Magic Box, Thursday, 7/1

[life_inshadow]

Tara spent today messing with the shop's display of tarot cards. She wasn't sure she trusted them to tell the future -- they weren't part of her usual practices, and she wasn't clairvoyant anyhow -- but she loved looking at them just for the artwork.

Her favorite today was something called the Animals Divine Tarot. She loved the portrait of Hera with a cow that had been used for the Empress.

[OOC: Open shop, no OCD!]

Comments

[theotherpeter.livejournal.com]

Peter wandered into the shop, vaguely wondering why he was even doing this. The real answer was that a week without classes had left him somewhat bored.

"So," he said, mulling over the maelstrom of options on how he wanted to approach this. "Anything in here that's more... academic than practical on the subject of magic? I'm looking for information, not ready to sign up for my pointy hat and wand."

[life_inshadow]

Tara quirked her head at him, blinking. Had he really come into a magic shop and insulted witchcraft? That was dumb; he was lucky she wasn't the type to turn anybody into a frog.

"Sure?" she said, coming out form behind the counter to lead him to a particular section of the bookshelves. "The books that aren't spellbooks are mostly on this shelf. I, um, won't even make you p-put a wart on your nose to look at them."

[theotherpeter.livejournal.com]

Peter thought he was actually being pretty tame about the whole subject. He thought the little glib joke was cute.

That's because Peter rarely doubted his own self righteousness, however. In fact, when Tara made the little comeback, he smiled and thought she was playing along.

"I figure I'd end up making a lot of nice people my enemy if I keep telling them how I don't believe in this stuff," he admitted, looking at the spines of the books. "So I figure, at least I can know something, anything to keep my head on straight about this stuff."

[life_inshadow]

"Really?" Tara asked, brightening a bit. (She might have been oversensitive about stereotypes around witchcraft.) "That's -- actually pretty cool of you. How can you not believe in magic, though? It's all over the place at this school."

[theotherpeter.livejournal.com]

"It's a semantics argument," Peter admitted, turning to Tara and abandoning the book search for the moment. "Which makes me sound like a jerk, so I'll try to avoid actually getting into it. It's not a matter of disbelieving what I can see. It's just a matter of wanting to quantify how it works."

[life_inshadow]

"It works because it works isn't enough for you, huh?" Tara asked, more curious than demanding. She reached just over Peter's head to pluck down a basic primer on Wicca, which she offered to Peter. "This is about the kind of magic I do. There are spells in it, but most of it is just about how to channel your energy and everything."

[theotherpeter.livejournal.com]

Peter nodded, glad for the assistance. "I figured the books here might be safer than the ones from the library," he said. "And you're right, I just don't like unexplained things. Karla did a good job of making a scientific case for her craft. Not that she likes me explaining it that way."

[life_inshadow]

"What's wrong with the books in the library?" Tara asked. "I've never actually been in..."

Somewhere, Henry DeTamble wept.

Considering, she added, "And -- if I was going to try to use science? I d-don't know if I could explain what Karla does. It's way over my head."

[theotherpeter.livejournal.com]

"They tend to have a life of their own, or so I'm led to believe by Gabrielle," Peter said. "I haven't actually witnessed anything, but I'm not about to take my chances, not with this stuff."

He paused. "Do you want me to actually try to explain Karla's magic, or were you just saying you couldn't. Because I don't want to launch into a whole biology lesson if you don't want it."

[brat_inslayage]

"I know, I know, it's like we can't find out anything ever this time of year," Kennedy was saying into her phone as she walked in around lunchtime, the by-now-traditional bag of food dangling from her other hand and a drink carrier containing a pair of milkshakes somewhat precariously balanced on her arm. "Like this is new by now? I thought I'd ask anyway... yeah, I'm keeping up with... no, she didn't break my ribs or anything... no, I'm not slacking during break week... okay. Talk to you tomorrow, Constance."

She hung up and stuck the phone in her pocket, just in time to rescue the milkshakes (they'd been starting to teeter dangerously). "Hey, I'm looking for something really specific. Think you can help me out with that?"

[life_inshadow]

Tara took possession of a milkshake, purely to avoid spillage.

"Probably?" she said earnestly, around the straw. "What did you have in mind?"

[brat_inslayage]

"Company for lunch," Kennedy told her promptly. "About this tall--" she held up the drink carrier (now less heavy by half!) level with the top of Tara's head-- "with a smile that makes me want to do things I shouldn't talk about in public. Know where I can find someone like that?"

[life_inshadow]

Tara laughed. "You're way too cute," she told Kennedy. "Be careful, I might keep you here way longer than just lunch."

[brat_inslayage]

Kennedy acknowledged the compliment with a quick wink. "And that's supposed to warn me off? I have like nothing else to do this week anyway." She was that crazy girl who missed getting whomped on a weekly basis already.

"Oh, and by the way, is that a yes to my question?"

[life_inshadow]

"I know, we didn't even have reserves," Tara said. "It's been quiet."

She took another sip of milkshake, smiling at Kennedy. "And yes, it was a yes," she added. "Unless you want somebody who doesn't have blond hair and blue eyes. Then I can't help you."

[brat_inslayage]

"Oh, did I forget to mention that part? I could've been more specific about looking for someone who happens to answer to the name Tara, too," Kennedy teased, setting the burgers and fries out on the counter. "So lucky me, looks like you can help me out after all, 'cause no way can I eat all this by myself."

Last week, maybe, but her appetite was back to normal now, and while she could still eat all this, she didn't necessarily want to.

[life_inshadow]

"And you could get really crazy and specify a Tara whose last name starts with an M," Tara offered, and leaned over to try for a kiss. "Thanks for lunch. I think between the two of us we can eat ... maybe half of this?"

[trigons_child]

Raven had returned to Fandom late Wednesday night and found Karla's email about Sookie's birthday. The next morning she headed into town to the Magic Box to see if she could find something there to get as a present. "Good morning, Tara," she said as she stepped inside the store, pleased to see it was her friend working today.

[life_inshadow]

"Hi, Raven," Tara called, flashing a quick smile. "What's up? Need help with anything?"

[trigons_child]

"It is Sookie's birthday today and I wish to find her a present," Raven said, glancing about the store as she moved up to the counter. "I was away and did not realize until today, so I am shopping late, I fear."

[life_inshadow]

"I saw that email," Tara nodded. "I ... haven't exactly decided what I'm getting her. Usually I give people candles or whatever."

She shrugged a little. "She gave me stationary. It was pretty. But you should totally look around."

[trigons_child]

"Candles are very nice gifts," Raven said. "I often use them, and incense as well, when I meditate, and if the candle is a gift from someone, their psychic presence can be comforting." She picked up a chunk of amethyst crystal and turned it over in her hands. "I am fond of giving gifts of crystal, for even if the magical properties are not understood by the person the gift is for, they are still pretty."

[life_inshadow]

"She might like crystal," Tara said, perking up. "Y-you can use it to protect yourself, right? And I know she shields so her head doesn't get all --" she gestured vaguely. "Hearing people too much."

[trigons_child]

Raven nodded. "Yes, there are some that will help you clear your mind or protect against outside influences, which would be very helpful for a telepath," she said. She set down the chunk of quartz and found a silver-wrapped piece of smokey quartz on a chain. "Tourmalinated quartz is very good for shielding, and can even help transmute negative energy into positive."

[life_inshadow]

"And it's pretty," Tara enthused. "I think that's a great gift. I might get her the matching earrings." She frowned. "Are her ears pierced?"

She'd never noticed.