Nightly Stroll (Jester/Open)

[Zen]

It was another late evening, and Zen was out for a walk. She loved having the peace and quiet of the evening to greet her at the end of a long and tiresome day. She had been walking for about an hour now, nothing really compared to how much she was used to doing. When your mother refused to take you places and you did not have a car, this is what you got. Heh.

Either way, dressed in a pair of black denim jeans and a red halter top, her brownish blond locks fell freely about her slender form. Almond eyes shimmering softly in the light of the setting sun as she scanned them over the signs of the many shops that lined this particular area of town.

Finally, a small out of the way shop caught her eye. It was a book store, and though it did not look like much, it had been Zen's experience that these places usually held the best selections.

So, with a little smile curling onto her lips, she made her way inside, spending a good hour inside and losing track of time....By the time she finally left, her newest find in hand, the sun had set and the night sky had taken over. A soft, chilly breeze blew over her flesh, and though most would have shivered, she simply enjoyed the sensation of having some type of feeling other than the emptiness she often felt when she was alone.

Sighing softly, she thought about the long walk home, and though she knew it was not exactly the best time of evening to be out on her own, she honestly could care less. She was not some pathetic little diva wannabe....Heh.....

Stuffing her book into her back she had slung over her shoulder, she then turned and started down the now deserted sidewalk, figuring it would take her about an hour to get home...Not too bad. Could be worse...she could have been a few hours off...And that would have just ended badly for her....

A small hand coming up and tucking her hair behind her ear she let those eyes scan the area around her...Noting the few people who passed her on their way to and from god knows where....Not really giving them much thought other than just a curious glance before continuing on her way....Alone...As she was most of the time.....

[Jester]

Ever had Big Red?

For the unaware, let the lecture begin. Big Red is a drink so savage, that whenever typed, it has to be underlined. It is a bubblegum soda found in about 45% of all gas stations and convenience stores. The sound of a bubblegum soda makes some gag, but there is a special breed of person that savors weird shit like that.

I digress- My story opens one chilly night as I take a stroll down the street to buy a bottle of Big-fucking-Red. I was dressed in my usual night attire- slacks, purple button-up, and sport coat, so the night air was quite refreshing to me.

That's when it dawned on me... I was out of cigarillos. Sonofabitch... Okay, so I need Big Red and smokes. Great. I looked up from my empty pocket to see someone walking towards me. She was attractive, dressed nicely- but walking alone. Uh... not very smart, but whatever, some people are just outcasts.

Wait... maybe she has a smoke.

I smiled as we just about passed each other, but before she could get past me, I asked her very nicely- "Excuse me, do ya have a smoke? I'm out." I gave her a grin, trying to assure her I wasn't some crazy rapist (anymore... *cough cough*).

[Zen]

She stopped as her eyes turned to the guy now speaking to her. Usually she would just turn and keep on walking but he did have a charming air about him, despite the fact that such a thing was the last thing on her mind.

"Umm..Sure..."

Reaching into her bag she grabbed out a pack of cigs, opening them up and offering one out to him. Nasty habit yes, but the fact of the matter remained that sometimes the meds were just not enough to take the edge off of her anxiety and nightmares.

Once, and if he took one, she would then pull one out for herself and bring it to her lips, her hand reaching into her pocket to try and find her lighter. It was some kind of subconscious thing....if you were a smoker and somebody else lit one in front of you, you seemed to need one to...Bad habit indeed. Those almond eyes however remaining on him as the search for the lighter continued.

[Jester]

Thank the baby Jesus, she had smokes. Granted, they weren't cigarillos, but fuck it, I need anything. I took the cigarette from her hand, gave her a small smile of thanks, and put it in my lips.

She fumbled around for something, but with a small nod, I brought out my Zippo- silver with a raised Celtic cross on it- one of my small little joys. I flicked it open with a turn of my wrist, brought the flame to life, and lit the end of the cig.

Oh yeah... That's the goods. Now I just need some Big Red and I'm fucking set.

