The sun was bright, if not a bit low, as it always seemed to be, the park was....Nice....As nice as it could be. Everything was...Normal. Except for the oddity. The cosplayer? The geisha? A painted woman sits alone on a swing, perhaps the only one that seemed her size. A delicate pale hand grasping the handle of an umbrella. There was no reason for being, there was simply the instinct to people watch. From the few people often paired running the trail to the sparse shady characters that come and go? None, or very few, rather, were exempt from catching the odd painted woman's gaze, nothing is said mind you--oh no, she wouldn't dare interrupt her intent to watch the goings on of the locals, they were much too interesting.
Then again, perhaps she were being a bit ironic in thinking so, of all the oddities present, she really took the cake.
Was she missing a thumb? Were her fingers malformed...? No...No it must have been a trick of the eye, to make her hands seem a bit longer than what they ought to be, to make her lips look a bit more red, to make her eyes a bit more dull...No, she surely had all of her digits, and they were surely an appropriate length, she holds a hand over a book in her lap and to any who see her, any who might acknowledge the painted woman receive a small dip of the head in return, and her attention for better or ill.
An empty seat beside her silently inviting company, though demanding none.
Then again, perhaps she were being a bit ironic in thinking so, of all the oddities present, she really took the cake.
Was she missing a thumb? Were her fingers malformed...? No...No it must have been a trick of the eye, to make her hands seem a bit longer than what they ought to be, to make her lips look a bit more red, to make her eyes a bit more dull...No, she surely had all of her digits, and they were surely an appropriate length, she holds a hand over a book in her lap and to any who see her, any who might acknowledge the painted woman receive a small dip of the head in return, and her attention for better or ill.
An empty seat beside her silently inviting company, though demanding none.
She cut through the park, coming home from work at the cafe, business as usual. However... Joelle tilted her head as she noticed the woman who looked as if she had stepped straight out of an Asian modeling magazine. Hmmm... You definitely didn't see that kind of timeless beauty every day, and the umbrella even tied the look together, Jo decided quietly. The people watcher was becoming the watched the more that the vampire lingered. Oh right, she needed to pick her damn jaw off the ground before someone noticed her staring.
Joelle's attention briefly turned to a pair of joggers and for a passing moment, she wondered what chaos she could cause by tripping one when they got closer to her. She ultimately swatted away the intrusive thoughts with the tiniest little snicker, moving to say hello to the painted woman. She strutted across the park confidently, worn-out Converse stopping only when she was close enough to gush at the poor thing. "You are soooo pretty!" she complimented brightly, "I seriously love the vibe. Is it for anything fancy, or just because?" In the vamp's opinion, the woman honestly didn't even NEED a reason apart from just wanting to dress up, but she was just trying to make conversation. "Oop! Gosh, where are my manners? I'm Joelle. Pardon the intrusion, but would you like some company?" she offered, giving a smooth little bow as a better greeting.
Joelle was dressed simply, in jeans and a black tee, with an apron from the cafe draped over one arm. She was sure she probably smelled strongly of coffee and pastries, but it was fiiiine, as it could always be worse. If allowed to join the painted lady, she'd take a seat next to her on the swing gently. If not, she would politely nod in understanding and give her a warm goodbye salute instead with one last compliment of how pretty she was.
Joelle's attention briefly turned to a pair of joggers and for a passing moment, she wondered what chaos she could cause by tripping one when they got closer to her. She ultimately swatted away the intrusive thoughts with the tiniest little snicker, moving to say hello to the painted woman. She strutted across the park confidently, worn-out Converse stopping only when she was close enough to gush at the poor thing. "You are soooo pretty!" she complimented brightly, "I seriously love the vibe. Is it for anything fancy, or just because?" In the vamp's opinion, the woman honestly didn't even NEED a reason apart from just wanting to dress up, but she was just trying to make conversation. "Oop! Gosh, where are my manners? I'm Joelle. Pardon the intrusion, but would you like some company?" she offered, giving a smooth little bow as a better greeting.
