undergrounds | stop! ghost time (open post)

JULY 21; COFFEERS' SHOP (LATE AFTERNOON)

Clara doesn't always snoop around the city and sometimes her work isn't always needed in the school. Sometimes she likes to stay in the shop. Sometimes she enjoys listening to idle conversation of the customers, not really listening in on them, that'll be rude, but nonetheless enjoying the buzz of activity the shop has during their busiest hours.

And sometimes that isn't enough. That's when she goes over and pokes around the lost and found box, seeing what's there and if anything is something that belongs to a current patron she can give back to without them looking. It's there that she finds a pair of marigold gloves during her search and about them draws her to them... Naturally she reaches out to and concentrates a bit to have a goodish grasp of it to see if there's a nametag anywhere when she notices a peculiar thing:

It feels... solid under her touch, real and tangible without the strange numbness to her fingertips she's become accustomed to at this rate. It takes her a second to realise what this means. She can touch them! She can hold them! She can do it with ease, most importantly of all.

Oh, what an exciting day for her as she mutters one little apology under her breath and zips off to the back of the shop with her new item. Already she has a little million ideas for them popping into mind, the excitement of the discovery along with the possibilities just enough to drown out her guilt for taking something out of the lost and found box that isn't hers.

JULY 25; AROUND THE CITY (ALL DAY)

After the last few days of activity, Clara decides it's time to be both proactive and to use her gloves to her advantage.

She'll now be found in areas that she usually doesn't snoop around in her attempts to glean information: The darker parts of the city, the seedier alleyways of the town, and etc. She'll peek through windows and go through walls, doing her best to stay invisible and quiet as a mouse while going through things with a newfound ease thanks to her gloves. (When she can bear the itching for long as she can, of course. Goodness do they chafe her skin.)

From Haringey to Hackney to Waltham Forest and then some, she'll be exploring and peeping into a lot of people today if she can. It's risky but she does her best. If she's to be a good observer of information, she needs to dig deep and hope she finds some things out, see what's going on in the heart of the city.

[ OOC: Or make your own scenario in your comment! Prose and brackets welcomed! A note, though, is that only one person can step in to help Clara get rid of the medium that she'll run into on July 25.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"I've known you far longer than anyone else I've met here in London so far," she tells her friend confidently, "and I know for certain is this: You'll be able to do it, keeping her from getting the best of you. You've always been able to do anything if you put your mind to it."

It's what made Clara admire her friend so much in the past, looking up to the girl when she was still young herself. "I'm sorry she's being so awful to you. I don't understand why others can be so... so... so like that. If that makes any sense."

"Well, if you think I can, then I have to keep myself under control. I can't let you down, of all people." Maera's smile is more real now, and though she can't reach out to clasp Clara's hand like she might have years ago, she hopes there's enough warmth in her voice to make up for it.

"It makes sense. I get why Mom fell in love with Dad at times like this. I love fae, of course, but they can be so... I don't know. Humans are more kind without needing reason for it."

Now, more than ever, she's happy that she has the ghost gloves on her. One of them at least. It allows her to hold a dear friend's hand without trouble, without fear she'll literally slip right through her touch and loss the moment.

Definitely going to keep them if this happens often enough.

"I hope it isn't harsh to suggest but maybe the word is calculating for the rest of the fae." Clara wrinkles her nose and shakes her head. "No; that's too harsh. Perhaps the best way to describe it is... is... oh! I feel so out of depth with all of this half the time but knowing the others, especially you, are part of it makes it all worth it."

"No, you're right. Humans have a-- sorry, most humans have a certain time span for their life, right? So they want to be good. Most of them, at least. Like, they want to look back when they're old and say, yeah, I was good. But fae don't have that. So they're less motivated towards goodness."

The little speech seems to take a lot out of her, and she's frowning to herself by the time she finishes. "Not that I don't love the fae. But- you can love something and acknowledge the truth of it as well, I think."

"Life expectancy, yes." She had lived well above what was expected of hers and is having at the moment a-- What's the term Magra's friend uses for his video game? A plus one bonus. "We might as well make the most of what we have and being so mean takes a lot of energy in my opinion."

Fae, from what she's gathered from past talks and understandings, have all the time in the world and then some. "I'm sure you're not alone on this, Maera. Out there is a fae or ten or think just the same! It's only a matter of meeting them since the world is quite big and we all have lives to play out."

"I'll keep that in mind. Really." It's as close to a promise as she can get. "And in the meantime, I'll be looking out for people who know more about ghost stuff like these gloves."

Clara is about to say something, a reassurance of some sort perhaps, when a shout from outside -- CLARENCE, THAT'S THE THIRD TIME! -- all but interrupts her train of thoughts by reminding her where she and Maera are.

Somewhere they shouldn't be in.

"I think it's time we get going. I would hate for you to get in trouble if Cindy or Johnson found you in here." Talking to herself too. "It was wonderful seeing you again, Maera. I really am glad you got to be the first person to see these."

Maera jumps a little at the sound of the voice, then laughs. "You're sweet, Clara. I'll drop by again soon, alright? Don't get into too much trouble with those gloves without me." The usual tone of mischief has returned to her expression, but she's just trying to hide how pensive she's actually feeling.

Believing Maera is okay, Clara smiles back and nods in agreement while puts back on her gloves so she can open the door sneakily to let her friend out. "I promise to try and keep myself out of trouble! I don't want to do anything mischievous if you're not there to appreciate it."

"Perfect response. I knew I could count on you." She heads to the door with Clara, hurrying out as soon as its opened for her. "I'll see you around soon! At the very latest, at the Lammas party, alright?"

"The one at the beach." She looks a bit nervous thanks to the destination but she smiles away her concerns and nods. The least she can do for Maera and the others is to try. "We'll see! It does sound exciting!"

And it'll be nice to get away from the bustle here for a bit. She dodges a passing barista grumbling under her breath and she sees the busy nature of the coffee shop means it's time for her to leave for a bit to give the employees some peace. Smiling at Maera for one last time, she gives a cheerful wave goodbye before quickly phasing through the wall to head somewhere else.

stop! ghost time (open post)

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