough to follow you here. Now, about those books....

*He made a motion for her to follow as he went down an aisle of shelves diagonally opposite where he had entered the lobby. It was a short distance to the shelf that contained both the books, lucky enough to be stored together. One was bound in old leather, tanned brown covers crackling as he opened it to read the title: Prehistoria: Flora and Fauna of Note. The other was more of a compiling of notes from a professor Alan Grant. It was very heavily detailed and scribbled upon. He took both and passed them to the young miss, smirking a bit at the ball cap perched on her head*

By the way, I am Fr33k. What may I call you, miss?

 

[Aurantica]

Ellie felt slightly better as she walked between the shelves.They were close together and quite tall. At the top of each shelf, perhaps 15 feet from the ground, there was a rail with a ladder hanging on it. It was clearly designed so every shelf could be reached. There were wheels along the bottom of the ladder as well, sturdy enough so that a person could simply push the ladder along from whatever level they happened to be standing at, without having to climb down. She smiled. Simple solutions like this pleased her.


She was surprised then the man handed her two books, one leatherbound and another with a thick velvety cover. Both looked very old, and the secind one appeared to have been written in, judging from the way the edges of the book waved, even with the cover closed.
She barely had time to glance at the titles before the man spoke again.

"By the way, I am Fr33k. What may I call you, miss?"


"I'm Nellie Gwynne", she said, automatically using her alternate name. She shuffled the books to her left hand and extended her hand.

 

[fr33ks33k]

*He took Nellie's hand and shook it firmly, smiling a bit. Nellie Gwynne sounded like a name he'd heard in a childrens book once before, but he ignored it for the time being. Truth was sometimes hard to give when circumstances varied.*

Well, it is nice to make your acquaintance. Feel free to roam the stacks here if something else should catch your fancy. If not, then we can return to the lobby to discuss the prices of those two items.

 

[Aurantica]

She nodded, grateful for the chance to be alone. Hollow ruse as it was, the books looked very interesting, especially the journal.

"Thank you."

Eliie turned away from the man to examine the shelf behind her. She listened for the man's footsteps, hoping he would go back to wherever it was he came from. Once he was out of sight she tucked the books against her hip and slipped deeper into the store, aiming for the back of the shop.

 

[fr33ks33k]

*He gave her a brief bow before she started perusing the shelf before her, wandering deeper into the shop. He went back to the counter, fiddling with a few small trinkets that seemed broken. Repairing them might take some time....*

 

[Aurantica]

As she walked deeper into the shop, Eliie couldn't help but be amazed at the myriad of books, devices, tools, skeletons and images scattered about on the shelves. "I bet you could find just about anything in there" she thought as she passed a carved crossbow hanging on the wall. She paused at the end of the next bookshelf, surprised to see a long wooden longbow hanging by a little loop of leather. Setting the books aside, she unhooked the bow from the end of the shelf. For it's apparent age, she was surprised to find it clean and dust free. Looking around the shop, she noticed that even the top shevles were clear of dust. Turning her attentioon back to the bow, she undid a little leather bag tied to the loop. Inside was the bowstring, clean and supple. Ellie paused for a moment, then pulled the string out. She hooked one end around one tip of the bow, noting how neatly the notch was carved. She wrapped her foot around the shaft and strung the bow. Impulsivley, she raised it, aiming down the length of the shop towards the back. She pulled back smoothly on the string, set her thumb against one cheekbone, and let go.

 

[fr33ks33k]

*He looked up as the piercing sound of an arrow being let loose and finding purchase in something heavy filled the shop. There were only two things he knew that could do such things, and one was in pieces on the counter at the moment. He set aside his tools and went to investigate*

 

[Aurantica]

( I never actually fired an arrow, just pulled back on and released the string. I'm not dumb enough to fire a bow in the middle of a crowded shop)

Ellie smiled. Despite its age, the bow was in beautiful shape, with only a few tiny dents along the shaft, and virtually no damage to the ends, where chips and splits were so common. It looked to fire true, too, though she couldn't tell for sure without actually firing it . She swung her arm down, still in archer's stance . Even the leather forming the grip looked clean, not wrinkled or dry. Whoever had owned this before had great respect for it.