Joelle was dressed simply, in jeans and a black tee, with an apron from the cafe draped over one arm. She was sure she probably smelled strongly of coffee and pastries, but it was fiiiine, as it could always be worse. If allowed to join the painted lady, she'd take a seat next to her on the swing gently. If not, she would politely nod in understanding and give her a warm goodbye salute instead with one last compliment of how pretty she was.
Meets the confident woman with a pair of dark orbs, which snap immediately to her when she begins her approach, watching as she moves closer without a warning glance nor a predatory pretense but with a silent, sentinel like stare, intrigue, mystery, a new beginning? She was uncertain what this one would bring with her. The outburst comes, and crimson painted lips lift to give her the ghost of a smile. Were she able to blush through her layers of paint she would have done so and yet, for now such things go unnoticed.
"Joelle." She offers her a low bow of the head, before politely scooting only a bit to one side to show that she would indeed appreciate the company, and when Joelle sits she begins to accompany their cozy seat with a soft swing back and forth. When she sits, considering the species unknown between them, herself to Joelle, and Joelle to herself, the barista will find she smells a bit like mint and eucalyptus, a scent that sort of opens the nasal passages, though not entirely overbearing, depending on how acute her sense of smell is? She would also pick up a hint of ink from the book in her lap no doubt.
It seems to take a moment where the Painted Lady simply stares at her, taking in her features sort of drinking in the new essence as if she were as alien to her as she may be to the opposite before she speaks, answering her questions with a smile that betrayed her some semblance of eagerness to converse with a new face. "You are prettier." She tells her first. Searching her face a bit further before looking down at her kimono before what looks to be an apologetic expression takes her, one laced with humor at the incoming answer, as if it were not a good enough reason and she knew the humor in it.
"I suppose I just like it." She tells her, before an almost melodious laugh leaves her, just above a whisper, quiet in it's own right, but existing all the same. "My name is Natalia." Her attention had not once left Joelle since she'd sat down, her eyes scan her face still yet quietly. "You work at Crazy Beans?" She asks suddenly, staring now at the apron. "I have seen you there I think." She explains while eyes remain locked on the apron for now.
"Joelle." She offers her a low bow of the head, before politely scooting only a bit to one side to show that she would indeed appreciate the company, and when Joelle sits she begins to accompany their cozy seat with a soft swing back and forth. When she sits, considering the species unknown between them, herself to Joelle, and Joelle to herself, the barista will find she smells a bit like mint and eucalyptus, a scent that sort of opens the nasal passages, though not entirely overbearing, depending on how acute her sense of smell is? She would also pick up a hint of ink from the book in her lap no doubt.
It seems to take a moment where the Painted Lady simply stares at her, taking in her features sort of drinking in the new essence as if she were as alien to her as she may be to the opposite before she speaks, answering her questions with a smile that betrayed her some semblance of eagerness to converse with a new face. "You are prettier." She tells her first. Searching her face a bit further before looking down at her kimono before what looks to be an apologetic expression takes her, one laced with humor at the incoming answer, as if it were not a good enough reason and she knew the humor in it.
"I suppose I just like it." She tells her, before an almost melodious laugh leaves her, just above a whisper, quiet in it's own right, but existing all the same. "My name is Natalia." Her attention had not once left Joelle since she'd sat down, her eyes scan her face still yet quietly. "You work at Crazy Beans?" She asks suddenly, staring now at the apron. "I have seen you there I think." She explains while eyes remain locked on the apron for now.
Joelle didn't catch any ill vibes upon her approach and was even more intrigued by the subtle sentinel presence. In her opinion, it kind of even added to the whole mystique thing that the woman had going on. What would Joelle bring? Oh, good question. She came in many forms into people's lives through the years, whether peaceful or chaotic. Her friend Charlie, for instance, got the more chaotic side, while her bestie Jae got nothing but sugary sweetness. It was up in the air what she would bring to Nattie, and it entirely depended on how they clicked. A smile was a good start, though.
