smk_network | 1st roll, 2nd exposure

[the feed shows a sunny spot in an alley, just outside the Gibson Girl. Lydia has borrowed one of their tables and set it with an assortment of snacks, fruit, a pile of napkins, a stack of glasses, and a pitcher of their amazing lemonade... but the clear focus of the shot is propped against the alley wall: a giant book that anyone from the Temple party of the Jungle mission will recognize as a retired but unusual tent. She's wearing black jeans with splatters of maroon spray paint, courtesy of her roommate's creativity, and a matching brocade top, with a large, full envelope in her hands. The envelope is 8x10, yellow slashed with red diagonal lines.]

Hi, everybody. I've met most of you, I think, but my name is Lydia Deetz, and I work at the camera shop when I'm not training. I take pictures when I'm out exploring, and when we have parties, and meetings ... pretty much all the time. My friend Fenton made this giant book with his magic as a mistake, but... I want to turn it into a big photo album for all of us, as a record of everything that happens. I have a lot of pictures already, from the first two months I've been here... And some of them are from the other night, so you're all here.

[she pats the envelope]

One of my favorite myths about photography is some people think it steals your soul. Not really, but... It helps keep a memory. And memories are part of our soul, so ... Maybe what it really does is make our souls stronger. If we're going to be doing a lot of fighting and exploring and repairing... We're going to need to be strong. So. Maybe this will help. I'm in the alley by the Gibson Girl, if you want to come and help... Or even if you want to just look at the pictures. Once all the pictures are in, I'll keep it in the lobby of the apartments until I get more.

[an awkward pause as she realizes she has no clue how to end this]

Um. Hope to see some of you?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

strangeandunusual

He really loves what he does.

[she watches him go with a wistful smile, dreaming of the gallery Twelve had pitched to her]

He's lucky. I hope that's me, someday. ... What about you?

[she picks up one of the white cardboard sheets used to separate layers of confections in boxes and uses it as a plain backdrop for the sweets so that she can work some double exposure magic later]

What would you do here, if you could do anything?

From:

serpentinthegarden

[ By the time the question was asked Crowley had wandered over to take up residence on the nearest bench. With his feet propped up on the arm and laying where he really ought to have been sitting he didn't look like he was giving her question and thought at all, but he was. ]

Sweets are alright, can't see myself making a career out of it...

[ He finally settled on this as he didn't hate working for the Chef or tempting people to buy as much candy as they could physically carry but it wasn't a passion of his really. ]

Go up and cause some trouble, s'what I'm supposed to be doing, but there doesn't really seem to be any point to that here. There's no one to check up and make certain that I'm doing my job. But, I am good at causing trouble.

[ He huffed a sigh and gave the only real answer he could. ]

I dunno.

[ Other than spending as much time as possible with a certain Angel, which the kid really didn't need to know, he was drifting rather aimlessly... not at all sure what to do with himself now that he was under neither Heaven or Hell's thumb. ]

From:

strangeandunusual

Trouble, huh?

[she kept at her work, but she was thinking the whole time, gears turning. sometimes trouble could be good.]

Well, the Corroded could sure use some trouble. ... But you mean, like, pranks and actual problems and stuff.

[the pumpkin-shaped sweet put her in mind of the jack-o-lantern she, Fenton, and Atem had encountered on their secret mission for Hades. she wasn't sure how much of it she could discuss, but... she could be vague]

Atem and I found a bunch of gamblers and really pretty shady people out by the edge of the jungle. Near the part of the map named after New Orleans. I bet they could use someone to give them trouble, too.

From:

serpentinthegarden

[ He watched the ceiling as the girl spoke. Interesting things ceilings, especially this one as it was all done up in that gaudy early American style the rest of the candy shop was in. Huge moldings, red, white, and blue worked in. What this place really needed was a good modern designer but as that also wasn't a calling of his he figured the place would probably just stay as it was... overly done up for any holiday that wasn't the Fourth of July. ]

No, I don't mean pranks!

[ He hissed but actually from her point of view most the the things Crowley was most well known for would have seemed like pranks. ]

I mean... fomenting discord, trying to tarnish souls for the Master... There doesn't seem to be much point in that anymore. Satan isn't here, Hastur can't check up on me, Lord Beelzebub can't punish me for anything... Suddenly I have all this free time on my hands.