"Thanks darlin." I exhaled the smoke away from her, pocketing my Zippo. "Damien- I'm new in town." I extended my hand to her.

She definately had it goin on. Dressed nicely, cute face, and for some reason, her tank top made me think of Big Red in a different way for the moment.

God dammit Damien- Jester is gone now. Can you talk to a girl without thinking of sex for a single second? Sigh... You can do this. It is simple conversation.

[Zen]

She extended her hand out to shake his, having noted the celtic cross on his lighter, much like the one held on her necklace she wore. Though for her it was a matter of heritage..for him, she was not sure....

Finally she would speak up, softly though not in a timid fashion...Not about to shy away from a conversation...Not now when things seemed to be going so well for her.

"Zenevieva Maddox"

Yes, she had given her full name. She was practicing on some new stuff since she had started to try and come out of her shell...Fully introducing herself was one of them.

Those almond hues continued to scan over him, taking in his features, though in more of a curious manner than anything else....Softly once she had her cig lit, she took a drag and then as she exhaled, her teeth captured her lower lip in a delicate little bite.

"I just moved here recently myself. It is nice to meet you."

[Jester]

What a weird name... Unique- but I surely would have shortened it by then- at least for first introductions. Oh boy, I hope she doesn't like going by the whole thing. That would be a pain in my balls.

"Nice to meet you too. Nice name by the way." I said, complimenting her without seeming like the overly sweet fake person all too common these days. "But I hope I can call you something shorter." I smiled, taking a drag.

"I'm just heading to the store up the street. Care to join me? I could use some company." I said, cocking my head down the street. Surely, someone who lives in the area would know of the gas station just two blocks away. It wouldn't seem too bad a task. "I'll throw in a replacement smoke." I said, as if to tempt her.

[Zen]

She smiled a bit more as he spoke of her name. The one time she uses the whole thing and he wanted to shorten it. GOOD!

"Zen is fine. That is what everyone calls me."

She then shrugged her bag back up onto her shoulder as she felt it beginning to slip. Then he mentioned going up a few blocks and asked her to join him.

She was honestly not to sure what to say, but then she figured no harm could come of that. Right? So with a soft nod she turned in that direction....

"Alright, you got me....So lets go before I change my mind."

A teasing grin spreading onto her lips as she cast those almond eyes upward toward him.

[Jester]

I caught her grin and returned it with one of my own. She was a sly one. Nice- Just the kind of friend I liked to have.

"Aw, change your mind? We just met mon ami~" I said, as I started to walk towards the store. "I didn't think you'd already be in such a rush to be rid of me Zen." I tried the name out. Had a good ring to it.

I took a long drag on the cig, savoring the flavor. Something about this girl was interesting. Not really in the 'easy to get along with hot chick' way, but she had a certain sass blended with her kindness. It was refreshing.

"So, you live in the area?" More smalltalk... Ugh, I disgust myself sometimes. Haha...

[Zen]

She just continued to grin as she shrugged softly, her mind wandering for a bit before coming back to the place they were at now....

"Well, guess if you want my company then you just have to impress me.."

Another teasing look given before she thought about the best way to describe her home, her way of life...It made her stomach turn and she growled to herself slightly.

"Up town, nice little home my uncle bought my mother...After my dad died.....Now she tries to pretend we are some upper class citizens when she knows damn good and well she aint nothing but a ghetto rat with a better tank to keep her in."

She turned her head away having gone on a rant there and not sure how he would handle such information thrown at him all at once.

[Jester]

I could do nothing but give a wide smile as she ranted- fuck, I love when people speak their mind- especially with as much ferocity as they feel it. It did sound like she had a bit of a fucked up life at home, but these days, shit like that was common.

What intrigued me though was her comment. I would need to impress her. Yup, her sass was alive and well. Now, what was the best way to go about this? Play it off? Nah... I'll actually play along.

"Well, how do I impress you?" I asked it rhetorically as I looked up at the sky, as if thinking of ways. "Well, let's see... I'm a former Pillar from Long Beach. How does that work for you?" I looked to her and flashed a grin.