The polite scoot told her that yes, she could join her, and the vamp took that invitation with another bright smile. Her own feet aided in the gentle sway of the swing, easily keeping time with her new acquaintance. The minty scent was caught, but the ink was entirely too faint since there were far too many other scents overpowering it out here. Joelle tilted her head when Nat stared at her, a warm smile dancing over her features the longer the stare continued. It reached those ocean blues, causing the smallest of squints. The waitress had no issues with being stared at by pretty painted ladies. It was only the creeps that she would have probably decked in the face for it or Mack... but he had just rubbed her wrong with that whole police raid thing. "Aweee, stooop," she gushed with a laugh, scrunching her nose up, "Thank you, though." Joelle turned her attention to the joggers again when Nat glanced down at her kimono.
"Oh? Well, that's as good a reason as any," she offered with another smile, "I usually dress a little more gothic and witchy, but I try to blend in at work." She nodded when given a name to put to the face, taking it to memory. "It's a pleasure, Natalia," she smiled, fighting back a grin when the jogger she had contemplated tripping stubbed his toe on a rock and stumbled a bit. The universe loved her after all. "Hm?" she blinked, that gaze shooting back to Nat when she spoke again, "I do, yes. I don't recall seeing you, but then again, I was zooming around like a psycho so I could have easily missed you." She thought back to the busy day she'd had and how she wanted to stab a select few. "It can sometimes be more crazy, less beans," she snickered, "What do you do for work?"
The polite scoot told her that yes, she could join her, and the vamp took that invitation with another bright smile. Her own feet aided in the gentle sway of the swing, easily keeping time with her new acquaintance. The minty scent was caught, but the ink was entirely too faint since there were far too many other scents overpowering it out here. Joelle tilted her head when Nat stared at her, a warm smile dancing over her features the longer the stare continued. It reached those ocean blues, causing the smallest of squints. The waitress had no issues with being stared at by pretty painted ladies. It was only the creeps that she would have probably decked in the face for it or Mack... but he had just rubbed her wrong with that whole police raid thing. "Aweee, stooop," she gushed with a laugh, scrunching her nose up, "Thank you, though." Joelle turned her attention to the joggers again when Nat glanced down at her kimono.
"Oh? Well, that's as good a reason as any," she offered with another smile, "I usually dress a little more gothic and witchy, but I try to blend in at work." She nodded when given a name to put to the face, taking it to memory. "It's a pleasure, Natalia," she smiled, fighting back a grin when the jogger she had contemplated tripping stubbed his toe on a rock and stumbled a bit. The universe loved her after all. "Hm?" she blinked, that gaze shooting back to Nat when she spoke again, "I do, yes. I don't recall seeing you, but then again, I was zooming around like a psycho so I could have easily missed you." She thought back to the busy day she'd had and how she wanted to stab a select few. "It can sometimes be more crazy, less beans," she snickered, "What do you do for work?"
When told to stop, she does so, with a dip of the head she turns to look at the passers by. Another pair of people most likely walking the trail, a shouting child with a mother, these two specifically catching Natalia's eye as she stares for a moment longer at the child with a sort of saddened expression, deftly hidden within the breath between one moment and the next.
"The pleasure is mine Joelle." She returns as the jogger finds her attention, pulling it from the mother and child, much to their benefit as the runner stumbles. Her attention focuses upon the poor guy that injured himself and she speaks while staring at him. "Through the window only, in passing." She explains, watching as the man continues his jog with a slight hitch in his injured foot, deciding him to be the one absent-mindedly, with any luck, they wouldn't find this one....Not like the other, the one that they'd found.. But she'd been asked a question.