[ And no idea at all what to do with it! There was only the one bar and it was a pretty tame one. No night life, no reason to tempt anyone, what was a demon supposed to do here?
His lip curled like he had just smelled something gone off but he said...]

New Orleans? Now there is a city with a nightlife! Not like this apple pie and tea party town...

[ Whether he tempted anyone or decided to cause any trouble he might have to seek out that city. ]

From:

strangeandunusual

[all that name-dropping caught her attention, and she turned away from her work to face him, eyes wide with awe]

Wow. So you've ...

[she'd never doubted he was a demon, but the extent of his demonic duties or standing had never exactly come up. she gave a breathy little laugh and a shake of her head]

No wonder you're so good at selling candy. That's got to be easy as breathing. Can I ask you something? I mean - I know people get tormented and stuff, that's easy enough but ... if someone's going to wind up that way anyway, what's the point in them selling their soul? How does that even work as a form of currency?

From:

serpentinthegarden

[ Lydia's bright and awe filled eyes tugged him away from that less than interesting ceiling. Her reaction surprised him but it shouldn't have. He had never really been a name-dropper or spoken much about his work. On Earth there were always too many ears it made speaking openly too dangerous. But here where there was nothing that could touch him this was a source of awe? Weird kid. ]

People usually sell their souls in exchange for something they couldn't get any other way... you know the whole eternal youth, power, money... that sort of thing. Why? You thinking of trading down?

From:

strangeandunusual

"Nonono, see, that part, I get." She shook her head, then scrunched up her face as she tried to figure out how to explain it so that her question made sense.

"What I mean is ... what's the value of it to you? Collectively. What do you even do with it? Is it just bragging rights, like saying you're the head of sales for the month?"

From:

serpentinthegarden

Oh that.

[ He breathed out a sigh like all this was old hat to him. ]

The deeds of the day. It's bragging rights for those of us working in the business. Sort of like a check in, hi, how are you, I tempted a teacher today and by the end of the week we'll have his soul...
Downstairs likes numbers though. The more you corrupt the better. They need all those souls to fill out the ranks of Satan's immortal army to fight in the final days of Armageddon.

[ End of the world. Funny how that had once been his biggest concern and now it was... ]

Does everything in this town have to be red, white, and blue? You would think they could throw in some black or even some purple...

From:

strangeandunusual

Ohhhh, so you're actually recruiting. And since there's no immortal army here - yeah, I get it. ... You really don't seem like an army guy, though. Like, at all.

[she nodded a little, holding the thought up against the rest of what she knew or had heard, and finding it fit pretty well. at his comment about the colors, though, she gave a groan of agreement]

I know! Maybe some dark green... Mal and I actually redecorated our apartment on the very first night we were there. She had spray paint in her backpack. We did as much as we could until we ran out, and then in the morning we found the Emporium and got more. I know you guys don't get along, but ... she's really good at it. And she's hiring out. I bet if you wanted her to paint your apartment she'd do it while you were at work...

From:

serpentinthegarden

[ This couldn't be denied. ]

I'm not an 'army guy'... at all.

[ Though she had no idea how deeply that statement was felt. ]

I'm more an ideas man. Big picture, that's me.

[ So he said with only the lightest of bitter laughs at the suggestion Mal ought to be allowed anywhere near his place. ]

That would never work out. She'd see it as an opportunity to enact her revenge on me. I ruined her 'brilliant' plan to steal candy from an old man.

From:

strangeandunusual

[she huffed.]

UGH. She's so dumb, sometimes. I don't know what makes me more upset, how dumb she can be, or the fact that I know she can be so much better than stupid - stupid - stupid shit like that.

[her eyes widened, and she covered her mouth.]

OhmygoshI'msosorry. I hope the chef didn't just hear me.

From:

serpentinthegarden

[ With a quirked eyebrow he glanced between girl and Chef but he was far too amused to accept the apology. ]

Chef doesn't hear anything when he is back there in his box. I've said much worse.

[ Nothing to worry about as far as he was concerned. Good for her really for showing some evil! ]

I did think about throwing Mal some business once since she is the only stylist in town but... I'd end up with green hair and mime makeup. It's not worth it.