[Zen]

She turned her attention to him as he spoke of his pillar position in Long Beach, a little raise of her brow given as she shook her head, that teasing grin still in place.

"Tsk tsk. You just met me, leaving a bookstore in the early hours of night, with a back pack, a pack of cigs, smart ass mouth and a habit of speaking my mind. Now do you really think that some muscle bound position is what is gonna interest me?"

She found it slightly amusing that he had been a pillar. But that was just slightly. Other than that she was going to wait and let him figure out just what kinda girl she was. If he thought she was the typical, fall all over a guy because he was strong type girl, he was seriously mistaken.

"Gonna have to do better than that big boy or I may just turn around and leave you here all alone and wishing you hadn't screwed this up."

Those almond eyes darker now as the lack of sun gave way to her more exotic features...Her slightly tanned, complexion, her dark eyes and hair...All of it claiming her to be a beauty from another country, despite her Brooklyn accent.

[Jester]

Wow, did she have that wrong or what? Heh... I guess it was natural to associate Pillars with combat specialists, but I was everything but a combat specialist.

"Muscle bound position? Haha... I hardly see Director of Media as being muscle bound, but to each their own..." I grinned. My title as a Pillar was hardly the typical position... In fact, I only had to fight once as a Pillar. All other duties were broadcast and journalism.

"Well, I'm a writer and a singer. I graduated last year and am taking a semester off to earn some money." I took a drag. "Looking for a job at the school as a teacher's assistant."

I shrugged. It was good work for me- If I could just somehow join up with the creative writing teacher or English teacher... That would make things very interesting.

"So, if you consider me muscle bound, then there's somethin wrong in that pretty head of yours." I took another quick drag and flashed a grin.

[Zen]

She grinned, hmm..he had some sass of his own. She found that funny and intriguing at the same time. As he finished up speaking she would nod softly and then shrug, a teasing light filling those dark hues as her grin stayed firmly in place.

"Ah, so no muscle bound asshole...just a tech geek?"

She laughed softly. The sound gentle and melodic upon the air of the night which passed between them.

She then turned and started toward the station once more, her hair blowing softly about in the breeze as she drew in a deep breath of the night air.

"So, I guess you are entertaining enough, since I am still here. What brings you to this little slice of chaos and madness?"

Referring of course to the city, a place so much different than what she was ued to..Yet she wa seeming to adapt rather quickly.

[Jester]

"I'm heading from school to school, looking for a job opening as a teacher's assistant- English or creative writing hopefully. Too bad though, cause every single school I've visited so far has just succumbed to violence from the corporal punishment laws." I sighed. "I remember when school used to be nice- pizza day on Friday, gold stars for good behavior, half-hour nap time... Now we just see people get beaten up and sent to the hospital..."

I wasn't one to talk... While I never sent anyone to the hospital, I was just as bad in my own way... My power of broadcasting led to the destruction of many people's social status', leaving the other three Pillars to break them apart. Granted, we weren't as bad as previous Pillars... but we weren't saints- except for Matrim...

"So, what brings you to this tasty little slice of Hell?" I returned the question to her.

[Zen]

She nodded slightly as he spoke, understanding how it was to just be in search of something, even if it was not the same something....But then he tuned the question back on her and she shrugged softly...

"My Father died and my Mother could not make it on her own in Brooklyn, so she moved here where my uncle could help support her. Now they live in a nice little suburban home. My mom and brother that is....Pretending to be something they are not."

She sighed as she thought it all over and then turned those dark eyes once more toward him. This time a slightly more genuine smile on her face....

"I hope that you soon find what you are looking for. You seem like a a rather intelligent person. Very rare in places such as these. It is all about strength and ones ability to beat another into the ground. No values placed on education and the basic concept of learning.

Muscles and brute strength can only get a person so far....It is what you learn in life that carries you through til the end."

She shrugged as she finished stating her opinion, the lights of the store now clearly seen in her line of sight.