Dark eyes return to the vampire, and mind you she had not yet discovered Joelle's identity or sussed out that she was undead, she had however discovered that she were not....Typical. Natalia finds a smile again, always such a small smile, one that never reaches her eyes quite yet but offers interest in the conversation with a slight lift to either corner, a fleeting smile as she seems to gather her thoughts. "I'm a nurse of sorts...I also work as a barista." She reaches into a small side pouch that she wore at her waist and removes a name tag, much the same as the one Joelle must have somewhere on her person or in her apron. "As of today. It seems we'll see a lot of one another doesn't it? Some would call that fate."
"The pleasure is mine Joelle." She returns as the jogger finds her attention, pulling it from the mother and child, much to their benefit as the runner stumbles. Her attention focuses upon the poor guy that injured himself and she speaks while staring at him. "Through the window only, in passing." She explains, watching as the man continues his jog with a slight hitch in his injured foot, deciding him to be the one absent-mindedly, with any luck, they wouldn't find this one....Not like the other, the one that they'd found.. But she'd been asked a question.
Dark eyes return to the vampire, and mind you she had not yet discovered Joelle's identity or sussed out that she was undead, she had however discovered that she were not....Typical. Natalia finds a smile again, always such a small smile, one that never reaches her eyes quite yet but offers interest in the conversation with a slight lift to either corner, a fleeting smile as she seems to gather her thoughts. "I'm a nurse of sorts...I also work as a barista." She reaches into a small side pouch that she wore at her waist and removes a name tag, much the same as the one Joelle must have somewhere on her person or in her apron. "As of today. It seems we'll see a lot of one another doesn't it? Some would call that fate."
Joelle barely noticed how Nat's eyes lingered a little longer on the child with their mother, but she did notice. Curious, but she didn't know the woman well enough to assume anything about her, or whether or not she wanted or had kids of her own. That was a delicate subject for many, Joelle included, so she kept her thoughts to herself. She couldn't help but wonder, however, if maybe there was a story behind that sad expression she was sure she saw flicker in and out in only a breath's time.
She smiled warmly, soaking in the pleasantries as they were offered. She nearly missed that too, nearly. In passing? "Oh, I see," she laughed, eyes flicking from the man to Nat and back again as she added playfully, "That entirely explains why I didn't see you, then." Joelle was blissfully unaware of any sinister thoughts Nat was having towards that limping jogger and was in no place to judge even if she did know something. It wasn't her business either way.
Not typical was a fitting assessment, even though the vamp wasn't aware of that either. She couldn't read minds or anything of that nature like some vampires could in the books or movies. If she could she'd be a dangerous little chaos gremlin, but that was beside the point. "Oh?" she tilted her head, "Jogger boy probably could have used a nurse, haha." At the next bit, she perked up with even further interest, grinning when she noticed the name tag that matched her own, "Wellll would you look at that? It sure does. I'll be happy to show you everything I know." Fate? Maybe, but Joelle didn't believe in that. "Maybe so," she shrugged gently, "Some people are superstitious, for sure." Her tone was kept light and casual, taking care not to potentially offend; if Nat herself believed in it.
She smiled warmly, soaking in the pleasantries as they were offered. She nearly missed that too, nearly. In passing? "Oh, I see," she laughed, eyes flicking from the man to Nat and back again as she added playfully, "That entirely explains why I didn't see you, then." Joelle was blissfully unaware of any sinister thoughts Nat was having towards that limping jogger and was in no place to judge even if she did know something. It wasn't her business either way.
Not typical was a fitting assessment, even though the vamp wasn't aware of that either. She couldn't read minds or anything of that nature like some vampires could in the books or movies. If she could she'd be a dangerous little chaos gremlin, but that was beside the point. "Oh?" she tilted her head, "Jogger boy probably could have used a nurse, haha." At the next bit, she perked up with even further interest, grinning when she noticed the name tag that matched her own, "Wellll would you look at that? It sure does. I'll be happy to show you everything I know." Fate? Maybe, but Joelle didn't believe in that. "Maybe so," she shrugged gently, "Some people are superstitious, for sure." Her tone was kept light and casual, taking care not to potentially offend; if Nat herself believed in it.