Gemini Bookstore

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

"It broke my arm," River told Tahlia. "And then my parents stopped letting me go outside at night."

Tahlia listened intently. "That must have been a big owl."

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

((Ohh that's right these two >.< ))

"It wasn't that big," Bolt said, remembering it. "I'd say about medium sized."

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

((I forgot that we had already started with them!))

"It was a lot bigger than me," River said. "My wing has never been the same."
Tahlia thought that she had guessed right and handed River a book about bats. "What about this?"

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

((So did I haha))

"You like bats, right?" Bolt asked, pretty sure. But she could be sick of bats too, so he really wasn't all that sure.

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

River nodded. "How did you know?" She asked, taking the book.

Tahlia tapped the side of her nose. "I could just tell."

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"Do you want anything else?" Bolt asked his sister. One book was more than enough for him, but probably not for her.

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

She shook her head. "No. This one is good." River didn't have that much munny and she didn't have any credits. So one was enough.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"You're sure? Okay," Bolt said and shrugged a bit. "Then I guess we'll pay and go."

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

Tahlia gestured for them to follow her back down stairs. "I'll get you taken care of."

River smiled and went after her.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Bolt followed as well, his hands dug deep into his pockets.

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

Tahlia rang up the book for River and threw in a free comic book written by an anonymous towns person. "Hopefully I'll see you again," She said.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"Oh trust me, I'm sure will be back," Bolt said with a small laugh. For one reason or another, that was.

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

River nodded. "For sure. I like it here. Thanks for the books."

Tahlia smiled at her and waved as they exited. As soon as they were gone, she sighed and her smile returned to her stoic expression as she went back to her velvet chair. Happiness seldom stayed.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

--End--

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Somewhat as promised, Enna came into town but this time with the intention of actually seeing people. On a whim, she wandered into the bookstore. The door made a light jingling sound as it opened and closed, which bothered Enna a little because she didn't want her arrival announced.

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

Tahlia was sitting in her usual place at the back, legs folded neatly on her worn velvet chair.
When she first heard the bell she continued to read, but hadn't heard any other movement from the front. She put her metal bookmark inside to mark her place then closed her book before looking over.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Enna looked around from right where she'd come in, taking a moment before she stepped a little deeper in, glancing around at the books.

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

Hearing someone browsing, Tahlia leaned back again. Maybe they needed her help. They could always ring the bell at the front desk.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Enna took her time, but she didn't really like books so her time didn't take long at all. Eventually, she made her way to the desk, frowning when there was no one around. Wasn't Tahlia supposed to work here? She didn't notice the bell at first, but after a second of looking she noticed and rang it more forcefully than intended.

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

"Whoa!" Tahlia called, jumping up out of her seat. Some people rang it loudly on purpose but other's did it on accident. For their sake it had better be the latter.
She walked quickly to the front.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"Oops," Enna commented in her signature flat tone. "Rather sensitive bell. I shouldn't have thought you needed one that loud," she continued when Tahlia came out.

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

Tahlia smiled when she saw Enna. "I sit in the back, still. You'd know that if you came in more often," she said with a slight teasing tone.
"Enzo is usually up here but he is off today."

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"You actually hired someone else?" Enna asked, the slightest bit of surprise evident in her voice. "I must have been away for longer than I had thought."

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

"More out of necessity," Tahlia admitted begrudgingly. "He's not too bad, for a blood sucker."

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"Getting a lot of business then recently?" Enna inquired, ignoring the blood sucker comment. Vampires had never really bothered her more than any other creature, so she could neither agree nor disagree.

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

It was merely a wolf thing. Vampires and werewolves rarely got along.
"Yes, and no," Tahlia replied. "It doesn't pay to close the shop Everytime I leave so having help is a good thing. Most of the books go to the schools anyways so we're pretty quiet until the next classes start and they need to get something new."

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"Do people not just....read because they want to?" Enna asked. Personally she didn't see the appeal, but knew that Tahlia enjoyed it and imagined there were more like her.

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

"Some do, that's why I have any business during the lull," Tahlia told her. "Some people just borrow books for one credit and then return them. Sort of like the library, before it collapsed and all those books were ruined," she said.
"Any ways, I know you're not a reader, and while I'm happy, I am a tad curious why you're here."

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"Socialization," Enna replied plainly. "I haven't seen you or...anyone in a while so I decided to come to town. Plus I wanted to get more fish for the lake."

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

"That's a nice idea," Tahlia replied. "Where are you going to get the fish?" She asked curiously. "I don't think they carry stocking fish at the pet store but I could be wrong."

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"I don't know yet," Enna answered. "I considered bribing a fisherman to catch some for me, since I've done that before. But I don't know if there are any around still. Most likely not."

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

"Have you talked to Uncle Ben?" Tahlia asked her. "He might know someone."

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"I hadn't thought about that," Enna admitted. "I should ask him."

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

Tahlia nodded. "What else are you doing today?"

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"I promised Soren I would visit him too, but it might be a little too late for that," Enna said, trying to remember when he said she should come by/

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

"I haven't seen him yet today. He and Elizabeth have been pretty busy though," Tahlia said.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"Hmm, well I don't wish to bother him," Enna said. It wasn't like she was disappointed, or could be, but she had come all the way into town for essentially two things and hadn't achieved either yet.

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

"Maybe wait awhile?" Tahlia said. "I actually found a book that reminded me of you."

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"A book?" Enna asked, actually a little curious. "What is it?"

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

"Kinda hard to explain. But the pictures are beautiful," Tahlia said. "I wonder if you might enjoy it's magical tales," she said playfully.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"I suppose it's possible," Enna said, unenthused as always. "Let me see it then."

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

Tahlia nodded and went behind the desk to where a door was. It was where they stored all books that were on hold.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Enna stayed at the desk, figuring Tahlia wouldn't want her back there which was just fine to her.

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

When she came back out she was holding what looked to be a very old book. It was maintained well but the spine was faded and the pages were yellowed.
"Here it is."

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"Can I actually touch this or will it fall apart?" Enna asked, not really wanting to be blamed for the fragile books' destruction.

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

"It's fine," Tahlia said. "We wouldn't be able to touch it at all if it had to be restored."

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

"Alright then," Enna said, but still peered at the book without touching. "Which part reminds you of me?"

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

"The pictures in it are beautiful, they even have gold etchings," Tahlia said. "It's something you would have loved when we were kids." She said loved lightly because back then at least Enna seemed slightly into it.

[☣ EMᕈRESS SERΔ ☣, Supreme Mod of Overcomplicated Projects]

Intrigued then, Enna leaned a little closer to see the pictures. She assumed she still liked things like that because it at least sounded interesting.

[Haaley, ᙏoᑯ oƒ ᙏᥲ⳽tᥱɾɩᥒɠ ᙃᥙᥒɠᥱoᥒ⳽]

Tahlia realized that Enna was waiting for her to show her rather than taking the book for herself.

Gently, she opened the book past the table of contents to a sturdier page containing the first picture.

The scene was delicate yet energetic, filled with tiny details that kept giving more Everytime it was reinspected. In particular it was a forest scene with tiny birds and woodland creatures familiar, and some not so common such as short pans with their wooden flutes.