From:

strangeandunusual

You guys are going to have to make up at some point, you know. ... What would it take for you?

[she might have to be a little sneaky. or enlist the help of sneakier people than herself with similar taste in messy hair and gothic Victorian clothing who are really good at strategy.]

From:

serpentinthegarden

I don't see why. There are plenty of people I've never made up with.

[ Said an idly as a demon could. ]

Redemption is really more of an angel thing, not something we demons get into.

From:

strangeandunusual

But were any of them people who were probably just trying to impress you and not realizing they went about it the wrong way?

[she paused, realizing she was on the verge of pushing a button, if she hadn't already]

I'm sorry. I shouldn't be trying to make you do something you don't want to do.

From:

serpentinthegarden

She was trying to snag some free candy...

[ So not impressed but he wasn't feeling snappy either. He was, for the moment, a very lazy demon. ]

How'd she decide to impress you? Steal your socks?

From:

strangeandunusual

She flipped the punch bowl over and threatened to set me on fire when I told her to calm down.

[Lydia rolled her eyes, remembering how close she'd been to just giving Mal the enemy she wanted to see everywhere. how her Spark had saved her from it and started a friendship instead]

So I asked her why she was so upset, instead of yelling back, and when she told me, I listened.

[it wasn't any sort of mini-lecture or anything, just simple fact of what she'd done]

From:

serpentinthegarden

You think I yelled at her? I didn't.

[ He waited for that moment of surprise because he remembered that by the time Lydia had arrived on the scene he and Mal had been well past talking and were about to throw a few fireballs at each other. ]

I actually asked her to put back the candy she had hidden in her pockets. Asked, me! It's ridiculous! Looking back on it I should have just turned her into a candy... Would serve her right. There is no talking with that kid.

From:

strangeandunusual

No, I didn't really think about what you might've done before I showed up. All I meant was that I didn't yell at her.

[a little defensive, there, she thinks, frowning in worry. for someone who prides himself on discord, he seemed pretty quick to point out that he wasn't trying to make any there.]

I don't think it was ridiculous. It sounds to me like you were trying not to make a big deal out of it. I'm not making excuses for her or anything - she shouldn't have stolen from you - but she's got a lot of things she's figuring out. I guess I just wish I could help, but I can't do much.

From:

serpentinthegarden

[ He doesn't notice the frown as he was far too busy yawning. Bit of a trip Crowley, every now and then, if you were paying attention he would slip up and display a glimmer of a good side just as he had been trying to do that day he had met Mal which was why he felt a touch defensive about it now. ]

Whatever. There's nothing to help. It's her choice to be obnoxious. I'm not looking to hold her hand and sing a rousing rendition of Kumbaya, just...

[ Yawn. ]

Don't worry about it.

From:

strangeandunusual

Am I boring you? [she gave him a teasing smile]

Seriously, though, I - I shouldn't be keeping you from your work, I'm sorry. I'll finish up these pictures and leave you to it.

From:

serpentinthegarden

Nah... I'm done with work for the day. I'm just hanging around.

[ To 'help out' if he was needed but he didn't say that. He just stayed there reclined on his bench and yawned again. After a full day's work he was tired but only because he did have to get up so early and not because of the company. ]

How are the pictures coming? The light alright for them?

From:

strangeandunusual

Oh, okay.

[again, nice of him, but she didn't say anything, just shifted a few of the confections around for a different composition]

They're good. The light in here is actually pretty great for what I'm going to do with them. Nice and even, so when I do the double exposure later, it won't look weird with any of the natural lighting in the other shots. I shouldn't be too much longer.

From:

serpentinthegarden

[ Damn nice.

And maybe in an effort to counter all this 'nice' he had been doing today he reached over to snag a pre-wrapped brownie from the shelf. Just a little snack before he left to track down some dinner. ]

Once you're done you can take any of those you want. They are all test runs and would need to be tossed out after today anyway.

From:

strangeandunusual

You know ...

[she grinned.] I could bring the leftovers to the Gibson Girl and they could make them sundae specials. First come first serve. That way if people like the brownies, they'd have to come here to get more. It's the least I can do to thank you for giving me this gig.